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Greetings dear friends,

As I wrote this month’s cosmic weather, my beautiful website seized up because the theme I was using failed to work. I’m also making changes in my personal life which means going through old stuff and organizing. I look ahead and groan because I see a number of hitches in the get-along from here to mid-November that could create trouble. Nonetheless, I am moving ahead anyway, making lots of little course corrections as I go. Now, September 10, my website is fixed thanks to David Mason of BestSlopeDesigns. Perseverance counts!

The overall cosmic process during September is to use the solar power you generated and stored during the previous Leo period into a discerning plan for your life, despite the blocks and detours. It’s about forming the partnerships that will assist you in your journey. Never give up, stay flexible, and root yourself in your values.

September brings you opportunities to refine your path toward your truest Self. The energy is Virgo — the maiden toiling in the fields. Virgo likes a task to do, something to clean or understand. Virgo is a non-verbal sign – it’s the part of your life, your Being, that operates in silence, through the language of plants and animals. Crystals, rocks, stones, are all Virgo’s friends too. Virgo governs cellular connection and wordless communication. You know that friend with the green-thumb, he’s got some Virgo going on. September is your time to get your Virgo going – to center and ground into your instinctual animal-like self; the part that needs just the right environment to thrive. 

Sometimes, because we live on planet Earth, we hurt. Things break. We get an owie or worse. Virgo is a natural healer and this time of year is a healing time. Chiron is the modern-day ruler of Virgo (Mercury being Virgo’s traditional one). Chiron enters our lives as the inner healer, the one who repairs both the injury and accepts instead of rejects. 

In September, Virgo, Mars in Aries and the ‘astrological signature of our time’ – the Capricorn Contingent – are the big players and energies. September requires a measure of organization, planning, a sense of personal destiny and the preservation of your health during unprecedented global challenges. Chiron travels through Aries, the same sign Mars retrogrades in making the rest of this year about your identity. This month is both delicate and strong. You want to get it right and you want to be true to yourself. Here’s how the month plays out.

1^st – 22^nd  Get grounded. You’ve just come off 30 days of charging your body battery when the Sun was in Leo. Earth energy predominates as the Sun now travels through Virgo. Pragmatism is magnified the first week of September when Mercury finishes its sojourn in Virgo. Plan and strategize. The first week is also a bit tough. It’s not great for finances, love or big decisions about them. 

1^st Pisces Full Moon puts things over the top with an exact square to Uranus. Things could change suddenly. Take extra care of your health today. Hydrate, rest and stretch. It’s a good communication day but it may go too intense. Take the light road while you accept the shadow.

2^nd – 4^th some sadness and loss perhaps. Take it easy on yourself. Poor Venus is confronted by Saturn, Mars and Pluto. This is a tough time and money and love feels heavy; or, conversely, you may realize where you’re already committed and make peace with it. 

5^th to 28^th Personal ethics and agreeable discourse as Mercury travels in Libra. Companionship matters to us all. A great time to be kind as we attempt to cooperate with one another. Mercury in Libra also encourages the enjoyment of feisty conversations. 

6^th (to 10/2) Breathe a huge sigh of relief. After holding her own in Cancer and yearning for security, Venus now enters warm and courageous Leo. It’s time to quit being sad because it’s over and to start celebrating because it happened. This generous, warm hearted energy can be fun. It’s certainly creative and royal. Think of gold and red colors, and plush velvets, that’s Venus in Leo. Venus hangs out in Leo until early October.

9^th (to 11/13) the moment we’ve been waiting for… the inner journey, the period of reflection, possible regret, the return of recent actions, self healing; the ego; old boyfriends coming back. Yep, you guessed it, Mars retrograde in Aries starts now until mid-November. It’s possible that all your recent actions or plans come up for review during this time. Some may fizzle completely but perhaps some old abandoned idea or plan now becomes available. This is not the time to start anything new. Take the time to turn inward and revisit your identity and how you want to present yourself. This is a time to ponder how and why you want to go out into the world. Return to charging up your body battery.

Also, the 9^th is a fab day for wishes and manifestation as Jupiter and the Sun play kissy, kissy. Pray because your message will go directly from your lips to God’s ears.

9/11  A day of remembrance and sadness. Strengthen your immune system. Practice deep rest with yoga nidra. Write poems. Watch a great movie. Be inspired. The Sun opposes Neptune today.

12^th a subtle energy surge. Stay tuned so you can use it to your advantage. Business enterprises get a boost (will I eventually get my tax refund?). Jupiter is now direct! The next several months see full steam ahead on long term goals and desires. The latter is said tongue and cheek because there are always other planets doing ‘their’ thing. But if you can hold fast to your dream, be prudent and practical about it; and be patient, Jupiter can help you. 

15^th Watch out! The apple cart could get upset today or maybe an unpredictable event precipitates excitement. Venus and Uranus square. Be mindful of your level of risk. We’re in the dark of the moon. What you plant could bear fruit.

17^th a time of discernment. This is your annual opportunity to make choices for your life in the most simple, pure way at this New Moon. This Virgo New Moon harmonizes with the Capricorn Contingent aligning your desires where there is most benefit to humanity. Total health can be your goal at this most auspicious time.

20^th communication is key. Mercury opposes Pluto and spills secrets. Go deep but don’t hurt anyone.

22^nd Energy shift. Fall equinox and day and night are balanced. From here to winter solstice, it’s the beginning of shorter days as the Sun leaves Virgo for Libra. Libra energy prevails until October 22^nd. Libra reminds you of the importance of a balanced life. Companionship is valued.

27^th deep secrets and covert conversation. Mercury enters Scorpio and will stay there until early December due to a retrograde coming up 10/13 to 11/3. Something is going on behind the scenes. It looks like election day is going to be a mess! Pay attention. Listen to your feelings. Revenge appears sweet but is it a good thing? Stubbornness abounds.

29^th long term plans begin to see the light of day as Saturn wakes from its retrograde. 

30^th the path feels blocked as Mars and Saturn square. This is their last ‘face-off’ this year. Accept the delay but it’s not the end. 

The overall cosmic process during September is to use the solar power you generated and stored during the previous Leo period into a discerning plan for your life, despite the blocks and detours. It’s about forming the partnerships that will assist you in your journey. Never give up, stay flexible, and root yourself in your values.

Remember, you matter, we are all connected. Earth is our home and love is our destination.

Your astrologer,

Dulce

Greetings Dear Ones,

As I write, possibilities seem endless. Though often crippled by the intense heat of a Southwest Colorado summer, energy flows in a positive direction and plans that have been brewing get off the ground in a burst of vigor. But be warned … blocks and obstacles are headed our way and it’s going to take skillful means and patience to get around them.

We’re still in what I’m calling “the cosmic signature of our time” – the death and rebirth of human affairs, possibly even the world, and especially the United States as we go through our Pluto return. Just look to the Southeast at twilight to see Jupiter and Saturn, and the unseen bodies of Pallas Athena and Pluto. These are the cosmic harbingers of the unique times we’re in. It can feel difficult and isolating. As Chiron travels through Aries and squares the Sun in the USA chart encouraging a birth of true leadership, this poem came to me.  It’s from my friend and holder of ceremonial writing circles Karen Fricke  (reach her at https://womenwritinggj.com/ ). This poem gives sage advice and totally speaks to the intensity of this time:

Matrix Wisdom

Drop down
Place intent
Trust
Let go
Accept grace

Into heart space
I anchor myself,
Into grounded place of love and support,
ancestors, guides,
lost loved ones,
Spirit animals

Sun penetrates skin, breeze and
Song of Dove
embrace intention
“Just be, let go of control,
trust all is as it should be”

I accept GRACE

This poem came to me in direct response to prayer. I take a pause in the writing to say the words, my hand on my heart, feeling my own pulse, I accept Grace. And gratitude beyond measure flows through me as if I were a moving body of water. Tune in my loves, and feel the support as you love and support others. All of this heart action is thanks to the Sun in Leo.

The Sun in Leo inspires creative, courageous action until the 22^nd when it enters meticulous Virgo. Use these Leo days to tap into your inner fire. Be bold. Think big. Get strong.

August 1 – Mercury opposes Pluto – your word is all important. No lies please. They will catch up to you. Stop obsessive thinking by breathing into your belly. Gentle Chiron trines the Sun. You can do this.

Sunday 2^nd – Uranus squares the Sun and makes you uneasy or restless. Break through on a project. Changes in leadership or bizarre behavior is likely. Be careful out there as your attention may wander.

