 Solar Eclipses signify both the start of a new cycle and the potential for change. There is a solar eclipse on Thursday, June 10th, 5:52 a.m. in 19° Gemini. Create an intention for the year ahead. Affirm that it come into your life in the most harmonious way. With the eclipse in Gemini, there is a tremendous urge to communicate and be listened to. If you want to get the most out of this eclipse, listen, read and reflect carefully before you speak. You will be doing a "good deed" to listen to others and let them know they are heard. You don't have to agree but it will be helpful to refrain from appearing to be judgmental. For your own self, try to share your ideas with those who will be supportive of your dreams, not those likely to squash them. This is a great time for brainstorming. Often people feel they are bursting with ideas at a Gemini eclipse. Write all these creative concepts and visions down. Like a dream these ideas will be ephemeral and you will lose them if you don't write them down. Then, wait a few weeks and look over the ideas with a clear eye for what is truly practical. In the chart of the eclipse, Neptune is squared to the Moon, Sun and Mercury. This indicates mental fog and difficulty with decision-making. If you can put off a decision, do that. If you must make a decision, write down the pros and cons in order to approach it in the most logical way.  More on listening: It can be really helpful to look to your horoscope to find out what kind of listener/communicator you are. In astrology, we most often look to the sign your Mercury is in. (You can get your horoscope calculated for free by going to alabe.com or astro.com or just Google "free horoscope calculations".) Mercury in cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) are impatient listeners. They want to get the highest priority information from you quickly, and get going to take action. Mercury in fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius) are generally patient listeners but will need you to lay out your thoughts in an organized way, and especially Taurus will need you to slow down. It's harder for them to parse a 'mile a minute' speaker. Mercury in mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces) love to hear new ideas and what is happening in your life but because they have many of their own thoughts swirling in their heads, they may not remember what you said later on. Obviously these are generalizations and are modified by other planetary configurations in the natal horoscope. Just something to observe in your conversations with others over the next week. 
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 The Lunar Eclipse on Wednesday, May 26 is at 6:14 a.m. CDT in 5 ° Sagittarius. How well you are handling the current Saturn stationary point will have a lot to do with how you experience the Lunar Eclipse. If you are staying calm despite Saturn's limitations and frustrations, the extra emotional surge of the Lunar Eclipse will not throw you off base. Then you can enjoy the Sagittarian energy which is upbeat and optimistic. Relax and allow yourself to enjoy the moment without a particular agenda toward achievement. Tips for staying calm under difficult Saturn aspects, including station points:
 On May 29th, Mercury goes retrograde at 24° Gemini. For several days around this date be cautious in all communications. Think before speaking. Re-read emails and texts before sending. Don't sign anything without closely reading the fine print. Make sure your calendar/planner is up to date and look at it (instead of using your memory) when making appointments.
Coming up: NORWAC - The Northwest Astrological Conference is this weekend, May 28 - 30th. Lots of excellent speakers. It's virtual, so no travel required. You can find me on:  The New Moon is tomorrow, Tuesday, May 11, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. CDT in 21° Taurus. With this symbol of new beginnings in an earth sign, it's often a time of planting a seed. This can be a good time for planting seeds in the actual earth in your garden. It can also be a good time for planting a positive thought or creative idea into your consciousness. You can write your own positive thought or try this expansive affirmation: The Divine plan of my life now takes shape The sign Taurus is ruled by the planet Venus in astrology. So this New Moon is also a good time to start projects related to the arts. Jupiter moves out of Aquarius and into the sign Pisces on May 13th. Jupiter moves through each sign in about 12 months. The symbol of Jupiter in Pisces is an open heart of generosity and compassion. I talk about “The Heart of Compassion and the Blessings of the Divine Mother” in my Mother's Day meditation for the Temple of Kriya Yoga. Coming up:
Astrology Workshop Chicagoland astrologer Lynn Ewing is presenting a workshop via Zoom on The Ascendant and the Midheaven on Sunday, May 16th - Information and registration here: https://lifeforcearts.org/events/the-ascendant-and-the-midheaven-with-lin-ewing/ End of May Planets The end of the month lineup of Saturn retrograde (May 22), Lunar Eclipse (May 26) and Mercury retrograde (May 29) suggest that extra responsibilities may pop up then, so getting important tasks and projects finished in the next seven days will benefit you. I'll write more in my next post. You can find me on:  The Full Moon is on Monday, April 26, 10:31 p.m. CDT, at 7° Scorpio. Pluto, the ruler of Scorpio is at a stationary point, going retrograde on April 27th. These two planetary positions occurring in the same time frame increase the intensity of our emotions and desires. Be on your guard for flare ups of anger, resentment and jealousy. This is not the best time for starting an argument (you may be calling it a discussion but it's likely to escalate). Pluto stationary points can be good for putting energy into clearing out closets, basements and attics. It's also good for taking things off your to do list. I don't mean checking things off. I mean re-evaluating what's on there and taking off things that have lost their value or priority. If you want to read an article that's more centered on the external, global impact of this Pluto direction, check out Ray Grasse's article in The Mountain Astrologer.  There is also a T-square in the Full Moon chart. The stellium of Sun, Uranus, Venus and Mercury in Taurus are 180° opposed the Moon in Scorpio and 90° squared to Saturn in Aquarius. This challenging configuration brings out an urge for freedom versus an urge for tradition. In my recent Yoga Chicago article I said, "These forces seem like they should always be opposed to each other but they can work together if you see Saturn as foundation and Uranus as creativity. Most arts have a foundation of skill or mastery of the basics and yet the true artist is often the one that brings that genius of creativity to bear." I give some affirmations for a more positive Saturn square Uranus in my talk for the Temple of Kriya Yoga Babaji Festival.   The New Moon is on Sunday, April 11, 9:30 p.m. CDT. at 22° Aries. We're in the midst of spring, life growing and abounding. Tune into the energy and vigor that fiery Aries brings. Mars at 23° Gemini and Jupiter at 25° Aquarius are trining each other while the Sun and Moon sextile them. Very productive energy for all types of activities. The caution is this New Moon is square to Pluto at 26° Capricorn. Ego (the Sun), Emotion (the Moon) and Obsession (Pluto) can get in the way of moving harmoniously toward your goals. Flip the switch internally to focus on Vitality (the Sun), Balanced Inner Awareness (the Moon) and Motivation (Pluto). In this way you will get more benefit from your energy output. To avoid hyper or angry energy try this affirmation: I move through the day with an abundance This is a good affirmation for issues with fatigue as well. The avatar Rama is related to the sign Aries and the planet Mars (and the Mars chakra). So chanting the "Shri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram" mantra is balancing, whether it's a Mars/Aries transit or an aspect in your own natal chart. Here is the mantra sung by Krishna Das: Shri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram  Coming up: Babaji Festival 2021 Virtual from the Temple of Kriya Yoga Sunday, April 25th at noon - Link will be posted at: https://www.yogakriya.org/sunday-services.html My talk will be: Astrology, Kriya Yoga and Karma  The Full Moon is on Sunday, March 28, 1:48 p.m. CDT in 8° Libra with the Moon exactly opposed to Sun, Venus and the asteroid Chiron in Aries. Other people and the partnerships you have with them are influential at this full moon. At the same time, one of the karmic lessons of Libra is to be able to believe in yourself and the value of what you bring to the table without needing the validation of others. This is most important to know if you have Libra Sun, Moon or Rising in your own natal chart. Venus so close to the Sun may have its natural loving nature overwhelmed by the ego strength of the solar force. For our spiritual growth it can be helpful to watch the play between compassion and self interest over the next few days.  As an astrologer, I look at Chiron, "the wounded healer", when it's in a strong position like the one in the Full Moon chart. This means you can be helpful to people with the wisdom gained from having worked with your own deeply difficult experiences. You may not have perfect resolution of your own personal issues, but your journey toward wellness may shine a light on the path for others. Don't give advice, just share your story when the time is right. Mercury is conjunct Neptune in the Full Moon chart. As usual, this is good for meditation and your inner quest, but not great for paying attention to things in the outer world. Take your time to get the facts straight when making decisions. Online: Here is the video from my most recent noon meditation for the Temple of Kriya Yoga: The Professional Astrology Course: How to Be a Practicing Astrologer
