Weekly Weather April 16, 2012
It is an easier week now that Mars and Pluto have started to move again. Last week had major challenges for quite a few people. The rest of us watched and said “Wow, there but for the grace of God(dess) go I!” Now we go forward with that watching, wisdom, knowledge or experience under our belts or tucked into our purses. Trust me, the revelations of last week will guide you for a while. The events were clarifying if not exactly easy. And the events or experiences we learned of from others helped us to see things clearly in our own lives.
So no regrets. No I wish I hads. No if onlys. No more tears or sadness. No wailing or gnashing of teeth or tearing of hair. No more flogging (unless you REALLY, REALLY like it!) or beating yourself up. You are where you are. You start from right where you are. Starting RIGHT now, Mars is moving forward.
Mars in Virgo is answering to Pisces Mercury is asking you what habits, routines and rituals you want to add into your life. And, more importantly, as Mercury is at the LAST degree of Pisces, what habits, routines and rituals you want to RELEASE from your life. We have a New Moon, in Taurus later this week. That makes the Waning diminishing Moons in Pisces and Aries excellent times for releasing, letting go or banishing things we no longer want. In fact, it doesn’t even have to be that dramatic ~ just don’t go there any more. Don’t pick up. Don’t do it. Do something else instead. Walk away and don’t look back. No regrets. You are where you are. Focus on what YOU want. Spend time doing the new things rather than the other, old things you don’t want any more.
Late Monday afternoon, Mercury enters Aries. Mercury in Aries gets Mars incredibly focused. You are going to feel a whoosh of energy when that shift happens and clarity arrives. Laser beams. Directed. On and playing your A-Game! So focus on your life. Look at it. What needs to be adjusted?
Sun enters Taurus on Thursday, grounding that air Venus in Gemini and asking her to explore the choices. Venus in Gemini until mid-August offers us all sorts of choices. Explore your options. Refuse to pick things you don’t want or like any more. Try new stuff. Gemini is all about options, ideas, connections, and communications. Dance lightly. Venus rules Jupiter, Saturn, Ceres, and by Pluto in Capricorn answers back to her too. As Mercury shifts into Fire, Venus in Gemini answers to him in a passionate and perhaps angry place ~ but certainly ACTION oriented as Aries is all about what I want, initiating energy to get a burn going. Waste not a second more on regret or anger. Get yourself moving forward.
There is a New Moon in Taurus New Moon in Taurus on Saturday. The Sabian Image for it is AN ELECTRICAL STORM ILLUMINATES THE HEAVENS AND THE FORESTS. Lynda Hill’s interpretation of the image is:
Commentary: ‘An Electrical Storm’ can really wake us up. Sometimes it comes out of the blue, when we’re not expecting it. As it approaches there is a strong buildup of energy and things can become stuck and static. There is a feeling of something pending, the tension and promise of a breaking point occurring at any minute. As it ‘Illuminates the Heavens and the Forests’, it sheds flashes of light on the environment or the immediate situation. It often happens that the cleansing promise of rain is held back momentarily while the power of the situation seems to take over everything.
Oracle: This situation will most likely change from what it first appeared to be. You may actually have little influence over what is being unleashed. In the meantime, there’s a need to keep a cool head while observing everything around. Eventually the energy will dissipate and you will regain control: physically, mentally or emotionally. Lightning is a powerful ‘Electrical’ energy, and brilliant flashes of intuition can come when it is unleashed. This Symbol says that the ‘Electrical Storm Illuminates the Heavens and the Forests’; with a sense of added awareness, it brings insight and ‘Illumination’ to a high point of focus. Things that have not been obvious before are likely to become much clearer to you, sometimes crystal clear. Paths out of confusion can suddenly be revealed. Pay attention, as this can be in short grabs. Things will seem better if you feel safe in your environment and with the people around you. Keep your eyes wide open. Don’t worry about losing control, as the ‘Electrical Storm’ will pass relatively quickly, possibly leaving you in a better place and a fresh state of mind.
Keywords: Reverence for the forces of nature. Loud cracks, flashes, and bangs that clear the air. Flashes of insight. Tension and its release. Electrical conductors. The sense that all hell is going to break loose. Short circuits of mind or emotions. Electricity failures. Crackling emotions. Flashes in quick succession. Bursts of energy. Light changing. Psychic clearing. Hot flushes.