The Moon is building to fullness, and coupled with the heat, politics and Covid, tempers could flare. On the other hand, the waxing Moon facilitates a shining of creative humanity. Prometheus leaps into the wild people and inspires them. Thank the Goddess Pallas Athena for hanging out with Pluto, Saturn and Jupiter. Pallas Athena’s wisdom and pragmatism guides us all through these unusual times. 

Monday August 3^rd. Groups and friendships find their natural endings (or beginnings) at the Aquarian Full Moon today. Chatty Mercury opposes stern Saturn and gets reprimanded. Again, your word is your bond. What ever you do or say must be something you can live with over time.

4^th Mars and Jupiter square, galvanizing action plans. It’s a great day to get things done but please pace yourself. Also, on the 4^th, Mercury leaves emotional Cancer for bold Leo boosting your confidence and leading to inspired courageous action. Think romance too.

5^th give yourself time to reorient to the energy shift just behind you and the one coming as the Moon slips through Pisces and receives dream vibrations from Neptune.

7^th in the morning (MT) loving Venus leaves chatty Gemini and enters Cancer – the energy of home and hearth. It’s time to root around in your nest. Do what you love, nurture yourself. 

8^th through 9^th the Moon travels through Aries. New adventures await but so does self-doubt, especially on the 9^th when the Moon squares Saturn.

10^th is busy when Mercury squares Uranus and the Moon gets involved. Stay the course unless you discover errors that need to be resolved. 

11^th to 12^th are recovery day as the Moon first stabilizes and then changes signs.

13^th to 14^th Caution! Mars squares Pluto possibly evoking deep rage which is correlated with birth pangs my friend! The baby is coming out! Life is happening. Stay safe and live well. It’s a good time to push through on difficult projects.

15^th there’s a lovely Mars/Sun trine that brings optimism. Uranus prepares to retrograde giving you five months to assimilate all the changes you’ve been experiencing. As my Facebook live sister LydiaJane  ( https://lydiajane.coach/) says, “the process is the purpose”. Chew on that for a while.

16^th the Mars/Sun trine energy continues. You’re renewed! Use this great energy to lift your spirits.

17^th is a big day for little Mercury making it a swell day for you. Mercury connects with the Sun and trines Mars. Get things done and enjoy yourself. This is wonderful energy and it’s on the heels of a new Moon. It’s a scooch grandiose but why not. It makes for a good story, and the great play goes on.

18^th Nice Leo New Moon today folks. This is your annual opportunity to remember you’re the King of your Castle. Your life is what you make of it. Be sure to do a ceremony today to invite in your heart’s desire. Feel world peace! It’s right there, inside of you. This is an amazing New Moon. Open your heart. Be aware of what you’re creating. Tend to the garden of your heart.

19^th having done the best it can to improve the quality of your life through joyful expression, little Mercury enters fastidious Virgo today and spends the next three weeks helping you get your act together.

20^th and 21^st are recovery days as the Moon helps you integrate the cosmic goings-on.

22^nd the Sun also leaves Leo and follows Mercury into Virgo. Happy birthday Virgo! This is an energy shift you may well feel. It’s time to tend to the details of your life. You never know what timelines are merging for you. Where those creative threads you co-created with Leo get skillfully woven into Maya’s blanket by Virgo’s capable loving hands.

23^rd a sensitive day with a few changes. 

23^rd and 24^th Mars squares Saturn and brings everything to either a screeching halt or a renewed sense of purpose. Things slow to a crawl and the energy lingers for weeks. It’s a precursor for Mars’s retrograde this coming September. 

25^th despite the slow down, agile minds think quick. Mercury trines Uranus and bold ideas fly. Unique solutions are possible. It’s all too exciting! Venus opposes Jupiter, it’s all too good to be true, or is it?

26^th feel the hope, stay present. Moon in Sagittarius helps lifts your spirits.

27^th through 29^th the feeling of the people, possibly the dreams of your heart, reach the Gods’ ears when Moon travels through Capricorn and eavesdrops and influences the existing power structure. In other words, the world of form is prepared to manifest what is being requested of it. It’s always a good time to pray – try it now. Discipline yourself.

Over the next few days Venus trines Neptune and whispers music and poetry in your ear.

29^th through 30^th Mercury opposes Neptune… dreams, lies, fantasies, surreal, serene… It’s a mystical, strange time. Place a color around you in the swirling radiance of your aura and scent your environment with sacred oils and holy music, whatever that is to you.

The month ends with energy building to a Full Moon, a few days away. Venus opposes Pluto and deepens the experience. Just how much are you willing to let go to achieve your desires?

In September the energy slows as Mars appears to fall behind the earth. Plans may stall. Let the month of August charge you up with solar energy. Get that inner battery plump and strong. 

And remember, you matter, we are all connected, Earth is our home and love is our destination.

Your astrologer,

Dulce

P.S. Here’s some powerful truth for you – https://www.awakeningyourcreativesoul.com/post/picking-up-the-pieces?utm_campaign=cb90ed1e-43eb-4c7f-8b21-e3b8ff03be56&utm_source=so&utm_medium=mail&cid=00c4b47d-1e99-4102-a2db-61f3d7b9c4bb 

Greetings Earthlings,

What exciting and disturbing these times are. Today as I write, Jupiter and Pluto make an exact conjunction reminding us that depth and expansion are the hallmarks of our collective experience. Mercury is retrograde too. A further reminder that our best course of action is reflection. Except, there’s a vibrant restless energy afoot thanks to Mars now in Aries for the first time in two years. That’s a cosmic vitamin shot for us all! 

What to do? Go forward like Mars tells us? Or, stay still and reflect as Mercury suggests? There’s also the overriding cosmic signature of our times — what we see on the news — Pluto/Saturn/Jupiter conjunction and the Pluto return of the USA. What do we do about Covid, economics etc.? 

Well, how about a little bit of it all. Like the Temperance card in the Tarot. A little bit of everything in the stew of human experience. We’re such a species aren’t we! 

Yes, go forward. Even if that motion is incrementally slow; like the earth mountains that surround this valley where I’m fortunate enough to live. Mars turns retrograde September 9^th to November 13^th this year so going forward means you should be flexible and prepared for any eventuality as your plans may totally be disrupted during the retrograde period. Things may slow to a crawl and regret could occur.

Reflect? Yes, as often as possible. It’s connection time and we’re in the heart of one this month as Mercury traverses a triple path through Cancer on its retrograde journey. Go forward and pray that the path will appear as you need it. Mercury turns direct July 12^th. 

A cosmic heads up: huge Aquarian energy is coming at the end of the year. 2021 is going to be all about the people. Some people have figured out that they don’t want to be alone. We need one another. There’s a new sense of community. Those of you who are 28, 29, 58 to 59 years old will be experiencing your Saturn returns. This is a major cosmic rite of passage; a time when you’re face to face with your experience of manifesting your spirit in the workings of your life. Let me say that again…

The Saturn return is a time when you’re face to face with your experience of manifesting your spirit in the workings of your life. In other words are you living a way that is authentic to you? What does authentic actually mean? It means living a life that’s aligned with your values. Do you know what your values are? Find out! Do it now.

Anyway, this is how the month of July pans out.

July 1 – 3 Power days. Jupiter and Pluto meet. Protocol and dignity as you walk through your fears. Babies are born today. Flowers open today. People die today. Songs are written. Everything all around us opens our hearts 24/7. The Moon travels the depth of Scorpio to enter philosophical Sadge. Allow yourself to move from water to fire.

July 4^th – 5^th Happy Birthday USA!

It’s a Capricorn Full Moon. And it’s an eclipse too (at almost midnight MT July 4^th). Right on the Sun in the USA chart. The Sun represents authority, the President, King, boss, father. In Capricorn this is magnified all the more. Leadership, always important, becomes critical now. If you’re with others during this time allow yourself to go and quietly rest whenever you need to.

The astrological precision of this lunar eclipse is seen in the chart. Something highly significant is happening at the level of leadership and karma. A leader may step down or one emerge. Saturn is at the very tail end of Capricorn. It won’t be at this cosmic address again for another 30 years. There’s a magnificent duty at work. Allow yourself to fulfill your calling with a straight spine and a sense of humble honor. Business and family matters predominate.

5^th through 8^th The energy of the eclipse lingers. Don’t get caught up in either emotion or lack thereof. Stay attuned to your inner compass.

July 8^th Mercury and Mars square each other. Impulsive feisty talk could lead to injury and the end of things. It’s a day for quick thinking. Stay away from people or situations that make you angry.

July 9^th through 15^th Mars and Chiron conjunct in Aries, exact on the 14^th. It’s an acutely sensitive time. Don’t take it personally! It’s not about you, even though it feels like it. It’s a time to let the ego heal. Keep your immune system healthy. Do something to strengthen your inner warrior.

