Political Influences in Astrology (Bet they’re not what you think.)

Hey, I’m as sick of “politics” as the rest of you, so bear with me here, OK? My chart just got triggered (again) so I’m all fired up, waving a sword in one hand and the scales of justice in the other. I’m a Libran (fairness, justice, directness) in the middle of a triple Mars Return. Yup, Mars decided to retrograde across my natal Mars in Sagittarius (the raw power of beliefs, expanded truth). Lucky me!

What does this have to do with politics? Well, I have the asteroid Pallas Athena, the feminine version of Mars, to thank for that. It so happens, this feminine warrior appears as the primary indicator of political and ethical ideology in the natal chart. It therefore also gives impetus for political actions through transits, progressions, etc. For me, Pallas in Scorpio in my 8^th House at my Life Purpose number says I’m passionate about this. Plus, transiting Pallas conjuncts, or joins, my Ascendant (ASC) while squaring my natal Mars during this return period. (Oh, yeah, the fun never ends, does it?) More on that in a minute.

It turns out Pallas has some help in this area. My planetary ruler Venus (ruler of Libra and Taurus) and the Moon (emotional ruler) happen to hold the distinction of the other two cosmic bodies of greatest influence in political/ethical ideology. And yes, my natal Moon lays in Taurus, also reflecting my Life Purpose number through degree.

So where’s Pluto, the great transformer, in all of this? Well, one analyst reported that there are more government rulers born under the sign of Scorpio (ruled by Pluto) than any other.  They do deal a lot with debt and other people’s money (Scorpio/ 8^th House), after all. Virgoans held the bottom number on that one, by the way. Too practical and down-to-earth, perhaps.

Want to see how this all weaves together in our lives when the timing is right?

In the United States we have primary elections followed by state and general conventions followed by the big general election in November. Complex, I know, but that’s the way we do it. And all this is prefaced by over two years of political advertising and campaigning. (groan)

I’ve been an election worker for decades, making sure every vote gets recorded properly (natal Saturn in Virgo conjunct Venus) in our precinct. As part of this Election Board, I see the breakdowns in the system (Pluto-Uranus square followed by Saturn-Neptune square). Last election cycle the Republicans in my state chose to adopt a “closed primary” system for their party’s election. This meant only those who registered as Republican could vote for any of their candidates. In my county, this denied all non-Republicans the right to vote for county sheriff, since only Republicans ran, eliminating the need for the race to carry over to the General Election.

This year the Democrats followed suit, requiring party affiliation to vote.

Now realize that the United States in a country with multiple alternative parties often with no ballots of their own and the right for voting citizens to remain unaffiliated with any party, if registered as such.

Oh, but they made it sound so easy, these big party promoters. All a voter had to do was register with one or the other main party (Republican or Democrat), then unregister a few days after the election, if they chose.

The Democrats in this state took it one step farther by choosing to caucus in designated locations across the state for 2-3 hour of citizen debates and shifting sides prior to voting. I tell you the fun and games never end here! I’m told some actually enjoy this kind of thing. In this area that required driving for up to an hour and a half each way. Those who could not get there or chose not to participate had no alternative way to vote since absentee ballots were not issued. Villagers in one small town, trapped behind a huge rock slide for weeks, missed out completely.

OK, my Mars is firing up, so hold on.

I’ve taken enough sales/marketing training to see this for what it is: a means of temporarily inflating party registration numbers to make each party shine with suddenly growing number of new party members. Catch the word “temporary” in there. It demonstrates a planned manipulation of people’s heightened emotions (Moon) to project a false truth, aka, illusion (Neptune). Why would they do this? When it comes to U.S. elections, numbers drive the dollars to any campaign.

Personally, I refused to play this registration game. I am a registered voter who votes by person, not party. As a result, I could only vote on local and state issues. And I am one of thousands across this nation who experienced this. Disenfranchised voters, they call us.

Where did this show up in my chart? Astrologically, Pallas triggered the issue and conjunct (joined) my ASC made it personal. Transiting Mars first conjunct my natal Mars the day of the Republican Primary. In retrograde, it formed this same conjunction the day of the State Primary. Let’s just say, some of the board members saw a side of me they weren’t expecting. A feminine warrior for fairness and justice in our political system showed up.  I realize I’m going to have to work with Saturn, planetary ruler over governmental structures, on this. But then, Saturn and Jupiter were squaring off (tension) at the State Primary, daring the expanded awareness (Jupiter/ Sagittarius) to crumble old structures (Saturn). And I’m seeing some serious chips in the masonry already.

Oh, did I mention that Mars lays at 2° Sagittarius in my natal chart? On the surface that look like quite a conundrum, this combo. Blending Mars’ energy and the number 2 might be pictured as a Viking offering a bouquet of flowers. (Or a handful of hazelnuts. I don’t know, that’s the picture that showed up and said, “Use me!”) Two is the number of peace and one-on-one communication.

Peace is not in Mars’ vocabulary or job description. So what gives, right? Well, it took me quite awhile to figure that out. Yet now I see that Mars at 2° in my 9^th House (beliefs, teaching) gives me the courage to talk to people about things that matter not just to me but on a global/collective scale. I’m not big on small talk but can contribute to some deep, fascinating, and challenging conversations, if you’re willing. One-on-one is my favorite way to do that, of course. That, or simply writing things that inform, as boring as that may sound.

So there you have it, folks. Another amazing twist of planetary action in ways you might never expect. I know I didn’t.

Now, has anybody seen my sword…the one glowing with light with sapphire roses on the handle?

Blessings,

Rayora Hartman   www.numbersatplay.com

 

(Photo credit: “Viking Handing Hazelnuts Circle Retro” by vectorilie; freedigitalphotos.net)

When the Vertex and Number 9 Meet (Gulp…)

Have you noticed? Astrology is peppered with unstable and unpredictable components meant to jar us out of ruts, comfort zones, and old patterns. Take the Vertex, for example. That’s vertex, not vortex.   Yet make no mistake; when the Vertex is activated in your chart it can feel like you’ve been sucked into a vortex. Let me explain.

The Vertex is neither good nor bad. It is a specific point in the cosmos, considered a point of destiny, at which the ecliptic (path of the Sun) and a plane that divides the celestial sphere (aka, prime vertical) intersect. (I know. Astrologers look at the craziest things, don’t they?) The Vertex forms an axis with its opposite point, the Anti-Vertex, directly across the astrology chart.

This axis marks another key point for your relationships. What adds the element of surprise to this particular activation is that it triggers things out of your control. It appears not to be triggered easily, however, taking eclipses or some other cosmic event to add the fire power. (Big sigh…whew!)

Yet the Vertex is like every other point in astrology; we all have one. It’s symbolized by Vx and generally found between the 4^th and 8^th Houses in your natal chart. Those houses alone indicate other people will be involved.

If you’ve studied astrology for awhile, you know Mercury tends to take on the characteristics of whatever planet it gets close to in aspect. Well, the Vertex also demonstrates that trait—on steroids. It not only reflects the aspects of the House in which it resides or transits but takes on the “personality” of planets in aspect. This is particularly true of conjunctions within a 5° orb.

The House position sets the stage. If it’s in the 5^th House, someone may appear out of the blue as a new love interest. Yet this romance may not play out in expected ways. If it’s in the 8^th House, you may experience the death of a family member or close friend that could involve unexpected actions and reactions around “other people’s money.” (Anyone who has settled out an estate can relate to that one, right?)

