Venus!

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The planet Venus in you chart tells a couple of different things. It shows where you attract things easily, how you act within relationships (romantic and non-romantic) and deals with your personal resources. It deals with the finer luxuries of life, but can also deal with vanities. So lets take a look at Venus through the signs and houses:

Aries/First- Self-centered at times within relationships, you are still generous with partners. You love the beginning stages of a relationship, with the butterflies, and you keep it going with lots of spontaneous activity. You are more likely to earn more resources, if you follow through on your high initiative capability, but watch out for splurging, as you are prone to spur of the moment purchases. Try to not jump in to financial deals, carefully weigh the risks.

Taurus/Second- Sensual in relationships, you are a true romantic. As far as priorities go, love and security are at the top. You enjoy the finer things in life (especially food) and surround yourself with beautiful things. Your hard work ethic makes it easy for you to obtain a higher income, and you are thrifty, always looking for a good deal.

Gemini/Third- The same thing everyday is not the way to keep you happy. You are excited by variety, which may manifest as multiple partners, or very spontaneous activities. You require a partner who stimulates you mentally, and you can be quite flirty in general. Watch that spending though, as it will deplete your money sources. Many people with this aspect will balance two jobs. 

Cancer/Fourth- Love can be emotionally gratifying or heartbreaking, as you are super sensitive regarding matters of the heart. You give all of your heart to someone, and only move forward when you feel completely comfortable with the situation. You do have a tendency of mothering everyone, which can become detrimental if it turns in to "smothering". This can also affect your need for security. Financially, you may gather resources through savings and home ownership.

Leo/Fifth- You tend to become the center of attention, whether you meant to or not. People are drawn to your warmth and energy. You enjoy the social scene. In matters of the heart, you are loyal and passionate. You have the ability to make much money, which satisfies your need for socializing, but be careful with money matters.

Virgo/Sixth- Venus in Virgo natives tend to be picky and idealize any partners they have, which can often set them up for disappointment. Many people with this aspect actually choose to remain single. In a relationship, you can be caring and sensual, but sometimes, you can become the force that lets you partner get away with their shortcomings. Emotionally, you analyze your feelings, with the emotions and thoughts being so intertwined, it might be hard to tell which is which. Like Taurus, your work ethic provides a higher than average earning potential, but watch out for impulsive buys.

Libra/Seventh- Venus in this aspect gives the native the need for a partner. You may mistake the need for partner as a sign of love, so make sure you look at what your motivations truly are within a relationship. You seem to know what makes people tick, giving you extra insight in to those you associate with, which helps you to avoid conflict. It is important that you surround yourself with comfortable things, and luxury items, as you enjoy the more aesthetic parts of life.

Scorpio/Eighth- Chaos surrounds your relationships, often because any insecurities trigger negative traits, like jealousy. No one really knows what you are feeling deep down, as you hide it well. Tight with your money, you know how to manage it well, and you have higher earning potential with this placement. Very protective of those you love, you never forget a slight from someone who harms you or your loved ones.

Sagittarius/Ninth- Not one to be tied down within a relationship, you leave one the minute you feel that being threatened. It is important that you have partners that allow you to do what you wanna do. Very outgoing and optimistic, you generally do not care about financial matters, you feel like you somehow always have what you need. Save up for periods when money is tighter.

Capricorn/Tenth- Only complete security will allow the Capricorn in Venus native to show their affections. They are very private, never engaging in PDA. Sometimes, they might enter in to a partnership for status or financial reasons. You're conservative nature blends in to the financial realm, and your hard working nature can bring about money, although watch out for spending, just to prove you have it.

Aquarius/Eleventh- Aloof and distant, but interested in people, you generally tend to stick more to friends, although your ideal partner is a best friend. Like the Venus in Sagittarius native, you need someone who can let you be independent, and embrace your quirkiness. Often erratic in saving versus spending, try to set up a budget will help to stabilize this area of your life.

Pisces/Twelfth- Sensitive and a romantic, you are often lonely without someone else to share life with. Sentimental, you remember all of the big moments within a relationship. Often, people with this placement need someone else to manage their budget, often ending up in debt. 

(Reference: Complete Book of Astrology by Kris Brandt Riske, MA)

So what if Venus is retrograde within your chart?

It may not allow you to come out of your shell fully. You only let yourself completely out socially when you are 100% comfortable with those around you. You might doubt the affections of others, become completely absorbed in relationships, and not feel that others feel enough for you. You also may feel that relating to other people is awkward, and not natural. 

October Oracle Card

(The Halloween Oracle by Stacey DeMarco)

Ironically enough, as I am writing this post, my black cat is begging for my attention, hehe. Throughout cultures, cats have been significant of either luck, or misfortune. When it comes to colors, in America, black cats are typically labelled with the "bad luck" category, while in other countries, such as many of the Asian countries, they are considered "good luck". In this card here, we have the black cat, sitting on a stack of books, the candles surrounding have been extinguished. The hard work is about to pay off, through a little bit of luck, and a lot of your hard work. Be watchful for even the slightest of opportunities may launch you straight ahead. 

Mercury Retrograde!

It is coming up on that time of year...again...where we are about to enter Mercury Retrograde. This phrase has gotten a pretty bad rap in the modern astrology community, often being the catch-all for any bad luck. I'm sure you have thought of it yourself, that any time anything goes wrong, "Is Mercury in retrograde?"

So what is Mercury retrograde? Every so often, usually about three to four times a year, our view of Mercury from Earth, looks as though it is spinning backwards. The first and last day of this movement, are viewed as Stationary, either Retrograde or Direct, whether it is going in to retrograde, or changing back to forward motion (Direct). If you were born during a retrograde period of any planet, the planet in your chart is typically accompanied by a Rx. If it was stationary (either retrograde or direct) there will be an S. This can affect how a planets influence manifests itself in your life. People who are born in Mercury retrograde, will often be more introspective, versus being outspoken. They tend to be more shy in their younger years, until one day, they begin to express themselves more easily, usually when an adult. With Mercury ruling thinking and communication, the retrograde motion focuses this aspect more internally than externally. If you were born while the planet was Stationary, then it is believed that the aspects of that planet or more prominent than a normal moving planet. So someone born in Mercury Stationary would be more focused on their thinking and communication, and it would be a more important part of that persons life.

