The Pagan Activist

The Cosmology Chronicles:

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

The Pagan Activist

Disclaimer: The Pagan Activist is not responsible for the content and accuracy of these articles. The content is the sole opinion and full responsibility of the author.

About Nadiya Shah:

Nadiya Shah is a Consulting Astrologer, Sun Sign Columnist, and is one of the few people in the world to hold an M.A. in the Cultural Study of Cosmology and Divination, from the University of Kent, United Kingdom.

Nadiya comes from a long ancestry of healers and mystics. In addition to being an astrologer, writer, and teacher, Nadiya is also a singer, actress, and athlete. She is currently completing her first book.

For your monthly horoscopes and more visit Nadiya's website at http://www.nadiyashah.com

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Astrology as an Act of Resistance:

By Nadiya Shah
c. 2009

Astrology is, for me, a deeply spiritual practice. I see the planets and stars revealing their symbols to me more fully the more I am willing to learn about them and cultivate that relationship. I share that in the few sentences I get with my audience to the best of my ability in this moment. That is what I have to give today, what I have to share, which will change and evolve as all things do.

I respect and honor my need to cultivate a spirituality that works for me.

People like myself who write horoscopes each have our own way of communicating what we see, and that will resonate with our own audience. Different people like different things, some love poetic and psychological interpretations, while other people want to read astrology with a more literal interpretive communication style. Astrology, being such a direct, applied, and tactile and intimate spiritual practice with such sacred roots, there are also unique ways of understanding the symbols, and stressing the importance of one aspect over another. It will depend on the astrologer, what they bring to their practice, and that in turn determines their audience.

The most important thing for me is not so much what astrologers do as what we represent.

Astrology is the only ancient practice that is a widespread part of popular, mass culture today. It has survived because on some level it affirms our connection with our immediate and larger environment. We are no longer just alienated, random creatures existing in the "iron cage of post modernism" (to borrow Max Weber’s term) but part of a larger rhythm and cycle that has significance and purpose to it.

As articulated by Patrick Curry, with astrology, even when only considered entertainment, the understanding of ecology, as in the belief that the world is alive and therefore worthy of our respect, is further reinforced. That little horoscope, those 2 sentences that seem mindless, read in the back of a magazine, have that deep a philosophical root that is reaffirmed in a very quiet, unassuming way.

For me, that is important. I love being a part of that. I love reminding people that they are part of a larger mystery, and that all lives are meaningful and magical. Everyone is loved exactly where they are, right now, in this moment, going through whatever challenge or blessing that is visiting for the time. In moments that can seem so random astrology is a gentle reminder that there is a bigger unknown that everyone and everything is a part of, and that choosing to live in alignment with the patterns and progressions of life is one very powerful way of making one’s life truly their own.

For this and so much more, I love being a part of astrology. I am passionate about what I do, and also dedicated to why I do it.

The Triple Conjunction:

By Nadiya Shah
c. 2009

Astrologers are discussing a rare and special event that is occurring in the sky all year, but is particularly potent this month of May, with its exact alignment taking place in the last week of this month, and in the forthcoming months of July and December. It involves the exact alignment of Jupiter, Neptune, and the asteroid Chiron in the sign of Aquarius.

In simple terms, Jupiter is symbolic of growth, expansion, absolute optimism and fresh hope. Neptune is mystical understanding and the kind of faith you can feel. Chiron is healing the wound you think is so deep that it would never heal. Put together in the sign that represents the collective, humanitarianism, and also individual trust in one’s own intuition, and you have a time that represents massive growth and great potential to experience healing and miracles.

It is a special time, a year when we take leaps into a brave new future, and a configuration exactly like this will not come again in our lifetime. It is inspiring to see what events will unfold for us individually and collectively.

This energy is great for tapping into and utilizing where we want to manifest increased faith, mystical visions with the intention of deep healing, successful healing medical events, and also miraculous turn a rounds that lead us to feel as if we are truly living our calling. This is a huge spectrum of possible manifestations. Just big enough for this very special time we are all living through, moving towards a more divine future we desire to live.

Whatever it is in your life, wherever it is that you decide to cultivate healing and miracles, I hope that it brings you more love than you have known before, and a renewed faith in yourself.

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Astrology and The Secret:

By Nadiya Shah
c. 2009

I seem to be getting a lot of emails lately asking for my opinion on The Secret, the documentary/ inspirational movie about the law of attraction that garnered a lot of attention about a year ago. How does The Secret reconcile itself with the perceived assertion of fate within the practice of astrology?

This opens up an area for me that I am constantly seeking to define for myself.

I do believe in self-determinism, in the idea that action taken on my own behalf, in the spirit of self-care and self-honor, will bear positive consequences.

At the same time, I cannot deny the symbols in the sky. They do not influence, but certainly indicate, what my lessons may be, and what events may transpire to help me learn what I need to on a soul level, as part of the larger soul journey that we all participate in together.

The planets and stars suggest what is going to be important to me personally, and to all of us collectively, and also suggest ways to bring myself into an empowering vision of what the future may bring. Astrology thus becomes just one more mode of self-knowledge and a tool to personal honesty.

The foundational text to western astrology, Ptolemy’s “Tetrabiblos”, states that the environment and culture we are born into, as well as our family, has at least as much influence on us as the planets. This is so intriguing to me. It suggests that we are as much a product of nurture as we are of nature. The planets certainly speak to nature, being expressions and a part of the natural world.

The main strength of The Secret may be its’ psychological assertion (thank you to Ri, my dear friend, for inspiring this understanding!). Thinking positively, optimistically, and lovingly tend to lead to more loving actions, which in turn lead to more loving and empowered consequences. What comes from within us from the intention of happiness and generosity, the world responds in kind.

There is a caution here. By simply believing we can think our way out of problems, or things we perceive as challenges, may prevent us from learning from them, seeing and gaining the wisdom in them, which I believe is the true reason they present themselves in the first place.

I think about people who I have seen who have perpetual thought patterns that are defeating. A part of the lesson indicated in their astrology chart could be to use the feelings that are coming up and utilize some very diligent work to change and transform themselves, to rise above their conditioning, and thereby earn their own self respect through self knowledge first, followed and supported by action. only replacing thoughts deemed negative misses the crucial step of self-awareness, which may mean that the chance for self-respect may be lost as well.

It seems that thinking that it is our thoughts that control everything is a great way to blame yourself when things do not work out. Times like these require a balance between responsibility and faith.

The Secret and Astrology are both about bringing ourselves into alignment with a higher vision, and getting out of the way enough to let that manifest. The stars can point the way through their symbols as to what that higher vision could be, something we may not readily acknowledge with our very limited human vision. That is part of the mystery and magic of the planets. They reveal themselves, as we are ready to perceive their depth. At the same time, the stars do not absolve us from taking total responsibility to then follow up on personal insight with honest action.

The Secret is great if it gets you enjoying the moment more and cultivating a spirit of gratitude as you walk through life. Not so good if all our actions become solely about the end result. There is no presence in projection. There is no acceptance of the way things are right now if we are only living in the future we hope to create.

There are some things we do not control. There are many things we do. Doing all we can to be happy and content today is in our hands. The planets can indicate the hindrances and also the way to experience greater self-knowledge and liberation in all our affairs. That is why astrology is a deeply spiritual practice, and also incredibly rewarding.

The Mind- Body- Soul:

By Nadiya Shah
c. 2009

It seems to be a buzz phrase, especially in the New-Age sector, to speak of the Mind- Body- Soul connection. I have seen people accept it as inherently true. It is wonderful when people trust their instincts to guide them to what is right for them, and perhaps it is the places I circulate, but it seems that more and more of us are believing this connection to be evident. This connection has been written about in some of the oldest spiritual texts, like the Upanishads. While I am all for encouraging people to trust their intuition when deciding what is true for them, there is value in exploring what it is about a belief that makes it true. The Mind- Body- Soul connection has come up for my own contemplation as well.

When we speak of the Mind- Body- Soul connection, it still retains a sense of isolation, furthering the belief that we are all each isolated agents directing ourselves onto the world, attracting life experiences based on what we are putting out. But I think this may be only half of the equation. The Sufi’s, and in particular Ibn’ Arabi, have spoken of the individual as a microcosm, and the entirety of the universe being the macrocosm. This is part of what guides the spiritual practice of astrology.

On the most basic levels, astrology operates on the belief that what is happening in the cosmos is intimately connected to, and indicating, what is taking place within the individual. For me the prime word is ‘indicating’. It speaks to our intimate connection to all that is in our external environment to all that is within the depths of our heart and spirit. In this sense, I think that what astrologers represent is much more important than what they do. Every time we see a website featuring horoscopes, or glance at the lifestyle pages to see what the sky holds for us, even if it is in a spirit of amusement, on some deep, collective level, those zodiac forecasts are affirming this profound connection. They are reinforcing one of the oldest beliefs that have guided humanity for millennia- that the sky is wise, that our individual lives are filled with purpose and meaning, and that in some way, everyday, we are being guided. We are connected to what is taking place on a much bigger scale that what we consciously appreciate. We are not alone, wondering aimlessly. We are, together, a part of the unfolding of a great myth, a greater mystery, and indeed, not only is this connection felt in the cosmos, but also there is a connection we hold to each other.

