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Aquarius New Moon…

New Moon 8 Aquarius 15′

Gong xi fa cai- happiness and prosperity…

It’s the Australia Day long weekend here – well, with Australia Day falling on a Thursday, plenty of people have turned it into a long weekend. Our house went “live” on the market on Wednesday and I’m using this weekend to get some real words done. At least, I’m hoping that’s what is happening – given that I’m writing this at 5am on a hot Tuesday morning a couple of weeks ago.

Given that it’s the 2nd New Moon after the solstice, tomorrow is also Chinese New year.

I don’t know a lot about Chinese astrology, but I do know that I (and many others) found the Year of the Monkey tough. I just googled my Sheep/Goat horoscope to see what the Year of the Rooster had in store for me (don’t ask me for the site, I seriously was just googling around) and apparently the first half of my year will be tough and the 2nd half will start to even out. It will also require much hard work and prudence with money. No shit, Sherlock. (For any non Aussies out there, that pretty much means something like tell me something I didn’t already know, or that wasn’t obvious.)

Anyways, I’ll clean the house this afternoon and wash my hair – part of the whole new year thing is to go into the new year with a clean slate and clean hair. Washing your hair in the first couple of days of the new year can wash your prosperity away. Now I know where I went wrong last year.

A new Chinese lunar year means a new moon for us all- and that new moon is in Aquarius…so what perfect time to think about your connections.

With the move imminent, I’ve been thinking a lot about mine. ‘But you don’t know anyone up there,’ people say. ‘Oh, but I do,’ I reply. I may never have met some of the people I actively “talk” to every day on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (mostly instagram – I’m rarely to be found on Facebook), but there are a number of people in Brisbane and in the Sunshine Coast who are part of my sprawling connection network. They’re in my life in some way for some reason. We’ve all connected for a reason.

Everyone that we connect with teaches us something about ourselves, and – good or bad – is there any better gift? Perhaps the greatest challenge we have is to grow into our own skin…to become who we need to be…who we are meant to be.

Sure we have issues around fear, and desire, and hunger and power, but at the end of the day, the only person whose opinion of us really matters to us is our own.

Most of the time we don’t think too much about this. Why would we? Every so often though, something rings our bell. An issue with authority, someone threatening our independence, someone forcing us into the category they believe we should be in, a cause we passionately want to band together with others to pursue.

Yes, what I’m talking about here is the Uranian story. It tends to come up each time transiting Uranus triggers something in your chart, or each time Uranus itself is triggered.

To an extent it’s also being triggered now- at the Aquarius New Moon.

Wherever 8 Aquarius 15’ (or thereabouts) is in your chart is where issues of independence, individuality, attitude to authority, conformity and connectivity are being raised. It’s also where you now have an opportunity to set intentions to tweak these issues.

The thing about New Moons is that it’s dark- you don’t know what’s around the corner. You have to take the first steps into the dark without knowing what’s around the corner.

The other thing about New Moons is, very often nothing happens to you, it happens within you. You’re the one who needs to set the intention and see what happens.

At this New Moon, with Mars poised to tear off into Aries, and Mercury moving ever closer to Pluto in Capricorn, and Saturn squaring Venus, now is the time to dream your goals into life. How do you do that? Take your dreams, write them down, set some intentions, and commit to them. There. Done.

Doing it for yourself…

If you’ve been reading along, you should know how to find where the New Moon is happening in your chart. If you’re new to this site (welcome), duck across and check out this post before you go any further.

Now, let’s set our intentions. Think about the area of life you’re focusing on and set small achievable targets. Make sure that you do at least one thing towards this goal this month. If you’re unsure where to start, check out this post.

  • How do the concerns of this house make you feel?
  • How would you like to feel about them?
  • What positive steps can you take over the next four weeks to minimise the gap between how you feel about this are and how you’d like to feel?

*****Write it down!!!!!!!!!!******

Some suggestions are below, but make like Aquarius and think future, think authentic, and think outside the box. What can you do over the next 28 days to change this situation? Are there any quick wins to be had? Think outside your normal boxes for this one, and reach out. If you’ve been neglecting friends- even your virtual ones- now is the time to make a little effort to stay in touch.

