Astrology by Lauren

May 17th ~ 24th

I read the news today oh boy

Four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire

And though the holes were rather small

They had to count them all

Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall.

I’d love to turn you on.

~ Lennon/McCartney

The song, A Day in the Life, by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, describes the angst, and sometimes depressing futility of modern day life. But rather than succumbing to the meaningless banality and hopelessness of our everyday lives, we are also being asked here to do something, almost anything, something meaningful, something incredible, to not just change ourselves, but something that will also maybe impact the rest of the world as well.  

As we enter Gemini Season this week, Uranus and Pluto make their 3rd square in this series of 7 squares in a 3 year period.  Gemini is the sign of the News, good news, bad news, journalism, misinformation, distracting information, conversations, what you hear, what you see, what you learn, curiosity, gossip, the desire to know, to learn, to breathe, to gasp, to wheeze.  It is the soft breeze lightly caressing your face, and the strong blustery winds blowing the hat off your head.  We are being shook out of our lethargy, being asked to pay attention, to notice, to be turned on by what we see and hear and read.  

Meanwhile, the Uranus/Pluto wave of transformation, rebellion, revolution, social activism, reformation, and freedom, is winding its way through the backdrop of our lives.  One of the primary elements at the basis of this cycle is power, the abuse of power, or the apparent inequality of power that becomes too overwhelming to ignore and is often the impetus for change.  It is also often preceded or accompanied by some sort of economic collapse or crisis that exacerbates the disparity between classes or opposing parties. Where there is oppression and austerity, there will be a desire to be free; where there is an excess of greed and power, there will be a need for adjustment; and where structures are outdated or unstable, they will crumble, fall, and need to be rebuilt.  

The law of liberty tends to abolish the reign of race over race, of faith over faith, of class over class.  It is not the realization of a political ideal; it is the discharge of a moral obligation. ~ John Dalbert

There is a new and enlightening book, The Body Economic: Why Austerity Kills, in which the authors explore the dangers and consequences of critical austerity measures being applied in some Western countries in response to the prevalent economic recession.  It comes as a wake up call in the midst of our current Uranus/Pluto crisis.  A tipping point, in which we are being asked to take heed.

David Stuckler and Sanjay Basu compared countries such as Greece, that have applied strict austerity measures in order to compensate for their overwhelming debt; with countries such as Iceland, who by contrast invested in jobs programs and continued to maintain their broad social safety net as a means to stimulate their economy.  As part of its cut backs, Greece has hobbled its health care system by cutting back funds by more than 40%, virtually eliminating its HIV prevention program and rendering its psychiatric services impotent.  As a result, in an atmosphere in which 50% of its youths are unemployed, they have seen a 200% rise in HIV cases, and its suicide rate (previously one of the lowest in Western Europe) has increased by 60%.  By contrast, in Iceland, which has continued to maintain its Universal Healthcare system, and invested in job growth, they have not only avoided these public health disasters, but are now inching steadily towards economic recovery.  

So there is an opportunity here to make a lasting difference.  To set our economies on track for a happier, healthier future, as we did in the postwar period.  To get our priorities as a society right.  It’s not yet too late.  Almost, but not quite. ~ David Stuckler

It was during one of the previous Uranus/Pluto squares that Franklin D. Roosevelt implemented his New Deal, a broad social safety net which buoyed up the U.S. after the Great Depression through a series of economic programs.  In addition a public works program was established which employed millions of people.  Since that time, many of these stabilizing programs have come under attack by a cadre of conservatives, calling for greater austerity.  

Uranus/Pluto cycles are times of instability.  As a result, the fluidity of these times allows for changes to be made where they are needed.  But these require the right changes.  Changes that are informed, and take into consideration the greater good of all.  These are opportunities to not only make much needed changes in society but in our personal lives as well.  In fact, if you are due for necessary changes and resist, they may even be made for you through a series of circumstances beyond your control.  Ideally, the best path to take at this time is to pursue the ideal of creating and initiating yourself, the changes that you would like to see, both in your life and in the world at large.  

the above image of Gemini symbol is by Mettus, whose portfolio can be seen on 123rf.com

For the week of May 17th thru the 24th, be sure to read your Rising Sign as well:

Aries

If you feel confused by what you hear, or cannot make up your mind over the weekend, don’t.  Just let it be.  Allow space, meditation and reflection to enter your busy life.  Many of you stand on the threshold of a new found independence, and sense of authenticity, which you feel you need to promote like a radical, new-born and brilliant idea, even in the face of entrenched and oppressive traditions.  You are being led to realize what those changes look like, and how they feel.  Embrace them, for these are changes whose time has come. The old order is gradually being transformed to accommodate.

Taurus

This is a week of creative ingenuity, good news, fair greetings, clarity and healing.  Meetings or alliances with brilliant or alternative individuals can prove to not only be enlightening, but creatively inspiring as well.  Be willing to step out of your usual routine this weekend, to see an art show, do some sight-seeing, or engage in some brilliant conversation.  It will feel like you just opened a window on to a whole new world of experience and possibility.  They key to healing this week, is in not comparing yourself to others and what they have, or what you don’t, but in simply accepting who you are and what you have, and finding joy in even the simplest of pleasures.

