Astrology by Tara's Full Blue Supermoon Forecast, Part 2

Lunar Blue Moon Eclipse
January 31, 2018
Washington DC
Start Time: 0551 hours /Zenith: 0829 hours

During this full Moon, during the zenith of the eclipse, the ascendant will be in Pisces. Having Pisces on the first house gives Neptune rulership over the chart. Neptune will be in the 1st house. Neptune is in rulership in Pisces, which adds more strength to Neptune’s 1st house presence. Neptune connects to both luminaries: sextile to the Sun and quincunx to the Moon. As such, Neptune will exchange its energy with both the Sun and Moon, obscuring events.

This full Moon will extend across the 6th house / 12th house axis of service to others and letting go. The 12th house is naturally ruled by Neptune as ruler of Pisces and focuses on what we need to release, what we hide and our past lives.

The Sun’s presence in Neptune’s natural house adds another mystical quality to this full Moon. The Sun will shine into our dark corners, especially since it has the power of a relationship with both the Full Moon eclipse and Neptune to add the energy needed to take a long hard look at what we have been hiding from ourselves.

Along with the Sun, Venus and the South node are conjunct the Sun which adds to the sensitivity and strength to the placement in the 12th house.

The Full Moon is in Leo in the 6th house of service, daily tasks, our personal health and the people we serve. The 6th house is naturally ruled by Virgo / Mercury. With the North Node conjunct the Moon, it’s asking us to look at our daily routine and life to see where we can improve. 

The Moon is quincunx Neptune in the 1st, and since Neptune can skew how we perceive things, it’s very important that we embrace candid views of ourselves and not allow the Neptunian delusion to overshadow the reality that we must push forward to make our dreams a reality. 

With the Moon in Leo, which favors the arts and Neptune in mystical Pisces; it’s possible that there is an aspect of your self-care which is asking us to balance our daily tasks with purposeful art. Any art form that we choose, which does not have to be conventional by social standards, would be helpful in bringing balance to our daily lives.

Astrology by Tara's Blue Full Supermoon Eclipse Forecast, Part 1

Today's Tarot Tuesday blog will appear next Tuesday, as we have an important eclipse to discuss!

Lunar Blue Moon Eclipse
January 31, 2018
Washington DC
Start Time: 0551 hours /Zenith: 0829 hours

On Wednesday, January 31, 2018, the world will experience its first lunar eclipse of 2018 and it will be very special in several ways. First off, it’s considered a blue moon, a second full Moon occurring within one calendar month. This full blue Moon is also a super Moon due to the Moon’s orbit passing closer to the earth, which is called perigee. Perigee moons, or supermoons, are considerably larger and brighter due to the Moon’s proximity to planet Earth.

The lunar nodes are aligned so that when the Earth passes between the Sun and Moon the Earth’s shadow will be cast on the surface of the Moon. Each of the three special occurrences is considerable on their own. It’s been about 150 years since the triplicate of these three sky events occurred simultaneously.

This eclipse will carry the echoes of the eclipses from August 2017. The nodes of the Moon are across the Leo / Aquarius axis and are within one degree of where the Sun and Moon were at the time of the August 2017 Lunar eclipse. In August, the Sun was in Leo and the Moon was in Aquarius, but now the planets have switched signs. The Sun is now in Aquarius, and the moon is in Leo

Full Moons are points of energetic release. The August Lunar eclipse closed the eclipse cycle of 6 February 2017, and this lunar eclipse will act as the energetic release point of the Great American Solar Eclipse of 2017. It’s not surprising that many people have felt this coming eclipse as the energy builds just prior to its release on the full Moon. This is probably why many of you have been feeling off.

Lunar eclipses release energy, but they also focus our attention to what we conceal within ourselves (our shadow self), which is represented by the Sun’s light (the self) the Earth’s shadow covering the Moon.

Here on earth, living things feel the energy of eclipses. Often times the proximity of time around eclipses usher in natural disturbances in reaction to the buildup of solar and lunar energy and the pull between the luminaries. Volcanic reactions, earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, and floods are common now.

Dear Jupiter, Sometimes You Suck!

Dear Jupiter,

I have a bone to pick with you, sir. Normally everyone loves talking about how amazing you are. And I get it: You're the greater benefic! Everybody loves to party with you and you love them right back.

I happen to attract students who favor you. So when I go to astrology college seminars and I have one of my mentees with me, I try to take them to the casino to have a little Jupiter fun and blow off some steam during a long weekend of astrological study. 