Now of course, those affected by Mercury in retrograde will vary. Those who have a strong Mercury influence in their chart (Sun, Moon, Ascendant) in Gemini or Virgo, tend to be more affected than those who are not. Also, it depends on where Mercury is transiting your chart, any planets it is affecting within your natal chart, and sometimes, just how aware you are of this influence.

So what exactly is affected within a Mercury retrograde? Communications are a large factor, with things not coming out right, spelling errors, miscommunication, etc. Also, transportation, as Mercury rules short-distance travel. Electronics might seem particularly fickle at this time as well. It is advised that you do not make any super important decisions, sign any legal documents, take trips, or get married under this influence. Often, things that weren't done right the first time Mercury passed through those signs, will be revisited as it travels retrograde. This is a great time to do things that never got finished, although its also a time you are more prone to making mistakes.

This upcoming retrograde cycle, begins on October 4, 2014. The retrograde period of this cycle will be from 2° Scorpio-16° Libra (October 25).  To really understand how to look at a Mercury Retrograde cycle, its important to know some terms. It is not just important to look and be mindful the day that Mercury turns retrograde, but actually as it is first travelling through the signs that it will be retrograde in (September 14-October 4). A retrograde period actually causes a planet to travel through an area of the zodiac 3 times, first direct, then it moves backwards at retrograde, and then forward again, through the initial direct period. It is said that the first movement through the zodiac sign, gives it an initial perspective, the retrograde causes you to approach the same situations from a different perspective, than the period after the retrograde movement, is the integration of both of the prior movements through the sign.

So lets grab your charts, and take a look!

First, you need to figure out which houses are affected by the signs in the Retrograde, in this case, Libra and Scorpio. To find your house rulers, check out THIS POST. My 11th House is ruled by Libra, and my 12th House, although my 12th House is also kind of in Scorpio. So Mercury right now will be doing a little dance through my 11th house, and a little in to my 12th House. Not only will those houses be affected, but any house that is ruled by Gemini and Virgo (8th and 10th for me). 

Firstly, Mercury retrograde will mostly be in Libra, so at this time, any communications regarding partnership need to be heavily analyzed. Scrutinize every contract signed. You might feel as though things are not fair with how people treat you, and you might find yourself in more fights with your significant other. Indecisiveness may rear its head, so try not to analyze everything to death. The couple of days it is in Scorpio, be mindful of not telling anyone anything you don't mind becoming public knowledge, and watch for your tendencies to manipulate others, or to obsessively brood about situations. Be careful regarding any sexual decisions, or shared financial decisions.

With the retrograde mostly being in my 11th House, I will be paying close attention to any communications with friends, and making sure to not jump to any hasty decisions, and to try to be more understanding regarding anything they say. It may come out here who real friends are, and to help me reorganize my support structure. Here is a great link explaining mercury retrograde throughout your individual chart, and what kinds of things to be on the lookout for. 

Having Gemini and Virgo on my 10th and 8th House cusps, I am going to pay SUPER attention to my shared finances, especially with the Scorpio influence in this period, and to make sure that I am expressing myself clearly within my career aspect of my life. 

What are you going to do about this time period? How are you expecting it to impact the next couple of weeks?

Sun in Libra!

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This post is a little bit late, as the Sun entered Libra on 9.23.14. This means that now wherever Libra is within your birth chart, that the Sun is now transiting that area of your chart. So what is prevalent with the Sun in Libra? First, lets discuss Libra itself.

Libra is represented by the glyph of the Scales. The symbol of the Scales represents balance, fairness, and tact. Libras' love it when everyone is getting along, no one is arguing and that everyone is being treated fairly. These people promote peace and harmony, and are often the mediator, trying to get everyone to see things through their idealistic views. These people can often be people pleasers, not wanting to cause any rifts. Although they can often be trying to avoid conflict, you will see their claws when people are being treated unjustly and those fighting against them will soon find their knack for strategy.

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Libra is naturally ruled by Venus. So lets talk a little bit about this planet. It naturally rules Libra, as well as Taurus (although it prefers Libra). These signs are naturally associated with the 2nd and 7th Houses, the houses which are dealing with the material possessions, and how you interact within partnerships.

This planet is named after the Roman goddess of Love and Beauty. She represents sex, enticement and seduction. She is sensuality. She is the daughter of Jupiter, which is a "greater benefic" planet, thus transferring some of this benefit to Venus in the chart. Venus shows what you attract, where you indulge, and how important your possessions are to you.

Venus in your chart will always be within 48 degrees of your Sun sign, so it will either be in your Sun sign, or the two signs before or after. It can move through a sign in 3-4 weeks, unless retrograde motion increases it to up to 4 months. Venus' orbit is completed every 225 days. If you were born during a retrograde motion period, then you may not be as outgoing as those who were not. It takes a while to feel comfortable, and initially, your earning potential may be stunted until you grow older, as well as romantic potential. If it was stationary (the period before turning direct or retrograde that the planet seems to be standing still), then the aspects of the planet may appear to be more prominent, providing an active social life, and above average learning potential.

So, lets take a look at where Libra falls in your chart, and how it affects that house (there will be a later post on Venus placements):

First house (Libra Rising)- These people are greatly influenced by the traits of Libra, as this is their Ascendant sign. These are people who need and want to have a partner. They are natural mediators, and are charming. They socialize to feel within their comfort zone, and they have an eye for all that is aesthetically pleasing.

Second House (House of Material Possessions)- Great earning potential,  but also like to indulge and spend. It is important to follow a budget, and to live within your means. These people are often bargain shoppers. You may make money through a partnership. May make money through anything arts related.

Third House (Thinking and Communicating)- They hate to argue, and are very careful with what they say, and how it might affect others. Excellent at debate and conversation, they can be avid readers, but lazy student. They are close with siblings, and neighbor relationships are generally positive. It is necessary for you to feel that you have mental balance.

Fourth House (Home and Family)- Close with family, conflict is always avoided within the home. You need a peaceful home life. You surround yourself with the finest furnishings, and may collect finer things which attract your attention.

Fifth House (Fun and Leisure)- Generally lucky in romance, you may stick with someone just to fulfill that need for a relationship. Active social life, you are interested in the arts, and may fill your time with many hobbies. You prefer activities that you can do with others. You are fair with children.

