Leo New Moon: Find the Joy

The Leo New Moon occurs on August 2nd, at 1:44 pm MST/PDT at 10 degrees Leo 57 minutes.  Here’s the chart:  LeoNewMoon2016.

Leo is the only zodiac sign in our Solar system ruled by a star, our Sun, not one of the planets.  As such, Leo has long been associated with nobility, royalty and dynasties.

The Lion, symbol of Leo, is called the ‘King’ of beasts.  Accordingly, Leos are characterized by dignity, leadership and pride.  Indeed a group or family of lions is called a ‘pride!’

Ruled by the Sun, Leos naturally see themselves as the ‘center of the universe.’  This quality of consciousness, referred to as a ‘pyramid reality mindset’ sees itself at the top of the pyramid and superior to others, expecting others to serve it’s needs.  However, this seeming narcissism hides a deeper inner truth.  Un-evolved Leos carry a deep inner emotional insecurity that needs constant outer recognition and attention to affirm their special qualities.  Seeking validation of their value and worth from outer sources can lead to an insatiable need for praise and acknowledgment.  When Leos don’t receive the acclaim and appreciation they feel they deserve, they’ll often pursue love affairs or ‘act out’ becoming the infamous ‘Drama Queen or King’ that just keeps climbing up on ‘stage’ in order to receive attention and be noticed.

This need to be noticed and validated as special is commonly reflected in the behavior of most children, who are also ruled by Leo.  Children often seek the attention of their parents saying, “Look at me!”  While this behavior is natural for children, it becomes pathological when carried into adulthood where unfulfilled needs for love and approval are projected onto others, especially loved ones at home and colleagues in the workplace.

The evolutionary intention of Leo is to learn SELF-LOVE.  Instead of seeking approval, acknowledgement, validation and appreciation from outer sources, Leo must learn to love itself, to honor and respect itself and express its true nature – no matter what.

When Leo’s emotional insecurity reaches an extreme level of imbalance, they will typically co-create an Aquarian (opposite sign reflecting the path of evolution) shock or trauma.  The ‘rug gets ripped out’ from under them in order to reinforce humility and teach them to recognize that others are special too and deserve recognition as well.  Leo must ultimately learn that it is simply an actor on the stage of life, not the director of the play.

The Hermetic Law of Correspondences commonly known through the phrases, “As Above, So Below” and “As Within, So Without” is very instructive for Leo.  If you don’t love your self, love will not be reflected back to you through your outer environment.  If you cannot love your self, how can you expect others to love you?

When Leo evolves into self-love and appreciation, they’re no longer jealous of others who receive attention.  They become generous, kind-hearted and magnanimous.  Mature Leos are self-assured and confident within themselves.  They can then support others fully, encouraging them to develop and creatively express their authentic selves as well.  This reflects the true character of Leo, the beloved and benevolent King or Queen who truly serves their ‘subjects’ instead of the other way around.

The Sun and Moon in Leo are making several aspects to other planets in their New Moon chart.  They are joined by Venus in Leo, which adds value and meaning to individuality that needs to be creatively self-actualized and expressed in the world.  Venus in Leo can open the heart to greater love, unconditional love, for the self and others.  Venus in Leo seeks beauty and harmony, fairness and justice for all.

The New Moon is also part of a YOD formation, a unique planetary configuration comprised of two planets that are sextile (60 degrees apart) one another while both are simultaneously inconjunct (150 degrees apart) a third planet.  Altogether, the planets form a pattern that looks like a “Y” and are therefore called a YOD.

YODs are special astrological patterns that reflect a significant crises that can only be healed or resolved by making necessary changes and adjustments in order to re-align with reality and affect healing, self-improvement and personal humility.  YODS carry a unique spiritual quality or energy that links directly with your Soul’s evolutionary purpose and intentions.  This YOD is comprised of the Sun and Moon in Leo which are inconjunct both retrograde Pluto in Capricorn and retrograde Neptune and the Moon’s South Node in Pisces.  Pluto, Neptune and the South Node are all sextile each other and hold the keys to resolving the crisis.

Pluto in Capricorn symbolizes the need to emotionally and spiritually mature by taking complete responsibility for ALL of your own actions, choices and behaviors.  Stop blaming others for circumstances or situations you’re not happy about.  Blame is evidence of a consciousness rooted in victimization that assumes others are responsible and reveals an identification with powerlessness.  Nothing can heal from a consciousness of victimization.

Consciousness creates reality, so if you experienced something, you played a role in co-creating it.  Better to seek understanding of WHY you co-created a particular event rather than dwelling on WHAT happened and how awful it was which only serves to perpetuate a victim consciousness.  Keep asking your Higher Self, “Why would I co-create such an event in my life?  What am I to learn from this experience that will serve my Soul’s evolutionary growth intentions for me in this lifetime?”

Neptune and the South Node in Pisces symbolize the need to let go of negative thoughts and beliefs, particularly those associated with a sense of unworthiness.  They reflect the need to let go of an identity rooted in victimization and the need to cling to false beliefs, fantasies, delusions or idealizations that aren’t rooted in reality like the notion that unless you’re perfect, you’re worthless and therefore deserving of pain and punishment.

Unfortunately, we’ve ALL been conditioned for lifetimes by man-made religions to believe that we must suffer in order to atone for our imperfections, mistakes and ‘sins.’  The resulting feelings of unworthiness pervade the collective unconsciousness of humanity.  Nearly all of us carry these false beliefs deep within our subconscious regardless of whether or not we’ve been exposed to religion in the current lifetime.

This collective conditioning is easily evidenced in the all too common human experience of wondering what in the world we might have done to ‘deserve’ whatever ‘bad’ thing has happened to us.  This is due to religious influences that taught us to believe in the need for divine punishment or retribution for our ‘sins’ or imperfections.

Another classic example of this unconscious belief conditioning is the instinctive feeling of guilt experienced whenever we do or say something that’s disapproved of by others – even when those very choices or decisions reflect our own truth, what’s for our highest good, or in the best interests of our self or others.  Who among us has not had these experiences?!

Let go of false beliefs associated with the distorted religious teachings relative to ‘perfection’ and realize we are all evolving human beings.  Healing can come from simply doing your best and learning to judge yourself based on your intentions, not outcomes.

Remember, these same religions also teach that we’re made in the image of God or the Creator.  This means that if we are evolving, then the Divine Source that created us must also be evolving.

Consider this:  if perfection actually existed, then evolution would be utterly and completely unnecessary.  In fact, evolution and perfection are antithetical to one another.

This YOD can teach you that to truly LOVE YOUR SELF, you must accept your self AS YOU ARE, including all of your imperfections.  Use the healing energy of this YOD to forgive yourself and unconditionally love yourself.   These choices reflect the true nature of the Divine Source that created us – a God that is unconditionally loving, compassionate and forgiving.

The New Moon is also in a waning trine (120 degrees apart) aspect with Saturn in Sagittarius.  Currently, Saturn is slowing down to a standstill in the heavens ahead of its upcoming station direct (resumption of forward movement) on August 13th at 9 degrees Sagittarius 47 minutes.  This powerful connection favors and supports self-discipline, emotional maturity, and the aforementioned need to take complete responsibility for ourselves.  The Sun and Moon trine Saturn may well bring rewards as a result of prior efforts made especially in regards to being true to yourself or ‘walking your  talk.’  This trine also reflects the potential for developing an expanded understanding of greater and greater levels of universal truths or what is true for all of us regardless of personal differences.

Sagittarius also rules foreign lands and cultures, cosmologies, philosophies and theologies.  This is the sign of man-made religions so we may also experience positive events and circumstances associated with the evolution of beliefs associated with faith traditions.

This evolution and growth in understanding just occurred in response to a recent tragedy.  Following the murder of Jacques Hamel, a French Priest, Muslims on Sunday attended Catholic Mass in churches and cathedrals across France, Italy and beyond.  “We’re very touched” said Archbishop Dominique Lebrun of Gouen Cathedral adding, “It’s an important gesture of solidarity.”  Outside the church, a group of Muslims were applauded when they unfurled a banner which read, “Love for all.  Hate for none.”

Saturn’s station also energizes the Spiritual T-Square that’s been in place for nearly a year now.  A T-Square is another astrological configuration.  This one looks like a capital “T”.  It includes Jupiter and the North Node in Virgo, which are opposite (180 degrees) Chiron and the South Node in Pisces.  ALL of these Virgo/Pisces planets are square (90 degrees) Saturn in Sagittarius.  Jupiter and Neptune rule our beliefs, consciously and unconsciously, respectively.

The evolutionary purpose reflected in this T-Square is a necessary review and reflection upon our beliefs to discern if they are really true.  Saturn will precisely square Neptune for the third and final time on September 10th.  The two previous squares occurred November 26, 2015 and June 17, 2016.  Saturn/Neptune are directly associated with the dissolution of – literally dissolving – old outworn or false beliefs.  This planetary connection is also dissolving limited consciousness structures and the resulting realities they have been creating, both on a personal and on a collective level.

What beliefs have lost their meaning for you?  What no longer feels ‘true’ to you?  What realities are no longer working in your life?  Are you ready to let go of an old mindset that contributed to that reality?  Are you willing to own and take responsibility for having co-created those realities or are you succumbing to disappointment and disillusionment and feeling depressed or powerless???

Interestingly, both Saturn and Neptune are associated with psychological depression.  Depression has a natural purpose!   That purpose causes us to isolate ourselves so we can reflect upon what quality or aspect of our consciousness is responsible for creating a reality that no longer works or is causing us to be unhappy.

This is a necessary evolutionary task for those who wish to take responsibility for their lives realizing that they have created their experiences.  Unfortunately, we are culturally conditioned, especially in the United States, to see depression as a weakness or character flaw, or a disturbing distraction that interferes with our life.  In fact, its the natural result and reflection of a life that’s no longer working, functional, healthy or satisfactory.

Masking depression with prescription drugs is not the answer.  In fact, pharmaceutical drugs simply numb our senses, anesthetizing our consciousness, ultimately interfering with the very process required for healing.  They actually interfere with the necessary and natural process of inner self-reflection and review.  It’s a sad fact that 70 million Americans take Prozac, the number one prescribed anti-depressant drug.  Of course prolonged depression may indeed require some kind of therapeutic intervention.  But know that depression is a naturally occurring human phenomenon associated with the spiritual evolutionary process designed specifically to turn our attention inward.  In doing so we can become consciously aware of thoughts and beliefs that are not in alignment with our personal truth and are in fact the source of our depression, melancholy and lack of well-being.

Saturn and Neptune also represent meditation, a far better antidote to depression.  In my practice over the years, I’ve noticed that those who say they’re too busy to meditate are typically the ones who need to meditate the most!  Deepak  Chopra offers a wealth of information and guidance that can help you develop your own personal meditation practice.  If you’re interested, visit the Chopra Center at http://www.chopra.com for more info.

Deepak has also produced lots of YouTube videos that offer timeless spiritual insights from the world’s wisdom traditions.  Keep in mind that there are many forms of meditation.   Many don’t require much time at all.  What’s important is that you develop a daily practice.  It may be sitting cross-legged and motionless focusing simply on your breath or quietly repeating mantras.  Or it may be some form of moving meditation like walking silently in nature or a daily jogging routine.  There are countless ways to meditate so find what works for you and simply begin.

The T-Square will also be activated by Jupiter’s third and final opposition (180 degrees) to Chiron in Pisces which will occur August 12th just a day before Saturn’s station direct in Sagittarius.  The two previous oppositions between Jupiter and Chiron happened on November 3, 2015 and February 23, 2016.  What was happening in your life during these previous timeframes?  What do you need to heal?  What wounds were you experiencing or remembering?

Jupiter has a twelve year cycle which means it spends approximately one year in each of the twelve signs.  Jupiter will move out of Virgo and into Libra September 9th ending the T-Square pattern.  The energy of the T-Square over the past year has prompted each of us to be truer to ourselves and to make the effort to heal and self-improve.  Make the most of the final Jupiter/Chiron opposition to throw off the last vestiges of victim consciousness and to reach for the highest levels of compassion and forgiveness you can realize for yourself and others.

The New Moon chart includes two other important celestial events worth mentioning that complete the overall pattern ‘seeded’ in this lunation:  Mars will re-enter Sagittarius to complete it’s biannual retrograde period that began in February of this year, and Mercury, now in Virgo, one of the signs it rules, will go retrograde for the third time this year.

Mars acts instinctively on our desires which eminate from our Souls and reflect the evolutionary growth intentions our Soul has for us in each and every lifetime.  In fact, Mars is considered the ‘lower octave’ of Pluto, the planet that represents the Soul as well as the human evolutionary process itself.  Planets that are higher and lower octaves of one another reflect similar energy while vibrating at different frequencies.  Musicians know all about this phenomenon.

Mars goes retrograde every two years for about two and a half months.  Normally spending about two months in each sign, when Mars is retrograde it takes about seven or eight months to move through a sign.  This Mars retrograde began in Sagittarius at 9 degrees and backed up to 23 degrees Scorpio.

Its actual retrograde period was between April 17th and June 29th.  But every retrograde period actually begins when the planet first moves over the degree it will  back up to.  In this case, Mars first traversed 23 Scorpio on February 18th.  This began the ‘pre-shadow’ period of Mars retrograde which was from February 18th until April 17th.  And every planetary retrograde also has a ‘post-shadow’ period during which the planet returns to the same degree at which the actual retrograde began.  In this case that was 9 Sagittarius.  Mars JUST re-entered Sagittarius a few hours before the Leo New Moon occurred.  Mars will reach 9 degrees Sagittarius on August 22nd when it will completely finish up the entire retrograde cycle, including its post-shadow period.

Mars retrograde periods always reflect the need to review our desires.  How have you been acting upon your desires to achieve or pursue personal goals or ambitions or to just simply do the things you want to do?  Moving from Sagittarius back into Scorpio, this Mars  retrograde was about reflecting on our personal truth and beliefs which are ruled by Sagittarius, and how we wield our personal power which is ruled by Scorpio.

