Europa, Saturday, March 25, 2006
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Coverage of Mercury stationing direct, as well as the Aries total solar eclipse, are in the cover blog, and also at Astrology Secrets Revealed on cainer.com.

Note, birthday reports follow the Sun's current sign. They are applicable to birthdays the current week, and in some respects all four reports for any one sign apply to everyone born under that sign. They are designed to be thematic and introspective rather than 'exact' astrology.

Aries Birthdays: The Borderland

THIS WILL count for one of the most astonishing years of your life, and mostly what you need to do is go with the flow. That is not so passive an act as it may seem, or as the term is used in common speech. The 'flow' represents all the forces of nature, the ones you can see and the ones you cannot; your environment; your emotions; and most of all, your imagination.

Let's forget the fact that most people feel they have absolutely no imagination whatsoever. Even if you're the kind of Aries who works in the archive office of an investment bank pulling 10 year old files out of dusty boxes (this is unlikely, of course), you are in for some interesting changes of a creative and psychological nature. The aspect of your mind that conjures reality, creates images, sees visions and understands something deep and invisible about reality will be at its strongest, indeed, it may emerge in an entirely new way -- or for the first time ever.

Remember, though, that the imagination is not as romantic as it sounds. Most of the time it conjures fear: terrifying images of what might be. Usually we don't count this as creativity, but alas, it is precisely that. The problem most people have is having no control over this facility, and the creative function is misdirected into negativity rather than something fun. Fear and idle fantasy, in that order, usually dominate. Third comes figuring out how to get what we need, but because this is typically driven by the first two factors, the result can be a high level of manipulative and paranoid conduct.

Here is some astrological imagery to go with these ideas. In the charts of all Aries born the first decanate (or 10 days) of the sign -- but as usual, this to some extent covers the entire Sun sign and rising sign -- there is highly unusual activity in both your 12th and 1st houses. If you would like a refresher course in the houses, I've included a link at the bottom of this article.

But to sum up, the 1st house, where you are about to experience a total solar eclipse, is about how you identify yourself. You could say it's about your personality, your name, and your mode of relating to the world as a 'self'. Self-concept is flexible and can change quickly; self, itself, is fairly stable, and the eclipse is designed to bring you closer to your inner core being.

Many ideas about your 'self' that you previously took for granted are likely to be completely erased, challenged, or just disappear. In some cases there may be a fight or inner struggle, but that is optional.

At the same time, there is highly unusual activity in Pisces, which affects you in a deep and subtle way. Pisces is your 12th solar house: the house of dreams, fears, overwhelming environments, visions and imagination. It's also a house associated with a lot of paranoia. And Mercury stationing, even as I write this note to you, is associated with a shift. This would be an alteration of self-perception that comes from the inside-out, as the 12th house represents what some would describe as the deep unconscious.

For our purposes, the term works. Practically speaking this is the entire territory of mind and emotion that is not quite in awareness, but which is present on 'some level' and which can, at times, surface. Often it will do so in dreams and fantasies, and these can be very influential in our lives. And this house is where the activity of Mercury stationing direct is unfolding; and it is doing so in a close conjunction with the revolutionary, forward-thinking planet Uranus.

When you combine these two factors, you get a story a little like this. Something deep is shifting, and this will rearrange, and in many ways, deepen and allow you to express your secret inner world. You may feel a need to be unusually honest about any aspect of your life, principally your fears and feelings about death, your sexuality, your fantasies, your dreams -- and your creative ideas. Creative expression is an important form of honesty; just ask any artist.

Simultaneously -- and quite conveniently -- your 'exterior' surface personality, your 'identity', as it were, is shifting radically as a result of the coming eclipse; therefore, you have room to maneuver and grow; to adjust yourself and to expand in ways that will allow you to express yourself. The result is likely to be a redefinition so total as to defy your understanding, which, by the way, I don't suggest you push too hard. Just go with what develops, and remember that conscious living really means making decisions that are appropriate for the moment you are in and the person you are becoming -- not who you are or what came before.

I've described the region where the 12th house meets the 1st house as "the borderland." It's the region where the collective reality meets the individual reality; where we define ourselves, or are defined by our circumstances (always a combination); and a point where we can focus to have some of the tangible benefits of feeling like we actually exist. In solar astrology, for you, this is called the Aries Point. In individual astrology, it is called the ascendant.