The Mind- Body- Soul connection speaks to this, though not overtly. Because the Mind is placed first, there is the recognition that we do have an aspect of us that is experienced as autonomous and individualistic. The mind makes conscious decisions and can guide the body in the direction it desires to go. The Body is recognized as wise, as a part of this connection, it is not operating independently of the Mind and the Soul. In fact, the body is infused with Soul, and guided and informed by the mind. It is this infusion that, for me, is most important, and also most disconnected to how we understand this connection. The Body has a wisdom and knowledge that is all its own. It stands witness in love and non-judgement, to all the things we feel and all that we think. The Soul permeates us all, we have an individual Soul that speaks to the depths of our desires and yearning. Though the container of our Body appear to hold our Soul, the Body is immersed in a field which includes each person, the external world we live in, the entire planet, and the Universe that we can comprehend with our sight and that that which has yet to be revealed.

The Sufis say that the Universe is in a place of continuous unfoldment, gradually revealing itself to us. In the same way, the intricacy of our Mind- Body- Soul connection is also a place of constant revelation. I do believe that the more deeply we understand just what the Mind- Body- Soul connection means to each of us in our own lives, we will come to know ourselves better.

To know our selves better, as an integrated whole, yet connected to everyone and everything. Perhaps that is one of the greatest freedoms.

The Mind- Body- Soul:

By Nadiya Shah
c. 2009

To know our selves better, as an integrated whole, yet connected to everyone and everything. Perhaps that is one of the greatest freedoms.

Pluto and Change:

By Nadiya Shah
c. 2009

The Athenians won an impossible battle against intruders in the town of Marathon. A young solider was sent to inform the government of the amazing triumph. He passionately ran 26 miles, further and faster than anyone thought could be done. He finally reached his destination, the temple of Nikh. He stood in front of the alter to the goddess of victory, said her name, and died.

Joseph Campbell believed that mythology followed established formulaic line of development. Whenever a story articulates a death it will be followed by a rebirth. As Campbell stated in his notable interview with Bill Moyers, “You can see that one coming”.

In astrological symbolism, the planet Pluto represents death and rebirth. He is the lord of the Underworld and also God of great wealth. Pluto is complete psychological transformation.

I believe in the human capacity to completely transform. I believe that some aspect of my psyche is like the metaphor of the snake, an animal that falls under Pluto’s symbolism. For some this happens only in small ways throughout their lifetime. I envy those people, for on the surface they seem to have it easier. For me the demand to release and relinquish dead skin that is no longer useful, needed, or comfortable can be a drag out, gut wrenching, painful process. Resistance only amplifies the pain.

We each have this part of us within. The ancients looked at the sky and saw the sky divided into twelve main archetypes, with their own constellations, which progressed into each other and interacted with each other. Because they understood that the external world only reflects and indicates what is taking place within our individual heart and soul, they began to articulate ways in which all of these twelve archetypes play out in our lives. As we as a collective evolved and came to understand our human experience with greater depth and complexity, so too did our understanding of how these archetypes are experienced within.

We understand now, or are perhaps returning to the understanding, that "As within, So with out”, meaning that the changes we make within have an effect on our world, and the events in the world, including the cosmic world, have a way of effecting us deeply. Pluto is one intense planet, permeating our psyche deeply and subtly, all the while playing down his importance by hiding as a dwarf. his effects are felt deeply, intensely, and powerfully when he is experienced. The outcome is always release, renewal, and significant, lasting change.

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I heart Astrology:

By Nadiya Shah
c. 2009

A recent posting on the Esoteric Forum, an online school I teach astrology courses at, piqued my curiosity. Skepticism was expressed towards horoscope columns. I loved that someone had brought this up in an intelligent way, showing thought on the position taken. I was grateful for it because it gave me the chance to be more honest with myself about why I do what I do, why I love it so much, and what I think I am doing.

Self-reflection and self-honesty. Perhaps these are two of the most meaningful endeavors of any life well lived.

I thought I would incorporate part of my response here. As we start a new year, with so much that will be changing fast in the first month alone, it is helpful to know my starting point, my core. This self-awareness, practiced in any area of my life, gives me personal strength and, professionally, makes me feel like I have a solid base to stand on contribute.

I know that there are lots of different aspects happening in the sky at any moment, and different astrologers are going to give importance to different things based on the system they are practicing and their own methods. Personally, I think astrology is not a science at all, and you will never get the same answer from two different astrologers. Sometimes there are huge signposts that many astrologers will discuss, but because what we do is divination, and so dependent on interpretation and communication, there will always be so much to delve into and different angles to consider.

Astrology is so deeply symbolic and the symbols, when you really start considering them deeply, can reveal so much! I am constantly speaking with and reading different astrologers to get another point of view as yet another way to understand my spiritual practice. On some levels, I think that astrologers are always students. I have had the good fortune to speak with and learn from some of the most renowned astrologers in the world, and I have observed them learning right a long with me as well.

I remember a lecture I heard in graduate school by the first gay Anglican bishop, Gene Robinson. I remember him talking about how deeply he resonates with Christian scripture, and that he believes that the scripture is constantly revealing itself through more greatly inspired interpretation. I think that for me, astrology is a deeply spiritual practice, and I see the planets and stars revealing their symbols to me more fully the more I am willing to learn about them and cultivate that relationship. It cannot be completed in one lifetime. I share that in the few sentences I get with my audience, and the brief time I get in a consultation, to the best of my ability in that moment. That is what I can give and gain today, which will change and evolve.

I think also that people like myself who write horoscopes have our own way of communicating what we see, and that will resonate with our own audience. Different people like different things, some love poetic and psychological interpretations, while other people want to read someone with a more literal interpretive and communication style.

The most important thing for me is not so much what astrologers do as what we represent.

Astrology is really the only ancient practice that is a widespread part of popular, mass culture today. It has survived because on some level it affirms our connection with our immediate and larger environment. We are no longer just alienated, random creatures existing in the "iron cage of post modernism" (Max Weber) but part of a larger rhythm and cycle that has meaning and purpose to it. With astrology, even when only considered entertainment, the understanding of ecology, as the belief that the world is alive, is further reinforced. That little horoscope, those 2 sentences that seem mindless, read in the back of a magazine, have that deep a philosophical root that is reaffirmed in a very quiet, unassuming way.

For me, that is important. I love being a part of that.

I love being a part of astrology and I am passionate about not only what I do, but also why I do what I do.

The Importance of Ritual:

By Nadiya Shah

c.2008

I was reminded recently of how much ritual dominates our lives.

There are rituals that may only occur once in our lives, those that occur on regular occasions, such as an annual holiday, and then there are those that are part of our habits, the way we live each day, patterns as rituals that define our existence. Each one of these is sacred and momentous.

By making connections between the astrological houses and my lived experience, I am better able to deepen my practise. By knowing which houses are signified by the activities I participate in, and examining what is occurring in that part of the sky for me right now in terms of natal and transitory planets and progressions, as well as a variety of other astrological signifiers, I can better appreciate what lessons and gains I make from each ritual I participate in. In astrology, the area of life dealing with rituals is varied and based largely on intention.

I had one of those rituals recently that only comes along once in a lifetime. My graduation was held in Canterbury Cathedral, the site of many rituals of various kinds, especially Christian rituals. My ritual was secular. A closing ceremony, which brought my MA program to acknowledgement, obtainment, and conclusion.

There were many people who were receiving their degree in abstention. They had decided to not participate. I knew had to be there. I needed the ritual. I needed the moment to sit with others who had been through the personal journey of strengthening our own intellect and thus strengthening each aspect of our being. I needed to share this moment with people I love, and some I did not know, as a way to acknowledge that something had been accomplished. That there was knowledge that was now within me that had not been there before I participated in this academic journey.

This was the physical reflecting and representing the spiritual journey of graduate school. Though my intellectual journey continues, hopefully for this lifetime, this leg of the journey, this particular program that has earned me this exact degree, is completed and now a part of the reservoir of experience and wisdom that I have accumulated through my life so far.

I worked so hard for the right to hear my name called, make that walk to the chancellor, shake his hand, and receive my degree. The degree is now on my wall, a symbol of the potential I expressed and the faith I can have my dreams, even if at some point they seem far or impossible, if I am willing to work towards them.

