NORMALLY, we think of choice as being an either-or matter. At any one time, you can go to the movies, or you can play a CD. But in the same time frame, you cannot do more than one activity at once. True, there are those people (like myself) who occasionally find themselves with simultaneous projects going on two computers, the TV on and Bjork coming out of the speakers. But you know what I mean; we are taught as kids we get to have one thing for dessert, to the exclusion of all others.

Some kids figure out they can share and maybe others will do the same -- and at this point in your life, the Greater Metropolitan Cosmos seems ready to share with you, and to open the way for you to share with others.

Is this new to a Leo, which is one of the great signs of eternal abundance? Well, there is a change of focus developing; an increasing alignment of your intentions with those around you; and a growing clarity in your associations. None of this is exactly new; all of it is improving to the point where it really will seem new, and moreover, where you will see the options you have to grow and expand on many levels.

In early February, the Sun passes through an unusual aspect where many planets align with the Sun in three different dimensions: longitude, declination and most importantly, time. Think of it this way: you are sitting in a house where there is activity in every room. Suddenly, you are able to bring your awareness into every room at once, or selectively choose one at a time which room you want to be aware of. What was once opaque becomes transparent; borders and walls become permeable; and best of all, your awareness takes on a mobile quality.

And from that space, you will see the possibilities and realities of the world more vividly than ever. This event, or series of events (which is developing now), sets a tone for the year; you will, at different times, be able to return to a state where you know anything is possible, and feel precisely the way to get there. At other times, the juncture of passage will open; and you will have the ability to move to different levels of reality, and within the same relationships or circumstances, live in an entirely different way.


Basic Astrology Interlude

This is a good time for a brief review of basic astrology -- which is often the most revealing, and which will tell you a little bit about yourself. Consider the unique position that Leo holds in the zodiac. Every sign is ruled by a celestial body, usually a planet or in the case of Cancer, the Moon.

Leo is ruled by the Sun, the star around which all the other planets orbit and the source of the energy that fuels existence on the physical plane. It is the only sign in astrology that is ruled by an actual star and not a satellite of some kind. The light of every other planet is a reflection of the light of which the Sun is the direct source.

The metaphor is obvious enough: Leo and the Sun play a central role in the life of every person and every situation where a zodiac symbol is encountered. For example, in Sun sign astrology -- the kind you are reading now -- the ruler of Leo is read as the main symbol for every sign; if you're a Pisces, that means your Sun (ruler of Leo) is in Pisces. So the idea of Leo and of solar fire is implied again and again.

In a school of thought called Esoteric Astrology, the phenomenon is even more interesting. In this method, two additional sets of associations between signs and planets are proposed. The traditional rulers are acknowledged, so in the case of Aries, that would be Mars. Then there is one set of rulers for people who have embarked on the spiritual path (in the case of Aries, the ruler is Mercury). Then there is a third set for the spiritual masters, both on the planet and beyond (Uranus as the ruler). Perhaps you will agree that these rulers just seem to fit and are highly intuitive.

But here's the thing about Leo: on all three levels, the Sun is the planet associated with Leo. This means that not only is Leo central on the physical plane, but as one moves to increasingly subtle levels of awareness, the Sun remains at the center. This has everything to do with the fact that without some degree of actual awareness of individuality, the collective experience of life becomes impossible to actually experience and benefit from. And Leo (with a lot of help from Aquarius) is this teacher of "individuality for the greater benefit of all" and the idea that we must "take care of ourselves so we can take care of everyone else."


Major Intersections

This is a year of what we could call major intersections with people, organizations, and the life of the planet itself. That life is changing fast. Regardless of the prevailing sorry evolutionary state of most people, there is sufficient awareness of and willingness about global situations to set significant cultural movement into motion, and this is precisely what is happening now. Some of the most vital astrology affecting everyone is focused on Leo, because Saturn transiting this sign makes two exact oppositions to Chiron in Aquarius, followed by a conjunction to Neptune in Aquarius (there are two additional Saturn-Neptune oppositions in 2007).

Saturn in one's own sign (in this case, you) always represents a maturing process; a process of coming to terms with yourself; arriving at awesome depths of inner awareness. This is not always easy; most people are scared of Saturn and everything it represents. But there is something advanced about this story in your life, suggesting that you have arrived at, or are reaching for a new level of commitment, experience and participation.

Usually Saturn is troublesome because the idea of responsibility is so intensely implied. But responsibility is your saving grace, particularly if in exercising it you are responsible both to yourself and the people around you, and get to a place where there is no contradiction between the two. There need not be; this is one of the great gifts of your highly versatile sign.

