APOD

APOD

This week the celestial set up is very powerful and will impact us all beyond the time frame of this week. In astrology we use the time quality of a specific beginning to determine the unfolding of the event. You could say that this week sets the astrological tone for autumn and because the Full Moon in Aries is involved, we will be having a very intensely emotional, uncontrollable ride.

Autumnal Equinox with a Full Moon in Aries

The Autumnal Equinox this year is September 22 at 11:09 PM EDT. The Full Moon in Aries is peaking on September 23 at 2:18 AM PDT.

New Moons and Full Moons, solstices and equinoxes are already very powerful doorways for celestial energy in the unfolding of the year. This Full Moon coincides 6 hours apart with the Autumn Equinox for the Northern Hemisphere and puts the spotlight onto a cardinal grand cross with eight oppositions and fifteen squares. There is a lot of tension, friction and challenge for us to grow beyond our fixed ideas and limiting beliefs. Each one of us is called upon to take steps to grow and expand, transform and rise from the ashes like the phoenix in mythology.

How Will You Handle This?

As with all transiting celestial events it depends on how they fit into your personal horoscope and which of your structures are triggered to tell about the personal impact it will have for you. If this Full Moon or any planet involved in the Grand Cross is activating one or more of your personal planets in your chart, you will feel it. Your world might be shaking and it is scary. Astrology can help you tremendously to understand and take active steps to evolve and grow into the direction which is asked of you.

And remember your personal journey is part of the future of mankind. How you proceed in your life with your life themes will set the tone for people around you, will impact your family and your friends. Some of you will be role models for others because of the big challenge you might have survived in a good way.

For example a friend of mine is battling with the fourth stage of ovarian cancer and has created a website for information and support system for herself and others in similar situations the Chemo Café. I find myself appreciating Adrianna’s very unique way to deal with a frightening situation like this. You can see her friends fund raising efforts on there but it is so much more then that. Let it touch your heart.

The Quest of the Hero

We are all interrelated. Your personal journey is part of the archetype of the hero portrayed in many plays, movies and books. The struggle of the hero who is overcoming the obstacle and coming to some kind of conclusion is part of your journey. That is the reason why we relate so well to the hero’s quest and we love the happy ending. We like to be ensured that all is well in the end. And if we cannot seem to find the happy ending in our life then we at least want it on the screen or in the book. I am a sucker for happy ending!

The T-Square is Part of the Grand Cross

The T-square could be seen as part of the Grand Cross we have been talking about for a while now. The T-Square has been ongoing more or less exact since spring and now it has been filled in by the Moon Nodes into the figure of the Grand Cross, the most stressful figure in astrological aspects. The North Node is in Capricorn and the South Node in Cancer.

The Moon Nodes in your personal chart are pointing towards your karmic journey and what is really important for you to look at and integrate in a karmic sense. You are coming from the sign the South Node is in and you need to move towards and integrate the North Node sign.

If you look at it in a more global way you could see it as a framework of the growth and maturation we need to accomplish as nations. Lately we had some pretty big wake up calls with the crashing of the economy which has been exposing the extent of corruption and greed in politics and corporate entities. And we had the oil spill destroying life and our environment to an extent we have never seen before, directly caused by careless humans. Most people I know have been deeply impacted by feelings of outrage and helplessness.

Moon Node and Pluto in Capricorn

Pluto has turned direct again September 13 and is moving on in Capricorn. The Moon Node is in a wide conjunction with Pluto. Whenever Pluto is involved deep transformation is demanded in the sign and house it shows up for us.

Pluto in Capricorn is reflecting the depth of self honesty we have to face relating to all matters of the state, politics, economy and society at large. Pluto brings to light and collapses the hidden structures of domineering and abusive power. I believe that is a good thing! We do have a chance to move into the direction of the Moon Node with his lesson of responsibility and accountability. With the involvement of Capricorn or Saturn the benefit of those lessons require hard work and effort and don’t come easily.

We have to apply ourselves to the best of our abilities and persevere in the application of our highest aspirations. You have a special gift to give and you are part of the monumental changes happening all around you. And of course in the end it is all about waking up to your true nature and embracing the divine in yourself. Many spiritual teachers of our times like Eckart Tolle, Byron Katie, Almaas, Neil Donald Walsch, or the Dalai Lama are helping with their specific wisdom and point of view.

But the goal is to be so tuned in to your own inner divine guidance that you will be able to live a full life from that inner place and become your own teacher. I truly believe that this is what this whole transformation and the 2012 land mark is about. Each on of us needs to raise our personal consciousness.

The transition into the Golden Aquarian Age is a process of conscious individuation to a higher state of consciousness contributing and creating a new way of life.

