May 2012: The Power of Silence

The airy sign of the Twins encourages us to partner with Spirit to tap a deeper intelligence. And, the May 20 Gemini New Moon (4:48 p.m. PDT) is a solar eclipse, in which the Moon (intuition) eclipses the Sun (action). As they join, the luminaries square wordless, mystical Neptune. Couple this event with Venus’ recent retrograde in Gemini (May 15 to June 27), and you have a strong call to go inward—to turn down the volume of the outer world so you can receive messages from your higher self. ... Read more

Taurus New Moon: Save and Prosper!

The April 21 Taurus New Moon (12:20 a.m. PDT) is a superb time for financial renewal. The Sun and Moon in grounded Taurus make an elegant trine to newly-direct Mars in Virgo, freeing us to move forward with whatever we’ve been working on or struggling with since mid-January. And, the New Moon sextiles Neptune in Pisces, as it opposes Mars. By using our powers of visualization, we can take concrete steps to heal old patterns around spending and debt, and plant new seeds for abundance. ... Read more

Aries New Moon: Full Exposure

Mercury/Uranus in fiery Aries also coincides with the most intense solar flares we’ve seen in six years. Expect to see more such activity through April as the cycle continues. When the Sun’s magnetic storms release super-hot gases that rocket to Earth, they disrupt our magnetic grid. These solar flares shake up our lives, help us break through old patterns and take risks—but they can also make us feel jittery, irritated or exhausted. ... Read more

February 21 New Moon: Sink or Swim

The February 21 Pisces New Moon (2:35 p.m. PST) inaugurates this new 14-year phase, as it joins Neptune to christen the ship. At this New Moon, all things that elevate the spirit are favored. Now’s the time to take that art course you’ve been dreaming of, sign up as a hospice volunteer, study mysticism or take a trip to Hawaii and swim with dolphins. ... Read more

Aquarius New Moon: Let the Dragon Roar!

The Aquarius New Moon (Jan. 22, 11:39 p.m. PST) occurs just hours before Mars’ retreat into the underworld. The Aquarian need for freedom and innovation is intensified by squares from Jupiter and Saturn and a sextile from Uranus. But we may feel as if we have one foot on the gas and another on the brake, due to the immobility of Mars and Saturn’s cautious square. Resist the urge to leap into the fray. ... Read more

January 2012: Cracking the Facade

The year ahead promises enormous benefits, both material and spiritual (Jupiter), if we’re willing to release old patterns (Capricorn) and try something radically new (Uranus). Both the Solstice and New Moon charts also spotlight Venus, newly into experimental Aquarius, as she advocates for growth and freedom via aspects to Jupiter and Uranus. ... Read more

December 2011: Out of the Comfort Zone

Sagittarius rules thankfulness as well as wide open spaces. This New Moon asks: Do you need to incorporate more time in nature into your life? How about a gratitude ritual on Thanksgiving before sitting down to eat, and then a hike afterwards? You may also find that playing a game dissolves any tensions. The Sabian Symbol for the New Moon’s degree, 3 Sagittarius, is “Two men playing chess; the transcendent ritualization of conflict.” ... Read more

The Shadow and the Psychopomp

The psychopomp is a Scorpionic figure. Scorpio rules the Underworld—the realm of death as well as the subconscious mind. This is the Shadow—dwelling place of all we have repressed, from our greatest talents and desires to our worst fears and faults. When the Sun traverses the shadowy terrain of Scorpio (Oct. 23 thru Nov. 21), it illuminates both good and bad. We recognize our Shadow and have the chance to break its death grip on our spirit—facing our darkness while embracing our blessings and brilliance. ... Read more

October Theme: Speak Up and Unite!

Ladylike yet tough as nails, Eleanor Roosevelt was a classic Libra. Not only was her Sun (essential self) in the sign of the scales of justice, but so was her Mercury (mind, voice). With Mercury conjunct radical Uranus and trine to political Pluto in persuasive Gemini, Eleanor used her unique platform to bring about social change—though she made many enemies in the process. ... Read more

September Theme: Clean-up Time

In one of my earliest memories, my mother and I are bent over the nubby brown living room carpet, painstakingly picking up crayons. I scream as she forces me, her hand clasped over mine, to keep my promise of putting away my toys–no matter how long it takes. Mom was a Virgo. Though caring and gentle, she was a stickler for order. As the Sun moved into her sign this week, I invoked her patience and perseverance to help me make it through the final lap of renovations. My parents’ home, which I inherited, has been in disarray since April. Now it’s almost complete, and I’m moving back in. ... Read more