Saturday, March 31, 2012

Venus in Gemini




David Crook has put up a nice pithy post about planetary action for the month of April and in it, he reminds everyone about Venus's move into Gemini and the greater importance of The Venus Occultation.

April 2012
April 3~ Venus enters precocious Gemini for an extended stay, because of her direct and retrograde motion. The rare Venus occultation of June 6 could be the most anticipated event of the year- besides the end of the 5125 year Mayan Long Count calendar. Venus will cross the disk of the Sun at the inferior conjunction, as she transits between the Sun and Earth. This occurs at 16 Gemini, which is the antiscion (mirror/shadow point) of the brightest star, Sirius, aka the Dog Star (14 Cancer). The contact between Venus and Sirius is generally favorable. Venus leaves the sign of the Twins on Aug. 7.



As we get closer to June you will hear astrologers and astronomers talk more and more about the Venus occultation that takes place on June 5/6. It is something that I have had on my note pad to share with you for awhile. I'm grateful to David for reminding me to bring you up to speed.

During the Venus Occultation we will see Venus cross in front the Sun. If Venus was the moon we would describe this as an eclipse. But because Venus is so small and far away from Earth, she will look like this tiny dot going backwards in front of the Sun. It is a rare event that comes up every 8 years and it takes place only in June or December. This year it will take place at 16 degrees of Gemini. The last one took place in June in 2004.

Venus is the planet where we find our resources, creativity and values. She is associated with love, money and the arts. In Gemini she knows that the brain needs to be active, loves to talk and share information, she seeks novel ideas, she is clever and she enjoys the written word. Newspapers, magazines and blogospheres are very much appreciated by Venus in Gemini. During the occultation dots will be connected that speak to our love and resources and things that we value. Even as we feels the pressure of Uranus Pluto square, we get this fresh Venus breeze.

Venus will go into Gemini next week and with it will come some new ideas, new connections both mental and perhaps practical, 'Hello So&So have you met So&So?" Watch and see who you meet.

Then on May 15th Venus will turn retrograde which will undoubtedly bring in more connections, more fresh thoughts about things we value and perhaps even an about face on other.

Then on June 5/6 expect an explosion of information will speak to us about what we love and cherish--even things we might not know that we love!

On June 27 Venus will then turn direct, clarifying even further the importance that our brains are happy and engaged and connecting to others then finally Venus will move out of Gemini and into quiet and reserved Cancer on August 7. We put down and phones and stop tweeting and instead seek the comfort of our backyards and couch and get lost in our family.

But remember, normally Venus is in a sign for a few weeks, starting next week we begin a four month cycle of Venus in Gemini. Get your Talk ON!

For more information on how to watch the occultation and how it will be seen in North America go to this LINK.

Friday, March 30, 2012

Power Ball Millions




I don't even know how to describe this powerball. $540 million dollars is mindbogglingly big. Jupiter is SO in Taurus but beyond that I'm not really sure what explains this lottery breaking world records. Not Pluto in Cap. Or Saturn in Libra. The only thing that makes sense is Uranus in explosive Aries, Que Star Trek..."Where no man has gone before". That is all Uranus in Aries. And of course Neptune does dissolve boundaries and since he is in his home sign he will dissolve where ever he sees fit especially if it is mindbogglingly odd.


Here's the chart for tonight's draw. I think there will be a winner(s). If not, hold on to your seat, it will be close to a billion dollars next week. Too bad the Dodgers sold, the winner could have bought them.





World record $540 million lottery drawing set for Friday night
11:16am EDT
By David Beasley

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Buzz is building around the largest lottery jackpot in world history -- at least $540 million -- ahead of the Mega Millions drawing taking place in Atlanta late Friday night.

Buyers have lined up this week in 42 U.S. states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands to purchase $1 tickets for the Mega Millions lottery.

In most participating states, tickets will be on sale Friday until 10:45 p.m. EST, lottery officials said.

The drawing will be held in Atlanta at 11 p.m. EST.

Odds of winning the entire jackpot are 175 million-to-1, said Margaret DeFrancisco, president and chief executive of the Georgia Lottery Corporation.

If a single ticket matches all six winning numbers, the player would receive either a one-time payment of $389 million or the full jackpot in 26 annual installment payments.

If there are multiple winning tickets, the winnings will be split equally among the lucky customers.

"There is a tremendous amount of buzz and excitement," DeFrancisco said on Friday.

The previous largest Mega Millions jackpot was $390 million in 2007, which was split between two ticket holders in Georgia and New Jersey.

It will be early Saturday morning before lottery officials verify whether there are any winning tickets, according to the Mega Millions website.

About half of the lottery money goes back to ticket holders in the form of winnings, 35 percent to state governments and 15 percent to retailer commissions and lottery operating expenses.

If there is no winner Friday night, lottery officials are considering moving the next drawing to Times Square in New York City as the anticipation and jackpot build, DeFrancisco said.

"It's the number one media market in the world," she said. "It's the world stage."

(Editing By Colleen Jenkins and Paul Thomasch)

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Neptune is so at home




Back on the first week of February I posted that Neptune was going back to his home sign Pisces. The last time he was in his home sign was between 1848 and 1861. As I mentioned then we should prepare to see a lot of interesting Neptunian news given a planet loves being in his home sign and will usually throw himself a party.

Such is the case this week when two very Neptunian stories made the news. Movie director James Cameron (note film and movies are a Pisces/Neptune endeavor) put himself in a specially designed submarine and dove to the deepest part of the Pacific Ocean.

The Mariana Trench's Challenger Deep—the deepest point on Earth—looks as bleak and barren as the moon, according to James Cameron, who successfully returned just hours ago from the first solo dive to the ocean abyss.

At noon, local time Monday (10 p.m. ET Sunday), the National Geographic explorer and filmmaker's "vertical torpedo" sub broke the surface of the western Pacific, some 200 miles (322 kilometers) southwest of Guam.


The expedition was designed so that Cameron could spend up to six hours collecting samples and video at the bottom of the trench. But his mission was cut short due in part to a hydraulic fluid leak that coated the window of the sub's "pilot sphere," obscuring his view.

