Archive for April, 2023

Timothy Glenn and Laura Bruno on Pluto in Aquarius: Round 2 (Video)

You asked, we delivered. From the YouTube description:

On May 1, Pluto stations Retrograde in Aquarius for the first time since 1798. A seismic shift!

Astrologers Laura Bruno and Timothy Glenn discuss potent transits all month long, especially the T-square among Pluto in Aquarius, Jupiter in Taurus and Mars in Leo around May 20, 2023.

What do these shifts mean for finances, revelations, Earth changes, personal life, and geopolitics? How can we prepare? This is Round 2 in our Pluto in Aquarius Series. This one clocked in at just under 46 minutes.

Related videos:

Full video of Pluto in Aquarius Series, Round 1:
Pluto in Aquarius 2023: Just say no to doom and gloom!
https://youtu.be/U-t7R7twk14

Highlights of Pluto in Aquarius Series, Round 1:
Beginners Guide to Pluto in Aquarius
https://youtu.be/WlEVRGwbrPE

Mega Transit: Aries New Moon + Solar Eclipse, April 19-20
https://youtu.be/mg3ZC1OWVu0

Written May 2023 Forecast + Second Quarter North Node Horosocopes:
https://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2023/04/26/may-2023-forecast-and-second-quarter-north-node-horoscopes/

Info on Timothy’s practice:

Wuji Gong is the basic form of the Emei Qigong system. Grandmaster Fu Wei Zhong is the current lineage holder, and has even visited Reno a few times. He developed the Wuji Gong form as a streamlined practice for those who live in this busy world and don’t have the time and opportunity to live in the monastery on Emei Mountain in China.

To contact Timothy Glenn:
http://soulpurposereadings.com

To contact Laura Bruno:
http://asklaurabruno.com

May 2023 Forecast and Second Quarter North Node Horoscopes

MAY 2023 FORECAST

May 2023 begins with a seismic shift, and potent re-activations of the April 19-20th Eclipse occur all month. Eclipse Season continues with a Full Moon in Scorpio Lunar Eclipse on Cinco de Mayo. Mercury stations Direct, and three planets change signs. Get ready for another wild month!

May 1 Pluto stations Retrograde in Aquarius. Sun conjunct Mercury in Taurus. This is one of several Mercury-Pluto connections this quarter. The planets aren’t in close orb of each other, but their actions coincide. With Mercury Rx, the meeting with the Sun arrives like a quick text. Pay attention to light shining on anything deep–especially if those messages deal with group interactions, technology, the subconscious, cyber crimes, or hidden realms. Because Pluto stations Rx in the same degree that squared the April 19-20th Eclipse in late Aries, we get the first of several re-activations of those energies this month. (For those who like videos, I have a YouTube Short on Mercury Rx.)

May 4 Venus in Gemini square Neptune in Pisces. Today triggers friction between sweeping daydreams of ideal love vs. everyday relationship chatter. Social media could feel less important, with a sigh of “Why bother?” On the other hand, today brings inspiration for creative projects. If you feel dissatisfied, ask, “What could I say or do to make life more beautiful?” This is also a good day for leaning into greater compassion, including for yourself. Notice how your thoughts and spiritual practice affect your self esteem.

May 5 Full Moon in Scorpio, Lunar Eclipse, 1:34 p.m. Eastern US time. In addition to the intense Scorpio Eclipse, today marks the official cross-quarter day of Beltane, when the Sun reaches 15 Taurus. The timing of an Eclipse + Beltane thins the veil between worlds even more than usual. At the time of this “Flower Moon,” Venus in Gemini still squares Neptune in Pisces, so feelings run high and low. Practice good energy hygiene, because things could feel intense. Even though it’s a South Node Eclipse (which usually explores the past), this one looks toward “FUTURE-ORIENTED GROWTH.” We’ve entered new territory, so keep your wits about you.

May 7 Venus enters Cancer. Relationships move from head to heart, as the Love Goddess graces the sign of nurturing, feelings and the Moon. Things ebb and flow, taking on a gentler, slower pace. Collectively, we prioritize family, country and our inner circle. Venus remains in Cancer until June 5.

