Monthly Tarotscope - Aquarius Sun Cycle (January 21 to February 21)

Welcome to Tarotscope, a combination of Astrology and Tarot.  Each month I will draw a card for each sign of the Zodiac.  That card represents the meditation for the month for that Sun Sign.  The Sun Sign represents your Primary Drive in life, how you best manifest your Life Path, and how the light of the Sun energizes you each day. The Deck I am using this month is the Sun and Moon Tarot.

For Indian Hindu visitors: I practice Western Tropical astrology, so the Sun Signs are based on the months of the year rather than the Zodiac constellations, which have shifted over time.  If you were born between March 21st and April 21st, you will be an Aries in Western Tropical astrology instead of the Pisces you are in Vedic Sidereal astrology.  These systems are not mutually exclusive, each one teaches us something different about the spiritual condition and I find Indian clients pleasantly surprised by the new insight a Western reading of their chart provides.

Aries (March 21st to April 21st): Maverick Active Fire energy fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best independently; you must learn self-discipline to manifest your best results.  Your card this Sun cycle is the 13th card of the Major Arcana, Death-Rebirth, and your message is "embrace profound transformation this cycle."  This card encourages you to bring to end something no longer appropriate in the course of your life so you can rebirth yourself in a new direction; this could a relationship, job, or a personal, unhealthy habit.  The lesson is "everything changes" and it is best to move with the change than to resist.  For you Aries, going in a new direction is easier than almost all the other signs (except, perhaps, Aquarius).
Taurus (April 21st to May 21st): Persistent Stable Earth energy fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best when you feel secure; you must learn some degree of adaptability to manifest your best results. Your card this Sun cycle is the Prince of Swords and your message is "be open-minded."  The Prince is an adventurer; his energy goes out into the world and explores.  Since this is the Prince of Swords, the exploration takes places using the mind.  The lesson is "a closed mind does not travel far." This energy is a strong counterpoint for Taurus, which prefers to stick to tradition and remain steadfast in his/her beliefs.  This month you need to engage in new conversations, read some new books, and explore new ideas.
Gemini (May 21st to June 21st): Curious Adaptable Air energy fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best doing tasks that stimulate your mind in a variety of ways; you must learn how to focus on demand to manifest your best results. Your card this Sun cycle is the 9 of Wands, Strength, and your message is "be prepared to defend what you have."  Call on your creativity and  your integrity to do what you know is right when situations this month challenge your virtue.  The lesson is “do not take things that matter in your life for granted.”  This lesson is very important for Gemini because you will need to take a stand or pick a direction rather than adapt.  You must focus your energy this cycle.
Cancer (June 21st to July 21st): Nurturing Active Water fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best when you care-take yourself and others properly; you must learn "emotional balance" to manifest your best results.  Your card this Sun cycle is the 3 of Swords, Sorrow, and your message is "take the time to process any lingering or unfinished sadness."  Oddly enough this was the same message last cycle, but from a different card in a different deck.  Cancer can hold onto emotional hurts longer than any other sign, so the Air energy of this card is about finding a way to move forward.  The lesson is "process your emotions, do not wallow in them." The heart-shaped cloud pierced with 3 swords indicates the issue will involve your romantic or loving feelings for someone else.
Leo (July 21st to August 21st): Strong-burning Stable Fire fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best when you are creative; you must learn structure to manifest your best results.  Your card this Sun cycle is the 7 of Swords, Futility, and your message is "accept the inevitable in order to move forward."  The humorous, but accurate definition of insanity is "doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result."  The lesson is "know when it's over ... really over."  The figure sitting on the cloud is resigned and disappointed.  So it must be in order to move forward.  Look and see what is in your life during this cycle that must be released, no matter how painful, because you know it is futile to keep hoping for a different outcome.