"I lost hydraulics toward the latter part of dive, and I was unable to use the manipulator arm," Cameron said this morning during a post-dive press conference held aboard the Octopus, a yacht owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, a longtime Cameron friend. (Allen was on the scene for the historic dive and posted live updates of the event on Twitter from aboard his yacht, which provided backup support for the mission.)

Considering the daunting task of sending humans into the deep, such technical glitches are to be expected, Cameron emphasized: "It's a prototype vehicle, so it's gonna take time to iron out the bugs.

"The important thing is that we have a vehicle that's a robust platform—it gets us there safely, the lights work, the cameras work, and hopefully next time the hydraulics will work."

Of course, if Mr Cameron had checked in with an astrologer they would have nodoubtedly asked him to NOT do his dive during Mercury retrograde. Alas, maybe next time he'll get some feedback from our little world.

The other story that struck me, "Oh, there goes Neptune again" Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, you've heard of Amazon that is that website where you buy all your stuff so you don't want to drive all over town (Oh, I guess that is me). Anyway, Jeff Bezos financed his own undersea exploration and guess what he found---Rockets!

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced today that an underwater sea expedition he financed has discovered artifacts from the Apollo 11 mission to the moon at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, nearly 43 years after they landed there.

Bezos says that F-1 rocket engines were found 14,000 feet below the surface using deep sea sonar, and he intends to raise at least one, maybe more, above sea level.

The first-stage Apollo 11 engines that Bezos claims have been found helped lift Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins toward the moon in 1969, Scientific American reports. Bezos does not say how the team was able to prove their authenticity.

The efforts to find the engines were privately funded by Bezos, and he says that the plan to bring them up would also be privately funded. He isn't the only tech founder interested in space, as Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has his own endeavors, including plans for a commercial spaceship. And this isn't the only deep-sea news of the week either, as film director James Cameron successfully emerged from his Mariana Trench dive.


What is funny about these stories is the proliferation of geeks with money. Cameron, Bezos, Paul Allen...do you see a theme? As a mother of a geeky son which I say with love, I can only wonder what else we will see geeks do between now and 2026 when Neptune leaves Pisces. Neptune is clearly speaking to his tribe of warriors, I guess I should have known it was the geeky world since they are always in some dreamy lala land.

Finally one other piece of news that is tied more to Pisces than Neptune is the health care law being debated in the supreme court. Pisces rules health care (along with Virgo). I have zero idea where it is going to fall but the fact that it is even being debated is not a surprise give Neptune entry into his home sign.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

What is up this week?




The week Ahead


As I mentioned in my new moon article, we are all watching what comes up globally and personally between March 24th and March 29th because the Sun in Aries is acting like an emissary between two hostile nations for those five days.

On the 24th he is on top of Uranus and then on the 29th he is Square to Pluto. Both Uranus and Pluto are pushing each other up against the wall. They will do it seven times between 2012 and 2015 and the first shove takes place on June 24 the second push on September 19. The tension will be palpable from the beginning of June through October. These aspects are awakening us to new ways.

We may get a window to what we want and don’t want during these 5 days which could go hand in hand with the changes coming between this summer and 2015.


3/26: Crescent Moon for the next three days we receive information that ties to the seeds we planted on new. The emphasis will be on real estate, money, resources and things that are practical.

3/29 Mercury/Venus: Clever and playful, accent on loving communication and sensitivities.

3/29Sun/Pluto : thank god for the mercury/venus aspect because the Sun/Pluto makes it a bitch of a day. (see above) Power versus freedom. Yuck

3/30: ¼ moon. We make more actions based on the seeds we planted on new moon and the information we just received in the last few days. We have 3 days to further our goals and intent. The emphasis will be on family and roots. Our emotions will be high. Do you know how to ride ocean waves? When a big wave comes you should dive deep remain calm and then pop up on the other side of the wave. Can you do this with any big emotions that come up? We have 3 days of action

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Uranus in Aries meet Pluto in Capricorn




My friend sent this to me and of course I laughed.
But all I could think was, Uranus in Aries Square Pluto in Capricorn.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Happy Treasure Mapping!!!




WHAT IS A TREASURE MAP?

A treasure map is a collage made of photos, magazines pictures, words, pieces of things that make sense to you...whatever you want and you put them on a foam core board or just cardboard or just something strong that can handle the collage...you put them all together so you can look at it...it will be a MAP of what you want for the coming year.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN, "what do I want for the coming year?"


Exactly what it says. Do you want a new house, a new living room, better health, stronger marriage, reconnect with people, a bigger family, a bigger community? Do you want to write your book? Do you want a new car? What is it you want?
Do you even know what you want? If you are like many of us, you are so busy running around, taking care of everyone else that you might not have a fig of an idea what you want for your new year...that is the beauty of this process...you must sit down and figure it out...give yourself this time to do it. Be just that selfish..and dare to dream.


Why do we do it now and not January?
Treasure Maps are made during the Aries new moon. Aries new moon change from year to year and this year, it will take place on March 22 10:37am 3 degrees Aries.

They are made on Aries new moon, because that is the first sign of the zodiac. Aries is when you plant your seeds. It is the real beginning of the New Year. It should not be confused with the first day of spring, which was on March 20. New moon means the sun and moon are in the same degree. For those who don't know much about astrology (which is totally okay) Aries is the sign of SIGHT. So, that's why it is so important to have pictures of what you want. You need to visualize it. Or if you don't do photos/pictures.. Put up words. It is just important for you to SEE THEM.


So, I'm going to be busy on March 22 I start it before the 22nd?

NO.

Do I have to buy a bunch of magazines, I'm broke, can I just borrow some old ones from friends


Personally, when I started my treasure maps I always did them with fresh new magazines. And in the old days, (not married, no children) I spent a lot of dough on them because I wanted lots of choices. But with time, I ended up only getting a few magazines. I never borrowed other magazines from friends however I know that there are people who did it in previous years and I think they were happy with their results. So, it really is your call. But if you do borrow them make sure they are put away until the 22nd so they are fresh to you on that date.


What if I don't want magazine photos, can I just use my own pictures.. like my husband, my baby etc?


Sure. I usually scanned or color xeroxed them so that I would not wreck my originals.

You can also paint what you want. Again it is your call.


Do I only focus on things?

