May 2026 Memorial Weekend Post

The last few months since releasing my February newsletter, I have been deep in the weeds of reflection.  Many of you know my studies in college were in history and political science. I have always investigated current events within a historical framework. And dear readers, I have been stunned, dismayed, and troubled. Many historians are calling these times, in the US and other Western Countries, the second Dark Ages.  This has been a serious reactionary time in the United States, where superstitions and conspiracies have replaced rational thinking.  It is as if the Enlightenment never existed and the US Constitution were a fairy tale.

This brings me to my own resolution to illuminate my world with inspiration that will change the trajectory of impending doom. I provide my thoughts below in this newsletter. But first, I want you (my reader) to understand my intention.

I want to connect with as many like-minded people as possible to build groups and communities for deep discourse.  Over the years, I have had the amazing experience of finding special people through my spiritual journeys and astrology network. The one-on-one readings I have provided have been a gift to me as I see how we come together in understanding and appreciation. I intend to build an online platform to create groups and communities that want to share ideas about building a better future.  This will not be about politics, religion, or even a discourse on astrology. This forum will be a discourse on the evolution of humanity. This is not about Darwin’s evolution, but the transpersonal evolution of Who We Are on the way to a neo-human, a new humanity. To understand where my own perceptions lie, please read the Otto Scharmer article titled "Holding the Gaze Steady.". https://medium.com/presencing-institute-blog/holding-the-gaze-steady-87b5a5aa9513

I am still figuring out how to bring together a circle, a group, or a community on a platform or online space to engage in dialogue.  More ideas will come soon.

Returning to my thoughts on how I can shift the narrative toward the possibilities of a better future for all, I have listed some steps I am taking (presently) to improve my own actions.

First, I anchor myself in a vision for the emerging future.  This poem or verse below speaks to my vision to end the rule of the patriarchy and the oligarchs that appear to hold all the power.  Wait a minute, I do have power and agency. Instead of a top-down hierarchical world, how about a world that builds communities of equals working together for the common good? 

Weaving a Circle:

The truth is . . .

I don’t want more power-hungry men in suits making decisions rooted in greed and disconnection.

I want a circle of indigenous grandmothers — women who carry the memory of the land,

the language of the stars, and the wisdom of what it means to care for the next seven generations.

Women who know that leadership is sacred, that power is stewardship, and that healing the world begins with listening.

Let the old systems crumble. Let the council rise. We remember the way forward.

~ Ella Hicks

This vision brings me to the second step: Building connections with others that offer restoration and create community spaces that foster heart-centered discourse. A place that allows people to tell their stories and be seen. This space brings a connection that allows creative opportunities to heal, regenerate, and renew our soul purposes in life. I believe in communities that are not based on depleting resources or degrading the spirit of humanity, but rather places/spaces where people can work together to build new systems to help one another. We need communities that restore creativity to provide opportunities to deepen our connection to nature and all sentient creatures. Honoring our “Mother” is a sacred contract to remember. Cultivating a reverence for the Earth may just save humanity.

Of course, the question comes up: “How does this relate to astrological events?”

Just as the importance of connecting with and stewarding the Earth is recognized, one must also be aware of our connection to the stars and the cosmos. 

2026 started off with a powerful energy to initiate a new path, a new chapter, and a new world for humanity.  2026 is considered a “One” Year in numerology.  I spoke of this in February’s newsletter.  It seemed as if the planets in their movements through the constellations were giving us an opportunity to begin anew.  Or perhaps to REBOOT our systems.  Goodness knows, we are seeing a rash of systems falling apart or declining. I have seen a variety of US government structures fall apart or begin to operate ineffectually. Need I point out what these are?  I will leave you to your own conjectures.

I have been reading and researching how historical events and significant astrological transits interact.  I am not stating that planets make us go to war or bring economic depressions. But there appears to be a relationship between humanity and the heavens. Mystics and scientists now share a belief in the unity of all life and matter in the universe. Everything is connected, and everything is in dynamic flux.

Today, there is a whole lot of Flux happening.  The transpersonal planets Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto all entered new signs in recent months. Each of these planets has the potential to bring transformation. The first part of 2026 brought a shift as these three planets changed signs, with Saturn and Jupiter also entering new astrological signs. Let us examine the possibility of shifting world events as we discuss these planets.

• Pluto is now in Aquarius (March 23rd, 2023 – January 19th, 2044)

Pluto moves about every 12–30 years through the zodiac, and it spent the long era of Capricorn (structures, authority) before entering Aquarius (collective, innovation) in recent years. Aquarius emphasizes the group, humanitarian ideals, technology, and radical reform. Pluto’s transit through Aquarius intensifies and transforms those themes. Pluto signifies the creative power to transform as it cycles from death to rebirth.  Thus, Pluto's energy, as it transits other forces, can eliminate what does not serve the highest good. What evolves from this death is the birth of an evolved state, behavior, system, or new consciousness.

How can we say we entered the “Age of Aquarius” when there is currently so much disruption, despair, and destruction?  Here is my thought:  All the crap and decadence in the world are coming to the surface, so we (meaning humanity) can demolish the corruption and build a new world, even a new humanity. Pollyanna thinking?  I see the possibility of a new social order being created to weave sustainable, caring communities that serve all persons, sentient beings, and care for the living earth.

An AI search provided these core meanings for the effects of Pluto in Aquarius:

• Transforming collective systems: governments, schools, media, and social institutions may undergo deep overhaul to become more inclusive, transparent, and efficient.

• Radical innovation and disruption: technology, AI, science, and new ways of organizing society (co-ops, open networks, blockchain, decentralized platforms) could accelerate.

• Emphasis on humanitarian ideals: rights, equality, liberty, and the welfare of the many over the few become central in policy and culture.

• Power dynamics in groups: leadership, activism, and public opinion can shift rapidly; crowds and networks can wield intense influence.

• Rebirth through detachment: Aquarius’ cool, fits-with-all approach combined with Pluto’s exposure of hidden truths can catalyze liberation from outdated or oppressive structures.

• Jupiter is now in Cancer (June 9th, 2025 – June 29th, 2026)

Jupiter is the great benefactor in terms of astrology. In a person’s natal chart, where Jupiter shows up (house and sign), it provides information on what will grow and expand in the person’s lifetime. Jupiter in Cancer has a healing effect on everyone, but particularly those who have their Sun, Moon, and natal Jupiter in this sign. Jupiter in Cancer brings up the power of the divine feminine, the “mother” who nurtures and protects us.

• Neptune is now in Aries (March 30th, 2025 – March 23rd, 2039)

Neptune is a transcendent force in the cosmos. Neptune is the planet of dreams and spirituality. No matter the sign it is in, Neptune brings heightened imagination, creativity, and intuition. This planet has left its home constellation of Pisces to move to Aries. The time in Pisces allowed the world to witness heightened awareness of our spiritual selves.  Neptune in Aries pushes us to pursue our ideals with courage and creativity.

• Saturn is now in Aries (March 24th, 2025 – April 12th, 2028)

Saturn is the planet that brings structure, discipline, and long-term success. This ringed taskmaster lends its sobering energy to a single zodiac sign for two to three years. Saturn’s influence allows for long-term planning, involves serious commitments, and hard work.

Saturn in Aries brings out the warrior energy of this sign. Decisive action is needed now, particularly for those with their Sun and Moon in Aries. Watch for impulsivity or impatience.  Saturn will help to bring focus and determination.

We’re in the middle of eclipse season: The solar eclipse in Aquarius occurred near the North Node on February 17th, 2026, and the lunar eclipse in Virgo occurred near the South Node on March 3rd 

The last eclipse on the Pisces North Lunar Node opposite Virgo in the South Node will be the Pisces Lunar Eclipse on August 28th.  The north node directs the evolution of consciousness. In Pisces, there is an urge to demonstrate compassion, imagination, and collective healing. 

The evolving eclipse cycle continues with the North Node in Aquarius opposite the South Lunar Node in Leo.  The Total Solar Eclipse in Leo on August 12th will echo the seismic shift of the “Great American Eclipse” in August 2017. Get ready for powerful themes around courage, creativity, and self-expression.  Eclipses over the Sun Signs of Aquarius and Leo will foster new forms of leadership and bring paradigm shifts.

• Saturn conjoined Neptune in Aries on February 20th, 2026‍

Astrologers have been speaking of this event for years.  The Aries Point: On February 20, Saturn and Neptune make an exact conjunction at 0° Aries, which hasn’t happened for thousands of years! As this duo combines their polar-opposite energies in warrior Aries, get ready to navigate a paradox. How can you stay soft in a world that will demand toughness and strength? The tension is palpable, but so is the possibility for soulful, lasting change.

Saturn and Neptune come together every 36 years, and when they do, they make an uneasy pair. Saturn represents discipline, authority, tough lessons, and boundaries, while Neptune is all about imagination, empathy, confusion, and illusions. One is concerned with upholding order and the status quo; the other doesn’t believe limitations exist. What happens when you add them together? It’s hard to get a grip on what’s real and what isn’t. This friction can lead to visionary movements and radical uprisings, or it can burst the bubble of our ideals, leaving us more confused about what we can achieve. Sometimes, it can do both. This transit emphasizes the importance of confronting lies with truth, mourning the dreams that didn’t pan out, and fighting for liberation more strategically.

Each year, when our seasonal shift occurs and the Aries Zero Point starts the new zodiacal year, we can experience fresh starts and renewal.  On February 20th, when Saturn and Neptune conjoined at Zero Point Aries, this conjunction foretold the possibility of a whole new reset of the world. Any conjunction of the Aries Zero point is where personal and collective worlds collide. Last time Neptune in Aries passed over the Zero Aries Point, the US Civil War began in 1861.  In America today, there are similar themes and polarities to those that existed during the period leading up to the Civil War. Except today, there can be wars, yes, but more likely a rising war in the realm of technology. We are in the Robber Baron Era, Part Two. The technocrats have the money and power, even over governmental systems.

The personal aspects of this conjunction greatly impact those with an Aries Sun and Moon. Also, those with other cardinal signs of Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn.

• Uranus enters Gemini on April 25th (and it will stay there until May 22nd, 2033)

The last major transpersonal planet to enter a new astrological sign is Uranus. This planet wraps up its turn in the sign of Taurus since May 2018. Taurus covers the material world from the food on our table to the money in our bank accounts. Uranus is the planet of innovation and paradigm shifts. In Taurus, Uranus brought us cryptocurrency, creator economies, quiet-quitting, and remote work.

Uranus in Gemini from 1941 to 1949 found humanity entering the nuclear age. We split the atom and invented the atomic bomb. Other innovations, such as television, revolutionized our homes and communications. Quantum leaps in innovation are what we can expect from 2026 to 2033. The Artificial Intelligence world is here. The United States is in an arms race with other nations. Gemini rules communications, and this applies to media, social media, and more.  What revolts and disruptions will occur in the world of media and the search for truth?  Who controls the media and the information shared with the public?

Okay, I understand that this newsletter is quite lengthy and perhaps even difficult to comprehend.  But I wanted to share all the important astrological events of this year, and the years to come.  I firmly believe humanity is undergoing a major shift, reboot, and transformation.  Events could bring horrific destruction or a major positive change. Probably both. We can be part of the change we want to see. We are not powerless. Instead, in the age of radical communication devices, we can give voice to our vision for a better world. We can act in ways that emulate the change we want to see.  For me, this may simply be sharing my positive regard with others. Every day, simple acts can multiply into a wave of change. Kindness, compassion, and consideration help bring more peace and harmony.

 As I mentioned above, my peace and sense of well-being that hold me during these turbulent times come from being in community.   These are places where I can connect with others, share my stories, and listen to others. Inclusive communities help us to nurture our sense of well-being and foster our resilience. If you do not have a community that holds you in safety and high regard, create one. Even if you start out with one other person, you are on the pathway to building a space where your spirit is uplifted.

As Stephanie Austin advised in her May 16th – New Moon in Taurus newsletter:

It’s time to slow down, not only to rest and recharge, but so we can be more present and more aligned as the evolutionary pace quickens. The last few months have been incredibly intense. Between three outer planets changing signs, a momentous Saturn-Neptune conjunction, and an extended concentration of planets in fiery Aries, it has become more vital than ever to keep the big picture in mind (Jupiter), be our own authority (Saturn), heal core issues (Chiron), think out of the box (Uranus), trust our intuition (Neptune) and let go of what holds us back (Pluto). 