I hope you will spend a splendid Equinox in the company of your friends and like minded souls. Use the power of this time quality to set your intentions for your personal life as well as your prayers for Mother Earth and an easy transition into the new level of consciousness rising.

Aloha and many blessings for your journey, Shakti.

Shakti Carola Navran: astrologer, jeweler and author
1135 Makawao Ave. Suite 310
Makawao, Maui, Hawaii 96768
Phone: 808.878.8182

City breaks are always a good middle-ground, as there’s normally something to suit everyone. And if you go to one of the world’s top cities, then you can’t possibly fail to please everyone in your party – so Chicago, here we come.

Fantastic architecture, blues music and sublime dining? Check. Great shopping, top-notch museums and a giant lake? Check. Splendid parks, MLB Baseball…we’ll stop there as the list could go on and on. It’s safe to say that Chicago is a world class city that deserves your full attention. So – where to start?

The Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) Skydeck should be top of your list for starters. Take the ear-popping lift to the 103rd floor observation deck where – on a good day – you can see as far as Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana. It’s not all about views, however, with interactive exhibits telling all about Chicago’s past, including famous architects, musicians, writers and sports stars.

If you prefer a bit of retail therapy, then look no further than the Magnificent Mile, where you’ll find exclusive shops, boutiques and department stores located in the northern end of Michigan Avenue.

Chicago and blues go hand in hand and no visit to the ‘Windy City’ would be complete without a trip to one of the city’s many blues venues. In North Side clubs such as Kingston Mines, or South Side venues such as the Checkerboard or Lee’s Unleaded Blues, you can get to grips with the sounds Chicago invented way back in the day – electric blues.

Chicago has many fantastic arts venues too, and culture vultures will be licking their lips when they see what’s on offer. The Art Institute of Chicago is a cultural gem that houses the USA’s best collection of Impressionist and Postimpressionist art. Then there’s the Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum, where you can enjoy getting up close and personal with the country’s oldest planetarium.

And let’s not forget about the jewel in Chicago’s cultural crown – the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI). Visitors get to traverse an elevator shaft to a coal mine or can be whisked back to the cobbled streets of Chicago in 1910. If that doesn’t float your boat, why not venture into the deepest, darkest caverns of the human heart in a giant replica ticker?

With so much to see and do, you’ll want somewhere pleasant to rest your weary head and luckily, Chicago hotels are varied and plentiful, ensuring you have a choice selection of places to rest. Enjoy your trip…the Windy City welcomes you!

But time is tricky! In truth there is really only the eternal present moment; the past is a memory and the future a projection.

Time Quality in Astrology
In astrology we work with the quality of time in the moment of a beginning of something.
This beginning can be the new life of a baby, the signing of a contract or a marriage. We treat this beginning as the seed moment of what has begun to unfold. Like the seed of a plant already contains all the information needed for the plant to grow into the full plant.

When we cast a chart for a baby, we know what potential is has for this life.
The quality or seed of this beginning is determining the unfolding of those possibilities in the quantity of time passing. Imagine a book which contains already the whole story, but we need time quantity available to us to read it and enjoy the whole story.

Astrology works vertically. It uses the planets as a symbolic map to raise our consciousness to greater wisdom and understanding and helps to align us with the choreography of the universal laws and forces we are part of as well as the planets.

Mercury in Libra  Squaring Mars in Cancer
The square is an aspect with friction and challenge between the two planets connected. Mercury in Libra likes to take both sides into consideration, weighs the arguments, keeps an open mind and asks questions. Mars in Cancer tends to defend the home turf for any costs. Both planets connected with a square might not find it so easy to settle into a meaningful conversation without annoyance or escalation into a serious argument. Just be aware of it!

Lunar Astrology
Moon is the archetypal mother, the inner woman or outer woman, nourishing us in her unique way of being. She is our emotional filter towards the world and can give us hints to how interconnected we all are.
The Moon in astrology reflects consciousness evolving through our inner digestive process of our feelings and guides us intuitively through our day. Because emotions are often unclear and hidden from the light of consciousness and it might take a while to float up to conscious recognition and acknowledgement. By following the Moon position we will gain more insight into our own inner workings.

Moon Conjunction with Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune
The Moon today is still in Aquarius, almost full and in conjunction with Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune throughout the day. It serves as a reminder for us to find our place in the changes in our world at hand. The Jupiter gives us access to deeper meaning and better values to live our life from. Chiron supports our healing process wherever it is needed. Neptune gives us dreams and visions to strive for. This is an uplifting and stimulating combo you will enjoy!

I have written another article about the bigger picture of the threesome of Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune in Aquarius and how that is connected with the beginning of the Aquarian Age.
So more planets are in a sign so stronger the impact of it is. The conjunction and positioning of these three planets Chiron, Neptune and Jupiter in Aquarius will be with us all year. Have a look at my article about them and the implications.