The Professional Astrology Course from the Temple of Kriya Yoga is a two year, home-study, self-paced program that you can start anytime. The course consists of over 120 recordings by Goswami Kriyananda, plus textbook and pdfs. As an instructor for the program, I answer student questions, grade tests, and provide supplemental material and webinars. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the course. If you're not familiar with Goswami Kriyananda, the Temple has various free recordings available each week linked on the home page. You can find me on:  The New Moon is on Saturday, March 13, at 4:21 a.m. CST in 23° Pisces. The Sun and Moon are aligned with Venus and Neptune creating a stellium in Pisces. Decision-making is at a disadvantage with Neptune creating fog around the road ahead. Wait at least 3 days after the New Moon. You'll likely find there will be extra information critical to your decisions that was not available before. This New Moon with Venus and Neptune is good for anything that has to do with the arts, music, painting, poetry, writing, etc. It is excellent for meditation, chanting, prayer and devotional singing. It's also a good time for studying your dreams. Honor your dreams by writing them down. Take time to think about the symbols and their meanings. There are a number of seminars on dreams and dreaming here: https://www.yogakriya.org/seminars.html  The vernal equinox takes place on March 20, 2021, 4:37 a.m. CDT. It's the start of the astrological year where the Sun returns to 0° Aries. So it's a symbol of new beginnings. It's a good time to write down and affirm your goals for the year ahead. It's generally a good idea to have one main goal. But with the Moon and Mars in Gemini in the equinox chart, it will probably make some people happier to make a whole list of things to accomplish in 2021-2022. Online: My Sunday Noon Meditation "Deep Dive into Cosmic Consciousness" will be posted on 3/14/21 around noon on the Sunday Services page of Temple of Kriya Yoga website. NORWAC - The Northwest Astrological Conference is virtual again this year, May 28 - 30th. Lots of excellent speakers. I attended (via my home computer) last year and signed up again right away. I enjoyed this discussion of Astrology and Tarot that was recently recorded on The Astrology Podcast. https://theastrologypodcast.com/2021/02/19/tarot-and-astrology-as-forms-of-divination/ The latest issue of New Observations is now available for free online. The issue is called "The Extended Moment: The Photography and Writing of Ray Grasse." Beautiful, mystical photos and many essays and excerpts of Ray's books.   The Full Moon is on Saturday, February 27, 2021 at 2:17 a.m. CST in 8° Virgo. For the next several days, it is a good time for projects that require paying attention to details. It is also positive for starting improvements in health or nutrition. Virgo is often related to the idea of service to others. In yoga, we strive to be unselfish in our service, doing things for others without any thought or expectation of reward. I like the helpfulness prayer from the book "A Course in Miracles": I am here only to be truly helpful. I am here to represent Him Who sent me. I do not have to worry about what to say or what to do, because He Who sent me will direct me. I am content to be wherever He wishes, knowing He goes there with me. I will be healed as I let Him teach me to heal. [You can replace Him and He with a different pronoun or the name of the way you choose to see God.] A good topic for reflection at this full moon is to think about what it means to be 'truly helpful.'  Coming up: Tuesday, March 9, 2021, 7:30 p.m. The Northern Illinois Chapter of NCGR presents: Cosmic Dreaming: Astrology and Dream Interpretation with Marcia Sacks Both dreams and astrology can give us information helpful for psychological insights, problem solving and forecasting the future. Combining astrology with dream interpretation creates a powerful system for communication with the higher consciousness that speaks to us through our dreams. This talk will include how to remember and record your dreams, methods to apply astrology to dream interpretation, and ways to use this information to improve your life and expand your awareness. Bring your own recent dreams to use as we workshop these techniques together. There is no charge for this