As an aside, the Vertex in the U.S. chart is in the 8^th House. This country has experienced multiple events that triggered national bereavement and issues involving financial fallout. That’s 8^th House stuff for sure.

Yet realize that the Vertex equally expresses in fortunate ways. It also activates what attracts us, what we desire, our obsessions. You might win the lottery or inherit mineral rights on the Bakkan Oil Reserve albeit after the blush is off the boom. You might get engaged, surprising everyone including you; or experience the unexpected birth of triplets rather than twins. Each leaves you wondering, “What now?” The underlying caution here is: be careful what you wish for.

When we add the energy of numbers to this equation, it gets even more interesting. This includes the degree number of the Vertex as well and other personal and collective numbers activated at the time. Here’s a recent example from my own life.

I am in a 9 Personal Year in this 9 Universal Year. That alone sets the theme of culminations and endings for this birth year. It is a transitional year for completion and starting to plan for my next 9-year cycle. The Lunar Eclipse last September occurred one day from my birthday. (That’s the Universe saying, “This one’s for YOU!”) Lunar eclipses often signify endings with the effects stretched out for at least 6 months. This one triggered my natal Vertex at the high relationship Number 20 in the 7^th House of close relationships plus Progressed Vertex in the 8^th House. Actually, my chart was on fire. Less than a month later, I got word my mother was not expected to live. The Moon often represent the mother.

Emotional turmoil ensued. I joined my sister for a bedside vigil. (Hey, I’m a Libran with a 6 Destiny Number.) After two weeks, I was forced home by weather, only to have Mom rally the very day I left. Go figure! She continued to show slow improvement over the next several months. Then in early February, everything shifted in the other direction. After a 10-day hospital stay, she transitioned on the 13th, within 5 minutes of my Lunar Return, another indicator of an ending. The number 13 in numerology indicates transformation through struggle, and for her it truly was. Plus, the 13 triggered one of her key personal numbers.

As we know, nothing in life truly ends. It just plays into the next. So we continue the process as our family adjusts on all levels to the loss of its matriarch.

And I stand on the edge of another Lunar Eclipse (March 23^rd) that again triggers my chart. It is, after all, a 9 year.

Number 9 holds the energy of all the numbers before it so is a number of wisdom, keenly focused on compassion and humanitarianism. (More on this another time.) And yes, it also is the most emotional number, the highest in the Emotional Triad 3-6-9. Keeping my emotions in balance remains a challenge this birth year, and we all know how importance balance is to a Libran. Geez, Louise!

If you’ve followed my writing for awhile, you know I speak often of “growth opportunities.” The activation of the Vertex triggers one of these—big time. It marks a turning point in life. Even the most fortunate events present you with new questions or possibilities around how this will change your life. And that’s the bottom line and key word of a Vertex activation: CHANGE. The same is true of Number 9. Put the two together and you might as well embrace it, because it’s not going away. Your life is now on a new trajectory that will leave you forever changed. And that, my friend, can be a good thing. Really. Though you may only see the truth of that clearly several years down the road when you look back in awe.

And so it goes. Life with cosmic and numeric influences always in play in some form present ever new influences and happening to spur us forward. Some wash over us like a gentle breeze, giving us a nudge. Others pull us into a tornado, grasping for something to hang onto and wondering where we will land. Either way, it’s a heck of a ride, wouldn’t you agree?

Blessings!

Rayora Hartman   http://numbersatplay.com

 

(Photo credit: “Good Luck on Phone Shows Fortune And Lucky” by Stuart Miles; freedigitalphotos.net)

Behold the Year of 9 (and a whole lot more)

Well, I thought it was about time I ventured from my magical cave (where I’ve been playing with all sorts of things, btw) to greet you all in this early part of 2016. I’ve actually been doing exactly what I recommend for most of you this month; pull back and dig deep.

Now before you throw a temper tantrum or toss up your hands in despair, let me explain why.

January 1, 2016, marked the beginning a 9 Universal Year. That means the energy of the number 9 will factor into every facet and layer of life for all of us during these 12 months.

There’s actually something kind of magical about this number.  Look at the way it looks backwards rather than forwards.  There’s a reason for that.  You see, this number marks the end of a numeric cycle that started in 2008.  We’ll be doing a lot of looking back in this year, count on it.  Yet because 9 also carries the energy of all the numbers before it, it brims with possibility.

So we’ll be looking ahead too. Oh, yes.  This is not only a number of endings, completions, and culminations.  It’s a number that urges us to take all we have gleaned from this last cycle and plan how to use that going into the new 9-year cycle that starts next year.  Indeed, it urges us to draft the blueprint for the next decade.

In truth, this marks a transitional point for all of humanity. How we choose to take part in that is up to us.  What does that mean?  For some, it means accepting the challenges of transitioning global movements.  Yet for most the focus beams much closer to home.  You may be part of something (a store, organization, or project) that must change or fold.  Or maybe you’re part of  something bursting at the seams and crying for expansion.

For still others this energy will demonstrate in personal ways; the death of a parent or the birth of a grandchild, a new job opportunity that means selling your home to move to a new location. Or maybe you are transitioning out of the workforce and into retirement or self-employment.  For many these days it means starting over after a major storm or fire takes everything that represented home and security.

Nations and the Earth herself are likewise in transition. In the United States, this is the final year of a major election cycle with a new president determined in the November election. (This one has some laughing, some crying, and a lot just shaking their heads.) Monetary systems around the globe are wobbling and jerking in an attempt to maintain systems that no longer work.  (Johnson & Johnson must be making millions on the band aids applied to this one.) And the weather…do we even need to talk about that?  Unbelievable extremes around the globe altering people’s lives and the landscape in a flash.

Any transition requires release of the old and trust that the new will unfold before us in some way. For most, that is not an easy junction.  That’s again where this number comes in, with service and compassion.  Deep, honest, heartfelt compassion.  Not to be confused with sympathy or self-pity, mind you.  Compassion brings understanding and caring originating from divine love.  It stirs us to action and opens the door to possibilities not yet imagined.  It touches the heart of the giver and receiver alike, not in a crippling way but with a power that ignites hope…no matter what.

We live in emotional times often charged with rage and anger. That too can be exacerbated by this energy if it lands in its lower expression; over emotionality.  Remember, every number carries a higher and lower vibrational energy.  Guard against allowing yourself to be pulled into that undercurrent.  The number 9 is part of the numeric Emotional Triad (3-6-9) so can bring sudden fits of rage or an upwelling of tears of pain or joy when least expected.  (I’m considering carrying a box of tissues with me this year for whomever needs a few…myself included.)

An example of this occurred when President Obama teared up when recalling the plethora of young victims of gun violence.  Why didn’t this happen at other times he spoke on this subject?  We weren’t in a 9 year then.  Plus, the Moon (emotional energy) was transiting his 10^th House (career/reputation) during this latest address.

And how does the current astrology figure in all of this. Mightily!

I just gave you an example with Obama. Now consider this.  We started the year with tension created by another close connection between our old pals Pluto and Uranus.  This time they came to within a degree or so of an exact square and will stay in that close positon throughout January and beyond.  If you’ve been with me awhile you know what this signifies and energizes.  Say it with me now.