The Caution: Being frozen in fear just when one needs to spur to action. Losing control. Being distracted by surroundings. Not being completely aware of all the potential dangers. Worry that overtakes and engulfs. Chaos in the brain. Nervous reactions. Things changing quickly. Brilliance that is quickly or easily lost.
Lightning is the shorthand of a storm, and tells of chaos. Eric Mackay
The difficulties we experience always illuminate the lessons we need most. Anon
The best lightning rod for your protection is your own spine. Ralph Waldo Emerson
I’d rather be a lightning rod than a seismograph. Ken Kesey
First thoughts have tremendous energy. The internal censor usually squelches them, so we live in the realm of second and third thoughts, thoughts on thoughts, twice and three times removed from the direct connection of the first fresh flash. Natalie Goldberg
Knowledge does not come to us in details, but in flashes of light from heaven. Henry David Thoreau
Nothing in life is more exciting and rewarding than the sudden flash of insight that leaves you a changed person-not only changed, but for the better. Arthur Gordon
My friend Llorraine’s emails often contain inspiring gems of wisdom. Last week, Llorraine sent me an email about a nurse who has counseled the dying in their last days and listened to the most common regrets people have at the end of their lives.
From the internet: Bonnie Ware is an Australian nurse who spent several years working in palliative care, caring for patients in the last 12 weeks of their lives. She recorded their dying epiphanies in a blog called Inspiration and Chai, which gathered so much attention that she put her observations into a book called The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.
Ware writes of the phenomenal clarity of vision that people gain at the end of their lives, and how we might learn from their wisdom.
Here are the top five regrets of the dying, as witnessed by Ware:
1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honored even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.
It is very important to try and honor at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realize, until they no longer have it.
2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.
This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.
By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.
3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.
We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
Often they would not truly realize the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.
It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.
When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.
Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness.
What’s your greatest regret? What will you set out to achieve or change before you die?
During weeks like this, I play my RENT album by Jonathan Larson. The lyrics from “No Day But Today” come to mind…
The heart may freeze or it can burn
The pain will ease if I can learn
There is no future
There is no past
Thank God this moment’s not the last
There’s only us
There’s only this
Forget regret– or life is yours to miss.
No other road
No other way
No day but today
There’s only yes
Only tonight
We must let go
To know what is right
No other course
No other way
No day but today
I can’t control
My destiny
I trust my soul
My only hope
is just to be
There’s only now
There’s only here
Give in to love
Or live in fear
No other path
No other way
No day but today
Make this week be your New Life’s New Year resolution ~ plant some cool stuff in your life to celebrate that lovely Taurus New Moon. Focus on giving into Love. Let go of fear. There really is no day but today.
Void Moons This Week
10:34 am EDT Tuesday April 17 to 11:59 am EDT Wednesday April 18
3:35 pm EDT Friday April 20 to 0:05 am EDT Saturday April 21
1:10 pm EDT Sunday April 22 to 1:05 pm EDT Monday April 23
Monday Moon Day April 16 Moon in Pisces has a lovely closing aspect of a sextile to Jupiter so today is particularly productive on many levels. Uranus aspects the Nodes of Fate and invites each of us to change and be inspired by invitations to go, be or do. If the Universe offers you a new job, life, partner or some energy of creativity supporting what you started in the summer of 2010, make sure to say YES in a really loud voice. Make it perfectly clear to all involved that you are saying YES to your future. You can feel like you don’t know quite what to do with your past ~ no worries. It will shift and you’ll be clear soon enough. Do say yes to things today, even if you don’t have a vision of how either. Commit to expand. Mercury at the last degree of Pisces squares Hades at the last degree of Gemini ~ You have to open your arms to accept what wants to come in. That means you have to put down what you don’t want any more. The past serves as the foundation for the future. Greet the future, however it shows up today, with open arms. Venus is in Gemini ~ it will continue to shift and evolve. Mercury enters Aries tonight to cause a huge, whoosh and shift in the action and drive. No more lollygagging. You have places to go and people to see. Build your life consciously. Moon in Pisces does argue with Venus is Gemini ~ how can you do it all? One step at a time. No feeling overwhelmed. You got where you are now one step at a time. That is how you get to the next place too. No regrets
Tuesday Mars day April 17 finds Pisces Moon with a closing aspect of a sextile to Jupiter early in the day with the balance of the day’s function void, making this a productive day to dream about what you want to create in your life. Taxes are due so all across the United States, activity stops as people do last minute tax filing. Sun opposes Apollon ~ our annual accounting of what we accomplished financially last year. What did you accomplish in the OTHER important areas of your life? What regrets? What wants to be nurtured in the future? See the patterns in your life that created where you are now. How do they need to change to create your future?
