Thursday, March 21, 2019

Posted on by Karen Maxon

The Moon, still round but beginning to wane, drifts quietly on through Libra, interacting with no planets, giving us a chance to breathe and to absorb whatever revelations have occurred in the bright spring moonlight.

Venus, the ruler of Libra, is engaged in a lively sextile with Jupiter who is feeling particularly jovial in Sagittarius. Thus I would expect a feel-good day today. Invite a friend or colleague to lunch, put away the devices, and have a real conversation about meaningful topics.

If you’re still up around midnight tonight, you may find your mood heading downhill as the genteel Moon enters into a difficult discussion with Saturn. Get to bed early and let them go at it while you sleep.

Spring has Sprung – and a Full Moon too!

Posted on by Aurum Astrology

Here we are! Finally. We’ve made it through a fierce winter  and a ‘polar vortex’ (sounds like a science fiction movie) that had us on our knees in most of the Northern hemisphere.  Ice – wind – cold – snow arghhhhh. We will be officially entering  Spring a few hours from now (9:30 pm EST- 2:30 m UT)). Hurray!! May your Full Moon Equinox be glorious.  Spring is finally here. Sort of….

 

Today we also have a super-charged Full Moon occurring at the very beginning of Libra. Day and night are equal-  and then- as of tomorrow- the days will be  getting longer. Yay!

The Western Astrology zodiac begins when the Sun rises over the equator (Aries or Libra).  Due to the earth’s wobble- the constellations no longer line up with this event – so we rely on the Sun’s arrival at this point to begin the astrological year. 

Happy Spring! Happy equinox. Happy Full Moon!


 
Sun in Aries (the Ram) : initiative, drive, aggression, new beginnings. 
Moon in Libra (the scales): Peace, harmony, balancing point – finding the middle.
Aries (ruled by warrior planet Mars) young, vibrant, impatient. Self-centered.
Libra (ruled by Venus, planet of love) love, beauty, art.  Other-centred.


Full Moons are emotionally loaded and tend to bring out the polarities between people.  Us > them – self > other. This natural polarity is  amplified in Aries and Libra. Aries is an instigator who would rather do its own thing – while  Libra is a responder,  with a powerful need to connect with others. Aries tends to be more self-centred and egotistical,  while Libra is hyper aware of others and likes to please.  Yet if day and night can accept being equal – so can we. Balance is the key.

Mars and Venus, the planets that rule the day, are naturally  at odds.  Mars is a warrior- Venus a lover. Right now they are in particular  tension  (right angles) adding  friction to already polarized situations. Throw in the current Mercury retrograde –  and misunderstandings can become highly problematic. Expect confusion and drama,  with amplification to both.  This Full Moon may magnify any muddles we are currently in. 

Full Moon’s bring things to a head; and we may be faced with something we need to come to terms with. Some  have been  deceived and/or led down the garden path, or mixed messages have caused confusion and  disappointment. As personal issues that have been simmering under the surface rise to the surface, standoffs may occur. Libra encourages us to find middle ground. The key here is to resolve your issue in one way or another. Don’t let it keep festering under the surface. There is an opportunity now to let go of grudges and seek mutual benefit. The theme  of  forgiveness and redemption (vs retribution) encourages us to seek the higher ground and to walk away from petty ego battles. Life’s too short. Use your fertile imagination to vision a new way forward.

 

This dreamy, steamy energy could also bring out the romantic in  us. Highly creative solutions are possible under such unusual skies. Yet with things  tending towards a lack of clarity –  we are  prone to deception or seduction.  Be as straight forward as you can and act with integrity. Honest is always the best policy at any time, but especially now. Karma is a bitch –  and especially right now- it can come back to bite you. Don’t let your ego block your ability to forgive and forget.  That doesn’t mean you have to debase yourself or throw yourself to the wolves. Libra is about balance – martyrdom is too extreme.  And even though Aries likes to pick a fight –  sometimes the best policy is to just walk away and let many things pass.

You know you want to 🙂

Mercury snuggled up with Neptune means we are very suggestible right now.  Be very careful of what you agree to under these watery influences, and extra cautious about consuming mind altering substances. Then again- maybe that’s exactly what you need! Nothing like a good escape now and then to help press the reset button. Just be honest about what it is you are running away from. Pay attention to your dreams.