Revolutionary transformation.

I ask you, have you ever seen a revolution on this planet that was neat and orderly? No?  Me neither.  Revolution is a messy process and one that requires total dedication to the cause.  I’m not speaking so much militarily here–although that’s energized as well–as much as I am of revolutionizing ideas.  We humans resist change like a toddler fighting to retain his/her last binky (aka, pacifier).  It scares us.  And Pluto is good at that, by the way.  The scaring and the changing.  Yet Uranian energy is pushing us forward in sudden bursts, no matter what.  Look beneath all the surface explosions in headlines and sound bites and we find amazing things going on in technology, cinema, clean energy, immunotherapy, and a host of other fields.

Yet sometimes it’s the actual explosions that do captivate our attention. For example, just as the Sun moved into conjunction with Pluto on January 5^th, the world rocked from North Korea’s test of what they claimed was a hydrogen bomb, a nuclear device. But then Mercury (communication/ideas) had just stationed to go retrograde, so no one knows for sure and reports are confused. Since the luminaries and inner planets trigger the outer planets, this came as no surprise astrologically.  The Pluto-Uranus square got triggered again, big time.

And what else is going on in the cosmos. Well, more than I can recount here, that’s for sure.

As I mentioned, we are in the first of four—count ‘em, four—Mercury retrogrades this year.  Generally, there are three.  But good ol’ Mercury stepped up to the plate to add his own version of shock and awe by tossing in another 3-week period for reviewing, releasing, and redoing whatever calls for our attention.  Lucky us!  I must say that I agree with astrologer Donna Cunningham, however.   She feels Mercury gets blamed for a lot of what is actually Uranus’ erratic energy when it comes to technology issues.  I watched that last Winter/Spring and again all through December.  Anyway, the first Mercury retrograde is now in effect until January 25^th, and I’d wait until around February 8^th to actually start any major new project, if possible.  Let the energy settle a bit.

And Jupiter is now retrograde as well until early May. This again pulls our focus inward.  It marks a time for internal work and expansion that can manifest in external ways when the time is right.  Since Jupiter is now in Virgo, that may mean finally determining how to better take care of your health.  Or maybe it’s your daily routine or critical thinking that is boxing you in.  There’s a definite and strong call for freedom (Uranus)now that brings more awareness around anything that constrains us.

It pays, however, to remember that Virgo is a practical, no nonsense Earth sign that loves efficiency and tangible results. Start with making the mental changes to move you forward.  That could even be finding ways to get out of the mental loops that keep you awake at night.  Perhaps it’s your relationships that need attention. (With Black Moon Lilith recently transiting in Libra, relationship shadow issues abound.) Whatever house Jupiter is transiting in your chart will tell you where your focus will be. Realize also that Jupiter also can spark spiritual/religious zeal to the extreme.

So here’s another little freebie from me. If you don’t know where Jupiter is activating your chart right now, go to my website (below) and drop me a note with your birth information.  I’ll give you a one or two-line highlight.

And in the meantime, I’ll be in my cave determining what new explosive idea to play with next.

Blessings!

Rayora Hartman   www.numbersatplay.com

 

(Photo credit: “Nine Number Glow Inner Electric Lamp” by Keerat; freedigitalphotos.net)

Mars Triggers the Big Boys (Facing life in a world gone mad.)

Shock and awe.  This sensation grips the collective consciousness now on a regular basis.  What happened to “peace on Earth, goodwill toward men”?  After all, it is December, the month generally filled with festivities around Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and other worldwide celebrations.  Where’s the joy?  Is the cosmos playing a dirty trick on us or what?  Let’s take a look.

First, in my usual style, let me toss a few cosmic alignments your way. Figuratively speaking, of course.  I’m in no mood to arm wrestle Mars.

And speaking of Mars, he’s a big player this month…ticking off the big boys (outer planets) one by one.  That’s known as “triggering” or “activating” in astrology.

The holiday season here in the States began in late November with a Pluto-Uranus-Mars T-square starting to form right around Thanksgiving.  This created a volatile and explosive energy that crosses the timeline of the Saturn-Neptune square.  Squares bring tension that requires action and T-squares even more so.

In seeing that play out, at first we were simply observers as the Turkish military shot down a Russian plane.  (Uranus rules aviation and Mars rules war.) A few days later, however, the violence became personal when a husband and wife teamed up as instruments of death at her husband’s work place in San Bernardino, CA.  This attack, now deemed a senseless act of terror, gained impact when authorities attached the word “radicalized” to the couple.   And as a result the election poll ratings shot up for the U.S. presidential candidate (with Mars conjunct his Leo Ascendant) who, referring to ISIS, says he would “bomb the hell out of them.”

Let’s face it.  On the surface it looks like the world’s gone mad.  And as I see it, this will only increase in the near future.  Sorry.

You see this Pluto-Uranus-Mars T-square peaks around December 7-9 and lasts until the 15^th when Pluto drops out.  But the other players don’t release this energy play until December 25^th, just as Uranus stations to go direct.  And in fact, the energy between Pluto and Uranus continues to intensify until reaching its peak on New Year’s Eve.  (I warned you this was coming.)

“Why…why…WHY?” we want to scream.

For that we have to look at the character and purpose of these planetary energies.  Pluto is known as the great destroyer; he will forcefully remove anything that stands in the way of our evolutionary growth and also rules the 8^th House, the house of death.  Uranus is known as the great awakener who uses shock and unexpected events to burst our illusions and create rebellion where and when needed for transformation (Pluto) to occur.  Mars, in astrology, is second in power only to the Sun.  His raw fiery energy activates the outer planets with warrior-like zeal when connected.  And since the asteroid Pallas Athena and Black Moon Lilith also are in this mix through conjunctions with Pluto and Mars, that adds even more warrior energy—this time of a feminine nature.  Thus enters the wife in this deadly duo.

When Mars squares Uranus, actions tend to be radical, extreme, intolerant, and without patience.  Mars-Uranus hard aspects also can point to a lone gunman, something we’ve seen repeatedly over recent years.  Realize also that Mars squaring Pluto tends to raise the impetus for revenge—an energy I see building in the U.S.

Religious zeal runs especially high now too with Saturn in Sagittarius.  Saturn demands the rules be followed, and since Sagittarius rules religions that gives more impetus for verbalizing and acting out those demands.

Sagittarius also rules foreign lands and the migrations of people, and Saturn wants strong boundaries.  Thus enters the Syrian refugee crisis and other border issues.  With Neptune expressing as illusion in his lower vibration, his ongoing square with Saturn adds confusion.  A sense of lostness pervades, not only for the refugees and other migrants but for those attempting to deal with it.

Now here’s the good news.  A T-square between Jupiter, Chiron, and first Mercury then the Sun also is in play.  The one with Mercury started to form November 30th, peaked December 2^nd, and ended December 4^th while the one with the Sun started December 5^th, peaks at the Sagittarius New Moon December 11^th, and ends the 15^th.  (Though being tied in with the New Moon extends the effect until the 25th.) These geometric aspects offer us the opportunity to overcome “shadow material,” a.k.a. the darker sides of humanity in general and those of religions in particular.  Along with this comes a new joy to work as a healer and/or to increase philosophical understanding.

