For Everyone

Feb 9 and Feb 20 – Saturn and Juno went retrograde near the end of January, making all major outer planets too near to station points to be moving all that quickly and thus major angular aspects rare this month.  What we have instead for February is a couple of significant if brief triple conjunctions.  The first of these is on Feb 9th at 6° Capricorn; a confluence of Venus, Pluto and Vesta converges on this point for less than 24 hours, aided by the Moon in the early degrees of Taurus during the night of the 9th/10th.  What do Venus, Vesta and Pluto have in common?  Money.  Three of the four financial major financial planets (Ceres is the fourth) come together in the sign of authority, tradition and structure.  Other themes held by at least two of the three are values, birth,  and the repercussions of repression.  A quick Google search gives me two excellent examples.  First, the riots in Tunisia are inspiring other African peoples to start revolting also.  An Algerian protest rally is planned for the 9th.  Given the planetary alignments, I expect this to be historically important; let’s hope and pray that’s a good thing.  Second, and closer to home culturally for us, Valve is releasing Portal 2 on the 9th as well.  While I doubt they actually planned the release according to the stars, it’s a solid move nonetheless.  I’d be stunned if the actual sales don’t blow past Valve’s projections by a goodly margin.

The other peak activity date this month is Feb 20th when Mars, Mercury and Neptune conjoin at 28° Aquarius for a few hours.  Mars is action, competition and aggression.  Mercury is travel, messages and logical thought; Neptune is faith, mysticism, concealment and misdirection.  If you’re like me, ‘Sneak Attack’ is the first thing that crosses my mind when I see this alignment.  While I generally downplay sensationalist predictions like “hidden enemies,” I think it’s at least fair to be aware of the cloud of misdirection and/or paranoia that is likely to accompany the aspect regardless of whether anything really drastic happens.  “Fog of War” is another good tag I might throw down for this one; people attempting to send messages or make drastic actions without full sight of what’s going on.  The important bit here is the integration of intuition, body and mind.  Be prepared for the world around you to lurch and change directions a few times while the aspect is in play  and try to act as quickly and fully as possible.  Hold nothing back and stay in motion.

Aries

It’s still a pretty kickin’ month for you, Aries.  Jupiter’s in your home sign and the Sun makes its biennial (occuring every two years) conjunction to your ruling planet Mars, giving both you and your star sister Scorpio something of a fresh start.  Saturn is still opposite you but retrograde so the main constriction or limits you feel are within yourself, not in the world around you.  While I encourage you to keep on the path of achievement you planned in January, be wary of folks offering  financial support or resources that appear to be ‘to good to be true.’  They probably are and you’ll probably regret it when the errata updates inevitably see release near the end of the month.  There are plenty of reasonable options available that you should be investigating instead.

Taurus

The Fixed signs (Taurus, Scorpio, Aquarius and Leo) except for Aquarius are pretty darn empty in February but the Earth sector is still seeing a lot of activity.  In particular, your ruling planet Venus moves into a closing trine (120°) to you from Capricorn and is involved in the early-month stellium.  She’s also in what astrologers refer to as her ‘Oriental’ or ‘morning star’ phase wherein she is trying to regain her essential dignity.  (“Essential dignity” is a technical term, but for purposes of interpretation it retains the meaning of ‘inherent rights’ or ‘natural status.’)  Where are you feeling cheated or left behind? February is the month to make like Odysseus and come up with a plan to get back to where you’re supposed to be.  It will not be without difficulty though as the stellium in Aquarius will be pulling your attention away from your own matters. Say ‘no’ occasionally so you can keep your own house in order as well.

Gemini

February is no less interesting for you than January, though in a different way.  Unlike last month’s Grand Cross, this month carries a Grand Trine – three or more planets in 120° aspects, creating an equilateral triangle.  The Grand Trine kicks down the gates and lets through whatever happens to be on the other side.  This month’s pattern is composed of your Sun, Saturn retrograde in Libra and then Mars/Mercury/Neptune/Sun/Ceres/Chiron out in Aquarius.  Under the current configuration, your personal energy level goes way up, but with Saturn in retrograde it is unfocused.  Furthermore lacking Jupiter in the grouping, you don’t have the time or resources to follow up on all of your options.  As a Gemini, you’re a better multi-tasker than most so perhaps you can juggle two or three opportunities, but even you have your limits.  Focus on the things that improve your health and image first.  May I once again recommend +5CHA, a geek-focused fitness and nutrition forum?

Cancer

The early-month stellium is of more importance to you, Cancer, since it sits directly opposite you in Capricorn.  You are protected to some extent from the Aquarius stellium since you sit in quincunx (150°) and are thus disconnected from it.  An opposition symbolizes a need for balance; the way you have handled your finances in the last 9-10 months or so will make all the difference here.  If you have been shrewd and tight-fisted in that time, expect to have the need to loosen your grasp.  Conversely, if you’ve spent more freely, watch for the event that triggers a saving spree.  Debts often settle during this aspect, both those you owe and those that are owed to you. You may feel a little like you’re living in Animal Crossing or one of the old King’s Quest games what with all the stuff being passed around, but you should come out just fine…   keep notes just in case.

Leo

You are very much the opposite of your neighbor Cancer this month.  You’re being affected by the late-month stellium in Aquarius due to your opposition from it but are shielded from the early-month stellium since you sit in quincunx (150°).  The Sun and Mars are both fiery planets (ruling Leo and Aries respectively) and given your natural fiery nature, this configuration can easily become ‘fighting fire with fire’  (which is a decent Metallica song, btw).  Conflict is inevitable in February and it should be pretty spectacular.  Your opposition uses the same tactics you do which is helpful since you know what to expect, but you’re both after the same resources.  Timing is everything; the one who gets their message out first will win.  Good luck.

Virgo

Juno is still fooling around in retrograde at the end of your home sign and will get picked off by a combination of Venus and  Pallas during the last week of February.  This puts your relationships – primarily romantic, but also functional such as a roommate or business partner – in the spotlight for that time.  The presence of the trine pushes things forward and since Pallas is the symbol of creativity and spontaneity, you will want to take advantage of luck tending toward random acts of affection.  Surprise vacation?  Proposal?  Maybe you just have tickets to that thing your partner likes (bonus points if you can turn the tickets into diamonds!)?  It’s a good investment of any windfall you might pick up from the early-month Capricorn stellium.  Whatever you decide, do so with confidence.  Confidence is sexy.

Libra

Last month’s obstacles become this month’s resources!  You already spent a month trying to make progress without proper foresight so you’ve got a leg up when things get muddled near the end of February.  You can use the confusion to your advantage if you want and in true Libra fashion, let me suggest that you do so to level out the playing field for everyone.  Libra is known for pushing fairness and equality, usually meaning that you have a pet ‘project’ involving someone who’s gotten the short end of life.  See if you can do something to promote this person or cause’s well-being in the next few weeks. Perhaps instead you’d like to start something in secret – a new game, movie or written work?  You can keep things hidden without much effort in February.  Let your artistic side loose within your Batcave and see what arises.

Scorpio

Last month, I told you to just sit tight and watch, remember?  By the 20th or so, you’ll have a better idea why.  The first couple weeks are still pretty quiet.  However, Mars, the Sun, Mercury and Chiron roll into Pisces (a 120° trine to you) around then, pointing out where you need to go next.  This is a clear and  obvious sign which is nice since Scorpio can get tripped up in subtleties.  Don’t overthink; the answer to your question is staring you in the face even if it seems baffling to others.  Find your inner Fuu Hououji (Magic Knight Rayearth) and get to work.

Sagittarius

You did all your money stuff LAST month, Sagittarius so February is not going to be quite so much about the Benjamins for you.  On the other hand, your ruling planet Jupiter just moved into opening trine (120°) to you in Aries which is a nice help since you’re smack-dab between Juno retrograde in Virgo and the slow procession of small planets into Pisces.  I’m going to suggest that you go see The Dilemma, not because it’s an amazing flick but because you may find yourself in this sort of situation by month’s end.  You are privy to information important to someone close to you, but said person may not necessarily be happy with your message.  Your opposite, Gemini, had a similar problem last month – maybe go have a chat?  While I normally would advise against butting into other people’s business like this (again, see Gemini last month), see if you can actually do something about this problem.  You can offer more than just information this time.

Capricorn

Yet another interesting stellium for you, though admittedly having Pluto in your sign tends to do that since he hangs around so frickin’ long.  Your ruling planet (Saturn) is retrograde, Jupiter is square (90°) to you and you have three of of the big spender planets in your home sign.  That might be enough to break even YOUR rock-solid discipline, Capricorn.  The urge for comfort is strong, the guard is down and the means are available.  If it were anybody else I’d say to curb those feelings, but you tend to be such a straight-arrow that cutting loose would likely do you a world of good.  I vaguely recall maybe using the World of Cardboard speech once before, but it really makes sense here.

Aquarius

Obviously the big deal for you this month  is the Mars/Neptune/Mercury stellium as mentioned in the opening.  Everything up there goes double for you.  Your other saving grace is that as an Aquarius, your networking skills tend to be a step ahead of everyone else.  You can assimilate and intrepret information a lot quicker than most, so when misinformation gets out there, you’re usually the first to get it AND the first to figure out it’s wrong.  Get your Snopes on at the end of the month when what you’re being told doesn’t make any sense.  Like Libra, timing is everything.  You have the First Strike class feature in February – make good use of it.

Pisces

Hopefully all went well for you last month, Pisces.  Juno is still sitting opposite you in retrograde, a quiet reminder of strained connections.  However, good news is on the way.  The Sun, Mercury, Mars and Chiron move into your home sign with about a week and a half left in February giving you a distinct boost in the areas of dominance, energy and speaking skill.  To some extent such things are kind of a strange match as Pisces doesn’t like to be in the spotlight all that much.  Still, everyone needs their moment in the sun (pardon the pun) and it’s your turn.  What is it that you’ve been nurturing and cultivating for a while now?  What idea, project or opinion do you have for the world that has yet to see the light of day?  Time to burn an Action Point and turn it loose!

Ryven Cedrylle (@ryvencedrylle) is a Christian, husband, pharmaceutical chemist, gamer and astrologer – in that order.  He’s the second-hand man at the At-Will Blog and is up for a Skype RPG almost anytime.  Find out more about astrology and Ryven’s unique services at http://www.christian-astrology.com.  Also, please take a moment to help Ryven’s wife’s dream of being a mommy come true!  “Like” Everlasting Adoptions on Facebook to improve their publicity and unite needy children with loving homes.

With all the astrology in the news and flying around Twitter lately, Ryven asked if he could write an Immediate Interrupt article in addition to his normal +4 to Initiative geeky horoscopes. And who am I to turn down the wisdom of our very own geeky astrologer? Here’s Ryven Cedrylle, explaining it all!

Wait…  Ophiu-Who-Cus?

An article surfaced yesterday morning  reported by NBC about an astronomer in Minnesota who reconstructed the ancient Babylonian zodiac.  The “new” zodiac moves all the dates around and includes some crazy constellation called Ophiucus.  While I realize that very few people are actually “worried” about their sign changing, this gives me the opportunity to explain a little bit more about how astrological calculations are made for those readers who find it interesting.

The original zodiac – which the NBC article references – includes the major constellations along the plane of the ecliptic.  These are all the constellations that the Sun actually appears to move across from our perspective at one point or the other.  Due to wobbles in the Earth’s orbit, the Sun doesn’t always cross them identically every year, but they all at least get ‘touched’ somehow.  Early astrologers  did their work by actually looking into the sky and seeing where the various ‘wandering stars’ (planets) were in relation to these constellations and other important “fixed” stars like Regulus or Aldebaraan.  This is where Ophiucus – who also sometimes goes by the equally metal “Serpentarius” – comes from; it’s a constellation along the plane of the ecliptic.

You’ll also notice that the signs last for varying amounts of time.  Capricorn goes 26 days and Leo runs 36 where Cancer only runs 20 and Scorpio a piddly 6!  This is a combination of the apparent size of the constellation and the eccentricity (elliptical nature) of Earth’s orbit.  Scorpio is a relatively small constellation and the Earth is close to the sun at that time, meaning that the Sun seems to move very quickly across that sign as Earth’s angular velocity picks up.

Now as various other mystic disciplines and beliefs progressed, folks decided that 12 was an important magical number (mostly due to the Moon’s cycles and some numerological stuff) and so Ophiucus was tossed out.  Why not little tiny Scorpio?  I suspect it has to do with the mythology of the culture but I can’t tell you for sure.   (Note to self: go look that up.)  I’m a big Scorpio fan, though, so I’m happy it’s still around.  Anyway, the astrological zodiac thus began to diverge from the physical realities of the sky.  The sky was divided into 12 equal portions (similar in theoretical shape to sections of an orange) starting at the beginning of Aries and each of the 12 remaining signs got a section regardless of how long the Sun seemed to appear in front of the actual sign.  This zodiac is still in use in Vedic (East Indian) astrology and is called the Sidereal zodiac.