July 12^th, Mercury turns direct. Thank goodness. Wires uncross. Proceed with grateful caution. Focus is still very Aries, still innocent and somewhat self-absorbed, like toddlers are. 

July 14^th, Mars and Chiron conjunct in Aries as the Moon in Taurus meets change agent Uranus. Lift yourself up! Seek the light. The Sun opposes Jupiter. Things could feel overwhelming. Sensible legal decisions may be reached.

July 14^th through July 15^th, the Sun in Cancer opposes Pluto in Capricorn – further authoritarian struggles. Secrets reveled. Go deep. Face your fears. They are smaller than you think. You carry a whole world within you.

July 16^th and 17^th,  the Moon in Gemini gets you out and about or catching up on your reading, calls to your siblings and interactions with neighbors. Write something.

July 19^th and 20^th, the Sun opposes Saturn. Leadership and family are everything now. Karma catches up to people today. I trust you’ve sown good seeds so you may reap a sweet harvest. 

July 20^th, yet another Cancer New Moon. We had one at summer solstice just a month ago, remember. We’re blessed to get another. Cancer is the Mother. Mother/Father Goddess/God. It’s a beloved nurturing energy. But Saturn is a limiting presence and this New Moon is exactly connected with Saturn meaning that your seeds will need to be manageable and small. Obstacles may fill the path. A sadness can occur. A loss of a mother figure perhaps. Avoid depression. It’s possible that you’re a lucky person. This could be a second chance. And, because you’ve been reflective and are living in alignment with your values, you could plant the exact seed that brings you the best outcome. 

New Moon to July 21^st, Mercury squares Chiron. Our speech, our thoughts, are they blessings or weapons? Simple sensitivities can be so healing.

July 22^nd, the Sun enters Leo. Creative energy surges for the next 30 days. It’s your annual opportunity to strengthen your courage and to open your heart. 

July 23^rd to July 25^th, the Moon travels through Virgo — use this time to get organized. There’s stuff to tend to, including your diet and adequate exercise.

July 25^th, the Moon opposes Chiron. Time to care for your home and your key relationships. Enjoy gentleness.

July 27^th, Venus and Neptune square. Things get a little fuzzy. Maybe your tastes need a moment to reorient. Better not make big promises or purchases unless you’re certain.

July 28^th – July 31^st. The month ends on a tough note as you stand up for yourself and your values. Venus forms a difficult angle with the Capricorn contingent and Mercury opposes them. Is your word your bond? Do you know how much your choices cost you? Step through this time as though a beloved ancestor were at your side. Get to work writing and sorting. Use the time to get something valuable done. There are so many things you can’t control. And yet, there’s also that sweet new seed you’ve been nourishing. Keep calling in the light.

See you back here in August; and remember, you matter, we are all connected, Earth is our home and love is our destination.

Your astrologer,

Dulce

Greetings Earthlings,

I wake early to the sound of the quail sentry calling from his high point. The sun kisses the top of the mesa and its broad lush beams caress the field. It seems that everything glows. I take my cues from nature and practice the patience of trees. There is not much to control. Most things have been stripped from my hands, and most likely, from yours also. All I can do is center in routine and silence. I try for silence, but as I write my new neighbor rips up his land with a giant machine, the roar is magnificent and alarming. It’s time to practice what I preach. For the first time in years, I’m resting and renewing at a deep cellular level. I thank my yoga teacher Demi for her Zoom classes and the yoga nidra she ends each practice with.

If your life permits it, let yourself slow down. This month is full of retrogrades which is the cosmos’s way of slowing down. Why should we be any different?

In the middle of an intense year we have the pivotal month of June. This month Mercury retrogrades and there are two eclipses. That’s astro-babble for “keep your wits about you.”

Gemini energy predominates until summer solstice on the 21^st when the Sun enters Cancer and begins the second half of the year. Gemini is effervescent and its celestial charge is to spread seeds. Use this month to gather information and share ideas; it’s what Gemini does best. Ignite your curiosity. Do it with amusement.

As Venus is currently retrograde and “descending” (see my Venus articles below) into the light of the Sun, your journey is interior. With the cosmic signature of these times being Pluto, Saturn, and Jupiter conjunct and now currently retrograde, this inner journey is one of vital importance. The course of your life may change this year and wisdom gleaned from your inner world is a priceless treasure.

The month begins with a nice blend of energies. You’re off on the right foot. Pay close attention because on June 3^rd, Venus and the Sun connect. This is a profound moment in the retrograde Venus cycle and when plotted over time reveals a five-pointed star in your chart. Look beyond the obvious – old loves and memories – which are likely to emerge, so if you’re yearning for your old flame, he or she may appear. But keep in mind that this deep dive is also a discovery and has everything to do with your values and your inner wealth.

Mark your calendars June 5th to June 13th as days to practice relaxed awareness. Here’s why:

The energy is high and builds to the Sagittarius Full Moon eclipse on June 5^th around 1:00 PM MT (thus we won’t see it here in the north). This lunation mimics the axis points in the USA chart and is squared by Mars making this a hot-headed impulsive time of overload. Lay low, unless you have a big project you want to push forward on. Be cautious anyway.

The eclipse/Full Moon energy persists and magnifies over the following days to June 8^th, as Mars continues to square the Sun. The Sun represents authority and leaders may react without notice. Again, another period of time in which to lay low, or to exert yourself with caution and prudence. Mars is a competitive energy. Notice where you want to exert your ego and what you want to win.

Over the next week we move from the aggression of Mars to the dreamy fog of Neptune as we ask, “what just happened?” The Sun squares Neptune from the 9^th to the 11^th, exact early on the 11^th. This is a magical, dreamy time, but given the bizarreness of this year, I recommend protecting your immune system. Use these days to paint, create, make love, hang out in water. Mars joins Neptune on the 12^th and 13^th. Stay away from drugs and alcohol. Instead, allow yourself to strengthen with visualization and stay hydrated. The Moon joins Mars and Neptune on the 13^th suggesting there may be a global occurrence of some kind. Perhaps a vaccine is discovered. The speed of it, Mars, and its uncertainty, Neptune, mean we should treat its emergence cautiously but with hope.

There follows a week of relative calm. Use it to catch up and recover. The Moon travels across tender points to eventually stabilize in Taurus just before Mercury turns retrograde late on the 18^th.  It turns direct July 12th. Again, more of an opportunity to pause and slow down. In Cancer, Mercury invites you to care for your home even more than you have been.

On the 18^th as well, the Moon meets Venus in Gemini. This is a celestial reminder to connect with siblings, especially sisters and to take care of your financial matters.

We begin to enter yet another magical window. The Moon is growing dark preparing to be born anew and the Sun is leaving Gemini for Cancer and the longest day of the year.

On June 20^th at 4:00 PM MT, the Sun enters Cancer marking summer solstice here in the north, and the longest day of the year. A few hours later, shortly after mid-night (MT) on June 21^st, there’s a solar New Moon eclipse in Cancer. If the planets could look down and talk to us they’d be saying this is a new beginning. Treat it as such. But carefully. You would never expect a baby to get up and walk moments from birth. Let this beginning start slow and build over time. Make a note of your hopes and put them under your pillow. Sleep on it.

We’re now in a watery realm of emotion with high needs for safety and approval. Cancer energy runs deep as does Pisces with both Mars and Neptune in that sign. On the 23^rd, Neptune retrogrades putting your delusions and fantasies on hold until it turns direct in late November of this year.

We’re starting to feel the energy shift, especially on the 25^th when lovely Venus makes her return journey. Matters of the heart, finances and aesthetics begin to stabilize.

Get ready for the big leap when Mars leaves watery Pisces for its home sign of Aries late on the 27^th. This is great mojo and helps give everything a big kick in the derrière. It’s time to get going, but cautiously please because come September Mars will retrograde in Aries until mid-November and all the plans of mice and men may go astray. Doesn’t life happen when you’re busy making plans?

June 29^th Jupiter and Pluto make another exact conjunction giving us the heads up that big shifts are at work. Take note. The month ends as Mercury and the Sun connect in loving Cancer. This feels so good. 

We’re still in the thick of it my friends. Practice equanimity, maintain an attitude of curiosity and stay amused, as my friends Laura and Skip would say.

I’ll see you back here in July for more eclipses (one on July 5^th) and Mercury’s direct motion on July 12^th.

Blessings, and remember, you matter; we are all connected, Earth is our home and love is our destination.

