Cosmic Potential

Transiting Venus in Taurus 2012

2012-02-26T23:16:00.000+08:00

Get ready for a wave of relaxing and indulgent energy to wash over us when Venus enters one of its own signs, Taurus, on 5th March at 10:24 GMT. The Goddess of love and money is due to stay in comfort-seeking Taurus for about a month, leaving on 3rd April. Transiting Mercury is due to conjunct Uranus in Aries an hour after Venus' ingress into Taurus, which may possibly bring sudden outbursts of ideas and impulsive actions on how to be kind to yourself (shopping comes to mind! Having said that, transiting Mars is in retrograde so this urge may no be that hard to conquer). Then we have a Full Moon in Virgo 3 days later (on 8th March), a time to review your ongoing plans and projects.

I have my MC, Chiron and Moon in Taurus. I tend to indulge myself in the food department usually when anything conjuncts my Moon. I'm already feeling rather lethargic with planet Mars in retrograde motion (but my workload is still on the increase), so with Venus transiting in Taurus conjunct my MC, Chiron then my Moon, I hope I won't become a couch potato and adopt a listless attitude towards my work.....

Taurus is also a sensual, tactile sign. Hug and kiss. Pamper your body. Visit a spa, have a facial, a body massage, a manicure, a pedicure.....ummm, I have a facial booked during this period... I was hoping Venus in Taurus would bring me some cash instead of the opposite.....

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Zodiac Butterflies

2012-02-24T19:39:00.000+08:00

I was pleasantly surprised to receive a 'home-made' birthday present from my sister the other day. She has creatively designed a set of butterflies according to the colours, shapes and patterns associated with each zodiac sign. My sister is not into astrology the way I am so she did all the research from scratch. She said she got stuck on Taurus because between all the websites and books she had consulted, every single colour under the sun seemed to be associated with Taurus! She did ask me at one point and I told her I wasn't too concerned with colours except that Taurus is an earth sign so I would go for an earthy colour. She's forever making gifts for her friends so I thought she was doing something for them - until I opened the big envelope from her in the post.

Thanks sis:-)

Mercury in Aries 2012

2012-02-18T00:24:00.000+08:00

Maybe I'm biased, but I'm looking forward to having Mercury transiting in Aries from Friday 2nd March (11.40 GMT). Natally, I have Mercury in Aries, but in the 8th, so the Arian energy rarely gets unleashed without having lots of strings attached. Luckily, with transiting Uranus in Aries, which conjunct my Mercury, I'm beginning to feel those 'strings' loosening under the pressure of that Arian energy.

In Aries, Mercury is ruled by Mars, which is currently retrograding in Virgo, so the two planets are in mutual reception. We have a theme of communicating fearlessly - but not bluntly, because let's not forget we have Saturn and Mars in retrograde (Mercury will join the 'Retrograde Party' on 12th March). Uranus in Aries, though, is likely to inject unconventionality wherever possible, balancing out the 'retrograde quality'. It is interesting to note that during this period, retrograding Mars will physically be the closest to Earth on 3rd March, as if to say, 'Look at me! Look at me! Be assertive, not aggressive!'

Astrologically, there are 2 grand trines on the day when Mercury enters bold Aries. Both of which contain a retrograde planet: an air/water grand trine with Saturn in Libra, Moon in Gemini, and Neptune-Chiron in Pisces (out-of-sign aspect) and an earth grand trine with Mars in Virgo, Pluto in Capricorn and Jupiter in Taurus. Each grand trine is like a circuit of positive, enclosed energy. In the air/water 'circuit', we have Saturn retrograding in Libra linking up to the Moon (the past) and Neptune-Chiron (healing) so the past may be catching-up with us, either as a fleeting thought or an physical re-encounter, urging us to let something go. In the other earth closed circuit, we have Mars retrograding in Virgo (repeating the 'thoughts and ideas' theme from the other grand trine with the Mercury-ruled Moon). With Pluto and Jupiter, again, we have the theme of bringing up something from the past, this time, from the depths of our psyche (Pluto, ruled by Saturn - the other retrograding planet from the air/water grand trine), but instead of being forced to come out into the light, we have Jupiter, gently coaxing the junk out.

Then, moving away from the grand trines, we have Mars (in retrograde) oppose the Sun and Saturn (in retrograde) oppose Venus. Are you ready to face up to your life mission and re-set your belief system? External stimuli, in the forms of male authority figures, may challenge your present beliefs and if you have been sitting around, feeling confused, it's time to get up and get moving - even if only mentally, don't let procrastination get the better of you.

Mercury begins its retrograde motion from 12th March. Mercury retrograde is not just about miscommunications and computers going haywire. It's a time for us to wake-up from our groggy states and introspect the goings-on in our lives - slow down and look carefully at where you are going. What needs to stay, what needs to go? In Aries, the focus is on ourselves. It is not about being selfish, but about being proud of who we are, being honest with who we are and what we want to achieve in life. It is about getting in touch with the warrior inside of us. Be bold. Be brave. A turning point will be reached on 21st March, when we have a tight Sun-Mercury conjunction in Aries. Look out for any messages/insights we may receive around this date. I'm particularly fond of the work of an intuitive archetypal astrologer, Robert Ohotto, whose interpretation on retrograde cycles are rather insightful and pioneering. You can find out more about his work and listen to his radio shows on www.ohotto.com.

Timeline of transiting Mercury in Aries:

2nd March - Mercury enters Aries

12th March - Mercury retrograde begins

23rd-24th March - Mercury re-enters Pisces

4th April - Mercury goes direct

17th April - Mercury re-enters Aries

8th May - Mercury leaves Aries

Transiting Mercury in Aries will traverse my 8th and 9th houses, conjunct my Mercury for most of March due to its retrograde motion and will conjunct my Mercury for a second time in the latter half of April, so I will get plenty of opportunities to unleash my thoughts and ideas and not be afraid to speak my mind, but without being impulsive and hurting others with my words.

Happy Mercury tracking!

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Whitney - We'll always love you

2012-02-12T17:03:00.000+08:00

I was shocked beyond words this morning when I heard about Houston's demise. Since my blog entry on transiting Uranus conjunct transiting Venus in Aries, 2 songs crept into my head and refused to leave: Anita Baker's Sweet Love and Whitney Houston's All At Once. How is it possible that the owner of the soothing voice that had been occupying my mind for the past couple of days is no longer breathing in the mortal realm?

Houston's amazing voice had captivated a global audience for decades. Her performance wasn't just for the sake of self-expression, but serving others through her God-given talent - her breathtakingly beautiful voice (Sun conjunct Venus in Leo in 6th oppose Saturn in Aquarius in 12th). It was a shame drug addiction ruined her singing career (Pisces Ascendant conjunct Chiron in 1st oppose Pluto-Mercury-Uranus in 6/7th; Neptune in Scorpio in 8th).

As transiting Pluto from the 10th house tightly square her natal Mars in 7th (Placidus, 8th Equal House), Houston completed her Sacred Contract on Planet Earth, leaving behind a legacy of divinely powerful songs (transiting MC separating from her natal Moon-Jupiter conjunction in Aries in 1st; transiting Jupiter trine Uranus in Virgo 6th). With her Chiron exactly conjunct my Sun, I have always personally found Houston's voice to be extremely therapeutic.

Whitney, rest in peace. Thank you for the music. Thank you for being an inspiration to us all.

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New Moon in Pisces 2012

2012-02-11T00:00:00.000+08:00

It's that time of the month again - wishing time!

On 21st February 22.35pm GMT, we have a New Moon at 2° Pisces 42'. Neptune, in its ruling sign Pisces, conjunct this New Moon tightly, accentuating the theme of spiritualism. In addition, we have Chiron conjunct this New Moon, thus the whole package becomes a new beginning on spiritual healing.

With the Sun, Moon, Neptune, Chiron and Mercury all in compassionate Pisces, this gentle New Moon in Pisces provides the perfect nurturing ground to plant your seeds relating to issues of forgiveness, acceptance and tolerance. Is there someone you have been harbouring bitterness, anger or grudges towards? This is the perfect time to let go and allow the Universe to infuse and cleanse you with some unconditional love. Forgiving the other person is about releasing yourself from the grip of the situation - you are forgiving the person involved, not the action committed (paraphrasing Doreen Virtue's spiritual teaching). If you can take one step further and forgive their actions too, then even better.

However, with Mercury in Pisces oppose Mars retrograding in Mars and Mercury in a T-Square with the nodal axis, it might be easier to think rather than act. Your mind is likely to be full of spiritual thoughts but not have the motivation to do anything about them, thus this is also a good time to do internal work, e.g. meditation, introspection, retreats. On the other hand, the Piscean energy can either bring confusion or inspiration to the mind, clouding your thinking processes or imbuing you with plenty of imagination and creativity.

This New Moon trine Saturn and sextile Jupiter, bringing plenty of opportunities to manifest any realistic and practical goals set under this New Moon. With Jupiter oppose Saturn though, as optimistic as you may feel, the process of letting go and releasing your problems to the Universe can open up cans of worms in your relationships with others, and you may find it a struggle to forgive and forget.

I have this New Moon tightly conjunct my Mars and sextile my MC - time to plan for my next step in my career....

Where is this New Moon in your chart? How is it interacting with your own chart?

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Share your thoughts on transiting Uranus conjunct transiting Venus......

2012-02-10T11:23:00.004+08:00

Since its ingress into bold and courageous Aries on Wednesday 8th February, transiting Venus has been locked in an Aries conjunction with transiting Uranus. The conjunction tightens over the next couple of days (9th-10th) before the love goddess pulls away from Uranus in the chariot of fire by next week.

Venus, a sensual planet, may not express itself well in Aries, as Aries is detriment in Venus. Coupled with its link to liberating and shocking Uranus, we could expect loving feelings to come suddenly, your own values and beliefs expressed bluntly and loudly, and depending on where this electrifying pair is in your chart, you may throw caution to the wind and live life in the fast land - but only temporarily....

For me, on the first day when Venus entered Aries (i.e. Aries Point), I found myself declaring, in public, 'I don't want any principles. They got me nowhere in the past so I would much rather live life without any!' This transiting pair happened to be sitting right on my natal Mercury in Aries 8th house - Aries point! And as if that wasn't enough, I had another outburst a while later with, 'I'm sick and tired of being considerate and putting other people's needs before mine. I'm doing this because I want to.' It felt so liberating, but I'm sure, knowing me, I'll start to cringe once transiting Venus loosens its grip on Uranus by next week. For now though, I'm still savouring the proud feeling of allowing myself to speak my mind.......

Where is this transiting pair in your chart? What has it 'made' you do?

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Share your thoughts on Mars in Virgo retrograde

2012-02-09T11:51:00.002+08:00

"Astrology can tell you many things. It can tell you what energy is available to an individual and how it’s likely to affect them. It cannot, however, tell you precisely how they will express it. Given the fact that each person has free will a person can express that energy on a continuum of lower to higher." Satori, on ElsaElsa.com, very succinctly expressed what astrology is all about: http://www.elsaelsa.com/astrology/2012/02/08/making-astrology-personal/

The best way to learn astrology is by studying your own transits. The current Mars retrograde is definitely putting a damper on my motivational energy. However, since Mars in Virgo is ruled by Mercury, with my natal Mercury is in Aries 8th house, I have found that I'm less impulsive with voicing my thoughts (especially when I'm angry). Transiting Mars is moving in my 2nd house and will conjunct my natal North Node by the end of this month and my natal Saturn by next month, since both are oppose my natal Sun, I'm sure issues of my beliefs and self-esteem are more likely to be the focus, judging by my recent events.

How's transiting Mars expressing itself in your life at the moment?

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Transiting Mercury in Pisces on Valentine's Day 2012 - read me a love poem, sing me a love song

2012-02-09T00:02:00.000+08:00

How romantic is Valentine's Day this year?

In the background, we have Mars and Saturn in retrograde. Mars, the planet of action, is going backwards in Virgo, the perfectionist, the analyst, making us think twice before we act. Saturn, the planet of discipline, responsibilities and limitations, is going backwards in Libra, the diplomat, the socialite, endowing us with an air of solemnity in our interaction with others.

Venus, the planet of love is no longer in the romantic sign of Pisces but Aries, bold and courageous, not afraid to go after the object of her affection. Not to worry, we have Mercury entering the romantic and charming Pisces on this loving day at 01.37 GMT. It then conjunct Neptune by 06.46 GMT, heightening the dreaminess, the enchantment, setting the scene for the day for the part of the world that is to the east of Greenwich Mean Time.

Countries within 6 hours to the east of GMT will have the waning half moon in Scorpio (25 degrees 24 mins; 17.03 GMT) on Valentine's Day, a time to release what's deep inside us. Countries to the west of Greenwich Mean Time will benefit from having the Moon moving into fun-loving Sagittarius (00.56 GMT 15th Feb), lightening up the atmosphere from the mysterious Scorpio. Having said that, we then have the Moon square Neptune (01.39 GMT) and Mercury (04.27 GMT), followed by a trine to Uranus (05.05 GMT) and a square to Chiron (08.46 GMT), so for our counterparts to the west of GMT, the adventurous Sagittarius Moon wants to celebrate loudly against the gentle backdrop of Pisces Neptune, Mercury and Chiron, sprinkling in some surprise and excitement as it links up to Uranus in Aries.

Happy Valentine's Day whatever you plan to do.

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Saturn in Libra retrograde 2012

2012-02-05T14:50:00.001+08:00

Saturn, the planet of boundaries, restrictions and limitations, goes retrograde in peace-loving Libra on 7th February (14.03 GMT), which is closely followed by the Leo Full Moon in less than 8 hours away.

Tracking its ingress in Libra, I have found that Saturn, asking us to learn through our relationships with others, is not merely giving us a second, but a third chance to grasp the lessons in Libra.

Saturn first stepped over the threshold of vain and indecisive Libra back on 30th October 2009. By the time it reached 4 degrees 39 minutes on 13th January 2010, it began to retrograde in Libra and entered back into the territory of Virgo on 7th April 2010. So between 30th October 2009 and 7th April, Saturn was travelling in Libra between 0 to 4 degrees 39 minutes, but in retrograde motion from 13th January 2010.

By 30th May 2010, Saturn began to move direct again, reaching Libra on 22nd July 2010 and will stay in this urbane sign until 5th October 2012.

The 2nd retrograde period of Saturn in Libra began on 26th January 2011 at 17 degrees 13.6 Libra, reaching 10 degrees 26.7 minutes Libra on 13th June 2011, thus revisiting the degrees already covered between 22nd October 2010 and 25th January 2011.

The 3rd retrograde period of Saturn in Libra is from 7th February 2012 at 29 degrees 30.5 minutes Libra, reaching 22 degrees 45.8 minutes on 24/25th June 2012, thus revisiting the degrees already covered between 4th November 2011 and 6th February 2012.

The best way to learn astrology is by analysing your own chart and transits. I got my diaries out, focusing on those periods stated above and boiled down to the conclusion that Saturn in Libra, during its sojourn in my 2nd/3rd houses, sextile/trine my ASC/DES axis, oppose my Mercury and conjunct my Pluto, has been forcing me to learn new ways of relating to people, and through those interactions, I re-developed my own self-confidence and re-organised my belief system. Transiting Saturn is currently square my natal Jupiter and natal Venus, further pushing me to ruminate my true beliefs and values. It is a time to discard what is no longer needed and to make room for the new.

Saturn is the strict disciplinarian, but in Libra, dressed in refined attire, oozing grace and charm.

What have you learned/refused to learn/still need to learn?

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Transiting Venus in Aries 2012

2012-02-04T11:40:00.003+08:00

There's not that much 'fire' in the sky lately, but following the Leo Full Moon on 7th February, the scale will tip slightly as Venus enters Aries on 8th February (6 a.m. GMT). The planet of love then conjunct Uranus on 10th February (at 2.28am GMT), so by then, the Moon, Venus, Uranus and the North Node will all be in fire signs, giving us a little bit more passion and energy in the air. However, don't forget we have Mars and Saturn (from 7th February) in retrograde, putting a damper on your motivation and encouraging you to slow down and introspect from the other side of the scale.

Venus is the planet of love, beauty and harmony, moving from the romantic and demure Pisces, to the bold and courageous Aries. Pisces is about being selfless and immersing with the Universal source, whereas Aries is about the ego, the self, 'me'. Venus seeks balance in interacting with others, but in Aries, the focus is likely to be more self-oriented and more willing to take risks, especially in the realm of love and pleasure-seeking. Venus is also related to our values and belief system, so in Aries, we are less likely to be afraid to stand up for our own beliefs, but with Mars and Saturn in retrograde, the passion is more covert and relatively easier to control.

Be prepared to be surprised/shocked on 10th February when this love goddess conjunct Uranus, bringing something unpredictable, from sudden love attraction to excitement on the social front.

Traditionally, transits of Mars to Pluto are deemed to be more significant due to their slower orbits. As transient as Mercury and Venus transits may be, I personally feel they are still worth looking at, especially for individuals with Mercury/Venus Sun and rising, where Mercury rules Gemini and Virgo, and Venus rules Taurus and Libra.

For me, Venus conjunct my Mercury on its first day of ingress into Aries before moving into its conjunction with transiting Uranus. My mind is on overdrive from its conjunction to transiting Uranus anyway, so having a slightly more mellow planet (albeit in a fiery sign) may bring a quick rest, but it will oppose my natal Pluto by the end of February, bringing possible power struggles in my relationship with others (or a compulsive attraction?!)

Can you feel Venus in your day to day life?

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Full Moon in Leo 2012

2012-02-01T12:50:00.002+08:00

What did you wish for back on 23rd January under the Aquarius New Moon, favouring long-term goals, benefiting the masses? On 7th February (9.54pm GMT), under the Leo Full Moon (18 degrees 31 mins), we get a glimpse of our progress so far. Besides bringing a resolution or reaching a culmination point, full moons can also bring light to a situation, showing you what you may have missed before. The two-week period between the full moon and the next new moon is an optimal time to release things which no longer work.

With this Full Moon (Sun in Aquarius and Moon in Leo), we are reminded that even though we are part of a whole (reinforced by Neptune entering Pisces on 3rd February), we must also leave our own mark and incorporate our passion in what we do (Leo). It is about gaining a balance between selfishness & selflessness. We don't want too much of either one. With a tight conjunction between the Sun and Mercury in Aquarius, there is a strong tendency to focus on the group mind. Believe it or not, we are all going after similar goals - peace and happiness. Identify what makes your heart sing and focus on that. God has created someone else to help those you cannot reach - it merely is a division of labour; embrace your uniqueness (Sun semi-square Uranus) and overcome obstacles (Sun quincunx Mars in retrograde).

The Aquarius New Moon was immediately followed by a Mars retrograde. This Leo Full Moon is preceded by a Saturn retrograde. There is a collective need to introspect - to go within and work out what our life lessons are, to understand the need to relate/interact with one another and to be amicable without being a doormat (Saturn in Libra quincunx Venus in Pisces).

Where is this Leo Full Moon illuminating in your chart?

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The Perfect Chart

2012-01-31T23:13:00.000+08:00

Last week, I attended a long weekend course led by Dr. Deepak Vidmar, an American Astrologer, currently residing in India.

During this insightful weekend, he mentioned that he had conducted an exercise with a previous group where he asked his participants to create their own perfect charts.

Over lunch, we had a brief discussion on how to create a 'perfect' chart. Jupiter in the 2nd house was the immediate favourite, closely followed by Venus in Taurus in 7th house. We had a slight disagreement over the placement of Saturn - 12th house? No, too much karmic burden. 10th? Ummmmm....

Each chart shows the lessons we have agreed to experience in this lifetime. Wherever we place and whatever the sign we allocate to each planet, there will be advantages and disadvantages.

