 The upcoming Solar Eclipse at 8 degrees Taurus may be suggesting a renewal of spiritual ( vs. the secular materialist) commitment to Mother Earth. This is the time to call on the ancestors (always time, that's true) to take us through the crossroads where the goddess and faeries await our return to and renewal of the primal world. Perhaps this is the new (old) order and relationships that will be forged through the Pluto/Uranus square that came to it's most intensified peak with the current Grand Cross? Only time will tell…
Mercury is involved in this equation as well suggesting that there is something important to learn and perhaps communicate. Mercury is quite fast and furious right now, as in the senses are piqued in awareness; breath work may come in handy to still the overloaded mind. One way or another the Solar Eclipse, a special New Moon, is asking for initiation of some sort, and something Taurian and earthy. It won't matter in the end whether you find that something through an ascending path (focussing on the cosmos and calling on ascended masters) or a descending path (and to the light within the Earth, the ancestral and faery realm), the important piece is that you offer commitment to search; the spirits will recognize and react in kind. I'm always available for readings if you want a deeper look or a short conversation if you wanted to comment here. Otherwise, in service--Liam
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 This past week Mercury formed a superior conjunction to the Sun, the symbolic culmination cycle of thinking, talking, and planning, and an aspect of the Mercury cycle that gets little attention thanks to the (overblown and misunderstood) horror stories of Mercury Retrograde.
The superior conjunction is when Mercury joins the Sun in the same degree of the zodiac as it is making forward progress; this can be understood by considering the flip side, that is, the inferior conjunction: when Mercury is retrograde and forms a meeting with the Sun in the same place in the zodiac as Mercury moves (apparently) backwards. As I discussed in an earlier article, when Mercury is retrograde, this is a period of review and reflection; this can be likened to the time when a writer needs to re-read, re-write, review more, and re-work parts of the work. For everyone during Mercury retrograde, it is a time to be keenly aware through all of the senses. Mercury is moving very slowly during these periods, particularly at the points of change in direction (stations), so the thought process, the act of thinking, planning, and communication is not as fast. When Mercury is making its superior conjunction to the Sun the opposite is true: the mind is working crisp and fast, the senses are heightened and alert, communication is exalted. These are the times of year where it is possible to look back to the previous retrograde period (in this case the very beginning of the Gregorian New Year 2014) and consider the results of thoughts, communications, and decisions at that time and to plan certain new tasks or projects. All of this will be specific to the sign and house (determined by your birth date and place—call your astrologer) where these aspects occur. For instance, this Mercury/Sun conjunction occurred at 5 degrees Taurus, which in my chart is just about right at the 7th House cusp, the House of “relating”. Taurus relates to stability and grounding, structures and security, values and resources (there are more, I just “chose” these), so this time period will be important for me to capitalize on building the structures of my intimate relationships and communicating, clearly and carefully, my values and needs. The Superior Conjunction of Mercury and the Sun is a powerful time and resource that is intimately connected to the way that you process information, communicate, and map out your life. Understanding this process can aide in more efficient time management, limit frustration with creative or otherwise important projects, and facilitate better communication with and among your loved ones.  The Christian Holy Days (Good Friday/Easter) occurring in the midst of the Cardinal Grand Cross suggest an opportunity to look deeply into the archetype of crucifixion and how it plays out in one's life.
Regardless of religious affiliation, this powerful archetype most likely plays out in some way. Where are you staked out in your life, feeling impaled, humiliated, helpless, of self-sacrificail? The associations are by no means limited to those. The theme of death and rebirth is highlighted as well, with both the ceremonial marking of Christ's death and rebirth, and Pluto's influence on the collective experience. Thinking about where one is crucified in their life is clearly a challenging meditation and not for everyone. The experience of death (endings, separations) is filled with formidable obstacles and pain. The reward of rebirth however, the integrity that it brings, the sense of union with the divine, makes this a journey worth every step.  Tomorrow, 4/19/14, just a few short hours after the Moon enters Capricorn, the Sun will ingress Taurus; this blend of the two lights will offer the potential of grounding the intense energy that has pulsed and continues to ignite our experiences.