Scorpio also symbolizes our deepest wounds which often leave us feeling powerless and typically result from losses, abandonments and betrayals which are also associated with Scorpio.  Scorpio teaches right use of power.  Through Scorpio, we learn that we are intrinsically powerful through our ability to make free will choices which co-create our realities and facilitate our own personal evolution.  Unfortunately, the things we are culturally conditioned to believe represent power are money, sex and death.  And unfortunately, these are the things most often used to wield or have power OVER others.

So in effect, this Mars retrograde was about reviewing issues associated with beliefs and power particularly how we experience wealth and sexuality as a  result of our beliefs.  For example, what do your beliefs tell you are right and proper uses or expressions of sexuality?  What do your beliefs teach about money or wealth or possessions?

As Mars completes its current retrograde, we should all be mindful of insights and understandings we have come to as a result of experiences we’ve had since February this year.  Empower yourself by committing to be TRUE TO YOURSELF!  Empower yourself by knowing that you have the power to change your life by changing your choices and act accordingly.  On a collective level, we can expect more truths and more lies to be exposed so that healing and evolution can take place for us all.

Mars is also moving into a final phase in its two year cycle with Pluto which began in November 2014.  Between now and October 22nd, when Mars and Pluto once again align at the exact same degree in the zodiac, thus beginning a new two year cycle together, know that whatever you began in late 2014 is currently culminating or coming to a completion.  This final phase between Mars and Pluto always reflects the need to throw off old desires and achievements in order to make space for new goals and pursuits.  What Soul desires have you been pursuing over the past couple of years and what did you achieve or learn or experience as a result?  Take some time to reflect upon these issues to maximize the evolutionary intentions and potential associated with your own Soul’s desires now.

Mercury entered Virgo July 30th.  This speedy planet usually takes only two and a half weeks to traverse each zodiac sign.  But when Mercury is retrograde that timeframe gets extended to nearly two months.  Through Virgo, Mercury analyzes and sorts through all the information and knowledge it has to make sense of it all.  Indeed every Mercury retrograde period provides an opportunity to throw off excess or superfluous data that is no longer relevant or necessary.  Given the fact that information overload has become the norm for humanity in this digital age, we should all be thankful for each Mercury retrograde instead of dreading it!  Mercury retrogrades are also always encouraging us to achieve a greater balance between left-brain logical linear deductive thought processes and right-brain intuitive, holistic and metaphysical thought processes.

This Mercury retrograde occurs between 29 and 14 degrees of Virgo.  Mercury will therefore connect with both Jupiter and the North Node in Virgo, while simultaneously bringing Mercury into opposition with Neptune, Chiron and the South Node in Pisces.  Thus, this Mercury retro ALSO energizes the T-Square!  This T-Square will have its final ‘hoorah’ so to speak over the coming month!

Mercury retrograde in Virgo will give us all ample opportunities to think deeply about how our beliefs are underpinning the quality of our consciousness, resulting in the creation of our realities.  And if we’re experiencing realities that are no longer working for us or are contributing to dis-ease or dissatisfaction, then this Mercury retrograde period will be the PERFECT time to discern what thoughts and beliefs are not serving us and to make the effort to create new thoughts.  Affirmations and visualizations can help us to develop new habits in thought or behavior that create new realities that are in alignment with our highest truth.

Remember, the Leo New Moon is trying to teach us all that in order to be truly happy, we must be TRUE TO OURSELVES!  WE MUST LEARN TO LOVE OURSELVES!  We must learn to honor, respect and take very good care of ourselves.  Remember too that Leo is ruled by the Sun which is associated with the heart.

So go have some FUN!  Take time to do what you love with those you love — including yourself!  Relax!  Play!  Do MORE of what makes you happy!

In honor and remembrance of my beloved lifelong friend, Nancy Whitley, who passed away a year ago, I want to offer you a gift of Leo wisdom she found and shared often in her final years.  “FIND THE JOY!” she would say.  Find the joy in everyday little things and big things as well.  It’s always there.  If you look for it, you’ll find it.  And you’ll be happier and healthier as a result.

And if you believe you don’t have the time to do so, well, my sense is that may be the very best clue your Soul can offer you about a personal belief you have that you need to change…

 

The Virgo New Moon is a Solar Eclipse that occurs on September 1^st at 2:03 am MST!

                            Copyright 2016.   Donna Lee Steele and Threshold Consulting.    All rights reserved.      

 

Gemini New Moon: Changing Minds

The Gemini New Moon happens June 4th at 7:59 pm MST/PDT at 14 degrees Gemini 53 minutes.  Here’s the chart:  GeminiNewMoon2016.

Gemini is the sign of the Twins, which represent the dual nature of reality on our planet.  This air sign also reflects the mind and its two hemispheres.  Specifically, Gemini is associated with the left-brain and its capacity for processing information in a logical, linear and deductive fashion.  It’s opposite sign, Sagittarius, rules the right brain and intuitive, conceptual and abstract thought processes.  While the left brain deals with words and logic, our right brain deals with images, imagery and imagination.  Together, the two hemispheres comprise the whole brain, which is symbolized by Pisces.  Gemini, Sagittarius and Pisces are three of the four mutable signs.  The fourth mutable sign is Virgo which represents reality.  More on mutable signs later…

Gemini gathers and disseminates information so this sign is also associated with learning, thinking, knowledge and communicating.  It rules thoughts, writing and speech.  It rules the mind.  It rules words.

Renowned symbologist Joseph Panecek explains further…

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  – John 1.1

“In the beginning all was still.  Nothing existed but unmoving and eternal Divinity.  Everything that ever would be, and could be, was asleep within Divinity.  Then something happened:  The Mind of Divinity (the Hermetic Nous) “spoke The Word“.  And, in that instant, time, matter, the cosmos, and duality sprang forth.  Duality can only exist in the realm of matter; and duality is expressed, numerologically, by the number two.  The Twins of Gemini symbolically reflect this truth.”

“Nothing happens until something moves.”  – Albert Einstein

“Nothing happens until something moves.  Creation myths from all parts of the world tell of a Breath, a Spirit, or a Bird (which is often the symbol for Spirit) that passed over the dark, still, and deep primal waters of Chaos which represents the Great Subconscious or Void.  This caused the primal waters to “stir”; to move; to vibrate.  This initial ‘stirring’ was the first cause in the act of Creation.”

But what do these creation myths mean? And, what hidden lesson do they impart to us?  The lesson we can learn from creation myths is this:  Thought creates matter; the unseen creates the seen; what can be imagined can be manifested.  All great inventions, innovations, and ideas were first a thought imagined within someone’s mind.  This thought was then acted upon.  This action resulted in the creation or manifestation of that initial thought.

We are all children of Divinity made in the image of the Divine Creator.  Therefore, we all have the “spark” of Divinity within us.  This “spark” enables us to also create whatever we choose to create by simply using our imaginative minds.  Our imagination is what enables us to delve into the deep, dark waters of the great subconscious where everything that is, and ever will be, already exists in un-manifested form.  In quantum scientific terms, this is reflected by wave theory where ‘waves’ reflect ALL potential possibilities or realities in the unmanifested state.  All it takes to manifest a specific reality is a focus on that specific reality.  When we determine whatever it is that we wish to manifest, and focus our attention on it, it is pulled from the un-manifested, out of the great subconscious of all that is,  and brought into the world of matter.

Quantum science now knows that the process of focusing attention on a specific possibility out of the field of infinite possibilities changes ‘waves’ into ‘particles.’  A simple TV analogy can help to explain this manifestation process.   Think of waves as reflecting the entire array of television programming available at any given time.  Now think about choosing to tune into a specific channel.   Once you do so, that choice collapses a certain wave potentiality into a particle which correlates to a singular specific program, or one reality out of an infinite variety of realities.

It’s important to understand Gemini’s association with thoughts and words because both generate energetic frequency brain waves.  Thoughts and words ‘vibrate.’  The sayings, “Energy manifests” or “Energy flows where attention goes” or “Thoughts are things” reflect the natural law mechanism of creation or manifestation.  What we imagine and what we think about ultimately manifests in our reality.  The emerging science of consciousness has definitively proven this to be true.  Quantum scientists now know that human consciousness influences, alters and ultimately creates realities.  More on this later…

This Gemini New Moon is part of an extraordinary Grand Mutable Cross.  A Grand Cross is a celestial configuration comprised of four or more planets that occupy ALL four signs of an astrological ‘modality.’  There are three modalities:  Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable.  A Mutable Grand Cross is made up of planets in all of the mutable signs:  Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.

Currently, the Sun, Moon and Venus are in Gemini and Mercury enters Gemini on June 12th.  Jupiter and the Moon’s North Node are in Virgo, retrograde Saturn in in Sagittarius and Neptune and the Moon’s South Node are in Pisces.  The Mutable signs reflect the energy and intention of adaptability, flexibility and CHANGE.  A Grand Mutable Cross carries the maximum intention and potential for change.  The intention ‘seeded’ in the Gemini New Moon is to CHANGE OUR MINDS – LITERALLY!

In order to better understand what changes may be coming, we must look at each mutable sign individually, and the planet(s) currently occupying that sign, and then put them all together in the totality of the Grand Mutable Cross.

Let’s begin with Gemini. As mentioned earlier, Gemini rules the mind and all the ways its gathers and disseminates information.  So this sign also rules communication, both spoken and written, and accordingly, communication devices of all kinds.  With the Sun, Moon and Venus all in Gemini now, joined by Mercury later in the month, it’s time to seriously think about and discuss necessary or desired changes.

Venus rules what we need to survive – primarily resources and relationships.  We all need food, clothing and shelter.  And, we all also have unique personal needs that align with our own evolutionary growth intentions in the current life.  Additionally, we each have unique gifts, skills, talents and natural abilities or what I like to call our own special ‘toolkit.’  Focus on what you have of value – your own natural resources and think about what you can do to further develop these personal resources.  Think also about new ways you can share or offer your talents to others who will find them valuable because they can help them to meet their own personal needs.  Doing so will enable you to better garner the resources that you need.  Venus also rules the psychology of LISTENING.  So listen up!  What others have to say and share may be just what you need to hear or have.

On a global or collective level,with all this Gemini energy activated, we can expect numerous announcements, disclosures and exposures of important information from sources of all kinds.  Since Gemini also rules the media, perhaps significant news events will not only be reported by them, but perhaps also be about them!  Clearly, the corporate owned US media needs to change!  The bottom line is that an abundance of information, knowledge, facts and data will be forthcoming.  The specific info YOU need to make necessary changes in your life will be among the plethora of messages coming your way so pay attention!

Mercury, the planet that rules Gemini, is finishing up in Taurus and continues to be positively connected to both retrograde Pluto in Capricorn and retrograde Jupiter in Virgo (Grand Earth Trine) so research and digging deeply into the details of any given subject or situation are favored and well supported.  Make the effort to acquire whatever new knowledge you need now.  Seek out experienced people to discuss your ideas with and ask questions!  Gemini embodies the quintessential behavior of three year olds who continuously ask questions and  always wants to know ‘why?!’  Again, be extra mindful of ALL information coming your way over the coming weeks and months because knowledge will be THE FUEL that drives most upcoming changes.

It’s also worth mentioning that although Mercury just completed its second retrograde period of 2016 (April 28th to May 22nd) it will probably continue to feel like Mercury is retrograde over the entire Summer since the Mutable Grand Cross energy will also be part of the chart pattern for the Summer Solstice which reflects the entire Summer season.  So expect information and ideas to be revisited, reformed, reviewed, rehashed, revised, refined, reworked, refuted, revamped, returned and even reversed.  And be sure to double and even triple check important facts and figures especially those contained within contracts, read the fine print, and back up all your important data!

The next mutable sign is Virgo.  Retrograde Jupiter continues it’s year-long transit through this sign (August 12, 2015 to September 9, 2016).   Virgo rules workers, workplaces and jobs.  Virgo is the archetype of crises.  The purpose of crises is to alert us that something is not in alignment with reality and necessary changes and adjustments must be made in order to heal or resolve whatever is awry.  Jupiter rules the principle of expansion.  It always wants to understand greater and greater levels of truth.  It rules beliefs, religions, higher education, philosophies and laws.  What do you need to learn in order to improve your job or expand your success at work?

Globally, we can expect expanding and increasingly successful legal actions and worker protests against corporate interests like the strike against Verizon that saw 36,000 workers protesting in dozens of cities all across the US, and the ongoing employee strikes in France that have disrupted oil refineries, nuclear plants and transportation.

http://money.cnn.com/2016/04/13/technology/verizon-strike/

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36385778

While job losses have occurred steadily over the past few decades, primarily due to technology advances and international trade agreements, these losses increased dramatically after the global economic crash of 2008.  Recovery is still very much underway and sluggish in many countries including here in the US.  Some believe even greater job and workplace changes are imminent.  People Get Ready:  The Fight Against a Jobless Economy and a Citizenless Democracy, written by Robert McChesney and John Nichols, discusses the enormous changes coming as a result of the shift from a manufacturing to an information based, digital global economy.

They write, “Humanity is on the verge of its darkest hour – or its greatest moment.”  The consequences of the technological revolution are about to hit hard:  unemployment will spike as new technologies replace labor in the manufacturing, service, and professional sectors of an economy that is already struggling. 

The end of work as we know it will hit at the worst moment imaginable:  as capitalism fosters permanent stagnation, when the labor market is in decrepit shape, with declining wages, expanding poverty, and scorching inequality. 

Only the dramatic democratization of our economy can address the existential challenges we now face. Yet, the US political process is so dominated by billionaires and corporate special interests, by corruption and monopoly, that it stymies not just democracy but progress.

The great challenge of these times is to ensure that the tremendous benefits of technological progress are employed to serve the whole of humanity, rather than to enrich the wealthy few.  Robert W. McChesney and John Nichols argue that the United States needs a new economy in which revolutionary technologies are applied to effectively address environmental and social problems and used to rejuvenate and extend democratic institutions. 

Based on intense reporting, rich historical analysis, and deep understanding of the technological and social changes that are unfolding, they propose a bold strategy for democratizing our digital destiny—before it’s too late—and unleashing the real power of the Internet, and of humanity.”

