Hosier Lane. Pic by me.

Warning- this is not an astro post, but rather a travel blog…you have been warned!

Into street art, or what people used to call graffiti before it became artistic and trendy? Some artists now are completely mainstream and sell their work through galleries and for huge amounts of money.

Melbourne has embraced the artform and is now running competitions and sponsoring artists- all part of the whole edgy scene. There is, however, a huge difference between street art and nuisance tagging or graffiti.

If you want commentary and detail, there are a few companies that specialise in walking tours around the city, through the laneways etc. There are walking tours for chocoholics, for vintage shoppers and for those who want to check out the seedy underbelly. But, I’m a tight arse and prefer to wander on my own. In any case, throw some comfy shoes on, grab your camera- this is my guide to the best of the street art in the CBD…at the moment anyway! Remember the transient nature of this stuff- it is changing all the time…which is just one of the things that is so cool about it.

Flinders St Station. Pic by me.

Start at the steps at Flinders St station. Everyone meets on the steps, under the clocks, so it is the perfect place to begin your walk from. There was even a song written about the clocks- Under the Clocks- Weddings, Parties & Anything did it…here is the link (“is there anywhere you’d rather be than with me at the MCG?”)…

Anyways, we’re starting at the steps. To your right is what I happen to think is an amazing space and others consider an eyesore- Federation Square, or Fed Square. It was supposed to have opened in time to celebrate the centenary of Australian Federation in 2001, but was a couple of years late.

So now as well as being on any design students must see list, it is also used in case studies for Project Management students as a demonstration of what happens when scope creep isn’t properly costed, analysed and risk assessed. For my money, it is also a great place to hang out, veg out, have a drink or a meal and watch sport on the big screen.

Besides, I like it.

From here walk straight ahead, up Swanston St and take the first street on your right- immediately behind St Pauls Cathedral. This is Flinders Lane.

Hosier Lane. Pic by me.

Hosier Lane, on your right, just before Russell St, is arguably the jewel in the crown of Melbourne’s street art. Always changing, it seems as if every available inch is covered in colour.

At the bottom of the lane is Movida Restaurant- amazing Spanish inspired food. Both this and the neighbouring café have built the art into their outside fitout. Keep an eye out for the light boxes on the wall- Hosier is also an official arts installation.

Hosier Lane. Pic by me.

Back on Flinders Lane, head to your right, up the hill, crossing over Russell Street. Just before you come to the next cross street (Exhibition St) is AC/DC Lane. The art here is currently a little worse for wear and all in the genus flannellus rockus ie based around the rock band AC/DC.

Re-trace your steps back down Flinders Lane. Cross over Swanston Street and use all your powers of discipline to walk past the edgy fashion stores- time for serious shopping afterwards.

The first almost lane on the left is Scott Alley. It is known for having just one piece, a Banksy (the name in street art) behind Perspex. Stop if you want.

Centre Place. Pic by me.

Next on the list is Degraves Street and Centre Place. If your exertions so far have left you caffeine deprived, stop here. If not, head to your right up Centre Place. Right before the stairs take a left into what looks like a dead end with dumpsters. There are often buskers in here. There are also some really cool pieces- large and bold.

Centre Place. Pic by me.

From here you can walk through to Collins Street (if the mall is open- alternatively you will need to back track into Flinders Lane and take a left to Swanston St). Cross the road and walk through The Block Arcade, taking care to resolutely ignore the pastries and chocolates.

The Block Arcade. Pic by me.

This will bring you to Little Collins Street. Turn right and keep your eye out for Union Lane (on your left- just past the Royal Arcade and the Walk Arcade). Some great art in here.

Union Lane. Pic by me.

Union Lane. Pic by me.

Follow Union Lane through to Bourke Street Mall. Turn right, cross at Swanston and then head up Swanston just one block to Little Bourke Street. The gates symbolize the entry to Chinatown. Come back here for a meal or some dumplings- plenty of great options.

Little Bourke St. Pic by me.

Chinatown. Pic by me.

Take the third lane on the left- Heffernan Lane. The art here is a little more difficult to see and consists of what appear to be street signs or shop neons. Take your time, read the motivational signs and work out what is real and what is art.

Heffernan Lane. Pic by me.

From here it is through to Lonsdale Street and the start of the Greek precinct. Check out the pastry shops- what’s a little baklava or spanakopita when you have been walking so far?

Head left down Lonsdale Street and back across Swanston Street. Take the first lane on the left- Caledonian Lane- and follow the distinctive aroma of eau (or should that be eeeeuw?) de dumpster. It’s pretty manky down but the colour is great. My favourite here is a rather dire warning to lane patrons as to what will happen to various body parts if they continue to use the doorway as a urinal. Hmmmm.

