MERCURY RETROGRADE: November 23/24 - December 13, 20 degrees

MERCURY RETROGRADE: November 23/24 - December 13, 20 degrees Sagittarius - 3 degrees Sagittarius. (Shadow period: 11/2/2011 – 12/30/2011) Mercury appears retrograde 3 times a year for approximately 3 weeks at a time. I attach a 3 week shadow (from the degree it will go direct at, to the degree it retrogrades from) making it a 9 week period altogether!! This will explain why you feel it before the actual dates. You will also learn that the shadow period is just as tricky as the retrograde itself. If you're a Gemini or a Virgo, ruled by Mercury, it can be even more challenging. The exception can be anyone born under M.R. who may feel more at home during this time or not experience the same frustration as the rest of us. Here are the positives and negatives of infamous M.R. Negative: Anything having to do with communication (cell phones, computers, electronics) and transportation (cars, travel schedules) can go haywire, slow down or not operate at all. We once had a battery operated mantel clock that would always get glitchy during M.R. One time the hands even started moving backwards (retrograde)! It always corrected itself after M.R. Because Mercury rules communication you must be really careful of what you say and how you say it. Words can be misconstrued. It's also a bad time to start anything new or sign any contracts or documents. It’s best not to make major decisions as thinking may not be 100% clear. Life happens no matter what but try to plan anything important around the shadow periods. So what can possibly be positive? Retrograde means to go backward, therefore it is a good time to go back and complete old tasks. Mercury REtrograde presents an opportunity to contact people from your past. Reach out to someone you need to REconcile with. It's not favorable to hook up with new people but an excellent time to REunite with friends and family! Rather than solicit new contacts, REturn to your sphere of influence and REconnect. It's not the best occasion to get married but how about REmarried? Be careful with remodeling. If it's your first time doing it and contracts are involved mind the whole shadow period or things will have to be REdone! People have different opinions on traveling while Mercury is retrograde. If it can be avoided, it probably should. Plans may have to be REscheduled. Past travel destinations are favored over new ones and there is some potential for traveling snafus. Allow extra time and patience! If you've been waiting for something or to hear from someone it could happen now too. It’s the perfect time for REminiscing! We all have the ability to focus on the positive and make the most of trying situations. Use your energy wisely and constructively. Rather than branching out in new directions, go down a tried and true path. Be patient and really cautious with the words you choose and use. Drive especially carefully. Take time to REview. REthink things before you take action as Mercury rules the mind. Stay as focused as possible but don't let it run your life. Did M.R. bother you BEFORE you knew about it? Sometimes we have to REpeat the past in order to appreciate the future! By Kerry Fezza, 2011

New Moon Solar Eclipse at 2 Degrees SAGITTARIUS!!~ November 24/25, 2011

New Moon Solar Eclipse at 2 Degrees SAGITTARIUS!!~ November 24/25, 2011 New Moon's are times of new beginnings, planting seeds and setting intentions. This year the New Moon Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius falls late on Thanksgiving Day on the west coast and early Friday on the east coast. American Thanksgiving always falls on a Thursday ~ Jupiter or Thor's day. In Native American tradition the Turkey is a symbol of gratitude, abundance and the give-away. The Turkey almost became our national symbol as it was originally proposed by the early statesman Ben Franklin. Many Native tribes call the Turkey the Eagle of the south. With the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and the north node in Sagittarius let us hope the Archers sacred arrow of hope, faith and generosity pierce the veil of darkness and arrogance from our recently elected political leaders. We may have all come over on different ships, but we're all in the same boat now. Eclipses are like "wild cards" in the deck of life. They often act like cosmic jumper cables in that they quite often bring new themes and directions in our life, or they bring about some kind of endings or closure. Naturally, the house in which the eclipse falls will give you a clue where the energy is most likely to take place. Eclipses are most commonly the forerunners of domestic or vocational changes, or when relationships undergo powerful transformations. Solar eclipses are usually marked by external events, the Lunar eclipses by internal events. Mercury turns retrograde on Thanksgiving Day, the 24th, causing holiday hassles and confusion with travel plans. Expect the unexpected. Electronic gifts or appliances purchased during this retrograde cycle may not work properly. Be sure to recheck travel schedules and hotel bookings to help minimize clerical snafus. The Sabian Symbol for the New Moon reads: Two men playing chess. Keynote: The transcendent ritualization of conflict. The struggle between light and darkness (Yin and Yang forces) is ritualized ending with the checkmating of the king. Venus (goddess of love/beauty) conjuncts Pluto (underworld,darkness) in Capricorn on December 1st. Finding beauty in the darkness within. After despair, many hopes flourish just as after darkness, thousands of Suns open and begin to shine. Let us learn to love more powerfully. The "Occupy Wall Street" movement continues to dominate the news and is clearly reflective of Uranus (freedom, change) square Pluto in Capricorn (wealth, corporate structures). From 2012-2015 the Uranus/Pluto cycle will be in it's opening or first quarter square ~ a cycle that began back in 1965-66. This too was a time of much upheaval, change and reform. In 2014-15 the Uranus/Pluto cycle will make a grand square to the Sun/Saturn aspect in the USA's chart. This time the REVOLUTION will be televised! Thanks Gil Scott-Heron! Transiting Pluto has been in opposition to the USA's Jupiter the past few months as this coincides with the sex scandal at my beloved Penn State that exploded in the news. Jupiter rules higher education, universities, sports, teachers and mentors. Pluto rules sex. Penn State was founded on February 22, 1855 with its Sun at 3 degrees of Pisces. Recently Neptune (scandals, secrets & modern ruler of Pisces) made it's ingress into Pisces and in August Neptune drifted back into Aquarius for the last time. The other dynamic link is that transiting Chiron in Pisces (wounded healer, teacher, mentor) is conjuct the Sun in the PSU chart. Talk about a wound to spirit, and of faith? Perhaps the wound has something to do with blind faith or trust? Also, both Pisces and Neptune rule over charities which is at the heart of the story as Jerry Sandusky was the founder of the Second Mile foundation for underprivileged kids where it is alleged he may have preyed upon them? So many lives of good people were betrayed and sacrificed (Neptune) because of the actions of one twisted individual’s sexual fantasies and addiction (also Neptune). Let us offer a quiet prayer of healing for all the victims in this sad, unspeakable tragedy. I will continue to post astro alerts as this story continues to unfold. My gut tells me it's going to get a lot darker before we can see the white light of renewal and redemption. Uranus goes direct on December 9th giving us the courage (Aries) and freedom to move ahead with new projects. It’s time to get all those old plans off the back burner and take charge with renewed energy and spirit. Learning to break old habits and patterns will free and liberate you from past restrictions. Don't fear taking the leap into the future! "Each night the Moon secretly kisses the lover who counts the stars". ~ Rumi By Larry Williamson aka www.skybearastrology.com The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of this website.

