Astrology by Lauren

June 14th ~ 21st

Recognizing undesirable situations as desirable is one of the most powerful thought-training practices.  It is the way to transform suffering into happiness. ~ Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Chiron stations retrograde in Pisces on Sunday, the 16th of June.  This heralds a 5 month period in which the wounded healer unveils to us the complicated story we have woven within.  Traveling in Pisces the question is not so much about our physical wounds, but about any psychic and emotional traumas that have remained unresolved from the past.  These are the sorts of wounds that visit us as night terrors, or ghosts that linger in the shadows that cannot be seen, but continue to taunt us from behind the scenes.  These are the sorts of wounds that insidiously torment us and undermine our effectiveness in the world, without our even realizing it!  

The reason they undermine us is that we do not see our problems, our losses, our suffering as the teachers they are, but instead make them worse by thinking we are helpless, or victims of our fate, or blame ourselves or others whom we perceive to have undermined or harmed us.  And indeed wounds can leave deep scars and pains that are hard to cope with, there is no doubt.  But it is not the scars that hold us back, but our own perceptions.  One of the things that Chiron, the Teacher, has come to unveil, is that through suffering we achieve a higher level of compassion, wisdom and understanding.  And by knowing first hand what it feels like to have pain, through conscious compassion, we become better healers to others, when they experience similar challenges.

Our sorrows and wounds are healed only when we touch them with compassion. ~ Buddha

This means first having compassion and forgiveness for ourselves.  And then extending that also to others.  Scientific studies have proven the benefits of support groups in the healing process, and a good part of that is that these groups are made up of other people with the same wounds as you have.  This lets you know that you are not alone, that there are others in this same place with you.  And you can learn from each other in ways that people who do not share these challenges will never understand.   

But Chiron’s tuition is even more than just unveiling the wounds that allow us to be more compassionate healers, caregivers, parents, children, siblings and friends.  Chiron also unveils our hidden skills, pools of knowledge, experiences and accumulated knowledge that we had taken for granted, and did not recognize for the sacred tools and gifts that they truly are.  Healing is an Art coming from the heart, made more potent by the development of compassionate understanding and empathy, and made more meaningful by the experiences that inform us as well as educate us.

With Mars square Chiron this week, we may be inclined to erroneously believe that the antidote is even worse than the pain we are experiencing, avoiding the very thing we need.  However, with Venus trine from the sign of Cancer, through developing supportive and caring bonds with others, we will be able to withstand and overcome even the most daunting of trials.  And with Pisces co-ruler Neptune currently closely trine Saturn, this is actually a safe time to address whatever wounds may be unveiled through the retrograde passage of Chiron. It is also a time in which the tools and the correct antidotes to heal these are going to be revealed.  It is then up to us to courageously use them.

The above images were created by Elena Ray, whose portfolio can be seen on 123rf.com.

For the week of June 14th thru the 21st, be sure to read your Rising Sign as well:

Aries

Aries ruler, Mars, is traveling through Gemini dragging you out into the neighborhood this weekend to engage with new and unusual people, filled with all sorts of alternative and wacky but inspiring ideas.  It’s when he bumps into Chiron after the weekend that you find yourself gagged and bound.  The fear is that by saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, you might hurt or harm someone else, and so you stifle the words.. or it may be that you fear revealing your wound, or your past to others, lest they perceive you as weak.  It takes a certain amount of courage to be willing to be vulnerable.  Find a way to express your frustration through dance, words, poetry, and art, so that others may share your wound with you in a safe and yet profound and meaningful way.

Taurus

The very thing which you may be fearing and avoiding, may be the very thing you need right now in order to cure what ails you.  The key to healing is found this week through caring and supportive allies and friends.  Your ruler, Venus, in caring and supportive Cancer will help you overcome even the most daunting of challenges.  Surround yourself with well-wishers, and pleasant discussions.  Read, write, and let people know how much they mean to you.  A sense of comraderie ensues.  

Gemini

As Chiron stations it may require a certain amount of courage to acknowledge deep feelings of insecurity.  But do realize with the Sun joining jupiter in your sign this week, that things are going to be looking up for Gemini (and for the rest of us too I hope!).  When the Sun meets Jupiter in this way, it feels like the sky is the limit, and we are all feeling a little bit more optimistic.  Not to mention that loving and protective Venus has come to call this week, warming the cockles of Gemini’s heart.

Cancer

With Mercury and Venus traveling together in your sign, this is a good week to gather the forces, and spread good will all around.  Abraham Lincoln concurred that “When the conduct of men is designed to be influenced, persuasion, kind unassuming persuasion, should ever be adopted.  It is an old and true maxi that ‘a drop of honey catches more flies than a gallon of gall’.  So with men.”  If you wish to have influence with others, this is the way to win hearts and minds.

Leo

Instead of sitting around waiting for the other shoe to fall, realize that there is a whole world of possibility out there waiting for you.  As the Sun approaches Jupiter this week, all of our hearts are filled with a renewed sense of health and well-being, but none more so than Leo.  Allow that feeling of optimism to lift you and allow your heart and outlook to grow 10 sizes too big.  