Sixth House (Daily Work and Service)- Cannot work in anything but a calm environment. You enjoy working with others, and make an excellent manager. Not being imbalance, may throw off your health. You may experience health issues dealing with kidneys, the lower back and appendix. May enjoy working in the arts, or justice system.

Seventh House (Partnerships)- You often seek partnerships, and any relationship is based on being fair to each other, and a perfect give and take. You seek reciprocity within relationships. Ones that are balanced. You are careful with who you choose to be with, and need someone who can show you the middle ground.

Eighth House (Sex, Death and Taxes)- Any shared finance responsibilities are shared, and you never make decisions yourself regarding those funds. With a partner, the earning potential is increased. You may gain funds through a partnership. You transform yourself through the help of a partner.

Ninth House (Higher Education, Religion and Philosophy)- Guided by justice, you are unaccepting of unfairness occurring. You enjoy learning about people, and travelling. You respect the views and beliefs of others. Higher education may increase your learning ability.

Tenth House (Career)- Your career may involve working with others frequently, and you are generally well-liked. You strive for ultimate earnings and reputation. Networking is important in this aspect. You may weigh the pros and cons of each career choice, and never make a choice. Remember that the perfect job does not exist. May choose a career which celebrates the finer things.

Eleventh House (Friends and Networking)- Popular with a wide circle of friends. May get involved in the arts. You are looking for a partner that is also your best friend.  You keep the peace within your friends circle.

Twelfth House (Self-Undoing)- Self-reliant, you do have a side that others don't see, that gain strength from partnership. Some are heavily in debt due to their expensive tastes. Secret affairs may occur with this aspect. You don't work well with others. You need to put yourself out there more.

The 6th House of Your Natal Chart

The 6th House of your natal chart rules a couple areas within your life. The sixth house is referred to as the house of "work and service". Any planet in this house, or sign on the cusp here, is going to affect your daily habits, work (not necessarily career) and service. Also health, animals, and relationships with your employer and/or coworkers.

Virgo naturally rules this house, however, the odds are that yours is not, unless you are an Aries rising. The different signs on this cusp might affect how you approach your daily habits, daily work, your health and relationships with those in the workplace. Here's a brief synopsis:

Aries/Mars- They take the initiative in the workplace, and are ambitious, however, relationships with their coworkers might be affected by the desire to be in charge, and you prefer a fast paced work environment. Work accidents are likely, due to Aries being a rush-in type of person. Make sure you follow safety protocol. Aries rules the head, so any malady here, such as headaches, may be common.

Taurus/Venus- These people are hard workers, and are reliable, although might be a little slow, and do things on their own time. They need a workplace that is comfortable, and prefer a slower one. They are likely to do things the same way every time, and hate changes to the procedures. Taurus rules the throat, so they might be susceptible to throat issues health wise.

Gemini/Mercury- These people need to multi-task to accomplish projects, and to not get bored. They prefer to work with their hands. Their short attention span might make it hard for them to keep a job. They need an active and fast paced job, with many different tasks they must accomplish. They are susceptible to nervous tension, so it is important to do things daily which help to alleviate this.

Cancer/Moon- These people are those co-workers which are the mom in the workplace. They always try to feed those around them, and make sure they are taken care of. They need a workplace that is calm, and one with a family undertone. They can get emotionally tied to their jobs, making it hard to leave. When nervous tension strikes, it may manifest in stomach issues, with Cancer ruling the stomach.

Leo/Sun- They take pride in their work, and always try to do their job the best that they can, although any sort of criticism (sontructive or not) can be detrimental. They like to be in charge, and hate being under someones elses "reign". Leo rules the heart, so there might be some ailments here.

Virgo/Mercury- Analytical and methodical, they pay attention to the details (so much so that they may get lost in them). These are the "ultimate workers", always doing far more than often required. They do expect to get reimbursed for all that they do, and have an environment that is clean. Nervous tension and intestinal ailments are common.

Libra/Venus- Focusing on relationships, they need a workplace that is drama-free. They need a job which often works with others and they make great managers. Libra rules the kidney, lower back and appendix, so you might keep an eye on health issues in those areas.

Scorpio/Pluto- These people are extremely hard workers, that can push themselves to the extreme when trying to accomplish a goal- no matter who gets trampled underneath them. Overexertion is an issue here to be mindful of, often resulting in injury and illness. They often take charge in the work setting, and prefer to not work with others, to maintain complete control.

Sagittarius/Jupiter- Optimistic and enthusiastic attitudes are what they offer to those working around them. They prefer autonomy over strict ruling of their work and they prefer a work environment where they don't feel trapped, and one that allows them many opportunities to interact with those they work with. Sagittarius rules the hips, thighs and sciatic region, so watch for ailments here.

Capricorn/Saturn- Organized and ambitious, they expect those also in the workplace to do the same. Always doing more than their responsibilities, they can turn in to workaholics. They often keep their work life and personal life separate. Capricorn rules the skeletal system, knees, teeth and skin, so there might be health issues here with this placement.

Aquarius/Uranus- These people need high autonomy in their work field, and often they might find themselves making up their own rules, if those currently instated do not meet their needs. Aquarius rules the circulatory system, calves and ankles, so there might be a weakness here.

Pisces/Neptune- Pisces needs a calm and drama-free workplace. They are generally compassionate and helpful to those they work with on a good day. They also do well in work where they can access their creative side, as routine work are not for them. Pisces rules feet, so be aware here.

The Oracle Card for September

I recently purchased The Halloween Oracle by Stacey DeMarco, and I fell in love with it immediately. Since I am not really a divination blog, I thought I would just keep it to one card a month, to kind of set the tone, and to help showcase this beautiful deck. I have always loved Halloween, and since embarking on a pagan spiritual path, I now can understand why. I have always been enthralled by the depths of the mind, what really makes people tick. This dark part of the year is one of introspection, and a time to really take inventory of yourself, since activities around this time tend to slow down, with the cold weather and all. Vampires and zombies and anything horror themed has always held my attention, because I view them as aspects of ourselves, sometimes what we wish we could be, and really unveil the taboo of human society. So with that, I bring to you, VAMPIRE:

Vampires have permeated almost every cultures lore. We all know them. They are those that wander the night, feeding off of the blood of unsuspecting victims, and sometimes, you turned in to them. There are various beliefs of how you could become one, anywhere from you being fed upon, to committing suicide. But either way, they became immortal. They have changed over time from hideous monsters (think Nosferatu), to elegant and desirable. At times, authors have even claimed that they could enter sunlight, while others keep them strictly out of the sun. I have always loved vampires, and those that know me can tell you that I would love to become one *sigh*. My very first tarot deck was The Vampire Tarot by Robert M. Place. 

