Astrologer Bill Attride

Mercury Turns Retrograde (March 30, 2011)

You've been sensing a change of energy, a shift of direction... and you are right. Hermes has (seemingly) stopped moving forward and is retracing his steps. That's right, it is Mercury Retrograde Time, again. From now till April 23 it is going to be "interesting".

Three times a year, and for about three weeks each time, Mercury appears to slow down, stop and then move backwards. It is really catching up to Earth (being between us and the Sun), passing us by and then continuing on its journey around the Solar system.

Ideally, if you could accommodate your life to the rhythm of the planets, then all would be just fine. You would take this time and use it for introspection, self-reexamination and contemplation. You could focus on reviewing old thought patterns, ideas and communications. You would forge a better understanding of your mental patterns and work to remove your blind spots. Really, it is the perfect time for a spiritual retreat, self-study or rest.

But, life goes on (usually), and you have to continue in your life patterns at home and work as if everything was the same....but it is not. So, watch out for pitfalls and look for the opportunities that come with Mercury in reverse.

Because everyone is similarly affected, be more careful with the communications you receive as well as in those you send. Follow up the receipt of any message by confirming with the sender what you understood the message to mean. When you send a message, confirm its receipt and then make sure it was understood as well. The rule of thumb with Mercury retrograde is never assume... anything! By just being more careful you can avoid the annoyances that seem to come with Mercury dancing backwards, and you can instead focus on its very real benefits.

This is a time to bend the mind back on itself. After all, one of your greatest gifts is your "self-reflectivity", your capacity to look at yourself as if from a vantage point outside of yourself. Mercury retrograde helps you to use this power of your observing-analyzing intellect so that you might better understand yourself.

This time, the retrograde is in Aries, so the lessons will be about your awareness of your "Presence" in the world. Re-examine how you appear to others. Are you coming across too strong, so that your presence is overwhelming? Or do you move so softly that no one notices and so you underwhelm?

The moment you turn a corner, the moment you enter a "space", it changes. Was it the change that was needed, was it the change you intended to bring? You are always you, but you should bring to bear what is required given what you sense is needed. Remember, of all those elements of your presence the most important is... your attitude.

By working with Mercury now you can examine these "Masks of Personality" and make sure that you are presenting the best of you to the world. When you practice this "Art of Presence", you perform through the best of yourself, because you have centered your attitude by aligning yourself with your true self.

So, let Hermes, the messenger, take you within yourself so that you may come out again with that greater clarity of purpose, intention and attitude. Right thinking leads to Right Attitude which allows for Right Action, these are the gifts of Mercury in retrograde. Thank you Hermes! 

Jupiter Opposition Saturn (March 28, 2011)

Okay, this is one of the "big ones", and I wrote this about it in my Overview for 2011:

The other "carry-over" alignment from 2010 is the opposition (Full Moon) of Jupiter and Saturn. Their cycle, from Conjunction to Conjunction, (or as in this case, Opposition to Opposition), is 20 years. In 2010 they came to an opposition in late May and mid-August, and their final contact will be on March 28, 2011.

With Jupiter ruling principles, truths and beliefs, and Saturn ruling structures, institutions and reality, their opposition provides a sharp contrast for us to see how much what we believe to be true is being lived out in fact. In other words, it is a time for a reckoning between the belief or meaning behind the form and the form or reality itself. More often than not, (and this depends upon what else is happening down here and "up there"), this opposition can create a crisis of faith in our belief systems or a loss of trust in our institutions... or both. Certainly, here and around the world, this was a year of reckoning, and more than we might at first realize.

The Great Mutation of Jupiter and Saturn
For this dance of Jupiter and Saturn has a storied history for astrologers. We have used their serial alignments as they progress through the elements to understand some of the larger forces at play in our universe. What we have discovered is that Jupiter and Saturn will come together in their conjunction in the same element, (Fire, Earth, Air and Water), for about 180 to 200 years, before they move onto the next element. This movement from element to element is called the "Great Mutation".

Since 1842 their conjunctions have been occurring in Earth and their last such alignment was in the spring of 2000. While in an elemental phase, those conditions established by that element permeate and promote the developments in culture and society. So, the last 169+ years have witnessed an explosion in the harnessing of energies and materials of the earth, literally. It has been an "age" of materialism, of the rise of our carbon fueled society and the creation of a very specific kind of reality. But there is change in the air already, and our reality is about to be transformed...

For what we have also found is that there is often a sign of things to come right before the next Great Mutation. Often, it seems, the second to last conjunction occurs in that next element in the series. So in 1802 there was a precursor alignment in Earth. And most recently, it was the 1980-81 Air conjunction in Libra, before we reached the final alignment in Earth via the Taurus conjunction of May 2000.

What these seem to provide is a "seeding" of what is to come, a taste of the new world that will be inaugurated at the next Great Mutation, which for us is just ahead in 2020. As the 1802 conjunction jump-started the "Age of Materialism", so too has the 1980-81 alignment initiated what we might call the "Age of Virtue".