  • If Aquarius falls in your 11th, you might need to ask yourself whether your hopes and dreams are truly yours, or are you conforming to someone else’s idea of what you should be aiming for.
  • If Aquarius is in the 7th, look at your relationships. Do you have freedom to move, to breathe, to be yourself? Is this a conversation you need to be having with someone else? What about the 1st? Does your personal style fit who you are, or are you wearing the uniform of someone else?
  • What if the New Moon falls into the 8th house, you might be concerned about, say, your credit card debts. Are you spending too much of other people’s money? Do you want to feel more in control over this part of your life? Maybe a good 4 week goal might be to monitor your spending, or consolidate your credit cards, perhaps see a financial advisor, take responsibility for your own actions.
  • If the New Moon falls into the 4th house, you might find your concerns are around home- how secure, stable and comfortable you feel, whether you feel that past conditioning is somehow holding you back from what you want to do now. Maybe home is draining your energy rather than replenishing it. Consider any quick improvements you can make, perhaps read up on feng shui to see how you can improve the flow of positive energy, maybe see a counsellor over family related problems. A quick fix might be a clean up or de-cluttering session.

Want a shortcut?

  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Aquarius, this New Moon falls in your 1st house.
  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Pisces this New Moon falls in your 12th house.
  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Aries, this New Moon falls in your 11th house.
  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Taurus, this New Moon falls in your 10th house.
  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Gemini, this New Moon falls in your 9th house.
  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Cancer this New Moon falls in your 8th house.
  • If your Sun of Ascendant is in Leo this New Moon falls in your 7th house.
  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Virgo, this New Moon falls in your 6th house.
  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Libra, this New Moon falls in your 5th house.
  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Scorpio, this New Moon falls in your 4th house.
  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Sagittarius, this New Moon falls in your 3rd house.
  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Capricorn, this New Moon falls in your 2nd house.

Remember…

Often times absolutely nothing will happen…or seem to happen…even if you are receiving a direct contact. When it comes to the moon, the effects are usually quite subtle.

If you haven’t been doing so, why not try journaling your lunar journey- you’ll be surprised how, in hindsight, more has been going on than you might have thought.

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Something about hard places and Aquarius…

Thursday January 19, 2017

Moon in Libra

Mars square Saturn

Did anyone say rock and a hard place? Yeah, possibly, but both Mars and Saturn are in mutable signs, so these two are more likely to forget to hold their ground.

Mars and Saturn aspects are generally about caution, and often about fear. The advice is that instead of charging off you proceed slowly, and if you’re making excuses, ask yourself whether it’s because you’re scared. Be honest.

Another thing that can get thrown up under this aspect is problems with superiors – or, rather, people who might be in a position of authority over you. Again, though, this mightn’t be unreasonable – it could just appear so. Again, be honest.

What else? Early tomorrow morning the Sun moves into Aquarius. This means it’s warming whatever part of your chart is ruled by Aquarius. Want more info? Here’s a link to last year’s post.

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New Moon in Aquarius: With a Little Help From My Friends

Untitled design
Image from canva.com

Aquarius New Moon 19 Aquarius 16′

It’s a muggy Sunday morning here in Sydney (the humidity is about 312%), and I’m about to break from my writing schedule to do a top to tail clean of the house. It’s Chinese New Year tomorrow, you see, and part of the superstition (is that the right word? Don’t write to me…) around this is to go into the new year with a clean slate. You should also go in with clean hair as washing your hair in the first couple of days of the new year can wash your prosperity away. Now I know where I went wrong last year.

A new Chinese lunar year, means a new moon for us all- and that new moon is in Aquarius…so here’s something I prepared last year- with some tweaks and changes to bring it up to date.

Gong xi fa cai- happiness and prosperity…

For the last few weeks I’ve been in a Fitbit challenge with a group of women I’ve never met. It’s not so much about who wins (or loses) our workweek challenges, but more about how we cheer and motivate each other to get to our 10,000 steps a day. I came into the group sideways through a podcast run by someone I’ve got to know through social media and our shared interest in cookbooks. We’ve been in a (almost every week) fitbit challenge for the last year or so.

Anyways, she featured one of the women on the podcast, we got chatting on twitter, and now we’re doing the cheering thing on fitbit.