So last fall I had one of my protégées with me, a woman who heavily favors you. Yes, her final dispositor is Mercury, but she's very Jupiterian as a double Sagittarius. Anyway, we went down to the casino and we had a good time and brought back a little cash. 

Fast forward to Saturday night. This scenario is almost identical to last fall...protégée who is one of yours--she's a Sag sun, Pisces moon--astrology college, casino. This time we even WAITED until you were ruling the hour, you expansive bastard. 

And what did you do? You fucked us. We didn't lose a ton, but you didn't even let us enjoy that money for long. Nice of you. Maybe I'll let HER take the reins on this blog one day to talk about her Pisces Moon, and I'm not going to let her sugarcoat your influence. 

So you suck right now. I'm sure I'll get over it, but you suck right now. 

Regards,

John

PS: Dick. 

What is an Eclipse? Part 2

The full moon is like the crest of an energy wave breaking. And you'll want to pay attention because it's coming soon. 

The next full moon eclipse is coming soon, on January 31, and it will occur at 11 Leo 31. Full moon eclipses are lunar eclipses and tend to be a lot more emotional and personal. So look for affected points and planets between 7 Leo and 15 Leo. 

Once again, we're talking about TEN TIMES the energy released during this time, so it might seem overwhelming. 

The effects of both eclipses can be felt 3-6 months before and after an eclipse. That explains why astrologers keep a close eye on them!

Anyway, this is a very turbulent time for Luna so I hope you'll excuse my taking over for her. Tara from Astrology by Tara will be around in the next few days to give you more of the technical details that I should learn sometime.

Hang in there, good people!

What is an Eclipse? Part 1

Greetings, everyone. The Sun here to discuss an important astrological phenomenon: The eclipse.

Eclipses usually occur in sets of two or sometimes three. They always occur at the new and full moons. So Luna will either be next to me or opposite me when they happen.

One of the major differences between a normal lunation--a new or full moon--and an eclipse is the amount of energy that is released.

A new moon is a new download of energy and can effect planets within one degree of the lunation itself. So this past new moon on January 16 occurred at 26 Capricorn 54. It would particularly affect planets at 25 through 27 Capricorn, and 25 through 27 Cancer, points that it opposes. 

An eclipse at the new moon is a solar eclipse and affects a lot more real estate in the chart. Instead of one degree in each direction, you'll look for effects for four degrees in each direction. On February 15, the next new moon eclipse will occur at 27 Aquarius 08. It will affect planets and sensitive points between 23 Aquarius and 1 Pisces. 

In addition, the new download of energy will be TEN TIMES that of a normal new moon.

Tune in again as I talk about the full moon eclipse.

2018 Forecast by Mars with(out) Mercurial Assistance, Part 2

[singing] ALL I DO IS WIN WIN WIN NO MATTER WHAT!

Anyway, now that douche canoe Mercury is out of the picture. I gotta get you up to speed on what's happening with me this year. Going to be totally rad, I gotta say!

I'm starting the year off right in one of my favorite signs, Scorpio! I'll be at 14 Scorpio 18 and head all the way to 09 Aquarius 13 by the time June 27 comes around. That's the time when I have to take my biannual retrograde.

Now I don't like to talk about it, but when I go backward I get sorta weird. It's like being on my "man period" and nothing seems to work right. I get more like Venus, ya know? So don't even bother trying to get shit started while I'm away. 

If you're still trying to figure out what my retro is like, let me make it real plain: Trying to start a business, a marketing campaign or any other motivational shit--like an exercise program--during my retrograde is asking for trouble. It's like pourin' sugar in the gas tank of your Corvette, or deciding that you're going to be a badass on your first day at the gym. Don't even THINK about doing that! You will so regret it, amirite?!?

I'll head back to 28 Capricorn 37 on August 28 before I move forward again, but that's TWO FULL MONTHS that I'll be out of action.

Once I'm back in the game, I'll be headin' to 29 Pisces 24 by year's end. So it's very likely that I'll smash something in your chart. Hopefully, I'll give you an energy boost and not piss you off too much.

Make 2018 the year you get off the couch and back to life! 

2018 Forecast from Mars With Mercurial Assistance, Part 1

Mercury: Hello everyone!

Mars: What the fuck are you doing here? John told me to say what I'm doing this year. Wait your fucking turn, brainiac!

Mercury: Well, someone didn't read his email, it seems. You were a no-show at the yearly public speaking class, which is mandatory. As such, the Sun dispatched me to monitor your public interactions.

Mars: In English, Mr. Logic!

