Good Stars Jyotish

Hi everyone,

This is the same post as before, but I’ve included the podcast this time. :)

Yes, it’s time for another episode of “Guess the Writer” (in this case, guess the writer/bohemian). As I did in my last episode, I describe many of the most important aspects about this person that can be seen in their chart and what this likely meant about them so that you can guess who it is I’m talking about.

In this case, the only clue I offer is that this person is no longer living and that they were famous for their bohemian lifestyle (and love affairs, as you’ll hear) as well as their writing. Gender, nationality, etc. I’m leaving out because we wouldn’t want to make it too easy, now would we?

Here’s what this person’s chart looks like:

The placements/aspects I talk about in the podcast are:

* The ascendant in Libra

* Venus in Pisces (sign of her exaltation) in the Sixth house

* Venus square Uranus and Pluto

* Sun in Pisces in the Sixth house

* Jupiter in Pisces (sign of rulership) in the Sixth house, combust the Sun

* Mars in Libra in the First house, conjunct the North Node

* Neptune conjunct the MC

* Moon in Capricorn in the Fourth house

* Moon in opposition to Neptune and conjunct Uranus

* Saturn conjunct Mercury in the 5th house

Last time I really only focused on the person’s ascendant, ascendant ruler, Sun and Moon as well as the planets that ruled the signs they were in. However, since this person has some important placements in angular houses, they really color their personality in a significant way that had to be mentioned.If you’re interested in what all this means and at guessing just who this person might be, then give the episode a listen!

Get full access to Crossroads Astrology at crossroadsastrology.substack.com/subscribe

Today my podcast is about Mercury in Pisces and all I have to say is, welcome to my world!

Mercury rules the sign of Virgo, where it is also said to be “exalted.” This is because detail-oriented, rational and exact Virgo perfectly fits what Mercury wishes to do. Mercury rules language, verbal and written communication, rational thought, commerce and any sort of “messenger” system, like e-mail or the post office.

For these types of things, we definitely prefer the exactness of a Virgo: clear, precise speech, shrewd financial analysis, logistic systems that are expertly and efficiently planned, e-mails that always instantly arrive.

However, in Jupiter-ruled Pisces–the sign that is opposite Virgo–Mercury is in both its detriment and fall, which means this is a particularly challenging sign for the planet to be in. Think of Pisces like a view over a vast ocean when you’re floating right in the middle of it. No details to analyze, no pieces to take apart and put together again like Mercury wants to do, only an endless landscape of watery blue. Mercury struggles in Pisces because it quickly becomes overwhelmed.

Mercury enters Pisces on March 15/16 (depending on where you live in the world) and will stay there until April 5.

This is a fantastic time to do the following:

* Dream and allow yourself to let go

* Follow your creative inspiration

* Write poetry

* Focus on building a spiritual practice

* Meditate

But watch out for:

* unclear thinking

* miscommunications

* crossed signals

* a generally feeling of being lost or overwhelmed

Another important point: Although Pisces Mercury is great for spirituality, be careful that you don’t go for something where you are encouraged to completely turn off your mind in unhealthy ways. There is a difference between letting go and getting brainwashed by a charlatan guru or spiritual leader who insists you should turn off critical thinking, which can sometimes be the danger of Mercury in Pisces energy.

Personal testimony

As I mentioned above, I personally have Mercury in Pisces, which is also my chart ruler. In my podcast I talk about this placement, including both its blessings and challenges. Although it has brought me trouble, I personally wouldn’t trade it in for any other sign, which is good since that’s not possible anyway.

On that note, two famous writers/poets with this placement come to mind. The first is Amanda Gorman, who also has her Sun and Jupiter in Pisces, and the second is Maya Angelou.

These two women are great examples of both the gifts of Mercury in Pisces as well as its challenges: they are (were in the case of Angelou) exceptional poets who also struggled with speech and hearing, particularly as children. Amanda Gorman has an audio processing disorder and had a speech impediment as a child and Maya Angelou didn’t talk for five years following a traumatic childhood event.

Obviously I’m biased, but the lives of these women remind me that planets that have “poor dignity” by sign placement as they say in astrology can really turn into a kind of super power.

Go, Mercury in Pisces!

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After an auspicious new moon in Aquarius last month, March bring us a beautiful Pisces “pond.” On March 13, the Sun and Moon are joined by Venus conjunct Neptune, all in watery Pisces. This new moon is calling us to surrender and let ourselves go.

Venus is in the sign of her exaltation in Pisces–it’s in this sign that she promises a chance at boundless joy and beauty, relationships and harmony, romance and enjoyment. Bringing dissolver-of-all-boundaries Neptune into the mix amps this up and adds a dreamy flair of glamour and idealization to whatever seeds are being planted by this new moon.

However, there is a danger here. A stone pulled from this Pisces pond may well look like a glittering gemstone, but once the water dries it may well turn out to be an ordinary rock.

My advice?

Let yourself drift and dream wherever this new moon lands in your chart, but make sure you still stay grounded. Illusions can be beautiful, and this is what Neptune likes to bring, but they cause trouble if they are allowed to become deceptions. The full moon in Libra towards the end of the month will call us to cut off anything that might have gotten out of hand.

