 The Full Moon this month is also a Lunar Eclipse. It is on Friday, November 19 at 2:57 am CST in 27° Taurus. Our physical and emotional energy is elevated at a lunar eclipse. The Moon's desire to make changes is in conflict with the Taurus urge for stability. Remember that you don't have to make your changes immediately. You can turn the impulse to change into a slow but steady (Taurus) plan of action. Because Taurus has a lot to do with our possessions, we can honor and balance the Taurus part of us by consciously enjoying those possessions which create comfort and stability. The easiest way to do this is with everyday gratitude. When you sit in a chair, be grateful for its support and restfulness that you feel. Taking a moment of thankfulness before a meal. Thinking or saying "mmmmmm" when we eat something delicious. Absorbing the beauty of a work of art on our wall or the background of our computer. Appreciating the wisdom contained in the books on our shelves.  If you enjoy chanting, here's a mantra aligned with the principles of Taurus and its planetary ruler Venus. It's a mantra honoring Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, prosperity and generosity. Om Shrim MahaLakshmiyei Namaha with Deva Premal Coming up:
Sunday, November 21 Temple of Kriya Yoga (Online) Noon Meditation with Marcia Sacks, Swami K. Adinadananda "Your Divine Opportunity" A reflection on the nature of time, including how to take advantage of every moment to pursue your spiritual (and earthly) goals. The link for this talk will posted at noon on Sunday here: https://www.yogakriya.org/sunday-services.html
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 The New Moon is on Thursday, November 4 at 4:14 p.m. CDT in 12° Scorpio, asking us to look more deeply into the mysteries of life, especially the whole greater transcendent pattern of birth, death and rebirth. Scorpio's ruling planet is Pluto, symbolizes our motivation to transform. This combines with the "new beginning" energy of the New Moon. Take a little time to think about what ways you would like to transform your life. It might be helpful to think about the three symbols for the sign Scorpio and how they can give us clues for the type of transformation we need.  The first is (obviously) the scorpion. It's known for its venomous stinger. Have we learned how to be insightful in conversations without doing verbal violence to others?  The second symbol is the eagle. The eagle soars high in the sky and has the focus to pick out the slightest movement of its prey on the earth. Can we be in the now, in the moment, above the melee of daily life and still have our focus on our goal, ready to swoop toward accomplishment?  The true essence of Scorpio is the phoenix. The phoenix is a mythical fire bird that dies in flames and is reborn from its own ashes in a repeating cycle. This is a symbol of immortality of the soul. In yoga we say we are 'kalapurusha', spirit moving through time. How do we become more aware of this essential innate divinity? Can we bring whatever wisdom we've gained in this lifetime into our future? Coming up:
Tuesday, November 9, 7:30 p.m. via Zoom The Northern Illinois Chapter of NCGR presents: "America in the 2020s" with astrologer Mitchell Scott Lewis More info here: http://www.chicagolandastrology.com/news.html Or here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1590076594675656/ If you want to be on the email list for NI-NCGR and receive the Zoom links for these meetings email janetberres@gmail.com You can find me on: If you want to receive this blog post as an email newsletter, please contact me.  The Full Moon is on Wednesday, October 20 at 9:56 am CDT in 27° Aries. After the slowdowns and frustrations of the past several weeks, we will enjoy the energy and vitality of this Full Moon. With Sun, Moon and Mars squaring Pluto in the Full Moon chart, the Aries confidence and passion could tip over into aggressive self-righteousness. You might start out thinking it's a friendly debate but the other person could think you're asking for a fight. Mercury and Jupiter have just gone direct opening up opportunities for communication and higher education. Dive back into whatever studies expand your world and your mind. Because of the pandemic, I've been doing a lot of virtual traveling. For example, I recently went to Edmonton, Alberta (Canada) for a Tarot meetup. They have one this Friday night: https://www.meetup.com/Edmonton-Tarot-Meetup/ At the Second Sunday Tarot meetup https://www.meetup.com/tarot-336/ which was in person in the NW suburbs before Covid, now has people Zooming in from all over the world. At the last meeting, one of the facilitators suggested pulling three cards each day and use them to write a haiku style poem. I'm hoping to incorporate that into my daily journaling. The International Society for Astrological Research is planning their conference in person in Colorado in August 2022. They have a super lineup of speakers: https://isar2022.org/speakers/ Very much hoping for safer travel and gatherings by then. I've attended some awesome virtual astrology conferences in the past two years but I'm so ready to see people IRL.  Of course, I want to mention The Professional Astrology Course from the Temple of Kriya Yoga. Goswami Kriyananda is the instructor via his audio recordings and writing. I help to grade tests and correspond with students. Let me know if you have any questions about the course content or how this program works.