This workplace revolution is by no means the only significant change on the horizon.  Virgo also rules the environment and health matters.  As environmental degradation and climate change continue to alter global weather patterns and disrupt the health and well-being of populations all across our planet, wars, floods, famine, massive refugee migrations and dangerous disease outbreaks are increasing.  Here in the US, funding to address the threat of the Zika virus is bogged down in Congress.  Meanwhile, on the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders continues to campaign for a ‘Medicare for All’ expansion of health care to provide universal coverage to every American.

All life forms change and evolve in order to survive including micro-organisms.  Infectious organisms, infectious diseases and the pharmaceutical drugs that treat infections are all ruled by the same sign.  This brings us to Neptune and Pisces.

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa was first reported in March 2014, and rapidly became the deadliest occurrence of the disease since its discovery in 1976.  In fact, the epidemic killed five times more people than all other known Ebola outbreaks combined.  More than 21 months on from the first confirmed case recorded on 23 March 2014, 11,315 people have been reported as having died from the disease in six countries; Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, the US and Mali.

The Zika virus which started in Brazil in 2015 prompted the World Health Organization to declare it a public health emergency of international concern in February 2016.  Drug-resistant tuberculosis has also been on the rise over the past decade and last week, a ‘superbug’ resistant to ‘antibiotics of last resort’ was verified here in the United States.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/05/26/the-superbug-that-doctors-have-been-dreading-just-reached-the-u-s/

Clearly, we need to CHANGE our relationship to the environment and CHANGE the way we provide health care the world over.  We may be approaching a time when our very survival depends upon these necessary CHANGES.   The sooner, the better!

So WHY haven’t we made these crucially necessary changes and adjustments yet?  Well, that brings us to Saturn in Sagittarius.  Saturn reflects the status quo, the ‘establishment,’ leaders, those in control and in positions of authority, governments, social structures and social institutions.  Saturn rules Capricorn, the sign of Patriarchy, ambition, conformity, convention and established social norms.  Anyone who has ever dealt with or worked for a government entity knows they are among the most bureaucratic of institutions and as such, inherently resistant to CHANGE!  The status quo of Capricorn is reflected in this sign’s association with ‘crystallization’ which can actually undermine and prevent further evolution.  In the natural progression of the zodiac, Aquarius, the sign of revolution, follows Capricorn and necessarily so!

While Pluto (evolution) in Capricorn precisely squared Uranus (revolution, transformation and CHANGE) in Aries seven times between 2012 and 2015, the r-evolutionary changes we’ve already witnessed over the last several years will indeed continue for several more years since the influence of these planets will take nearly a decade to unfold (2010 to 2020).  Obviously the changes that have occurred are still too few and far too slow.  The fact that Saturn (rules Capricorn) is currently in Sagittarius, the sign of religions and laws, may help us understand some of the reasons why these changes have and still are continuing to be mightily resisted by those in positions of power and authority.

Religious Papal Bulls collectively known as ‘doctrines of discovery’ dating back to the eleventh century and the beginning of the Christian Crusades, have provided justification for the persecution, destruction and enslavement of indigenous, non-white cultures throughout the world for centuries.   Historically, these peoples have experienced powerlessness in the face of state efforts to deny their rights – to land, wealth, political franchise and in many cases to their very existence.  Recent calls to rescind these Papal Bulls have been utterly ignored by Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis.  http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/call-rescind-doctrine-discovery

Other religious teachings like mankind’s ‘dominion over’ (a distorted interpretation of ‘stewardship’) the natural world of plants and animals continues to justify raping the Earth for profit.  So it’s not surprising that the world over, laws almost universally favor the interests of corporations over people, particularly indigenous peoples, even when there is overwhelming evidence of environmental destruction and widespread life-threatening pollution.  The petroleum industry’s reckless business practices have destroyed countless communities and the agribusiness giants Bayer and Monsanto’s unabated manufacture of deadly pesticides have all but decimated bee, bat and butterfly colonies worldwide.  The disappearance of these pollinator species increasingly threatens our global food supply.

And religious teachings like those found in the Bible’s book of Leviticus teach that homosexuality is evil.  So it’s not surprising that the LGBTQ community continues to struggle for equal rights under the law in many countries.  Remember that patriarchal man-made religions provide the moralistic values that underpin social norms and laws in nearly every country on the planet.  So again, it’s not surprising that the sign that rules truth, belief systems, man-made religions and man-made laws, which underpin governmental legislative bodies and social justice systems, is in fact the source of ongoing resistance to many changes and adjustments that are necessary to bring about healing, improvement and resolution of so many of the crises we are currently facing all around the world.

Fortunately, Saturn in Sagittarius holds the apex position in the Spiritual T-Square that has for months reflected a growing urgency to review of and reflect upon belief systems.  Collectively, humanity is co-creating and experiencing circumstances that are forcing us to THINK (Gemini) more deeply about what we believe (Sagittarius) and why we believe it, in order to discern (Virgo) if those beliefs are really true (Sagittarius) and aligned with actual reality (Virgo).  Old beliefs are in fact dissolving (Pisces).  And many unconsciously held beliefs are increasingly bubbling up to the surface of our individual and collective consciousness (Saturn and Capricorn).  https://www.theguardian.com/science/head-quarters/2015/jul/08/how-can-we-fix-unconscious-racism

Now that the Spiritual T-Square has been expanded to the fullness of a Mutable Grand Cross, maximizing the potential and intention for evolutionary change relative to beliefs and truth, we have a historic opportunity to make important CHANGES.  After all, beliefs underpin the quality of the consciousness that’s responsible for creating our realities.  To CHANGE our realities, we must CHANGE the false and distorted beliefs that underpin our consciousness.  This has perhaps never been more possible in our modern era than right now as both Pluto and Uranus support r-evolutionary changes in human consciousness at the same time Saturn in Sagittarius is compelling us to change our beliefs.

Going a bit further into this amazing astrological configuration, let’s look at some of the potential influences associated with the opposition (180 degrees apart) and square (90 degrees apart) aspects, or planetary connections within the Mutable Grand Cross.

The Sun, Moon and Venus in the Gemini New Moon chart are all opposite retrograde Saturn in Sagittarius.  Mercury will follow suit later in June.  Because Gemini and Sagittarius both rule honesty and dishonesty, expect important truths and lies to be revealed in the coming months.  Saturn always teaches maturity, responsibility and accountability.  Since this planet rules those in positions of power and authority, current leaders will increasingly be held accountable for their policy positions and votes.  Citizens need to own up to their responsibility as well by choosing new leaders who tell the truth and rejecting those who obfuscate and twist the facts.

Simultaneously, the Sun, Moon and Venus are also square both Neptune in Pisces and Jupiter in Virgo.  Virgo and Pisces deal with reality versus illusion, delusion and downright deception.  Better to remove those rose-colored glasses now and see circumstances and people as they really are, rather than continuing to be in denial or fantasy-land about what’s really going on.

Since Virgo also rules crises, which happen for the purpose of alerting us to what’s awry, many will receive ‘reality-checks.’  These may come in the form of shake-ups and break-ups, especially regarding work or health matters, that occur to enforce necessary adjustments to situations or circumstances that are unhealthy, corrupt or otherwise dysfunctional to a degree that’s preventing progress or evolutionary growth and movement forward.  For others, legal matters may force necessary change.  And for still others, issues of beliefs or religious affiliation or experiences may be the source of revelation, insight or expanded awareness that bring meaningful changes.  The Sun, Moon and Venus are also squaring the Moon’s Nodes in Virgo and Pisces.  As each connects precisely with the Nodes, they’ll reflect the need to make choices that will either heal false, distorted or delusional thoughts and beliefs, or simply re-imprint the same old wounds they created in the first place.

Another major component of the Mutable Grand Cross is reflected in Saturn’s waning square to Neptune in Pisces.  Saturn and Neptune have a 36 year cycle together.  Their current cycle began in 1989.  They are now three quarters of the way through that cycle and will experience this waning square aspect a total of three times:  November 26, 2015, March 23, 2016 and June 17, 2016.  Their current cycle began at 16 degrees Sagittarius – a point Saturn returns to in March and November of this year.  It’s likely that whatever was happening in your life in 1989 will reach a significant turning point this year.  Look back at what you were experiencing last November and this March for additional clues about how this Saturn/Neptune energy is manifesting in your own life.

Together, Saturn and Neptune represent the necessary dissolution of old beliefs so that new dreams of a higher spiritual nature can be realized.  Fortunately, this connection creates an opportunity to replace false beliefs with a greater understanding of transcendental, universal beliefs and truths, like the fact that ALL human beings need and desire similar things like love, safety, health, respect and a purposeful, meaningful life.  Of course we also need a healthy planet if we are to survive and ultimately thrive.

On a more mundane level, since Neptune and Pisces rule the seas, perhaps we will choose to effectively address climate change and the acidification of our oceans which is destroying marine life and habitats such as the Great Coral Reef.  Since Neptune and Pisces also rule chemicals and drugs, we may also choose to change our energy policy away from oil embracing renewable, sustainable energy sources instead.  And perhaps we will wake up and realize we need to pursue development of next generation antibiotics to treat disease worldwide.

Saturn/Neptune also correlate to the philosophical underpinnings of national political ideologies like capitalism, socialism and communism – topics that have been the subject of political headlines over the past year both here in the US as well as abroad.  It’s time to get real about what’s true and what’s not true relative to these social and political organizing philosophies.

The Gemini New Moon reflects an extraordinary celestial pattern through the Mutable Grand Cross.  The enormous potential for important and necessary change is available to us now.  The $64,000 question is, “What will we choose to do with this energy personally and collectively?”

Evolution proceeds through the power of free will choices.  Choices reflect the quality of our consciousness.  Consciousness is underpinned by belief systems.  ALL the elements of the Mutable Grand Cross symbolize both an urgency and an once in a lifetime opportunity to expand our understanding of the truth.  And while some experiences of truth are quite personal – what’s true for you may or may not be true for me – truth also exists at a universal level – what’s true for everyone.

Reach as high as you can in the coming weeks and months for the greatest level of truth and understanding you can know.  Pay attention to ALL the info coming your way and use your intuition to sort out what’s true and what’s not true.  Listen effectively and keep an open mind.  Be willing to entertain new ideas and new information even though they may challenge, upset or threaten your existing reality.  It’s time to CHANGE our realities.  In order to do so however, we must be willing to CHANGE OUR MINDS!

The Cancer New Moon occurs on July 4^th at 7:01 am MST!

                            Copyright 2016.    Donna Lee Steele and Threshold Consulting.    All rights reserved.                           

 

Taurus New Moon: Manifestation Madness!

The Taurus New Moon happens on Friday, May 6th, at 12:29 pm MST/PDT at 16 degrees Taurus 41 minutes.  Here’s the chart:  TaurusNewMoon2016.

Taurus rules our essential needs for survival and teaches the lesson of self-reliance.  We all have unique gifts, skills, natural talents or abilities.  If we value ourselves, we’ll develop these gifts or personal resources and share them with the world.  As others value what we have to offer and compensate us accordingly, we’re able to garner the resources we need to take care of ourselves.  Self-reliance is personally empowering.  It builds confidence, assures a healthy relationship with ourselves and in turn enables us to manifest and attract all that we need and desire in healthy ways, not through co-dependency.

On a surface level, Taurus symbolizes resources.  This sign rules our money, assets and personal possessions.  On a deeper spiritual level however, Taurus represents our core values.  What we value will represent what gives meaning to our lives.  Valuing ourselves is of the utmost importance to our ability to manifest the resources we need to not only survive, but thrive.  What’s most important in life to you?  What gives your life meaning?

Venus rules Taurus and is therefore the ruler of this New Moon.  She’s strong now as she currently moves through her own sign of Taurus.  She joins the Sun and Moon in Taurus, as well as retrograde Mercury and the asteroid Vesta which symbolizes devotion.  Altogether, this New Moon chart has five celestial bodies in Taurus comprising a ‘stellium’ or a group of planets all in the same sign.  So Taurus energy is super abundant now!  Empowering this Taurus stellium even further is its connection to both retrograde Jupiter in Virgo and retrograde Pluto in Capricorn .  Together, they form a Grand Earth Trine.

Grand Trines are a closed pattern of three or more planets all trine (120 degrees apart) one another.  Geometrically, Grand Trines look like a triangle.  Trines are the most favorable angular relationship between two planets.  When trine one another, planetary energies are harmonious and flow easily.  The natural benevolence of trines can be easily utilized to achieve what we want.  However, trines can also make life so easy that their energetic influence is often squandered through laziness.  When things are going really well we can fail to continue in our efforts.

This Grand Trine is in the Earth signs:  Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.  The Earth element is associated with physicality and real material things so this Grand Earth Trine provides LOTS of manifestation energy!  What do you need or want right now?  Chances are, if you make a sincere effort, you’ll be able to easily attract and manifest what your heart desires.

Since Taurus rules our values and valuables, this Grand Trine also supports investments in what we value most, including ourselves!  Virgo assists self-care and self-improvement efforts.  Those who take good care of themselves and who diligently seek to improve themselves are likely to experience good health, vitality and success through meaningful work in the world.  Capricorn supports those who take complete responsibility for ALL their choices, actions and experiences.  It brings recognition and rewards to those who are mature, accountable, self-determined and wield their personal authority wisely.  This Grand Earth Trine is truly a magical manifestation machine so make the effort to take advantage of this magnificent celestial influence and reap the rewards!

Unfortunately, there are also some BIG obstacles contained in this New Moon pattern.  The Sun and Moon are both inconjunct (150 degree angle) retrograde Saturn in Sagittarius, and Venus, the New Moon’s planetary ruler, is inconjunct retrograde Mars, which is also in Sagittarius until the 27^th when it re-enters Scorpio.

Inconjunct angles typically reflect crises.  Crises have a natural purpose relative to our evolutionary growth.  Crises alert us to the fact that something’s awry.  Something’s not aligned with reality and requires personal changes and adjustments for resolution.  MAJOR changes will be necessary in the coming weeks relative to both resource and relationship issues.  If the necessary adjustments are made, things are likely to go well.  If required changes are stubbornly resisted, a common trait associated with Taurus, expect ‘manifestation madness!’