Then as time went by and calendars became more complex and accurate, astrologers/astronomers noticed something else.  The Sun didn’t always hit 0° Aries on the first day of spring.  Over long periods of time, the 0° Aries hit date changed.  This is a phenomena due to a type of wobble in the Earth’s revolution called the Procession of the Equinoxes.  The Sun appears to be ‘backward’ about 1° from where it was on the same day 75 years ago.  This marked an even greater rift in astrological theory.  Given that Aries is the beginning of the Zodiac representing energy, vitality and life, should it always line up with the first day of spring or not?  Someday in the sky, the Sun will appear at 0° Aries in the dead of winter.  This issue was never fully resolved; different schools of thought and cultures made their own decisions.  Today, Western astrology uses the Tropical zodiac that we’re familiar with. 0° Aries is always marked as the position of the Sun on the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere, regardless of what constellation it appears to be in.  (Sorry Southern folks!)   Right now, the discrepancy between the Sidereal and Tropical zodiacs is about 24.°

This is an important if somewhat obscure point about astrology.  What started as a belief that the actual position of stars and planets affected things has changed over thousands of years into something quite different.  While you’ll never get quite exactly the same answer from any two astrologers, we generally agree that the orbital times of the planets and the signs represent cycles of human psychology and sociology.  The actual planet Mars doesn’t really have a cause-and-effect action on you, but its 687 (Earth) day “year” tells us something about the rapidity and timing of action, heroism, violence and competition among human societies.  It’s symbolic, not scientific.

It’s fun to look up your “new” sign and see where in the sky the Sun actually was the day you were born.  That doesn’t change the sign you should look up in your horoscope though, since the horoscope is built around the derivative zodiac, not the physical one.  When you do astrology, you’re really studying the cycles of history in an indirect, beautiful and humbling way.  The stars and planets just happen to be the vehicle for that study.

Ryven Cedrylle is a Christian, husband, pharmaceutical chemist, gamer and astrologer – in that order.  He contributes regularly to the At-Will Blog and the Power Source Podcast .  Find out more about astrology and Ryven’s unique services at http://www.christian-astrology.com.  Also, please take a moment to help Ryven’s wife’s dream of being a mommy come true!  “Like” Everlasting Adoptions on Facebook to improve their publicity and unite needy children with loving homes.

For Everyone

HAPPY NEW YEAR! – In the astrological field we don’t really give a flying fart about the New Year.. at least not from a technical perspective anyway.  It’s really just another day.  There’s a little bit more excitement about the Spring Equinox when the Sun hits 0° Aries but even THAT’S not really a huge deal.  Thus I’m going to need a new discipline with which to generate my share of wild speculation about 2011.  Luckily, I also dabble in numerology part-part-time (yes, there’s two “part-”s there) and numerology does care about the New Year quite vociferously, so we’re going to detour here in the opening.

To start, add the digits of your month and date of birth, but NOT year.  For me, these digits are 0-0-3-8 (in no particular order) which adds to 11.  If your sum also adds to double digits, add those digits together as well; we ‘in the biz’ call this process gemmatria.  I’m looking at a 2 to start with (1+1) and since I’ll be talking about my wife in comparison to me (big surprise there, eh?) her value here is 1 (0-0-7-3).  Now, add 4 (2+0+1+1) to the number for this year, resulting in your Personal Year Number.  That gives me a 6 and my wife a 5.

“Cute, Ryven..  so.. now what?”

The best single thing to do with this number is figure out when your last 1 was and what you were doing that year.  My last 1 was in 2006 – the year I got married.  Since 6 is the number of responsibility, duty, honor, loyalty and domestic issues.  Thus I should expect shoring up finances and trying to build our family as my primary focus.  On the other hand, my wife’s last 1 was in 2007 – when she started trying to figure out her career.  Her 5 indicates expansion, exploration and opportunity; true to form, she started this year by applying for new, better-paying and more mentally stimulating jobs.  The combination hints to me that any adoption proceedings will probably land on my shoulders in terms of time and effort, so I should prepare for that as well since my wife will be ‘present’ elsewhere.  Here’s the list of numbers and their related concepts so you can do this for yourself and your loved ones:

1 – Unity, Glory, Victory, Beginnings
2 – Balance, Partnership, Negotiations, Finding Connections
3 – Information, Communication, Humor, Speed
4 – Structure, Organization, Teaching, Standards
5 – Exploration, Freedom, Joy, Inventiveness
6 – Loyalty, Honor, Responsibility, Family
7 – Faith, Philosophy, Meaning, Social Consciousness
8 – Power, Acquisitions, Manifestations, Will
9 – Service, Humility, Wrapping Up Loose Ends, Healing

Okay, enough of that.  Let’s get to the individual signs.

Aries

W00t! Jupiter enters your home sign on the 22nd!  Jupiter is the Great Benefic – the planet of growth, expansion and good times.  The last occurrence of this phenomena was 12 years ago, meaning you should in fact party like it’s 1999!  Jupiter is going to stay in Aries but for a brief six months, however, due to where everybody is on their orbital patterns so you’re going to want to pack it all in like a sealed bottle of Coke and Mentos.  Feel like traveling anywhere?  Trying to up your fame or notoriety within your chosen field?  Don’t waste any time – take the next couple weeks to formulate a plan and then get moving!

Taurus

Wheeling and dealing is not your normal game, Taurus, but you might want to consider working on that Diplomacy skill for January, especially if you’re signing any contracts or making any large purchases.  You will have Juno, the Sun, Pallas, Pluto and either Mars or Mercury making  helpful trines (120° angle) to you from Virgo and Capricorn.   It would be a real shame to have all that leverage available to you and not use it.  I would advise you to not simply take offers this month – push back a little.  You are the Immovable Object to begin with and can be very persuasive when you get a little inertia behind you.  While I am by no means urging you to break Wil Wheaton’s Number 1 Rule of Everything – “Don’t Be a D***” – you should at least be shrewd for your own sake and for the benefit of your loved ones.

Gemini

Gemini folks (close to Jun 18th) are going to be in for it this month as your Sun sits as the fourth point in a Juno-Jupiter/Uranus-Vesta Grand Cross in Mutable signs (Pisces, Virgo, Sagittarius and Gemini).  A Grand Cross without the fourth point is called a T-Square and, like a three legged coffee table, is pretty flippin’ wobbly.  That gives you a fair amount of power though since you hold the stabilizing factor.  The T-Square as it stands is an issue of independent growth versus mutual benefit aggravated by asset management.  That makes it kind of like in Euchre where you have a great hand and could probably “go in alone” for the points but in doing so, you force your partner to fold.   A game of Munchkin might be another good example – knowing when to leave your buddy behind (or worse!) for your personal benefit.  Gemini, you’re the observer to this phenomena – possibly deemed a betrayal by some – but not necessarily a part of it.  It will be your job to facilitate communication between the two parties.  You’re not responsible for their decisions, but they will come to you to take sides.  Remain neutral, try to keep it light, and do the best you can.

Cancer

The first part of this month is pretty interesting for you, Cancer, but then after that it’s kind of a waiting game.  Venus reaches her maximum western elongation (further distance behind the Sun) on the 3rd at 24° Scorpio and then Jupiter and Uranus reach optimum conjunction (closeness) between the 4th and the 6th in Pisces; both are water signs and provide you with helpful trines (120° angles).  To borrow from my evangelical fundamentalist background, now is a good time to “name it and claim it” – whatever “it” happens to be.  Act on that sense of entitlement you’re nursing to take the next step toward getting what you feel is rightfully yours.  Just be aware that you have quite the array of planets opposing you in Capricorn (the Sun, Mars, Vesta, Mercury, Pluto and Pallas) so you may want someone around to warn you about overstepping your bounds.  Things should pick up again around the 22nd when Jupiter switches into a square (90°) to you from Aries.

Leo

So Leo, you have Venus moving into opening trine (120° angle) in Sagittarius, Jupiter moving into closing trine in Aries, and Chiron, Neptune, Mars, and Ceres opposite you in Aquarius.  That puts you in a sort of pleasant prison for the month.  On the one hand, the trines from Venus and Jupiter bring you happiness and abundance, but if you reach to grasp or increase those benefits, the oppositions from Aquarius threaten to take it all away like some sort of real-life Tantalus.  Janurary seems to be a good month – maybe a little extra money, maybe a little extra free time, whatever.  Accept what you’ve been given with gratitude.

Virgo

Have you had it up to here yet, Virgo?  Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired?  January presents an unusual opportunity for you.  You sit at the Juno end of the Juno-Jupiter/Uranus-Vesta T-square meaning that as Juno turns retrograde near the middle of the month, you get the chance to turn someone away or break a contract for your own benefit.  It’s a rare thought for you since Virgo prides itself on loyalty and supporting others; on the one hand, such an act feels very unnatural to you but clearly it’s the most logical thing to do.  Furthermore, you have a number of trines from Capricorn urging you to ‘do it!’ in soft whispers.  This is early “we can save her” Senator Palpatine-type stuff, not the blatant “Strike me down in your anger!” Emperor Palpatine-type stuff.  Is it evil?  Not likely – the opposition is with Jupiter/Uranus and certainly others wouldn’t blame you for taking the self-benefiting route.  You will have to decide, however, what you can do with a clear conscience.

Libra

Jupiter barges into your opposing Sign, Aries, on the 22nd.  Having this aspect with Saturn in your home sign can be exhausting.  You just want to slow down, enjoy things and think awhile but the pressure’s on and you won’t get stuff done if you rest on your laurels.  Furthermore, you have Mercury, Pallas and Pluto squaring you (90° angle) from Capricorn, stunting your ability to effectively  rationalize your situation.  What you have going for you, though, is Mars and Ceres in Aquarius.  You have the energy to hack’n'slash your way through the clutter even if you don’t seem to be able to attack the problem in an efficient or organized way.  Think of yourself like a DDoS attack – millions and millions of ordinarily harmless pings all hitting a server at once from many directions.  It’s simple and completely lacks any style or grace, but it works.  Push through with all your strength and you will see the other side.

Scorpio

Venus leaves your home sign early in the month and Jupiter leaves the trine from Pisces later on, indicating that this month might be kind of a downer.  On top of that, Ceres and Mars are in closing square (90°) which hints to me at a lack of personal energy or fulfillment.  Perhaps a loss early on in the year or just coming down from all the highs and stress of the holidays?  Scorpio is very good at two things: biding its time and striking at the perfect moment.  This is a biding sort of month, not a striking month.  Take a good assessment of your life and environment.  Watch how people and events are unfolding.  Spend a round making Perception and Insight checks.  Even if there seems to be no immediate use for the information, you are Scorpio and you will find one eventually.  Pull back into your comfort zone and wait.  Things will get better and more interesting in the future.

Sagittarius

You have Venus and Vesta in your home sign this month, Sagittarius.  What does that mean?  Money – plain and simple.  Okay, maybe not money exactly but wealth; it’s your assets, investments, possessions and accounts.  There is a significant focus on what you have in January.  I would recommend doing your taxes early this year as you may owe or be owed more money than you expected.  This is not the kind of aspect where you go ask your boss for a raise, but the kind where you review your 401k or stock portfolio.  For what it’s worth, I would make sure you get completely out of any financial products based on student loans as I think that market is going to collapse pretty soon.  I’d also recommend taking a look at the financial astrology reports from Robert Merriman if you do your own trading and have an interest in astrology.  The guy makes his living  playing the market by the planets.  Fascinating stuff, really.  The long and the short of it is balance your checkbook, look over your retirement fund (start one if you don’t have one!), and organize your attic.  You’ll be glad you did.

Capricorn

Your home sign gets quite crowded early on in the month, Capricorn, and though the party slowly dies down, you’ll be feeling the effects for a good couple weeks.  At its height on the 15th you have the Sun, Mars, Mercury, Pluto, and Pallas sprawled across your sign.  This is a VERY combative sort of stellium (conjunction of more than two planets), so don’t be surprised if you find yourself on the warpath in January.  The harbingers of victory – namely Mars and Pallas – are on your side, but don’t get into fights just for the sake of it.  Even Scrooge McDuck knew you have to play by the rules for lasting success.

Aquarius

Like your star-sister Capricorn (both ruled by Saturn), you get a crazy stellium as well in January.  Yours starts up on the 30-31th with Chiron, Neptune, the Sun, Ceres, and Mars and then peaks on Feb 4th when Mercury and the Moon join the festivities.  With this many planets in play, it’s nearly impossible to interpret with any sort of accuracy, but let’s notice something important.  Every major money-related planet (Vesta, Venus and Pluto) is out-of-touch with you during this time.  Despite the seeming importance of the event, it is entirely immaterial.  That is, it has no bearing on your financial status so don’t worry about that.  Now it may have a SIGNIFICANT impact on your social life or your life goals as those things are very near and dear to Aquarius.  Perhaps there’s some kind of coup within your circle of friends or you and your family suffer through a number of hilarious cross-country antics only to find out they’ve closed down Wally World forever.  It looks like a strongly personal but relatively mild disappointment.  Aquarius is nothing if not idealistic, however, and I fully expect you to find some new project or goal in the remains of the old one.