Mercury’s day Wednesday April 18, Void in Pisces in the Morning, when Moon enters Aries, she has unions with Mercury and Uranus bringing shocking or unusual news today. The Lord of the Underworld has an aspect with Pallas offering a rare glimpse into how the other side lives. Expect illuminations. Anticipate unexpected behaviors. People will quit, resign, take off or leave under this energy. It is harsh and fast moving. So stand back. And don’t try to talk them out of it ~ they are NOT going to listen to you.
Thursday Jupiter’s day April 19 Moon in Aries is fed by the desire to let go or release. She has a hard aspect of separating to Saturn. Things that need to end do end today. You just can’t take it anymore. Sun has a gift of brilliance so you DO see it clearly and are able to move it forward. Sun enters Taurus at 12:12 pm EDT, putting the Sun high in the sky and making the focus of the next 30 days material and financial security. We can find the month focused on OTHER people’s financial health, emotions or values as Moon rules the last degree of the Ascendant. Moon squares Pluto so there can be emotional power in the energy today ~ a kind of unusual clarity. The earth energy of Mars trine Ceres is good to release things out into the world that you have created or nurtured or worked on. That said, once they go, you can’t call them back. They become the world’s possessions. Venus at 13 Gemini has a sesquiquadrate to Apollon offering stress and action oriented partnership energy. The semi-square of Mercury to Jupiter adds emotional stress about or around communications. People are not listening very well today or tomorrow. Make notes on what you see and move to fix it NEXT week rather than this week. Mercury’s semi-sextile to Neptune offers movement of ideas or information out into the world. You can also receive stressful information. Sun is sextile to Hades on the World Axis so situations that require emotional attention can feel difficult. Mercury and Mars are contraparallel so information received around actions take can be counter productive to what you deeply want. Again, keep your counsel as people are not listening very well today.
Venus’ Day Friday April 20 finds the Moon in Aries with a late afternoon and evening void Moon that is separating ~ great for releasing and not for starting stuff. It is a crabby, cranky kind of day. It is time to Banish. Walk away. Don’t go there. Emotions are stressed out mid-day as Moon opposes Saturn ~ yes it is NOT what you wanted. So go find what you want elsewhere. Enough with the whining and complaining. That does NADA to shift things. And you are starting to annoy your friends and family. Pallas is irritated early in the morning ~ she’s seeing patterns that do NOT make her happy. So take steps, after tomorrow’s New Moon, to change them. Right now, recognize that you don’t want them in your life any more. Mercury is inconjunct to Mars early evening making today be a day of dissatisfaction with pretty much everything. It is a passing energy but do notice what is getting on your nerves and try to remedy it next week. Today no one is in the mood to listen so don’t even bother to waste time or energy on it. Just make a note to get to it when the energy is more cooperative and happy.
Saturn’s day Saturday April 21 finds the New Moon in Taurus with the Sabian Image of AN ELECTRICAL STORM ILLUMINATES THE HEAVENS AND THE FORESTS. Expect illumination! Saturn asks us to clear out our homes and unused stuff as he opposes Vesta. So much of what we accumulate ties us to hard energies from our past. Look at the things in your home with fresh eyes. Do you love it? Does it serve you? Does it make you happy? Keep the things that support your soul. Find a box or three and clear out the stuff that doesn’t support where you want to go next. Astraea stations and turns direct at 16 Virgo so high pollen counts, leaf mold, that kind of lingering cold thing needs to have you address it with some extra sleep or vitamins. Take good care of yourself. Have you been running too fast lately? Today Mercury wants a bit of nurturing or time spent with a nurturing or partnering energy. Call that friend you’ve been meaning to get to …. Mercury is still in his shadow. Connections are important and Mercury makes some of them for you tonight ~ make sure to get their contact information. Juno has an adjusting aspect to Ceres ~ freedom to create what you need in your life is the best way to nurture yourself. How can you do more of that?