Just like these women, you may never have met the people you talk to daily on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, but they’re in your life for a reason. We’ve all connected for a reason.

Everyone that we connect with teaches us something about ourselves, and- good or bad- is there any better gift? Perhaps the greatest challenge we have is to grow into our own skin…to become who we need to be…who we are meant to be.

Sure we have issues around fear, and desire, and hunger and power, but at the end of the day, the only person whose opinion of us really matters to us is our own.

Most of the time we don’t think too much about this. Why would we? Every so often though, something rings our bell. An issue with authority, someone threatening our independence, someone forcing us into the category they believe we should be in, a cause we passionately want to band together with others to pursue.

Yes, what I’m talking about here is the Uranian story. It tends to come up each time transiting Uranus triggers something in your chart, or each time Uranus itself is triggered.

To an extent it’s also being triggered now- at the Aquarius New Moon.

Wherever 19 Aquarius 16’ (or thereabouts) is in your chart is where issues of independence, individuality, attitude to authority, conformity and connectivity are being raised. It’s also where you now have an opportunity to set intentions to tweak these issues.

The thing about New Moons is that it’s dark- you don’t know what’s around the corner. You have to take the first steps into the dark without knowing what’s around the corner.

The other thing about New Moons is, very often nothing happens to you, it happens within you. You’re the one who needs to set the intention and see what happens. With Mars and Neptune conjunct at this New Moon, both focusing and acting could be easier said than done…so imagine it, create it, think beyond what is beyond.

Doing it for yourself…

If you’ve been reading along, you should know how to find where the New Moon is happening in your chart. If you’re new to this site (welcome), duck across and check out this post before you go any further.

Now, let’s set our intentions. Think about the area of life you’re focusing on and set small achievable targets. Make sure that you do at least one thing towards this goal this month. If you’re unsure where to start, check out this post.

  • How do the concerns of this house make you feel?
  • How would you like to feel about them?
  • What positive steps can you take over the next four weeks to minimise the gap between how you feel about this are and how you’d like to feel?

*****Write it down!!!!!!!!!!******

Some suggestions are below, but make like Aquarius and think future, think authentic, and think outside the box. What can you do over the next 28 days to change this situation? Are there any quick wins to be had? Think outside your normal boxes for this one, and reach out. If you’ve been neglecting friends- even your virtual ones- now is the time to make a little effort to stay in touch.

  • If Aquarius falls in your 11th, you might need to ask yourself whether your hopes and dreams are truly yours, or are you conforming to someone else’s idea of what you should be aiming for.
  • If Aquarius is in the 7th, look at your relationships. Do you have freedom to move, to breathe, to be yourself? Is this a conversation you need to be having with someone else? What about the 1st? Does your personal style fit who you are, or are you wearing the uniform of someone else?
  • What if the New Moon falls into the 8th house, you might be concerned about, say, your credit card debts. Are you spending too much of other people’s money? Do you want to feel more in control over this part of your life? Maybe a good 4 week goal might be to monitor your spending, or consolidate your credit cards, perhaps see a financial advisor, take responsibility for your own actions.
  • If the New Moon falls into the 4th house, you might find your concerns are around home- how secure, stable and comfortable you feel, whether you feel that past conditioning is somehow holding you back from what you want to do now. Maybe home is draining your energy rather than replenishing it. Consider any quick improvements you can make, perhaps read up on feng shui to see how you can improve the flow of positive energy, maybe see a counsellor over family related problems. A quick fix might be a clean up or de-cluttering session.

Want a shortcut?

  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Aquarius, this New Moon falls in your 1st house.
  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Pisces this New Moon falls in your 12th house.
  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Aries, this New Moon falls in your 11th house.
  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Taurus, this New Moon falls in your 10th house.
  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Gemini, this New Moon falls in your 9th house.
  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Cancer this New Moon falls in your 8th house.
  • If your Sun of Ascendant is in Leo this New Moon falls in your 7th house.
  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Virgo, this New Moon falls in your 6th house.
  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Libra, this New Moon falls in your 5th house.
  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Scorpio, this New Moon falls in your 4th house.
  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Sagittarius, this New Moon falls in your 3rd house.
  • If your Sun or Ascendant is in Capricorn, this New Moon falls in your 2nd house.