2025 Total Lunar Eclipse Pisces Moon Virgo Sun

 September has arrived and has brought an energy that informs change, but not obvious to other usual types of change events.  This time in the Sun Sign Virgo encourages us to separate the so-called “wheat from the chaff.”  The archetype of Virgo speaks to ability to discern details on the Earth plane. Virgo is a mutable earth sign, demonstrating ability to communicate what needs to be improved and healed. With Virgo in command, whatever does not serve us needs to be discarded or significantly improved. Perfectionism is a flaw that Virgo personas need to be wary of in their lives.

Yet, I refer to change happening.  This is not a particular characteristic of Virgo energy. But this month we face a total lunar eclipse and a solar eclipse.  The Eclipse Season is here. 

On Sunday, September 7th, a total lunar eclipse on the Pisces North node opposite Virgo in the South node. Also, the Sun in Virgo will be opposite the Full Moon in Pisces.  In certain places around the globe, we can see a shadow passing over the Moon.

This Full Moon is called the Corn Moon during the season of the last harvest of this crop.

A lunar eclipse can produce strong emotions coming to the surface of our consciousness. We may find we get in touch with pieces of our psyche that need to be embraced and illuminated. Depending on where Virgo and its opposite sign of Pisces is in our individual natal charts, we may find a shift in our awareness and an ability to discern what needs to be removed from our lives (Virgo South Node) and what guides us to our highest consciousness (Pisces North Node).

Later in September, we experience the Solar Eclipse in Virgo. This is a time when the Sun and Moon are conjoined at the exact same degrees.  A solar eclipse is a new moon, but with greater energetic influence.  A new moon, lunar eclipse provides a time to jump start a new effort, project, intention, and any new beginnings that align with your soul’s yearnings. 

Here is a general statement for each sign in our zodiac and the potential influence of the Pisces/Virgo Eclipse cycle: (Remember, not only review your Sun Sign, but read what is said for your Rising Sign as most forecasts are based on the 12-houses of the natal chart). 

The Pisces/Virgo eclipse can have different effects on each astrological sign based on their zodiac elements and ruling planets. Here's a brief overview of its potential influence:

Aries: This eclipse may bring focus to health and daily routines, encouraging new habits or addressing overlooked issues.
Taurus: Focused on relationships and partnerships, Taurus may experience revelations or shifts in their significant bonds.
Gemini: This period could stimulate growth in communication, learning, or travel plans, leading to new opportunities.
Cancer: Career and public image are highlighted; you might experience a milestone or a change in your professional life.
Leo: Personal identity and self-expression come into focus, possibly prompting a reevaluation of your goals or self-image.
Virgo: Since the eclipse involves Virgo, it may bring significant changes in health, work, and daily responsibilities, urging practical adjustments.
Libra: Home and family matters might become prominent, leading to emotional insights or important decisions.
Scorpio: Communication and learning are emphasized; new ideas or collaborations could emerge.
Sagittarius: Scorpio season themes of transformation may intensify, impacting shared resources and intimate connections.
Capricorn: This eclipse may lead to shifts in beliefs, philosophy, or higher education plans.
Aquarius: Social networks, friendships, and community involvement could undergo transformation.
Pisces: As with Virgo, Pisces may experience revelations around identity, personal projects, or self-development.

For those of you who want a deeper dive into the powerful September 7th Total Lunar Eclipse, please read Stephanie Austin’s report.  I value this astrologer’s work.
 
Also, for those of you with mutable signs strong in your chart:  Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces, it may be helpful to get an individual astrology reading.  For me, I have had significant changes in my life when an eclipse cycle passed over my Sun sign. 
 
Happy Trails to you all. 
Love, Cathy
 
Ecological Astrology – Stephanie Austin
 
We are entering a time of big breakthroughs, deep clearings, and major recalibrations, with tremendous support from the invisible realms. This month, the catalytic energies of two eclipses, heightened solar activity, the equinox, and all of the outer planets in retrogrademotion except Jupiter make it imperative to continually check in with our inner guidance and take extra good care of ourselves on all levels. 

In times of intensity and rapid change, paradoxically, the best strategy is to slow down, do less, and be more — more present, more centered and balanced, more attuned to the messages from our body, heart, and soul, more receptive to the downpour of light facilitating our evolution. Simplify. Rest. Eat well. Do a media fast. Spend regular time in nature. "Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty." (Anne Herbert) Declutter, and trust that whatever is falling away is making space for something better.

Whenever a planet turns retrograde or direct, its archetypal energies are amplified and “in the air.” Mercury retrogrades generally get more press and occur more frequently (3-4 times a year), but Uranus, associated with the higher mind and nervous system, individuation and innovation, turns retrograde only once a year. September 5, Uranus begins its annual retrograde passage, which often coincides with several days of feeling buzzy and wired, like we’ve had five cups of coffee, making it more challenging to stay grounded and focused.

Uranus will be retrograde until February 3, 2026, when it stations direct at 27º27’ Taurus. While retrograde in Gemini, Uranus induces us to reevaluate how we use information, social media, and technology. Two months later, Uranus slips back into Taurus one more time (November 7, 2025 to April 25, 2026), prodding us to reassess our values and relationship to money, resources, and the Earth itself. What matters most to us? How is low self-esteem holding us back? Where do we need to dare to be different?

The next full moon, which peaks on September 7 at 11:09 AM PDT at 16º Pisces-Virgo, is a total lunar eclipse, signaling that we have reached a crucial crossroad. The Sun, Moon, and Earth align more precisely during an eclipse, lasering the current sacred geometry of our solar system, galaxy, and beyond. What is calling for change in our lives? Where are we being pushed to take a leap of faith?

The Sun, Mercury, and South Node in Virgo highlight where we need to shift how we think of ourselves and the world, moving from self-disparagement and criticism to discernment and service, while the Moon, North Node, and Saturn in Pisces urge us to follow our north star, our soul desires and spiritual goals. Virgo advises us to concentrate on self-improvement and healing, be mindful of how we spend our time and energy and eliminate what detours and drains us. Pisces prompts us to remember that we are spirit masquerading in matter, at different stages in our spiritual journey, and to use our heart as our GPS. When integrated, we can perceive and trust our intuition, choose from love rather than guilt, shame, or fear, and realize that how we do things is as important as what we do.
Logic and inner knowing. Linear time and synchronicity. Classical physics and quantum mechanics. This eclipse impels us to integrate two very different lenses of perception.

In a fascinating article entitled Your Body's Hidden Technology: The Scalar Field Between Your Hands, Sayer Ji references scientific research as well as yogic technology which show how, when we put our palms together with intention, as “prayer hands, namaste, Añjali Mudrā, or gassho in Zen,” that facilitates unified states of consciousness, helps cancel disorganized electromagnetic patterns in the body resulting from stress, trauma, or disease, and returns the body to its original undistorted state. He also includes a simple practice to explore and experience this for ourselves. Read his informative and inspiring article here.

Lunar eclipses brighten the spotlight on shadow material — unconscious patterns, buried feelings, old fears. The Sun and Mercury near the South Node doubles the emphasis on releasing old patterns and programming before we can move forward. That, plus aspects from Venus, Jupiter, and Pluto to this eclipse may have us scraping the bottom of the karmic barrel, recognizing where core childhood wounds, past life residues, and/or generational trauma remain to be resolved. 

How we experience an eclipse depends on our level of awareness and how it activates our birth chart. Those with planetary placements or angles between 10-20º of Virgo, Pisces, Gemini, and Sagittarius will experience the strongest tailwinds for transformation. And for all of us, on September 7, 2006, there was a lunar eclipse at 15º00’ Pisces-Virgo, very close to the degree of this eclipse, activating similar themes and areas of our lives.

The Virgo-Pisces polarity reminds us that we are multidimensional beings, with constant interplay between our body and mind, feelings and spirit. Our body is the densest level of our being, and the last to clear. We can have processed issues on a spiritual, mental, and emotional levels, but may still need to rewire neural pathways and restore altered DNA. Healing those deep layers requires modalities which involve the physical body as well as the other levels of our being, such breath work, somatic therapy, expressive arts, and yoga, tai chi, or qigong. Time in nature also helps rewire our brain and nervous system, allowing us to regain a sense of safety and agency. 

While Virgo necessitates purification and purgation, integration and wholeness, Pisces invites us towards forgiveness and acceptance, compassion and empathy, both for ourselves and for others. The more we can forgive ourselves, the greater our capacity becomes for forgiving others. The Moon, Saturn, and North Node in Pisces counsel us that there are no mistakes, only learning to make different choices in the future, and that we are all works in progress, all at different stages of remembering who we really are.

The Serenity Prayer succinctly combines the spiritual goals of both Virgo and Pisces: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, the wisdom to know the difference.” For a helpful video with Hawaiian shaman Ramsay Taum on The Sacred Wisdom of Hoʻoponopono (a powerful healing process of repentance, forgiveness, gratitude, and love) click here.

The potential for profound healing and major shifts continues in the weeks following this eclipse.
All these galvanizing celestial alignments, along with the current state of the world, challenge us to stay in our hearts and out of fear
 
 

September Corn Moon - Lunar Eclipse September 7, 2025

2025 Leo Season: Let's Hear You Roar!

Yes, August starts out in the sign of Leo. Hot August Nights are perfectly compatible with Leo's energy. But, more than this.... it is a time for passionate expression.

Two major themes come up when we are in the astrological season of Leo: (1) Creativity, and (2) Romance.
 
The first theme has consumed me lately.  It is my current lack of creativity that has perplexed me. Along the way I have lost my creative expression. When I reflect on my youth, my activities involved creative projects: writing poems, dressing up with clothes in the attic and pretending I was a character from a fairy tale, and drawing pictures. I organized “play” with my neighborhood friends. Plus, my elementary school teachers brought out the artist in me. My second-grade teacher was an artist who quit her job to go to Italy. My fifth-grade teacher inspired me to write stories, and the best influence was my sixth-grade teacher, Mrs. Economou, who spent more time on art projects than academics.  (This was my impression as I was thrilled to escape into this creativity.)
 
Many Leo Sun, Moon, and Rising people who have graced my life have demonstrated their creativity, be it with music, performance art, and even to create an enterprising business. Leos are known for their self-expression through an artistic form. As a life-long educator, I know that creativity is the highest form of intelligence. Yet, this does not necessarily mean Art as we know it but bringing something new to the world. Einstein, a Pisces, created a whole new paradigm about how we view reality through quantum physics.
 
Sticking with the subject at hand, I want to continue describing the Leo Archetype.  Leo is the true “Sun” sign. Leo gets to be the King or Queen… the ruler. Leadership becomes natural for Leos.  Examples?  Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Fidel Castro, are a few. Also, Leo’s rule from the heart: passion. This leads to the other quality of Leo:  Romance.
 
People who have strong Leo in their chart, particularly, Venus in Leo must have romance in their lives.  Since Leos personalities deal with artistry and creative gifts, the world can be imagined as romantic and grand.  Leo is a fire sign (passion and expression) with a fixed modality (leaving a lasting structure or impression). Romanticism is a view of life that creates an escape from harsh reality. William Blake was a poet of the Romantic period in history when the industrial revolution brought about urban squalor and decay.  His quotes are romantically sublime: "Love is the only reality." "If a thing loves, it is infinite.”

The qualities of the Leo Archetype are seemingly diminished these days.  My question is: have we lost our creative urge and our passion for life and love?  Is Romance dead?  Yes, there are those who remain creative and inspire others. Yet, too many of us today “have lost that lovin’ feeling.” I am not sure what this “Age” is named, but it does not seem to be one that aligns itself with romance and creativity. Sigh.

I recently read an article in The Atlantic about how teens in the Gen Z generation have lost a valuable rite of passage by not having a romantic relationship. This would be boy meets girl, girl meets girl, and/or boy meets boy, or even a non- binary arrangement that deals with one teen falling in love with another. “Fewer teens (than ever) are getting into relationships”. (The Atlantic)  This gives me pause as I think of my childhood and my “boy-crazy” ways.  I worry that teens today have no clue how romance can enhance their lives. Why?  Teens may not learn how to foster deep emotional connections. Without having a variety of romantic relationships teens become adults who cannot differentiate between infatuation, love, and lust. Or may not successfully establish boundaries and understand consent. Then there is my personal favorite: having empathy and understanding of the “other” which comes from emotional connections. This may be lacking for some of today’s Gen Z-ers.
 
