Everything's Retro - Triple Crown With Three Retrograde Planets April 2016

Writers live to writer and to rewrite - usually into infinity if we can get away with it - and April is a terrific month for indulging yourself in agonizing reappraisal. We have three, count 'em, three retrogrades.  April 17th Mars, our outgoing, warrior planet  whose can-do philosophy often makes the difference between a hit, or a miss for us, suddenly turns shy with moments of self-doubt as it turns retrograde in Sagittarius. Mars in The Archer's house is adventurous, but a little scattered. Mars' openness can easily translate to bluntness and a willingness to give too much information. If you suddenly find yourself waffling more than usual that's perfectly normal. Remember we all feel the effects of  retrogrades to one degree or another, but the effects are more significant if you have the retrograde planet, or the hosting sign prominently in your birth chart.

Martian energy is more circumspect during retrograde. While retrograde periods are not traditionally a good time to start new projects, don't let yourself become frozen with indecision because you fear making a choice. Simply engage your brain and rely more on the analytical side of your personality. Mars stays retro until June 29th, finishing the last part of its retrograde hiatus in Scorpio. Beware of poking under too many rocks when Mars moves back to Scorpio. An indecisive and frustrated retro Mars in Scorpio has misplaced their self-determination compass. We'll be a little more moody broody and our sting response will be set on automatic stun. Again, hit the pause button and analyze individual situations before responding to stimulus. You'll save yourself wear and tear, as well as preserve a lot of friendships.

On April 18th Pluto, that solar system vagabond of change, goes retro in Capricorn. Do I

here a sigh of relief? What's the matter, has all that crazy, Tilt-a-Whirl of change gotten out of hand for you? If you think so, you're not alone. Pluto hesitates during retrograde. Its reevaluation process asks us if every piece of chaotic change was absolutely necessary and if it yielded the desired goal. From April 18th through September 26th Pluto will be moving at a snail's pace to make us reexamine our choices. Where did they come from? Were they a result of baggage we are still determined to lug around with us forever? If Pluto retrograde has its way you'll be letting go of the things that hold you back before you start moving forward again in the Fall. Yes, it is a lengthy process working with Pluto Retrograde, but worth every moment of self-analysis.

Mercury in Taurus joins the retro party on April 28th, though with the other planets already well underway in their backwards journey, MR's influences may feel a bit indistinguishable from the rest of the retro energy. Stay patient when plans go awry, when calls get dropped and half of the free world misunderstands your latest tweet. Chuck it up to Mercury and remember your 'R' words: Revise, re-do, recommit, redesign, research, rewrite. The last two are my personal favorites.

Enjoy the gift of April's slow-down. Smell roses, drink tea, but most of all, take stock of your life, its direction and consider what you wish to change to become the best person you can be.

LADY ORACLE

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Pluto Retrograde April 14th through September 23rd – Cosmic Checks and Balance System

Periodically, Earth’s orbit overtakes the orbit of another planet.  When this happens an optical illusion occurs making it appear as if the planet that Earth passed paused in its orbital path and started to move backwards. We call this effect a planetary retrograde.  Every planet has one except us, of course, because we observe the solar system strictly from our own perspective. The most notorious retrograde cycle belongs to the planet Mercury.  Our verbal communications can be easily misunderstood at Mercury Retrograde.  Glitches occur in electronic and mechanical devices and travel plans become snarled. During the eclipse and Full Pink Moon mania earlier this week Pluto quietly turned retrograde.  Well, perhaps not so quietly as we think.  What happens when the planet of transformation, the one featured so prominently in the Cardinal Grand Cross configuration this month, turns retrograde? A better question might be, "Are we having fun yet?"

Pluto takes 248 years to complete one orbit of the Sun. 

#20, Judgment is the tarot association for Pluto
From Kris Waldherr's "The Goddess Tarot"©

When you’re the slowest body on the solar system race track you get use to other planets lapping you and kicking cosmic dirt in your face.  Controversial Pluto was discovered in the 1930s, given planetary status, only to be demoted to an ice ball in recent years.  Still, Pluto remains, at least in astrological terms, one of the group of outer planet called transpersonal planets.  These guys deal with the forces outside of the self – universal connections and destiny.  Also, because its orbit takes so long to complete, Pluto is called a generational planet – its position in a birth sign guiding an entire generation.  Pluto entered Capricorn in 2008 and will remain there until 2023, influencing all children born during this time in a particular way.

