The Pagan Activist

 We would like to introduce to you our regular columist for The Cosmology Chronicles' - Nadiya Shah!

The Pagan Activist

Welcome to “The Cosmology Chronicles”, my monthly adventure on what’s going on in the sky this month, this year, or in our lives. It’s great to be here and share this space with you. *Nadiya

Nadiya Shah comes from a long ancestry of healers and mystics. Along with learning and practicing various divination methods through family members and mentors, Nadiya has also studied various aspects of intuition, energy, and divination at East-West School (1998), George Brown College (2002), and Transformational Arts College (2006). Nadiya is a member of the International Society for Astrological Research (ISAR). As a creative soul, her work has been presented in various forms throughout North America. A published writer, her work has appeared in various independent online and print publications including Trikone, Closet Space, Nature’s Echos, Pussy Pen, katherinescott.com, longeviti.ca, eternalbodhi.com, and the self published zine The Cult of Goddessnadiya. She is currently completing her first book and will begin completing her MA in Cosmology at the University of Kent, UK in 2007.

*For your Online Monthly Horoscopes and more from Nadiya visit her website at http://www.nadiyashah.com

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December / November / October / September / August / July / June / May / April / March / February

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By Nadiya Shah

c. 2008

 

I have been thinking lately about the energy of places. I know that each city and location has its own birthday, and therefore its own birth chart, that can determine its own energy field. I have also written before about relocation charts. This is when a person’s birth chart is cast with a new location in mind, to determine what types of energies will arise in a new location. While there is something to be said for how people will interact with a place based on who they are, there is also something to be said for letting a place speak to you and allowing a place to have its own voice. Much like a relationship in which two people come together, so too can we meet a city or town and appreciate that it has a soul and purpose outside of what we wish to do there or who we are as individuals.

 

I am reminded of this now as I travel “across the pond” and feel that I live internationally, in two cities at one time. One is a small English town, with roots that pre-date roman times. The mainly university town of Canterbury has its own date of birth, but is no doubt influenced by the people who are transiting through. From students to tourists, the fact that very few are there permanently, and most are just passing by, influences the way the city feels. A myriad of people, with their complex birth charts, create their own impermanent relationships with this town. This must have an effect on how the city of Canterbury shapes and identifies itself.

 

Then there is my main stomping ground, the city of Toronto. A very large urban centre, the biggest in Canada, is known for its ability to attract new immigrants. As a place that is seen ripe with economic and social potential, that many people call home for their entire lives or the beginning of their new lives, Toronto has a feel that is also its own. Sometimes I wonder if all the traffic, buildings, and millions of people block out Toronto’s inherent birth chart, its independent connection to the cosmos that exists outside the people who inhabit this land.

 

I bring this up in an astrology column because I think that it is our relationship to the larger world that astrology reveals. Astrology allows us an insight into how our lives have meaning and purpose by placing us in an exact place and time in relation to the planets. By casting a birth chart we can glimpse some of the key lessons that we are here to learn in this life, or some of the major themes that are likely to arise. The experience of astrology can be transformative and profound as we find that our birth, just as any birth, is no accident, and that there is rhyme and reason in our most chaotic moments.

 

The danger is that this can make us too self-centred. By focusing only on the journey laid out for us in our chart, we can forget that to be human is to be in relationships. As we travel through this journey of life, we may forget that there are other beings and entities that have been created for their own reasons that have nothing to do with our own. We may forget that there are millions of birth charts that we not only interact with, but also participate in there unfolding. In a world where “I think therefore I am” is the dominant motto, we may forget that much exists outside of our lonely moments of isolation and self-realization.

 

I am reminded of this now. Just as I trust that there is a destiny that is indicated to me in the stars, and that I fully engage with and shape that destiny with my choices, I am also reminded that the places I visit have a sacred journey of their own. They are living, breathing spaces that desire to know themselves and reveal themselves through interaction and relationships. Just as I have come to know myself better than I did before as a result of those who have loved me, perhaps this special time, where I get to love more than one place, could also leave a lasting impression on the way these cities understand the planets that speak to their soul.

 

What I do know is that we are blessed. I am blessed and made better for every interaction and every relationship I cultivate and give my time to. These cities are spaces that teem with life and planetary relationships that can shape me and help me know myself better than I did before.

 

It is a blessing to be aware. It is an honour to know a city for what it is. It is liberating to acknowledge that any place on the planet can be a sacred space when its autonomy and agency is appreciated.

 

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By Nadiya Shah

c. 2008

 

I am currently completing my MA in The Cultural Study of Cosmology and Divination at the University of Kent, Canterbury. One of my Professors, the acknowledged (if not renowned and famous) astrologer Geoffrey Cornelius, conducted a seminar recently on the difference between Speculative and Realized interpretations of an astrology chart.

 

A speculative reading occurs when we understand the symbol and give a literal reading of it and all the possibilities involved. This is the scientific, rational, intellectual approach to astrology, where an aspect is recognized and then the textbook interpretation provided. A speculative reading calls for a technical understanding of the craft, and then goes about interpretation in a technical manner.

 

For example, those familiar with astrological interpretation may recognize a conjunction of Venus and Pluto if they were to see one in a natal chart. The speculative interpretation would be to consider that Venus represents our expression of love, desire for pleasure, and mode of attracting what we want. Pluto in a chart represents where we experience the impetus to change on deep levels and feel things in a very intense, obsessive, or fated way. These superficial descriptions of these planets could be merged to interpret this conjunction as meaning that the person with this aspect will likely experience fated attractions that are felt on deep or obsessive levels. The house position would then be examined to provide more details into the life of the native. This is a very speculative interpretation of an aspect in a chart.