Virgo (August 21st to September 21st): Practical Adaptable Earth fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best when you get all the details in order; you must learn to "see the forest for the trees" to manifest your best results.  Your card this month is the 6 of Wands, Victory, and your message is "celebrate your success."  Virgo can easily shun the limelight, but this cycle, you should accept recognition for a job well done and be sure to enjoy praise that comes your way thanks to your creative and persistent efforts.  The lesson is "hard work deserves to be rewarded." Your successful efforts should not be overlooked and you should be willing to invite and accept praise.
Libra (September 21st to October 21st): Analytical Active Air fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best when acting logically; you must learn to mix in feelings to manifest your best results. Your card this Sun cycle is the 6 of Swords, Science, and the message is "use analysis to solve your problems." There is probably not a card better suited to your Sun sign energy, except the Major Arcana card Justice.  You naturally solve problems and manage situation through analysis and testing, the very essence of this card.  The lesson is "research and preparation are the keys to success."
Scorpio (October 21st to November 21st): Intense and Deep Stable Water fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best when bringing or experiencing transformation; you must learn "playfulness or lightness of heart" to manifest your best results.  Your card this Sun cycle is the 21st card of the Major Arcana, the Universe, and the message is "reflect on all you have accomplished and failed to accomplish."  This card encourages you to review the totality of your life to this point so you can make plans going forward towards the future you want.  The lesson is "the sum is greater than the parts."
Sagittarius (November 21st to December 21st): Expansive Adaptable Fire fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best exploring openly and trying new experiences; you must learn to map and record your knowledge to manifest your best results. Your card this Sun cycle is the 4 of Cups, Luxury, and the message is "indulge yourself."  This message is not a difficult one for you to embrace, as Sagittarius is the sign of the world-traveler and the explorer.  You prefer experience as your primary learning tool  This is a good month for a visit or two to the spa or a vacation.  The lesson here is "take time to indulge; pleasure is one of life's great gifts."
Capricorn (December 21st to January 21st): Ambitious Active Earth fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best when you are setting and achieving goals; you must learn compassion to manifest your best results.  Your card this Sun cycle is the 5 of Cups, Disappointment, and the message is “what do we learn through loss." Oddly, this card follows rather perfectly on the heels of the Politics card from the last cycle.  This cycle you must face an emotional letdown and figure out how you will move on and grow from the experience.   The lesson is "loss teaches as much or more than gain."
Aquarius (January 21st to February 21st): Unconventional Stable Air fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best when you are authentic and unrepentant; you must learn quiet fortitude to manifest your best results.  Your card this Sun cycle is the 4 of Wands, Completion, and the message is "be sure to finish what you start."  Fire energy can easily burn out of control or fade out from a lack of fuel (passion and determination).  This cycle you must make sure to go the distance and complete your creative tasks. The lesson is "success is measured by what you accomplish, not what you start."
Pisces (February 21st to March 21st): Imaginative Adaptable Water fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best connecting with others emotionally; you must learn toughness to manifest your best results.  Your card this Sun cycle is the 7th Card of the Major Arcana, the Chariot, and the message is "assert your will to achieve."  For Pisces this card can actually be quite challenging because it asks you to take charge, act powerful, and go after what you want and need aggressively, all traits Capricorn, Aries, Scorpio, Leo, and Sagittarius feel very comfortable doing, but not Pisces. The lesson is "willpower is necessary to move forward in a clear direction."

More New Year's Day Magic - New Moon/Super Moon

This post is an addendum to the previous post about the conjunction of the Sun and Pluto, in Capricorn, on New Year's Day.  On that same day, we will experience a New Moon and it will also be a Super Moon, meaning that it will be "the closest approach the Moon makes to the Earth on its elliptical orbit, resulting in the largest apparent size of the lunar disk as seen from Earth."  Of course, during the New Moon phase, there will be no disk so to see.  Amazingly, there will be a second New Moon Super Moon on 1/30/2014, so two in January.