Also expect these issues to be reflected in headlines like the current dire financial circumstances of Detroit Public Schools.  Now at a crisis point, fed up Detroit teachers protested with a ‘sick-out.’  They marched outside the district headquarters earlier this week.  Nearly all of Detroit’s public schools were closed and more than 45,000 students missed classes after about half the district’s teachers called in sick to protest the possibility that some of them will not get paid over the summer if the struggling district runs out of cash.  Since then, city officials have assured them that funds will be found to cover the cost of their salaries.

Perhaps another financial scandal currently brewing is related to political fundraising.  Ah, money and politics!  Hillary’s ‘Victory Fund’ is a joint fundraising committee comprised of Clinton’s presidential campaign, the Democratic National Committee and 32 state party committees. The setup allows Clinton to solicit checks of $350,000 or more from her super-rich supporters at extravagant fundraisers including a dinner at George Clooney’s house and a concert at Radio City Music Hall featuring Katy Perry and Elton John.   A recent investigation found that only a fraction of funds raised have actually been given to state parties for down-ballot democrats.  Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/clinton-fundraising-leaves-little-for-state-parties-222670#ixzz47iK8yoXe.

On the Republican side, Donald Trump has achieved presumptive nominee status after another big win in Indiana’s primary election.  Of course as presidential candidates get closer to winning their party’s nomination, they’re subjected to greater and greater scrutiny.  Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Tom Robbins just published an article in The Marshall Project, chronicling Trump’s decades-long history with individuals associated with organized crime.  https://www.themarshallproject.org/2016/04/27/trump-and-the-mob#.j6P1F2tYl.

While the Grand Earth Trine may well be a magical manifestation machine, the potential for crises for those whose choices (Pluto) are less than honest (Jupiter) or lack integrity are also YUGE!

Taurus is the quintessential sign associated with Mother Earth, our most precious and valuable resource.  Many of our current planetary crises including wars, disease outbreaks and climate change, are the result of decades of over-use, mis-use and outright abuse of natural resources and natural habitats.  We NEED a healthy planet to SURVIVE!  The Earth doesn’t need humanity; humanity needs, and belongs, to the Earth!

Further analysis of the Grand Earth Trine brings us to Jupiter.  Currently traveling through the sign of Virgo, which itself rules crises, health and the environment, Jupiter is reflecting some high-profile legal battles like the class action lawsuit filed by young people claiming that the U.S. government is denying them their constitutional right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness due to inadequate federal policies and actions to combat climate change.  U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Coffin in Eugene, Oregon, just rejected motions by the U.S. government and trade groups representing the energy companies to dismiss the lawsuit by 21 plaintiffs ages 8 to 19.  http://www.seattletimes.com/business/climate-change-lawsuit-by-21-youths-takes-big-step-forward/.

Fortunately, many other grassroots political and legal efforts in support of the environment are gaining in strength.  A recent example of great success in protecting the environment was achieved by indigenous women of the Amazon:  http://www.pachamama.org/news/over-500-indigenous-women-of-the-amazon-and-allies-march-for-climate-justice-indigenous-rights?utm_source=April%202016%20Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Ecuador

Jupiter also continues to be part of another significant and longer-term planetary configuration called a mutable T-Square.  This T-Square began last September and will continue until this August.  The T-Square is comprised of planets occupying three of the four mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces).  Jupiter in Virgo is opposite (180 degrees apart) Neptune in Pisces.  Both are also simultaneously square (90 degree angle) Saturn and Mars in Sagittarius.  Lines drawn to reflect the opposition and square angles between them form what looks like the capital letter “T” upside down in the chart.  Astrologers are calling this a ‘Spiritual T-Square’ since it is made up of planets and signs that are associated with the search for higher truth and the natural spiritual evolutionary path.

Altogether, this heavenly pattern reflects the need and opportunity for humanity to review all of our belief systems to discern what’s really true.  We’ll need to discover the lies and deceptions we’ve been taught to believe for thousands of years by man-made religions.  Ultimately, we’ll need to throw off these conditioning influences that are co-creating distorted realities.

On Monday, May 9th, Jupiter stations direct at 13 Virgo completing it’s annual four month retrograde period that began January 7th.  Jupiter is always searching for the truth which is why it also rules the natural laws of the universe, the laws that are self-evident in the natural world or what we call ‘Nature.’  Accordingly, this planet is associated with higher-minded paths of study like philosophy, theology and cosmology.  On a mundane level Jupiter and the sign of Sagittarius reflect man-made religions, laws and social justice systems.  On a personal level however, Jupiter rules our right-brain, the source of intuition.  Personal intuition leads each one of us to our personal truth.

As this planetary giant resumes forward motion in the heavens after a four month retrograde period of review relative to beliefs, greater insights and intuitive understandings are readily available.  Perhaps in addition to religious or spiritual beliefs, you’ve also been reflecting upon personal beliefs you have based upon lifelong conditioning from family, society or your own personal experiences?  What current events happening in your life have caused you to more deeply question your personal beliefs?

Also happening on May 9th, Mercury reaches the halfway point of its current retrograde period with a rare transit to the Sun at 19 degrees Taurus 25 minutes!

A ‘Mercury transit of the Sun’ takes place when the planet Mercury comes between the Sun and the Earth.  Astronomically, this phenomenon is similar to an eclipse.  But because Mercury’s size is so much smaller than our massive Sun, when it moves across the face of the Sun it will appear as a tiny speck or small black dot.  Transits of Mercury to the Sun always occur in either May or November and happen 13 to 14 times each century.  The last Mercury transit of the Sun occurred in Scorpio on November 8th, 2006.  The last time Mercury transited the Sun from Taurus happened on May 7th, 2003.  What were you experiencing then?  Perhaps similar events will repeat in your life now.

You should NEVER look directly at the Sun.  But this amazing celestial event is well worth watching!  View it safely in real time at http://www.space.com/.

Mercury’s transit of the Sun will tremendously energize mental capacity.  Expect inventions, discoveries, AHA moments, revelations and all manner of breakthroughs in thought and understanding.  Perhaps some truly significant information or knowledge will be revealed.  Retracing its steps through Taurus, Mercury has our attention focused on essential needs and core values, especially pertaining to resources and relationships.  Again, what do you really value?  What do you truly NEED, not only to survive, but to THRIVE?  Be mindful of all incoming messages especially on the 9th!  Remember to pay particular attention to intuitive information and divine guidance coming from spiritual sources.  Mercury will complete this current retrograde period on May 22nd at 14 degrees Taurus.  Then it will be full speed ahead again with the manifesting process!

May 22nd will also mark Mars reaching the halfway point in its current retrograde that began at 8 degrees Sagittarius 56 minutes on April 17th, and will continue until June 29th when it stations direct at 23 degrees Scorpio 3 minutes.  Mars rules our desires.  Moving through the signs of Sagittarius and Scorpio, Mars is also energizing the Spiritual T-Square further emphasizing the need to review and reflect upon beliefs.  As it returns to Scorpio, the focus will turn to deep emotional matters often associated with losses, abandonments and betrayals.  It’s time to ponder personal choices and personal power.  WHY have you made the choices you’ve made?  What desires motivated those choices?  Were they empowering or disempowering, constructive or destructive?

Scorpio is the sign opposite Taurus in the zodiac so these two signs for a natural ‘evolutionary pair.’  The lessons associated with Taurus and Scorpio, namely self-reliance and self-empowerment, are learned through discovering and developing personal values, learning to meet our own needs, and learning right use of power.  All human beings possess power.  That power is our ability to make free will choices.  Unfortunately, the primary model for relationships in most cultures today is one of co-dependence – expecting others to take care of us and to be the source of our fulfillment.  Most of us are conditioned to believe that we’ll be happy when we meet the right person. 

This distorted belief often produces power imbalances in relationships.  And when power imbalances reach an extreme, they actually begin to interfere with our evolutionary growth.  Then our Souls will naturally co-create circumstances that remove whatever we’re giving our power away to.  The result is loss, abandonment or betrayal that throws us back upon ourselves to learn an essential self-reliance and re-empowerment.  From a spiritual developmental point of view, Taurus and Scorpio teach us to correctly and wisely use our intrinsic power of free will choices to manifest that which we desire.

So I’m declaring May ‘Manifestation Madness’ month!  What do you need or desire?  Make the effort!  And be sure to make whatever necessary changes and adjustments crop up along the way.  Imagine, in full detail, using ALL your physical senses, with deep and profound gratitude, that you already have what you desire.  Empower yourself to manifest and manage your resources and relationships – including your relationship with the planet. 

 

The Gemini New Moon occurs on June 4^th at 7:59 pm MST!

                               Copyright 2016.   Donna Lee Steele and Threshold Consulting.   All rights reserved.         

 

 

 

 

 

 

Libra New Moon: A New Balance of Power

The Libra New Moon occurs October 12th at 5:06 pm MST/PDT.  It happens at 19 degrees Libra 20 minutes.  Here’s the chart:  LibraNewMoon2015.

The Scales, Libra’s glyph, is misleading.  The Scales have long symbolized balance.  However, it’s important to note that Libra is learning balance.  Until mastery of this archetype is achieved, Libra experiences imbalance, often to extremes, particularly in relationship dynamics.  The number one contributing factor to unhealthy and unsuccessful relationships is an imbalance of power.  Who has it?  Who doesn’t?  Is it acknowledged and wielded equally?  Is it used to support one another in independent individual development or is it used in ways that contribute to and maintain co-dependence?

To promote relationship balance and equality, Libra must learn to LISTEN!  Since Libra also NEEDS TO BE NEEDED, it often derives its identity, value and worth through others.  In turn, this leads to Libra’s habitual giving to others so that it will be valued for providing what they think others need.  This cannot help but foster co-dependency.  Effective listening allows Libra to give and receive (use power) properly, giving what’s actually needed, not what they think the other needs, which all too often simply reflects their own personal projected needs, thus sustaining co-dependence.

Recent Venus and Mercury retrogrades encouraged a major review of relationship dynamics particularly issues of equality/inequality and balance/imbalance of power.  We can break free of unhealthy relationship patterns and behaviors now.  However, if necessary changes are resisted for too long, some unequal situations, especially in partnerships, could end quite abruptly as this New Moon’s central astrological aspect, an opposition between the Sun in Libra and retrograde Uranus in Aries, highlights.  This revolutionary aspect always demands greater individual freedom.

House Speaker John Boehner on right; House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy on left.

We need look no further than the U. S. House of Representatives Republican caucus for evidence of the surprising and rebellious nature of the energy of the Sun opposite Uranus.  Current Speaker of the House John Boehner unexpectedly announced his resignation last week shocking even his closest political insiders.  His second in command, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, announced he would run to fill the position and was broadly considered a ‘shoe-in.’  However, in a totally surprising turn of events, the so-called “Freedom Caucus,” lamenting their perceived lack of power as rank and file Republicans, refused to support McCarthy throwing the normally routine process of selection of a new Speaker of the House into utter chaos as they rebelled against what they saw as an automatic ‘coronation’ of the next in line.  In a second and perhaps even more surprising political ‘bombshell’ McCarthy suddenly announced he was dropping out of the race.

‘Sudden.’  ‘Surprising.’  ‘Unexpected.’  ‘Shocking.’  ‘Chaos.’  ‘Rebellion.’  These are all uniquely Uranian words and phenomena.   Because the ‘status quo’ in so many different aspects of our world’s reality ARE NOT BALANCED AND ARE NOT FUNCTIONING IN HEALTHY PRODUCTIVE WAYS, we can expect even more bombshells – politically, economically, socially and culturally, in the coming days, weeks and months!

Explosion at Peace Rally at Ankara, Turkey

A dark and dangerous manifestation of this volatile and revolutionary celestial pattern between the Sun and Uranus, was the twin explosions that rocked a Peace Rally in Ankara, Turkey on Saturday.  Ironically, the Sun and Moon in Libra represent peace; Uranus retrograde in Aries represents chaos.  Uranian energy often ‘blows up’ the status quo, ripping the rug out from underneath us when necessary evolutionary changes have been resisted for far too long.

Evolutionary forces of change can be constructive or destructive.  Unfortunately, when the cry for necessary changes are consistently ignored over time, those who are ignored feel disenfranchised and then often feel it necessary to resort to violence to achieve their goals.  It’s heartbreaking and sad that a Peace rally was so shockingly disrupted by EXTREMISTS (remember Libra rules extremes) who misused power in the most horrific way causing the deaths of nearly a hundred people and injuring hundreds more.

But let’s be realistic.  Extreme inequality relative to the balance of wealth and power is indeed a daily reality for billions of people the world over.  The energy of this New Moon will increasingly and dramatically bring these imbalances to the fore and into our collective consciousness.  The energy of this New Moon is revolutionary and will indeed manifest as change.  The $64k question is, “What kind of change – constructive or destructive?”  Of course the answer depends entirely upon what choices we make personally and globally.

Venus rules Libra and this New Moon.  Currently moving through Virgo, it reflects the need for HEALING.  In order to heal extremism, we must make necessary adjustments in how we relate to one another.  A greater sense of equality and balance must be restored.  Dare I say we must learn to SHARE (Libra) resources and power?  Clearly, we must change how we take care of ourselves, each other and our planet.  To do so we must also embrace a much more honest, equal and realistic view of ourselves and others.  Virgo always serves to realign us with REALITY – often through crises.  Perhaps the growing crises of climate change and refugee migrations will encourage greater sharing and equality among humanity as our need to help one another in order to survive increases.

Venus’ connection to both Uranus and the South Node in Aries reflects the need to let go of selfishness that denies the legitimate needs and desires of others.  Conversely, it’s also telling those who consistently sacrifice their own equally important needs and desires that it’s time to stand up for themselves and stop being a doormat.  Denial of anyone’s legitimate needs is a recipe for imbalance and inequality.  If your relationships are a series of one crisis (Virgo) after another, its time to look at the common denominator:  YOU!  Since the ‘outer always reflects the inner,’ your relationships with others cannot improve as long as you continue to criticize, disrespect, betray, de-value and judge yourself.’