So lets look at the card. We see a female vampire, holding a goblet of red liquid, which I can only assume is blood. She has a little trickle coming from the edge of her mouth, and the moon is full behind her, and the moon looks like those blood moons we get every so often. The phrase at the bottom of the card is Emotional Intelligence. 

Now, while many will dispute the existence of vampires (I am not saying they don't exist, for I have my own theories on them), many people have encountered a different for of Vampirism, that of the psychic kind. These people feed off of others energy, for many different reasons, but these people all leave us feeling drained afterwards. As the year is changing, we go from a bustling and fun filled summer, to a calmer and introspective winter. This is death, this is a memento mori. Now is the time to rebuild our energy stocks, after the draining spring and summer we might have had. Taking stock of everything in your life, it is time to get rid of that which does not serve you any longer, and to put it to sleep. Any self-doubt, draining relationships, preconceived notions and attitudes which are holding you back, or are affecting your life adversely, put it to rest. Now, you can't just put something away, and not fill it with anything. Fill those gaps with things which energize you, which allow you to be YOU more fully, and to express yourself. 

How will you this month take stock and release that which is holding you back? How will you replace those things with positive endeavors? How will you utilize the Vampire card in your life?

Earth Mercury

Natural Sign Rulers: Gemini and Virgo

Natural Houses: 3rd and 6th

Orbit Cycle: 88 Days

Mercury in our charts can explain how we think, how we communicate, how we deal with short distance travel, our ease with writing, and how we learn and process information. Mercury naturally rules two signs, Gemini and Virgo. Mercury is never more than 28 degrees away from your Sun sign, so it is either in the same sign, or the one before or after. Given that we are currently Sun in Virgo, I am going to talk a little bit about the earth aspect of Mercury, versus the air element of Gemini. 

I already made a post a little bit about what Virgo entails. Having Mercury in an earth sign will bring a much more grounded and sure thinking and communication method. People who have Mercury in Virgo are the people that you want to go to for planning and organizing. Think travel planners. Analysis is of major import to the Mercury in Virgo native, and are always attempting to achieve perfection. This need for perfection can lead to anxiety and worry. This is very different from the scattered energy of Mercury in Gemini. 

People who have Mercury in the natural house of Virgo (6th House), will also have a Virgo flavor, along with the sign that their Mercury is in naturally. This brings out the organized efficiency (Virgo) within their daily work (6th House). You might be easily bored within your workplace, so it is important to have a job which is mentally stimulating, and constantly challenging, or allowing you to learn. 

Now, chances are that your Mercury does not appear this exact placement, so I would like to briefly go over some things that might help you look in to your own chart, and to learn about yourself. Mercury in each of the different elements, then further divided by the individual sign, are all going to process and communicate differently. Then add in the different houses and those which are connected by rulers can affect what you mostly talk about. This is no means all encompassing, but is a place for you to start and journey down the rabbit hole. I like to look in to astrology as more of a self-help and meditative tool, instead of a predictive one, and I feel like you will never completely understand your natal chart in the lifelong study of it. 

So, lets look at the different elements of Mercury. In a natal chart, you have 4 different elements- Fire, Earth, Air and Water:

• Fire- typically associated with drive, ambition, leadership, passion and aggression. 
• Earth- steady, slow, strength, foundation, physical matters
• Air- Thinking, communication, scattered energy, logical
• Water- Emotions, intuitive/psychic, moody, constantly changing energy

So this elemental flavor alone can affect how you communicate with others (and yourself).

Then, we get in to the individual signs:

• Fire- Aries, Leo, Sagittarius: Aries- Quick decisions and responses. Not always thinking actions through. Impulsive, competitive and argumentative. Prone to accidents due to not thinking things through.  Leo- Flair for the dramatic, natural leader and great for motivating others. Opinionated, and believe you have all the answers. Creative. Sagittarius- Pursuit of knowledge is guiding force. Highly principled, thinks in black and white. Optimists.
• Earth- Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn: Taurus- Thoroughly thinks things through. Stubborn in decision making. Often thinks about material security. Virgo- see above. Capricorn- Realistic. Problem solvers which work through everything. Mostly thinks about status and career. 
• Air- Gemini, Libra, Aquarius: Gemini- Scattered energy. Constantly learning and researching. Versatile and quick thinking. Libra- Avoids controversy. Persuasive and diplomatic. Difficulty making decisions. Aquarius- Innovative and creative. Emotions rarely influence decisions. Comfortable with expressing thoughts instead of feelings. 
• Water- Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces: Cancer- Emotions guide thinking. Thoughts are related to home and family. Often in touch with friends and family. Scorpio- Excellent researcher and communication is geared for amassing information. Secretive, stubborn. Some are jealous and vengeful. Pisces- Creative. Prone to wishful thinking and are compassionate. Highly intuitive. Empathic.

Hopefully this allows for a start for you to look in to your own thinking and communication processes. 

Sun in Virgo

The Sun left creative Leo on August 22 at 10:46 pm CST, and entered analytical Virgo. The Sun will be in Virgo until it moves to Libra on September 22 at 8:29 pm CST. So lets talk a little bit at what Virgo means:

Dates: August 22 - September 22

Element: Earth

Quality: Mutable

Natural House: Sixth

Ruling Planet: Mercury

Symbol: The Virgin

Key Phrase: I analyze

Sun in Virgo people are efficient, practical and organized. They are very detail-oriented people, and are natural planners. Being very analytical, they love to make pro and con lists, although sometimes that back fire in to being unable to make any decision, getting caught up in the details, losing sight of the big picture. Getting so focused in the details, sometimes Virgo people can go overboard, desiring perfectionism. This can lead to a martyrdom attitude, that they have to sacrifice their perfectionism for others, however, they need to avoid the tendency to get caught up in every piece being perfectly in place. Being ruled by Mercury, they have some traits which are also similar to Gemini (for they share the same planetary ruler). Mercury brings in a focus on communication, also bringing in obsessive worry and anxiety. The mutable energy allows the native to be adaptable and versatile, but sometimes this can allow them to go with the flow when taking a stand would be better. Virgo being naturally associated with the 6th House, also may cause a workaholic tendency, the 6th House ruling daily routines and service. It is important that Virgo natives be in a job at which they feel they are performing a real service, to better those around them. They have a strong work ethic, and are incredibly meticulous. They never do anything half-assed, and always finish what they start. They tend to appear very conservative, and proper, but that is only at face value. Around unfamiliar situations, they are ever cautious, shy, and lacking self-confidence in their abilities. 