Gemini

If you perceive a conflict between what you are being told, and what you intuitively know to be true, then it warrants some sort of investigation.  We are being inundated with information right now, and it’s up to us to translate and sift our the misinformation from the truth, to discriminate between what we want to be true and reality.  Be open to alternatives and be willing to change your mind.  Creative alternatives are going to be presenting themselves after the weekend.  During the weekend, just allow yourself to be, to experience.  It is a time for introspection and silence.  Clarity and innovative and creative solutions and ideas will come after, when we begin to see that we can accomplish a great deal more in the company of others, than we can on our own.

Cancer

This is usually a time of year for peace, reflection and introspection for Cancer.  However, with all of the potential changes emerging, it can also be a period of preparation.  In the backdrop of your life, it may have been feeling like you were being forced to make some radical changes in your life.  If this were true, then realize that these are changes whose time has come.  If not, look for ways in which you can allow for greater growth, freedom and potential in your life, while discarding those things that you have been clinging to out of familiarity, but may in fact be no longer relevant.  There is a whole world of possibility out there, just waiting to unfold.


Leo

For Leo, Gemini season is a season of potential, possibility and playful communication with others.  One thing that may become evident, is that if you wish to make any significant changes in your life, some of these may be more easily accomplished with the assistance of others, or through a group, who share the same goals or ideals and aspirations that you do.  Part of that is simply networking.  But the beauty of Gemini season is in finding those particularly brilliant and inspiring individuals who just totally get you.  

Virgo

This is the time of year for Virgo to shine.  Do also be aware though that not everyone will be on the same page as you.  That’s all right, though.  This weekend is one of those times when there are more likely to be glitches in communication, or messages get lost in the mail, or things get lost in translation. These are days better spent in reverie or contemplation, as opposed to trying to get things organized.  Be aware that clarity and solutions to any existing problems will soon follow immediately after, with the best days being Sunday thru Wednesday.  From Tuesday on, practice yogic consciousness and mindfulness, realizing how words can both heal and wound.

Libra

This is a brilliant time for Libra to explore truths and get the answers to questions that help to broaden and expand your mind and its possibilities. It’s like your world is opening up like some sort of telescope, allowing you to realize a whole world exists out there for you to explore.  Open yourself up to creative possibility by being willing to step out of your usual ways of doing things.  Do something different, go somewhere new, consider alternatives.  Even just moving the furniture around, or making space in your environment, unburdening yourself of baggage you no longer need, will allow you to look at your life in a more creative and meaningful way.  

Scorpio

This is usually a time of year for adjustments any way for Scorpio.  So take a look at your life and explore the changes that you have already implemented, and those that are just waiting for the right moment to be unveiled.  For many Scorpio’s, this has been a year of deep inner changes and realizations about yourself and your environment, perhaps questioning many ideas, many things that you used to take for granted.  The world is changing in some remarkable ways, and so are you right along with it.  This will become apparent through your work, or even through your everyday conversations with others.  The best way to handle these changes right now, is to simply become as informed as you possibly can.  

Sagittarius

This time of year is often about one’s partners, or the people with whom you are closest to, Sagittarius.  Much can be learned from them, through them, and their point of view, their vision, their insight.  Perhaps more than you may wish to know.  Particularly about your past or home and family wounds that become sadly unveiled, and may even wreak confusion in their wake.  Not everyone will be able to relate to your own wounds, and your past, or even understand what these mean to you.  But realize that healing comes through simply accepting where you come from as a necessary part of your secret and personal history, while also accepting others, and where they come from as well.  

Capricorn

As we enter Gemini season, make yourself as knowledgable as you can about any health or dietary issues.  It is also a good time to consider honing up on, or perfecting some sort of skill that can be useful to you and your work and your life in some practical way.  But the big story is in the backdrop of this crazy transformation that your life is going through right now, that has both rendered the home and family environment into a strange alternate universe, while also unveiling deep truths about yourself, your personal integrity, and wanting/needing/desiring to take the reins of your life into your own hands.  Explore those things over which you do have control, as opposed to those that you simply do not, and focus on the former rather than the latter.

Aquarius

This time of year is usually a pleasant time of year for Aquarius, in which you explore those things that bring you both happiness and joy.  It is a time of year for you to rediscover and give voice to your inner child.  But the big story is in the backdrop of your life, in which you are being beckoned to consider alternative realities and truths in the light of recent disclosures and/or discoveries in your life.  If you insist on thinking that there is only one way to look at a problem, you will never find the solution.  Albert Einstein is purported to have said, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” Allow the shifts to take place.  They must.

Pisces

As we shift into Gemini season, at first it may feel like your world is unravelling and becoming less focused.  It feels like one is lost, taking wrong turns, lost in time and space... simply losing one’s way.  Messages get lost, some misunderstood, mis-read, misinterpreted.  Just allow things to simply be for a few days.  Know that clarity will come later.  In the mean time, just put some things up on the shelf for now.  In the backdrop of your life, Pisces is being beckoned to experience stillness, serenity and healing.  Too much commotion and chatter can be misleading and distracting.  So, in the midst of your busy life and interruptions, allow those important moments of reflection and meditation to fill your life with meaningful connections.