Your astrologer,

Dulce

Greetings Earthlings,

As I write, the wind blows through the trees and they toss themselves about in a green hued dance. The wind cleans and purifies. It also terrorizes. It’s the voice of Spirit my spiritual teacher told me once when I whined about it. We were on the phone and I was walking in the desert beside my home. The wind was throwing my voice away and flinging fine sparks of sand. Wind is the Voice of Spirit… I hear it now, gusting against the house.

Anywho… the reason I’m writing is because I want to talk about the incredibly special window of time we’re in right now: Venus’s retrograde in Gemini, going on now until June 25th, and the Gemini New Moon on May 22nd. 

Venus is one of the original Goddess archetypes in our collective consciousness. She’s Innana, or Ishtar, the Sumerian Goddess. Her story of descent is one our oldest stories and has shaped us in mysterious ways. Venus’s retrograde is the part of her cycle where she meets her sister Ereshkigal in the under world. Her sis is none too happy to see her and hangs her on a hook on the wall. Luckily, little Enki (Mercury) is sent down to get her. There proceeds an exciting adventure of escape. 

Coming up on May 22nd, at 11:38 AM (MT) Venus will conjunct Mercury (little Enki who rescued her from her sister’s grip in the underworld) at 20 degrees Gemini the very moment the Moon connects with the Gemini Sun at the annual Gemini New Moon. So my dearlings this is a magical, magical time. Enjoy yourself. Cherish the channel to which you are tuned. As Van Morrison sings, “Turn it Up!” Do this in your own unique, dualistic way. This is a rare time when your two halves come together. Imagine the two globes of your brain and the corpus callosum, that incredible super highway in your midbrain across which neurons leap and dance. Venus’s retrograde invites you come to a place of unity. It allows you to reclaim your value. Use the Gemini New Moon this Friday 5/22 to create a ritual around your values and your integration. 

To some this may feel like a spiritual emergency, as Christina Grof called it. The Spirit becomes so big in the human body, so attuned to it, that there is a profound rewiring. This is felt mostly in the chest area. Re-wiring and re-integration are important aspects of this New Moon/Venus retrograde in Gemini. Gemini is the sign that rules the nervous system.

This attune-ment is important because we’re dealing with a lot of human karma. Pluto, Jupiter and Saturn conjunct constitute the transpersonal signature of our time. These three together are the celestial marker of Covid 19. In Capricorn specifically, these three represent the bones of humanity that are with us. So are the slaughtered bodies of the animals we’ve eaten. It’s all there — our wars, our battles, our jealousies, come back to be with us. And it’s up to us to truly understand this. 

We’re not dealing with just three dimensions anymore. We’re not dealing with good ‘ole clock time. The stay-at-home edict began to change time for us. Time is the very thing that’s changing. Saturn is now in Aquarius for the first time in 29 years. Saturn is Father Time, old Cronus. Saturnalia in ancient Rome was a celebration of Saturn — they felt him to be earthy and essential. What’s happening now is that time is actually changing, our perception of time is shifting. 

This isn’t the first time it’s happened either. Industrialization and the alarm clock changed our sleeping habits. We used to have two sleeps a night but the alarm clock forced us into early rising and we lost our capacity for deep rest. Since industrialization we’ve been selling our time, not our value. Look at people on an assembly line (or in cubicles) and look at chickens in a chicken farm. Apart from species and activity, what’s the difference?

The pandemic (Pluto, Saturn, Jupiter) has broken the back of the assembly line. We’re at home, not in the work place. Pluto’s destruction may be serving us well. Are you using this time to rest and renew? Venus’s retrograde is another invitation to do just that. Venus will be retrograde until June 25 of this year. Use this period to turn inward, to be curious and amused about what is emerging in you. At the New Moon on the 22nd, Neptune will square Mercury and Venus – in other words, there’s an element of mystery, the hand of the Divine is at work. Rest and stillness heal you. 

This is a rare time. It’s Venus’s descent into the fire of the Sun, or is it the Son? Semantics — that’s Gemini — the way you write and tell things, your communication style and the way your mind works. Though the modern day ruler of Libra and Taurus, Venus’s first home is Gemini, its Gemini’s ancient ruling planet and thus the sign of the twins is a special resting place for Venus.

Bless you at this magical time. May you align with what means the most to you and may you come to a place of Oneness.

Your astrologer,

Dulce

Remember, you matter, we are all connected, Earth is our home and love is our destination.

The earth sings, and the trees ring with the sound of bees. The quail calls and the fly buzzes against the window. Welcome to the energy of Taurus my friends. The Earth and Taurus are synonymous with each other. We are so blessed to be Earthlings. 

Re-discover your friendship with nature and birdsong this month. Venus is the Goddess that rules this time. The breeze brings the smell of warming earth and the scent of lilacs. Luxuriate in this growing season. Taurus is your ground of being. Know your body and treat it as the loving friend it is. Without it… well, there is no life on Earth without the body.

Talking about relationship, what we’re doing is relationship, for stern Saturn is visiting Aquarius. Saturn is Aquarius’s ancient ruler. Friendships, commitments of the heart, socialization and so on, are all things of the people. Aquarius is charged with understanding the nature of society and science. I love Aquarians. My dad was one, my brother’s one, my granny was one, my grand-daughter is one. I have great friends who are Aquarians. I can’t get enough of them apparently. I bet you know some Aquarians, you probably are one.

In May we have two cycles to consider – Venus and Saturn. Love and lessons.

Venus retrogrades this month. Retrograding is part of her usual gig. Every eight years Venus orbits the Sun thirteen times while the earth orbits the sun eight times. During the 8-year cycle Venus passes between the sun and the earth five times, completing five synodic (getting back to where it started from relative to the Sun while seen from Earth) periods with each one lasting almost 18 months.

Venus switches positions during these retrogrades moving this time from an evening “star” to a morning one. She slowly draws closer and closer to the all consuming light of the Sun and is absorbed, vanishing from our vision. 

Here’s how May rolls along:

The whole Pluto, Jupiter, Saturn thing, indicators of the virus and economic standstill, is still something to deal with but it’s not active right now. The threat will return this October. (See my earlier columns for more.) But right now, we’re in a relative state of astrological peace.

Saturn, Venus and Jupiter all turn retrograde this month. This may feel a little like moving through molasses. Getting things going again is going to take time. The interior nature of a retrograde pulls the energy back inside. Let the next four months be ones of consideration and deliberation. Don’t make any hasty moves. Allow yourself to linger in that which you know to be important to you. 

Mercury changes signs twice this month, keeping you on your toes when communication skills are required. Mercury will turn retrograde in June so do what you can this month to be clear in your actions and purchases.

The month begins with a waxing Moon and a sense of possibility. Taurus energy is heavy, pun intended, in a solid grounding way. Both the Sun and Mercury are in this earth sign as the Moon in dramatic Leo opposes Mars in social Aquarius. It could be a feisty time and a stubborn one. May 1^st is Beltane – the halfway point between spring equinox and summer solstice. Celebrate!

The next few days encourage busy industry and order as the Moon travels through Virgo. Do what you need to do to clean things up. Make healthy choices. 

On the 4^th, Mercury and the Sun meet. Bold proclamations mark the day. We’re days from a Full Moon so listen and learn to both inner and outer messages.

Use diplomacy and fellowship with success over the next few days as the Moon travels through Libra. Diffuse potentially upsetting situations before the Scorpio Full Moon early on the 7^th. It may be hard to trust your emotions at this Full Moon; perhaps because they seem so intense. It’s time to release those deeper feelings or perhaps to understand them and the shadows they represent. Be patient with yourself. Let the storms of life pass through your clay body. Feel, release, heal. 

8^th and 9^th bring hope and life as the Moon travels through light-hearted Sagittarius. It’s time to take a little journey, see something new. This is especially true when the Moon opposes Venus on the 9^th. Take your time figuring out what’s best for you while remembering that nothing lasts forever and experiences are often well-worth having.

The Moon travels through Capricorn the 10^th through the 12^th. These are somber days meant for working hard and taking care of business. Mother’s Day on the 10^th is pleasant in its sacred duties as Mercury and Jupiter connect favorably. 

On May 10^th, Saturn turns retrograde until late September. The next four months give you further opportunity to ponder your path.

The energy shifts when Mercury enters its home sign of Gemini on the 11^th. People want to connect again, and messages fly through the airwaves. This energy takes a strange shape when Venus retrogrades in Gemini on the 13^th. Venus is Gemini’s ancient ruling planet so there’s an affinity here that bodes well but it’s an opportunity to practice prudence. Venus will be retrograde until June 25^th. From now and until then it’s best to avoid big love, money and art productions. Weddings, home remodels etc. don’t go well when the planet that rules such things is not available. This is a great time to evaluate your values, your financial position and to otherwise take care of your possessions and ideas. 