https://www.yogakriya.org/professional-astrology.html  The New Moon is on Wednesday, October 6 at 6:05 a.m. at 13° Libra. Libra is all about partnership. It's how we work and communicate with others. And how we balance how much personal energy we put into others while understanding how much we need to take care of our own selves. Partnerships and balance get a jolt from the New Moon's conjunction with Mars, also at 13° Libra. Have we mastered being assertive but not aggressive? Can we keep our balance while others around us are losing theirs? Are we skilled in gently deflecting critiques shot at us and not returning fire? If so, Mars can give this New Moon an extra boost of "new beginnings" intensity. Also on October 6, Pluto goes direct at 24° Capricorn. The influence of Pluto is transformation. The key to a Pluto influence is to be prepared to be transformed. One way to do this is to release those things (or thoughts) that are no longer useful. You can use symbolic correspondence to mitigate Pluto. For example, I've been cleaning out my home's crawl space (Pluto in mythology is the lord of the underworld after all). Did I really need to save those old magazines in a carton in a crawl space for 40 years? Recycled! (Recycling is a positive Pluto symbol of Life, Death & Rebirth.) If there's a closet or drawer in your home, this is a great time to use it for Pluto type reflection.  One more note on Pluto. In Capricorn, Pluto signifies the domination of the corporation in society. Pay attention to how you are affected and manipulated by ads and commercials at this time. Are you being persuaded to buy things that you don't need or even want or aren't good for you? But wait, there's more! Saturn has a stationary point on October 11 at 6° Aquarius. There is a conflict between the urge to transform of Pluto and the urge for things to stay the same which is Saturn. Remember you can use the capabilities of both planets if you (1) remove emotionality from the equation and (2) use the motivation of Pluto to finish the long term projects you've already started. Saturn rules time and everything goes slower around a Saturn station. Put fewer things onto your to-do list and you'll get more actually accomplished. If you are experiencing frustrations in these first weeks of October, keep in mind that Mercury and Jupiter go direct on October 18. Those directions will begin to shift everything into gear. Ray Grasse posted the following on Facebook. It's a quote from his book "An Infinity of Gods" (Ray's conversations with Kriya Yoga mystic Shelly Trimmer who is Goswami Kriyananda's guru). A very meaningful description of the ways I look at astrology - both the literal and the symbolic.  Coming up:
October 12th, 7:30 p.m. via Zoom, Free The Northern Illinois Chapter of NCGR presents Jon Parks - Your Solar Return Chart As A Plan For The Year If you want to be on the email list for NI-NCGR and receive the Zoom links for these meetings email janetberres@gmail.com You can find me on:  The Full Moon is on Monday, September 20 at 6:54 pm CDT in 28° Pisces. We have moved from the New Moon in Virgo with its emphasis on the details of every life to the wide open ocean of Life that Pisces symbolizes. Pisces energy can be "spacey" but it's full of imagination and dreams. Take a look at the day or night sky to feel a sense of expansion and the infinite. Louise Hay often used this affirmation in her book "You Can Heal Your Life": “In the infinity of life where I am, All is perfect, whole and complete … " When the Moon is in Pisces, it is easier to connect with that feeling of optimism and of faith in the goodness of life.  There is also some strong Mercury influence in the Full Moon chart, as Mercury is square (inharmonious) to Pluto and trine (in harmony) to Jupiter. An excellent time for a deep dive into the study of something meaningful. With the Libra Mercury to the Aquarius Jupiter, you might find yourself in a big discussion about religion, politics, philosophy or law with another person who has an intriguing viewpoint. You may gain knowledge or a new viewpoint. The Pluto square from Capricorn suggests that you keep things light before a congenial talk turns into a verbal battle. The Mercury, Pluto, Jupiter dynamic is also in the chart of the Autumnal Equinox which takes place on September 22 at 2:20 pm CDT with the Sun at 0° Libra. It's a time of balance, a moment's rest, and a new beginning into the new quarter year. With the strong Mercury, projects that relate to writing, speaking, teaching and other communication areas will be highlighted. Mercury goes retrograde on September 27th at 25° Libra. This is exactly when you should stay out of discussions about religion and politics. Mercury at this point is square to Pluto which has its own station point (going direct) at 24° Capricorn on October 6. During those times, it would be wise to watch the things you say and the tone of how you say them. Not a good time to begin new things, but can be good for researching information needed for projects that begin after October 18th when Mercury goes direct.   