Leo New Moon

Dear Readers:

Shortly I'll be posting an entry to the front-page and subscriber blogs on yesterday's Leo New Moon. This spectacular lunation brought together for bodies in Leo, including Mercury and Saturn. This is a rich and creative time, and is likely to produce ideas that go a long way.

In addition, I've posted an article to the Astrology Secrets Revealed column on Cainer.com which looks at the planet "Xena," or 2003-UB313, discovered last week. Planet Waves was able to get a brief interview with the discoverer, Mike Brown, which will be posted to the cover blog a bit later in the weekend.

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Happy Birthday, Leo!

WITH A SPECTACULAR New Moon in your birth sign so close to your solar return, there must be good things on the horizon. Saturn's recent arrival also suggests that this is a time of learning, maturity and most of all, striving for success. With Saturn, leadership is always the keynote, and in the first instance, that means taking over your own life.

Part of what you must make certain of is that those you call friends are working with you rather than against you. Many people resolve to get their lives together, and then unconsciously assign the task of certain individuals around them to be what I call spoilers. Their job is to be jealous, resentful, and make little problems -- anything so that your success does not threaten them. Then, everyone struggles.

Because this is considered normal behavior in a society so dedicated to mediocrity, where so many so steadfastly refuse to take responsibility for their lives, it often goes unnoticed or at least unnamed; and of course, they're our friends, after all. The word friend, however, is something you need to use with great discretion at the moment. At this point this may be the single most important concept in your life, applicable to any relationship.

Whether someone is an old or new arrival in your life is not the deciding factor. It is, rather, how you feel in their presence, and the particular way in which their influences affect you. To discover this, pay close attention to your own responses, the flow of your life, and your general state of happiness. Then, figure out what everyone else has to do with it. The causes and effects may not be obvious at first -- but if you look you will notice the connections.

I don't mean to make you paranoid, only to alert you to an energetic condition and leave the observation process to you. Try a little experiment. No need to judge anyone, just to notice what they say and do over the next month or so. There will be a clear pattern if there is any pattern at all. Notice whether people seem to care about your schedule; how they respond when you have a breakthrough; and whether the ideas they share with you seem to build on or detract from the ideas you share with them.

Most of all, notice how they respond when you are feeling good, or when you make a decision that involves seizing back some aspect of your life previously consigned to authority figures.

In its most positive expression, your communication with friends can inspire you to think differently; their point of view can provide an alternate to your own. As well, they may be able to show you, by their example, how you can do things differently, better or more innovatively. But this must never rise to the level of conflict, or even pressure, and if it does, I suggest you draw the border and keep your space, psychic, physical or otherwise, clear.

The extent of the changes associated with Saturn in Leo will have far reaching implications for everyone, though for you, it's a matter of a complete revision of your personal sphere, the way you define yourself, and who you feel you are on the deepest level. To go along with this, it's necessary that your idea of what it means to relate to a person in a deep and meaningful way evolve. Consider that in traditional astrology, Saturn is the ruler of your opposite sign Aquarius. This puts a stronger emphasis on relationships, which is to say, relating to others in what is the highest possible expression.

Not only don't you have time for games; all you do have time for are people who feel that in some small but meaningful way, the world depends on them, and that they are at the center of their own lives. At the very least, a shared value to making the most of life is vitally important. Under such an agreement, people are supportive of one another's successes and also supportive when things are not going perfectly. There is an ethic to not take advantage of another person, at the same time not letting someone else take advantage of you without your expressed consent.

Because Mercury is now so prominent in your chart, I suggest you be conscious of three things: children, language and cash flow.

One way or another, a child seems to play a vital role, or demand special attention. If there is a child in your life, you must ensure that their needs are met no matter what is going on with you. There is likely to be some kind of contradiction in the environment; some aspect of life that is not kid-friendly.

As for cash flow, this is a time for some restraint, for setting priorities, and for taking care of old problems, such as bills and debts.

As for language, remember that much lf life really is a matter of interpretation. How you define things, including how you describe them to others, has a mysterious way of suggesting what they will become, and over that, you have real influence. There may be many times in the approaching seasons that you will decide between living in the past and living out the future; that is, between what you wanted before, and what you want today. There is a difference. Please make sure you know what it is.

There is nothing you encounter in life that will not yield to a touch of daring creativity, and any creative endeavor will respond brilliantly from taking a fresh approach and unusual angle. It can be subtle; but the key will be taking a little chance and putting some energy into the project -- which is another way of saying putting some extra energy into you.

Aries (March 20-April 19)
It may not be obvious the extent to which others are going out of their way to please you, but their perceptions may be based on something you said or wanted in the distant past. Make sure people know what you want and need today, and don't be afraid to change your mind. It's rare enough that the world is willing to be so cooperative, so you owe it to yourself to let go of the past and be true to your values of the present time. It's true that a lot has happened to you, and it's also true that it's over. You might as well be real now.