Virgo

Friends and well-wishers will definitely help to raise you out of whatever funk you may have been subject to.  This is a week to gather your forces, and renew your hope and faith in the future.  A sense of tribal community is important to you now, as you seek out your supportive people, and find new ones, who share common interests and similar backgrounds and history. Things are looking up this week, so there’s no stopping you from achieving your goals.   

Libra

Hope and faith can be restored this week, as you begin to feel once again as if you have something to look forward to.  Something may occur this week, or you may be inspired to open up your perspective, to a new way of looking at the world, or understanding.  Allow that inspiration to carry you through the week, like a bark of support, over even the most daunting of challenges or circumstances.  As your ruler, Venus, travels with Mercury this week, this is a good week for well wishes and sharing with others.  Even the most ornery of people can be won over with kindness and understanding.

Scorpio

Chiron’s station seems poised to undermine us as those demons of despair try to stick their  little needles in us.  It is important for Scorpio to curb their tongues this week, and avoid stepping into some potential land mines, as your ruler Mars taunts Chiron.  Use the courage that Mars brings to the picture to face any challenges that may arise. Luckily the perspective is shifting right along with Chiron, opening up our eyes to broader possibilities.  This may come simply through a conversation, or through something you learn or hear.  Taking the higher road pays off.

Sagittarius

Healing comes through realizing that we all have some sort of dysfunction in our histories, in our backgrounds, whether we deny it or not.  George Bernard Shaw said, “If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance.”  Actually, as Chiron turns, this is a good time to explore your family history, your roots, your background, and come to appreciate the gifts that are being unveiled in the process.  In some way the light is being shone on relationships this week, especially those one on one ties. If you need to get advice on a matter, this would be a good week to do so.

Capricorn

As Chiron rolls about this week, you come to realize how and why it is so important to communicate with others, and to do so clearly.  You have something important to say, and the ability to say it in a way that can help and heal others.  With Pluto traveling through your sign these days, you are no stranger to feelings of pain and frustration.  Your experience and perspective can and will help others to reestablish and reconnect with their own self-worth.

Aquarius

As Chiron is shifting about in Pisces this week, all sorts of things get unearthed in the process, leading us to lose our equilibrium, if only temporarily.  No matter what starts to crawl out, do not give in to the shame demons, realizing that healing comes through valuing your own self-worth. Chiron also reveals others stuff though, and many of these have to do with certain skills and gifts that are being revealed.  And as Mars nods to your co-ruler Uranus this week, change up your routine a bit, entertain the extraordinary.  Even if it means just taking a new route to work in the morning.  When you do this, all sorts of new and inspiring ways of looking at the world can emerge.

Pisces

You are being intuitively led to discover the means to your own healing, and well-being.  The knowledge is already there, as are the teachers and the healing methods.  It is up to you to acknowledge them as they arrive, and then use the tools and the remedies at your disposal.  With Mars square Chiron this week as Chiron stations, we may come to the erroneous conclusion that the remedy is even worse than the pain, and so avoid the very thing we need.  However, one method of healing is quite simple: through love, caring and nurturing and being nurtured, you create supportive bonds on the inner planes that carry you over and through even the most treacherous of trials. 

March 29th ~ April 5th

"It's thrilling to have a court finally recognize how unfair it is for the government to have treated us as though we were strangers.”

This past week a modern day civil rights battle was being hashed out in the Supreme Court of the United States.  One of the primary plaintiffs presenting her case was 83 year old Edith Windsor.  It was the death of Windsor’s wife, Thea Spyer, that led to Edith eventually suing the United States.  Edie and Thea had been together 40 years before they were able to be legally married in 2007, in Toronto.  When Spyer died in 2009, Windsor, living in the state of New York, was charged almost $400,000 in inheritance taxes.  Taxes she would not have had to pay if her spouse had been a man.  But thanks to the Defense of Marriage Act, which states that marriage must be defined by the parties being of opposite sex, Edie and Thea were simply being considered Legal Strangers by the federal government.

Born in 1929, Edie Windsor was born during the generation when Uranus was last in the sign of Aries, almost 84 years ago.  Not only was Uranus in Aries, but it was soon approaching its square to Pluto in Cancer.  Just like now, except that Pluto is in Capricorn.    What we expect to see during these Uranus/Pluto cycles are issues surrounding social activism, rebellion against the establishment, freedom from oppression, reformation and rebuilding.    

“We never dreamed it.  We didn’t expect marriage, even 10 years ago, and I never expected I’d be looking at a piece of paper that said ‘Windsor versus the United States of America.’ Fighting is very hard—we spend our lives coming out, in different circumstances. We’re never all out, somehow. It takes a lot of guts to stand up and let people know—people you’ve lied to much of your life—that not only are you a lesbian, but you’re a lesbian fighting the United States of America.” ~ Edith Windsor

This is a fascinating case from the perspective of Astrological cycles where Mars, the planet of action and courage and war and initiative, were in aspect to both Uranus and Pluto this past week, while the Full Moon in Libra the sign of marriage as well as equality were activating this planetary picture as well.  This civil rights issue was also being debated during the Jewish and Christian festivals of Passover and Easter, holidays not only bound together by the calendar, but by its symbolism of resurrection, release and freedom.   