Mercury: Dude, you fuckin' blew off my goddamn class, so I'm sittin' on your ass! 

Mars: I don't know how in the fuck you do that, Merc, but it's scary and sorta cool.

Mercury: Speech in all its forms can be very powerful, but it must be appropriate to the situation for maximum effectiveness and efficiency.

Mars: Dude, you remember the teacher from Peanuts that sounded like a fuckin' trombone? WAH WAH WAH WAH WAH WAH! That's what I heard!

Mercury: Let's get to your forecast for the year. Proceed like you normally would and I'll jump in if necessary to ensure the audience will understand your unorthodox lexicon and awkward phrasing. 

Mars: Great idea! [picks up Mercury]

Mercury: Put me down, you great behemoth!

Mars: Absofuckinglutely, Mr. Microphone! [drops Mercury in a closet and closes and locks the closet door]. There...time to get started!

[muffled shouting from closet]

Mars: Sorry, Merc, but I work alone!

The Blindfold in the RWS Tarot Deck, Part 2

We’ve talked about the idea of the blindfold and how it gives the idea of limitation or the inability to see clearly. Also, the idea that it was put on by a human and must be taken off by a human is also a concept that merits consideration. What you see on the cards is important when you read them. 

You’re thinking, “Of course. That’s how the tarot works. It presents images that spark the subconscious mind.” But if that’s true, then the absence of a particular feature on a card can make a difference in your interpretation, right?  

 To that end, let’s look at the flip side and talk about what the cards DON’T show. Is there one card that you might have expected to have a blindfold and doesn’t, for example. Close your eyes for a moment and consider it before you read the answer below.  

If you answered Justice, pat yourself on the back. In courtrooms and law offices you’ll often see representations of Lady Justice blindfolded. The concept behind it is that justice is blind, that the law is what counts and not what you look like. Equal justice under law is what we strive for in our society. 

To be fair, not everyone has seen these statues, so don’t beat yourselves up if you didn’t come up with it.  But Lady Justice in the tarot has nothing impairing her vision. She sees clearly, and with her sword and scales is prepared to weigh and measure each person that comes before her. You’ll get what you deserve from her and she looks you in the eyes as she metes out her wisdom.  

To me, the lack of visual impairment indicates an ability to judge all fairly based on their merits. You can’t hide from Justice, in other words. You will receive the benefits or suffer the consequences. 

In the tarot we focus so much on what we see that it’s good to consider what we don’t see once in a while. And I hope you won’t forget that as you study the cards. 

Tarot Tuesday: The Blindfold in the Rider-Waite-Smith, Part 1

What do you think of when you see someone that’s blindfolded? That’s the question I put to you today.

On the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, there are two cards where people are blindfolded, and both are in the Swords suit. The Two of Swords and the 8 of Swords. On the Two, the person is facing away from a body of water holding the two swords across the body. 

On the 8 of Swords, the eyes are covered, but the whole body is bound in a field of swords. 

To me, on both cards the blindfold represents limitations or boundaries. That seems like a fair point, given the image. But what I find much more interesting is the idea that a human had to put them on. 

Let me explain a little more fully. A blindfold doesn’t just appear on a person. 

You can do it yourself, or someone can put one on you...sometimes by your consent and sometimes not, depending on the situation.

When these two cards appear separately, I often will ask the client if they are seeing a situation clearly. I will encourage them to remove the blindfold, but it’s not always easy. 

There may be some denial (2 of Swords) involved, or the client may feel like they have painted themselves into a corner and no choice seems to be good (8 of Swords). The cards around it will paint a clearer picture, of course.

It may also be that in a figurative sense another person has blindfolded the client, or forced the client into a situation where they feel they have no good choices.

When you see either of these cards come up in a reading, remember this: A human put it there, and a human has to take it off. That may help you focus the meaning of the reading, especially if you are reading for yourself.

New Moon in Capricorn: Why Have Things Been Weird Lately?

January 16, 2018

New Moon in Capricorn

Hello everyone...Luna here with hopefully some reassurance about the recent energy around me. 

Also, before I forget, Tara of Astrology by Tara does a truly wonderful job of putting my cycles in perspective, but she's a little busy right now. I checked up on her earlier and she assures me that she's fine and will have a report for you on my full moon eclipse in a few weeks. 

First of all, let me apologize for any inconvenience my recent motions may have caused you. I've been collecting reports and it appears that my recent move into my "new" phase has unsettled people. There seems to be a lot of nastiness, and some have even said it's almost like Mercury is in retrograde. Thankfully, my Erin Condren planner says he's direct right now.

