May 12, 2009

Answers Within: Last week’s Full Moon reminded me that the powers of perception and change are within us. It’s understandable to feel fear about the economy, especially if you are already suffering from its contraction. This is not an abstract idea or some danger that arises suddenly by a natural or human made disaster. It’s a constant, on-going reminder that the world has changed. The intense astrological patterns of the present and near future suggest that we are engaged in something more serious than a short-term bump in the road. The stressful opposition between resistant Saturn and rebellious Uranus will continue through July 2010. Saturn will form a stressful 90-degree square to Pluto this November that kicks off a powerful line-up of four outer planets in conflicting cardinal signs that peaks in 2010. OK, so there are enough real world and planetary bogeymen to scare the bejesus out us, but what good will surrendering to fear do. The answers, my friends, are not blowin’ in the wind, they are burgeoning within.

Every Full Moon is an opportunity for enlightenment, an awakening of the unconscious to infuse it with consciousness and purpose. The one on Friday, May 8 was in Scorpio, opposite the Taurus Sun. These are the financial signs: Taurus as matter and Scorpio its exchange. The Full Moon was close to the middle of these fixed signs, the deepest, densest slice of the zodiac. This is very close to the core of our values, especially material ones. Scorpio, the sign of the Halloween season, can be scary as it’s a reminder of our mortality. Taurus is the mid-spring Garden of Eden sign, the eternally young innocent who has not yet tasted the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge.

While we expect leaders to guide us out of our economic morass, the price of membership in the human race is acting like you have some control, even when it seems you don’t. The Moon was full in Scorpio when Buddha was illuminated, when truth was found through the inner way. This recent Full Moon is our reminder to examine our comfy Taurus expectations (regardless of our individual charts) and ask questions about what we truly need. It’s uncomfortable to imagine significant material change, yet signals from every source point in the direction that the near future may be far different from the recent past. Wherever an attitude, belief or expectation can be dislodged from a sleepy place of comfort and wake us up to another level of awareness, we come one step closer to taking responsibility for ourselves and directing this change instead of being taken by it.

Mercury Retrograde: Tricky, clever and communicative Mercury turned retrograde either May 6 or 7, depending on your time zone, and will back pedal through the zodiac until May 30. This is a pattern that occurs for about three weeks every three months and is associated with snafus of all kinds. Mixed up messages, faulty information and technological breakdowns are among the bits of mischief associated with Mercury retrograde. Generally, though, I’m a slight skeptic on the subject because most things continue to function properly during this period. Besides, I’m not a fan of astrological negativity, the excuse building habit of preparing for failure. Still, when my StarIQ and writing partner Rick Levine and I prepared to give our monthly forecast talk in Redmond, Washington, our competent camera operator found herself with an uncontrollable piece of equipment on her hands. This is a classic Mercury retro problem. A couple of days ago I messed up two pages on our website by overlooking a minor detail.

Maybe this Mercury retrograde is more serious than most—or maybe it’s my own inadequacy. Rick thinks Mercury retrograde is difficult due to an overdose of information since it occurs when the planet is closest to the earth. This one began at 1 degree of Gemini, Mercury’s airy home sign, which may double up the influence of the planet and, thus, increase the likelihood for errors during its retrograde period. Interestingly, Mercury will back in to Taurus on May 13, providing a second look at money, comfort, self-worth and resources that increases our chances of finding the answers we’re seeking.

As published here on my Tarot.com blog.

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