Caledonian Lane. Pic by me.

Follow the lane through to Little Bourke St and you will find yourself at the back of department stores and shopping central.

Want more? Hop a tram up to Fitzroy, wander up and down Gertrude Street before heading down Brunswick Street. Lots of wall art in the side streets- and the shops and cafes are well worth a look.

Links to some photos from previous visits can be found here, and more from my most recent trip here.

You might be interested in some other Melbourne posts and photos:

What I Did on the Weekend

Melbourne- My Way

Union Lane. Pic by me.

the old quad, Melbourne Uni. Pic by me.

Last day of Conference today. I’m not flying home until tomorrow, but today was the last day of lectures.

Again, I only attended two today. The first was by Kira Sutherland on the Astrology of Body Image. Kira is a Nutritionist, Naturopath and Medical Astrologer…and a great teacher. Her session looked at the concept of how we can use what we have been given to make the best of ourselves.

Our chart has a lot to say about our metabolism, our appearance, our attitude to food and our attitude to exercise. It can show us where there is a propensity for addictive behaviour, disordered behaviour and hormonal nasties.

As an example, someone with as much water as I have will never be anything less than (ahem) curvy. Even when my weight has been okay, I have still been tending more towards Rubenesque than Elle.

Being watery, my metabolism is naturally quite slow…and lets not even go into the too much information part of discussing my disorders or addictions! But, my Venus in Aries likes to sweat and it could all be worse… I may do a broader post on this stuff another time.

I spent the lunch break today in the sun wandering around Melbourne University, clocking up some kms and shooting some photos. Some gorgeous old buildings and a lovely blue day. Unfortunately I had only brought a long-ish lens with me, but will still post the results later.

This afternoons lecture has left my head spinning- which I wasn’t expecting as the topic was something I know relatively well. Deb Houlding, a traditional astrologer and someone I have enormous admiration for, was presenting Dignities, Debilities and Receptions.

Essentially this is looking at planets from a traditional viewpoint as to whether they are operating in their purest form, or may be a little uncomfortable and unsure in their placement. Check out her website www.skyscript.co.uk for more on this and some great info.

I think my head was spinning because it was the first time that many people in the room had been introduced to the concept. It was hot, straight after lunch and is technically one of those things that you could be better off taking away and absorbing in your own time. I think I was doing the Pisces thing and picking up on other energies & it was throwing me a tad. Either that or I was just over the learning thing for this weekend.

Oh, New Moon tomorrow, in Aquarius (2 Aquarius 42’). I haven’t even looked at the time here in Sydney, but from memory it is sometime early evening-ish. This New Moon is the one to set intentions on if there is somewhere in your life that is a little stuck, trapped, clogged- somewhere you want to be free to be yourself.

A bit like the guy I just passed strutting down Bourke St mall in shiny satin pants that looked as if they have been sprayed on, high platform black patent shoes, Alice Cooper lustrous black curls and a scarlet satin shirt open to the navel. Eeeeuw. A little easier on the eye, but no less remarkable, was the pirate (complete with grey ponytail and beard, black eye patch, purple woven vest and lilac hessiany harem pants) munching on eggs benedict in the Block Arcade at breakfast this morning. Hmmm…. Maybe both of them misheard what Mars retrograde is really about. Speaking of which- make sure you read the piece the other day Running on Empty.

Oh, the Aquarius New Moon means that it is also New Year in the Chinese calendar and the year of the water dragon. I don’t know a lot about this (google it- there is heaps out there) except that it is fortuitous and quite Jupiter like in that you should be careful what you wish for. So, tomorrow when I get home, I’m going to roll 9 oranges across the threshold and make a wish. Apparently the oranges will bring good fortune through the door.

Gong Xi Fa Cai

GPO Shopping Centre, Bourke St. Pic by me.

I’m currently in Melbourne attending the bi-annual Astro Conference put on by the FAA (Federation of Australian Astrologers).

Astrology is one of those subjects where you are always learning. There is always something new to take in, someone with a different perspective, perhaps a different branch of astrology or maybe someone just says something that sets off light bulbs in your head.

Today I attended just two lectures- both were extended lectures and took up most of the day and virtually all available space in this little Piscean brain.

First up was Jane Ridder-Patrick. I have registered at al all day workshop that she is doing in Sydney (if you want the details check it out here).

Anyways, Jane is a brilliant medical astrologer. Her Handbook of Medical Astrology is the go to book if you are interested in learning about Medical Astrology. Todays’ lecture looked at the concept of why does this person have this illness at this particular time?