 

A realized interpretation is very different. It is an experience. When an interpretation is realized, we understand the technical in order to use it as a symbol. Through the symbol, we are able to give life to aspects that are evident in a birth chart. Speculative readings are always one-off situations, so that the same aspect seen in different charts is not going to mean the exact same thing. It is in realized mode that the birth chart is not seen as something that has a scientific basis, for it does not. Astrology is recognized as a form of divination, a method used to allow the diviner to “divine oneself”, to access energy and wisdom that is not available through our usual patterns of thought. When a reading is realized, through the technique a symbol is seen, and through the symbol we find its’ meaning in a way that connects to the person who is represented in the birth chart.

 

Let us return to our original example of Venus and Pluto conjunct in a birth-chart. A realized reading would see the aspect and house placement, and its speculative interpretation, as only the beginning. While the technical basis is there, there is an understanding that knowing the technique is only part of the ritual, and the speculative is only the place from which you “jump”. A realized reading touches on the intangible and perhaps sacred. It is the realized reading that leaves one moved and changed, both the native and the reader. During a realized reading, the diviner sees him or herself as practicing divination, and so trusts their intuition and insights. From this framework, a skilled and realized astrologer will recognize, perhaps, the native as displaying patterns of intensity in relationships and being drawn to the darker aspects of desire. This making the aspect “as” the person and not just a series of likelihoods is the difference between a reading which is merely speculative, versus something that is meaningful, insightful, imaginative, and realized. With a realized reading, the symbol comes to life and is communicated in a way that is deeply meaningful for the native and the astrologer.

 

The most significant aspect in a realized interpretation is to acknowledge and practice through symbolic vision. This is a vision that is intuitive, makes use of our sixth senses, and has been described as clairvoyance. Though we begin with speculating about the Venus and Pluto conjunction, as we hit on accuracy, we can enter what I call a “flow”. It is in this space that the speculations we make are accurate, because we are in line with a divine aspect to our being. In his book “The Moment of Astrology”, Geoffrey has described this as a “bodily sense, indescribable to one who does not experience it”. We may feel tingles or our hair rise. We may feel our heart beat faster or slower. Either way you are in the zone of a realized reading. For some, like myself, it is a high like no other.

 

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By Nadiya Shah

c. 2008

 

The planets of love and talk are in an intense dance with each other and with some heavy hitters in the sky this March 2008. The most powerful aspects this month involve a series of conjunctions, that is sharing of energy, that Venus and Mercury will make, one at a time, with Neptune and Uranus. Along the way, each of these planets will also exchange conversations with Pluto and Jupiter.

 

If you stay connected to your environment and to the energy within, you will feel these two deities moving about and signalling shifts and lessons for us all.

 

Venus and Mercury will be travelling very close to each other all month, so what one does, the other will shortly follow suit. These two planets are always less that 2 signs away from the Sun as it is, but this month they are especially close to each other, almost mirroring each other’s movements within a day or two. This is a significant symbol for us considering that last month was dominated by a Mercury retrograde. Those reconsiderations and endless conversations are over, and now we are all moving forward in some significant area of life, and we are letting it be known! When it comes to bringing more love, sweetness, money, and grace into our lives, we are also motivated to talk, write, and declare our intentions. So it is not just that the feelings are there on an emotional level, but we are thinking things through on intellectual and rational levels at the same time. This allows a more integrated experience as we walk through our lives this month, and allows us to consider multiple aspects of our encounters and the curriculum being presented.

 

The first part of the month has both Venus and Mercury travelling close in the sign of Aquarius. This adds to their universal quality, making them both feel that many things are possible. Brilliant ideas and sudden possibilities can pop up with theses two on the scene in Aquarius. At first the talks with Pluto and Jupiter will not be so friendly. They will both meet in difficult conversations with these major planets, bringing added depth and intensity to the area of life these planets are touching for us.

 

Right after meeting with the realization of where we need to be more intense, we find we get softer! The hard energy gives way to a mystical sweetness that leaves us truly inspired by a higher vision of what life can produce, and a deeper feeling of connection to another, more spiritual realm. That’s when they each meet Neptune. He has that effect!

 

And then, it changes, as life does.

 

By the middle of the month that uneasy intensity gives way to a power punch of focus and fierce determination. This feels a lot easier, and a lot more inspired than the start of the month. Once these two move into Pisces and get a more mystical interest, their conversations get a lot softer and sweeter. Here in Pisces, Venus and Mercury both have sweet conversations with Pluto and Jupiter, leaving them feeling that the revelations that Neptune bestowed earlier was for this moment of power and belief. Enjoy this feeling, when we all feel inspired and know we can get a lot done!

 

But then…here it comes again… everything changes!

 

In the last week of the month, Mercury and Venus finally meet and share a kiss, before getting rocked by Uranus. As I have mentioned before, Uranus wants us to get free of the things we no longer need, and will make sure to shake you so that he can get your attention. Like the mythical Prometheus, he has a wonderful way of getting us to let go of anything that stands between us and a truly authentic life, lived true to the heart. The way he goes about ensuring our liberation can be surprising, if not shocking.

 

That is part of the fun.

 

Part of the fun of living a life that is fully lived and fully engaging. That is a part of being willing to learn from life and evolve along with it.

 

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By Nadiya Shah

c. 2008

 

The foundation of western astrology rests largely on the shoulders of Ptolemy. He used a mode of interpretation that was largely fatalistic. Everything that we experienced was predetermined. Our task, as humans, was largely to accept our fate. However, the earliest astrological texts, including Ptolemy’s second century “Tetrabiblos”, mentions the important fact that while the planets are a force which operate on us, so too we have a force of our own. We are products not only of the planets, but our environment and temperament as well. All these factors can determine much of how fate ultimately reveals itself in our lives.