Venus is semi-square the Sun and Moon in Libra.  This symbolizes the need to let go of pain and suffering.  Surrendering to your Higher Self, and accepting and forgiving with gentle care and compassion your very real yet imperfect human self, you can begin the process of necessary INNER HEALING WORK that eliminates the negative mindset that keeps you from recognizing your own worth and value.  Relationships with others can never be equal or healthy as long as you see yourself as ‘less than’ or ‘never good enough.’

From an evolutionary perspective, Libra initiates a diversity of relationships with a diversity of others for the purpose of discovering who we are as individuals.  Through the natural process of comparing and contrasting ourselves with others, we can come to know and appreciate what’s unique and different about ourselves.  However, thousands of years of patriarchal conditioning, that views everything through the distorted lens of dominance, hierarchy and exclusion, has instead taught us to compare and contrast ourselves with others to determine hierarchical rank:  who’s better and who’s worse, who’s richer and who’s poorer, who’s smarter, prettier, more successful, more powerful.  If you view the world in this way, its inevitable that you will come to false conclusions about worth — both of yourself and of others.

Another major contributing factor to inequality in relationships comes from the conditioning of man-made belief systems or what we call religions.  Of the seven billion people who inhabit our planet, the majority of them believe in one of the world’s three largest religions:  Judaism, Islam or Christianity.  Unfortunately, ALL of these three major world religions teach fundamental inequalities.  They believe in gender inequality teaching that men are superior to women.  They also believe that humans are superior to animals and the environment teaching that mankind has ‘dominion over’ the natural world.  Interestingly, the etymology of both  ‘dominion’ and ‘dominate’ are the same.  They also teach inequality of race believing that some races are superior to others which resulted in the infamous Papal Bull that established the doctrine of ‘Manifest Destiny’ that justified the land grabs and genocide of indigenous peoples throughout the Americas.   Through thousands of years of conditioning influence, these patriarchal man-made religions have institutionalized false beliefs relative to INEQUALITY!

Venus square Saturn in the New Moon chart can help us to throw off these distortions of the truth.  If we choose, we can evolve beyond the social and cultural expectations to conform to these distorted values and beliefs.  As Saturn moves through Sagittarius over the next two years, we’ll ALL be paying much greater attention to what we believe and why we believe it.  Keep in mind that our beliefs form the very basis of how we interpret reality, so if our beliefs are faulty, it stands to reason that the conclusions we reach will likely also be false.

In a perfectly timed ‘As Above, So Below’ moment reflecting Saturn’s transit through Sagittarius, which is focusing human consciousness on a search for greater understanding of the truth, Oprah Winfrey’s OWN Network is launching a seven part series beginning October 18th called, “BELIEF.”

This upcoming series is described as a groundbreaking television event exploring humankind’s ongoing search to connect with something greater than ourselves. This original series invites viewers to witness some of the world’s most fascinating spiritual journeys through the eyes of the believers.  Journeying to the far reaches of the world, and to places cameras have rarely been, “Belief” searches the origins of diverse faiths and the heart of what really matters.  These stories and others will all lead us to ask:  “What do you believe?”  

Of course, I don’t know whether this series will contribute to a greater understanding or further obfuscation of truth.  At the very least, since Sagittarius also teaches the relativity of truth, it may very well offer us an opportunity to expand our understanding of more of the truth.  Either way, it is indeed quite timely!  Read more at: http://www.oprah.com/app/belief.html#ixzz3oIJx12xu

If you are willing to do the necessary inner work of healing, especially regarding the elimination of victim consciousness, this month’s New Moon celestial energies can bring breakthroughs.  If you will take full responsibility for your own choices and actions, and the realities you’ve co-created for yourself, you’ll benefit from heavenly support that brings greater emotional maturity and security.  If you surrender your personal will to your higher Divine Will, then when Venus trines retrograde Pluto in Capricorn on the 22^nd/23^rd, you can reap many rewards particularly in the areas of personal and financial health and well-being, meaningful and right work, happier relationships with others and of course, a mind and heart at greater peace with itself and the world.

Unequal and unbalanced relationship dynamics can heal now.  You know that famous bumper sticker that says, “No Justice; No Peace”?  Justice and peace require a fundamental sense of fairness and equality.  It’s time to let go of distorted values and false belief systems that have conditioned us for centuries to blindly accept inequalities.  Be especially mindful of your beliefs in the coming weeks and how those beliefs dictate the way in which you interpret reality, including how you see yourself and others.  Truth is, WE ARE ALL ALL ONE, EQUAL IN THE EYES OF OUR CREATOR.

The Scorpio New Moon is on November 11th at 10:47 am MST!

Copyright 2015.   Donna Lee Steele and Threshold Consulting.   All rights reserved.

 

Virgo New Moon Solar Eclipse: Healing Crises

The Virgo New Moon occurs on Saturday, September 12th at 11:41 pm PDT.  It happens at 20 Virgo 10 minutes and is a Partial Solar Eclipse visible in Southern Africa and Madagascar, the Northern half of Antarctica and the Southeastern Indian Ocean.  Here’s the chart:  VirgoNewMoonSolarEclipse2015.

Eclipses ‘reboot’ and progressively upgrade human consciousness. This Virgo eclipse will initiate a greater awareness of what needs to be healed, both personally and collectively.

Virgo is a complex archetype that facilitates a transition from the personal (reflected in the signs Aries through Leo) to the social or collective (reflected in the signs Libra through Pisces).

The ego-centric identity that’s reached full development and desires self-expression in Leo can become distorted through self-aggrandizement.  When this is the case, Leo is humbled and adjusted through Virgo, in preparation for entering into relationships with others as an equal, which is the evolutionary intention of Libra.

Virgo distortions include over-commitment, excessive self-criticism and judgment, workaholism, constant crises, the need to be perfect, the inability to say “NO” and the automatic and habitual reply of “I’m sorry”-  even when not at fault in any way.  These are all dead give-aways of an unhealthy Virgo.

In the end, both Leo’s distorted sense of superiority and Virgo’s distorted psychology of inferiority are compassionately released and healed. This New Moon Solar Eclipse pattern provides the energy to heal these unhealthy perceptions and habits.

Virgo creates crises in order to reveal what needs to be changed, adjusted and healed.  This sign’s capacity for intense self-analysis relentlessly focuses on all its flaws and imperfections.  Ultimately, Virgo becomes exhausted from putting out one fire after another and begins to realize that the common denominator in all the crises is ITSELF!  Once this occurs, Virgo turns its considerable analytical ability to the task of becoming aware of all the judgmental thoughts and beliefs that have been contributing to its very critical quality of consciousness – the very consciousness that’s been co-creating its troublesome reality.  Virgo comes to realize that all the outer crises were simply reflecting its own inner negativity.

Thus begins the process of healing, purification and self-improvement.  Ultimately, Virgo realizes that perfection itself is an illusion.  Ultimately Virgo accepts the fact that imperfections are inherent to being an evolving human.  Ultimately, the punishing self criticism and judgments simply dissolve…

Crises also always orchestrate a necessary realignment with reality when we’ve mistakenly bought into illusions, delusions, deceptions and fantasies that lead us astray.  While denial or avoidance of reality can be a very effective ‘personal distraction strategy’ they also guarantee that at some point, a crisis will be co-created to facilitate the necessary return to reality.

The Sun and Moon in Virgo are joined by Jupiter (personal beliefs and belief systems) in this New Moon Eclipse chart pattern.  All are opposite retrograde Neptune (delusions) and Chiron (wounds) in Pisces (victimization) and inconjunct Uranus (rebellion, revolution and revelation) in Aries (self).  Venus and Mars ‘pile on’ and do the same as they too enter Virgo before the next New Moon.  Wounding is the predictable result of delusional thoughts and false beliefs.  However, its crucial to realize that NOTHING can heal from a consciousness of victimization.  The first step in the process of healing is taking full responsibility for all your experiences.  After all, its your own consciousness that co-created them.  Embracing this truth is fundamental to any effective healing process.

The Virgo energy of this New Moon will continue to be emphasized for a whole year since Jupiter will occupy this sign until September 2016.  During much of Jupiter’s year-long transit in Virgo it will be in a ‘T-Square’ with Neptune in Pisces and Saturn in Sagittarius.  The T-Square is a planetary configuration comprised of three planets.  Two of the planets are opposite (180 degrees) one another and both are square (90 degrees) a third planet.  Connect the three and you get what looks like a capital “T”.

This T-Square is occupying mutable signs (Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces) reflecting the need for flexibility and adaptability to change.  Adaptability is necessary for ongoing and continuing evolution.  All three planets involved are associated with conscious and unconscious beliefs and belief systems (religions, philosophies, cosmologies, theologies).  With Neptune in Pisces symbolizing illusions, delusions and deceptions, Saturn in Sagittarius associated with the search for truth, and Jupiter in Virgo representing crises, this heavenly T-Square is reflecting the earthly reality that faulty beliefs are the root cause of many of our current crises.  Accordingly, resolution of these crises will require an evolution in our beliefs.  What’s really true?  What is actual, factual REALITY?

The sign Saturn is passing through always reflects where the whole of collective human consciousness is focused.  Saturn typically spends two and a half years in each sign.  Saturn initially entered Sagittarius last December then briefly returned to finish up in Scorpio over the summer. Since Sagittarius rules beliefs and belief systems, many events and experiences over the next two years will facilitate a review and reflection upon what we believe and more importantly, WHY we believe that way.  Think back to what was happening in your life late last year for clues about how you’re likely to experience Saturn’s passage through Sagittarius between now and December 2017.  Look beyond the specifics of what was happening to discern how the events were associated with, connected to or revealing some long-held personal belief(s).  Then ponder how those beliefs were perhaps conflicted or were being challenged or confronted.  Then you’ll know what work you have to do to expand and transform your personal beliefs in order to further evolve.

As personal and global crises increase over the coming year, it will become more and more crucial for us to pull our heads out of the sand and take off our rose-colored glasses!  It’s time to GET REAL!  Fortunately, the New Moon’s connection with Uranus in Aries provides the energy to break through and break free of faulty perceptions, opinions and beliefs – about our selves, each other and our planet.  Unfortunately, Uranus can also deliver further shocks to shake us up in order to wake us up if we continue to resist necessary changes.  The same revolutionary energy of Uranus can be utilized to shatter or radically change our reality!  The choice is yours.  How will you choose to manifest this powerful celestial change energy?

Mercury, Virgo’s ruling planet, provides further clues as to how this Virgo New Moon/Solar Eclipse pattern is likely to manifest and unfold in the coming months.  Currently traversing Libra (relationships), Mercury goes retrograde for the third and final time this year on September 17th.  Mercury squares (90 degree angle) Pluto in Capricorn three times before, during and after its retrograde period (September 9th and 24th, October 22nd) all at 13 degrees Libra/Capricorn.  Pluto is super powerful now as it is slowing down ahead of its station direct (resumption of apparent forward movement) on the 24th.   Pluto’s five month retrograde was about realizing what old realities are no longer working.  As it begins to move forward again, we’ll be ready to throw off many of those old realities, including perhaps, old beliefs and opinions.

Mercury square Pluto will also focus considerable attention on inequality in relationships due to extreme power imbalances.  Obviously, inequality creates wounds!  A timely example of an this imbalance is reflected in the extreme wealth disparity that exists today in the United States economy.  The balance of power in our country has dramatically shifted over the past four decades changing our democracy into an oligarchy as this political science study by Princeton and Northwestern University concludes:  http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2014/04/16/The-US-is-not-a-democracy-but-an-oligarchy-study-concludes/2761397680051/

While Mercury squares Pluto, intense and powerful messages and conversations will occur as individual and collective needs and values are shared and discussed.  A heartbreaking example of this is the image of the dead three year old Syrian refugee boy, Aylan Kurdi, washed up on a Turkish shore this past week.  Unless and until we change the thinking and beliefs that underpin our current laws and policies, this refugee CRISIS will continue to devastate already desperate families fleeing war-torn countries.

Mercury/Pluto will help throw off old ways of communicating (Mercury) especially with those in positions of power (Pluto in Capricorn).  More direct, truthful and factual exchanges of information will support necessary evolutionary changes.  Can we find the courage to speak the truth and the humility to really fully listen to others as they do the same?  What do you need to say to important others in your life?  What are the world’s citizens increasingly telling their political leaders?!

Libra, the sign that teaches equality, also teaches effective LISTENING.  Proper giving and receiving, a hallmark of healthy, balanced relationships, requires that we truly hear what others are saying they actually need.  Don’t we really all want the same things – to be loved, heard, seen, safe, respected and valued?

Our current crises (a word we’ll see and hear over and over and over again) will only be resolved through changes in our beliefs.  As a result, the way we treat one another will change.   Imagine how different our world would be if we all truly saw and treated each other as equals.

It’s worth noting that Jupiter and Sagittarius also represent interpretation.  This is really not surprising given that how we interpret reality comes directly out of what we believe.  What we believe conditions and influences how we see the world.  As Saturn returns to Sagittarius, Mercury goes retrograde square Pluto, and Jupiter opposes Neptune – ALL ON THE 17th – events and experiences that occur on or around this time will reveal exactly how and where our beliefs need to change.

Spiritual teacher Wayne Dyer, who just recently passed away, often said; “If we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.”

Human consciousness is in for an upgrade.  Beliefs are changing.  The question is, “Can we change quickly enough to save ourselves, each other and our planet?”

To help Middle Eastern refugees visit:  http://www.unicef.org.uk/landing-pages/donate-syria/ and/or http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/save-syria-children.

 

 

Leo New Moon: Love is All We Need

The Leo New Moon happens Friday, August 14th at 7:53 am at 21 degrees Leo 30 minutes.  Here’s the New Moon chart:  LeoNewMoon2015.  The Lion perfectly symbolizes this regal sign as Leo has long been associated with royalty and those who rule, lead others, or are otherwise in charge.  As top predators, Lions are often called, “King of the Jungle.”  Throughout human history, Kings and Queens have ruled over human kingdoms.  Not surprising then is the natural tendency of Leo to have a ‘pyramid consciousness.’  Naturally seeing themselves as leaders, their perspective puts them at the top socially, and at the center of their universe with everyone and everything else revolving around them.