“Moral disapproval of a group cannot be a legitimate governmental interest under the Equal Protection Clause.” ~ Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

We have other major aspects just perfected and about to perfect this week.  Jupiter, the planet of judgment and courts and decisions is square Chiron, the wounded healer, in Pisces the sign of compassion... the faults of a discriminatory law are being questioned.  And Chiron is also sextile Pluto.  Mercury, the Messenger and the Message and Stories will be attending both of this aspects.  Through the gates of Chiron/Pluto we are being given the tools to heal ourselves of wounds inflicted perhaps lifetimes ago.  These wounds are deeply ingrained in the society (Pluto in Capricorn), deeply entrenched in our fears, our traditions, and what we consider to be ‘shameful’ or hidden, but that need to be radically transformed for our own health and well-being as a society. 

“Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast ~ as you really are.  For Christ, our sacrificial lamb, has been sacrificed.” ~ Corinthians 5:7

Oestre, for which the holiday of Easter was named, was an ancient pagan goddess for whom the approximate month associated with this time of year was also once known.  Her influence was so deeply rooted in the traditions and foundation of the people of Northern Europe, that the christian teachers that sought to take hold of these territories, tolerated the associated pagan traditions (such as coloring eggs, hot cross buns, and Easter Bunnies), and co-opted the name for one of their most important festivals.  The egg is the ultimate symbol of fertility, birth and renewal.  In Russia, red eggs placed on gravesites were seen as a symbol of resurrection.  The color red, associated also with the sign of Aries, is the color of life’s blood, of vigor and of birth.  The tradition of the Easter Bunny bringing their own colorful eggs for children originated in Germany where the Hare was an animal sacred to the goddess Oestre, whom some say is a Northern incarnation of Astarte.  Astarte was known for, among other things, having laid the Golden Egg of the Sun.  And so we welcome in the season of beginnings, of the rising Sun in the North, the season of Aries, and the return of the Great Golden Egg of hope and renewal.  

The painting of Astarte is by Nicholas Kalmakoff ca. 1926

The Xylograph of Ostara is by Johannes Gehrts (created in 1884, but published in 1901)

For the week of March 29th thru April 5th, be sure to read your rising sign as well:

Aries

This is your season.  The time of year of new beginnings, when you can just feel the energy being born and emanating from beneath your wings.  It’s instilling a great deal of gumption in your heart and loins... what you don’t want it to do is get so carried away that you end up stepping on the wrong toes in the process.  Unless that’s what your intention was in the first place.  The good news is, that with all this Aries activity you’re bound to be motivated.  Now you have to find a way of channeling all that energy in some sort of productive way that you can make the most use of it.  Things are moving pretty quickly.  Counter some of that crazy speed with a dose of patience.

Taurus

You would probably be able to sleep a lot more soundly if it weren’t for all this unexpressed angst about things over which you probably don’t have very much control any way... it’s driving you crazy.  You’re going to be feeling a lot more effective and in control of your life by next month.  But in the mean time, focus on the things in front of you over which you do have control, and put the other stuff that you can’t do anything about on the shelf for a bit.  It’s a lot better than letting it get you all anxiety ridden.  

Gemini

This is a good week to allow your voice to be heard.  And it will  be important for you to choose your words well, for they could make all the difference.  Tell your story, or tell the story of others, to illustrate the point as to where the pain is and what needs to be healed.  The key to healing yourself or healing others is through conversation, finding the right words, which also includes listening, sometimes simply silence, and simply being, in order to be there when you are needed.  It is in the sharing of stories that commonality and healing are possible.

Cancer

Normally shy and reticent Cancer is being put in the spotlight these days with all of this crazy and volatile and rebellious Aries weather.  They’ve even got you carrying signs, and fighting city hall!  If it’s a cause that you care deeply about, then it just may be worth your while.  But be cautious as to whose feathers you are ruffling.  Some adversaries can prove to be quite ruthless and jealous if agitated.  Make note of those things over which you do have an ability to change and make a difference, and those that you can’t.  Even small changes can be revolutionary in this type of weather.

Leo

Excitement still calls you from afar.  The question is whether or not you are going to heed its call.  Over the weekend the Sun continues to engage Uranus, before coming up against stalwart and bossy Pluto.  Something may occur to change the plan. This could be good, bad, fun or simply annoying, but the key is to remain flexible, and open to possibility.  If you fight it, you just may find that your energy is being totally drained, especially as you also probably have to contend with situations outside of your control.  Your freedom is particularly important to you this week, so being forced to jump through hoops is not going to sit with you well.  It certainly doesn’t help if people are more demanding and difficult to deal with than usual. Try not to engage their controlling and manipulative behavior.   