The New Moon represents new beginnings, a clean slate.  That this one falls on 1/1 and is a Super Moon, the meaning and message are both clear and powerful; this will be a time to put powerful energy into new endeavors, clear out old emotional issues, and embrace the energy of new emotional opportunity.  When the Sun and Pluto align at 11 degrees 17 minutes at 1:55 PM, the Moon will be in Capricorn at 15 degrees and 51 minutes, well within the Orb of Influence (6 degrees) to create a conjunction (or merging) with the Sun and Pluto.  Really, to say that this New Year's Day is unique and powerful requires writing both those words - UNIQUE AND POWERFUL - in all caps, including  the 'and'.

Remember, Capricorn energy is about setting goals, having ambition, planning for the future, understanding the level of investment/commitment necessary to achieve, and taking the long view.  You should use the early part of the day to visualize where you would like to be 5, 10, 15, even 20 years from now.  What you put in your mind and spirit that day will have the chance to go the distance, so you want to be thoughtful about your wishes (see my post on New Moon wishing, and get yourself a copy of New Moon Astrology by Jan Spiller).  Then make sure to write down or, in some other way, capture your thoughts (through art, recording, tattooing, or any medium that can preserve your intentions).

1/1/2014 - A Truly Powerful New Year's Day

The first day of the new year is always a powerful time for setting new goals and resolutions.  This year, 2014, the first day of the new year will be especially charged thanks to an exact conjunction of the Sun and Pluto at 1:55PM that day.  The entire world will feel the merging of the Life Path (the Sun) with Death/Transformation (Pluto) in the sign of Capricorn.  Whatever resolutions you choose, do so wisely, because this energy will empower change at both profound levels and across a broad spectrum.  This energy aspect alone is remarkable, but other energies are significantly in play that day as well.

Mercury is also in Capricorn and within 2 degrees of this exact conjunction, adding itself to the alchemical mix.  We will all be able to think, speak, and write powerfully this new year's day, so I encourage you to write your resolutions down, with serious intent and appreciation for the power of thought to shape reality.  No goal is too small under the influence of this energy.  But before you go resolving to win the lottery or gain super powers, another powerful aspect and energy point is active just one degree apart from the Sun/Pluto conjunction.  On that same day Mars, in Libra, will be at 12 degrees and a nearly perfect square with the Sun/Pluto tandem.  Libra, ruled by Pallas Athena, the master strategist, cools the Mars energy and gives it focus it does not easily come by.  We must make wise resolutions as well as ambitious ones.  Deciding to save the planet by conserving would be a very good example; we need to stop, as a race, believing and acting like the end justifies the means.

Libra's energy is about fairness and justice; it uses analysis to make decisions and requires Mars power to stand up to Pluto's transformational intensity.  Yes, go after powerful change in your life, but plan to make your efforts from a place of what is right and what is fair and what is just.  If not, the conflicting energy that is the square will bring painful consequences.  On this day, a few hours before the exact conjunction, I would recommend writing down what you want to accomplish this new year.  If you happen to know which house in your chart Capricorn rules, all the better, because that is the area to be affected the most.  In my case, this energy will activate my 3rd House of Communication and I am planning 2014 to be a break out year for my astrological career and the connections I want and need to make to head in the direction of my long-term goals ... namely, to be one of the leaders in my field.

Separately, but not aligned with the Sun/Pluto/Mercury/Mars integration, Juno will move out of Aquarius and into Pisces that day, shifting the energy of Duty and Commitment from our collective ideals to our higher consciousness.  We are to shift into a deeper appreciation of our spiritual responsibilities at the start of this new year.  You are not humans trying to master your spiritual existence, you are spiritual beings trying to master your human experience.  Throughout December Hygeia (Health) went retrograde in Taurus and got all the way back to the first degree before going direct again near the later part of December.  With the new health care act a dramatic change in health care policy, and something of a dramatic disaster, we are all awakened to the need to care more about our health and what we need to do to maintain healthy lifestyles.  The unintended consequence of the mess that is the Affordable Health Care Act is the unequivocal knowledge that we must, as individuals, take responsibility for ourselves and our health, first and foremost.  The era of the "Nanny State" is coming to a close.