There is no skill you'll develop, no talent you now possess, and no situation you'll encounter that will be exempt from putting to use for the greater good and higher order of priorities that are so important today, whether these be in your own life, that of your circle of friends or family, or the life with which you connect.

Yes, it is possible to revert to a kind of petty selfishness that is so encouraged on the Earth and which is rare enough to find in the case of those born under your sign; we are talking about people, after all. And when this goes badly, it can go very badly, for the integrity that is the Sun also casts the light that makes the darkest shadows. There is no addressing those who are trapped there; karma must do the work.

For everyone else, the question is always one of motives (quality vs. money, for example) and one of the meaning of life; is the planet and humanity here to be consumed, or improved? While you may not be having ethical crises over these issues, you will in everyday life meet many others who are; others for whom the distinctions are not so clear; who thrive on making chaos and camouflage in shades of gray.

For them, you will be the ambassador of clarity; the teacher that everything really is possible; and the messenger that you must above all else have faith in yourself, as a matter of integrity, of survival, and of the most basic capacity to love. This, above all other things, humanity struggles with. For you it is completely natural; love is basic. But to the extent to which you may be struggling, you may want to do a little regression to your natural, normal, generous state of existence. It is never far away.


Focus on Relationships

Chiron transiting Aquarius has a rather personal meaning for you. Aquarius is your 7th house, and while it has many general meanings, for you it's also about your most personal relationships and partnerships.

I would like to say that on Earth, relationships are about creativity, learning, sharing and growing. For some people, they actually are, and I would say that this is a worthy objective.

Often, however, we find ourselves caught in various crises of communication, boundaries and integrity. It helps a lot if both parties to these discussions have a common language with which to discuss these things. Your time would be well spent developing that language with the people around you, which will serve to keep the focus on something creative.

This is a phase in your life when you are something of a naturally gifted diplomat. So it should be a wholesome enough role, where you find yourself in it. Your ability to actually understand where people are coming from, why they believe what they believe, where they may be hurting, and other related matters, gives you a unique ability to relate to them clearly and in a way that they feel heard.

But it doesn't always work, and I would just say this: too much struggle is unnecessary. In other words, excessive struggle is not a sign of a healthy situation, and anything that tends away from marked growth, creative activity, improving life or building community needs to be questioned. This is the standard I suggest you set. It is all too common for people to thrash around thinking they are "working something out" or "learning lessons" when all that's happening is a waste of energy.

You don't have time for this, and you have many other callings that will lead you and others into a much better life. Remember: not everyone is willing. Not everyone is confident enough to actually take steps toward being fully authentic. And many people struggle with damage that prevents this from being possible, at least temporarily. It is simply true that most people are quite uncomfortable in their own skin and many look to you for some guidance or relief from that condition.

It is often the case that you need to be the bigger person in life situations, but when you recall your role as the central star of our solar system, rather than a satellite orbiting it, this makes a lot more sense. Saturn in your sign offers a not-so-subtle caution to veer firmly away from any form of self-presentation that hints at arrogance, however. Saturn rewards humility and Chiron all but mandates it.

But you of all people know that we are all in this together. We are all on the same journey on the same planet. And now that planet is going through massive changes. They have been predicted for years, and still they will take most people by surprise and many will resist. Remember, you know something that most of them have not yet figured out: it's impossible to be anyone but yourself.

It is this authenticity that makes true creation possible. And, to mention one last point, you do have an exceedingly interesting transit that has the power to open up an entire new cosmos for you; or rather, let's make that two. They would be Pholus in your 5th house; and Pluto on the Galactic Core in your 5th house (Sagittarius in both cases).

The 5th is the house that gives us the strength to dare. You are fairly well made of this energy, but there are times of greater boldness and times of lesser boldness. You are in a moment where you may be willing to try anything, to exceed every personal limit you feel you have, and to cast judgment to the wind and paint the entire world exactly the colors you like the best.

With this activity going on, remember that your statements, visions and gestures have power. Perhaps at some time in your life, in one state of mind or another, you have felt that truly exalted feeling where a single gesture of a paintbrush, a written sentence, a few notes of music, or a way of seeing the world actually changed the world. Not in your imagination, but in truth. As the weeks and hours pass, this cosmic property of the creative process grows ever-more potent for you, and will come to you if you call, or be there as a cosmos you may reach to or walk to if you choose.