Pisces

You stand on the Jupiter/Uranus end of the  Juno-Jupiter/Uranus-Vesta T-square, which puts you in a somewhat vulnerable position.  Juno going into retrograde opposite you is usually indicative of a break or fracture in relationship that costs you some of the fun or benefit encapsulated in the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction.  What’s important for you is to not read too much into it.  You may feel like you’re being betrayed, but make sure you have all your facts before you jump to that conclusion.  Your friend or lover may be doing something for him/herself without even knowing you’re hurt.  Confront that person calmly; with a little luck and a little more work, all may still be well.  If it’s not, then it wasn’t meant to be and that’s alright too.

Ryven Cedrylle is a Christian, husband, pharmaceutical chemist, gamer and astrologer – in that order.  He contributes regularly to the At-Will Blog and the Power Source Podcast .  Find out more about astrology and Ryven’s unique services at http://www.christian-astrology.com.  Also, please take a moment to help Ryven’s wife’s dream of being a mommy come true!  “Like” Everlasting Adoptions on Facebook to improve their publicity and unite needy children with loving homes.

December 2010 Horoscopes

For Everyone:

Dec 20th – Since September, I’ve been talking about the Venus retrograde and encouraged you to keep a diary of events at certain times in order to see astrology in action in your own life. The final event in the cycle we’re going to watch here is on December 20th, when Venus finally moves past the point where it went retrograde over Labor Day, called ‘exiting the shadow.’ (The most recent was Venus turning ‘direct’ or forward in motion on the 14th of November.) This signals the denouement of the retrograde cycle’s ‘story’, if you will.

In my own story, my wife and I signed a contract with Everlasting Adoptions to begin the birth mother-finding process during the first event (entering the shadow) and then she quit her part-time job(s) that were supposed to help fund the venture on the station to retrograde. I was expecting some new method of fundraising at the station to direct on the 14th and, as usual, my wife did not let me down. Without my even saying anything, she began to post items for sale on craigslist, Half.com and Ebay. We didn’t hear much until the 14th when someone started the ‘flood’ by buying her neglected flute and from there, she’s sold about $600 and counting in textbooks, clothes and housewares! (BTW, if anyone wants a good roller derby ‘starter kit’, email me!) It’s still a relatively small drop in the overall bucket, but I’m grateful regardless – especially around the holidays when life gets more expensive anyway.

I have yet to hear any stories from you, the readers, but there’s still time! If you have found your own trend(s) and are up for sharing, send them to me at ryvencedrylle@gmail.com and I’ll add them to this column in January!

I’ll also note December 6th (plus or minus a day) as being an astrologically signficant day in the next month. On that day, Uranus completes its station to direct, giving us the brief (and I do mean brief!) experience of having NO planets in retrograde combined with a conjunction of Pluto and Mercury AND the Moon and Mars. It’s a probable time for any one of any sign to receive a surprising and shocking message – anything from the joy of a marriage proposal to the sudden loss of a loved one. Be careful driving, especially all of you in places where you actually get snow this time of year(::grumblegrumblestupidNorthCarolina::). As you could probably surmise, it’s a more accident-prone time as well. If you want some idea of what might be going on, think back to what you were doing around June 26th of this year as the Mercury/Pluto conjunction is sitting square on the point where the most recent Lunar Eclipse occurred that day.

We are rapidly approaching the Winter Solstice (around which time most major religions have an important holiday, hint hint). Since I only get to talk to you all once per month I want to take a moment now to wish you all a joyous Christmas, Channukah, Ramadan, Kwanzaa, Yule, Pancha Ganapati festival, or whatever other holiday that I may have missed – may you take another step closer to the Divine. Also, for atheists out there who may be reading this, looks like y’all have some pretty amusing billboards going up this year. May you learn something new this Season of Reason.

OK, enough of that. Let’s get to the individual signs.

Aries

The Sun spends most of its time in a closing trine (120°) angle to you this month, which can be a nice bump to your ego and professional appearance. Your ruling planet, Mars, is also trucking right along at almost a full degree per day – the fastest it’s going to move for about the next two years! Furthermore, even though Mars will duck into Capricorn about halfway through which is a square for you, Mars is exalted in Capricorn, highlighting Aries’ capability to and love of rising to the challenge. This month is all GO for you, Mr. or M(r)s. Ram. What is it you want? What is it you hope to achieve? Do what you love to do best – drop your head, charge forward with all your strength and give’ em the horns! (Special thanks posthumously to Ronnie James Dio for setting up that pun several decades ago. Metal Will Never Die.)

Taurus

Your ruling planet, Venus, rights itself and moves back into your opposite sign (Scorpio) this month. One of the primary ways you express your love for others is with gifts, so the holiday season is always something of a quandary for you. You may feel like you want to lavish your dear ones with fine presents, but of course your practical side just can’t bring itself to open that wallet. The dichotomy gets exacerbated in years where Venus is in Scorpio (about every third year), tugging on your Sun. While I can’t tell you what to do about that exactly, allow me to remind you that Taurus is about presence, belonging and security. What is it that you want to belong to? Where do you feel like you need to make your presence known? Make these decisions first and see if it doesn’t help you sort everything else out as well. If you end up sounding like chapters from a self-help booklet, so be it.

Gemini

It’s time for another Mercury retrograde again, Gemini, and this one’s got a bigger kick behind it. The winged messenger makes his about face on the 9th within a degree of Pluto and the previous Lunar Eclipse point, giving it some lasting power. On the other hand, it’s quincunxed (150°) to you, shielding or disconnecting you from the phenomena. In fact, nearly everything interesting happening astrologically this month is either opposed or quincunxed to you which may create a helpless feeling as the world happens around you. The two things you have going for you are Saturn (trined in Libra) and Neptune (trined in Aquarius) which means creating and destroying barriers. Think of yourself like Sue Storm. You’re not aterribly effective fighter (at least until Iron Fist helps you out) but you can make things invisible, block bullets, cushion long falls and a hundred more inventive stunts. You can help control who’s in the line of fire and who’s safe.

Cancer

You get a HECK of a shock this month, Cancer. Uranus turns direct in Pisces which trines you just in time to watch the Mercury retrograde and conjunction to Pluto happen in your opposite sign, Capricorn. Finally, Venus cuts across its shadow in Scorpio right up until Christmas, meaning you might have something to hide or keep secret until then. Your flexibility is an advantage here, but your tendency to be moody or change your mind often isn’t. You can also be terribly tenacious when you or a loved one is in difficulty so start there and work your way forward. Mercury will be in retrograde so take your time thinking. The Moon will come into your home sign just as Venus gets out of her shadow on the 21st, so don’t be surprised if it takes until the last possible second to choose your course of action. Take a cue from William Prescott (supposedly) at the Battle of Breed’s Hill and ‘hold your fire until you see the whites of their eyes!’

Leo

Your ruling planet, the Sun, spends most of this month in explorative, philisophical Sagittarius – trined to you. Unlike Aries, though, it is your energy supporting the transit, not the transit supporting you. That is to say that you find yourself in more of a supporting role this month, a place you find a little less than desirable. Furthermore, Venus pulls into Scorpio in December as well, the only change in the Fixed signs that you’re going to notice. The holiday season looms, but you may feel like you don’t have much to be thankful for as you have to give up the spotlight for a little while. The phrase ‘count your blessings’ doesn’t use ‘count’ frivolously, you know. Though the world asks much of you and seems to give back little in return, think about how much you already have and how little what is being currently asked of you compares to that. I believe you will find perspective and value there. If you need something to do while playing part-time sidekick, Sagittarius is the sign that covers publishing as well so why not pick up something for the ole’ noggin to chew on? I saw The Grand Design on sale at Barnes and Noble the other day and wow, is it kicking up a fuss in England!

Virgo

Two crazy months in a row? Really? ‘Fraid so, Virgo – and trust me I’m right there with you. I’m not sure I’m looking forward to it either. You’re the mirror opposite of Cancer in December; the Uranus turn is opposite you and the Mercury move the trine where Cancer is vice-versa. You have the added kicker of being ruled by Mercury, though, making you somewhat more vulnerable even than Cancer. Now before you get all freaked out, allow me to show you this book I have here in my hands on which the words “Don’t Panic” are written in bold, friendly letters. First, you’re much more analytical than Cancer, meaning that though you still get your share of surprises, it’s not anything you didn’t already see coming. Second, the Mercury turn is at a trine to you meaning you get the benefit of the doubt astrologically speaking. Don’t be lazy when Round 2 starts. Move quickly and efficiently – two things you’re good at – and you can maintain a level heading. Breathe, dude. It’s OK.

Libra

Back to work for you, Libra. Venus leaves your sign for the last time this year leaving you with just Saturn, Cancer and Aries are empty and Capricorn – the final Cardinal sign – has the big Mercury event in it. You needed last month’s rest but unfortunately you may still be a little sluggish from it when the scat hits the fan. That being said, you’re Libra; partnership and balance are what you do best. If you know you’re going to be a step behind, why not volunteer for the cleanup crew before someone volunteers you for the setup crew? Let the people important to you know that you’re at a disadvantage for whatever reason and see if they will work with you. Hint: they will. Remember that scene from the Princess Bride where Westley’s laying in the bed and uses his weakened form to simply look incredibly relaxed while intimidating the heck out of the 6-fingered man. Yeah, do that.

Scorpio

Venus comes back into your home sign in December, Scorpio, and stays until about the second week of January. With Venus in your home sign and Jupiter giving you the opening trine from Pisces, you almost can’t lose. Note ‘almost’ – don’t be foolish. In fact, if you can find your star-brother Aries and team up, the world may very well fall at your feet. Honestly, I can’t find one difficult transit for you this month so really the only pitfall is not going for it… whatever it is. You are Scorpio and you’re here to rock out and stuff! One, Two, Three, Four!

Sagittarius

Much like your opposite, Gemini, you’re shielded from the big stuff in Scorpio and Capricorn this month as a 30° angle isn’t really considered an aspect. Unlike Gemini, though, you have the Sun, Palls and Mars (temporarily) as well as Vesta in your home sign this month giving you more control of your fate. On the other hand, the vast majority of the Mercury retrograde after the initial impact is in your house as well meaning that you’re subject to the splash damage. Last month was both aimless and productive for you, so the goal would be to collate everything you picked up from your wanderings and supply solutions where others haven’t even dared to think yet. You’re not so much ‘outside the box’ as just 3 or 4 steps ahead. Be cognizant not to get too abstract, though. You are a big fan of fancy, high-level thinking which is perfectly fine in and of itself, but with Mercury trekking backward across you, will not always communicate well in raw form. Play heavily to tradition and due process, just not the tradition and process that the situation normally calls for. Importing ideas from other cultures and discplines related to yours will help immensely. In other words, multiclass.

Capricorn

This month’s event of honor is taking place in your sign, Capricorn. It’s admittedly not as big of a jolt for you however because you’re now used to having Pluto floating around doing his thing. What’s a big amazement to everyone else may admittedly feel like just another day to you, but be warned – the retrograde takes place in your sign so you probably don’t know all there is to the situation. In fact, you may very well be the cause of it! You also pick up Mars and Pallas near the end of the month giving you the ability to rally the troops after the discord sets in. All in all, you have the most experience with whatever craziness may happen in your life or the life of someone you know. Capricorn is already the sign of the Manager and the Mentor (read “Yoda”) so restoring order is no new feat for you. Get everyone on board with the same values and goals and go from there.

Aquarius

We get to see a rare side of you this month, Aquarius. One of the astrologers who strongly influenced my style, Kelly Lee Phipps (also a gamer and fantasy novelist; see his Brazenwood novel) always says ‘Aquarius loves humanity but doesn’t really care for anyone in particular.’ This month with Venus moving into the closing square position to you from Scorpio and your general amusement by all things shockng or outrageous, we see the more social, altruistic side of Aquarius step in and try to give the world a great big hug. A little sappy? Ok, maybe. The thing is, Aquarius is in fact capable of a surprising amount of compassion and valor; you are inspired to show it as the holidays approach. Don’t try to figure out where it’s coming from, just run with it.

Pisces

Kinda feels like everything’s shutting down, doesn’t it? It’s the end of the year, people are wrapping up their work and preparing to go on vacation; sensitive Pisces might find itself bit more saddened than excited by the prospect of a new year approaching so rapidly. Venus’ placement supports your ability to splurge a little on the gifts and travel this go-round and Mercury’s business in closing sextile is probably little more to you than a passing double-take. Really, Pisces, it’s a pretty Silent Night for you. All is calm, all is bright. Enjoy being reunited with your loved ones.

Ryven Cedrylle is a Christian, husband, pharmaceutical chemist, gamer and astrologer – in that order. He contributes regularly to the At-Will Blog and the Power Source Podcast. Find out more about astrology and Ryven’s unique services at http://www.christian-astrology.com. Also, ’tis the season to be giving – help Ryven’s wife’s dream of being a mommy come true! “Like” Everlasting Adoptions on Facebook to improve their publicity and unite needy children with loving homes.

Horoscopes for November 2010

For Everyone:

Nov 14^th – Since September, I’ve mentioned the Venus retrograde and encouraged you to keep a diary of events at certain times in  order to see astrology in action in your own life.  The third event in the cycle we’re going to watch here is on November 14th, the Venus station to direct.  (The most recent, if you recall, was Venus entering the ‘shadow’ of her retrograde over Labor Day Weekend.)  Now that we’ve seen a couple points along this line, we can start to draw some conclusions about future events.