I caught a short feature in a newscast about a retired therapist who is now the official philosopher for a town of just over 1,000 people in Washington State.  And yes, it is an official designation.  He remains available to discuss whatever people have on their hearts and minds. In so doing, he meets their deepest need; to have someone listen—really listen to them.

Can it be that simple?  Can we begin to work magic and miracles from the grassroots up by this one simple act? Okay…sometimes it’s not that simple.  But what might happen if we did?

Listening is quite Mercurial actually, part of the whole communication process.

Take this report of a random act of kindness, for example.  A 21-year-old woman is overheard by another person in a bank as she pleads with the teller.   Because of the $100 in fees charged to her account, she can’t pay her rent this month.   The teller cannot reverse the charges.  Rather than question, criticize, or judge bank policy or the young woman, the listener steps forward and pays the $100.

Numerically we are in a 12/3 Calendar Month as the final month of this 8 Universal Year.  The number 12/3 calls for creative solutions that rise above victimizing or victimhood.  And in an 8 year, financial issues remain on the table for us all.

So here is my challenge to you in the middle of this world-gone-mad scenario:

• Listen, not just with your ears but with your heart.

• Speak with wisdom and compassion.

• Stay open to new possibilities and put creative solutions into action as never before.

Realize that the planetary energies are not here to hurt us but to give us the energetic impetus for change. We again are at choice this month. What we chose to do, personally and collectively, is up to us.

Blessings!

Rayora Hartman    www.numbersatplay.com

 

(photo credit: “Stop War Means Caution Conflict and Battle” by Stuart Miles; freedigitalphotos.net)

Jupiter trines Pluto, Can This Be Good? (Two super heroes in play this week…)

If you’re among the ranks of those feeling the growing intensity over recent weeks, take heart. Help is on the way.

Jupiter just picked up Mighty Mouse’s theme song (in rich baritone, of course), “Here I come to save the day…!”

You see Jupiter and Pluto have been talking all month and have agreed to join forces now in Virgo to power up some long overdue transformation, both collectively and personally (if it aspects your chart). Astrologically this appears as a trine, an easy flow of energy between these two cosmic dynamos. Pluto removes everything that stands in the way of our growth and evolution.   Jupiter makes everything bigger, more expansive or pronounced. Together they broaden the possibilities for wide-range and long-lasting change.

But there’s a catch.

You see, trines tend to feel so comfortable that they can be overlooked. With this one, however, I think it will be pretty hard to miss. Yet it is up to you to apply it if you want to get the most out of it.

Pluto’s energy works at deep levels, in the realms of our deepest secrets, bringing all sorts of taboo subjects into the spotlight—particularly around anything having to do with sex (affairs and sexual scandals, sexual abuse and harassment, breast feeding, abortion, gender preference, sexual stereotypes, sex education, sex in advertising, sex shops, etc.). It also deals with money in regard to loans, joint finances, other people’s money, and money owed to you.  Plus it governs psychology, why we do what we do.

Jupiter, sometimes called the “lucky planet,” can bring great gain—or loss. You see, this energy expands whatever it touches, so a small gain turns into a windfall or little loss into a pitfall. Yet this is just one way Jupiter’s energy can play out. It can expand anything, from friendships to your waistline, from the size of your house to the manifestation of your dreams (or fears).

So what’s the key to using this highly beneficial Jupiter-Pluto trine? Aim high! It’s that simple, and that complicated. Before taking aim you must see your target clearly. In astrology you do that by identifying the Houses where this energy will impact your own personal chart. What areas of life do they cover? When you know this, set your sights on an issue or achievement that falls within those topics.

Be patient here; Plutonian change comes over time. This is the first of a series of three Jupiter-Pluto trines in a larger 12-year Jupiter cycle so look at this as another initiation phase. What starts under this energy (which lasts virtually all this month) will be revisited around March 16, 2016 then given the opportunity for completion around June 26, 2016.

That said, realize that Uranus is getting in on the action again this week. The Libra New Moon on October 12^th here in the U.S. (the 13^th in other parts of the globe), contains lots of Uranian energy. The Moon joins shocking and rebellious Uranus in power sign Aries as Uranus stands in opposition to the illuminating Sun in Libra (relationships, money, justice). Since the Moon often acts as a trigger and New Moons signal new beginnings, be ready for some surprises on any level from this. Just sayin’…

Plus this New Moon occurs at 19° Libra, which in numerology reduced as 19/10/1. If you’ve been with me awhile you know that 10/1 can bring instant manifestations. Also 19 by itself signals endings (9) that support a beginning (1).

This week also signals the start of a final retightening of the old Pluto-Uranus Square we waved a somber or perhaps gleeful goodbye to last Spring. While it will not reach exactitude, it will continue to tighten to within 1° in December of this year. Squares in astrology bring tension requiring action for resolution. This brings a revisitation of anything brought to light over the past 7 years, offering an opportunity to elevate the levels of change around these old subjects…and perhaps a few new ones. (That should make this U.S. election season fun, right?)

The planets and luminaries as a whole are really cozying up in the signs of Virgo and Libra this month. Both Mars and Venus will blend their energies with Jupiter in the Jupiter-Pluto trine. Mars charges ahead on the 17^th, adding power to act on ideas. Our will or the will of the collective gains a new or renewed drive; a can-do attitude. This combination also brings urgency with a focus on faith (Jupiter) with action. The key here it to stay focused and not overly grandiose.

Venus, on the 25^th, shifts any wayward focus back to love, fairness, equality, and money. During the Venus retrograde and shadow period that ended October 8th, we were strongly urged to up level our relationships. (Venus rules Libra, you know.) It’s also a time to get real around the way money affects you and/or adds or subtracts value to or from your life. Are you living in a fantasy world, refusing to see or deal with your current reality? How does that affect your relationships? What steps can you take now and across the next several months to realign those issues?

Oh, and we mustn’t forget Mercury in all of this. This planet that governs communication backed all the way through the sign of Libra before going direct on October 9^th and remains in a strong shadow period until the 24^th. For many this created some funny, frustrating, or totally mind-blowing occurrences when coupled with the eclipse energy of September.

Imagine being the editor of The Bismark Tribune, for example, where two blatant errors slipped through within a couple days of each other. The first, in a cutline under a picture read in part, “…all of Duluth, keep an eye out for fucks during a hunt…” The second may have escaped the eye of all but the spelling czars if it hadn’t been in the main front page headline: Probe looks at DOT work enviornment. I’ve worked as a newspaper editor and can fully empathize with seeing things like that make it into print. Humble pie, anyone? An apology from the paper did appear shortly thereafter.

This acts as a good reminder that we may not like what we see, “Be we can control our response…” (Wink!) This one came from a newsletter. Truly, I saw more of these than ever.

Well Mercury, slowly gaining speed, at 1°Libra sextiled (positive energy) Saturn at 1°Sagittarius on the 11^th. See all those ones? This aspect urged patience while enabling you to know who to talk too and what to say. Sounds like a good way to start things to me.

Then on the 22-24, Mercury squares Pluto at 13°, that number of transformation through struggle. You may find yourself struggling with how to say something you must reveal, but really don’t want to. Or you may discover someone has revealed your deepest secret to the worst possible person. How will you respond to bring positive transformation in the face of criticism or humiliation? Be creative (3) and see all sides (Libra).