So, on this New Year's Day set a side time to think seriously about your goals and write them down.  I strongly suggest using a high quality pen and nice paper, then put what you have written in a safe place for review at the end of the year and the beginning of the next.  Treat the process as a ritual, with care and intensity befitting the energy active that day.

Monthly Tarotscope - Capricorn Sun Cycle (December 21 to January 21)

Welcome to Tarotscope, a combination of Astrology and Tarot.  Each month I will draw a card for each sign of the Zodiac.  That card represents the meditation for the month for that Sun Sign.  The Sun Sign represents your Primary Drive in life, how you best manifest your Life Path, and how the light of the Sun energizes you each day. The Deck I am using this month is the Osho Zen Tarot.

For Indian Hindu visitors: I practice Western Tropical astrology, so the Sun Signs are based on the months of the year rather than the Zodiac constellations, which have shifted over time.  If you were born between March 21st and April 21st, you will be an Aries in Western Tropical astrology instead of the Pisces you are in Vedic Sidereal astrology.  These systems are not mutually exclusive, each one teaches us something different about the spiritual condition and I find Indian clients pleasantly surprised by the new insight a Western reading of their chart provides.

Aries (March 21st to April 21st): Maverick Active Fire energy fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best independently; you must learn self-discipline to manifest your best results.  Your card this Sun cycle is the Fire to the South, Sharing, and your message is "give to those in need who are worthy."  You will find a powerful expression of your spiritual energy through sharing.  This lesson is a valuable one for Aries, who can behave selfishly by acting thoughtlessly; slow down, look around, and offer help.  Aries can be a great champion of the underdog when open to sharing.  The lesson is actually about "acknowledging the help you have received from others."
Taurus (April 21st to May 21st): Persistent Stable Earth energy fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best when you feel secure; you must learn some degree of adaptability to manifest your best results. Your card this Sun cycle is the 7 of Water, Projections, and your message is "be authentic to get authentic responses."  You will find throughout this Sun cycle that you must address your emotional feelings about situations honestly and avoid projecting, or trying to give the other person what you think they want.  The lesson is about "like attracts like."  If you are honest, you will get honesty in return; if you are incomplete about your feelings, you will get incomplete feelings in return.  And if you are deceptive, you will be deceived.
Gemini (May 21st to June 21st): Curious Adaptable Air energy fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best doing tasks that stimulate your mind in a variety of ways; you must learn how to focus on demand to manifest your best results. Your card this Sun cycle is the 8 of Rainbows and your message is "pay attention to and appreciate the everyday."  You will find this Sun cycle that you must remember that much of what you take for ordinary is really quite amazing: clean water, indoor plumbing, or heated/cooled homes.  The lesson is “stop and smell the roses.”  This lesson is very important for Gemini and if you can heed it, you will enjoy the goal-setting energy of this Capricorn cycle much, much more.
Cancer (June 21st to July 21st): Nurturing Active Water fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best when you care-take yourself and others properly; you must learn "emotional balance" to manifest your best results.  Your card this Sun cycle is the 9 of Air, Sorrow, and your message is "take the time to process any lingering or unfinished sadness."  Cancer can hold onto emotional hurts longer than any other sign, so the Air energy of this card is about finding a way to move forward.  The lesson is "process your emotions, do not wallow in them."  The open screen behind the figure is a visual cue showing that the figure must return to the world when done processing the loss or hurt he has absorbed.
Leo (July 21st to August 21st): Strong-burning Stable Fire fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best when you are creative; you must learn structure to manifest your best results.  Your card this Sun cycle is the 4 of Fire, Participation, and your message is "interact with others to move forward creatively."  As you move through this Sun cycle it is important for you to get out and engage with others and see where those conversations and activities take you creatively.  The participation is most powerful when those you engage are helping you work on or achieve a goal. The lesson is "everyone needs help from time-to-time."  Actively choosing to work with people on an endeavor, especially ones with different, but equal talent, will help you move in a positive direction.