When I was at the ISAR astrology conference in Chicago, I got a renewed and deepened sense of awe about how the outer planet conjunctions, squares and oppositions are shaping and reflecting the changes in society and giving birth to a new generation carrying the torch with new insights and energies into the future.

Full Moon in Pisces
We will have a Full Moon in Pisces tomorrow. The Full Moon is on her highest point of radiating her energy. The nights are full of light, the cats are roaming and having fun and we might have trouble with sleeping. Depending on the position of the Full Moon in your chart and how it ties in with your Moon and other planets you might feel a stronger or less strong impact.

Dream Life
The Moon in Pisces will bring activity into your dreams at night and your visions at day. Recording your dreams in a journal in the morning can give you tremendous insight into your inner world and many books and seminars have been given with good information about it.
I like to think as every person or situation I encounter in my dreams as a part of myself.
For example if I run away from something in my dream at night I inquire deeper into parts or areas in my life I might turn away from. Working with dreams in my morning pages in my journal has given me tremendous value over the years.

Once in a while it is also very interesting to go back in time to older dreams and maybe now you will be able to put a different perspective towards their message. We have such an inner abundance of feelings, wisdom and insights waiting for us inside. Dreams are one way to reach into that inner well.

Visions
Pisces is ruled by Neptune and is the last sign in the evolutionary cycle of the zodiac. Pisces is a sign of completion of one cycle of learning. Therefore this is a place of connection with a deeper level of our being, our divine origin and our oneness with others.

Pisces is the dreamer, spiritual teacher and saint. Pisces points us towards higher levels of consciousness and wants us to be a messenger for the divine nature. Pisces introduces meditation as a tool to align with higher levels of consciousness and opens the channel wider for inspiration, healing and creativity. Pisces gemstone is the Amethyst.

Suggestion to Connect with your Dreams
I like to invite you to take advantage of the time quality of the moment! Get comfortable and sit with your cup of tea or coffee and take some time for yourself with your journal. Pick one area in your life to look at more closely. How does it look like? Are you happy and satisfied with your life in that area? What would you imagine it to look like if you had three wishes from the fairy? Get wild in your imagination and it will point you into the right direction! Today I got this quote from Abraham / Hicks which might help you with this.

Making Peace with My Today Will Improve My Future. It may sound odd, but the fastest way to get to a new-and-improved situation is to make peace with your current situation. By making lists of the most positive aspects you can find about your current situation, you then release your resistance to the improvements that are waiting for you. But if you rail against the injustices of your current situation, you hold yourself in Vibrational alignment with what you do not want, and you cannot then move in the direction of improvement. It defies Law. In every particle of the Universe, there is that which is wanted – and the lack of it.

I also like to give you a gemstone to consider for your process. Remember you can meditate with gemstones by lying down and placing a stone on top of you, on your third eye or any area of your body that needs extra energy balancing. I love gemstone meditations it appeals to my Taurus Sun who like to get comfortable.

Amethyst is Merlin, the Great Magician and Spiritual Teacher [1]
“In olden times Amethyst was known as an amulet against black magic and homesickness, and as a bringer of good fortune. I see Amethyst as Merlin, the old sorcerer who looks harmless enough but in fact wields great power. In the myth he was the spiritual teacher and magician of King Arthur.

Amethyst can become our individual teacher as well. This gem’s greatest gift is its ability to open us up to higher realms of reality, higher states of consciousness. It enhances meditation, connects us with our higher self and the supreme reality.
When there is a strong influence of Neptune in our chart, there is an ever present yearning for a higher realm of consciousness, a longing for God, a search for something more than our daily reality. People who fall under this astrological configuration are often tempted to take a shortcut to that plane by using chemical substances to escape reality. But their efforts fail in the long run because they are disappointed by the false world of chemical highs.

By uplifting our consciousness, Amethyst becomes the messenger who reminds us of our eternal connection with God. It is the bringer of bliss and understanding, of expansion to our being. It helps to clear the mind and to transform our limiting beliefs about who we are. It is our guardian and ally who accompanies us on our visionary quest to find greater truth and meaning in life.”  

If you like my astrological musings I invite you to find more on my Astrological Signs Weather Report & Healing Gems Blog for a regular update on the universal flow in the heavens. As you can tell I am also very passionate about the abilities of the healing gemstones to help to align and balance our flow. I have even written a book about it and the connection with astrology: Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery. If you know where your challenges are, you can then take steps to support or balance yourself with gemstones, if that is something that appeals to you.

I hope you enjoyed my article, aloha and many blessings, Shakti.

Shakti Carola Navran: astrologer, jeweler and author

[1]Adapted from Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones That Delight the Eye & Strengthen the Soul © 2008 by Shakti Carola Navran. Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd. 2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125-2989. All rights reserved, used by permission of the publisher.