More specifically today she discussed the astrological pointers for chronic conditions such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease and dissociative diseases like anorexia nervosa.

The common theme in each case study was just how the image we have of our selves, the beliefs we have, the words we say, the emotional charge we hold onto- how all of it can manifest at some point in illness. Certainly food for thought.

Queen Victoria Markets. Pic by me.

After the lunch break and a walk down to Queen Victoria Markets, it was time for Michael Lutin and some cool stuff around dispositorship.

If you aren’t aware of this concept, essentially a planets “dispositor” is the planet that rules the sign in which the planet is residing. As an example, I have Venus in Aries. The natural ruler of Aries is Mars, so we would say that Mars disposits Venus, ie my Venus has the flavour of Mars.

Identifying the final dispositors in your chart basically tells you who the heavy hitters are.

I use the traditional ruler-ships- mainly because that works for me. He uses modern rulers but stressed that either way is right- it is what works for you.

So, using this system on my chart:

Sun, Mercury

Sun and Mercury in Pisces

Jupiter (ruler of Pisces) in Cancer rules the Sun and Mercury

Moon (ruler of Cancer) in Pisces rules Jupiter

Jupiter in Cancer rules the Moon

Jupiter and the Moon each rule the sign that the other is in- they are therefore said to be in mutual reception.

Moon

Moon in Pisces rules Jupiter

Jupiter in Cancer rules the Moon

Jupiter and the Moon each rule the sign that the other is in- they are therefore said to be in mutual reception.

Venus and Saturn

Venus in Aries

Mars (ruler of Aries) in Scorpio rules Venus and Saturn

Mars in Scorpio is in the sign of his rulership

Jupiter

Jupiter in Cancer

Moon (ruler of Cancer) in Pisces rules Jupiter

Mutual Reception

Uranus and Pluto

Uranus and Pluto in Virgo

Mercury (ruler of Virgo) in Pisces rules Uranus and Pluto

Neptune

Neptune in Scorpio

Mars (ruler of Scorpio) rules Neptune

Mars in Scorpio is in the sign of his rulership

So, the heavy hitters in my chart are the Moon-Jupiter and Mars.

Now we look for connections between these planets to see if they are talking a similar language. Given that these are all in water signs for me, they are connected OK.

Got it?

Then he went one step further and looked at the changes that occur when  planets move into new signs by progression…somehow though, I think that could be just a tad too much to pop into this mail tonight!

Anyways, I will leave you with a couple of photos of Melbourne…more when my brain empties out a little.

Queen Victoria Markets. Pic by me.

relaxing by the pool...pic by me

I have Mars in Scorpio, in the 8^th house.

At 3 Scorpio, not only is Mars in the sign he rules (ie very strong), in the house naturally associated with Scorpio (this is good too) in traditional terms (for reasons to do with words like “triplicity”, “terms” and “face”) he is extra comfortable.

In fact the placement of my Mars would be almost perfect if it weren’t for one teeney, weeney little detail: he is retrograde.

Now, in horary astrology, a retrograde planet is about as weak as it is possible to be- even when it is strong. (Horary, as regular readers know, is the art of casting a chart for a single question. If a retrograde planet is a significator in the question, whatever it is that planet signifies is said to be very weak.)

When I first started learning astrology I was told that my retrograde Mercury meant that I would have issues with learning, and especially in junior school. If anything, the reality is the opposite- I pretty well topped most subjects at school most years- I was a nerd. I was also told that my retrograde Mars meant that I would have issues with sex.  In the interests of too much information, let me just say, wrong again.

Whilst other astrologers may not agree with what I am about to say, natally retrograde planets are not weak, the energy is just applied in a different way- it’s directed inwards rather than outwards. Whatever that planet represents becomes more personal- but at the expense of ease of expression.

Take Mercury as an example. Many amazing writers have Mercury retrograde in their chart- there is clearly no issue with their ability to communicate, they may just spend more time in their heads before the words get committed to paper.

Likewise having Venus retrograde natally doesn’t mean that you will never find love, it may, however, slow the process down. You may be less comfortable in expressing your feelings- especially around those who you do fancy. You may feel more insecure when in a relationship and you will deal with matters of the heart very seriously. You may, however, be especially creative as all of that energy is turned within.

So, what of Mars. Given the rather phallic forward thrusting motion of Mars, what happens when the action planet is retrograde in your chart? You may feel that you are slower to start, you may have a naturally lower energy than others. You may have problems with conflict and find other ways to deal with it, such as manipulation or avoidance. Your anger, rather than being directed and focused may be explosive and unpredictable. This is because you keep it inside for so long that when it does erupt, it is volcanic.