Virgo (August 21st to September 21st): Practical Adaptable Earth fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best when you get all the details in order; you must learn to "see the forest for the trees" to manifest your best results.  Your card this month is the 1 of Air, Consciousness, and your message is "act with consciousness, reflect before and after doing."  As you move through this Sun cycle each important decision you make needs to be made with focused conscious effort, not merely as a reaction or habit.  Virgos can see down to the smallest detail, so this process should feel quite natural and one of the easier lessons to apply.  The lesson is "thinking before acting really does help achieve better results."
Libra (September 21st to October 21st): Analytical Active Air fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best when acting logically; you must learn to mix in feelings to manifest your best results. Your card this Sun cycle is the Rainbows to the South, Flowering, and the message is "work hard and enjoy your gains."  As you move through this Sun cycle you should appreciate your success and do the work needed to keep growing in a positive direction.  Flowering is the feeling and actions of coming into your own and appreciating your unique contribution to the world and those people currently in your life.  The lesson is "we are here to prosper."  It is important to take care in all areas of your life: spirituality, health, love, and your mind, so you can achieve your highest good.
Scorpio (October 21st to November 21st): Intense and Deep Stable Water fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best when bringing or experiencing transformation; you must learn "playfulness or lightness of heart" to manifest your best results.  Your card this Sun cycle is the Water to the East, Understanding, and the message is "time to make a decision that moves me forward."  This card shows the bird on the edge of a cage and the cage represents limitations AND security.  The cage door is open and the bird can fly free, which offers the open sky and risk.  Still it is the bird’s nature and destiny to fly.  The lesson is "take the risk to be who you are meant to be."  You will face a moment or moments where you have clear understanding about a situation, knowing it will be hard to move forward, but you must.
Sagittarius (November 21st to December 21st): Expansive Adaptable Fire fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best exploring openly and trying new experiences; you must learn to map and record your knowledge to manifest your best results. Your card this Sun cycle is the 18th card of the Major Arcana, Past Lives, and the message is "change your karma."  Not very often we get a chance to make a significant shift in our lives regarding something fundamental about our life experience; those of you with this Sun sign will have this chance this cycle.  It will be a profound, not mundane change because it is a pattern in this life time from previous life times.  The lesson here is "no one escapes consequences, so take responsibility when the opportunity arises."
Capricorn (December 21st to January 21st): Ambitious Active Earth fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best when you are setting and achieving goals; you must learn compassion to manifest your best results.  Your card this Sun cycle is the 7 of Air, Politics, and the message is “beware of false friends and deceptive people."  Unfortunately people lie and deceive and this month you want to be on guard and allow yourself to catch the red flags that often appear when someone is showing you a false front.  Also, be willing to ask yourself why you are attracting these people or this behavior at this time in your life. The lesson is "be wise about what you share with others and set proper boundaries."
Aquarius (January 21st to February 21st): Unconventional Stable Air fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best when you are authentic and unrepentant; you must learn quiet fortitude to manifest your best results.  Your card this Sun cycle is the 11th card of the Major Arcana, Breakthrough, and the message is "make change happen immediately and powerfully."  This cycle you will be called upon to act dramatically for your best interest and cannot be held back.  You will have a chance to make an explosive change in your life, perhaps in career or love or family.  When the chance presents, go all out!  The lesson is "some changes require blowing away your old patterns in dramatic fashion."  For you Aquarius Sun people this is not really a hard action to take!
Pisces (February 21st to March 21st): Imaginative Adaptable Water fuels your Primary Drive.  Your Life Path energy operates best connecting with others emotionally; you must learn toughness to manifest your best results.  Your card this Sun cycle is the 9 of Water, Laziness, and the message is "time to break a habit before it breaks you."  This card calls upon you to look at a specific emotional habit in your life, usually a particular relationship – mother, father, sibling, friendship, lover, or child – where there is an unhealthy and persistent pattern that is reaching a breaking point.  You have a chance to address it before it breaks of its own accord and does serious damage. The lesson is "do not take the path of least resistance."  Letting something slide over time simply builds resentment, which leads to much darker feelings, like anger and regret.