Heck no! I would also encourage you to focus on beliefs and environments. Affirmations like “I’m abundant” or “I am always feeling loved” “My health is vibrant.” “My partner and I are always growing closer and closer.”

Is there any pattern i have to use when i put the photos or the words on my board?

No you can do it anyway you want.

I will say that in previous years my friends and I used to use the feng shui baguas for my pattern. basically I would break up the board into 9 areas. A grid like this:

123
456
789

1-abundance
2-fame/reputation
3-relationship
4-family
5-health
6-creativity
7-self-knowledge (and travel)
8-work
9-helpful people and angels.

If you use the feng shui baguas, you will naturally cover all most all areas of your life..as you can see it is all represented there. But again, you don’t have to do it that way. Some people have even made round boards.

Can I build a cyber map?
Many mappers are more comfortable with cyber maps, that are always there on their computer.
And they have had success. Again, it is your call, do what your heart calls you to do.


How much time do I have to build my map?

Ideally you should build your map during the new phase of Aries new moon which would take you from the March 22 until March 26 But if you need more time, you can give yourself up until Full Moon (April 6 4:39am). I encourage people to do it in the beginning but I don’t want people to be pressured so if you need the whole waxing moon you can use it.

Do I have to do it alone or can I do it with friends?
You can do it either way. I build mine with my 2 other friends. We are like family and it felt so right to do it with them. We started them together. I know that there are several people who have little parties where they invite those close to them over. I will say this, it is a lot of fun to do them with others..we would all pass around the magazines.. "Hey, I found a great beach bungalow does anyone need a beach vacation? Or it would be, "I have got to lose 10 pounds, any ideas what I should put on my map?" and low and behold someone will come up with a good suggestion.


Do i have to finish it all at one sitting?


No. Often I used to cut my stuff out with my friends. Maybe glue a little thing here or there and then take it home and finish it there over the course of a day or two.

Can my kids do it with me?

Yes! It is great for them to focus and think about what they want. Have them build their own maps. They also might give you their thoughts about what they think you should have in your life. Helps them to think beyond them, right?


Does it work?

Yep.

Okay. I don't want to sound like a spoilsport but I’m just not interested in building a collage, can I do something else?

Sure you can take a nice piece of orange paper and write down wishes or affirmations during Treasure Map time. My wishes can sometimes feel like prayers and they are much more broad in my desires. But I will say this, I felt like I needed to switch to 'less is more' after several, several years of mapping. So, I had a lot under my belt. I would encourage new comers to make the actual maps. But if you really don't feel the call then just write your desires down. I like orange paper. So, vibrant. So aries.


Is it ok to have things continue over to the next year? Long-term, ongoing stuff that has progressed but needs to continue to progress?


Yes. Of course. But with a small caveat. My experience after doing these for years is that when something really takes time and doesn't gel in the first year then there is something still not right yet. It might be something you are aware of...like one cyber friend shifted from her map from year one to year two by focusing on less things. That kind of energy is really important. What I mean.. is it is NOT important to put up less. It is important for you on the following year's map to go into your gut and say what do I REALLY WANT.

You may need to shift something about your long range goals. My sense is that they need a wee bit refining or broadening. Just a thought. But definitely don't give up on the dream.


I'm really excited is there anything I can do now before Treasure Map to help my map?


Yes, yes, yes.... I said this in previous years and I'll remind everyone now. The period just before the Treasure Map is called the balsamic phase. Which is the end of the moon's phase. This is the phase when we get rid of stuff. Get rid of clutter. Get rid of things that are bugging us. Get rid of ick. Try if you can to clear some space in your life so you can be ready for the treasure map. Remember, Einstein said, "NO TWO THINGS CAN OCCUPY THE SAME SPACE." Read that several times... now ask yourself, do I have space in my house, my family, my time, my life in general for more? If the answer is no. Then start housecleaning!

Clear out the stuff between now and March 22. Now do you understand why it is important not to start your map before the new time?

By the way, I personally don't buy any of my supplies before the New starts. But I know some of you can't do that..so if you must buy before. Put it aside and don't touch it until the new. Don't thumb through magazines. Leave it all be.



Good luck and dream big!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

In honor of the last few hours of Pisces Lunar Cycle




I give you a cat who plays the piano.

Smitten.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Aries New Moon 2012




Aries New Moon
March 22 10:37am EDT

I have just posted my Aries New Moon article on Margaret Wendt's website.
It is blurry for me but I think I started to post them five years ago this month. Wow. And I've been writing about Treasure Maps on Mothering.com since about 2003. More wow.

Anyway, It is going to be a strong 28 day cycle with Pluto and Uranus acting like feral cats, peeing all over the place until someone gets the note that they will not be ignored.

I hope you all will read the whole article and more to the point I hope you will make a Treasure Map. On Thursday I will put up Treasure Map post.

Here's a snippet from the article.

Aries New Moon

So, what does this month’s lunar phase say about the next twenty eight days? And perhaps the next twelve months? Well there will definitely be breakthroughs but we should also expect agitation.

The Sun, Moon, Mercury and Uranus are all on top of each other. And this cluster of Aries energy is fiery, robust, loud and all about number one. But all that energy could have misfires given the four of them are in one major harsh angle with Pluto. Tension will be high as we build our treasure maps, we will want to accomplish a lot and we will want to do it right away. The square is accenting the speed but under that urge is a vein of regret. Enter the square with Pluto. Many of us will contemplate where we screwed up, what we neglected, what we messed up. We will be annoyed with all the people, places and situations that got our attention instead of us putting attention on ourselves. Remember Aries is about ‘self’, breaking out and carving our own path. And Mercury the planet of our thinking and our brain is retrograde which puts emphasis on the past a place Aries does not normally hang out. This coupled with the pressure by Pluto who is usually desperate to explode will add to the agitation. Sparks will fly.

Then there is Uranus who is coloring the whole month (and year for that matter). Uranus likes to shake things up. We may feel inner earthquakes, lightning bolts and electrical charges. Things that are novel and innovative will speak to us. The news will undoubtedly have shake ups and possible new contraptions.