Ciro Marchetti's vision of #13, Death
This is the tarot association for Scorpio,
which is ruled by Pluto.
From "Legacy of the Divine Tarot"©

Pluto governs the eighth house of the zodiac, Scorpion territory, where matters of death, transformation, sexuality and shared resources are stored (environmental issues).  When Pluto is direct its influence is felt in the changes you experience in life and how they transform you.  Those changes can be as subtle as spring cleaning, or as groundbreaking as starting an entirely new career.  The planet of transformation brings you moments of stark insight that allow you to see your life clearly and make changes accordingly. Pluto is known for bringing hidden matters to light – sort of ripping off the bandaid so the wound can be properly cleaned and healed. Note that once Pluto begins transforming your life there’s no going back. Your end results are generally positive even though the journey might have been bumpy. 

During its retrograde cycle, which occurs five months out of

A new cycle means the beginning of a
new journey. The Fool, seen here from
Marchetti's "Legacy of the Divine Tarot"©
is Divinely protected on his new quest.

each year, Pluto makes us pause in our lives and take stock of what we are doing.  Are we helping our species and our home planet advance in a positive manner, or are we focused on self and making gains that simply gratify us as individuals?  These are the tough questions – no doubt about it – but there has to be a system of cosmic checks and balances for humanity's sake and Pluto Retrograde is a significant part of that system. Not only you, but an entire generation of children born with you during Pluto’s fifteen year reign in a particular sign will look with keen introspection on similar issues during a Plutonian retrograde, all for the collective good.   If that’s not a powerful, positive force, what is?

In a couple of days the Cardinal Grand Cross goes exact.  The notorious Uranus/Pluto Square goes exact as well.  Our strength during this time comes from the review process of Pluto’s retrograde cycle. Who are we?  Where are we going?  Ask yourself the tough questions this month and demand honest answers, because one thing is for sure, where ever we’re going, we’re going there together.

LADY ORACLE

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Typecasting – Sorting Our Astrological Planets to Type

In the field of astrology all planetary bodies are sorted by type. There are the inner

planets: Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars.  Although the Sun is a star and the Moon, our satellite, they are considered planetary bodies in astrology.  There are also outer planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.  

Inner planets all have one feature in common.  It takes them less than two years to complete their respective orbits.  Yes, we orbit the Sun, but remember that astrology is what’s happening in the Heavens from Earth’s perspective.  Inner planets are also called ‘personal planets.’  Their influence over us is much different from the outer bank of planets simply because inner planets bebop through our signs much more frequently.

Their are two types of outer planets as well: Transitional planets and generational planets.  Jupiter and Saturn are transitional bodies, while Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are generational.  Jupiter, the planet of optimism, success, and generosity; i.e. the Santa Claus Planet, completes its orbit roughly every twelve years. This confident giant transits signs at the rate of one per year and astrologers look here for our opportunities to develop and become successful. Saturn, on the other hand, takes approximately twenty-nine and a half years to circle the Zodiac.  Saturn is where our lifetime achievement award is housed.  While Jupiter offers a closeup of our opportunities, Saturn shows us what we’ve accomplished and the lessons we’ve learned along the way.  Saturn is about rules, responsibilities, self-discipline and lasting achievement.  It’s also about the journey towards our goals and how we overcome obstacles to gain self-respect and security.

The notorious Saturn Return occurs about every thirty years

for each of us as Saturn returns to our birth sign.  During Saturn Return we are offered special challenges that are meant to move our lives forward and help us attain the things we yearn for whether we’ve admitted their existence or not.  Saturn Returns are pivot points in our lives.  We can make extraordinary advancements and set off in entirely new directions during its influence.