If you had the choice, where would you place each planet and in which sign?

Living Astrologically: When a Pisces, who disowns her Piscean traits, has transiting Moon, Venus and Chiron in Pisces

2012-01-27T10:29:00.000+08:00

With my Pisces Sun oppose my Virgo Saturn, I tend to focus on the negative quite heavily. It's not that I completely dislike my Pisces Sun; I like to have compassion, but I don't fancy having my kindness being taken advantage of. I like to be intuitive but I need to be able to take a step back and not get overwhelmed by other people's problems. One important point I have learned from reading tons of New Age books is that you cannot help others if you are unhappy. When I'm confused and unfocused, I can't do anything constructive, hence, for the purpose of practicality, I like to identify with my Virgo Saturn, because it helps me to have order in my life.

All the predictions for 2012 I've seen in newspapers, magazines and the internet gave Pisces a fantastic forecast, saying 2012 will be a great year for Pisces, which, I'm sure, is mainly based on the fact that Neptune enters Pisces this year. As mentioned previously in another blog post, I'm dreading this move and don't really want to think about what this 'flood' will bring. Neptune has not enter Pisces at the time of writing, but currently (26th January), we have the Moon, Venus and Chiron in Pisces. On closer inspection, I find the transiting Moon and Venus conjunct my natal Sun and transiting Chiron (also t. Neptune in Aquarius) conjunct my natal Mars. In addition, transiting Chiron also sextile my MC, transiting Jupiter conjunct my MC and tightening its conjunction with my natal Chiron (late afternoon of 26th January 2012) and transiting Neptune quincunx my natal Jupiter exactly. There was an incident which highlighted this combination of aspects quite aptly. In a nutshell, the Piscean energy heightened my already hypersensitive nature. I felt my anger button being triggered, even though the speaker had no malicious intent of arousing my anger at all. I felt incapable and pitiful but at the same time, those unintentionally hurtful words gave me an instant insight into a solution that I had been seeking for the past month. So my Mars felt bruised, but my Sun was able to receive the message delivered by the Moon-Venus conjunction in Pisces, thanks for the objectivity I derived from Neptune in Aquarius. So far so good. I can cope with that....

I was comparing this to another incident that occurred to me the day before (25th January) where I was interrogated about my financial situation during a family reunion. As a private person, I highly loathe that kind of talk, but with family members, one needs to deal with it as amicably as possible (at least, that's my philosophy, especially that it's culturally more acceptable in the part of the world I'm currently in to discuss such a topic). In the end, I answered as much as I felt comfortable without giving everything away, then I quickly returned the gesture and asked about her finances. Again she answered but without giving too much away. I pretty much had the same aspect as 26th January, the only difference being the Moon in Aquarius, separating from a conjunction to my natal Venus, but transiting MC in Pisces conjunct transiting Chiron, both conjunct my natal Mars. Besides having an objective and detached Moon, the other saving grace is the ASC, which was in Gemini at the time, so I was in a lighthearted, chatty mood. Compare to the Cancer ASC the next day, where I wanted to crawl into a shell and have some privacy and was made to feel defensive instead.

Conclusion so far: I can deal with the 'Pisces flood' so long as I can have some air to breath (preferably the Aquarian kind).

How's the Piscean energy treating you so far?

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Mercury in Aquarius 2012

2012-01-25T23:37:00.000+08:00

Having been thinking in a practical and prudent way, Mercury is due to leave the reserved and patient sign of Capricorn and enter unpredictable Aquarius from 27th January (18.11 GMT), where it will stay until 13th February.

Mercury in Aquarius continues the theme of connecting with the 'group mind'. The New Moon in Aquarius on 23rd January provided the fertile ground to sow seeds of long-range goals, preferably ones with worthy causes, which can benefit the masses.

The planetary energies are rather interesting. On the one hand, we have the Aquarian energy, encouraging the need to think outside the box and be different (transiting Uranus sextile Mercury within 24 hours of its ingress into Aquarius), but on the other hand, we have the planet of action, Mars, retrograding in Virgo, discouraging overt actions and impulsive/sudden changes. In addition, on the day of the Leo Full Moon on 7th February, Mercury will conjunct the Sun but oppose the Moon AND Saturn goes retrograde in Libra, repeating the 'let's shock the world and do it! It's for the good of humanity!' versus 'Wait a minute, play safe. Don't just think about your own needs but be aware of those around you too' message. Full Moons tend to shed light on hidden issues, bringing awareness to anything you have not considered/seen before. This is followed by the disseminating phase, or 'tweaking' time, where those unknown factors are taken into account and anything which no longer works will need to be released, so a new plan of action may need to be drafted again as we head towards the next New Moon.

By 9th February, Mercury will quincunx Mars, again, reinforcing the discomfort feeling of wanting to shock or do something for the good of others, but not forgetting the need to plan out all the steps in order to make it a reality. Luckily, before Mercury is due to leave Aquarius, it will make a wonderful trine to Saturn, so after weeding out any unwanted/unrealistic parts, what's left should be sturdy enough to be taken to the next phase. With Mercury entering romantic Pisces on Valentine's Day and a Pisces New Moon on 21st February (22.34 GMT), our minds can have a break from the high-voltaged energy of Aquarius (ruled by Uranus), and be massaged by the gentle yet vague Pisces.

This Aquarian Mercury will send a shock to my 7th house, oppose my Ascendant, square my MC, Chiron, Uranus and Moon, but sextile my Mercury. I quite like getting zapped in the mind, it can numb the brain, but I would rather of think it as an invigorating experience, injecting some objectivity and originality into my system for just under 3 weeks.

Where will transiting Mercury in Aquarius visit in your chart?

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Mars in Virgo retrograde 2012

2012-01-23T21:25:00.001+08:00

Mars, the planet of action, has been slowing down its pace, getting ready to go in reverse from 24th January and will go direct again on 14th April.

On the surface, 'Mars' and 'retrograde' may not seem to go hand in hand. Traditional astrology claims that when this fiery and aggressive planet goes backwards, all actions should be put on hold. However, that may not be practical, with the current retrograde period lasting up to 3 weeks. Personally, I found that any actions executed during a Mars retrograde, which have been carefully researched and thoroughly planned out, can bring positive results. The 'retrograde' is not referring to 'no action', but 'no rushed actions'. Just like James H. Boren's quote, 'When in doubt, mumble; when in trouble delegate; when in charge, ponder'.

Mars can be impulsive but in Virgo, the brash energy is being filtered and dampened. Virgo demands meticulous order and critical analysis. Superimpose the retrograde on top, we are encouraged to be even more scrupulous with our actions. There's no need to be scared into a state of inertia. In retrograde, Mars needs to direct its energy inward. So in essence, we are still 'doing' something, i.e. researching, fine-tuning, just that it's not an overt action, so to the public, you appear to be idling.

Let's crunch some numbers. Mars will begin its retrograde motion at 23 degrees 5.5 minutes on 24th January and will halt at 3 degrees 41 minutes on 13th April. These degrees were already covered from 18th November 2011 to 23rd January 2012. Any planets within these degrees will receive a transit from Mars, requiring them to slow down and reconsider. Then from 14th April to 19th June, Mars will yet again traverse over these degrees, so going over old ground again. What happened between 18th November 2011 to 23rd January 2012? Between 24th January to 13th April, those issues will get a second chance to be scanned over. Then from 14th April to 19th June, the same ground will be traipsed on again, so whatever you have missed out on the previous two occasions, you have a third chance to triple check before Mars leaves Virgo on 3rd July 2012.

What natal planets/angles does Mars aspect? Which house(s) is Mars transiting in? Where's your natal Mars? Since this Mars is ruled by Mercury, take a look at your natal Mercury too. Also check out the house with Aries on its cusp.

It is better to read a little and ponder a lot than to read a lot and ponder a little. Denis Parsons Burkitt

Image: Michal Marcol / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Neptune in Pisces 2012 - 2026

2012-01-22T01:14:00.001+08:00

I was reading the story of 'The Brave Little Tailor' with a student the other day. For those of you unfamiliar with the story, in a nutshell, it is about a tailor who killed 7 flies in one go, and to celebrate his heroic feat, he decided to set off on a journey to tell the world about it.

I asked my student if this story was set in modern times, would this Little Tailor need to spread his news by leaving the comfort of his own home? She replied, 'No, he could inform the media and be on television!' I agreed but added that we could also take advantage of the internet and use Youtube and Facebook. I'm sure most of us are in the habit of running to Facebook or Twitter to announce how we're feeling, sharing our joys and woes, or posting pictures of our new haircut (or even in the middle of one!), manicure or pedicure.

This uprise of communicating through cyberspace coincides with Neptune traversing in the territory of Aquarius - a sign associated with computers, technology and science (also further supported by Uranus in Aquarius from 1996 to 2003). Neptune first entered Aquarius back in January 1998 and retrograde back into Capricorn until November 1998, then it remains in this innovative sign for the next 14 years and will leave it on 3rd February 2012.

For the past 14 years, the use of computers has utterly immersed itself into everyone's lives - whether or not you own an iphone, ipad, or Blackberry, many areas of our lives have been 'computerised'. I still remember my family doctor handwriting my prescriptions when I was young. My school reports were all handwritten too. It was not until I attended university that my tutor specifically requested to have all assignments word processed. Now we can book our flights online, pay bills and make other money transfers online, buy movie tickets online, book appointments online......the list is endless. We can now access the internet on our phones, increasing the level of convenience and mobility even more. Basically, technology (Aquarius) has made our lives easier and bringing us closer together, i.e. connecting people via cyberspace.

I wonder with Neptune entering Pisces, its home sign, what kind of shift this may possibly bring? Perhaps the boundaries between people will dissolve further through telepathy or other psychical development? What do you think?

Welcoming the Aquarius New Moon, T-Square and all, with open arms

2012-01-21T00:00:00.000+08:00

This afternoon, I received the shocking news of the demise of a relative. My heart goes out to her family at this time. May you rest in peace.

Every time when I hear of such losses, particularly of people I had personally interacted with, however transient, it feels as if the Universe is giving me a hard slap on the face, saying 'Life is too short, ANYTHING can happen. Do what you need to do before it's too late.'

Today, even before hearing this piece of sad news, I felt like I was being trapped in a pressure cooker. Well, transiting Mercury is exactly square my Pluto and transiting Sun is now exactly oppose my Jupiter.

My poor Jupiter in Cancer, hiding away in the 12th house. It wants to stay there, but it's being pushed and shoved about by the current Jupiter-Saturn opposition and soon the Aquarius New Moon will march right across it, hands on hips. This afternoon, I suddenly realised that one of the personal influences this opposition has on me is to balance the need to distribute my time. With the Jupiter-Saturn opposition falling in my 3rd/4th house cusp and 9th/10th cusp, I want to retreat into the safety of my home but I need to be 'out there' as culturally expected of me during this festive season (imagine feeling the need to isolate oneself during Christmas!). But to be fair, I do want to be out there too (it is an opposition after all, so one does tend to flit from one side to the other). As they're both ruled by Venus, I should balance both sides as amicably as possible and not allow my fiery Mercury in Aries to run amok - it won't because it's trapped deep down in my 8th house, it'll just seethe with anger, keeping the irritation boiling at the bottom of my psyche. Luckily, transiting Mars is slowing down, getting ready for its retrograde on Tuesday 24th. That sounds great to me. Switch down a gear, slowly does it...

How are you feeling as we approach the Aquarius New Moon?

Image: Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Living Astrologically - Jupiter-Saturn Opposition

2012-01-20T00:16:00.002+08:00

Jupiter expands, Saturn restricts. They have been playing tug of war with one another, on and off, since 2010.

Superimpose that onto my chart, and you'll find my natal Jupiter fitting in nicely in-between them as the focal planet, forming a T-Square with this Jupiter-Saturn opposition.

Since December 2011, when these two giant planets fighting out there began to tighten the orb in relation to my natal Jupiter in 12th house, I have been feeling the urge to come out of hiding, to be true to myself and not be afraid to tell the world what I truly believe in. I'm still not quite there yet. There are still people around me whom I don't feel comfortable with being honest to. I'm getting there......but the Universe is sick and tired with being kind to me. Next Monday, the Aquarius New Moon will form a T-Square with the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction - superimpose all of that onto my chart and now we have a grand cross! I don't know exactly how it's all going to work out, I'll give you the lowdown after next Monday. However, I'm certainly feeling the holiday stress leading up to Chinese New Year, which I have never experienced before. I blame it on the current T-square and the approaching Grand Cross.....

Where does the Jupiter-Saturn opposition fall in your chart?

Image: meepoohfoto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Living Astrologically - Emotional Roller-Coaster

2012-01-19T00:07:00.000+08:00

I don't normally keep a close check on how each transiting planet affects my own chart. However, having experienced elation, frustration, offensiveness, sadness and shock, all within 24 hours, I thought I should take a look at what the planets were doing to my own chart.

I was surprised to find that yesterday (17th January 2012), all the transiting planets were in tight/exact aspect to many of my personal planets:

- transiting Sun trine my natal Moon

- transiting Moon trine my natal Sun

- transiting Mercury sextile my Sun

- transiting Venus conjunct my Mars

- transiting Jupiter conjunct my MC

- transiting Saturn square my Jupiter and quincunx my Mercury

- transiting Uranus conjunct my Mercury

- transiting Neptune quincunx my Jupiter

- transiting Pluto trine my Chiron

- transiting NN square my Sun

- transiting Chiron conjunct my Mars and sextile my MC

- transiting Mars sextile Uranus and square my Neptune (separating)

Do you ever get days like this?

Image: anat_tikker / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Nodal Problem

2012-01-18T00:03:00.000+08:00

The North Node (aka Dragon's Head) symbolises the life experiences which can help us grow spiritually, i.e. what we need to develop in this lifetime. The South Node (aka Dragon's Tail) symbolises the path of least resistance, i.e.the traits we have over-developed and tend to fall back on during challenging times, which can prevent us from reaching our full potential.

FAS Summer School 2008

To illustrate, I have my North Node in Virgo and South Node in Pisces. Therefore, I need to develop Virgo qualities and avoid falling back on my Pisces tendencies. In reality, procrastination affects me greatly so I need to have more self-discipline and focus more on my goals. This laziness can, at times, encourage me to adopt a 'I can't be bothered' attitude, allowing me to excuse myself from participating in social events, so I need to put myself out there more as 'participation' is part of the Virgo North Node lesson.

The houses your nodal axis straddles across will add another layer to your interpretation. For example, my North Node is in the 2nd house and South Node in the 8th house so I need to develop my own self-worth and not put others' needs before mine at the expense of my own self-development.

I found other FAS students near me

The ruling planets of your nodal axis should also be considered. For example, my Virgo North Node is ruled by Mercury, where my natal Mercury is in Aries in 8th. Virgo North Node tells me that I need to have clear goals in my life and that I need to put myself out there more. Its ruling planet, Mercury, can tell me how I can go about achieving that. In this case, by communicating boldly and not being afraid to speak my mind on topics which may be considered taboo, I can reach my potential denoted in my Virgo North Node. In reality, I'm attempting to achieve this through astrology (and other forms of New Age healing methods). I have attended astrology classes, joined an astrology club and through this blog, I'm in connection with fantastic astrologers from all over the world. I'm motivated to reach out and share my passion with other like-minded people. However, I need to watch out for the ruling planets of my Pisces South Node - Neptune and Jupiter. With my Neptune in Sagittarius and Jupiter in Cancer, I tend to avoid participation by hiding away into the safety of my shell and become unfocused on my future plans, especially the finer details. I tend to get blindly optimistic and assume that everything will just work out in the end, but not doing anything in a concrete way to bring about the change.

I have one problem with my nodal axis - if the South Node denotes what I need to move away from, then what should I do, with a Pisces Sun, when your Sun sign is what you need to work towards in your lifetime? I guess my Pisces South Node is related to the negative Piscean traits (e.g. escapism, procrastination) and I need to develop the more positive Piscean qualities (e.g. compassion, creativity) as part of my Sun's lesson.

What are your life missions? What's preventing/hindering you from reaching them?

I strongly recommend Jan Spiller's Astrology for the Soul for those who want to gain further insights on this topic.

Astrological Rapport

2012-01-17T00:12:00.000+08:00

Astrologically speaking, water Pisces and earth Taurus get on very well together. I have met many Taureans and I did become great friends with them, however, I have never got on with them the way I have got on with Athena.

I don't warm up to people easily but I felt at ease with Athena instantly. We have been friends for well over a decade now and it's not until quite recently that I put our charts together and found many tight conjunctions between us.

- Her Saturn conjunct my Sun in 8th - I can be completely honest with her and trust her wholeheartedly. I feel my secrets are completely safe with her.

- Her Sun conjunct my MC/Her Uranus-Mars-Pluto cluster conjunct my Saturn in 2nd - Her vibrant energy has a positive effect on the way I see myself.

- Her Neptune conjunct my Uranus in 4th - She inspired me to go after my dreams and gave me a lot of spiritual guidance. She introduced Angel therapist, Doreen Virtue's spiritual teachings to me, opening my eyes to a new way of seeing life.

- Her Jupiter conjunct my Moon in 10th - I can tell her anything and not afraid of being judged by her. She always encourages me to have faith in myself.

- Her Venus conjunct my Chiron in 10th - I love being in her presence. She has a calming effect on me.

Have you ever met people you have an instant rapport with? What's the astrology between you and them?

New Moon in Aquarius 2012

2012-01-16T00:42:00.000+08:00

Time to get down on your knees and pray - we have a New Moon in Aquarius on 23rd January, which coincides with the first day of the Chinese New Year in 2012 - Year of the Dragon.

This New Moon falls on 2 degrees 42 minutes Aquarius. Pinpoint this in your chart to see which area of your life is being highlighted and make your wish accordingly. Embellish it further by finding Uranus in your chart (as Uranus rules Aquarius), and the 11th house (Aquarius' natural home), which is associated with friends, community groups, charities, long term wishes and goals.

The Jupiter-Saturn opposition forms a T-Square with this New Moon in fixed signs. The challenge here is to balance the need to make your plans practical and achievable yet still supporting your heart's desires and personal beliefs. Interestingly, Jupiter in Taurus and Saturn in Libra are both ruled by Venus. Harmony is the ultimate aim of any opposition/T-Square, but here, the Love Goddess has made herself present in this tug of war, wanting the two giant planets to see each other's point of view and to focus on society as a whole (Aquarius New Moon being the apex planet).

Mars in Virgo goes retrograde the next day, which helps us to be even more thorough and methodical in our actions, and to go through any small print with a fine-toothed comb before commitment.

Mercury entering Aquarius on 27th January continues the humanitarian theme from the Aquarian New Moon, inspiring the mind to wander into unexplored terrains for a worthy cause.

So to sum up, whatever your wish might be, make it realistic, adopt an optimistic outlook, be open to new ideas and think outside the box. Take the focus off 'me' and concentrate on reaching out to the masses by connecting with the 'group mind'.

From the perspective of Chinese astrology, the word 'expression' colours the first day of this Lunar New Year where people are generally more expressive with their hostile thoughts and feelings, e.g. public demonstrations, debates. There is a slight melancholic tone where people review the previous year and arrive at the conclusion that they have underachieved, despite having exerted a lot of effort towards their goals. This is especially relevant for the younger generations and employees. 2012 is a wood year (but with Water Dragon) representing growth and learning. However, this comes at a price - competition. Wood and water are very strong in 2012 so wood- and water-related industries will prosper, e.g. education, fashion, transportation. Fire industry may not do as well in comparison, e.g. IT, electronics. I want to thank my friend Jason for his Chinese astrology input.

So where is this Aquarius New Moon in your chart? What aspects does it make with your other planets?