In my podcast, I take the Pisces new moon through the houses to give you a feel for what it might bring to you personally. Enjoy!

Tarot reading for the new moon in Pisces

Today I asked the cards what the new moon in Pisces on March 13 will bring us. I pulled three cards and felt compelled to pull a fourth.

The cards show us the Pisces pond indeed: the King and Queen of Cups, the water suit in the deck. Both figures stare off in opposite direction with a dreamy, somewhat unfocused gaze. By the sea, they look content, although you do have to wonder if someone’s spiked the punch.

What exactly are they dreaming?

The Seven of Cups, the card of dreams and longing itself, but also illusion and deception. Here’s where the glittering, misty, intoxicating allure of Neptune comes into the mix.

And what of the fourth card? The Devil?

The message is clear: give yourself over to the Pisces/Neptune energy of this full moon, and you’ll have the chance to revel and become blissfully zonked out like the King and Queen of Cups are here.

However, do not become fixated on whatever comes up. Otherwise you are in danger of becoming a slave to a desire (the Devil card) for something that by its very nature was designed to be fleeting and ephemeral.

XOXO

Rebeccah

Get full access to Crossroads Astrology at crossroadsastrology.substack.com/subscribe

On this episode I describe the natal chart of a famous writer without telling you who it is until the end. I did this first of all because I thought it would fun, but also so I could show you the initial steps you should always take when interpreting a natal chart.

As I mention in the podcast, this writer is famous, no longer alive and wrote in English. I don’t tell you when they lived or their gender because that would make things too easy.

Here’s what their natal chart looks like:

The steps for approaching a natal chart interpretation:

Step 1: Look at the ascendant. The ascendant is the power point located in the first house (abbreviated here as AC) and indicates the sign and degree that was on the eastern horizon at the time of birth. This writer’s ascendant is in Virgo.

Step 2: Find the ruler of the ascendant and note which sign it is in, which house and any major aspects it is making to other planets. Since Mercury rules the sign of Virgo, this writer’s ascendant ruler (Mercury) is in the 8th house in the sign of Aries.

Aries is a Mars-ruled sign, so to better understand what Mercury is all about here, we need to also look at Mars, which is in Gemini in the 10th house. These planets are in what is called mutual reception (i.e. Mars is in a Mercury-ruled sign and Mercury is in a Mars-ruled sign), which strengthens their bond.

In a nutshell, this means this is a person who is direct, not afraid of conflict or heated discussion who is courageous in their actions (or words especially). They do not stay quiet about taboo topics (8th house) and this is something they are publicly known for (10th house).

Step 3: Look at the sun. The sun here is in Taurus in the 9th house. In ancient astrology, they say the 9th is “the house of joy” for the sun. Among other things, the sun stands for intellect, perception and the higher self, which makes it quite at home in the 9th, which is the place of higher learning, religion and philosophy.

Taurus is a Venus-ruled sign, so it’s important to take a peek at Venus. Like Mercury, Venus is in Aries in the 8th house. This suggest again someone who prefers conflict and action over harmony and passivity. Whoever this writer was, they were likely quite a bossy person, but also someone who could get the ball rolling.

These pursuits also work well with the striving of Mars in the 10th because the two planets are in a trine (i.e. flowing and harmonious) aspect to each other. The symbol for the trine aspect in the table is a blue triangle.

This writer’s sun is also in opposition to Jupiter in Scorpio in the 3rd house. Jupiter in the third suggests a positive relationship with (possibly many) siblings and the surrounding area where the writer lives; this relationship is likely to be intellectual and philosophical in nature, but may also be intense and take on an obsessive tone (Scorpio). However, since Jupiter also trines Mars in the 10th (Mars also rules the 3rd), this relationship likely supports the writer’s public reputation and career in some way.

Step 4: Look at the moon. The writer’s moon is in Aquarius in the 6th house conjunct Saturn. This is not an easy placement of the moon. The moon is what makes us feel comfortable and secure; it’s about what nourishes us and mothering in general. It is also a changeable energy that naturally fluctuates, as does the moon. However, in the Saturn-ruled sign of Aquarius conjunct Saturn itself, you could almost say this person’s moon is frozen, and parked in the 6th house, which is the house of illness and drudgery.

In contrast to the hot-headedness of all the Mars-ruled energy, this moon gives the writer a somber, melancholy tone and suggests hardship and sacrifice around mothering and mothers as well. However, both planets also make a trine to Mars in the 10th which suggests that whatever the pain and hardship this moon represents, it still supports the Mars tone of this chart, which is quite significant. Aquarius is also generally a progressive sign that strives to improve the welfare of others, so this might be a battle that Mars takes on as well.

Any guesses who this writer might be? Listen to the podcast and find out. ;)

XOXO

Rebeccah

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ageofair.substack.com

On this episode I describe the natal chart of a famous writer without telling you who it is until the end. I did this first of all because I thought it would fun, but also so I could show you the initial steps you should always take when interpreting a natal chart.

As I mention in the podcast, this writer is famous, no longer alive and wrote in English. I don’t tell you when they lived or their gender because that would make things too easy.