Though some aspects of this Virtuousness or "Virtuosity" have manifested  in rather physical forms, such as in the developments in the 1980's and 90's which witnessed the proliferation of computers, cellular phones and the internet, (our interconnectedness was accelerating), and which has now lead to the evolution of virtual worlds and communities, (such as experienced in phenomena like Facebook), I know that the 2020's and beyond will witness the continuing unfoldment of forms of connectivity that will transcend these physical forms and their limits. But we, I, are getting ahead of ourselves.

Jupiter and Saturn Now
At the present moment, the final opposition of Jupiter and Saturn within the Earth series provides us with this moment in time to see to what extent we have transformed ourselves and our world through our material "mastery".  And, it equally reminds us what limits and challenges have been created by this earthy paradigm in our consciousness as well. We may marvel at our creations, yet we must mourn what we have sacrificed of this Earth to bring about our present world reality.

Venus Enters Pisces (March 27, 2011)

Now you feel the need for a deeper commitment; it is time for a more numinous experience of being one with the universe (and your beloved). Venus moves into Pisces for the next 3 weeks and the magical, mysterious and sublime are calling you to let go of the lesser and discover the greater life within and without.

Venus in Pisces opens your heart to the greatest Truth, that all of life-creation has emanated from one Spirit-Source. You look upon any other... and you look upon yourself. The Great Souls who have achieved enlightenment, who have come to their fulfillment in the human form, do not leave behind those of us still seeking to find our way. They fully understand, and so they must abide. They stand by the threshold; they extend their hand in compassion, sacrifice and so wait for you... and there is no greater love than this.

So, during this time of Venus in Pisces, you too must do your part. Follow the path of truth, the path that connects each and every one to another. You must sacrifice something lesser and honor that which is greater within yourself.  

Take a step toward that threshold of enlightenment, to that love and understanding, which waits for you... your destiny.

Venus Conjunct Neptune (March 26, 2011)

Venus returns to the Sea as Aphrodite aligns with Poseidon. Creativity and love surge as the dreams, visions and imaginative power of Neptune joins with the planet of beauty, grace and relationship.

Venus rules your value system; it indicates what you like and how you love. The key to this is the value you have and hold for yourself...your "self worth". Your mental and physical strengths, your aesthetic and moral sensibilities, combine to create your value of yourself. The more you know of yourself, the more you possess your "self"; and to that same extent you will then have a better relationship with the things and lives of the world around you.

The gift of the conjunction of Venus with Neptune is that you can re-imagine your worth or value; you can dissolve a lesser sense of self and discover a greater, more inclusive experience of yourself that has always been possible.

It is true that you are limited at any point in your life by your experience of what you have been able to understand, exercise and make manifest of your potential. But with the gift of Neptune to inspire you, through its gifts of dream, imagination and faith, you can free yourself from this limited reality by returning you to the spiritual well-spring, the spiritual universe of all those potentials that are within you.

There is magic within you; it is the gift of the creative spirit and it is your birthright. Now let Neptune and Venus illuminate your path and bring you to a greater faith and a deeper love. Be a creator, be yourself!

Sun Conjunct Uranus (March 21, 2011)

Now, at the beginning of the year, there comes a flash, a spark of divine intelligence, to light your way ahead.

Sometimes Spirit speaks with a soft voice, like a feather's caress, gently opening your heart and mind to the greater reality. But sometimes it comes with thunder, and bolts of lightning announcing "Behold the New Day"! This is the way of Uranus.

Uranus is "The Awakener" who comes to help you break free from a lesser sense of self. The Sun is the self, the source of all that you can be. But often you hold back and fail to express your greater individuality because of conditioning and fear. The potential is within you, you can feel it, but you draw back from the light into the shadows.

Uranus quickens the spiritual process of individuation. Limiting patterns of thought and action are shattered by the awareness it bestows. Uranus lights the way to your true spiritual self, and by this illumination you integrate and so release your greater self into your life.

You are able to be more than your conditioning because you are a spark of the divine. When that realization of your spiritual heritage is secured, your life becomes part of a greater life, like a melody within the greater Song of Spirit.

Uranus aligned with the Sun calls upon you to free yourself from fear, to break the patterns that bind you, so that you can be true to yourself.

Remember, you are here to answer a cosmic question posed at your birth. It is by the release of your true potential that you become the answer.

Sun Enters Aries, The New Year (March 20, 2011)

Aries is the first Sign; it is the sign of Incarnation. The focus of life is on "Beingness". Emerging from the sacrifice and surrender of Pisces, the soul seeks to become itself pure and simple now. The words you speak and all that you do echo purely and simply, "I am".

Here at the equinox, of equal day and night, you celebrate the return of light, love and new life. You feel the tides of the cosmos pulling you toward greater self-realization, determination and the celebration of your unique spirit. You have finished your journey of yesterdays; you have your harvest of understanding to guide you. Now turn and move into the light that is without form and bring it into focus.  