Personally, Labor Day Weekend was the time during which my wife and I sent our first payment in to Everlasting Adoptions to begin the birthmother-finding process and we signed on to work part-time at Kroger to help earn money to pay the fees.  Since then, my wife quit Kroger, started on at Pottery Barn, quit Pottery Barn and was contacted by Loft though she never followed through with it.  The 9th was the last day she worked at Pottery Barn.  Venus is one of the major money planets and in retrograde, it refers to shrinking or internalizing; seems to be valid so far.  In about two weeks when Venus stations again, I can presume to get another piece of information about or start the next ‘chapter’ of our fundraising adventure.

Neptune also happens to station to direct this month (7th to 10th) almost directly opposite her natal Venus so because of that added complication (and because this column isn’t really about me!) I won’t go any deeper into interpretation.  Still, that gives you a good introductory look into how we as astrologers go about our work.  I have also not  heard from any of you, but there’s still time!   If you find your own trend(s) and are up for sharing, send them to me at ryvencedrylle@gmail.com and I’ll add them to this column in December!

As to the Venus station in general, it shows up just about in time for the craziness of the holiday shopping season, so I’d be willing to venture that we see one of the better retail seasons in the last few years.  If you’ve been experiencing a recent shortage of money, relationship chutzpah or creative juices in the last month or so, that will probably ease up by the end of November.  Jupiter and Neptune’s stations contributes as well; when the blue giant turns direction, he often digs up some cleverly hidden dirt with him – and just in time for the few days after elections!  Intuitive and otherwise ‘supernatural’ abilities also tend to be strong at that point, so if you have spiritual practices or disciplines with which you to connect with the Divine or angels or spirit guides or whatever (Great Old Ones?), make sure you stop in and say hi around the 8th or so.  For the rest of us, pay attention to those flashes of insight and enjoy the wave of optimism!

Okay, enough of that.  Let’s get to the individual signs.

Aries

Venus backs her pretty little behind into your opposing sign (Libra) and then goes direct which would generally be considered a stressful aspect for you Aries.  Thing is, Venus tends to play nice most of the time and in this phase of her cycle, she is said to be ‘arising from the Underworld.’  This suggests to me that you actually have a significant opportunity to rebuild from last month’s troubles.  You may have to sacrifice the ego a little bit to do so, but well worth it.  Keep yourself in check, Edgar, and odds are on your side that someone close to you could give you a free ride just in time for Winter. (Kind of a subtle reference there.  Google it.)

Taurus

Last month, I mentioned you may get to the point where you feel like you have to choose between your relationships and yourself.  Hopefully you didn’t jump the gun on things since the ‘right’ answer becomes pretty obvious this month.  November really comes in like a lion for you, with the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Vesta and Venus all sitting opposite you in Scorpio on the New Moon Election Day (Nov 5th).  If you happen to be running for a public office, I hope you did your homework because this does not bode well for you.  Normally if a Taurus tells me he feels like the whole world is out to get him, I tell her she’s exaggerating.  Maybe for once I’d disagree.  It passes pretty quickly, though and within a week all is forgiven.   When Neptune turns direct in Aquarius, expect to gain some significant understanding you didn’t have before, but beware of over-valuing it.  Other than the killing people part (I hope!) you kind of have a Harmony from the Angel series thing going in November.  You may not be able to help ticking people off but so long as you don’t seem to do it maliciously, stuff will blow over.

Gemini

You’re in kind of a goofy spot this month, Gemini.  You’re being opposed by your ruling planet, Mercury, and his distaff counterpart (of sorts), Pallas, in Sagittarius.  The sort of philosophical, open-ended (read ‘no clear endpoint’) thought that goes on while this placement holds is pretty foreign to you as you revel in being able to debate and persuade to a conclusion.  Whereas last month you had meaningful opinions to espouse – and were likely correct – it seems like folks aren’t as interested in November.  It’s not so much that you’re losing the arguments as people are just dropping out of them.  Conversely, two of the three big stations this month, Venus and Neptune, are in the other air signs of Libra and Aquarius and thus send you quite a bit of support in the form of synchronicities and other similarly unexplainables.  Thus despite your best efforts, November is a pleasant month.  The dice love you.

Cancer

All the Water signs are lucky this month, Cancer, what with Jupiter turning direct in Pisces near the end of the month and you are no exception.  This however is the sort of luck that is made, not merely received.  You have to be in the right place at the right time and it’s your job to ensure that happens.  As much as you might like to hang around at home, it doesn’t serve you in November to do so.  You  have to keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities to further your goals and do whatever it takes to get there.  Mercury and Vesta are in opening trine to you, indicating the ability to quickly utilize knowledge gained and Venus goes from a retrograde square to an opening trine as well suggesting you have learned something from last month’s decision-making processes.  Perhaps it’s best summed up by Scorch from Republic Commando: “One’s an anomaly, two’s a trend.  Rule 89, Boss.”

Leo

Neptune and Chiron, who just happens to be sitting right next to Neptune, both go direct opposite you this month.  As I mentioned in the intro, Neptune turning direct usually brings to light previously hidden or buried stuff and Chiron is all about old wounds.  Leo tends not to keep a lot of secrets anyway, so when one of the precious few gets uncovered it can really throw you for a loop.  Honesty is the best policy, particularly for Leo in November.   You’re quincunxed to Jupiter’s station in Pisces so you may not see the bounty as much as others but you’re in prime sextile-square position for Venus’ turn in Libra-Scorpio which will be asking you to crank the charm up to 11; you don’t want anything to stand in the way of that.  Play with your cards on the table, even if it seems less than advantageous. Unless of course you’re playing Cheapass Games’ Unexploded Cow in which most of your cards are on the table already.   Then it doesn’t matter.

Virgo

Earth signs are relatively quiet, Neptune and Chiron are quincunxed and you’re only one sign away from the Venus station, so there’s not a lot.. oh wait!  That’s right, Jupiter!!  Jupiter turns direct in your opposing sign, Pisces around the 17th.  Know what that means?  S*** blows up! Actually, I should clarify that.. I mean “blows up” in the ‘rapid inundation’ sense, not the Mega Bomberman sense.  The question here is how long does it take to peak? If you’re an early (August) Virgo, you’re likely to only get a taste of what will happen when Pluto comes across for its last trine to you (which is January for me at 6° Virgo) which will be the real thing.  Later (September) Virgos will get a lesser blast but all up front.  As with Venus and Aries, Jupiter is a pretty friendly planet so even an opposition during a station is pretty benevolent.  You’re detail-oriented and may not be able to keep up well with everything around you.  Let the craziness calm down a bit before you try to make sense of everything.  As best as you can, hang on and roll with it until you can get your head about you again.  Not easy for many Virgos but you can do it.

Libra

Neptune goes direct at a trine to you in Aquarius and Venus goes direct in your home sign just after a brief return, like she forgot her keys on the counter or something.  In fact, that’s not a bad way to describe November for you, Libra.  You’ve spent the last couple months tending to everyone else’s stuff that you may very well have forgotten you have a life too.  This month, it’s time to say “Hey, what about me?  Where are my cookies?” (Because who doesn’t want cookies?) Hypothetical confections aside, you’ve got a little breathing room.  You’re not needed anywhere, so you’ve got time to recharge your battery and enjoy life.  Take a short rest, spend some healing surges and identify a couple of the neat magic items you picked up in the last encounter.  You wouldn’t have gotten them if you weren’t going to need them eventually.

Scorpio

Party’s over.  Everyone leaves.  That’s Scorpio in November.  The Sun, Mercury, Vesta and Venus all split from Scorpio in various directions at various speeds, leaving you feeling a little..  unimpressed perhaps.  Sure, Venus will come back in December, but for now it’s cleanup time.  You are a Water sign and thus as Jupiter turns direct, you get a little bit of his good favor.  What will really help you out, though, is to explore the void.  It’s the mu principle, the space between letters and between words, the sound of silence.  I realize that’s a bit esoteric so let’s try this old, familiar story – there was a famous samurai who went to study under an ancient master.  Before the master accepted the samurai as his student, he bade him sit down for tea.  The master poured tea into the samurai’s cup, telling him to say when.  The samurai did not do this, expecting the master to simply stop when the cup got full.  Instead, the master continued to pour, spilling hot tea all over the samurai’s hand.   The samurai became angry, but the master simply told him “You are like the cup.  You must become empty before I can fill you with my wisdom.”  Empty yourself this month, Scorpio, so you can receive new understanding.

Sagittarius

So, the Sun, Mercury, Pallas and Mars all in Sagittarius.  Can we say ‘wanderlust?’  Sagittarius is already prone to rambling, both physically and mentally, but with all this generally undirected energy in your home sign, that’s about to increase.  Futhermore, Jupiter and Uranus are squared to you, continuing to open up new doors without a lot of regard to what’s going on behind the old ones like some kind of stock Scooby Doo chase montage.  As the month draws to a close, you may find yourself surrounded by a half-dozen half-finished projects you may or may not even remember starting.  Having your values firmly in mind will be an important task for you in November.  You will have a small handful of good opportunities with the knowledge and energy to tackle them all, just not the time – you will have to choose.  The harder you focus on the things you hold most dear, the clearer the choices will become.

Capricorn

Feeling a bit nostalgic, Capricorn?  It’s unusual for you to wear your heart on your sleeve, but the planets you have access to  this month – Jupiter, Uranus, Venus and Neptune/Chiron aren’t always terribly logical and often ignore the sorts of boundaries and structures you enjoy so much.  You’re liable to overcompensate with the Saturn square from Libra, so go ahead and loosen the grip a little bit.   You, more than almost any other sign, are aware that there is a correct time for everything though you use that excuse to put off feeling the more extreme, difficult-to-manage emotions.  Well guess what – it’s time to open that little box in which you keep your less-controlled side and let it out.  Cry, laugh, love, be furious, whatever you need to let loose to keep the internal pressure at a reasonable level.  You don’t necessarily need to go all tsundere, but let the world remember that you’re a human being, too.

Aquarius

So last month you were active and all over the place, Aquarius, but this month?  Totally different story.  Neptune turns direct in your home sign, sapping a lot of that giddy-up and making the things of earth seem less important.  At the same time, you’re somewhat beholden to both Saturn and Venus in Libra which may result in others holding considerable more sway over you than usual, particularly people you find sexually attractive and those in positions of authority over you.  In short, Diana, if you don’t watch yourself someone’s going to chain your bracelets together.  Then what?  Aquarius is a fiercely independent sign, so being under the influence of another is quite abnormal and disconcerting.  Figure out quickly who’s holding the leash and whether there’s something to be gained by it or not.  Spiritually inclined Aquarians should take advantage of the situation to surrender to the Higher Power of your choice and grow nearer to your Source.

Pisces

Lucky Pisces picks up the Jupiter station in your home sign this month!   Furthermore, you’re shielded from the Venus turn by quincunx and the Neptune/Chiron turn by being a single sign away – though many modern astrologers give Neptune rulership over Pisces.  If anything, you’re maybe a  little overzealous with Mars, Mercury and the Sun squaring you from Sagittarius but you’d be amazed what a really powerful Jupiter aspect can wash away.  Like your opposite, Virgo, expect November to be almost non-stop, but where Virgo should just take the ride and clean it up later, you need to stay on top of the game at all times.  It’s the difference between actual surfing and just boogie-boarding.

Ryven Cedrylle is a Christian, husband, scientist, gamer and astrologer – in that order. He contributes regularly to the At-Will Blog and the Power Source Podcast. Find out more about astrology and Ryven’s unique services at Christian Astrology.

Horoscopes for October 2010

For Everyone:

October 8th – Last month I mentioned the Venus retrograde and encouraged you to keep a diary of events at certain times in  order to see astrology in action in your own life.  The second event in the cycle we’re going to watch here is on October 8th, the Venus station to retrograde.  (The first, if you recall, was Venus entering the ‘shadow’ of her retrograde over Labor Day Weekend.)  Since this article will go up before the second event, I have neither anything to share personally nor from any readers, so that will have to wait until next month, but stay tuned!   If you find your own trends, send them to me at ryvencedrylle@gmail.com and I’ll add them to this column!

In the meantime, let’s talk a little about Venus retrograde.  I’ve talked ad nauseum about what retrogade is astronomically, so I won’t repeat myself.  Go back to pretty much any previous article if you need a quick refresher.  Now of all the planets than can go retrograde – everything but the Sun and Moon, really – Venus does so with the second-least frequency.  Where as the outer belt planets (Jupiter to Pluto) station and retrograde once per year and Mercury does it three times annually, Venus only backs her thang up once about every 18 months, give or take one due to the eccentricity (elliptical nature) of both Venus’ and Earth’s orbits.  Only Mars has a slower retrograde frequency, running over two years between occurrences.  The last Venus retrograde occurred on April 18, 2009 – 17 months ago.  Due to Venus’ wide sphere of influence – love, art, femininity, money, and personal values among others – pinning down the exact nature of any particular retrograde cycle is difficult.  Still, given the sign it goes retrograde in (Scorpio), we can at least give a few general helpful hints:  Understand that everyone’s sensitivities are going to be a little more heightened, particularly toward things that are generally considered ‘off-limits’ or taboo.  If you find your sex life drops off, don’t panic.  Figure out the root cause and address it; physical intimacy can suffer more drastically now from stress and unwillingness to let go of reservations.  Avoid high-risk/high-yield investments; we’re likely to see another relatively minor but noticeable market correction soon though overall financial astrologer Raymond Merriam predicts the end of the year to be a rally in stocks and assets.  It is, however, a good time to reassess joint business partnerships or family savings plans,  update your will, or find a new favorite heavy metal rock band.