Here’s what their natal chart looks like:

The steps for approaching a natal chart interpretation:

Step 1: Look at the ascendant. The ascendant is the power point located in the first house (abbreviated here as AC) and indicates the sign and degree that was on the eastern horizon at the time of birth. This writer’s ascendant is in Virgo.

Step 2: Find the ruler of the ascendant and note which sign it is in, which house and any major aspects it is making to other planets. Since Mercury rules the sign of Virgo, this writer’s ascendant ruler (Mercury) is in the 8th house in the sign of Aries.

Aries is a Mars-ruled sign, so to better understand what Mercury is all about here, we need to also look at Mars, which is in Gemini in the 10th house. These planets are in what is called mutual reception (i.e. Mars is in a Mercury-ruled sign and Mercury is in a Mars-ruled sign), which strengthens their bond.

In a nutshell, this means this is a person who is direct, not afraid of conflict or heated discussion who is courageous in their actions (or words especially). They do not stay quiet about taboo topics (8th house) and this is something they are publicly known for (10th house).

Step 3: Look at the sun. The sun here is in Taurus in the 9th house. In ancient astrology, they say the 9th is “the house of joy” for the sun. Among other things, the sun stands for intellect, perception and the higher self, which makes it quite at home in the 9th, which is the place of higher learning, religion and philosophy.

Taurus is a Venus-ruled sign, so it’s important to take a peek at Venus. Like Mercury, Venus is in Aries in the 8th house. This suggest again someone who prefers conflict and action over harmony and passivity. Whoever this writer was, they were likely quite a bossy person, but also someone who could get the ball rolling.

These pursuits also work well with the striving of Mars in the 10th because the two planets are in a trine (i.e. flowing and harmonious) aspect to each other. The symbol for the trine aspect in the table is a blue triangle.

This writer’s sun is also in opposition to Jupiter in Scorpio in the 3rd house. Jupiter in the third suggests a positive relationship with (possibly many) siblings and the surrounding area where the writer lives; this relationship is likely to be intellectual and philosophical in nature, but may also be intense and take on an obsessive tone (Scorpio). However, since Jupiter also trines Mars in the 10th (Mars also rules the 3rd), this relationship likely supports the writer’s public reputation and career in some way.

Step 4: Look at the moon. The writer’s moon is in Aquarius in the 6th house conjunct Saturn. This is not an easy placement of the moon. The moon is what makes us feel comfortable and secure; it’s about what nourishes us and mothering in general. It is also a changeable energy that naturally fluctuates, as does the moon. However, in the Saturn-ruled sign of Aquarius conjunct Saturn itself, you could almost say this person’s moon is frozen, and parked in the 6th house, which is the house of illness and drudgery.

In contrast to the hot-headedness of all the Mars-ruled energy, this moon gives the writer a somber, melancholy tone and suggests hardship and sacrifice around mothering and mothers as well. However, both planets also make a trine to Mars in the 10th which suggests that whatever the pain and hardship this moon represents, it still supports the Mars tone of this chart, which is quite significant. Aquarius is also generally a progressive sign that strives to improve the welfare of others, so this might be a battle that Mars takes on as well.

Any guesses who this writer might be? Listen to the podcast and find out. ;)

XOXO

Rebeccah

Get full access to Crossroads Astrology at crossroadsastrology.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to March 2021 and the beginning of spring!

Photo by Biegun Wschodni on Unsplash

When I was growing up in the Bay Area, spring wasn’t that big of a deal. Sure, there were flowers on the hills, which were a lush green (most of the year they are more golden brown). But winter in that part of California just means around two months of rain (when there’s no drought) and a few days which you might need to wear a cotton scarf and hat because it’s a little nippy out.

Now that I’ve lived in a place for over 20 years where the winters are long and cold and dreary and dark, I understand the true meaning of spring. When the first flowers push their way through the recently thawed ground and the sun appears again in clear skies, you feel like you’ve come alive again after a months-long half slumber.

Astrologically speaking, the spring solstice on March 20 marks the “real” start of the new year–symbolically for those of you who live in the Southern Hemisphere of course.

March does not have the same kind of intensity in astrological aspects and conditions that January and the first half of February had, not to mention all of 2020. But in many ways, this is a good thing. This month has the potential to bring in some relief as well as an almost poetic, intoxicating sense of longing (more on this below). It is also a time where we will be called to examine our relationships, and possibly make changes and cuts at the end of the month.

Here is the breakdown of the astrology of March 2021, including information I didn’t cover in the podcast:

Mercury conjunct Jupiter in Aquarius on March 4: This often symbolizes an announcement of some kind. In the collective, it could be something like financial plans from the government, or something to do with higher education or religion. Since Mercury will be announcing Jupiter’s intentions, whatever the news, the message will be positive and optimistic. Therefore, in your personal life this may be a time when you can expect to hear good news.

Mars enters Gemini on March 5: Mars symbolizes boldness, courage and assertiveness as well as aggression, war and violence. Since Gemini is an air sign ruled by Mercury, any boldness or aggression we see in the world this month is more likely to be done with words rather than fists, for example, courageous speeches on the one hand and propaganda and slander on the other. A positive way to tap into this energy would be to use it to write something or confront someone with words that need to be said–but be careful that your tone doesn’t go below the belt. Mars will be in Gemini until the end of April.

