New Moon in Gemini- Serving Two Masters

Conflict by Anton Rehrl, CCL

Effective Date- 6/4/16

Helios Says:

Hope and despair. Power and impotence. Past and future. Heaven and Hell. Human and Divine. Head and Heart. Confidence and Doubt. Welcome to the edge of the storm. The crosswinds of the opposing forces within you are ripping you apart. You have moments before it envelops you- What is your play? Whatever it is, you cannot hesitate- You will only get one shot here, so you better make it count. We stand on the precipice of the challenge that the Cardinal Crisis spent years molding us for- And instead of being battle-ready, eager to take on whatever the cosmos can fling at us, we are running from the front lines as fast as we can! Those who can't run? Shaking in their boots, second guessing every decision in their life that has led them to this point, trying to figure out the moment where it all went wrong to lead them here.

It will do you no good to run- You couldn't possibly hide from this, because the battle you face is within yourself. Each of us will have our demons to face, but I promise you one thing- Helios and Artemis are here, with you, fighting at your back. We will get you through this, I swear it. This is what we have been training for, and it is OUR moment!

Let's go.

Artemis Says:“I've never fooled anyone. I've let people fool themselves. They didn't bother to find out who and what I was. Instead they would invent a character for me. I wouldn't argue with them. They were obviously loving somebody I wasn't.” -- Marilyn Monroe

Out of all the mutable signs, the strongest source of chaos seems to originate from Gemini.  Like Virgo, there is a sense of striving toward order but being stretched too thin.  At least Virgo is an earth sign, giving her a sense of grounding and purpose to her chaos.  Gemini is ruled by air, and this in itself gives him very little restriction.  Of course, this could drive a person insane and create a sort of split persona.  Perhaps this is why Gemini is represented by the Twins;  you're always talking to two different people when talking to a Gemini.  One person dwells deep inside and they are extraordinarily insightful.  This twin has a wonderful appreciation for higher intellectual pursuits, a keen eye when it comes to analysis of any kind, a whimsical sense of humor and an ability for the arts that can rival any other sign in the Zodiac.  The other Twin is kind of a piece of shit (or just really ridiculously flashy).  Oh shut up, Gemini, you all know it's true!  We never know which one of you to expect, and I bet you don't either.  This new moon is a lot like that.  What the hell is on the horizon?  What can we expect?  And who are we going to end up choosing to be?

H: The Sun, Moon, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Pluto- You read that right. All seven are counted in this. Let's break this down- The hot zone will be anything between 12-16 degrees of your chart, but especially the mutables. This is major change energy in the air- Yes, things have been stagnant and you have been at a loss as for what to do to surmount your obstacles. Overnight, it seems like these obstacles are melting away in front of you, and the ground has suddenly changed from quicksand to one of those horizontal escalator walkways that they have in airports for no adequately explored reason and that exist no where else- Only they actually have some speed to them, and its more than you can handle. The main players are going to be the benefics, Venus and Jupiter. This new moon is right on Venus and being squared by Jupiter; But in the background are Saturn, Neptune and Pluto. You are caught between your brightest future and your darkest past. Your secrets, mistakes, lies and failures seek to weigh you down so that you may never reach those lofty peaks you dream of- Your fears haunt you at every turn, and your insecurities take every opportunity to remind you how much of a piece of shit you actually are. They rake you over the coals for every misspoken word, every failed venture, and every chance that you didn't take. They will do this for as long as you continue to give them your attention- Engaging in that negative self-talk will only give your demons more power over you. In spite of the war raging in your head and heart, you have achieved so much, so quickly, and in ways that those around you never believed that you were capable of- But you cannot see it. All you see is your failures, because you are the only one who knows their full extent! You can get through this, but to do so you will need to forget the failures, and the losses. You need to get over yourself- No, your life is not perfect and blissful, and exactly the way it turned out since you planned it all out at age 10. No ones is. You are not that same person as you were back then, and thank god for it- if you insist on trying to gauge your success on that metric, your original plan, you will ALWAYS come up short. You have to let go of that dialogue that says that you need to get back to the original model- Unless you somehow develop time travel powers there is no way to do it (and then you run into causality, and bifurcated timelines... its a giant hassle); You have to deal with your situation, this world, reality as it is - Not how you wish it would have been. Most of all, you have to be honest with yourself- There is something in your past, or in your subconscious that you are desperately trying to hide from. This is keeping you chained to it, so that you can never escape it. Break your shackles and face the truth. Only then can you move forward. (Minor Planets in play- Psyche, Tantalus, Hopi, Teharonhiawako, Hidalgo, Osiris, Phaethon, Cyllarus, Bienor, Echeclus, Ceto)

A:  The Sun (ace of wands), Moon (3 of Pentacles), Venus (8 of Pentacles), Jupiter (High Priestess), Saturn (7 of Pentacles), Neptune (7 of Wands) and Pluto (Queen of Swords):

There seems to be a "split" in all the air signs.  Gemini is split by two personas, Libra is split by everything in fucking existence - trying fruitlessly to bring it all together, and Aquarius is split between the heavens and earth.  Unfortunately, this leads to a sort of dissociation in all three signs.  Who are they really?  Do you remember how I told you on the Sagittarius Full Moon that what we imagine, we become?  I pulled the same goddamn card for the moon again; the Ace of Wands.  It makes a lot of sense.  This time, we are tackling it from a far more personal side than when we were being pummeled by moon in Saggo energy.  Saggo asked us who we wanted to be in regards to the collective, and Gemini is asking us who we are going to choose to be in regards to our own daily life.

Marilyn is the perfect example of a Sun (and Mercury) in Gemini person.  Her friends would talk about how she could trigger different personas into existence at whim, and how she could effortlessly weave her way through conversations.  One minute she was Norma Jean; quiet, intellectual, serious, and plain.  People would pass her on the street without a second glance.  She would tell her friends to watch closely as she shifted into Marilyn Monroe.  The next minute she would "transform" into her other half with a little shift in posture and mindset.  People immediately began to notice her as she walked down the street.  This is Gemini's gift.  You can project on to them as much bullshit as you'd like, and the inner twin will always be just behind the scenes taking notes as the more theatrical twin is picking away at your defenses.  What you imagine, you become.  What others imagine we are, we become.  Instead of putting down the inner person who is clearly not the outer person, use the "image" others create for you as a weapon.  Theater is an important art-form.  Figuring out which myth people believe you are living out can come to your advantage.  Venus and Jupiter are going to be helping us chop wood and carry water, so to speak.  Jupiter is whispering to us that the secret to all of this lies in him, and that Venus is helping him construct this grand plan.  Both planets are sitting in Mercury ruled signs; Virgo and Gemini.  So, the answer lies with connecting to others who share similar views in regards to connection that we do.  How can we merge our ideas with others?  How are we all going to put together our little pieces of the puzzle with those who are working on the same puzzles as us?

While you are working with your allies, you need to prepare for your enemies.  How can you use the "idea of you" that they have to destroy them?

It's time to focus on how to use our skills, especially our personality, to get what we want.  Jesus Christ, I sounded so Gemini just then...  Although Gemini knows how to nudge people in various directions for their own benefit, there is always this underlying guilt they face.  Perhaps this is why they are constantly running in the middle of situations they have manifested?  This warns us to keep in mind that whatever you do to turn a situation into your favor, do so without nudging people off of their own path.  All in all, this is an extremely creative moon.  Use it to paint a beautiful new mask for this stage we call life.  The myths we create are a map of the underlying reality of things; which we are unable to truly communicate.  Sorry, Gemini, we know how much you like to communicate.  How do you talk about something that we really don't know how to talk about?  Art.    

While you are learning how to use your exterior self as an art form, don't get too lost in the being that you create.  You are never exactly what others say you are.  Your inner self also has some shit they are dealing with that needs focus as well.  The outer planets are digging under our skin to reveal to us the truth of our inner lives.  Sometimes love has to be tough.  Pluto has always had a bad reputation for being volatile when she should be tender (makes sense that I pulled the Queen of Swords for her).  Remember, there is a need for fire to clear things that are overrun.  There is an ancient wisdom to Pluto that tells us that to uncover what is buried inside of us, we have to dig deep and use big explosives.  It is a violent process.  Anytime false ideas about who we are come toppling down, it can't help but be a violent process.  Use this chaos around us like a ladder.  Gemini knows that when the pieces scatter, you can use them to create whatever fairy tale you wish to create.  The Mutable Grand Cross that is coming up in less than 2 weeks is going to be a big opportunity.  We are going to be able to re-arrange the pieces of our existence into a new shape.  Mutable signs like Gemini are like play doe.  You can pummel them into any form that you wish, but always keep in mind that it is not permanent.  We will be learning grand lessons of impermanence now, from crumbling social circles to crumbling ideas of persona.  Keep in mind that the truth of any individual can never be gleamed from one perspective of them.  We are like the eye of a storm; still and empty like a void.  Our exterior is always spinning and changing; picking up pieces of others as we move along our path.  We are both.  The person that you create to take on your exterior world has repercussions for the person living inside of you.  Remember this as you choose which myth you want to live out.       