What has created this absence of romance as seen in the film: “Sixteen Candles?”  I think our digital age has separated teens from an authentic connection with a real person.  Perhaps social media has created a barrier in fostering emotional intimacy. Again, The Atlantic states: The young-love recession, in other words, might reflect a real shift in how comfortable Americans are, on the whole, with emotional intimacy. Generational researchers have described Gen Z as a cohort particularly concerned with security, averse to risk, and slow to trust—so it makes sense that a lot of teens today might be hesitant to throw themselves into a relationship.
 
Which brings me to my current plea:  BRING back ROMANCE.  I think instilling mystery and romance will also spark creativity.  I do not think being on a screen (laptop, smart phone, TV) will necessarily instill romance and creativity.  But finding ways to live and exist in the real world may foster this.  Taking walks in nature, keeping a pet, growing a plant, daydreaming, reading a book, listening to music, playing a musical instrument, doodling or drawing, dancing, or playing a sport.  I am sure there is more to add.  Bottom line: we all have some form of LEO in our astrological chart. There are twelve houses in everyone’s natal chart, even if we do not have a sun, moon, or planet in Leo, we have a house in our natal chart that rules Leo. This means.......
 
Everyone can be creative!  Think of the aspect of “play” that makes you forget time and effort. I believe we can improve our world and humanity through creative forces. Here is what Chat GPT stated about this subject:  What is Creativity? Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a Professor of Psychology and creativity researcher, notes that the term “creativity” originally meant:

1 “To bring into existence something genuinely new that is valued enough to be added to the culture.” Quantum physicist Amit Goswami offers his definition of creativity as “the creation of something new in an entirely new context; newness of the context is the key.”
 
2 Humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers adds another layer to this view by defining the creative
process as “The emergence in action of a novel relational product, growing out of the
uniqueness of the individual on the one hand, and the materials, events, people, or
circumstances of his life on the other.”
 
3 Psychologists like Rogers and Abraham Maslow invested a lot of time on the topic of
creativity because they found that it was an important marker for positive mental health.
 
4 That is, creativity is everyone's birthright.

Whether you identify with romance or creativity as a force to save our humanity, I invite you to spend some time thinking of yourself as an artist. In The Artist Way, Julia Cameron notes that when we are creating, we create meaning in our lives. When we are creating, we may be channeling divinity into our human existence.  Furthermore, “The heart of creativity is an experience of the mystical union; the heart of the mystical union is an experience of creativity.”
― Julia Cameron, The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity
 
Go out and ROAR!  Love with a fierceness that defies hate. Createa better world for all.

2025 New Year Message

As Nobel laureate Ilya Prigogine reminds us: “Small islands of coherence in a sea of chaos have the capacity to lift the entire system to a higher order.”
 
For decades I have studied the field of astrology.  Over the years, I have not widened my circle of clients to any extent, but this year, my focus is to broaden and deepen the scope of my message.  My request to those of you reading this message is this: please consider sharing with others so we may work together in the coming days, weeks, months, and years to create a world that works for all, that benefits all humanity and sentient beings; yes, including the air we breathe, the water we consume, and the earth that provides sustenance.  May we find answers and guidance to remove the toxicity that seeps into all levels of existence. Instead, may we know how we are all connected. May we allow love to rule the day.

Why astrology?  Ironically, Einstein’s theories of relativity bring an understanding of a quantum field, an energy, a force that exists in all things.  Perhaps we are in a divine dance with universal forces in the cosmos. Astrology and its language allow us to see and experience a higher consciousness. The archetypes in the language of astrology describes our existence via patterns, metaphors, and Kairos time.  While I am certain, Martin Luther King, Jr. was not influenced by astrology, he believed in the existence of a spiritual world. He stated: I am convinced that the universe is under the control of a loving purpose. And that in the struggle for righteousness man has cosmic companionship. Behind the harsh appearance of the world there is a benign power.
 
I welcome this New Year 2025 and those who develop their small island(s) of coherence in a confusing world.  May we join via digital and in-person communities to bring together light and love. May you find a safe place within this space here:       www.soulpath-astrology.com.
 
Rather than provided an overview and forecast of 2025, I want to provide a current snapshot of astrological events in this first Soulpath-Astrology message of the year. (See below)
 
My intention is to build a community to share experiences and ideas.  I am working on developing a platform to do this. 

Meanwhile, I am offering modest memberships for those who want to connect with me one-on-one monthly or on a quarterly basis to receive astrological and/or intuitive guidance. Send me an email (cbasen@sbcglobal.net) or text (925.899.6510) to set this up.  I look forward to an enchanting and engaging year with all of you.  None of us should sit on the sidelines and watch but jump into the fray.   Yipee!

Rather than New Years Resolutions, try reflecting on the questions posed below or go into an inquiry that can support your soul's evolution.  I believe we all benefit during this year, 2025 by "Remembering, Recovering, Releasing, and Restoring.
 
 
Words from Lorna Bevan, astrologer:
 
” Nothing ever goes away until it teaches us what we need to know”. PemaChodron

SOUL MINING OR SCAPEGOATING?

As Mars retrogrades opposite Pluto in Aquarius throughout January until February 23, we are all blundering through a minefield of our own and others’ unhealed wounds, old scars and painful sensitivities, setting off hidden trip wires of all kinds. Between January 6 - February 24 2025 Mars will Retrograde in Cancer, reawakening old dysfunctional family patterns and early primal wounding.

The T-square between retrograde Mars, Pluto and Eris-the Discomforting Other, the Alien, the outsider- makes it all too easy to look for enemies everywhere – to look anywhere but at your own part in polarized “Us versus Them” scenarios.
Expect to see a doubling down on the culturally encouraged trance of scapegoating, blame and finger-pointing -the usual kneejerk response to avoiding looking closely at our own wounds.

Life is not a spectator sport, and we can’t stand on the sidelines and participate from a distance. Something a lot more intimate, more creative, and alchemical is being asked of us right now- a process of Soul Mining, making the wounding conscious.

• how would you describe your emotional world, your sense of internal security and your most reactive defenses?

• what would extending compassion for your tender vulnerable self actually look and feel like?

• how can you protect your heart without acting defensively?

• your moodiness has a message worth investigating-what might it be?

• what truth is your passive aggression afraid to express outright?

 
(Recommended as an excellent Resource: “A Healing Space: Befriending Ourselves in Difficult Times” by Matt Licata)

2024 October 2nd Libra Solar Eclipse

Most of you may know about my personal astrology make-up.  Yes, I am an Aquarius Sun Sign. Aquarius rules the realm of astrology, so I feel quite comfortable with the work I do in this field. Actually, this study has been my passion for a long time.
 
Aquarius is a transpersonal sign and represents the higher octave of Mercury, the communicator.  Aquarius Sun people may receive ideas and communication from unusual sources.  This may come in the form of intuition and out-of-the-box thinking.   Speaking of thinking, the world of Artificial Intelligence is not only the wave of the future, but also here now. Thus, this newsletter will experiment with Artificial Intelligence in bringing you this month’s astrology news.  Yes, even I have mixed feelings about AI, but I confess I have tried ChatGPT and have marveled at the results. I asked ChatGPT this question:  “What astrological message will the October 2nd Solar Eclipse in Libra portend?” Here is the answer:
 
The solar eclipse in Libra on October 2, 2024, will carry significant astrological themes, especially given that Libra is a sign associated with balance, relationships, fairness, and beauty. Solar eclipses are powerful times for new beginnings and setting intentions, often triggering changes or important shifts in life. The energy of Libra will particularly influence themes around partnerships, diplomacy, justice, and aesthetics.
 
Here are key messages and potential portents of this Libra eclipse:
 
### 1. **Focus on Relationships and Partnerships**
   - Since Libra rules relationships, this eclipse could trigger new developments in partnerships, whether romantic, business, or personal. Existing relationships may go through transformations, bringing issues of equality and balance to the forefront. It could be a time to reflect on how mutual respect and fairness are playing out in your connections.
 
### 2. **Balancing Personal Needs vs. Others' Needs**
   - Libra seeks harmony, but sometimes at the cost of individual desires. This eclipse may present challenges or opportunities to strike a better balance between your needs and the needs of those around you. You may feel called to reevaluate situations where you're compromising too much or where you're not considering others enough.
 
### 3. **Justice, Fairness, and Diplomacy**
   - Libra is also linked to justice, legal matters, and fairness. This solar eclipse may shine a light on issues of fairness and equity, whether in personal relationships or broader societal matters. On a collective level, legal matters or themes of social justice may come to the forefront. It's a good time to consider how you advocate for fairness and equity in your own life and community.
 
### 4. **Aesthetic and Creative New Beginnings**
   - Libra is ruled by Venus, the planet of beauty and creativity. This eclipse may inspire new beginnings related to aesthetics, art, design, or personal appearance. It could also be a time to redefine your relationship with beauty and how it influences your surroundings and self-expression.
 
### 5. **Decision-Making and Indecisiveness**
   - Libra is often associated with weighing options and making decisions, sometimes to the point of indecisiveness. This eclipse might push you to make long-overdue decisions, especially in areas of life that have felt stuck or uncertain. It may encourage you to trust your judgment and take action.
 
### 6. **Shadow Work in Relationships**
   - Solar eclipses can also be a time when hidden truths come to light. In Libra, this may mean unearthing unresolved conflicts or issues within relationships that need healing. It’s a powerful moment to face any discomfort around confrontation or people-pleasing tendencies in order to move toward healthier dynamics.
 
### 7. **Impact on Cardinal Signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn)**
   - Those with significant placements in cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn) may feel the effects of this eclipse more intensely. These signs will be pushed toward new beginnings, shifts, and transformations in areas of life tied to relationships, personal identity, home, and career.
 
Overall, the October 2, 2024, solar eclipse in Libra will emphasize balance, fairness, and relationship dynamics, offering a time of reflection and new growth in these areas. It is a powerful time to set intentions for greater harmony and equity in both personal and collective spaces.
 
Okay, this is an accurate description of the issues that may rise for this Solar Eclipse in the sign of Libra.  My job is done here. 
 
 Well, maybe not.  For me there is a mystical side to astrological events.  Solar Eclipses regardless of the sign can speak to new beginnings and endings.  I know that each month we have a new moon, or a dark moon when the Sun and Moon are in the same astrology sign and same degrees.  A solar eclipse is a “super” moon that intensifies the energy of this celestial event. I find that I can receive transcendent information, almost as if the Universe is speaking to me directly during super moons. 
 
October 2nd marks the end to this Eclipses on the Aries/Libra axis.  It will be approximately 18 or more years until be start another similar cycle. For today,  I ask that we look at six months ago at the April 8th Total Lunar Eclipse (Aries Sun/Libra Moon) that brought powerful energies of release and regeneration to the fore.  What has occurred in your life these last six months? If you are an Aries Sun, Moon, Rising or have strong Libra in your natal chart you may have experienced changes in your personal and professional relationships. 
 
Yes, Libra is the astrological sign that deals with relationships. The planet Venus rules aspects of our interactions with others.  Aries represents – Self and the concept of I AM, Libra represents the “others” in our lives. Libra is the sign of the scales denoting a response to fairness, justice, and balance.  Many Libra Sun and Moon people are particular concerned with their involvement in relationships and can even mold their lives to conform with a significant other. 

My question to you is:  are your relationships reciprocal and balanced? 
 
Stephanie Austin, astrologer poses: All relationships are mirrors and pathways to wholeness, enabling us to recover and express aspects of ourselves that have been unconscious or unintegrated. Relationships can also help us heal old wounds and recover essential parts of ourselves. The old adage of “opposites attract” reflects this truth, that we are drawn to people with qualities we wish to have ourselves and are repelled by those who reflect aspects of our shadow. Extroverts magnetize introverts, scientists are intrigued by artists, Peter Pans gravitate to a Wendy. Whether we are currently coupled or looking for a partner, this new moon/solar eclipse illuminates where we have projected out an important part of ourself, and what we are ready to reclaim, redeem, or release. 
 
I ask that you look for insights in the next days and weeks to see the state of your relationships. 
 