Virgo

Someone may approach you with a problem this week, primarily because they know that you will be open to hearing what they have to say.  Sometimes just being there for others is all they simply need.  But if they are asking for advice, make sure that you pick your words well.  For the key for healing and helping others is in finding the right words at the right time.  Words have the capacity to both heal and harm.  Part of that has to do with the motivation, the other part has to do with simply being mindful of what you say when.  You may be made an offer that could have a radical effect on your future.  

Libra

Relationships and engagements with others are going to be keeping you on your toes all week.  Allow yourself to be absolutely fascinated, and be willing to be flexible.  Trying to rein them in, or tie people down to some sort of commitment, will only frustrate and exhaust you.  Flexibility is key, as it becomes obvious that the changes that other people are going through are going to have a direct impact on your choices as well.  Wait to see how things unfold.  There may be a few unexpected developments.

Scorpio

Changes at work?  A new, perhaps even radical daily schedule or routine?  Either of these could have you both anticipating and dreading what’s coming up next, as things seem so changeable and subject to new and unfolding possibilities hiding under every rock.  The key is to be as flexible as possible.  Scorpio is in the process of taking initial baby steps towards their future, which, frankly, is still a little unknowable even as it is unfolding.  Enjoy the possibility, and don’t allow it to overwhelm you in the process.

Sagittarius

This is a wild and crazy week for Sagittarius, but in an utterly exciting way.  Think in bright colors, fascination, creative possibility and a whole new way of being.  All that exciting electric fiery Aries is getting Sagittarius all wired up.  The key is in trying to find some sort of channel through which to express or apply all this anticipation and creative possibility.  You may be called upon to tell your story.  Make sure you choose your words wisely and carefully in the telling of it.  Your story will resonate with the stories of others in the telling, if you do.  

Capricorn

Entertaining at home this week?  Be prepared for some unexpected, surprises.  Even though things could get a little carried away and make you feel like you are herding a flock of rebellious cats, plucking at your last nerve.  Remember that it’s all in fun.  And people are just trying to express themselves. Even if they did decide to use your drapes for their latest bout of creative self-expression. You could probably get some new ones later.  Maybe.  If you want peace and serenity, home is probably not the place where you’re going to be finding it right now.  

Aquarius

You must be one of the characters visiting Capricorn this week and getting her all frazzled and tied in a knot.  It will be difficult to take that lampshade off your head once you get started.  You seem to be in something of a festive mood.  And quite the life of the party at the water cooler as well.  As if you didn’t have enough to discuss, you could be quite surprised by some news that you receive.  Who would have thought?  If you are not quite up to partying, try exploring the neighborhood and daring to engage in some friendly conversation.  It may prove to be more enlightening than you had expected.

Pisces

Yes, there are some things that just seem totally unfair.  Not to mention the crap that they’re putting in the food, and/or passing off as food these days.  Genetically modified what?!?!  It will soon become obvious, if they haven’t already, as to what needs to be redressed and rehashed.  What you don’t want to have to do is to be relegated to the position of the victim... but on the other hand, as the wounded healer travels through your sign, carry that banner as a signature of strength, knowledge and the ability to be an icon for truth and justice.  Use your voice to make a difference, even though you would much rather hide.

March 22nd ~ 29th

I stood in the freezing cold in the Winter of 2003, with hundreds of thousands of other people rallied behind steel gate enclosures outside the UN, as police officers on horses paraded like jailers, shoving and prodding the offal (us) within.  We shared cookies and sentiments and drank hot drinks in our containment area.  People chanting, people carrying signs.  I carried a radio to listen to the voices.  Millions of people protested throughout the world, to just say No to War.  “This is an immoral War,”  the people said.  But the people were ignored.  The people were rendered irrelevant in the face of the Bush/Cheney plan for the Iraq War against Saddam Hussein.  

I write this letter on the 10th anniversary of the Iraq War on behalf of my fellow Iraq War veterans.  I write this letter on behalf of 4,488 soldiers and Marines who died in Iraq.  I write this letter on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of veterans who have been wounded and on behalf of those whose wounds, physical and psychological, have destroyed their lives....

It was 10 years ago on March 19, 2003 that the United States invaded Iraq on the false pretext that Saddam Hussein was hiding weapons of mass destruction.  They rallied their allies behind the pain of the recent 9/11 attacks of which Iraq had absolutely no part.  It was six weeks later that President Bush stood arrogantly under a banner reading “Mission Accomplished” declaring the end to the Iraq War.  But the “War” segued into Operation Iraqi Freedom,  which ultimately became a 9-year multi trillion dollar US military occupation.  

I write this letter on behalf of those veterans whose trauma and self-revulsion for what they have witnessed, endured and done in Iraq have led to suicide and on behalf of the active-duty soldiers and Marines who commit, on average, a suicide a day.  I write this letter on behalf of the some 1 million Iraqi dead and on behalf of the countless Iraqi wounded....