So it seems right and appropriate that at a time like this our attention, our light, our radiance, will be focused through the earthiest of signs, Taurus. Taurus provides strength, stability, and established structure that can be relied and counted on, as well as a strong sense of sensuality and sensation. Taurus provides the grounding in the physical, natural world that can provide peace and a sense of security during periods of tension. Doing Taurus like things for the next month will offer space for that energy, focused at the center, to circulate; things like gardening, hiking, cooking a nice meal, enjoying food and wine, massages with lovers, yoga, and love-making are a few good ideas to get started. Just think anything that gets in touch with the earth and reminds you where you’re feet are planted. Considering the potential for change in the astrology that is transpiring, this blend of the Sun and Moon carries much strength to build through efficient and practical use of one's given resources. This combination of Taurus and Capricorn, two of the three earth signs, serves as a powerful reminder of where our two feet are, that is, planted firmly on Earth. The focal point of this Grand Cross, as always, is Earth, and honoring our presence here through whatever way you can find (conscious ceremony, personal ritual, walking/hiking, gardening…) would most likely facilitate access to the grounding potential. There will also be available a very personal, emotional connection to this tightening Grand Cross as the Moon makes contact through a conjunction with Pluto. With Pluto there can be an experience of fighting a battle that can't be won. Pluto's glyph itself can be likened to someone holding their hands up in surrender. Perhaps one of the first experinces of this astrology can be a surrender to our experience and place on Earth: Earth Surrender.  Aries (March 20-April 19)
Heightened self-determination and fast paced thinking highlight an electrified start to a week of dynamic astrology. This is the passage through and into the idea that you have been imagining for yourself for some time. While it is honorable and necessary to embody and to physically own who you are and what you do, it will be important to consider each move you make. This is the time of times to pay attention to the others in your life as the mirrors they are to your own self-propulsion. The question may be: are you able to be self-assured enough to see your actions through other eyes? That reflection can serve as a guide that can then guide you to serve your deepest core truth. Taurus (April 19- May 20) I wish I could be inside of your dreams this week; they have the potential to be electric! You have a very special access to the collective imagination this week and even if you’re not getting the dreams yourself, there is a strong possibility of picking up on the dreams and musings of others. In fact, this would be an awesome week to start conversations with your crew (friends, tribe, community) about their dreams or experiences with visionary states. These conversations can lead to ideas that you can implement in your own search for intimacy with god (truth, mystery, expanded consciousness). Are there any group meditations in your area this week? Check them out if so, this would be a powerful venue through which to experience the divine. Gemini (May 20-June 21) Are you familiar with the tarot card The Fool? Look it up online (here’s a good place to start: http://www.ata-tarot.com/resource/cards/) because I see you as the character in this card this week for several reasons. Now, first off, if you don’t know anything about tarot, don’t be alarmed. The Fool is not called “The Fool” because it lacks intelligence or aptitude. One of the reasons it is ‘The Fool” is because it takes the biggest leap of all, just as we all do as we bound through the birth canal, and step into incarnated life. The astrology suggests that this eclipse on Tuesday can serve as a catalyst for you to leap out of certain conditioned, learned, ways of thinking and engaging with others that does not serve you or others in the way it has in the past. You are being encouraged by the mysterious and the numinous to live with uncertainty as you begin to step out of your old ideas. You’ll never know who is waiting for you on the other side if you don’t take the leap. Cancer (June 21-July 22) The experience of mother and father are in each and every one of us, in our blood and bones as well as our thought patterns, and my guess is that most of us have only touched the surface of our understanding of these forces. You have available to you in the most intimate of ways, the opportunity to embody and experience what these entities mean, independent of your ideas and conditioning patterns, if you are willing to step into the task. How does one step into this task? First, I would make an honest list of what I think these entities are and what my experience of them has been. This will put down in black and white your own pre-conceptions. Then I would spend a day consciously trying to experience mother, and another day attempting to experience father. Take notes of any