Even if you are not a Virgo sun sign within your own natal chart, you are still being affected somewhere within your chart. For example, I have Virgo on my Midheaven, or 10th House cusp. I have no planets here, but the aspects of the 10th House (Career and most public self) are being pulled in to play here, and really emphasized within my own life. For those that know me, they know that I am now offering astrology readings at my local metaphysical shoppe. While my boss had mentioned weeks ago that I was to start doing readings, I didn't actually start doing them, until August 22. You will see above that this is when the Sun went in to Virgo. This energy finally manifested within my life, allowing me to get moving and get started. Being naturally a Fixed Earth (Taurus), it can be hard at times for me to start projects, but get me one that is already started, and I will finish it. So, taking a look at your chart, check where Virgo is. It is now being activated by the Sun. Any planets in Virgo will eventually throughout the month become activated, being conjunct with the Sun. 

Through my Living Temple of Witchcraft Volume 2 book by Christopher Penczak, I am looking forward to the exercises this month. In figuring out how I serve others, meditating and journeying to the Underworld, and also looking at my own personal habits of over-criticism, and personal standards of impossible perfectionism, I think this is the perfect sign for delving in to the Shadow, especially as the Wheel of the Year is entering the darker part of the year.

Where is Virgo in your chart (Need your chart? Go HERE)? Do you have any planets that are being positively or negatively aspected by the Sun in Virgo? Are you feeling the tendencies of Virgo to analyze, organize and perfect? How are you dealing with these energies in your life?

Having to look in the Shadows

We are winding up the end of the Sun in Leo, and I am looking forward to Sun in Virgo. I think it was bring a lot of time of making lists, and ridding what no longer serves, health decisions and changes in daily habits.
I have been focusing on the Sun, but today, I want to turn it in a complete 180, your Shadow. Not your physical one, but your shadow self. We are headed towards the darker part of the year, and it is a great time for introspection. Your shadow self is all that remains unfinished, your preconceived notions which make it frustrating when others don't live up to your standards, that addiction you deal with (or don't) and bad habits. It can manifest in your low self-esteem (think of those thoughts in which you talk badly about yourself, to yourself, because of something that happens, or a mistake you made), anger or trust issues. Everyone has one, and if you don't think you do, there is probably some shadow work to be done on that thought alone.

It is important that before you begin shadow work, that you are in a place emotionally that you can handle it. It can be downright cruel at times, picking yourself apart, seeing every flaw that you have. If at anytime while attempting shadow work, you become depressed, or suicidal, please seek help. Set aside, until you are better able to handle the stress that it can create. Also, shadow work will help you learn to be nice to yourself. You have to be able to (and if you can't now, hopefully through shadow work you can learn to) be nice to yourself, accept that you are human and make mistakes. Through shadow work, the point is not to vanquish it and become perfect, it is to become aligned with it, and to retrain your thinking regarding yourself, others and to develop a healthier self-image.

So when I was first looking in to shadow work, it seemed so daunting of how to even begin. You can ask anyone who does shadow work, and they will all give you a different way of achieving this. The key is to finding a way that will allow you to be completely honest with yourself, and talk yourself through what you react the way you do to certain triggers. One way that I have noticed helps me, is to journal whenever I have a moment when I think someone is completely stupid, annoying, etc., or anytime an intense emotional reaction occurs. I write out what happened. Then I look at why. For example:

Person X said "such and such", and it made me so ____________ (insert emotion here).

Now, ask yourself why it made you feel that emotional response. It might seem something like this: Their comment made me angry, because they made me feel inadequate/rejected/threatened/etc.

Now, say what they said made you feel rejected, now you need to figure out why you have such an issue with rejection. Were you rejected often by parents, or in trying to achieve your goals, by friends or partners? Once you have it figured out, it is up to you to let go of that influence. If you were rejected in trying to achieve goals, maybe you should set new goals (starting easily, don't set yourself up for failure), and work on accomplishing those. If you felt rejected by people, you might want to try affirmations while meditating, like:
"I am not others opinions of me
I am not my failures
I am human, capable of success and failure
And I am not defined by either"
(That of course is s rough draft. The idea with affirmations is that you are rewiring the way that you think).

Some people will use Tarot for Shadow Work (See this book HERE for a great guide on spreads to use, etc). Some use magick. Some use black mirrors. I will try to add on to these things as I try other methods. Currently I just use a lot of writing and self-talk. I also look at certain aspects of my natal chart, such as oppositions, squares, planets that are not in optimal placement, 12th house, 8th House and Pluto and Saturn. Try to see what you can find in your chart.

But take a look, and figure out how the Shadow can help you, instead of hinder you. Take back your power.

Different Sun Signs

Our Sun Sign in our chart and the House that the Sun resides in all play a role in what makes us who we are. It is a major personality indicator (although, see THIS POST for clarification on why you might not fit your Sun Sign to a T). As stated in the linked to post, the Sun is where our ego is invested, and a major player in your identity (along with the Rising Sign). So lets do a quick run through to see what your Sun Sign means about you. (The above link will also have a chart for finding which sign is yours, based on your month and day of birth).

Aries- Cardinal Fire sign. They are highly motivated, known for starting projects, and not always finishing them. This lack of follow-through is considered to be the greatest weakness. They take the initiative and are natural leaders. Their phrase is "I Am" represents their very self-centered way of thinking. It is not self-centered in a selfish way, they think about how everything they do can benefit them. Symbolized by the Ram, they push forward, aggressively, perhaps without the forethought that was necessary to accomplish their goals. Go-getters, fearless, courageous. Often take impulsive risks, which might get them in to trouble. Quick thinkers, filled with enthusiasm and self-confidence. The Sun is exalted in this sign, meaning that the properties of the sun are easily manifested in this sign, although not as well as Leo.