Be aware that Lilith, traveling along with the Sun, is likely to bring more than a little disturbance along the way this month. This may appear as disruptions that involve core survival instincts and issues. If this happens remember that this Libran energy will encourage you to return to balance as soon as possible. It is from this stance you find the mental, emotional, and physical stability (Virgo) to act from the point of your truth and purpose. And that, above all else, is what we are called to do these days.

Incidentally, if you’d like me to check the Houses where this Jupiter-Pluto trine activates your chart, drop me a note through my website below. Consider it my surprise free gift to you (for this month only). See? Jupiter is gifting you already!

Blessings,

Rayora Hartman   http://numbersatplay.com

 

(Photo credit: “Get Through Problem” by jesadaphon; freedigitalphotos.net)

Eclipse Season, the Bigger Picture (How to thrive, not just survive.)

Eclipses grab our attention. But why? People talk about them for a short time, some watch them, then they pass, right? No big deal. Or are they? Let’s take a look.

In astrology and numerology, we look at both the tangible and the intangible. Eclipses of the Sun or Moon are visible to the human eye (tangible) and vary energy flow (often intangible). The impacts generally are felt the strongest in the regions where the eclipse can be seen and can show suddenly or ripple over time. Impacts can be felt for up to 3 ½ years, depending on the length of the eclipse itself.

The partial Solar Eclipse on September 12^th or 13^th (based on global location) highlighted Antarctica and parts of southern Africa. Yet no major news stories arose from that region following the eclipse. Why not? This eclipse came with an attached delay factor: a Mercury retrograde, already in shadow with its strongest point of impact (a.k.a. delays, confusion, missed messages, misunderstandings) only days later. The story of whatever may be shifting in this region may take awhile to hit the world. The region still bears watching, however.

But hold on. Just because most of us were not in the area of highest impact for this eclipse, its impact would still be felt. Depending on how it triggered your personal chart and numbers code, you may have experienced a personal “eclipse” or witnessed one in someone else. For example, our wedding anniversary that day was totally “eclipsed” by my husband’s involvement in a community project. One of those overdue, now-or-never things. (Yes, my chart is lit up like a downtown city street at midnight this month.)

How would I respond to that? A-ha…now it gets personal.

Which brings me to another point. This eclipse happened at 20° in the sign of Virgo, an Earth Sign that deals with our service to the world. The eclipse also aspected the Moon’s North Node, which deals with our present impacting our future. Twenty is the highest number of relationship, urging us to view our relationships in the highest way possible while realizing they are divinely supported.

Virgo’s energy brings practicality and groundedness, yet in its lower expression can easily slip into criticism. (Oh, but it’s so justified, right? Wink!) In our case, this focus on Earth energy became literal. The project involved planting the framework for a new swing set in a community park we’ve been developing over recent years.  So I was at choice; become critical and demand that our day take precedence or view the bigger picture and appreciate that this long-awaited part of the project was taking form for the betterment of the community at large.  I must say, being able to see and understand the energy behind it reeeaaallly helped me take the high road in this.

 

Virgo also brings a strong emphasis on health, so some experienced or witnessed an “eclipse” in some health issue. I heard of two surgeries occurring near this eclipse; each patient struggled with coming out from under the anesthesia. That’s one reason surgery is not recommended around these times by astrological consultants. Particularly in a solar eclipse, the life force (Sun) is “eclipsed,” meaning it is temporarily blocked. This diminishes physical strength for a time.

For others this was a time of revelation that spurred them to deeper consideration of something. One person I know got the full low-down of what a kidney transplant would involve, intensifying the decision she would have to make. Again, a health issue.

For the collective, it focused the spotlight globally on the Syrian refugees and their struggle for physical survival, stirring our sense of compassion and need for change. This being a 9 calendar month heightened the emotional response even more. As the highest number in the emotional triad (3-6-9), its truest expression is deep compassion.

Both of these examples show the impact of this eclipse being attached to Chiron through opposition. Oppositions bring us to points of choice. Chiron deals with childhood or past issues not yet resolved. The kidney transplant question for this person stemmed from diabetes that developed in childhood. The Syrian refugee crisis marked the festering of unbearable refugee camp situations largely ignored for years by the world and focused attention on suffering children. Both issues had been long in the making, yet the eclipse thrust them to the next level demanding attention and choice.

While partial solar eclipses are generally less powerful than total eclipses, this one was sandwiched between two Super Moons, Full Moons on steroids. That matters.   And like any good sandwich, all the good stuff will squeeze and drizzle out as we slowly devour and digest the story behind the stories in all of this.

Take the recent U.S. Federal Reserve decision not to raise interest rates. This occurred on September 17th. The 17 indicates this decision will have long-lasting impact and since it reduces to 8 (1+7+8), it triggered the strongest business and money number in numerology. Need I remind you that we are in an 8 Universal Year? Oh, I see jelly dripping from this one already and things could get a bit sticky to say the least.

As we move toward the total Lunar Eclipse on September 27/28, we may face more surprises and events, expected and unexpected, that shake our internal and external worlds.  (A Venus-Uranus aspect also is in play.) This eclipse is visible, at least to some degree, over the Americas, Europe, Africa and part of Asia. The highest areas of impact are the eastern U.S., Central America, all of South America, western Europe, and western Africa. Yup, this is a biggie in many ways.

While Solar Eclipses traditionally initiate new beginnings, Lunar Eclipses tend to bring endings and culminations.

This Lunar Eclipse takes place at 4°40ʼ in Aries (power, initiation, independence) and aspects the South Node (fear) of the Moon (emotionality), a mathematical point that deals with our past patterns and ways of being.  The Moon likewise has to do with the past, often triggering emotions around that. Plus this eclipse is just 4 days away from the Fall Equinox, and 4°degrees away from the Nodal Axis. That’s a lot of 4 energy! If we use that energy wisely, it too will help to keep us grounded though the shifts that occur. The number 4 represents stability, structure, form, and labor. It’s the worker’s number. Yet in its lower expression it brings stubbornness, bullying, materialism, and reluctance to release things from the past.

This, by the way, is heralded to be the most powerful Super Moon of the year. Its close proximity to Earth increases the gravitational and electromagnetic pull on the Earth—and on us. You may see physical manifestation of this like insomnia or either rock bottom or super-charged energy around this time.   The latter is far more likely.

Before you determine to charge into some new project with this energy, see it for what it is: an energy for endings. And, I will add, much pondering. Multiple astrological aspects this month creates push-pull energy. We want to act but don’t really know what to do. We see the challenges but not the solutions. We get the ideas but can’t see how to land them in practical ways. So frustrating, right? I get it. Just realize that fighting the current energy only heightens the frustration.

So what can you do?   Here’s the best way to use all this mixed energy: RELEASE, PONDER, RESEARCH, finalize a PLAN. We are now in a time of development, of final preparation. Take your time, something not easy to do in this energy. Resist the urge to jump into the gooiest parts of life before you’re ready or the “stars align.”

Here’s another thing. The Lunar Eclipse also aspects the Galactic Center at 2° Libra, bringing an evolutionary feel to what’s transpiring. Evolution takes time, so lay your plans and intentions well for the greatest impact when the time is right.

See the number 2 appear again? Yes, relationships are front and center on all levels now, not only with this relationship number but the pure energy of Libra, a sign we enter in full force September 23/24.