So let's start with some basic information. As you've heard before, when Sol is in a particular sign, my new phase is always in that sign. On January 16, he was still in Capricorn, and on that day, so was I.

Part of the challenge from this new moon is that I'm in Capricorn. My favorite sign is Cancer, and the two signs are opposites. I really struggle in Saturn-ruled signs, so the energy of this new moon is going to be heavy and ponderous. 

Likely you'll feel inspired to start long-term projects and make substantive change, but it can make people also feel depressed and overwhelmed. 

At the same time, Mars in Scorpio will be passing over Jupiter, and with the two of them together people might feel emboldened toward the more negative Scorpio traits, such as passive-aggressive behavior, thinly-veiled hostility, and even pettiness such as revenge.

Once again, let me apologize for any inconvenience my recent new moon may have caused. With the coming eclipse on the 31st, you can expect more emotional turbulence overall, and perhaps even bigger upheaval to come. How it will affect you will really depend on your chart, but I'm not really comfortable doing these blogs on my own yet. So I'll leave that to Tara. 

Have as good a new moon as you can, dear friends. 

A (Hundred) Thousand Thanks!

In French, the expression "Merci mille fois!" literally means "A thousand thanks!" It's used to express an extreme amount of gratitude. 

And I find myself in that very position today. I am exceptionally grateful.

Metaphysical Meanderings just passed the 100,000 page view mark, which is a milestone I honestly was not sure I would ever reach. And I didn't think the blog would reach it in under 10 years. Turns out we made it in under 7.

So I'd like to thank you for each one of these page views. One hundred thousand thanks to each and every one of you. You read and comment, you share my blog with others, and you give me feedback. 

When obstacles arise, when I can think of anything to write, when life gets in the way, I find my way back. And I do so because you inspire me. 

I can't say it enough, but I will one more time. Because you matter. 

THANK YOU. 

Intuitive Development, Part 5: Clairaudience

I know what you're thinking. Tell people you hear voices and you could wind up in the loo...oh wait...we don't call it that anymore. Amy would have kicked my ass for that one. Whew...that was close!

Let's start again: It's advisable to use caution when telling people you hear voices, because they may be tempted to institutionalize you. There...much better.

If you've ever been in a situation where you feel like someone deliberately sent you a telepathic message, welcome to clairaudience!

Also known as "clear hearing", clairaudience is pretty common. If you've ever seen a message just by looking at someone's face and hearing it in their voice, well, you might have a touch of this one.

Mediums will often use this method to communicate with spirits. Animal and plant communicators fall into this category as well. 

Admit it: The lady across the street who talks to her bushes may not be so weird after all. 

2018 Forecast from Jupiter, Part 2

Temple of Jupiter, Pompeii, Italy

So where was I before I was so rudely interrupted? And what the fuck kind of picture is THIS? The last one has a hot chick, but Pompeii was hot for all the wrong reasons! Seriously! What was going through that man's mind when he picked out this photo? 

That's a pretty bad joke, though, if he was thinking that both pix were HOT. Just sayin'.  

Anyway, I'll go a few days into July in retrograde before stationing and heading forward through Scorpio again. Looks like that will be somewhere around July 11.

The big news comes on December 9, as I enter Sagittarius, home of the greatest sign EVER! Saturn will be in Capricorn a lot longer than I'll be in Sag, that lucky old bastard, but we've got to live in the moment!

So I'm going to be paying you a visit this year if you've got any point or planet between 13 Scorpio and 11 Sagittarius. When I come to town, I expand. So likely you'll be expanding, too. People say bigger isn't necessarily better, and I guess if you're talking about debt, that may be true. But in many cases people like having me around!

And a certain blogger I know will be having his Jupiter return this year! He's got a few planets in Sagittarius so here's to hoping he has a great year. Granted he'll get some Saturnian attention in early 2019, but I'm going to do my best to get him to spend money, eat, drink and generally be merry. Because that's what I do!

Anyway, catch you next time! YOLO, people, YOLO! And Archers and Archettes, GET READY FOR DECEMBER! SUN AND JUPITER IN SAG, BABY!

2018 Forecast from Jupiter, Part 1

Jupiter et Thetis, 1811

Jean Auguste Dominque Ingres

Greetings to all your Archers and Arch-ettes! And to all you Fish, no matter which direction you're pointing. Jupiter here to discuss my expansion over the next year in the zodiac! 

And oh yeah, I guess if you're one of the other signs you still think I'm the best planet anyway! GREATER BENEFIC BABY! THE ONE AND ONLY!

