MARCIA SACKS

The Full Moon takes place on April 7, 2020 at 9:34 p.m. CDT in 18° Libra. Libra is a very social sign, so it's a good time to embrace 21st century technology and have video calls and get-togethers with your friends. Obviously, phone, texting and social media are other ways to stay in touch.

The Jupiter/Pluto conjunction is prominent in the Full Moon chart. At the new moon I wrote "This conjunction could be seen then as a time when a lightning bolt of insight strikes the earth and illuminates some treasure in our unconscious mind, something that has been hidden very deep but is now revealed."
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The exact date of the conjunction is April 5th, the day I'm writing this. I came across an article today which has symbols that relate to the Jupiter/Pluto conjunction and also the social expression of Full Moon in Libra: 

The History of the Paris Salon (and the Radical Artists Who Subverted It)

This is a story of a revolution in art as traditional standards were overthrown by the Impressionists. In mythology, Jupiter (Zeus) ruled over laws and social order. Jupiter in astrology is also seen as a planet of expansion or freedom. Pluto is often thought of as a planet of revolution. Plus Pluto symbolizes the cycle of life, death and rebirth. This is an important cycles whether seen through the lens of art or technology.

It's important to take the symbols we see in life or read about in the media and see if they mirror the planetary patterns occurring at the same time. So take some time to think about the ways in which your life or consciousness is expanding. Or in what way your life needs to let go of a pattern from the past in order to be more creative. And how you can do that as wisely and harmoniously as possible. 

​I like this story because traditional art didn't die - people continue to paint realistic portraits and landscapes. But the field of visual art has continued to expand and incorporate more and more styles and techniques. 

Coming up:

The Power in Your Solar Returns
A talk for the Northern Illinois Chapter of NCGR with Marcia Sacks
April 14, 2020 via Zoom
If you are not on the NI-NCGR email list, contact Janet Berres janetberres@gmail.com for information on how to attend this talk

Every year the Sun returns to the location of your natal sun and a new year begins for you. The solar return chart gives a snapshot of your year ahead that can be used to plan and achieve your annual goals and resolutions. We'll start with the fundamentals of interpreting solar return charts and how changing the location where you celebrate your birthday can strengthen the positive elements of your solar return chart. Then, we'll "treasure map" your solar return with affirmations and images. Be sure to have a printout or drawing of your next solar return handy. You can Google "solar return calculator" to find a number of sites to run off your solar return chart.

Online:

This Sunday noon meditation with Sharon Steffenson was presented for the Temple of Kriya Yoga last week and has a lot of helpful techniques for healing and relaxation. Sharon is a swami of the Temple and the editor of Yoga Chicago Magazine.

The New Moon takes place on Tuesday, March 24 @ 4:28 a.m. CDT in 4° Aries. Coming right after the Vernal Equinox on March 19, it's a perfect time for new beginnings. Are you thinking, "I'm stuck here in my house. How can I start something new?" 

As motivational speakers say, "Where your mind goes, energy flows and results show!" Start internally, first deciding on your most important goal or new project. Then spend time using your imagination to visualize your successful results. Take some small first steps: Write it down, look up resources online, read a related book. It's the perfect time for phone calls or online meetings. Talk to people in your field or area of interest.

Or if you're a yogi, follow Goswami Kriyananda's advice and "seek out your own illumination with great diligence."

The chart of the New Moon holds a major planetary configuration. Jupiter is close to Pluto at this time, making an exact conjunction on April 5. Jupiter is the great teacher and Pluto rules our unconscious mind. As we have less activity externally, we may be turning inward, getting better acquainted with ourselves.

​In mythology Jupiter was the god of the sky and lightning. In ancient times, Pluto was seen as the god of wealth because gold, jewels and minerals were mined from underground. This conjunction could be seen then as a time when a lightning bolt of insight strikes deep into the earth and illuminates some treasure in our unconscious mind, something that has been hidden but is now revealed.