Daring, dashing and fearless you face the rising Sun of New Beginnings. The promise of Spirit is ever found in the eternal Now. Guided by the forces of Light in their ascendancy you go forth "to be" again.

Follow your waxing Star as the days grow longer and shadows melt away. Rejoice in the return of light to the world.

Pisces Full Moon (March 19, 2011)

Full Moon Madness....on the threshold of the New Year! The Astrological Year starts tomorrow as the Sun moves into Aries and spring begins. But before you leap into the future you need to look in the mirror of the Moon and see the reflection of your year just ending.

This is the real "Harvest Moon"; this is the harvest of Spirit. The Sun is in Pisces, it is the time for dreams, imagination and the faith that makes possible your growth beyond your present crystallized reality. The Moon is in Virgo, and reminds you that your dreams must take form, become crystallized, if they are to be real in this physical world. Now you must face it, your dream and your life, the vision and the manifestation.

Look west towards the fountain source of your dreams as the Sun sets in Pisces; then turn and face the east and see the life you have made so far as the Moon in Virgo rises. How do they relate to one another? Have you created well?  Do Dream and Reality reflect your soul's purpose; do you see yourself in your creation?

Now, take out your scythe, it is harvest time. It is time to reap what you have sown. Do not concern yourself with things, they will only pass away. This is a spiritual harvest and what matters is meaning.

See what you have learned, not earned. Celebrate your greater wisdom for it is your soul's treasure. Separate out the grain of understanding from the husk of appearances and then turn to the next day, a new day...the day of New Beginnings.

From the seed that is the harvest of the year just lived, plant the new understanding in your life that is to be...you are the creator and reaper. So be it.  

Mercury Opposition Saturn (March 18, 2011)

Caution! Negative thinking is dangerous to your health!

Mercury in Aries has been creating a veritable rush of mental activity. But Saturn in Libra is throwing a shadow across your path right now. Whether you just got some bad news, or someone in authority is challenging your point of view, your real challenge is to stay calm, centered and alert.

If something or someone is challenging your progress, it is not to make you stop; it is to make you stop and THINK. One of the most sublime gifts of your mind is its adaptability, so use it. The mind is not a blunt instrument; your mind is a subtle vehicle that can lead you to a greater awareness.

You might believe that your only option is either dig in, push back and win OR give in, surrender and retreat. But you always have a "third way". Remember, it is not about winning or losing... the way of the spirit is about understanding.

Use this challenge to re-examine your assumptions as well as help one another to see your positions more objectively. By combining, contrasting and working your thoughts together you move towards a greater understanding; by walking the middle path, you raise one another's consciousness, which is the actual goal!

Remember, the word "consciousness" means literally "together knowing". You, on your own, can only understand so much. But when two or more work toward a common understanding, when you truly look within and listen without, that is when "mind magic" happens.  

 

Mercury Conjunct Jupiter (March 15, 2011)

In the beginning there was silence... then a word moved over the waters....

Now is the time for new thinking. Now is the time for Seed Thinking. You need to engage your mind courageously, enthusiastically and idealistically and so bring yourself into alignment with Mercury and Jupiter as they form a Conjunction (New Moon) in Aries.

A release of new understanding is here for you now. Jupiter rules Principles and the higher mind; Mercury rules Thoughts and the lower mind. The Principles of Jupiter provide the context for your understanding; it rules your belief systems of religion, philosophy, science and law, your higher powers of intuitive thinking and comprehension. Mercury rules the lower mind, your data points, your powers of observation, comparison and contrast, your facts and your powers of intelligent reasoning.

Jupiter provides the context for what you perceive and so determine to be "factual". Mercury provides the data that you draw upon to develop your principles as well as then feed back to prove or disprove your principles. Together Jupiter and Mercury provide the means by which you can develop your understanding of yourself and your world.

The alignment of Jupiter with Mercury creates this opportunity for a genesis of a new understanding. You can more readily perceive how your assumptions have created your facts for you, and you can more easily discern how your facts have led you into your assumptions.

Now, standing between Jupiter and Mercury you can re-align yourself in that still place of an open mind that is more lucid and clear-seeing. Look at yourself and your world from a less pre-determined view. Challenge your old assumptions and see as if with new found vision.

Remember, you are here to create a new world. The first step is to free your mind. Be the fountain source of new thought, be a seer.

Venus Trine Saturn (March 14, 2011)

True love is found in patience, steadfastness and devotion.

Love is patient because you understand and accept your own imperfection as you see it reflected in your loved one too. To love each other you forgive one another. It is that patience and forgiveness which informs the relationship in which you learn, grow and enlarge the life that you share.

Love is steadfastness because you understand and accept that the values at the core of your being, that make you you, that these must be the center of your life together. The meaningfulness that you create together is founded in this commitment to values. It is that steadiness which holds you to the path of your mutual purpose in this life.

Love is devotion because you understand and accept that what you have found in the other is truly the reflection of your own highest self....your soul. Personal love reflects through the prism of spirit as you meet your higher self in the beloved.

Love is the fundamental constant of the Universe.... these are the gifts of Venus and Saturn.