May 9 Sun conjunct Uranus in Taurus. Keep a notebook handy, because inspiration and ideas could arrive from the future, or from who knows where?! Desire for liberation peaks, as light shines on the need for some kind of revolution. Will we evolve, or simply revolve? “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.” With Pluto still stirring the pot in Uranus-ruled Aquarius, we have an opportunity to bring in something radically different. Today marks a change in the wind.

May 14 Mercury stations Direct in Taurus. Mercury stations Direct within two degrees of the North Node, so whatever we learned during Mercury Rx will bring destiny level shifts. Take that information and begin to apply it, step by step. Taurus isn’t flashy, but it gets the job done.

May 15 Mars in Cancer trine Neptune in Pisces. One of the best days this year for taking action to make your dreams come true. A powerful few days for creative inspiration and fantasy. Also, a potent time for magic. Life flows in weird, harmonious ways.

May 16 Jupiter enters Taurus, creating a tight square with Pluto in Aquarius through the 20th. This is a mega transit, because it reactivates the April 19-20th Eclipse. Jupiter expands everything he touches, bringing even more energy into the mix. We could see an uptick in earthquakes, literal or financial. This is not a good day for risk taking. Over-confidence could prove destructive or even deadly in the collective. Individual experiences will vary widely, depending on level of consciousness and how this hits your chart. If well-aspected for you, this period could trigger massive rebirth and regeneration. A complete renewal. Multiple timelines exist, and their divergence grows more obvious each day. Follow you own path, not the crowd.

May 19 New Moon in Taurus, 11:53 a.m. Eastern US time. The Sabian Symbol for this New Moon is: “(TAURUS 29): TWO COBBLERS WORKING AT A TABLE. KEYNOTE: The two-fold character of man’s mature understanding.” On a personal note, this New Moon exactly conjuncts my Midheaven. On a collective note, we’re asked to cultivate a more nuanced and mature perspective. Beware of black or white thinking. The answer falls somewhere between extremes. We can integrate differences and cooperate for better overall results.

May 20 Mars enters Leo. Mars likes his fellow Fire sign, Leo. He’s active here, following his heart and making bold, passionate moves. Keep in mind that Mars entering Leo opposes Pluto in Aquarius and squares the April 19-20th Eclipse. Yes, we have our third reactivation of that Eclipse this month. Irritation and anger clue you into what’s not working. Instead of raging, pivot. Ask yourself, “OK, if this isn’t working, what would?” Then turn that negative energy into determination. Themes from the Eclipse may arise in new or more intense ways. If so, funnel your energy into positive action. This time period requires discipline, but you can work these energies to your benefit.

May 21 Sun enters Gemini. Life speeds up, with opportunities for short trips, little visits, and endless variety. Emphasis turns to early childhood education, as well as social networking. Our gift of the gab takes center stage. When the Sun first enters Gemini, it trines Pluto in early Aquarius, deepening our experience. Casual friendships grow more intimate as conversation flows. A very social month!

May 23 Mars in Leo square Jupiter in Taurus. This is a high energy transit with potential for quantum leaps. The square reminds us to troubleshoot. As they say, “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” With a little forethought and risk assessment, the days around May 23 could bring big results. Pluto continues to oppose Mars and square Jupiter, so the stakes are high. We can work with these energies, but they warrant an extra dose of caution. Note: Mars often acts ahead of time, so this transit’s impact could hit a few days early.

May 28 Sun in Gemini square Saturn in Pisces. Cloud cover with a chance of tears and rain. Sun transits go fast, so a momentary dip in mood should fade after a day or so. Whenever Saturn and the Sun interact, bright, shiny optimism gets hit with a blast of realism. Sometimes that so-called realism borders on pessimism. Use this time to analyze what works and what doesn’t. Honest assessment can help stalled projects and goals move forward. If you implement necessary changes based on light shining on what’s not working, those changes will strengthen and solidify your progress. If the day feels overwhelming, take a break and nurture yourself. Just because something hasn’t happened yet, doesn’t mean it never will. The answer could be “Not yet,” and as my Dream Guys say, “Delay leads to delight.”