For you art fans, the original of this painting is in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France, and even though Ingres was a Virgo, I'd say he did me proud! And admit it...Thetis is pretty nice here, too, right? John didn't know as much about me then and even though he spent a whole day in Aix eating cheese he didn't even know I was there. You can thank Mercury for the interwebs!

As much as I'd like to discuss my theories behind the neoclassical movement in French painting--and if you don't care to expand your mind, YOU SUCK--John asked me to talk about what I'm up to this year. Because reasons. 

Many of you already know that it takes me about a year to get through one zodiac sign, but I move at lot more quickly than that, it seems. At least I would if it wasn't for the damn retrograde periods!

Anyway, so I'm in very sexual Scorpio right now, as you are no doubt aware if you look at your news feed. I'll be plodding along through Scorpio for a while--I'm sitting near Mars at 18 Scorpio 32 right now--but in two months from today nearly exactly, I'll turn retrograde at 23 Scorpio 13. 

I'll stay retrograde through the end of June, and by that time I'll be back to 13 Scorpio 31. 

John's giving me the hook for now, but come back for part 2!

Intuitive Development, Part 4: Claircognizance

Think about that one friend you have who just knows shit. I know it seems really annoying but it's also kind of cool. That's a person with claircognizance!

I've met a few of these folks and they're extremely impressive. They don't even know HOW they know things; they just do!

If your mind is always swirling and never stays still, or you have an amazing bullshit detector, likely you have at least a touch of this form of intuition.

My mother doesn't usually consult psychics. But when a close friend had a psychic to her home for readings, my mom had one with her. She came home with a legal-sized double sided page of notes the woman made for her. And the stuff turned out to be all true.

While this psychic's gifts were unmistakeable, my mom relayed a clairsentient conversation the psychic had with another person from the party. A man had left the house and came back in a few minutes later. He asked who drove a specific kind of car and apologized for having slid his car into it. On snowy nights in Massachusetts, so this is a pretty common occurrence. 

It turns out the man had hit the psychic's car. When he prepared to give his insurance information to her, she said, "Don't bother. It's going to be totaled next month anyway!"

PS: This psychic was also my first exposure to tarot cards. My mom asked about me and the psychic asked my mom to pick two cards. My mom turned over "The Fool"--"Your son is lazy!" said the woman. As my mom turned over the second card, the Wheel of Fortune, the woman continued, "But he can do anything he wants!"

Tarot Tuesday: Two of Swords

Two of Swords, Rider-Waite Smith Tarot

Copyright US Games Systems, Inc.

I've been seeing quite a bit of this card recently. But a person drawing this card probably isn't seeing what's really going on. In fact, she's choosing not to see it. 

A pretty common read on this one is denial. The person is blindfolded and looking away from the water--emotion--because they're avoiding it.  I love to call this card "LA LA LA LA LA I'M NOT LISTENING TO YOU!"

I'll often tell clients, "You don't know what you don't know here. It's not as bad as you imagine." But the client has to choose to take off the blindfold. 

We'll discuss the imagery of the blindfold in a later blog. But it's a very important piece of the puzzle on this card. 

Traditionally, this card can represent avoidance or any of its synonyms, like evasion. 

I'll also say that sometimes it's not a negative card. You do have to turn your back on people sometimes, especially when they are toxic or have shown a willingness to take advantage of you. This is a great technique for energy vamps, for example. 

One final note: A tarot article I read gave the meaning "bipolar disorder" for this card. For me, the jury is still out; that would probably be more of a Cups matter, in my humble opinion. But it's something to keep in your palette of meanings!

Intuitive Development, Part 3: Clairsentience

Do you walk into a room and know something's wrong? Do you feel energy vibrations and pick up something that happened recently? Or can you sense spirits when they're around?

All of these qualities are really clairsentience, and of all of the types of intuition that there are, this is the most common one. Many people overlook it because they may not even understand that they have it. 

While tuning into your intuitive gifts may seem challenging, clairsentience is where many of us begin. 

The different forms of intuition are not exclusive, by the way. We can have some or all of them. But many people are clairsentient and it's not a gift to be ignored or downplayed. It can be downright powerful. 

You can pick up energy like a sponge, soaking in whatever is around you. So you may not always understand what moods are yours. If you have Pisces Sun, Moon, or Rising, you may find that you have at least some of this gift naturally. 

To hone in on it, start taking stock of what a person, place, or animal feels like. If you were happy and you walk into a room and are suddenly angry, why? It may be that you hit a pocket of rage or negativity left by others before you. 