H: Mercury and Uranus- As you are dredging up the mire in your head, your mind is supercharged right now, going a mile a minute trying to think up a clever way out of the situation your cleverness got you into. News flash- getting out of it, running from the problem? The least effective way to move forward. Your best way out is through. Note that I didnt say the ONLY way there- you can choose just about any way to move you want: Forward, back, up, west or at a downward slope. Doesn't matter. You will move, and if you dont harness the energy here for your own aims, it will run roughshod over you, and when it is done with you it will cast you aside in a random direction of its choosing- not yours. For some of you, this is what you really want- I get it, but if you can take control, why not do so? You will also run into the issue where you are afraid of what you want, that it is either not big or world-changing enough, that your dreams are too small and you cannot be enough for this world- that you have missed your shot at your best life. If you do, reexamine what you think you want. See if your goals are still in line with your path. (Minor Planets in play- Ceres, Borasisi, Hebe, Niobe, Hybris, Bacchus)

A: Mercury (Page of Swords) and Uranus (9 of Wands):  

Eek, we're up against the ropes and have no idea where to move from here.  9 of Wands indicates our huge sense of exhaustion, yet it also shows us that we have a lot of EXPERIENCE now.  These two cards show us that we are finally coming into a deeper understanding of our mental workings.  The Page of Swords is always poised to move but a little nervous.  She has all the knowledge she needs, just as the 9 of Wands, but where the 9 of Wands is exhausted and beat up, the Page of Swords is nervous and anxious.  You need to figure out a way to ground yourself and summon some strength.  Things are literally going to be able to go anywhere from here.  The Mutable Grand Cross and this Mutable sun and moon are telling change is here whether we like it or not.  Uranus is about to go conjunct with Eris (June 1), which is sending more CHANGE our way.  You can sit there and cry about how tired and nervous you are, or you can keep plugging away.  Venus being the 8 of Pentacles tells me that our route to fortune is going to be in the plugging away, regardless of the insanity coming from Mercury and Uranus.  Make a move.  

H: Mars and Chiron- With all of this, what can you actually do about any of it? Well, this is mostly going to be an internal struggle, primarily a mental one. The best thing to do is to focus on resolving your conflict, and not trying to rush it- You must not try to push forward quicker than the flow wishes for you. You can choose to do so, but I promise that you will be pushed back and knocked on your ass at every turn if you do. Or you could be patient and allow events to unfold in harmony (*cough cough* Fourth Law *cough cough*). The downside to following the path, the flow, is that right now no matter what course of actions you decide to take you will be forced to confront old issues that have not been resolved. Any shortcuts you have taken, anything unfinished will be thrown back up in your face. We have been down the chirotic path before though, so you know the territory- besides, the more you face the issues, the less power they have over you. Your freedom comes from this conflict, both within and without. You must not shrink from it- you have to fight through. Step up and fight for your future or watch it fall away (Minor Planets in play- Siwa, Varuna)

A: Mars (the Heirophant) and Chrion (6 of Pentacles):

Ugh, Mars is retrograding into Scorpio, meaning more skeletons popping up for us.  It's fine.  Every time these issues come around, they give us a deeper understanding of why they manifested in our lives.  Everything is not as it initially seems.  Chiron is the Wounded Healer of the asteroids and he is telling us we have to be willing to give as much healing as we are receiving.  To heal yourself, you have to help heal others.  The thing is, we have to seek the perfect balance right now.  Putting too much energy into others, or putting too much energy into yourself over others, is going to send you under.  Everyone's self esteem is struggling right now.  Build each other up as Mars in Scorpio brings back more unfinished business for everyone.  We seriously all need to work together.  Throwing others off the cliff is not going to make it easier for you to climb the mountain.  Sure, if it's one of your piece of shit enemies, knock that sucker to the motherfucking ground.  But if it's a friend, or someone you hardly really know, lend a fucking hand.  You are going to need people you trust holding the ropes for you, and vice versa.  There is something really strange about the Heirophant representing Mars in retrograde in Scorpio.  I get a sense of ancestors calling out to us.  Sit and meditate on this.  What unlived dreams of your ancestors do you need to address?  How are you an unknowing device for your ancestors to live out those dreams?  This is an important thing to keep in mind when we are manifesting a future for ourselves in the coming weeks.  Keep in mind what your dreams are juxtaposed against the dreams everyone has been feeding you plus the dreams that your ancestors never fulfilled due to giving up on their lives or any other tragedy that may have befallen them.  Gemini teaches us that we are never truly just one person, and we never truly serve just one master.  

Full Moon in Sagittarius- Worst Enemy

Monster by *Nicole C, CCL

Effective Date: 5/21/16

Helios Says:  “The Edge... There is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over.”- Hunter S. Thompson

Don't push me, because I'm close to the edge... that is very much the feel of this Full Moon. With the pressure of the multiple retrogrades, the mutable meltdown, and the looming specter of Uranus meeting up with Eris, who could blame you for being just done? Not a damn one of us, because we are all there. These times aren't just hard, they're ruthless.

And this is not the day where I tell you that it is all smooth sailing from here. No, we have miles and miles to go before we rest.

Artemis says:
“No, no! The adventures first, explanations take such a dreadful time.” 
― Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass

Adventure.  What could be more holy than the very pilgrimage one embarks on to find the “light”, the “answer”, the “whatever the fuck it is we are looking for?”  There is always that insatiable itch inside of us that screams, “GO OUT THERE AND FIND IT!”  (Whatever “it” is.)  The world is so big and vast; of course the answer must be out there!  Well, let me let you in on a little secret.  God is like an onion.  Stay with me here.  God is like an onion.  You keep peeling back layers and layers, hoping to reveal something, but all you're really revealing is more and more of the same - all the way to the core.  As above so below.  We are the very fabric of what makes up this universe.  Explore yourself by exploring everything around you.  Your exterior reality is like a mirror.  Don’t be afraid to peer deeply.

H:The Sun, Moon, and Mars- Okay, so let's start with the good news. You finally have energy! You feel like you can take on the world and can do whatever you set your mind to! The bad news? You are being blocked at every turn, leaving you to pace back and forth like a caged animal. All that energy just gets dissipated and squandered, leaving you annoyed, and feeling like a failure for not achieving as much as you wanted, further adding to your annoyance and frustration. This can lead you to lash out at those around you, especially those who offer to help you or talk. Since you don't think there is anything they can do to help, you lash out in anger and frustration, driving away your allies and support network when you need it most. All you want is just to fly above the problems that assault you, but you are shackled by your obligations. 

A:Sun (The Fool), Moon (Ace of Wands), Mars (2 of Wands):  For the full moon in Sagittarius, I pulled the Ace of Wands.  What we imagine, we become.  We tend to build an image of ourselves and stick with that image like it is the one true god.  Guess what?  You can become whoever you want to be whenever you want to be.  Your imagination is even more powerful than you could ever imagine (ooo paradox).  We build the reality around us, which means you build your own prison by choosing to allow others to dictate your reality.  This card is reminding us that we are lit as fuck and there is nothing that can smolder our divine fire.  Don’t fear doing your work or finding your way.  Everyone is honestly just terrified – like, all the fucking time.  Everyone claims that they are looking for truth, but few are brave enough to look at it.  When you stoke your fires, so to speak, there will be people around you who will try and smolder your light so they aren’t forced to see.  Fuck these people.  For the Sun, I pulled The Fool.  Reset.  It’s time for you to do something you’ve been afraid to do.  It’s time for you to take that leap of faith and possibly tumble off a cliff to your doom.  BUT, if you do survive, and your instincts were right, you could stumble into some form of great personal enlightenment during this full moon.  With the 2 of Wands representing Mars in this reading, I would go on to say that a major decision needs to be made.  I know the Mars in retrograde energy has everyone aggressive and unmotivated, but if you can actually make a clear decision about your future actions – if you can develop a vision – you will be surprised by the surge of energy you receive to spearhead this vision.

H:Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Pluto- This section deserves its own post, quite frankly. This is the source of the shitty astro of the moment- Mercury is about to go direct, but before he does he has one last, assholish trick to pull, and he has the Super Saiyan energy to pull it off. Mercury is going to throw up every nightmare and fear you have, and blow them way out of proportion: With Neptune and Jupiter they will be insidious and able to get under your skin like nothing else, while being exaggerated and overwhelming. Saturn makes sure that you are reminded every minute that you are insignificant, worthless, and no one wants anything to do with you, while Pluto makes sure that you are too terrified of your own shadow to do anything about it. You will not get rest, and you will not get respite. You will be a prisoner of your own mind, and these phantoms will be relentless. You will have a very hard time telling what is real and what is fake. What you really need to watch though, is your self-talk; now I was new to this concept until I heard @LordMoonstone talk about it in a video detailing his mental issues and suicide attempt-  You must be very careful of how you deal with your self, and how you treat yourself with all this chaos swirling around inside your own head. Just because something shitty is happening to you doesn't mean that you are in fact, shit. These guys do not need ANY help tearing up your mind and your ego, least of all you cheering them on. You are going to want to find an outlet, a way for you to cope with all that noise- And you don't want to turn to drugs or booze, because they will only exacerbate the problem, trust me.

A:Mercury (The Star), Jupiter (7 of Cups), Saturn (Page of Swords), Neptune (King of Wands), Pluto (The Moon):  We're about to drop off a very nasty cliff the next couple of weeks, so you better start learning to fly.  You also need to stop fighting the retrogrades.  Sorry, you can’t run from the forced introspection.  The planets have put a magnifying glass to your soul for a reason.  You can’t fucking hide from your own mind.  So you better get your adventure party together and quest to the center to face your own great beast.  With the card combinations present, it looks like the outer planets are gearing for some reality rattling.  For Pluto, I pulled The Moon, which means he is going to continue digging at you until you realize what subconscious forces have been pulling you toward the horrible chaos in your life.  You are choosing to march in these directions.  But why?  What inside of you keeps you circling back around to the trash piles of reality?  For Neptune I pulled the King of Wands and for Jupiter I pulled the 7 of Cups.  We are brimming with ideas right now.  Our heads are swimming with so many things we could be doing and experiencing, and our very urge to go and explore every nook and cranny is going to inflame our imagination.  This comes with a bit of a warning, though – check yourself at every step to see that the pieces are fitting together correctly.  Saturn being the Page of Swords suggests that insecurity is not over yet.  Saturn knows that we know how to assume our power in this world, but he also knows we need a big push to do so.  This is tough love, guys.  He fucks our shit up so that we can become stronger and wiser.  Don’t fear your knowledge.  Trust it.  Trust yourself and do what you need to do.

H:Venus and Uranus- Okay, so where do we go from all of that nonsense? Well, strangely enough these two might be the best antidote to the chaos I just talked about. All of those phantoms, spooks and nightmares have one fatal flaw- They only have any power if you take them seriously. Venus and Uranus right now have this great, heretical trickster energy, and it can cut straight through the dark, dank fears you have. The shadows fear laughter more than anything. If you refuse to give them any sort of respect, and just mercilessly ridicule them, they have no power over you. For instance- I saw an amazing tumblr post where a user was saying that from now on, their coping skill to deal with the anxiety, depression and negative self-talk was to imagine that it was coming from Donald Trump. Now as the Donald is a natural buffoon, and its impossible to take anything that comes out of his idiot mouth seriously, this is absolute genius. Make your fears afraid of you by refusing to take them seriously. Its just crazy enough to work, aye?

A:Venus (Queen of Pentacles) and Uranus (6 of Swords):  Venus is trying to tell us that in order to find pleasure right now, we must soak ourselves back into the earth.  Get outside.  Go climb trees and roll around in the grass and have a hike.  The crazy thing about nature is that it teaches us everything we need to know about pleasure and beauty.  It teaches us about the severity that is also necessary from time to time.  But, regardless of how horrible the severity is in any natural climate, there is still an awesome beauty to it all that cannot be denied.  Venus is telling us to find the beauty in the pain.  There are no mistakes.  Everything is a part of the greater echo system.  Take a different perspective.  And that is exactly what the 6 of Swords for Uranus is telling me.  It is time to move on from our old ways.  It’s time to come up with new methods.  Your habits of the past aren’t going to cut it for the next level.  The quest is long, we have no idea what is at the core, but I’m going to bet the infinite things we experience on the journey paint a mirror image of the destination.

New Moon in Taurus- The Price

Banksy in Boston: F̶O̶L̶L̶O̶W̶ ̶Y̶O̶U̶R̶ ̶D̶R̶E̶A̶M̶S̶ CANCELLED, Essex St, Chinatown, Boston by Chris Devers, CCL

Helios says:
“That’s the cost. That’s the price. Get ready, because when you crush the humanity out of humans, you’re left with humans with no humanity. In other words, you get what you pay for, motherfucker”
― Rick Yancey

Well, we survived that Full Moon in Scorpio- It may not feel like it, but we made it through. This one was rough, rougher than most; and for Scorpio that is SAYING something. Luckily the torture left us with a gift- It exposed our souls. Parts of you that you have given up for dead long ago got the chance to breathe again. Through the pain and the fire, you were able to take the first steps and see where you COULD heal, if you so chose.

It's never quite that easy though...

Over here, we are quite fond of berating you and beating the idea of knowing yourself and what it is that you truly want, your hearts deepest darkest desires into your thick skulls, but now this astro has whispered a question- what are you willing to do to get what you want? What will you sacrifice? How will you settle your debt? I assure you there will be a price to pay to see your dreams come true. This tells us something important- What you want CAN be brought to reality, and you can make it happen. It is within the realm of possibility. Then again, so is either myself or Artemis getting hit up by Emma Stone for a quickie- possible, sure within the multiverse and infinite possibility, but probable?

The astro gives us a chance though, an in. It always does. Each time we write one of these things its always an opportunity- For YOU! It's up to you to act on it though...

Artemis Says:

CARDS:
MOON:  4 of Swords
SUN:  The Hermit
Mercury:  Ace of Swords
Venus:  The High Priestess
Mars:  4 of Cups
Jupiter:  King of Cups
Saturn:  King of Pentacles
Uranus:  7 of Pentacles
Neptune:  6 of Swords
Pluto:  7 of Cups

“If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.”  ― E.B. White

Taurus is such a lazy piece of shit sometimes.  No, seriously!  You Taureans are one of my greatest delights.  I seriously adore you guys and always seem to be surrounded by your bullheaded presence.  The earth sign Taurus is ruled by Venus, who is the embodiment of love, pleasure, and fortune.  Gluttony, sloth, and lust are my favorite sins, and Taurus and her Venusean sister, Libra, wear those sins like a summer dress.  You can make it all look so good, Taurus...

 But you're lazy as fuck.

With my natal Mars in Taurus, I COMPLETELY get it.  I would rather be lying on furs, eating chocolate covered strawberries and screwing all night, but I also have to pay my earthy masters their due (bills bills bills).  Fortunately, Taurus is here to teach us that work and the physical world do not need to be like Chinese water torture (where every day just slowly drives us more and more insane). 

H: The Sun and Moon- In this lunation, the isolation that has been a theme in the past few moons is taking its toll. You feel that no one is on your side and that you are trying to scale the highest peaks on your own, with no climbing gear and no safety net. Your resources are painfully scarce and allies are few and far between, let alone ones that you can count on. This is A perspective; another way to see it is that you are pulling out ahead of the pack, and making a name for yourself. Use what you have at your disposal, and dont give up, just when things are getting interesting! You can do this, if you still want to. If your goals no longer match the path you are on, now is the time to break off of that course, before you are locked in- and it is very close to being that time. Change your mind before it is changed for you.