Generational planets are the slowest moving planets of all

and because their transits are so lengthy, their influence colors an entire generation.  Uranus take eighty-four years to complete an orbit – Neptune, 165 years.  Pluto is the winner for being last.  Its orbit takes 248 years.  Uranus transits at the rate of seven years per sign.  Neptune takes thirteen and three-quarters years to move from sign to sign, but Pluto takes an astounding twenty and two-thirds years to cross each sign.  Pluto’s influence in a particular sign is felt from cradle to adulthood, while Neptune’s reach only extends to adolescence.  Uranus carries a more rhythmic cycle of a seven year transit per sign.  Perhaps that’s the origins of the term, ‘seven year itch.’ After all, Uranus is the planet originality and unexpected change.  While Uranus challenges authority, Neptune relates to the mystical and Pluto assists in our transformation.

Astrology is a vast and complex system for analyzing the positions of heavenly bodies and the patterns of their influence on our lives.  Just when you think you’ve gotten a handle on what it really means, you turn the page in a book and discover a whole other level that has to be considered – but then again, that’s life, isn’t it?

LADY ORACLE

January 1, 2014 - New Moon in Capricorn - “Understated Excellence”

The High Priestess is the Moon's
tarot card. This sassy depiction from
"Steampunk Tarot"© by Barbara
Moore and Aly Fell

New Year’s is traditionally a time to cast away the old, the things that no longer serve us. Auspiciously, our New Moon in Capricorn (10 degrees and 57 minutes) occurs at 3:14 a.m. PST on January 1, 2014, and brings with it, a chance for all of us to calmly and completely dedicate ourselves to our own success.  Capricorn’s energy is focused and determined.  It is goal oriented energy with no fanfare. ( See blog on Capricorn – “When the Zodiac Gets Your Goat” ) Results is what matters now. Head down, persistent – New Moon in Capricorn wants us to get moving up the mountain.  

Avoid the term, ‘New Year’s Resolution.’  Our culture likes to imbue those words with the presumption of failure before you even get started.  Instead, you’ll do much better to compile a list of goals – not too many – and the steps necessary to accomplish each one of them by year’s end.  Break your steps down into specifics.  On this day I will do such and such.  Goals must be real, measurable, attainable and specific to you to achieve success.  Motivation is what’s necessary to kickstart the energy of January 1st’s New Moon in Capricorn.  Your task is to discover what motivates you.  I always recommend working with tarot’s Wand energy. ( See blog – “Lights, Camera, Action” ) 

Mercury and Pluto are conjunct (same place, same time) New

Pluto's tarot association in
Judgment - another thought-provoking
image from "Steampunk Tarot"© by
Barbara Moore and Aly Fell

Moon in Capricorn, thus setting the stage for swift change – not necessarily a bad thing.  Mercury works well in Capricorn.  This planet governs communication and intellect.  There will be little space for random thoughts, or flights of fancy in early January.  Mercury is at its analytical best here, on task, but also cautious. That’s a a good blend.  New Moon in Capricorn gifts us not only with focus and determination, but also with self-discipline and rationality.  Don’t let Pluto’s reputation for swift and unsettling change concern you unduly at this time.  Pluto’s energy can be your best friend.  Again, ride that wave on top and in front.  Granted, if you don’t control changes, they will control you, but you know the drill.  It’s nothing you can’t handle by using Capricorn’s skill set.

Some astrologer’s suggest approaching New Year’s Eve with caution.  That’s good advice anytime.  Remember that Capricorn carries a VERY focused energy and as such, can keep us from seeing past the end of our own nose.  During the craziness that ensues while celebrating the end of the year – particularly when alcohol is involved – it’s more necessary than ever to be mindful of what’s happening around you.  Stay present in the moment and avoid situations that put you in the path of someone else’s chaos.  Know where you are, who you are with and stay in control.  Okay, that’s my yearly mother hen lecture, but it does apply particularly to this year end energy pattern.

The World, is the card for Capricorn's
ruling planet, Saturn.  Perfect image of
challenges met with Capricorn's focus and skill
from "Wizard's Tarot"© by John J. Blumen and
Corrine Kenner

New Moon in Capricorn on January 1st is a gift.  It’s like being handed a pen and paper by the Universe and being told to place your order for the coming year.  Don’t let this opportunity pass you by, because if the Universe can't inspire you to move on your own It will surely force you to do so.  Get organized, get focused and get heading up that mountain. The view from the top is great!