Taurus- Fixed Earth sign. I am a Taurus sun and my friends all know a few key facts: 1.) Don't mess with my stuff. It is mine. 2.) Don't get in the way of my sweet tooth. 3.) You will not convince me otherwise, I am stubborn as hell. Symbolized by the Bull, Taurus is the sign which can carry on with Aries started projects. They are slow, dependable, and get things done on their own time, sometimes to a fault. Their phrase is "I Have" and they are about resources, and comfort. They tend to be thrifty shoppers, to get more for their money. Most have daily routines. They love sweet things, and enjoy the finer things of life, such as art, music, etc. I love to be surrounded by my things, so much so that it is hard for me to stay in places that are not filled with my items. Laziness can also be associated with this sign.

Gemini- Mutable Air sign. Symbolized by the Twins, many feel that this sign is two-faced, however, that's not really the truth of this sign. Gemini people are lively communicators, often using their hands to speak along with them. Being a mutable sign, they need to multi-task several projects to stay focused, for their shor attention spans is a great weakness. The Gemini phrase is "I Think" and they are always researching something, being very curious individuals. Many people can sense their scattered, anxious energy. They are also known for being flirts.

Cancer- Cardinal Water sign. "I Feel" really shows the emotional basis of this sign. Symbolized by the Crab, they are very sensitive, with a hard outer shell. When they feel threatened, they retreat in to a corner. They are also very nurturing, mother type figures. They can, however, become too smothering in their need to take care of others. They are intuitive and receptive, and try to avoid any type of conflict. They love to be in the home, and have a need for security, both physically and emotionally. They also tend to be great cooks!

Leo- (see This Post)

Virgo- Mutable Earth sign. "I analyze" is their motto, and it is true of every Virgo I have met. They analyze everything, making the pro's and con's list before committing to any decision, which can lead to the inability to make a decision at all. Symbolized by "The Virgin". The beauty is in the details to the Virgo sun native. They are hard workers, although can lose sight of the bigger picture, getting absorbed in the individual pieces that go in to each project. They tend to keep themselves, cautious of others and those around them. Most are shy, lacking confidence in their abilities.

Libra- Cardinal Air sign. Represented by the Scales, their motto is "I balance". I call them the great mediators, although this sign is actually one in which the Sun is in fall, meaning that ego and identity are not tied to yourself, as in the case of Leo and Aries, but others. The Sun has a hard time manifesting itself in this position, because the Libra native can see both sides of the picture, to the point that they never develop their own opinion. They are dedicated to keeping the peace around them, and are tactful and cooperative. Partnership is of major importance to them, although they can be considered lazy, like the Taurus, they are also attracted to things which are beautiful, be it art, music, etc.

Scorpio- Fixed Water sign. Often the most misunderstood sign of the Zodiac, others view them as manipulative, secretive and very sexy. There is a magnetism with a Scorpio that few can resist, often ensnaring others with their piercing eyes. Extremely determined, they rarely fail in any quest they undertake, but this can lead to obsession if not checked. It is best to know when to cut your losses and move on. Very strong sixth sense, and like Cancer, they have a soft core with a hard exterior. You often have to dig to get all the information out of a Scorpio, and they will still never tell you the whole story. Symbolized by mainly the Scorpion, watch out, because they can be quite venemous when crossed. Many people with a deep affinity for the occult have strong Scorpio tendencies, as Scorpios are the great researchers, constantly trying to get to the bottom of things, and to have a full understanding of how everything works, including the people around them. You will often find themselves getting information out of others, instead of talking about themselves, but the people they are engaged with won't even realize it. Everything done is to gain information.

Sagittarius- Mutable Fire sign. No sign is as free and independent as a Sagittarius. Symbolized by the Archer, and sometimes just the arrow, they fly free and high, but when they come down, they can crash hard. They are not ones to be tied down, and at the first warning sign of such, they can bolt. Optimistic, they tend to be upbeat and see the bright side of things. They value truth and knowledge above all else, and are constantly seeking, especially regarding philosophy, religion and higher education, and have a knack for integrating that knowledge in to their daily lives. Noted for being blunt and to the point, they have a hard time seeing why others would take offense at their blatant honesty. Naturally a lucky sign, being ruled by Jupiter, so Sagittarius generally comes out on top.

Capricorn-Cardinal Earth sign. Often associated with CEO's of companies, they are the determination and stubborness of the earth signs, back with the cardinal ability to pave the path for others. I have had many friends tell me that they don't relate to their sign, because everything they have read is that they are cold, distant, business oriented. I hope to break down this stereotype a little bit. It is not that Capricorns are unemotional, they just know how to keep their emotions separate from the work place. They are ambitious, and strive for achievement. While reserved, they are still competitive. They strive in following the rules. Often late-bloomers, when they do finally bloom, they really make a spot for themselves in the world.

Aquarius- Fixed Air sign. I like to call Aquarius the "aloof humanitarian", because they are great with social causes that affect the whole of humanity, but can often be cold and distant within their own personal relationships. Many are very independent and love to express themselves. In fact, many tattoo artist and body modificationists charts I have read all had a very strong Aquarius influence, whether it be their Sun, Moon or Rising Sign. With an intellectual note from the Air quality, they are often unpredictable. They have many acquaintances, few friends. They are future-oriented in their thinking. Aquarius, like Scorpio, is another sign in which you will find that they know more about you, than you do them. Friendly, yet distant. The fixed sign brings the stubbornness to this sign, particularly about decisions they have made. The Sun in Aquarius is in detriment, so like Libra, the Sun has a hard time expressing itself in this sign, because of their focus on others.

Pisces- Mutable Water sign. Pisces tend to operate on a whole different plane than the rest of the signs. Being water, they are highly sensitive and intuitive, and highly creative, typically through ways other than writing. Many have extremely vivid dreams. This sign has a hard time facing reality, and can fall in to the habit of hiding until it goes away. Many like to only look on the bright side of thing. For this reason, many exhibit escapist behavior, such as TV, video games, or even with extremely detrimental things like drug and alcohol abuse. Like other water signs, Pisces is trusting and nurturing, and physically retreat when faced with controversy.

The Sun!