A: For the Sun, I pulled The Hermit.  That Scorpio full moon sure did a number on us, and 5 planets in retrograde surely didn't help.  We retreated.  We went away and exposed the deepest parts of ourselves to our inner eye.  Only through crossing Scorpio's dark void can we be reborn.  Unfortunately, when we gain a new understanding about anything (especially about the self), there comes an equal backlash of isolation.  The Hermit teaches us that once we go up the holy mountain, we wont come back down as someone people will initially understand.  We are seeking our inner truth.  We realized that the only way to live is from this inner truth; fuck these illusory reasons society feeds us from birth.  Things look different now under this new light.  Don't fret if you are misunderstood.  Hold your ground stubbornly, says the Taurus Sun, because once you start shining, the whole world wants to bring you down.  Shed all the shit you don't need for this spiritual journey.  Only keep the things that feel good in your heart and make you feel lighter for your long pilgrimage. 
For the new moon in Taurus, I pulled the 4 of Swords.  Ugh, Taurus is laying the laziness on thick.  She knows we are tired as fuck right now.  So rest up, darlings.  Indulge a little.  Eat some cake.  Make love.  Laugh.  Sing.  Get some sleep.  Give yourself a little break, because the past few weeks have been ROUGH.  Pull back from the people who are causing you anxiety, regroup, recharge, and sketch up your next plan of action.  This is some beautifully lush energy coming in, but even though we will be taking in life's simple pleasures, we will still remember our goal and where we are going.  Relaxation and regeneration doesn't hinder one from getting to where they are going.  Hell fucking no.  It makes life worth living, it strengthens us (body, mind, and soul), and it gives us an opportunity for release.  So, lay back... let go of your worries... just for a bit. 

H: Mercury, Venus, Chiron and Uranus- You are struggling with issues regarding what you are worth and what you deserve. You must overcome your reflex to cut yourself off at the knees. You were not born to prostrate yourself before others, narrow-minded fools who cannot see the scope of your vision- You are here to do so much more than you have yet. The setbacks and challenges that are in your path now are not here to overwhelm you, they are here to be overcome by you, to make you stronger. It is not time to give in yet, you have miles and miles to go before you rest.

A: For Mercury, I pulled the Ace of Swords.  The regenerative moon is going to give us access to our ideas and our words again.  Even though we may be in retrograde at this time, the conjunct with Mercury/Sun/Moon will give us a great deal of elation and bull headed poise.  But be careful!  Mercury in Taurus makes us blunt and sometimes all too harsh with our words.  Truth is a double edged sword.  Are you willing to bleed for what you're about to say?  This is probably a good time for work involving words and the intellect.  Our minds are sharp, poking at all the tiny details (which can lead to a fuck ton of anxiety, so try and slow down a bit and take care of yourself).  Just remember, don't get too caught up.  Harness this powerful, kinetic energy but don't let it get you carried away. For our darling Venus, I pulled the High Priestess.  Sneaky, sneaky, Venus.  It seems that she has been fatefully weaving again, and she's not talking.  This is another indication that we need to STOP and BREATHE.  The High Priestess has many secrets.  She is intuitive power, perception, the seer, knowledge that cannot be acquired by the intellect alone.  What are the things you seemed to "know at first sight?"  In Venus in Taurus, she tells us that through the lips of joy, we will hear our answers.  Follow your initial instincts, no matter how strange they may seem to your rational mind.  There are forces at work that we cannot see, so we must be silent and listen.  It may seem strange, but through your ability to relax and enjoy yourself - to have pleasure in the company of those that make your heart warm - you will find the answer to a great mystery.  Shhhh, just listen.  This is also a good indication that this is the perfect time for magickal workings - especially in regards to Fortune and Love.  For Uranus, I pulled the 7 of Pentacle.  More blah blah blah, reap reap reap.  The outer planets are incessantly giving us this message.   Make sure that you timing things correctly right now.  All of your hard work can and will go to waste if you are not watching for the right times to initiate.  Uranus knows that sometimes you need to strike like lightening and do things in spontaneous flashes.  Go with your hunches.  When something feels like it's ready to go, then get going with it.

H: Mars and Neptune- Here is where the debt racks up: With 5 planets retrograde, and in Taurus season, forward motion comes at a premium. The way will be unclear whichever way you turn, and every action will come at an exorbitant cost. What that price will be depends on the action and how much ground you are willing to take right now. The gains you make in one area of your life will be offset by losses in another. You must be willing to get into the flow- fighting it and swimming against the current will only increase this cost and make the cuts all the deeper. This is a sky for opportunists, those who are willing to wait for just the right moment. Or wait for a different sky altogether.

A: For our buddy Mars, I pulled the 4 of Cups.  Ugh.  We get it.  We're tired.  We need to rest.  We need to meditate.  Mars in retrograde right now means everyone is still in double asshole mode, so try and retract this energy as best as possible.  Don't let the apathy eat you alive.  Our energy is drained, we are contemplating throwing in the towel because this shit that is stacking up against us is getting very fucking high.  Don't miss opportunities because you feel like you can't take them on right now.  Be playful.  Look at things you wouldn't have looked at before.  Look AWAY from yourself.  Your energy is creating a giant  friggin MIRROR and perhaps all you have been seeing lately is yourself.  Step out of your Martian ego.  Inspiration is desperately needed right now, and this card is telling me it is literally right under our noses.  For those of you who have the ability to duel with your ego, get ready for some epiphanies. For Neptune, I pulled 6 of Swords.  It looks like the spiritual world is putting us through some spiritual trials right now.  Jeez, thanks, like we didn't notice that one...  It seems all of our bullshit right now is karmic, and that's ok.  Deal with it now and swiftly before it submerges your ship.  Although we have had a tremendous amount of misfortune lately, this is a clear indication that we are moving on from that.  Things are going to get crazy with the grand cross and the Eris/Uranus conjunct, sure, but at least this last karmic phase is starting to close up.  What awaits us on the other side?

H: Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto- Most of all, you are struggling because you are trying to find meaning, a reason to keep moving through this storm of insecurity, self-doubt, and your own insignificance in the world and the cosmos. Make no mistake, these are big, cold, uncaring energies- They will crush you underfoot without a thought if you let them. So you have to make them take notice of you! You must find something, anything, to cling to- Anything that brings you a small bit of comfort or meaning, no matter how small or banal, and you must hold that you like it is the key to everything, life's greatest secret. Once you have it, you can use the Titan's energies to their full strength, bringing the cosmos to bear for you rather than against you.

A: For Jupiter, I pulled the King of Cups.  It looks like Jupiter is going to be the jovial king he is suppose to be.  At the time of the New Moon, he will be 2 days away from being direct again (HALLEFUCKINLUAH).  He is also going to be a part of the magnificent Grand Earth Trine that is happening smack dab in the middle of our cruel Mercury Retrograde.  He is here to offer us what we want, so what will you ask for?  This is a wonderful time for expansion, for relaxing, for a bit of laughter and relief from all of this craziness going on.  If you have been thinking of launching a project or an idea, this is the perfect time.  Luck will be on your side. For Saturn, I pulled the King of Pentacles.  Yeah, yeah, we get it.  Saturn is still telling us that even though we have this little bit of relaxation coming our way, we still need to prepare for what is ahead.  He is always such a friggin drag.  3 of the 4 planets that will be participating in the grand cross in June are already in place (forming a dreaded t-square in the sky).  Jupiter, Neptune, and Saturn are all putting pressure on each other and waiting for the Sun to hit the mid point of Gemini (Grand Cross is on 6/6/16).  So get your ducks in order.  Saturn is still in retrograde, so continue working on those loose ends and build your fortified walls.  You must become the master of your domain in order to use the grand cross that's coming as a spiritual evolutionary gateway instead of a baseball bat to all of your hopes and dreams.  Don't say I didn't warn you.  For Pluto, I pulled the 7 of Cups.  Ugh, screw you Pluto.  He is throwing so much shade our way.  All of the bullshit you keep in your head is coming out louder and louder to haunt you.  No one likes digging up more skeletons, but at least this card is indicating to us that it is all just illusions trying to bring us down.  All those things nagging at you and giving you anxiety are shit that have been put in your head by others.  Proper behavior.  Career goals.  Relationship goals.  Blah blah blah.  Look away.  Don't get blinded by all of the things people tell you that you should have and fucking get Plutonian and DESTROY that shit.  Once you have demolished the buzzing bees of societal expectations, you can finally hear the voice deep inside.  Then you will know what you truly want.  This will be the rebirth you need before the coming Grand Cross.

Mars Retrograde- Long Way Home

NA_Biketour_2009_208 by Jole Kiraly, CCL

Effective date: April 17th - June 29th (Shadow period from June 29th through August 23rd)

“If you have men who will only come if they know there is a good road, I don't want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all.” - David Livingstone

Helios Says: BRRAAAAAP!! BRAAAAAAP!! Hear that? That's the alarm ringing, early as shit and you were out partying the house down last night. That is how we're starting this one, all right!