Saturn has just entered the sign of Aquarius where it will transit for the next 2 1/2 years. People with Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius sun signs may have heavier responsibilities for the next few years. They can also accomplish great things with persistence and determination.

Saturn into an air sign like Aquarius can be a benefit to critical thinking. Situations and projects will require very thorough scientific thought and related proofs, policies and procedures.

​Saturn relates to confinement and Aquarius is associated with fellowship, the feeling of interconnectedness. It's an interesting symbol that just as Saturn is going into Aquarius, we are "social distancing."  It suggests that even as our concern with Covid-19 subsides, the trend toward working from home and meeting on conferencing apps may persist.

Because we're "sheltering in place", my noon meditation talk for the Temple of Kriya Yoga was created virtually. Here is the link to the pre-recorded "The Spring Equinox and Your Journey to Freedom." This noon meditation includes mantra, chanting, some thoughts about the Vernal Equinox and the Jupiter/Pluto conjunction, plus a guided meditation with healing imagery (the guided meditation starts around minute 38:30 if you want to go directly to that).

The Full Moon is on Monday, March 9 at 12:47 p.m. in 19° Virgo. Normally, a Virgo Full Moon would be great for sharpening our attention to detail and taking care of the nitty gritty details of life. This Full Moon, however, is opposed to Neptune, the planet of daydreaming and spacing out. On the positive side, there's something about Neptune that dissolves boundaries like those between the earth and spiritual planes. That makes it easier to move more deeply into our meditation -- if we don't space out and forget to sit down, close our eyes and meditate!

Mercury is at a stationary point in the Full Moon chart, turning direct on March 11th in 28° Aquarius. Mercury rules communication, so messages you're expecting might be delayed a few days. Mercury also rules our everyday mind. With the Full Moon/Neptune opposition, our thoughts might not be as sharp for problem solving. If you're trying to figure something out, try painting, drawing, coloring or doodling instead of writing letters and numbers until you get your solution. Using the creative part of your brain helps bypass the Mercury linear thinking traffic jam.

A few days after Mercury goes direct, things that have been delayed will start to come together and typically things lost during the last few weeks will be found.

Check out my article "Greater Awareness, Deeper Acceptance" in the March/April issue of Yoga Chicago magazine. The article has more on upcoming astrological aspects of the next two months.

On Sunday, March 22, I will be giving the noon meditation for the Temple of Kriya Yoga. It will have a guided meditation for the spring equinox and a talk "Your Journey to Freedom."   The spring equinox is a traditional time of new beginnings. It is a potent time to renew your spiritual quest. Whether you call it enlightenment or freedom, your journey can begin with a few simple steps that add up to a profound effect on your life.

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The New Moon is on Sunday, February 23 at 9:32 a.m. CST in 4° Pisces.  Relate to the Pisces imaginative and sensitive energy by appreciating and creating beauty around you. Uplift yourself with music, chanting, art, flowers, and gentle essential oil scents. Walk along water (or imagine yourself walking by a river, lake or ocean). Drink water with gratitude.

The empathy for the feelings and situations of others is natural for people with the water signs of Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio. At this new moon it may be experienced by everyone.  It's not always comfortable to feel others' feelings. You can regain balance and your sense of self through deep breathing techniques like the ones taught in yoga classes, a warm shower with the water flowing head to toe, or just taking a walk outside by yourself. People doing psychic or healing work should ensure they do their usual aura cleansing procedures after each client or session over the next week or so.

On the other hand, the bundle pattern of planets in the New Moon chart, where they are all contained in the trine between Mars and Uranus with the Sun/Moon conjunction at the sextile point, indicates that the energy you put into meditation, reflection and prayer can be very powerful at this time. As the 'last' sign in the zodiac, Pisces symbolizes transformation from one state of consciousness to another. The border between the planes - physical, astral and causal - is slightly more permeable. Attune to your personal vision of the Divine or mentally reflect on the highest life principle that guides you.