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX ~ Friday, September 23, 2011

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX ~ Friday, September 23, 2011 By Kerry Fezza 2011 To create Solstice and Equinox charts from a mundane perspective I use a 0-Aries (solar) chart with the Sun on the Ascendant. Even though it is a one day event I believe the chart has an overall affect for the next 3 months, until the Winter Solstice. The Solstices and Equinoxes always deal with the 0 Aries point, the most vital degree in the entire zodiac (see Uranian Astrology). Any planets that fall between 0-5 degrees in the Cardinal signs, Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn, become major players in the chart. This Autumnal Equinox puts the Sun at 0 Libra directly opposite Uranus at 2 degrees Aries, creating a T-square with Pluto at 4 degrees Capricorn. Translation? Libra Sun, ruling the Equinox chart, strives for harmony and balance in these tough economic times. Its ruling planet Venus (love & money) sits nearby at 10 degrees Libra not far from hardworking Saturn at 17 degrees. These wide conjunctions reinforce the theme of the Summer Solstice chart ~ making sacrifices to rebuild our finances and restructure our economy. A tough love approach to spending and self-discipline creates a much stronger foundation for us. Libra is the sign of partnership and represents working with others to achieve goals. Unexpected Uranus, opposite the Sun, sits at the door to the 7th house of relationships. Our partners are just as unpredictable as our known enemies. We should be prepared for some shocking surprises. The 7th house is ruled by Aries and the action planet Mars, residing in the 11th house of friends next to the maternal, patriotic and moody Moon. Mars is known to stir things up! Our allies can either inspire us or challenge us emotionally. The Moon/Mars conjunction in a nice aspect to Libra Sun denotes the more positive qualities of this configuration. A friendly kick in the pants by our buddies might be just the motivation we need to further our self-growth! The deepest, darkest, most secretive planet Pluto sits in the 4th house of home & family, God & country, squaring both the Sun and Uranus and fueling their opposition. The housing market will continue with dramatic adjustments. Even though we like to keep our inner turmoil private, ongoing changes will test our personal resolve against our enemies and frienemies. Domestic terrorism and internal unrest are very possible now. We could see radical actions and events similar to the 1960’s. The riots at the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago were instigated by the anti-war movement of that time. Civil unrest was high then too. Today’s conflict is represented more by religious rather than racial differences including anti-Muslim sentiment and removing Christian principles this country was founded on. The national agenda is very much in the public spot light. Libra rules co-dependency and there are strong indicators in the Autumnal Equinox chart of overseas dependence and reaching outside ourselves. The majority of our income comes from others. And because we benefit through foreign counterparts we are vulnerable to appeasing their needs and acquiescing to their demands. Ultimately this would be our undoing. Look to the upcoming Lunar Eclipse on December 10, 2011 to magnify this point and the resulting implications. Eclipses also bring hidden things to light. Ruler of our foreign affairs department, Mercury the messenger in its own sign of Virgo, hides in the 12th house indicating secret plans involving intelligence. These objectives may be exposed around December as well. The November 25th Solar Eclipse spotlights the asteroid Chiron, wounded healer, in the 6th house of work and health, obscured in the sign of Pisces. Don’t expect unemployment statistics to reveal the actual truth. Mental health concerns will be given recognition. And as mentioned in my previous reports, more awareness paid to the mind, body, soul connection. We are fortunate to learn from other countries the Spiritual approach to healing. So as we continue to sacrifice, rebuild our finances and self esteem while still relying on others, what do we do for fun? Neptune, the great escape artist, provides plenty of opportunities in the world of entertainment. We may see a resurgence of the movie industry with Netflix being affordable to everybody. Epic pictures like Gone with the Wind and the Wizard of Oz were born in the great depression of the 1930’s. Neptune also rules art and music. May we all dance to the rhythm of the Autumnal Equinox!

