April Rewinds: Astro Report

Lots of retrogrades (and introspection) affecting us this month, giving us the chance to review our growth since the start of the year. We are slowing down, making sure we have solid foundations.

April 5th at 10:06pm (pacific): Saturn Retrograde in Sagittarius.
April 9th at 4:14pm: Mercury Retrograde at 4° Taurus.
April 10th at 11:08pm: Full Moon at 21° Libra.
April 15th at 3:18am: Venus (currently R) goes Direct in Pisces – exalted!
…and Jupiter Retrograde in Libra until June 8th!

And TODAY, Sunday, retrograde Venus in Pisces is squaring retrograde Saturn in Sag at exactly 27°.

Partnerships are being seriously reevaluated this week. Relationships regarding love and business are tested to see if they can withstand the pressures of long term commitment. Saturn doesn’t fool around. Are you willing to do the hard work necessary to keep your pledge to another person? If yes, the relationship has a strong center and will probably be a lasting one. But if they are castles built of sand, they will diminish.

This is an important time to take inventory of what’s working and what’s not working, and to gauge the commitment level of each person. This tension will be accented by the Full Moon in Libra tomorrow, and Venus’s’ stationing at the end of the week.
There are four planets retrograding together this week. That’s pretty amazing! I can’t remember the last time this happened. In general, all of us need to:

1. Re-evaluate things you’re committed to.
2. Re-examine your VALUES and adjust if necessary. What’s most important?
3. Start with getting grounded; take each day as it comes.
4. Don’t expand into future worries – but deal with what’s in front of you right now.
5. Be in the present.

The great RE-VALUE is here.

How childhood trauma could affect your life expectancy, relationships and mental health

This is an important article. If you feel you’ve suffered from childhood trauma, please get help and support. Please take it seriously. This is a common thread in many of the readings I do for people, and all of us deserve to find peace and happiness in our lives. Mindful Meditation is a fantastic method for dealing with these issues.

If this is you, please reach out and GET HELP.

Article by Sarah Young:
“Childhood abuse can create long-lasting scars, damage our perception of the world and set our brains to self-destruct until we are well into our 50s, say experts.
While the relationships that we form at a young age help us to develop, if they are destructive, they can negatively impact the rest of our lives.
Research has shown that childhood trauma, ranging from sexual abuse and parent’s divorce to alcoholism in the home, actually increases the odds of heart disease, stroke, depression and diabetes later on in life.

Furthermore, it also increases risky health behaviors such as smoking or having a large number of sexual partners, and even contributes to a lower life expectancy.
The study revealed that those traumatized as children, with six or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), died nearly 20 years earlier than those who had none.
As well as physical affects, these experiences are known to increase the risk of poor psychological health later.
Children who suffer trauma often grow to distrust others as a result of being betrayed by the very adults who are supposed to nurture and protect them, according to the Australian abuse support group Blue Knot Foundation.
Similarly, a study of more than 21,000 child abuse survivors age 60 and older in Australia revealed a much greater rate of failed marriages and relationships, with abuse survivors more  likely to rate themselves “not happy at all” or “not very happy.”
Other problems people with a history of child trauma are more likely to experience include depression, anxiety, drug or alcohol abuse, addiction to gambling and shopping, and low self-esteem.
Despite this, there are a number of therapies and tools known to help trauma survivors such as mindful meditation and cognitive behavioral therapy. “

Choose Her Every Day (Or Leave Her)

Great sentiment about love that’s been circulating around this week! We had a New Moon in Scorpio on Wednesday, and this article is a reflection of the emotional depth and commitment reflected in this sign. check it out:

”Choose Her Every Day (Or Leave Her)” by Brian Reeves

I spent 5 years hurting a good woman by staying with her but never fully choosing her.

I did want to be with this one. I really wanted to choose her. She was an exquisite woman, brilliant and funny and sexy and sensual. She could make my whole body laugh with her quick, dark wit and short-circuit my brain with her exotic beauty. Waking up every morning with her snuggled in my arms was my happy place. I loved her wildly.