Transiting Venus in Pisces 2012

2012-01-15T01:00:00.002+08:00

Venus, the planet of love, fun and values, leaves humanitarian Aquarius and into romantic Pisces on 14th January 2012. Venus is due to stay in this dreamy sign for just over 3 weeks, until 7th February 2012. This coincides with Saturn going retrograde and a full moon in Leo. In addition, 12 days into this ingress, Mars will go retrograde in Virgo. So it looks as if we will be given ample opportunities to review (look for Libra and Leo in your chart) and refine our plans, paying special attention to the smaller details (look for Virgo in your chart).

Venus is exalted in Pisces, meaning that the gentle and romantic Piscean energy is comfortably expressed in this loving planet. It is like feeling at home in someone else's house. (Venus' 'natural homes' are Libra and Taurus)

The effect of transiting Venus is rather transient as it moves 1 degree 15 minutes per day at its fastest. During its 3-week sojourn, it will conjunct planets in the sign of Pisces. Look for Pisces in your chart to see which area of your life will be visited by this Love Goddess.

Venus in Pisces is supposed to be romantic, making you feel attractive, caring and amicable. For me, I have Pisces on my 8th house cusp. Tracking Venus in Pisces for the last couple of years, I found that my experience of this transit is anything but lighthearted and romantic, thanks to my natal Sun-Saturn opposition. When transiting Pisces conjunct my Sun (Mars and SN), making me feel utterly charming and gentle, I have Saturn in Virgo on the other side screaming out warnings, 'Don't let your guard down! It's not as good as it looks! You're not worth it!' Currently, I feel more confident with keeping my Saturn in order. However, my next task is to make peace with Neptune, as I have a natal Sun-Neptune square, of which I have ignored for the most part of my life. It's screaming out for attention, especially with Neptune entering Pisces, its natural home, at the start of next month. I'm working on it Neptune...

Where's Venus transiting in your chart? Even though Venus in Pisces hasn't brought me any 'nice gifts' in the past, I'm sure it has given loads to others - are you one of those lucky souls?

Image: Dynamite Imagery / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Astro Dialoguing or Multiple Personalities?

2012-01-14T01:40:00.000+08:00

Beep beep beep beep! Beep beep beep beep!

'Time to get up. Rise and shine!' announced Saturn in Virgo, throwing back the covers and preparing to get ready for the day ahead.

'10 more minutes, please!' groaned Pisces Sun, groggily.

'Yeah, we set the alarm to go off 10 minutes early so we can have a snooze, remember?' complained Mars in Pisces. 'Isn't that right, Taurus Moon?'

Silence

'She's still dreaming,' observed Jupiter in Cancer. 'Look, all this arguing is making me wide awake so we might as well skip the snoozing session this morning...I can't stand it when you guys argue all the time......'

'Knock it off, all of you!' shouted Mercury in Aries, threatening to whip those who are still in Slumberland.......

Every waking moment, we face the challenge of integrating the different aspects of our personality. Most of us can achieve it well enough to lead a relatively 'normal' life, while others end up getting severely out of balance mentally.

Astrology is no magic tool but it can help us identify different facets of ourselves. It is akin to putting all the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together, except there is no guarantee that all the pieces will fit together perfectly. The key is to understand each aspect, and to find ways to 'live' with them all simultaneously and as peacefully as possible.

I often swing between being a procrastinator, where I leave work lying around half finished, to a complete martinet, where I force myself to tick off everything on my 'to do' list at record time. Knowing that it's my Virgo Saturn and Pisces Sun in opposition helps me to understand that both sides belong to me. When I'm being a workaholic, I purposefully give my Pisces Sun a kick to help me negotiate a rest, and when laziness is getting the better of me, I invite Virgo Saturn to sort it all out.

When I know I'm being overcautious and is on the verge of passing up a fantastic opportunity, I tell my Scorpio Uranus to counsel its opposition buddy, Taurus Moon and come to a mutual agreement.

I used to find it hard to comprehend times when I would crave recognition, but when I do get it, I would squirm and push the compliment away - all thanks to my Leo Ascendant and Pisces Sun-Mars-SN chasing after different dreams.

Blending all the different planetary energies harmoniously together is an art in itself - a lifelong task.

Which aspects of your chart do you find it the hardest to harmonise?

Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

8th House - Sink or Swim?

2012-01-13T00:58:00.000+08:00

I can still recall the moment when I first discovered that I have my Sun, Mars, Mercury and North Node in the 8th house of death.

Oh great! Does that mean I'm not going to last very long in the mortal realm?

Well, not necessarily, because other keywords for the 8th house include: 'regeneration', 'transformation', 'sexuality' and 'taboo subjects'.

Fabulous! Is something really traumatic going to happen to me and either I live through it or drop off the face of the Earth?

I guess in hindsight, I've had my dark moments in life, but as a beginner, those keywords only served to freak me out.

When I first began to read charts for friends, I remember feeling rather apprehensive about the 8th house. Those keywords are a start (along with 'shared resources', 'investments', 'inheritance'). But how do you make them practical (and not so scary)?

When I share my chart with other astrologers, they often comment on my packed 8th house, 'You have a lot of depth in your character', 'You tend to attract trauma into your life so you should become a counsellor,' 'You need to get light from other people.'

In my experience, I found that those with a prominent 8th house tend to get moments of deep depression where they may contemplate death or have extremely dark thoughts about others or themselves. Or they just love to analyse people and find out what makes them tick. Naturally, the sign on the 8th house cusp is also an important factor to consider, but so far, I've found that people with a prominent 8th house is unlikely to be naive - even if they appear to be so on the surface.

What's your take on the 8th house?

Image: koratmember / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Friday 13th - Love is in the air!

2012-01-12T01:31:00.000+08:00

Yes, love is in the air on Friday the 13th January.

Venus, the planet of love, values and pleasure, conjunct Neptune, a higher octave of Venus, governing dreams, ideals and spirituality. However, this conjunction at 29 degrees Aquarius may not necessarily bring the lovey dovey kind of love that you might expect, as Aquarius expresses itself with detachment and independence. The 'love' is certainly there, but towards a bigger audience with a worthwhile cause, e.g, a charity, a community group.

This conjunction, along with Mercury conjunct Pluto, can help to unleash any creative ideas locked within you, ones which are likely to make deep and long lasting impressions on others.

With a number of planets in earth signs (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Pluto), we want to get things done. We don't want to merely dream and imagine but to capture those ideals and manifest them into reality. Saturn in Libra (ruled by Venus) trine the Venus-Neptune conjunction, along with the Sun-Mars trine in the background further reinforce the theme of putting your passion into action.

So this Friday the 13th isn't all doom and gloom. Here is a great blog entry on the history behind this dreaded day: http://auntiemoon.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/friday-the-13th-exalt-the-feminine/

My Cancer Jupiter, tucked away in the 12th house is being quincunx by this Venus-Neptune conjunction and square by Saturn. I may feel uncomfortable to come out of my hiding place, but Saturn is threatening me with a cane......

Where does this Venus-Neptune conjunction fall in your chart?

Image: Kookkai_nak / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Oppositions - reflections of your inner soul

2012-01-11T09:46:00.001+08:00

I have quite a number of oppositions in my chart:

- Sun oppose Saturn
- Sun oppose North Node
- Mars oppose Saturn
- Moon oppose Uranus
- Jupiter oppose Venus
- Venus oppose Ascendant

With oppositions, we tend to identify with one side and disown the other. The Universe then brings people with those hidden/disowned traits to annoy the hell out of us. We then get extremely pissed off and moan to our friends about those irritating sods. However, if you calm your mind and take an objective stance, you're likely to find that those jerks are merely mirroring a part of you that you have disowned. For example, during my first Saturn return, I met some unsavory souls who challenged my self-esteem to the core. I found them highly judgmental and critical. I then discovered (through a mutual associate) that they are jealous and insecure on the inside hence they put on the mask of a bully to hide their own insecurities. After some self-reflections, I honestly can admit that I too possess those negative qualities, just that I've buried them deep within me. After that, I went through a phase of catching myself displaying those qualities on other people (i.e. judging and being critical of other people). I'm still finding it an art to balance between being nice (Pisces) versus being stern (Virgo), but hey, that's what life is all about. It certainly keeps me on my toes!

Oppositions are like see-saws, besides owning one side and projecting the other, we might jump from one side to the other. This is how my Moon-Uranus opposition, straddling across the 4th-10th axis, is turning out in reality. One minute I just want freedom and focus entirely on my career, and the next, I see all my married friends, some are even mothers, around me and I crave to have my own family too. Recently though, I've been in close contact with a number of working mums - ones with high powered jobs or their own businesses to attend to. It's amazing to see how they balance both sides with ease (on the surface of course) but it's rather inspirational to see them having the best of both worlds. However, they do tend to lean towards the family side more as they are willing to stunt their career growth in order to allow more time for their children. I see people like them and think - how can I effectively use my Moon-Uranus opposition? Can I achieve that too?

The Jupiter-Venus opposition is an aspect which took me the longest time to understand. I once consulted a professional astrologer and I specifically asked her about that aspect. Her reply was 'Jupiter is a beneficial planet, Venus is too. So you have lots of good things opposite each other - too much of a good thing is not so great.' End of explanation. Oh, thanks for that analysis, it's as clear as mud!..........Last year, I met a fantastic astrologer - Lilian, who is one of the founders and the current president of Hong Kong Astrology Club. I discussed my Jupiter-Venus opposition with her, which to be fair, is really a quincunx (out-of-sign aspect). Her answer was surprisingly insightful. She said just by looking at the planets, I should have lots of love opportunities but I just don't see them that way (very true!). Then she said I should focus on the signs too - Cancer versus Aquarius, flipping between wanting freedom and independence on the one hand but craving emotional support on the other. I've always given that interpretation to my Moon-Uranus, but my Jupiter-Venus actually reinforces that delineation too. What she said was pretty basic but it's like asking a hair stylist to cut his own hair, you can only do so much before you come to unreachable places/blindspots and are unable to continue. I like sharing my chart with other astrologers, I always hear something new every time.

What have you disowned/projected?

Image: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Living Astrologically - Full Moon in Cancer 2012

2012-01-10T11:54:00.001+08:00

Astrology is about the interpretation of symbols. Planets, signs, houses and aspects are representations of our mortal world, physically, mentally and spiritually.

Astrologers make predictions by analysing the symbols involved. So how did the full moon in Cancer yesterday unfold for you in reality?

For me, I received feedback on a piece of assignment that I had completed on Christmas eve (i.e. Capricorn New Moon). The insightful feedback received will help me to improve myself for the next piece of work. This is the essence of a full moon - review, tweak your plans/ideas before returning to the project/work/event (i.e. as we approach the next new moon from the current full moon phase).

However, besides this, I got another message from this full moon. Full moons are often related to resolutions and culmination points, but they can also be times when you see something clearly, often for the first time. Compare this to the outward appearance of a full moon - it is placed opposite the Sun and it is reflecting the sun's light full on. We see the moon completely, clearly, in its entirety.

As I was getting ready for bed that night, I thought to myself, 'This full moon in Cancer at 18 degrees 27 minutes falls in my 12th house of secrets. It sextile my NN in 2nd and square Pluto in 3rd. But nothing happened......' Then I stopped myself. A conversation I had with a relative that day came rushing back to me. I recalled her revealing some news to me concerning another family member. Something about her past that I was interested in but never had the guts to ask. However, the opportunity just presented itself so I posed the question, ever so casually, and discovered some shocking info about that relative. I was stunned as the realisation dawned on me (Full Moon message) that I did 'get' something from this full moon. In my Cancer 12th house (hidden secrets), sextile NN (I was meant to find out in a causal way), from a relative (Pluto in 3rd).....I personally would sum the Full Moon in 12th house square my natal Pluto in 3rd as 'family gossip'!

I'm not a witch - honest!

2012-01-09T23:05:00.000+08:00

I often get told that I put people at ease. So I was horrified when my colleague's daughter found me otherwise.

In my absence, Bailey is a cheerful girl. My colleague says she's very talkative and can be bossy at times. However, put me in front of her and her sweet smile disappears in an instant. She doesn't cry but just stares at me with a worried look. She also becomes silent, making me convinced that her parents are exaggerating on her communicative nature. She's not like that at all with other people! Why is she like that with you?

Great! So what's wrong with me? I'm not shouting, I don't even look remotely angry.........

I shared this with an astro pal. She reckoned that it's something related to Saturn in our charts. So I looked at the synastry between us and found that my Saturn conjunct her Venus exactly! (with an orb of about 10 minutes). No wonder. I'm a strict disciplinarian (Saturn), stifling her fun (Venus). There are other more pleasant aspects between us, but the poor girl, at the mere age of 18 months, detected this 'Your Saturn is sitting on my Venus!' aspect straightaway.........

Have you ever met someone you took an instant dislike to? Or the opposite?

Image: farconville / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Out-of-sign aspects - don't judge a book by its cover

2012-01-08T22:54:00.000+08:00

As if astrology is not complex enough, we have the added complication of out-of-sign aspects to deal with. This is when 2 planets are in aspect with one another but the signs involved do not match that aspect.

When I first began studying astrology, I read that these out-of-sign aspects function by switching between the two aspects involved. For example, I have a Mercury-Jupiter trine but between Aries and Cancer, therefore, sign-wise, it's a square. The planets relate to one another in a trine but the signs are in a square. According to those sources, this aspect flips between functioning like a trine and a square, so sometimes it's great, sometimes it's not.

Besides this out-of sign aspect, I also have 4 more:

- Ascendant in Leo conjunct Jupiter in Cancer in 12th (semi-square sign-wise)

- Venus in Aquarius in 6th oppose Jupiter in Cancer in 12th (quincunx sign-wise)

- Moon in Taurus 10th sextile Mercury in Aries in 8th (semi-square sign wise)

- Moon in Taurus in 10th square Mars in Pisces in 8th (sextile sign-wise)

The way I see it, these out-of-sign aspects are like being teased by the Universe. On the surface, it might be a trine or sextile, but deep down, it's actually a square or semi-square. Trines are natural talents, often go undetected by the native. In the case of my Jupiter-Mercury trine, I spent the first 2 decades living it as a square. I felt highly uncomfortable with sharing my thoughts and ideas and talking in general. I knew this had to be overcome, so bit by bit, I took the necessary steps to push myself to develop more confidence. Luckily, I was blessed with beneficial transits which gave me massive support (in the name of Jupiter!). Then, in my 20s, I began to receive positive feedback on my Mercury (e.g. presentation skills, public speaking), which I found difficult to accept at first. But having put in a lot of effort to release that trine, I can honestly say that I can finally 'feel' it and beginning to own it. Same for the Moon-Mercury sextile and Ascendant-Jupiter conjunction.

On the other hand, for the Jupiter-Venus opposition and Moon-Mars square, I don't feel the harshness as much. It's the opposite - they are not as bad as they look.

Overall, I would say that from my personal experience, these out-of-sign aspects are like cross-stitch kits or DIY kits, i.e. a 'trine kit' or a 'sextile kit'. You need to 'make' the aspect yourself. All the necessary components are provided for. All you need to do is have the motivation to transform them into the final product, which matches the picture on the original package (i.e. work through the differences between the signs involved to claim or own that aspect).

Do you have any out-of-sign aspects? How are they turning out in your life?

Image: nuttakit / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Cosmic Tracking before the Cancer Full Moon

2012-01-07T23:09:00.000+08:00

Transiting Uranus is conjunct my natal Mercury (since the end of October 2011 and is due to break out of the tight orb by the end of this month).

Transiting Saturn is square my natal Jupiter and quincunx my Moon.

Transiting Chiron and Jupiter are approaching a conjunction to my natal Mars and MC respectively, separating in the middle of next month.

Down here on earth, I'm feeling more bold and open about sharing my spiritual beliefs with the world and not being afraid of other people's reactions. I had a brief trek down memory lane last night (around the time when there was a combination of configurations in the sky - a grand cross, a grand trine, a kite and a mystic rectangle) and ended up getting rather emotional (though at the time, I had no idea about the 'configuration party' in the sky)......

How are the planets treating you?

Image: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Astrology Spotting

2012-01-06T23:17:00.000+08:00

I don't want to go into how astrology was once accepted by the church and now it's shunned. However, I do want to share some visual evidence of their union once upon a time.

I first witnessed this union back in the winter of 2003, during a 2-week tour of Europe. I saw a stained-glass window depicting the 12 signs of the zodiac inside Cologne Cathedral in Germany. Initially, I was shocked to see it, as I normally get an ear full from my Christian friends on how sinful I am and how I'll grow out of it 'When you know all you need is God', so seeing glimpses of astrology inside a church was simply unbelievable. My disposable camera couldn't capture its splendour at the time, so here's a link of it from another traveller's blog: http://www.traveljournals.net/pictures/39773.html

In the majestic setting of Oxford in 2008, I attended the annual Summer School organised by the Faculty of Astrological Studies. If I recall correctly, over dinner or breakfast one day, John Etherington told us about the astrological stone roof bosses found at the gate of Merton College, so one afternoon, I set off with some other faculty students and captured the following:

Can you identify some of the zodiac signs represented here?

Libra

Gemini

Cancer and Leo

Aries and Capricorn

Pisces

Sagittarius

Aquarius

In the summer of 2010, during a visit to the Victoria & Albert museum in London, I encountered more astrology. You can read about them here:

http://cosmicpotential.blogspot.com/2010/10/astrology-inside-v-1.html?spref=fb
http://cosmicpotential.blogspot.com/2010/10/astrology-inside-v-2.html?spref=fb
http://cosmicpotential.blogspot.com/2010/10/astrology-inside-v-2.html?spref=fb
http://cosmicpotential.blogspot.com/2010/10/astrological-aspects-on-painting.html

Have you come across any astrological symbols in churches, cathedrals or other ancient buildings?

Mercury in Capricorn 2012

2012-01-06T01:40:00.000+08:00

Mercury, the planet of communication, is due to enter earthy Capricorn on 8th January 2012 (the day before the Cancer Full Moon), and will stay for about 3 weeks (until 27th January 2012).

Having been pondering on the bigger questions of life while in philosophical Sagittarius for 2 months (including a retrograde interlude), Mercury is now ready to get realistic and filter-out plans that are too idealistic to implement.

Its ingress in ambitious Capricorn on 8th January trine Jupiter in Taurus and square Uranus in Aries reinforces the importance of thinking optimistically, yet cautiously and practically, aiming for steady progress rather than rushing through any projects haphazardly.

The Cancer Full Moon on 9th January marks an ideal point to review the progress of projects already in action. Mercury sextile Chiron helps us to let go of anything that is a hindrance and moves us forward positively.

The exact Mercury-Pluto conjunction on 13th wants to make a powerful impact with words and ideas. On the other hand, we also have a Venus-Neptune conjunction in Aquarius encouraging our creative juice to flow outside the box, but still making it realistic with Venus trine Saturn. Venus-Neptune in Aquarius also highlights the theme of extending our love to those in need within our communities.

As we approach the New Moon in Aquarius on 22nd/23rd January, Mercury conjunct Moon and trine Mars in Virgo focusing our needs on the finer details.

Where is Mercury in Capricorn in your chart?

Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Wish Upon a New Moon....

2012-01-05T00:25:00.000+08:00

I always consider new moons to be our monthly chances to touch base with nature, as new moons are favourable times for making fresh starts, for pondering on your heart's desires and reporting them to the Universe for manifestations (if they are for the highest good).

Making wishes corresponding to the sign of the new moon can be particularly powerful, as discussed in Jan Spiller's 'New Moon Astrology', where she listed, in detail, wish topics for each sign in order to maximise this lunar energy. She also identified transiting Sun travelling in the 11th house (using Placidus house system) as a potent period to send your annual wish list to the Universe. For me, it is when transiting Sun is in Gemini.

