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To Bless the Space Between Us –

John O’Donohue

This is the time to be slow,
lie low to the wall
until the bitter weather passes.
Try, as best you can, not to let
the wire brush of doubt
scrape from your heart
all sense of yourself
and your hesitant light.

If you remain generous,
time will come good;
and you will find your feet
again on fresh pastures of promise,
where the air will be kind
and blushed with beginning.

Greetings friends,

This poem is the perfect guide to your October cosmic weather. Though anxiety may be riding high and unknowns litter the field of life, you get the inside scoop this month. Both Mercury and Mars are retrograde this October (Mercury from the 13th to November 3rd) bringing the energy into interior spaces. 

Mars retrograde in Aries takes the focus to individual agendas and Mercury retrograde in Scorpio deepens that. Both Scorpio and Aries are Mars ruled signs. Mars has a lot to do with personal drive. Let this month help you find and attune to what’s really going on inside you. Let there be no self-doubt, even as Mercury’s retrograde in the most phobic and intense sign of all may create obsession and even, when under great stress, paranoia. As we approach the USA elections, you can see this play out on the national stage. It’s important not to get caught up in it. 

October is a Blue Moon month – it begins and ends on Full Moons. It’s going to be emotional with everyone having an opinion. Communications and deal making are going to be interesting, to say the least, as Mercury opposes Uranus, and Mars squares Pluto. In other words, stay calmly alert. Be prepared for changes. Look for opportunities. Get all your serious business signing done before the 13^th if you can. 

Here’s the cosmic play by play.

1^st – October begins on a Full Aries Moon. This further highlights the sense of either isolation (all by myself) and/or individuation (I can do this!) Despite the prevailing companionable Libra energy, Mars retrograde in Aries at this Aries Full Moon, puts the focus squarely on the shoulders of the individual. It’s up to you. You get to decide. It’s your game. This may even hurt a little as Chiron conjuncts the Moon and both aspect Uranus. Change things up a little. Hang out with your Covid pod. 

2^nd  (- 10/29) Venus enters Virgo and puts on her rubber gloves prepared to get persnickety. It’s time to get to work. No more dilly dallying. It’s not just your inner world that’s being cleaned out, it’s your outer one too. It’s a great time for a cleanse and/or immersion in nature.

2nd – 3rd get physical. The Moon travels through the rest of Aries and into Taurus to connect with Uranus. Be brave. Do new things.

4th – Pluto turns direct. You may be able to see the way to go from here.

5^th – you can get something done today.

6^th – 7^th Think outside the box. Mercury opposes Uranus (its higher astrological octave) shaking things up. No, you’re not going crazy.

8^th – 10^th – Be cautious out there. Do NOT fan the flames of destruction. There’s plenty of it out there right now. Center in your inner core and recognize the power of your creations and face your own shadow as Mars opposes Pluto.

10^th – a thrilling day as Venus blows a kiss to Uranus. You could make (or loose) money and/or love today. Organize your life according to your values and seize opportunity when it arises.

10^th and 11^th – keep your appetites moderate – Jupiter squares the Sun. Sometimes it’s just too much.

12^th – get back in touch with your agenda. You’re the creator, remember.

13^th – strong energy today. Mars opposes the Sun and pisses people off. Stay out of it unless your boundaries have been violated. In that case, stand up for yourself.

Also on the 13th, Mercury turns retrograde. An opportunity to explore the truth as Mercury travels through intense Scorpio. Keep your wits about you until this little critter turns direct on Nov 3^rd.

14^th and 15^th – more difficult days as the old gives way to the new. The Sun and Pluto square – authority is challenged. Keep letting go. Hold onto to what makes beauty in your life. 

16^th – the rebirth you need. Libra New Moon today promises reconciliation even in the midst of death groans and birth pangs. We’re all going through the same thing as the Sun and Moon square the Capricorn Contingent. Partner with those you love and support. Give freely as the fluids of life are nourished and you are swept along in the right direction. Venus in Virgo is the midwife for the birth along with the help of watery Neptune. Remember your big dream. Bring it into being. 

17^th – 18^th Intense feelings and awesome insights as the Moon travels through Scorpio.

18^th – blocks in the road cause you to slow down and reconsider as the Sun squares Saturn.

19^th – 20^th recover your optimism as the Moon travels through Sadge.

19^th – there’s a lot going on this Monday. Practice deep belly breathing with longer exhales, as a way to avoid stress. Crazy stuff happens today as Mars and Jupiter square and Mercury opposes Uranus. Good things happen too as Venus and Jupiter kiss (18^th – 19^th) and Venus connects with Mars in an angle of adjustment. Make a course correction as you need to.