Leo is the only zodiac sign ruled by a star, our Sun, not a planet.  Accordingly, Leos feel special and shine when they are the center of attention receiving love, appreciation and recognition for their unique gifts, talents and abilities.

However, the evolutionary lesson of Leo is SELF-LOVE.  Instead of looking for love and attention from outer sources, Leo must learn to be the source of its own recognition and validating feedback.  Leo must learn to love itself first.  Leo must also learn the lesson of objectivity through realizing that it is a PART of the WHOLE of humanity, not a universe unto itself.  This occurs when Leo links its special gifts and purpose to a socially relevant need.  Unless and until Leo learns this, it will suffer mightily due to frustrations associated with an utter lack of recognition and appreciation by others.

The Sun and Moon are joined by Mars and retrograde Venus also in Leo now.  Mars energizes our desire to play, Play, PLAY!  Accordingly, August is traditionally the time of year for vacations!  So take some time off.  Get away from work, obligations and responsibilities and ‘recharge your batteries.’  Venus recently reached the half-way point of its bi-annual retrograde (July 25 to September 6, 2015).  This Venus retrograde period encourages a review of personal needs and core values.  Its also about reflecting upon past relationships and resources issues, especially those experienced as crises, upsets and/or traumas.

Also important during this Venus retrograde period is remembering the hermetic law of correspondences, or “As Above, So Below” and “As Without, So Within.”  Remember that the OUTER ALWAYS REFLECTS THE INNER as you contemplate past relationship and resource crises.  How you relate to and value your self is ultimately reflected back to you by and through your relationships with others, money and resources.  If you’re not satisfied with these areas of your life you need look no further than the quality of your relationship to yourself to make necessary self-improvements.

Ultimately, Venus teaches SELF-RELIANCE and SELF-EMPOWERMENT.  Through self-reliance we boost self-worth and self-confidence.  Through owning and wielding personal power wisely, we develop a stronger, healthier relationship with our self.  Ultimately, we’re better able to recognize, value and share our unique personal skills and natural abilities with others.  Leo’s lessons of self-love and objectivity are both supportive and timely to this Venus retro review process.  Now is the time to do necessary inner healing work.  Now is the time to learn to love our selves better.

Thankfully, this New Moon is also very favorably connected to retrograde Uranus in Aries.  The ‘juice’ to bust out and break free of old patterns is surprisingly abundant now.  Use it to try new things, to think outside the box and to liberate from outworn habits and beliefs that have kept you ‘stuck in neutral’ unable to make new and different choices in your life.  Take advantage of this r-evolutionary energy and do something different.  It may actually result in you discovering something new about yourself.  There’s plenty of courage available now too so JUST DO IT!

Of course, there’s nearly always some difficult aspect in each month’s New Moon pattern.  This month the ‘fly in the ointment’ comes from a square (90 degrees) between the Sun in Leo and Saturn in Scorpio on the 21^st.  The energy of this planetary connection is likely to manifest as ‘hitting the proverbial brick wall!’  Resistance or push back from some outer authority, rule, regulation or some other set of limiting circumstances may threaten your success or the completion of an important goal.  Don’t worry.  And don’t abandon your goals or dreams!  Just make whatever necessary adjustments or changes are required and then simply continue to move forward.

Another astrological influence with major long-term consequences just got underway and takes center stage in this New Moon chart.  Jupiter entered Virgo on August 11th where it will stay until September 9, 2016.  Jupiter rules many things including personal intuition, truth and lies, nature and natural laws, beliefs, cosmologies, philosophies, religions, man-made laws and their associated justice and legal systems, journalism, higher education and long distance travel.  Virgo also rules many things including reality and denial, crises, critical thinking and analysis, humility, self-improvement, pets, health, health care services and providers, the environment, the workforce and employment, sadism, masochism and the psychology of inferiority.  Over the coming year, we will ALL be challenged, and perhaps even forced, to honestly analyze our shortcomings relative to many of the issues just mentioned above and to come to terms with REALITY in order to resolve crises and improve the health and well-being of ourselves and our planet.

Further adding to the importance of Jupiter’s entry into Virgo and it’s critical analysis of past mistakes and errors in judgment will be its inclusion in a powerful celestial pattern known as a “T-Square.”  T-Squares are comprised of two planets that are 180 degrees apart or opposite one another, and are both also 90 degrees from or square a third planet.  If you draw lines connecting the three planets involved they form what looks like a capital “T” thus the name “T-Square.”  The three planets coming together in this astrological configuration are Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune.

Having recently entered Virgo, Jupiter is now opposite (180 degrees) Neptune in Pisces.  Beginning on September 17th, when Saturn, now finishing up in Scorpio, returns to Sagittarius, it will square (90 degrees) both Jupiter and Neptune.  Together these three planets will form a MUTABLE T-SQUARE for almost a year.  Mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces) require the development of GREATER ADAPTABILITY IN THE FACE OF NECESSARY EVOLUTIONARY CHANGES.

This mutable T-Square will challenge us all to review and reflect upon our beliefs, our personal truth, how well we trust our intuition, how we interpret reality and how we must adapt and change to improve or resolve ongoing crises.  It will also bring into sharp focus how we are relating to the environment and the natural world.  What’s true for you?  What’s true for everyone?  How are you interpreting reality based upon your personal beliefs?  Are you seeing people and circumstances as they truly are?  It’s time to get real as we increasingly face the consequences of an ever more corrupt, dysfunctional and polluted world.

Two very timely examples of these patterns of influence occurred just this past week as the T-Square is beginning to form and the New Moon in Leo connected with retrograde Chiron (wounds) in Pisces (water and chemicals) through an inconjunct angle (150 degrees) which typically manifests through crises for the purpose of bringing about necessary adjustments and changes.

The first crisis occurred here in the United States.  An interesting tidbit of astrological trivia reflected in this event is that the Sun and Leo are both associated with gold, the most precious of all metals.  I already mentioned that Leo also rules Kings and Queens.  Tragically, on August 6th, a toxic spill triggered by EPA inspectors released an estimated three million gallons of deadly mining waste water from the GOLD KING mine into the nearby Cement Creek.  Cement Creek flows into the Animus River, which flows into the San Juan River, which flows into Lake Powell, a major recreational site on the Arizona/Utah border.

Indeed this is an EPIC wound to crucial Southwest water supplies as the dam at Lake Powell releases water into the Colorado River, which flows through the Grand Canyon, supplying drinking water, irrigation for crops and recreational opportunities to every state in the Southwest including California, a state that supplies a majority of our nation’s fresh produce and is already reeling from one of the worst droughts in its history.  Additionally, the entire Navajo Nation is now asking for water donations as a result of having to shut off its entire water supply from the San Juan River.

The second crisis happened yesterday in the tenth largest port in the world located in Tianjin Province in China.  A petro-chemical storage warehouse suddenly exploded with a force that registered 2.9 on the Richter scale, took the lives of over fifty people and injured another 700.  Eighteen people are missing.  The chemical-laden air is so toxic that fire-fighters have left the scene allowing the fires to burn on their own.

Industrial chemical explosions are becoming commonplace including events occurring in mines, in storage warehouses and in oil and gas refineries.  And respected conservation groups now warn that nearly four out of every five waterways throughout the world are severely polluted threatening water supplies for billions of people.  The World Health Organization just this week asked the International Olympics Committee to test the waters surrounding Rio, site of this Summer’s Olympics, after an Associated Press investigation declared them potentially dangerous to athletes because of their high pollution levels from untreated sewage.  Some athletes who have been training in Rio have already experienced bouts of fever, vomiting and diarrhea.  Add in more frequent extreme weather events like historic droughts and wildfires due to climate change as well as increasing outbreaks of disease and the mounting evidence is overwhelmingly clear that our planet is in peril.

Just this week, I heard a well-known spiritual teacher say that humans are increasingly suffering from “NATURE DEFICIT DISORDER!”  Shamans the world over say that our sense of feeling separate from each other, from the divine Source that created us, and from the whole of Creation known as the Natural World or nature, is the source of all suffering.  Quantum science has proven that everything is connected.  Universally, spiritual leaders have always taught this same truth.  WE ARE NOT SEPARATE.  Believing otherwise may well be the greatest source of humanity’s current faulty interpretation of reality.

As the T-Square unfolds, we will be forced to face the truth about the damage being wreaked on the environment from our current business climate, political frameworks, economic realities and religious ideologies worldwide.  I just learned yesterday that twenty-one American students have filed a lawsuit against President Obama and several governmental agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency citing irreparable harm resulting from inadequate responses to climate change.  They allege that their unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness guaranteed by our constitution are threatened!

Prophecies regarding this time in human history are unanimous in their warnings that our very survival will depend upon us changing our destructive habits and lifestyles.  Its time to face facts, get real and deeply reflect upon our beliefs particularly relative to our relationship to each other and to the planet.

Wisdom traditions the world over teach that there are really only two choices:  FEAR and LOVE.  Clearly, our planet is in need of greater love, appreciation and recognition of the value of its natural resources that sustain life!

Leo rules the heart so its energy is all about LOVE!  And like most everything, learning to love begins with the Self.  We cannot truly love another if we cannot love ourselves.  Change always begins within and then is ultimately reflected back from outside.  Perhaps love is the change we need now most of all.  Indeed, all we need is love…

The Virgo New Moon is a Solar Eclipse on September 13th!

 Copyright 2015.   Donna Lee Steele and Threshold Consulting.   All rights reserved.

Cancer New Moon: Actions Speak Louder Than Words

The Cancer New Moon happens at 6:24 pm PDT on Wednesday, July 15th, at 23 degrees Cancer 14 minutes.  Here’s the chart:  CancerNewMoon2015.  The Crab, symbol of Cancer, carries its home on its back, retreating into its shell when it feels insecure.

Not surprising then is the fact that the evolutionary intention of Cancer is learning INNER emotional security.  This sign teaches that the only true source of emotional balance and well-being is our self.  Emotional security can only come from within.

Cancer rules home, family, ancestry and self-image.  How are these things linked together?  For most of us, family is the original source of our emotional and psychological conditioning.  Family members, particularly our parents, tell us who we are and this, in turn, creates a foundation for how we see ourselves and how we FEEL about ourselves.  Our self-image is established early in life.  Too much criticism can create emotional insecurity; too much praise can create feelings of superiority.  Either way, most of us are taught to conform to others expectations in order to receive love, acceptance and approval.  This sets us up to depend upon outer sources for our well-being.

To evolve through Cancer, we must first become aware of, and then detach from, all outer dependencies, be they people, places or things.  This does not mean we all need to become Hermits in caves!  The evolutionary shift required occurs at the level of consciousness.  Awareness changes from falsely believing that we utterly NEED those outer sources of comfort and protection to be happy and secure, to realizing that we simply WANT them.  In truth, we do not, in fact, need them.

Unfortunately, as security needs are conflated with outer sources, dependency upon them becomes the causal factor for psychological compulsions to control them.  Resistance to the evolutionary lesson of inner emotional security inevitably results in the co-creation, by the Soul, of circumstances that remove or eliminate those outer sources.  This effectively disrupts the cycle of dependency and reinforces the lesson of INNER emotional security.

With Mercury and Mars joining the Sun and Moon in Cancer now, exactly opposite retrograde Pluto in Capricorn, it’s time to either resolve conflicting viewpoints through integration and compromise (can you say an historic nuclear arms agreement with Iran?) or to literally end and throw off old realities and paradigms that are no longer working (can you say re-established diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba after fifty years of ineffective sanctions and isolation from the community of Western hemispheric nations?).

Its interesting to note that so much of the conversation about these two events (as well as others like the Supreme Court’s recent decision upholding the right to same sex marriage in all fifty states) centers around whether people believe they increase or decrease personal or national SECURITY!

Just like individuals, nations also have a self-image.  This New Moon pattern that includes Mars and Mercury at 14 degrees Cancer, connects directly with the U. S. Sun at 14 degrees Cancer in our nation’s natal chart.  With oppositions to Pluto at 14 degrees Capricorn, its also time for America to evolve its national self-image, adopting a greater sense of maturity and self-responsibility (Capricorn).  This will facilitate the development of greater INNER emotional security for our nation.

Although Mercury/Mars opposite Pluto will no doubt bring intense communications (can you say emotional outbursts?!) actions will speak louder than words now, although the words are probably going to be pretty loud as well!  Even as I write this post, a woman is walking the streets of my neighborhood loudly yelling (Mars) for her lost dog (Mercury rules pets)!  And of course, one need look no further than talk radio and cable news shows to further confirm the current level of ‘over-the-top’ emotional histrionics!

Mercury/Mars opposite Pluto also reflects the need to ‘walk your talk.’  The bottom line is that actions are much more powerful than words this month.  Say what you mean and mean what you say, but more importantly, take ACTIONS and make CHOICES from a place of personal power, self-responsibility and emotional maturity.  Act and choose from a place of INNER EMOTIONAL SECURITY.

We will ALL be challenged in the coming weeks and months to ‘up our game’ relative to achieving and maintaining a sense of emotional stability and security.  Let’s be clear; we’re all feeling somewhat emotionally insecure in the face of enormous revolutionary changes happening the world over.  These ongoing changes are increasingly contributing to uncertainty and insecurity, individually and collectively.

And yet, the hermetic law of correspondences that teaches As Above, So Below, and As Without, So Within, necessarily leads us back to ourselves as the source of those changes.  We now know through quantum science that it is our own consciousness that creates our reality.  Our outer world simply reflects our inner world.

Through Cancer, we learn to feel safe and secure within, no matter what’s happening ‘out there.’  Indeed, the more we accomplish inner emotional security, the more peaceful our world will become.  The New Moon in Cancer encourages us to do the inner work required to establish and maintain inner peace and stability.

Remember that evolution implies and requires change.  And change ALWAYS creates some level of anxiety and turmoil as old familiar paradigms go into flux.  Chaos reigns for a time as old structures dissolve making way for a new order to take shape, emerge and manifest. What’s changing in your life? What old patterns are disintegrating? What do you need to feel safe and secure?

For many people recent upsets and unexpected surprises have indeed wreaked havoc severely undermining emotional security.  However, its these very crises that are facilitating a necessary and growing awareness of what must change for personal evolution to continue.  The very purpose of crises is to bring about critical changes and adjustments!  New and different choices must be made in order to resolve the crises.  It’s time to break free of the past and to move forward in new directions!