New moon in Pisces on March 13: Like the new moon in Aquarius in February, this Pisces new moon is very powerful and auspicious. The Pisces moon and sun are joined here by a strong Venus in Pisces as well as Neptune. This will spark a beautiful sense of longing in you, a seductive yearning to embark on a quest for the holy grail. Since Venus is here, this will likely be tied up very much with relationships, love, beauty or art. As wonderful as this is, the challenge here will be to still stay grounded and not lose your head to what may turn out to be little more than a beautiful illusion. Since this longing will manifest in your life in different ways depending on where the new moon falls in your chart, I’ll be writing a post about this later, so stay tuned.

Mercury enters Pisces on March 16: Since Mercury went retrograde, it spent around two months in the sign of Aquarius. Aquarius is a progressive and forward-looking sign, but is also very mental and rational. Pisces, on the other hand, is much more emotional and poetic; Aquarius is progressive, yes, but often in an abstract way, but Pisces tends to be more altruistic in a hands-on kind of way. For example, Mercury in Aquarius drafts plans for how to help the poor which they then present to the committee, whereas Mercury in Pisces serves people directly in the soup kitchen where it listens to their woes and perhaps sings them a song it wrote to soothe their troubles. As nice as this may sound, Pisces is the sign of Mercury’s detriment and fall, which means it’s not an easy sign for Mercury to be in. Therefore, during this period, we need to also watch out for miscommunications and unclear thinking. Mercury will be in Pisces until the beginning of April.

Sun enters Aries on March 21: The “Aries ingress” (i.e. the moment the sun enters a sign) each year is a big deal. In Aries, the sun is in its exaltation and therefore very strong. As I mentioned above, the spring equinox is the “astrological new year,” and in mundane astrology (i.e. the astrology of world events) the Aries ingress chart is very important as it becomes the chart that symbolizes how the year will progress for a certain country or region. This chart is cast for the minute the sun enters the sign of Aries, which varies depending on the place. For example, in Washington DC, the sun might enter Aries at 11:45 pm on March 20 and in Paris at 6:32 am on March 21. In each case, the chart cast for that time would describe the fates and fortunes of the United States and France (and more broadly, the EU) until the next Aries ingress in the spring of 2022. I might do a post on this topic later, or point you to another astrologer’s work, as this is a very useful and fascinating technique.

Venus enters Aries on March 22: Venus is Pisces (the sign of exaltation) can be described as the beauty of unconditional love and boundlessness, whereas Venus in Aries (the sign of her detriment) is much more about stating what you want and don’t want in very clear, sometimes even pushy, terms. Aries is a Mars-ruled sign and harmony-loving Venus does not do very well here. Although this may bring about strife in relationships or trouble for a woman in the public eye, the full moon in a few days’ time tells us this may just be what we need.

Mercury square Mars on March 24: As I mentioned in the podcast, this often means times of quarrel and debate, particularly from the side of whoever is playing the more aggressive role of Mars. However, since Mercury rules Gemini, the sign Mars is currently in, it may also mean that Mars will act as a “soldier” for Mercury in Pisces’ altruistic cause. Let’s just hope it’s not one based on illusion or deception, which may be the case when Mercury finds itself in the sign of its detriment and fall.

Full moon in Libra on March 28: So much about March is about Venus and relationships, and the same holds true for the new moon, which is in the Venus-ruled sign of Libra. On this day, Venus is Aries is conjunct the sun; in ancient astrology, this is called being at the “heart of the sun” and symbolizes a time when a planet gets an “audience with the king” (the sun) and has the chance to have their wishes granted. Venus in Aries here is asking us to be bold enough to examine or relationships and how we relate to others. Are there some relationships we need to cut off because we’ve grown out of them or the balance (a very Venusian concept) is off? How do we wish to proceed with how we relate in the future? Beyond personal relationships, what do we need to change about how we approach love, beauty and art? This energy gives us the impulse to explore these questions as well as the courage to make changes where needed. This should be the focus for the next two weeks until the new moon in Aries on April 12.

So that’s all I have to say about the astrology of March.

If you would like hear an astrological forecast for the month for your rising sign, check out this video by Acyuta-bhava Das.

Next week I’ll be back with a mini astrology lesson about terms like “exaltation,” “rulership,” “detriment,” and “fall,” to help you better understand what this means. I’ll also do a podcast and post about the new moon through the houses in the second week of March.

Until then, have a great weekend and all the best.

XOXO

Rebecca

Get full access to Crossroads Astrology at crossroadsastrology.substack.com/subscribe

Happy Monday everyone!

I started today’s podcast with a short rundown of the astrology for the last week of February 2021. The points worth mentioning for the week are:

Mercury stations direct on February 21

Venus enters the sign of Pisces on February 25

Full moon in Virgo on February 27 (culmination of the auspicious moon cycle that started with the new moon on February 11)

I plan to either write and record a quick podcast to cover the last two points later this week, but the main focus of the podcast is understanding planetary days and hours.

Before we go into more detail about what this means, take a minute to ask yourself the question: What is time?

