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Astrology Newsletter: May 2011

Number 86

 No major planetary aspects form during May but the Scorpio Full Moon on the 17^th is one of the most important of the year. In Buddhist tradition it is known as Wesak and celebrates the birth and rebirth [enlightenment] of the Buddha.

The eclipse season begins on June 2 with a solar eclipse in Gemini. The effects of the eclipse will be felt during May, especially for those with planets / points around 11 degrees of Gemini. I have included a little bit of general information about the energy of eclipses at the end of section 1. More will be available next month.

 Blessings

Christine Rothwell

03 9584 6532

Email: christiner@netspace.net.au

Website: www.christinerothwell.com.au

 

 

Contents

1.    May Overview

2.    Neptune to Pisces

3.    Samhain

4.    2011 Astrology Classes.

·        Beginner's / First Year on Thursday nights

·        Intermediate / Second Year on Monday nights

·        Advanced / Third Year one Saturday afternoon per month

5.    Consultations and Gift Certificates

 1. May Overview 

All dates and times are for Australian Eastern Standard Time. Pluto and Saturn are retrograde all month. 

• May 1: Mars conjunct Jupiter
• May 3: New Moon in Taurus
• May 6: Astrological Samhain - ie the mid point between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice
• May 11: Mars to Taurus
• May 16: Mercury to Taurus
• May 16: Venus to Taurus
• May 17: Full Moon in Scorpio also known as Wesak
• May 21: Sun to Gemini

 The VAA is hosting the next National Conference in January 2012 For detailed information about the Conference click on the banner or go to http://www.vicastrology.net/faa-conference-2012/ 

 

Mercury moved direct on April 23 but does not re-cover the area of the zodiac it retrograded over - and therefore leave the retrograde loop - until May 11. The time from April 23 to May 11 is the time to act on insights gained during the retrograde phase.

 May sees the Taurean archetype centre stage with all of the personal planets moving through the sign at some point during the month. The New Moon in Taurus takes place on May 3 at 4.50pm. This new moon invites us to set new beginnings around how we use the energy of Taurus and specifically to re-consider what is of value to us.

 Taurus is an Earth sign whose function is to assist us to relate to the body and its senses and to derive satisfaction and support from the material, physical world. Part of the Taurean challenge is to decide what God we serve. Is it the love of money and possessions or something higher and nobler?

 The Earth energy of Taurus invites us to remember Gaia, our beloved Mother Earth, and reflect on how we can honour and Her and express our gratitude for providing a home for humanity. The New Moon would be an appropriate time to do this.

 Taurus is the sign of the master craftsman and the conservationist, both of whom value things of substance and the Earth. The shadow side of Taurus can easily exploit the Earth's resources [including our fellow humans] in order to make a quick dollar. The Taurean emphasis asks us to examine our actions and see if they are congruent with our values.

By the time of the Scorpio Full Moon on May 17 Venus, Mercury and Mars will have all joined the Sun in Taurus, underlining the need to review our values and what is of value for us. The Earth energy can assist us to ground our values and live them through our actions… to walk our talk. The opposition from the Moon in Scorpio asks us to balance our needs to have and accumulate [Taurus] with our need to share and let go [Scorpio]. The Sun and Moon are squared by Neptune and more widely by Chiron, bringing the themes of spiritual healing that the conjunction of Neptune and Chiron has offered once more to the fore.

This is echoed in the Festival of the Buddha, also known as Wesak, which is celebrated at the Scorpio Full Moon.  It honours both the physical birth of the Buddha and his spiritual birth or enlightenment. In esoteric literature this Festival is the time when the Buddha returns to remind us of the possibility of awakening or enlightenment. It is a time to refocus on our spiritual lives and look at what needs to be released or let go, so we can become more compassionate and awakened. 

 …A few words about the solar eclipse on June 2.The time before a solar eclipse is often a time of low energy when we are called to honour the dark of the moon process of letting go. If you have been able to see what needs to be released and have done some work to release your blocks and have forgiven yourself and others then you are in a good position to take advantage of the New Moon energy that comes after the eclipse. Set a conscious intention to make a new start, especially in the area of your life represented by the house where the eclipse has taken place. 

2. Neptune to Pisces: 2011/12 to 2025/26. 

Neptune moved into its own sign on April 4, something that occurs once each cycle of 165 years. Neptune spends around 14 years in each sign and will transit Pisces until the year 2025 to 2026.  The key dates are:

·        Enters Pisces on April 4 2011

·        Retrogrades back into Aquarius August 5 to February 2012

·        Moves into Aries 27 January 2026 

Neptune's change of sign is very significant - it always has a big impact on the collective consciousness - and it will highlight all things Piscean and Neptunian. The Piscean realm is also the realm of compassion, intuition, imagination and spirituality, so Neptune's transit of Pisces will provide a counter balance to some of the challenging energies that will be around over the next few years. Neptune and Pisces seek to open our hearts and minds to the transpersonal and imaginal realms, to re-awaken us to the power of our dreams and the power of love and compassion…to see all life forms as one.  