Given the emphasis on this region of your chart this year, you will be pleasantly amazed how much energy the adventure of authentic existence can move and allow you to express. The astrology of the moment says that living a lie in any form consumes energy and blocks happiness and creative expression. We live in these withheld negative ways, usually, so we won't offend others, and in the end, wind up committing rather serious offenses against ourselves.

As these changes become evident, what you accomplish, who you meet and moreover, who you become, will be on the list of what amazes you the most, and proves to be the most fulfilling. The price is that you may at times feel like your life is running out of control or going beyond you. When time seems to push you faster than you can go, that's when you need to pause the action and make a decision. Remember that: a decision, and one that is appropriate to the moment. Tape it to your bedroom mirror, your dashboard, your appointment diary. Slow down and make a decision.

The astrological houses
http://www.planetwavesweekly.com/parallel/charts/astrological_houses_summary.html

The collective unconscious, from Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_unconscious

The personal unconscious, from Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconscious_mind


MONTHLY HOROSCOPE FOR APRIL 2006
 
Aries (March 20-April 19)
By now, the contractions of your cosmic rebirth are undeniable, and have very likely arrived with a sense of vulnerability and the overwhelming experience of an unfamiliar world. Of this you can be sure -- the beginning has arrived. Remember that after birth one is a child, and developing into a recognizable form always takes time. Bear in mind, as well, that this is not an entirely new incarnation. What you are bringing with you is the essence of your dreams, and the seed of your desire to actualize them. The first step is often the most challenging, and this you have taken. What also comes along are certain key individuals who in a sense are the keepers of your highest visions. These are the people who can see you in a way that nobody else can; who indeed can see you a bit beyond your capacity to see yourself.
 
Taurus (April 19-May 20)
You know that your ambitions are delicate, and the fact that certain individuals have found it within their rights to play dice with their loyalty or play politics instead of carrying water has been disconcerting. Yet if you can let the petty things remain small and keep your heart and soul focused on the vision for a better world that you've been nursing, you'll find that all the games in the world cannot sway your steps. It has been said that there's nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come. You are currently in possession of such an idea, however humble or personal it may seem. Let the waves you seem to be making serve as a testament to your influence. It would seem that the greatest gift you have to offer is giving people an opportunity to cooperate, and setting an example for how they may take that too-often insurmountable evolutionary step.
 
Gemini (May 20-June 21)
If you don't want your best efforts to be scattered, or your best ideas to get lost in translation, you'll need to focus your message and your mission. It's always true that from concept to expression to actual impact there's often a series of transformations that can rarely be predicted. Yet at the center of the process, you do exert a great deal of influence. This comes several ways, one of which is being sensitive to your intuition and creative flashes, and then responding. In other words, don't ignore yourself. Another is being the sole person responsible for communication with any other people who may be involved, because this is how you keep some semblance of coordination. Finally, you need to be the person who determines what direction 'forward' is, then guide yourself and others that particular way. People are counting on you, but more to the point, you are counting on yourself.
 
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Nobody could rightfully accuse you of lacking initiative or dedication. Yet it seems you're taking your commitments a lot more seriously now than ever before, and want others to do the same. You may even be overwhelmed with the yearning for absolute fairness and integrity in your relationships, and are determined to make sure that everyone does exactly their part. Yet you run the risk of taking on a crusade, and sending others a signal that you don't really trust them. All you need to do is what's right for you, and act in the highest level of integrity you hold for yourself. This will set a rather compelling example for others who may need a kind of passive guidance rather than strict oversight. The most meaningful associations you are forming are not contractual; rather, they are bonds of spirit mostly made of threads of light, and the rest bursts of passion.
 
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23)
You seem to be in a debate with yourself over what you think is possible. That you recently came close to a breakthrough in one particular situation, but didn't quite make the cut, has hardly done wonders for your confidence, but you know you're the type who will try again and again till you get it right. That strategy would be worthwhile to pursue now, since there's nothing but opportunity in the air -- including the opportunity to rid yourself of ideas that keep you bolted to the ground. It's not that you're obsessed over freedom, but you need to know you have some ability to move about in physical space, as well as mental space, and you know well that this requires cooperation. New horizons are calling -- the kind you can see from the window of an airplane, or the top of a mountain.
 
