An orb is the exactness of the degrees in an aspect.

If the orb is tight - say an exact aspect, it’s powerful. For example, my Sun is 20º Gemini and my Mercury is 20º Mercury. That means this is an exact conjunction - and it’s potent. The Sun is power and Mercury is the mind so this amplifies my mental acuity - and ability to express myself.

If the orb is wide - say 10 degrees or more, the energy isn’t as powerful. It may be barely felt. Learn more in this short lesson!

Episode 82. Have you ever heard someone say that they were "born on the cusp?" Wonder what that means? It simply means that they were born on the day that the Sun changed signs. BUT hear this: you're not actually born "on the cusp" - you are either one sign or another. (Astrologers get grouchy when people talk about being born on the cusp.)

That's not the only cusp in astrology by the way. There are also the astrological house cusps - which are legit. In this episode, you'll learn about cusps - and how to figure out what the cusps are on your astrological chart. 

Episode 81. In the last two episodes, I covered the Mercury retrograde and the Venus retrograde transits. This week, we’re talking about the Mars retrograde transit.

Here’s what you need to know… Mars retrograde happens about once every other year. It generally lasts about two months. During a Mars retrograde, anger and aggression can get out of hand. This is NOT the time to start a fight or war. Whichever side starts it usually loses.

This means you’ll want to practice some restraint when it comes to expressing your anger. You’ll also want to take a more chill approach when it comes to anything that requires aggression including sales. If you’re involved in sales or running your own biz, this is not the time to push hard. A softer approach will go further.

I cover this and a few other tips (don't do surgery or launch a biz during this transit!) in this episode.

You might be familiar with the Mercury retrograde transit (ugh). If you aren't, I covered it in last week's Astrology Bytes. This week I'm talking about Venus retrograde, another retrograde transit you might want to pay attention to.

Venus retrograde happens about once every other year. It generally lasts about six weeks. During this transit, relationships can become challenging. Not just romance - any partnership. Lots of folks end up squabbling more than usual. Or old partners show back up on the scene. A relationship started under a Venus retrograde can suddenly go bust without any warning. In business, clients can be demanding or unreliable.

This transit can also bring issues with money, legal affairs, and more. I'm giving you the basics you can be prepared, not scared!

Episode 79. Mercury retrograde. Ugh. The two most dreaded words in astrology! Even people who don't work with astrology know that Mercury retrograde brings on the drama. In this short episode (recorded during a Mercury retrograde!) we'll go over what it means and my simple strategy for working with this rascal. (Hint: add the letters "re" to everything!)

The blog post mentioned in this episode is How To Have a Happy and Productive Mercury Retrograde.

Episode 78. It's eclipse season around here so I thought it might be cool to talk about eclipses. In this episode, I talk briefly about what an eclipse is (thank you NASA!) and the astrological impact of an eclipse. I also give you my strategies for dealing with them because they can be challenging.

The book mentioned in this episode is Eclipses and You: How to Align with Life's Hidden Tides by Judith Hill. Magazine mentioned is The Mountain Astrologer. 

Episode 77. And now we're at the last house in the astrological chart. The twelfth. It's a heavy one, folks. The 12th house represents karma, rest, reflection, hospitals, institutions, prison, psychological health, the subconscious, hidden enemies, secrets, and self-undoing.

This house is associated with the sign Pisces, which is the last sign of the zodiac. Neptune would be the ruling planet. It would be considered mutable and would belong to the water element. It's also one of the "cadent houses." When a planet sits in the natal 12th, it may have something to say about your subconscious or where you need to let go. If a planet transits this house, it could impact your private life - or could awaken a karmic situation. 

Episode 76. The 11th house represents your friends, social life, groups, and associates. Goals are also placed here.

This house is associated with the sign Aquarius, which is the eleventh sign of the zodiac. Uranus and Saturn would be the ruling planets. It would be considered fixed and would belong to the air element. It's also one of the "succedent houses." When a planet sits in the natal 11th, it may have something to say about your social life. If a planet transits this house, it could impact your friendships or goals.

Episode 75. The Tenth House. The 10th house represents your reputation, status, career, and authority. This is the place that symbolizes your street cred, both inherited and earned. It’s also your higher calling.

The Midheaven is the angle associated with the tenth house. The Midheaven is the degree and sign at the top of your chart - in other words, the degree and sign overhead at the moment and location of your birth. I like to say that it shows where you’re going in the world. The Midheaven can indicate your aspirations and how you approach or define success.

This house is associated with the sign Capricorn, which is the tenth sign of the zodiac. Saturn would be the ruling planet. It would be considered cardinal and would belong to the earth element. It's also one of the "angular houses." When a planet sits in the natal 10th, it may have something to say about your career, higher calling, and reputation. If a planet transits this house, it could impact your standing in the world - or your career.

Episode 74. Travel, foreigners, higher education, spirituality, and philosophy all fall under the 9th house. These are the things that allow you to expand your horizons and have a fuller understanding of the world around you. 

This house is associated with the sign Sagittarius, which is the ninth sign of the zodiac. Jupiter would be the ruling planet. It would be considered mutable and would belong to the fire element. It's also one of the "cadent houses." When a planet sits in the natal 9th, it may have something to say about how you travel, as well as your relationship to knowledge and religion. If a planet transits this house, it could impact your trips, education, or spiritual beliefs.