This would be a ritual signified by the astrological 10th house. A place where goals are sought and accomplishment is secured. It is a place of honouring an established tradition and securing a credential. It is also representative of the highest we wish to go in life, how far we desire to reach and achieve.

There are those rituals that occur at regular points throughout the year. These are based in the intention of staying connected with some cultural or religious signpost, re-establishing oneʼs ties to the community or family they belong to. They are predictable in date or time, occur regularly, and can be well prepared for because there is an established regularity to how this ritual is acknowledged. Some of the rituals associated with the day are universally accepted, others more personal and immediate.

The 4th astrological house covers celebrations that have to do with ancestry or family, are connected to custom, and have a ritualistic aspect, especially when they connect us to our past, cultural, or patriotic identity. The practise of occult rituals, though sometimes connected with holidays as expressed in the 4th house, are generally governed by the 8th house of personal experience of the mysteries.

Then there are daily rituals, the things we do each day to feel a sense of routine. Some of these daily rituals can, as the word ritual implies, hold sacred significance. Other things are habitual, almost mindless, but should not be discounted for their sacred dimension, even if we are not consciously cultivating a continuous awareness of the sacred in our action.

Everything that is done in the physical realm has an effect on the spiritual. Anything we do to nurture and feed ourselves on any level of our being benefits the entirety of our lives.

It is the entirety of our lives that is governed by the 6th house; from preventative health measures to the places we visit each day. Intentionally choosing actions that strengthen and empower us, and being mindful of the sacred within these rituals, which can disguise themselves as routines, is the challenge and also the great invitation of this area of the astrological chart. It reminds us that life is a ritual of each moment. Each breath holds something to be celebrated.

I have had many rituals in my recent life. The big acknowledgements that are to only visit me once in this lifetime. This holiday season, which reminds me of the rituals I share with my family and are part of the foundation which shapes me to this day. The rituals of the day, that keep me productive and in contact to the divine within me. All of them are powerful, useful, and significant to my spirituality as a state of being, and also, my spiritual practise of astrology. They remind me that I am a part of the great symbolic revealing, the mystery I barely glimpse, when I make one more further connection between my lived existence and the play of the stars.

Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome:

By Nadiya Shah
c. 2008

On recent trips to bother Italy and Greece, I was struck by the contrast of these places, considering their shared connection to ancient religions, religions that are still invoked, albeit on very covert and sometimes unconscious levels, within the spiritual practice of astrology. Both places have connections to gods and goddesses that are still named when we speak of the planets, deities that are still invoked every time we consider the sacredness of the sky. This is perhaps one of the uneasy places of compromise that astrology has found itself in, a compromise that has allowed it to survive to this day within largely monotheistic cultures. The acceptance of a prime mover, or a singular guiding principal, has allowed the reconciliation of astrology to the present day.

I think that when I travel, my senses are heightened. There is so much to see. Everything is new and available to be explored. I notice in the external environment what is already in me asking to be considered and explored. What I noticed most was the physical strength displayed in the images of the Gods and Goddesses. Sculptures and statures carried symbols sacred to that particular deity, but at the same time, muscular strength was displayed regardless of gender. Where the artwork represented a particular challenge or right of passage that defined that god was represented, the deity “Nikh” was also present in the palm of their hand. Usually brightly painted with bright eyes, she came to be known as Victoria, or Victory, as she was assimilated from the Greek into the Roman culture.

But it is not just the gods, in their anthropomorphised exemplification, or to put it another way, in their human form, that brought crowds and adoration even now, centuries since their worship ended. It was the unnamed anonymous person, artwork simply titled ‘An Athlete’, that radiate how these cultures believed in the connection between the physical and the sacred. These bodies sculpted with such care spoke to how these cultures held that all matter is permeated with and infused with spirit. These cultures existed in the time before the Cartesian split that created the mind/ body, or spirit/ matter duality. Though a polytheistic paradigm held, there was at its base a fundamental unity between what we saw and what was going on in more spiritual realms. Though these sculptures were at times over 2000 years old, we also see a return to these ideas, particularly during the renaissance period that dominated Italy. In the work of Michael Angelo we see bodies that are sculpted and muscular, bodies that speak back to the artwork of ancient times, representing the awareness of the connection between physical strength and spiritual beauty.

I wondered how aware of this infusion of spirit and matter the people of the time where aware of. If you look at the art, you would think that at least some of the population did consider this, in the pieces that were created and commissioned, the evidence is there. But how a religion is lived and how it is epitomized can sometimes be two very different things, as we can see in our culture to this day.

Which brings me back to the contrast of these two places to this present day. Perhaps it is because the renaissance was much sooner, which was characterized as a rebirth of Greek ideals, but it seemed to me that the people of Italy had an intimate awareness of this connection between the spirit and the body. It wasn’t anything that was spoken of; actually it was something that you felt. Constantly being surrounded by images that are bright, bold, and appreciated as sacred could play a role in this. The images are newer and more vivid. The bodies are more detailed as art had begun to evolve since ancient Greek times.

In contrast, once I left the tourist archaeological sites of ancient Greece, which at one time were places of worship and the birthplace of western philosophy, I felt that I was in just another modern city. Though the people of Greece are beautiful, were kind wherever I went, and were very proud of their history, that sense of connection to it was lacking.

Perhaps it is unfair to compare. These two places, though very close together, have a separate history and their own charisma. It was interesting to see how two religions, though both no longer considered living except by a few, were being lived and experienced today by the masses. In Italy, these deities have been assimilated. Though the church still is a very strong force in the lives of people, being surrounded by art influenced by ancient times has allowed an awareness of the sacredness of these energies to be felt to this day. In Greece, with a historical development of its own, has relegated these gods to museums and archaeological sites only, for the contemplation of tourists. There is less conscious awareness of the sacredness of the everyday, and perhaps the sacred within the physical body. But I wonder if this connection is completely lost or still felt, just deeper within than the Italian psyche.

Visiting these places was significant in many respects. It allows for a deeper appreciation of what we have experienced as a human community. It allows for an understanding that we are all part of a lineage of our own. We have our physical ancestry that we know through our families. There is our emotional ancestry, as in everything that we have ever felt has been felt by other people the world over. We are common in our human emotions, and the ancient gods and goddesses indicate this as well. We also have a shared intellectual heritage. The thoughts and intellectual considerations we have hold a history and a line of development that can be traced back. Both these places are special and sacred, and speak to the ancestry that we all have, that shape and guide who we choose to become today.

Visiting Ares:

I stepped into Ancient Angora, the sacred sight in Old Athens that was the stomping grounds of Socrates. I walked around and saw the platform where so many of his famous conversations, documented in the writings of Plato, were given. The whole surrounding site was massive, encompassing several temples and functional structures of a time long past. Though all that was left were ruins and rubble, the local tourist board had taken care to properly denote what each segment was used for, as well as document pictorial reconstructions of what these buildings must have looked like over 2500 years ago.

I was searching for the temple of Ares. Having done my first ever written work as a graduate student on his symbols and mythology, I felt that his was energy that was particularly relevant to my spiritual explorations of the past year. That paper I wrote defined my experience of being in a foreign country, immersed in studies that I loved, and solidifying my budding love with my inner athlete. The planet Mars denotes Ares in the Sky. He is our athlete, our warrior, our determination and sacred cetainty within. I was eager to find him and be in the exact space where people many centuries early had come to offer thanks, gifts, and pleas for assistance. I was so eager that wondering around in hopes of finding his alter proved impossible, and I asked directions whenever I could, all in the hopes of moving a bit closer to Ares.

During my search I was stopped in my tracks by three high columns placed closely together, signifying the entrance to an ancient structure. On top of each were the remains of different figures. They appeared as deities to me. Even after centuries of abandon and inattention, the tending given to detail was still unmistakably revealed in the stone and marble. Their bodies still showed deeply sculpted muscle in their torso and thighs that had come to denote spiritual strength to the ancient Greeks. I turned to the signs to find out what I was looking at. It was the Gymnasium, where countless celebrated athletes of the time came to practise their sport. There were still circled stones where athletes entered into to test their strength with each other in wrestling, places where heavy rocks were strategically lifted and carried to build muscular strength as the early reflections of the sport of bodybuilding, and platforms where people performed various callisthenics as a prelude to flexibility and endurance training. As they did their routines and took on their physical challenges, all in the hopes of exceeding their current limits, they were surrounded by beautiful mountainous views in the distance, and temples with representations of significant gods and goddesses all around them.

I stopped to touch some of the rumble in the hopes of gaining a deeper understanding through my fingers and to more deeply engrave the commitment I have made to myself to live this path of spiritual strength and muscle in every area of my life.