 

By the time we get to the Renaissance, some priests were also astrologers, who had to find a way to make their practice acceptable in a cultural climate controlled by the church. This was a time when astrologers were persecuted for blasphemy. It was at this time that the planets and stars began to make a shift from being thought of less as determining our fate and more as indicators as to what lessons the cosmos were encouraging us to learn. Astrologers like Facino, and later Christian astrologers like William Lily, encouraged us to think of ourselves as engaged in a cosmic dance with the planets, where it is not only the stars that influence us, but that we, with the force of our determination and free will, influence the planets as well.

 

It was in the twentieth century that astrology took a definitive psychological predilection. It has been in the last hundred years that astrology moved to a paradigm of self-discovery. The planets began to be used as indicative symbols that revealed various aspects of a person’s psychology. Writers like Rhudyar and Jung contributed to helping us understand the significances of various planets and their aspects in relation to our psyche.

 

With the New age movement came the re- spiritualization of astrology, with a twist. Astrologers who were heavily influenced by Jung, like Steven Forest and Jeff Green, helped to develop an appreciation of what some of our major lessons in this lifetime are likely to be, from a psychological perspective, and at the same time focused largely on the soul’s growth. The fatalism of astrology has been completely removed, and instead we find discussion of how people can choose higher and lower vibrations of an aspect, and advice on how to best help integrate spiritual lessons in a way that keeps healing of the soul as the focus. With this paradigm, a relationship with the planets is explored as a way to gain deeper insight into a soul’s purpose and truest, most pure desires. 

 

With the rise of the Pagan movement, and some aspects of the New Age movement, there has been a return to the understanding of the planets as gods. But the idea of the planets as only external forces that play with our lives is gone. Instead, people in Pagan and New Age communities around the world use astrology as a way to cultivate a deeper connection, and indeed a conversation, with these heavenly bodies as a way of connecting with one’s self. The planets are sacred energies that are also a part of one’s self. It is communion with the gods that is encouraged. Working with them is a way to engage them in a cosmic dance. Awareness is cultivated and work is done to understand their will for us through the omens they provide. By seeking their favour there is participation in the shaping of personal destinies. All this is done with the understanding that life is a magical place, and a healing place.

 

I believe we are now at a point in astrology where we are being asked to merge the wisdom and insights gained throughout the eras of astrology to formulate something new. Something based on an understanding of the interconnection of all things. Something that can empower us and humble us at the same time. Something based on our recognition of ourselves as creators and also servants to the divine mystery. 

 

Every movement of each planet has a purpose that serves the unfoldment of our soul’s path. By trusting the lessons that present themselves, we understand that a destiny is revealing itself to us. A destiny that is characterized in terms of utilizing our fullest potential. The planets, and the gods within, are there to help us realize that potential so that we may be more able and effective in doing their work.

 

The planets are studied to develop a deeper connection to the divine within us. The planets are representative of how our divine energy, in its tremendous complexity, flows through us. How we use this energy is where our choice lies. The planets contain energies that are there to be cultivated, for the highest good of all concerned. They stand as witness and provide guidance.

 

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By Nadiya Shah

c. 2007

 

This year a very powerful conversation is set to take place in the sky. Though the exact alignment of this power talk will only happen three times in 2008, the effects of this very harmonious exchange of energy will be felt all year. This year Jupiter in Capricorn will trine Saturn in Virgo.

 

To the ancients, the only planets that were visible were the major 7, consisting of the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, and then Jupiter and Saturn. Though all the planets represent important aspects of divine energy, it was the sheer size and location of Jupiter and Saturn that made them reflective of attributes that were especially significant, and that made their power more profound then the other heavenly bodies. Jupiter and Saturn are the furthest away and the slowest moving of the 7 planets, which made them that much more important and more powerful.

 

Jupiter and Saturn are planets that I have spoken about previously, and a scroll down this page will reveal more lengthy discussions on both of them. For this article, I will quickly touch on their individual attributes before discussing the importance of their yearlong conversation.

 

I recently had a discussion with an accomplished astrologer, who described Saturn as a place, based on our natal position at the time of our birth, where we feel safe. I found this interpretation very intriguing.

 

Saturn is traditionally thought of as restriction, fear, and the Achilles heel. It is the place where we never feel good enough, and so are motivated to work even harder to prove our worth. It is through the work that we gain our own self-respect.

 

Saturn is the place where we feel called to address our shortcomings consistently and diligently. Saturn is the place where we, through our diligent efforts, reap great rewards through doing the work. It is after the infamous Saturn return, which happens approximately every 28 years, when Saturn returns to the place at was at the moment of one’s birth, that a person begins to see the rewards of their diligent effort. In fact, the Saturn return usually is about a year process, and is officially over at the time one turns 30. I have seen the rewards come in after this time, when people really start to come into their own, whether that be their own body, their own finances, or their own career path.

 

But getting back to the comfort of Saturn, I thought that a part of Saturn’s comfort is that we get comfortable in our insecurities. They are like conditioned tapes that replay again and again in our minds, telling us who we are, and what we are capable of. We get used to living out that script, regardless of the fact that those tapes were never really ours to begin with. We can replay models that are not truly representative of our more authentic voice and our soul’s calling, and may limit us. The very thing that we are called on to overcome becomes the most comfortable thing because it is a pattern. Following its lines is the path of least resistance.

 

The other aspect of Saturn’s comfort has to do with the urge to work. As long as we are working toward, striving, and desiring to overcome, we feel motivated. It is the feelings of inferiority that drives us to do more, be more, and have more. As long as we don’t feel good enough, we are motivated to action. It is when things get softer and more secure that we become afraid of our own complacency. With Saturn watching over us, and making things challenging from within, we can find the impetus to move towards the change we say we want to relieve that very tension. It becomes this catch 22 that is part of Saturn’s comfort; on the one hand we want the security that is inherent in Saturn, and on the other hand, we feel that the security isn’t there so we work that much harder to create it for ourselves. It becomes a circle in which we operate, and we get used to this cycle.