Oh, and you're late.

Mars is making a strategic retreat out of Sagittarius, stuffing his suitcases as best he can, trying to get out of Vegas before casino security makes it up to his penthouse suite to collect on his severe debt, the size of several Balkan states' worth of GDP (I'm good for it you guys, I swear!!). Unfortunately, with his back against the wall, 40 stories up, he only has one place to go- back into Scorpio. Yes, everyone's favorite, blood-curdling torture den, the stagnant underworld he once called home.

This is the best news you will have all week. You see, apart from being where all the good stuff is (sex, passion, other peoples money, and not to mention all the riches of the earth [apart from oil, which Pisces gets for some reason. Go figure]), Scorpio gives one wonderful, uncomfortable and usually unwanted, yet still completely vital gift: The Truth; the Scorpio truth is one that hides nothing- it is the naked truth. Scorpio will expose the falsehoods, allowing you to take action.

Yes, you read that right; this is not going to be a sit-on-your-ass retrograde, oh no! You will need to make moves, and you will need to make them now, at the least opportune moment. You see, you are already feeling this. You are seeing the truth right NOW, seeing that there is a great deal that is just NOT working in your life. You are not the same person that you were 6 months ago, and the strategies developed then will not serve you now. Currently, you are being overwhelmed by the enormity of how much dysfunction you are facing, and you are frozen in place. You fear losing ground, so you refuse to work with the change that has already occurred. If you do this you will waste valuable time trying to defend a beachhead that you have already lost, and you will make far less headway towards your new goals than you would have otherwise.

There is another option- give up the high ground. The marginal, quantified success that you have made at great cost to you over this last year has been hard fought, I know- But its not the way. It has come at such a cost because you were fighting the way to get here, and you thought you were overcoming the odds. You thought it was what you wanted, you thought it was for the best- You were wrong. If you can face that, and you can accept it, you can change and move forward in the right way.

You faced the call last year to throw your middle fingers up and walk the path alone, daring you yo  plunge into the unknown with no guarantees. It understandably terrified you, and you returned to safety, not knowing that you were running full-bore into a slow death, losing that precious progress that you had made. You went against your own best interest and acted against your own self-love. Of course, you didnt know this at the time- Now you do. The dysfunction you face is because of this, and it is also the solution to your problem: The areas in your life highlighted by the dysfunction you must correct by acting in your own best interest- By loving yourself first, and making the best choices accordingly, you will succeed. This will not be easy, and it will seem like you are surrendering. That is the fear mentality talking- Your fear of failure must be overcome here and now, because there is just no other way. Embrace what seems to be a failure, and fuck what everyone else thinks. Act in your own best interest, because you're going to die anyway- might as well be the one in the driver's seat!


Artemis Says: 

"You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger."  -Buddha

Talk about being on edge...  We are being told two contradictory things from this planet.  On one hand, we have the Saggo aspect urging us to move forward and start a new phase of our lives.  It is the turning of the seasons in many ways for us right now.  And then, on the other hand, Mars going into retrograde is telling us to HALT.  It's feels like we are pressing the gas and pressing the brakes at the same time.  It doesn't feel very pleasant, does it?

When Mars starts moving backwards in the sky (retrograde), we lose our vitality.  We are in the shadow period for Mars retrograde as I write this.  A looming silence is on the horizon, and it threatens to thwart all of our plans.  It is a pretty well known thing that anything initiated during Mars in retrograde will likely fizzle out.  Financial plans, new projects, romances, etc.  Mars rules sex and industry, so expect setbacks in both of these areas.  With Venus in sexfest Aries, this will bring very conflicting feelings.

Arguments are easy to come by during Mars retrograde.  Everyone is constantly a hair away from losing their shit, and the smallest things seem to annoy us.  Sounds aggravating, doesn't it?  This aspect is not only rough for your personal life, but it can create major rage fests in the political sphere as well.  With our current political climate, that doesn't sound very good.

We are going to want to change - be dying for it in fact.  But Mars is going to tell us NO.  Taurus season is coming, and we are going to need to slow the hot Aries energy.  The 4 of Swords tells us that people will withdraw and obsess (which will get even worse once the sun moves into uber obsessive Taurus).  We have a very hard full moon coming our way, and with Mars in this aspect, we are going to need to get as much healing done as possible.  This is a time to rest - both mentally and physically.  Be very delicate around those you love because the smallest annoyances can lead to giant flare ups.  Be kind to each other.  We are a long way from home and we are all we've got in this strange land.  

Cards:  The Wheel and 4 of Swords

Full Moon in Scorpio- Skeletons

Day of the Dead San Francisco 2012 by Brian B. Sorensen

This Transit takes effect on April 21, 2016.

“Way far back in the beginning of the world was the whirlwind warning that we could all be blown away like chips and cry- Men with tired eyes realize it now, and wait to deform and decay- with maybe they have the power of love yet in their hearts just the same, I just don't know what that word means anymore- All I want is an ice cream cone” -Jack Kerouac

Helios Says:  *Sigh* Life.... What is the point to it all? Does any of it matter? Why do we bother? We stumble blindly through time, cocking up everything we touch, experiencing a few fleeting moments of joy to break the monotony of the stinging misery that otherwise encircles us. None of us asked to be born, we just had all this merde thrust upon us. Sure, the grand traditions are there to try and offer us solace, a reason for being, some bullshit about learning lessons or whatnot- but the truth is no one truly knows what the point is, or what happens when we die. Our future is unclear, and our past depends on the perspective- All we know is the present, and that is suffering. 

It's not getting any better. Take each moment as it is the best on you will have to look forward to, because it gets increasingly likely that will be the case.

Artemis Says:

“With my ninth mind I resurrect my first
and dance slow to the music of my soul made new.” 
― Aberjhani, Visions of a Skylark Dressed in Black

Oh gods, here comes the Scorpio full moon.  Can you think of anything more dreadful right now?  I hope you figured out how to contain that Aries fire, because you're really going to need it now.  With Saturn in retrograde, this Scorpion full moon is going to dig all of the skeletons out of our closets.  I know with some of you those things should never see the light of day, so that's kinda scary, not gunna lie.  Motherfucking GHOSTS.  They will come in the form of nightmares.  They will come in the form of anxiety.  They will come in the physical form knocking at your door.  What does Casper say?  Ghosts can't move on if they have unfinished business.  You're either going to give up and live with them in your haunted house, or you're going to become a motherfuckin' exorcist.  Your choice.  Can you dance with the devil and finish your unfinished business?

Helios Says:  The Sun and Moon- Huh. Nothing else? That's new and different. Well, what isn't different is that we are going into this one exhausted. You are questioning your life, what matters, and what doesn't. I've been telling you for some time now that you need to make choices along those lines and cut away what doesn't serve you anymore, but have you been listening? Noooooooo, you thought you could just keep stalling, didn't you? Well now you don't have any more time, and you have to make those cuts NOW or they will be made for you. You are running out of time to hide. Everything will come to light, sooner rather than later. However, you still have a few precious moments left to choose a new way forward and throw yourself down it. I heartily recommend that you do so before it is too late.

Artemis Says: The Sun in Taurus:  For the sun, I pulled the card 4 of Wands.  Back from the dead.  The Taurus sun will start shining on the sacred holiday of 4/20 *puff puff pass*.  This means that this new sun will be hit with a full moon quite fresh off the runway.  Scorpio and Taurus are opposites on the Zodiac wheel, meaning that they share a good amount of traits and then differ quite drastically in others.  They have the same sort of feel to them; like super hero and arch-villain.  They couldn't exist without each other.  Where the Scorpio moon may be haunting us about our poverty right now, the young Taurus sun is enthusiastically reminding us of our goal.  Your sun sign in astrology is the archetype you are STRIVING to become (as opposed to your moon sign, which is how you react to the world and more of your personality - it is your instinctual reactions).  We are striving toward this celebratory 4 of wands; getting exactly what we want.  Don't take your eye off the prize.  Charge at it like a bull.

The Moon in Scorpio:  For the moon, I pulled the card 5 of pentacles.  This card is all about poverty and what we learn about ourselves when we finally hit rock bottom.  When we are in desperation, we are only kept alive by the most gnawing of needs.  Dive deep, babies, clean your closets once and for all.  These things that are living here, creating weights for your wings, they must be removed before you can live a full life.  I know you're tired.  Trust me, we all are.  We have had unfinished business coming at us since Saturn started his retrograde a few weeks ago, so we should be getting our bearings right now.  You've got this, punks.  You've fought these mini bosses before, and you're still here today.  Now finish them!