Satori (http://www.elsaelsa.com/astrology/2012/01/01/the-new-years-sun-in-capricorn/#comments) also discussed having transiting Sun conjunct your natal Moon as another fortuitous time to set your intentions. This puts mine towards the end of May, in the sign of Taurus.

When and where are your personal new moons? What will you wish for?

Image: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Energy of 2012 - Jupiter

2012-01-04T01:12:00.002+08:00

Jupiter expands, grows, prospers and seeks meaning. I particularly welcome its ingress in Taurus on 5th June 2011, and look forward to it entering Gemini on 12th June 2012. This is because having analysed my own Jupiter transits, I've identified periods of contentment associated with transiting Jupiter traversing my Taurus 10th house, where my natal Moon resides, and also, surprisingly, Jupiter in Gemini transiting my empty 11th house.

Being a Pisces, I can understand the happy feeling associated with my natal Sun sextile transiting Jupiter, but having transiting Jupiter square my Pisces Sun during its sojourn in Gemini? I guess being equipped with more than enough self-control and discipline (not always considered to be favourable though), I'm able to put this square to good use by not allowing it to get out of hand, which is a possible manifestation of Jupiter - over-confidence. Besides that, transiting Jupiter expands my 11th house of friends, community groups, hopes and wishes with a mercurial tinge (Gemini cusp), and in Gemini, Jupiter sends a supportive beam to my natal Mercury, giving my Mercury plenty of opportunities to expand and grow.

What's transiting Jupiter bringing you?

Image: Michal Marcol / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Energy of 2012 - Saturn

2012-01-03T00:00:00.001+08:00

Saturn, the planet associated with father/authority figures and boundaries, helps us to become a better person by putting us through a series of life lessons.

Saturn provides us with the basic framework and rules to follow. Saturn likes to be systematic, organised and law abiding. Saturn strives for security and safety. Where Saturn is in your chart indicates where your fears lie. It indicates where we tend to overcompensate in order to feel secure again.

In 2012, Saturn will finish off its final degrees in Libra and is due to enter Scorpio on 6th October 2012. A period of retrograde will occur between 7th February to 25th June 2012. Any planets, points or angles between 28 degrees 19 minutes Libra to 9 degrees 30 minutes Scorpio will feel the greatest tension from Saturn. As uncomfortable as you may feel, Saturn's visit is essential to our growth on the mortal realm.

In Libra, Saturn asks us to learn from our relationships with others and in Scorpio, to spring clean any hidden attachments lying around in our psyche.

Saturn Transiting through the houses

First house - Saturn enters the first house through the portal of the Ascendant. Saturn may challenge our old ways of viewing life. Saturn is a traditional father, demanding us to take life seriously. If you are a responsible person by nature, this transit will deepen this trait, whereas for those with a laid-back attitude, this transit can inject a solemn and reflective tone into your system. Saturn could tamper with your confidence level, but only to force you to get rid of anything superficial and unrealistic about yourself. This is also a time of introspection where you restructure your inner landscape. If you work hard on the 'Saturn first house' lesson, then, by the time Saturn exits this house, you will have discovered a renewed self-identity to work with for the coming years.

Libra Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the first house up to 5th October 2012.
Scorpio Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the first house from 6th October 2012.

Second house - This house is associated with our material possessions and values we hold. Saturn transiting the second house is traditionally interpreted as a period of financial loss. This can occur, but it didn't when I had my Saturn 2nd house transit 3 years ago. What it did bring up, was a feeling of insecurity concerning my finances. I also asked myself 'What's the point of working so hard? What do I truly get out of it?' on a frequent basis during this transit. This brings us to the crux of the 2nd house lesson - What do you really value? What is important to you in life? In essence, this transit allows us to restructure our inner value system. For some, they may have to lose their material possessions to find out what's truly important to them. For example, those who have lost their fortune in the current (or previous) bouts of economic crisis may have learnt that they still have their families with them, giving them support, while others may have found it hard to extract the hidden blessings in such situations.

Virgo Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the second house up to 5th October 2012.
Libra Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the second house from 6th October 2012.

Third house - Now that we have restructured our personality, outlook on life (1st house), values and resources (2nd house), Saturn will then turn our attention to our mind, which includes our communication style, our way of thinking, learning patterns and attitudes. During this transit, Saturn may urge us to inspect and discipline our mental output, and to plan our time effectively in order to maximise our learning opportunities. We may feel inadequate with our skills and knowledge base and might feel the need to enrol on relevant courses to compensate this lack. As the third house rules siblings, neighbours and our immediate environment, we may find people around us who are reaching out to us (Saturn in Libra) more than before. I can certainly relate to that - recently, my neighbours are making more small talks (3rd house) with me and prying into my private life, to my dismay......

Leo Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the third house up to 5th October 2012.
Virgo Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the third house from 6th October 2012.

Fourth house - Saturn crosses the IC threshold in order to enter the fourth house of our roots, home and foundation. Saturn encourages us to explore our roots and release any unhealthy attachments to the past, especially those related to our early home life. This can be a favourable time to undergo psychological therapy, particularly if any unresolved childhood issues are restricting your psychological/spiritual growth. This transit may manifest on a more physical level, whereby, your actual home space will undergo some kind of re-organisation or restructuring. As this house also represents one of the parents, this transit may bring some kind of parental duty to you, or you may be the recipient of it.

Cancer Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the fourth house up to 5th October 2012.
Leo Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the fourth house from 6th October 2012.

Fifth house - This house is associated with self-expression, romance, children and creative pursuits. Saturn pushes us to re-evaluate our talents and to express ourselves in practical and useful ways. Some of us may encounter older or more mature lovers, whom may bring discipline into our lives. Children may enter our lives, though not necessarily your own, where you have responsibility over their well-being. These may seem burdensome, or just 'not fun', but the purpose of these interactions is to promote growth. The ultimate lesson in this house is to cultivate a healthy dose of pride and self-dependence, so that we do not need to reply on the opinions of others and be affected by how we are perceived.

Gemini Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the fifth house up to 5th October 2012.
Cancer Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the fifth house from 6th October 2012.

Sixth house - Our daily routine, work and physical health are under scrutiny by Saturn. We may inspect our day-to-day arrangements to see if there are scopes for increasing the efficiency in running errands or going about our daily lives. At work, extra workload and/or responsibilities may be laden on us. We may feel our efforts go unrewarded and we could not live up to the unrealistic demands of our superiors. Our physical health may be strained, urging us to take better care of ourselves. A new exercise or diet regime may start at this time. The lesson of this house is to be productive and work efficiently within the constrain of a healthy body.

Taurus Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the sixth house up to 5th October 2012.
Gemini Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the sixth house from 6th October 2012.

Seventh house - Saturn steps through the Descendant doorway and into the seventh house of one-to-one relationships, which include marital and business partnerships. A feeling of loneliness may accompany this transit, whether or not you are in a relationship. The issues of commitment and fulfilling the expectations of others are likely to crop up. For some, this could be the end of a marital relationship, having inspected all the flaws and come to the conclusion that it is intolerable. For others, this could bring marital union, having inspected the current state of the relationship and come to the conclusion that it is time to be responsible and make a solid (official) commitment to your partner. The essence of this lesson is to re-assess your relationships and understand the part you play in them.

Aries Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the seventh house up to 5th October 2012.
Taurus Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the seventh house from 6th October 2012.

Eighth house - Saturn, entering the eighth house of other people's resources and values, tends to allow you to re-assess values held by others (including your intimate partner) and, if different from your own, to incorporate them into your system without stifling your own individuality. The issue of power and control may also be up for inspection. This is also traditionally known as the house of death, therefore, during this transit, Saturn may bring up issues of your own mortality, where we are reminded that there is a limit to our existence on this earthly plane.

Pisces Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the eighth house up to 5th October 2012.
Aries Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the eighth house from 6th October 2012.

Ninth house - Issues related to philosophy, religion, higher education and foreign travels come under the watchful eyes of Saturn during its transit in the 9th house. We may question our outdated beliefs on what life is all about. Finding the meaning of life and seeking religious or spiritual solace may occur for the purpose of applying it in the material world. Any long distance travels taking place during this 9th house Saturn transit are likely to be related to learning or fulfilling a practical intent, i.e. not for recreational purposes.

Aquarius Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the ninth house up to 5th October 2012.
Pisces Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the ninth house from 6th October 2012.

Tenth house - This could to be a time of accomplishment in your career, perhaps even being rewarded with a position of leadership. If this is in line with your wish, then it will be relished. Otherwise, this may just be a period of increased (and unwanted) responsibilities in your professional life. You may have reached the peak of your career, something that you have been striving for, but you may have sacrificed your personal life in order to obtain this recognition, and further work-related burdens await you. The essence of this lesson is to be aware of the limitation and restriction we can experience in our professional life or from our place in society.

Capricorn Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the tenth house up to 5th October 2012.
Aquarius Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the tenth house from 6th October 2012.

Eleventh house - In the house of hopes and wishes, community groups and friendships, Saturn asks us to question our role in our community and how we fit-in in our society. Any superficiality will not be able to withstand Saturn's stern glare, from false friends and unrealistic dreams, to shallow networks and associations. Any commitments made under this 11th house Saturn transit demand depth and practicality.

Sagittarius Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the eleventh house up to 5th October 2012.
Capricorn Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the eleventh house from 6th October 2012.

Twelfth house - As Saturn enters the 12th house of the Universal unconscious, we slow down our pace even more (Saturn slows us down anyway, but more so in the 12th house of retreat). We may want some isolation time where we delve into the depths of our psyches and spring-clean any junk we have assimilated previously, e.g. skeletons in the closet and fears which are hindering our spiritual growth, and dig up anything hidden that can still be of use to us, e.g. hidden talents. Feelings of inadequacy could crop up at this time. The importance of this transit is to realise that life is cyclical and that failures can make us wiser. Discard what is no longer practical to us and keep those that can help us onto the next lesson - the first house, where we get another chance to define our identity in the world.

Scorpio Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the twelfth house up to 5th October 2012.
Sagittarius Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the twelfth house from 6th October 2012.

Please note that all dates are given on the assumption that each house starts at 0 degree. For those who have access to their charts, they could determine the dates of house transition by locating their Libra and Scorpio cusps.

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Full Moon in Cancer 2012 - Wolf Moon

2012-01-01T18:30:00.000+08:00

The first full moon in January, or the moon after Yule, is known as a Wolf Moon, according to Native American Indians.

On Monday 9th January 2012, the full moon in Cancer at 18 degrees 27 minutes is a Wolf Moon. Any planets, points or angles in your chart at this degree will be able to feel the potency of this lunar energy.

Full Moons signal completion, endings or culmination points. It is a time when the moon is brilliantly reflecting the sun's light. We are urged to gain a healthy balance between the inner (Cancer) and outer (Capricorn) world, our home (Cancer) life versus our career (Capricorn).

Full Moons also tend to reveal the shadow sides of the signs involved, in this case, Cancer and Capricorn. The intensity of the lunar radiance may expose the emotional drought in us, where our inner needs are sacrificed or simply not met (Cancer). It can also indicate the shirking of responsibilities or being power hungry (Capricorn). The houses this full moon axis straddle across can give us further information on the nature of these shadow qualities.

Mercury enters Capricorn a day before this full moon can help us to discipline our mind and to carefully plan our next step. With Mars in Virgo in a supporting aspect to the Moon (sextile), we are encouraged to analyse any situations methodically before action.

Where does this full moon axis fall in your chart?

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Happy New Year! It's 2012!

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000+08:00

Happy New Year to you all!

The much speculated (and dreaded) 2012 is finally here.

The myth of 2012 apocalypse is due to the abrupt termination of the Mayan calendar at 2012, causing a wave of panic to spread across the globe.

Why did it stop there? Is it indicating the end of the world?

There have been speculations that the Mayans had to make an unexpected move or even got suddenly wiped out as a civilisation, hence unable to continue with their predictions.

I personally don't think it is the end of us this year, though there are some intense aspects in store for us earthlings in the coming months....

But let's not worry about that on the first day of the new year. The Moon in Aries pulls the attention away from this solemn matter and wants you to celebrate in style.

We have the Sun-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn square the Moon-Venus sextile before the end of the day. The Moon in Aries sextile Venus in Aquarius wants us to detach from our duties and have some fun before we get back to work on Tuesday (with the Moon moving into practical Taurus). The Moon-Jupiter conjunction in Taurus on Tuesday may want to extend the holiday mood and continue to indulge the senses with more food and laughter.

Meanwhile, we continue to have Mercury in Sagittarius struggling with Mars in Virgo (square) until Monday. Can we see the bigger picture and attend to details simultaneously?

Image: AKARAKINGDOMS / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Energy of 2012 - Uranus

2011-12-31T17:30:00.000+08:00

Uranus, the planet of the unexpected, takes 84 years to orbit around all 12 signs of the zodiac. In 2012, it will pass over Aries at 0 degrees 51 minutes to 8 degrees 33 minutes.

Uranus first entered fiery Aries for 2 months between 28th May and 13th August 2010. It left Pisces completely on 11th March 2011 and will stay in Aries until 15th May 2018. Just to complicate matters, it will revisit Aries for about 4 months from 7th November 2018 and leaves Aries for good on 5th March 2019.

With Uranus, expect the unexpected. If you can think of it, then Uranus can take it one step further. This planet demands freedom and independence. Once your planets get zapped by its electrifying energy, life will not be the same again. As with other transits, you can choose to fight against it or flow with it, or in this case, shake with it.......

On a global level, Uranus in Aries symbolises an increase in sudden violence, which has already started with riots breaking out in various parts of the world.

The house(s) that Uranus transits in can give us clues as to what kind of unpredictable events may occur to you in the next 7.5 years. However, birth chart analysis is not that simple. Besides looking at the planets residing in the house that Uranus transits in, we also need to consider the aspects to those planets and their rulerships too.

In 2012, Aries born between 20th-30th March (also those on the Pisces/Aries cusp) will have their Sun conjunct Uranus. Libra born between 22nd September to 3rd October (also those on the Virgo/Libra cusp) will have their Sun oppose Uranus. Capricorn born between 21st to 31st December (also those on the Sagittarius/Capricorn cusp) and Cancer born between 20th June to 1st July (also those on the Gemini/Cancer cusp) will have Uranus square their Sun. These 4 cardinal signs are likely to experience Uranus in a stronger and more 'in your face' way than Aquarius (19th - 30th January, plus those on the Capricorn/Aquarius cusp), Gemini (20th - 31st May, including those on the Taurus/Gemini cusp), Leo (22nd July to 2nd August, and those born on the Cancer/Leo cusp) and Sagittarius (21st November to 1st December, plus those born on Scorpio/Sagittarius cusp).

Rebellious Uranus sends an earthquake through your system and breaks down old beliefs, values and routines. You may feel awakened and excited to start something new that is being presented to you. You could find a new job, start a new relationship or move on to a new place of residence. There is a sense of wanting to break out of your everyday routine and do something completely different.

Since I just had almost all of my significant planets electrocuted by Uranus while it was in Pisces for the last 7.5 years, I thought it would be more insightful to share that with you instead of analysing all the separate Uranus transits.

With the Pisces ingress, Uranus had conjunct my Mars 3 times, oppose my Saturn 3 times, conjunct my Sun once, oppose my North Node 3 times, square my Neptune 3 times and inconjunct my ASC and Pluto 3 times each. My Sun oppose Saturn and the North Node natally and square Neptune too, so in effect, my Sun was activated by Uranus' hard aspects 10 times in total. Thanks to my natal Sun trine Uranus aspect and also the softer Uranus transits (sextile to my Moon, MC and Chiron 3 times and trine my Uranus 3 times), I live to tell the tale........so what happened in the past 7.5 years?

In a nutshell, I was trained as a primary school teacher, thinking the certification would set me up for life (or until retirement anyway). I loved the work but I kept on getting the 'trapped' feeling. I didn't understand it at the time and got rather restless - even though I wasn't clear about the road ahead, I just knew I couldn't allow myself to stay where I was. All in all, during this period, I resigned 3 times, worked in 3 different places of employment and relocated to a different country once. Whilst overseas, I moved house once.

I'm now at a place where my Sun waves goodbye to Uranus and it waits, with trepidation, for Neptune's arrival....

Where is Uranus shaking in your chart?

Image: dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Energy of 2012 - Neptune

2011-12-30T09:58:00.000+08:00

Neptune, the planet of illusion and spirituality, takes 164 years to complete one cycle of the zodiac. Currently, it is in its final degrees of Aquarius and will enter Pisces early next year. It had a brief visit in this dreamy sign back in early April and returned to Aquarius by early August. This imaginative planet will be in its own sign, Pisces, for the next 14 years from 4th February 2012 and will pass the torch onto Aries by the end of January 2026.

As a Pisces, I should welcome this ingress. After all, living under the current waves of economic turmoil, turning to spirituality of some form does help the soul to escape and get some inner peace and healing; as is developing compassion and exercise the act of kindness to those in need. However, it's not that I can't accept having boundaries and structures dissolved by Neptune, it's the fact that this planet can bring deception into the game. A pet hate of mine.

In Robert Hand's Planets in Transits, he mentions that 'planets pertaining to the ego drives - Mars, the Sun and Saturn - may produce fear, insecurity and anxiety when transited by Neptune by conjunction, square or opposition.' Great! I am due to have my Mars, Sun and South Node conjunct by Neptune in the coming 12 years, this in turn, will activate my Saturn and North Node which are in opposition to my Piscean cluster. So I have that to look forward to......of course, it's not all doom and gloom, as each planet carries positive and negative energies to be expressed slightly different by us mortals.

In 2012, Neptune will pass between 28 degrees and 54 minutes Aquarius and 3 degrees 9 minutes Pisces. Any planets, points or angles between these degrees will get a strong taste of Neptune, depending on the angle they make with it.

For the purpose of this entry, I will focus on the Sun only. A tight orb of 1 degree is used.

You know you have been zapped by Neptune when matters become unclear and boundaries are being trespassed and/or removed. A feeling of confusion then sets in. As with all aspects, it is merely a life lesson. Riding along with the motion may be easier than swimming against the current. Extract the essence of the lesson then move on. This is easier said than done, especially when Neptune clouds your perception, but stick with it and you are likely to come out of this transit with your hard-earned dosage of spiritual wisdom.

Pisces (born between 19th to 22nd February) and Aquarius (born between 16th to 19th February) will have Neptune tightly conjunct their Sun in 2012. The initial stage may bring confusion concerning their identity and their life path. Positively, this transit can heighten their sensitivity and intuition. On the down side, they may be prone to deception and betrayal as Neptune can flood them with sympathy and compassion for those who appear to be less fortunate than themselves. Forewarned is forearmed. There is no need to put up a barrier for the next 14 years and adopt a Mulder attitude of 'Trust no one'. If matters become unclear, demand clarification. Take advantage of the creative and healing side of this transit instead.

For Taurus (especially those born between 18th to 21st May), Gemini (21st to 25th May), Scorpio (19th to 22nd November) and Sagittarius (22nd to 26th November), Neptune will square them tightly in 2012. These people may find their well-planned out paths get flooded by Neptune, causing confusion and disorientation for the future. Life could also bring other forms of disappointments, depending on the house Neptune is transiting in, which can force these people to alter their old beliefs, values and attitudes. The challenge here is not to wallow in self-pity and to give in to addiction. The purpose of any Neptune transit is not to cause unease but to feel at one with the universe, that physically, we are separate entities, but spiritually, we are all part of the universal light.

For Leo (20th to 23rd August) and Virgo (23rd to 27th August), Neptune will oppose them tightly in 2012. Misunderstandings are more likely to crop up in their dealings with other people. They should consider only to put their trust in those who have proved their worth and integrity. Be cautious before entering into any new ventures as they may not be what they seem. Again, spiritual enlightenment and a new way of viewing life await those who manage to navigate their way out of the fog.