Remember…

Often times absolutely nothing will happen…or seem to happen…even if you are receiving a direct contact. When it comes to the moon, the effects are usually quite subtle.

If you haven’t been doing so, why not try journaling your lunar journey- you’ll be surprised how, in hindsight, more has been going on than you might have thought.

 

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Happy Birthday Aquarius

shutterstock_197759630

Ruler: Saturn (traditional), Uranus (modern)

Exalted: 

Detriment: the Sun

Fall: 

Polarity: Masculine/ Positive

Modality: Fixed

Element: Air

Body Parts: nerve impulses, lower leg, calves, ankles, blood & circulation, parathyroid, energy flow of the meridian system, auras & chakras

Nature: hot, moist, nervous, quick, impulsive, electrical

Aquarius represents patterns of energy flow and circulation.

Golden Zodiac decorative vector background

Not that long ago, in a food hall in suburban Sydney, I heard the following conversation between three teenage girls. It went something like:

Girl 1: My boyfriend is an Aquarius and he’s, like, so sensitive.

Girl 2: That’s because Aquarius is a water sign. They’re so emotional.

Girl 3: But I thought it was an Air sign…or something.

Girl 2: Hello…the water bearer? Of course, it’s a water sign.

Girl 3: Oh that’s right. What’s your boyfriend?

Girl 2: He’s a Scorpio, and that’s a fire sign, you know…

What that conversation demonstrated, is just how misunderstood Aquarius is:

  • Aquarius is often mistaken for a water sign- indeed, the squiggly lines that form its glyph look like water- yet it is an Air sign: the squiggles are supposed to be representative of knowledge.
  • It’s archetype, the water-bearer, only adds to the confusion. The pouring of the water is representative of the dissemination of knowledge…or something like that.
  • Aquarius is associated with all that is free and laid-back and future orientated- yet, it is a fixed sign and, like all fixed signs, can be known to resist change…especially a change of mind or view. (Did that come out loud?) Aquarius can be stubborn, holding onto an idea long after its sell by date- just for the sake of “seeing it through”.
  • Aquarius is associated with Uranus and fresh ideas and innovation and rage against the machine- yet its’ traditional ruler is Saturn: the planet of structure, responsibility and conformity.
  • Aquarius has a reputation of seeming cold, detached, aloof and commitment-phobic, yet needs his social networks in order to feel complete
  • At the root of all Aquarian visions is the idea of personal freedom and individuality, yet it’s also representative of like-minded people coming together for a common purpose.

So what, or who, is Aquarius?

Aquarius is an air sign, and like all air signs, is motivated by ideas and the relationship between ideas and people.

As the opposite to Sun ruled Leo, Aquarius resolutely takes the crown off his head, throws it away and twists the spotlight away from himself to focus on what matters more than himself. We see this every day in freedom fighters, humanitarian aid programs. We see it every time a group of people come together and put their own personalities aside. It’s about more than personal ego.

And what of Aquarius’ rulers? How do they work together? Saturn is the traditional ruler of Aquarius, whilst Uranus is the modern ruler. Uranus the quirky, electrical, unpredictable bringer of things to shake us out of our lethargy, and Saturn the mature, responsible builder of structures and boundaries.  How can this be?

Uranus provides the zing, the impulse to think and theorise in a new and innovative, future driven way. Uranus provides the impulse to rebel outside of the conventional structures of society. Without the commitment, maturity and internal structure offered by Saturn, this simply results in anarchy- not revolution.

Anytime a cause or a common belief is able to galvanise a group of people towards action, structure is needed in order to build real lasting change.

This is how change happens.

Although initially revolutionary, change is constant and evolutionary. Once implemented, it becomes part of the structure of society and conventional. Change for the greater good requires the ability to detach oneself from the ego and the emotions in order to see the bigger picture. It’s when you go too far with this that you meet the Aquarian shadow. Despite his wit, his surface lightness, his apparent sociability, it’s through detachment Aquarius can feel alienated. In order to feel complete, he must also recognise that others are not so able to compartmentalise their feelings or put aside their ego.