As if in a trance, I returned to my senses and remembered that I needed to find Ares. I turned away from the collective of tourists to leave and walked 5 steps. I had to stop for the late summer Sun was searing in this part of the world. I turned my head to find a place to sit, and there was the sign I had yearned for. The single most important thing that had brought me to Greece. A stone carved with words in both English and Greek that said “Temple of Ares”. I exhaled and then I smiled. As if this place was waiting for me, I saw a small groove and sat down. I said “thank you” out loud, and then I cried.

I cried for the bond I felt with this ancient energy, a bond that was still relevant to the lives of so many to this present day. I cried because knowing this energy within myself has completely changed me for the better. I cried because I knew, in that moment, that I had received some ancient gifts right here in this modern era. Gifts that I am still experiencing to this day. Gifts that have left me transformed, and feeling more authentic than I ever have known myself to be. Though I remain a work in progress, and my life has shown me that, for me, true change involves what appear to be set backs and plateaus, I know I am better today for having cultivated this relationship with Ares then I was before he came into my active, conscious awareness. I look forward to our continued friendship and how it may change and empower me next.

All That Matters:

By Nadiya Shah
c.2008

This month, as I end one chapter of my life and begin a fresh one, I am reminded of some words of wisdom I have heard and repeated often to those I love. Words I have been repeating to myself often these days.

All that matters is that you take consistent action in the direction of your dreams. That’s all. Just taking action. And faith. Trusting that your actions will mean something in the long run, even if that seems far away, hard to attain, or ridiculous. The movement alone will create momentum. Momentum that will train your soul. Momentum that will show your soul that you are capable of following up on your promises to yourself. This alone will create a tide of self-respect, and that self-respect is the most important part of anything you could ever reach for, aspire towards, or attain. All that is required to reap great benefits is consistent action and faith.

Don’t worry; just do your thing. And trust.

I have learnt a lot about consistent action this last year and a half. Running and my studies, they have both been powerful metaphors as to what commitment and faith can bring. It is not that things work out the way I plan, far from it. But where I am now is better then where I was, and where I am now could never have been predicted because it was always about the journey.

I began running just over a year ago. I started because I had a lot of energy that I could feel in my body, unwelcome and powerful emotions that I didn’t know what to do with. I felt lost in them, and I intuitively felt that running could restore me. At first I was scared, ashamed that people would see me, self conscious in the extreme. But I could only hold back for so long. I began with a short 1 min run, followed by a 2-minute walk. I did that three times. The next day, I was back for more.

Over the weeks and months that followed running became a deeply spiritual practice. From focusing on my breath, repeating mantras, and connecting to the spirit and sky of the day, I came to redefine my relationship to myself, to the world, and to the divine. I came to understand that freedom does not come by divorcing one’s self from the body, disowning it, or saying “I am not my body”. Rather, freedom comes through the experience of being alive, embracing life on life’s terms, connecting to something larger than myself like breath, and feeling spirit infused in matter, feeling my soul alive in and through my body.

And now, I am training for a half-marathon, just weeks away. Running it only because I can. Running it because it is a metaphor for endurance of spirit and strength of soul. Running it because I am determined to know and live this metaphor more deeply.

This last year in graduate studies has challenged me in more ways than I ever imagined, and also brought more rewards that have exceeded my most vivid hopes and dreams. I have met world-renowned astrologers as equals. I have studied with people who’s work I have respected for years. I got to deeply consider ideas and philosophies that I love from a variety of angles. I left home and travelled far to earn a graduate degree. But somewhere along the way, I showed myself what it meant to reach for something and become changed in the process. Days ago I finished my studies, I have that degree, and now I realize it was never about holding the M.A. It was about who I became in the process.

As I end one very sacred and important chapter of my life, forever changed by the process, a part of me knows that it is only just beginning. That my education is never ending.

There was a time when I had dreams of being smart. Today, I hold a Master’s degree. I guess that makes me smart. I had dreams of being strong. Today, I can run 12 miles, non-stop. I guess that makes me strong. But now that I have attained these milestones, I realize that the process is never ending. It was never about the attainment at all, by about the journey.

As I look back now, I can see that all that really mattered was that I took action. That I followed up on my intentions in small ways each and every day. Instead of reinforcing things I didn’t like about myself, in these instances, I choose to be aware and kept the promise to myself to follow through. What I didn’t like, I took very small, consistent action to accept or change. That was a painful choice at times because it challenged what I knew of myself and made me honest with myself when it was hard to be so. In retrospect, it was also a brave choice, though I didn’t know so at the time. But in keeping that promise, I have found something in me to respect. A treasure that I want to know more about.

Uncovering and discovering that treasure was a revelation of my own. Contemplating and exploring its depths is a process I have just begun.

A part of me knows that it is a journey of a lifetime.

My wish for my dear friends and fans this month is that you find a journey of your own, and that it is fabulous!

Living in alignment:

By: Nadiya Shah
c. 2008

I have been thinking lately about what it means to live in alignment. I once had a mentor, years ago, say to me “you want to get to the point in your life where you are living magically, so that rituals are no longer needed. You live a ritual constantly”. These words stayed with me.

The best thing I know about living in alignment has to do with our internal guidance system. I have heard it called our emotional GPS system. It can guide us and sustain us as we go through life’s experiences. If I am living true and honest to myself, then I would be willing to feel, willing to tune in, and trust the guidance that comes forth.

I have heard it said that it is rarely a good idea to divine for one’s self, to give yourself a reading, because your emotions and attachment to the situation that brought you to the reading will influence the interpretation of the omen every time.

If we are living in alignment, I wonder if the omen is needed. All of life can become a constant interweaving of omens. We are able to pick up the messages that are being presented to us from everything and every source. Life takes on a richness and depth of meaning, as we walk as part of the integrated whole, trusting that everything that is happening is doing so to teach us more about us individually and collectively.

Planets are a powerful omen. The sky and celestial sphere are constantly shifting and speaking. My body, as a microcosm of the greater whole, does the same. It has a language and is sending messages to me.

I remember as a child looking up at the stars. I loved what I saw. I felt those bright distant lights deep within my heart. Considering this powerful feeling, it was perhaps predictable that I would end up wanting to know and understand the stars on a symbolic level. Perhaps it was foreshadowed that I would be an astrologer. In many ways, it feels like this life has chosen me.

Living in alignment with the stars is like living in alignment with any environment I find myself in. I observe, I consider, I contemplate, and I seek a greater understanding through what I perceive. I trust that the omens are speaking to lessons that my soul either desires or is in need of learning. I seek a greater richness and depth of understanding of my spiritual path through my observations of the heavens.

It is a blessing to live in this integrated way. It is a blessing to see the world as magical, and to want to live that magic, not just practice it from time to time.

Plato has said that to observe the stars brings wisdom. That sight cultivates self-knowledge.

For me, self-knowledge brings us into alignment with what I think the Universe needs of me, and a grander dream of my life. Sometimes, with my limited perception, there is only so much I can see. But when taken from the perspective of a loving sky looking right back, something in me says that there is a plan that is greater than what I can perceive right now. This plan, this path, this unfolding intimated by the celestial sphere, can point the way to my growth and the development of wisdom.

My highest hope is that I am on that path.

Stonehenge:

By Nadiya Shah
c.2008

For thousands of years people have gathered at Stonehenge to welcome the Sun on the Shortest and Longest days of each year. It is the most famous land zodiac, a wonder of the world and a monument to our connection to the sky, and I was there! It was so great and so powerful. I stood in the rainy, cold UK night for 10 hours and I wouldn't trade this experience for the world- another dream come true!

Perhaps I set up an expectation for myself, that it would be profound and moving, as I am sure it has been for many others over the thousands of years that this annual ritual has take place. It was certainly significant, but not in the ways I expected.

Before I even came to England for graduate studies, my friends in Toronto were insisting I attend this event. I knew I would. All spiritually minded people are aware of the significance of the solstice at Stonehenge. I knew before even coming here that it was something I had to do. It is the only time of the year when the circle is not behind a stiff rope, when a person can walk right up and touch the stones. It is the only time that you can go within the inner circle and feel the intersection of lay lines beneath your feet.

So after months of being in the UK, the time of the solstice grew near and my anticipation grew by the hour. I made the pilgrimage to the stones via public transit. 5 hours each way was part of the ritual. Meeting some truly amazing people from all over the world was another rite of passage that went successfully well. Walking 2 km to the site was also an important part of the process.

And then I got to the stones.

I was there before the sun had set. I walked right up to them and into the inner circle. There were drums of all kinds playing. I closed my eyes, lost myself in their rhythm and moved. I felt my feet stamp and the lay lines in my heart, and I moved. I would open my eyes from time to time and look up at the stones and smile. It was a dream realized. Me, the stones, the night, the celebration of this monument to our connection to the cosmos.

With all the revellers and all the parties going on in different circles, I made my way around the site and found fellow celebrators to exchange the sacredness of this moment with, but I always returned to the circle and to the drums.