Unfortunately, as happens with many young couples, our ignorance of how to do love well quickly created stressful challenges in our relationship. Before long, once my early morning blissful reverie gave way to the strained, immature ways of our everyday life together, I would often wonder if there was another woman out there who was easier to love, and who could love me better.

As the months passed and that thought reverberated more and more through my head, I chose her less and less. Every day, for five years, I chose her a little less.
I stayed with her. I just stopped choosing her. We both suffered.

Choosing her would have meant focusing every day on the gifts she was bringing into my life that I could be grateful for: her laughter, beauty, sensuality, playfulness, companionship, and so … much … more.
Sadly, I often found it nearly impossible to embrace – or even see – what was so wildly wonderful about her.

I was too focused on the anger, insecurities, demands, and other aspects of her strong personality that grated on me. The more I focused on her worst, the more I saw of it, and the more I mirrored it back to her by offering my own worst behavior. Naturally, this only magnified the strain on our relationship … which still made me choose her even less.

Thus did our nasty death spiral play itself out over five years.
She fought hard to make me choose her. That’s a fool’s task. You can’t make someone choose you, even when they might love you.
To be fair, she didn’t fully choose me, either. The rage-fueled invective she often hurled at me was evidence enough of that.

I realize now, however, that she was often angry because she didn’t feel safe with me. She felt me not choosing her every day, in my words and my actions, and she was afraid I would abandon her.

Actually, I did abandon her.

By not fully choosing her every day for five years, by focusing on what bothered me rather than what I adored about her, I deserted her.
Like a precious fragrant flower I brought proudly into my home but then failed to water, I left her alone in countless ways to wither in the dry hot heat of our intimate relationship.

I’ll never not choose another woman I love again.
It’s torture for everyone.
If you’re in relationship, I invite you to ask yourself this question:
“Why am I choosing my partner today?”

If you can’t find a satisfying answer, dig deeper and find one. It could be as simple as noticing that in your deepest heart’s truth, “I just do.”
If you can’t find it today, ask yourself again tomorrow. We all have disconnected days.

But if too many days go by and you just can’t connect with why you’re choosing your partner, and your relationship is rife with stress, let them go. Create the opening for another human being to show up and see them with fresh eyes and a yearning heart that will enthusiastically choose them every day.

Your loved one deserves to be enthusiastically chosen. Every day.

You do, too.
Choose wisely. ॐ”

Autumnal Equinox

The Equinox arrives today at 7:29pm PDT.

Night and day are exactly the same length.

Today marks an astronomical transition point between Summer and Winter. It's the ancient Celtic festival of Meán Fómhair, or "Middle Harvest. This is the second harvest festival of the year, the first being Lammas (August 1st) and the third being Halloween (October 31st).

The seeds we have planted in the Spring are now coming to fruition. What have you been working on this year? What is coming to fruition in your life right now? It's harvest season, where we see the result of our labors. We reap what we have sown. Take Stock of what's around you.


"Libra Full Moon" by Alice Bailey 

Today we feel the turn of the wheel of the year. Standing in the middle of equal daylight to equal nighttime, we also look at BALANCE. Are we out of balance in our lives? Are we taking care of ourselves? Are we working hard but making time for our dreams and having fun too?  

Colors of the Season Orange, Dark Red, Yellow, Indigo, and Brown. Black and White.

This holiday was pivotal in ancient times, since a good final harvest was crucial to surviving the winter months ahead.  Relationships are reassessed so we can decide who is best to take into the harsh winter with us. If someone is draining your energy, now might be the time to let go. This is also the time to welcome the season of the Crone.  In Greek mythology, Persephone goes to the Underworld to learn the secrets of the Crone.

Tonight's Blood Moon Eclipse

Tonight at 11:30pm Pacific the skies will present a dramatic event - a Full Red Moon sailing overhead. It should be visible just about everywhere too. This is the first of four eclipses occurring over the next year - all in the signs of Libra and Aries. They are in accordance with the nodes of the Moon which are stimulating our relations with others and diminishing our need "to go it alone".

AND Mars will also be closest to the Earth tonight! In fact it should appear as a bright red star next to the Moon. This is the closest Mars has been to the Earth since January 2008 and will be at it's brightest. Personally, I'm a Scorpio and I dig the color red, so I'm looking forward to this tonight.