But what does it mean to have shake ups at a time when we are thinking about our new year? Is it a coincidence that this new moon is right on top of the great shaker? No, of course not. We are shaking stuff up for our future. Not just a few months down the road but our future for years. Why is it so important? Because Uranus is in Aries until 2019 and it hooks up with the Aries new moon only four times between now and then. When it does, those of us who are smart (that would be you and me) will watch what comes up in our hearts, minds and world during the new moon and consider it a message from the future.

At the same time that Uranus is coaxing us out of our comfort zone we have Pluto in Capricorn putting pressure to rebuild our infrastructure. Not just highways and bridges but the infrastructure in our lives. Pluto heals from a deep place but it only works when we identify the things that aren’t working.



Go to link for whole article.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

This very big week ahead



Did you feel yourself start to fade today? You knew you had stuff to do but just couldn't do it? Great you are right on time. We are now in the Balsamic phase of the balsamic month of the lunar year. About 360 days ago we began our journey and now we are in the final days of wrapping it up.

If you want to do yourself a big favor you will do the following between now and Thursday.
Clean your desk.
Clean your office.
Clean your home.
Clear out the clutter.

You will NOT start any new project, send any important letter or ,= begin anything close to your heart. All of that must wait until Thursday March 22 at 10:37am EDT.


Balsamic: We let go. By releasing we can prepare for the new.

Focus on
We release our intellect. We release our need to be in a group. We release our community. We release the need to be in a pack. We release our rebel. We release our group of likeminded people so that we can be ready to strike out on our own and actualize our very real goals for self.

Special focus:
3/18: Mercury/Uranus: Revisiting the same aspect from 3/5. Brilliant thoughts and highly inspired conversation. The brain is on def con 1. A day of potential excellent connections.

3/20: Sun in Aries: Wish your Aries Happy Birthday. Give them an itune card so they can get what they want that supports their ‘on the go’ year.
Don’t even bother to try and see them. They don’t have time this year.

3/21: Sun/Mercury: Thinking and communication are fiery and groundbreaking. Our brain is inspried and motivated.


March 22---begin you treasure map! Will post that infor later.

In the time of Pinnochio



Last week I posted a link to the Kony2012 movie and mentioned how its vault into the world zeitgeist was perfect for the building square between Uranus/Pluto. Pluto wants change, Uranus moves through the internet and bam, a 30 minute video goes viral with over 80 million hits. Ah, so it was a week ago. Within a few days troubling information came out about spending practices by the charity who made the video and by Thursday the director was in full melt down.



Then on Friday Ira Glass from This American Life had to retract a story by Mike Daisey about working conditions at Foxconn, the factory that makes Apple products. Apparently, Mr.Daisey made up the stories for his piece. And Ira Glass, a Pisces by the way, went public when the story did not add up.

Radio program "This American Life" (TAL) has retracted a "partially fabricated" story about author and actor Mike Daisey's visit to Foxconn factories in China.
The retraction was announced on Friday (the same day that Apple's latest iPad went on sale) in a blog post by show host Ira Glass. "We're horrified to have let something like this onto public radio," wrote Glass.
The blog post said that Daisey's story about Foxconn's massive Shenzen factory "contained significant fabrications."
"We're retracting the story because we can't vouch for its truth," Glass continued. "This is not a story we commissioned. It was an excerpt of Mike Daisey's acclaimed one-man show 'The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs,' in which he talks about visiting a factory in China that makes iPhones and other Apple products."



Back on New Moon I wrote about Pisces Lunar cycle and I said:

These are questions many a Pisces will ask themselves and it can sometimes be so much that they will look for escape hatches in the form of too much booze, too much religion, too much drug use and basically an overall addictive personality. They can also be so far into their own world that is rich in fantasy that they border on delusional. Some Pisces will keep their rose colored glasses on no matter how dour the situation. And other Pisces are completely negative and pessimistic beyond the point of reason. This is why it is important for Pisces to have a world of sensible people around them who can give them rational feedback. Often nothing is as rosy or as negative as Pisces believes.

And certainly one of the biggest issues for Pisces to process is their desire to help humanity. Their hearts are big and loving and for that we should all be grateful. But equal to their desire to help is their propensity for martyrdom. They will be the ones to do clean up when no one else raises their hand. And when a family member has once again disappointed everyone, it will be the Pisces who bails them out, often at a personal loss. Or if it is the Pisces who once again has to be bailed out, they will apologize over and over expressing how they were victimized by others or if they are candid by their own self-undoing. Pisces guilt and martyrdom is legendary. Globally we may see some religious zealots take center stage and possibly some true victim situations may be in the news. Personally, we’ll all probably have a person or two try to suck up our energy. Again, check in with others about how much time or energy we should devote to this situation.


Wanting to help others is a noble cause. But making up the facts to get what you want is misguided to say the least and can have the absolute opposite effect. People shut down and then once again, real victims are ignored because people don't care. Anyway, the fuzzy facts were in the news and oh, so Pisces perfect.

Oh, well, in a few days we'll be in Aries lunar cycle and a brand new lunar year will be upon us, thankfully!

Friday, March 16, 2012

Phew! Wrapping up the week with a lottery?




I don't know about you but I am glad this week is almost wrapped up. The last four days were cuckoo in my life. Maybe it was Mercury retro, maybe it was the building tension between Uranus and Pluto or maybe it just is the last final days of our lunar year that is squeezing everything out of me.

Whatever it was, I'm pooped and I'm not even done with the things on my To-Do list this week! Lordy.


Anyway, today the Moon is in Capricorn still enjoying a nice trine with Jupiter and Venus, who are right on top of each other. By the way have you been enjoying them in the evening sky? My husband remarked the other night, "I always forget how bright Jupiter is in the sky." And I said, "Don't forget Venus right next to him."

Have they been calling you?

I thought it was interesting that as Venus Conjunct Jupiter word came in that a court settled a case from last fall where a worker refused to give over lottery winnings to the rest of the players in a lottery pool. God, didn't anyone teach him the power of doing the right thing?


Worker Who Hid Lottery Win Must Share $38.5 Million Prize

By JAMES BARRON and TIM STELLOH


There were some dark twists in the plot line, inevitable, perhaps, when friends fight over $38.5 million in lottery winnings.

