Gemini Sparks Fly
By Ellen Zucker | June 1, 2011
The Moon is rapidly approaching to the longitude of the Sun. At 5:09 pm Eastern, they will be so tightly aligned that the Moon’s shadow will block a portion of the Sun’s surface if you are standing on the right corner of the Earth.
Such an alignment is called a solar eclipse.
Astrologers have long known that when eclipses take place, events are triggered.
To get an idea of what’s in store, think back to the events of June 1992. The same themes will come up again. Planets have moved on since then and you are a different person now, so this month’s events won’t be a carbon copy. But there will be a common thread.
But there’s more.
Neptune is motionless in the heavens ready to do an about face. As is Saturn.
Areas that have been stuck since January, when Saturn turned retrograde will begin to move again as pent-up energy is released. Only this time you are a little wiser now that you had the intervening months to reflect. With Saturn moving through Libra this probably involves a partnership of some kind.
Jupiter shifts to Taurus on the 5th and a lunar eclipse takes place on the 15th. Lunar eclipses, powerful full moons, are culminations. What has been coming to fruition and what is coming to an end?
And then there is the third eclipse of this trifecta on July 1st. This one is a solar and this one is a doozy. But more about that later.
In the meantime, for more information, listen in to my free June Astrological Overview. Tonight at 8:30 pm Eastern. Details at http://ellensays.com
Topics: 2011, Gemini, Jupiter, Neptune, Retrograde, Saturn, eclipse, full moon, moon | No Comments »
A time to Face Hidden Truths
By Ellen Zucker | May 17, 2011
This morning the Sun and Moon were on opposite ends of the sky. In other words, it was a full moon when the moon reflects back its maximum amount of light.
Readers of my ezine, Celestial Currents, got one interpretation of this full moon and what it means. But it also bears reminding that all full moons, like all oppositions are polarities – that is, a call for integration of two opposites.
The Sun, and a whole gaggle of other planets, is in Taurus which is of the Earth. It represents solidity, grounding, material things, simple things. But Scorpio, the moon’s location, describes what lies below the surface. It is also the door to other worlds, hence its association with the occult.
This is a good time for going inward and reassessing what is important to you and what is, at the end, excess baggage that needs to be purged. It is also a time for facing hidden truths so that you know what is really driving your motivations.
By lightening your load, you can soar that much higher when the moon moves into Sagittarius as it does later today.
Topics: 2011, Scorpio, Sun, Taurus, full moon, moon | No Comments »
A Tale of Two Months
By Ellen Zucker | May 15, 2011
The month began with five planets in frenetic,fiery, take-no-prisoners Aries. However, this past Monday, Mars, Aries ruler shifted into sedate, stand-your-ground Taurus.
Before this day ends, both Mercury, planet of communication and Venus, planet of love, partnership, attraction and money, shift into Taurus where they will join Mars and the Sun.
Until the beginning of June, it is the values and energy of Taurus that is highlighted in the heavens.
Take a deep breath, now.
Aries is the initiator of the zodiac. It takes action whether the brain has been engaged or not. Aries is the pioneer; daring, brave, unafraid to step into the unknown.
Even with the Sun in staid Taurus, the first half of this month has been a whirlwind of activity for most. Look to see where Aries is located in your birthchart to see what areas of your life have been on overdrive.
But Taurus is a whole different story.
Its energy is stable. After all, Taurus is a fixed, earth sign. It solidifies what Aries started. In other words, if Aries represents the entrepreneur, then Taurus represents the operations management tasked with implementation.
As an earth sign, Taurus is of the senses. It delights in color, taste, smell… all of the sensual physicality that is our gift for living on this planet. Look, feel, smell. Enjoy the sights and senses of spring. Dig into the soil. Get your hands dirty and your ground your energy in the process.
Its purpose is to ground and make practical and secure.
This makes sense and reflects astrology’s built-in mechanism for balance. Initiate, then implement.
Taurus’s energy moves slower. It is more deliberate. The Universe is telling you to slow down and take stock.
As a fixed sign, Taurus is associated with money and resources. It conjures up images of the Rider-Waite Queen of Pentacles in my mind.
This is an excellent time to tend to finances particularly with an eye to building financial security. Building a firm financial foundation is key to giving you freedom and options later on.
And don’t forget to literally smell the roses.
Topics: 2011, Aries, Mercury, Taurus, Venus | No Comments »
Pluto and the Stage – 2
By Ellen Zucker | May 8, 2011
In 2011, the planets setting the stage for action are, mainly, Uranus, Saturn and Pluto who are in harsh aspect to each other.
