posted April 18, 2011 01:28 PM            

Our week ahead offers us an opportunity to take a fresh look and gain new understanding about where we find ourselves as Mercury slows to station at the degree of the New Moon three weeks ago and turns direct on Saturday. This has been a doozie of a Mercury retrograde!! All sorts of things have come to light, delivered information, arrived in your email box for your consideration or otherwise startled you with the clarity you have now.

First Mercury danced into Aries on March 9, entered his retrograde Shadow on March 15, went retrograde on March 30 and now stations to turn direct this Saturday, April 23rd on the degree of the New Moon of April 3rd. Mercury will finally leave his Shadow on May 11th.

Just think about all you’ve LEARNED since Mercury began this dance in Aries in early March. Certainly the back and forth of constantly changing information in Japan, USA and the middle east counts. For many folks there have been major changes in how you think about things, your knowledge, your clarity about various situations in your life, combined with lots of stuff going on in your Aries, Gemini and Virgo houses, as well as the house where Mercury lives in your chart.

Aries is a beautiful sign for asking us to focus on the cosmic “I AM” ~ Mercury asked you to be clear about your I AM place. As we begin any new cycle or task, Aries energy springs forth and asks us to step up how we show up. It brings a militancy, a sharpness, a razor edged cutting clearness to the situations and around the people in our lives. Where did you hear or see something you had no clue was going on? What secrets were revealed that you were completely in the dark about? Where did you find yourself mulling and pulling and tearing and digging at with your thoughts? What did you have trouble “wrapping your mind around”? That was probably where Mercury was causing mischief in your chart.

Mercury is in charge of our senses. We observe, hear, smell, touch, or taste to make sense of our world. Mercury in cardinal fire is virtually shouting at you to get with the program. Get with the I AM program. It is time to see the bigger picture, listen to the greater wisdom, smell the coffee, grasp the concept or bite off a bit more than you can chew ~ but keep chewing at it bite by bite.

So reflect this week on the information that Mercury has dumped in your consciousness. You need to integrate it for your journey ahead. You need to be clear on your I AM stuff so you can be clear about what you want to do. Clarity is helpful. Consciousness can often be a complete pain in the butt. HOWEVER navigating a world of unconscious and semi-conscious people is MUCH easier when you know where you stand and what your I AM actually IS. So get clear on you I AM.

The earlier part of the week is difficult as Moon and Mars have a chapter two redo of the weekend of April 10th. Whatever happened over the April 10th weekend as Pluto stationed (and the few days on either side) needs to be dealt with again, early in the week. Mars opposes Saturn as Moon in Libra and Scorpio stimulates the darker sides of the energy. Mars also releases from his blockage and is free, after processing the darker sides, to take concrete and positive action towards his own “I AM” vision and desires.

When you look at the heavens, there is a huge pileup of planets in Aries clustered together, all opposed by Saturn and squared by Pluto. While we had the t-square last July and August, NOW we finally understand what that energy really means in our lives as well as how we are going to be working with it as we move forward with our lives.

Remember, six of the outer planets have changed signs in the past year offering us each a brand new chapter, or perhaps even a new life book ~ designed to take us to where we are supposed to go next. We are here on earth, right now, to live our charts, create our lives, do our work and experience this beautiful world blooming all around us as Spring takes holds. All the changes in your life are designed to get you into position for the next part of your life.

Max Ehrmann reminds us:

You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars. You have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

The world spins forward ~ Tony Kushner.

Sun enters Taurus, launching the blooming season of Spring as cherry blossoms, tulips, daffodils and lilac clusters scent the air. Venus enters Aries and becomes amazingly passionate as she rolls through the cluster of planets in Aries. Saturn opposes all those Aries planets, asking us to balance and pay attention to the other even as we shout “I AM” from the roof tops or fire escapes in our lives.

More to come.

Copyright © 2011 A. C. Ortelee

posted April 19, 2011 10:59 AM            

VOID MOON ALERT: EASTERN DAY LIGHT TIME

0:53 am Wednesday 4/20 to 2:50 am

12:57 pm Thursday 4/21 to 6:24 am Friday 4/22

8:13 pm Saturday 4/23 to 1:59 pm Sunday 4/24

7:28 am Tuesday 4/26 to 0:57 am Wednesday 4.27

3:52 pm Wednesday 4/27 to 1:33 pm Friday 4/29 ~ VOID FOR TWO WHOLE DAYS.