 

But it is through taking that same energy that drives us out of feelings of inferiority that can lend to great change. Our personal struggles, when addressed and overcome, are seen for what they actually are; universal struggles for self-love and a closer connection to the divine within. In this way Saturn becomes our ability to transform and see the deeper connections to everyone and everything.

 

As Capricorn’s ruler, Saturn rules tradition and personal success. On the other hand, as Aquarius’ traditional ruler, he also rules the future and the collective consciousness. These seeming contradictions make Saturn at once the hard teacher and also the spiritual evolver.

 

Then there is Jupiter, who brings generosity, expansion, and wisdom. He is able to create meaning and theory, and is in constant movement towards the cultivation of wisdom. That wisdom can take the form of creating philosophies and a love of knowledge, to exploring new lands, the unconscious, and the spiritual connections that are within us so that we may gain wisdom in that way. Jupiter can be the artful philosopher or the mystical poet. He has a way of understanding and conveying knowledge in many forms that inspire healing and hope.

 

As Sagittarius’ ruler, Jupiter rules discovery and development. As Pisces’ traditional ruler, Jupiter also overseas the mystical and prophetic. These contradictions make Jupiter at once the discoverer of new concepts and the participant in eternal enchantment.

 

So what happens when these two planet get into a conversation that is mutually empowering and extremely positive?

 

Before I answer that, it is important to note the signs that these planets will be in all year. Saturn is in Virgo, an earth sign which is compatible to the way Saturn likes to operate; methodically and diligently.  Saturn is conscientious and grounded.

 

Jupiter is in Capricorn, Saturn’s natural home. Jupiter is an energy that can be too lofty and jovial for Capricorn’s taste, and he may end up feeling a little pulled to earth in Capricorn. Jupiter is always yearning in an inspired kind of way. In Capricorn, that yearning turns to ambitious pursuits that need to be addressed in more practical ways than Jupiter is akin to.

 

With Saturn making a harmonious aspect to Jupiter in Saturn’s home, it is the Saturian energy that ends up dominating this aspect. Because this is an aspect between Jupiter and Saturn, the more positive, uplifting, and transformative effects of Saturn can be highlighted.

 

As with any energy, there is a higher side and a shadow side. The higher side of this configuration can bring us the easy willingness to doing the work we need to make great personal gains in overcoming our fears and self-perceived short- comings. We can see the greater wisdom in doing the work to maintain a more positive, loving, and philosophical attitude towards our personal work. This personal work involves doing what is required so that we may be better and stronger where we have previously felt weak. We are able to see the wisdom of our struggles and have a deeper appreciation of what we have and can gain by doing the work we are called on to do, to make the growth that we know is within us to make. Tremendous gain and rewards are available to us in this truly special and rare time.

 

The shadow side of this configuration involves possibly ignoring that there is work to be done. If we are an evolving soul, then there is always work to do. There are always emotions to learn from and new opportunities that challenge our sense of worthiness. We may end up just going with the ease of energy instead of actively cultivating this energy, thereby missing the great opportunity that lies here for self-awareness and growth.

 

This aspect can speak to finding a pleasant balance between tradition and expansion. This is an aspect that can bring the old ways up for a new, more healing definition. This aspect can allow us to cultivate new philosophies based on ancient knowledge, and find liberating new definitions where the previous understandings of traditions were stifling and restrictive. This conversation can also calm fanatical energy, and ground what we think is possible into a more measured action plan.

 

They say faith without works is dead. This is an aspect that will allow our faith to be reinforced with our works on earth. The fire and water of Jupiter meets the earth and air of Saturn. The rebalancing of these energies can have a healing effect on our lives individually and collectively.

 

This aspect will peak three times this year, on January 21, September 8, and then again on November 21. What happens on the second meeting is truly special. The second meeting takes place right when Jupiter is stationary direct, meaning that its energy is particularly powerful, focused, and longer lasting. Jupiter and Saturn will create magic when they peak, though these are the slowest moving planets of the ancients, their effects are about long term change and long lasting benefits.

 

The best time to work with this energy is just before or on the peak dates. This energy can be harnessed when we want to find a pleasant resolution to our own desire to take off to the land of ideas versus being responsible and taking care of what is in front of us to do. This energy can help us feel like we are making progress here on earth, with our daily lives reflecting the personal values we hold. It is also great to harness this energy when we want to do our part to bring calm to some of the more fanatical energy in the world, and instead infuse it with inspiration and tolerance.

 

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By Nadiya Shah c. 2007

 

The best way to explain Jupiter is to understand him as magnanimous energy. Jupiter is the Greek God Zeus, considered the most powerful figure in the sky due to his sheer size and brightness. These lines in The Homeric Hymns demonstrate his importance:

 

“I will sing of Zeus, the best and greatest of gods,

Far-seeing king, the accomplisher, who keeps Themis

Deep in discussion as she sits leaning towards him.

Be gracious, far seeing Kronion, greatest and most glorious”

                                                          -Diane Rayor, pg.96

 

As this Hymn illustrates, Jupiter is considered the greatest of all gods, such was his power and majesty. As the biggest and most magnanimous planet in the celestial heavens, Jupiter reigned over all that was “big”; from big talk to big ideas. He had the ability to see things in an expansive and optimistic manner, thereby allowing the energy of the Universe to be directed in his favour. Jupiter accomplishes great things because of his ability to view things positively. In “deep discussion”, he philosophizes and theorizes, cultivating great ideas and wisdom in the process.