LADY ORACLE

Sun in Scorpio, October 23rd to November 22nd - “The House That Passion Built”

Everyone who likes astrology has favorite and least favorite

#16, The Tower - ruling card for Mars,
one of Scorpio's ruling planets by
Ciro Marchetti - "Legacy of the Divine  Tarot"©

signs.  Scorpio is top of my list of favorites.  Good thing too.  It’s my birth sign.  Being our own fan may very well be a Scorpion trait.  We do nothing in half measures.  We’ve been called a complex, broody sign that turns lethal in an instant. Frankly, it takes longer than an instant.  We are fiercely loyal, highly motivated, but we can hold a grudge like none other.  

Scorpio rules the eighth house of the Zodiac which stores the energy of birth, death, transformation and sex. Busy place.  It’s also the home of shared resources.  Rather a volatile home for the resources of a planet, mind you.  Scorpio is a water sign in the fixed modality.  That means that our emotions run deep, as does our intuition and our spirituality. As a fixed sign, our traits are constant and reliable. We carry yin, or feminine energy as seen by our intuitive and transformative skills.

'Seasons don't fear the reaper' - neither does Scorpio
#13 Death (Transformation) is their ruling card.
By Ciro Marchetti
from "Legacy of the Divine Tarot"©

The world is black and white to a Scorpion. There is no gray area – fifty shades, or otherwise.  We learned our moral lessons as children and took their simple truths to heart. What often seems like a simple matter of bending a rule, or manipulating a situation to some, poses a huge, moral dilemma for Scorpio.  We talk a glib game, but 

right is right and we prefer a more mystical, or intuitive approach to persuade others.  Think of it as wearing feathery, bedroom mules as opposed to combat boots.

We are intense, highly motivated creatures – determined folk, 

Pluto's ruling card, #20, Judgement
by Barbara Moore and Aly Fell from
"Steampunk Tarot" ©

who are not quitters.  Our love of secrets and the mysterious comes from the primal forces ruled by the eighth house. Scorpio is blessed with two, count ‘em, two, ruling planets:  Mars, the warrior planet, who carries physical energy and courage, and Pluto, who carries the ability to deconstruct, regenerate and transform. (That’s right. One of my ruling planets has the same powers as Dr. Who.)  We are resourceful and independent, loyal and passionate.  Still, with all these marvelous attributes, why are we so often considered the bad kids of the Zodiac?  Perhaps it’s because we can also be jealous, obsessive, unyielding and vindictive.  Okay, so who doesn’t have their faults?

An injured Scorpion is a curious thing.  We will come back from adversity transformed and stronger than ever (Mars, the warrior and Pluto the regenerator).  We are not motivated to seek reprisals by vanity, or by consequence, as other signs can be.  We seek reprisals for moral reasons – even if those morals are personal to us and slightly askew at that.  Scorpio never forgets a kindness, nor do we forget an injustice.  Should you inadvertently hurt our feelings, of course we will overlook it a first, or even a second time, but God help you on the third.  

If you are a child of the Scorpion remember that you carry serious chops and you can’t take them lightly.  We have the uncanny ability to adapt at will, to bloom in the desert as well as in the rain forest.  We can choose to focus our energies on positive life changes and when we do the sky is the limit.

LADY ORACLE

Astrology Trends for August 2013 - “I Think I Can, I Think I Can”

Jupiter's ruling card, #10
Wheel of Fortune romShadowscapes Tarot©
by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and  Barbara Moore

Remember the “Little Engine That Could?”  If not, it’s important that you do. The first days of August leading up to the New Moon in Leo may have all of us doubting our own power and potential.  While Santa Claus Jupiter remains in Cancer, offering both optimism and expansion of our world, the planets, Mercury and Mars also in Cancer move to block by amplifying our inner critic.  Mercury wants to know if we’re sympathetic enough.  Mars wants to know if we have the staying power to succeed in our goals.  On the upside, Leo’s natural swagger will be a little easier to control.  However, the true lesson of these three planets in Cancer is to believe in yourself.  You are important and are here in this place and time by design, not as the butt of some great cosmic joke.  Everything you need to make a difference in this life is already inside you.