The Sun in our birth charts is the most widely known sign that people know, even those who know nothing about astrology! The use of the personal horoscopes has made this common knowledge, although it often misrepresents astrology to the common masses. The Sun travels through each Zodiac sign in one of our calendar years. Since Aries starts off the spring, and what most pagans considered the new year, lets take a look at what dates these sign fall on throughout the year, and what it means to you.

Aries- March 20-April 19

Taurus- April 20-May 20

Gemini- May 21- June 20

Cancer- June 21-July 22
Leo- July 23-August 22

Virgo- August 23- September 22

Libra- September 23-October 22

Scorpio- October 23- November 22

Sagittarius- November 23- December 21

Capricorn- December 22- January 20

Aquarius- January 21- February 19

Pisces- February 20- March 19

Your Sun sign is based on what sign your Sun was in when you were born. So how does this affect you?

Your Sun shows where your ego investment lies, how you express yourself creatively, where your self-esteem lies, and your basic identity. Based on which house it is in your chart, this shows which area of your life you shine and thrive. The sun in your chart is shown by this glyph:

Many people will find that they don't completely agree with their sign when they look up its descriptions online, or may find it odd that everyone born during the same time period are going to experience the exact same things, on the same day.

There are a couple reasons I can think of that might help explain why others experience their sign differently:

1. Which House their Sun sign is in- A Capricorn with a Sun in their 6th House (House of Daily Work), is going to behave differently than a Capricorn with a Sun in their 3rd House (House of Thinking and Communication) (see THIS POST to learn how to figure out which house your Sun is in). 
2. What their Rising Sign is- The Rising Sign is the mask that we wear to the world, and how you present yourself to others. For example, I have a Taurus sun with a Rising Sign in Scorpio. (The Rising Sign in your chart is always the ruling sign of your 1st House). So my Taurus Sun is more what drives me, and what people that get past my rising sign see. My Taurus sun brings me a love for comfort, and things, and a need for security. What people see on the outside though, is my Scorpio traits, which include observing, digging for the truth whether in research, or people, and intensity. I have had people assume that I am a Scorpio Sun Sign, just because of my intense eyes! 
3. Which decanate your Sun falls in within your Zodiac sign- A decanate is divided by each 10 degrees of the sign (a sign being a total of 30 degrees). Each decanate represents each sign of the same element. Lets look a Pisces. A Pisces that is within 0-10 degrees of the sign will behave more true to Pisces, than someone that is with 11-20 degrees Pisces. This second decante of 11-20 degrees brings a Cancer twist to them, since Cancer is the next following sign in the zodiac of the same element. And if the Pisces was born 21-30 degrees of the sign, then this adds a Scorpio twist to them, as it is the final sign of that element within the Zodiac. So firstly, figure out with decanate your Sun falls in- 1, 2, or 3, then for the second and third decanate, count that many signs of the same element counterclockwise from your sun sign. A working example of this is here: I am a Taurus, born at 2 degrees, so I tend to function in typical Taurus fashion. I prefer to be surrounded by my things, and eat lots of sweets! My boyfriend is also a Taurus, but he was born at 25 degrees Taurus. So him being in the 3rd Decanate, I counted to two signs over from Taurus that were also earth elements, and landed in Capricorn. This shows that he is a Taurus with a Capricorn twist. He has a hyperdrive focus on his reputation within his career, and that influences his identity, while my first decanate Taurus doesn't really mind so much about my career, reputation, etc.
4. How the Sun is aspected in your chart- When I say aspected, I mean the angles that makes with other planets. There are easy aspects, such as trine (120 degrees) and sextile (60), and hard aspects like Opposite (180 degrees) and Squares (90 degrees). Any conjunction (planets right next to each other) can be easy or hard, depending on the planets involved. We will get more in to aspects later.
5. Whether the Sun sign is in a complimentary sign- Each planet has 4 signs which show where they work best, or fail at manifesting. For Sun, the Dignified sign that it can easily express itself in is Leo. This is because they Zodiac sign is very similar to what the Sun tries to accomplish in a chart. The second best sign (also known as the Exalted sign) is Aries. The most difficult sign the Sun could be in is Libra (also known as the Fall; this is because Libra people have a difficulty expressing themselves, because they can see things from everyone's point of view) and the second most difficult sign is Aquarius (Detriment; Aquarius people are searching for the best for humanity, versus the best for themselves). 

This is a lot to take in, and I think meditating on these aspects in your chart will allow you to realize why you express yourself in certain areas of your life, and are not able to in others. How your Sun plays off of your thinking, relationships, money, career can really lead to self-empowerment, knowing your strengths and your weaknesses. Just take it one thing as a time, and piece it together, like a puzzle, leading to the whole of you.

Jessica

So...What Is a Leo?

Dates: July 21-August 22 

Quality: Fixed

Element: Fire

Symbol: The Lion

Body Area: Heart

Key Phrase: "I Create"

Natural House: 5th

Ruling Planet: Sun

Just as the Sun is the center of the Universe, so are the Leo personalities. Most often your actors, the do everything dramatically. Although sometimes they can seem self-centered, Leo's are also often generous and warm-hearted. 

Leo represents the ego. This is a sign that likes to have their ego stroked (more so than other signs), and depending on how okay they are with their own view of themselves, negative criticism can completely devastate. They prefer to be center stage, and can have a hard time sharing that glory with others. However, many of the limelight aspirations are well-deserved, as they are quite creative, whether that medium be acting or other artistic endeavors. 

With the fixed quality, and the element of fire, they make great leaders, that can see projects through to the end. Sometimes, Leo can take this too far, and tries to be a leader, when team players are needed more. This steady fire is also seen as a passion and determination to those observing a Leo.

The symbol of the Lion also brings an almost "royalty" atmosphere to native Leo's. Leo's are surrounded with family and friends that are really helpful with anything the Leo needs, and Leo is more than happy to let them do the work. 

Whichever house is ruled by Leo, is the one where you might feel the most creative, and have the strongest ability to create. It is where you need to have your ego stroked more than other realms of your life, and what area of your life really makes you passionate. Being associated with the 5th House naturally, this sign in your chart can also give insight in to how you prefer to spend your leisure time, any relationship you might have with children, or non-serious relationships.

To see how you might be able to utilize these energies for the upcoming Dark Moon in Leo, go see my friend Tenko's blog post about it, and the lunar mansion HERE.