How May’s sky weather affects you will vary, depending on your entire natal chart, but your North Node Horoscope transcends monthly sky events. That’s because your North Node reveals what your soul came here to do. By midlife, the soul starts longing and pressing us to live our true purpose. At first, it whispers through intuition. Then it knocks a little louder through “coincidences” and external events. When not heard and honored, the soul’s longing can show up as health crises, marriage or work issues, or wondering “is this all there is?” If you feel a need to reinvent yourself, following North Node guidance helps you do that authentically — for you.

Unlike generic Sun Sign horoscopes, which ignore so many other aspects, following North Node guidance will always lead you in the right direction. Doors open, healing happens, relationships improve, and life gets more magical. This quarterly column will help you tap into your personal North Node Mojo. When you start living your North Node purpose, we all win, because you not only begin to light up your own life. You light up the world.     

You can find your North Node sign here which is often different than your Sun sign. If you’re right on the cusp, consider both possibilities or book a reading for more clarity.

SECOND QUARTER 2023 NORTH NODE HOROSCOPES

ARIES NORTH NODE: April through mid-May offer the last six weeks of Jupiter in Aries until the next Jupiter cycle twelve years from now. Use this energy to dream big and bold before the collective North Node moves into Aries in July. Pay special attention to events or messages that arise around the April 20 New Moon in Aries/Solar Eclipse. Venus offers relationship support from Gemini between April 11-May 7, then squares from Cancer until June 5. The rest of the quarter offers fiery support from Venus in Leo. Pluto in Aquarius brings supportive transformation to early degree Aries North Node natives. Those with late Aries North Node degrees continue to feel friction from Pluto in early Aquarius. Themes of death and rebirth dominate. Overall an empowering and satisfying quarter, so long as you embrace the need for change. When in doubt, go for it!

TAURUS NORTH NODE: We enter Taurus season, and it’s the last quarter the North Node remains in your sign. It won’t return to Taurus until August 2040, so git ‘er done while you have extra energetic support. On April 6, 2023, Mercury conjunct the North Node in Taurus brings potent, yet grounded messages about collective and personal destiny. With Mercury in your sign until June 11, you’ll have extra time to process any big downloads. On April 24, the Sun shines more light on destiny, and on May 16, lucky Jupiter enters your sign for an entire year! Uranus continues stirring the pot, as well. Depending on the degree of your North Node, Second Quarter 2023 could solidify recent progress, or push you past old limitations. If you feel overwhelmed, get grounded. Imbibe or create beauty whenever you can. Remember to honor your creature comforts: “Better to have and not need than to need and not have.”

GEMINI NORTH NODE: Love, grace and harmony are on the menu as the Love Goddess moves through Gemini from April 11-May 7th. Pluto also starts trining Gemini from early Aquarius. Early degree Gemini North Node natives will feel this surge of creative alchemy all quarter. Mid- to later-degree Gemini North Node natives won’t feel direct impact from Pluto for many years, but you’ll notice a shift in zeitgeist that supports your sign. You feel less alone, whether through friends, partnerships or social media. You can use this quarter to diversify in ways that secure your future. Allow yourself to daydream, and don’t get hung up on any one particular idea. As chaos swirls around the world, Gemini North Node natives benefit through resilience and curiosity. You can dance your way through change, knowing that everything’s negotiable. Emphasize better boundaries in conversation and correspondence. Make time to play!

CANCER NORTH NODE: This quarter starts slowly with continued friction from planets moving through Aries. By May and June, energies turn more harmonious. Jupiter enters Taurus on May 16, and he’ll offer easy support and expansion as he sextiles Cancer for the next year. The Moon rules your North Node sign, so you’ll want to pay special attention to New and Full Moon energies, especially eclipses. More than most signs, yours works best when aligned with natural ebb and flow. Venus moves through Cancer from May 7-June 5. Relationships improve, and some of these seem orchestrated from above. Trust your instincts, and honor your need to retreat and recharge. Keep an open heart, though! Your Capricorn South Node tends to withdraw for too long, confusing people who would benefit from your loving care. On June 21, the Sun enters your North Node sign. How can you improve family and home life? What do you need in order to feel more comfortable and loved?