The New Moon is Leo arrives on August 6th (more on that later) and we’ll grab for our chance at a fresh start like the brass ring on a carousel.  On the 7th Jupiter opposes Pluto in Capricorn, activating the notorious Uranus Pluto Square (see blog, “September Full Harvest Moon - 2013” http://ladyoracle56.blogspot.com/2012/09/septembers-full-harvest-moon-2012-7.html ) .  As a point of interest, the

Pluto ruling card, #20, Judgment
from Aly Fell and Barbara Moore's
Steampunk Tarot©

last time Pluto was in Capricorn was in 1776.  Does that year ring a bell?  Yes, the pun was intended. You can stop groaning now. Mercury enters Leo on August 8th and we’ll all benefit from the gift of gab.  Watch the sales commissions soar. Those actually born with the Sun in Leo will become more like silver-tongued devils, but oh, so charming.

Venus' ruling card, #3, The Empress
RWCS Deck, US Games©

As the effects of the Grand Water Trine diminish, the Grand Trine between Jupiter, Saturn and Chiron (think tarot’s #5, the Hierophant) comes to the forefront, peaking on August 21st.  There’s tremendous healing energy here.  Whether you’re concerned with health of body, mind or soul, use this configuration’s energy to meditate and promote healing for yourself or loved ones.  The Sun enters Virgo on the 23rd, but more on that later.

Venus comes home to Libra, her ruling sign, on August 16th.  It’s a beautiful thing.  Air sign Libra brings Venus into her own by granting us the ability to create harmony and beauty around us.  We form and reform strong partnerships.  True romance is in the air – literally. Don’t be surprised if you see the proverbial stranger across a crowded room.

Other points of interest this month include a Full Moon in Aquarius - part deux, and the rocking and rolling Perseid Meteor Shower ( see blog on shower -  http://ladyoracle56.blogspot.com/2012/08/perseid-meteor-showers-august-11th-to.html  ).    As you can see we’ve got great stuff coming this month.  Remember to utilize  this month’s energy patterns to create lasting, positive change in your life. Be patient and loving with yourself and with others.

LADY ORACLE


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Full Moon in Scorpio and A Partial Eclipse April 25, 2013 - No Need To ‘Duck and Run’

There’s no shortage of names for April’s full moon.  We can call it Full Pink Moon, Full Sprouted Grass Moon, Full Fish Moon, or Full Egg Moon. There are no shortage of planets and signs involved in this month’s full moon either.  On the 25th our full moon is in 5 degrees, 46 minutes of Scorpio. Scorpio is keeping company with Saturn until 2015.  Saturn, the teacher of the Zodiac, gives us challenges designed to hone our strengths and prompt us to excel.  The Scorpion is about transformation; the end of one cycle and the beginning of another.  This month’s Full Pink Moon gives all of us a chance to use Scorpio’s phoenix mode and rise from the ashes to reinvent ourselves and our lives.

Many astrologers say this is a full moon of reckoning.  Uranus and Pluto, who are in transit together, are building up for another power square in mid May.  Uranus is the planet of revolutionary thought and social change, while Pluto is all about emotional subtext.  Hidden issues come to light under Pluto’s influence. Once in the open, they can heal, but it’s not always a pleasant process.  On the 25th, Uranus will be in Aries. That’s a fiery, ‘me first’ energy, but it’s also an energy that does not fear change. The Ram embraces forward movement, particularly if gets gets him what he wants. Emotional Pluto on the other hand, is in Capricorn.  Capricorn’s ruler is Saturn, the ‘enforcer’ of the Zodiac.  Saturn teaches us responsibility, resourcefulness and regulations. Capricorn rules the tenth house of finance, big business, banking and power deals.  Take stock of your finances before splurging. Watch out for impulses to randomly invest. Financial responsibility now translates to a bigger budget later this summer.