This is particularly true in April and the first half of May when a pile-up of planets in Aries emphasized the Uranus side of this outer planet configuration which astrologers call a “T-square.”
The most rapidly moving planet is the Moon whose transits last only an hour or two. The Moon affects emotion and mood. Its effects are transitory and are generally felt as the ups and downs of a given day.
Yet, the moon can act as a trigger – unleashing the energy of the outer planets in the form of an event or shift. This is particularly true of new and full moons and especially eclipses.
During May, the moon will set off harsh aspects to the outer planet T-square approximately once a week. This weekend, the Cancer moon squares Saturn, Uranus and opposes Pluto. Next Friday and Saturday, it sets the same planets off again as it does the following Thursday and Friday.
A great deal of energy is tied up in this T-square. In cardinal signs, it wants to take action. This is an excellent time to break through blocks and move out of a rut. But with planets in Aries, it is tempting to implement action that is rash, ill-considered. With Saturn in opposition to the Aries planets, there are consequences. So taking a little extra time to consider the impact on others is wise.
Also be aware that Pluto, planet of the Underworld,; the planet of power and deep transformation is in play, too. Not everything is apparent on the surface. Just take it for granted that you don’t have the whole story.
Topics: 2011, New Moon, Pluto, Saturn, Uranus, astrology, eclipse, moon | No Comments »
Pluto and the Stage
By Ellen Zucker | May 7, 2011
Watch a show at a theater and the first thing that frames your impressions is the backdrop.
How did the producers choose to frame the production? The scenery will give you a great deal of information about the setting of the action. Its colors will set the mood; the background will tell you a great deal about the time and place the play is taking place. A sparse setting leaves a great deal to the imagination and forces you to concentrate on the actors and their dialogue. A lush setting will draw your attention to set details.
The celestial currents; the ever-changing dance of planets in the heavens work in a similar way.
It is the outer planets that set the scene. They afford the backdrop. They move slowly so their effects remain in play for a lengthy period of time. Action is sparked when close, rapidly moving planets set off their energy.
To be continued.
Topics: 2011, Pluto, Saturn, Uranus, astrology, moon | No Comments »
May 2011, Osama, and the 2010 Cardinal Cross
By Ellen Zucker | May 3, 2011
The demise of Osama Bin Ladin marked the beginning of May 2011.
Although this event seemed to come out of nowhere, it had been carefully planned since this past August.
If you remember, this was when a grand cross spanned 0 degrees of the cardinals. Despite the terrible gulf oil spill and record flooding in Pakistan, the summer did not live up to the top billing given to it by many astrologers including myself.
But I did mention that the early degrees of a sign are the places where seeds are planted. Like the early degrees of a suit in a Tarot deck, there is room for ripening and growth of the sign’s influence as the planet progresses through it.
The action to find and eliminate Osama is a case in point. The seed was planted during the time of the cardinal cross only to ripen nine months later when the planet of breakthrough and surprise (Uranus) finds itself again in the sign of action, and the warrior planet (Mars) meets the planet of optimism and luck (Jupiter).
As the month unfolds, there will be a great deal of forward movement and surprise. I will speak more at length tomorrow evening, Wednesday, May 4th at 7 pm. Join me on a 45 minute webcast, free! Visit http://ellensays.com for the link. Can’t make it? Sign up anyway and you can download the recording for a limited time afterwards.
Topics: 2011, Jupiter, Mercury, Sun, Tarot, Uranus, astrology | No Comments »
Pluto Turns…
By Ellen Zucker | April 9, 2011
Astrology is literal. When a planet pivots and changes direction it literally marks a turning point.
Today Pluto literally changes direction as it begins it five month retrograde journey (it turns direct in mid-September).
Unlike rapidly moving planets like Mercury, a Pluto station, that point when it appears to slow down and stop before reversing direction, is more akin to turning an ocean liner. The turnaround is slow and ponderous.
Truth be told, Pluto has been virtually still since April began and it will remain so for another week. So if you have any planets or sensitive points at or near 7 degrees of any of the cardinal signs, Capricorn, Cancer, Aries or Libra, you are getting a heavy dose of Pluto’s concentrated energy.
If so, you are probably in the throes of a deep-seated transition. But if your day-to-day world seems undisturbed, know that Pluto can work way down deep and its effects will surface in due course.
When Pluto comes a-calling, it means you’re going through growing pains. Growing pains can be uncomfortable, but that is how you grow, change and become wise. Pluto can come calling through a turn of events or a face-to-face challenge forcing you to get in touch with your own power. You learn a truth about something or someone that changes you–and them. And often you let go or are forced to let go of something or someone who is no longer serving your best interests.