Stephanie Austin shares the thoughts of Aletheia Luna, in her article Soul Ties: 5 Types and How to Break Negative Connections, describes how feeling a deep, soul kinship with someone can help us move forward on our path, but sometimes can keep us trapped in limiting patterns. She outlines five types of soul ties: karmic relationships which are designed to help us learn essential life lessons, soul friends who share the same values, goals and dreams, soul teachers who mirror our unrealized potential, soulmates who come in many forms, and soul mirrors who challenge us to integrate our opposite side. She offers 8 negative signs to watch out for: feeling drained instead of energized, having our happiness dependent on how happy they are, frequent, dramatic swings from positive to negative interactions, disrespect for our needs, not being allowed to have other connections, feeling anxious or empty without them, letting them define who we are, and feeling unhappy about yourself after spending time with them. She also explains five ways to break negative soul tie connections. To read her empowering article, as well as many other excellent articles on spirituality, click here.    
 
This newsletter is dedicated to this lone celestial event: this Solar Eclipse.  For me, eclipses have remained benchmarks in my life to note my own soul’s journey.  Thus, this month I will offer personal readings on the effects of this eclipse and the coming new cycle in Pisces/Virgo (from Aries/Libra).  Together we can examine the role of relationships in your life. 
 
 
This eclipse is a time to reflect on your relationship dynamics:
• _are you overly co-dependent? or overly independent?
• _check your boundaries - are they too porous or too strong?
• _are your closest relationships Win-Win?
• _how well do you negotiate conflict?
 
 
Feel free to contact me for a reading as your thought partner.  Cathy.basen@gmail.com, Text: (925) 899-6510. 
 

2024 Spring Equinox, Libra Lunar Eclipse, and Aries Solar Eclipse

Spring Equinox, Ramadan, Full Moon Lunar Eclipse, Holi Hindu festival, Easter Sunday, New Moon Solar Eclipse, and Passover come during the shift from one season to another. Currently, it is high holy days of many cultures and religions around the world.  Every year there appears to be a synergy between astrological events and religious holidays.  However, this year there is an intensity to the energies that seem to propel and even compel many of us to take notice, reflect, and take stock of our lives.

I have written this post on Good Friday, the Christian holy day of remembrance of the crucifixion of the Christ figure. To broaden the symbolism and meaning of today, one may liken this day to the experience of the Dark Night of the Soul.  Personally, and collectively, we may be grappling with fears and worries that our future is bleak. Thus, it may serve us at this time to sit in the darkness and investigate our beliefs, our errors in thinking, the unacknowledged aspects of our personas that cause us and others harm.  Mystics in many traditions have described the dark night of the soul as one of finding ourselves in a state of meaninglessness. One may feel that nothing has meaning and that we are adrift in the ocean of despair. Yet, this state which feels like we are in limbo can bring us to a new awareness and an emergence into a transformed state of consciousness.  How do we shift from this dark state to an awakened state?  We do this by surrendering and becoming detached from our human perceptions and labels.

Using the metaphor of a butterfly, I want to remind us that we all go through periods of metamorphosis. First, there is the caterpillar stage that evolves into a second stage of the cocoon of unknowing, where it is dark and gooey to enter the last bodily stage: to transform into a butterfly.  The caterpillar could not fly but in surrendering to the natural process of its life, it becomes a different entity with a new perspective from its ability to fly.  I am ever hopeful that humanity is going through a metamorphosis of radical change. Perhaps we will emerge from the darkness to evolve into transcendent beings that remember their divinity.

From the Dark Night of the Soul to the Resurrection.  The Easter weekend brings us the realization of metamorphosis, of renewal, and rebirth. Whether Christian or atheist, religious or spiritual, we can share the common collective force of change and shift in consciousness.

This brings me to the significant astrological, even astronomical, events that have been occurring this Spring (Fall in the Southern hemisphere).  Powerful eclipses are creating opportunities for change that will shift our understanding of ourselves and others.

Eclipses signal major crossroads or turning points, which summon us to take a big step forward in our spiritual journey. They occur in seasons, with 2-3 eclipses forming every six months, and always take place close to the Lunar Nodes, where the orbits of the Sun, Moon, and Earth intersect, representing the convergence of Spirit, Soul, and Matter. These power times are often marked by core issues coming to the fore, challenging us to heal and release, change, and grow.

The first of four eclipses this year occurred on March 25 at 12:01 AM PDT. This was the Libra Full Moon Lunar Eclipse.  All lunar eclipses illuminate what’s been hidden in the shadows of our awareness, and activate our emotional body, making it easier to recognize unconscious patterns and release old programming. We may feel more easily triggered as buried emotions and fears rise to the surface. Our experience of an eclipse depends on how it activates our birth chart, and on our level of consciousness.

Stephanie Austin shares that “This eclipse formed at 5º Libra-Aries, highlighting how the quality of our relationships depend on the depth of our self-love. The more fully we are able to accept ourselves, the more easily we can tolerate and appreciate differences. The more we can forgive our own mistakes, flaws, and failures, the more empathy and compassion we are able to extend to others. The more deeply honest we are with ourselves, the more truthful we can be with everyone. The more we have healed our childhood wounding, the more we experience peaceful, supportive, and mutually beneficial relationships in all areas of our lives.”

This full moon/lunar eclipse reminds us that: “… As you look around at what’s going on in your world and in your personal life, you can find all the opportunities that you could ever want to show up, to radiate love, to send healing and peace to where it is needed… it seems like a tall order, but if you were not up for it, you would not have chosen to incarnate on Earth at this time… The amount of kindness, love and compassion you show to your fellow humans determines how awake you are. It is not about what you know intellectually. It is not about having inside information about what’s really going on with the government and the cabal groups. It is about showing up as the light in the face of all darkness that is there on planet Earth at this time. It is about what you feel and what you do about what you feel. So we recommend spending more time focusing on how you feel and on what is needed out there in the world around you. That is the best way for you to know yourselves as the beings of love and light that you truly are.” (The 9D Arcturian Council via Daniel Scranton; full message available here)

Eclipses hold the power to alter the course of your life. They are portals of fast transformation that usher in periods of endings and new beginnings. It’s an exciting, yet volatile time!

The Lunar Eclipse at 5 degrees Libra & the Solar Eclipse at 19 degrees Aries on April 8thwill have particular significance for those with planets in cardinal signs around the same degrees in: Aries, Cancer, Libra, or Capricorn – but everyone’s lives will be touched by this energy. This eclipse pairing initiates a fresh eclipse cycle on the Aries-Libra axis, marking a shift from the previous Taurus-Scorpio cycle since November 2021. This is also the first Libra-Aries Eclipse portal since 2005. Significant beginnings and endings will unfold in the areas of your chart where Aries and Libra reside. And just in case you’re wondering, YES you have Aries and Libra in your chart regardless of if you have planets there.

The last time we experienced eclipses on this axis was between December 2004 and June 2006. Reflect on that period for additional insight on the potential themes reemerging now.

Why is this Eclipse Cycle a BIG DEAL?

💥 First, the Aries Eclipse on April 8 will be

FULLY VISIBLE across the United States (and

a bit into Canada)... and is creating a a very

distinct shape with the last Total Solar Eclipse

of 2017… this can’t just be a coincidence right?

💥 There hasn't been a Libra-Aries eclipse

portal like this since…2005! 🤯A 19-year cycle

is closing and another 19-year one is starting…

💥 Four planets, plus the North Node and

Chiron, will be in Aries, bringing an

abundance of FIRE power, and demanding

action.

💥 Chiron’s tight conjunction to the Aries Solar

Eclipse is sensitive – it will illuminate deep

wounds asking to be healed and call out

your inner leader and mentor.

💥 Saturn will be conjunct Venus during the

Libra Lunar Eclipse and Mars during the Aries

Solar Eclipse asking you to do the work.

💥 And if that wasn’t enough, Mercury will be

retrograde, countering the fiery Aries energy

with a pull to slow down and move inward.

Plus, it's the Astrological New Year — this

portal colors your entire year ahead, so

engaging in it with awareness, intention and

purpose is key!

 To recap: the March 24 Lunar Eclipse may have prompted some intense emotions.  I remember an astrologer talking about lunar eclipses as “emotional roto-rooters” dredging up uncomfortable feelings.  I do advise any of us experiencing negative emotions linked to painful experiences to face these.  This particular lunar eclipse has the potential of revealing the conflict we have between service to our self needs and service to the needs of others.  Libra is the sign of balance and I believe it is important to bring the scale of our lives in harmony with love of self and love of others.  One cannot have one without the other.  We need to recognize the karmic lessons of relationships. 

 The Aries Solar Eclipse on April 8th is a very different Energy. In Aries, nothing is subtle. On this date we have the Sun, Moon, Mercury, the Lunar Nodes, and Chiron all in the sign of Aries, the fiery warrior archetype. Eros comes from the archetype of Aries.  When the Sun and Moon are conjoined with Chiron in Aries there is passion and energetic volatility that is felt both personally and collectively.  This Solar Eclipse represents new beginnings and forging new paths.  At the same time, we may be witnessing endings by leaving behind what no longer serves us.  One astrologer recommended creating a Compost Map (opposite of a Treasure Map) to create images that represent what we are willing to let go, to no longer keep, and no longer “Be”.  To repeat, prepare for potential endings during the solar eclipse, as it may pave the way for the dynamic, passionate energies fresh starts of Aries to take root. This is why it recommended to use this space and time between eclipses (considered as a limbo period perhaps?) to start off with practices of composting so there is space to activate a new potential within.

This is a major time in the history of humanity, and I want you to know your important part.  Please consider receiving an intuitive and/or astrology reading to learn more. The light and love you bring heals all of us.  Namaste!

“The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is love, the fruit of love is service, and the fruit of service is peace.” 

cathy.basen@gmail.com

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2024

How has this New Year evolved for you so far?  Confusing?  Disturbing? Or satisfying? The sky is the limit to our individual experiences. However, I offer this New Year’s newsletter guidance to discuss what is happening to the greater whole of humanity.  For me, I am feeling extraordinarily stimulated, sometimes perplexed, but at times enchanted with the world these days.

Years ago, a musical arrived on the scene: HAIR!  This was a production dedicated to the radical Sixties and the generation born into this era. Also folks who were coming into their adulthood.  One of the song lyrics: “This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius……”  excited me.   I was one of the baby boomers who was touched by this song and the message of this musical.  To me, it spoke to the possibilities of a new age with greater equality, freedom, and a world that worked for everyone. Yet, astrologers would say that the 1960’s did not open to the Age of Aquarius but was influenced by the astrological transits of this time with Uranus and Pluto connecting and breaking open new thoughts and shifting paradigms.  It was a majorly mystical decade with psychedelic drugs opening some folks to new psychic experiences along with political, and social movements challenging the patriarchy and the status quo.  New scientific concepts and the quantum world were being revealed to the world. 

For those of you unfamiliar with that concept of the Age of Aquarius, here is a super quick rundown. Every astrological age lasts about 2,160 years. Each age has the qualities of that sign. For example, the age of Pisces was largely governed by religion, as we saw with the popularity of Christianity for example.

In the year 2160 it shifts to Aquarius.

Uranus is the ruler of the sign of Aquarius.  In the mid-1960’s Uranus was not in its home sign of Aquarius, but due the conjunction of two major transpersonal signs, Uranus and Pluto in Virgo, it felt like Aquarius energy churning across the world. Major shifts in viewpoints and expressions occurred.  Uranus signals change with breakthroughs and upheavals. When this planet travels close to Pluto, the political, social, and economic systems can be destroyed, and new realizations established.    Upheaval, change, and new creations can take hold.

Why discuss the 1960’s and the radicalism that occurred (not to mention the explosion of new music brought out by the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead, and the following music of the Doors and Jimi Hendrix)?  Because we are currently on the eve of another shift into strong Aquarian energy with Pluto leaving the sign of Capricorn and moving into the sign of Aquarius.  This occurred in March 2023 for a few months, and now it settles in for a longer term of 20 years.  With the brief retrograde back into Capricorn in September 2024, Pluto in Aquarius is present until 2043.   Yikes!! 

Every year our Sun travels through the twelve constellations that represent archetypal energies as described in the field of astrology.   On or around January 20th our Sun travels through the constellation of Aquarius and stays until the 19th or 20th of February.  Aquarius is the sign that represents the Water Carrier.  Aquarius is not a water sign, but an air or a mental sign.  It speaks to an awakened mind and collective consciousness.   The water carrier symbolizes the nourishing of the Earth and humanity through enlightened thoughts. 