It’s time to start talking—and listening—to each other in new ways. Reconnect where you may have inadvertently detached. You’re in a new place now, and so is everyone else. Hold hands with those who are willing and prepare to move through these next steps together as you live the power of building unity through, or in spite of, diversity. This builds the foundations (4) for strong relationships (2) that benefit us all. Thrive, don’t just survive, in this Eclipse Season. We’ll thank you for it.

Blessings!

Rayora Hartman   http://numbersatplay.com

 

(Photo credit: “Eclipse” by zirconicusso; freedigitalphotos.net)

What Do Forest Fires and Ignited Financial Markets Have In Common? (Leo and Virgo, two smokin’ hot signs.)

I live in the Pacific Northwest, smack-dab in the middle of one of the hottest fire zones in the U.S. at this point. And yes, we’re on fire here—big time.

So once I cooled my singed feet in our place of temporary relocation, I donned my detective hat and started pouring over the charts. (Of course…what else? You expected a magnifying glass or something?) Here’s part of what I saw and how it’s evolved from there.

Fire season ignited here in earnest August 10^th when an astoundingly intense band of thunder storms swept across a wide swath of the Northwest already in severe drought. Instruments used to record lightning strikes exploded, recording thousands of strikes in record time and numbers. Numerically, number 10 is a number of instant manifestations.   Across the next few days those fires combined, creating massive blazes, with our area “ground zero” for one of the largest and most destructive.

On August 14^th another rainless storm system tore through, carrying winds that fanned the flames, leaving at least 50 families around the perimeter of our little burg without homes, the loss of 75 outbuildings, and another 150 with homes uninhabitable due to smoke damage. The fire tore off is opposing directions from there, threatening one town after the other in rural north-central Idaho. (No, not Iowa, IDAHO.) The number 14 tends to draw media attention, and yes, this made statewide news and beyond.

As of this writing, the entire Pacific Northwest is still ablaze with little or no significant relief (aka, rain) in sight before Labor Day at the earliest.

So how does astrology fit into all this? Amazingly accurately, of course.

On the 10^th, the Sun was at one of its strongest points, in the middle of its home sign of Leo at 17°. Leo is a Fire Sign ruled by the fieriest planet (astrologically speaking) in the solar system. Mars, an intensely wild fire planet, entered Leo that day at 1°, an “Aries point” that sparks wide recognition. And number 1 starts things. The number 17 often signals leaving a legacy behind, something long remembered. This intensity expanded with velocity with the help of Jupiter also in Leo at Critical Degree (trigger for intense happenings) 29. Jupiter expands everything it touches and the number 29 reduces to 11, a Master Number that signals it’s time to step into the unknown.  On a personal level, Venus, retrograding in Leo at 25°, brought all involved to a point of decision as to what they truly valued. The number 25 reduces to 7, the highest number of mental thought and both mental and spiritual insights. It often brings those lightning-strike moments of sudden awareness.

Mercury rules Virgo and lay at 5° in its home sign. This intensified the need for ideas and communication and ignited reporting of all the changes occurring around the ongoing events. Virgo is an Earth Sign, bringing this fiery energy ignited in Leo literally to Earth as the fires both destroyed and purified the Earth’s surface. The number 5 is the number of change and adventure, two things in abundance (Jupiter) at that point and beyond.

Also in Virgo, Lilith, an asteroid noted for carrying disruptive energy, stood (or lay) at 11°, a number which can carry disruption all by itself. And Juno, an asteroid which brings strong commitment, also transited Virgo at 15°. This number reduces to 6, a number of love and caretaking.

The 14^th, when the fires blew out of control in size and strength, brought a New Moon (when Sun and Moon energy join at the same degree) in Leo at 21°. The number 21 reduces to 3, which in its lower expression brings scattered energy. Yet in its highest expression, 21 brings teachable moments. It also brings out the teacher in all of us as we become teachers and students of one another.

New Moons mark new beginnings, and sometimes the beginning of the end. The Moon’s energy generally is not as intense at this time as at a Full Moon, yet it does rule emotions. And as a cosmic “planet” it rules Cancer, the sign of home, family, and real estate.   The number 3 also spurs action and creativity. Need an example? One local pair of brothers spotted an evacuated house whose porch was on fire. To save the house, they cut off the porch. A bit later, they saw another evacuated house with the door ignited. To save the house, they cut out the door.

This New Moon energy brought more tension that usual though a square with Uranus (unexpected happenings) in Aries (initiation), a fire sign ruled by Mars, the planet of change and unbridled power. Squares create tension that finds resolution through action. I’d call firefighting pretty intense action, wouldn’t you? With Uranus at 20°, the highest relationship number, all forms of relationships were tested. Could departments work together for the good of all? Where was the support and where was it not? Could family members agree of a course of action and carry it out? Jupiter, having rolled into Virgo, now expanded the impetus for practical action—or criticism, in Virgo’s lower expression. And Lilith, now sextiling Saturn (structure, work, responsibility) in Scorpio at Critical Degree 28, added a do-or-die energy all its own.

Fast forward now to Friday, August 21^st when a whole other kind of dramatic torch lit. Again the number 21 ignited scattered energy and teachable moments as the Chinese and US stock markets prepared to lock into a joint dive. Since August is an 8 calendar month in an 8 Universal Year, that intensifies the 8 energy—the number of business and king of the money numbers.  Only that was just the start. Mars (raw power) positioned at 8° Leo (our future) was inconjunct Neptune at 8° Pisces (hopes, dreams), requiring an adjustment of some sort. Neptune in its lower expression can leave you in a fog of confusion. Money planet Venus in Leo inconjunct Chiron (wounded child/master healer) in Pisces brought up fears clear back to childhood around money issues and fear of the future. And the Leo Sun at Critical Degree 28 triggered trust issues on all levels. This energy, expanded by nearby Jupiter (a money planet), also squared Saturn at 28° Scorpio, impelling deep fears and a quest for hidden truths. Tensions mounted and the blame game ignited fueled by fears of the past (South Node), present and future (North Node).  It didn’t matter that August is traditionally a quiet month on Wall Street; the time had come for a major shift and the planets and numbers provided the trigger.

As a result, automated and manual trading exploded at the opening of the stock market Monday, August 24^th, creating a jaw-dropping plunge of over 1,000 points in the Dow within minutes. Of course buyers swooped in, reducing the day’s loss by around half. Notice that Venus, one of the money planets as I said, was at 17° Leo, again creating a legendary day on Wall Street that will not be forgotten in financial circles.

Yes, Leo is a sign that demands attention and tends to fire things up in dramatic ways. Virgo serves either as an accomplice or a counter balance, bringing things back down to earthly reality and reminding us that the truly divine can often be demonstrated through practical, day-to-day efforts that matter immensely in the overall picture of things. That’s an important lesson to see on all levels as we live amidst the forest fires and economic earthquakes of life.

Blessings, all!

Rayora Hartman   http://numbersatplay.com

 

(Photo credits:  Kamiah Fires, The Clearwater Progress; “World Stock Markets” by cooldesign, freedigitalphotos.net)

 

When Life Pops Out of Control Check your Chart (The proof is in the details.)