Saturn is retrograde in the sign of Scorpio, a sign associated with death and destruction, and we can retroactively look back now, at all the lives that were lost, the lives that were destroyed because of the choices of those who had the power to do so.  Because of the selfish choices of a few.  This week, Saturn is still involved with Pluto in Capricorn (wealth, power, transformation) and Chiron (the wounded healer), which is joined by Mercury, the planet of communications, of letters, of the voice.  

I write this letter, my last letter, to you, Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney.  I write not because I think you grasp the terrible human and moral consequences of your lies, manipulation and thirst for wealth and power.  I write this letter because, before my own death, I want to make it clear that I, and hundreds of thousands of my fellow veterans, along with millions of my fellow citizens, along with hundreds of millions more in Iraq and the Middle East, know fully who you are and what you have done....

Jupiter also perfects its square to Chiron this week, the aspect of the false prophet, the arrogant authority who claims to be a healer, but who does not listen, who will not listen, assuming they have all the answers, and therefore do not need to listen.  To hear the voices that said No.  Mercury will be here as well in Pisces, the unheard, the silent voices speaking to the wind.

You may evade justice but in our eyes you are each guilty of egregious war crimes, of plunder and, finally, of murder, including the murder of thousands of young Americans ~ my fellow veterans ~ whose future you stole...

And finally we have a Full Moon in Libra, which shines a very bright light on the Uranus/Pluto square on Wednesday.  Mars perfects its conjunction to Uranus today and will square Pluto on Tuesday, while Venus and Uranus in Aries perfect their conjunction to Uranus next Friday.  When the Uranus/Pluto cycle is reactivated, as it is this week, we come to the realization that things that we had previously tolerated, are no longer tolerable.  Mars can bring up a well of self-righteous anger and protest.  It can be volatile.  And it can also be a potent motivator for change, realization and even enlightenment.  Uranus/Pluto cycles are great opportunities to implement much needed changes in society as well as in our personal lives.  Of pursuing the ideal of becoming “the change that you would like to see in the world.”

I have, like many other disabled veterans, come to realize that our mental and physical wounds are of no interest to you, perhaps of no interest to any politician.  We were used.  We were betrayed.  And we have been abandoned.  You, Mr. Bush, make much pretense of being a Christian.  But isn’t lying a sin?  Isn’t murder a sin?  Aren’t theft and selfish ambition sins?  I am not a Christian.  But I believe in the Christian ideal.  I believe that what you do to the least of your brothers you finally do to yourself, to your own soul...

Tomas Young is the Iraq veteran who was the main subject of the documentary “Body of War” produced by Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro.  The film focuses on Tomas’ injuries, his rehabilitation and his political awakening which then led to his becoming an outspoken anti-war activist.  Paralyzed from the chest down when he was struck by a sniper’s bullet in Baghdad’s Sadr City, he has been riddled with health complications which have left him dealing with relentless and unbearable pain.  As a consequence, he has made the mindful decision to end his life some time this year.  But not without first releasing his “Last Letter” to George W. Bush and Dick Cheney.  When asked how he wants to be remembered, Tomas Young replied: “I fought as hard as I could to keep another me from coming back from Iraq.  That is what I want to be remembered for.”  Saturn retrograde in Scorpio.  We will remember.

My day of reckoning is upon me.  Yours will come.  I hope you will be put on trial.  But mostly I hope, for your sakes, that you find the moral courage to face what you have done to me and to many, many others who deserved to live.  I hope that before your time on earth ends, as mine is now ending, you will find the strength of character to stand before the American public and the world, and in particular the Iraqi people, and beg for forgiveness. ~ Tomas Young

a copy of Tomas Young’s last letter can be read in its entirety here: Last Letter

for more on Tomas Young and the “Body of War”: Tomas Young and the End of the Body of War

For the week of March 22nd thru the 29th, be sure to read your Rising Sign as well:

Aries

This week can usher in some dynamic and unexpected changes in your life, which could fill you with the desire to excitedly charge full steam ahead with your plans.  When it comes to initiative, and creating a new start, Aries is the first to carry the banner and lead the charge.  What you do have to watch out for, is if in your enthusiasm to create changes, or to have your voice heard, that other people might perceive you as a threat, if you come across too, ummm... excitedly?  Particularly authorities, or those who wield the power.  Some changes probably do need to be made, and it will become obvious where these need to take place this week, but the status quo will also be digging in its heels.  And they can be ruthless.  State your case clearly and plainly, but exercise caution in your affairs.  And do everything you can to withdraw from any potentially explosive situations.  Change is good.  Self-immolation, not good.  

Taurus

This Full Moon could shine a light on your health, as well as your inner psychological well-being.  Something sudden or unexpected could arise that could change the whole picture in some dynamic way.  Changes are occurring behind the scenes as well that either you are not aware of, or that you don’t want others to find out about just yet.  This Full Moon is kind of like opening the door to a hidden throne room, and then allowing all of these crazy inventions and ideas to spill out in a frenzy.  Allow yourself to flirt with possibility and inspiration as you sift through the new-found wealth of this hidden room.  It could be enlightening in more ways then one.  