Helios Says:  Mercury, Venus, Uranus and Chiron- Now this is more like it. Here, we see the real heart of the issue- You have lost your way, and have no idea where to go from here. You are afraid, and feeling nothing is much easier than facing that fear. You have been hurt, and instead of licking your wounds and stepping back out into the world, you have retreated further inside yourself, hiding from any potential to be hurt again. I tell you that you are wasting your life by allowing this to continue. Fear has you paralyzed, and it is killing you one day at a time. Your despondency has become inertia, and your ennui a crutch- Get off the couch and back into the game! You only have so many moments here, make them count. Schluff off your baggage and step lively.

Artemis Says:  Mercury in Taurus:  For Mercury, I pulled the card Temperance.   I know you're all planning, darlings.  I know, because you are listening.  I know, because I scared you enough.  What's the plan, punks?  Take your time.  Measure it out.  Get a white board and start learning alchemy.  Put the pieces together slowly.  Mercury in Taurus will help you.  Be clear with your communication.  Say things plainly.  People will be easily confused (which may work to your advantage, I don't know your life).  Things set into motion right now will take some time to manifest, but I assure you they will be stronger, more sturdy plans than anything made back in Aries.  Your Aries plans were the beta version.  It's time to solidify the real deal.

Venus in Aries:  For Venus in Aries, I pulled the card Ace of Cups.  Oh I'm so sorry, punks, this is going to be a rough one.  It's a big wave, this ace of cups, a huge huge wave of emotion.  Now we can ride this thing a few ways.  Yes, ride like a bucking ram, because that is what this thing will be!  So a lot of overwhelming emotion is rupturing the enforcement we thought were sturdy enough  It's fine, really.  All those damn skeletons coming out of the closet and all of this stress from attempting so desperately to plan for the future...  I get it, I get it, but really there are two ways to ride this experience; accept things for what they are and use this powerful emotional energy to fuel things that make you feel good, or succumb to it all and drown in your sorrows.  The cup is full.  Will you drink from it, or will you shove your face in it and drown?  Like seriously, don't be dumb.  It's always your choice.  And who drowns in a cup?

Uranus in Aries:  For Uranus in Aries, I pulled the King of Wands.  So, a challenge!  Uranus is not giving up on us.  He is warning us of what's to come and what we need to become in order to fight it.  We need to become an unashamed version of ourselves.  Eris and Uranus conjunct is coming (June 1), and it's going to be an eruption.  Uranus is also pelting our public sphere with more chaos.  What's going to happen with all of this new information coming in?  The political sphere is going to get hotter and hotter still into the summer.

Helios Says:  Mars and Neptune- And here's where that ennui is coming from. You are burying yourself, probably under work or something, distracting yourself from the real problems in your life so that you don't have to deal with them. Well, burying your head in the sand isn't going to change the fact that you are in serious trouble. You are going to need to take action, and you are going to need to do it ASAP. You will need to break free of the stagnancy you find yourself in. You will lose something you once deemed important, and may yet still, but its time has come. Cut it away from you before it drags you down into the depths. You cannot see how much damage it is doing to you, and it would do significantly less if you moved on from it. Quit trying to fix what is broken, before it breaks you too.

Artemis Says: Mars in Sagg Retrograde:  For Mars in Sagg Retrograde, I pulled 9 of Swords.  Ok, so 9 of Swords traditionally means "nightmares."  Which makes sense right now, doesn't it?  All of our energy is being drained by these nightmares.  People's fears are surfacing in the public sphere as well as privately.  There is a quite desperation going on and a lack of energy in general.  We may have had a plan and it is failing us.  That's okay.  We learned what doesn't work.  Time to get back up on that horse.  The nightmares, the unresolved business, is coming right at us.  Don't let being knocked off your horse a few times get to you.  You're still alive, aren't you?  Please don't tell me you are the type who gives up in the middle of a fight...

Neptune in Pisces:  For Neptune in Pisces, I pulled the Queen of Swords.  Well, darlings, at least we will be cutting through some of this illusion bullshit.  The world is going to seem a bit... cold right now.  Don't fret.  Keep your eye on the prize, like an oasis in the distance.  We are going to all cross this desert together.  And no matter how tired we get, we need to continue to be decisive and always choose to cut through the bullshit or it will swallow us whole.  Neptune is getting close to going into Retrograde again (June 13), so the bullshit will get easier and easier to see.  This is good news, punks!

Helios Says:  Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto- As you can see, the Super Saiyan energy has been lessened somewhat, due to Uranus separating from the pack in preparation for his date with Eris. That doesn't mean you should discount its influence, however. Right now, it is serving to isolate and insulate you, putting you in a corner by yourself, so that you can prove what you are capable of. Take advantage of your isolation, get your house in order while no one is looking. This is the time to take the steps that others would discourage you from, but the downfall is that you don't have anyone to turn to for good advice and feedback. Sure, you want to wallow in self-pity and do nothing but binge Netflix, since no one is calling you to go out to the best parties and you see the hoes hooking up and professing their love, but its far better to put the headphones on, go to the gym and get that summer body ready now while you have fewer distractions. One good habit will lead to another, and then change will follow. For the better.  

Artemis Says: Jupiter in Virgo Retrograde:  For Jupiter in Virgo Retrograde, I pulled 7 of Swords.  More bad news, babies.  This card is downright insecurity.  What do people do when they are insecure?  They start hurting themselves and those around them.  You are nitpicking at yourself.  Seriously, stop that shit!  If you look suuuper closely, you will see that your plans are actually starting to take form.  This card tells us that those little things we have been doing - the sneaking around for information or the tip toeing around our enemies - is paying off.  You're going to need to continue to have your wits about you.  It's going to take every ounce of our craftiness to get ahead right now.  We have to use the magnifying glass that is Virgo and find the little details that are going to help our big picture.  You need to believe in yourself and your intuition more than ever now. You're going to need to be clever.


Saturn in Sagg Retrograde:  For Saturn in Sagg Retrograde, I pulled the Hangman.  Saturn is reminding us that he is fucking with time right now.  Ghosts from the past are coming at us.  Reverberations from the future are smacking us in the face.  Our present is showing us how it has effected both the future and the past.  How the hell is this even happening?  Stay still.  Stay centered.  Breathe.  We can do this.  Slay one ghost at a time.

Pluto in Capricorn Retrograde:  For Pluto in in Capricorn Retrograde, I pulled the Ace of Wands.  Pluto is murdering things behind the scenes.  He is like the Freddy of our past right now.  If you so choose to let something go, Pluto will make sure you are transformed.  You have an ally right now.  The Planet of death and rebirth will work behind the scenes and pinpoint exactly what needs to die via your level of desire for the thing.  You're going to KNOW what needs to die, and subconsciously you are taking the steps to kill this thing.  Have you  noticed?  Only the things that matter most can survive right now.  It's time to transform.  It's time to choose to become a higher version of yourself so you can face what's ahead.  What are you going to choose to kill?  What's keeping you from moving forward?

One more thing on Pluto and Jupiter - the combination of the 7 of Swords and Ace of Wands tends to mean that this is the perfect time to get ahead in business.

Ceres in Aries- Kakodyl

Hot - Ashlea Louise - Great British Tattoo Show 2014, London by Darren Johnson/ iDJPhotography, CCL

Effective date of transit: 4/15-7/18/16

“There’s a tendency to mistake preparation for productivity. You can prepare all you want, but if you never roll the dice you’ll never be successful.” ~ Shia LaBeouf

Helios ASTROLOGICAL reading of Ceres in Aries- Look at that woman up there. She is confident as shit, swallowing a flaming stick, in nothing but (very provocative) lingerie, showing herself and her awesome tattoos. God, I think I'm in love... Anyway, this is your role model for Ceres in Aries- Be bloody, bold and resolute! (laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm MacBeth! [Sorry, can't help myself. Grew up more on a stage than in a house, and always had a special place for the Scottish Play- That line is burned into my memory. Its even a much used tag here! Go on, click it- you know you want to!])