The friends, construction workers from New Jersey, said they had pooled their money for lottery tickets for years. Five of them relied on a member of their little group, Americo Lopes, to buy the tickets. In November 2009, he collected their money and bought a Mega Millions ticket that won, but he told no one except lottery officials. He cashed in the ticket as if it were his alone.

The lottery deducted taxes and sent Mr. Lopes a check for $17,433,966. He quit his job, saying he needed foot surgery.

“We believed him,” said one of the others, Candido Silva Jr. — until several months later, when Mr. Lopes told another man in the group that he had won the lottery a week after he had stopped working. As word of his luck spread, yet another man checked a Web site, found Mr. Lopes’s name and discovered when he had hit it big.

On Wednesday, a jury in Union County ordered Mr. Lopes to share the winnings with the five former co-workers.

Mr. Lopes (pronounced LOHPS) did not sound happy; The Star-Ledger of Newark quoted him as saying, in Portuguese, “They robbed me
.”


Did money or resources play an important part in your efforts this week?

I ask because on Tuesday Jupiter trined Pluto and Venus trined Pluto then on Wednesday Venus conjuct Jupiter, Venus trined Mars, Mars trined Jupiter and Mars trined Pluto. That was an extraordinary line up for one 24 hour period.

I seemed to have one crazy thing after another pop up but all the time I was dealing with the crazies I was also had laser focus on procuring items for the silent auction at my son's school. I think I hit up about 30 places. Many I got, many said NO and some I'm still doing follow up on. Clearly I was all about "The Goods" which speaks to so much of the lovely stellium.

AND I bought my own lottery ticket. I think it is a power ball and it happens tonight.

"What the heck?" Not too late for you to do it too. If you live in a state that sells them why don't you go out and get one and maybe Venus/Jupiter will shine on you.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Mercury Retrograde is about to flow



Mercury retrograde March 12, 3:49am

Let’s dance to a Mercury Retrograde
And just to send home the point that our minds need to shut down and spirit needs to speak to us, the Universe in all its glory presents us with a Mercury retrograde right smack in the middle of the Pisces Lunar month. Mercury turns retrograde on March 12 and continues until April 4th. All the mercury retrogrades in 2012 are in fire signs and this one is Mercury in Aries where the brain is sharp and quick and very impatient. As one can guess Mercury in Aries can be mentally agitating even on good days but what happens to it on a retrograde? Well, let’s say tempers and tongues will be short for three weeks!

But what is under that Mercury Aries frustration? What is making people rush? Why are people short with one another? At its core they do not trust. Are you starting to see a theme? How perfect that this mercury retrograde is in a lunar cycle where we are being asked to double down in finding our intuition and learning to trust.

During the retrograde we all need to count to ten before we say something we may later regret. We need to NOT click SEND when we are angry. Send that email the next day. We need to breathe, breathe, breathe and we need to exercise. Aries wants to be moving so instead of shooting off your mouth or driving like a crazy person, go to the gym. Or clean out your house. Mercury retrogrades are great for researching so prepare and research your heart out. And if someone says something incredibly lame to you—ask yourself if it is worth getting into it with them? Maybe it is but maybe it is not and then ask yourself an even bigger question---“Were you really surprised by their lameness?” “Didn’t you know it was going to go that way?” So, why get in a tizzy? They are what they are and…. Let it go. Ah, there is that theme again.

Remember before the retrograde and after the retrograde are shadow periods. The shadow starts on Feb 27 and the shadow after the retrograde ends on April 23. Do we hide in our house and do nothing for those 3 months? NO. We just simply take note that some stuff might come up after Feb 27 and be revisited by the end of April 23. As always take care of all your technology. Get the car checked, get the tires checked, fix the printer, buy the new computer software, sign important documents all before March 12th . If you can’t do it before March 12 then wait until after April 4th. One special note Mercury will retro back to Pisces in the middle of the retrograde so our short tempers may be replaced with ennui and a real desire to hear Spirit. That can only be helpful for sure.


No astrological connection with this photo. I just wanted to share it for my mom friends from MDC who occassionally stop by here.

One word: Ouch!

It arrived




Ten or so days ago I mentioned that my sun/saturn conjunction in Sagittarius was tickled by the move of a giant rock. The rock was traveling from a rock quarry in Riverside to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The rock became a traveling rock star along the way. It only traveled about ten miles an hour and took over ten days but fans came out to see it lumber down the road. And by the way, it did all its traveling in the middle of the night since a bolder that weighs the same as a fully loaded 737 would be a hideous traffic problem, to say the least.

Anyway, I wanted to update you that the rock completed his journey early in the morning yesterday. And I heard it. The police sirens, the helicopter, it was a loud affair. I had hoped to rally my husband and child to go out at 4:30am and see it especially since we live a few blocks away from LACMA. But they were so asleep and bed was so cozy that I said, "I'll see it later in the morning." And we did. Ah, I guess my Moon in Cancer won.

For more photos go here.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Two weeks of clean sweeps



I meant to remind you guys earlier, but I hope you are cleaning up your houses. We are in the final two weeks of the zodiac lunar calendar and you have got some stuff to do.

On Thursday March 22 at 10:37am EST will be Aries New Moon. This is the beginning of the new year and it is during the first 3 days ideally or if you can't get it done that quickly then the first 10 days. And if you still need more time then you can do it up until April 6 (Full moon)but whatever it takes, you need to make your Treasure Map.

What is a Treasure Map? Well, it is basically a collage and you cut out photos, draw, write words, print affirmations, I don't care what you do but you take time to get your goals and desires down. Goals and desires for the whole year. You set your intention for those goals and during the year you will either see manifestations or changes that will later lead to manifestations.

So, why am I talking about that now? Because between now and then you need to clean your house, clean your cupboards, clean your bookcases (god, that is one I am desperate to do). Also you may unload beliefs, opinions and possibly people. You clear out the stuff that NO LONGER SERVES. And if there is stuff that is broken then either get rid of it or take it to the shop to be repaired.

So, you have got a lot to do between now and March 22. When we get closer to the date I will put up a post for the New Moon article and the New Moon Treasure map.

But until then you can look at last year's to get an idea how they work.

In the meantime, bring out your brooms and start sweeping. Or pay someone to do it!