Gemini

You know what it feels like to have been wounded, and in this way you are able to have compassion for others who are in the same boat.  See how you can use the wisdom and the experience that you have acquired to be the better able to help, guide and teach others.  What is important here is the ability to be able to hear what others have to say as well, in order to be able to say the right things at the appropriate time.  This is probably not one of the best weeks to be making major personal decisions.  It’s almost as if there are too many choices to be made at once, which can lead to mistakes being made.  And because there is a tendency to be looking forward and up, you may miss what is directly beneath your feet or right in front of you.  

Cancer

This is a crazy Full Moon that throws a light on a number of areas of your life that are currently under construction.  Be prepared for sudden and unexpected events that can alter the picture of your future in all sorts of ways.  The key here is patience, and not giving in to the spontaneous urge to impulsively charge full steam ahead, regardless of the danger or potential conflict that would follow.  If you pace yourself, you can initiate the changes that you had been hoping to achieve.  But this is crazy volatile weather, and what you have to watch out for is the potential for things to devolve into chaos.  If you do have a cause, make sure that it’s a cause worth fighting for or to defend, and also realize that your adversaries feel just as passionately about keeping things the way they want them.  So tread carefully, and use caution and patience when dealing with others.

Leo

This is a crazy and impulsive Full Moon, but one that can open up your perspective in a surprising and illuminating way.  What you need to be cautious about is the urge to make changes sheerly for the sake of change, but without necessarily considering the consequences of your actions.  What is key to this week, is the urge for freedom, and to broaden your horizons.  Breaking the chains of bondage, and simply escaping.  However with this weather, one might heed the words of science fiction writer, Alan Dean Foster, who wrote, “Freedom is just Chaos with better lighting.” So choose carefully and mindfully.

Virgo

There are things that you know, and then there are things that you don’t know.  And sometimes you know things without really knowing why you know them.  And sometimes things may not be exactly what you think you are hearing.  There is a lot that is not being fully shared, or is being shared and you are not hearing clearly.  Sometimes it is hard to follow the logic of what others are trying to tell you, so listen to the meaning behind the words, and that may be the clue that you were needing.  This is probably not a good week to be making important decisions, it will be too easy to miss some of the important details if you are not watching.  However, it is a good week to do research.  This will help to make sure that you really have all the facts straight before committing to anything.

Libra

Other people are going through some serious changes, or getting ready to, and it looks like you may be dragged along into the picture.  Make sure that you have it straight as to exactly how you are going to be affected by all these changes that they are planning for you.  This picture could change rather quickly and unexpectedly.  And this may not necessarily be a bad thing, it just may require a certain adjustment that you hadn’t anticipated.  One key element here, is the need to respect others’ freedom to change and grow, which then in turn allows you to do the same.  Things could be moving pretty quickly here, which could require some sudden decisions over the next week or two, so pay attention.

Scorpio

The Full Moon can bring a situation to a head this Wednesday, making it evident where changes need to be made, and where there could be some potential struggles or challenges.  Challenges that could leave you pretty wasted and exhausted.  On the positive side, there is a lot of incentive and determination here to improve yourself in some way, to throw down the gauntlet and accept the challenge that is being presented to you.  Negatively, in your determination to make changes, or to go full steam ahead, you could create conflict with others, or get drawn into some sort of power struggle.  Therefore, tread carefully, and don’t push yourself or others too hard, or you could find yourself facing a brick wall.  Focus, and channel this energy wisely and cautiously.  

Sagittarius

All of this Aries energy has the potential to be very explosive under the wrong conditions and circumstances.  It can also be a great motivator and inspiration for Sagittarius, who can relate to this dynamic fiery weather.  There is a great deal of potential here, provided you don’t get overly enthusiastic with your own version of events, or confuse opinions with facts.  Use your experience to tell your story, and tell it well, remembering that it’s just as important to listen as well as speak.  Sharing your story will touch hearts and minds who have shared similar experiences.  Being honest and speaking from the soul heals wounds, hearts and minds.

Capricorn

Beware of power struggles this week, as much of that Aries weather and the Full Moon get tangled with Pluto traveling in your sign.  On a positive side, this weather can be very inspiring to get things done, to make necessary changes, perhaps in and around the house or home.   Or to follow through with a personal makeover or change.  Just realize that people may not necessarily be on the same page with your plans, and that there could be a bit of contention to deal with in the process.  Do not engage in these if at all possible.  Exercise the wise caution of a Capricorn native, and focus on the things that you can change, and put aside those that are a bone of contention.  This is a good week to eliminate those things that have outlived their usefulness, preventing your from growing, or are just creating clutter in your life.

Aquarius

There is change on the horizon that culminates with this awe inspiring Full Moon this Wednesday.  Things could be moving, or changing pretty quickly, so keep alert in order to make the most of the possibilities as they arise.  Something new could be learned.  Something unexpected that could change your plans quite suddenly.  Be open to alternatives that you might not have previously considered or explored.  Just be aware, that because things are moving quite quickly that you do not say or do something impulsively, that you will later wish you hadn’t.  We’re all so intent on doing things this week, that we might not wait for the appropriate time.  Something is gradually awakening, which will allow you to take your life and your destiny into your own hands.  But first there’s some work to be tended to.