SUMMER SOLSTICE!

SUMMER SOLSTICE ~ June 21, 2011 By Kerry Fezza 2011 To create Solstice and Equinox charts from a mundane perspective I use a 0-Aries (solar) chart with the Sun Sign on the Ascendant. I like to look at how the chart might affect us over the next 3 months until the Autumnal Equinox. The Solstices and Equinoxes always deal with the 0 Aries point, the most vital degree in the entire zodiac (see Uranian Astrology). Any planets that fall within 5 degrees of 0 Aries, 0 Cancer, 0 Libra, or 0 Capricorn (the Cardinal signs) become major players in the chart. The Summer Solstice puts the Sun at 0 Cancer, our nations own birth sign, conjunct Mercury at 10 degrees. Both trine the Moon (Cancer’s ruler), Chiron (the wounded Healer), & Neptune (gas & oil) in Pisces, in the 9th house. This amazing flow of energies make it look promising for facilitating peace talks in the middle east. We might finally see some potential for ending our wars and withdrawing our troops through expert charm and smooth communication. Pluto in Capricorn, opposite Sun/Mercury in Cancer, denotes we still have strong, powerful enemies who exhibit control over America and big business. However, Pluto sextiles the Pisces stellium offering the idea that our adversaries might be willing to negotiate with us in order to end their own suffering. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/18/us-taliban-peace-talks_n_879680.html Ever loving Jupiter sextiles both the Cancer and Pisces planets. Because it resides in the 11th house of friends, our allies could be instrumental in bridging gaps with negotiations helping each party to compromise for the greatest and highest good of all. The preceding two Eclipses of June 1st and 15th in Gemini and Sagittarius, respectively, power these objectives. However, Eclipses also bring hidden things to light. Neptune in its own sign of Pisces, squaring Mars in Gemini on the 12th house cusp suggests the idea of using deceptive means in order to achieve ones goals. The Moon in Pisces squares Venus in Gemini. Any grand gestures made without integrity can come back with repercussions at a later date, especially those involving false promises around money and oil. Another Solar Eclipse in Cancer on July 1, conjoining the Solstice Sun and Mercury, can expose lies and reveal secrets! The spotlight is very much on US at that time. Naked and exposed, we need to pay attention to how we handle our personal issues and let others impact us. Eclipse influence is present before and after the actual Eclipse. Combine this power with the unpredictable planet Uranus on top of the Solstice chart, still very near the 0 Aries point, and you can bet they contributed to the capture and assignation of Osama Bin Laden! (Although, I’d still like to see a picture of the body!) Brace yourself for more shocking, unforseen events on the world stage and natural disasters like earthquakes. Uranus’ sextile to Mars suggests appropriately channeled energies and positive responses to major, unexpected happenings. Important breakthroughs will take place too. The June Eclipses motivate us into action behind the scenes. They stir up legal affairs related to labor/unemployment and the Spiritual, moral debate around healthcare and its alternatives. Expect more influences from foreign countries and emphasis on activities like Yoga that incorporate the whole mind-body-soul connection. Sober Saturn resides in the 4th house of God and Country, Home and Family in the sign of Libra (balance). It’s a perfect representation of both the Republican and Democratic parties striving for the same objective ~ to rebuild our economy and infrastructure. Saturn recently turned direct on June 12 letting us finally move forward with our domestic agenda. Its return to its natal position in the USA Chart this August indicates the end of one 30 year cycle and the beginning of a new one. Lessons are learned and put to good use, new boundaries are established and another layer of wisdom is added to our foundation. We got a taste of this last November/December. Saturn’s trine to Venus in the 12th spells secret help, most likely financial, to help us grow at a slow and steady pace. Our internal evolution will be challenged by a grand-cross between Saturn, Uranus, Pluto and Sun/Mercury. Unanticipated events will make us question how we balance the desire to stay in our comfort zone with the need for change. Self reflection asks, do we accept responsibility for ourselves or give a way our power to others? For the first time in a long time this is a chart with real potential. All the Eclipse energy surrounding the Summer Solstice chart bodes well for making constructive progress both at home and abroad. It’s an indication of our inner strength and unity that shines when ignited by adversity. We are working hard to better ourselves and finally be rewarded in the not-too-distant future!