Just before sunrise I squeezed my way back to the centre. The Sun was behind a mask of clouds, mist, and rain, but the joy was immense. Rain or shine, the Sun is always there waiting to share its warmth and knowledge. The light within us is connected to the light that shines in the cosmos, and on this day, it got the kind of reception most fitting.

Before I left, I touched the stones one more time, thanking them for being here through all these millennia, to remind us that the world and every inhabitant is alive, breathing, beating, and wise.

Now, after a few days, I feel changed. I felt the power of the rocks. I felt the energy of the earth beneath my feet. I felt the joy of remembering that we are all intimately connected to our larger world. What is in me is the same stuff the Universe, with all its love, purpose, and wisdom is made of too.

I understand why I have always been an astrologer.

Astrology and Health:

By Nadiya Shah
c. 2008

It is amazing how health challenges can come up and teach us so much. They can inspire us to take better care of ourselves and to honour this body that is our home for this lifetime. I have been thinking lately about my health. A recent, and in retrospect slight, setback, has forced me to evaluate the role that my health plays in my life. I have learned in this brief time that without health, none of my other successes matter. Without good health, it is hard to enjoy anything, especially my experience in the world.

It is perhaps significant that in astrology our health can also have clear indications. When considering our health, and particularly what astrology can indicate regarding our health, the first place an astrologer is likely to look is 6th house.

Traditionally, the 6th house is your health, and what you do to take daily preventative measures to insure good health. We want to consider the cusp sign and any planets that are placed within this house, either at birth, by transit, or progression. We would also want to consider the 6th house’s ruling planet, and how it is operating within a chart.

The sign of the 6th house will be significant in explaining how a person approaches their health. Each sign rules different parts of the body, so the sign placement can indicate the types of issues that will ask for attention.

Here is a list of sign rulerships to different parts of the body:

Aries: head, particularly the forehead
Taurus: neck, upper back, and in particular the shoulders
Gemini: arms and hands
Cancer: The digestive system, chest and breasts
Leo: Heart
Virgo: intestines and lower stomach
Libra: middle of the back, kidneys, and the centre of gravity for the body
Scorpio: reproductive organs, hips and lower back
Sagittarius: thighs
Capricorn: knees and the skeleton structure
Aquarius: nervous system, shins, calves, and ankles
Pisces: feet

The planets in the 6th house are also important, and the conversations they are having with other planets can indicate where our strengths and challenges are. For example, a planet with many hard aspects would indicate opportunities to take responsibility and grow through challenges. Easy aspects would suggest where we can take for granted how blessed we are. Natal planets represent a life pattern. Planets by transit or progression can speak to lessons that are here for a time and will eventually pass.

Here is a list of how planets in the 6th house could be affecting your health:

Sun: Much of your identity is found in honouring your body and taking care of yourself. When you forget this, life can seem to fall apart around you. Make taking care of you first and life is experienced more pleasantly.

Moon: Changes occur frequently. Much of your joy comes from being “in your body” and feeling your presence within. Circulation of blood equals circulation of joy. You feel better about your entire life experience when you are feeling good physically.

Mercury: You may spend a lot of time thinking about what you can do about your health, talking about it with others, and considering how to make it better. You are likely to be analytical when considering your health. Working with written affirmations could be very beneficial.

Venus: You love pleasure and feeling great. Comfort and luxury may make you sedentary. Focusing on how good it feels to be healthy, and the pleasure you can derive from a great state of physical health, is the way to turn this to your advantage.

Mars: You are driven to take care of your health. Problems related to an excess of heat, such as boils and rashes in areas of the body related to the sign placement of Mars in your 6th house, can occur if you don’t exert this powerful energy through vigorous exercise. Great energy is available to you that you feel within. A very good placement for an athlete.

Jupiter: You may enjoy very good health in your lifetime. You can take a very philosophical view to honouring your body and incorporate that in your life. There is a lot of healing energy available to you should any issues arise.

Saturn: Early challenges, particularly before the age of 30, can occur. You are driven to take care of yourself physically out of a feeling of insecurity. Once you put the fears aside you take greater responsibility for your health. Great benefits are available to you through your persistent and diligent effort.

Uranus: Drastic changes occur with your health. Problems strike suddenly and unexpectedly and can just as quickly vanish.

Neptune: There may be confusion as to the source and cause of any health problems that occur. Misdiagnoses are possible. Your physic state is intimately connected with your health.

Pluto: You are likely to experience a complete reversal in your health situation in your lifetime. Early health challenges can lead you to take control and to take care of yourself. It is through your physical body that you find your power.

Astrology has been defined as a symbolic understanding of interpreting our world. Health can be a metaphor for how we interact with ourselves, and therefore with our daily world. It is here where things happen at a cellular level, movement happens within our bodies. That in turn affects how we live our lives. The 6th house rules not only our health, but also our daily environment, including our work environment. Our daily rituals, including preventative measure we take to ensure good health, and how we go about interacting with our everyday environment, all fall within the domain of the 6th house.

As we honour our daily environment and take greater responsibility for our lives, good health can often be a by-product. Sometimes that is easy to say to a person who is experiencing a health crisis. Sometimes just the awareness as to what is going on, as indicated through planetary aspects, and working with these factors can be a consolation. Cultivating awareness and putting into practice a few small preventative steps, that utilize the opportunities in your chart, can have huge long-term benefits.

I know the lists I provided have been greatly simplified and do not consider factors such as how a planet is operating within the sign it is in; there are many nuances you may find as you continue to explore what the signs and planets symbolize within a body. This list can be a starting point as you begin to inquire into your body and learn more about what it needs from you. It would be wise not only to consider the 6th house when addressing a question related to health, but also to consider the 1st house. The 1st house rules our overall vitality and our general outlook on life. This can have a huge influence on our health. It is wise to take both into consideration.

Honouring ourselves and taking good care of the body we inhabit is a part of this journey of a lifetime.

Wishing you great health today!

What is Life?:

By Nadiya Shah

c. 2008

What is Life?

Perhaps a heavier question than expected in a column, which focuses on musings that connect to astrology. Perhaps foundational to all we see in the sky and in each omen we read, this is perhaps one of the questions that moves and motivates us, sometimes most unconsciously.

I was reminded of this earlier today. As I stepped out onto a busy downtown concrete sidewalk and saw a bird shivering, twitching, and clearly in a lot of pain. As recognition as to its place in the divine cosmos, I felt compelled to help. I stayed with the bird, tried to comfort her, and stayed on the phone with various humane agencies in order to get her some help. The entire time her partner, another bird, stayed nearby, unafraid by the human attention, trying to comfort directly or just witness her struggle in silence.

About 30 minutes later, she died. She became very still. I literally saw the moment that life left her body.

At first there was disbelief. Within moments it was clear. I carried her to a green space and buried her.

And now, I still can’t shake the experience, nor would I want to.

Reading flights of birds is one of the oldest forms of omens. It was through the flight of birds that people divined and tried to predict the will of the gods. Sometimes methods followed a specific formula as those appointed to do so ascertained specific patterns, calls, and directions for their specified and agreed upon meanings. At other times, it was the spontaneous flight of birds, and the emotion they evoked, that foretold events or provided guidance and advice. Birds were closer to the heavens, the stars, and the gods. Their ability to soar heights was evidence that they were divinely appointed to bestow insight and revelation.

When I was a little girl, before I consciously knew I was a diviner and before I learned of their significant relation to omens, I remember I would look up at the sky all the time. At night when I looked up I could feel the planets and stars in my heart. I knew them as somehow connected to me, even though I didn’t then have the language to express that. In the day, I would look up and see the birds. I envied them and wanted to be them. They seemed to embody freedom, limitlessness, excellence. The birds had a perspective on the world, could see the big picture. A picture I have trusted all my life even when I couldn’t, and sometimes still don’t, always see it.

To this day I love Ferris wheels. They have become of metaphor for moving me closer to the planets and being more like birds. I love heights. They remind me of all that is infinite and endless.

As the flight of birds have been omens that spoke to the will of fate, I am reminded now, through this fated experience, that it is life that is so mysterious, so intangible. As we read the stars and our external environment for clues as to what life is asking of us, in the end life seems to lead to more questions.

And the ultimate question, what is life, seems unanswerable in the moment. For all of my education and ability to articulate the view points of philosophers and religious thinkers within an academic context, with all the rewarding work I do consulting with clients who are in need of clarity and direction from the stars, and with all the goals and ambitions I continue to work towards, it is the witnessing of the struggle to hold on and the moment of release of life that has left a lasting impression above anything else as of late.

It is this question, that I cannot seem to answer, which has left me still and contemplative.

I don’t have the answer to the question I have posed, and I don’t even know if I am ready to consider it with any depth or relevance at this time. I glanced at the planetary configurations to try and begin to decipher what lessons, what ‘will’ the gods would like to reveal to me at this time. But I have decided to put the deciphering aside for now.