This is also a great skill for first impressions. Jen has a feeling she calls "the ick", and it's a form of clairsentience. When she feels it, it means "Watch out!" It's saved us from bad people and quite a number of car accidents. 

2018 Forecast from Saturn

Dear readers,

Thanks for routinely suffering from the infernal delays on this blog, as your persistence is now rewarded. I am glad to see your return, and hope you had a truly blessed Saturnalia!

Welcome to my finest hour. I am now in Capricorn, my most favored sign. I arrived there shortly before Yule last December. I've had to slog through the rest of the signs to get back to this dignified, honorable moment, showing once again that rewards for hard work and persistence is the most worthy endeavor in this universe.

As you found out, John refused to have my thoughts published on the solstice like I asked. He said something about "relaxing", a shameful activity that I never indulge in. 

Honestly, I suspect it was more the fear of his wife seeing him blogging during their Alabama "vacation" that forced him to deny my request. Somehow for a Virgo sun, John's beloved bride prides herself on such periods of inactivity. As a rising Capricorn, however, she is still one of mine, too, but I digress. 

I'll begin this year in Capricorn and I'll get all the way to 09 Capricorn 09 in mid-April before going out on one of my retrograde business trips back to 02 Capricorn 33. I'll be gone for a number of months and return when the Sun has moved into Virgo, specifically on September 7. I'll stay in direct motion through the end of the year, where I'll end up at 11 Capricorn 16. 

If you have any planets in the early degrees of Capricorn, good people, or sensitive points like your Ascendant, Midheaven, or Luna's nodes, I'll be coming by to pay you a visit. Depending on where they are, I may be visiting you twice. How lucky for you!

No need to be alarmed, however, since I'll be bringing seriousness, a sobering attitude, and perhaps some career success your way. Don't listen to all the horror stories about Saturn transits, either...John loves to whip his readers into a frenzy about yours truly, but I think it's safe to say he's done all right by me.

Speaking of John, he is truly excited that I'm moving his way in the coming year! He's got his rising sign and his Moon in Capricorn, and while I won't hit them this year, he should be watching out for broken bones, skin breakouts, depression and new career opportunities as I move through Capricorn. You can only imagine the honor he's going to feel. 

I'm an unemotional planet, but if I could express happiness and excitement like some of the other less stable planets, I'd do so now. I'm finally out of the influence of that Jupiter, jovial libertine that he is, and can get back down to business.

Now suck it up and get back to work!

Yours Truly,

Saturn 

2018 Forecast from Uranus

Greetings, mortals. Uranus here, God of the Sky--ok, so technically, as Saturn would say, I'm the planet NAMED for the God of the Sky, but since he cut my dick off a while back I think it doesn't FUCKING MATTER WHAT HE SAYS!

Well, pressing on then. John has asked me to discuss where I'll be heading in 2018. Like many of the outer planets I'm spending a lot of time in retrograde, but I'll be making some progress through the zodiac. 

I was retrograde at 24 Aries 34 when the year started, but I was practically stationary at that time, and I went direct on January 3. I go maybe 3-4 minutes a day when I'm in direct motion--that's about 5-7% of one degree, for those of you playing at home, though I bet you Aquarians already knew it, didn't you! OF COURSE YOU DID! Smarter than the rest of them, aren't you? 

Actually, I'll be in direct motion until August 8, finishing Aries and heading into Taurus, and I'll get all the way to 2 Taurus 34 by then. As we celebrate New Years' Eve on 2018, I'll be back at 28 Aries 37. But fear not! I turn direct again in early 2019. 

What this means, good people, is that if you have planets between 24 Aries and 2 Taurus, I'll be paying them a visit. And yes, John can be a tiresome old bore--he works too much and is generally too predictable like his ruling planet, Saturn of the Saggy Scrotum--but he's right to say that when I come along, I tend to break shit. If he's being nice, he says, "Expect the unexpected!"

If I hit one of your planets or other sensitive points, IT'S GOING DOWN! Maybe you'll rebel or cause a revolution in your own life! WHO KNOWS! Hell I don't even know, because I haven't gotten there yet.

Toodles, good people, and good luck! And if that motherfucking Saturn tries to tell you he owns Aquarians, HE NEEDS TO FUCKING STEP OFF!

Intuitive Development, Part 2A: Getting It Back After Pushing It Aside

I have known a few people who, for one reason or another, are intuitive but chose to not honor their intuitive gifts. It was a natural talent that they chose to ignore. 

