Flinders St Station, Melbourne. Pic by me.

After months of deliberation I finally booked my place at the FAA (Fed of Australian Astrologers) Conference in Melbourne during January. If you want the link, it is here.

I faffed around not because I didn’t know if I wanted to go, but, with the partition job and regular paycheques behind me (as at yesterday), I didn’t know if I should be going. Then I figured that this writing lark and this astrology lark is now my business, so I had better start treating it as such. Plus, there are some really great people coming along to lecture. And, I am a Melbourne tragic.

I have a real interest in medical astrology and traditional astrology- so will be booking in to see those particular lectures. Medical and nutritional astro, in particular, is a real passion of mine- regular readers of this blog know I am working on a large work on that subject, but it isn’t something I write much about here. That is possibily because I want to save the words for the book or because I am learning as I go or whatever. But that is seriously one of the coolest things about astrology- you simply don’t stop learning. I

Medical astro uses traditional techniques- influences and methodology which has really stood the test of time. So, I can’t wait to see Jane Ridder-Patrick present. If you don’t know Janes’ work, she is a Scottish Astrologer who aside from authoring A Handbook of Medical Astrology (amongst other books), is also trained in pharmacy, naturopathy & herbal medicine…so knows her stuff.

If you are going to FAA, give me a shout, it would be great to meet some of you. If you can’t make it to FAA, but will be in Sydney in early February, nutritional astro pal Kira Sutherland is arranging a day long workshop at Naturecare College. The day will be spent looking at the elements and the roles they play in personality, health etc. This is real back to nature, real life astrology stuff. Details are below.

Date: Saturday 4 February 2012

Place: Nature Care College, 46 Nicholson St, St Leonards

More details? Email Kira at kira.sutherland@gmail.com

and here's the flyer...

The Church of the Good Shepherd- I think thats the name.... Pic by me.

I’ll update you all with the happenings of the last couple of days shortly, ie when I can get my head in the right space.

For now, though, the Moon has moved into Virgo, and I completely missed Leo. Oooops. Leo, as we know, does not like to be overlooked. And I mean that in the nicest possible way…

Anyways, back to the Moon in Virgo. The aspect of the day has to be the La Luna’s hookup with Mars. To say this is a great day for Getting Things Done, is an understatement. If you haven’t done so already, get those little pre-Christmas jobs out of the way that you have been avoiding. Wrap the pressies properly- don’t just do my trick of joining paper together with sticky tape.

As you are rushing around today with, as my favourite Scottish Spin Doctor (Malcolm on The Thick of it) would say, a to do list longer than a flipping (he wouldn’t say flipping) Leonard Cohen song, keep an eye (or at least half an eye) on the detail…and the diet.

Now, to catch up on the All I Want For Xmas series… Oh, and to continue my favourite photos of 2011, todays comes to you from Lake Tekapo in the South Island of New Zealand.

Leo

Names dahling names! Bling, brands and anything that is absolutely fabulous.

Suggested NY Resolutions:

Repeat after me- I really am as fabulous inside as I look… I believe in myself. Leo- you are generous beyond belief- why not pick a charity & combine your love of parties & glamour with a great cause?

Virgo

Whatever you buy for Virgo, make sure you keep the receipt… how about a house cleaning service? But then again, they won’t complete the job as well as Virgo does…so just go with keeping the receipts!

Suggested NY Resolutions:

This year I am going to let go a little. I may even let the ironing build up for a week & will refuse to feel guilty if I don’t stick exactly to my diet, clean my bathroom every single week or complete the work of 4 people that I usually do.

Hong Kong. Pic by me.

Tomorrow is my last official day at the partition job.

I have mixed feelings. A little sad, but mostly excited- although that could possibly be the taste of freedom I am sensing. Anyways I have made a pact with my boss that no mopping up will be required. Still, the whole thing is a little surreal.

I’ll let you know tomorrow whether I kept that promise.

In the meantime, there have been lots of loose ends that have needed to be tied off, so enough to make me more than a little strung out. Strung out enough that I missed Mercury direct- which ended as it begun with the promise of a catch up with an old friend.

For me, this has been the theme of this particular retrograde- re-connecting…and all in a 9^th house sort of way. I have also concentrated on some re-writing in the manuscript that time forgot, a little reflecting, and a lot of remembering. Which is why the photos I will be posting over the next few weeks will have little to do with the subject of the post and more to do with my reviewing the favourite moments of the year- although todays’ are actually some of my favourite moments from the last 12 years in the partition job…a relocation of the office in Hong Kong.

I re-hashed the year that was in the annual family newsletter and have now got most of the Xmas cards done. This year I have revised my normal practice and am only sending to people without an email address. I have to say, though, you know when you have spent too many nights in a particular hotel when that hotel sends you a Xmas card. That also, is indicative of how this year has been.

Now that it is done, I do have some bits and pieces that I have deliberately put aside to deal with post Rx. Having tried to fix up a car lease once before during an Rx period (and having it unfinished until the next) I have opted this time to wait. Likewise with any decision regarding this website and how I can guarantee a little more up-time going forward. And let’s not even go near the issues I have in the one day to go partitioning job with a particular set of invoices.