I don’t have the answer. So I have decided, for this moment, to live the question. Just as I have looked to the birds all my life to help me appreciate the big picture and the divine perspective, I trust that whatever answer I do need will be revealed in it’s own time.

The Energy of Places:

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.

Speculative Vs. Realized Astrology:

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.

The Dance of Venus and Mercury:

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.

The Shifts in Astrology:

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.

Jupiter trines Saturn:

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.

Jupiter:

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.

Mercury the Messenger and Trickster:

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.

Relocation Charts:

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.

The Partial Solar Eclipse- September 11, 2007:

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.

A Snapshot of August:

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.

Saturn:

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

Mars square Saturn July 31 Mars Taurus; Saturn Leo

Saturn enters Virgo September 2

Mars sextile Saturn October 8 Mars Cancer; Saturn Virgo

Mars sextile Saturn December 8 Mars Cancer; Saturn Virgo

Saturn Retrograde December 19

(Until May 2, 2008)

In A Nutshell:

This month I decided to experiment with something a little different. I have been contemplating all the amazing recent events in my life and how the Divine Universal Cosmic Dance has influenced me, and so many around me, over these past few months. I thought a meditation on some major events this month would be a good way to prepare and enlighten us on the lessons, as they continue to unfold.

The biggest news is that on the 23^rd Uranus goes retrograde. This means that all “outer” planets, with the exception of Saturn, will appear to be going backward in the sky from our perspective. When a planet appears to go retrograde its energies are said to be more internalized. We start questioning what it is within us that need to change and evolve. The lessons of that planet begin to present themselves within us as opposed to outer events. Outer planets represent major areas of growth for us individually and collectively. Whereas the faster moving personal planets effect our daily lives, outer planets represent deep spiritual changes and growth.

Uranus represents our need for fundamental freedom and the impetus to release old conditioning that get in the way of being who we were created to be as opposed to who we have been conditioned to be. This is freedom at its best. Here is our chance to begin examining the messages we have internalized that get in the way of the absolute authentic expression of our soul. For more on Uranus, see my article from February 2007.

On the 15^th Mercury goes retrograde until July 9^th in the sign of Cancer. Mercury retrogrades cause us to RE- Everything. Mercury rules communicating with others, communicating with yourself (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.

Additionally, emails and phone messages have a way of going wonky. 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 don’t have the “visual and non-verbal” cues factor to consider. Strive to be objective in the way you communicate with others and yourself, and the way you interpret communication coming your way.

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

Though Mercury will not officially retrograde until the middle of the month, we will start feeling its change of energies as soon as the month begins. If there are any important big purchases to make or contracts to sign, get it done in the first 3 days of the month. After that, try and delay what’s not needed until the middle of July if possible. As I write this I can appreciate that life sometimes has a timetable of its own.

On the 5^th Venus, my favorite goddess of love, will enter Leo for a nice long stay. This summer Venus will go retrograde for a few weeks, as it does every year and a half or so, first in the sign of Virgo on July 27 and then Venus will slip back into Leo on august 8th. Even though she turns direct on September 8^th, she will be hanging in Leo until October 8^th. That is a lot of time in one sign. Her usual visits last about 3-4 weeks per sign. Though this will affect us all, Leos, Aquarians, Virgos, Pisceans, Libras and Taureans will be most affected.

Since Venus will spend so much of the next few months in Leo, we can all expect to see styles hit a dramatic, even garish, high note. Expressions of love that are big and overdone will be seen more than usual. We will all be inspired to wear a lot more gold and pronounce our passions from the rooftops. Enjoy the drama, whether it’s yours or someone else, if you can handle it! For more on Venus, scroll down to last months article I wrote about her.

Finally, one important development is that Neptune and Saturn will oppose each other for the third and final time. This rare aspect took place in August 2006, February 2007, and now for a final time on June 25^th. Neptune rules illusions and mysticism. It’s the place where we feel touched with the ideal and where we are most magical. Neptune also rules delusion and fantasy. This is also the place where we can lie to ourselves. Saturn, on the other hand, is stark realism. He is where we are forced to be practical and display persistent determination. Saturn is also where we resolve Karma that seems pretty heavy, but also provides the opportunity for major healing and resolution as a result of our own efforts.

When these two planets connect we are forced to face where we have lied to ourselves, where we have been overly impractical or much too pessimistic. We are finding balance between our dreams and the steps needed to make those dreams come true. Utilized well, this aspect can bring our most ideal visions into practical reality. Not utilized well, and we may find the very loving Universe presents us with one final challenge to face the cold, hard truth when we would just rather escape.

How we utilize all these and other energies headed our way is our choice. Working towards clarity and healing, no matter what the aspect, can be a great way to utilize the energies these planetary conversations create and can bring great rewards.

Venus:

Lets talk about Venus, goddess of love. Each mythology from around the world has a Venus- like symbol, a Goddess who represents fertility and love. She has been known by different names depending on the pantheon and culture she represents. Some include the Greek Aphrodite, The Etruscan Turan, the Aztec Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, the Mayan Kukulcan, the Norse Frejya, the Sumerian Inanna, and the Vedic Ushas.

Venus is known as a “personal planet”. She moves fast and touches on aspects of our daily lives. Venus is the Goddess we associate with love, charm, flirtation, personal magnetism, beauty, adornment, jewelry and clothing, gifts, self-esteem, self-love, possessions, money, social events, parties, and good times. To some extent she even represents how we express ourselves artistically. Wherever Venus is in your chart is where you express the ”smooze” side of you, where you are likely to attract mates, and express your more loving nature. A natal chart can show you your permanent love-nature modus-operand during this lifetime and a can reveal a major pathway to self-awareness and learning. By knowing your love nature you can work with it. By being honest with yourself and aware of how you attract you can work with your style to attract more of your desires.

Attraction is a huge factor with Venus. In portraits she is often conceptualized as laying back, being receptive, and letting the good things come to her. She represents fertility and the feminine principal. She is filled with grace, manners, and knows the proper etiquette in the part of our lives she touches.

There is an interesting thing to note here about attraction. Many times attraction isn’t simply a matter of what we draw to us, but what we perceive we are drawing to us. Our projections are powerful. The projections we are allowing to emanate from us and the projections we are placing on to external people, places, and things. What we attract is therefore, to a large extent, dependant on what we project. How people choose to perceive us is largely due to the way they are projecting their inner Venus onto us. This is particularly true in romantic interactions, where so much communication takes place between people on unconscious, energetic levels.

Awareness is significant when addressing Venus energy. What we look for in a mate and how we choose to see those qualities in others, even when they are not there, is one way we can use Venus to help us become more aware, more conscious, and more responsible people. Strive for honesty beyond the mystique that Venus can contribute to. Now, some mystique is important when seeking to attract. It helps the wheels of courtship flow more smoothly and enjoyably. But the mystique wears off. When the illusions we create when looking into another’s eyes fade, what you have left is partnership and honestly learning about yourself through the perceptions of another.

Neptune is considered the higher vibration of Venus and contributes to the illusions much more. But Venus is still significant in helping us learn about our projections and us. We can use our projections to our advantage when we need to call on our own brand of charm. But Venus can also be used negatively, when we choose to create a façade at the expense of honestly expressing ourselves.

Knowing someone else’s Venus placement can give us clues into what they look for in a mate, what attracts them, how they attract, and how they express their authentic love nature. While Mars and Eros are better indicators of someone’s sexual expression, Venus is the softness of love and charm.

When Venus retrogrades the key question we are asking ourselves is “Do I love it?” if the answer is no, we will let it go. Venus Retrograde is also a great time to consider our romantic past and forgive what we need to so we can move on. Since Venus rules beauty, its not a good time to change your hair or wardrobe style, and don’t even think about getting a tattoo or plastic surgery at this time.

Venus is the ruling planet of Libra and Taurus. She represents some of the major lessons in this life for people born under those signs. Even if you are not one of these signs, Venus still impacts you and represents growth and gifts for all of us.

Venus is great energy to work with when you want to soften a situation. Venus has a way of making things more pleasurable and easier to deal with. She also lends herself to attracting anything that represents pleasure, whether that’s money, beauty, social invitations, and of course, love. Venus is always seen “laying back” and allowing things to come to her. When working with her energy, it becomes important to surrender your intentions once they have been stated. Trust that once the energy has been put out their, your desires will manifest themselves on their own and find their way to you.

Key Venus Dates in 2007

Venus enters Cancer May 8

Venus enters Leo June 5

Venus enters Virgo July 14

Venus Retrogrades in Virgo July 27

Venus Rx enters Leo August 8

Venus Direct September 8

Venus in Leo opposition Neptune in Aquarius September 21

Venus enters Virgo October 7

Venus enters Libra November 8

Venus enters Scorpio December 5

Mars:

Sexual instinct and raw animalistic desire that originates deep within the body.