Pisces

The best way to use this spontaneous Aries energy is to allow it to inspire and motivate you.  Inspire you to take care of that project that you placed on the back burner oh so many months ago.  Inspire you to put your ideals into action.  There is something to be said for being earnest.  There is also something to be said for making sure that you are right first.  Do your research, get all the facts, and then make sure that whatever you have to say can withstand even the most critical of judgments.  And even then, choose your words well, remembering that words have the power to both harm and heal.  “When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.” ~ the Buddha.

August 31 ~ September 7th

When I stand before thee at the day’s end, thou shalt see my scars and know that I had my wounds and also my healing. ~ Rabindranath Tagore

Once again, Chiron and Pluto will be traveling together for several weeks, highlighted at this week’s Full Moon in Pisces, which is conjunct Chiron.  

The mythological Chiron, was half human, half horse, caught between two worlds: the world of the human potential for enlightenment, while simultaneously being embodied in an animal/human form.  Centaurs in general were known for being indulgent louts, with an appetite for alcohol and sexual gratification.  Chiron by contrast was far more sophisticated, educated by the ‘Gods’ and a sage advisor and teacher.  The son of Cronos (Saturn/Time) he was immortal.  So when wounded accidentally by an arrow poisoned with the blood of the Hydra, he could not die, but was subjected to unbearable pain and suffering from the resulting wound in his thigh.  Through his own research and attempts to heal himself, he became extremely knowledgable and skillful in medicine and the healing arts, although he was never able to heal his own wound.  Finally resurrection came when he voluntarily traded his immortality with Prometheus, in order to effect a peaceful death and release from the pain of his earthly existence.  However, instead of being drawn into Hades, Pluto’s realm, he was placed among the stars as the constellation Sagittarius.

Through experiencing one’s own wounds, one develops compassion as well as the means to heal others.  The wounded healer feels the world’s pain because he has experienced suffering himself and knows what that means.  Chiron, astrologer, healer, teacher, surgeon, was the oldest and wisest of the centaurs.  Over the next several weeks, he travels with fellow healer, Pluto.  Pluto lends a strong sense of purpose, as well as the will, effectiveness and power, to make a difference.

Chiron, a half-comet half-asteroid centaur* is conjunct the Full Moon in Pisces on Friday. Through its sextile to Pluto, we are being given the tools and knowledge to effect a healing, even in the wake of what appears to be a confusing, and often unforgiving world, and even when common sense tells us that we don’t stand a ghost of a chance against ‘the powers that be’.

The following excellent video on Chiron, was created by Humanity Healing International, which is a humanitarian, nonpolitical, nondenominational spiritual organization promoting Spiritual Activism as a means to foster Healing for communities around the world.

Chiron is the bridge that can be built between our lower conscious mind experience, and our higher, universal, spiritual experience.  Chiron gives us the means and the tools to build this bridge.  Whether he arrives as a guide, a teacher, an advisor, an astrologer, a healer, an organizer, a priest, an initiator or an elder... she or he will give us the tools to heal our own wounds through the process of healing the wounds of others and of society.  In this way, we have the capacity to create some sort of remarkable shift in our lives.  It’s up to us to gather our forces, and then consciously use the tools, skills and knowledge that are being placed at our disposal.

 *A centaur is a small body that orbits the Sun between the planets Jupiter and Pluto, and crosses the orbits of one or more of the outer planets.  Chiron travels between the orbits of Saturn and Uranus.  Scientists believe that Chiron came from outside of our solar system, and may some day leave.  

The above fresco of Chiron and a young Achilles can be found in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale in Naples, Italy.

For the week of August 31st thru September 7th, be sure to read your rising sign as well:

Aries

Old, hidden, repressed wounds, fears and weaknesses can be revealed in the light of this Full Moon.  What’s so astonishing is that these very wounds are the source of your effectiveness in being able to make connections with others, understand their pain, and create positive change in the world.  Acknowledging your own battle scars and fears, allows you to identify with the invisible and disenfranchised people of the world as well.  Try to channel some of the powerful energy of Mars, now in Scorpio, to fix, rebuild, rehabilitate, remedy and make a difference, both in your life, and the world at large.  This is a very effective week for pursuing and achieving goals.

Taurus

Don’t take things too seriously over the early part of this week.  As Venus fearfully travels through the last dregs of Cancer, she’s going to be particularly sensitive.  Things are probably not half so bad as they seem.  Observe, but try not to take yourself or situations too seriously.  Use this time for introspection and meditation.  You will definitely know when Venus has left Cancer (on Thursday), because all of a sudden the party hats will be pulled out of the back of the closet, and looking pretty spiffy at that.