There are a few reasons why I could understand someone going this route. A person might not believe in the gift, or it goes against what they believe spiritually. Many people also walk away from it out of blind fear. They're afraid of what they see, and as someone who briefly did that as a newbie astrologer and tarot reader, I totally understand. Finally, they might feel guilty about knowing, or might feel responsible for what they see, especially if it's not something positive. 

If you find yourself in this situation, it's important to understand why you walked away. 

Was it an event or a series of events that caused you to question it? How does being intuitive make you feel? It's a part of who you are but you might be struggling with the idea of being intuitive.

Were you ridiculed for it? Sometimes people who share their gifts with others aren't ready for the response. People can be nasty, even when you're trying to help. And as an intuitive, it's easy for people to write you off as "crazy" or "new age" because their logic believes that what you're doing isn't possible. 

Maybe you were wrong once or twice and thought, "Well, it's not perfect so I just don't have a gift." You may have discouraged yourself from continuing to develop.

Finally, a small group of people believes that you can't possibly know because that knowledge is forbidden to us ordinary mortals. When I hear this argument I just sort of chuckle. It's an easy way to write off the anger and fear that talking to others might bring out in themselves, though.

Everyone is different, and your reasons for walking away from your intuition will be yours and yours alone. But bringing it back starts with trying to figure out the reasons behind your original decision to leave it behind. 

 

Intuitive Development, Part 2: Getting it Back

A lot of people talk about wanting to become more intuitive, but I'm meeting more and more people who were intuitive who aren't anymore, sometimes by choice and sometimes because they feel like they lost it somewhere along the way.

Let me start by saying I don't think your intuition can ever be lost. It's a gift you have, but like so many others, it's "use it or lose it." I've found it with my French; I studied it for so many years and lived there, but it's rusty. It takes me a little more time to say what I want to say, and sometimes it takes a little more focus than it used to as I try to comprehend others. But the ability is still there. When I went back to France, it took me a few days, but I was very comfortable. 

With intuition, it's the same idea. Once you start focusing on it, you'll find that more of it comes back. And I believe the universe knows when you're listening and it responds accordingly. The more you're paying attention, the more open you are to the messages, the more you'll receive. 

And by "focusing on it," what I mean is honoring your intuition by believing it, expecting it will come, accepting the messages you receive, and acting on them. 

Intuitive Development, Part 1: Four Tips to Begin

So a lot of folks have been asking me about how to develop their intuitive skills. This often happens in the context of tarot readings, but when people hear about what I do they want to know how they can help themselves tune into their own intuitive selves. It sounds complicated, but it’s really not difficult to start helping yourself. 

1) Believe in your ability 

Lots of folks think they know what’s going to happen. And likely you do! But you doubt yourself. You start to say things like “I’m sure I’m wrong,” or “I never listen to my intuition!” Stop the negative talk in your own head surrounding your gifts. 

2) Don’t let being wrong sway you 

If you’re waiting to know everything that’s going to happen with absolute accuracy, I’m sorry to say that you’re going to be waiting a long time. But if you start listening to those whispers, you’ll be surprised at what you hear and how often you are correct. 

3) Practice and patience go hand in hand

Like any other skill, intuitive development takes time and practice. Patience is vital as you move through the process, and the more time you devote to honing the skill the better it will be. Know, however, that you won't always see the progress you're making right away. 

4) Celebrate and honor small wins

The universe doesn't give big pronouncements like you see in many movies about intuitive gifts. It starts with small things, like knowing that you were going to bump into your boss at the same place less than a minute later going through the same door, only this time on opposite sides. Having it happen was annoying, but I was thrilled that I knew it was going to happen!

Tarot Tuesday: Do My Tarot Cards Dislike Me?

Yes, I know. You're reading the title and thinking, "Wait...what? How can an inanimate object dislike someone?"

This is an interesting phenomenon I've seen with tarot practitioners. From time to time I'll hear one of them say, "Oh I've tried the [insert deck here] and it really doesn't like me so I stopped using it."

This is patently ridiculous. The cards are a tool, and they're used to connect with the intuitive self. They have no opinion about the reader.

The reason I find it sad and funny is that it could be the reader's way of trying to blame the deck for what could be their own intuitive shortcomings. For the most part, however, I think it's an overly dramatic way of saying the following simple statement: "I didn't connect with the images on that particular deck."

Not connecting with a deck is normal. Some images you're going to prefer, and others you won't. For example, I have a Thoth deck, but I don't use it much because I don't really connect with the imagery. That's my personal preference, but I don't think the Thoth deck is somehow upset with me. 