LEO NORTH NODE: This is a big quarter for Leo North Nodes, as Pluto just entered Aquarius, your South Node sign. Only those with very early Leo North Node’s will receive a direct hit, but these Pluto/Aquarian energies bring huge power for letting go. Any group think or idealism that stands in the way of your own success and growth will more easily fall away now. Mars adds destiny level activation as he moves through Leo from May 20-July 10. Uranus and from mid-May onward, Jupiter, announce opportunities from Taurus, but those will take some work to manifest. Pay attention to frustration and practice shifting it to determination. That small move will carry you far. You’ll feel quite a bit of friction this quarter, and how you approach the energies makes a huge difference. If you use irritation as motivation, it could light a fire that transforms your life. Change is on the horizon. Coming or going: you won’t stand still for long.

VIRGO NORTH NODE: Second Quarter 2023 brings a mixed bag. On the one hand, Uranus and–from mid-May onward–Jupiter trigger positive opportunities from fellow Earth sign, Taurus. On the other hand, Saturn entered your Pisces South Node sign on March 7. As karmic taskmaster, Saturn demands accountability and firm foundations. Illusions and delusions dissolve, but this takes time. In the face of endings or loss, look for silver linings because they will appear. Saturn is also a trouble shooter who helps you build something solid and real. Daydreams come true with consistent effort. When you get overwhelmed, you might feel tempted to zone out with sugary foods, alcohol or other substances. We all need to take breaks, but you benefit more from natural endorphins released in exercise and meditation. Yoga and Tai Chi help you to ground your expansive spirit and emotions into your mind and body. Be here now. Analyze, focus and discern. Music helps you to relax and shift gears as needed.

LIBRA NORTH NODE: Mark your calendar for April 6’s Full Moon in Libra and April 20’s New Moon in Aries/Solar Eclipse. These events will affect Libra North Node natives more than most. This is the last quarter before the nodal axis shifts to Aries/Libra, and these Moon’s give you a heads up for issues that might arise in the next 21 months. If you don’t like what you see, look for partnerships and alliances that make you stronger. You don’t need to walk alone. In addition to people, you’ve got support from Pluto’s foray into Aquarius, as well as anything moving through Gemini. Venus rules your North Node sign, and she wants you to open your heart with love and connection. In challenging times, your Aries South Node knows how to lead, but you’ll move faster if you share leadership with others whose talents you discover. Have patience and seek win-win options rather than only looking out for Number One. Relationships are a destiny level priority!

SCORPIO NORTH NODE: This is the last full quarter of the North Node in Taurus, which means you’re tying up loose ends related to past relationships and perspectives that need to transform. Since January 2021, you’ve been 180 from society, and this can feel lonely. There’s light at the end of this introspective tunnel. Just a few more months until July 2023 when the North Node moves into Aries with the South Node in Libra. Uranus and Jupiter still trigger major shifts from Taurus, but the good news is that the stark contrasts between you and the rest of the world will begin to ease in July. Use Second Quarter 2023 to plow through any karmic ties that present for transformation. You’re stronger and more resilient than you imagined you could be. Mercury’s long stay in Taurus will give you another opportunity to wriggle out of karmic contracts that no longer serve. Use the May 5 Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse in Scorpio as rocket fuel for change. You got this!

SAGITTARIUS NORTH NODE: April through May 16 continues expansive support as your North Node’s ruler (Jupiter) moves through fellow Fire sign Aries. You can seize breakthroughs in healing, relationships, finances and overall vision for your life path. From April 11-May 7, Venus moves through your Gemini South Node sign, bringing old relationships, lack of focus, and too much small talk up for change. Do you really need to keep so many irons in the fire? This can be a positive time for you, as you re-evaluate old habits that no longer serve. Pay extra attention to insights that arise on the June 3 Full Moon in Sagittarius and the June 17-18 New Moon in Gemini. You’ll make faster progress if you focus on the big picture and overall alignment rather than trying to cover all the details. There’s simply too much information to process, and you don’t need to imbibe it all. You’ll feel this more when Mercury enters Gemini on June 11. If you suffer from FOMO, step back and reevaluate. What brings you most satisfaction? Commit to that.