Also, on the 13^th, Mars leaves intellectual Aquarius and enters sensitive Pisces. Are things on or are they off? It’s hard to know under these skies and a lot of intuition is required and is available to you. Mars in Pisces is moody and intense. Johnny Cash was a Pisces with Mars in Pisces if that tells you anything.

The energy keeps shifting! On the 14^th Jupiter turns retrograde relaxing restrictions until October and giving us the opportunity to discover our inner domains. 

The next few days see the Taurus Sun moving in a favorable relationship to Pluto and then Jupiter, making it a good time to continue with your transformation and to add structure and pleasure to your activities. The 17^th is a particularly enjoyable and/or lucky day.

We’re in the last days of Taurus now. Use the time to develop your routine. Practice being grounded.

On the 20^th the Sun enters chit-chatty Gemini and the whole tone changes. We enter into a magical time, enhanced by the Gemini New Moon on the 22^nd. On this day there’s an exact Mercury Venus conjunction. Sweeter words were never spoken. This is a wonderful time for poetry and writing. The Sun and Saturn trine at this New Moon indicating that whatever begins now could have long term consequences. I’m excited to share my Journey Series with you. More info here: https://www.astrologybydulce.com/journey-series/

The energy of the New Moon lingers over the next few days. Make use of it by making meaningful connections with those you care about. Further your literary aims and prepare to receive back something you lost a long time ago.

Memorial Day may be more emotional than most. Spend it with family if you can and try not to be too needy. The Moon trines Mars in watery Pisces and that looks like memories of the past and tears released.

The mood lightens with the Leo Moon but shifts again on the 28^th. 

On the 28^th Mercury leaves chatty Gemini for gentle Cancer. It will turn retrograde in Cancer from the middle of June to the middle of July. Mercury in Cancer is emotional and can be somewhat child-like and dependent. Stay in touch with your feelings, for they have a lot to tell you, but stay rational.

The month ends as the Virgo Moon gives way to Libra helping you stay attuned to your agenda while serving others. As we’ve so recently discovered with Covid, we are all connected. Self-care is critical. 

Next month we face retrogrades and two eclipses. See you back here then. And remember, you matter, we are all connected. Earth is our home and love is our destination.

Your astrologer,

Dulce

Greetings dear Ones,

Here’s April’s cosmic report. It’s a little late because I spent a great deal of time writing the 2020 report you’ll find when you scroll down. I’m posting this Sunday, April 5th under a waxing Virgo Moon. Virgo invites organization and healing but can also be quite sensitive. If you’re feeling a little out of sorts, and who isn’t given the circumstances, be kind to yourself and others over the next few days. Take it easy, clean up your junk, and think healthy thoughts.

Meditation and mindful self-compassion are powerful tools I highly recommend. Use them.

Please keep in mind, that though I may not mention everyday of this month the overarching theme of the Saturn/Pluto conjunction continues. In other words – be prudent, follow the instructions from the medical experts globally and nationally, and don’t break the law. Keep each other safe, please. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re in a pandemic and we’re trying to flatten that curve. 

The Libra Full Moon on the 7th is a good day to stay safe at home friends. That’s because Mars (ruling the Aries Sun) is square change agent Uranus and that’s a recipe for hotheadedness and impulsive action which could be dangerous. Full Moons are always times of overload and this year, whew!

Good news though – we’re slowly shifting gears toward a monumental change in our prevailing world view – the coming Great Mutation. This is the union of Jupiter and Saturn in the air sign Aquarius at winter solstice 2020. You can find the details in my last report. 

We can feel the changes this April as Saturn is briefly in Aquarius (until early July at which time it re-enters Capricorn). Mars is also in Aquarius for the first time in two years and it will retrograde this year also (in Aries Sept 9 to Nov 13, not good times for forward movement). 

Speaking of air — Venus is now in the air sign of Gemini (as of April 3).  Venus in Gemini is notoriously fickle, he loves me, he loves me not. Venus will retrograde in Gemini this summer. Venus retrograde is usually not a good thing as Venus rules love, aesthetics and finances and can really indicate problems with all three; and yet Venus is the ancient ruling planet of Gemini so my thought is that we may have things restored to us during the retrograde period: May 12 to June 25, and it won’t be too disruptive. 

The 9th and 10th are good days for love – long distance if needed – when Mars and Venus play kissy kissy.

Late on April 10th (MT),  Mercury finally leaves watery Pisces after a long sojourn there due to its retrograde period. On the 10th, Mercury enters Aries, a place of new vision and fresh starts. It’s time to think ahead and plan your new normal. This virus is not going away in a hurry. It’ll be with us through most of the year, so please continue to practice safe socializing. Wear the mask! Nonetheless, the seasons change and this is a time of beginnings as well as endings.

Be mindful and continue to stay home April 13th through to April 15th when the Sun squares first Pluto and then Jupiter. The Moon and Mars have an interaction too. We may see political parties attempt to push their agendas through. There’s a lot of posturing and power and control dynamics. Don’t be bullied! Stand up for yourself and common sense. Don’t over do it though. It’s a time of pragmatism above all else. Don’t bite it off if you can’t chew it, right?

There’s a breath of fresh air and stability when the Sun enters earthy Taurus on April 19th. Happy birthday Bull! This moment of peace is short lived and obstacles appear when the Sun squares Saturn the next day slowing things down once again by setting limitations.

The Taurus New Moon April 22nd, involves change agent Uranus. We know things will never quite be the same again. We know we have to address the issues of climate change and consumerism, loss of wilderness and poverty. Our values are being tested in places we really feel. This New Moon invites you to take control of what you can and let go of the rest. 

And the much needed break we’ve all been waiting for comes April 25th and 26th, when Pluto turns retrograde. There’s a reprieve until October 2020 when Pluto turns direct along with Saturn. It’s quite possible that during the next few months we may even forget what we’ve been through. I hope not. I hope we remember so we don’t have to go through it again when they turn direct. 

Also, on the 25th and 26th the Sun and Uranus connect in earthy Taurus at their annual meeting. Uranus always brings something new and innovative to the table. I hope that new environmental technologies and thought will overpower the old guard. No matter how much de-construction of environmental protections there are people no longer want to breath polluted air and eat bad food. Things begin to feel exciting but again, please stay aware and cautious. We’re not out of the woods yet.

On April 27th, little Mercury enters Taurus, encouraging us to continue the slow down that is the gift of this time of confinement. Mercury bumps into a square with Saturn over the next few days and communications can feel tough, even hard and isolating. But soon enough, as the month ends, excitement builds when Mercury connects with its higher octave – Uranus. Talk about innovation! Use the last few days of April to problem solve. Go through your stuff and recognize its value. Have fun!

May 1st is the celebration of Beltane when we dance around the May pole. Though we continue to bury and mourn our precious dead, we feel a new life, a new seed and we cherish it with songs of praise and dances of joy.

See you soon dear readers, and remember: you matter, we are all connected, Earth is our home and love is our destination.

Your astrologer,

Dulce

By Dulce Bell-Bulley MA CHT
March 29, 2020

This column is dedicated to Dale McClanahan.

Hello friends,

The June 2012 issue of Time magazine was dedicated to end of the world scenarios in a volume titled How To Die. It was 2012 after all and we were on the brink of existential oblivion thanks to the ending of the Mayan calendar. Of the top ten ways to go, pandemic was one of them. So here we are, in a pandemic. 

So, what’s going on up there? With the planets?

The Wanderers have a vision much broader than ours, but remember, WE, all of us TOGETHER are creating this reality. Breathe deeply, as much as you can. Fill up your toes and your back body. Love as much as you can — build the strength and field of your heart chakra. We’re confronting what we created earlier, letting it go onto the compost heap, out of which we are tending the tiny shoots of our brilliant future. The power is the present. As you read this article and go through this time, remember we are interconnected. We are the one body. Align yourself to something higher, truer, and Divine, whatever that is for you. At times of endings we fear great loss but our open hearts, aligned spirits and our collective awareness will see us safely through. 

The current major cosmic dance is a conjunction of slow-moving Pluto, he of the Underworld (an orbit around the Sun of 250 years), and Saturn, Father time and the planet in charge of reality as we know it (30-year orbit). Pluto’s modus operandi is to destroy, and Saturn’s is to maintain. This combo stresses existing structures and looking back in history we can see what that looks and feels like.

Alas, this cycle has taken us to dark places before – let’s start with WW1. Soldiers were confined to the trenches, when Saturn and Pluto met in Cancer (they’re in the opposite sign of Capricorn now). Think of our confinement now and their confinement in the trenches. How terrible that was for them. 