Photo by M on Unsplash

In most cases, your definition is likely to be similar to the one I found when I google “time definition”. In a nutshell, time is a measurement either of periods or hours, minutes, seconds.

However, what if I told you there is actually an ancient system that speaks to the quality of time?

If you think about it, thinking about time in this way really shouldn’t be surprising. We all have experienced those times when we just couldn’t concentrate no matter how hard we tried, when there was a strange aggressive feeling in the air, or times when we find it easy to communicate or enjoy ourselves as well as times when the opposite is true.

You can analyze theses differences, as well as make choices for when to do what, by using the ancient system of planetary days and hours.

So what are planetary days and hours?

Good questions!

This system and method for measuring the quality of time hails back to the Hellenistic astrology, although it may have its roots in ancient Babylonia.

In this system, each day of the week is assigned to one of the seven classical planets as follows:

* Monday is the day of the Moon

* Tuesday is the day of Mars

* Wednesday is the day of Mercury

* Thursday is the day of Jupiter

* Friday is the day of Venus

* Saturday is the day of Saturn

* Sunday is the day of the Sun

This system was one so ubiquitous that it is still reflected in the days of the week. For example, the Romance languages still reflect the Greco-Roman tradition, e.g. lundi, lunes, etc. for Monday (Luna=the moon), but switched the weekend days to indicate “Sabbath” (e.g. sábado) and “the day of the Lord” (e.g. domingo) after the rise of christianity.

In English, we kept Saturn and the Sun for our weekends, and used the names of Germanic deities for the rest of the week, e.g. Thursday which is “Thor’s day,” the Germanic deity that is the equivalent to the Greco-Roman Jupiter/Zeus.

This same system of planets for each day is also reflected in many languages on the Indian subcontinent as well as a number of Southeast Asian language.

However, as the name of this post suggests, this system does more than just give each day of the week to a planet. This same system describing the quality of time is also divided into each hour of the day. Although the break-down of the planetary hours is somewhat complicated (more on that later), how it works as that the first hour at dawn always goes to the planet of that particular day.

For example, at dawn on Saturday, it is the hour and day of Saturn.

After this, the hours follow what is called “Chaldean order”. This describes the classical seven planets from slowest to quickest, and therefore goes as follows: Saturn (the slowest), Jupiter, Mars, the Sun (considered a “planet” in this system, as is the moon), Venus, Mercury, the Moon.

So, in other words, on Saturday (the day of Saturn) we start at dawn with the hour of Saturn which is followed by the hour of Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury, the Moon and then Saturn, thus the cycle starts again.

This order is the same no matter what the day, e.g. at dawn on Wednesday (the day of Mercury) we get the hour of Mercury followed by the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus and then Mercury again, which restarts the pattern.

However, as I mentioned above, the hours are not usually split into neat 60 minute intervals (except at the Vernal and Autumnal Equinox). They are divided depending how much light there is during the day. For example, when there is less light in the winter, the daytime planetary hours are less than 60 minutes and the nighttime planetary hours are more than 60 minutes; at times of the year when there is more light, the opposite is true.

Although you could figure out the math and calculate the hours yourself if that’s your kind of thing, I suggest just checking out on of the many free planetary hour calculators or apps, like planetaryhours.net. If you don’t know the symbols for the planets, the sun and moon should be obvious as are Venus and Mars (although most people know these already, what they symbolize are a hand mirror (Venus) and a shield and spear (Mars). Mercury looks like the symbol for Venus with two little horns, Saturn looks like an h with a line through the top and Jupiter looks like the number four.

If that still doesn’t make sense, then just google astrological symbols for the planets and you’ll find them all over the place, but go ahead and ignore the outer planets, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, which aren’t part of this system.

Ok, that’s kind of interesting, but also abstract and technical. What the heck does it all mean?

As I mentioned above and in the podcast, this system measures the quality of time. What this means is the days and hours of each of the planet have a quality that supports and/or manifests the following:

Day and/or hour of the Sun promotes visibility or vitality. This day and/or hour would be great for asking for a promotion, making a presentation or performance, improving your health or social status. NOT as ideal for work in the background or intense, solitary concentration.

Day and/or hour of the Moon is ideal for doing things that bring you comfort or make you feel nurtured or nurturing towards others. This is a great time to “watch Netflix and chill,” take a long leisurely bath, cook a delicious meal (with lots of butter and cream), indulge in rich desserts or undertake any domestic activity that is not too strenuous. NOT as ideal for doing things that are strenuous, require (unpleasant) levels of concentration or that take you out of your comfort zone.

Day and/or hour of Mercury is deal for abstract thinking, writing, analyzing and rational and logical communication (opps, I think I forget to mention this planet in the podcast!). This is a great time for business transactions or visiting a busy market, which are also ruled by Mercury. NOT as ideal for emotional or artistic communication (more the realm of the moon and Venus. One more thing worth mentioning is that the days/hours of particular planet also carry the quality of that planet’s condition at the time. For example, when Mercury is retrograde, which happens three times a year, the typical miscommunication, technology hiccups and transportation snafus that happen will be particularly pronounced during its days and hours.