event. To receive the Zoom link, contact Janet Berres, janetberres@gmail.com   The New Moon is on Thursday, February 11, 1:05 p.m. CST in 23° Aquarius. There's actually a huge lineup of planets in Aquarius. Along with the Sun and Moon, there's Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn. It really puts the focus on connection and how we relate to others. There will be a true longing to get together with people we haven't seen for awhile. That will conflict with common sense as we evaluate and negotiate the pandemic. Use Zoom and social media to visit with one another. Practice a bit of control, thinking before you speak. The wildly creative Aquarian energy can lead to oversharing ideas that need a little more reflection before verbalizing. Venus and Jupiter are conjunct at this New Moon, symbolizing love and abundance. In spite of all the current craziness of everyday existence, watch for something wonderful to come into your life. I thought about this as I started reading a new book that I took out of the shipping box yesterday. Even reading the first few pages of the autobiography "Being Ram Dass", rekindled my awareness of all the love and goodness in the world and all those wonderful, beloved souls, all the mystics and teachers who have shared their journeys and wisdom with us. Speaking of which, I just finished reading Ray Grasse's autobiography "The Sky Stretched Out Before Me: Encounters with Mystics, Anomalies, and Waking Dreams". It reminded me that for those of us whose spiritual search ignited around the time Neptune went into Sagittarius in 1970, we all have interesting stories of our life's journey to tell. Ray's includes connecting with yogis and metaphysicians including Goswami Kriyananda and Kriyananda's guru Shelly, plus artists and filmmakers, and includes adventures in the pyramids in Egypt. Very much of a book to read when so many planets are lined up in Aquarius. I love the Aquarius feeling that we're all connected, that we meet up with each other in wonderful and serendipity ways. Sometimes it's the way one good book leads to another.
Coming up:
On February 17, Saturn in Aquarius squares Uranus in Taurus. Aquarius has two ruling planets, Uranus and Saturn. They represent two extremes. Saturn is resistant to change. Uranus is unexpected, sudden change. There's a lot of stress as these two forces meet under this inharmonious aspect. Your challenge is to find balance in the center of that polarity. Or at least be able to recognize the patterns of conformity vs rebellion playing out in your own life. Pull yourself gently away from extremes and avoid making major decisions a week on either side of the 17th. For more on the Saturn square Uranus, check out the astrology portion of my article "Divine Compassion" in the current Yoga Chicago magazine. Just a reminder that Mercury is still retrograde until February 21st. Do your research and planning now, wait to activate until a few days after Mercury goes direct. Email Newsletter If you would like to receive Astrology Update by Marcia Sacks as an email newsletter, just message me through this website's contact form. You can find me on:  The Full Moon is on Thursday, January 28, 2021 at 1:16 p.m. CST in 9° Leo. Vibrant, creative and social Leo energy, with a touch of optimism from the Sun Jupiter conjunction at 9° Aquarius. It's an excellent time to reach out to friends and family with an email or phone call. Just ensure that you listen as much as you speak (everyone may be a bit more self-oriented at the Leo full moon). With the rose-colored glasses that Jupiter puts on, it's important to be aware that the Sun is still separating from Saturn, so there may be responsibilities to conclude before you can do more playful activities. Venus and Pluto are conjunct at the full moon in 25° Capricorn. This conjunction often signifies temptation and allurement. Be cautious both in romance and in unplanned purchases. With Pluto involved, be vigilant for cons and scams.  Mercury goes retrograde on Saturday, January 30th at 26° Aquarius. Be careful in what you say and how you say it, whether written or spoken. Mercury retrograde is not good for things like signing contracts - read the fine print. However, this 3 week Mercury retrograde period, ending February 21, can be positive for research projects and information gathering. If you need a big helping of peacefulness, try this Om Shanti mantra from Meditative Mind. Here is a wonderful (and free!) opportunity to hear leading speakers on spirituality and mysticism: The Mystics Summit New book from Ray Grasse: The Sky Stretched Out Before Me: Encounters with Mystics, Anomalies, and Waking Dreams  |
AuthorMarcia Sacks is an astrologer in the Kriya Yoga tradition. Archives
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