Pluto and Saturn connected again, in September 1939, the beginning of WW2 when Hitler invaded Poland, and France and England declared war on Germany. The two planets squared each other then. And on 9/11/2001 they opposed each other across a major axis of the USA chart.

You get the picture. And here we are again. Perhaps we can say that the symbol for this time might be the Notre Dame fire April 15, 2019 when Saturn and Pluto conjunct at south node. It was the first “episode”. 

If you’re feeling anxious, be kind to yourself. You are not alone. Saturn and Pluto together are associated with heaviness and loss. A tension. There’s an all-pervasive feeling of sadness. A lack of joy. What Carl Jung would call “the reality principle” and Nietzsche “the spirit of gravity.” An intense inner journey is at work. This is terrifying because it involves entering our shadow realm. Pluto is the guardian of the underworld after all. Think about the subterranean underbelly of the world – corruption, deceit, filth, yet also hidden gold, seeds of the future, and an enormous appetite for power and control, for rebirth. Pluto takes us on our death and birth journey. This journey into the depths takes us to our inner wealth, that which cannot be corrupted nor destroyed. With Saturn also present, we’re responsible for that journey. No one can save us but us. 

Added to the recipe of stress is abundant Jupiter (12- year orbit) and Mars (2-year orbit) joining Saturn and Pluto at the south node. These add oomph, and up the ante. If this rare alignment wasn’t enough, we have three significant eclipses to deal with this year and something ominously called the Great Mutation.  A bit more about that in a moment. Here are a few key words about the challenges Pluto offers:

Deconstruction and destruction

Fear of the hidden

The hidden coming up

Transpersonal/global forces

Sorrow – the world dying, species disappearing. 

Loss

Birth and death.

Life force

Power and control – (in Capricorn the power and control over the collective via government)

Surrender

Dictatorship – martial law. Taking charge. Putin having absolute rule for example. 

Flaws in structure/ government/leadership are revealed. Think Brexit. 

Secrets. Power behind the scenes.

(Keep breathing, nice and deep!)

Pluto also governs shadow, things we don’t know about, that we’ve buried in the subterranean depths of our psyche. PROJECTION – where we throw our nonsense onto someone else because we don’t want to look at it; where we blame someone else for what we’re doing covertly but won’t face up to. Pluto is also excrement (yep, shit). Fear of what’s coming out of us. “The great scythe swinging through the world cutting down” excess. 

And there’s Capricorn to consider — the sign Pluto and Saturn are traveling together in. Capricorn is associated with restrictions, government, rules and regs, protocol, authority, business, parents, tradition, commitment, duty. And cycles of development over time.

Finally, let’s take a peek at some of the key concepts for Saturn. It’s basically the same as Capricorn because Saturn rules Capricorn. These are: Scaffolding. Structure. Things to hold onto or the form and shape of society. Time. Limitation – lovers unable to get to each other; families separated. Obligations. Confinement – Think of people holed up together during this time; with both the negatives and the silver lining it provides should we choose to take it. 

Let’s talk conspiracy for a moment. Pluto’s presence suggests the possibility that some power, somewhere, let loose this beast in an effort to control the world in order to mine it for their own wealth and ego. That this power wants to have absolute control over the populace, via martial law and the virus is getting that in place. Let me debunk this conspiracy – Jupiter is present in this whole thing. Jupiter is a planet representing ethics and advanced learning. In Capricorn, as it is during this entire year until winter solstice when it enters Aquarius, Jupiter in Capricorn is overly cautious. Prudent and careful to the point of extreme fussiness. This has proved to be very helpful and led to quarantine and stay at home orders. So, if there were some kind of Plutonian/Uranian conspiracy, Jupiter brought it back to Earth and is keeping us as safe as possible given the circumstances. 

This global experience is teaching the lesson of Earth, where everything is right now. We understand RESOURCES in a different way. It’s the birth of pragmatism and renewal. Saving things, recycling. Making things last. Stop throwing things away. Stop buying cheap plastic throwaway s**t because we realize that nothing is actually cheap. There’s a cost to everything either measured in the quality of human experience and/or to the natural world, the environment. And the cost is breaking our hearts.

We become aware of true RESOURCES – Spiritual awareness. An inner radical responsibility for the health and magnificence of our own souls. 

Another thing we understand is that our care and love for one another is what we’re confined to and what we miss right now. Ask yourself, what is meaningful to you? Here’s what is meaningful to me: My physical and spiritual health; my family, friends, clients and animals; silence; my work and creative life; my garden, good food, my neighborhood, the library, community radio stations, wilderness, rivers, camping, music (lots of it) and really good beer and wine. 

We are face-to-face with what we love and yearn for. We’re confined (Saturn) my friends (Aquarius), cut off from certain things and those we cherish. Use Pluto positively by opening up the closed places – the heart, the soul, and the mind. The earth is healing right now! The earth starts to heal when we stop hurting it. Look at the pics of Whutan and the canals of Venice. Sky and water are clear. Birds and animals returning.

What an opportunity to let what needs to die, die and to let go. Birth what is healthy. What is that for you?

Regarding a primary love we all share – the health and wonder of wilderness. There’s been deregulation (Plutonian method) of all things that protect our environment also known as the ESSENTIALS – fresh water, air and healthy soil. I’m grateful for all those who bring food, oil and gas to me but not at the cost of wilderness and the loss of species, nor at the cost of our health because we’re already been there and done that. Enough already!

Okay, how about Trump and the USA chart? Trump and the USA have six planets that fit hand over glove. They are related to karma and basic needs, fears about safety, money and resources. Mars, the God of war and action, is particularly featured in both his chart and the USA chart. There’s a lot more here to discuss but I’ll save it for another time. The time we’re in transcends the individuals involved though they are players in the drama. (Remember, you are the creator, not the story).

When will there be reprieve? 

Soon. Let’s get through the Mars/Uranus square on April 7^th, that’s kind of impulsive and could be dangerous. April 26^th is a tentative green for go. Pluto turns retrograde April 26^th around the same time the Sun connects with change agent Uranus. This is a huge sigh of relief. It’s a time of recovery. But it’s slow. Continue to be patient and practice safe socializing. There’s a dramatic shift for better with a little madness, or innovation, thrown in, thanks to Uranus.  

The month of May looks like our best bet to go back to what we were doing before Covid 19 showed up. 

Three planets turn retrograde in May and things settle down. Saturn retrograde May 12, Venus retrograde May 14, Jupiter retrograde May 15.

We’re going to go back to what we were doing. It’ll be like old home week and then … 

A tricky period in June, a critical eclipse July 5^th and then Saturn and Pluto within days of one another will turn direct in October. They’ll be conjunct with Jupiter so the virus, or something related to it will return at that time. The rest of the year reveals continued caution. The eclipses ahead reveal market changes and periodic outbreaks of the virus. 

In a nutshell – Go slow. May is good, summer a bit tricky, October trouble returns. End of year an epoch shift. 

Let me expand on this timeline a little more:

I urge caution from the Full Moon lunar eclipse June 5^th through to June 19^th – especially the 19^th. Mars in Pisces conjuncts Neptune and the moon shows up. This is a cosmic recipe for poor immune systems. On the positive side it may also indicate the discovery of a vaccine. 

The Full Moon lunar eclipse at 15° Sadge on June 5^th has Venus both conjunct the Sun and retrograde. This speaks to financial matters and a possible resurge of old values.  

The solstices feature prominently this year. On June 21^st, for a new moon eclipse at 0° Cancer solstice point and again at winter solstice (in the northern hemisphere Dec 21, 2020) when the “Great Mutation” occurs. That’s the meeting of Saturn and Jupiter at 0° Aquarius, square Uranus. Both Saturn and Uranus rule Aquarius and they don’t get along. Uranus was Saturn’s dad and he ate him! This is a big game changer folks. 

The full moon lunar eclipse July 5^th at 13° Capricorn is an important eclipse and it has a lot to do with what we’re experiencing now. This eclipse features a tight Jupiter, Pluto conjunction and Saturn is nearby. This is what we’re experiencing as I write this in March 2020. These points activate planets in the USA chart, it’s personal for us. This could be the reignition of the virus or something closely associated with it. Thank God the planets are all retrograde! This diminishes their influence indicating that our old fears may surface but perhaps with no substance. There may be something we don’t know about covertly occurring behind the scenes. 

Caution!  August 13^th and October 9^th when Pluto and Mars square off.

Another full moon lunar eclipse on November 30^th at 8° Gemini contains the same conjunctions (energy) as the last eclipse. This one holds the potentials for market shifts. And finally, December 14^th at 23° Sagittarius. The same lineup – in other words we’re dealing with whatever comes up. The virus may well be back, or again, issues associated with it. Let’s not rule out possible government intervention. 