The Week of Kony



I started to see Kony2012 posters back in January. My husband and I were totally confused and thought, "Kony? Is it a movie?" It was not until this week, with a big ol' fat full moon in Virgo on top of Mars and a building Mercury/Pluto square that something finally popped into the Zeitgeist. Kony 2012.


In truth this is more about Uranus's journey in Aries which started last year and is responsible for the revolution in north africa. Basically, we all know it but if we have ever doubted it, look no further than Kony2012---Social Media will change the world!

Joseph Kony is the Uganda War lord who has been stealing chldren from their families, turning them into soldiers and using them to murder tens of thousands of children and adults. He has gotten away with it for thirty years because the regular joe does not even know his name. For example, my husband and I better known as Mr & Mrs Regular Joe.

Cut to Jason Russel who went viral this week with his short movie, Kony 2012.

The group's 30-minute video, which was released Monday, had more than 32 million views on YouTube by Thursday. The movie is part of an effort called KONY 2012 that targets Kony and the LRA.

Here's the VIDEO.



"Kony is a monster. He deserves to be prosecuted and hanged," said Col. Felix Kulayigye, the spokesman for Uganda's military.

But Kulayigye said that Kony's forces — once thousands strong — have been so degraded that he no longer considers Kony a threat to the region. Because of the intensified hunt for Kony, his forces split into smaller groups that can travel the jungle more easily.

Experts estimate that the LRA now has only about 250 fighters. Still, the militia abducts children, forcing them to serve as soldiers or sex slaves, and even to kill their parents or each other to survive. The LRA now operates in Congo, the Central African Republic and South Sudan.

Uganda, Invisible Children and (hash)stopkony were among the top 10 trending terms on Twitter among both the worldwide and U.S. audience on Wednesday night, ranking higher than New iPad or Peyton Manning. Twitter's top trends more commonly include celebrities than fugitive militants.

Jolly Okot was abducted in 1986 by the militia group that later became the LRA. The then-18-year-old could speak English so was valuable to the militants. She was also forced to have sex.

Today, Okot is the Uganda country director for Invisible Children, in charge of 105 employees. She said the group is helping 800 people affected by LRA violence to attend high school and university. She said the program has given hope to kids who previously dropped out of the education system.

"The most exciting thing about this film is that I'm so grateful that the world has been able to pay attention to an issue that has long been neglected," Okot said. "I think it is an eye-opener and I think this will push for Joseph Kony to be apprehended, and I think justice will get to him."





Here's the link to a story.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Solar Storm for the Full Moon




Nasa announced that the largest solar storm in five years start to hit Earth today. This will make for beautiful northern lights but of course more electrical charged energy can impact GPS/satellites which would speak perfectly to the Full Moon on top of Mars in Virgo.

WASHINGTON -- The largest solar storm in five years was due to arrive on Earth early Thursday, promising to shake the globe's magnetic field while expanding the Northern Lights.

The storm started with a massive solar flare earlier in the week and grew as it raced outward from the sun, expanding like a giant soap bubble, scientists said. When it strikes, the particles will be moving at 4 million mph.

"It's hitting us right in the nose," said Joe Kunches, a scientist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Boulder, Colo.

The massive cloud of charged particles could disrupt utility grids, airline flights, satellite networks and GPS services, especially in northern areas. But the same blast could also paint colorful auroras farther from the poles than normal.

Astronomers say the sun has been relatively quiet for some time. And this storm, while strong, may seem fiercer because Earth has been lulled by several years of weak solar activity.

The storm is part of the sun's normal 11-year cycle, which is supposed to reach peak storminess next year. Solar storms don't harm people, but they do disrupt technology. And during the last peak around 2002, experts learned that GPS was vulnerable to solar outbursts.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

The Monitor Grave & Resurrection




There are times as I am driving around slogging out all my daily errands when I hear a story on the radio and I think--"Yep, perfect for the lunar month."

Such was the case yesterday when I was listening to NPR and there was a four minute piece about the SS Monitor. The Monitor was the first US iron clad war ship and it went down after a battle with the CSS Virginia 150 years ago during the Civil War.

Apparently, scientist have uncovered skeletal remains of two soldiers who were in gun turret. One was in his 30's and the other in his 20's and they are hoping they can figure out who they were. Perhaps it will be through DNA or maybe it will be a descendant who might see some family resemblance. The scientists were able to do an artists rendering of the faces based on the skeletal remains and DNA.

The whole piece was so interesting and was completely evocative of the Pisces lunar cycle. You can listen to the story here.



The photo above is the older guy. Is he your great, great, great grandfather?

Monday, March 5, 2012

Rush Limbaugh's Chart




Well, I guess this was the week to inspire me to go looking for Rush Limbaugh's birth data (I never cared before now). Along the way I found a chart already generated on Astrotheme.

I am not sure where they got the data but their birth information is January 12, 1951 at 7:50am in Cape Girardeau, Mo. On that data he is a Capricorn with Moon in Pisces and Aquarius Rising. Of course his career in radio is a natural fit for the Aquarius Rising since Aquarius rules radio and TV. Capricorn is the most conservative sign in the zodiac which does not always mean a translation to Conservative Politics. Capricorns like to conserve in general and they hate to waste anything. In Rush's case he is a well known conservative but I think this week his propensity to 'not waste' got the better of him. Going after Sandra Fluke was too easy a target and he would have probably kicked himself for missing the opportunity to bash. Unfortunately for him the mortal blow may be self inflicted.

His Moon in Pisces is of course where things get a bit tricky. Moons are moody by nature and to have a moon in Pisces is double downing in moodiness. It is also a highly emotional placement for a moon. And it is through his emotions that he speaks to his audience. So, what's tricky about that? Unfortunately, A Moon in Pisces does not put a premium on truth. Instead they value the emotional connections more. They value art, they value their instincts, they value their religion or spirituality, they value things that can't be described. But truth? Ah, no. Truth is for other signs, like Sagittarius, Leo (to a certain extent) and perhaps Aries. How many planets does Rush have in those signs? One and it is Pluto, which is not personal, it is a generational planet meaning anyone born about seven years before him and after him has Pluto in Leo. He speaks to his generation for sure. But to tell the truth and find the truth? No. He doesn't even have a planet in the 9th house which will go hunting for truth. However, he does have Mars in Aquarius in the first house which feels like a truth seeker but really at its core, that speaks more to his passion for rebel rousing.