Gemini

As your ruler, Mercury, enters Virgo, you would expect clarity to descend like manna from heaven.  The problem is you are also going to be simultaneously showered with way more conflicting information and voices than you can handle.  Yes, the circumstances are shifting and changing... and the best bet is to trust your intuition, but also make sure you get all the advice you need if you have to commit to anything this weekend.  However, this sense of unease will shift to incredible clarity and discrimination over the course of the week, where it will become extremely apparent what your true course of action should be.  Also, through the light of the Full Moon, you are being given an opportunity to explore your role as teacher and healer to others.  It could be pretty profound.

Cancer

Wisdom as well as healing is found through your own search for self-improvement, and self-healing.  Through education and through your own spiritual search.  As you grow through this experience, you come to realize that number one, you are not alone in your suffering, and number two, because you have experienced pain in your life, you are in a better position to help and heal others.  As well as help and heal society.  Simply because you understand.  

Leo

Decide what part of your life needs mending, healing, fixing, right now, and take the steps to do so.  Sometimes through admitting what your weaknesses are, by laying your soul bare, you take those first steps towards healing.  It starts with wanting to make a difference.  It follows with a conscious realization that something needs to be reformed, healed, and then going for it.  You have a lot of power behind you to get things done, especially earlier in the week, but watch out for extravagance and excesses after Tuesday.

Virgo

Your ruler, Mercury, enters your own sign, which should and will bring clarity.  But not without some initial self-doubt over the weekend.  It may just be that there is too much information to absorb, so you feel confused and overwhelmed.  This is a temporary situation, don’t spend too much time second-guessing, for clarity unfolds over the week ahead, where you will be able to dot all your i’s and cross your t’s, and be able to see through all the veils of confusion and chaos with discriminating x-ray eyes that don’t miss a detail.  One thing to pay attention to: as clarity descends, and you are able to dig out the truth of a situation, it is also important to follow through with a decision that you make.

Libra  

A health issue or diet concern could come to light with the Full Moon on the 31st.  Pay attention, because this can mean the difference between a healthy, or debilitating lifestyle.  There is also a last ditched effort for Saturn to raise it’s voice in your sign this week, as issues about relationships, and whether or not you are feeling valued and appreciated raises its spectre.  It may be that you are expecting more than others are even capable of giving.  Take the focus off others for the time being.  This is a really good time for quiet reflection and meditation, as your ruler Venus moves through the last degrees of Cancer.  You will know when it enters Leo on Thursday.  That’s when the party starts.  

Scorpio

Can’t you just feel the power?  Your ruler, Mars, is now in its own sign of Scorpio (the Amazon warrior!), and joining forces with the powers for reformation, healing and empowerment.  If you don’t have some sort of passionate commitment or a sense of purpose, then you will want to reassess exactly what you are doing, and where you can direct that energy.  In fact an opportunity to discover what that is, is likely to present itself.  If you already do have clear goals, and something that you are truly passionate about achieving, you can make significant progress and make meaningful connections this week.  

Sagittarius

The Full Moon on Friday illuminates both the dysfunction as well as the glory of your personal or family history, or roots.  Often what we perceived to be a disadvantage growing up, is revealed to be an asset.  We would not be who we are today, if it wasn’t for our personal history and heritage.  And these can also be a source of healing and self-worth.  Towards the end of the week watch for a tendency towards extravagance and showing off.  In this case, pride does goeth before the fall.  Moderate your expectations, and you’ll perform even better than expected.

Capricorn

Relationships could be a bit strained through the middle of next week, as Venus mournfully wanders through the last vestiges of Cancer.  You will know when Venus enters Leo on Thursday, for it will feel like you will finally be able to get down to business.  The Full Moon can shed light on where communications have gone awry, either because you did not get the full story, did not hear correctly, or you only heard what you wanted to.  When you figure out the underlying cause of miscommunications, also spend a little time on how you can remedy the situation.  Healing can come through first realizing that you do have something very important to say, and the capacity to listen, really listen, and connect to what others have to say as well.

Aquarius

The Full Moon on Friday can reveal to you how your lack of self-esteem perhaps, or an over-accentuation on what you do or do not have, is interfering with your own personal growth, and willingness to receive.  Giving is good.  But you also have to be willing to be open to receiving in order to allow the flow of energy to pass between yourself and others.  Like a circuit.  Amanda Owen tells us in her wonderful book, The Power of Receiving,  that one of the first simple steps is to be able to accept compliments.  Thank you for being you, Aquarius.  You make our world so interesting, and dare I say, fascinating.

Pisces

Pisces doesn’t need illegal substances to transcend the material, physical world.  So it comes as something of a rude awakening when the world outside breaks in and disturbs your high.  Try to maintain your objectivity and composure even in the midst of having to tend to very real issues, and having to make decisions.  Just make sure that you have all the information you need before making a commitment.  And watch for a tendency towards extravagance, overindulgence, or overly high expectations towards the end of next week.  However, if you ride that wave of optimism, you can actually use it to accomplish goals or tackle opportunities that you might otherwise ignore.