Have I got your attention?

That’s what Mars is known for, and yeah, he’s also as the God of War. What does sex have to do with war? Perhaps everything.

When was the last time you felt passion and heat coursing through your veins? You noticed your sweat glands activate, your pupils dilate, your heartbeat increase. That feeling you had of adrenaline, drive, and the absolute masculine principal. It is the survival instinct. It is pure energy. Were you observing the object of your rage, or the object of your desire?

In times of war, whether that battle took place in a boardroom, a battlefield, or a bedroom, we have all had moments when we were required to assert our strength. That strength could be defined as physical, but likely also took on intellectual, emotional, and spiritual forms as well. It is in those moments that we are capable of such great feats that come to categorize defining moments in our lives. To the outside world, our feat may not appear so monumental at all. Internally, we know the self-respect that can be gained from perceiving a threat and rising to a challenge to prove to ourselves that we are worthy to survival. We assert ourselves. That’s Mars.

Mars is the masculine principal in its purest form. It is yang energy. The masculine principal is one of freedom, direction, focus, force, action, determination, drive, desire, and adventure. It contains the spiritual quality of acknowledging what your desire is, knowing to the core of us that you are worthy to realize and manifest those desires, feeling the strength of your own will, and directing that force towards the manifestation of your desire in assurance of its actualization. Mars, then, becomes the driving force towards self-actualization.

So lets get back to sex.

You knew I would.

Mars is also pure sexual magnetism without deliberation. The force that motivates us to self-actualize can be seen as the same energy that drives us to merge with another. It is in the merging with another on the physical level that we can feel most alive, most in contact with that animal force within us to realize our deepest, truest ambitions. Sex then becomes an unconscious pathway towards acknowledging that we have the energy, force, and will within us to actualize our dreams.

In the act of sex, we share something primal, intimate, and profound. We share an energy of immortality. Here Mars becomes the energy that has ensured the continuation of life and physical form, which is why Mars has also been associated with fertility. It is in the physical assertion of our animal instincts that we find the metaphor to assert our creative and intellectual instincts and drives. It is in our raw animalistic desire for another person that we can contact the yearning we have to merge and blend with the highest vision of ourselves.

It is also in the acknowledgement of our desire that we may contact our greatest fears and vulnerabilities as well. Perhaps this is where war also becomes a correlating factor. When exposing our fears we may become, well, frightened. In our emotional and spiritual nakedness, as mirrored with our naked bodies, our defenses may rise. These defenses may be a part of our learned survival instincts. As we expose ourselves we risk rejection and humiliation. As a way to protect ourselves from appearing weak, we may launch our own version of a missile attack. This can take the most subtle forms of holding energy back, focusing our attention only on the most base, physical aspects of ourselves, or reducing ourselves and others so that we are willing to perceive only the animalistic. These are all ways to control, and ultimately subdue, the profoundly transformative power of Mars.

We can’t discuss Mars without also bringing up the issue of Anger. Some Chinese medicinal practitioners have articulated that anger is one of the most spiritual of emotions. Without anger, we are passively blowing with the current of life. With anger, we recognize when we are off our true path. We acknowledge that we are living below our capabilities. We admit to ourselves that we are no longer in alignment with our soul’s calling. We need the absolute passion and drive of righteousness to compel us into driven action. This realization can be incredibly painful. It is the pain that supports our rage. What we do with our rage can lead to healing. Translating anger into action that is directed towards our soul’s growth and most authentic expression. Finding the passion to refuse to live a life beneath you. This is the transformative power of Mars.

Passion is the stuff of life. It is the mirror to what we care about most. What we are most passionate about we give the most energy to. We can choose to channel this energy towards truly significant developments in our lives. And of course, passion is an exalted emotion to share with another person in the embrace of physical intimacy.

It is in our most passionate moments that we work through things on an energetic, cellular level. We are not caught up in our intellect, with the concerns of what the next day may bring, with our pains of the past, or daily rituals. When we are most in touch with Mars energy we are completely and utterly in the moment. We are channeling something uncomfortable and yet divine at the same time. This energy moves through us with a fierceness that can be felt. It is heat and urgency burning through our veins in the determination to get us into the present moment. By focusing only on what is right in front of us, whether what is in front of us is an emotional threat, trigger to our deep wounds, sense of identity, or sexual ecstasy, we make the Most of Mars.

With Mars, all emotions and sentiments meld into one. We are motivated towards the direction of resolution. That resolution can come in the form of an unexpected outburst, a measured conversation, massive change in our habitual patterns, or an orgasm. With the melding of forces within us, so too do the emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and sexual all meld into one.

The sign that Mars was in at the time of birth represents our mode of being when we are kicked into primal action. Whether that action was displayed in our childhoods, as adults in time’s of stress, or in our most passionate moments of physical intimacy. The house placement represents where we instinctively focus our energy. The way that Mars speaks within us to the world and to others will characterize our interactions, whether those interactions are sexual or survival based.

Mars energy can be harnessed to work with when attributes of courage, honesty, passion, instinct, enthusiasm, sheer will, and in some cases fertility (though there are more stable energies to work with if you desire fruition) are desired to be cultivated. Mars gets you started. He is the impetus and faith to launch your desires. Mars doesn’t hold much softness to it. He’s great for going into battles of a physical nature, like competitive sports, sexual drive, and facing our deep fears with new actions, but not so great when the intellect and emotions are needed in measured quantities. The best times to work with Mars energy is when he is in a harmonious aspect to another planet that also contributes to your desired manifestations.

Key Mars Dates in 2007

April 4 Mars in Aquarius sextile Pluto in Sagittarius

April 6 Mars enters Pisces

April 28 Mars conjunct Uranus in Pisces

April 29 Mars in Pisces quincunx Saturn in Leo

April 30 Mars in Pisces square Jupiter in Sagittarius

May 13 Mars square Pluto

May 15 Mars enters Aries

June 4 Mars trine Jupiter

June 11 Mars trine Saturn

June 13 Mars sextile Neptune

June 21 Mars trine Pluto

June 24 Mars enters Taurus

July 20 Mars sextile Uranus

July 24 Mars square Neptune

July 31 Mars square Saturn

August 1 Mars quincunx Pluto

August 6 Mars enters Gemini

August 23 Mars opposition Jupiter

September 3 Mars square Uranus

September 8 Mars trine Neptune

September 21 Mars opposition Pluto

September 28 Mars enters Cancer

October 8 Mars sextile Saturn

November 15 Mars Retrograde (until January 30, 2008)

December 8 Mars sextile Saturn

December 26 Mars opposition Jupiter

December 31 Mars Rx enters Gemini

Pluto:

By Nadiya Shah © March 2007

Ah, Pluto!

I love Pluto.

Pluto and I have had plenty of time to get well acquainted over the past decade, and our relationship continues to grow. Pluto is one heavy hitter. A transit from Pluto to a natal planet can last up to 5 years, with the most intense period lasting about 3. One thing that can be guaranteed is that he will change you forever, so powerful is its force. Pluto first met Neptune in my chart, followed up with a visit to my Moon, and the lessons are not over yet. Now that I am experiencing the effects of the start of a Pluto to Venus transit, well, I have learned all to well why Pluto is the God of the Underworld and the God of wealth.

Pluto is the God of the Underworld. In the mythologies of every culture, in every part of the world, we have the retelling of a significant figure within the pantheon that made a choice or was required to descend to the underworld. As a result of the descent and subsequent ascent, the God, Goddess, or Deity earned knowledge and insight. What is key here is that the knowledge gave way to self-respect that could not have come about were it not for their journey. It was truly earned. Because of their travels to the underworld they grew in personal power and awareness.

Think about the underworld and all it represents. The lower qualities of what we can consider include betrayal, obsession, manipulation, mind games, revenge, senseless cruelty, suffering, violence, abuse, and sadism. Heavy stuff, and yes, negative stuff. Now think of the positive qualities of the underworld. These include rebirth, regeneration, renewal, complete reversals, fundamental changes, spiritual transformation, the occult, the hidden, life’s mysteries, forgiveness, sex, intimacy, and shared resources. These are all very complex, substantially rewarding, and sometimes opposing qualities.

If you consider that in any moment we have the choice to forgive a wrong or seek revenge, and that these choices are most often made in our most intimate relationships, then these associations make more sense. What I especially love about Pluto (yes, I said I love Pluto, again!) is that he is responsible for so much growth.

What is also interesting is that, in Roman mythology, Pluto is the God of Wealth. Perhaps the association with wealth goes back to the self-knowledge and self respect that we earn through our interactions with him. Perhaps as God of Wealth he reminds us that no matter how painful or intense an experience may appear at the time, there is always something priceless to be gained from it.