Aries (17th to 20th April), Taurus (20th to 24th April), Sagittarius (19th to 22nd December) and Capricorn (22nd to 26th December) should find it easier to tune into Neptune's spiritual energy with a sextile to it. They are likely to be sensitive to the needs of their friends around them. The blurring of boundaries is understood and assimilated into their systems much more gently. They may also become involved in spiritual pursuits of some kind.

Gemini (18th to 21st June), Cancer (21st to 25th June), Libra (20th to 23rd October) and Scorpio (23rd to 27th October) are also able to tap into Neptune's realm of imagination and creativity under this transit (trine). The danger here is procrastination. Harness the artistic energy and funnel it into projects that are close to their heart - chances are that these people know what those dreams are. Being overly idealistic is the other pitfall in this transit, however, if they clear away the fog of idleness and focus on their intentions like a laser beam, manifesting those plans can become a reality.

Which house will Neptune visit in your chart in 2012?

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Cosmic weather report for the last week in 2011

2011-12-26T23:53:00.000+08:00

The atmosphere lightens up as the Moon in Capricorn pulls away from its square to Saturn and enters Aquarius on Boxing Day. In humanitarian Aquarius, the Moon then square Jupiter, opening our eyes to those unfortunate souls in society who may not have had such a heart-warming Christmas. Is there anything we could do to help them?

On Tuesday 27th, the Moon conjunct Venus in Aquarius, creating an air of detachment, which helps us to let go of any emotional attachments as we get ready for the new year. This is further reinforced by the Moon in sextile to Mercury.

By mid-week, the Moon is busy connecting to Saturn (trine) and Neptune (conjunction) before entering dreamy Pisces. We are encouraged to be realistic with our time and not have our boundaries crossed by offering too much of ourselves away. The Sun conjunct Pluto may bring power struggles, though with the Moon sextile Pluto, the intensity is directed in positive ways.

Leading up to the weekend, with the Moon square Mercury in Sagittarius and oppose Mars in Virgo, we are reminded not to get caught-up in the details but to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.

Feelings become more volatile as the Moon enters fiery Aries on New Year's Eve. We begin to ruthlessly review the past year, reminiscing on all the things we have or have not achieved. A feeling of impatience accompanies our evaluation of 2011 as we look forward to making a new start in 2012.

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

'Tis the season to be jolly

2011-12-21T13:12:00.003+08:00

Venus enters the unconventional Aquarius, squaring Jupiter in greedy Taurus. There is a tendency to overindulge ourselves leading up to the festive season, whether it be Christmas shopping, dining-out or partying with friends.

Excessive spending, eating, drinking.............................

Merry Christmas everyone:-)

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Jupiter in Taurus going direct

2011-12-20T12:12:00.000+08:00

Jupiter, the planet of luck and expansion, first entered the sign of reliable and patient Taurus on 5th June 2011. Jupiter brings us a feeling of joy, confidence and faith in what we do, but we can equally be overwhelmed by this expansive energy. By 30th August though, it began its backward motion, giving us almost 4 months worth of introspective time to dialogue with our inner voice, and to work out how to utilise this wave of abundance in practical and sensible ways. On Christmas Day this year, Jupiter will go direct again and will stay in Taurus until 11th June 2012.

Personally, I have my transiting Jupiter in my 10th house of professional life and public status. Every time when Jupiter enters Taurus, I'm endowed with a feeling of hope and that whatever happens, it will all turn out to be fine in the end. You can interpret this as blind faith, I guess!

Where's Jupiter in your chart at the moment? What is it bringing you?

Image: zirconicusso / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

New Moon in Capricorn

2011-12-19T19:48:00.002+08:00

This year's Christmas Eve marks another potent time to make your wishes and to sow seeds in your garden of desire. The New Moon in Capricorn at 2 degrees 34 minutes asks us to be our own authority and choose the path that YOU want to be on. With Uranus in Aries in a tight aspect (square) to this New Moon, it is easy to give in to external pressure and to blindly follow the advice from those around you, whom may think they have your best interest at heart, but at the end of the day, you are your own boss. By all means, listen to their words of wisdom, but whether you execute them is at your discretion. Luckily, this New Moon is also in a relatively close aspect to Jupiter (trine), bringing opportunities and an atmosphere of harmony and good will to the area of life that Jupiter falls in your own chart.

Aries
Feeling confident with what you have to offer in your career, you are toying with the idea of adding another dimension to your professional life. As much as you want to leave a blazing trail and be the envy of your colleagues, the extra workload and responsibilities would mean less time to enjoy life.

Taurus
This New Moon ushers in a wave of philosophical energy, encouraging you to explore the big wide world through travelling or expanding your mind in a higher education setting. Regardless of the step you take to review what life means to you, you are imbued with a positive outlook on life.

Gemini
The energy of this New Moon is highlighting issues surrounding your relationship with your intimate partner, whether it be the assets you share together or taking the relationship onto a higher level. This may elicit the fear of losing your freedom and individuality. However, consider taking the time-out to listen to that inner voice of yours in order to reach a decision.

Cancer
Relationships, both romantic and business, are under the spotlight during this New Moon, whether it be the progression onto the next level or a total elimination. You are likely to have reached a point where tolerance is not an option. Like-minded friends could provide you with tactful and sensitive ways to handle the situation and deal with the people involved.

Leo
This is a time to review your current state of employment and how you are serving in this world. Opportunities present themselves in your career, from extending your professional network to captivating a larger clientele. Spiritual teachers or gurus could offer you words of advice, but you are the director of your life in the end.

Virgo
Some of your deep-seated fears may surface from the depths of your psyche, hindering the true expression of yourself. However, if you take a step back and see the bigger picture of life, you may find these 'scary monsters under the bed' are not so terrifying at all.

Libra

Home life is under scrutiny during this New Moon. Although family members may be testing your patience, you are feeling rather forgiving and can tap into your creative pool to find excuses for their negative behaviours.

Scorpio
This New Moon reminds you that it's time to update your knowledge bank and acquire new skills to remain competitive in the job market. You may also like to consider communicating your needs openly at work, as your boss and colleagues are not mind-readers. Offload your worries to a significant other, after all, a problem shared is a problem halved.

Sagittarius
As much as you crave freedom and spontaneity, there comes a time when life's practicalities have to be taken care of. This New Moon highlights the need for financial stability, even at the expense of curbing your creative nature. A feeling of contentment surrounds the possibility of expansions at work, whether it be the physical location or your workload; it's all taken in good spirits.

Capricorn
'Working hard' is your life mantra but the New Moon is opening your eyes to explore the possibility of 'playing hard'. This is also the perfect time to redress your work-life balance - Have you been neglecting your family because of your workaholic tendencies?

Aquarius
Always thinking about other people, Aquarians are asked by the New Moon to take a break and have some 'me' time. Ask your mind to shut up for a moment. Go deep within and get in touch with your inner self. A renewed sense of self-understanding can bring clarity to your next step in life.

Pisces
Friendships are under the spotlight during this New Moon. Perhaps you feel the need to widen your circle of friends or to detach from friends who are stifling your creative soul. This could also be a time to acquire new skills and be receptive to new ideas.

Image: kenfotos / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Energy of 2012 - Pluto

2011-12-17T21:54:00.018+08:00

After 76 years of being a planet, Pluto was redefined as a minor planet by the International Astronomical Union in 2006. Despite this relegation, Pluto still holds significance in the astrological world since astrologers analyse minor planets such as Chiron, Ceres and Lilith anyway.

In astrology, Pluto symbolises transformation, elimination, endings, new beginnings and rebirths. This minor planet first entered the sign of Capricorn in late January 2008 and then re-entered it in late November of the same year. It will leave Capricorn for good in November 2024. The energy of Capricorn is practical, reserved, ambitious and disciplined, but it can be negatively expressed as rigid, pessimistic and calculative. Pluto is considered to be a transcendental planet; therefore, its influence is exerted over a generation of people rather than selective individuals. Since its entry in Capricorn, we have observed huge upheavals in the financial world, beginning with the credit crunch, bringing a knock-on effect on the rest of the globe. Fear ripples into every aspect of our lives. All of a sudden, we are faced with the prospect of elimination (job losses, bankruptcies). Those who prove to be indispensable can remain in the game. Otherwise, out you go. These are some of the manifestations of Pluto in Capricorn in the collective world.

In 2012, Pluto will traverse between 7 to 9.5 degrees in Capricorn. Individuals born under the Sun sign of Capricorn will continue to feel the pressure to express themselves, to get in touch with their inner will and authority, and to face challenges head-on. In particular, those born between 28th December to 2nd January will feel this stress the most as Pluto will conjunct their Sun during 2012. It is a time to go deep within and to release those parts of you which are preventing you from moving forward. You are likely to feel a need to spring-clean an aspect of your life depending on the position of the Sun in your chart.

Aries and Libra, especially those born between 27th March - 1st April and 29th September - 4th October respectively, will feel the resistance to any possible changes around them. 2012 is a significant year for growth for these people, but only if they are willing to let go and have trust in the Universe. What appears to be 'losses' on the surface may well be blessings in disguise. The deeper the fear, the harder it is to release these outdated beliefs and habits. Detach, accept and embrace the transformation.

Those born under the sign of Cancer, particularly between 27th June - 3rd July, will also feel the stresses like Aries and Libra. Other people may appear to be controlling or undermining you, or you may be doing that to others as a way of holding onto the status quo. Again, it is a time to allow the hidden parts of yourself to surface to the light and to redefine your life values and goals.

Gemini, Leo, Aquarius and Sagittarius may also feel the resistance to the power of Pluto, though the intensity is likely to be less than that of the cardinal signs (Aries, Libra, Cancer and Capricorn). The key is to resist the temptation of remaining stagnant. What happens when you don’t take your rubbish out? Your house will stink!

On a more positive note, Pluto is in a more favourable aspect to Pisces and Scorpio, especially those born between 25th February – 2nd March and 29th October – 4th November respectively. Changes are more internal and are more readily accepted. Old beliefs and habits are released with ease, leaving behind a sense of empowerment.

Taurus and Virgo, especially those born between 26th April – 1st May and 29th August – 3rd September respectively, are also likely to feel focused and vibrant, having got rid of attitudes which have long expired. They may adopt a new approach to life and start a new hobby, a relationship or a health regime, depending on the position of their Sun and Pluto in their charts.

Besides the Sun, other planets in cardinal signs between 7-9.5 degrees (allowing an orb of 1 degree) will also feel Pluto's exertion.

Which planets in your chart will Pluto visit in 2012?

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Total Lunar Eclipse in Gemini 2011

2011-12-09T09:57:00.005+08:00

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west daily. Mortals all over the world go about their daily businesses, of earning a living and providing for their families, or to simply be carried away by the motion of their regular routine, because 'that's life, that's the way it is'.

Mercury in Sagittarius going retrograde two weeks ago (24th November) gave us an opportunity to stop rushing around for a moment and go within ourselves in order to ask more profound questions of our existence, 'Why am I here?' 'What do I need to do with my life?' 'What do I REALLY want from life?' This was quickly followed by a solar eclipse, also in Sagittarius, where it was a powerful time to plant a seed in the area of life where this New Moon falls in your chart (Sagittarius at 2 degrees 36 minutes).

Now, two weeks later, we are about to welcome the lunar eclipse in Gemini at 18 degrees 10 minutes. We are still in the midst of the Sagittarian Mercury retrograde, however, having pondered on the bigger questions of life, we now need to release our old beliefs - just like deleting unwanted files from your computer and updating your software. Keep what is working well and discard outdated ways of thinking. Look in your chart and see which axis this powerful full moon straddles across. Coupled with Uranus going direct in Aries on the day before this lunar eclipse, we are encouraged to be bold and to move forward fearlessly. Not everyone may see eye-to-eye with you, but remember, people used to believe that the world was flat and that Earth was in the centre of the Universe. As Brian Littrell said 'Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.'

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Polar Opposites

2011-11-15T13:55:00.007+08:00

I was in the middle of preparing a blog entry on the similarities and differences between opposition pairs (Aries-Libra, Taurus-Scorpio, Gemini-Sagittarius, Cancer-Capricorn, Leo-Aquarius, Virgo-Pisces) when I came across an article in the latest issue of Mountain Astrologer, written by the British astrologer Frank Clifford, also discussing opposition pairs, but in relation to the purpose of Sun signs. The article made such an impact on me for it systematically answered one of the queries I have had since studying astrology - What does it really mean when you're not typical of your Sun sign?

It's very well hearing 'You're not typical of your sun sign' as an answer to not behaving like a typical Virgo or Aries. I have even mentioned this in a previous blog entry ('Why Astrology Doesn't Work') possible reasons for that. Those were valid reasons, but somehow, they felt incomplete. However, Clifford neatly filled in the gap for me.

The Sun sign is what you are here to develop into (I have heard this many times too). You pick-up the traits of Aries by being thrown into situations where you are forced to be assertive and have to 'find' the courage within you to stand up to others and extract the leader in you. Clifford went on to explain that if you are not in touch with your solar energy, then chances are that you are displaying shadow qualities of the opposite sign. Hence, in the case of our Aries, s/he is acting like a Libra (Clifford termed it 'the polite Aries'), wanting to please others and keeping the peace wherever s/he goes. Even though other chart factors do affect the expression of the Sun sign, it is well worth considering the corresponding polar opposite sign too.

(Destiny = purpose of the Sun sign in question; Shadow = negative traits of the polar sign)

Aries/Libra

Aries

Destiny - to develop courage and leadership qualities, fight for the underdog and walk where there's no path

Shadow - afraid to upset the balance, people-pleaser, retreating into a subordinate role, following in other people's footsteps instead creating own path

Libra

Destiny - to develop diplomacy, to play the role of the mediator ('middle person'), to act like bridges between people, removing disharmony with fairness and justice

Shadow - feeling superior, being insolent, disruptive, a 'stirrer' (i.e. creating conflicts in order to be the one to resolve them)

Taurus/Scorpio

Taurus

Destiny - to provide a platform for others to depend upon (Clifford described it as the 'rock'), creating objects with material value which will stand the test of time, to appreciate the luxuries of life

Shadow - appreciation of beauty turns into an obsession, using other people's dependency on them as a way of controlling others

Scorpio

Destiny - to delve deeply into the mysteries of life by becoming a healer/'alchemist', to investigate the meaning of life and to explore the darker side of life

Shadow - getting stuck in a comfort zone, unwilling to take risks and see the bigger picture of life, building security on material wealth, fearful of codependency from self and viewing weaker individuals with contempt

Gemini/Sagittarius

Gemini

Destiny - to connect people through communication, to identify patterns in life, to offer own perspective on life by amalgamating an assortment of existing philosophies

Shadow - embracing superstition instead of hard objective facts, being a 'know-it-all' equipped with answers to everything

Sagittarius

Destiny - an eternal student to learn all there is to know about the meaning of life, asking big questions and being open-minded to their possible answers

Shadow - becoming superficial and getting caught-up in gossips, overlooking the true underlying meaning of life

Cancer/Capricorn

Cancer

Destiny - helping others (and self) to appreciate one's own past instead of falling victims to it, providing love and nurture to those in need of emotional support

Shadow - using emotional blackmail to get what they want, disregarding the past, becoming jealous of other people's success, resenting own bitter past

Capricorn

Destiny - to climb to the summit of their life target/chosen field of career with sheer determination, pushing aside obstacles strewn in their path, fighting against adversaries while holding firmly onto their morals and principles

Shadow - pitying the self, losing sight of their goals, afraid of achieving success

Leo/Aquarius

Leo

Destiny - to allow their individuality to blossom, to get touch with their inner child and being creative (e.g. via music, art, healing)

Shadow - seeking external approval, being envious of attention received by others, rejecting arts over science

Aquarius

Destiny - to be aware that everyone is equal in society, to be comfortable exerting one's authority over others without becoming egocentric, 'to provide a clear, original perspective on social issues of justice and responsibility'*

Shadow - craving attention, wanting to be the 'special one', fighting for a good cause but secretly feeling superior

Virgo/Pisces

Virgo

Destiny - to create order from chaos, to work out the crux of problems, to filter out the junk and extract the essence from situations, to gain a healthy body-mind-spirit balance

Shadow - to be 'lost at sea'; drifting aimlessly; not knowing where to go or what to do, to run away from life's responsibilities, to feel victimised

Pisces

Destiny - to be on the spiritual path, offering help and compassion to those in need, to be aware of the interconnectedness of life

Shadow - disrespecting other people's religious/spiritual faith, making mountains out of molehills, becoming ritualistic

* Clifford, F. C. (2011) What Lies Beneath: The Hidden Side of Your Sun Sign; Mountain Astrologer; Issue #160 Dec/Jan 2012 p10-11

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Mars transiting Virgo 2011-2012

2011-11-13T01:00:00.005+08:00

Mars has begun its transit in Virgo and will be traversing back and forth until early July 2012. This is a rather long period to have Mars, the planet of action, motivation, aggression and assertion in skilful, service-oriented Virgo.

(Other keywords for Virgo: critical, attention to detail, health-conscious, organised)

This Mars transit from 11th November 2011 to 3rd July 2012 can manifest in a myriad of ways. From being motivated to start a new exercise/diet regime to perfecting a skill through diligent practise, or being irritated by external criticisms to offering one's service to help others, the exact nature varies from individual to individual depending on the sign and house placement of natal Mars, which is further complicated by aspects to other planets in the chart.

I looked up the dates for transiting Mars in Virgo for the past 15 years and found that, for me, every time when Mars transits Virgo, issues relating to the assessment of my skills would crop up, from sitting major exams as a student to being inspected by Ofsted as a teacher! In recent years though, the emphasis has shifted to my health, from researching food and beverages which are beneficial for my physical body to hunting down beauty products to improve my skin. With Leo rising, Mars transits my 2nd house of income, material possessions, self-worth & physical body. For some with Virgo on their 2nd house cusp, money issues could surface, but personally, it affects my self-worth the most (which can just be as devastating as not having material security). I also become extra sensitive to criticisms on my skills.

Life is never straightforward. I also have Saturn in Virgo in the 2nd house so having t. Mars conjunct this solemn planet once every two years is not something I particularly look forward to. However, Saturn does become 'easier' to handle with age and I can certainly begin to understand that. Getting old isn't so bad after all.....

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Show me the way

2011-10-19T14:34:00.005+08:00

Last night, I dreamed that I was waiting for a bus in the town where I went to Uni. In the dream, I wasn't even sure if I was at the right bus stop. All I knew was that I wanted to get to the town centre. Thanks to my phone, I soon discovered that my destination was a lot closer than I first thought - close enough to walk there myself. As I was turning away from the bus stop, I began to soar into the air instead- in the direction of the town.

In a nutshell, my interpretation of this dream is that my reaching my goal is closer/easier than I think. And to get there, I need to think outside the box and look at it from a different perspective.

Besides delivering a subconscious message, this dream has also given me an insight into the workings of astrology.

In the dream, my initial uncertainty of my next step in life had led me to take a bird's eye view of the situation. While facing a problem or at a crossroad, don't we often wish that we could see into the future so we could select the best path? Some people turn to religion - they give their problems to God and have complete faith that the 'correct' decision will be made. Others turn to fortune-tellers, people who can see the overall map of the situation and advice accordingly. Unfortunately, as with all professions, there are bad seeds giving the rest of the profession a bad name. Astrology can be used as a forecasting tool but it doesn't provide a magic formula to all our woes, as I had found out very early on in my astro studies. However, if it was too clear, then God's insulting our intelligence and life would be no fun. My dream showed me that astrology is like an atlas - it shows the roads ahead but what you do on those terrains is entirely up to you - i.e. your freewill, though how you are likely to act can also be depicted from your birthchart.