My loose ends have also meant that I missed the Cancer edition of All I Want For Christmas- which is, now I come to think of it, also quite apt. Cancer is often that sign that puts the needs of the family ahead of her own…

So, without further ado:

Cancer

Some nice new cookbooks would be great but could never compare to my old favourites- and seriously there is nothing wrong with the way Mum used to make it. It’s a bit like going out really, when you can prepare something just as great at home for less cost. Extra frames for family photographs always come in handy- I do have some spare room on my mantelpiece.

Suggested NY Resolutions:

This year I am going to think about me…just a little more than usual. Sometimes I might even put my needs & ambitions marginally ahead of my family…but then again…

Macau. Pic by me.

Photo Credit: © Monkey Business Images Ltd | Dreamstime.com

Last week we looked at the Sun in houses 1-6 and what that tells you about where your talents may lie. Now for part 2 of that one:

Sun in the Seventh House

With the Sun in the 7^th house, relationship and partnership is important to you.

You recognise that two heads are better than one and have a talent for balancing the needs of individuals to achieve an integrated outcome. Compromise and diplomacy is your forte.

Satisfaction is found when the goals of the partnership are achieved. You do not work well in isolation and express yourself best and are stimulated most within a social environment.

The 7^th house is associated with Libra.

Activities or professions associated with the 7^th house: anything associated with marriage (arranging it, being in it or mediating the end of it), anything which matches people with other people (for jobs, relationships, causes or tennis), anything which involves compromise or negotiating an agreeable (or semi agreeable) outcome.

Sun in the Eighth House

With the Sun in the 8^th house, deep emotional connection is the key. You identify with the base instincts and needs of life, the unmentionables- sex, money, taxes, power, death, the legacies associated with death, and rebirth.

You have a talent for going below the surface and addressing the “mysteries” of life. You have the ability to effect complete healing and transformation and find satisfaction in this.

The 8^th house is associated with Scorpio.

Activities or professions associated with the 8^th house: anything to do with going beneath the surface (beneath the earth, beneath the sea, beneath a problem), anything where you have to dissect something to find the solution and heal it (surgeon, forensic anything- psychology, medical or accounting), anything requiring anything covert (investigations, enforcement, security), anything involving death, sex or taxes.

Sun in the Ninth House

With the Sun in the 9^th house you are a seeker of experience and knowledge. Your mind is open to new experiences and your boundaries are constantly being stretched.

You focus on the big picture and have a talent for teaching, broadcasting and preaching. Travel, knowledge, philosophy and spirituality bring you satisfaction.

The 9^th house is associated with Sagittarius.

Activities or professions associated with the 9^th house: Anything where you are broadcasting something or sending a mass message (whether it be publishing, preaching, teaching or interpreting), anything where you go somewhere (physically, metaphorically, virtually or spiritually), anything where you believe in something (a guru, a religion, a sport or a vision)

Sun in the Tenth House

With the Sun in the 10^th house, public recognition and career success is important to you. You get great satisfaction from what you have achieved and the professional ladders you have climbed.

Networking is important, as is ambition. With the Sun in the 10^th house, you have a natural talent for leadership.

The 10^th house is associated with Capricorn.

Activities or professions associated with the 10^th house: Anything to do with business (running it, working at it, planning it, administering it), anything to do with mountains (physical and metaphorical- climbing them, constructing them (dare I say it? sometimes out of mole hills…ouch!), digging into them for commercial gain), anything to do with structures (physical and metaphorical, concrete and bureaucratic).

Sun in the Eleventh House

With the Sun in the 11^th house, you know the potential of a team or community to work together towards a shared outcome. You express yourself best within your wide circle of friendship.

Satisfaction is attained through the following of your ideals and furthering of causes.

The 11^th house is associated with Aquarius.

Activities or professions associated with the 11^th house: Anything involving something new or alternative (science, technology, astrology, alternative healing, space stuff, inventing stuff), anything involving a cause or a community (activist, humanitarian work, lobbyist), anything involving sparks or connectivity (electrical, mechanical, telecommunications).

Sun in the Twelfth House

With the Sun in the 12^th house, front of stage and being in the limelight are not places where you feel at all comfortable.

You are able to lose yourself within large institutions, yet work well in isolation. Spirituality attracts you, as do the caring and service professions. Yours is a quiet satisfaction that does not require public accolades, it comes from within.

The 12^th house is associated with Pisces.

Activities or professions associated with the 12^th house: Anything to do with institutions (criminal, hospital, counselling, social work), anything to do with illusion (photography, magic, acting, costume work, set design), anything to do with delusion (poet, song writer, religion, spiritualism), anything to do with anything that helps bring you undone (pick your poison and attach a role to it eg bartender or wine merchant perhaps?).

Legian Beach. Pic by me.

See that straight line over there, way out in the distance? That’s the horizon. And, if you are a Sagittarius, have a Sag Ascendant (or even Midheaven), keeping your eye on that could be the difference between getting to Mount Cook or ending up in Legian Beach…or vice versa. Each are equally nice, but very different places to be. Wanna know more about how to set goals if you are a Sag? Check out my latest post for Your Career & the Cosmos here.

Mount Cook. Pic by me.