OK, enough of that.  Let’s get to the individual signs.

Aries

The Sun, Moon, Saturn and Mercury come into a fairly tight stellium (grouping of more than two planets) on the 7th.  If you’re an early to mid-Aries (roughly Mar 24 to April 4), bad news could very well be on the way.  If not, say a quick prayer of thanks but still be prepared to have some serious internal conflict going on around that time.  Later Aries natives are staring down the business end of a Vesta opposition and are probably feeling like you don’t have the resources to deal effectively with what’s going on in your life.  Generally speaking, Aries is in a position to keep second-guessing itself, which is not something Aries does well.  The key is to make sure you think everything through fully, not run off of feeling.  “[For] what king, as he goes to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet the one who comes against him with twenty thousand?”

Taurus

Venus is your ruling planet and she goes retrograde in the sign opposite you, Scorpio.  That’s kinda rough.  Sorry.
Everything I said above about Venus goes double for you.  You may get to the point where you feel like you have to choose between your relationships and yourself.  Wait until Venus stations again in November before you make that choice, because you may not have to.  Of course, that doesn’t mean the interim isn’t still difficult.  You’re also one of the more discerning signs.  Quality is big for you so if you find yourself shopping for wine on a beer budget (or so the saying goes), really own the beer instead.  Risus, Microlite20 and Wushu are all popular free RPGs if you can’t afford a new book this month but want to try out something new.

Gemini

So let’s see – there’s nothing in your home sign, nothing in Sagittarius, the Saturn-Jupiter/Uranus opposition is too wide to be really hitting you from Pisces, you’re quincunxed and thus sort of ‘out of the way’ of the Venus situation..  what is there to..  ah!  Here we are!  First off, you’re still getting an opening trine (120°) from the Sun and your ruling planet Mercury for the first half of the month.  Also, Juno just bumped from Leo into Virgo, giving you the opening square (90°) on that one as well.  That puts you in place to come to Scorpio’s aid this month.  Normally, Scorpio is the one saying edgy, controversial stuff but with everyone walking on eggshells, she’s getting the cold shoulder.  Someone needs to point out the elephant in the room, Gemini, and that person is you.  This is good, since you like to talk anyway and people generally like you – or at least don’t dislike you.  As much as it pains me to use this reference, think of Roaslie from Twilight, the only character in the Cullen clan with enough nerve to bring up how being a vampire is basically not very fun when the family discusses changing Bella.  That’s more or less what you should be doing this month.

Cancer

Aren’t you the lucky one, Cancer?  Another month where everything is happening around you, but not necessarily AT you.  As the Cardinal Water sign, you get access to the Venus retrograde in Scorpio, the Libra stellium, Jupiter/Uranus in Pisces and Ceres’ entrance into Capricorn!  Really, the Venus turnaround and Ceres are your two primary influences.  Money is likely to be a big issue for you this month as both Venus and Ceres are money planets.  If you’re fortunate enough to not be raiding the couch seats to pay the bills, you’ll want to think about spending your money in a way that makes you feel good about yourself.  That is, what can you do with your disposable income that makes it less throw-away?  Charity?  Investing more of it into one of your hobbies or collections?  Saving toward some future large purchase, like the Sultan gaming table?  I bring this up because you’re somewhat more prone to simple frivolous spending as the tension increases in October and you could quickly fritter away money you really wanted to use for something else if you had just sat down and thought about it for a moment.

Leo

The Fire signs are empty this month, Leo, but Venus’ retrograde is square to you – the opening square to be exact.  Pallas and Mars are also hanging around in Scorpio; they have something to say as well.  Mars, Venus and Pallas are all dynamic, motion-oriented planets.  Mars is aggression or competition, Venus is attraction or transaction, Pallas is inspiration or creation.  In the opening square, you’re lacking these drives.  You can feel lethargic or unmotivated for what seems to be no good reason.  Get up!  Yes, it’s against your mood, but you want to do this, trust me.  Go for a walk, go write a blog post, go do something. The more you let the apathy sit in, the harder it is to get rid of.  If you’re the type that likes support groups, let me recommend a feature of this very site (and another fun ‘+ number to stat’ to boot!), the +5CHA community!  Several notable RPG folks including our very own E, Chris Simms (a former Wizards staffer) and Quinn Murphy of the At-Will blog among many others are involved with this vibrant get-fit accountability party.

Virgo

You get a new houseguest, Virgo, just in time for the Venus retrograde – Juno!  Juno is the symbol of functional partnerships, including spouses, roommates, business partners, etc.  Any time you’re talking about getting two people to operate together harmoniously – whether there’s physical attraction there or not – that’s Juno.  With Juno coming into your home sign, it’s an excellent time to get your networking on, find some folks with whom you share common ground.  You’re already pretty good with being polite and inoffensive, so the whole retrograde thing isn’t quite as big of a deal for you.  In fact, you can very well come out ahead what with your natural humility and attention to fine detail.  Go ahead and lean on those Diplomacy checks for a while – it’s a primary skill for October!

Libra

The Sun and Mercury come careening through your home sign this month, quickly requiring you to switch gears from last month’s touchy-feely stuff.  However, you’re not the one doing the talking so much as much as you are being talked at.  You have a way of keeping things fair and balanced, so that makes you the natural choice for when morale starts dropping off.  Channel a little of your opposing sign, Aries, as you do this – be bold and decisive.  To some extent, it’s against your nature, but remember Saturn is hanging around in your home sign as well, and he’s all about that kind of stuff.  Try not to let your feelings get in the way, settling disputes with as much objectivity as possible.  Think Morgan from the Dresden Files series, but with less greatsword.

Scorpio

There’s a hubbub in the sky, Scorpio, and its coming from your place.  Hopefully you finished any business last month cleanly and without lingering loose ends, because “your kind just ain’t welcome ’round these parts, stranger.” (Cue pistol click!)  You’ve still got a lot of mojo running with Mars and Pallas in your home sign, but the Venus retrograde makes your particular brand of cutting insight and interest in the real bottom line less attractive.  Watch for this in the upcoming election season; I expect it to be unusually light on content and heavy on schmoozing, which is saying a lot.  If you really have something important to communicate, see if you can get Gemini to do it.  Other than that, just sit tight and stuff should come back to normal for you around the first of December.

Sagittarius

Pallas comes waltzing into your home sign about halfway through the month, Sagittarius, which should bring with it a bolt of inspiration!  Pallas is all about creative problem solving and right-brain thinking.  Thus having her in your sign makes you something of a Odysseus this month, never at a loss.  The trick to effectively working with Pallas (a.k.a Athena, goddess of justice, victory in battle and oddly enough, sewing) is to not try to force her.  When you get stuck on something, go do a different task and let your mind clear.  Only then can you make the analogies and see the patterns that Pallas is so good at pointing out.  Maybe keep a notebook or a PDA or something around for when the ideas hit you.

Capricorn

Having stared at Ceres for several months now, waiting for her to cross into your home sign, she finally takes the last steps into Capricorn.  It’s a welcome change for you as Ceres tends to bring a quiet peace with her.  She symbolizes self-esteem, base income (or what I call ‘daily bread’ as opposed to Venus or Pluto who deal with income beyond basic needs), the changing of seasons and maternal-type stuff.  That makes October a relatively pleasant month.  You get the chance to do the things that promote personal fulfillment and stability.  Really focus on recharging your personal battery in the next few weeks whether that means reading, exercising, sleeping, building a new website, whatever.  (Yes, I know people who find HTML to be OK R&R and RAM as good as REM)  You’ve still got a long way to go with Pluto in your home sign and Ceres only comes through once every couple years – make the best of it.

Aquarius

No more dodging the bullet for you, Aquarius.  The world will eventually catch up with you and so it does in October.  You’re Fixed Air, so anything happening in Scorpio and Libra catches you pretty solidly.  As one would normally expect, you have the opposite situation of your friendly rival Leo.  Where Leo can’t seem to get his butt off the couch, you can’t seem to sit down for any appreciable amount of time.  Where’s all this extra energy coming from?  Stress?  A new mattress?  Maybe some acai berries?  Who knows.  Point being, you need to focus it into something lest it just drag you around from one half-finished project to another like a poorly-played game of Bohnanza. If that isn’t flying, maybe someone else’s project is more interesting.  Hit up all those social networking sites you love so much and see if you can’t put that restlessness to good use elsewhere.  I know I could put you to work…

Pisces

You’re in sort of a weird place this month, Pisces.  Juno moves to oppose you in Virgo, putting tension on your working relationships, but the Venus retrograde actually trines you (120° angle) which is generally considered to be a positive thing.  What you need to look out for is letting your personal feelings get in the way of doing business.  You’re already a sensitive, perceptive type so if everyone else gets edgy, you can maneuver around it well.  Just don’t put yourself in awkward or socially dangerous situations for someone else’s good.  Avoid getting intimately involved with coworkers – a good piece of advice at any time but especially poignant now.  It can be difficult for you to not want to empathize with others but trust me, you’ll thank me later.

Ryven Cedrylle is a Christian, husband, scientist, gamer and astrologer – in that order. He contributes regularly to the At-Will Blog and the Power Source Podcast. Find out more about astrology and Ryven’s unique services at Christian Astrology.

Horoscopes for September 2010

For Everyone

September 14^th/27^th – My apologies for being  late this go-round, but stuff has been crazy the last few weeks.  Mail and identity documentation getting lost, false accusations of wrongdoing at my wife’s preschool, our adoption contract incorrectly written, I could keep going.  Based on my recent Twitter feed, I expect many of you could say the same.  Between Mercury being in retrograde and Saturn crossing the closing square (90° angle) to the most recent lunar eclipse point (4° Capricorn), the signs of chaos have been clearly evident if you know where to look.  As with all things, though, “this too shall pass.”  Mercury stations (appears to stand still in the sky) on the 14^th at 5° Virgo which should at least patch up the holes in the boat.  The water probably won’t be bailed out completely, though, until the 27^th when Mercury reaches 19° Virgo, which is the point where Mercury turned retrograde in the first place.

This range of zodiacal space between retrograde points is sometimes called the “shadow.”  Oddly enough, I’m writing this on September 5, the day Venus enters the shadow of its upcoming October retrograde.  Those of you with more than a passing interest in astrology can do this little experiment with me – jot down anything interesting that happened over Labor Day Weekend in a notebook somewhere.  We’ll compare these notes to the events right around October 6, Nov 20 and Dec 20; I’ll remind you of those dates each month.  I’ll be posting my results here.  If you find your own trends, send them to me at ryvencedrylle@gmail.com and I’ll add them to this column!

OK, enough of that.  Let’s get to the individual signs.

Aries

By the 10^th, Jupiter has left your home sign, maybe taking some expected opportunities with it.  That being said, if you followed the path towards which you were being pointed last month, the condensation shouldn’t really be a problem.  Furthermore, your ruling planet Mars spends the whole month in close contact with Venus, which is always a good thing, and moves into its other home sign – Scorpio.  You don’t need to go big and bold to enjoy life this month.  The benefit to you is in the ten thousand little pieces of daily life.  An affectionate hug, a little extra money, even just a clear view of the sunset are ways to get in touch with the simple peace and beauty being shown to you in September.   Get yourself a plate of chocolate chip cookies and Mystic Pizza on Netflix to unwind.

Taurus

In August, the long string of Venus conjunctions is over, though she remains in relatively close proximity to Mars as she slows down and prepares to go retrograde in October.  She’s also opposite you in slight detriment in Scorpio.  Detriment means in a sign opposite one of the planet’s home signs – technically Venus is in detriment in Aries (opposite Libra) but the phenomena is somewhat present in Scorpio as well.  With Neptune squaring you in Aquarius as well as the decrease in Venus’ speed, you may feel the world slowing down and getting a little fuzzy on you.  Slow isn’t really an issue for reserved, cautious Taurus, but ‘fuzzy’ is a  distinctly uncomfortable sensation.  There’s not really a whole lot you can do about this other than just ride it out and try to keep your wits about you.  Ultimately you’re not really in a Don’t Rest Your Head situation, but the game may resonate well with you this month regardless; pick it up and play a couple one-offs if you get the chance.