The New Moon is on Monday, September 6, 2021 at 7:52 p.m. CDT in 14° Virgo. The New Moon will be exactly trining Uranus in Taurus. This creates the opportunity to combine the analytical power of Virgo with the 'genius' of Uranus along with the Taurus ability to sustain long-term projects. This New Moon in Virgo is also good for starting holistic health related projects, especially those that involve changing food plans to include more natural unprocessed foods, more fruits and veggies plus drinking plenty of pure water.  Virgo is a sign that has to do with managing details and organizing data. In the days before this New Moon, I find myself reading another book on de-cluttering and watching the new Marie Kondo show on Netflix. There's a yearning under a Virgo influence to be neat and tidy. This is not something I was born with per my natal horoscope. I'm taking advantage of this New Moon by energizing and activating the organizational skills that are not my natural strength. The past few days, I've been cleaning out closets and files of old papers. Here's an affirmation I like for this activity: As I clean up and clear out my physical space, Virgo is also a Mercury ruled sign that has a lot to do with learning and being a good student. If you feel your interest piqued by a topic at the New Moon, give yourself a little quiet time to read or study further.
Coming up: Tuesday, September 14, 7:30 p.m. CDT via Zoom The Northern Illinois Chapter of NCGR "Election Basics: The Art Of Choosing The Best Time" Speaker: Elizabeth Hazel http://www.chicagolandastrology.com/news.html Start anytime: The Professional Astrology Course Temple of Kriya Yoga Distance Learning/Self-Paced https://www.yogakriya.org/professional-astrology.html You can find me on:  The Full Moon is on Sunday, August 22 at 7:02 a.m. CDT in 29° Aquarius. Having just made a conjunction with Jupiter a few hours earlier, the Moon is imbued with an expansive feeling of fellowship and connection with all Life. Good energy for social and humanitarian efforts. Intensify the positive Jupiterian spirit by sharing stories with others that include hopefulness for the future. The influence of Aquarius is all about ideas. Aquarius is by element an air sign which signifies thoughts and communication. But by modality, Aquarius is a fixed sign which means resistant to change. At this Full Moon take some time to reflect on the ideas that you hold about life (or your life). Are there any thought patterns that are not working for you but you feel a resistance to changing? Try this simple "neti, neti" meditation technique to separate your true self from your thoughts. Sitting with your back straight and eyes closed, watch your thoughts. As each thought arises say, "Neti" or "I am not this" or "I am not this thought." Then, let go of the thought and return your focus to the center of your mind. Repeat with the next thought. Enjoy the quiet spaces between the thoughts.  If you are still feeling mentally restless from the Uranus station retrograde on August 19th, try using music with some brainwave entrainment to relax. Here's one from Steven Halpern:  The New Moon is on Sunday, August 8 at 8:49 a.m. CDT in 16° Leo. Lively social energy and new ideas are at the forefront. The New Moon squares Uranus whose capricious energy suggests that it's wisest to write down those bright ideas and wait to review them at the Full Moon to see if they're worth pursuing. Uranus also rules electronics, so online social events might benefit you at this time. (More on Uranus below.) Venus opposes Neptune at the New Moon. It puts Venus the planet of beauty, love and desire in conflict with Neptune the planet of intuition and subtle connections. Watch out for both deception from others and self-deception in relationships. Take your time moving from first contact to romance. On August 19th, Uranus goes retrograde 14° Taurus. The effect of this stationary point is a week on either side of that date. If your Sun or other planets are in a fixed sign (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) it could last a little longer. In general, Uranus stationary points signify unexpected changes of plan. It can help to be flexible in mind and also mindful as you go through your day. There's an accident prone component of Uranus that can be softened by moving slowly and paying attention to your surroundings.  This Uranus station point will emphasize its square to Saturn in Aquarius that has been forming and reforming throughout the year. Saturn is an urge for limitation. Uranus is an urge for freedom. Saturn is tradition. Uranus is rebellion. Watch your relationships at this time to see if you are the person limiting someone else's freedom which causes them to rebel. Or are you the rebel, straining against convention? Look back to previous Saturn square Uranus dates this year to help you understand this square: February 17, May 22 and June 14. Remember that Uranus also represents the genius of creativity. Saturn is the hours of mastery that anyone in the arts or sciences puts into their craft. These two forces can be used together to produce something amazing.  