Also in the shadow is when you find rebellion for no real reason other than for its own sake. This isn’t progressive or forward thinking or belief orientated- it is destructive.

The challenge for Aquarius is to learn to recognise his own achievements for what they are and remember that although he is part of something bigger, all groups are essentially still comprised of individuals.

 

collage from 12 zodiac signs and planetarium image

 

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A Different Point of View

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Mercury in Aquarius

…one I prepared earlier…

Remember school sports carnivals? I hated them- with an absolute passion. I loved the swimming carnivals, but that’s because I was good at it, and usually in line for age swimming champion, or at least get a few decent wins beneath the belt, but dry land? Forget it. I’m a fish through and through.

My Mum used to make me go every year and she used to make me enter stuff that would just be humiliating. I would come last in every running race- not just by a little bit, but really, truly, embarrassingly last. My long jump would be well short of acceptable and my high jump? The less said about that the better. In short, I let the team down.

Every year the embarrassment would be so great that for many years I completely stayed away from any exercise that took place on dry land- at least until I was older and discovered gyms and aerobics classes. Places where I could sweat on my own terms and be responsible for no collective performance.

I avoided any situation where running was involved, apart from a spell as a Rugby League referee (in those revolting shorts and coloured shirts I was invisible).

The reason I was made to do it? To get the entry points for the team. My Mum is an Aquarius, so the team and the greater good are so much more important than my teenage humiliation. But you know what? I couldn’t give a flying faff for the team, or the house or the spirit of participation or whatever it happened to be. To this day I have stayed away from team sports of all sorts. I do neither commitment nor failure well.

Even when I entered everything I could possibly enter in the pool for school swimming carnival, it wasn’t for the glory of the team- it was to try and get some street cred back after the disgrace of sports day! And my butterfly, medley and 400m freestyle usually did just that.

These days my Mum tries the same tactic with my daughter, but Miss nearly 18, with her Moon in Aquarius, sort of gets it- at least she gets it more than me. With all of the rest of her Aries though, she mostly just wants to win.

Mercury in Aquarius, whilst being completely individual, relies on the collective or the group to help with the communication of the message.

You have ideas- inventive, progressive, often brilliant- ideas. You perform at your best when committed to a cause, but, being a fixed sign, you can also become attached, fixated even, to your ideas. The plain and simple fact is that when it comes to what Aquarius believes nothing- not facts, supporting data, other people’s ideas- will sway you off course. Even if what you believe is not right.

Whilst you believe whole-heartedly in freedom of thought and freedom of speech, you will doggedly try and bring other people around to your frame of mind. This isn’t the preaching that Sagittarius can tend to, but the zeal of the cause.

Your traditional ruler Uranus gives you uniqueness in the way in which you get your message across, excitement, and the ability to relate individually with each person involved in the communication stream. Aquarius’ legendary detachment allows you to make connections between seemingly unrelated concepts.

It is that detachment which also encourages your tendency towards experimentation and the way in which you like to test your theories out on people. Mercury in Aquarius, for all of it’s fixed nature does neither commitment or conformity well.

Your traditional ruler, Saturn, gives you the structure and respect for organisation that you need in order to get your message to the right people. You also know the benefits of surrounding yourself with people who actively support you. You find groups stimulating and know that an active social life and group of friends is absolutely essential to you.

You know that there is no “I” in team. You know that people working together towards a collective purpose will achieve more than they will on their own. When Aquarius fails to achieve (there is an “I” in that word) or win his point (there’s an “I” in that word too), it will be for one of two reasons:

  • The rebellious side of Uranus over-rides the structure of Saturn, and/or
  • He tries to go it alone and only involve others at the 11th hour

It is only when Aquarius goes for personal glory at the expense of a team result that the brown stuff hits the whirly thing.

Aquarius is, however, a fixed sign, so for all this so-called progressive thinking, Aquarians can also stubbornly stick to a specific perspective or idea- simply because it is theirs.

For the rest of us, Mercury in Aquarius is a time to send our thinking outside the box, colour outside the lines, consider the what ifs…and possibly even come up with a different point of view.

This sound like you? If you are an Aquarius (or Aquarius Rising), have Mercury in Aquarius or Mercury conjunct Uranus, this will be you. And the title? A Different Point of View by, of course, the Pet Shop Boys.