CAPRICORN NORTH NODE: Most of Second Quarter 2023 feels like a relief as heavyweight Pluto leaves your sign alone for the first time since 2008. Whew! Life finally feels like it’s coming into balance with new opportunities and the blessings of prior hard work. Pluto returns to Capricorn on June 11, so use this quarter to strategize and plan for your future success. Although people fear and sometimes even hate Pluto, he helps us change and regenerate more than any other planet. Instead of clinging to worn out relationships and unhealthy patterns, look at life as an investment. Do your energy expenditures make sense? If someone or something expands your horizons and leadership potential, consider that a good investment. If someone or something drains you and makes you crawl inside your Cancer South Node shell, that needs to go. Or at least transform. Capricorn North Node natives must learn to embrace the positive side of being ruthless. Tough editing makes a better book or video. Correctly pruning a tree yields more fruit.

AQUARIUS NORTH NODE: This is a time of rapid change for Aquarius North Node natives. You’ll feel Pluto’s presence in your sign even if he’s far away from your North Node degree. This brings huge opportunities to release that which no longer serves and to upgrade into Aquarian Age ideals. The energies from Aries, Gemini, Libra and Sagittarius all play well with Aquarius and your Leo South Node, making this quarter ripe with positive potential. You benefit from social media, online networking and joining group efforts to improve our world. When you combine your skills with others, everyone’s life improves. If you’ve had minimal success doing everything yourself, foster connections with friends and colleagues. You are not the product this time, but you can become an important part of a carefully selected team. You’re among the visionaries of our times, and you came here to support this massive shift on Planet Earth. If you feel discouraged, flip your perspective and look at the bigger picture. How might your individual struggles and triumphs open portals for all of humanity?

PISCES NORTH NODE: If you lean into your mystical, spiritual side, Second Quarter 2023 brings solid opportunities your way. If you insist on perfection, you’ll feel more frustrated and blocked than usual. You’re not here to “get everything right.” You’re here to recognize how beautiful and perfect you already are. Saturn’s move through Pisces helps you build a strong foundation for your dearest hopes and dreams–especially the ones your Virgo South Node dismisses as “impractical.” You can have your pie in the sky and eat it, too. You just need to align with forces you don’t understand. Squares from Gemini and Sagittarius alert you to internal blocks. If you find a boulder in your way, make like water and flow around it. Instead of stressing and trying to figure out every last detail, practice trusting a Higher Power. Prayer is practical action for Pisces North Node natives. Mantra meditation eases inner conflict by giving your monkey mind somewhere else to focus. Your first and most important task each day is to “tune in” to higher guidance. Whatever time you “waste” in prayer and meditation, life returns to you through magical means.

Butterflies and the Eclipse

The morning after the April 19-20th New Moon and Solar Eclipse, David and I finally saw the “Butterflies Are Blooming” exhibit at Meijer Sculpture Gardens. We’ve intended to do this for years–maybe even before we moved here in 2017–but the timing never worked for us. This year, everything aligned with the New Moon Solar Eclipse in that final degree of Aries. Doing something new that we’ve wanted to do for so long felt like just the right energy. A time of new beginnings by way of completion.

We did other things in Grand Rapids, too, but I’ll just share photos from our time at Meijer. Butterflies are difficult to catch on camera, so these images only give a glimpse of the thousands of colorful beings zipping around the greenhouse.

(My apologies for wonky formatting. Apparently, WordPress has a new, experimental AI that just takes over your blog. Imagine my surprise reading six paragraphs of fluffy, cliché text I did not write! That’s deleted, but I can’t get spaces between my photos. Hopefully, the experiment will run its course and go bye bye. Not a fan, WP!)

A volunteer stopped us and said he could “feel the love.” He insisted on taking our photo, so you get a sneak peak of mystery hubby, David, compliments of Bruce. The blue butterflies below were electric! There were so many, as large as my hand, too.

The Japanese garden was in full cherry blossom regalia:

We have weeping cherry trees at home, but Meijer has gorgeous varieties and a pond!

Jeff Buckley ~ “Hallelujah”

David just played this for me, and I agree with him. It’s my favorite version of this song. Somehow appropriate for these times:

Mercury stations Retrograde in Taurus April 21, 2023

I don’t have time to make a longer video or write a detailed blog post, so I made this 40 second #Short a couple days ago. I’m embedding it here as a heads up that this particular Mercury Rx is a bigger deal than usual.