Gemini

Both you and Cancer have a lot of influences hitting you despite not actually having any planets in your home signs.  At various points in the month, the Sun, Venus, Mars, Saturn, Neptune and Chiron are all in other air signs, making beneficial trines (120° angles) to you.  Add in Mercury turning direct on the 14^th and it’s a month for catching up on lost ground.  This does not just address the last 4-6 weeks, though.  Many of these planets – Saturn and Chiron in particular – have significance regarding one’s personal past and how it affects you today.  While you can’t actually go back in time and undo the past, sometimes you have the chance today to step into that moment once again and make a new decision, to take the other road.  This is what you should be looking to do this month, Gemini.  Watch the Star Trek: TNG episode “Pegasus” or any other My Greatest Second Chance scenario as example.

Cancer

Like Gemini, there’s more than a small handful of planets aspecting you though your sign is currently inherently empty.  Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Mars and Pallas all aspect you by trine (120° angle), Saturn and the Sun square you (90°) and Pluto opposes you in Capricorn.  Not only that, the recent lunar eclipse point is also opposite you so its no stretch to say you feel like the pressure of the universe is weighing on you.  How are you to navigate these troubled waters?  Many of the planets aspecting you are ‘explosive’ in one way or another.  Pallas, who is Athena, burst forth fully formed from Zeus’ head.  Zeus (Jupiter) wields the thunderbolt.  Uranus is generally considered the planet of irony and shock; Mars (Ares) has a violent temper.  The last thing you want to do in September is be timid or try to nickel-and-dime away your problems.  Strike first, strike hard, no mercy!  Sweep the leg!  Confront your hurdles in large chunks, confidently and with intent to end them.

Leo

For the last five months, Leo, I’ve had something interesting to say about you – not so much for September, though.  Juno is leaving your home sign and Neptune and Chiron are just about stationary opposite you, so I expect this coming month to be relatively uneventful compared to what’s come before.  About the only thing worth talking about is the ingress of Mars and Venus into Scorpio, which is an opening square (90° angle) to you.  It may be difficult to discern whether to go to the mountain or try to get the mountain to come to you.  In reality, it’s a little bit of both.  Think of it like Strahd; you don’t want to go into Castle Ravenloft after him, but then again you don’t want him coming to find you either.  Be sure to keep all your interactions on neutral, level ground.

Virgo

Your month, Virgo, is dominated by primarily two events – the Mercury station and the retrograde ingress of Jupiter into Pisces.  This is a ‘light bulb’ sort of month for you.  The combination of Mercury (thought and intellect) righting itself combined with an introspective Jupiter (growth and expansion) tugging on you make for a “why didn’t I think of that earlier??” moment.  It’s sort of like when Franky is shooting at Fukurou  in One Piece and Fukurou forgets he can double jump and has super speed. We Virgos are a fussy bunch, so don’t kick yourself over your oversight.  We are only human after all.  On the other hand, don’t allow your revelation to lead you off on amusing but ultimately unhelpful side tangents.  Stick to the present issues for now until Mercury passes out of its shadow; THEN you can start thinking ahead again.  Personally, I’m hoping this means I’ll solve the aggregation problems with one of the drug formulations at work and not that I made a giant error in signing that adoption agency contract.  Guess you’ll find out next month, eh?

Libra

Mars and Venus are leaving you, Jupiter’s bailing out of Aries opposite you, Cancer and Gemini are empty, we’re already past the Saturn-Pluto square.. what’s left, Libra?  Saturn and Vesta are in your home sign with Neptune and Chiron handing you opening trines (120°) from Aquarius.  There are two ways to run with this.  The first is to do something similar to what Gemini is up to for this month; clean out your closet.  Saturn is about focus and constriction, Vesta symbolizes both tangible and intangible resources and the trines from Neptune/Chiron provide insight and overhead perspective.  Declutter your  life and your living space.  On the other hand, Saturn-Neptune aspects can be powerful indicators for efficient manifesting, shamanistic practice or dream interpretationif you’re into that sort of thing; taking what is imaginary or otherworldly and making it real.  More mystically inclined Libras might want to really consider seriously picking up a spiritual discipline (meditation, fasting, study of holy texts, etc.) to make best use of the available resources.  You have a temporary +2 circumstance bonus to Arcana.  Run with it!

Scorpio

Your ruling planet, Mars, comes home to you this month Scorpio and he’s got Venus with him!  Well, for a  little bit anyway.  Remember a few months back I talked about how you should be playing wingman/wingwoman for your friend(s)?  Time to pay the piper, baby.  It’s hard enough to resist a Scorpio who’s got his or her eye on you, let alone one backed by both of the strongly-gendered planets.  Just be aware that Venus is slowing down to station soon, so you can’t play dark and mysterious forever.  At some point, you’re going to have to commit, to go in for the kill.  While I’ve so far been discussing romantic/sexual relationships for you, Scorpio, the concept is applicable for anything you want to obtain.  Venus is the power of attraction and Mars is the power of aggression.  Like Dracula, you wield them both to your ends and let’s be honest, that level of intensity sends a little shiver of glee up your spine, doesn’t it?  Manipulate the strings carefully and much will be within your reach.

Sagittarius

Finally!  Something to talk about besides Ceres!  Your ruling planet, Jupiter, backtracks into its other home sign of Pisces this month which gives you a little strength.  This boost however, is not so much intellectual or physical but spiritual or at least intuitive.  This compounds with the Mercury station in Virgo making a closing square (90°) to you to create a situation where your logical mind is convinced it’s right, though really your best asset is your creativity.  In fact, if you can find a Virgo who’s reached the same conclusion logically that you have instinctively, that’s gold.  Just don’t do it the other way around.  If you’re having trouble communicating your flashes on inspiration effectively, try finding the Hank Pym (minus the paranoia and abuse) to your Wasp and let them do the talking.

Capricorn

Pluto also stations and goes direct this month around the 13th, but given Pluto’s glacial speed, you might be the only one who notices.  If you’re expecting some kind of imminent massive change such as a job transfer, engagement, maybe even the death of a close loved one who’s been sick, that’s the time you’re likely to see it.  If you have no idea what I’m talking about, then you’re safe.  Pluto is so plodding and lumberous that though his machinations are often grand, you see them coming a mile away, like Meteor in Final Fantasy 7.  Pluto transits aren’t usually surprising, though if you try to stand in their way, they will just run you over.   Your ruling planet Saturn is squaring you from Libra, so like last month you’ll have to guard against being overbearing or trying to prevent whatever change Pluto might be bringing.  You can minimize the collateral damage but otherwise, just let it happen.

Aquarius

Once more, everything is happening around you, though not to you.  Unlike previous months, though, you have more responsibility in September to deal with the chaos.  Neptune and Chiron in your home sign continue to feed you inspiration for discovery and healing, and your ruling planet Saturn is sending you support from Libra.  This might show up as a supervisor at work handing off a difficult project to you, being able to invoke some sort of law or tradition to strengthen your case, etc.  Read what I told Libra about manifesting and spiritual practice, though your situation is actually reversed.  Rather than try to realize the unreal, your goal is to surmise further theory or discovery based on what is already known.  Develop concept from fact, but remain humble as you do.  The Venus/Mars conjunction squaring you in Scorpio might tempt you to showboat a bit more than what is helpful – like this.

Pisces

Jupiter backs up into your sign one last time, Pisces, which is good for you since Jupiter is a benefic (a generally positive influence) AND your sign ruler!  Jupiter and Uranus also conjoin in Pisces around the 16^th, which always makes for a good time.  There are very few times better than this to put your vision out there – Mercury stationing opposes you, Venus and Mars make trines and with the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction?  Heck yeah!  What is the next mark you want to leave on the world?  A book?  A movie?  An article in Dragon Magazine?  Pitch, pitch pitch!  Talk to anyone who will listen, which should be a good bit more than you’re used to.  You are also up there with Scorpio in terms of signs lucky in love this month, though you tend to find it serendipitously where Scorpio is purposefully going out to catch it.  Be spontaneous, be a little edgy and see if the fish don’t start biting for you.

Ryven Cedrylle is a Christian, husband, scientist, gamer and astrologer – in that order. He contributes regularly to the At-Will Blog and the Power Source Podcast. Find out more about astrology and Ryven’s unique services at Christian Astrology.

August 2010 Horoscopes

For Everyone

August 20 – Geek’ s Dream Girl is at its heart a site about love and relationships; sometimes I forget that while writing my column, but not this month!  August marks the occurrence of one of my personal favorite aspects – the Venus/Mars conjunction in Libra!  As you might expect, the alignment of Mars (the symbol of masculinity) and Venus (the symbol of femininity) in the sign of Libra (balance, harmony) bodes VERY well for romance.  No matter what sign you are or what else is going on, this aspect is for you!  The conjunction actually lasts the whole college weekend (Thursday night to Sunday), but peaks (becomes perfectly exact) at 2:36 PM EST on Friday.  What’s even better is that the Moon crosses the opening square (90° angle, in Capricorn) just a couple hours prior and Venus is at maximum elongation* at the same time so this is a very “hot” or active alignment.  If you can approach that special someone, plan a date, propose or even get married between the 19th and 22st the odds of your success get a significant bump.  The only trip-up here is that Mercury starts its second retrograde cycle on the 20th, which can obstruct communication.  Given that, avoid trying to be subtle or elaborate.  Aim for simple and direct for best effect.  If you’ve ever wanted to give your partner the bedroom eyes and tell him (or her) to “shut up and kiss me,” this is when you do it; it will be epic, EPIC I tell you!  On the other hand, if you’re single and you’ve been on the fence about picking up one of e’s profile packages, you probably want to do so now so you’ll have time to work with it before the 20th.

Before we get started, if you’ll allow me to wax both political and arrogant for a second, I would like to point out that I totally called the recent Mark Williams Tea Party express scandal in last month’s column.  Just sayin’. 

Okay, enough of that.  Let’s get to the individual signs.

Aries

On Aug 15, Uranus buggers out of Aries back into Pisces which pulls it out of your home sign and into your natural 12th house of fantasy, escapism, faith and the subconscious.  You might get a rash of strange dreams or have flashes of spot-on intuition while this aspect is in play.  If you decide you want to step away from the D&D for a while at this point as well for something really different, allow me to suggest Little Fears or Misspent Youth to help work out some of those lingering childhood issues that most of us carry around.   Furthermore, your ruling planet Mars slips into its yearly balsamic or waning crescent phase relative to the Sun.  This indicates to me that you are not really your own master this month, which is particularly difficult for self-motivated, self-directed Aries.  The outside world is very much trying to point you in a certain direction; it’s probably for your own good and I suggest you run with it.  Find a way to make the imposed cause your own cause so you can apply your signature fire and passion to its completion.

Taurus

Once again, Venus’ news is Taurus’ news given the lack of activity in many of the Fixed Signs.  Venus actually makes several important conjunctions this month AND reaches maximum elongation so there’s quite a bit to say about her.  Venus at maximum elongation is sometimes referred to as the ‘Queen of Heaven’ (taken from the Sumerian myth of Inanna) and refers to a time about every 19 months where Venutian principles – love, natural beauty, security, femininity and balance – are at their strongest.  This puts you in position to wield a bit more power in your environment than normal, particularly given Venus’ proximity to Saturn this month, so do so wisely.  Venus also catches up with Vesta and Mars which may give you feelings of stress or compression during the first half of the month and energy or determination as it continues on.  It will be quite a while before you ride such a wave of things falling into place for you, so jump on it while it’s here.

Gemini

While the Mutable Cross (Virgo, Pisces, Gemini and Sagittarius) is generally quiet this month, there is one event significant to Gemini, and it’s the Mercury retrograde.  Not only is Mercury your ruling planet, but the turnaround occurs in Virgo which is Mercury’s other sign and square (90° away) to you.  Mercury does its retrograde jig three times per year – more than any other planet – and this is #2 for 2010.  Gemini loves to discuss, debate and just generally run its mouth, so when the Mercury retrograde starts cutting off or confusing communications, it can be more jarring to Gemini than any other sign.  As I mentioned in the intro, the station (stopping point) occurs on the 20th so avoid making elaborate vacation plans or scheduling important meetings around that weekend.  It’s a time for everyone, but especially Gemini, to step back, really think objectively about what you’re doing and make course corrections if necessary.  Mercury spends this whole month in Virgo, so service to others and thorough analysis are your best friends.  And, as my uncle’s college calculus teacher always warned his commuting students during winter in Ohio, “De-rive carefully!”  (C’mon, laugh!  That’s comedy gold right there!)

Cancer

Almost all of this month’s major aspects occur in Aries/late Pisces and Libra which are squares (90°) to you.  The big Venus/Mars conjunction mentioned previously in this article, for instance, is sitting in the opening square position – what I would call the “Development” phase.  With Juno also leaving your home sign as well, you may feel particularly off your game romantically.  That’s ok – think of it as a chance to improve your skill.  Look for a flurry of opportunity at work or with your life goals around the 13th.   Come to think of it, the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World movie comes out that day and though I’ve yet to read the comic series, what I know of it strikes me as a waaaayy over-the-top, hyperbolic version of what August may feel like for many Cancerians.  You excel when you can apply your instincts and emotional reactions to a situation; let your nose, gut, heart or whatever organ you get those feelings in lead the way.