Doing it for yourself…

Mercury transits, although fleeting, trigger curiosity in whatever area of life is currently being transited. Depending on the sign or the house, you’ll linger a little or a lot, bookmark something, make a decision on something else.

Pull your chart out to see where this is happening for you- if you’re not sure how to do this- or what the houses mean- refer back to the earlier episodes of Tuesday Toolbox.

Try it for yourself.

If your rising sign is Aquarius, Mercury is in your 1st house

If your rising sign is Pisces, Mercury is in your 12th house

If your rising sign is Aries, Mercury is in your 11th house

If your rising sign is Taurus, Mercury is in your 10th house

If your rising sign is Gemini, Mercury is in your 9th house

If your rising sign is Cancer, Mercury is in your 8th house

If your rising sign is Leo, Mercury is in your 7th house

If your rising sign is Virgo, Mercury is in your 6th house

If your rising sign is Libra, Mercury is in your 5th house

If your rising sign is Scorpio, Mercury is in your 4th house

If your rising sign is Sagittarius, Mercury is in your 3rd house

If your rising sign is Capricorn, Mercury is in your 2nd house

 

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Ant Music- Full Moon in Aquarius

three ants holding fresh tomato

So anyways, let me tell you something about ants.

There’s been this new study on ants in some university or other. In Israel, I think. I’d tell you the details, but at that precise minute in the radio story I took a work call, and I couldn’t negotiate Sydney traffic, say something sensible to a colleague and listen to the radio at the same time…so let’s pretend the details of the study don’t matter too much in the big picture of this story.

Ok. The ants.

We know that they work together in order to transport that bread-crumb or piece of cheese from your picnic table to wherever they need to. What we didn’t know is how they worked together.

(Those of you who know a little about Aquarius can see where I’m heading with this- am I right?)

The ant who found that breadcrumb knows she (and most of the heavy lifting in the ant world is done by the females) can’t do what she needs to do on her own. That’s where the community comes in.

There’s no jockeying for poll position under the spotlight when you’re an ant. Nor is there a specific hierarchy or pecking order that needs to be followed. Rather than just knowing what to do or following a leader, they actually display a mix of conforming and erratic behaviours.

Some ants go with the flow, others run around looking for a new path forward. Sometimes the direction changes markedly. The leadership changes seamlessly without argument or grandstanding. It’s a little like the ant equivalent of kids sport where everyone has the turn to be the captain. In kids sport it’s supposed to help build individual courage within the structure of a team. I’m not sure what the purpose is in the ant world- other than to get that breadcrumb off your picnic blanket and to wherever it needs to go.

This all leads me (of course it does) to the Aquarius Full Moon. It’s that balance between the individual and the collective, between self-expression and the joining of like minds, between creativity and collaboration. It’s the point where you take what you’ve created and send it out into the world to meet your hopes and dreams.

The Full Moon in Aquarius is all about acknowledging all the bits and pieces that make us individual, yet also all the bits and pieces that we have to work with in order to co-exist in society. The Full Moon in Aquarius is that point where we acknowledge that we quite simply can’t do it alone.

Socially cohesive tribes who have common goals, watch each others backs and trust each other have an awful lot of advantages. It’s not just about ants. Even fish know this. Just watch schools of fish wheeling and turning together, presenting a united front to the shark who sees them simply as entrée course. The individual is less important than the tribe. All of their differences are all brought together to form the whole…yet each still continues (assuming they don’t end up as dinner, that is) to exist and express themselves as an individual- however it is that fish express themselves, I guess…

We are also tribal. To exist we need others. To achieve our personal goals we need interaction with others- regardless of whether we like them, tolerate them, agree with them or can identify with them. It’s not surprising that the cooperative has adapted and flourished and adapted and flourished. And yes, the repetition was deliberate.

The problems begin when two groups compete with each other for something that the other wants…when egos get in the way.

From a personal viewpoint, I‘ve never felt that I fitted neatly into any pre-defined pigeon-hole. And, with most planets in my chart hitting Uranus, I’m actually quite proud of all the little weird quirks that make me who I am. Yet I always made an outward effort to conform- to the degree that is necessary for survival.