As I mentioned in my 9 Keys to April 2023 Astrology video, Mercury’s in an interesting relationship with Pluto. When Mercury entered Taurus, he exactly squared Pluto in Aquarius. When Mercury leaves Taurus for Gemini on June 11, Pluto re-enters Capricorn. That clues us into a deeper processing than usual. Hidden things will come to light, and we’ll need to reorganize our worldview on both personal and collective levels.

This Mercury Rx connects with both Uranus and the North Node, nudging us towards the future, so it’s an usual time of looking back in order to look ahead:

Aries New Moon + Solar Eclipse ~ April 19-20, 2023 (Video)

I started with a much longer video but decided to simplify and shorten it to just over four minutes. This Eclipse is so important that I want to make it as quick and easy as possible for people to understand the energies.

New Moon in Aries Solar Eclipse ~ April 19-20, 2023

My April 2023 Forecast shared:

April 19-20 New Moon in Aries and Solar Eclipse, and then Sun enters Taurus. This is the second New Moon in Aries this year. Not only is it a Solar Eclipse, but in very late Aries, it squares Pluto in early Aquarius. Intensity skyrockets. This happens at 12:13 a.m. Eastern time on the 20th. We can use this New Moon in Aries and Solar Eclipse as a preview of the North Node shifting into Aries in July. Since the North Node moves backwards, this very late Aries New Moon/Solar Eclipse conjuncts the entry point that sets the collective goals until January 2025. This energy pits the individual vs. codependency (Libra South Node). Take note of anything that comes up during the eclipse, as you’ll likely be working with that energy more in the future. Taurus season brings a slower, more sensual pace. Inertia can be difficult to overcome, but once we begin something, that inertia works in our favor: we just keep going. Slow and steady wins the race.

In addition to the out of sign square, we’ve got an out of sign conjunction with the North Node in Taurus. The North Node is future oriented. In Taurus, the North Node takes that “forge ahead,” “new” Aries energy and tells us to anchor it into something tangible and real.

Under normal circumstances, an Eclipse sets the stage for the next six months, but this one’s influence will last at least through November 2024. That’s due to the intense square from Pluto in early Aquarius, as well as the Eclipse happening in the final (anaretic) degree of Aries. Anytime something crosses 29 Aries to 0 Taurus, it will reactivate the Eclipse. Ditto anything crossing 29 Capricorn to 0 Aquarius, and both spots are key to the next year and a half.

Eclipse chart set for Washington, D.C.

This Eclipse loosely conjuncts Jupiter in late Aries, amplifying and enlarging all the emotions, goals and insights. On May 16, Jupiter crosses the exact Eclipse point as he enters Taurus. Jupiter will remain in Taurus for a year, expanding our ability to ground those energies. When Jupiter conjuncts the true North Node on June 1, we have another highly charged, future oriented day. With Uranus still in Taurus, Jupiter’s foray takes on even more expansive, future oriented energies. Do you sense a theme here?!

On July 17, the North Node crosses from 0 Taurus into 29 Aries–setting the tone for the next 18 months, but also reactivating the Eclipse. Anytime the North Node changes signs, we feel a collective shift, so the April 19-20 Eclipse clues us into what we’ll be working with during the next year and a half.

Moving onto the Plutonian influence, we have four more criss-crosses of that 29 Capricorn to 0 Aquarius point. On June 11, Pluto retrograde re-enters Capricorn, and that action pings the Eclipse again. This preview period from late March to mid-June shows us what sort of things Pluto will dredge up in Aquarius. But it’s just a preview. Pluto re-enters Aquarius in January 2024. Most astrologers are saying that’s it, that Pluto will remain in Aquarius for another twenty years, but wait, there’s more! Pluto stations retrograde in May 2024 and re-enters Capricorn on September 1, 2024, only finally entering Aquarius for the long haul on November 19, 2024. Every time Pluto crosses this transition point reactivates the April 19-20, 2023 Eclipse.

As if all that’s not enough, on May 20 this year, Mars enters Leo. The transition from 29 Cancer to 0 Leo not only opposes Pluto in early Aquarius, but yes, it reactivates the Eclipse with another square. Anytime something crosses from Cardinal Sign (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) into Fixed Sign (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius), the Eclipse energies explode all over again. Libra/Scorpio season will be lit!