Thankfully, the Sun and Moon in Cancer are joined by retrograde Chiron in Pisces and retrograde Saturn in Scorpio.  Altogether, these planets are forming a Grand Water Trine, the most positive and benevolent celestial pattern possible relative to emotional experiences.  This Grand Water Trine emphasizes and supports emotional expression.  It will be easier than usual to share your deepest and most heartfelt feelings.  Likewise, confronting your greatest fears will be a little less scary.  Accepting complete responsibility for the realities/experiences you have co-created for yourself will smooth the way and become the ultimate path to healing.

Additionally, three planetary changes in direction, as well as one planetary sign change, will also support this month’s theme of developing greater INNER emotional security.

Venus is powerfully ‘standing still’ in the heavens now as she prepares for her biannual retrograde which will occur between 0 degrees Virgo and 14 degrees Leo, from July 25th to September 6th.  The purpose of this Venus retrograde period is to review and reflect upon past crises associated with resources and relationships and to learn greater self-love.  After all, if you don’t love and value yourself, it is not possible to co-create outer relationships and financial realities that love you and reflect your true value!

On the following day, July 26th, Uranus in Aries will station retrograde until December 25th, reversing course from 21 degrees Aries to 16 degrees Aries.  Personal revelations are due and will lead to radical discoveries and revolutionary changes, affecting individuals, nations and the planet.  Pay very close attention to repetitive thoughts or ideas that just keep coming into your mind.  These repetitive thoughts are emanating directly from your Soul as it attempts to point you towards your intended future.

And Saturn in Scorpio, retrograde since March 14th, stations direct or forward in motion again on August 1st/2nd, depending on your time zone.   Saturn’s final transit through late degrees of Scorpio reflects the need to confront unresolved fears and wounds associated with losses, abandonments and betrayals that resulted in feelings of powerlessness.

Remember, that Grand Water Trine and its supportive energies will help you muster the courage to dive in and dive deep to uncover and heal all those buried hurts and traumas.  This is the path to personal re-empowerment.  For those inclined to meditate (also superbly supported by retrograde Chiron in Pisces in the Grand Water Trine) you may wish to check out a free 21 Day Meditation Program hosted by Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey at http://www.chopracentermeditation.com.   It began on July 13th but you can still register and begin participation at any time throughout the 21 day program.

AND finally, on August 11th, Jupiter enters Virgo for a little over a year, increasing personal and global crises! while simultaneously expanding understanding of ourselves, each other and the world.  As Jupiter moves further into Virgo over the coming months, it will form a mutable ‘T-square’ with Saturn in Sagittarius (as of late September) and Neptune in Pisces.  This planetary pattern will enforce the need to embrace reality and face the truth.  This will be particularly true regarding the need to make different choices relative to climate change and environmental degradation that increasing threatens the health of our planet and all its inhabitants through extreme weather events and disease.  https://www.yahoo.com/health/earths-degradation-threatens-major-health-gains-124204503917.html

Successful change is always rooted in reality; rose colored glasses do NOT promote healing.  Even if it’s painful, let go of outer dependencies in order to continue to grow and evolve.  Let go willingly knowing that they have served and completed their purpose.  Bless and release them lovingly, grateful for what they taught you.

In a world filled with so much turmoil and conflict, I am reminded of a local church banner that says, “There is no way to peace; peace is the way.”  That peace begins within for each one of us…

This article is written a summary of my live public presentation that explains and analyzes the energies and influences of the New Moon in-depth.  The audio recording is available in CD or mp3 file formats for $15.  Contact me if you wish to purchase the audio recording.

 

The Leo New Moon occurs on Aug 14th at 7:53 am MST!

Copyright 2015 Donna Lee Steele and Threshold Consulting All rights reserved.

 

 

Capricorn New Moon, Winter Solstice and 2015: Out with the Old, In with the New!

The Capricorn New Moon occurred on Sunday, December 21st at 6:35 pm MST at 0 degrees Capricorn 6 minutes.  Here’s the chart:  CapricornNewMoon2014-2.  The Sea Goat represents our evolutionary journey from the depths of the ocean (unconscious, subconscious) to the heights of the mountains (super consciousness).  Capricorn rules the structural nature of human consciousness.  Accordingly, it represents the Soul’s evolutionary journey from ignorance to spiritual enlightenment.  This creature is sure-footed as it steadfastly climbs to the mountaintop where it’s nearest to heaven and to the Divine Source that created it.

The Capricorn New Moon happened just a couple of hours after the Sun entered Capricorn, which always signals the Winter Solstice.  Here’s the Winter Solstice chart:  2014WinterSolstice.

Many contemporary Astrologers, as the ancients did, consider that each New Year begins with this annual ‘return of the light’ of the Sun marked by the Winter Solstice.  Since the Capricorn New Moon occurred almost simultaneously with the Winter Solstice moment, these two astrological chart patterns are nearly identical.  Subsequently, this Capricorn New Moon is a harbinger of events not only in the coming month, but for all of 2015!

The New Moon occurred at 0 degrees Capricorn, the very first degree of the sign, which always reflects new beginnings associated with that archetype.  On a collective level, Capricorn is associated with all the ways in which societies structure themselves including governments and political parties, social institutions like banks and universities, man-made laws and social and cultural authority figures.  On an individual level, Capricorn represents responsibilities, duties and obligations like careers and parenting.   Expect new beginnings in these matters and issues.

Capricorn is also the sign of emotional and spiritual maturation. It teaches us to become our own authority, accountable for all of our actions and decisions and their consequences.  This occurs through the realization that WE are responsible for co-creating the reality we experience.  This is because Capricorn rules the structure of human consciousness and therefore REALITY.  I have over recent months consistently referenced recent discoveries by quantum scientists that human consciousness influences and effects and essentially co-creates the realities we experience both personally and collectively.

Human consciousness is indeed changing at an increasingly rapid evolutionary pace now as was predicted for this time in human history by many ancient cultures the world over.  Check out this Huffington Post article about the “New Mainstream” for evidence of our shifting human consciousness and global awakening http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dianne-collins/theres-a-new-mainstream-o_b_6146988.html.

Also of extreme importance in both the New Moon and New Year chart patterns is Uranus which stationed direct (resumed apparent forward motion) in Aries just 18 minutes before the Sun’s entry into Capricorn which is synonymous with the Winter Solstice!  Uranus is the archetype of liberation and freedom that helps us to break free of old, crystallized patterns of experience that are preventing further evolutionary growth.  It shatters the old to make way for continuing evolutionary growth.  And it typically manifests in surprising unexpected and even shocking ways!

Uranus is explosive in nature so there’s more than enough celestial energy to ‘fuel’ necessary changes in the coming year.   Cooperation with this transformative energy will make embracing change exciting.  Resisting it will likely result in disruptive and disturbing cataclysmic events that are required in order to enforce necessary changes.   Either way, there’s LOTS of dynamic powerful energy catalyzing important new beginnings and directions for us all in 2015.

Saturn rules this New Moon and is currently at 29 degrees of Scorpio.  Saturn is finishing up its transit through Scorpio which began in October 2012.  For the last couple of years, our individual and collective consciousness has been primarily focused on confronting and healing our deepest fears, insecurities and wounds especially those associated with loss, abandonment and betrayals.  We’ve been forced to look at all the ways in which we’ve come to feel powerless because we’ve given our power away, becoming co-dependent upon outside sources and influences.  Saturn’s sojourn in Scorpio was about healing and re-empowerment.  With Saturn ruling both the Capricorn New Moon chart and the Winter Solstice (New Year) chart, its position at the final degree of Scorpio speaks volumes about the need to complete this healing and re-empowerment process before we can effectively move forward into new projects, relationships and goals we’re ready to pursue.

At the final degree of Scorpio, Saturn is reflecting the need to culminate old ways of using, abusing and misusing power and control.  These old ways are particularly reflective of and associated with institutions of wealth like banks and the financial markets and institutions of force like the military and law enforcement.  Perhaps this short five minute video is a good synopsis of this evolving re-empowerment dynamic:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGKogwbO240.

With 0 degrees of Capricorn (New Moon and Winter Solstice) we have a symbol of new beginnings, and with 29 degrees Scorpio (Saturn – ruling planet of Capricorn) we have a symbol of the culmination of old ways.  Simply put, in both the Capricorn New Moon chart and the Winter Solstice chart for all of 2015, we have symbols that reflect the need to relinquish the old before we can begin something new.  So what do you need to let go of in order to move forward in 2015?

As Saturn moves through Sagittarius (December 23, 2014 to December 18, 2017) we’ll all have the opportunity to seriously ponder our individual and collective truths and belief systems.  How we interpret reality depends upon what we believe.   If our beliefs are faulty then our interpretation of reality will similarly be false.  Sagittarius also rules the right brain and therefore our intuition, which is how each individual is naturally led to their own personal truth.  Expanding your natural intuitive capacity by learning to listen to, trust and act upon your intuition, will be one of the highest manifestations you can choose over the next three years as Saturn moves through Sagittarius.

Through Sagittarius, Saturn teaches that truth is RELATIVE and each of us must find our own way to our own personal truth – what’s true for us – while simultaneously recognizing universal truths.   As is typically the case, we’re likely to experience both the lower and higher ends of the Sag archetype over the next three years including religious extremists that believe their truth is the one and only truth that typically is used to justify misuse of power, to those who realize the limitations of their personal truth or beliefs and are willing to expand their understanding to encompass larger universal truths.   Pope Francis has been leading the way in acknowledging and encouraging a greater universal understanding that encompasses all faiths and all of humanity.

On a more mundane level, Sagittarius rules the legal system, higher education and transportation.  So we’re likely to experience transformational changes to these social structures as well.  Heaven knows, at least here in the U.S., these elements of our society and infrastructure are long overdue for improvements and upgrades!

As Saturn moves into the beginning degrees of Sagittarius over the coming year, it will form waning angles to both Pluto in Capricorn (semi-square = 45 degrees) and Uranus in Aries (sesquiquadrate = 135 degrees).  Both of these angles correlate with YIN phases on the astrological wheel and are therefore characterized by inward moving energies.  YIN energy inwardly reflects and reviews while acquiescing to outer forces.  Thus Saturn is surrendering its power and control to the evolutionary forces of Pluto and the revolutionary forces of Uranus.  Once again we have the symbolism of the old giving way to the new.

However, those in power aren’t giving up without a fight!  Just last month, Congress passed and the President signed a bill that will once again allow the biggest of banks to speculate on derivatives (gamble) with depositor funds.  This will once again put the American taxpayer on the hook for bailouts if these banks lose their risky bets on Wall Street.  Old patriarchal (Capricorn and Saturn) forces are holding on even as their actions continue to wreak havoc on the world undermining shared peace and prosperity.  But its only a matter of time before these old paradigms collapse because in the end, evolutionary forces always overcome the forces of resistance.

Venus and Mercury are also in Capricorn and coming into a square aspect (90 degree angle) with the Moon’s Nodes.  As hearts and minds continue to ponder serious and consequential issues, crucial choices – often between the self and others – must be made.  These astrological patterns seek balance between personal values, needs and desires and those of others who are involved.  These celestial energies encourage all of us to choose collaboration and cooperation over competition to make the most of these important evolutionary choice-points.

And finally, the Sun, Moon and Mercury are all connecting with Neptune in Pisces in these charts.   These planetary combinations can inspire us to reach beyond the limits of a mundane, consensus reality and its materialistic worldview towards higher more meaningful goals and aspirations.  One of the major lessons of Pluto moving through Capricorn (2008 to 2025) is realizing the limitations of our planet’s natural resources.  Consider that each and every day, everything you use was made from some natural resource.  Our planet simply cannot continue to sustain ever increasing growth be it in population, jobs, housing or economies.  What are you willing to sacrifice in order to ensure a more sustainable future?

So 2015 promises to be an exciting year full of r-evolutionary changes.  Humanity is indeed ‘waking up!’  We are transforming old outworn and limited thoughts and beliefs.  We are taking back our power and owning it in new ways that are co-creating new realities.   A New Year’s Eve tradition of taking out the trash to make room for new experiences in the coming year is perhaps an apt metaphor for the celestial patterns of 2015:  Out with the Old, In with the New!

Happy New Year Everyone!

This article is written a summary of my live hour-long audio presentation/analysis that explains the energies and influences of the New Moon chart in-depth.  The audio recording is available in CD or mp3 file formats for $15.  Contact me if you wish to purchase the audio recording.

The Aquarius New Moon is on January 20th at 6:13 am MST!

 Copyright 2015 Donna Lee Steele All rights reserved.

Scorpio New Moon/Solar Eclipse – Powerful Choices

The Scorpio New Moon is a Solar Eclipse!  It happens October 23rd at 2:57 pm PDT at 0 degrees Scorpio.  Here’s the chart:  ScorpioNewMoonSolarEclipse2014.  This Eclipse is visible throughout North America, the Pacific region and Eastern Asia.  Eclipse patterns repeat precisely every nineteen years from the same energetic blueprint.  What was happening in your life in 1995?

Scorpio is associated with the natural life/death/rebirth cycle.  In natural law, this is known as reincarnation.  Among Scorpio’s many symbolic glyphs (Scorpion, Snake, Eagle and Phoenix) the Phoenix bird most aptly portrays the cycle of reincarnation as it dies in the all-consuming fire that seems to destroy it, rises again from the ashes and resurrects itself to begin life anew.  Human consciousness (the Soul) is an immutable energy that similarly cannot be destroyed.  It can only change form and does so lifetime after lifetime inhabiting a new and different body and ego-centric identity/personality in its ongoing desire to spiritually evolve and ultimately reunite with the Divine Source that created it.

Accordingly, Scorpio is a powerful archetype associated with the Soul and the evolutionary process itself.  Evolution is facilitated through the most powerful trait we humans possess:  the power of free will choices.  Free will choices drive human evolution and reflect our most important intrinsic capacity, the power to create our reality through what we choose to do, feel, say and believe. Quantum science has recently proven what ancient spiritual sages and mystics have known and taught throughout the ages – that human consciousness creates reality.  Our free will choices are continuously co-creating our reality, personally and collectively, consciously and unconsciously.