The Full Moon tonight occurs in the sign of Libra which symbolizes relationships and partnerships of all kinds - professional and personal. If there is some unresolved issue or tension that needs to be expressed, expect it to come up this week. It's a wonderful time to clear the air. But with Mars there, watch out for aggression and anger. The key to this Full Moon is DIPLOMACY and restoring BALANCE - key traits of the sign Libra. There's a feeling of fate and inspiration with relationships this month.

Unleash your assertive Martian drive on making your life better and helping others. Mars has strong convictions and wants things to happen NOW, while Libra inspires us to work together for the greater good of all.

And then there's the other thing - the Grand Cross on April 22 which really stirs the pot. The cross is formed by Pluto's opposition to Jupiter and Uranus's opposition to Mars. These are huge heavyweights in the sky which will ignite the events and timing in your life to enhance your evolution. You can come quietly or sit in resistance but change is happening either way. Best to embrace it! If you need a reading or healing I'm here :)

Pluto: Evolutionary change, catalyst in Capricorn: Hard work, ambition, (and the wealthy)
opposing...
Jupiter: Expansion, Philanthropy, Optimism in Cancer: Fertility, Nurturing, Home

Uranus: Sudden Change, Invention, eccentricity in Aries: Spontaneity, Drive, Egoism
opposing...
Mars: DRIVE, aggression, war, anger, courage in Libra: relationships, balance, harmony

...what a mess

It will be interesting how this effects each of us individually. Here's something I wrote about eclipses from 2011:

When the World falls under the influence of an eclipse, things are out of the ordinary. It's an uncommon time, and we have rare and insightful experiences. It's like walking around your darkened bedroom with a black light - things show up differently, and we see things in a way we don't normally see them. Some things are brighter and easier to see and some things fall into shadow.

Quite simply, I feel it is a time when we touch the foundations of why we are here on this planet. Each of us gains some new insight or information into the life we are currently leading. This information can come through anything - our family, friends, a situation at work, or a bolt of lightning straight from the heavens into our consciousness. When it's an eclipse, I always pay close attention to what happens that day, because there will be something synchronistic about it.

2011: Year of the Metal Rabbit horoscopes

 Metal Bunny Wabbit!!

I'm so excited I get to say that for a whole year!!!

This picture is the Peter Rabbit statue at Stern Grove. Thankfully, this year will be laid back and relaxed with plenty of time for self reflection and taking care of the homestead. We can all use some peace and quiet after the drama of the Tiger last year.

The Rabbit has excellent taste and is intellectual yet peaceful. He despises rudeness and bad manners, so proceed with tact and diplomacy.

Since wild rabbits have tremendous agility and speed, be well prepared for any negotiations you enter into this year. Rabbits spend a lot of time creating secure burrows for their huge families, so the home arena is also very important. This brings up the issue of Feng Shui.

Keep your house as clean as possible and throw out anything broken or neglected - anything resembling clutter!! Try to keep the East and South sides of your house as quiet as possible with NO renovation. Prosperity and Love can be found in the North East and South West, so spend a lot of time in those areas.

If you'd like a more in-depth and personal Feng Shui reading, I give fantastic consultations for only $75.00! Believe me, Feng Shui works. It's an ancient practice used throughout Asia for thousands of years. I've been applying it to my own life for several years now with fantastic results.

Here are my Chinese Animal horoscopes for 2011:

Rat
1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996
You and the Rabbit are both domestic homebody's and FANTASTIC with money, so things go naturally well this year. However, you aren't afraid of of a fight while the Rabbit avoids conflict at all costs. Try to keep a low profile this year and be thoughtful in your relationships. The Rabbit will appreciate your strategic nature, so give your great life coaching support to any needy friends.

Ox
1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997
You are known for your patience and strong work ethic which will serve you well this year. The peace and quiet will be lovely, and there will have more time to focus on your health and peace of mind. Bring a friend with you to any negotiations! The Rabbit can have you signing away your life savings before you know it.