Pluto rules the sign of Scorpio. 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 Scorpio, Pluto still impacts you and represents transformation and change for all of us.

Where Pluto resides in our chart is a place we are likely to see complete reversals in our life. We are driven to dig deep and uncover the hidden motivations and completely transform that area of our life over the course of our lifetime. One very interesting interpretation of the astrological Pluto considers his influence in terms of Karma and our soul’s growth. Where Pluto is in our charts represents a pronounced need of the soul to grow in and understand that area.

We can choose to be vindictive and manipulating, thereby accessing the lower aspects of the Pluto vibration. Choosing this path can lead to a “fall from grace”. What the real impetus here is to completely transform this area from what we may have understood it to be in our childhood or previous lives. We can choose to consciously aim to access the higher, transformative, and rebirthing vibration of Pluto. We can choose to work towards measured growth and tremendous self respect gained from this area of life, over the course of our lifetime. By digging deep, getting very honest with ourselves, and seeking the deeper, hidden meaning to this area of life we can gain enormous personal power.

A transiting Pluto is like a forest fire. It heats things up, seems to destroy everything in its path, but then there’s the calm after the fire. You realize that the fire was needed to allow the forest to grow in a fresh and renewed way. The fire was needed so that a stronger, more resilient forest could be birthed. The fire was needed so that the seeds that will now grow can do so with a fresh awareness of themselves and the more authentic direction they desire to move towards. It is in the direction of the pure, illuminating, healing sun. As if for the first time.

Whatever planet or area of life he touches goes through the life- death- rebirth cycle. It is that place in our chart that is ready to lose a lot of deadweight, have only the most intense experiences, and be deeply, profoundly healed. Through the pain of it, the wealth will come.

With a Pluto transit to a key point or planet in our chart we are likely to attract people into our lives who represent the area being activated in order to resolve past karmic issues. These people may present themselves to us to make us aware of what it is that needs to be healed within us and what we need to let die. Some astrologers consider these people to be part of sacred contracts, people we previously agreed to meet in this lifetime so that they could help facilitate the growth of our soul when it is needed most.

The way a message is delivered can vary depending on the type of aspect Pluto is making. An easy trine or sextile will allow those messages to come in ways that we are more willing to receive. The harder squares, oppositions, or quincunxes cause the person to come and go, and through the pain of their absence, and our willingness to learn from the experience, our soul benefits. A conjunction of Pluto to a natal planet can be described as a “moth to a flame”. The draw and compelling nature of the other person, and the intensity of the attraction, regardless of whether that attraction is romantic, platonic, or familiar, has us voluntarily jumping into the fire. We are on a hunt for experiences that address the intense need of the soul. During a conjunction, it appears to us that the other person is jumping right in with us, though their charts may not necessarily indicate so. Regardless of the type of transit being made, choices can be made that are considered and as loving as possible, so that any karmic past can be neutralized and resolved and therefore not have to be repeated in this life or another.

Pluto is great to work with to add intense energy to our intentions. The important thing here is to consciously choose to access the higher, transformative aspects of this energy. Pluto’s energy is complex and can bring a myriad of manifestations that reflect what the true motivations are behind the intentions we put forth. Since Pluto represents the life, death rebirth cycle, and wants the rebirth to be more authentic and pure than what was before, clarity and direction become imperative to consider.

Key Pluto dates in 2007

March 17- Mercury in Aquarius sextile Pluto in Sagittarius

March 31- Pluto retrogrades until September 7, 2007

April 4- Mars in Aquarius sextile Pluto

May 13- Mars in Pisces squares Pluto

June 21- Mars in Aries trines Pluto

July 18- Pluto conjunct the Galactic Center

September 21- Mars in Gemini oppose Pluto

October 26- Pluto conjunct the Galactic Center

December 11- Jupiter in Sagittarius conjunct Pluto

Uranus:

By Nadiya Shah © 2007

Uranus is an interesting energy to visit with. The Greek Sky- God, who impregnated Earth- Goddess Gaia as her son/ lover, with bolts of thunder. Thunder seems the right visual when considering just how Uranus likes to operate in its quest to bring us into alignment with ourselves. Messages from Uranus are just like thunder; quick, sudden, powerful, with lots of lights and noise. There’s nothing quiet about taking us off the dark path of predictable compromise to stark, bright, honest, unexpected light.

The wonderful ways a harmonious Uranus event works is that a pleasant surprise, unexpected circumstance, or sudden feeling comes to us. We recognize the Universe is attempting to get us to a more significant, deeper, more authentic level of freedom. Some aspects of our conditioning, like the lies we have been led to believe, get striped away. It’s like being washed clean. We are grateful for the sudden insight for we are now able to live lives more worthy of us and more in line with our Divine within. Freed from what others think and the bonds that held us back, we can now walk lighter, more in line with living true to our hearts desires and expression.

To live true to us, and the voice of the Divine within us, is to truly be a revolutionary spirit. It is a revolution because it is so rare. It is rare to find examples of people who are constantly checking in with themselves, searching to bring their decisions into alignment with the Divine with the intention of living a magickal life.

Most of us are pushing. We push to manifest what we desire. Push to make others fall into the role we have created for them in our lives. Push to make things work the way that perhaps our ego would dictate.

Visits from Uranus bring with them the chance to get honest and get free in the area he touches. The area of life being visited is asking for liberation. We are being asked to let go of the past and what we thought we knew in favor of a new vision. The light of thunder may blind us for a brief moment so that at first we don’t see what that vision is. But our willingness to allow it to be revealed is soon met if we set the intention. What we make of this time can depend on our willingness. Embracing the change can get us to experiencing greater levels of freed energy than we knew before. Holding onto history will only prolong the pain of the past.

The more difficult ways a Uranus transit operates brings with it an uncomfortable, even painful, thrust towards freedom. We don’t want to let go. We resist the change. The Universe, in all its love and wisdom, is trying to show us a higher vision of what we could be if we would only allow it, but its just too hard to accept that vision because it seems to contradict the ideal we may have previously created. Sometimes the discomfort comes from within. At other times the inner conflict manifests as challenging outward events.

There is a shadow side to how we may express Uranus in our lives. When we are not allowing ourselves to make the internal changes that are being asked of us then we manifest erratic changes on outward, superficial levels.

To live true to oneself is a true rebellion. It goes against the widespread pressure in our society to conform. In this way Uranus is anti-conformity when to conform is to compromise our soul’s calling. But when we don’t live lives truly worthy of us, truly trusting our internal wisdom, then we may rebel in superficial ways. We may focus on outward manifestations of “being different” for no reason other than to “be different”. There is a difference between presenting ourselves to the world in a way that makes us feel comfortable and presenting ourselves to the world in a way that speaks of the determination to set ourselves apart. Only we can know the true motivations for our own actions.

Rebellion for rebellions sake, revolution in the world because its easier than facing the revolution that is asking to take place within, and idolizing the avant-garde simply because it is new are examples of the shadow side of Uranus.

Where Uranus is in your chart, that’s where the potential and pathways lie to free us of limiting conditioning that has gotten in the way of living in alignment with the most magickal, authentic life we can embody in this lifetime. It is where we decided, on a soul level, to find our avenue towards understanding what freedom means. It is here that we work to release the limiting messages we have received in this, and other, lifetimes so that we may learn the true measure of our power. It is in this area of life that we can express absolute creative genius and be blessed with exceptional insights.

Working with Uranus is interesting and can have varied implications. When seeking liberation, cultivating the desire to “let go” of something that no longer serves us, or seeking guidance towards a new path to reveal itself are all times when working with this Sky- God can be beneficial. The Sky being expansive and limitless can bring all kinds of surprises. Being that this energy can be as erratic as the thunder in its quest to unbound us, the best times to work with Uranus are when he is in harmonious aspect to other planets in the sky or in our charts. Be prepared for startling manifestations towards the intention stated, and for the intentions to exhibit in vastly extraordinary ways.

With Uranus currently in Pisces until the end of the decade we are, as a collective, being asked to create new correlations between compassionate expression and personal freedom. Together we are finding new avenues of brilliance brought about by exploring the symbols in our dreams, shedding light on our unconscious habits, and becoming aware of the instinctive behaviors that sabotage our conscious intentions. Together we are reaching for a more idealized, mystic vision of what a benevolent revolution can be.

Key Uranus dates in 2007

Feb 7- Venus conjuncts in Pisces
April 28- Mars conjuncts in Pisces
May 10- Jupiter in Sagittarius Squares Uranus in Pisces
June 23- Uranus Retrograde
July 20- Mars in Taurus Sextile Uranus in Pisces
September 3- Mars in Gemini Squares Uranus in Pisces
October 9- Jupiter in Sagittarius Squares Uranus in Pisces
November 23- Uranus Direct

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