Day and/or hour of Venus supports any social occasions, love, marriage, improving your appearance, art and increasing harmony. This is a great time to get a new haircut or shop for new clothes, sing or play a musical instrument, go on a date or socialize in general. NOT as ideal for activities where its important to be assertive or do strenuous exercise (other than the very Venusian sexual intercourse).

Day and/or hour of Mars supports physical exertion, assertiveness and boldness. However, this energy can be confrontational and/or aggressive as well, so its NOT ideal for times where more diplomacy is called for (this would be Venus), rational discussion (Mercury), etc.

Day and/or hour of Jupiter is great for success is all things, great beginning (e.g. for starting a business or project) or financial and spiritual pursuits. In general, you really can’t go wrong with Jupiter, who brings good luck and optimistic buoyancy. However, some caution is advised as Jupiter tends to overdone and is sometimes prone to excess or being overly (i.e. blindly) optimistic.

Day and/or hour of Saturn is great for anything that requires discipline, intense focus and concentration, solitary pursuits and work that is tedious but needs to get done. This energy is also great for working of breaking bad habits and accepting responsibility. NOT ideal for any kind of socializing other than perhaps deep scholarly discussions or anything that needs a light and easy feeling of buoyancy.

If you would like the support of a particular planetary energy, waiting for the day and hour or that planet is best, but if that’s not possible, then shoot for that planet’s hour on any given day.

A few more thoughts about planetary days and hours.

This system really is amazing and can bring a lot into your life. However, don’t just take my word for it. Do a little investigation yourself.

When you notice that the energy in the air is really tense and heavy, or particularly cheerful or pleasant or aggressive and combative, note down the time or take a peek in your planetary hours calculator. Chances are you’ll be able to see a pattern, e.g. the first will be a Saturn-toned day/hour, the second Venusian and/or Jovian and the third Martial. For research purposes and testing the system, I suggest doing it retrospectively like this rather than looking ahead, as this will rule out suggestibility.

Don’t get hung up on tracking the hours compulsively. This system is definitely helpful, but it still not something that should take over your life. However, for important decisions or strategies it can be super helpful.

Want to post something on your blog that gets you attention and comes across as pleasing to your reader? Then shoot for the day and hour of Venus or perhaps the day of the Sun (visibility) and the hour of Venus (pleasing energy).

Need to confront your spouse on a topic that you tend to fight about? Do not do this during the day and hour of Mars! Instead, go out for a jog and have that talk in the hour of Venus or Mercury instead.

Have fun and feel free to share your stories below.

XOXO

Rebeccah

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Welcome to the third week of February!

It’s finally here, that aspect we’ve been feeling build up pretty much since Saturn entered Aquarius on December 27, 2020 (with a little preview last spring and early summer):

Saturn square Uranus

So what happens when the planet of boundaries, limitations, authority, rules and regulations, establishment institutions and maturity (Saturn) comes into a tense aspect with the planet of sudden change, innovation, invention, revolution and chaos?

Protest and lots of it!

However, be careful that you don’t put one planet in the role of the good guy and one in the role of the bad guy. Sure, authoritarian figures such as Putin are taking the role of Saturn in his more negative form and the Russian citizens who have taken to the streets to protest the imprisonment of the opposition leader Alexei Navalny are definitely following the Uranian spirit.

But the same energy can be seen when the US Government (Saturn) talks about restricting and regulating Wall Street or the tech industry, the later of which is basically the Uranian poster child (disrupt, innovate at breakneck speed, pick up the piece of what you break later or don’t because who cares? – this is basically the battle cry of both Uranus and Silicon Valley).

These days, the examples of this dynamic are truly endless.

Saturn square Uranus will be exact on February 17.

In my podcast, I talk about what this might mean collectively (also in terms of the Corona virus) as well as personally. If you haven’t listened to my New Moon in Aquarius podcast, please do as this will also give you a more in-depth feel for how these planets will be influencing you for the rest of the year – no doubt about it, 2021 is the year of Saturn (tensely) meets Uranus!

I also talk about the other interesting aspect of the week: Venus square Mars on February 20. In this aspect, Venus definitely has the upper hand – in fact, Mars will basically be acting like her soldier Valentine. Listen to find out more.

Tarot for Saturn square Uranus

I don’t even need to pull a card to know which image in the tarot speaks to the energy of Saturn square Uranus. In my mind, the answer is obvious:

The Tower card.

Take a look at the images on the Tower card from my three favorite decks (in case you’re wondering, I have six decks in all, although I’m sure that number will increase in the future ;) ). In each case, a tower struck is by lightening (or a weird flower flame thing), and figures fall off the top, presumably to their doom.

Lightening is the perfect symbol for the sudden Uranian impulse – astrologers tend to compare Uranus’s energy to electricity.

And the tower? It doesn’t get more Saturnian than a lonely fortress tower that has been standing, solid and true, for centuries.

But what’s really happening here? Has the tower been destroyed? No yet, although in the Marseille tarot, its crown has been knocked off its “head.”

And what of the figures? Are they hapless victims, or did their own carelessness cause their fall? After all, everyone knows you shouldn’t stand up on a roof near the lightening rods during a thunderstorm.