Sun’s day Sunday April 22 finds the Taurus Moon with a lovely closing aspect of a conjunction to Jupiter offering us a cosmic pull towards our future and our fate. What can you do today that supports your evolution and planting something in your life that can grow. The void moon all afternoon suggests we should kick back and enjoy the beautiful world we live in. Mercury in Fire Aries joins up with Uranus offering us a stealth sneak peek of what we are going to be integrating under the upcoming Uranus Pluto square. Sun works with Neptune bright and early offering us extra informative dreams. Clear stuff out of your house and surrounding environment that you don’t completely love and adore. Tackle the stuff lurking in the back of your refrigerator or crystal ice coated in the freezer. Pitch out the remnant of Beach Plum jam from last summer that you never finished. Check the expiration dates and pitch it ~ even if it looks still edible. We are all about nurturing our soul this week. Prep some veggies and fruit so you make healthier choices when you open the door to browse. Ceres is aspecting that Node of Fate and reminding you that what you eat or drink is the actual fuel that keeps your body healthy and creates that lovely energy flowing that you want to live in. Let’s make a health adjustment or two as part of the transformation energy of Saturn in Libra ~ partner with yourself in a healthier manner and the New Moon in Body oriented Taurus. Your mother can drive you absolutely crazy today making it yet another great reason to clean out your kitchen of old stuff ~ use up that negative stress part of the Ceres energy to the Node of Fate.
Advertisement: There are a few spaces left in the Introduction to Astrology Weekend I am teaching in Vermont next weekend, April 27 to 29. Give yourself a lovely Taurus present and come join us. If you are a complete NEWCOMER, it will be fine. You’ll learn how to navigate your chart and start to speak a new language. If you know a bit or a middle amount as an astrologer, you’ll learn very cool things that deepen your knowledge and take you to the next level. The class is designed to start you on the path to deeper knowledge of who you are and why you are here! So say yes and come join us! It will be great fun! Lots of laughter is promised. Excellent food. Delightful people. Say yes to your life!
Introduction to Astrology Weekend taught by
ANNE ORTELEE
Presented by Bodhi Consult
April 27-29, 2012
The Wilburton Inn
Manchester Village, VT
The Introduction to Astrology Weekend includes:
16 hours of Astrology Instruction,
Two nights at the Wilburton Inn,
Friday Night Welcome Reception with Light Dinner
Breakfast, Lunch and coffee breaks on Saturday and Sunday
An Astrology Introduction Book for use and reference after the Weekend.
The Opportunity to Understand Your Chart in greater depth by studying with Anne
Weekend Schedule
Friday
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm Welcome Reception with light dinner
7:00 – 9:00pm Introduction with Anne
A bit of history about astrology, how everything under the Sun and in our world is included in astrology, what is a horoscope? A picture of the hour you were born.
Basics pieces of the language of the stars- Planets, Signs, Houses and Aspects.
Saturday
Workshop with Anne 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Anne will cover in Saturday’s workshop what each planet does both personally and collectively, how signs behave both in both the public arena and personal life, how to analyze horoscope charts and put it together by looking at a “mystery chart” as well as your own. There will be time to practice these skills with direct guidance from Anne. Breakfast is included for those staying at the Inn. Lunch and two coffee breaks are included for all workshop guests. Participants are on their own for dinner tonight in the quaint and historic town of Manchester.
Sunday
Workshop with Anne 10:00 am to 3:30 pm
Today we put it all together and explore a chart in depth. What is the myth and ruling planet in charge of your life? Where to look to determine your life’s path, how the planets talk to each other (nicely or not so nicely) and the Aspects between them, how to see the basic health information provided by the horoscope chart, and find out where to get free charts on the internet. Breakfast is included for those staying at the Inn. Lunch and one coffee break are included for all.
Contact for more Information about the Introduction to Astrology Weekend:
Beth Shaw
Phone: (802)379-5775
Lynda Hill’s work appears with her permission. Check her out as SabianSymbols.com
Copyright © 2012 A. C. Ortelee