With Mars retrograde natally you may find that you are at your best and most effective when the adrenaline is running hot, deadlines are looming and you have time only to act, not think- in other words, you are at your best in a time of crisis.

Mars is currently super slow and will turn retrograde in a little less than a week (23 January to be precise-ish…depending on your time zone).  Retrograde at 23 Virgo, he will re-trace his steps all the way back to 3 Virgo before turning back direct in mid April.

What does this mean for you? As with all retrograde periods, the “re” words apply. Words like review, rest, relax, revise. Given that this is Mars, energy levels may be lower than usual and those of us who are used to running on full, may feel a little more like they are running on empty. Those of us with Mars retrograde natally, may not notice a lot of difference.

If you expect delays and factor them in to your planning, the frustration you feel when you encounter them may be mitigated somewhat. The biggest danger at this time is rashness, impulsiveness, carelessness and loss of temper (when things don’t go your way) over-riding your normal levels of care and responsibility.

Physically Mars retrogrades can bring out underlying sinus and tension issues resulting in headaches and other health issues. If you are affected, maybe it is the Universe telling you that you need to employ one of those re words. Teeth can also be an issue- especially if Saturn is involved, or sudden rashes if Uranus is aspected during this transit.

As with all retrogrades, the energy is at its’ highest during the station period, ie when Mars is stationed retrograde or direct. It is at these points, in particular, where other planets aspecting that same point can trigger actions that you may not be yet ready to take.

As an example, say Mars is transiting the 7^th house for you (as he is for me).  You may be wanting to take it slow in relationship issues, take a step back and re-evaluate your partnerships. Say Mars aspects another planet during this transit, let’s make this interesting and say Mars conjuncts Pluto. The interesting part of this would occur if something else triggered activity- say that point received an aspect from the New Moon in Pisces, or the Full Moon in Virgo?

The lesson here- don’t just look at what part of life Mars is tracking back though and slowing down, but what else is happening to that part of life in relation to other transits.

Given that Mars is in Virgo, it goes without saying that you need to pay attention to details which you may otherwise overlook. A little criticality and precision will be rewarded…another re word.- and yes, retrograde planets can also bring rewards, if you listen to the messages being given to you.

A brief rundown of what you may expect.

Aries (or Aries Rising): 6^th house stuff ie heath and wellness habits, nutrition, business as usual. Being a Mars ruled sign, your energy will be impacted…a lot- take extra care not to lose your head in the process.

Taurus (or Taurus Rising): 5^th house stuff: kids, fun, play, creativity- the stuff we take risks on & give birth to.

Gemini (or Gemini Rising): 4^th house stuff: home, family, real estate, where you live & who you live with

Cancer (or Cancer Rising): 3^rd house stuff: what you say, how you say it & who you say it to, siblings, short or routine trips

Leo (or Leo Rising): 2^nd house stuff: money, and stuff, the dollars that are coming in, what you do with them & how & what you value.

Virgo (or Virgo Rising): 1^st house stuff: all about you, your identity, your attitude, your appearance, your vitality

Libra (or Libra Rising): 12^th house stuff: things that are hidden, secret enemies, where you run to and what you run from

Scorpio (or Scorpio Rising): 11^th house stuff: friends, groups, causes, networks. As Mars rules your sign take extra care and use tolerance when the inevitable happens. You can’t control everything.

Sagittarius (or Sagittarius Rising): 10^th house stuff: waiting for that promotion? Expect delays. Career, work, professional life, public life.

Capricorn (or Capricorn Rising): 9^th house stuff: study, travel, philosophy, beliefs

Aquarius (or Aquarius Rising): 8^th house stuff: taxes, other peoples money, money of the partnership, debt

Pisces (or Pisces Rising): relationships, back stabbing bitches that are open about it (ie open enemies), partnerships, connections.

Remember the children Von Trapp at the start of Sound of Music? All straight and good in their military uniforms and whistles. And just when everything was nice and orderly the Mother Superior decided to solve her Maria problem by sending her to the Von Trapps. Next thing you know, curtains have been turned into play clothes, rigidity has been replaced with spontaneity and rules with non conformity. The result was a romp through Salzburg so that thousands of tourists afterwards could do the same pose at the palace gates (or wherever it is the gates are…and yes, I’ve done it). All because of Maria.

Where am I going with this? To my latest post for Your Career & the Cosmos- the link is here…Tea: A Drink With Jam & Bread (Capricorn and Stress). Invite in a little Aquarius and it really is as easy as doe-ray-me…