On Saturday, January 21st Pluto shifted to the sign of Aquarius.  Yet to understand the significance of Pluto in Aquarius, we need to understand the influence of this dwarf planet on the psyche of humanity.  Pluto is perhaps the strongest astrological force.   While the planet Pluto is furthest away most times from the Sun in our solar system, it has the force of nuclear power.  I find it interesting that the movie “Oppenheimer” came out in 2023 when Pluto was in its last degrees of Capricorn. In this sign, Pluto influenced the fiscal crisis of 2008, the rise of fascist, reactionary political forces, and current wars in Ukraine and Palestine/Israel. The invention of atomic bomb and its power has changed how we view our existence, particularly when we can destroy the world.  Carolyn Myss, a mystical intuitive healer, spoke in a lecture (All the Power You Cannot See) that the nuclear age created a collective fear that human existence is at peril of extinction. 

Pluto can represent our soul’s evolution and our karmic inheritance.  On the collective level, Pluto can create deep cycles of birth, death, and rebirth.  Pluto can reveal the deep shadow of our collective psyche of greed, hate, and other negative forces so we may bring light to reveal these hidden parts. Pluto’s key aim is to kill off what no longer serves our highest good.  Thus, if we stick to the same negative patterns of behavior or continue institutions that do not serve all aspects of humanity, we may find decay, desolation, and destruction.  The positive aspect is the rebirth part. There is the potential to create something that elevates humanity out of the ashes of destruction.

This is the hope of the mythical Age of Aquarius that Pluto entering this sign may provide.  Stephanie Austin in her astrology news states: As Pluto moves through Aquarius for the next 20 years, how we use science and technology, how we determine social norms, and most importantly, how we define our humanity, take front stage. At its best, Pluto in Aquarius supports breakthroughs and quantum leaps in science, medicine, and technology, as well as radical transformation through egalitarian, grassroots movements, replacing competition and polarization with collaboration and unity.

However, as stated above, we can be exposed to the shadow side of Pluto as we witness negative events: Pluto’s transit through a sign reveals both the power and the shadow side of that sign. In Capricorn, Pluto has starkly exposed the consequences of worshipping “the almighty dollar,” the rise of corporatocracy, and the global ramifications of humanity’s disconnection and domination of Nature Without a healthy, internalized sense of authority, sovereignty, and responsibility developed in Capricorn, we succumb to the dark side of Aquarius, creating dystopia rather than utopia. We become hypnotized, addicted, and fragmented into blind conformity, dehumanization, and technocracy. Pluto inAquarius will challenge us to deal with what divides us from others, whether that involves gender, class, race, religion, culture, nationality, or other demarcations. It will impel us to address the shadow side and misuse of power in groups, social movements, and technology. (Austin)

The last time Pluto passed through Aquarius was between 1777 and 1798, an epoch that coincided with the French and American revolutions. While history never repeats itself exactly, we can expect dizzying technological advancements, climate crises, and social shifts to alter the world as we know it. With Pluto in and out of Aquarius until 2044, the responsibility falls to us to create new worlds in a time of old paradigms collapsing. There’s no denying this is a big deal, coming at a time when collective humanity seems at the crossroads of two distinctly different directions: the potential to evolve into a connected and compassionate global community, or engage in mutual assured destruction. 

Okay, I did not necessarily intend to send off my first newsletter and blog of 2024 with such a strong message, but the more I ruminated about the events going on globally for the last several months, I felt it necessary to speak to the state of the world through an astrological lens.

We can expect 2024 to bring other astro/cosmic forces besides Pluto to expand, to heal, to invite, and to change the landscape of our lives. These astrological events not discussed in this blog post will be mentioned and explained in future postings coming to your inbox more frequently than the past year. 

For me, the ingress of Pluto into Aquarius has great personal meaning as this planet is now sitting on my Midheaven in my natal chart.  Being born on February 2nd at 11:50 a.m. (during the dark ages), my Taurus on the ascendant (my Rising sign) situates Aquarius at zero degrees at the top/apex point of my chart.  What this can mean for me is the potential for a great transformation for my public persona whether my career or appearance to the world. This transit on my Midheaven through my tenth house of career may my work to establish a transformational community platform.  Since Aquarius rules astrology, I may find my individual work as an astrologer to evolve within a larger community in the coming years.  My work is this field already has served to connect me to many kindred-souls awakened to their divine potential to heal, to teach, to share inspiration to make this world a place that serves the highest good of all.  Yes, that would be you, dear reader.  Whenever, I conduct an intuitive reading, I feel a unity, a shared feeling of love.  Thus, I hope I can continue to serve as a resource for your own quest in life, and to be able to illuminate all the possibilities life has in store for you. 

In honor of January 25th’s first full Moon – The Leo Full Moon, may we all take time to remember our gifts and talents that we can share with the world.   Leo is THE Sun sign and represents the light we can shine through our individual “Suns”.
 

October 2023: The Eclipse Season is Here!

 
I think we all have a favorite season; for me, it is Autumn.  Of course, I prefer to be in other parts of the United States, like my hometown of Cleveland or the Northeast, to get the full experience of the changing landscape.  I remember when I was in a small airplane flying out of New Jersey to visit my daughter in Cornell, New York.  I was awestruck flying over the Catskills region of New York and seeing the riot (yes, riot) of colors from green to gold, yellow, orange, and the reds of the leaves. I am not as fortunate to see the variety of colors here in Los Angeles. We do not have as many deciduous trees. 
 
Yet, I can bring the images of these past experiences of Fall along with the striking visions and sense-inducing memories.  Also, the symbols of this season seemingly represent phases of our lives. I appreciate the gifts of this particular phase of my life: the ability to harvest the riches of my past and offer my gifts as an elder to my family, my friends, and my community.  Thus, I ask you today: What have you harvested this year or at this point? 
 
I have studied and practiced my skills as an astrologer for decades, and this discipline has offered me insights into my gifts and challenges in life.  During significant astrological events, I have experienced a shift in my perceptions and consciousness.  There are “seasons” in astrology. Each equinox, solstice, and eclipse brings potential shifts.  For example, astrologers start the zodiacal year when Aries ingresses at zero degrees.  This corresponds to the first day of Spring. 

Recently, September 23 marked the ingress of Libra at zero degrees. We are currently in the Autumn of our year.  The image of the scales represents Libra.  It is time to bring your life into balance.  Libra corresponds with the energy of peace and harmony.  This is a much-needed force currently needed in areas of extreme violence and conflict.  Thus, prayers for peace are my offering these days.  Hopefully, those of you reading this newsletter will join me in a collective effort to bring universal peace to our time. 

Tomorrow, October 14th, we will experience a powerful solar eclipse (new moon) in Libra at 21 degrees.  Eclipses have the potential to shift individual and collective consciousness. For those of you with Libra, Aries, Capricorn, Cancer Suns, Moons, and Ascendents, these astrological signs may find an opportunity to anchor your intentions and create new beginnings.  We all have a powerful opportunity to focus on areas of our lives we want to improve or enhance.  Libra speaks to our relationships with the “others” in our lives. It begs the question: where do we want to strengthen our connections with others or find greater fulfillment within our social and professional relationships?  This solar eclipse in Libra allows us to find clarity and evoke harmony in this aspect of our lives.  Also, be prepared to see a collective shift worldwide to strive for peace and harmony.
 
For further illumination and understanding of this October 14th eclipse, please read Stephanie Austin’s thoughts on this astrological event.
 
“Just as there are power places, where shifts in consciousness happen more easily, there are also power times, where major changes in our lives transpire more rapidly. The next few weeks offer several power times — a solar eclipse on October 14 and a lunar eclipse on October 28. Eclipses occur close to the Lunar Nodes, the points in space where the orbits of the Sun (Spirit), Moon (Soul), and Earth (Matter) intersect. The Lunar Nodes are the only aspects in astrology which move primarily retrograde, representing the unwinding of samskaras, old karmic patterns, and the evolutionary journey from separation to unity."

Solar eclipses are extra-powerful new moons, signaling a time of major endings and beginnings. They impel us to pause and check our spiritual compass — to reflect on where we are now, remember where we are headed, and determine if we need to change course. During a solar eclipse, the Moon momentarily blocks the normal flow of solar radiation, destabilizing existing matrices, altering neural pathways, and enabling consciousness to reboot, recalibrate, and reorganize at a higher level.

"Eclipses occur close to the same degree every 19 years, marking the conclusion of a major phase of development and the necessity to go to the next level. The more closely an eclipse aspects a planet or angle in our birth chart, the stronger we feel the impetus for transformation. On October 14, 2004, a solar eclipse occurred at 21º06’ Libra, only one second of arc from this one at 21º07’ Libra. What was important back then? What is coming to completion now? Where are we being called to go to the next level?”

Because the sign of Libra speaks to the aspect of relationships in our lives, this eclipse acknowledges that: ……”life is about relationship — how we relate to ourselves, to others, and to the world around us, and that everything outside of us is also inside us, an echo of the ancient Hermetic principle, "As above, so below, as without, so within.” This expanded perception of relationship and interconnectedness is expressed in the African philosophy of Ubuntu, in the Mayan greeting In Lak’ech Ala K’in, in the Sanskrit Namaste, and in the Lakota Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ as All My Relations. Perceiving our interrelationship with all life in this way enables us to truly know one another, to know ourselves more deeply, and to realize our place in the universe.” (Stephanie Austin)

As I write my final thoughts, please note that for those who want to look at a personal forecast of your Sun and Rising sign, refer to the last part of this newsletter.
 
This is a powerful time to receive a reading to look at the specific transits and the effects of this eclipse cycle.  Please feel free to contact me to book a reading.  
 
Namaste,
 
Anauel, Angel of Unity Consciousness

Summer Solstice 2022

There is a magic with the shift of seasons: Winter to Spring to Summer then Fall. There seems to be a distinct shift in energy initiating some movement. Thus, we find that the seeds of ideas planted during the Winter Solstice, and noted in Spring, can now, with the ingress of Summer, produce the fruits of our planting. Astrology is in sync with the turn of the seasons.  Each cardinal sign in the zodiac marks the initiation of a new season:  around the 21st of March we greet the new zodiacal year with the beginning of Aries and the Spring Equinox; then we find that the beginning of Cancer each year on June 21st marks the start of our summer season.  Autumn comes around September 21st with the ingress of Libra, and finally, the Winter Solstice comes with the shift to zero degrees of Capricorn on 12/21.
 
Today, June 21st marks the halfway point of our yearly seasonal journey.  It is a perfect time to look at the fruits of our efforts and reflect on our lives.  Yes, the summer gives one a feeling of expansion and growth, but in many ways, it is a time to go inward to take inventory of our accomplishments and seek wisdom from our inner voice. 
 
Summer starts with the sign of Cancer, the sensitive and intuitive water sign that represents a dynamic cardinal movement that involves searching for a true home and belonging. The traditional house of Cancer in the astrological wheel is in the fourth house at the bottom of the natal chart.  This place represents one’s connection to the past, our ancestral heritage, the family, and clan, but most of all, each person’s soul yearnings.  The fourth house represents the midnight part of the chart, where we are guided by the Moon and our intuition.  The archetype of the divine feminine describes this sign.
 
I invite you to think about your accomplishments from the Winter Solstice and reflect on what needs more love and attention.  On this day, June 21st, 2022, state your intention to nurture your divine purpose and soul needs.  Use your intuitive knowing to go within and find the answers you seek to transform your life.
 
We are entering a time of profound healing and spiritual evolution.  However, currently, we have a choice to take one path or another:
 
Choice Point - The point at which transitions split into multiple, mutually exclusive branches, each terminating at a different destination state.  As the separation of worlds physically widens between the Devolving Descending and Evolving Ascending, your choices matter. Everything Counts!!

Growing new life out of division

I believe that paying attention to a bigger picture, one that astrological transits can help to form a cosmic perception, means one can put the current seemingly retrogressive steps backwards into the dark ages - war, political division, threats to personal liberties, financial, food and climate crisis - into perspective. Meaning brings hope.
 
 Let us look at the Big Picture:
 
When Pluto entered the sign of Capricorn in November 2008, the Great Eliminator began to expose all that was false, covert and hidden, within ourselves, within organizations, institutions, mega-corporations, governments.