Personal story: This past week I severed ties with a business associate with whom I had worked for several years. Her behavior had become increasingly erratic over the past months. It was not something I did lightly, but the particulars of the situation made it quite clear that this was the best course of action. I wish her well.
Remember all retrograde planetary periods give you the opportunity to absorb and integrate the new ground when they were traveling forward and Pluto has been traveling direct since last September.
So… what are you grappling with? And what do you need to come to terms with?
Topics: 2011, Pluto, Retrograde | No Comments »
Beware of April’s Undercurrents
By Ellen Zucker | March 30, 2011
With five planets in Aries, April 2011 begins like a cannon blast. Everything starts to move and everyone is chomping at the bit to take action. Jupiter, the planet of excess joins with the New Moon on April 3rd with feisty Mars and erratic Uranus coupling together. With Mercury moving retrograde it is just too tantalizingly easy to leap before you look and it’s particularly tempting to open your mouth before engaging brain.
But beware of the undercurrents.
It is so easy to be mesmerized with all of the movement going on that you may not be aware of the deep undercurrents at work. Pluto squares the Aries line-up and Saturn opposes it. That means that there’s a lot more going on than meets the eye.
Strong actions will produce equally strong reactions.
Forewarned is forearmed. For more…
Topics: 2011, Aries, Jupiter, Mercury Retrograde, New Moon, Saturn, Uranus, astrology | No Comments »
Wheel of Fortune vs The World; The Planet of Yes vs The Planet of No
By Ellen Zucker | March 27, 2011
If you are feeling stressed, then you may be responding to the stresses playing out in the skies.
This week transiting Jupiter and Saturn stand at opposite sides of the horoscope. The planet of ‘yes,’ of hope, expansion and optimism opposes the planet of ’no,’ of limits, contraction, and structure.
I wrote of this opposition to the subscribers of my e-zine, Celestial Currents from an astrological standpoint and I’ll be speaking about it at more length on Wednesday.
But now I would like to explore the opposition from a Tarot perspective.
Astrological attributions have been made of the Tarot cards by the Order of the Golden Dawn and others. So taking the the Tarot cards representing the planets in question, The Wheel of Fortune for Jupiter and The World for Saturn, you can get another layer of meaning.
The most striking characteristic each card’s image has in common is the dominant circular shape. In the Wheel of Fortune the wheel carries you up or down, much like the Ferris wheel in an amusement park. The card is associated with luck and opportunity, but unlike the astrological meanings of Jupiter, the fortunes may be ‘good’ or ‘bad.’
The theme of timing is very important in The Wheel of Fortune–we all have our day in the sun, but you want to catch the momentum when the wheel is moving upwards.
This is ironic, because timing is associated with Saturn, Chronos.
The World tells another story. In The World, the circle is a wreath that encircles the dancer inside. Like Saturn, this circle limits. The dancer can move freely within, but she cannot leave. Is she being protected or imprisoned?
Yet, The World is the last of the Major Arcana. With this card, The Fool’s journey is complete and it is time to go on to something higher.
Yet, while it is Jupiter who rules the sign of the archer, who slings arrows into the sky, but Saturn’s The World tells us we can soar when we’ve done the inner and outer work.
The seeds of freedom lay in containment and the seeds of containment lay in freedom.
What do you think?
Topics: 2011, Aries, Jupiter, Libra, Mercury Retrograde, Saturn, astrology | No Comments »
Learning About Astrological Signs Is Fun!
By Ellen Zucker | March 17, 2011
The Moon moves through the zodiac–rotates around the Earth roughly once every 28 days, spending two-and-a-half days in each astrological sign. Likewise it will make a complete circle in your own astrological chart in that same time frame.
The Moon rules emotion, mood… following this quickly moving orb is an excellent way to sample the flavor of each sign and gain a better understanding. While other planets exert their influence, the Moon provides the emotional backdrop of any given day.
Your birth chart is one-of-a-kind, sporting its own set of planetary patterns and placements that act as your own personal filter. As a result you will experience the influence of the signs differently than anyone else.
To introduce them to the astrological signs, I have assigned my students in The Signs Module of my Astrological Building Blocks series the exercise of following the Moon’s journey through the signs and making note of their observations. They are posting them in our private Facebook group and it is a lively discussion, indeed.
Our class doesn’t formally begin until this Sunday, March 20, but that is no reason to keep them from getting into the swing of things right away. Here’s the link if you want to check it out further.
It is easy to find out the Moon’s location at any given time; just look it up in an astrological calendar or ephemeris. Keeping a journal is one way to record your observations.
The advantage to this exercise is that over time, you deepen your understanding of the astrological signs and make them truly your own.
Topics: Signs, astrology, moon | No Comments »