Have you ever noticed that life is a lot like a popcorn popper that never stops popping?
You know, you start with those golden/white kernels, add hot oil or air (or microwaves…) and stand eying the popper in anticipation of a delicious outcome. The first kernels pop and the aroma makes you salivate. You grab the bowls from the cupboard with one hand and the salt shaker with the other. Man, life can be delicious!
The popping speeds up then slows to a near stop. You reach for your reward, but before you can do anything the cycle starts all over. The lid rises on the popper and corn spills onto the counter. What the heck? Bowls and shaker cast aside, you struggle to keep the lid on with one hand while scooping popcorn up by the fistful with the other.
At last the popper seems to be stopping. You sigh and turn to reach for another bowl. What? You whirl around. Oh, no! It can’t be. Another cycle? Impossible! Where’s all that corn coming from anyway? (Twilight Zone music, please…)
Now for all you Saturian types who scoff and think, “Well, just unplug it or turn off the heat,” let me tell you, it’s not that easy. Not when the kernels represent ideas, dreams and experiences; the container your daily life complete with family, work, and environment; and the heat the continuously changing energy created by astrological and numeric combinations that affect us all.
Bear with me while I share a little of my own “popcorn” with you.
May 6th I drove my husband to an out of town doctor appointment. It was one of those July-like spring days so I waited in the car with the dog least our Doxie become a roast wiener. (Okay, bad joke.) This appointment was just a routine check-in with the doctor, after all, so no need for me to be a part of it.
Surprise! My husband returns to the car an hour and a half later and announces, “I go in for surgery on the 19th.”
POP! POP! POP!
“What?”
I was scheduled to fly out to an astrology conference on the 21st, a commitment made months before.
“It’s okay, the doctor says you don’t have to be there for my recovery. I’ll only have to be in the hospital one or two nights. He says I can do fine on my own if I can run a microwave.”
I was in shock. How could this happen?
Simple. My chart was triggered by a Moon transit over Saturn that was in a bear hug with my natal Mars in Sagittarius which also was being solar arched by the North Node, all at 2°. Translation: The Moon, which rules our emotions, triggered Saturn, the planet of fears and responsibilities, to challenge Mars, the planet of initiation and personal power, around a relationship issue through the number 2, involving travel for higher learning (Sagittarius) that involved my future (North Node).
Besides that, Uranus, planet of unexpected happenings, aspected my Midheaven (career and reputation) and natal Mercury (information and communication). The Sun at 15° (15/6 a number of love, caretaking, and spiritual alchemy in numerology) aspecting Pluto (transformation) coupled with the 6 calendar day triggered my Destiny Number, with also affects career. Mars also solar arched my relationship axis (ASC/DSC) and conjunct my 3rd House cusp (communication). Transiting Venus aspected my natal Jupiter which was solar arched by Venus and Saturn, and Venus rules my Sun and Moon Signs—all at Critical Degree 28 (crisis or urgency) which also triggers another key number involving career in my personal code. That, my friends, is what you call a highly activated chart, in my case involving a new cycle for me developing between Saturn and Mars.
The choice? Do I go or do I stay. Sounds simple, right? Not so. This triggered an old pattern for me of giving up what is right for me personally for the sake of someone in my family (Virgo, Libra, Venus, and Saturn in the 7th House of Marriage and Partnerships). Was I ready to consciously transform that? Could I face criticism that may come from others if I did?
I took a breath. “I can’t stay,” I told my husband.
“I know,” he said. “I don’t want you too. And the doctor says there’s no need.” (Am I married to a great guy or what?)
Of course this was only the initial step of this challenge. The surgery corresponded with a New Moon (emotions/new beginnings) and the start of a Mercury retrograde (delays and reviews). The surgery was delayed by several hours due to an emergency. I claimed a chair in the waiting room. Emergencies seem so impersonal at times like that—until they aren’t. In walked an old friend I rarely see anymore.
“What brings you here?” I asked.
“My grandson broke his neck,” she responded with a grimace.
POP! POP!
In my chart that day, the Sun, again at Critical Degree 28, squared (tension) my natal Jupiter (expansion) in the 12th House (hospitals) as transiting Jupiter quincunx (requiring adjustment) Pluto (something or someone from the past). Again the Moon served as the trigger.
Suddenly my own situation dwarfed as I saw what this friend faced. Our situation was so minor compared to hers. My view expanded, bringing an attitude adjustment. The delay didn’t matter anymore. What mattered was that her grandson got the care he needed in time.
Another delay kept my husband in the hospital longer than we’d hoped. He was released a few hours before my flight, so I said goodbye in the hospital and a friend graciously brought him home.
When I returned from the conference, he was doing just fine with no pain and very few restrictions. As to my friend, I ran into her in the grocery store a few days ago and discovered that her grandson is already back to work. I know, right? Now how cool is that?
As for me, am I glad I made the choice I did? Absolutely! The conference provided new contacts and fueled me with information to benefit my clients. The best part is I broke an old restrictive pattern that plagued me through life. Just goes to show that when we work with the energies of the planets and the numbers things work out not only for our highest good but the good of those around us as well.
POP!
Popcorn, anyone?
Blessings,
Rayora Hartman     http://numbersatplay.com

(P.S. Apologies if you see a lack of paragraph spacing.  The computer programs aren’t talking to each other this morning.)

(Photo credit: “A Bowl of Popcorn” by Mister GC; freedigitalphotos.net)

Ready Your Computer and Wallet for the End of May

 

How are you at being unflappable? You may get to test that in the days ahead.  These last two weeks of May can test your patience with your computer as well as wallet fluctuations and relationship issues.  So stay cool and let’s explore what’s up, okay?

In truth, the past week presented us with numerous triggers from Mars that could make things feel powerful and playful one day and volatile or out of control the next.  These culminated with Mars opposing Saturn at 2° on May 15^th.  Imagine applying the gas and the brake at the same time in your vehicle.  Yeah, it’s like that.  And the best way to handle that kind of energy is to discipline yourself to make a plan, short or long, and start working the steps.  Of course this won’t work for those of you who insist that tossing spaghetti on the wall to see what sticks in the only way to manifest anything.  (So Gemini-like…)  All I can say to you is, happy scrubbing!

Trines help us resolve the challenging energies in the chart.  On the 16^th, Venus trined Neptune at 9°, an easy flowing energy that could up level family dynamics through embracing the unique spiritual nature of each person.  Otherwise you could waste this energy in fantasy-based wishes without a thread to anchor them in your family’s reality.   Remember, 16 is one of those numbers that can bring unexpected consequences, and 9 can trigger strong compassion and other emotions.

Mars semi-squares Uranus on the 17^th, which can set your world on edge.  Be prepared to act quickly on whatever intuitive flashes you get that day to maximize this energy and direct it toward a beneficial outcome.

If you navigate these energies successfully, congratulation!  You’re in good stead for one of the most power-packed Mondays this year.  This includes, among other things, a Taurus New Moon at 26°, a challenging Venus-Uranus-Pluto T-square, plus the start of a super-charged Mercury retrograde in its home sign the following day. (You’ve likely felt this retro coming for a couple weeks.)

Let’s look first at this New Moon.  Numerically, the 26 reduces to 8 (2+6) which is further activated by us being in an 8 Universal Year.  Since Taurus rules the house of earned income, values, and self-worth the continuing focus of financial matters intensifies.  Plus, 26/8 can bring people from your past into play and/or draw those with a strong 8 influence in their numbers code.  If things feel overly charged, simply allow yourself to chill out.  Remember Taurus moves with slow, steady strength.  This is more a day for planning and setting strong intentions than taking action.