At some point over the last few years, I’ve worked out that being yourself is OK. It’s OK to embrace the quirks and dare to be yourself. It’s OK to enjoy own time and just as OK to prefer to surround yourself with others of a like mind. It’s OK to love the way you choose and the people you choose to love.

We each bring to the table something different for the melting pot. As individuals we form that conglomerate that is humanity, and as humanity we need to recognize that every individual plays a part and deserves to be treated humanely.

It’s all too easy to share with and associate with those only who reflect ourselves- the person we see in the mirror. Yet just how rich and fulfilling can it be to also identify with those who don’t?

Wherever 8 (ok, 7 degrees 56’ to be exactish) Aquarius and Leo fall in your chart is where you need to be thinking about this balance.

Given that both Leo and Aquarius are fixed signs, achieving this balance and breaking through to the next level is probably going to involve turning some preconceived idea on its head. That’s ok- it’s stepping outside the group and doing a little erratic running around that can help you find a new way forward.

You just need the courage to do so- and that’s your call.

Doing it for yourself…

By now you should know the drill. If not, check out this post and refer back to Tuesday Toolbox lesson 1 and 1.1 if you need help drafting or reading your chart.

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Aquarius new Moon…again…

Chinese New Year greeting

Hi there,

Just thought I’d check in on you all…

I haven’t been around here much lately- combo of deadlines in the partition job, deadlines on the novel front and deadlines on another commissioned job. I’m about halfway through the astro writing and hand in the novel to the copy editor at the end of the month, so the light is gleaming away at the end of this particular tunnel.

There’s some big stuff happening in the sky over the next couple of days.

First up is the New Moon tomorrow. Technically it falls at 29 Aquarius 29′. Less than one minute later, the Moon moves into Pisces. Just a couple of minutes after this, so does the Sun. It’s so close it’s almost unbearable. At the time the Sun moves in, the Moon is at 0 Pisces 01′. There’s a lot about this that I love- that whole blurring of boundaries thing.

I won’t put up a DIY post on this one- but here’s the link to the last Aquarius New Moon post.

Then, on the 21st, Venus moves into Aries, followed quickly by Mars.

It’s all happening.

This New Moon also marks the New Chinese Year. This one is in the sign of the sheep…or the goat…or the ram- which, of course, is the same as a sheep, just more gender specific.

From the useless book of knowledge, I was born in the Year of the Goat- so was anyone born after Chinese New Year in the following years: 1907, 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003.

I don’t know too much about Chinese astrology, but it fascinates me. I love the ceremony and the traditions that go along with it.

Like rolling oranges and coins over the threshold of the front door on the first day of the New Year- to bring in prosperity.

Like the panicked call from my friend in Malaysia on Feb 4 to go and deposit money for Li Chun Day. Apparently that’s the day where depositing cash rather than withdrawing it is lucky for abundance in the year ahead. I just wish he’d told me a day earlier!

Something else for the useless book of knowledge.

Anyways, it’s 6.30am here in Sydney and I have to get up and do the hi ho hi ho thing.

Until next time…

Jox

 

 

 

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With a Little Help From My Friends: New Moon in Aquarius

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I’m on holiday at present- on Queensland’s sunny Sunshine Coast. We’re walking, swimming, sunning, catching up. It’s glorious. I’m posting photos each day on instagram, and on and anyways– as I get around to it. I’m not on Facebook much, though, so don’t be insulted if I don’t respond to you- I’m too busy lying on the sand.

Aside from great beaches (here’s another photo in case you’re not convinced),

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one thing this town is known for is it’s seafood- in particular the prawns. Mooloolaba king prawns are sweet and crisp and…well, you get the idea. I happen to think you won’t find a better prawn elsewhere…don’t write to me!

Anyways, this afternoon hubby and I walked down to the wharf and watched the trawlers go out- one after another- to fetch the prawns I’ve been craving…ok, probably not just for me, but again you get the idea.

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Hubby made the comment that the prawns must be running, which made me immediately check the Moon phase on my iphone app. Yep, it’s in the balsamic phase, and surely everyone knows that the best time for prawning is at 4 or 5 days around the dark of the Moon…don’t they?