This moon can also push your relationship buttons.  Be aware of power struggles with your partner.  Don’t play games. Prioritize everyone’s needs in your relationships, both personal and professional. This is good advice all the time, but even better advice now.  Most importantly, give yourself and your partner room to expand this week.  This is not the time to draw lines around anyone, particularly yourself and say, “stay put and don’t change.”  No one is advocating infidelity here. This is all about personal development and attaining goals.

The last player on the field for the Full Pink Moon is none other than the Moon herself.  We have a partial penumbral eclipse.  We won’t necessarily notice it visually, but we will feel its power.  Use it to goal set, to assist you in accessing Scorpio’s transformative power.  The Sun in Taurus will help you ground and focus our intention.  This moon is extremely strong.  There’s really no need to ‘duck and run.’ Just use all that lunar energy responsibly to become the person you were meant to be.  

LADY ORACLE

Tarot Planetary and Sign Associations

Mars - The Tower, sudden, unexpected change

Pluto - Judgment, rebirth and decisions

Saturn - The World, fulfillment and integration

Uranus - The Fool, a fresh start (divinely protected)

Aries - The Emperor, rules and structure

Taurus - The Hierophant, group spiritual structure, spirituality

Scorpio - Death, end of a cycle transformative rebirth

Capricorn - The Devil, conflict between higher self and enslavement to the material

Moon - the High Priestess, unconscious thought and intuition

Please forgive the over simplified meanings for some very complex cards, but I think it’s important to see the astrological correlations without ten more pages of blog. 

L.O.

Here's a link to the scientific info for the 4/25 lunar eclipse

Lyrids Meteor Shower, April 21st -April 22nd - Lyre, Lyre - Sky on Fire

The constellation Lyra, is the radiant, or point of origin, for the Lyrids Meteor Shower.  Lyra, whose principle star is Vega, rises out of the northeastern part of the sky after 10:00 p.m.  The Lyrids shower runs from April 16th through the 25th, but the peak time for viewing will be during the pre-dawn hours of April 22nd, after the moon has set (Waxing Gibbous in Virgo at 91.2 % full).  This meteor shower is one of the more conservative displays we see in the meteor season, raining between ten to twenty meteors per hour.  However, according to astronomers, the Lyrids will sometimes surprise you with surges of up to one hundred meteors per hour.

According to myth, Orpheus, the son of Apollo and Calliope, was a musician.  His best known gig was playing lead lyre for Jason and the Argonauts.  His father, Apollo, gave Orpheus a lyre that’s sound was so pure and enticing, its music charmed everything - even the rocks in the field.  It also charmed a beautiful nymph named Eurydice, who fell in love with Orpheus and married him.  

It’s not easy being the half-mortal child of a god. Just ask Percy Jackson. Orpheus and Eurydice’s happiness didn’t last. One day, while running from an ardent admirer (a common pastime for beautiful nymphs), Eurydice was bitten by a snake and died.  Orpheus in his grief followed her into the underworld and pleaded with Pluto for her return. Pluto agreed, with one condition.  Orpheus must lead his wife from the underworld, but never look back at her until they were above ground. You guessed it; for whatever reason, he looked back.  Later, after Orpheus’ death at the hands of crazed fans during a bacchanalia, Jupiter placed the magical lyre in the sky for all to see.

The cosmic debris responsible of the Lyrids display comes from the tail of Comet Thatcher.  This comet appears in our neighborhood every 415 years and we pass through its debris field every April.  Comet Thatcher was discovered on April 5, 1861, a week before the beginning of the American Civil War.  Its discovery clearly lent credence to the old superstition that the appearance of a comet preceded catastrophic events.

Meteor watching requires no protective eye gear.  All you need is a dark sky, a blanket and maybe a lawn chair.  It’s a natural spectacle, rated G, devoid of CGI and Dolby Sound.  More importantly, like starlight, meteor showers are free.