Dreams are intense right now. I had  one particularity revealing dream exactly  as the Sun crossed over Mercury and  Neptune. In fact the card above  was inspired by an aspect of it. These intuitive influences help us tap into subconscious realms; the trick is to decipher the messages we receive. Making imagery  is one helpful way to get in touch with the underlying meanings. This Mercury retrograde in Pisces is very non linear and  quite spiritual – it can help us access our inner self. Yet this is also the realm of fantasy and delusions.  The odds right now are on the side of chaos and confusion so be sure to stay tuned into your centre- your core self. Discernment is key.

Luckily, Sun in warrior sign Aries can help us cut through the BS and shine a light on what’s really going on.  Aries is fierce and independent and shows us the way forward.

Overall- the Equinox marks new beginnings –   new projects, endeavors, relationships. Yet with Mercury still retrograde, things can go sideways;  there might be missed opportunities,  blockages, hesitation. We will need to learn to co-operate with others to get the job done.  (Libra).  Sometimes we will feel like we’re back at the starting point. Are we  merely going in circles?

If you’ve been feeling spaced out or drowned out,  its almost over (till the next thing lol) . This time of spring renewal might be delayed by a few weeks, but it will come. We are still entwined with endings ( Mercury will turn direct March 29th). Something is not quite finished  (look to see where Mercury is retrograde in your chart – then look at the meanings of the ‘house’ above). 

There’s a review going on as we reflect on the cycles of our life – and consider where we are heading. Even though the destination may not be especially clear at the moment,   Pisces asks us to trust and have faith that everything will turn out all right.  Jupiter brings positive expansion, joy. There are no guarantees, especially in these times of confusion and upheaval, but we can choose how we direct our energy and how we see our circumstances (cup half full or half empty). Although nothing is for certain right now in this push-pull between the past and the future, and it does seem to be two steps forward, one step back, there is an opportunity here. The best thing we can do is stay in the present.  After all – the present (now) is all there really is – and that is worth discovering.


The past, the present and the future walked into a bar. It was tense. 



Speaking of the present- Libra wants us to appreciate the gift of each other as we celebrate the beginning of Spring. Go and howl at this glorious Full Moon.

You know you want to!

 

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Posted on by Karen Maxon

Spring gets off to a dynamic start today!

The day begins with the almost-full Moon making her way through the last decan of earthy and practical Virgo, forming a fast-moving Grand Trine with Saturn and Pluto in ambitious Capricorn, and with Mars in steadfast Taurus. The Moon in Virgo answers to Mercury, who is currently retrograde in watery Pisces but receiving a steadying boost from stable Saturn.

One could accomplish a great deal of productive and detailed work this morning. Tie up any loose ends before 11:22 AM EDT when the Moon goes void on a square to over-the-top Jupiter.

This well-supported Moon is conjunct my own Virgo Moon, prompting me to the practical action of reviving my writing practice. Finally!

The Sun enters Aries at 5:58 PM EDT, marking the official beginning of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere and the start of the zodiacal year.

The waxing Moon serenely drifts until she enters Libra at 9:28 PM EDT and reaches exact opposition to the Aries Sun at 9:43 PM EDT, illuminating the third and final Super Moon of 2019.

This Moon is also the first of two Libra Full Moons this month, with the next one happening at the very end of Libra on April 19th. These bookend Moons here at the Spring Equinox place a strong emphasis on the Aries/Libra axis and the issue of balance in our relationships.

Venus, our planet of love and relationship, is the ruler of Libra. Mars, the planet of me-first and divisiveness, is the ruler of Aries. These two seeming opposites are moving into a square with one another, a challenging aspect which can test some partnerships.

Venus is currently in Aquarius and thus feeling a bit aloof and independent. She’s also getting a great affirmation from Jupiter in freedom-loving Sagittarius. Mars is moving through Venus’ other home-sign of Taurus and thus is answering to her. He is feeling more grounded than usual and less inclined toward breaking off relations.

Use the light of this Libra Full Moon to peer into the workings of your relationships. Do you have enough freedom and autonomy? Do you feel grounded and stable in your partnerships? How do you achieve a balance of your own needs against the needs of others? Move forward into the new cycle of the zodiac with the awareness gained from the illumination of balance.