Take Jupiter, for example, the planet of expansion, optimism and opportunities. If you know happy times are ahead in your area of work or relationship, you could take advantage of this energy. Life gives lots of goodies to us, but if we are not receptive to them, then they will pass us by, leaving us with nothing. We then complain and ask 'Where's my gift?' Some people are innately better at spotting goodies and grabbing chances than others, so I personally feel that knowing what kinds of cycles are ahead can help to maximise the chances of success.

On the other hand, if we see Saturn, the planet of hardship and restriction, in a particular area of our chart, then we can brace ourselves and get ready for a life lesson we have signed-up for when we first incarnated into this world. Think of this as a challenge and that we come out of this cycle feeling stronger and wiser - that is, if you are willing to face it.

With Uranus, you can expect some sudden changes, again, it's all down to the person whether or not these lessons are viewed as positive or negative. I like to see them as spring-cleaning. The Universe will not do anything to us that we are not ready for.

We might get a bit blurry-visioned with Neptune hitting a particular point in our chart. Ask lots of questions; try not to let the vagueness get the better of you, though it's hard to be objective when the fog of Neptune envelopes you...the plus sides are that your imagination and creativity are at their peaks.

Pluto likes to push hidden matters up to the light. This can either be painful, if you are unwilling to let go of any unwanted junk in your system, or it can be invigorating to release all that pent-up emotions/memories - think of constipation! Don't you feel good afterwards?

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Why Astrology Doesn't Work

2011-10-13T23:49:00.000+08:00

Since laying my eyes on my own birthchart almost a decade and a half ago, I have had a turbulent relationship with astrology.

I have learnt the keywords behind each planet, sign, house and aspect. I was aware that there could be more than one interpretation for each of those components, but as I began to notice cases where astrology 'didn't work', I started to ask myself if astrology was merely a limited tool - that it only works up to a certain point before it falls apart miserably.

Take myself as an example.

My Sun sign is Pisces. Yes, I have been told I'm shy, gentle, kind, quiet - all the keywords associated with this sign. Pisces' ruling planet is Neptune, a planet of no boundary, confusion and disorder. If my mother had read about the learning style of Piscean children, she would have been told that her Piscean girl will have difficulties in focusing on her academic work. She will daydream all the time and will find it hard to sit down to complete her school tasks. She will have poor organisational skills so do not expect her to take what she needs to school from day to day. Don't force her to write and read, she will prefer drawing, singing and dancing.

My mum would have thrown the book in the bin.

In actual fact, I was a conscientious student. My parents never pressured me but somehow, I have always been highly self-motivated to do my best at school. I loved reading from a young age; my mum couldn't drag me away from my books. I clearly knew what to take to school each day and I handed in my homework on time. I can draw but hated art. I would like to have been able to sing and dance but those areas never got developed in my life.

So what went wrong?

'Astrology doesn't work, that's why!' would've been the answers of skeptics. And I would've agreed with them if I hadn't delved deeper into my chart.

So what made me so grounded?

On closer inspection, my Moon sign is in Taurus, an earth sign, this significantly helps to stabilise my emotions and injects determination and stamina in what I do. But I think the main reason is that my Saturn is directly opposite my Sun, forming a 180-degree-aspect called an opposition. It brings practicality, discipline and order into my life.

I have also come across other examples where the Sun sign's traits appeared to be absent: a chart of a Scorpio who was naive and innocent. An Aries who was quiet and gentle and a Leo who was shy and extremely self-conscious.

So what went 'wrong'?

Nothing, is the answer, but merely the Sun sign cannot be take at face value. It turned out the my Scorpio friend had a Scorpio cluster in the 10th house (being in the public eye) all oppose Saturn. She told me that she couldn't stand conniving and selfish individuals. Clearly, she had disowned that part of her personality so it's being reflected to her through the people she met at work (she was struggling with her colleagues at the time). My Aries friend had the Sun, Moon & Mercury all locked away in the 12th house of Pisces, whereas the Leo had Capricorn rising so her chart ruler, Saturn, was giving her a solemn outlook on her life, not to mention that her Sun was at the apex of a T-Square with Uranus and Chiron.

If you are not typical of your Sun sign, there may be another part of your chart that is influencing your solar energy.

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Basic Astrology: Planets

2011-10-13T01:42:00.001+08:00

Basic Astrology - Planets on Prezi

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Basic Astrology: Houses in a Birthchart

2011-10-12T23:05:00.002+08:00

Copy of Basic Astrology - Houses on Prezi

October Horoscopes

2011-09-30T07:00:00.000+08:00

Aries

The full moon on 12^th October in Aries provides fertile ground for starting something new. Full of enthusiasm, you’re raring to go and do what’s close to your heart. However, this is likely to be greeted by challenging remarks from those around you. You may not see eye to eye with those who give you opinions you didn’t ask for, but their words of wisdom do have a point. Take a diplomatic view and hear them out. They are not trying to put you down or blocking you, but merely want you to slow down and think more realistically about what you want to achieve.

Taurus

People at work or romantic/business partners may not be what they seem. Your family members are concerned about how trusting you can be and want you to protect yourself more. However, you think they’re being unnecessarily pessimistic. Once you realize that they are only trying to be supportive rather than critical, you will embrace their wise advice.

Gemini

Thoughts go deeper than usual as Mercury enters the intensive Scorpio on 13^th October. The light-heartedness of a Gemini gives way to a more serious demeanour. Put this focused energy in your work and share your insights with your colleagues, especially if there is a new project on the horizon. Consider everyone’s viewpoints and cherry-pick the best option available.

Cancer

Changes or new beginnings at work may alert you to the fact that you have been neglecting your home life and/or family. An air of distrust fills you this month. On the one hand, you want to share your woes with your friends, but on the other hand, you somehow feel vulnerable to open up to them. Follow your heart and do what feels comfortable to you.

Leo

The full moon finds your mind fully satiated from all the ‘spiritual food’ gained from conversing with inspiring individuals. With Mars travelling in your sign this month, you are embracing life with a renewed sense of enthusiasm. Some of you may just want to take a step back and live simply (and dare I say superficially) by focusing on your exterior; splash out on that new outfit or experiment a new image to greet the world.

Virgo

Thoughts turn inward with Mercury entering Scorpio on 13^th October, along with Venus also in the enigmatic Scorpio from 8^th October, trusting those around you could become an issue. You are not inclined to discuss your fears openly and would rather seek solace by retreating into a safe space. Life isn’t as complicated as it looks, simplify where you can.

Libra

How can I increase my earnings/material assets? With Jupiter opposite your ruling planet Venus, thoughts turn to putting your hard-earned cash into investments or multiplying your current resources through other means. With the instability of the current economy, you want to tread carefully. Go mingle and have fun with your friends, there might be someone in your social circle who could give you the advice you are looking for. Even if you don’t find it, at least you would have had an enjoyable time catching-up with your buddies.

Scorpio

The Full Moon on 12^th October highlights the need to look after your physical health. Take time out to rest and pamper yourself. With the New Moon in your sign on 26^th October opposite Jupiter and in harmony with Neptune, you are asked to be creative with the limited resources available to you at work. Be positive; think about what you have instead of what you don’t have.

Sagittarius

There may be someone at work you have your eyes on but are not ready to declare your love to just yet. Perhaps this new object of affection is not someone you would normally go for, e.g. from a different culture or religion. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Even if it doesn’t work out, there are plenty of other fish in the sea.

Capricorn

Climbing the career ladder and gloating at the top of the summit may be your ultimate goal, but to reach there, it’s not all about one person’s glory. Being a team-player and listening to other people’s opinions are all part of the package to achieve the success you are seeking.

Aquarius

Humanitarian Aquarians would like to invest their time and energy on a worthwhile cause. This month’s new moon on 26^th October falls in your house of public life. Having conversed with people from all walks of life, your mind is buzzing with new ideas to take your project to a bigger and more influential audience. You are imbued with an enigmatic charm and are ready meet challenges head-on.

Pisces

A busy month awaits you at work. Don’t worry, it’s not all hardwork but a time to exchange ideas and get inspired from your colleagues and receive support from your friends. There’s no room to be shy; put on the coat of confidence and catwalk down the aisle. Everyone wants a bit of your enthusiasm.

September Horoscopes

2011-08-31T22:18:00.002+08:00

Aries

You come to the realization that success is not necessarily about self-achievement but it can be gained through the act of giving and being of service to others.

Taurus

You may feel your colleagues are forcing you to change the way you work. Think about who you really are and what is important to you. They may have a point to challenge your old ways. Why don’t you look into their accusation/advice and see if they have a point?

Gemini

Your thoughts turn to your home life. Perhaps you have been focusing too much on your career and have neglected your family? It’s not hard for you to make this up to your loved ones as you are an innate entertainer, bringing fun and joy to others.

Cancer

This month, you are putting a lot of thoughts on your health; from physical to spiritual. You believe that a healthy body is the required vehicle to house the soul. Therefore, it is important to nourish it with wholesome food and beverages. Spiritually, the mind can be calmed through the practice of meditation or engaging in relaxing activities.

Leo

Thoughts turn to your material assets and ways to increase your earning power. Caring for your physical health is also highlighted. Money can bring you material comforts but not at the expense of exhausting your body.

Virgo

With Mercury going direct again in your sign of Virgo, the fog lifts from your mind, leaving you a clearer vision of what you need to achieve this month. Others could give you ideas on ways to serve others and give something back to the community.

Libra

This month is a time to take a break from the social arena and retreat into a sacred space, allowing the mind to replenish its energy from the universal source.

Scorpio

Being Scorpio, you naturally need to keep your distance and have some kind of personal space from others. However, a busy month awaits you; be prepared to invest time on your friends and just having fun with them. This is the perfect time to share your hopes and dreams with your pals, regardless of their opinions. Even if you don’t get their support, you know they mean well anyway.

Sagittarius

This is a month of focusing on your career. How can I make myself stand-out? What skills do you possess that can move your professional life forward? Most importantly, how can I make it fun and enjoyable?

Capricorn

Career-minded and ambitious Capricorns are getting philosophical this month. What’s the meaning of life? What is important to me? There is more to life than climbing the career ladder. The simple act of spending time with your loved ones is equally rewarding.

Aquarius

Always thinking about others, Aquarians like to focus on serving mankind. This month, your thoughts turn inward and downward; fighting for the underdogs of society could be your next project. Just as long as you are being of assistance to someone in need, who cares what other people think?

Pisces

Romantic Pisces turn their thoughts to their significant other. It’s not always a bed of roses, but look on the bright side, the best part of a relationship is making-up after an arugment…..

The Moon Game

2011-08-21T20:53:00.004+08:00

I attended my first astro event in Hong Kong over the weekend, organised by Hong Kong Astrology Club.

The Moon was the topic of the day.

This lunar body governs our emotions, feelings, habits and what gives us security. At one point, we split into groups according to the element of our moon and discussed on ways to protect our chicks from the vicious eagle if we were all hens.

The fire group decided to give the chicks the opportunity to fend for themselves. The 'fire' hens wanted their chicks to develop a sense of independence.

The earth group would protect their chicks by finding a secure hiding place for them. The 'earth' hens did not think it's worth the effort to fight the eagle but to take a defensive approach instead.

The air group would inform their chicks on ways to stay alive. Besides on educating their young, the 'air' hens would also wreck their brains to fight the eagle through trickery.

Finally, the water group claimed that they would be terrified to be faced with the beast, but they would do all they could to protect their offspring by screaming at the eagle.

In the past, I've read about these 'elemental' discussions but it's something else to participate in one and witness the astrological influence on the final outcome.

Fire group

Earth group

Air group

Water group

Photo album of the event:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.259414017410875.69975.144474725571472&type=1

August Horoscopes

2011-07-30T00:03:00.008+08:00

The Cosmic Backdrop

It is impossible to remain emotionally oblivious to the recent global catastrophes, from the Norwegian attacks to Amy Winehouse’s sudden demise, and closer to home personally, the train collision in China. The common thread linking these tragedies is death. When mortality is involved of that magnitude, it surely makes us ponder on the fragility of human lives. How are these worldly concerns affecting you internally?

Astrologically, we have Uranus, the planet of sudden changes, and Pluto, which governs profound transformation, at 90 degrees from one another, i.e. a square. To embellish the picture further, Mars will square the former and oppose the latter a few days before the full moon on 13^th August. This may be experienced as intense anger over events which are beyond our control. The full moon, with the Sun in Leo and the Moon in Aquarius, is waking us up to the fact that no man is an island; we are individuals within a social network. With all these planets dancing away together, fun-loving Venus will conjunct the Sun in Leo, allowing us to value our true self and see our inner beauty, regardless of external influences.

Be warned though, trickster Mercury will retrograde from 2^nd August to 26^th August. Ask for second opinion where possible, as this Leo influence may inflate confidence when caution should be exercised. Avoid signing contracts and other official documents within this period, unless it is for a renewal. If it cannot be avoided, then go through the small print with a fine toothcomb to minimise future misunderstandings. Always have a contingency plan when travelling, just in case the inevitable should occur.

Aries

The full moon this month allows you, Aries, to focus on yourselves – something you do on a regular basis, but with a spin this time. Instead of merely thinking about ‘me me me’, you wonder who you truly are so you can contribute to the wider community. In a nutshell, you want to reach out to other people by gaining an understanding of yourself first.

Taurus

The full moon this month highlights the beauty on display around you. You are proud of your heritage, your family background and simply being ‘you’. You would like to immerse this newfound sense of pride and love of life into your professional life. How can I function more effectively at work with my innate skills and talents?

Gemini

Have you been invited to a school reunion? Are you thinking of visiting your folks who are still living in the house where you had spent your childhood? A catch-up session with your long-lost pals or siblings may highlight the fact that Geminians could travel to the edge of the world to satiate their needs for variety, but at the end of the day, home is where the heart is.

Cancer

The full moon this month is a great time to re-evaluate your assets. Financially, you could review your investments and see if there are alternative ways to make your cash grow more. Physically, how can you make your inner beauty shine through your flesh? Spiritually, what do you value? What is important to you and is that shared by your partner?

Leo

This month’s full moon turns your thoughts on relationships. We are not just flesh and bones but encased within are our inner charm and deep-seated beliefs. We tend to attract individuals who can deliver a great life lesson. No matter how annoying the person or situation may seem on the surface, try to extract the underlying meaning and move on.

Virgo

You are stirring from your hibernation from last month and are ready to mingle and face the world. Feeling rejuvenated, you are now contemplating on ways to incorporate your newly discovered spiritual understanding into your everyday life. Can you practise what you preach?

Libra

Librans like to sit on the fence and be as diplomatic for as long as they can get away with. This month, you are exerting your energy at work in order to fulfill a wish which is likely to benefit a huge audience. You enjoy this project immensely and pride yourself in giving something back to the community.

Scorpio

Your muse pays you a visit and you are feeling rather inspired to go where no man has roamed. It may be uncomfortable at first, but what the heck, the world is changing around you as we speak, even if you do not budge, the Universe will find a way to kick you into motion. Show the world what you are really made of.

Sagittarius

Questioning on the meanings and purposes of life may come naturally to you but not everyone understands the lingo. How can we make it more practical and relevant to the average person? Thinking philosophically energises you. Wouldn’t it be great if this is shared by all?

Capricorn

Under this month’s full moon influence, ambitious and conscientious Capricorns may consider expanding their knowledge to aid in the climbing of their career ladders. Attending a course in a higher education institution could be the answer, but the wise counsel from a mentor can also do the trick.

Aquarius

It is unlikely that you will be bored this month. Your social life is packed to the brim but watch what you say, express your thoughts clearly to avoid misunderstandings. When in doubt, just close your mouth.

Pisces

Without a healthy body, nothing can be achieved. This month, thoughts turn to caring for your physical body and appreciating its beauty. Tone up those muscles with a new exercise regime and put yourself on a wholesome diet. After all, we are what we eat, a healthy body means a healthy mind.

July 2011 horoscopes

2011-06-26T10:46:00.004+08:00

Aries

Your mind is buzzing with ideas on ways to improve your living environment - to the dismay of your family or housemates. Watch how you spend your hard-earned cash; listen to the wise advice of those around you. This is a time where you can do with some ‘me’ time and retreat into your own sacred space - occupy yourself with activities which can be carried out in the comfort of your own home.

Taurus

The New Moon ushers in a sense of determination to make a fresh start, which can be achieved by releasing old habits and changing your old ways of thinking. Your creative energy is high and you may want to tap into your feminine side. Your social life is likely to pick up speed this month. Watch out for unnecessary spending. Having that new outfit or the latest gadget that your friend has may boost your self-esteem, but true happiness emanates from the heart.

Gemini

What do you value in life? With this month’s new moon, you are likely to invest quite a bit of time pondering over what is important to you. This is also an ideal time to research into possible ways to manage your finances – is there another bank account offering a more competitive rate? Is it time to re-mortgage your home? Use your contacts and ask lots of questions.

Cancer

Enjoying the company of friends and having a good time with them appear to feature significantly this month. You would like to allow your logical side to rest and be in touch with your feelings and emotions. This could also be a time to explore a new image to present to the world. You may have fun getting a new hair cut with your friends or go shopping with them.

Leo

This is not a time to be a hermit. Get out there and mingle with people. Through relating to others, you may re-acquaint with a wish or dream that you have forgotten about. Is there something you have always wanted to do or are passionate about but have never taken it further for whatever reason? It may be a project which benefits a large audience.

Virgo

This month is likely to be a time when you would like to be alone to think things through. You may be feeling rebellious and not want to follow the crowd. There appears to be a focus on your career so perhaps you are exerting your mental energy on a work project. Conflicts with co-workers and/or authority figures are likely. You understand the importance to be nice and courteous to others, however, during this time, unless they share the common goal(s) with you, you seem to have little patience to entertain them.

Libra

This is a time where you are likely to get on well with people in your professional life. Your work environment is relaxing and harmonious. You could even fall in love with someone at work! There are opportunities to meet like-minded people and working with them towards a common goal. A balance needs to be reached between optimism and realism. Be open-minded and not limit yourself with what you can or cannot do, but at the same time, to exercise caution and not let arrogance rule the game.

Scorpio

Travelling abroad appears to be on the cards. Whether it’s a personal or professional trip, it is likely to be a pleasurable experience. This trip will broaden your horizon and expand your social circle. Even if you are staying put where you are, it is probable that the universe will bring foreign experiences into your life e.g. meeting individuals from a different culture, attending lectures from an international speaker.

Sagittarius

Watch your temper this month as there is an increase likelihood of conflicts with others. This may occur at work with a co-worker or a significant other. They may not see eye-to-eye with your optimistic way of thinking. You are feeling rather open-minded and receptive to foreign experiences, which may be the start of something intense and unforgettable.

Capricorn

You may love your job or whatever you do for a living, but there comes a time when you feel the need to receive recognition for your effort. You are putting in a lot of time and energy into your work and all you ask for is some encouragement, preferably from an authority figure. You are feeling friendly and sociable and are likely to get on amicably with the people you meet.

Aquarius

You crave some change at work, whether it be more challenges or simply making a mark in what you do. Injecting the ‘wow’ factor in your ideas but making it realistic will be hard to achieve, but with your determination to succeed, anything is possible. In your intimate relationships, you are feeling comfortable enough to speak your mind. Your easy-going nature helps you to communicate your feelings to your object of affection and win over their heart.

Pisces

A new way of working may find itself to your workplace. Your creative muse may pay you a visit and inspire you to take your work to a different level. Though caring and selfless by nature, you are toying with the idea of allowing a bit of an ego to come through your work. You enjoy what you do and like to make things beautiful, but all of a sudden, you feel it is time to let your true self stand under the limelight. You are the star of the show and it doesn’t hurt the world to know that.

Congrats Will & Kate!