How Do You Figure Out Your House Rulers?

Thinking about my post yesterday, I realized not everyone might be able to figure out which sign rules their house, or what is significant about that, so I will be occasionally adding these little tidbits of information, and compiling them for an easy reference.

So here is my birth chart. If you would like to get your birth chart to go along with this little tutorial, you can go to astro.com, or alabe.com. All you need is your date of birth, location of birth, and time. If you don't know the time, try noon. It won't be exact, but its what typically astrologers use when the time is unknown. 

The Zodiac Signs:

Aries- ♈

Taurus- ♉

Gemini- ♊

Cancer- ♋

Leo- ♌

Virgo- ♍

Libra- ♎

Scorpio- ♏

Sagittarius- ♐

Capricorn- ♑

Aquarius- ♒

Pisces- ♓

You will find these symbols surrounding your chart, in the outer wheel. Everyone has all of these energies in their chart, it just depends on how much each one is concentrated in your chart, but we will get to that later. Now that we have the reference list, lets get in to the houses. The houses are the sections which look like pieces of pie in the chart. They vary in size in this chart due to the chart system used. In some chart systems, they are the same size, 30 degrees. In my chart, you see the bold line that is on the left side, directly horizontal? This is the line which tells us the ruler of this house, otherwise known as the house cusp. You will see in my chart that it is intersecting the sign Scorpio in my chart. The first house starts at this cusp, and continues to the next intersecting line counter-clockwise. You will see this line intersects Sagittarius. This begins the second house, and the second house is said to ruled by Sagittarius. This house continues to the next intersecting line. The third intersecting line is on Capricorn, and this rules my third house. 

Now, you will see that the next line skips an entire sign! This can get confusing in some charts, but not to fret, its very easy to figure out. You just skip this sign ruling a house, and continue on. So my fourth house is not ruled by Aquarius, it is Pisces (barely). Now, carrying on to the next intersecting line, we get to the 5th House. This is the one I mentioned in my post yesterday. You will see that my line hits Aries. Then, that house is very small, and my 6th House line also hits Aries (because we had skipped a sign earlier, remember?) Continue around your chart in this fashion, always just looking at the line that hits the sign to determine the ruler.

The Fifth House In Your Natal Chart- How you Create and Express Yourself

With the Sun in Leo now, I wanted to talk a little bit about how to find in your chart how you express yourself creatively. In the perfect chart, Leo would rule the 5th House, and the Sun would reside there. However, it is probably close to impossible for anyone to have this setup in their own natal charts. For the sake of this post, I am posting up my natal chart.

The 5th House in my chart is ruled by Aries. Aries likes to start things. As a Cardinal Fire sign, and symbolized by the Ram, the influence of this sign in the 5th house might suggest someone who starts a lot of projects, has the desire to create, but may not always finish those projects.

This caused me to think about my past attempts at expressing myself creatively. When I was a child, I used to write stories. Story after story after story left my imaginative space through the tip of my pencil, and I really kept this up until about 4th or 5th grade. At this time, that's when it really stopped. Whether it was school commitments and sports getting in the way, either way, I no longer was able to express myself through this medium. Now keep in mind, that sports filling my leisure time also fell in to this realm of Aries, that competitive Mars spirit influencing this house. However, now, whenever I try to write, I come up with story lines, but I am no longer able to finish any story. No matter how hard I try, I always end up falling off the wagon, placing the story on the back burner. 

Meditating on this aspect of my chart, I realize that I can attack creative projects with such an energy that I get burnt out. I also get competitive and the fact that I realize that my projects are not perfect, causes me to quit. Developing patience and an appreciation for the journey of creating, not the destination, I think might help me to express myself more easily. I am going to work on allowing writing to fill up more of my time, and to be more compassionate, instead of critical, on my writing skills. 

What sign rules your 5th house? How do you find it affecting your ability to create? What can you do to change that? Utilize this Sun in Leo energy to make the progress you desire in this area of your life. 

Sun in Leo!

Today we welcome the Sun in to Leo, the zodiac sign symbolized by the Lion. Today I will be making my Leo Candle, to help me as I work through the energies that this period will bring. Along with a friend, I am journeying through Christopher Penczak's Living Temple of Witchcraft, Volume 2, which explores the Sun travelling through each Zodiac sign. The wisdom of this sign that I will be embracing is creativity and taking charge of the things in my life that need sovereignty. The Sun gives us life. Simple as that. As it is the center of our Universe, so is Leo energy center stage. These people are creators and sometimes, they live only under that persona of the actor. Another part of my working this month will to figure out what parts of myself I am "playing", and discarding those to allow my true self shine through.

With the creativity aspect of Sun in Leo, I realize that the creation of this blog has come at no better time. However, with whatever we create, it is important to remember that we are not what we create. I think it is easy to get stuck in describing yourself as the things you do, the things you think, and the things that you feel. These identities give us purpose in our life, however, they can overcome. I think back to a time when I was in college and was playing volleyball. I had been a volleyball star all through high school, making Most Valuable Player, and even setting high school records! I was on top of the world. I was getting to go play volleyball in college, nothing could go wrong. Except that it did. A month in to my first season, I tore my Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and was benched for the rest of the season, and didn't play again after that, at fear of injuring myself again. I was devastated. I no longer knew who I was. At the time, I was Mormon, and tried to seek comfort in the religion, but it never came. I realize now that it was because I had associated myself entirely with this volleyball image, that I no longer knew who I was when it was gone. I still mourn the loss of that passion, but I realize it was a necessary loss to get to where I am now, as it triggered a series of events turning my life completely 180 degrees. So this month, I will work on creating, to EXPRESS myself, not to MAKE myself. What will you do to utilize this Leo energy?

An Introduction of Sorts

Hello, welcome to Spiders Astrology! I am a blogger from Alabama, with a passion for astrology and anything related to the occult. I was introduced to astrology earlier this year, and have really taken to it, and cannot stop studying! What I hope to accomplish with this blog is to write about planets as they transit my chart, perhaps delving in to my progressions, etc. Occasionally I might post about aspects I am studying or really any other matter that I am studying about. This will be a blog of exploration through the planets, and magickal practices. I hope that it can become a space where we can all gather and maybe bounce ideas off of each other about our own birth charts, transits, etc. I look forward to meeting you!

Jessica