of your thoughts, conversations, reactions, emotions, inclinations, and biases when considering each one and then compare them with your original list. You may be surprised by not only what you learn about yourself, but also how this has affected all of your relationships. Leo (July 22-August 23) The truth of the matter is not always in the detail of it’s parts. You may have a challenge accepting that this week as you have a surge of self-propulsion that impulses you to act independent of your usual norms. What may be missing are the key emotional issues that exist within the data received. Are you at peace with the way you’re thinking? Does it truly match up with your spiritual aspirations? This has the potential to be an emotionally expansive time as well as a clearing out of old boundaries and systems, however, the caution in the astrology is to honor your emotions and the emotional impact of all the information you gather. Piece it altogether for a greater truth and your aspirations will take on a more global or even cosmic viewpoint. Virgo (August 23-September 22) Norms in society are like rules: they exist to be broken. The question is how comfortable you can be with delving into the taboo? Where is this happening in your life and whom do you feel like you have to answer to? I think the flavor of this week has to do with personal integrity. How can you live according to what you determine the norms to be within the parameters of existing relationships? You can be at both a stepping off point or a stalling point depending on how comfortable you are with evaluating your relationship with your shadow and how clear you are in communicating needs with your partners. This can be a painful process at first, as any birthing moment can be, however, the experience of divine love that it offers may be worth the effort. Libra (September 22-October 23) The more you can come to terms with that inner voice, that inner yearning, the closer you move to healing. It’s no fun being angry and even worse feeling as though you have to find a good, healthy, and easy way to release or express things. Even though you are working hard to maximize the amount of happiness you and everyone else can have, others’ manners and lack of consideration is just not going to cut it for you. Patience is a virtue indeed and a tool worth using to the max, however, the message for you this week is to speak your mind, clearly and calmly, and make sure that you release what bothers you so that resentments are not incurred or bathed in. Truly, by week’s end you have the potential to be outrageously you to the greater benefit and service to others. Scorpio (October 23-November 22) It seems that you’ve been on a reconnaissance mission these days in the deepest recesses of your soul. This eclipse may act as a beacon alighting some deep emotional truths that have been sitting dormant just waiting to be discovered. Someone may just be pushing you that way, asking you to move beyond a comfort zone and you may be resisting. Thinking itself can become an emotional attachment; that monkey mind we have a way of creating and running around in can become a place of familiarity and routine. You can continue to fight this, thinking what you’re doing is maintaining a security system that works and is familiar so why mess with it, however, the astrology may be asking you to move on as well. Keep up the intelligence gathering, it’s important, just don’t forget to look at the big picture of all the little bits of awareness you’re attaining. Sagittarius (November 22-December 22) Something seems to have reached a crescendo regarding your need to feel loved. Work back through your experiences and you may find that w hat you’ve need in your most intimate relationships is your own, personal, unconditioned voice speaking your own, personal, unconditioned needs. This is one of the hardest things to do with those our lives are merged with: marriages, business partnerships, or any dynamic that requires your own will and values to work with someone else’s will and values. Power dynamics such as these usually result in one or both parties clinging to what is known and familiar until some shock occurs to move both along. This is a lot like tectonic plates: they can move along gently, slowly, and frequently; or they can build up a lot of tension until there is a cataclysmic rattle. It’s always good to find a way to release the tension (read: compromise) but occasionally a mega-quake is inevitable. Unlike the Ring of Fire, luckily, you have a little control. Capricorn (December 22-January 20) It may feel like you are being pulled in several different directions at once, which is causing a sense of obsession with your own self-propulsion. Energy and astrology like this, affecting your solar houses in the way that it is, that is very personally, can leave you feeling emotionally isolated and righteously willful. Emotions are strong in any area that has to do with relating to others either one-to-one, in your career, or at home and it is important to find grounding. Luckily, towards the end of the week that grounding will be available in a way that will offer inner