However, it’s not wise to simply retreat into the tower either. They say lightening never strikes the same place twice, but you never know. Besides, to shake old Saturn up, Uranus may very well hit that tower next with an Earthquake.

My advice? When it comes to Saturn and Uranus, balance is called for. In 2021 – and particularly whenever this square is exact, as it will be on February 17 and two more times later in the year – do not cling to the security of the past, trying to restore things to the way they once were. Change is already here: don’t resist it.

However, don’t become impatient and work to knock things down yourself at a pace you might later regret, or that are in danger of spiralling out of control.

The best solution?

Get the hell out of the tower and run for the hills. That’s probably where Saturn in Aquarius is building up new structures, maybe even tiny houses off the grid which Uranus and Taurus would most definitely be down for.

Let the Tower card stand for Uranus challenging structures and institutions that already began to crumble when Saturn met up with Pluto last year in Capricorn – and crumble they must. Goodbye age of Earth, hello age of Air.

In Aquarius, Saturn is very strong. The planet is in one of its best, most forward-looking placements, offering us the chance to build positive new structure – and he will prevail. Saturn is making what is called a superior square to Uranus, which means he ultimately has the upper hand. Uranus is here to shake things up and challenge them, which may be just what we need. But he still won’t win in the end.

When the lightening bolts are hurled and the Earth trembles, just make sure you don’t get stuck in the middle. The Tower of Babel fell for a reason. Don’t become too rigid. Stand back and let change happen. Feel free to lift your voice, but don’t explode and go too far.

One more thing: watch out for falling bricks.

XOXO

Rebeccah

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On February 11, a powerful and very unusual new moon will take place. What makes it unusual is the sheer number of planets in the sign of Aquarius: six out of the seven visible planets.

It’s quite rare to have a stellium–as it’s called in astrology–of this size in any sign; the last time a new moon of this magnitude happened in the sign of Aquarius was on February 5, 1962. That one even outdid this one because Mars jumped in with the Aquarian crowd and there was a solar eclipse. Very intense!

However, what the mega Aquarian new moon on February 11 has that the one in the 60s didn’t have is the beautiful Venus Jupiter conjunction. In traditional astrology, Venus and Jupiter are considered the “benefic” planets, and having them meet up together like that in the new moon brings in a very auspicious aspect.

Since all of these Aquarius planets will fall into one house in your chart if you use the whole sign chart system, as I do, one very specific part of your life will be the focus here. That’s why I decided to skip talking about this new moon in the collective and instead take you through the different houses so that you might get a feel for the opportunities and focus it will highlight in your own life.

The planets in the Aquarian new moon stellium

The six planets in Aquarius in this new moon are the sun, moon, Saturn, Mercury, Venus and Jupiter, which are also conjunct as I mentioned above. However, the planet that really sets the tone here and has the final say is Saturn.

Why?

Because Saturn rules the sign of Aquarius, which makes his position very strong. Since all of the other planets are also in Aquarius, you could consider them his “guests.” When you’re the guest in someone’s home, you are in their space and have to follow their rules, so Saturn is the guy in charge here.

Saturn in Aquarius brings out the more positive sides of this planet. What he’s asking us to do here is focus on building new structures and laying a new foundations in whatever part of your life is represented by the house this new moon occurs in. Since this is Saturn we’re talking about, the approach taken here involves a sense of commitment and seriousness about working hard about whatever realm is being highlighted here.

The other Aquarian planets support Saturn in his intentions as follows:

Sun and Moon: purpose and your needs to feel comforted and comfortable are aligned with this goal; since these two planets meet up in the same sign, as they always do during a new moon, they are planting the seed that will develop over this moon cycle and beyond.

Mercury Retrograde: As I spoke about in my last podcast, Mercury Retrograde asks us to review our past actions and thoughts and make changes and adjustments where necessary. In this case, it will focus on whatever the Aquarius-ruled house in your chart represents.

Venus and Jupiter: Venus here could focus on building new relationship patterns and greater harmony in the Aquarius-ruled house and Jupiter calls you to meet these challenge with vision and optimism. As I mentioned earlier, having these planets conjunct in this new moon is extremely auspicious. Basically, what this means is that if you heed Saturn’s call to reexamine and restructure the area of your life the house these planets fall in and put in the hard work, you will be rewarded and fortunate in these matters in the end.

Although the main focus will be over this two-week moon cycle, the work will continue. If you get serious and commit to the work Saturn is asking for, you will reap the rewards around the time of the Aquarius full moon, which will take place of August 22.

Mars and Uranus in Taurus

Still in Capricorn, Pluto doesn’t really come into the equation here. However, Mars and Uranus are still in Taurus. Although neither of them is making an exact aspect to the Aquarian crew, they are both in a sign-based square, which means they are bringing some tension and conflict into the new moon.

So what does this mean?

It means that these planets will be bringing in some impatience and possibly annoyance and anger. Saturn is slow and methodical, and both of these planets like to act quickly without taking much time to think. Uranus calls for innovation, disruption and revolution and does not like Saturn’s structured, more conservative approach, and may seek to counteract them with a rebellious spirit.