Tiger
1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998
Be sure and stock pile money this year 'cause next year you're going to be burning though it. Not in a bad way, but you'll want to spend a lot. Trust me. I hope you had a fantastic Year of the Tiger in 2010! The Year of the Rabbit will give you time to focus on your business life and attract new opportunities. The main thing for you (as always) is to be patient and let things ripen at their own pace. Focus on perfecting your health and lifestyle.

Rabbit
1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999
You shine this year! This will be the time to get out, socialize and have fun. A great year to be creative and meet new, interesting friends. Spend some time carving out your career path since your cunning business sense is at an all time high. Where would you like to go and with whom? Leave the strategic thinking OUT of your love life though - instead try to be upfront and real.

Dragon
1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000
The peace and quiet this year could be deafening for you. Dragons are a noisy bunch.  Next year, 2012, will be the Year of the Dragon so use this year to prepare. Start by envisioning how you'd like to manage all the opportunities that will be coming your way in 2012. This year do your homework, get in shape and practice practice practice. If you do this then next year you will be formidable! Check the details before entering into agreements.

Snake
1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001
A marvelous year is in store for the Snake! You share a lot in common with the Rabbit - quality in one's surroundings, order in one's daily life and beauty in one's home. Your Zen qualities will gain full expression this year. Self improvement emotionally, physically and spiritually are all highlighted! Your financial life will become more stable as your business life continues at a productive pace.

Horse
1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002
The Horse can be a frustrated with the Rabbit because he is so cautious and thoughtful. Horses like to plunge ahead. The one thing you have that the Rabbit likes is instinct! Be sure and use your instincts carefully this year before galloping off in all directions. Try to slow down a little and focus on your health and improving your lifestyle. You need a solid foundation for all that energy:)

Sheep
1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003
The Sheep and the Rabbit are in complete harmony with each other so you will have a fantastic year! You are in your element since gentleness, peace and security take precedence over ambition. This is one of the best years for the Sheep to start a business, find a relationship or have a child. You are highly favored so make the most of it! A fantastic year to express your phenomenal creativity as well.

Monkey
1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004
Thank goodness the Tiger year is over! It's the hardest year for Monkey people, and it's behind you now! The Rabbit year is a great time to take a breather, find your feet and take stock of your life. The Monkey and the Rabbit are both very strategic signs, so formulate a plan and set a fresh direction for yourself. Give extra attention to your relationship this year too.

Rooster
1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005
The Rooster is a spunky character with a strong conservative streak. The Rabbit is delicate and intuitive with expensive taste. The two of you might be at odds this year! Take your time, do your usual homework and your projects will move forward. There may be some worries in relationships, but they can be solved with honesty and thoughtfulness. The Rabbit is extremely refined so keep your flamboyant nature under wraps.

Dog
1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006
Your home life will be vibrant this year. The Dog and the Rabbit deeply value a well maintained sanctuary, so this is the time to make improvements around the house. Also, get out and have some fun! Your social life will be very stimulating this year, and you will find many new like-minded friends. Romance is also highlighted.

Boar
1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007
The conditions are SO favorable for you this year! The Boar and the Rabbit share sentimentality and tenderness, so you will feel at home wherever you go. Romance and warm friendships are plentiful, and you can make great strides in the business world. Whatever you want to accomplish, this is the year to do it! It's a favorable time for you to make some huge piles of money too.

Libra and Love

As you may or may not know, the Sun entered Libra recently - the sign of scales, of balance, and the sign of LOVE! I came upon this great post by Derek Sivers about love... what are your thoughts about love?

What's the difference between like, love, and in-love?

How do you know when you love someone instead of just liking them a lot?

How do you know when you're “in-love” with someone instead of just loving them as a person?

I asked a bunch of friends these questions, and got a huge variety of answers:

    “If I like anything about someone, I like them. If I like everything about someone, I love them. If I like everything about someone and we have great sex, I'm in love.”

    “Like is liking someone, but conditionally. Love is liking someone unconditionally. In-love is just glorification of a temporary infatuation. Eventually it becomes love.”

    “This sounds morbid, but I think of it in terms of how I'd react if they died. If I like someone and they died, I'd be sad and cry once or twice. If I love someone and they died, I'd be devastated and cry for days or weeks. If I'm in love with someone and they died, I'd want to die too.”

How do you know?