Leo

The Sun comes home to Leo this month except for the last week or so where we start to pick up the first few degree of Virgo.   The Sun rules Leo, meaning that it is at its brightest, both physically for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere and astrologically speaking.  That also means the New Moon is in Leo this month as well and with it, the chance to make a fresh start in the realms of public performing, leisure pursuits, interpersonal influence, teaching, ability to work with children and even inherited social status, though I doubt that last one is very widely applicable!  Juno leaves Cancer and enters Leo this month, keeping the energy to your love life high and flying.  Some of you might feel Uranus drop out of its trine (120°) angle to you when it backs into Pisces from Aries so if you have trouble being spontaneous or appropriately rebellious, don’t worry.  Nozomi Entertainment just started releasing a new dub of the Irresponsible Captain Tylor anime on YouTube recently, which is both entertaining to watch and a useful if somewhat caricatured lesson in classic Leonine tactics.

Virgo

Virgo’s main event of the month is same as your brother Gemini’s – the Mercury retrograde on the 20th.  Where the event sits in Mercury’s natural 4th house of home and family making the issue less obvious to the outside world, it’s in your natural 1st house of personality and approach to the world.  Given that Mercury is also your ruling planet, this event takes on more significance.  The last time Mercury actually went retrograde in Virgo was August of 2004, though the September 2009 retrograde did bring Mercury into Virgo briefly.  If you can think back to what was going on at that time for you, you will probably notice some remarkable similarities between then and now.  Other than that, just follow the normal suggestions for Mercury retrograde and you should breeze right through it – double check reservations, keep your auto maintenance up to date and question bizarre or seemingly out-of-character messages or data.  You know all those stupid situations where if two people just talked to each other directly instead of running off of second-hand information and hearsay,  like “Othello” for example?  Yeah… don’t do that.

Libra

You’ve got a full house this month, Libra – Saturn, Venus, Vesta, and Mars! The big Venus/Mars conjunction mentioned in the opening paragraphs is in your home sign, making it particularly potent for you, but watch out for the exact Saturn-Jupiter opposition this month on the 16th.  You’re probably still not quite used to the structure and discipline Saturn wants to teach you, so given the juice the stellium (group of planets) is giving you and the opposition of Jupiter out in Aries, you’re likely to get a little uncharacteristically hedonistic this month.  Fortunately balance is your thing; readjust before it bites you in the butt.  You don’t want to be the subject of the next Judd Apatow flick, now do you?

Scorpio

Your ruling planet, Mars, is just coming off a conjunction to Saturn at the end of July, so the first couple days of August might still be a little sluggish.  What’s more, Mars is in detriment in Libra, being forced to hold back some of its more aggressive tendencies.  However, it does get the honor of being the first planet to square the previous eclipse point (4° Capricorn) so it shouldn’t be a boring month.  Mars’ proximity to Venus for the last couple weeks of the month suggests you be less of a loner and a little bit more the center of the party.  In a way, your job this month is to “move the plot forward,” to use a baroque metaphor.  Those around you can get bogged down in details, but not you.  You already know the bottom line.  Exposit to the rest of the group – heck, monologue if you have to – and then push things toward where they need to go.  Worse comes to worse, send in the ninjas.

Sagittarius

Ceres, which has been the lead story for Sagittarius since this article series started back in May is once again the lead story in August, stationing (appearing to stop in the sky) and moving direct (forward) on the 9th. This should be a pleasant day in general since the return of Ceres (Demeter) hearkens back to the myth of Persephone’s exit from Hades and the return of spring, but particularly for Sagittarians.  In other news, Jupiter is still retrograde in Aries and peaks its opposition to Saturn on the 16th so don’t be surprised if the road of your life hits something of a speedbump there.  About the only other advice I have for you is to watch what you say at work once Mercury turns around on the 20th.  That is of course unless you really like The Office or maybe even Better Off Ted in which case, go nuts.

Capricorn

The peaking Saturn/Jupiter opposition on the 16th is big money for you, since Saturn rules Capricorn and Pluto is sitting in your home sign interfering with it.  Maybe last month’s negotiations didn’t go as well as you hoped they would.  Conversely, maybe they went better!  Point is, things are on the move for you, probably along your home life/work life axis.  Resist the urge to micro-manage or attempt to tackle (a) job(s) beyond your current ability that Jupiter and Pluto might be tempting you with.  Expansion and change can be good but only when carefully measured, especially for you.  There’s some tendency for you to go on a “Risk Rampage” this month, owning 3 continents with one army in each space.. but only for one turn when the guy with 80 armies in Australia comes howling out and dominates the board.  Avoiding spreading yourself too thin and you’ll be golden.

Aquarius

The Sun opposes you this month, which can be even more problematic when it triggers your two houseguests, Neptune and Chiron in retrograde on the 20th and 21st.  That puts you in a sensitive place as it pertains to the Mars/Venus conjunction since not only is that aspect quincunxed (150°, disconnected) to you, but the Sun/Neptune-Chiron oppositions tend to highlight or duplicate errors you have made in the past that haunt you.  In short, if you go out on the prowl that weekend, make sure you’re not catching the same fish you did last time because it didn’t work then and it won’t work now.  Really try hard to avoid playing to your lesser, “fuzzier” romantic instincts (finding the White Knight, girls with daddy issues, picking someone up at last call, etc).  Ask Johnny Bravo if you want, he’ll tell you all about it.  Your position in the Zodiac puts you out of the way of a lot of the current events happening at the moment so try to be a support for those in more turbulent waters than you.

Pisces

You have the Full Moon this month, Pisces.  The Full Moon is a reminder to consider how fulfilled and on-path you are, so in this case you and Gemini are kind of in the same boat.  What were you doing roundabout 6 months ago?  How far have you gotten towards those goals?  Have you applied your imagination and visualization towards the achievement or have you retreated back into your own mind?  You are unique among the signs, often approaching problems in ways that not even Aquarius quite grasps, so Uranus’ short return into your home sign can help fuel those visionary ideas.  The big Libran stellium in your natural 8th house may try to coax you down some dark paths so keep it Light Side, young padawan.  Admittedly, there may be something gained in chasing down those intense experiences of surrender but consider exactly whom and what you give yourself over to before taking the plunge.

*Maximum elongation is a term used almost exclusively for the inner planets Mercury and Venus. Since these two have orbits closer to the Sun than we do, we are always kind of looking at the Sun when trying to find them and thus from our view, they can never get that far away from the Sun in the Zodiac. (45-47° for Venus, 17-27° for Mercury due to the highly elliptical nature of its orbit).  When talking about the outer planets, maximum elongation occurs when the  planet is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun, like a Full Moon.  A planet is at its most effective when at maximum elongation.

Ryven Cedrylle is a Christian, husband, scientist, gamer and astrologer – in that order. He contributes regularly to the At-Will Blog and the Power Source Podcast. Find out more about astrology and Ryven’s unique services at Christian Astrology.

July 2010 Horoscopes

For Everyone

July 5 – I couldn’t quite decide which event to pick for ‘most significant’ this go-round but as it turns out, two of the contestants are occurring on the same day, which makes my job here a lot easier.  Uranus stations and goes retrograde on July 5, the same day that Mercury enters true heliacal rise.  What the heck did I just say, you ask?  Theory time!

First, retrograde.  I know I’ve mentioned it every time so far, but it’s one of the broadest events I can discuss, so expect to see it often.  Imagine you’re driving in a car and you pass another car in a lane next to you.  Though that car is moving forward in reality, it looks like it’s going backward to you.  That’s what happens in a retrograde – Earth passes another planet in space and so relative to the backdrop of the Zodiac, it appears to be going backward.  When this occurs, the meaning of the planet in question changes direction also, from either “outward” to “inward” or vice versa.  In this case, it’s Uranus’ symbolic meaning of rebellion, innovation, and liberty that change focus from the outer world to the inner world.  It’s not so much time to rage against the machine or the system as it is to free one’s self from unhelpful self-imposed boundaries and limitations.  The proximity to the U.S. Independence Day makes me wonder if the Tea Party movement (highly Uranian) is due for some public faux pas around then; just a thought.  More practically speaking, watch for a diminishing of loud dissension and for people to decide to break bad habits or have new, out-of-character experiences.

We’ve also got Mercury going into true heliacal rise having just broken free of combustion (being in the same place in the Zodiac as the Sun).  This is sort of a fancy way of saying that it is now visible in the night sky after sunset.  Venus and Mercury are both said to ‘prefer’ being visible after sunset rather than just prior to sunrise.   Without going into a lot of detail, this is a good time to begin publishing things – like a blog, or a 4th edition D&D class as a certain friend of mine will be doing around this time – writing a book, starting a class or any other intellectual/communicative pursuit.

OK, enough of that.  Let’s get to the individual signs.

Aries

Jupiter and Uranus, who just broke into your home sign in late May/early June, suddenly do an about-face and begin marching backward towards Pisces again.  Try not to get too attached to any good fortune that may have come your recently for while it’s not necessarily leaving, it may not be quite as awesome as you first thought.  That being said, if you are following Virgo’s directives to conquer by skill and diligence as I mentioned last month, you may be in the right frame of mind anyway.  Mars spends a lot of time in tight proximity to the asteroid Vesta and then, having escaped her, runs headlong into Saturn right near the end of the month!  July is a “Spin Dash” month for you..  don’t look at me like that-  you know, Spin Dash?  In Sonic the Hedgehog where you press Down and then rev up a bunch of times to go shooting off in one direction or another?  Yeah, that’s the one.  You’re in the revving phase, not the shooting phase, so start building up that momentum and don’t worry if you don’t see a ton of progress.

Taurus

Like Granny Weatherwax’s head while Borrowing, Taurus, your home sign is still vacant this month.   We’re going to have to look to your ruling planet, Venus, and the rest of the Fixed Cross (Scorpio, Leo and Aquarius) to have any idea of what’s going on.  As it turns out, Venus is moving through Leo and into Virgo, another Earth sign like yourself.  Have you been paying enough attention to your loved ones recently or have you been all tied up in your own business?  Cancer may need to strengthen her relationships but you need to rebuild or repair some.  Don’t make everyone always come to you.  Your natal Sun is taking assorted opening squares and trines from Mars, Venus and Vesta indicating the need to be more assertive and forward in your signs of affection.  Sensuality, security and material pleasure are a few of your fortes.  One of these things is probably the reason your loved ones chose you so start there when mending fences.

Gemini

July comes and this time of year, there’s not much going on in your home sign.  Now that being said, all the activity happening in Virgo is square (90°) to you and shares a rulership planet – Mercury – so its applicable.  Last month I told you to be a mediator, which was correct for the time, but not anymore.  Mars, Venus, Vesta and Saturn in that opening square in Virgo show that you have a lot of ideas, energy and power that needs to come through.  If June’s disputes still aren’t solved, it may be time for you to take charge of them rather than simply try to smooth things over.  If they are clear, though, assert yourself somewhere else and move on.  In fact, better idea – hop onto crunchyroll.com and watch the first couple dozen episodes of Durarara.  You are Izaya Orihara, broker of information and grand chessmaster.  Someone has to put the pieces in motion and its your job to do it.  Just don’t be a jerk about it like Izaya.

Cancer

You’re still sailing in on the excitement of June but get yourself organized quickly since by the end of the month, only Juno will remain in your home sign.  This month’s New Moon (not eclipse – that astronomical event happened on the 26^th of June and the movie on the 30^th ::groan::) is in Cancer giving you the opportunity to reflect on what you have gained from all your interpersonal interactions over the last few weeks and make a plan to move forward, with a little help of course.  In fact, go find yourself a Scorpio – you make a great pair this month.  Focus on strengthening your relationships and finding your focus as being a Cancer is sometimes a lot like playing Fluxx.

Leo

Venus spends a lot of time in your home sign this month, so perhaps one of those friends you met in May and got to know better in June blossoms into something more in the near future?  Here’s hoping it doesn’t take as long as Ted Mosby!  Venus is always good for attracting people, money and generally good stuff.  Don’t try hard to get what you want; figure out how to make it want you. Your ruling planet, the Sun, is mostly in Cancer during July though it will come home near the end of the month.  Keep house, home and family in the forefront of your mind as you go about your daily routines.

Virgo

Holy cow, did I feel the Saturn-Jupiter/Uranus tug this last month.  I’ve been tapped for more RPG design projects and games than I know what to do with or whether I’m qualified for!!  Fortunately for us, Saturn bows out of our home sign for another 29 years on July 15^th of this month, relieving a lot of that pressure.  We’ve also got Venus, Mars and Vesta gracing us with their presence this month and our ruling planet Mercury is breaking into heliacal rise, so as soon as you hear the bell ring, come out swinging!  This month is go-go-go, and go we shall.  Love, promotions, finding that last Green Arrow comic to complete your collection, whatever – chase that stuff down with your trademark calculated pursuit since much more is in your reach this month than you’re used to.

Libra

The Jupiter/Uranus conjunction is still directly opposite you in Aries, Libra, but they turn retrograde this month so it’s time to come home from whatever adventures you went on in June.  Furthermore, Saturn steps through your front door to stay until late 2012 on the 21^st of July meaning that it’s time to get serious and figure out what the heck you’re doing with yourself.  If you feel areas of your life come to a screeching halt all of a sudden, don’t panic.  Obligatory religious waxing for a moment – “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, for you know your testing produces perserverence.”  Easier said than done, I know, but it’s the truth.  You’ll make it – just keep going.