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Moon �es Day Monday April 18 Finds the Moon in passionate and impassioned Scorpio with a lovely closing aspect of a trine to Venus in Pisces. Today and tomorrow are great days to follow your passion. And wonderful days to honor those you love. Happy Birthday Dad! 82 years of your life are celebrated today. And yesterday, my mom died 28 years ago ~ Saturn cycles of connection across time and space. Deep, deep connections. Honor your passion and loves today ~ both those still here and those who have left this earth. Our time is so short ~ a couple of fast moving Saturn cycles and whoosh you are gone. Or they are gone. Enjoy it as the earth spins forward. Today we work with the energy of the Pluto station and the events from last weekend and early last week as Mars opposes Saturn. We are given permission to move forward, even if we are not sure where we are going. Venus trines Hygeia suggesting health issues or concerns resolve and move forward in a good way. Mars argues with Saturn producing a sense of exhaustion and at the same time a sense of freedom at the blockage being removed once he gets past him over the next few days. Mars in Aries has been hemmed in by all the crowd huddled in the Aries sector of your and everyone�fs chart. How can a warrior swing a sword in a crowd without hurting other people. Finally, he is free to take action as he leaves the stricture and restrictions of Pluto and Saturn. He quickly joins with Mercury to want to start something. Take the energy and direct it towards a good idea or three rather than fighting. Investigate and learn new things. Mercury is slowing to stop so while he�fs talking with Mars, he�fs also busy thinking about the past and what it all means. Mercury has TEN, count them, TEN aspects today by declination that ask you to reflect on the past and finish up the projects, ideas, visions from the past so you can go forward. Watch who you meet or talk with today. Venus in the sensitive, late degrees of Pisces needs to adjust her sensitivity to accommodate all the fire energy flying around ~ find a companion or person you can partner with to listen to your emotions.

Mars�f Day, Tuesday April 19 Moon in Scorpio continues to push at us, inviting us to evolve with all the information we�fve received over the past few weeks. The recent Mercury retrograde in Aries continues to get more information delivered today as he joins up with Mars in Aries ~ expect fire works or fiery words or words that move you forward enormously fast. Mars argues with the principle of emotions as he squares Selena at 13 Cancer ~ how to nurture and take positive action for ourselves at the same time? Some times that is a conundrum. Focus on how you can take action for YOURSELF while at the same time NURTURING yourself. So no quitting the job until you have another lined up. No throwing the baby out with the bath water ~ pull the baby out, dry it, dress it and THEN throw out the bath water. Take care of you first. Then take care of the other guy. You might get harsh news today. You�fll be okay. Focus on the future. This is all part of the universe unfolding as it should. Time for things to change. Ask for what you need to make sure you are nurtured.

Wednesday Mercury�fs day April 20 Moon in Sagittarius is passionate and fast moving, trining all those Aries planets so today will be a fast moving, exciting day. Closing aspect of the Moon is a trine to Jupiter so say yes to everything ~ you can change your mind later. Sun enters Taurus launching the spring season in earnest as we enter 30 days of Fixed Earth making things come alive. It is a great day to get out into the world and explore nature, emotions, beauty and passion. Give yourself permission to go for desire and love today. Venus ends something forever with her closing square to Hades in Gemini. No more, no more, no more. You are done with that chapter of your life. Now all the planets that remember Uranus in Pisces have shifted out and moved on to a new cycle ~ Venus is about to go out of Pisces so say good bye to the last 8 years of love that no longer works for you. You are ready for a new kind of love, based on your wisdom, knowledge and understanding of who you are NOW. Partnerships have to work for both sides to continue. Sun�fs sextile to Neptune in early Pisces says reframe or state the dream in new terms with your new understandings. Dreams are a work in progress until they come true. Then we move to a NEW dream. Evolve today. Mercury joins with Neptune by declination asking you to articulate or express in clear terms what you want even if you don�ft 100% know. If you know what you don�ft want, write the positive version of it. What is the group you want to create that is your new tribe of choice? How can the old tribe change to accommodate the new dream?