Now, while Ceres was in Pisces, you were beat down pretty hard. Shit got heaped on you over and over again, and now you are buried under it, defeated and reeking to high heaven. You didn't know what to do to get out from under it or how to go about doing it, so you were paralyzed. You gave up, and let it happen. You did what you had to do to get through- You have to forgive yourself for that, stop tormenting yourself over the past; it is set in stone and done (well, not from a non-linear quantum/multiverse perspective, but still)- you have the present to worry about.

This transit is a major shift in the energy. This is what you need. This is where you start to stand up, shake off the merde, and get the fuck out of the quagmire you have become stuck in. This is action, this is unapologetic candor and unleashing the awesome that you have held back. If you wait to do so you will suffocate and die under your own guilt and regret. Do not allow that to happen- and make no mistake, indolence now is equivalent to suicide. Do not resist the flow by staying stuck where you are- Get out NOW, consequences be damned. Get to where you need to be to succeed. If you can't make it happen right this second, start planning ASAP. No one is coming to do it for you. No one else gives a shit. Go do it yourself or it WILL NOT GET DONE.

Let me regale you with a story that is not that well known about Ceres/Demeter. Now, if you have the faintest idea who she is, you probably know her from her supporting role in the Original Lifetime Movie that is the Persephone saga, but what if I told you that she had her own adventures while she was wandering the earth, looking for her lost daughter? WELL SHE DID. The one in particular I want to discuss is the Demophon story, aka the Elusian Mystery Cult.

Abridged version- Persephone flees is abducted from her extremely overprotective Mother who abandoned her in a random field. Persephone is taken to the underworld, to be Hades' bride, but no one but Helios and Hecate seem to know what happened and they refuse to speak because Zeus arranged this and swore them to silence. Ceres rants to Zeus, and refuses to allow the crops to grow, and all life on earth is threatened while she goes wandering the earth to find Persephone. In her wanderings, just as she is about to give up, she takes a break at Elusis, where she meets the queen, who just so happens to need a nursemaid for her son, Demophon. Demophon is sick, and Ceres takes care of him while his parents run the country or whatever. Now, they are kind of nice to her, so she decides to repay them by making Demophon immortal, because that's just something she can sort of do I guess... She takes him off of people food and feeds him solely Nectar and Ambrosia, the food and drink of the gods, which gives them their strength and immortality [partially]. The other part of the immortality process is a bit trickier though...  She plunges the poor kid into a blazing fire nightly, burning away his mortality. One night, as she was almost done with the process, the queen barges in, and understandably flips her shit, sending Ceres into one of her now-famous tirades. Meanwhile, Demophon gets left in the fire too long, and he burns to death, which of course Ceres blames on the queen for being a shitty parent. Right around this time Helios and Zeus decide its a good idea for a reunion between mother and daughter, and send Mercury off to facilitate it, leading to more wacky underworld hi-jinks and shenanigans, but before she leaves she teaches agriculture to a random kid, saving Greece and humanity from dying out the next time an insane, grief stricken mother goddess ravages the earth out of pettiness.

Even though he dies at the end, Demophon finds life as a central figure in the Elusian Mystery cult, a religion focused on life, death, rebirth ad the underworld. They believed this story (along with other secrets they held) could provide clues as to the method Ceres used to make Demophon immortal, so that they could do it themselves.

Ceres can burn away the impurities in you and raise you up higher than you ever dreamed. All you have to do is let her.

Artemis' TAROT reading of Ceres in Aries

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”  ― Benjamin Franklin


Ceres is the mother.  According to myth, her mourning of Proserpina's return to the underworld is what brings us the cycle of the seasons; and therefore she is also the ruler of the great cycles in our life.  When floating through the arena of Aries, she becomes a fierce mother who teaches through action and fosters independence.  

Ceres in Aries is my personal natal position for the great mother, so her dark mama approach is very familiar to me.  She doesn’t take shit, she will push you into the deep end of the pool so you have no choice but to learn how to swim, and she will test you at every turn.  This is how a Ceres in Aries person teaches and this is how they learn.  Ceres in Aries will make sure that we are ready for this next step in our journey, and she will be our partner in crime along the way.  People ruled by this energy to not sit well with being told how to do just about anything.  They are happy to take suggestions and advice, but in the end you must KNOW that it is their choice what they do with their life.  And they want the same for you.

What does that mean for us?  Well, it means that a time is coming where we are going to start standing up for the things we want - no matter what other people might think of them.  That's a pretty amazing energy.  

For this ingress, I pulled The Sun crossed by The Hangman.  The rune that will clarify the energy is Hagalaz (hailstorm).  It’s time to grow up.  It’s time to regain our independence and our ability to drive our own fucking life.  We are familiar with all of the things we need to tackle and all of the things we need to get rid of in order to start our new life.  At our center, we know what we need to do, and we're finally ready to do it.  Something is urgently whispering, "There is no time like right now!"  You will finally have the drive to start taking action and pushing yourself, and those you care for, into more expressed versions of yourselves. 

The way toward thriving is to get up and take what you need.  Inaction and suspended ego are not going to work for you right now.  The Hangman is water, he is stillness, he is quietly peering into the next dimension.  He is willingness to let go of the ego, and he is not boding well for our ego infused happy sun energy that is trying to shine out.  Sometimes we need the ego.  Sometimes we really need it to puff us up and give us power to actually manifest shit in our lives.  Put yourself out there!

Because Ceres is entering Aries, I get a feeling that we are all being re-born as a new version of ourselves.  We are infants in this new stage, feeling out how to use our brand new powers.  The best way?  Ceres in Aries says just DO.  Play.  Act.  Take initiative and dive in.  It doesn't matter if you have a plan or not - do something.  It's the only way to learn how you need to proceed from here.

Compete playfully with your friends (this will be a great way to recharge during this period).  Look at the things in your life with child-like eyes.  This sense of independence and curiosity is exactly what we will need in order to keep afloat with the wacky energies coming our way the next few months.  Don’t fear.  Ceres in Aries doesn’t have time for fear in the midst of doing.  We WILL do this, and we will do this together.  The real question is...  Can you keep up?

TAROT READING:  The Sun CROSSED BY The Hangman

RUNE:  Hagalaz 

Uranus Conjunct Eris- War Drums

Kurdish YPG Fighter by Kurdishstruggle, CCL

Effective date of transit: June 1 2016- May 16 2018

Helios' ASTROLOGICAL reading of Uranus Conjunct Eris:  Here we are- The transit that keeps me up at night, and the one that I have been stressing about since basically I started writing, and have been warning you was coming for the last couple years: Uranus conjunct the dwarf planet Eris.

So why should you care? What is so special about this one single transit? Well, to answer that let’s look at the planets involved- First up, Uranus. Uranus was a storm god, actually scratch that- Uranus was one of the first forces of nature, of creation itself. He is chaotic, primal, and more force than god. He was the sky, the storm, aether, what have you. When he coupled with Gaia, the literal earth itself, it gave birth to the Giants, the Hekatonkheires and the Titans, all of whom, on their own, outclassed all the gods we know and love by far. However, it took five of the Titans, an unstoppable blade, and the literal earth herself to take him down a peg, as he could not be actually killed or stopped. He is cold, uncaring, and revels in chaos just for novelty.

Even so, he doesn’t love chaos as much as the next factor, Eris. She is the goddess of strife, chaos and bloodshed. She was a war goddess and one of the besties of Ares. A quote about her, from Homer- “Strife whose wrath is relentless, she is the sister and companion of murderous Ares, she who is only a little thing at the first, but thereafter grows until she strides on the earth with her head striking heaven. She then hurled down bitterness equally between both sides as she walked through the onslaught making men's pain heavier.” Most recently, she caused some strife and chaos when she was discovered in the cosmos, causing Pluto to be demoted to minor planet status and a redefinition of the concept of what a planet was. Remember the backlash and public outcry that caused, and how those wounds are STILL fresh for most people, all of whom have an opinion on the matter.

Now, these two are conjoining in the sign of Aries, AKA the least chill sign there ever was. War, passion, strife and chaos all combine in this sign on its own, and with these two heavy hitters, it’s a recipe for disaster. And let me remind you that we, (at least in America) are engaged in a bitter, ugly election battle and it seems no one will win, least of all the people- Not to mention that we are engaged in at least 5 wars at last count, and we are not exactly recovered from our economic crisis. Moreso, these events affect the rest of the world, and vice versa- Take for instance the low gas prices: Those are considered a boon in America, and a sign of our recovery, but these prices are DESTROYING whole countries and economies. In oil-rich countries built on the profits of expensive oil (and steeped in corruption) these prices have completely destabilized the economy, bringing them a hairs breadth from anarchy- black markets rule, and the national currency is worthless, and people are not getting what they need. Everything affects everything else now. That could easily happen here- and that could very well be the best case scenario.