Fourteen years on and we find ourselves in the death throes of authoritarian darkness, which now seeks to eradicate the collective soul. But Pluto is transpersonal - far bigger than any human power games - and utterly relentless - the birth of the new will not be thwarted. These last two years of Pluto in Capricorn are bringing out the worst of the worst of the patriarchal freaking out, violence, coup attempts, dictator meltdowns, and rage against all of it.
 
This is the endgame phase of the very necessary Separation of Worlds.
 
Pluto’s entry into Aquarius, which begins in 2023, heralds the winds of change that will lead to whole- scale transformation. In February 2023, Pluto activates the Anaretic Degree aka the Fate Degree – 29° to 29°59’59” - of Capricorn and prepares to move into Aquarius until 2043 with a new evolutionary remit. This window of time - February 2023 to November 2024 - is the beginning of the end of the overriding controlling force that has ruled humanity for millennia. In its wake, Pluto’s legacy will be the final crumbling of the dark agenda.
 
Consider the powerful Winter Solstice of December 21, 2021.  We began a new 26,000 Galactic Cycle. Our Galactic Center of our Milky Way is ruled by the sign of Sagittarius, the archetype of belief systems, spiritual wisdom which promotes faith and hope.  Thus, we are building new levels of trust that we will enter a new world of harmony and unity.  Today’s Summer Solstice allows us to illuminate this six-month journey and plan for the rest of 2022 and onward.  What path are you taking?
 
Saturn retrograde in Aquarius June 4 through October 23rd.
 
On a personal note:  As an Aquarius Sun, I look to the future with hope in my heart.  When Pluto ingresses into the sign of Aquarius, I might just do a happy dance.  Of course, getting to that point will require that I continue to do the hard work of looking at my own karmic lessons.  I believe that Saturn, currently in the sign of Aquarius, is providing the tests for me to look at my life and how I have learned (or not) lessons that I agreed to work on this lifetime.  So far, the last many months have challenged my own life path as an Aquarian.  I have faced health, relationship, and financial challenges that provide “reality checks” to keep me on track.  For instance, on June 2, I went in for elective, outpatient surgery to correct issues I have had with my throat since dealing with thyroid cancer in 2016. My surgery went well except for the fact that my heart went into AFib and I was admitted into the hospital so that my heart could return to normal sinus rhythm.  I now have my very own cardiologist who will support my “heart” recovery.  Interesting that my natal Saturn is in LEO, the sign of the heart.  With the transiting Saturn in the sky in Aquarius passing over my SUN sign and opposite my natal SATURN in Leo, I truly believe the message for me is to become more heart centered.  One of my karmic lessons is to get out of my head (Aquarius Sun)  and into my heart, by way of my VOICE (throat – 5th chakra) that is finally healing. I could go into more astrological analysis, but I would bore you.  I simply shared this as I feel we are being called to serve the great good, and I am asking myself how this applies to me, as well as all of you reading this message.

It is important to know how your natal Saturn informs your karmic lessons.  We all need to own our SATURN,  meaning we need to step into our authority. Yet this happens when we become disciplined and face our tasks taking us to our power.  Saturn in your chart and by transit symbolizes your evolving potential, so, to capitalize on this current retrograde period of Saturn in Aquariuswith the following guidelines:  

• turn toward unknown terrain in order to gather and harvest wisdom - deliberately going off the mainstream path and beyond the norm.

• question and break through old restrictive rules, traditions, structures and boundaries in order to make connections, distribute information, and develop innovations.

• strengthen your personal boundaries - not too fluid, not too tight.

• re-evaluate your inner rules and match them to your core values.

As you reflect on the energies of today’s Solstice, please find time to nurture yourself.  You are part of an awakening consciousness. You are valued and appreciated for your contribution in this amazing world we inhabit.
 
Please remember that our cosmic consciousness has been awakening to a new reality. There is a burgeoning awareness of our multi-dimensional world. Shifting from the harshness of 3-D reality, humanity is ascending to a unity consciousness.  Yes, I get that we can see huge polarity and separation, but the quantum field is taking us to the realization of a collective oneness.  The coming of Christ consciousness, the divine feminine, and the healing energy of a “Six” vibration in this 2022 numerology's universal year is emerging to bring us to wholeness.

Be the love that want to see in the world!
 

December 2018 Winter Report

Night stars! Invisible forces guide us.

My thoughts on the state of our world:

For decades, I have utilized celestial events to provide a roadmap to traversing my reality.  Lately, I have found that having a map to the 3-D reality was not the only guide I needed.  I feel as if I need to come at this explanation or description via an alternative consciousness.

As has been discussed in several newsletters over the years, one theme has emerged:  The times, they are a change’in.  We may need a new lexicon to converse with each other, to be able to explain events in our worlds, and to explain what we are experiencing in our hearts and minds.  But first, I may have to clarify who the “We” we are in this inclusive language. 

 “We” includes you and me: we people who can identify with our spiritual selves, who revere nature, and seem to have a strong empathy and sensitivity to the plight of others’ suffering.  I find many in our “We” group to be intuitive, musical, artistic, and compassionate.  Some of us suffer from illnesses that seem to be difficult to diagnose or if not, illnesses which fit under the Auto-Immune Disorders category that have few solid healing remedies.  Also, there are those of us who have self-medicated through food, drugs, and alcohol to get past discomfort and pain. Yes: often this is the pain of the psyche, not just physical health issues.

 “We” have developed (or better said) are starting to develop a unique consensual reality, a collective consciousness, which at times is in direct contrast to other people in our everyday communities. (Please note: I am not dismissing people who do not feel like kindred souls, I am simply stating that I have difficulties at times relating and conversing with some people.) These “others” seem unable to respond in compassionate ways to the hardships of others or act like zombies.  Yet, “We” are part of the human experience and actually, we can find that we have something in common with every person. So, let us stop with the discussion of differences at this time.

 The bottom line with the reality I am describing is this:  all of humanity is going through a rebirth. Let’s call it Renaissance 2.0.  We are all awakening, even if some folks seem to be sleepwalking.  There is an energetic change and as a result, a change of perception. This new or evolving consciousness could be described as a Unity consciousness. This perception of unity with all things has been forming since the dawn of humankind.  This paradigm shows up in mystical and spiritual wisdom teaching. However, most of us experience our everyday reality as one of Duality. Yes, events in our lives reinforce this view and we experience the 3-D world on all levels of our lives from the global stage to our local neighborhoods.

The human experience is embedded in duality from our first breath to our last. Yet, it is our experience with our spirituality that offers us the sense of unity and transcendence. In my lifetime I have seen more and more people embracing new thought teachings, meditation practices, mindfulness, astrology, shamanism, past lives investigation, and the list continues.    Perhaps this awakening is happening to assuage our feelings of despair and disgust with people and events in our native countries and around the globe. I believe so. 

The issues that seem to show up as catastrophic or extreme fit into the struggle with duality and our 3-D reality.  I have contemplated these and have tried to fit them into a continuum that expresses a concept or various themes that have shown up in our political, social, and economic structures and systems. Here are some suggested themes to frame within an astrological lens (the astrology part to follow):

• Tribalism and nationalism versus collaborative global unity

• Reactionary political movements versus progressive beliefs and actions

• Consumerism and greed versus desire for social-economic parity

• Patriarchy and corporate-dominated politics versus democratic equity and freedom.

Warning: I just may be describing a dark time. In the United States, the negative shadow issues of racism, white nationalism, discrimination, voter suppression, violent shootings, serious income inequality, and lack of current government concern for a healthy environment seem to overshadow the rise of social justice, rise of feminism, rise of human dignity, and yes rise of consciousness that we are all in this human dilemma together.  Sigh.

 I do not state that astrological events have caused this.  No way.  I do not support a deterministic lens on the world.  Instead, I would state that the purpose of this message is to explain everything as a synergistic interaction with cosmic events and energy.  Here goes: 

• Retrogrades, Reactionary movement?

 Since this summer, there has been a great deal of retrograde planetary action.  The most pronounced was Mars retrograde in Aquarius.  Normally Mars spends weeks in one sign, not a span of several months. The major period of this particular retrograde was during the summer, where at one point there were a number of planets in retrograde. It was a very frustrating time of low energy, or some volatile and tense times.  I truly believe the end result of this period with Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and yes, Pluto were retrograde.  By the equinox in September, we had a release of some of this retrograde energy, except for Venus which brought our relationships into close examination. When Venus was retrograde it had many of us looking at the shadow pieces of our relationships, be it personal, business, and/or otherwise (meaning that Venus retrograde in Scorpio could have had us looking within our own psyche at our shadow pieces). 

 At the time of Venus retrograde I experienced a flurry of people contacting me to do readings centering around their relationships. The main issue that seemed to envelop these clients (maybe you were one of them?) was how to understand why their business or personal partnerships were toxic or debilitating. Most of the time, I was validating the worthiness of my client who was generally giving and empathic who was dealing with the negative projections of the “other”.  Yes, the psychological issue of dealing with the projections of others and seeing those shadow pieces had many of us examining our lives.

Also, these retrograde periods seemingly developed a fear-based mentality.  Again, I noticed groups of people from various parts of our social, political, and economic framework connecting to a particular mentality.  Several notable folks have branded this perceptual agreement as choosing to identify with a particular Reality Tunnel.  This group think is consensual. And we all live in a particular reality or space. Yet, there are those people within a reality bubble who do not willingly challenge their perception or choose to perceive things differently regardless of facts that are brought to them.  Thus, we see groups of people who identify with a particular political party or movement based on their consensual agreement. 

Fears are perpetuated and reinforced in a closed-off reality.  Maybe some of these fears comes from a loss of power or from a sense of lack. But these fears can be based on consensus thinking. People who feel they are part of a particular group sustain a particular lens. It appears to me that there are a variety of groups within our societies be they religious, social, or political that seem to have created a strong resistance to change and a consequent thrust to return to the secure times in the past (whether this was true or not).  Hence, my observation is that there seems to be a reactionary movement across the world.  Think of the rise of nationalism, isolationism, fascism, and militarism, and you get my point.

• Other Astrological Events:  Eclipses – A Shifting Paradigm?

Eclipses are truly karmic adjustments to patterns in the human experience.  For a few years, eclipses have occurred on the Leo/Aquarius axis. This series, which started back on February 10, 2017, has been largely responsible for the huge awakening of social justice and activism— as well as for the preening and ego-driven politicians who are pushing party lines instead of representing their constituents. From rallies to protests to demands for policy reform, the eclipses in #woke Aquarius, the sign of groups and humanitarian issues, have revealed the extremes of what can happen when people gather around a common agenda. The strongest of this eclipse cycle was the New Moon Solar Eclipse in LEO on August 17, 2017.  Many North Americans remember this event.  It brought in a dynamic energy that was palpable to those who experienced the total eclipse. Now the final eclipse—a total lunar eclipse and supermoon—will land again in regal Leo in January 2019 giving us one last chance to find our inner sense of dignified authority, and to express it in the world in whatever way, large or small, this feels appropriate.

We are in the age of Aquarius.  What this means for all of us is that our human existence is changing and our lens of perception is shifting to a global consciousness.  We are awakening to a new order:  we will feel connected and inter-connected to all of humanity.  This is the process that is occurring, and while it may not be readily apparent, it is happening none-the-less.

• Neptune in Pisces- Spiritual Reformation (with Jupiter in Sagittarius helping to shift our beliefs to a higher consciousness).

 Jupiter-Neptune Trine in 2018: Global healing and compassion.

Could peace finally come to our world—at least, in some small way? An awakening of higher consciousness and compassion might have developed, when cross-cultural ambassador Jupiter unites in a languorous and harmonious trine (120-degree angle) with soul-stirring Neptune in May of 2018. The duo traveled through emotional and receptive water signs (Jupiter in Scorpio and Neptune in Pisces) most of the year, opening our hearts.

The exact trine was in close contact from May until August. This rare and unifying cycle reminded us that, while we may be “divided” by cultures and nations, we are all one. By the end of 2018, we experience Jupiter returning to its native sign of Jupiter.  Hooray!!  Sagittarius is the archetype of the seeker and philosopher.  Our beliefs and ideals are born within this energy.  I

It is my own belief that all of us will rise to a higher consciousness and revamp our beliefs while Jupiter is in its native sign, and Neptune (the ethereal, other-worldly planet) is also in its native sign.  The collective consciousness is bringing us to a new spiritual existence.  Hence, my sense that many people who are naturally empaths and sensitive to energy will expand their perceptions and shift from a victim mentality to an empowered force due to understanding themselves as part of a loving unity consciousness.