peace. Ground yourself in creative self-expression, it looks like you are being asked to push the boundaries of who you are at a very essential level, so explore different ways of expression. Surrender to what might be unusual (for you) yet encourages a strong sense of childlike release. Aquarius (January 20-February 19) It is truly important and noble to look deeply into one’s self—to take inventory of all areas: physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and vocational—however it is equally important to remember the motive: to learn and grow/evolve. Information is only part of the exercise. I don’t doubt that you have exercised your mind quite a bit in this task of late, coming to a crescendo earlier this week, and that perhaps you feel like your mind is on overload. This is a good signal to put your thoughts and reflections to the test. Whatever you’ve discovered about the way you think and react at work, in your career, with parents and sibling, and even your assumptions about yourself; whatever you think can be changed, change it—make a point of going out of your comfort zone in the way you think, talk, and plan your day-to-day life. Consider it an experiment. Pisces (February 19- March 20) Who are you? Well, I don’t really expect you to give an answer to that and I don’t think the astrology is expecting any conclusive answer either; most likely there is no good answer to the question, however, that does not make asking the question or seeking an answer any less valuable. In fact, that value of that search seems to be pressing into your system at this time. There are so many ways that you could be expressing yourself that might better serve the search; perhaps, immobilizing fear at stepping out of the norm wins out. If there is someone in your life that is encouraging you (explicitly or simply through their presence) to press those boundaries and comfort zones it may just be worth the effort. There is always blowback through embarrassment and self-consciousness when doing something new, however, I have found (and you may too) that those emotions serve as important ego-deflating barometers.  The beginning of the eclipse season is like a doorway into some of the most intense astrology of recent times. The approaching Cardinal Grand Cross draws tighter and tighter in the coming days and the Lunar Eclipse on the 15th can serve as a moment of clarity, a call to awareness, an all hands on deck alert to one's consciousness. On April 15, 2014 this Lunar Eclipse will reach its apex at 12:42 AM PDT. There's little doubt this eclipse, a special full moon where the earth comes between the Sun and the Moon, will have an impact on personal relationships (not to mention the Grand Cross, however, there are many collective experiences with that complicated arrangement). The collective experience is obvious right now: Tension is brewing and being released all around, which may be all a part of this astrology. Earthquakes are popping off on the Ring of Fire (Chile, Solomon Islands, Los Angles) and the biggest rattle of Yellowstone since 1980. Russia and the United States are exchanging tough talk, a Nevada rancher had a showdown with the Bureau of Land Management, and in Pennsylvania there was a horrible knife attack at a school. It’s the personal level where we’ll have more control and a better ability to manage the energy. Being on the Aires/Libra axis there will be a meeting, a consideration of and an intense experience of self-will (Aires) vs. harmony with others (Libra). It would serve you well to pay close attention to the synchronicities as you walk through these arrangements: look for the connections between events, as well as connections between what you say and what others’ say. These connections can act like clues on a treasure map or road markers; they may be pointing the way. The chart for this eclipse also features Uranus/Mercury conjunct in Aries. There are many suggestions here, not the least of which is a heightened need to communicate personal truths, views, and perceptions. This happening during the eclipse it suggests that there will be a need to let go of ideas (both Mercury and Uranus correlate to thinking one way or another) and that this can be an opportunity to ignite or initiate new ideas. With Mercury passing through this point, which is a critical degree of the coming Grand Cross, there may insights available as to what this time-period will be all about for you. Certainly with Uranus in the mix the thoughts may be of the future and come to you through flashing insight. This will be a good time to walk around with a small notebook and pen or learn how to use the voice recorder on your phone. If you can, don't take yourself, others or situations more seriously then you need to--you'll have to think this through, call it the art of "letting go"--because someone will have to take that responsibility. What can you take on as a responsibility relationship wise? This will be at the 25 Degree mark of Aires/Libra so any planets, points, or whichever house this falls in your nativity can offer suggestions, so call and find out what’s happening at this point in your chart. 