Coming Up: If Uranus is making you too jumpy, try the Sunday Noon Meditation at the Temple of Kriya Yoga. This Sunday, the talk (via Zoom) will be on using breath and sound to find stillness. https://www.yogakriya.org/sunday-services.html Tuesday, August 10, 7:30 p.m. via Zoom The Northern Illinois Chapter of NCGR presents "Transits and How They Work in Our Lives" with Grace Morris (timing/trends specialist, president of Astro Economics, Inc.) If you have planets or angles at 22 – 24 degrees of Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) in your chart, then chances are that the year 2020 turned your life upside down and changed your life forever! How do the transits of planets effect your life and how can you identify them before they happen? See how to recognize a repeating pattern in your life throughout the years. This can help you make decisions in the future, based on your past choices. Find the information for this event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/343826637374262 Or contact janetberres@gmail.com to RSVP and receive the Zoom link Online: If you are into history + astrology + Jewish mysticism, here is a super fascinating discussion that includes the foundations of western astrology and how it was seen in Jewish scripture and scholarship.  The Full Moon is Friday, July 23, 2021 at 9:36 a.m. CDT in 1° Aquarius. Full of positive energy for fellowship type get-togethers whether it's friends, clubs you belong to, prayer circles, or professional associations. Aquarius also resonates to science, science fiction and all types of metaphysical studies. So whether it's going into outer space with a billionaire, going to inner space with meditation or settling in with a book sparkling with interesting ideas, you will be in the Aquarius zone. Did you "plant a seed" with an intention or affirmation at the New Moon? Has the seed sprouted or your wish has come to some sort of fulfillment at the Full Moon? Keep in mind that you don't have to wait for the New Moon for a new beginning. Every day is a new beginning. My guru, Goswami Kriyananda said, "Every breath is a new beginning." You can affirm and visualize yourself healthier, wealthier and wiser right now.  Coming up:
August 4, 7:30 p.m. CDT Free talk on Kairomancy with Robert Moss: The Art of Navigating Life Through Synchronicity I enjoy studying both the signs and symbols in my dreams but also the omens found in everyday life. Robert Moss teaches it via a shamanic perspective. Kriyananda taught it from a Kriya Yoga perspective (check out his course Dreams - How to Study Your Symbols). My two favorite books on this are: The Waking Dream by Ray Grasse Sidewalk Oracles by Robert Moss You can find me on:  The New Moon is Friday, July 9th at 8:16 pm CDT in 18° Cancer. Mothers and nurturing people in general are highlighted at this time. Family concerns and connections are important. Water sign New Moons also emphasize intuition and dreams. It's always a good practice to write down your dreams. It can be an interesting experiment to see if New Moon and Full Moon dreams have more vibrancy and meaning than at other times. Many have found this to be so. It is often said that "what the New Moon promises, the Full Moon fulfills." You can either watch the people, events and emotions that come into your life at the New Moon and observe if they come to a conclusion or fulfillment at the Full Moon. OR, you can be more self-actualizing and "plant a seed" at the New Moon by affirming your goal. You might even take a small step that moves you forward toward your goal. Then see what happens at the Full Moon. Cancer is a cardinal sign. Cardinal in astrology means an outgoing force and the energy of initiative. So a new moon in a cardinal sign (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) is even more positive for these type of new beginnings. What if you don't have a clearly formulated goal? Try this general purpose affirmation at the New Moon: "I am open and receptive to all the good and abundance in the Universe."  Coming up: July 13, 7:30 p.m. Free Astrology Lecture (via Zoom) A Legacy Of Marc Edmund Jones: Planetary Patterns (aka Temperament Types) With David Perloff Presented by the Northern Illinois NCGR http://www.chicagolandastrology.com/news.html RSVP: janetberres@gmail.com Online: Yoga Chicago Magazine has links to the videos for Song of the Avatar: Riffs on the Bhagavad Gita by Gary Whitney. This is a very accessible way to learn the principles and philosophy of yoga as taught in this sacred text.  |
AuthorMarcia Sacks is an astrologer in the Kriya Yoga tradition. Archives
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