LADY ORACLE

Full Moon, March 27, 2013 - "The Worm Turns"

March’s Full Worm Moon occurs of Wednesday, March 27th at 2:27 a.m. PST.  This particular Full Moon derives its name from the spring thaw which allows worms to move to the surface to be devoured by robins. Is anyone else having a Wes Craven moment with this?  Perhaps Robin Moon would be a more picturesque name, but somewhere in the annals of time someone thought worms should be given their due.  I’m biased having been born and raised in Vermont, but I like the other name for March’s Full Moon - the Sap Moon.  It sound’s much more appetizing than Worm Moon.  As the weather warms in March the tree sap runs and this is the time of year for tapping maple trees.  It’s a truly amazing process and one you should check out on YouTube.

This year, our Sap Moon occurs in Libra.  Libra carries a lovely equity energy and has a strict policy of maintaining fairness and balance in just about everything.  Very harmonious - accept when you happen to have the Sun in Aries and three, count ‘em three, planets aligned within the same sign.  Venus, Uranus and Mars will be joining our Sun and hanging out in Aries in opposition to our Full Moon in Libra.  These planets will also be squaring Pluto.  What does this mean is simple language?  We have a relationship moon on the 27th and Libra, who is fair and balanced will be overpowered by Aries energy.  The Sun in Aries receives a super charge from a visit by Mars, its ruler and Venus, the relationship planet.  

Aries energy is based on self-interest.  First sign, first in line.  In terms of a relationship, that means making certain your needs are not only met, but that they come first.  There’s only one, first place in a relationship and there will be two people vying for the top spot during the Full Moon period.  You can see the problem.  The days leading up to the 27th and the few afterward may take all your communications skills, candor and ability to compromise to negotiate with your partner.  While you’re elbowing for position to have your own needs met, it’s crucial to remember that everyone’s needs are valid in a relationship.  One partner’s needs should never be considered more important than the needs of the other partner.  For your own sake this Full Moon, learn the difference between importance and immediacy.  Also remember the four Cs of relationships: Commitment, compassion, consideration and compromise.  

LADY ORACLE

Aries, March 21st - April 20th - Living With the Ram Without Getting Fleeced

Aries' tarot association is
#4, The Emperor from
"Wizard's Tarot"© by Corrine Kenner
and John J. Blumen

Aries the Ram is a cardinal sign, meaning it is the first zodiac sign of a specific season.  In this case, the season is spring. Cardinal signs are highly motivation.  Aries, doubly so, because it's not only the first sign in springtime, but is also the first sign of the zodiac year.

Aries people are optimistic and gregarious. They jump into a new venture or situation with both feet and usually with a high degree of success. They make excellent friends because of their caring, generous natures, as well as their leadership skills. Aries’ natural enthusiasm draws people to them. You want to do things for Aries just to see them smile and do their happy dance. Use caution though, because you don’t want to spoil an Aries. They are born with the knowledge that they are the first sign and in their minds that gives them an entitlement to the things they want. Standing between an Aries and their goal can be darn right foolhardy.

Ram people are easily offended. Notice I didn’t say they are overly sensitive. They are not. Aries is a fire sign ruled by both Mars and Pluto. Gee, can you say moody? Mars carries aggressive energy and Aires isn’t one to shy away from confrontation. Unfortunately, they are also known for becoming childish or even throwing full blown temper tantrums when they are thwarted. Aries best relationships are with other fire signs (Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius).

The tarot card for Mars, ruling planet of Aries, is
#16, The Tower. From "Legacy of the Divine Tarot"©
by Ciro Marchetti

The natural leadership and energy of Aries makes them very good at heading up new projects or endeavors.  When they are focused, they are focused. Rams are what I refer to as ‘first string’ people.  They insist on being in the starting lineup and are never content to warm the bench.  In their world, team is definitely spelled with an I.  However, ram people are easily bored. While Aries is great at getting the ball rolling, halfway through the game you’re likely to look down the field and find that they’ve headed off to the snack bar. 

Aries birthstone is diamond.  Hard head, hard stone.  In tarot, their ruling cards are # 4 The Emperor (hardness, authority, rules and structure - hmmm I sense a theme here) and the ever dynamic and irresistible, Queen of Wands (creative action, achievement, self assurance).

Aries of a special, charismatic people and life around them is rich and vibrant.  Celebrate the Aries in your life this month.

LADY ORACLE