Solar Eclipses are super powerful New Moons that ‘seed’ new beginnings reflected in the energies of the celestial pattern of the New Moon/Eclipse.  Eclipse patterns repeat precisely every nineteen years so choices made at the time of eclipses take up to nineteen years to fully manifest.  Accordingly, this Scorpio New Moon/Solar Eclipse heralds a time of crucially important, consequential, life-altering choices.

Scorpio teaches right use of power.  Right use of power creates, heals and transforms.  Misuse of power seeks domination and power over others.  When we feel powerless, we often seek to manipulate and control others and outer circumstances. When we’re truly self-empowered we seek to heal ourselves, overcome personal limitations, and transform outer circumstances for the benefit of all concerned.

Scorpio is a fixed energy sign meaning that its nature is to establish, stabilize and secure.  However, this natural tendency can be a barrier to evolutionary growth.  Seeing change as threatening to the safety and security of the status quo, even when its no longer working for us, often undermines our willingness to embrace necessary change.  The antidote to this common experience comes from another natural Scorpio trait, its innate capacity to be confrontational.  Confrontation has a purpose and that purpose is to overcome the habit of resistance to evolution.  Typically, the more we resist necessary evolutionary growth and change, the more we’ll experience inner and outer confrontations!

When feeling powerless, we often confront and blame others.  When we’re self-empowered, owning our power, we confront ourselves, face our greatest fears and bring deeply buried emotional stuff up into our conscious awareness where it can be healed.  When we feel powerless, we often mistrust and fear deep personal connections with others.  From a place of personal empowerment we more often choose to join forces with others in pursuit of shared goals knowing that doing so exponentially increases our power.

Remember, Scorpio rules the life/death/rebirth cycle.  It rises from the ashes like the Phoenix, renewing itself after being consumed in the fires of transformation. What’s transforming in your life?  What’s ‘dying?’  What needs to be released in order for something new to be birthed in your life?  How are you using your power?  What choices are you making in order to realize your dreams?  Are you choosing consciously or unconsciously?

The Scorpio New Moon/Eclipse pattern includes Venus and the asteroid Pallas Athena. Venus is the quintessential archetypal feminine symbol. Pallas Athena is associated with creative and courageous feminine wisdom and justice.  Together, these two symbolize the re-emergence and re-empowerment of the archetypal power of the Divine Feminine in our world. Patriarchal influences have sought control over women for millennia. Indeed, women’s oppression for thousands of years has wrought severe imbalances on our planet that have reached a point of extremity that threatens our very survival. Both women and men need to respect, renew and restore the power of the Divine Feminine if we are to heal ourselves and our planet. Women’s issues, particularly women’s rights, will continue to dominate headlines over the coming years as more and more women reclaim their power.

Pallas Athena in Scorpio, the sign of RNA/DNA and cellular regeneration, is also associated with the power to heal through deep penetrating insight that reveals the root causes of disease.  Currently, this influence is manifesting through remarkable medical breakthroughs in the science of stem cell research.  Recent clinical trials are showing surprising and astonishing results in the treatment and ultimate ability to cure diseases like diabetes and macular degeneration that causes blindness.  Indeed we’re living in a time of tremendous spiritual and scientific breakthroughs that have the potential to completely transform our reality.  Expect continuing discoveries and innovative solutions to long-standing global problems in the coming months and years.  Viva la revolution!

Saturn and Ceres also occupy Scorpio at later degrees.  Saturn always requires that we take complete responsibility for what we’ve co-created in our reality.  It represents the emotional maturation process.  Being accountable for all of our actions helps us develop our own authority in the world and is inherently empowering.  Ceres has to do with unconditional love, nurturing and nourishment, but also correlates to the experience of losses that are beyond our control.  Inevitably, what has been lost is returned.  There’s always a higher purpose involved in this loss/return cycle that culminates in a deep inner transformation that forever alters the lives of those involved.

Saturn rules leadership and social structures.  Ceres rules food, Mothers and deep grief that ultimately transforms, strengthens and empowers.  Together, these two symbolize the likelihood of major losses and returns affecting nations, governments, leaders and social institutions that care for the needs of the disenfranchised, underprivileged and dispossessed.  I’m hoping that at least one of the ways this influence manifests will be to ‘bring back our girls.’  The Nigerian government is currently negotiating a truce agreement with Boko Haram, a terrorist group that kidnapped hundreds of school girls this past Spring.  What have you lost that caused you deep grief and despair?  Can you see the higher purpose in that experience yet?  Are you prepared for an eventual return that is deeply transformative and empowering?

Mercury in Libra completes its final retrograde of 2014 on Saturday, October 25th bringing insights and AHA’s regarding all our relationships.  The intense and extraordinary three week review of past relationship dynamics is nearing an end.  Be especially mindful of thoughts and revelations that come as Mercury turns direct this weekend.  Then be ready and willing to speak your truth, from your heart, to partners, to affect an evolution of your relationship with them. Some relationships are ready to be healed and can metamorphose to a higher level.  Others may be ready to end.  If so, be willing to release them and bless them for what they taught you, while taking full responsibility for having chosen to be in relationship with them in the first place.

Neptune in Pisces, retrograde since June, goes direct November 17th reflecting altruistic efforts that are creative, compassionate, forgiving, charitable and divinely inspired.  If you’re ready to forgive those who have done you harm, I highly recommend the practice of ho’oponopono.  Click here for more information about this truly inspiring, simple and effective forgiveness prayer from an ancient Hawaian tradition:  http://www.wanttoknow.info/070701imsorryiloveyoujoevitale.  If you’re ready to further your own personal spiritual development, check out my Spirituality Now class.  Its three hours of ancient spiritual wisdom/instruction about the Soul’s natural spiritual evolutionary developmental process.  Click on this link for more info:  https://thresholdconsulting.wordpress.com/student-educational-materials/spirituality-now/.

Choices are uber-important now and carry the potential to have long-term, life-altering, evolutionary consequences for the next nineteen years!  Recognize the awesome power of your free will and choose consciously, to co-create and manifest your dreams for the highest and best good of all concerned!

This article is written a summary of my live hour-long audio presentation/analysis that explains the energies and influences of the New Moon chart in-depth.  The audio recording is available in CD or mp3 file formats for $15.  Contact me if you wish to purchase the audio recording.

The Sagittarius New Moon is on November 22nd at5:32 am MST!

Copyright 2014 Donna Lee Steele All rights reserved.

Virgo New Moon: Crises and Necessary Adjustments

The Virgo New Moon happened at 7:12 am MST/PDT on Monday, August 25th at 2 degrees Virgo 18 minutes.  Here’s the chart:  VirgoNewMoon2014.

Virgo is a transitional archetype that bridges the fully complete ego-centric development of the individual self, experienced from Aries through Leo, with the need to socialize with others by learning to be in relationship as an equal that initiates in Libra and culminates in Pisces.  The socialization process begins with one-on-one relationships in Libra and ends in Pisces when we remember that we’re all connected and are all One within the entire universal whole.

Virgo follows Leo, the sign of maximum individual development and expression, when the ego has become quite ‘full of itself’ so to speak.  Individual ego aggrandizement must be deflated before arriving at Libra, the sign associated with the need to learn balance and equality between self and others.  Virgo facilitates this ego adjustment process.  Accordingly, the Virgo archetype is most commonly experienced through crises that occur for the purpose of instigating intense self-analysis to discern what needs to be adjusted within the personal ego-centric identity.  Through Virgo, humility and self-improvements occur so the individual is ready to meet others as an equal in Libra.

Virgo carries an intrinsic psychology of inferiority. Leo’s ego-centric aggrandizement is associated with a psychology of superiority.  Both of these psychologies are distortions.  Leo thinks the whole world revolves around it.  Virgo typically focuses on what’s wrong rather than what’s right. Leo needs to learn that everyone is special and the center of their own universe.  Virgo needs to accept its imperfections and learn to see the glass as half-full, not half empty.

Virgo evolves through Pisces, its opposite sign where we learn forgiveness and compassion. Virgo/Pisces also teach discernment between delusions/lies and truth/reality. Perfection itself is a delusion. Once Virgo accepts its imperfections instead of relentlessly judging them, it can begin to heal its wounds. Virgo ultimately learns to make judgments based upon intentions, not outcomes. Self-improvement inevitably results from simply always trying to do your best.  Once Virgo embraces Pisces, and begins to develop spiritually through embracing natural laws instead of man-made laws and religions that are based upon the moral judgments of right/wrong and good/evil, then Virgo becomes a humble servant of the Divine Source that created it, aligning its personal will with higher divine will.  Then the healing really begins…

Mercury is the ruler of the Virgo New Moon and is now opposite Chiron in Pisces.  This aspect is symbolic of the psychological wounds carried in humanity’s collective unconscious resulting from thousands of years of man-made moralistic religious beliefs that have projected judgments, shame and guilt. The Sun and Moon, also in Virgo, are opposite Neptune in Pisces, the sign Neptune rules. Thus the Virgo/Pisces axis is fully activated this month so the above themes of crises, adjustments, forgiveness, humility, healing, spiritual development and self-improvement will all be emphasized. It’s time to take off those rose-colored glasses and see things as they truly are rather than continuing to buy into delusions through denial of reality. This is no small task given the ubiquitous spin, obfuscation and deliberate manipulation of facts we are bombarded with daily by governments, media, businesses and even religious and political ideological belief systems.

Its also no small task when your router goes down and won’t reset and needs to be replaced just when its time to post this New Moon message on my blog.  So for the last day and a half, I’ve been patiently awaiting my new router (my very own ‘technology crisis/adjustment’) while I was trying my best to gracefully accept my inability to go online.  Thanks everyone for your patience awaiting this post!  I have a LOT of emails to catch up on!

Notably, seven inconjunctions (150 degree angles) also occur in the Virgo New Moon chart. Inconjunct angles are themselves associated with crises that require adjustments. Crises are most likely to manifest in areas of life associated with Virgo and Pisces:  workplaces, employers and employees, pets, health matters and institutions, places of worship and religious leaders, bodies and supplies of water, chemical or drug-related matters, prisons and deceptive or fraudulent activities. Adjustments are likely to unfold between players in high-stakes legal, religious or political power struggles. The Ebola outbreak, the pursuit of equal justice in Ferguson, MO, as well as the role that drugs for depression may have played in Robin William’s recent tragic suicide are all examples of how these celestial crisis energies are already manifesting.

For Virgo to succeed in moving forward with goals of self-improvement it needs to know the following in order to successfully outwit its overdeveloped mental capacity.  This sign is masterful at rationalizing excuses, “yeah buts…” and ingenious delay and denial tactics that are all part of a procrastination strategy.  Its important to understand WHY you do this!  Virgo is so wounded by judgments it has bought into about its unworthiness, that it will typically resist moving in any new direction because its terrified of making a mistake.  Check out this TED Talk by Brune Brown, PhD.  Her recent revelatory social research into shame illuminates this very prevalent human psychology: https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.

I call this Virgo psychological distortion ‘perfection paralysis.’  Virgo fears that if it messes up its going to be judged and humiliated yet again and so there’s pressure to always be right.  Which is impossible.  Humans make mistakes.  We’re ALL evolving.  Evolution is intrinsically opposite the state of perfection.  So Virgo doesn’t even begin or try anything new.  It just make more excuses, continues to procrastinate and perhaps creates yet another crisis to fully distract itself from doing that new thing that it really needs to do that scares it to death…  Get it?

Remember, to heal you must be kind and gentle and forgiving and compassionate with yourself!  “Spiritual evolutionary growth is NOT for Sissies.”  I’ve been saying this a lot lately because I now see it in my work with clients each and every day.  But spiritual evolutionary growth IS doable.  In fact, its a driving force behind each and every Soul’s desire to reincarnate in the first place — to continue evolving.  So no more excuses!  Make a plan and get started now.  Remember too that Virgo succeeds best in moving forward ONE STEP AT A TIME.  This is the ‘perfect’ cure for ‘perfection paralysis!’  Just one step at a time…

Relationship dynamics are also in focus again this month as Venus (women) in Leo squares Mars (men) in Scorpio on the 26th and 27th. Throw off outer expectations about how your relationships should be if they conflict with who you really are or what you really value. Some relationships with incompatible goals, needs or values may necessarily end. Recognize and honor differences while remaining friendly even as you part ways.  This will minimize karmic consequences between partners.

Pluto, the planet of the Soul and its desires, as well as the evolutionary process itself is intensifying as it slows down to station direct September 22nd. Retrograde since April 14th, Pluto retrograde always encourages a review of our individual and collective realities. Now as Pluto moves forward, its direct energy can help us to change elements of our reality that aren’t working.

And finally, Mars is also beginning a new two year cycle with Saturn on August 25th as they come together at 18 degrees Scorpio.  Mars is our conscious desire nature that instinctively acts upon what it wants and Saturn has to do with self-responsibility, self-determination, developing your own inner authority and the emotional maturation process.  Use this new Mars/Saturn cycle to initiate new personal goals.  Goal-setting should focus on developing greater self-empowerment and self-responsibility, healing old wounds, pursuing deeper relationship trust and intimacy, increasing emotional maturation and achieving important personal desires. It’s time for self-adjustments that bring self-improvement. It’s time to heal ourselves, our communities and our world.  Its time to move forward in new and more meaningful directions. It’s time to BE the change we wish to see in the world!

Recently a friend offered a classic Buffalo Springfield lyric to describe the extraordinary quality of the times we’re living in. “Something’s happenin’ here; what it is ain’t exactly clear…” Perhaps Bob Dylan can provide the answer: “The times, they are a changin…”

This article is a summary of my live presentation/analysis of the New Moon chart in an approximate hour-long audio recording that includes dates/descriptions of significant upcoming astrological events for the month. The audio recording is available in CD or mp3 file formats for $15. Contact me if you wish to purchase the audio recording.

The next New Moon which will be in Libra is on September 23rd at 11:14 pm MST!

 Copyright 2014 Donna Lee Steele and Threshold Consulting. All rights reserved.