• Will patriarchy win...or crumble? (thought from “Astro Twins” forecast for 2019)

Capricorn has had a direct effect on this aspect.  Capricorn rules institutions, patriarchal society, men, government, big business, fathers and hierarchies. In other words, a lot of the “old school” stuff that people have been working tirelessly to reform and change over the past couple years.

It’s been both painful and fascinating to watch. Last year, feminist reporter Hannah Rosin’s book The End of Men tackles a new vision for the world where gender equality seeps into these outdated systems and institutions. The binary structure of us versus them, winners and losers, male versus female, haves and have nots, now seems hopelessly out of date. With the #MeToo, #TimesUp and #BlackLivesMatter movements accompanying a surge of social activism, feminism, transgender rights, and more—it’s clear that we need to make this world work for more than just a privileged few. Yet, a rise in right-wing nationalism reveals that many people feel threatened by this vision and will go to extremes to resist a much-needed change.

Pluto the transformational planetary force has been in Capricorn for a good seven years. As I have mentioned before, Pluto serves as the archetype of the Hindu God, Shiva, the destroyer and creator.  Pluto destroys what does not serve our highest good, and creates in the void, a new higher consciousness.  Along with Pluto, last year Saturn, the planet that is the archetype of the Lord of Karma, also entered its native sign of Capricorn. But in 2019, resistance may be futile. Serious forces of change will be shaking these once solid foundations, even causing some of them to crumble. Structured Saturn and transformational Pluto will both spend all year in Capricorn.

Thus, I believe there is reason for hope that a new world is evolving.  We may be feeling as if we are trapped within darkness, but LIGHT is coming through in miraculous ways.  I know that former President HW Bush, #41, talked about the various points of light.  For him, it may have represented people who could bring positive change.  I think my version is that “We” are becoming Light Beings.  We are choosing light via the LOVE we bring, Not FEAR. 

My advice: find pockets of joy where-ever you are.  Yes… for all of us, fear comes up.  But, stay positive and choose love!  Remain HOPEFUL!!  “Hope is the rainbow over the cascading stream of life” (Nietzche, fragment)

Let’s greet the New Year 2019 with more hope, than fear. Love rules!! Cathy

August 2018 Eclipses and Retrogrades

I believe this message will have value to young and old: for all ages and forms of expression.  No one comes through a life journey unscathed or unharmed, as we all experience heartbreak and insecurity at times.  I believe the collective consciousness of humanity serves as a guide for our individual journeys.  All of us are immersed in this collective mind in some fashion, depending on where our “consciousness” takes us.  I will admit that the Dalai Lama’s consciousness may be far more expansive than my own.  (Ya think?)  Yet, I believe this is a fascinating time in the history of our world because there is an emerging consciousness that is creating a new awareness.  Many of us are awakening to a new definition of our existence.

For me, I developed a lens on the world that gains wisdom or knowledge from an archetypal cosmos.  Carl Jung, father of transpersonal psychology, created a language and a paradigm to understand the workings of the human soul or psyche.  He incorporated the connection of our mythology into the frame of psychological concepts. Or vice verse.  Jung created the term and concept of archetypes: the big ideas and images of the human experience.  Our various cultural symbols, stories, and myths explain aspects of our reality. Particularly, the field of astrology works with the archetypal themes that define much of our human and spiritual existence. We are all doing a cosmic dance with the archetypes.  This explains who we are beyond the body and the biology of our being. Our consciousness goes beyond the neurobiological because the human psyche reflects a cosmic intelligence that transcends time, space, and matter.

For me, the archetypes that come up in astrology and in the Tarot have provided a road map for me in my own personal journey. I have learned so much about who I am from the study and practice of astrology.  Also, due to my intuitive skills, I relate to images that come from the archetypes of the Tarot.  Both systems serve as tools to inform my understanding of what may be happening in my life, and yes, these tools help others as I provide intuitive readings.

Mars in Aquarius retrograde
The aspect of Mars, the Warrior and masculine archetype that has prevailed over much of the energy around the globe these last several months with protests, “MeToo” movement, conflicts, and yes, strong stances of particular groups to take their righteous power.  Mars has been going retrograde (seemingly backwards) through the Aquarius constellation.  This astrological sign embraces innovation, progressive change, new thought, and paradigm shifts. Rebellion is afoot with an angry emotional context during a Mars retrograde in Aquarius. Have you noticed the animated activists challenging the status quo these days?  Yes…. Mars is strongly represented in this summer’s events.

Aquarius is the water carrier – an archetype that speaks to a force that nurtures humankind and works toward a utopian world that serves us all.  When Mars is retrograde in Aquarius, we go back over and review what is broken and needs to be fixed and healed.  When Mars goes direct at the end of August, we will see the energy and will of our communities pushing forth to repair and to find solutions to our individual and societal conflicts and woes.  Mars direct will be a start to new dynamics of how we are working together in communities to solve issues of racism, poverty, inequality, and social injustice.

An archetype that works for contemporary times: Akhilandeshvari

As I have analyzed the state of the world, or have been thinking about my own humble existence, I think about the difficult circumstances we find ourselves these days.  (As we consider the issues mentioned above). Many of us may find it difficult to push our best version of ourselves out into the world.  We may feel heartbroken and in pain.  But, as Eckhart Tolle has written, we need to be present and acknowledge our pain body.  From this acknowledgement we can transcend to a higher consciousness about ourselves and others.  To quote Tolle: The ego says, ‘I should not have to suffer', and the thought makes you suffer so much more. It is a distortion of the truth, which is always paradoxical. The truth is that you need to say yes to suffering before you can transcend it.”

Thus, we come to the mythology of Akhilandeshvari.  She who is never not broken.  I need to acknowledge two wise women who have brought this beautiful archetype to my awareness: Maya and Jane. They have recently conducted a women’s workshop in Oakland, California and addressed this myth so prevalent in today’s contemporary world, yet this archetype is as ancient as our human story:

She who is never not broken…double negative you think…but, wait…think another way “ she embodies the cataclysmic exhilarating, transformative process that the earth and we as individuals are going through at this time. She, is the one who holds the keys for getting through it successfully.

Let me introduce you to her, Akhilandeshvari, is a South Asian Goddess, her name references Universal and Cosmic Powers. It may seem odd to think of a goddess as broken, but, she is broken because we are broken. Akhailandeshvari, reinforces the message in Leonard Cohen’s Anthem “ So ring the bell that still can ring, forget your perfect offering, there’s a crack in everything, and that is how the light gets in”… Let go of the need for perfection, embrace your brokenness…it is the path to freedom! When something is perfect you put it on a shelf and look at it, when things are not perfect you work with them to see what you do to improve them. It is the same with us, we have to transform our breakdowns into breakthroughs. How do we approach the challenges, pain and difficulty that disempowers and overwhelms us? The Goddess never not broken promises that the greatest magic is in the transformative moments; the uncertainties, the pause before we hit the ground..and what do we do with ourselves after we land.

As wise elders we know it is normal to fear and resist change, but, this goddess whispers to us of freedom. Liberation from the past, from habits and wounds, from shifting routines, from everything that once was good but has become a burden or a prison. Liberation, indeed from the illusions of ego. Akhilandeshavi, is in the same instant the personification of destruction and rebirth, not like Kali the destroyer who levels us all with her sword. This goddess yields to the destruction of the self, the ego and the self-identity, so that she can remain in contact with truth, the divine source manifesting as the individual. She has come fully into her own, now as we and the earth, and all the systems we have built over millennia are crumpling like old newspaper.However, the blessing is we can reinvent ourselves and the systems that we operate in society…look not at the destruction but at rebirth…what a glorious concept!

For me, I am using this archetype to direct me to my broken-hearted soul and to let the light into these various parts of my psyche to heal and to find self-love.  I invite you to do the same.

Last Eclipse on Leo/Aquarius Axis

Eclipse Season is this powerful window of time we are currently in the midst of, and a beautiful opportunity to tune into the rhythms of the cosmos.  Astrology is a map that helps us navigate the terrain of life, and offers the potential for each of us to live more empowered, fulfilling, and purposeful lives.

The last of the eclipses on the Leo/Aquarius nodal axis took place on Saturday, August 11th.  For the last year and a half (since February 2017) we have been experiencing the influence of this particular cycle.  On this date, what are you willing to let end that no longer serves your highest expression? What new beginnings are emerging that gives you a fresh start to be your true authentic self?

This last powerful eclipse works with Mars in Aquarius to bring us to realize our truth, as individuals, and as members of humanity.  The archetype of Leo speaks to our own ability to act from our true authentic self. Like the Strength card in the Tarot, we are the most powerful when we honor our unique skills, talents, and personas.  Thus, the last eclipse brings to the fore a long lasting message: speak and act from your heart and your true authentic being.

As Stephanie Austin, astrologer, muses about this eclipse: “You were born for a reason. You are unique. No one has seen through your eyes, felt through your fingertips, lived in your skin. Ruled by the Sun itself, Leo summons each of us to shine our light, our singular spark of the Divine; to live from our essence rather than from our ego or programmed personality. How do we know when we are doing that? The degree of joy or strain tells us whether we are on our spiritual path — or bushwhacking. If life is largely effort and struggle, we’ve lost the trail. If we're watching the clock more than feeling in the flow or "The Zone," we've gotten off track. If we're following our fears rather than our heart, we're ready for a big course correction.” That is what eclipses do: they present opportunities to shift to a higher consciousness and a new direction that serves our soul needs.

Not only are the Sun and Moon in Leo, but Mercury and the North Node as well, offering extra illumination as to what our heart and soul wants now. Many of us had our creativity stifled at an early age, criticized or shamed overtly, or shut down in more subtle but equally destructive ways.

The archetype of Leo, symbolized by the King and the Lion, represents bravery, power, and sovereignty. It takes courage to be true to our Self, to listen to our heart, and ‘follow our bliss’ as Joseph Campbell put it. This solar eclipse urges us to be lionhearted; to shine our light and share our unique gifts. It reminds us that our inner "Sun", our core, our essence, knows what lights us up, what brings us joy and fulfillment.
 
I end this post with so much gratitude for the many beautiful voices that have come to me lately.  Many exist in my every day life: Barbara, Jane, Judith and Joseph. Your presence keeps me centered and connected. Also, there are my dear friends who live far away from me, such as my dear artist friend, Margaret, who lives in Melbourne, Australia.  Also, Linda, who is responsible for getting me interested in astrology so many years ago, and has been a strong constant in my circle of divine and inspirational friendships. We have known each other since 5th grade.

Or take dear friend Jim who lives in upper New York State. I have never met him in person, but as a fellow Aquarian, he confirms and supports my thought process.  Then there is Basil, who lives in North Carolina and is consistently illuminating my world.  He helps me realize that my consciousness is shifting and I am awakening to a new reality.  Speaking of this, Basil suggested my reading a new book: A New Republic of the Heart, by Terry Patten.  I leave you with this quote from the section of the book, Translating Heartbreak Into Action:

“The work we have to do can seen as a kind of coming ALIVE.  More than some moral imperative, it’s an awakening to our true nature, a leasing of our gifts.” (Joanna Macy)
 

March 2018 Astrology News

The beginning of March finds us in the time of Pisces, and so, we find ourselves in an interesting energy.  The Piscean energy is one of the most complex and amorphous. As a mutable water sign, it is the most sensitive of the astrological world.  Piscean persons’ boundaries are so thin that they pick up too much information just by stepping out onto the street. Pisces lives in the unconscious of the collective. As astrologer Caroline Casey has described: “Pisces is in touch with what the culture has forgotten or represses: dreams that dart, fishlike (Pisces is represented by two fish attached to each other swimming in opposite directions) beneath the surface. The Piscean task is to retrieve what the culture has denied, to bring it back to surface awareness.”

Often times, the aspects of the Piscean world are expressed in our movies.  In this past year of movies, The Shape of Water expresses the themes of Pisces extraordinarily well.  The film tells a story of an amazing love story of two figures, so very different, yet are able to go beyond natural boundaries to find a connection of mutual desire and love.  The couple’s bond is possible due to their intuitive communication. Interesting that their relationship forms in water: an allegory to our subconscious, intuitive mind.  Also, the message of Pisces as well as this movie is that LOVE is the unifying and transcendent energy of our world.