This Mercury retrograde supports that.  Over the next 3 weeks, watch how you communicate.  Has your style of communicating changed?  Does negative self-talk still creep in from time to time?  Do you speak up or shut up at appropriate times?  Mercury in its home sign of Gemini tends to make all of us more chatty.  Loose lips during a retrograde can prove catastrophic for relationships, so beware.  And of course the usual warnings about computer problems and confused or delayed communications on all levels apply.  So give your computer keyboard or I-phone a rest so you can think before you “speak.”

The T-square involving Venus, Uranus, and Pluto focuses on family issues, including family finances.  This energy increases until it peaks on the 24^th then slowly dissipates over the next 5 days.  For many this is a time to plan trips around Memorial Day weekend in the U.S., graduations or family vacations in June, or reunions in July.  Where’s the money coming from this time?  Who’s responsible for what?  Is the family at odds over where or when to go or what route to take?  Will you fly or drive?  Then there’s crazy Aunt Suzy whose predictably unpredictable outbursts tend to ruin every event.  What to do, what to do?

Up level, people.  Let the balance, fairness, and financial wisdom brought by Venus temper the deeply emotional issues (Pluto) and surprising events (Uranus) that may arise during this time.

The Sun moves into Gemini on the 21^st intensifying the travel bug for many of us.  Also on that day Pluto and Venus hit a 15° trine (part of the T-square) that increases our natural drive to love and nurture.  As I said, trines help us resolve the squares.  This aspect will encourage us to deepen relationships through challenge.  Keep your eye on the prize.

And that’s not all.  Jupiter in Leo and Pluto in Capricorn are quincunx also at 15° that day requiring an adjustment that can result in an expansion of wealth through how you express your own power in the world (Leo).  Are you ready for that?

Learning and writing are highlighted the rest of the month.  Pay particular attention to the 22^nd when the Sun opposes Saturn at 2°, the number of peaceful one-on-one communication. Demonstrate maturity and good management skills in spite of any speed bumps that force a temporary slowdown.

A shift in the energy occurs the 25^th when Venus squares Uranus, urging you to think outside the box.  Also on that day Mars squares Neptune making it all too easy to overdo everything.  Yet a quintile between the Sun and Jupiter adds enthusiasm and a sense of celebration to the day.

The 27^th, Mars meets up with Mercury.  Watch for aggression and confusion in communication.  Deal with this with the help of a trine between Venus and Chiron, urging heartfelt mentoring and healing.

Mercury squares Neptune the 28^th, intensifying the likelihood for mental confusion or rambling thoughts.  Stay open minded and step into a higher frame of thought.

And the weekend of the 30^th-31^st the Sun conjuncts Mercury and squares Neptune.  It’s a time for wild imaginings from which you can glean mighty nuggets of inspiration to share.  Write, create, and most of all enjoy!  Be aware, however, that this energy tends to blur the boundaries between you and everything else.  Use it wisely.

And so it goes, my friends.  Communication, money, and relationships rivet our attention throughout the rest of May.  The old Wall St. slogan, “Sell in May and go away,” is indicative of Taurus moving into Gemini energy.  The point is, where are you headed and can you enjoy the ride?

Blessings,

Rayora Hartman   http://numbersatplay.com

 

(Photo credit: Smart Hand Holds The House Icon by watcharakun; freedigitalphotos.net)

Taurus and Venus Draw You Home (Tenacity and money strengthen your resolve now.)

Home.  What does that mean to you?

However you define it, now is the time to pay attention to the values you associate with it.  What does it bring you?  How does it feed your spirit or challenge you?  Does your home no longer fit who you are?  What needs to change?

May naturally draw your focus in this direction, have you noticed?  Why is that?

As the Sun passes through tenacious Taurus, we shift from Aires’ fiery charge to earthy Taurus for a reason.   Aries, a Cardinal Fire Sign, initiates and empowers ideas; Taurus, a Fixed Earth Sign, lands them into reality.  This week with the Sun at the most active middle degrees of Taurus, that energy feels most intense.  What are you doing to make your dreams real, your home a reflection of your true values?

Taurus rules the 2^nd House in astrology, a Fixed House, giving this energy even more durability.  Fixed signs and houses bring stability, determination, resolve, self-reliance, and tenacity.  Under this influence you are gifted (or challenged) to calmly keep moving things forward toward your goals, landing your intentions set earlier this year.  This is no time to get stuck on the past or fears of the future.  It’s time to keep your eye on the prize of completion and plod toward that finish line.  You can do it!  (This is indicative of Generators in Human Design, by the way.)

For those of you whose eyes just rolled back your heads because this sounds too slow or boring, there’s another important aspect to this Taurus energy: creativity.  This sign rules the arts in all forms; music, painting, etc.  I had to smile when I saw the latest craze of adult coloring books hit the mainstream media this week.  That’s so Taurus, giving an old established idea new life.

Yet even fresh new concepts—everything from lyrics or color combinations to structural designs–can benefit from this energy.  When better to introduce them in ways that test their durability?  See if they stand the test of time in life’s gale force winds.

In the northern hemisphere, this is a big season for landscapers.  Yup, Taurus again; earth, creativity.  Gardeners shift into full power as they challenge the elements to get seeds in the ground and the finishing touches on their latest yard designs.  In the southern hemisphere, harvest pulls attention equally so to the Earth and the bounty of nature developed through steadfast effort.

For some this part of the astrological cycle makes you face what no longer works.  Is your house too large and expensive or your apartment too cramped for you now?  Does your 1990s livingroom set, so prized at the time, now feel like rocks invaded the cushions?  If Taurus is in or now aspects your 4^th or 6^th House, you may feel the drive to finally convert that third bedroom into an office.  Whatever it is, test your internal values and current life against the realities of your surroundings both at home and work.  How can you bring these more into line?  What’s the first (or next) step in becoming fully congruent in this area?
The 2^nd House also rules your self-worth and earned income.  Venus, its natural planetary ruler, rules money.  Are you as at home in your work as you are in your off hours (or vice versa)?  If not, what practical step can you take now to shift that?    Is your attitude or sense of being in the wrong occupation restricting your money flow?  Or are your dreams so lofty that only a miracle or magic wand could make them materialize in this lifetime—so you waste valuable energy or do nothing at all?  Get real; bring your dreams down to earth in doable ways.  So you can’t move to the French Riviera right now.  What can you do?  (Sorry, “nothing” is not an acceptable answer.)

For weeks now a trine between Jupiter in Leo and Uranus in Aries has encouraged us to dream big, to create like never before.  For many that has been a real boon.  Yet Taurus squares Leo, demanding that you create something of value.  Plus, Mars has been transiting Taurus for weeks, driving home this message that your personal power must be grounded to create something of enduring value.

Wherever this energy lands in your own chart, use it to make your next choice.  Follow the signs, internal and external, that lead you beyond hesitation to that sense of knowing what’s right for you.

Welcome home!

Blessings,

Rayora Hartman   http://numbersatplay.com

 

(Photo credit: “Dollar Symbol with House Sign” by jscreationzs; freedigitalphotos.net)