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22)
I would dare say this year has been one of the most interesting times in relationships for many moons, and given your history the past few years, that's saying quite a lot. Interesting does not qualify as 'things going according to plan.' What do the stars say is happening? They say you are learning: 1. Not to lose yourself in another person. 2. How to find yourself in the midst of involvement with another person. 3. How to let yourself be overwhelmed with love and respect and at the same time do nothing but draw inspiration from that. You know that love has a healing quality, and yet every circumstance in your life is compelling you not to take that factor too seriously. Life is for living; growth and experience are the same thing; love is inspiration. Right now the only healing you need is to live and be real in the moment.
 
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23)
Recent revelations may have proved startling, shocking and in many respects amazing, but in truth they were not really news. Yet what may turn out to be surprising is the impact and effect that these developments have. Right now a door stands wide open, and you can walk through it to what really does amount to another life. In a fashion typical of your sign, you are carefully noting that you have certain liabilities and certain advantages as this situation has developed, but on the whole I hope you've noticed that the stars are leaning in your favor. In recent months you've impressed yourself and others with your willingness to dare, to experiment, and to push your luck. It's not just that you're standing on more solid ground than you think. The truth is that you have a rare opportunity to expand your territory in life, and find a place of your very own -- and that is daring work.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22)
You will need to proceed with caution in yet another set of delicate negotiations. I know it seems endless, and in fact the pace has been picking up lately, as has the level of sensitivity. There is so much at stake, and tempers have had a way of getting volatile in recent months. Fortunately you have a high tolerance for bullshit. You do keep coming out on the winning end, because you've been following your instincts and you're staying one step ahead of those who would call you a competitor. Over the next few weeks, take things meticulously one step at a time. Certain individuals you are working with may have the tendency to be a bit reactionary, and you will need to couch your plans in the most gentle language, and always tell them what's in it for them. Have no fear, there is plenty in it for you.
 
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22)
Optimism is your forte, but it seems you've been a little guarded lately. This is not a prophesy of any kind; you need to give your positive vibes a rest and think of the full spectrum of possibilities, and consider the fact that not everyone is so friendly. The main thing you need to guard against is not intentional harm on anyone's part, but rather careless words and thoughtless actions. You need to be cautious that everyone actually knows what they say they know. And most important, you need to check carefully for everyone's bias. Last, you need to make sure that small disagreements don't become big ones. Misunderstandings can go a long way this month, and small maneuvers can go even further for turning difficult situations into mutually profitable ones. You will be the one who makes the difference, if you speak last, and as usual know ten times more than everyone combined.
 
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20)
You've had more than enough of something, but you cannot say exactly what. Emotionally, you seem to have a compelling degree of certainty and are determined to do what's necessary to safeguard your long-term security. Mentally, it seems you can't quite put your concerns into words. At the moment, what matters far more is that you follow your instincts. You run the risk of thinking you have no idea what you're doing just because you can't articulate exactly how you feel, what you want or what you need. But your homing device is working just fine, and you're in a great position to take advantage of fast and sweeping changes that take place early in the month. Do what seems appropriate in the moment. Base each decision on what you know is important to you -- and has always been. And remember that your long-range plans have a lot more momentum than the small-ticket items that may be distracting you.
 
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19)
It's difficult for you to say who is influencing who more. You have tremendous sway in the life of a partner or loved one, but this same person is involved in a momentous process of growth and exploration that is shaping your every thought, word and deed. You have the potential for an extraordinarily positive symbiotic situation here, where everyone can come out ahead as long as everyone remembers the main objectives and remains conscious of the other person or people involved. This would seem to be the start of something new, significant and with far-reaching effects that will provide a base of operations for a long time to come. As these plans come together, the roles of traditionalist and innovator will lose their meaning. The end result will be the product of new and old thinking in a truly original combination.
 
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Money has never been particularly high on your agenda. You do what is important to you, and it's usually well beyond your comprehension how anyone could be motivated merely by material gain or worse, by greed. But lately, financial matters have taken on a new and vital dimension, and you stand at a true beginning of your economic life. When you put your mind to it, you have exceptional drive and sharp instincts where business matters are concerned, but more to the point, it's surprisingly easy for you to dial up an unusual degree of motivation. You're hearing the calling to take this aspect of your life more seriously than ever. This will do nothing to harm your creative process or dull your imagination. I think you'll find that far to the contrary, discipline and structure will go a long way toward both solving problems and creating lasting opportunities for you to express yourself.

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Planet Waves Astrology

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