2011-04-29T16:03:00.010+08:00

Huge congratulations to Will and Kate!

What a breath of fresh air! It's so uplifting for the world to share their happiness after witnessing a series of disastrous events occuring across the globe, from the Libyan protests to the Japanese Earthquake, to name but a few.

I was tempted to analyse their charts and synastry but as Kate's birth time is still unknown, I thought it best to leave the delination until that piece of information becomes available.

Though thousands of miles away from London, I am now following the royal wedding live on TV. I cannot describe this warm feeling I'm experiencing in my heart - maybe it's the fact that a third of the population in the world (as it is allegedly claimed by the BBC!) is expected to watch this joyous event, and so I feel it is the opening of our heart chakras as we sincerely bless this couple a wonderful future together.

Case Study: Sir Richard Branson

2011-04-21T11:42:00.003+08:00

The birthchart is often referred to as a map of potential pathways for one to live out. In a given lifetime, one tend to explore a few possible routes depicted in the chart. That is why it is important to have an interactive consultation with a client, as a way of discovering which potential has been chosen. I feel in the case of Sir Richard Branson, his ceaseless appetite for adventure has motivated him to live out many of his astrological potentials. From the depths of the ocean to the far-reaches of outer space, he wants a piece of every action (Uranus in Cancer in 11th house trine Jupiter in Pisces in 8th house; Uranus ruled by and sextile the Moon, of which oppose Jupiter).

Known to be shy in private (Sun in Cancer locked up in 12th house), this man has accrued an immense amount of cash and power with his global enterprises (Pluto rising in Leo; Saturn-Jupiter opposition across 2nd-8th house axis). Though not always successful, Branson displays his keenness to live life to the full by dabbling into a myriad of investment opportunities (Venus in 11th trine Mars in 3rd but square Saturn in 2nd), from travelling (Virgin Atlantic Airways) to music (Virgin Megastores), telecommunications (Virgin Media) to beverages (Virgin Cola).

With his Mercury in Leo, he communicates with flair and has a knack for grabbing attention. His 3rd house is ruled by Virgo, which naturally co-rules communication, a conjunction pair between Neptune and Mars in Libra further adds another layer to his style of thinking - creative and bold. He has the determination to transform his ideas into reality. A highly self-motivated individal (eastern hemisphere and cardinal fire emphases), Branson has the confidence and assertion to find his own niche in the public arena (Aries MC). If he can dream it, he can make it.

Case Study: Bruce Lee

2011-04-05T21:08:00.002+08:00

A local documentary series on Bruce Lee has spurred me onto the path of unrivalling this kung-fu legend's astrological constituents.

A Sagittarian with his Sun conjunct the Ascendent, Lee had a philosophical approach to life. Lee's wife recalled her husband's passion in martial arts and how he injected his life philosophy into his work (Sun trine and rules Pluto in Leo in the 8th house). As a guest on The Pierre Berton Show, Lee compared the movement of martial arts to the mutability of water. 'Be formless, be shapeless like water. [...] Be water, my friend.' With his Neptune in Virgo in the 10th house and Pisces on the 4th house cusp, Lee had creatively and comfortably immersed the idea of fluidity into his kung-fu work.

'Don't think, feel.'

Looking at Lee's chart, it is interesting to note the conjunction between his Moon (feelings) and Mercury (thinking) in Scorpio, with the former in detriment. Thinking and feeling are merged and undistinguishable. His emotions ran deep, as did his thinking. He was likely to be incisive and precise with his mental power. With both these planets ruled by Pluto and further receiving a square from it increases the intensity. Luckily, this intensity is ameliorated by the trine to the Sun. Therefore, Lee knew it was his destiny to carry out his mission in life without the extra heaviness. His perfectionistic tendency was likely to have stemmed from his MC in Virgo and Mercury oppose Saturn in Taurus. Being perfect and asthetically pleasing were likely to be what he sought in his work.

Lee's iconic image changed the way westerners perceive Chinese people back in the 60s (Moon, Mercury, Venus & Mars in Scorpio packed in the 11th house, all received a square from their ruling planet Pluto in Leo in the 8th house). His success was earned through his sheer determination and diligence (Jupiter-Saturn Taurus conjunction in the 5th house oppose the 11th house bundle; fixed T-Square in 11th-8th-5th houses). Lee was the first Chinese to play a significant role in a Hollywood movie. In the TV series 'The Green Hornet', his chaffeur-like outfit caused a westerner to mistake him for an insignificant worker on the set. Lee shrugged off the insult in a typical Saggitarian manner, and explained he wasn't upset by the incident because he was Bruce Lee.

When Coco met Douglas

2011-03-20T15:30:00.018+08:00

My astrology tutor said studying charts of famous people is an effective way of honing one's astrological skills. Work commitment mixed in with a sprinkle of procrastination has delayed me in carrying out this task. However, if something is meant to happen, it will, no matter what excuse is being presented. Almost a year ago, I was invited to a Chanel event which sparked my interest in analysing the chart of Coco Chanel. Attending the event allowed me to learn a lot about the fashion icon without needing to do much of my own research. http://cosmicpotentials.blogspot.com/2010/04/coco-before-chanel.html

Last week, I had the great fortune of attending yet another Chanel event. It began with a photo exhibition of Coco Chanel, taken by Douglas Kirkland. In the summer of 1962, Kirkland, an American photographer, was assigned by Look magazine to shadow Chanel for three weeks. I was given an extensive tour of the exhibit by Amy Lai (Customer Relation Management manager, fragrance & beauty division). Amy was able to provide an impressive amount of information on each photo because she was lucky enough to have met the photographer a few days before.

Chanel was in her 70s when she met the 27-year-old Kirkland. From an astrological veiwpoint, the transit picture included a grand cross in fixed signs. The period in question is likely to have been significant to Chanel, which may or may not be unrelated to the encounter with Kirkland (further research needed here as there may have been something else going on in her life at the time in question).

Idealistic when it comes to creating beauty in her life (Moon in Pisces in 2nd ruled by Neptune in Taurus in 4th, which in turn is ruled by Venus. This natal Venus conjunct her Sun in Leo with an orb of 9 degrees. Her natal Moon oppose the methodical Mercury in Virgo, which in turn trine Neptune, repeating the theme of beauty and idealism, not to mention the Libra MC), Chanel was apparently a perfectionist. She would wear a pair of scissors round her neck so impromptu alterations could be made to her models' garments. Furthermore, to ensure he was good enough to take pictures of her, Chanel asked Kirkland to do a trial-run on her models before allowing herself to pose for his camera.

During the three-week period, one could see that Chanel's solemness gave way to a more relaxed demeanor as she gradually felt more comfortable in Kirkland's presence. Photography was not allowed at the exhibition, but I chanced upon the photo in a magazine, I call it 'Cheeky Chanel' (photo taken by me from East Week Magazine):

I was surprised to learn that Chanel was very much into the occults. Her displays of crystals and lion ornaments in her private office inside the House of Chanel, Paris reflected this interest. A leo, Chanel naturally had many ornaments of lions and the colour gold in her private office. This practice is still evident in some of the shops:

Thinking of you all

2011-03-13T21:02:00.003+08:00

As an astrologer, my automatic response to any world disaster is to analyse the cosmic factors behind the catastrophe. However, with the recent Japanese earthquake, I found myself unable to do so straightaway. I have spent three years of my life living in Japan and it absolutely pains me to see the news coverage of the disaster. I began to get in touch with all my friends still living there, and luckily, they are all safe and sound.

We take life for granted. Those hundreds and thousands of Tohoku inhabitants were going about their lives, oblivious to the imminent danger. In the blink of an eye, their lives were turned upside down. I can still recall when my Japanese friends were reporting the news on Facebook, I had a few 'problems' playing on my mind. However, those 'problems' disappeared completely when I discovered the magnitude of the quake and what now lies ahead of Japan as a nation.

My thoughts go out to you all in Japan.

Hoppy Chinese New Year - it's the Rabbit's turn

2011-02-06T00:01:00.003+08:00

Happy Chinese New Year to you all. It's the Year of the docile Rabbit, ushering in a different kind of energy from the Tiger, but just like a bunny, it's still full of vigour.

Astrologically, we are at another new moon, which symbolises a new cycle, a new start. This time, the Sun and Moon are conjunct at 13 degrees Aquarius, the sign of unconventionality and suddenness. To add to this mix, we also have Mars, the god of war, bringing aggression and vitality. In mundane astrology (astrology of world events), Mars signifies war and violence. Globally, we have the Egyptian riots. More locally, and personally, I have encountered the police on several occasions this past week. Once at the local wet market, a couple of uniform officers were taking notes of an incident of property damage, where a butcher had to cease business for the day due to having red paint splashed all over his stall. Butchers and the colour red are governed by Mars. Then, the next day on the train, some police and train officers were trying to settle a dispute between a Hong Kong Chinese lady and a family of tourists from Mainland China, where the latter had allegedly pushed the former onto the floor in order to get seats on the train. Verbal insults ensued with lots of anger hanging in the air - all ruled by Mars again.

Thanks for all the excitements Mars!

Capricorn Solar Eclipse

2011-01-02T16:15:00.006+08:00

2011 is finally here. Have you reviewed 2010 and made a wish list for 2011?

Four days into 2011 is a Solar (or New Moon) eclipse in Capricorn. It also happens to be my friend, Natalia's birthday - Happy Solar Return Nat!

The Sun and Moon are conjunct at 13 degrees Capricorn. New Moon is the time to start afresh, which is highly appropriate as we have just stepped through the threshold of 2011. We are reminded to leave the old behind - all that no longer work, and embrace the new. What do you need to get rid of and make a clean start on? This solar eclipse happens to fall in my 6th house of workplace, daily routine and health. Perhaps I need to consider starting a new exercise regime and watch what I eat? The house where this eclipse falls in is the area of life you may like to consider some changes. Why not take advantage of this solar eclipse energy and create a plan of action?

It is also important to note that Saturn in Libra squares this solar eclipse. If you are feeling lethargic about making a target list for 2011, perhaps people around you may somehow urge/force you to evaluate the area of life in question.

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T22:07:00.003+08:00

Here we are on the eve of another year - where did the 365 days go? I'm thankful for all that I have achieved and am looking forward to another 'clean slate', where I can make a new list of targets for 2011. On that list, I should begin with 'I will put more time in astrology and update my blog more regularly'!

What are your hopes and dreams for 2011?

Mercury Retrograde in Gemini

2010-12-21T21:52:00.005+08:00

A month ago, Susan Miller, one of my favourite astrologers, wrote in her monthly horoscopes that the Mercury retrograde in December would cause havoc in anything related to communications. Therefore, she recommended that Christmas shopping should best be completed by the end of November. Watching the news today, I totally agree with Susan. Christmas deliveries are being delayed due to the heavy snow across the UK. Not to mention countless travellers facing the prospect of spending their Christmas at the airport.

It is interesting to note that Mercury is currently retrograding in the sign of Sagittarius - foreign travels. This planet of communication has just come out of a conjunction with the Sun, which opposed the Moon in Gemini just yesterday (i.e. Full Moon & lunar eclipse). This is a time when a culmination point is reached and we are faced with a need to clear away all the things that no longer work, and to make room for a fresh start. The full moon in Gemini, a sign ruled by Mercury, may denote a time to take an inventory of our lives (an apt time with the approach of 2011 just coming round the corner), and to let go of any emotional attachments which may be clouding our rational judgement. Perhaps an injection of objectivity and logic could help to stabilise our emotions and to help us think more clearly.

I hope the airport staff will be able to overcome their stress (Moon) and put on their thinking caps (Mercury) in order to ease the congestions in the airport lounges across Europe.

Astrological aspects on a painting

2010-10-09T22:14:00.010+08:00

Besides the plaques showing the zodiac signs, I also came across another painting with an astrological association:

Can you see it? Let take a closer look:
Let's zoom in further at the tower:
Can you see the twelve glyths of the zodiac within the circle? Also the different aspects in the next inner layer:
Conjunction is show by the new moon; square by the square shape; trine by the triangle. However, opposition looks more like the sextile symbol.

Here's some background info on the painting:

Astrology inside V & A (1)

2010-10-09T07:01:00.002+08:00

It's been a long time since my last post (again!). I've been meaning to share my find at Victoria & Albert Museum during my summer visit to London. I managed to squeeze in a trip there with a friend and was surprised to find traces of astrology in some of the exhibits.The first exhibit was a set of twelve roundels depicting the agricultural year.

On closer inspection, I noticed that besides showing the length of daytime and night-time (upper light blue and lower dark blue arcs respectively), each plaque also has a zodiac sign on top of the sun:
January - Aquarius:

February - Pisces:

March - Aries:

April - Taurus:

May - Gemini:

Astrology inside V & A (2)

2010-10-09T07:00:00.001+08:00

June - Cancer:

July - Leo:

August - Virgo:

Astrology inside V & A (3)

2010-10-09T06:59:00.000+08:00

September - Libra:

October - Scorpio:

November - Sagittarius:

December - Capricorn:

Quotes from Wild Love

2010-07-25T02:40:00.002+08:00

'Wild Love' by Gill Edwards:

'Any negative emotion is an opportunity to grow. It is to be welcomed...[........]...It is a sign from our deep Self that there is work to be done, that we are not currently aligned with our desires. We need to choose new thoughts that move us into more positive emotions - beyond fear, beyond judgement...[.....]...If we reach inner peace, we are attracting what we want much more easily. And if we are vibrating at the level of unconditional love and joy and freedom, the world is our oyster!'

'If it feels good, we can simply enjoy it. If it feels bad, we can learn and grow from it - and perhaps help others as a result. Whatever happens, all is well.'

'Whenever we try to be good, or try to please others, or see anyone else as bad or dangerous, we disconnect ourselves from Source. We disconnect from who we truly are - which is love.'

'The deepest darkness can elicit the greatest light.'

Words from Beyond

2010-07-20T16:36:00.004+08:00

I've always been fascinated with the reincarnation stories uncovered under hypnosis. In 'Many Lives, Many Masters' by Dr Brian Weiss, the patient under hypnosis was able to relay messages from the wise masters, appearing in between lives. I found a few of the messages very insightful and would like to share them here:

'Everybody's path is basically the same. We all must learn certain attitudes while we're in physical state. Some of us are quicker to accept them than others. Charity, hope, faith, love......we must all know these things and know them well. It's not just one hope and one faith and one love - so many things feed into each of these. There are so many ways to demonstrate them. And yet, we've only tapped into a little bit of each one...'

'Patience and timing....everything comes when it must come. A life cannot be rushed, cannot be worked on a schedule as so many people want it to be. We must accept what comes to us at a given time, and not ask for more. But life is endless, so we never die; we were never really born. We just pass through different phases. There is no end. Humans have many dimensions. But time is not as we see time, but rather in lessons that are learned.'

'Energy.....everything is energy. So much is wasted. The mountains......inside the mountain it is quiet; it is calm at the centre. But on the outside is where trouble lies. Humans can only see the outside, but you can go much deeper. You have to see the volcano. To do it you have to go deep inside.'

'We go through many stages when we're here. We shed a baby body, go into a child's, from child to an adult, an adult into old age. Why shouldn't we go one step beyond and shed the adult body and go on to a spiritual plane? That is what we do. We don't just stop growing; we continue to grow. When we get to the spiritual plane, we keep growing there, too. We go through different stages of development. When we arrive, we're burned out. We have to go through a renewal stage, a learning stage, and a stage of decision. We decide when we want to return, where, and for what reasons. Some choose not to come back. They choose to go on to another stage of development. And they stage in spirit form.....some for longer than others before they return. It is all growth and learning.......continuous growth. Our body is just a vehicle for us while we're here. It is our soul and our spirit that last forever.'

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Summer Time

2010-07-08T00:56:00.003+08:00

I had the shock of my life when I discovered that it has been almost two months since I last updated my blog. Tsk tsk, I've allowed my lazy bugs to overtake me again. Since my last blog entry, Jupiter and Uranus have finally entered into the realm of Aries. I wonder if anyone is feeling this energy shift? I certainly do, otherwise I wouldn't have the urge to change my blog to a pink background!

Arian Energy

2010-05-22T01:08:00.003+08:00

In my last post, I pointed out that Uranus is about to enter Aries next Friday. As the cloud of confusion lifts from my mind (I blame the previous Mercury retrograde, which we are still under the influence of since we are yet to come out of the shadow period), I noticed another astrological movement - Jupiter is also due to enter Aries in a few weeks' time.

With more than one outer planet in Aries, I would expect the Arian energy to activate the 'me first' attitude, a time to think about who you really are and what you really want to achieve. You may feel courageous and want to try something new. The exact nature of how this Arian vibration may affect you would depend on where Aries is in your chart.

Personally, I feel the Arian energy as pure anger. It doesn't help that my part of the world is getting hot and humid - not a good combination for me as I get highly irritable when the temperature rises. My temper flares up and my patience is almost non-existent.

Uranus in Aries

2010-05-15T08:46:00.016+08:00

Since becoming an avid astrologer, I have been keeping a close watch on the planetary movements above and so any planets going retrograde (appearing to be moving backwards from earth's viewpoint) I would be fully aware of . However, I had a shock when I discovered Mercury went direct on 11th May - when did it go retrograde?! How did I miss it? I vaguely remembered one was coming, but this is the first time I actually missed it totally. Accompanied with this revelation was the realisation that transiting Uranus is a degree away from conjunct my natal Mercury. How did I miss that too? This then made me pick-up my paperback ephemeris and found that Uranus will soon leave Pisces and will enter Aries in two weeks' time. Uranus has been in Pisces since 11th March 2003 with an interlude in Aquarius between June to November 2003. Therefore, for the past 7 seven years, the planet of sudden change and unpredictability has been residing in Pisces, a rather soft and gentle sign and is now approaching towards the more feisty and energetic Aries. It will be under the influence of this bold and courageous sign from 28th May until 15th May 2018.

With Uranus, expect the unexpected. It is easier to go with the flow and be flexible. Uranus is about shaking out the old and welcoming the new. Depending on your house cusps and planetary placements in your chart, Uranus in Aries will carry a different message for everyone. But here is the general focus for the next 7 years:

Aries: Uranus passing through your first house of physical appearance may bring on a sudden desire to have an image change, or to start a new exercise regime. You may be forced to change the way you see the world.

Taurus: With Uranus tucked away in your 12th house of secrets, hidden talents and the Universal unconscious, you may discover a side to you that you didn't know existed. Feelings of instability may arise without knowing the reason. Old problems may resurface, requiring you to clear them away from your system.

Gemini: Uranus in your 11th house of friends, community and hopes may denote a period of reaching out and joining forces with those in society who are not afraid to challenge traditional values. New goals, new lifestyle and new friends are likely to be the main theme during this time.

Cancer: Uranus stomping into your 10th house of career and public status is likely to be accompanied with some radical changes in your profession. You could change your job or a change in your social status is likely. During this period, you feel empowered with the energy to trot down the unbeaten path and stand up to authoritative figures.

Leo: Uranus in your 9th house of higher learning and foreign travel may denote opportunities to travel. Having an open mind could help you to accept and incorporate a new way of viewing the world.

Virgo: With Uranus in your 8th house of shared resources, sudden changes in your joint finances with your partner is likely. Intense and fateful events may open up past wounds; deal with them face-to-face and release them from your psyche.

Libra: Uranus in your 7th house of partnership may signify unexpected changes in your existing relationships, from starting or ending a partnership abruptly to having more arguments and conflicts with others.

Scorpio: With Uranus spending the next 7 years in your 6th house of workplace and daily routine, you are likely to find yourself with new challenges and responsibilities in your job, or even totally change your place of work, possibly to acquire more freedom. You may adopt a new attitude to how you work.