 

When Jupiter touches another planet in the sky, the energy represented becomes merged with the other planet. The energy that is represented by the other planet grows and is infused with optimism and a belief in our abilities and potential. When Jupiter enters an area of life, or a new sector of the sky, we find ourselves wanting healing, growth, and a willingness to do the work with a positive attitude, believing that great things are possible because of our optimism. It is this optimism that allows the energy of the Universe to flow in a way that is favourable to us.

 

Jupiter in our charts represents a place where we seek truth and healing. It is also where we feel optimistic and we feel that we can accomplish great things. We all have the potential for greatness. Where Jupiter is can show you the area of life in which you can develop yourself, find insights that you can teach, and also a major pathway of healing. Whatever sign your birth Jupiter falls in represents how you go about your growth, your healing, and also a mode of being that can allow you to cultivate a greater sense of happiness and greater healing in your life.

 

When Jupiter visits by transit to a natal planet, or enters a new part of your sky, his job is to bring healing and growth, Jupiter wants you to expand your views and think bigger and better for yourself. If you have a prominent Jupiter placement in your chart, then this energy will feel welcome and right. If you fight your Jupiter by holding on to only what you know, and wanting security even if it is a false security, and refusing to change, evolve, and grow, then Jupiter can shake things up just a bit to get you moving in a more loving and positive direction. Jupiter, in its most positive aspect, can add spirituality and clarity of our personal values. In its more negative manifestations, Jupiter can make us fanatical and fundamental in our beliefs, leading us to think that we are the only one who could be right.

 

On the 18^th of December Jupiter moves into Capricorn for a nice, long stay through the whole of 2008. Now, Jupiter loves to grow and go with the opportunities, while Capricorn energy is very much about creating an intelligent plan and following it in a diligent manner. We will all be thinking a bit more practically when it comes to our growth and our potential, and making decisions as to what we want to develop in a more pragmatic way. We will be making adjustments to find our way to our dreams and our goals. While we believe that we deserve to “get to the top”, it becomes important to do so in an ethical way. Discipline becomes the greatest virtue at this time, as is “sticking it out” and demonstrating long term belief in you. Get rich quick schemes are not in favour while Jupiter is in Capricorn. It is more about being diligent and realistic in order to create something worth having.

 

One of my dear friends once said to me “anything worth having is worth working for”. This saying captures what Jupiter in Capricorn is all about. We will all decide what we want and decide what we are committed to working towards. This is about walking on the earth, as opposed to having our head in the clouds. Inspiration is great, but this is about manifesting tangible results in your life.

 

Wherever Jupiter is in the sky for you, based on your natal chart and your sun sign, you will likely be feeling more optimistic and more blessed with the belief that things can go in your positive favour. His changes do not come in with a bang, that is Uranus’ job. Rather, we find we are feeling more joyful and noticing good things coming our way in this new area of life that Jupiter is visiting.

 

Working with Jupiter is great when you want to bring optimism, luck, healing, and opportunity your way. He was one of the most favoured gods to work with because of his generous nature. This is a powerful time to work with Jupiter as he makes key powerful aspects this month of December during his switch over to a new sign, and gets ready to express himself within a new energy of the zodiac.

 

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By Nadiya Shah

c. 2007

 

Mercury is known by many names depending on the pantheon. The Greek god Hermes, son of Jupiter, who rules travels, literature, communications, and the cunning of thieves. The Roman God Mercurius, who oversaw commerce and trade. He has been known across cultures as a messenger of the gods and a wise trickster.

 

The trickster aspect of Mercury is a very sacred honor. Like other trickster gods, Mercury reminds us that just when we think we have defined the sacred, we are further away. According to Joseph Campbell, the trickster motif is meant to move us beyond the image of the god to the energy represented. By moving beyond the image, we move closer to our own divinity. The trickster motif found in every pantheon also reminds us that the greatest wisdom comes from unlikely sources, and that the most confusing of situations can resolve themselves with the benefit of growth and healing that we would not replace for anything in the world.

 

In Astrology Mercury has been an important symbol. Considering that the origins of astrology lie in cultures that thought of what happened on a personal level as intimately connected to what happened on every other level of existence and reality, the fast movement of Mercury took on significance for much of our daily lives. What happens on the Marco reflects the Micro, as all levels of life are intimately connected.

 

Mercury travels fast, taking only about 180 days to zip around the zodiac, and he is never more than a sign or two from the sun.

 

Mercury primarily rules communications with others and with our self, as in the way that we think and the sentiments we reinforce within our minds. This is something that takes place constantly and is ever changing. With Mercury zipping around in the sky, this movement can mirror the rapidness with which ideas and stimulus flow in and around us.

 

In a person’s astrology chart, Mercury’s sign and placement can indicate the way the native processes information and their intellectual orientation to the world.

 

Mercury also rules machines with moving parts, like computers, watches, and cars. Commerce and trade, as in shopping, fall under his domain. Sometimes sibling relationships are also signified through Mercury’s placement.

 

Now, we cannot speak of Mercury without discussing Mercury’s notorious, or perhaps infamous, retrograde phases. It is when he is retrograde that we notice him most!

 

Some people fear Mercury retrograde- but there is nothing to fear! Mercury retrogrades 3-4 times a year, all part of a loving Universe designed to help us gain clarity when it is needed.

 

As mentioned, Mercury rules communicating with others and us (as in thinking), commerce and contracts. During a retrograde period it is not a good time to start things, but an excellent time to re- anything! Re-evaluate that big purchase, re-negotiate that contract, re-do that paper, re-think that flawless plan. Strive to be objective in the way you communicate with others and yourself, and the way you interpret communication coming your way.

 

Mercury also rules machines with moving parts, like computers, watches, and cars. This is why Mercury in retrograde is notorious for playing with our computer, Internet connections, time devices, and even time appreciation (as in, misinterpreting the time for important meetings and events). Since travel also falls under his domain, we are advised to be patient and plan for extra time when making a journey.