Mercury is retrograde until March 11th. Despite its well-deserved reputation as a period where you need to watch your spoken and written communications very carefully, Mercury retrograde is a good time to turn inward for meditation and/or study.

This Sunday

February 23 - Noon Meditation for the Temple of Kriya Yoga at Moksha Yoga Center in Chicago. Open to all. There is no charge although love offerings are appreciated.​ 

My talk will be "Living the Spiritual Path." There are many ways to balance our spiritual journey toward wisdom and peace with our everyday life. This talk will focus on overcoming the obstacles we find in every day life as we move toward more subtle states of awareness.  It will include chanting and a guided meditation. 

Coming up

Watch for my article "Greater Awareness, Deeper Acceptance" which will be published in the March/April 2020 issue of Yoga Chicago Magazine. 

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The Full Moon on Sunday, February 9 is at 1:33 a.m. in 20° Leo. The energy is lively and excellent for socializing. Leo is the sign of games, play and fun. If you've been overworked and stressed, take time for an activity that is purely for fun. It doesn't have to be wild. If reading quietly is fun for you, go for it. Just make sure that it's a book (or movie) that gives you a positive emotional boost.
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There is a dynamic between the Moon in Leo and the Sun in Aquarius at this Full Moon. There may be conversations or situations with conflict between people on opposite sides of an issue.   This means some people will be focused on self-interest. Others will take a more humanitarian or global outlook. Our challenge is to listen before responding, then find common ground if possible. 

There's a New Moon tomorrow, Friday, January 24, at 3:42 p.m. CST in 4° Aquarius. Aquarius new moons are excellent times for socializing with friends, exchanging interesting ideas and doing something different from your everyday routine. The sign Aquarius embodies both scientific thought and metaphysical pursuits. Experiment by pulling a Tarot card at the time of the New Moon and see how that message resonates with you and the next two weeks ahead. If you're not a Tarot person, try bibliomancy:

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1. Pick a book - traditionally the Bible, but it could be any spiritual text that's meaningful to you, such as the Bhagavad Gita or Dhammapada.​
2. With your eyes closed, open the book to a random page, let your finger hit somewhere on the page.
3. Open your eyes, read the passage (maybe bookmark it or copy it down).
4. Reflect on the what you've read. How is this a message for you?
5. Watch how the symbolic message plays out in the next few days (or the whole two weeks until the Full Moon).

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​To be more Aquarian in the sense of egalitarianism, try stichomancy. With stichomancy, you use any type of book with the same technique - close eyes, random pick, reflect on the passage. 

Online:

My article "The Journey from Mars to Venus" is now online in Yoga Chicago Magazine.

The new year is a great time to expand your knowledge of astrology. I recommend the Professional Astrology Course from the Temple of Kriya Yoga. This is a distance learning, self-paced online course that can be started any time. The majority of the course is taught by the writings and audio recordings of my guru and astrology teacher Goswami Kriyananda. I'm an instructor for the course, answering student's questions and leading monthly webinars. More information is here: https://www.yogakriya.org/professional-astrology.html
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Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the course content or want a 'tour' of the site via webinar.

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The aspects coming up in these first weeks of January are very intense.  There is some similarity to the first two weeks in January of 2019. It's wise to reflect on what happened then, how you handled the people and situations at that time, what you learned and what skills you gained. This will benefit you in the weeks ahead.

The Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse is this Friday, January 10th in 20° Cancer. The Moon is exactly opposite the Sun at 20° Capricorn (forming the Full Moon), Mercury at 20° Capricorn, plus Saturn and Pluto at 22° Capricorn (exactly conjunct on January 12). This means the emotional sensitivity of the Moon are combined with the Saturn pressures to conform versus the Pluto pressure to transform. It is very much of a volcano aspect - if the pressure is not vented a huge explosion can occur. Sometimes one word (Mercury) can put the match to the fuse, so carefully choose what you say and how you say it.
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Think of how a volcano vents steam to prevent a mountain from blowing its top. We can vent by taking a walk, doing yoga or other balancing movement practices, chanting or singing, or just pulling back from a bad situation. A genuine gentle or caring word to another person may help them vent or defuse. 