This, of course, led to my next realisation, a balsamic Moon means a New Moon…tomorrow…at 0 Aquarius….and a New Moon means a post.

We’ve been coming up here most years since Miss T was just 6 months old. We’ve missed some years, but it feels comfortable. It’s a place that feels like it could be home- and, indeed, it’s a place we’ve spoken about when talking about retirement- which isn’t that many years away for Mr T.

Today we caught up with a friend that Mr T has known since he was a teenager in Canberra. For too many years we’ve only seen her and properly caught up when we’ve made the trip up here. Yet this morning, it was as if we last spoke just a few weeks ago. Seeing her feels like home too.

It’s not just old friends that we reach out to, but think of the virtual connections you’ve made. You may never have met the people you talk to daily on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, but they’re in your life for a reason. At present I’m motivated to achieve my daily steps target on Fitbit by someone I’ve never met (but hope to one day). I’ve got to know her through social media and our shared interest in cookbooks.

Everyone that we connect with teaches us something about ourselves, and- good or bad- is there any better gift? Perhaps the greatest challenge we have is to grow into our own skin…to become who we need to be…who we are meant to be.

Sure we have issues around fear, and desire, and hunger and power, but at the end of the day, the only person whose opinion of us really matters to us is our own.

Most of the time we don’t think too much about this. Why would we? Every so often though, something rings our bell. An issue with authority, someone threatening our independence, someone forcing us into the category they believe we should be in, a cause we passionately want to band together with others to pursue.

Yes, what I’m talking about here is the Uranian story. It tends to come up each time transiting Uranus triggers something in your chart, or each time Uranus itself is triggered.

To an extent it’s also being triggered now- at the Aquarius New Moon.

Wherever 0 Aquarius 9’ (or thereabouts) is in your chart is where issues of independence, individuality, attitude to authority, conformity and connectivity are being raised. It’s also where you now have an opportunity to set intentions to tweak these issues.

The thing about New Moons is that it’s dark- you don’t know what’s around the corner. You have to take the first steps into the dark without knowing what’s around the corner.

The other thing about New Moons is, very often nothing happens to you, it happens within you. You’re the one who needs to set the intention and see what happens. With Mars and Neptune conjunct at this New Moon, both focusing and acting could be easier said than done…so imagine it, create it, think beyond what is beyond.

By now you should be well skilled in the whole DIY New Moon thing, but if not, or if you’re new to this page (if you are- welcome…) you’ll need this post.

If you’re into setting intentions, you’ll need to know what house the New Moon falls in for you. If you’re unsure about what each house means, check out this post.

How do the concerns of this house make you feel?

How would you like to feel about them?

What positive steps can you take over the next four weeks to minimise the gap between how you feel about this are and how you’d like to feel?

*****Write it down!!!!!!!!!!******

If Aquarius falls in your 11th, you might need to ask yourself whether your hopes and dreams are truly yours, or are you conforming to someone else’s idea of what you should be aiming for. If Aquarius is in the 7th, look at your relationships. Do you have freedom to move, to breathe, to be yourself? Is this a conversation you need to be having with someone else? What about the 1st? Does your personal style fit who you are, or are you wearing the uniform of someone else?

What if the New Moon falls into the 8th house, you might be concerned about, say, your credit card debts. Are you spending too much of other people’s money? Do you want to feel more in control over this part of your life? Maybe a good 4 week goal might be to monitor your spending, or consolidate your credit cards, perhaps see a financial advisor, take responsibility for your own actions.

If the New Moon falls into the 4th house, you might find your concerns are around home- how secure, stable and comfortable you feel, whether you feel that past conditioning is somehow holding you back from what you want to do now. Maybe home is draining your energy rather than replenishing it. Consider any quick improvements you can make, perhaps read up on feng shui to see how you can improve the flow of positive energy, maybe see a counsellor over family related problems. A quick fix might be a clean up or de-cluttering session!

What can you do over the next 28 days to change this situation? Are there any quick wins to be had? Think outside your normal boxes for this one, and reach out. If you’ve been neglecting friends- even your virtual ones- now is the time to make a little effort to stay in touch.

As for me? I’m waiting for those trawlers to come back into harbour- I know what I’m having for lunch tomorrow…