Scorpio

There’s not a ton happening for you this month, Scorpio, since only Pallas is in your home sign and Mars is in kind of a weird spot in Virgo between Vesta and Saturn.  You have the Sun, Mercury and Juno sending you support from their positions in Cancer, but that support isn’t necessarily for you.  July is a really good “wingman” sort of month.  Given Venus’ current traipsing through Leo and Virgo that could be a very literal thing.  You already carry a sort of mysterious, intense sexy vibe just for being a Scorpio; aim that vibe at helping your friend score that (cutie, hottie, hunk, proper term for attractive person per sexual orientation) and watch the magic happen!  More generally though, your propensity for deep reserves of energy and weird knowledge benefits others more than you for a little while, so either pay off some favors or earn a few new ones.  You are Goose..  well, minus the ejecting into a half-broken cockpit, but you get the idea.

Sagittarius

Ceres continues its backward jaunt through your home sign in July and, what’s more, your ruling planet Jupiter turns retrograde over a phase change on the last day of the month so it’s another internal time for you.  What is it that fuels you?  What makes you feel whole and present?  Use July to recharge that personal battery.  Jupiter also takes a hard square from Pluto around the 13^th with Venus interfering so beware of not going far enough when you have to because it looks ugly.  Sometimes, like Orpheus and Inanna, you must descend to depths in order to bring out what you or the world needs to survive.

Capricorn

Your ruling planet, Saturn, makes a full sign transition this month into Libra while its secondary agent Juno sits across from you in Cancer.  Saturn happens to be exalted or ‘on its best behavior’ in Libra which trickles down to you and makes your spouse, partner or significant other the crux of this month, much like Taurus.  Unlike Taurus, who has a need to rebuild relationships, your challenge is to balance or readjust them.  Is the ‘contract’ of your relationship working well for you?  Is it working well for your partner?  Sit down and at least review that contract if you don’t outright renegotiate.  Regardless of your political alignment, Glenn Beck has written a book called The Overton Window about changing people’s opinions on a large scale that is based on a persuasion technique I learned when I taught martial arts several years back.  If you’re in the middle of a lot of negotiations, you might find the information worth a read.

Aquarius

You have the Full Moon this month, Aquarius.  The Full Moon is a reminder to consider how fulfilled and on-path you are, so in this case you and Sagittarius are kind of in the same boat.  Furthermore, Venus and Mercury make full passes across Leo – your opposite – this month which may indicate a propensity to run your mouth and talk about your little pet topics to your detriment.  Gamer Aquarians – we don’t want to hear about your character.  I’m sure he’s awesome and has some really unique build options, but seriously.  Lay off.  You have tons of ideas and plans swirling around up there in your noggin but avoid verbal diarrhea.  Plan where, when and to whom you pitch your stuff carefully and you can succeed.

Pisces

Though Jupiter and Uranus are still out of your home sign for the moment, you have Saturn, Mars, Vesta and Venus opposing you in Virgo.  This doesn’t have to be a bad thing, though.  You may strongly feel the need or desire to take over, to command and to dominate.  It’s uncharacteristic for you since you tend to be a passive, support type but the best of us are well-rounded.  Own that leadership position and bring to it your natural compassion and ability to see beyond the obvious; just be careful to keep both ideals in balance.  Think of the iconic cleric – normally you throw around heals and buffs and stay in the mid to back ranks, but when the fighter drops, you and your chainmail step in to fill the gap.

Ryven Cedrylle is a Christian, husband, scientist, gamer and astrologer – in that order. He contributes regularly to the At-Will Blog and the Power Source Podcast. Find out more about astrology and Ryven’s unique services at Christian Astrology.

As you read the forecasts for your sign, remember that astrology is not meant to predict some inescapable destiny but to open up opportunities where you may or may not have seen them before. Now – draw your weapon, ready your mind and don’t forget to add your +4 To Initiative!

June 2010

For Everyone:

June 1 – Stealthy, ethereal and mystical Neptune starts this month off by grinding to a halt at 28° Aquarius and hauling tail backward into the sign of the Water Bearer. This gives me the opportunity to share one of the most important things I can ever tell you about astrology – you can either master an event, or let it master you. Use it or lose it; those are your options. You see, all astrological phenomena are potential, like waves on the ocean. The same wave that you can ride to shore to win the surfing contest can also dash you against the rocks. It’s perfectly happy in either case and will continue on its way regardless of what happens to you.

When Neptune goes into retrograde, it signals a trend for imagination and fantasy to pull away from or oppose reality rather than support it. (I shouldn’t have to explain on this site how imagination and fantasy can support reality!) Though it’s not as initially noticeable as other planets – such as the recent Saturn movement – stuff tends to come up missing over the next week or so. While losing your housekeys or credit card is certainly possible, a creative block or the loss of insight is a much more common manifestation. There can also be anti-revelations or anti-epiphanies, sudden realizations that seem right but end up backfiring. It occurs to me now that my wife’s 21-day progesterone test (she’s on Clomid for infertility) is on June 1 (*facepalm*) but it can’t be helped. That’s her day 21 and it’s not a particularly good day for analytical testing, as you can guess.

So how do we ride this wave, instead? What can I do to make the best of my wife’s medical situation? Be willful in your affirmations, forceful in your meditations and, like my favorite Quaker proverb, let prayer be ‘the cannon with which we assault the throne of grace.’ This goes for you non-mystical types too! Even the most skeptical, self-made athletes and business moguls will tell you that visualizing the goal beforehand is a vital key to success – it doesn’t have to be all mumbo-jumbo. As Neptune makes this yearly about-face, resolve to bring the power of your own dreams and imagination to bear.

OK, enough of that. Let’s get to the individual signs.

Aries

Your ruling planet, Mars, ingresses from Leo to Virgo around the 7th of the month and makes an exact quincunx (150°) to the brief Jupiter/Uranus conjunction in your home sign. Though you may have been something of a leader the last couple months, it’s time for you to take a backseat – no small feat for an Aries. The battle is won not by flair or style for the next couple months, but by diligence and service. Be like the samurai, for whom loyalty to one’s daimyo and perfection at the tea ceremony are as integral as skill with the blade.

Taurus

June may be pretty quiet for you, Taurus, but let’s be honest – you kinda like it that way. There’s no major activity in your home sign, and the most significant aspects your ruling planet Venus makes is a Yod (a pair of 150° angles) to Neptune/Chiron and Pluto/N. Node/Ceres. This puts you out of the reach of a lot of the turmoil that other signs are feeling. As Mercury finishes its last pass through Taurus for the year, expect visitors to seek shelter within your safe haven and messages requesting your help. You’ve almost got this Field of Dreams thing going for you in June – if you build it, they will come.

Gemini

June should be a huge improvement over May for you, Gemini. You have the New Moon in your sign and Mercury is at top speed, paving your path. Venus, the Sun and Juno all spend a fair amount of time in your home sign as well, letting you follow up with some of those romantic opportunities you may have missed last month, but don’t dawdle! You’ll have to get moving by the end of the first week or so. The only downside is that you’re caught in the middle of the Saturn vs. Jupiter/Uranus tug’o'war, but multitasking has never been a problem for you, has it? See what you can do to mediate the squabbles that seem to arise, but do so honestly and without being duplicitous. You don’t want to end up in a Ranma ½ sort of place.

Cancer

Like Gemini, the Sun, Venus and Juno all show up in your home sign making relationships a priority, particularly toward the teens and 20′s of the month. Your ruling planet, the Moon, visits Neptune, Chiron, Jupiter, and Uranus (the latter two also square Pluto) between the 3rd and the 6th, so those few days may feel particularly hectic or off-balancing, but probably in an enjoyable way. As example, my wife – who is a Cancer – has recently decided to enter a whirlwind 3-week intensive training schedule to make it into a roller derby league, whose tryouts are on the 5th. The Moon comes home to Cancer between the 12th and 14th so spend unwinding time at home with the family; maybe play Catan or something.

Leo

As I explained to Aries, Mars is leaving your home sign this month, which will probably take a bit of the wind out of your sails. You do pick up Venus around the 14th and with your ruling planet, the Sun, moving through Gemini with a Mercury conjunction, it’s best for you to get to know some of the friends you made in May a little bit better. It’s OK to be more talk and less action this month. In fact, you probably want to lean on your verbal skill this month as that is where you will be most able to exert your influence. Work on that Inspiring Word!!

Virgo

Hang on fellow Virgoans, the end is in sight! Though constricting, limiting Saturn continues to muddle about at the 28th degree of Virgo this month, he is at least moving forward again and will leave for good in mid-July. That being said, he’s currently in something of a fight with Jupiter and Uranus. Like Dick Grayson, itching to become Nightwing after being dismissed from the position as Robin, you may feel the urge to break out, to expand your horizons and be rebellious! Wait another month, though, before doing whatever crazy thing it is you have in mind. Vesta moves into Virgo this month, so bide your time and be sure to save up your resources (vacation days, money, etc) – something you have a knack for anyway.

Libra

The Jupiter/Uranus conjunction is directly opposite you in Aries, Libra, so what are you going to do about it? Travel? Invent? Study? Socialize? Move in a direction not normally characteristic for you, but be sure to balance this new thing with the rest of you in a healthful way. Truth is, you’re staring down the barrel of Saturn coming into your home sign and that’s sort of like the two weeks before the next semester of school starts – you know it’s coming, so do something awesome now! Otherwise, like your sister Taurus, the month is fairly calm and bland. It’s up to you to make things happen!

Scorpio

Does a certain problem at work have you stumped? Is there a pattern you’re not seeing in your relationships or an opponent who continues to pwn you in the Starcraft 2 beta? June 25th (give or take a day, of course) is the day you’re looking for as Pallas, the symbol of strategic thinking and creative planning stations and turns direct (forward-moving) in your home sign. Your ruling planet, Mars, cuts into Virgo soon as well so a steady diet of research and analysis is the cure for what ails you. Just be sure not to gloat too much as a square to Venus as it moves through Leo tends to dampen your charisma a little bit.

Sagittarius

The asteroid Ceres retrogrades back into your home sign for a while this month; if you’ve experience a change in job, relationships or hobbies that has added to your sense of fulfillment and self-esteem, prepare for an obstacle. This is of course not meant to say that all is lost, just that you are being asked to generate those feelings for yourself despite the setbacks than you may face. Your ruling planet, Jupiter, is about to conjunct Uranus in Aries opposing a Virgoan Saturn, so there’s an opportunity for exploration and freedom – two of your favorite things! – but boundary-setting Saturn is likely to try to herd you in a certain direction. The month has a feeling of two steps forward, one step back, but no more frustrating than if you’ve been watching “Lost” or “Flash Forward.”

Capricorn

This month, the Full Moon lands in your sign, Capricorn, on the 26th – and not only is it a Full Moon, it’s a Lunar Eclipse! Eclipses almost make up their own sub-branch of astrology but I don’t have room to go into that here. Point being, it is a highly auspicious time to make course corrections in long-term goals, specifically goals that align with Capricorn’s interests like earning promotions, weight loss, being a good father and banking/finance dealings. Maybe you should go pick up a copy of Rich Dad/Poor Dad? Events that occur on eclipses tend to be the beginning of stories more than intermediary action, so be mindful about what butterfly effects you may be introducing into the world. You have a distinct advantage in improving your quality of life by making positive change around that time.

Aquarius

Remember all that stuff I said at the beginning about Neptune? It goes double for you, pal, because it happens in your home sign. Go back and read that again. In other news, your ruling planet Saturn undergoes a phase change relative to the Sun on the 19th. Couple that with its current opposition to Jupiter/Uranus and your occasional “alone in a crowd” moods and you may just want to check out for a while. There’s nothing wrong with that – take a couple mental health days to recharge. Also consider following your altruistic side and plant a tree or volunteer with an animal shelter or something. If you really just want to stay home and play hermit, let me recommend Visions by Michio Kaku. It’s a slightly older book, but it should tickle your interests regardless.

Pisces

Hello? Pisces? Are you there? You’ve been gone a long time.. guess I’ll just leave this here and you can read it when you come back from wherever you are. This month, you have the opposite problem as Virgo. Virgo wants to break out, but shouldn’t or can’t. You’re already flying around out there and need to land somewhere. Jupiter and Uranus will be headed back into your home sign once again during their retrograde periods and while that may provide you with some really incredible dreams and powerful insight, everyone else is hearing gibberish. Last month, Saturn was retrograde and Jupiter/Uranus were direct, so you had a lot of experience, but needed internal structure to organize it. Now that things are reversed, you’ve got the goal, but are having trouble expressing it to everyone else. Sit down and write everything out top to bottom before presenting your case. Your picture is a good bit bigger than everyone else’s and they’re going to need to adjust to your perspective. Describe each individual adventure in order for your group to grasp the campaign.

Ryven Cedrylle is a Christian, husband, scientist, gamer and astrologer – in that order. He contributes regularly to the At-Will Blog and the Power Source Podcast. Find out more about astrology and Ryven’s unique services at Christian Astrology.