For this coming two weeks forecast, I've been talking to my clients (and myself) about moving consciously and carefully. Uranus brings a general type of accident-proneness. I remember one time trying to get something done quickly in the kitchen and deciding (unwisely) to reach up into a cupboard one-handed to try to get one of my glass measuring cups out of the stack. In the blink of an eye, the largest cup fell from above my head to the edge of the sink and onto the kitchen floor shattering into thousands of tiny pieces. By the grace of God, I wasn't hurt. But I felt stupid. What was I thinking? Not much you can do at that point but sweep up. However, I was still finding teeny shards in corners of my kitchen weeks later. Try to take this story symbolically. For the two weeks move slowly and carefully, think before you speak, don’t try to rush whether at home, at work or driving.
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More on these early January aspects in my latest article for Yoga Chicago Magazine: http://yogachicago.com/2019/12/the-journey-from-mars-to-venus/

The Winter Solstice occurs tomorrow, December 21, 10:19 p.m. CST. In this chart the Sun at 0° Capricorn is conjunct Jupiter at 4° Capricorn. Those planets are in a harmonious trine to Uranus at 2° Taurus. Because of Jupiter's expansive nature, it is the perfect time to imagine and visualize the things you would like to increase or grow 2020. Make this 'wish' as specific and clear as possible, while at the same time be open to the possibilities you cannot imagine. Keep this Louise Hay affirmation in mind, especially for the unpredictable Uranus involved: 

The New Moon/Solar Eclipse is on Christmas Day, December 25, 11:13 p.m. CST (December 26  on the east coast at 12:13 a.m.) placing the Sun and the Moon at 4° Capricorn conjunct Jupiter at 5° Capricorn and, like the Solstice chart mentioned above, those 3 planets are trine to Uranus. This is good for those looking for big presents as well as for those who seek a spiritual dimension to this holiday. Eclipses also imply change and the conjunction with Jupiter suggests that for many people there will be travel beyond your own country's borders or an expansion of awareness of the planet as a whole. ​

​On the other hand, Saturn and Pluto are nearly conjunct in the eclipse chart. (The exact conjunction takes place on January 12th at 22° Capricorn.) 

​​I often talk about the Saturn/Pluto conjunction as a 'volcano' aspect - pressure from within ourselves in conflict with pressure outside ourselves. With the Solar Eclipse on a holiday, there could be a bit of extra pressure and occasional melancholy, despite the celebrations. Practice ways to release stress such as meditation, hatha yoga, singing/chanting, walking or dancing. Be as forgiving as possible with the people in your life.

May you be blessed at this holiday season and in the new year.

Coming in 2020:

Watch for my next column in the January/February issue of Yoga Chicago Magazine on "The Journey from Mars to Venus."

If your Jupiter in Capricorn wish is to expand your knowledge of astrology, consider The Professional Astrology Course, a distance learning program offered by the Temple of Kriya Yoga. If you have questions about this course please feel free to contact me.

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The full moon is on Wednesday, December 11, 11: 12 p.m. at 19° Gemini. With the moon in Gemini, there's always trouble with decision making. Often there are just too many choices. This will be added to by the Moon squared to Neptune in the full moon chart. Many of the choices will be nebulous or even non-existent or scams. It reminds me of seven of cups in Tarot, meaning that some of the things you think you really want may not be good for you. Wait a few days before making major choices. Use your search engine to find reviews of products you want to buy. I totally understand that it's shopping season, but just take a deep breath and think through your selection.

Moon is Gemini energy is generally very fun and social. With the Neptune square though, it's more likely we'll give in to our temptations and addictions while socializing. Have fun but make sure you have the support you need to get through the next few days without letting go of your goals for health and sanity.