Sagittarius: With the planet of sudden change transiting in your 5th house of self-expression and creativity, you may be inspired to be more adventurous with your romantic relationships. In general, you tend to be drawn to new experiences and may take on a new approach in your creative work. Your children, if you have any, may be going through a rebellious stage.

Capricorn: With Uranus bounding into your 4th house of home, family and ancestral roots, you may be planning on a change of scenery in the home front, e.g. moving house, renovating your existing home. Changes may also occur with your family members.

Aquarius: With Uranus in the 3rd house of communication and mental attitudes, changes are likely to occur in your way of thinking. This may also be the time where you break away from old habits.

Pisces: Your finances may go through a period of instability with Uranus in your 2nd house of material possessions, earnings and self-values. This is likely to be the time when old values are thrown out of the window, particularly on how you view material goods.

External World Versus Internal Space

2010-05-08T08:14:00.011+08:00

Since becoming acquainted with New Age spiritualism, 'The Secret' in particular, I have wondered how to accommodate two areas of my beliefs which appear to be at opposite poles.

As an astrologer interested in various teachings of divination (e.g. palmistry, face reading, Chinese astrology etc), I have wondered how positive thinking could turn one's life round when it is not 'written' in your life contract to begin with. The art of free will plays a huge part, in that, something that is 'pre-destined' can be overridden by one's free will. However, if something is meant for the highest good, then one will continue to encounter that on one's life path, i.e., we have the power (or free will) to push it away, instead of embracing it, but it will keep on coming back to you. For example, if being a fashion designer is your natural talent, opportunities will be thrown your way to explore and expand that potential. If this individual is tempted by other reasons, (e.g. money, status) and decides to stray from this path, then s/he has the free will to do so. However, true happiness awaits those who are following the path which is for their highest good.

The other day, I was watching a fortune-telling TV programme. The Chinese astrologer was asked if one undergoes plastic surgery, would the person's fortune be changed? The answer is no, not unless it is accompanied by internal changes. Facial features (and also lines on palms) are a reflection of one's internal world. For example, for a female to have a raised bump on the bridge of her nose denotes someone who tends to have turbulent relationships because of her paranoia towards her partner/spouse. If this person removes the bump, would she become more trusting of her partner? No, not unless she makes a conscious effort to self-reflect and then cultivate trust in her partner. This is the link I have been seeking. So just because we are 'born' with certain facial features/palm lines/patterns in birthcharts, we are not destined/doomed, we still have the power to exert conscious control. Through your own choice of spiritual faith (or not), erroneous thinking can be corrected, thus achieving a cleansed internal state.

Life Analogies

2010-04-30T21:41:00.004+08:00

Often, I hear people around me complaining about their wishes not coming true. They have 'sent' their wish list to the Universe and eagerly await for the results to deliver. Besides the fact that the wish may not be for the highest good, there are other factors to consider.

While listening to Doreen Virtue's radio show last week, I picked up some useful analogies which I want to share them with everyone here.

Telling the Universe what you wish for is like sending a letter. You must letter go of the letter in order for it to be delivered to its designated recipient. If you hold onto the letter (i.e. not letting go), then the letter won't get delivered.

Communicating your wishes with the Universe is also liken to ordering in a restaurant. You make your order then sit back and relax while you wait for your food. You do not give your order to the waiter, then march into the kitchen to tell the chef how you want your food cooked exactly. Just like you do not tell the Universe in specific details how you want your wish to be granted, perhaps a few general criteria could be helpful, e.g. for the highest good, to feel happy, so in the restaurant analogy, it would be like requesting to have your steak served medium/rare/well done.

Give the Universe time to set your wishes in place. Your wish may involve another person, and unless that individual is ready, the wish cannot be fulfilled. Divine timing is the key. Having patience is another important factor - I'm the worst person to preach this being such an impatient soul! But this is like gardening, where the seed has germinated in the soil but our eyes cannot detect this minute growth. I remember back in primary school, everyone in my class was given a seed by our teacher. She told us to get a pot, water it as necessary and bring it to school in a few weeks to see how everyone had done. Being impatient, I dug up the seed everyday to check its growth! Needless to say, my seed did not germinate at all because I was not able to let it do its own growing. We simply need to have the patience to wait for the shoot to push through the soil and into the light.

Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Coco Before Chanel

2010-04-18T17:29:00.010+08:00

I find it rather amazing that the same stimulus could elicit a myriad of responses in different individuals.

You and I may smell the aroma emanating from the wooden furniture in our bedroom or the woods by our house and thought nothing much of it. Perhaps we would feel relaxed to breathe in those scents? But who would have thought to capture and transfer that smell to a perfume bottle? That was one of the interesting facts I acquired from my recent invite to a perfume exhibition courtesy of Chanel.

Being an astrologer, I couldn't help but wonder the astrological factors possessed by Coco Chanel.

Using my Solar Fire Gold program, I discovered that Chanel was a Leo with a Pisces Moon and Sagittarius rising. This interesting fire-water mixture is likely to create an individual with an urge to express one's individuality and put oneself under the spotlight (one of her quotes being 'In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.'). Life is like one big adventure, waiting for brave souls to explore ('Success is often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable'). There is a conflict between asserting one's identity and striving for personal recognition, and wanting to be gentle, feminine and selfless. Her Sun conjunct Venus is also another factor which allowed her to stitch her name into the bible of fashion.

Liberating women from tight corsets by introducing 'comfort' into garments for ladies, Chanel made her mark with her signature 'little black dress' and 'Chanel suit', bringing out beauty without discomforts. Being the first perfume to bear the name of the designer, the olfactory creation 'Chanel No. 5' perfume endowed Chanel with timeless fame. These achievements certainly had satisfied her Leo Sun. Her Pisces Moon could also be glimpsed by the fact that her textile products allowed women to show-off their femininity without physical discomfort and restriction.

Chanel remained unmarried in her 87 years of mortal life but had numerous affairs with influential and powerful men (Sun conjunct Venus in Leo in 8th; Jupiter in 7th). When asked why she did not marry the Duke of Westminster, her replied was 'There have been several Duchesses of Westminster, but there is only one Chanel!'

Be the Change

2010-04-17T07:58:00.004+08:00

My recent trip to my local hair salon endowed me with an entertaining concept.

Six months ago, I finally had the urge to invest time and money on revamping my appearance (not the permanent kind!). I changed my wardrobe and even attended make-up classes. On consulting my chart, I discovered that my first make-up class coincided with transiting Mars conjunct my Ascendant in Leo. So I expended energy on 'me', in particular, my appearance. I also spent a lot of my time exercising to tone up my body (the first house rules our physical body and appearance). With Mars in retrograde, the effect of my egocentric focus was prolonged (and currently still in effect).

Practice makes perfect. As a student, I focused my entire energy on my academic work, therefore, I was less than a novice when it came to beautifying myself. Being an all or none person, I decided to speed up my learning process by giving myself plenty of opportunity to practice by waking up an hour early every morning to put on make-up (this 'mask' is also a first house symbol!). My current work colleagues noticed the change and some of them disapproved of me wasting my time on 'painting' my mask. Instead, I was advised to spend that time in bed. 'Who are you trying to please anyway?'

'Me,' was my reply, come to think of it, that is also a first house concept! Not to mention very Leo too. I explained that I did not like what I saw in the mirror and besides, I just felt the urge to do it. It felt right. I have learned long ago to follow my heart.

I shared this with my hairstylist. The first thing he said to me was 'Don't let your environment influence you. Be the one to influence your environment.' He then shared a psychological experiment involving the placement of an expensive car in a deprived area of New York and in a more affluent residential area. The car was completely taken-apart in the former setting but was left unscathed in the latter. The psychologists then repeated the experiment by replacing the cars with a cracked window. The same outcome occurred in the former case, i.e. dismantlement of the vehicle. However, in the latter case, having a crack in one of its windows caused a different result - the car was disassembled as well. This simple experiment illustrates that one can influence one's surroundings. You can be that change. My hairstylist commented that instead of listening to my colleague and be affected by her advice, I should continue to do what I do and begin to notice changes in them instead. Thinking back though, I think they also played a part in changing me - I remember feeling like a rag initially, so perhaps I was affected by my environment after all?

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T21:08:00.003+08:00

It is too easy to forget the true meaning of Easter, hidden behind all those chocolate eggs and fluffy white bunnies. In the Christian faith, Jesus died on the cross for all us sinners. His resurrection three days later symbolises hope and rebirth. Perhaps after indulging in all the goodies, we could spend a moment to ponder on things we could release/give up, just like Jesus had given up his mortal life for us. Life is cyclical, as one door closes, another opens, what do you need to welcome into your life?

Bad Astrology

2010-03-28T08:07:00.002+08:00

I remember over a decade ago, a friend of mine received a complimentary astrology report which brought tears to her eyes. She claimed that the recount on her childhood was spot-on. She even contemplated on ordering the extended version, which required a fee. Curiosity got the better of me and I requested my own free report. After reading it though, I regrettably informed my friend that it was identical to hers and it certainly didn't bring tears to my eyes.

It's such a shame that there are unscrupulous astrologers giving astrology a bad name.

http://www.astro.com/astro-databank/Bad_astrology

Image: David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Caterpillar & Tadpole

2010-03-21T19:06:00.003+08:00

The other day, a colleague of mine shared an entertaining story she had read from a children's picture book:

Once upon a time, there was a tadpole that was in love with a caterpillar. They were practically joined at the hip. All was well until one day, Caterpillar vanished from the face of the earth. Tadpole was heartbroken. Unbeknown to Tadpole, Caterpillar had hidden herself away in a cocoon. Tadpole focused so intently on searching for his love that he was unaware of the physical changes occurring to his body - the gradual disappearance of his tail and the growth of limbs.

Eventually, a beautiful butterfly pushed her way out of the cocoon and soared into the air. She had not forgotten about her great love. She flew around the forest, asking all creatures great and small if they had seen her Tadpole.

'No,' came the answer. Feeling distraught, she continued on her quest and encountered a frog.

'Excuse me Mr Frog, I'm looking for my...' Butterfly did not get the chance to finish her question as the frog captured the butterfly with his extended tongue and swallowed her.

I laughed when I heard the ending. But then, I had a thought. Essentially, Tadpole and Caterpillar's love for one another had not diminished. The only obstacle was their transformed external shells.

What about us? Would we get so caught up with external appearances that we fail we recognise our soulmate?

Image: renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Being a Lightworker

2010-03-07T11:12:00.004+08:00

Becoming good friends with a fellow reiki practitioner in Hong Kong was a miracle to me. However, we all have our destined paths to follow. My newly-found soul sister soon returned to her home country with her husband. I was gutted when I first heard about her decision - I am a human being after all. As a believer of positive affirmations and a fan of 'The Secret', I began to send out my cosmic order for more spiritual friends to enter my life.

With Mercury and Mars in retrograde at various times during the past few months, I've had my emotional ups and downs. I originally attributed them to the fact that I had too much time on my hands during the major breaks (e.g. Christmas and mid-term) to feel sorry for myself. But then, even as I resumed my usual work routine, I felt something was amiss. A few individuals around me noticed this change and invited me along to meet their friends as a way of expanding my social circle. As grateful as I was to their kindness, I still felt something just wasn't right. I couldn't explain it at all. I knew meeting these people may even exacerbate the situation so I declined their offers. I knew I was happy with my work, that for once, I am in the right place doing the right thing. It wasn't until I finally met another spiritual soul with similar interests to me that I realised what was missing in my life - a circle of friends in my vicinity to really share my spiritual beliefs with. I don't just want to 'preach' but to really discuss and appreciate the teachings with like-minded individuals, and to provide support for one another. The heaviness in my heart finally lifted and the spark within me re-ignited. I feel this is another 'booster shot' to my belief system; that however strange and unacceptable my New Age beliefs may appear to other people, I am to stand by those teachings because I am a lightworker and nothing will change that.

The Art of Freewill

2010-02-27T18:04:00.009+08:00

When I first began my blog, I used the same title and wrote about one of my experiences of freewill. After a couple of days though, I deleted the entry because I felt it contradicted with my spiritual beliefs. In my initial post, I discussed that a fortune-teller friend of mine advised me to cancel my 2-week trip around Europe during the winter of 2003, the reason being that her calculations showed unfavourable conditions awaited me in the direction of my travel. Practically, I had already paid for the trip and was looking forward to it. Moreover, my best friend from school organised it and we knew it would be a long time (if ever) before we would be able to travel together again. I couldn't let her down but at the same time, I felt pretty distraught with the negative piece of advice. I then sought a second opinion and it was a lot more positive. In the end, I went along with it and had a fantastic time, though there were aspects which I found rather challenging to my self-esteem. Nevertheless, I returned home in one piece.

So what's the point of mentioning this again? Everyday, I check Doreen Virtue's oracle card reading on YouTube. The reading for tomorrow is 'Positive Expectations'. Doreen mentioned that the final outcome of the situation currently on our mind is still not set in stone and that with our positive expectations, a happy result awaits us. The key is not to give the Universe an 'outline' of our wish, that is, it is unproductive to tell the Universe the specifics because life will bring us an outcome which exceeds our mortal 3-dimensional thinking. Just merely ask for an outcome for the highest good and hold the jubilant feeling as if the wish had already been granted. I guess I subconsciously did just that 7 years ago for my trip - I visualised coming home in one piece.

This brings us to the 'Freewill versus Fate' debate. As a practitioner of astrology, I see certain sets of 'life paths' mapped out in one's birthchart. Does this mean our lives are truly written in the stars, with no room for negotiation? Yes and no, I believe that we choose to incarnate into our present physical body for a particular sets of 'lessons', as depicted in our birthchart. However, there are more than one way to learn our life lessons. The possibilities are endless. We are merely choosing the path at a particular point in time in order to experience a certain lesson. Therefore, we have the 'freewill' to choose within our given sets of 'fated' life paths.

Oh Su Jung Versus Karl

2010-02-20T14:24:00.006+08:00

I managed to catch a glimpse of some daytime TV during my mid-term/Chinese New Year break. One of which was a Korean drama called 'Oh Su Jung Versus Karl'.

Karl is a heavily obese man who is deeply in love with the charming Oh Su Jung. Unfortunately, Oh Su Jung is only looking for a man who can give her financial security. The couple is due to be married when Oh Su Jung discovered that Karl has failed his exams and so is unable to become a court judge - Oh Su Jung's reason for marrying Karl. In the end, the bride walks out on the groom to take up another man's offer - all expenses paid to fly, business class, to New York and attend a course to become a diamond expert. At the airport, Oh Su Jung summons up the courage to call Karl, justifying her reasons for ditching him at the alter. She compares his ex-fiancee to pedigree dogs. With a certificate, one could sell a pedigree dog at a high price, but without that piece of paper, the value drops - even if the 'product' is truly a thoroughbred. Oh Su Jung explains that even though Karl respects her a great deal and is a man of integrity, he doesn't have the piece of paper to raise his status to earn more money. On the contrary, the guy she chooses to run away with has enough credentials to give her material comforts.

How important is that piece of paper? Naturally, one would trust a certified professional to carry out the required procedures, but to use that piece of paper to gauge one's character? Unfortunately, this is happening as we speak. This is something I've been struggling with for the past few years, in that, I don't judge others by what certificates they possess, but rather, I do that to myself. I even went through a phase where having that piece of paper still didn't bring me any security or confidence.

Self-esteem is something which exudes from the inside. I remember feeling like a fraud despite possessing the external approvals, i.e. in the form of a certificate and praises from people around me. But funnily enough, I only come to recognise my own abilities and talents when I was challenged by individuals whom I felt had no right to pass comments on me! Saturn retrograding in my 2nd house is definitely re-highlighting my life lesson on self-worth and values.

Happy Chinese New Year

2010-02-14T07:23:00.000+08:00

This year's Chinese New Year coincides with St. Valentine's Day, which will occur again in 38 years. The year of the tiger ushers in a vibrant air of independence, and since it overlaps Valentine's Day, it reinforces the message of love - not just the romantic kind, but that love begins with loving yourself and fully accepting the self.

'How could you expect others to love you when you can't love yourself?' I'm sure you have heard this being uttered numerous times before, but besides this handy piece of advice, loving life itself is equally important. When you wake up every morning, do you groan because it's the start of another day or do you rejoice because it's the start of another day? You may feel the former because life is getting dull and monotonous, perhaps you have set yourself in a lifeless routine? An injection of surprise could do the trick. You could consider trying something different from normal, no matter how simple, from wearing that piece of jewellery/garment saved for a 'special occasion' (though I personally believe that everyday is special) to trying a new kind of food. To be honest, I'm still not doing the latter 100% but I'm working towards it. I like to give my gratitude to the Universe for another new day. I find it energising to give thanks to the simplicity of life, which most people overlook and take for granted. Watching the news, we see reports of people losing their lives in train crashes, earthquakes etc. No man is an island, the lost of these lives have repercussions on the loved ones they leave behind. Their lives are hitherto altered completely and utterly. Therefore, every morning, I find it a great blessing to wake up to a safe environment. I also like to list out all the things that I'm grateful for in my life, e.g, my home, my family, my friends, my job, and then I wrap it all up with Louise Hay's affirmation 'I'm open and receptive to all the good and abundance in the Universe, thank you life.'

Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree, Tai Po, Hong Kong. What is your wish for the new year?

Jupiter in Pisces

2010-01-30T21:07:00.001+08:00

Jupiter, the planet of expansion, luck and overindulgence, entered into the sign of Pisces on January 17th and will remain there until 5th June; its retrograde motion will take us back into the terrains of Pisces from 8th September to 22nd January 2011. During these periods, the Piscean energy is magnified under Jupiter, pushing issues of spirituality and the seeking of truth and wisdom to the fore.

Aries: With Jupiter tucked away in your house of hidden talents and Universal wisdom, it is likely that during the next six months will be a time of quietly reflecting on your beliefs on what life is all about.

Taurus: During the periods mentioned above, you may find yourself joining groups or meeting individuals who are on similar spiritual paths as you. Perhaps they may inspire you to explore ways to give back to the community.

Gemini: You may get the opportunity to receive spiritual enlightenment through your career. Authority figures you encounter in your profession could bring you insight into life's mysteries.

Cancer: You may toy with the idea of furthering yourself in a higher education setting. It is likely that teachers or gurus you meet could shed light on issues of compassion and forgiveness.

Leo: This may be the time to dig deep into your psyche and eliminate beliefs which no longer work for you.

Virgo: Watch out for people you encounter in the next six months, especially romantic or business partners; they are likely to bring you wisdom on what life is all about.

Libra: Look out for people at work or in your day-to-day life, they could bring you some insightful messages.

Scorpio: This could be a time where you have the urge to show the world your compassionate heart. Bringing yourself to forgive others and yourself is not as hard as you think.

Sagittarius: You do not need to travel to the four corners of the world to gain wisdom and enlightenment, spiritual insights could be gained in the comfort of your own home.

Capricorn: You may find yourself more tolerant and open-minded to matters of spirituality and the less tangible aspects of life.

Aquarius: This could be time when you deeply question yourself on your spiritual beliefs and values. What really makes you tick?

Pisces: Your outlook on life may take on a more philosophical approach. You are likely to put more emphasis on more deep and meaningful aspects of life.

A Change of Perspective

2010-01-16T20:39:00.002+08:00

I arrived at the bus stop this morning, finding it completely empty. Drats! I turned to look in the opposition direction and found the bus zooming down the road. I missed it by only a few seconds. Oh well, life goes on! I thought to myself as I took up position at the start of the bus queue. The line then began to grow and before I knew it, I saw the next bus approaching our stop. All of a sudden, it dawned on me that I was first in the queue - i.e. I get to have first pick of my seat. Instead of focusing on the negative side (in this case, missing the bus), we should turn our attention on the positive aspect of the situation (i.e. being first in line for the next bus!).