 

Additionally, emails and phone messages have a way of going wonky during retrograde cycles. Theorists have debated who creates meaning in the word. When you read something, keep in mind that you as the reader are creating meaning of what you are reading. Listen to phone messages more carefully, considering you do not have the “visual and non-verbal” cues factor to consider.

 

We are currently in a Mercury retrograde cycle, officially from October 12 to November 1, 2007, though we can feel Mercury retrogrades a week on either side. The current cycle features Mercury traveling back in Scorpio and then into the sign of Libra. These days right now are especially potent as Mercury switches signs. When He travels in retrograde motion from one sign to the other, he tends to link his lessons from one area of life to another.

 

Whenever we are approaching a retrograde phase, it is important to watch events in the weeks leading up to the actual retrograde cycle. When Mercury is actually retrograde, those events may be re-visited, and then once Mercury goes direct he will connect with the same points and planets as he did when going backwards. It is usually during this third “hit” that the lesson finally hits home. The influence of this one-two-three can be especially potent when Mercury is traveling over key points in your natal chart. Experiment with this, stay aware, and see if you can better come to appreciate the rhyme and reason to these cycles.

 

Working with Mercury is great when we want to have safe journeys, important contracts signed, messages delivered swiftly, and successful conversations. Particularly good times to work with Mercury are when he has just switched into a sign or is in aspect to a planet that is compatible to your aims. Because of Mercury’s reputation as a trickster, the way that our intentions come to fruition can sometimes be disguised so that we can appreciate the spiritual quality of our aim. The thing to consider is that, if it is a fresh start or new venture we are interested in, the direct cycle is the best time to connect with his energy.

 

Mercury retrograde is the time to seek re-contact with people from our past or revisit events from the past at an attempt to find resolution, greater meaning, or clarity. Just keep in mind that if we actively seek to work with Mercury when he is retrograde, then when Mercury eventually goes direct, things could work out very differently than the initial reunion may have indicated. Part of the trickster quality of Mercury, part of the frustration, and part of the fun.  

 

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Nadiya Shah

2007

 

I have been spending a lot of time lately staring, contemplating, and meditating on my relocation chart. Considering that, by the time this article is published, I will have relocated to another continent, it seemed that learning about this form of chart casting and interpretation was a natural area of curiosity for me.

 

Relocation charts are helpful not only when considering a move to another city, but also in considering a vacation. By considering how a location will interact with you, we can make guided choices based on what aspects of us we desire to learn more about.

 

One way to understand relocation charts is to consider that they are cast by reformulating your natal chart. Your natal chart is calculated based on the exact time, date, and place of birth. In this way, an astrologer is able to consider the relationship of the planets at the exact time of your birth, and this relationship to you at the moment you took your first breath. It is in that moment of first breath that some say this celestial conversation integrates as a composition of one’s soul. Since we are connected to everything and everyone, this would be true when in consideration of the energy that is inherent in the planets and our environment.

 

We are all born into an environment. There is, of course, the immediate familial environment. Our societal environment can be our immediate locale, our country, and even the wider culture we are a part of. Then there is our cosmic environment. All these are spaces we interact with throughout our lives. These spaces each have an energy, or another way to say it is that they each have a soul, that is uniquely their own. With this in mind, charts can and are cast for cities, countries, events, and eras to examine their unique soul.

 

At the moment of our birth, and the moment of our first breath, we begin an interaction with our various environments. Perhaps to be a magical person means, in part, that we recognize this interaction. Life becomes less a need to push our individual and lonely will onto the external environment, and instead becomes more evocative through interacting with our environment and learning to interpret its signals as a dialogue that is meaningful and ultimately loving.

 

In a relocation chart, the geographic place of birth is replaced by the coordinates of the location you desire to learn more about. The energy of the place is considered in its interaction with you. The simplest way to do this is to replace the place of birth and cast a standard natal chart. This allows a person to see how those planetary conversations, which are already a part of you, are still active but now in a different context.

 

Depending on how far away your new locale is from your place of birth, radical shifts can take place in the key points in a chart. This method of calculating relocation is significant in that it supposes that a new environment will emphasize certain aspects of you. This method considers your personal growth and learning.

 

Some key points to consider within a relocation chart are the ascendant, the descendant, the midhaven, and the IC. The explanations of these key points can vary significantly based on the form, method, or school of astrological interpretation. These points can be explained in depth, and perhaps I will do that in a future article. But for now I will offer very simplistic explanations that are most relevant to a relocation chart.

 

The ascendant is what you project out onto the world. The descendant is the type of people you tend to attract. The ascendant and descendant work together in some respects. They are at opposite polarity in a chart. Where the ascendant is the mask you wear, which is still a part of you even though it is a mask, it is also others perceptions of you. The sign placement and conversations the ascendant is having with other planets can reveal characteristics of your mask. Some say it is “survival mode” behavior, or behavior you naturally default into.

 

The descendant then becomes the mirror. You attract based on what you project, and what we attract is what we need to see within ourselves more clearly. Mirrors often take the form of people who come into our lives to help us learn more about us. We may find ourselves attracted to people who display characteristics of the sign that is the polarity of our ascendant. The descendant shows us how we will perceive people and the kinds of people we will attract into our experience so that we may learn more about who we are, and how we are seen, in the world.

 

The midhaven and IC work together as well. The midhaven is the highest point in a chart, and thus rules our public reputation. It rules how we go about cultivating and approaching our career, making a contribution in the world, and ultimately in the process of creating a contribution we are led to creating a destiny. The IC, as its polarity, is the most hidden part of us. It is our family origin, our cultural roots, and our home. When the sign that falls on the midhaven changes drastically in a relocation chart from our natal chart, we may find ourselves motivated to approach our career in a whole new way. Aspects of our contribution and ambitions begin to manifest in innovative ways. We become known for things within us that we may not have previously identified with. When the sign that the IC falls in changes, we begin to live our lives at home differently, take a different take on our cultural origin, and perhaps see our childhood and out parents differently as well. Out relationship with our parents can go through major changes when the IC is affected or activated.