Another aspect in the full moon chart is Venus (20° Capricorn) contained by Saturn (19° Cap) and Pluto (21° Cap). For the next day or two, poor sweet Venus (your capacity for love) is held captive by mean old Saturn and seductive Pluto. Wait a few days before making major relationship decisions or commitments. Do your best to express Venus at the highest level with an affirmation of unconditional love. Surround yourself with beauty, maybe art and decorations reflecting the spirit of the season. Scents and fragrances can help us lift our Venus too. 

Here are two affirmations for Venus:

• I deserve love and I accept Life's gift of healthy and loving relationships
• I rejoice in the love I encounter every day - Louise Hay

If you like positive affirmations, try this list:
https://www.louisehay.com/101-best-louise-hay-positive-affirmations/

There is also Jupiter trine Uranus aspect on December 15th, from 2° Capricorn to 2° Taurus. This has an orb of about 5 days on either side of the 15th. This aspect brings a harmonious expansion of creativity. The practicality of the earth signs Capricorn and Taurus can help you take your brilliant ideas from your imagination and make them usable in every day life.

On Sunday, December 15th, 12 noon:
Winter Solstice Festival, presented by the Temple of Kriya Yoga at Moksha Yoga Center in Chicago

Noon Meditation:  "Dealing With the Elementals" Swami Mahashastrananda (Ray Ruffer)
Folklore and mythology abound in legends of all cultures. This meditation is about understanding how elemental forces influence our thoughts and actions.
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"Astrology and Kriya Yoga: Planetary Patterns for 2020." Swami K. Adinadananda (Marcia Sacks) A look at the major transits for 2020 along with key practices to soften your karma and use the aspects for your personal and spiritual goals.

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There's a lot going on astrologically at this moment of the New Moon which is tomorrow at 9:05 a.m. The New Moon is at 4° Sagittarius making an inconjunct (150°) aspect to Uranus. This combines the upbeat optimism of the sign Sagittarius with the restlessness of Uranus. Many of us will find ourselves trying to go off in multiple directions at the same time. Just as you're focusing on your main priority, you'll find interesting distractions that engage your time and energy. With Sag, the momentum tends to get lost part-way through the project. For some of us, we may find ourselves on an interesting adventure. For others, we may get to the end of the day with nothing of substance completed.

This distractedness is aided and abetted by Neptune, which is making a stationary point, going direct on November 27th at 15° Pisces. This affects us for two weeks before and after November 27th. Positive keywords are imaginative and spiritual. Negative keywords are forgetful and spacey.

Mercury is in a trine to Neptune in the New Moon chart. Mercury means the pen is your magic wand. Write (or digitally  input) everything down. Write down your list of things to do.  Write down your dreams. With Neptune, your dreams at night may be more meaningful, but easily forgotten if not journaled. With daytime Neptune, write down your dreams and goals for the future. Neptune dreams and goals can be unrealistic but may give you insight into what your heart longs for. Don't act on the Neptune goals right away.  Just keep the list somewhere you can reexamine a couple weeks from now.


What about Thanksgiving? With the Neptune station point in effect for Thanksgiving on November 28th there are a few  things to think about. If you're the guest make sure you know the right time to be there and remember what you're supposed to bring. If you're the host or hostess, there's a tendency to forget to serve something, like the many times I left something in the refrigerator that I meant to put on the table. It helps to be flexible and have a sense of humor. On the other hand, the spiritual connectedness of Neptune at holiday time can make it joyful and meaningful.

​In the future:

Jupiter enters Capricorn on December 2. I wrote several times over the past year that Jupiter in Sagittarius was excellent for learning new things. Jupiter in Capricorn is when you put those new things learned into action. Capricorn is a sign of work and career. Jupiter expands things. Think about how you would like to expand or grow your career. Create a list of ideas, re-do your resume or just focus your goals with an affirmation. Here's a general Jupiterian affirmation you can use: "I am open and receptive to all the good and abundance in the universe."

Wishing you many blessings in this holiday season.