21^st – 22^nd – time to settle into practicalities as the Moon connects with the prevailing zeitgeist. Be smart. Stay calm.

21^st – 23^rd Keep getting organized as Venus kisses the Capricorn planets. Watch out for obsession and feelings of failure. It’s all illusion anyway.

22^nd – cosmic shift as the Sun leaves equitable Libra for intense Scorpio. Desire natures run high. It’s your annual opportunity to deepen into your value system. Revenge keeps you enslaved.

23^rd – 25^th – connect with your peeps and use your mind as the Moon travels through Aquarius.

23^rd – 24^th Remember your commitments as Venus and Saturn trine. Despite Mercury retrograde you can make sensible love and money decisions.

25^th – 27^th rest up and nourish your inner world as the Moon travels through Pisces.

27^th Venus enters her home sign of Libra and brings beauty and cooperation. Mercury re-enters Libra. Reconciliation is possible. The past comes back for healing.

28^th – 30^th watch out for your own interests. Rest if you need to. The Moon is waxing in Aries and moving passed Chiron and Mars. 

30^th Full Taurus Moon as the Sun opposes Uranus. Sudden changes. This could feel way over the top friends. Stay calm. Be aware of your inner play as outer events unfold.

31^st Halloween and the energy feels full. Tomorrow we gain the hour we gave up in the spring.

Final thoughts for October? Stay centered in your inner world. Recognize the unfolding duality all around in our collective mental creation. Pray for and practice peace.

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

Your astrologer,

Dulce

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.

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,

Here we are once again poised at the brink of a new year and the Chinese year of the Rat. Like other times in human history, this year holds potential for struggle and rebirth. In 2020, the stern energy of Saturn faces down the destructive power of transformative Pluto. Remember 9/11 and the Twin Towers? That’s when Saturn and Pluto opposed one another. This month they conjunct. Mark January 6^th through the 12^th on your calendars. Though we may live in separate countries we are one World and the Saturn/Pluto conjunction resonates throughout the Globe. It’s particularly germane to the USA as we’re experiencing a Pluto return. Our Founding Fathers argued, a lot. http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/24/friendship-and-conflict-the-relationship-of-the-us-founding-fathers They framed the Constitution out of their fierce desire for personal and national freedom from Britain. You can see the struggle in the chart of the USA – Mercury (governing ideas and discourse) opposes Pluto (power and control). Our Pluto return will bring up the same struggle that is inherent in our country’s philosophical roots. The impeachment trial of Donald Trump brings these 244-year old arguments, and all the others that have followed it, to the foreground. Ordinary citizens are given the opportunity to fall in love with their Nation, the wisdom of its structure, and many will try to change it. 

On a personal level, 2020 is your opportunity for rebirth also. Great and benevolent Jupiter guides us through this year with practical advice and know-how. You may want to give everything up to run and save the dolphins, but Jupiter suggests that first you cut back on your use of plastic.

2020 opens and closes with Cancer Moons reminding this Cancer country that the quality of our home is not negotiable. And that all beings who live upon, in, under and above this beautiful land have the right to exist in peace in the habitats and migration routes they have used for centuries. Begin the year by honoring your home and by being grateful for the shelter it provides you. Cancer also evokes the feminine and reminds us that love and kindness are high vibration energies. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: I may update this month’s blog as I’m posting this just before the end of 2019. I wanted to squeeze it in. So please check back and refresh your screen every now and then.

New Post 01/07/2020: The USA drone attack on Iran officials seems to be the international event I saw in the astrology. My concern remains, especially for the Cancer Full Moon eclipse (01/10) which takes within 4 degrees of the USA Mercury. However, I think the greatest danger for the USA, or even for Iran (and the globe) is when transiting Mars opposes the USA Uranus between January 14 – 16th. Pray for peace, everyone. Prayer works.

COSMIC PLAY-BY-PLAY

January 1^st – lots of planets in Capricorn as the month opens. It’s a great opportunity to set your highest ideals while staying grounded. Question for the day and the New Year: how do I want to go forward?

Jupiter is in Capricorn for the first time in 12 years and is grouped with the Sun and south node at the opening of this year. Our country is experiencing a Jupiter opposition. Since Jupiter governs the field of law and Capricorn government, we know we’re entering a year of political struggle and debate.