The Sabian Symbol for the last degree of Aries and this New Moon/Solar Eclipse is (ARIES 30°): A DUCK POND AND ITS BROOD.  KEYNOTE: The realization of natural boundaries. Although baby ducklings are cute, this symbol reminds us of the fierce protection animals provide their young. We might see more of Mama Bear energy emerge around the time of the Eclipse, as well as the next 18 months. Whether a child or an idea, the inchoate New needs protection. Battles intensify, because we are literally fighting for our future. Which reality do we want to unfold? What will we do to ensure that the New grows to a point where it can stand on its own? What will we do to protect children from predators? These energies are up and will remain up for a long time to come.

Right after the Eclipse, on April 21, Mercury stations Retrograde in Taurus and will remain Rx until May 14. This gives us time to process initial energies released by the Eclipse. The next three weeks ask us to review and revise information related to finances, security, self-esteem, values and the arts. What steps will you need to take (or re-take) based upon new information you’ve acquired? In what ways does backing up help to release stuck energy? Mercury stations Retrograde very close to Uranus, which adds to the liberating effects of this review.

Keep a notebook handy, because Mercury-Uranus conjunctions drop out of this world ideas into your brain. It’s also important to ground yourself with time in Nature. Mercury-Uranus conjunctions can rile up the nervous system. If you feel overloaded, you might need to ditch the internet for awhile, just to remind yourself what truly matters. The information age offers so much potential, but it’s easy to lose yourself in all that noise. Quiet your mind so that you can receive inspiration from beyond. With all the challenges on Planet Earth right now, solutions want to manifest in tangible form. But we need to hear ourselves think. We also need to pay attention to visceral messages from the body.

Mercury in Taurus can feel slow, especially when retrograde. As they say, “Life comes at you fast.” Use this time to process and reorganize your thoughts. Rapidly shifting geopolitical and inner landscapes require adjustments as we discover new terrain. Some of it’s rocky, so watch your step. If you notice lightning–metaphorical or otherwise–move to safer ground. Situational awareness allows you to navigate tricky territory so you can safely enjoy the journey.

Set for Washington, D.C., the Eclipse chart’s Ascendant conjuncts the Galactic Center–the womb of our galaxy. We’re at the beginning, not the end. Plan accordingly.

Garden Update ~ Smells Heavenly!

I can smell our yard from two doors down, and the bumblebees have arrived. We’re set for a week in the 80’s, so I don’t know how long these will last.

Hellebores from Karen. The “flowers” are actually leaves. [Oops! No, they’re not. That’s some other plant.]

Forsythia is lit!

The yard is coming to life, but still needs a final spring cleanup.

Hyacinths and daffodils dancing in the breeze …

Some of the first ones I planted …

…alongside the rock we relocated with last year’s garden expansion. I can’t blog the smell, but hopefully the photos trigger your olfactory imagination!

Saturn and Good Friday

I would normally post a Saturn video on Saturday, since that’s Saturn’s Day, but this one seems right on time for Good Friday.

Whatever your religion, the Easter story presents a Plutonian tale of death and rebirth. The Resurrection. But Good Friday brings up all kinds of Saturn issues and emotions. When Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Saturn–also called “Satan,” “The Adversary,” or “The Great Malefic”–struck hard.

Ditto the period between death on the cross and the empty tomb. His disciples experienced doubt and despair after things seemed so hopeful on Palm Sunday. In less than a week, Jesus went from triumphant King entering Jerusalem to common criminal condemned to death. Even though Pontius Pilate offered to release Jesus, His own people said no. Rejection is VERY Saturn.

The story ends on a triumphant note, but Good Friday doesn’t feel so good.

Neither do Saturn transits. We can, however, learn to manage these energies and even benefit from them. They lay a strong foundation for future success. I quickly recorded this video yesterday, because this timing seemed like a perfect reminder of the hope obscured by Saturn.

Happy Easter, and I hope this video helps anyone dealing with or anticipating Saturn transits. If you feel depressed or like the glass is half-empty, you might be going through a Saturn transit and not even know it.

It’s Happening!

Thunderstorms brought out the daffodils!