You see, even with the best version of this transit imaginable, I see no way to avoid going through a LOT of upheaval and transformation- At worst? God, the worst case is pure nightmare fuel. I could easily see this becoming a civil war that spills out into the rest of the world at large, stopping global exports of food, relief, and what have you, descending multiple countries even further into chaos, and that’s only the ones that we don’t drag into the war with us- The lucky ones. You think im exaggerating? The last time this transit happened was in 1932, a year that set the stage for WWII. In 1848, there were major riots and political revolutions, old states dissolving and new ones rising from their ashes. 1764, more war. I could go back further but a trend emerges. War, taxes, riots… no matter what, the people suffer- They are downtrodden and taken advantage of.

Also to beware of is the fact that this will essentially be a resurgence of the Cardinal Crisis. Jupiter will be moving to Libra later this year, and will be opposing these two. With this in mind, it is taking place within orb of Pluto in Capricorn, if widely. So there will be a new version of the T-Square, with several times where Cancer is activated, rounding out the Grand Cross. So everything from 2008-14, with all of its chaos and upheaval, will be back in play in a brand new way. In fact, you could say that period was the warmup act for this one.

I don’t have motivation or a positive spin for this one, or how to best work it, guys. I can only warn you that its coming at the moment. More as it unfolds.     


Artemis' TAROT reading of Uranus Conjunct Eris:
“In chaos, there is fertility.” ― Anaïs Nin


So the very slow moving asteroid Eris (formerly known as Persephone - consort of Pluto) is going conjunct with our familiar giant planet of Chaos, Uranus.  And I pulled a fuck ton of fucking crazy cards.  Happy April Fucking Fools!  

Eris is laughing at us already.    She throws a golden apple into the center of our cosmic party.  "For the most beautiful one!  Kallisti!"  Are you the one worthy of picking it up?  Could you?  Should you? Probably not, because Eris is the goddess of motherfucking DISCORD and CHAOS.  Lower your egos down a notch, everyone.  She's going to sucker punch us all one by one, and we need to stick together here.  Shit is going to get rough for everyone, but seriously - we all need to stick together.  Eris has no mercy.  She will show you what you need to see, and she will show you violently.    

WHO THE FUCK INVITED THIS BITCH TO THE PARTY?  

Get out something to chew on or find a spot you can pace in, because this one is going to be rough.   

In all seriousness, this is a very serious post.  "Why so serious, Artemis?" Because the last time this conjunct happened, the Nazi party sprouted, FDR became president, and the initial rattlings of WWII started to become visible.  I know you can all feel it.  Don't bullshit me.  Don't bullshit yourself.  You can see it in the eyes of everyone around you.  We all know something big is on the horizon, and we can all smell the blood in the air.  We don't know exactly what it is... but our spidey senses are alarming the fuck out.

Birds can feel a storm before it comes and flock together (and they fly the fuck away).  Sensing danger is instinctual.  We don't even know we are doing it, but our subconscious mind picks up on the clues around us.  We can all sense when we are being lied to and culled.  We are being penned up, and they are about to take us to slaughter.  The thing is, animals know when they are about to get slaughtered.  And they start going MAD. 

Our political climate is set for it.  It is almost impeccable.  Whatever way we decided to tip, we have already set up the dominoes.  All Eris is doing is snickering and toppling them over.  She is the initial spark; the CHAOS needed to get motion going.    

So what is Uranus doing in this reading?  He is saying, fuck this shit, stuff is going to start changing around here!  Like flashes of lightening, we wont see it coming and it might be a little disturbing at first.  The outer planets like to deal in the macro.  They talk in politics and mass human behavior.  Uranus likes to talk about revolution and innovation.  It looks like some massive inventions might be on the horizon this year.  Bold new plans.  Bold new uptakes.  Bold New World.  Will it be for the better?  I don't know.  Was the invention of the nuclear bomb for the betterment of humanity?  Was the invention of cars for the betterment of humanity?  No thing in itself is purely good or evil.  Is it good for YOUR worldview?  Whatever the innovations will be, they will be an evolutionary step for humanity.  

Around and around we go.  You see, our sun (Sol) is rocketing through space at about 70,000 km an hour.  This means that the planets are trailing after it in a spiral fashion, creating a literal helix.  Sometimes the planets coast out ahead of the sun, sometimes they trail behind.  The sun isn't just sitting there as planets rotate around it in a static fashion.  Oh no.  We are fucking throttling through space right now at high speeds.  The world is in constant movement, spiraling outward, each rotation the same yet different.  We have reached another solar rotation of Uranus since 1932, my friends, and now he and Eris will be effecting similar yet different revolutionary change.  Notice the patterns.  As above, so below.  

It is time to seize opportunity.  Shit is fucked up.  It seriously is.  All around the world, shit is fucked up.  We see it clear as day, so why do we look away?  This energy is going to make a lot of us snap back to reality.  Things are happening HERE, where you LIVE.  Do you see the massive election going on?  It is one of the craziest we have had in decades.  Everything hangs by a thread.  America is a failing Empire, and the route we choose to take is extremely important right now.  Rise to the occasion.  This is our last chance.  We have the Ace of Wands next, indicating that a surge of power and heat will descend upon us.  People are going to get riled up.  It is inevitable.  How they decide to harness this surge of energy will be up to them.  Will we use it to destroy our enemies, or will we use it to destroy each other?  We end with the two of wands for Uranus, warning us against arrogance.  This combination props up revolutionaries who are working through truly Aquarian values; humanitarianism and group evolution.  We are BOLD right now - especially in the sign of Aries.  We want our voices to be fucking heard already!  Can you hear it?  All over the world, the people are roaring.  

 Chaos is, at first, seen as a shiney novelty.  We have our new thing, like the smart phone, and it is glorious.  This is like the butterfly effect.  The novelty gains popularity.  More and more people want it.  More and more Chaos ensues.  We source slave labor to make their parts.  We suck whole generations into a small screen so that we can program them easier.  Don't you see?  Chaos, at first, is a tempting seductress.  She eases our worry and shows us something innovative and great.  What we don't realize is that if we don't steer her OUR direction, that she will show us the folly of our ways.  She will show us just how we can abuse our power.  This is Eris' lesson.  

The cards I pulled for Eris are kinda ominous.  Why wouldn't they be?  It's fucking Eris, the goddess of Discord.  The information we are being fed is trying to stack things against us.  It is making us feel weak and stupid.  Be warned, Eris is going to take all of this down.  The wool is going to be pulled from our eyes, but it's not going to be very pleasant.  But hey, at least we will finally be getting some fucking truth, right?  The Tower card is indicating that there is mass corruption that is about to go down.  What is the most obvious metaphor for The Tower card?  Probably 9/11.  No one knew those towers were going to come down (well, I could argue conspiracy, but I've already rambled long enough).  It was seemingly out of nowhere, and it completely changed the culture of the United States.  Seemingly out of nowhere, something may occur that will rattle our very foundations as a country.  What could the unexpected be?  

I guess I really can't tell you, can I?  

The next two cards I pulled for Eris are the King of Wands and The Emperor.  The King of Wands is the King who cannot sit on his throne.  He is an action oriented king, and he is an innovator.  In my Hexen 2.0 Tarot deck, he is represented by Nicola Tesla.  The King of Wands is obsessed.  A new zeal will move about the political atmosphere; a fever of some kind.  This could be good, and this could be bad.  Really, people, it's all about your intent.  Bend the energy to your will.  The final card is The Emperor.  He is Mars, and he is industry and war.  This card in this position warns us that every little thing that we do now has larger repercussions in the future.  We are walking on a tight rope and we need to sway in just the right ways.  Do you really know what being in charge of your own destiny feels like?  The reigns are about to switch, and if we, as the people, cannot take them, then someone else will.  Who will rule?  Will the chaos that ensues put someone diabolical in that oval office, or will we be so fired up by this energy that we will storm the capital and take back what is ours?

Perhaps.  


Helios and I will continue reporting this conjunct as things move along.  Let's see how the patterns unfold, shall we?

Tarot Reading:

Uranus:  2 of Wands, Ace of Wands, 3 of Wands
Eris:  The Tower, The King of Wands, The Emperor