Right now (beginning of March 2018) there is a great deal of energy in Pisces:  Sun, Mercury, Venus, Neptune, and Chiron. Thus, it should not surprise anyone, especially those with strong Pisces, and/or other sensitivities to energetic forces, that you are currently experiencing altered states, or desires to escape the harshness of our everyday 3-D reality.  I mention escape as a caveat to everyone reading this message.  All of us must learn to surrender our fears, judgments, and pain rather than trying to escape to the illusory world of misperceptions.

Pisces is co-ruled by Neptune, the principle of dreams, visions, imagination, and illusion. Neptune, god of the sea, is represented by the trident, on which we can be hooked.  When we as either individuals or a culture lack a clear mythology, or a connection to each other, or even a shared divine purpose, we can become hooked on anything that numbs the pain of alienation.  .  .  drugs, alcohol, cults.  In their correspondence, Carl Jung and Bill Wilson, the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, discussed their shared belief that there is no cure for addiction without a spiritual awakening. (Carolyn Casey)

So much of our world is invisible and it is in this realm that we find ourselves. Spirit speaks to us from our inner space. Also, we learn to love ourselves when we step out of the ego-mind into the eco-mind.  Neptune as ruler of Pisces dissolves the individual ego identity to bring us into a spiritual collective consciousness.  As we dissolve our fears, judgments, and pain, as we forgive, accept, and learn to love ourselves, we develop an unshakable sense of inner peace, wholeness, and connection with all of life. To come to this, we have to do less and be more; be more still, more quiet, and more attuned to our inner guidance. Becoming aware of our breath is an immediate way to connect with Pisces energy. Whenever we find ourselves feeling ungrounded or overwhelmed, we can slow and deepen our breathing, making our exhale longer than our inhale; like a soft sigh, breathing in through our nose, and out through our mouth, as long as needed. The beauty of this Sufi water breath practice is that it can be done any time, anywhere. And it benefits not only us, but everyone around us and beyond, as it helps others entrain, relax, and re-center as well. (Stephanie Austin)

March 1st Full Moon in Virgo helps us to surrender our past conditioning and concepts of who were are, so that we can embody and express who we really are.  Virgo Moons bring us healing and grounding energy. This is helpful as we integrate our bodies with our spiritual nature. The Moon in Virgo nudges us to be discerning, and take extra good care of our body, so we remain grounded, balanced, and able to integrate a higher level of consciousness. This full moon asks: What seeds are you watering? What visions are you cultivating for the world? Know that your light, your every thought, word, and deed, make a difference. The New Age is being born breath by breath, step by step, heart by heart. We are Light. We are Love. We are Starseeds. And Spring is coming.

March 17th – New Moon in Pisces.  This cosmic event allows us to renew our relationship with the invisible world. This is a powerful time to set in place your intentions to reconnect with the deepest part of who you are – infinite, eternal, and divine. During this sacred time of year for many cultures and religious traditions, it allows us to pause and to reflect. Thus, it may be a perfect opportunity to honor what is sacred in our lives.  What ritual or celebration can bring you to greater awareness of your divine nature?

March 20th – Aries Equinox.  Sun enter Aries. This is the start to a new zodiacal year.

March 31st – Libra Full Moon.  The April newsletter will devote more time to an explanation of the Sun in Aries and this particular lunar event.

The current times can be confusing, disorienting, and even chaotic.  But, turning to our inner world can bring solace. When we find our heart-center, and orient ourselves from this sacred space, the world becomes more harmonious and loving.  We will find ourselves in synergy with all that is.

2018 Lunar New Year

On February 2nd we celebrated Candlemas, the Celtic holiday honoring the halfway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox during the time of Aquarius. This was an opportunity for all of us to turn within and reflect on our soul’s journey. The message of Candlemas is to bring light into the world, and with light we can see into our shadow.  The message may have been adulterated by the American culture, with Groundhog’s Day. But, a deeper significance is to liken to Carl Jung’s shadow archetype:
 
The Shadow describes the part of the psyche that an individual would rather not acknowledge. It contains the denied parts of the self. Since the self contains these aspects, they surface in one form or another. Bringing Shadow material into consciousness drains its dark power, and can even recover valuable resources from it. The greatest power, however, comes from having accepted your shadow parts and integrating them as components of your Self.  -  John Elder.
 
My advice to those reading this is to cast light into your deep recesses of the psyche to actually recognize those hidden parts of your persona. Even while we have passed this midpoint event, by doing our shadow work we can align our body, mind, and spirit. It is not just the recognition, but also the integration of all the various parts of our psyche that make us whole and authentic. Seeing one’s shadow is not to be dreaded, but gives an opportunity to work out those kinks during the rest of the introspective winter season to spring to a rebirth and renewed self at the equinox.
 
The passing of Candlemas gives way to another favorite aspect to this time of year: Valentine’s Day.  This is not because I will be romanced by a long list of suitors, but because of the emphasis on love and the heart.  Actually, it helps Aquarians like me to get a grip on our heart work.  Aquarius as the 11th sign of the zodiac is not necessarily the love master of the universe, but more of a thinking, fixed-energy archetype that can be aloof and detached from the emotional connections that we humans are prone to make.  Actually, Valentine’s Day would be better suited for the time of Leo.  This zodiacal sign rules the heart and romance!  But, by putting Aquarian and Leonine energy together, we have the perfect balance!  Aquarius can look at humanity from a universal love and be the true water carrier who nurtures the world with gifts of insight.  Leo can put the personal into love and the heart so that we all find our unique ways of giving and receiving love.

This message is so very strong these days as the potent Eclipse cycle has been (since 2016) on the Leo/Aquarius, karmic lunar nodal points.  Most astrologers, Western and Vedic alike, look at the lunar nodes to understand karmic cycles, both as they work with the energy of current time and space, and also, the influence of the nodal points in our natal charts.  We can learn a great deal about the karmic lesson we are to learn this lifetime by interpreting the sign and position of our personal nodal points.
 
The major Leo Solar Eclipse on August 21, 2017 opened up a portal to a new consciousness and awareness. This solar eclipse revealed where each one of us may be on our personal journey.  The evolutionary path of one’s soul is very much a heroic effort.  Thus, at the time of this eclipse, there were those who may be heeding the call to strike out on one’s authentic path, struggling with personal demons, or truly taking empowered steps, but the fact is clear that we all are evolving. This cosmic event may have initiated a powerful time to take up the gauntlet and head off to fight in the crusade. The North Lunar Node in LEO designates our spiritual frontier: in the case of Leo we are learning to embody our heart-consciousness.  When we become heart-centered we become connected in love and unity to all that is.
 
Those people that were able to witness the August 21st eclipse in North America along the path of totality have shared their magical experiences.  One person aptly described this event as an experience (which defied description) as: being suspended in time and space.
 
Are we entering a time when our consciousness shifts?  I wonder. Yes, I believe there is an increasing awareness on the part of many human beings that we live in a multi-dimensional universe.  A “Unity” consciousness is occurring for one and all. 

Think about Einstein’s musings:
            A human being is a part of the whole, called by us "Universe", a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest — a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security. ~ Einstein
 
We can change from a self-centered, individualistic perspective through heart-centered actions that bring forth a loving unified consciousness.  As a dear friend suggested (who shared his eclipse experience) the new frontier is not necessarily time and/or space, but Consciousness.
 
This new thinking continues to evolve as the eclipse cycle continues influence the global consciousness. Potent cosmic events have continued starting with the New Year 2018. On January 1st, there was a SUPER MOON in Cancer opposite the Capricorn Sun.  Actually, turning points and new beginnings happen for me during Solstice points, thus, a new year cycle begin on December 21st when the Sun entered Capricorn, the Winter Solstice.  However, this year’s January 1st brought a powerful lunar event with strong healing energies of the divinely feminine Super Full Moon in Cancer.  Thus, following the Leo/Aquarius eclipse themes of authentic loving consciousness, this full moon highlights a crucial, ongoing theme: reclaiming the power of the feminine.  

Thus, January 2018 both began and ended with potent full moons, holding a huge cosmic spotlight on what needs to be seen and changed; the first was the above-mentioned Super Moon, peaking on January 1 (12º Cancer-Capricorn), the second a total lunar eclipse on January 31 (12º Leo-Aquarius). An interesting note is that from January 2 to March 8, no planets are retrograde, encouraging us to take big steps forward on our path. Hopefully, all of us were able to check our spiritual compasses, to see if either we were firmly on course, stuck on a side track, or gotten pulled onto someone else’s path.

As of today’s date, there is still time for a course adjustment because the Leo-Aquarius Eclipse cycle remains until August 2018.  

This brings us to February 15th with a powerful New Moon Aquarius Solar Eclipse.  This is an opportune time to renew one’s thinking.  Remember:  the Aquarius archetype is the Oracle, Visionary, and Seer.  As Emily Trinkaus describes: Aquarius rises above present circumstances, sees the bigger picture, and from that higher perspective envisions radical new possibilities.
 
On February 15t, what are some radical new possibilities for you to initiate?  When an eclipse occurs in connection to the lunar south node, we could benefit by figuring out what to let go of in our lives..... in order to bring in the new.  
 
Take the time at this New Moon Solar Eclipse to state your intentions as you will have a positive and powerful cosmic force to support your affirmations.  Also, Jupiter the benefactor planet in the sign of Scorpio will be at an angle to the Sun and Moon to provide a transformational boost.  
 
This Aquarius New Moon marks the Chinese Lunar New Year, initiating the Year of the Earth Dog.  Dare we hope at this event for the positive care and steward of the Earth?  The Dog archetype evokes loyalty and protection. Anyone born in an Earth Dog year (1958 last Earth Dog Year) will be communicative, serious, and responsible in the workplace.
 
On an end note:  I can personalize all these astrological events by looking at your own natal chart and seeing how the eclipses and transits affect you.  One person recently asked about the issue of “houses” as the transits and eclipses take place.  For example, take the recent February 15th eclipse.  If you have Aquarius ruling your first house or an Aquarius Rising sign you may find that your entire personality changes because you are looking through a changed lens or perspective.
 

August 21, 2017 Total Solar Eclipse in Leo

LEO (TOTAL) SOLAR ECLIPSE

August 21st

We are lucky if once during our lifetimes, we can experience the impact of a total solar eclipse.  Those of you who are living in the United States along the 70-mile wide path of this astronomical event will be in for a spectacular treat. And yes, all of us have the potential to experience a transformational shift, maybe not that particular day and time, but quite possibly in the weeks and months following this eclipse.

The question that arises coming up to this rare event is: Who were you born to be?  This leads to another question: What is your soul’s gift to the world? The August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse at 28 degrees, 52’ LEO calls us to remember our divine destiny. Leo’s archetype reminds us that we are all individually unique with a particular set of strengths and talents. There has never been nor will ever be someone with your singular set of qualities and experiences. You are a sovereign being. Your mission is to be true to yourself. Your thoughts, words, and deeds shape your reality and the course of human evolution. This Leo Solar Eclipse urges us to realize the depth of our creative power.

The fifth sign of the zodiac represents the hero/heroine’s journey; to discover and express one’s true identity.  Hollywood produces many films/movies depicting the hero’s journey: the call to adventure, then faced with dire circumstances, we find the protagonist taking a leap into an unknown world and new path. Along the way mentors show up to guide the hero/heroine and of course villains test and challenge. These heroes and heroines are seen facing their worst fears and in doing so, are transformed and empowered.   Often times we see in these stories a death and rebirth experience with the climax occurring at the point when the hero or heroine receives his or her sword, ring, golden lasso, or holy grail.  (The grail is symbolic of finding the true self). The end of the story finds our heroine returning to her community sharing her found gifts and talents.

This solar eclipse will reveal where we are at in our personal journey.  The evolutionary path of our soul is very much a heroic effort.  Thus, we may just now be hearing the call to strike out on our authentic path, struggling with our demons, or truly taking empowered steps, but the fact is clear that we all are evolving. This is a powerful time to take up the gauntlet and head off to fight in the crusade. The North Lunar Node in LEO designates are spiritual frontier… we are learning to embody our heart-consciousness.  When we become heart-centered we become connected in love and unity to all that is.  This Eclipse lifts us in love and light.

Take the time before August 21st to prepare for insights that you may receive during this celestial event. Commune in nature, and take time to meditate and reflect. Write down your intentions and spend time affirming your deepest desires and wishes. Then get ready for the shift and transformation. Now is the time to know that all that you do is sacred. (Hafiz)