Neptune by transit seeks to dissolve and refine old patterns, structures and forms so something new can emerge. As part of this process Neptune can sensitize, idealize and romanticize our vision, sometimes to the extent that we can put on the rose coloured glasses and only see what we want to see. There is always the danger of falling into denial, delusion, [self] deception, and eventual disappointment and cynicism.  

Neptune challenges us to find the middle path between cynicism and idealization. Neptune's transit of Pisces and suggests an encounter with all things Neptunian and Piscean in both constructive and destructive ways. Constructively it seeks to:

1. expand and sensitize our awareness and consciousness
2. enhance our compassion for all life forms
3. encourage us to trust our intuition
4. open our awareness to the power of imagination and altered states of consciousness
5. explore altered states of consciousness
6. tap us into the transpersonal realm / collective consciousness… source of all wisdom
7. enhance our creativity  

The more destructive encounter with the Neptunian and Piscean realms could emphasize

1. personal or collective illusions, delusions
2. escapist and addictive patterns
3. sacrifice and victimization
4. increased sensitization of the immune systems of both individuals and Mother Earth [environmental toxins]
5. disappointment, scepticism and cynicism
6. people / movements / beliefs that have been idealized falling off their pedestals

Neptune / Pisces rules the following and its transit of Pisces may play out in any of the areas below in both constructive and destructive ways.

·        Reserves of oil and gas

·        Water supplies and the oceans

·        Spirituality

·          The Arts: including design, clothing, architecture, film, music and dance

·          The psychic and intuitive realms: E.S.P., energy healing, telepathy

·          Altered states of conscious: meditation, dreams and mind altering drugs

·          The search for ecstasy and transcendence of ego boundaries

·          New visions of world peace

This may play out as greater prominence of the Piscean archetypes of savior, victim, martyr and spiritual warrior and a greater sensitizing of the earth's and individual's immune system through exposure to pollution and environmental toxins.  

Neptune is also the God of the Sea and rules not only the oceans but all the world's waters and oil supplies. During his time in his own sign I am sure the importance of these realms will come to the fore. 

3. Samhain or Halloween

[Ring 0418 382 924 if you would like to attend at Samhain ritual]

Samhain, better known as Halloween, the Celtic Festival of the Dead is celebrated at the end of October in the northern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere we honour the Spirit of Place by celebrating this festival the end of April/ early May when we are at the mid point between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice. Astrologically this mid-point occurs on May 6 when the Sun comes to 15 degrees Taurus. 

Samhain is the eighth and final sabbat in the Great Wheel of the Year and marks the time when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest. It is a time of endings, releasing and letting go in preparation for the new life and new potentials that await birthing with the Sun at the Solstice. It is also the time to honour the dead and that which has died in our life. Samhain calls us to release the dead wood of the last cycle so we do not carry it into the new cycle that will begin in several weeks when the Sun is reborn from the darkness at the Winter Solstice. 

A Samhain Supper

Traditionally a midnight supper was held at Samhain to honour the dead. A place was set at the table for the souls of the dead and lights were left burning in the windows to guide the souls of those who had died in the last year in their journey to the Otherworld, found in the Aurora Borealis, home of the Great Goddess Arianrhod. The veil between the worlds was envisaged by the Celts as a turning silver wheel and Arianrhod was the keeper of this wheel. It was said she wove the fates of humanity as she wove her magical threads. At Samhain the veil opens and Arianrhod calls home the spirits of those who have died in the last year so they can await rebirth when the time is opportune. 

You may conduct your own special supper with a place set for loved ones who are no longer with you. At some point in the meal everyone present will speak the names of loved ones who have died and share any memories that come to mind. Or you may choose to have a few minutes silence to each remember those who have moved beyond the veil into the realm of Arianrhod. You may light a candle for each loved one that has passed away. If you are comfortable you could

•  Encourage recently departed loved ones to move forward into the light and release the ties that may keep them earth bound.
• Open to memories and messages that may come through from beyond the veil. Samhain is a time for medium-ship and you may find a loved one communicates with you via your intuition or your dreams around this time. 

A Simple Samhain Ritual

• Centre yourself and invoke your highest inspiration.
• Light a black candle to honour the dark and the process of death and rebirth.
• Meditate briefly on what you need to release to move forward. It may be a relationship, job, a habit or pattern but it will always involve an old belief that no longer serves your conscious intent.
• Write down what you are choosing to let go /sacrifice to the dark and reflect on how this may have served you in the past.
• When you have a deeper understanding of this process, offer it up for transformation by burning the paper. Use the candle to set it alight and have a fireproof dish at hand to contain the flames.
• Ask for guidance to help you with this transformation.
• Give thanks and open yourself to a vision of the future.
• Light your candle whenever you feel your self slipping back into old patterns and reaffirm your commitment to the future. 

Samahain is also a time for consulting the oracles so you can create a personal ritual around opening to the wisdom of your higher self through vision, tarot or any other method of divination that you use. 

May the Goddess Bless You

Christine 

Blessings

Christine Rothwell