Taurus (April 19-May 20)
In elementary schools, they should devote a whole year to the subject of moving on. Books, movies and personal accounts of what it truly means to step into the future would be the topic. One's childhood could be assessed and put into context with the help of psychologists and therapists; part of the time could be spent writing and coming to terms with one's biography. Looking at models of relationships which demonstrate a human need to grow and change would be an excellent addition. Unfortunately you did not have that, but you can give yourself the equivalent now.

Gemini (May 20-June 21)
Beware of falling for the trap of someone's anger, or your expectation of their anger; both are entirely products of past neglect. Indeed, beware of anger in any form, particularly at yourself. You have options, there are many other emotions available, and you're certainly not actually in a spot where you don't have the resources you need. The trick will be accessing them in some way, and that's a creative act. It's also something you need to act on fairly soon on, because certain resources are available now that won't be available in the near future; something else will, but the opportunity you have now, you have right now.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)
You're definitely in financial opportunity territory, as long as you can keep thinking outside the box, and make sure you've learned from every one of your past mistakes. Okay not everyone, but the big ones will suffice. The most vital of these is that you remind yourself that you don't need anything that someone else has to offer, or at least it's not the key ingredient. You are, and the only thing that stands between you and really experiencing that is your own perception of yourself. So be realistic, which means generous. Two years of Saturn in Cancer granted you wisdom beyond your years. Make the most of it now.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23)
How much can happen how fast? What you've got going as a Leo is a natural, inborn stability, so you can take changes and make them into a kind of creative celebration. Can the people around you keep up? Well, they may hesitate for a while, but you can be sure that soon enough they will get around to noticing the benefits of following your lead. The question is, will you be as enterprising as you know you can be? I think you can, and I think you can summon the energy to work through any resistance you may be feeling. It's mostly psychological, so give yourself a little break.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22)
At least you can say, "It could be a lot worse," but that's not so exciting. You could say, "It could be a lot better," but that's kind of depressing even though the implication is that there's room for improvement. What I propose you need to tell yourself is that regardless of any confusion you may be experiencing, you really do know what path you're on, and if you don't, your angels and guides do, and they're not going to steer you wrong. But don't lay the whole trip of your life on them. Take the time and energy to stick out the challenging process of sorting through the details of how you feel, what you think and in particular what you're dreaming. There's gold in those hills.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23)
You're in one of those places in life where mutual support between you and your friends can be at an all-time height of productivity. Someone has to spark the idea, though, and take the initial risk. It might as well be you. This is because you have nothing to lose, or alternately, because you're so well set you can afford to take a risk. Have your pick of those two options, but make sure you bring the culture of trade, commerce and cooperation to your own neighborhood. What starts as a Saturday barbecue could become a multinational enterprise.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22)
You run the risk of getting caught in someone else's drama, even though there is no actual commitment holding you to anything you don't want to do. What you're falling for is merely a kind of emotional compulsion, which I admit is powerful and tempting and all of that. The problem is that while you're busy playing personal games, you could lose out on an excellent professional opportunity that's developing and which will need your undivided attention the next couple of weeks. I'm not saying ignore the people you care about, but I am saying you need to define what you mean by "care."

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22)
Certain matters that are developing overseas or on a high level of negotiation may seem to be going every which way but right, though your patience will prove to be a virtue. If you can't muster some of that, find a nearby Capricorn and ask them to do it for you, then go do something Sagittarian like renting a hot air balloon and sailing up and down the nearest resort beach waving to the crowd. Just get out of your own way, don't hassle anyone, and make sure you know how to land that thing because a major development is brewing and before long it's going to require your undivided attention -- yours and yours alone.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20)
Love has its good moments and its less than good ones, but they all tell a story. In your own life, that story can afford to move at a lot quicker pace, and the soaking you've taken in the past can be offered back to the atmosphere. Deep inside the heart of a Capricorn is the soul of an Aries, and that means you have the power and the willingness to take initiative -- as long as you're absolutely certain it's the right thing to do. I'm just an astrologer, but I'm telling you, if you vaguely suspect it's the right thing, then it is.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19)
The changes you once feared in your relationships are turning out to be the most productive developments you could hope for. I don't doubt the honesty and integrity of your socialist leanings for half a moment. Without Aquarius, we would have only a limited concept of what it means for humanity to function as a group or for people to live as equals. But I would suggest that you're taking a bit more sober view of the world, and why certain people are the way they are. If you will hold your boundaries and make clear statements of commitment, you will get the same in response, and everyone will benefit from the process.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Is it a coincidence that most of the Pisces people I know are going through some kind of over-the-top phase of insecurity? I write this column a few weeks ahead, so it may be that they've all got their shit together by the time this comes out. But I still wonder, and I am now wondering aloud. What's at the heart of Pisces insecurity? I would like to open the floor to all non-Pisces types to speak to all Pisces-types and address this issue directly. We will all be a lot happier when the Fish in our ecosystem feel better about who they are. This way they will feel like they have the hope of expressing some of their penetrating creativity, which will help everyone not go mad.

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