Caution! – December 23^rd when Mars and Pluto square off.

And then … the Great Mutation. Freaky term but it refers to a once in around 600-year cycle. It’s been +- 600 years since Jupiter and Saturn last met in Air signs. They meet once every 20 years anyway, and spend 10 cycles in one element, then move to another element. In this case from Earth to Air. This is a zeitgeist shift. It’s a very old cycle!

So, my bottom line, this will pass. The Saturn/Pluto conjunction in Capricorn followed by the Great Mutation heralds a shift of enormous magnitude. I stand by what I wrote in October 2016: invest locally, plant a garden, take up a hobby, and be patient. Life goes on this year. There are better times than others. I’ve listed here the ones to be aware of. Stay healthy. Keep your expenses down. Develop close bonds of love and care with others. Support the things that mean something to you.

What’s the antidote: 

Apart from medicine and healers the world over? LOVE.  Love is the antidote. Always has been, always will be. Love is the thing that unfreezes the hatred of projection and keeps your spirit well. Corvid 19 affects the lungs. Chinese medicine tells us grief lives in the lungs. We’ve been grieving a long time my friends. Maybe we still have the trenches of WW1 in our collective memory and its bubbling up now for healing. This time of confinement is for our benefit. We get to feel and when we feel, we heal.

I think you’ve got the picture of what’s going on right now with the planets. If you’ve got it in you, let’s turn our attention back to the Great Mutation. A happening event this winter solstice – December 21, 2020.

This is the 20-year Jupiter/Saturn conjunction with a twist. This time they meet it’s called the Great Mutation. It’s given this gloomy name because Jupiter and Saturn will finally meet in air signs after 200 years of meeting up in earth signs (though they met in 1980/1981 in Libra, an air sign, it was considered a ‘preview’ – a natural part of the cycle). During their 200-year meeting in earth signs the focus was on materialism. It’s been +- 600 years since Jupiter and Saturn met in Air signs for their 200-year sojourn there.

2020 December 21^st (solstice) begins a whole new 20-year cycle when Jupiter and Saturn meet in Aquarius, the sign of society, of people, rebels and rule makers. The last conjunction was in 2000 and involved Uranus. This cycle involves Uranus as well – Uranus is the great destabilizer. Nothing is certain when this planet shows up. Uranus in Taurus will square the conjunction in Aquarius which it rules. 

This suggests mass protests against governments and rules. It’s a” don’t fence me in” attitude, a time of social unrest. A kind of FU to authority who may be trying to control the populace, maybe for good reasons. Perhaps this is helpful given that we’re in a phase where there’s a global tendency toward dictatorship. Mere mortals want to become Kings and take away freedoms. 

I’m heartened by this next cycle even though it is socially disruptive (though hopefully we’re not looking at mob mentality) because folks believe in personal rights. I endorse the rights of waterways, air, wilderness and animals as well as human rights. Though there will be a strong resistance from the ruling party ultimately the people will win. Teamwork triumphs. Re-discover your people. Love and take care of them in that special way you have, that only you can do. By the way, the KGB was dismantled last time Saturn was in Aquarius.

Also, the move from Earth (materialism, possessions, ostentatious wealth, agriculture – both local organic and corporate farms) to Air will totally shift our values away from all that and move it toward the arts, literature, ideas, technology and all matters associated with the intellect and internet. It’s likely there will be struggles over controlling the internet and social and intellectual freedoms. If those things are important to you, you’ll naturally keep an eye on them ensuring our collective body will continue to create the ever-evolving world wide web. Since Saturn is in Aquarius now, for a brief while, we’re already feeling the importance of connection via the internet thanks to Zoom, Skype, etc.

Interestingly enough, when Jupiter and Saturn conjunct in Aquarius in 1345 the plague, also known as the Black Death, came into being. Not a happy thought and yet we have come so far and hopefully, learned so much. Can we rely on each other? This time of group consciousness is also a time of personal accountability, isn’t it?  We are aware of ourselves, individually, as One body. We’re aware we are the collective. This is how nature works. It’s how birds fly in a flock, fish in a school, and grasses in the meadow. How beautiful is that?

I’ll be writing about the Aquarius energy headed our way and will share that with you. I also hope to get you an April cosmic play by play. We’ll see, check back often. I want to thank my astrology colleagues the world over who’re examining the same skies and whose research has helped me. Please see a list of resources at the end of this article.  Thanks also to my friend Karen, who mid-wifed this column. Together we pulled out the weeds and planted flowers in their stead.

In the meantime, take care out there. And remember, you matter, we are all connected. Earth is our home and love is our destination.

Your astrologer,

Dulce

P.S.

Message from my space buddies: YOU ARE NOT ALONE PLANET EARTH. DESPITE YOUR THICK HEADS WE STILL CARE FOR YOU. REPEAT – YOU ARE NOT ALONE. 

https://isarastrology.org/raymond-merriman-the-great-mutation-and-the-start-of-a-new-era-jupiter-and-saturn/

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/black-death-is-created-allegedly

https://www.astrologyuniversity.com/saturn-pluto-covid-19/

“Cosmos and Psyche: Intimations of a New World View” Richard Tarnas. Viking Press 2006

Greetings Earthlings,

In like a lamb out like a lion is the saying that goes with the month of March. There are two kinds of folks born in March. The first kind are watery Pisces – gentle and loving, fey and somewhat fickle. The latter are fiery Aries, bold, naïve, warm and occasionally impatient. In March we move from one season to another celebrating Equinox: Spring equinox here in the northern hemisphere and the Autumnal equinox in the southern hemisphere; two halves of the same world. We live on a dualistic plane of existence, subject to the vagaries and passions of this mortal coil. Pisces is the end of things (Omega) and yet is also the container for the seeds of Aries (Alpha). Enjoy yourself this month as Mercury turns direct and fresh winds clear your head. 

Stern, slow Saturn changes signs this March moving from government-centered Capricorn to people-centered Aquarius. Power returns to the people. Those born between 1990 and 1992 experience their first Saturn return while those turning 58 experience their second one. Please note, this is a process that can take as long as several months and is dependent on each individual chart. The Saturn return is a cosmic rite of passage that closes out a life chapter and initiates a new one. It can be difficult, but not always. It is always memorable, however.

The month begins on a steady note. There’s a waxing Moon and the leap year is in the rearview mirror. Mercury is still retrograde, and things continue to feel slightly fuzzy, but growth and progress are in the air as the Capricorn stellium of Jupiter, Mars, Saturn and Pluto dominate the cosmic landscape. Big things are happening folks. Enormous change is afoot. Keep looking deeper at your own life. Keep taking responsibility for your creations. Steer yourself and those you love toward the safe and fertile shores created by your imagination and Spirit’s guiding. You are after all, the God Self. We are in Pisces’ terrain now and dreaming is how we get through. Forgiveness and gratitude help tremendously as well. Pisces holds the energy of the past in the symbol of two fish eternally yoked together. Who are we without our past? And what can we become without it?

March 2^nd and there’s tension in the air. Loving Venus chides stern Saturn, or is it the other way round? Sometimes hard things go along with long-term commitments. There’s a price for doing things your own way. Test yourself if you like.

March 4^th and two planets change signs shifting the energy. Retrograde Mercury slips back into intellectual Aquarius giving you an opportunity to rethink things through. And Venus enters earthy Taurus, gives a big sigh and asks for a back rub. It’s time a little sensuality entered your life. Venus stays in her home sign of the Bull until early April. She will retrograde in Gemini late May through to late June so enjoy her direct presence now by clarifying your values, finances, sense of aesthetics, and love relationships.

Practice steadiness over the next few days as the Cancer Moon opposes the Capricorn stellium and heaviness may be felt. The Sun is fast approaching dreamy Neptune and when it gets there, love and rain fall from the heavens in a carpet of cherry blossoms.

The 6^th and 7^th resonate with the blossoming Leo Moon. It’s time for play. Creativity is your best friend now. 

The 7^th sees the Sun and Neptune up close and personal. The next two days are good for rest and music. Throw a little love in there too. Prayer, meditation, and all forms of creativity and spiritual practice flourish under these skies.

On the 8^th, Venus conjuncts Uranus upsetting the applecart. Oh oh. Watch out. Values could change. Do something energetic when you’re not napping. The Sun and Neptune continue to connect — softening and forgiving any sharp edges. Daylight savings starts today! Not my favorite thing.