However, Saturn is the clear winner here. Partly this is because his Aquarian posse outguns Uranus and Mars, who is not very strong in Taurus. Another reason is because Aquarius is in what is called the superior square position. This is a method in traditional astrology that describes who has the upper hand in any aspect except the opposition.

What this means is that Mars and Uranus will have the chance to make some noise and buzz around a bit like an angry wasp, but Saturn will ultimately emerge the winner. Where this anger, stress or impatience is coming from will depend on the house these two planets will be in on the day of the new moon in your particular chart.

The new moon through the houses

In my podcast, I go through the new moon in the houses by rising sign. This will show you what area of life is highlighted by this new moon and will be where you should put in the work that will pay off in the end.

If you don’t know your rising sign, go to a website like astro.com and enter your birthdate, birth place and time of birth. The house with Aquarius on the cusp will be indicated by this symbol.

Please note that this won’t work without the exact time of birth, as this is what determines your rising sign and houses. Therefore, you really need to take the time listed on your birth certificate rather than your mom’s tip that you were born “around noon.”

In the Western world, birth times are included on birth certificates. However, if you were born in a place where this was not the norm or the information what left out for some reason, you can still do something called chart rectification. For this, an astrologer tracks major events in your life to determine your correct rising sign. Although I don’t offer this service, you could reach out to astrologers like Leisa Schaim if you are interested.

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Welcome to the second week of February!

Still very much a hard time of the year for my California soul, even after living over 20 years in a place that actually has winter. My birthday is on February 16 and it took moving to Berlin to realize I was not born in the spring, but rather in the very heart of winter.

“Winter” in the Bay Area generally means around six to eight weeks of rain and chilly days where you might need to wear a cotton scarf or something that could be described in very loose terms as a “coat,” but this period was generally over by the time my birthday rolled around.

Oh February, how you’ve disappointed me!

Joking aside, the second week of February is a week that, as a writer, is very close to my heart because it’s calling us to make revisions on several levels when Mercury retrograde meets up with other planets.

The aspects I mention on the podcasts are:

* Mercury retrograde conjunct the Sun on February 8 (at around 20 degrees of Aquarius, which echoes where the planet was on January 22)

* Mercury retrograde square Mars on February 10 (at around 18 degrees of Aquarius, which echoes where the planet was on January 20)

* Mercury retrograde conjunct Venus on February 13 (at around 15 degrees of Aquarius, which echoes where the planet was on January 18)

* Mercury retrograde conjunct Jupiter on February 14 (at around 14 degrees of Aquarius, which echoes where the planet was on January 17/18)

I will be doing a separate podcast about next week’s new moon in Aquarius which I will publish here on Monday, February 8 – so stay tuned!

Tarot reading for Mercury retrograde

As I’ve mentioned before, I think astrology and tarot compliment each other in really great ways.

At its best, astrology is highly technical and analytical, a truly left-brain, abstract pursuit. The art of the system is synthesising the vast amounts of information into a coherent form. To do so effectively you need to be skilled at choosing the details that matter and bring them into a whole, otherwise you really run the risk of missing the forest for the trees.

But tarot? The language of tarot is poetry; the cards are storytellers who speak in images and symbols. It’s important to know the traditional meanings of the cards, but it’s equally important to completely throw them out the window at times.

In many ways, tarot is about seeing what is there each time you lay the cards and then describing it in simple terms – easier said than done. To do this, it’s important not to get stuck on “this card means that, and that card means this,” but you also don’t want to go completely of the rails.

Ok, the lecture is over for now, let’s move on to the readings.

Here are the cards I pulled for the question, “What should we learn from the Mercury retrograde cycle?”

The first card I pulled was the page of rods. Rods (also called wands) are the suit that correspond to the element of fire. The page in this card is looking to the future; he has new, exciting ideas and would like to push them through, perhaps even fight for them. Look how firmly he holds the rod, which can quickly be used as a weapon if the need arises. Like fire, rods want to move, and can become impatient when blocked.

But the page’s exuberant quest is indeed blocked by none other than the King of Swords. Could Saturn in Aquarius be creeping in here? Among its positive qualities, Saturn signifies maturity and authority. A king definitely has more experience and authority than a page and a sword (whose suit is ruled by the element of air) could easily chop that flimsy rod right in two. Since Mercury is in Aquarius, he is a “guest” in the home of Saturn bound to follow the planet’s rules.

Which way in the king looking? To the past, in retrograde motion if you will.

So what’s the message here? The spark of inspiration (fire) and new ideas are all well and good, but to truly grow into their own you need to review them mentally (air) and makes changes and adjustments as needed. A hot-headed page can only grow into a king once this is done.

This message, the wisdom and necessity of revision and revisiting in order to grow and progress, is carried out by the third card: the Earth-ruled size of pentacles, which stands for the value of hard work and discipline. Heed this call and spend this retrograde cycle to reflect on and test ideas that started in the middle of January.

I pulled cards for Mercury retrograde’s aspects to the planets as well, but this reading here already sums it up perfectly. What is being revised and with whom varies depending on the planet involved. Listen to the podcast if you’d like to know more.

As for me, the revision message is clear: I’m getting my butt in the chair to work on revising my novel. Wish me luck in this endeavour as I wish you luck in yours.

XOXO

Rebeccah

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