Aries (March 20-April 19)
This is a very important and powerful month that will need to be managed thoughtfully in order to maximize the most beneficial outcomes. You personally are energized and feel ready to spark off in many a new and novel direction. Ideas and inspiration abound and you may feel like you can run through any wall that may be present. Others may not be able to keep up with you though so take a thoughtful and concerned approach, patience, and care with friends, family, and business partners. As much as you need to express your unconditioned, unabashed self, you will be better received by visualizing how you are perceived, or will be perceived, by these relations. When you navigate this terrain well, you may access the ability to release old, worn out ideas. Taurus (April 19- May 20) Don’t be alarmed if you find yourself daydreaming or wishing you had an invisibility cloak this week; there’s a good chance you’re expressing harmony with the moment. In fact, it may be an excellent practice of ego-release to find a way to dissolve into the crowd and be a conscious observer of events. It looks like there will be great opportunities to tune into the more intangible elements of personal relating and through that, purify your own ideals. An exercise like this can offer relief from the struggle to hang on to old ways, as well as recognition of the ways others hang on to theirs. In the end, this experience of compassion will act as a valve for pressure that would otherwise grow to a crescendo by the end of the week. Gemini (April 19- May 20) The best way to find out where you’re going is to be clear where you’re at. The week may start with a sense of confusion around this point, perhaps even a sense of it not mattering (in the best way), as you feel a merging with your surroundings. That’s not a value judgment at all on “directionless” since great epiphanies can happen by letting go of preconceived beliefs and landmarks; it is a suggestion to keep an anchor in the moment because things will begin to move rapidly in short order. A sudden infusion of energy may jolt you out of this early in the week and propel you towards goal related actions. Initially, the strength you feel may be overbearing. The key here may be to network: have multiple people to check-in with and sound out your ideas. Cancer (June 21-July 22) Breaking down old barriers and ideas of self is no small task and can bring with it tensions and inhibitions. On the one hand it seems as though this is a time of high hopes and aspirations, while on the other hand there is chafing and resistance expressing an updated, new you. Comfort zones are an easy fall back option, especially with ones you have established relationships with, however, this not may be the time to rely on the known. Stepping into novelty, with all the fear and excitement (and work) that it implies may be the road through that resistance. Regardless of the route you take two things seem quite important: 1. the energy is there and will only build for the time being, and 2. the truth you’re reaching for is within. Leo (July 22-August 23) Journeys aren’t always part of the physical realm and the astrology suggests that you’re on a far out, long distant trip at this time. The week starts with a subtle suggestion that you didn’t know what you thought you knew about some person, place, or idea and this is confirmed as the week progresses. Moments of awareness such as this can cause insecurity, which can lead to anger, which can lead to the proverbial foot-in-the-mouth. This dynamic is compounded by a struggle to articulate your own needs and desires, particularly in relationships, so alternative routes need to be scouted. Finding a connection to Mother Earth, real personal grounding, will offer emotional, intuitive guidance mid-week. It appears as though the clarity you seek will come through emotional attunement rather than rational, direct engagement. Virgo (August 23-September 22) “Love is not a relationship. Love relates, but it is not a relationship.” This musing from the Indian mystic Osho may be a useful mantra for the coming week as a powerhouse line-up moves into your Solar 8th House and Venus moves into your Solar 7th House. It appears you are being called to conscious awareness of your part in the relating process with your most intimate partners and perhaps a light will shine, or thunder will crack, to bring to attention where this has not been occurring. There is a possibility of internalized anger, internal heat as a result of these dynamics. Seeking an outlet through the intangible, subtle moments of personal relating will offer solace and release if you can attune that way. Desired intimacy is within reach. Libra (September 22-October 23) How does one manage harmony in the midst of chaos? It’s there clearly, as indicated through modern day physics so perhaps it just needs to be accepted. Battling others into submission generally causes more discord and resentment and arguing in isolation, in the recesses of your own mind only resonates and attracts more unwanted discord. All healing, all learning, all harmony, and all causes come from within and that is where the search party needs to venture. A deep evaluation of your personal value system and how current relating measures up with them will be a good starting point. This is the most worthy of tasks even if a difficult and trudging one, but doing so may encourage others, without a word, to follow. Scorpio (October 23-November 22) “Belief is the death of intelligence”, said Robert Anton Wilson, and periodic explorations and extractions of beliefs can be an important function of intelligence increase. This plunging the depths of your mental landscape may be especially important this week as events occur with children, lovers, or in your creative self-expression that may force a reconsideration of thinking and