Big Virgo Full Moon on the 9^th! Female shifts and changes are underway as Chiron and Black Moon Lilith connect and Venus blows Uranus a parting kiss. It looks like liberation to me but as with anything Virgo, please practice good discernment. Be moderate in your actions and reflective in your reactions. The Pisces Sun feels so much and the Virgo Moon assimilates it all. Rest your digestive system today with a light fast. Mercury turns direct today also. Clarity begins to return.

The 10th through the 11^th continues the fallout from the Full Moon. Pay attention.

There may be a few surprises on the 12^th when the Moon opposes Uranus.

13^th Mars approaches Jupiter increasing your chances for success. Keep planning and acting on your goals.

14^th through the 16^th the Sagittarian Moon lifts your spirits. Plan, or better yet, take an adventure.

Early on the 16^th Mercury re-enters Pisces bringing feelings and memories into everyday encounters.

Halfway through the 16^th and all the way through the 18^th, the traveling Moon connects with the Capricorn stellium bringing news of the government and its doings into every home and heart. This could be a sobering time.

Late on the 19^th (MT), the Sun slips into Aries marking the spring equinox and the shift of seasons. Spring has sprung in the northern hemisphere and the days and night are equal once again. Happy birthday Aries!

The 19^th through to the 20th, active Mars conjuncts abundant Jupiter. Move over Red Bull – this conjunction really gives you wings. This is strong energy folks. Use it to your advantage by being clear on your goals and values.

Listen close on the 21^st when Mercury and the Moon connect. Important messages come to you in your dreams and via art and poetry.

22^nd guard your immune system and stay away from angry people. Mars connects with powerful Pluto suggesting underhanded moves and existential threats. Jupiter is close enough to blow things out of proportion. The Moon connects with spiritual Neptune. To transform this energy and use its power for good, spend the day in prayer or meditation if you can. Write, make music and beam love.

The 22^nd through to the 24^th are tender. The Aries Sun connects with Chiron – don’t take anything personally! Venus is bright and beautiful during this time. Check her out in the West before you hit the sack.

The 24^th is a tender, tender Aries New Moon. Oh, the journey the little seed has to go through before it blossoms as its true Self! Be gentle dear Ones with the power and might of your bright hearts.

The 25^th to the 27^th Venus comes into a pleasing relationship with abundant Jupiter making the 27^th a particularly lucky day. The Moon gets in on it too. Celebrate the comforts and security of your home and family.

The rest of the month speeds by under the presence of the chatty Gemini Moon. It’s time to connect the dots and catch up on those conversations and until there’s a full stop. This happens March 31^st when Mars changes signs and meets Saturn.

31^st Mars enters egalitarian Aquarius – more power to the people! But it bumps into stern Saturn suddenly finding limits and boundaries. Use this time to focus your desires over the long term. Never give up!

The month ends with the sense that the times are changing once again. Remember, you matter, we are all connected, Earth is our home and love is our destination.

Your astrologer,

Dulce

Greetings Earthlings,

Are you ready to go two steps forward and one back? The energy this month shifts from the intellectual sign of Aquarius (think friends, discussion, debate) to the creative musings of Pisces (think art, poetry and dreaming). The two steps back is due in large part to Mercury’s entry and retrograde in Pisces, the most watery and confusing of the twelve signs. Pisces holds the keys to the future by mulling over the past. From February 9th on, the focus is on reflection, not analysis. You can still make progress this month just don’t expect too much. Real awareness occurs in your inner world so be sure to spend time there. 

The Sun travels in social and intellectual Aquarius until the 18^th, keeping the focus and vibe on group dynamics and here in the USA, debate and analysis over the impeachment hearings. 

We’re out of the tense woods for the moment. The tension coincided with the Saturn/Pluto conjunction and pressure on Mercury in the USA chart. Alas, we’re in for more drama and tension this year, and fairly soon. Pluto will connect with Mars and Jupiter next month, and will connect again with Saturn toward the end of summer giving us another window of tension and threat. But for this month, we’re in the clear. 

February gives you a unique opportunity to linger in the land of dreams and mulch –- the place before manifestation takes place. Consider it an opportunity for rest and a chance to regroup. Spend time by the water if you can. Pisces does not lend itself to a strong immune system so be sure to keep yourself healthy as well.

1^st – the month starts with a bit of a struggle as the Aquarian Sun squares the Taurus Moon bringing inner conflict to the foreground. Not everything is comfortable all the time. Bear with it. 

2^nd – and it’s Super Bowl Sunday. This is a more stable, maybe even an inert kind of day, as the Moon stabilizes in Taurus with support from Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn. Let yourself feel the weightiness of this time.

3^rd – the move we’ve been waiting for happens now, chatty Mercury enters gentle and dreamy Pisces. Mercury usually spends three weeks in a sign but will be ten weeks in this most sensitive and intuitive of signs giving you an opportunity to really process whatever it is you want to happen. Mercury in Pisces is also highly creative. Get your paint brushes out! 

3^rd to the morning of the 5^th  — energy quickens when the Moon enters chatty Gemini, harmonizes with the Aquarian Sun and opposes Mars. It’s time to get a move on in a positive manner.

5^th – the Moon enters watery Cancer and connects favorably with Mercury in dreamy and watery Pisces. Heed your dreams and feelings.

6^th — can feel emotional and full when the Moon opposes Jupiter. Pace yourself.

7^th – could feel heavy with lots of responsibility as the Moon opposes Saturn and Pluto but Venus enters Aries today helping you stand up for yourself and get what you want. Maybe that’s a little selfish but it could be needed right about now.

8^th – the Moon waxes to almost full and enters warm and confident Leo giving you the confidence you need to move forward independently.

Early on the 9^th – it’s a glorious Leo Full Moon! Time to celebrate and play. With favorable connections to Mars your confidence and will power is magnified. Enjoy yourself today.

10^th – 11^th – the Moon travels through finicky Virgo helping you get organized. With positive aspects to the Capricorn contingent you can get a lot done if you take your time, despite the Full Moon fallout. 

12^th – 13^th – you may strive for balance during these two days. The Moon in Libra opposes Venus and then enters Scorpio to oppose Uranus. It’s hard to please all the people all the time and sometimes it’s harder to know what you want. Practice patience and make changes you can live with.

14^th – Valentine’s Day – a tough holiday for those on their own and with the Moon in Scorpio this is especially so. Do something nice for yourself or a friend.

15^th – The Scorpio Moon and the Aquarian Sun create an impasse. Get outside if you can. Let nature heal you.

16^th – is a big day. Mercury turns retrograde until March 9^th. You know what this looks like —misunderstandings, travel plans go awry, etc. That’s the worst-case scenario while the best case is an opportunity to rest, reflect and dream. Enjoy!

Also, on the 16^th, active Mars enters sensible Capricorn. This is fabulous energy that will keep you going with your plans and help you actualize your goals. Mars stays in Capricorn until the end of March. Make hay while you can for Mars will retrograde in Aries later this year and that won’t be good for progress.

17^th – the Sagittarian Moon gives you wings.

18^th – another big cosmic shift. Today the Sun leaves egalitarian Aquarius for gentle Pisces. This is an energy shift that exacerbates Mercury’s retrograde but does magnify the creative, spiritual and intuitive vibe of this most sensitive and insightful of signs. Keep your immune system strong over the next thirty days as Pisces has no boundaries. The Moon and Mars conjunct today also, giving a little boost to most activities.

19^th – 20^th – tough, practical days as the Moon travels through no-nonsense Capricorn and connects with Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto. News from the Government makes headlines.

21^st – watch out! Mars trines Uranus making for sudden turns and changes. Do something interesting, maybe even a little risky, but do keep your head screwed on.

22^nd – prepare for the Pisces New Moon tomorrow by connecting with your pals before clearing your schedule.

23^rd – it’s a beautiful Pisces New Moon. New Moons are always opportunities to begin again, to start fresh. Pisces longs to escape. Try to switch out your addictions for healthier pursuits. You have an excellent chance to shake out demons, to forgive and let go. Try it.

24^th – it’s a dreamy day with the Moon conjunct Neptune. Protect your immune system. Get in the water if you can.

25^th – the Sun meets retrograde Mercury today giving leaders an opportunity to reflect on their past winnings. Take the time to record in your journal. There’s a Moon/Chiron conjunction today also. You can learn a lot if you listen to your heart.

26^th – The Sun and Mars form a favorable connection. It’s time to move forward.

27^th – 29^th — keep your wits about you as the Moon connects with Uranus and then Venus squares Pluto. Your desires may lead you astray.

This leap year ends with the promise that despite the prevailing atmosphere you can remain focused on that which means the most. Tune in to your inner landscape. It’s not a place to escape from, but a place to escape to.

Remember – you matter, we are all connected. Earth is our home and love is our destination.

Blessings,

Your astrologer, Dulce