Currently, Uranus at 3 degrees of Aries is oppose Rush's Saturn in Libra. Saturn in Libra is pointing out the weaknesses in relationships and in particular point out what is fair and what is not fair. Uranus moves at his own pace and is weird, I'm sure Rush felt blindsided by the reaction. He's just doing his thing not paying any attention and bam! He had no idea it was not just Sandra who felt attacked it was women in general. In addition, Uranus is about to square his Natal Uranus which is impacting people born about a year before and after him and it ties to one of the 'what am I doing with my life?' transits. Many people will be contemplating retirement during this aspect. Will Rush retire? I guess it depends if new advertisers step in to replace those eight who left this weekend.

His Mercury is at 2 degrees Capricorn is of course open territory from Uranus in Aries. He just may have reached too far. Jupiter in Taurus will eventually reach a nice trine with his Sun later this year, maybe that will help soften the blow. But there is no denying that these were tough aspects and it may have permanently altered his career.

Your Brain: Luminosity




I have this idea I am very late to the party on this one and most of you are probably already doing something like this, but I had to share with you anyway.

This weekend the Moon was in Cancer and I have Moon in Cancer in my natal chart. Well, Cancer rules memory and the Moon rules memory as well. A month ago I saw an ad on television for a website that improves your memory and exercises the brain to improve flexibility. I noted the website, put it on my computer to take a look at down the road and of course---completely forgot about it, until this weekend!

So, I had a little time and decided to give it a whirl. Well, I loved it! I love the games and I have to say I felt something going on. This was not just the excite of gaming, there was something else happening. I can't explain it but I felt like I firing off pistons in new ways.

I wanted to share with you, check it out. You can try it out for free for a few days then decide you want to join. I ended up joining which was about $6 bucks a month.

Luminosity.com

Like I said, I'm sure there are plenty of you already doing something similar but what can I say? Sometimes I'm in my own little world and it takes me a bit of time to catch up to the rest of you!

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Stephanie Austin & Asteroids





I was reading Stephanie Austin’s New (Pisces) and Full Moon (Virgo) reports in Mountain Astrologer today and my interest was piqued. I am a big fan of her analysis and highly recommend it. I think the gift of writing my own reports is that I appreciate other astrologers’ perception much because often we both look at the same aspects and have similiar takes but are still different enough to both be meaningful. One thing I noted with both the new and full reports by Stephanie was the fact that she highlighted the asteroids. With the New Moon she pointed out Pallas Athena and Vesta were an influence on the Sun and on this week’s full moon it is Mercury who is conjoined with Vesta and it is Pallas Athena who opposes the Moon in Virgo.

I love asteroids and have many books on the subject and studied them and can see how they work in my own natal chart. Periodically I do bring them up on my own reports but not frequently. However, I gotta say after watching some stuff go by this week, Stephanie was right to bring up those gal asteroids.

Pallas Athena is a female virgin goddess and a keeper of wisdom. As I mentioned last year when I posted about her she usually has an owl hanging out with her because she is just that smart. She is a warrior for the intellect. And then there is Vesta the keeper of the flame, vestal virgins are her gals. I have been to Rome and I remember roaming around in the Forum ruins and finding the area where the Vestal virgins kept the fires burning. A snuffed fire was disastrous for the community and even worse for the poor virgin who let it flame out. I remember walking and touching the broken marble and feeling a kinship for those gals. As a Sag I keep a lot of flames burning.

Anyway, I’m rambling but my point is that I can feel both smart ol’ Pallas Athena and her little owl standing behind Georgetown Law student Sandra Fluke who was denied permission to speak at a hearing before the House committee on contraceptive services. Rush Limbaugh never missing an opportunity to weigh in with his brilliantly dickheadish observations enlighten his audience:

Never one to waste an opportunity to attack liberal causes, Mr. Limbaugh took after Fluke – calling her a “slut,” a “prostitute,” and – one of his personal favorites – a “feminazi.” He also suggested that she make sex tapes and post them online “so we can all watch.”

So, what happened? Well, talk about Vesta keeping the flames burning, women both liberal and conservative, took up their swords against Rush and pressured his advertisers to withdraw their ad buys. And so they did pull out. By the way, the advertisers included two mattress companies. There's that irony.

I will be the first to tell you that I actually don’t think Rush means much to the conservative party. I believe GOP elders consider him a clown. But what was also interesting is today I saw Peggy Noonan and George Will both die hard conservatives call out even Speaker Boehner for his passive response to Rush, George Will said something to the effect, “Boehner called the comment 'inappropriate'. No, eating dinner with your salad fork is inappropriate. Rush’s comments were atrocious.”

It was curious to see such a diverse group rally behind Fluke. And in a moment that could only speak to Pallas Athena’s powerful relationship with her father the head god, Jove/Zeus, Ms Fluke received a phone call from President Obama finding out how she was doing in all this firestorm. The asteroids are definitely in the mix this month. Stephanie was right to point them out. Please do yourself a favor and pick up Mountain Astrologer so you can read Stephanie's monthly reports.

For more on asteroids:

Full Moon - Virgo




Full Moon Virgo
Thursday March 8 4:39am EST

What can I say that you are not already feeling? Virgos are what makes the world work, Virgos heal us when we are sick, Virgo takes care of the details when the rest of us go sloppily through our lives. Virgo is a wonderful, earthbound, practical sign. And for that we need to say, “Thank you”.

But and yes, there is a butT. We have all been feeling a butt kicking with Mars the warrior. He has been in Virgo since November and he is staying there until summer. Normally, he is in a sign for about six weeks but for us lucky earthlings (Sigh), he is in Virgo for about 8 months this year. And why talk about Mars now? Because this full moon is right on Mars. It is the only full moon that will conjunct Mars and let’s face it, we’re pissed. And on the run up to the full moon we may double down in our annoyance. Whom are we pissed? Well, in no particular order: People who are insecure, people who micromanage, people who criticize, people who don’t edit themselves, people who complain, and people who whine and bitch.