create confusion. What really are your boundaries? Who created them and how long have you lived by them? Are they what you would consider your ideals? There is a strong urge, realized or not, and need to purify your system and all the energy is available to flush out what’s not needed. The trick, as usual, will be to take the responsibility to investigate those dark corners of your mind and have the courage to face your shadow. Sagittarius (November 22-December 22) Boundaries have never been very much associated with the archetype of Sagittarius or Jupiter, the planet most associated with or its “ruler”; regardless, boundaries exist and must be dealt with in life, in fact, they are essential to defining the direction and flow of energy. They also need to be monitored, reviewed, updated, repaired, discussed and debated and occasionally revolutions and/or rebellions need to occur. This is an evolutionary process of consciousness expansion. Where are you in this process? Are you discussing, reviewing, repairing, and monitoring the boundaries that exist in your life? Or are you pushing and attempting to move the existing boundaries? The respectful attention you pay to this will pay off in emotional dividends towards the end of the week. Capricorn (December 22-January 20) Take a walk through Golden Gate Park on any given weekend and chances are you will find someone practicing walking on a tightrope between two trees (low to the ground of course). The concentration and careful treading appears as a meditation step by step. This may be a useful image in navigating the tightrope in your domestic life. How can you get to the end and back between your needs and desires in harmony with the drive of the others you share space with? Your ability to both feel and objectify the deep, intense feelings that bubble within, the greater your ability to articulate your true feelings will be. This will facilitate a calm passage across this domestic terrain, and open the possibilities of a deeper sense and experience of love. Aquarius (January 20-February 19) Getting precise about one’s highest goals and desired attainments in life is an important exercise. You are possessed with both the realization of the darkness and inequalities of this world as well as the possible and idyllic cosmic vision, if only the right thinking and mapping was applied. This is a very important time period that may feel as though you are in slow motion, or even moving backwards, through hang-ups on power. It seems important this week to focus on personal purification first to gain a healthy grasp on what is possible, before claiming or clinging to power that you may not want, or conversely, giving away power that you will be angry about later. Pisces (January 20-February 19) Periods of heightened intuition and/or experiences of synchronicity, those periods where contact with the Divine seems so obvious, if mysterious, can come and go in waves, usually depending on the state of affairs of the individual. Blocks to this access can come from too much involvement in the horizontal world: the world of socializing, political debates, societal involvement, working long hours at a job (vs. a vocation), mundane domestic affairs, and lack of sleep (restricting access to the dream world) are some of the main culprits. It’s easy to get lost in this world to the detriment of the vertical (spirit) world and well worth it to remember these themes this week because the vertical world: imagination, play, music, poetry, love, and vision questing (even day-dreaming!) has much to offer.  Periods of heightened intuition and/or experiences of synchronicity, those periods where contact with the Divine seems so obvious, if mysterious, can come and go in waves, usually depending on the state of affairs of the individual. Blocks to this access can come from too much involvement in the horizontal world: the world of socializing, political debates, societal involvement, working long hours at a job (vs. a vocation), mundane domestic affairs, and lack of sleep (restricting access to the dream world) are some of the main culprits. It’s easy to get lost in this world to the detriment of the vertical (spirit) world and well worth it to remember these themes this week because the vertical world: imagination, play, music, poetry, love, and vision questing (even day-dreaming!) has much to offer.
 Getting precise about one’s highest goals and desired attainments in life is an important exercise. You are possessed with both the realization of the darkness and inequalities of this world as well as the possible and idyllic cosmic vision, if only the right thinking and mapping was applied. This is a very important time period that may feel as though you are in slow motion, or even moving backwards, through hang-ups on power. It seems important this week to focus on personal purification first to gain a healthy grasp on what is possible, before claiming or clinging to power that you may not want, or conversely, giving away power that you will be angry about later.
 Take a walk through Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on any given weekend and chances are you will find someone practicing walking on a tightrope between two trees (low to the ground of course). The concentration and careful treading appears as a meditation step by step. This may be a useful image in navigating the tightrope in your domestic life. How can you get to the end and back between your needs and desires in harmony with the drive of the others you share space with? Your ability to both feel and objectify the deep, intense feelings that bubble within, the greater your ability to articulate your true feelings will be. This will facilitate a calm passage across this domestic terrain, and open the possibilities of a deeper sense and experience of love.
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