 

When considering a relocation chart, it is important to consider if there are any planets that are in aspect to these points. A conjunction is when a planet sits right on top one of these points. If that is the case, then the characteristics of this planet will become powerful indicators of the characteristics we are likely to display in the area that the point rules. We also what to consider soft aspects, like trines and sextiles, that are likely to reveal easy energy and manifestation of talents coming forth in the new locale. Harder aspects, like squares, quincunxes, and oppositions will reveal growth opportunities that present themselves as challenges. These can create difficulties, but when channeled correctly, can be used to increase our motivation, learn more about what we are really made of, and lead to tremendous self-respect that results from our willingness to learn through effort.

 

Midpoints are also considered. Put simply, a midpoint is considered is when two planets are in conversation on either side of a point in the chart. Midpoints can represent how that point will be influenced with this shared planetary energy.

 

Some locations will be more fun, some more growth based, and others will just be difficult. Anyone who has traveled extensively can testify to the fact that you always learn something new about yourself whenever you take a trip. Perhaps that is why we travel, because it is a way to learn more about ourselves. In exploring a new geographic place, we actually end up exploring another place with us. As within, so with out. 

 

Our journey to another land isn’t only about seeing famous works of art or taking a moment of rest, but can become an expedition into parts of ourselves that we may not readily acknowledge, but perhaps deserve our appreciation. A relocation chart can give us greater clarity into the spiritual lessons that are possible in a new place.

 

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By Nadiya Shah c. 2007

 

A partial solar eclipse will take place in the sign of Virgo on September 11, 2007. Personally, this will mark a powerful time characterized by a sudden beginning or surprising fresh start. This Eclipse is opposed to Uranus and quincunx Neptune. The solar eclipse’s attribute of surprise and confronting our own lies becomes heightened within this celestial climate.

 

This eclipse occurs just a few days after Saturn enters Virgo, and will also signal where some of our most important personal lessons of the next 2 years will be found.

 

Events that seem fated in some way are likely to present themselves.

 

A fresh, and perhaps sudden, beginning is on its way.

 

Pay attention to the 2 weeks leading up to this day. This is a time between eclipses; the last one occurred on August 28^th in the sign of Pisces and marked a culmination of some sort. The time between eclipses is considered very sacred, when portals open and veils between worlds can fall away. We are granted access to wisdom and insights that would otherwise be more challenging to attain.

 

As mentioned in an earlier month, Uranus represents our search for freedom. At its most spiritual essence, Uranus is de-conditioning. It is letting go of the voice within that was never ours to begin with. That tape in our head that tells us who we are where that definition doesn’t sit right with us. Uranus allows us freedom from what we knew and the bravery to embrace a new road that is based on trusting and following your authentic voice within. That voice contains the truth of whom you are and what it means to live in line with that truth.

 

With Uranus in the picture, and Saturn having just entered Virgo, we are shifted to a new awareness of what it means to trust the lessons that reveal themselves as inherently wise.

 

Wisdom and bravery to live authentically can be said to go hand in hand.

 

This eclipse will welcome the chance to appreciate the journey you are on and gain valuable insights into where your most important growth is likely to come for the next 2 years.

 

Living in line with what we were created to do instead of what we have been conditioned to do is Uranus’ job.

 

With Neptune involved, we are likely to confront our self-deceptions in a meaningful way and presented with fresh insights into the ways we lie to ourselves. These lies can affect us each in very different ways, but the result is often the same. We see things the way we wish them to be so that we may continue to live in a fantasy. But the fantasy can end up harming us when it keeps us from living a reality that is more genuine.

 

At its best, most spiritual manifestation, Neptune can bring idealism and mysticism to our everyday moments. But the lies we tell ourselves to make the pain of living a fraudulent life more bearable is what Neptune can also do.

 

Sometimes we need that. I truly believe we all do the best we know to do. We all are living in line with what we are able to handle, and sometimes self-deception is needed to make the challenges more manageable.

 

With this challenging aspect between the eclipse and Neptune, we are likely to be presented with surprising encounters and revelations that lead us to challenge these very lies.

 

We will no longer play along. We want what is real.

 

We become motivated to begin again.

 

Whatever the past has been, it is now time to put it all behind you. Here comes the future.

 

Embrace the beauty within it.

 

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By Nadiya Shah

c. 2007

 

This month brings two notable developments. The first is a build up of energy in the sign of Leo. The second is a full moon lunar eclipse in the sign of Pisces that takes place at the end of the month. Let’s start with the eclipse.

 

Eclipses are events that are symbolic of a time when the universe becomes determined to shake up the area being touched. They present us with unexpected outer events and unexplainable feelings that all seem to be tinged with a “fated” quality to them. Eclipses can be felt up to 30 days before the actual event and up to 6 months after, that’s how powerful and significant they are!

 

The Lunar eclipse on the 28^th will emphasize feelings and emotions. Taking place in the sign of Pisces, whatever comes up we will be considering how what has been buried deep in our unconscious has influenced the events that present themselves. Finding the balance between reality and fantasy is also a huge theme this month, not only because of this eclipse in Pisces, but also because of a busy Neptune this month, Pisces ruling planet. The lunar eclipse is making a difficult aspect to Saturn, and Mercury and Uranus are having a difficult conversation on the same day. We are being called on to integrate surprise revelations with our obligations. Conversations can bring sudden insights, especially where it comes to how we relate to people. 