And what are we going to do about it? Well, with Mercury about to go retrograde and a co-ruler of Virgo. He is in a sharp aspect with Pluto which will drive some people to speak up. Probably some people to FINALLY speak up. And some people are just going to cut to the chase and get action happening that is specific and effective. It might sting but death by a thousand cuts is no pleasure and the relief of a final blow may be a great relief for some.

Of course, with the Sun in Pisces the goal is release. We are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Where are you feeling critical? Are you sick and tired of it? What actions can you take on the run up and on the full moon to remedy the situation? What needs to be healed both physically (Virgo) and psychically (Pisces). And there is the other side to Pisces, the sloppy, pessimistic, victimy, ‘what’s-the-use’ Pisces. That Pisces at duel with hyper critical Virgo could bring out the worst in all of us with everyone saying, “See I have to do the work because no one else can do it right!” My suggestion is if you find yourself saying that, then try to release those people, places or situations and walk away. There is something so liberating to say, “This is now out of my hands” as you walk off toward the light.

If you feel crazy and your mind is going a million miles an hour, go for a walk, go for a swim, move your body and calm down. If your tongue is wickedly sharp, breathe before speaking. Breathe before replying to an incendiary email. Release as much as you can and be as practical as you can. During smooth times we can if we are lucky take life day by day. During tense periods we have to take life hour by hour. This full moon and the run up will be the later. Hour by hour we will get through.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Financial Astrology at Forbes

Nice write up on financial astrology can be found at FORBES.com


Go to link for whole article, here is a bit of it.


Investments are a bet on the future. Could that future be foretold through complex readings of our solar system? And if it can, what do the stars say about the economy in 2012?

J.P. Morgan once famously said that millionaires don’t need astrologers, but billionaires do. Are we in charge of the economic matters on earth, or are invisible forces “out there” shaping the economic and social outcomes of individual nations?

J.P. Morgan thought there was more to the market than timing, and he used astrologers to help guide him in that timing in his businesses and investments. He’s not alone.

Raymond Merriman has been at this for more than 30 years. His Michigan based company, MMA Cycles has over 7,000 subscribers, many of them from well-known investment banks and broker-dealers. They’re portfolio managers, certified financial planners and heads of trading firms primarily from New York, Chicago, Tokyo to Zurich. Some know a thing or two about astrology. Others are looking for a little extra-terrestrial advice.

“They come for my analysis on various markets based on planetary cycles, pattern recognition and geocosmic market turning points,” he said. “Most of them all understand the market, but they don’t have this kind of edge on market timing.”

Analysts like Merriman use complex planetary charts to decipher where an economy, or investment, is heading. It’s approach, like fundamental or technical analysis, can be either top down — a big picture look at the whole economy — or bottom up — which examines an individual company

What's up ahead




We have a very interesting week ahead for us. Today of course, the Moon is in Cancer, making a wonderful trine with the Pisces Sun. I am sure we all will feel a bit dreamy today and a bit cozy. At the same time there is some cold reality in the mix with Sun opposition volatile Mars in critical Virgo. That feeling that something is not up to snuff will permeate even the good and cozy. Maybe for some of us it will simply mean, "Okay, I will go to the gym and then I'll get back to the cozy." Virgo feels guilty for everything and Mars in the sign churns it up in all of us (until July).

Sunday 3/4 : Venus/Saturn: cold versus love, weak partners exposed, investing in new structures to support love

Gibbous Moon
Sunday 3/4 5:52pm

Focus on: What are you forgetting about your roots? How has your spirituality or lack of it impacted your family? How has your childhood impacted your spirituality or lack of it? What do your emotions tell you about your faith? What are you neglecting right now that impacts your need for spirituality?


Monday 3/5: Venus in Taurus http://cafeastrology.com/articles/venusariescompatibility.html

Monday 3/5: Mercury/Uranus: Brilliant thoughts and highly inspired conversation. The brain is on def con 1. A day of potential excellent connections.
Monday 3/6: Venus/Neptune: A cloud of love and joy lift spirits, gentle love inspires, resources receive a gentle unusual boost.

Thursday March 8 4:39am --Full Moon.
Will post full moon soon. Happy Purim btw.

Maya how you spin



I was over at David Crook's sight and saw a lovely link to ANS (Astrology News Service) thoughtful article about the Mayan calender. As I have said periodically, people ask me about the Mayan Calendar and all I can say about it in three words: I don't know. I don't know much about the Mayan. I don't know much about their calendar. And I don't know what to say about what I don't know. I admit that I am also predisposed to NOT think the world is going to end on Dec 21st and I have said that several times here. Yes, the winter solstice will be in the middle of the milky way. And I think there is a little extra charge with that but end of the world? Nope.

We know that we are in a bumpy period, astrologically speaking, from 2008-2016 for sure. Some of it more intense than others. But what is new about that? The 1930s were loaded with some of these same aspects as was the 1960s and yeah, it might be a bit more intense now but I can't see how it means the world is ending.

A few months ago the December/January issue of Mountain Astrologer was dedicated to 2012. Many of the articles about the real astro connections to 2012 said the same thing that I felt, life will go on whether we want it to or not! Lol.

Anyway, here is a bit of the ANS article. Go to the link for the whole thing.

To get more precise, this passage of the winter solstice Sun can be more narrowly focused on the crossing of the galactic equator (approximate midpoint) which occurred in 1998, the tangent to the dark rift in the Milky Way (~2012 +/– decades at least) or the transit over the ecliptic position of the galactic center (a couple centuries from now). See how much is uncertain here? I would identify this as a serious, unresolved timing problem, central to the basic thesis of 2012 as an end-date.

Intriguingly, Mesoamerican cosmology talks of five creations, this concept recorded graphically in the Piedra del Sol of the Aztecs which indicates the present creation is the fifth or last section of the full cycle. Using this fact, we could take another leap and say the end of the Long Count could be seen as the end of the precession cycle that began roughly 25,800 years ago. OK, what happened then, the last time the Mayan Calendar came around? I have read that it was around that time that humans used up all the easy-to-catch turtles for food and were forced to work harder for meals. But if that was really the case, it was most certainly something that didn’t happen in one day. All we can say for certain is that one precession cycle ago the Earth was deep in the grip of an 85,000 year long ice age that began to melt 5,000 years later.