The cards are a tool. In the hands of an intuitive person who connects with them, they help interpret intuitive messages. But they don't dislike you! 

You'll just have to trust me on this one, folks.

Astrology by Tara's Full Moon Forecast--Full Moon in Cancer, January 1, 2018

Full Moon

January 1, 2018

9:24pm, Washington DC

Greetings, Sky Watchers, and Happy New Year!

We start out the very first day of this calendar year with a super Full Moon. Super Moons indicate that the Moon is in perigee, closer in orbit as it travels around the Earth. Visually, this makes the moon appear larger in size. Astronomically, the distance is closer to Earth; therefore, it could be argued that the gravitational pull of the Moon and Earth are stronger. With the earth receiving more energy, we receive more energy from this Full Moon.

A Full Moon is an opposition between the Sun and Moon, and is the apex point of lunar energy expressed during the cycle. An opposition is considered to be a hard aspect that requires purposeful adjustment to counteract and balance the opposed energies at work.

The Ascendant of this full Moon chart is in Virgo, the feminine mutable Earth sign, ruled by Mercury. The Midheaven is in Gemini, also a Mercury-ruled sign. With Mercury ruling what are arguably the two most important chart angles, he will play a large role in the synthesis of the entire chart.

Pisces and Sagittarius are on the IC and Descendant. Mutable signs on naturally cardinal (angular) house cusps can indicate an uncertain approach to accomplishing. So there will be a variety of options available to deal with the energy that presents itself in the important arenas of our life.

Mercury, the chart ruler, is located in the fourth house of home, family, and land. It trines both the north node in Leo and Uranus in Aries as well, indicating some surprising and passionately spoken words to move forward in life.

Mercury is also inconjunct to the Moon, the planet of emotion. This means that an adjustment between the energy of the two planets will be required. The Moon is in her home sign of Cancer, so she will be firing on all cylinders. Mercury struggles in blunt, tactless Sagittarius, and may misbehave. And although Mercury will no longer be retrograde during this Full Moon, it won’t be up to full speed yet and may not function as it normally would. The burden is on us to make sure that we are clearly communicating how we feel in a manner suitable for each situation we face.

This chart also boasts stellium of power around the Sun in Capricorn. Three planets are within the beams of the Sun: Pluto, Venus, and Saturn. The Sun also gets an extra boost by being in the fifth house, his natural dominion. The Sun has come home to play and celebrate everything that makes him happy. However, will his traveling companions allow him that freedom? Capricorn on the fifth house cusp gives Saturn rulership here. With Saturn’s ingress into Saturn at the 1 Capricorn, in a cardinal sign, and under the Sun’s beams, he is still a part of the powerful stellium even given a larger orb. So the fun and games may not come so easily. Sun and Saturn in Capricorn at the time of the Full Moon will draw our attention to our responsibilities to our outward life, like our careers.

Pluto, the great transformer, represents the shadow self that calls for release. His energy conjunct the Sun acts like a power surge, giving us the desire to finally make changes. Pluto often represents a trinity, as in Greco-Roman myth; he shares who he loves. Pluto is asking you to share a bit of yourself or to choose what’s most important for your journey.

Venus, the gilded lady of love and beauty, cozies up to the Sun, bringing the idealized version of peace and love. Venus wants the perfected image of love; however, in Capricorn she knows how intense it can be and that it involves risk. A risk she will only take if she knows that it is true.

The combination of the Sun, Venus, and Pluto being so close to each other in essence could be beneficial to crossing a threshold at least. Pluto will bare the soul to the core and break you down, but Venus will build you up in a kind manner.

Lastly, we’ve got old man Saturn standing guard at the gate, watching to reel in any of his playful renters of his sign. Saturn calls the shots in Capricorn, and he will throw his weight around if he feels it’s justified.

The most obvious aspect of this chart is the kite formation, which is indicative of destiny or fate at work. The stellium around the Sun acts as the focal point. This speaks volumes, since the Sun represents the physical body our vitality. To me, this says “You are the focus”, “Make 2018 about what you want”, and “Find your happiness”.  To Capricorn, finding it may take longer than expected, but in the end, it’s going to be worth it.

While the Sun stellium is the focus of the kite, then we look to the Moon for the release. This is where we let go. The Moon is all about our emotions and our soul. This is a excellent time to really look at how we feel about people. So don’t worry so much about a New Year’s resolution as much as building a new life for a happier healthier you.

I look forward to talking to you again soon as we forge ahead into 2018 and the first eclipse of the year.

Brightest Blessings,

Tara