Thursday Jupiter�fs Day April 21 Moon in Sagittarius continues to express herself via trines to the fire planets. SO MUCH FIRE makes it hard to focus on any one thing. So don�ft try to focus. Just tackle the pile. Plant a bazillion seeds of new ideas and projects. Sure, some of them won�ft take root but at least cast those seeds out there across the landscape of your life. Who knows? At least cast them out there. Go for it. Venus enters Aries so that brief moment of Taurus in beauty ruled Pisces Venus shifts into Meat, Mattress and Malt Venus in Aries. Venus in Aries is inherently impatient and not in the mood to be told no. So tell her yes. Provisionally yes ~ at least for the time being. Set her to work on what she desires. Boy does she desire it�c. Give her room to maneuver. Venus in Aries doesn�ft like to hear that she can�ft. So ask her how she would go about it. You�fll be surprised at her passion and ideas. Try them. It can�ft hurt. Today is a great day to throw things over the transom and pitch ideas to folks who might say no to you normally. Today they might just say YES ~ sure it is a wild and crazy idea but IT. JUST. MIGHT. WORK! So go for it. Moon goes void at 12:47 pm EDT so do stuff in the morning!
The afternoon seeds won�ft take so well�c.

Friday Venus�f Day April 22 Moon in Capricorn closes with a square to Jupiter in Aries so today tends towards OVERDOING yet, expansive over doing so no worries. Moon has a pile of aspects to the Aries planets pushing and asking you to psychologically integrate what exactly is going on with all that darn fire in the heavens and in your life. Time for practical approaches to that I AM energy. Mercury is slowed to a stop, preparing for his station tomorrow. Expect amazing and perhaps difficult news today, Saturn�fs day and Sunday. Moon trines Sun in Capricorn offering a practical and productive energy even as you are tested about what is truly of value to you. Venus joins with explosive Aries in Uranus creating a potential for violent outbursts. Again, if you have a violent relationship with someone, run the other way if you see them coming. If you are or have been arguing about stuff, today is a day when it can go WAY over the top, boil over the pan, erupt, so be CAREFUL. With a bazillion planets in Fire people are NOT thinking ~ they are reacting and in the mood to FLARE UP. All sorts of fiery hell can break loose with Mercury linked with Hades and Sun and Venus aspecting Uranus. The out put of the t-square in the heavens is the family, cancer, mom, nurturing and the emotional or sensitive part of your chart. Take time and space to be quiet and with yourself today and especially this evening.

Saturn�fs Day April 23 Moon in Capricorn continues to press on the Aries planets, challenging, challenging, challenging them. Don�ft take the bait. Focus on your I AM needs. Pay attention to what you want out of the situation and move towards that. Mercury is stopped dead in the sky today on the degree of the New Moon of April 3, 2011 so the news from back then, gets updated (see nuclear power meltdown of the plant in Japan be reclassified yet again and the budget issues in the USA swirl back up.) Time to change the story. Mercury is talking with Jupiter by declination so it is serious news we receive under this station. Pay attention to what you hear or see or find out yesterday, today and tomorrow. It is very important for your future. Moon in serious Capricorn arguing, answering to Saturn in Libra with everything in Aries, including VENUS, the ruler of Saturn in Libra and the Moon means just about everything in the heavens is in fire or answering to fire. The ancients would say there is �gToo Much Fire�h in the heavens so look to add the other elements ~ Earth and Water ~ to take it down a notch. Adding Air ~ words ~ to the mix can cause it to flare up. Moon goes void, losing all controls, after 8:13 pm EDT ~ remember to leave if you see danger arriving.

Sun�fs day Easter April 24 Moon in Capricorn in the morning is void and enters Aquarius at 1:59 pm EDT. Good or bad, the Air moon will stir up the fire planets. Moon works productively with the fire Venus and Uranus today, encouraging a change in out look and ideas. Gather with family of choice to celebrate the beginning of Spring, Passover and Easter. Sun joins with the node by declination so pay attention to who you meet or connect with today ~ they can guide you in your future endeavors. Hygeia is active so watch for infections or health issues. Great day to plan a liver or body cleanse for healing. Sun works with Chiron offering new ideas around and about health.

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MUNDANE: Have you noticed the destructive energy arriving at mothers and families lately? A Reader, Maria V. wrote: �gI was wondering what you saw in the stars for the latest tragedy in Newburgh, NY. Seeing your thoughts would be helpful to me in processing this horrific event. My heart is broken for everyone involved.�h The story was about the mother who drove her SUV into the river, drowning herself and 3 of her 4 children. Her 10 year old son, who escaped the car after attempting to rescue his siblings and mom, alerted the authorities.

There is a t-square between the Aries, Libra and Capricorn planets that empties out into the Cancer leg ~ the open space. It appears to be causing the despair and desperation with and around the feminine creative energy and mothers. During the proposed government shutdown, Planned Parenthood funding was targeted. The destruction of homes in Japan. The large number of mothers and families being overwhelmed by all this energy coming at them.