 

As mentioned, there is an abundance of energy building in Leo, to peak at the new Moon mid month. Mercury, Venus, Saturn, and the Sun are all hanging out by the time the new Moon hits. This is a time of heightened emotions, dramatic gestures, and bold declarations. But while all this energy is there blessing all of us, each of the planets traveling through Leo will, one at a time, oppose Neptune, quincunx Uranus, and trine Pluto.

 

Neptune rules illusions and these oppositions will challenge us to face what is real. What is real, as opposed to illusion, may not be so clear. Allow this month to pass before clarity sets in again. Oppositions tend to play themselves out in our relationships, so it is through others that these lessons of striving to see things accurately will present themselves. What seems one way this month could work itself into quiet another by next month.

 

Uranus rules our desire to be free and live a more authentic life. The way these lessons manifest can be quite erratic and surprising. This is a time to embrace whatever surprises and unexpected turns do come our way and recognize them for what they are; a very loving universe intent on getting us more free and living more in line with our most real, authentic selves. These aspects are all about letting go of dead weight, letting go of what you no longer need, so that what’s left is more honest, and more purely you.

 

Pluto is transformation on deep, fundamental levels. He rules intensity, passion, and power. With each of these planets having harmonious conversations with Pluto, any surprises or reality checks that do come up will quickly transform into opportunities to experience greater levels of intimacy and personal authenticity. Feelings will run deep this month with Pluto involved, but that’s part of the fun that living a spiritual life can bring.

 

Venus will continue her retrograde cycle, allowing all of us second chances at love lessons. Relationships are the theme this month, as we strive to see people and events for what they really are; loving lessons presented for the growth of our soul.

 

And Jupiter goes direct! All right! This is a great development that will allow healing, optimism, and just great luck to move forward again. Any initiatives get that extra blessing now that Jupiter has presented its’ lesson; that you are worthy of all great things.

 

If you choose to work with the energies this month, you best bet is to work with anything Leo related. That means wherever you need to express yourself intellectually, romantically, responsibly, or powerfully, this energy is characterized as bold and fearless. Confidence is heightened with working with Leo energy.

 

The eclipses are another story. They can bring sudden clarity and fresh perspectives. Developments can be surprising, but this energy can be cultivated for its ability to bring sudden truth where it is needed.

 

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By Nadiya Shah © 2007

 

I love Saturn.

 

Does that surprise you?

 

Yes, I am in love with each planet, dwarf planet, asteroid, and celestial body. They represent some of our first understandings of the Goddesses and Gods and their unique, sacred energies. The planets also symbolize the wonderful potential within us all and the soul lessons that are unique to each of us individually and collectively.

 

That’s a lot to love.

 

Add to that one misunderstood and often feared sacred energy, Saturn.

 

Saturn is the great karmic teacher. This can be one heavy dose of realism. Mythologically, Saturn was the God of old age. What are some attributes attributed to aging? Persistence, determination, prudence, trail and error, learning through patience, restrictions, reality, limitations, authority figures, creating and sticking to a plan, “slow and steady wins the race”, healing our fears, and ultimately, through your own successes, failures, and experiences, wisdom and self-respect.

 

Some astrologers see Saturn as a vice, but I think it depends on how you have dealt with Saturn all along. In a person's chart, Saturn can represent heavy karma you are here to work out in this lifetime, your Achilles heel, where we want to be respected, and the area of life that we get a chance to gain tremendous self-respect by over-coming fear.

 

That is sacred energy.

 

What I have found is that, wherever Saturn finds itself in your natal chart, yes, we feel restriction and all the heaviness already mentioned. But on a soul level, we know that our most valuable lessons and most significant growth will be found in that direction. On a soul level, we feel compelled to pursue the lessons of the area and sign our Saturn is in over this lifetime.  Where Saturn is visiting via transit in our Natal, Solar, or Solar Return chart, we find ourselves attracting and actively pursuing lessons in that area. If you have always shown responsibility and maturity in that area, then Saturn can bring tangible rewards. If, like most of us, you have been learning as you go, then Saturn can bring hard realism that can knock us off our feet. But we are compelled to learn. We persist even when we would rather escape. By the end of the transit, the rewards start showing up, and truly become evident shortly after Saturn has left that part of our sky.

 

What I love most about Saturn is that he shows us who we really are in the cold, harsh, and inescapable light of reality. Who we are demonstrating, who we are actualizing, who we are indicative of through our actions, words, and even thoughts in the world on the most practical, everyday level. They say faith without works is dead, and it is in the works, or our everyday actions, that we show ourselves and show the world who we really are. As such, Saturn then represents our legacy and destiny. It is in the mundane that we create and recreate who we are. It is in the practical that we leave an impression that makes a contribution to the world.

 

Saturn rules the sign of Capricorn. He represents some of the major lessons in this life for people born under this sign. Even if you are not born under the Sun sign of Capricorn, Saturn still impacts all of us, representing persistent effort and opportunities to earn our own self-respect.

 

This September Saturn will leave Leo and enter the sign of Virgo. This move marks the end and beginning of a 2-year transit that will affect us all. Leos and Aquarians will feel the most immediate relief (exhale!), but all of us will feel this shift in Saturn’s energy.

 

Saturn’s energy is great to work with when we need to see the cold hard truth, regardless of the consequences. When you need to connect to practical reality, create tangible results on the earth plane, or create an appreciation of the steps needed towards an ambition. Saturn is very grounded energy, very realistic, and very measured. If we have been traveling extensively on astral planes, as rewarding as that may be, Saturn can help bring those lessons back and utilize them to create a better life in our earthly, physical reality. Saturn is most priceless for its gift of self-awareness and self-respect. Always a blessing.

 

Key Saturn dates in 2007

 

Venus Conjunct Saturn      July 1                       Venus Leo, Saturn Leo