2^nd – 4^th: The fiery Aries Moon takes us through these two days with courage and flair. It is a new year! We can do things differently. Mercury connects with Jupiter and big talk is possible. These are good days to restructure your plans. 

3^rd: active Mars leaves sultry Scorpio for sunny Sagittarius. This is an athletic and optimistic energy and brings vitality to all fire and air signs. Mars will be in Sadge until mid-February.

4^th: a good day for stable change, yes there is such a thing, as the Taurus Moon connects with Uranus and both trine all that Capricorn.

5^th – 6^th: good earth energy for work and creative projects. Stay focused for maximum results.

6^th – 10^th: Saturn and Pluto meet at 22° Capricorn. Notice where you are struggling to emerge from old rules and karma. What is the nature of your re-birth?

10^th:  full Moon Cancer lunar eclipse around 12:22 PM MST. Full Moons, especially eclipses of those Moons and watery Moons such as this, bring a lot of emotion. Keep yourself calm and carry on. Uranus turns direct today also allowing those inner changes to find expression in the outer world.

11^th – 12^th: drama abounds as the Moon slips into Leo while Mercury, the Sun, Ceres, Saturn and Pluto all meet tightly in Capricorn. It almost looks like the death of an international leader or a gathering of leaders. These are the days to walk your talk and to center in your truth. And it helps a lot to pray. Gratitude lifts your vibration too.

12^th: The pressure is on folks! It’s time to make those changes or, conversely, to root in even deeper than before. Today is a glorious alignment at 22° Capricorn – Sun, Ceres, Pluto, Saturn and little Mercury at 23°. I’m glad Ceres is there. This energy provides for the future and is the guardian of all that has been lost. Let’s hope there are no global disasters at this time. Certainly, there’ll be political shenanigans here in the good ole USA and perhaps a powerful new Renaissance. 

13^th: the fall-out continues. This isn’t going anywhere in a hurry. Venus picks this moment to enter gentle Pisces. Venus in Pisces has no boundaries and you may have difficulty saying no. Forgiveness works great. You don’t need to be a martyr unless the calling is very high.

13^th – 15^th the Virgo Moon helps you bring order into your life and health routine.

16^th: Mercury moves into Aquarius picking up the pace of the conversation. Everyone has an opinion now and rightfully so. This is your chance to share your ideas too. Mercury will be in Aquarius until early February.

17^th – 19^th: the watery Scorpio Moon helps you access your deepest feelings. Remember, gold is buried.

20^th: we leave some of the prudence of Capricorn behind as the Sun enters social Aquarius today. Power to the people! Keep your wits about you and don’t let the bastards get you down (as the Romans used to say). Also, today the Moon and Mars connect bringing vital energy to your endeavors.

21^st – 22^nd: days for optimism and action. Civil action and social connection flow well.

23^rd: The Sun squares Uranus creating a bit of turmoil. Get out and do something different. This is restless break-free energy. The Moon is traveling through the last degrees of Capricorn attuning you to the planet’s vibration. Do get grounded but don’t get heavy. Put your prayers for light and love into the world and remember to create something good with your thoughts.

24^th: a delightful Aquarian New Moon at sunset (MST). Here’s your chance to make new friends and embrace new concepts. There is much more to life than we have previously imagined.

25^th: Happy Chinese New Year! It’s the Year of the Rat, a shrewd business outlook and adaptability are hallmarks of this sneaky little creature because it survives, no matter what! This is another social day.

26^th – 28^th: Venus and Neptune connect in intuitive Pisces. You get inside info and direction now. Write down your dreams. Practice forgiveness. Intuition keeps flowing as the Moon travels through Pisces meeting Venus and Neptune. Tenderness is likely as is low energy when Mars squares Neptune. Rest.

29^th: heal up today and keep listening to your vibes.

30^th – 31^st: The month ends as the Aries Moon squares planets in Capricorn. A little resistance goes a long way to strengthening your muscles. Don’t you ever give up.

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

Your astrologer,

Dulce

Greetings Earthlings,

Here we are at the tail end of 2019 with all its hoop-las and holy-daze. December is a striking month in that the energy changes quite dramatically, mostly due to Jupiter’s move into stern Capricorn for the first time in 12 years and a Solar Eclipse on Christmas Day.

Hopefully, you’ve rooted yourself into your perfect spot. As I’ve written many times, 2020 is a problematic year, especially as six planets retrograde for long months at a time, delaying and obscuring the simplest of actions. Election Day USA November 3, 2020 is especially fraught with obstacles and confusion. Those of us who can read the cosmic maps (the gift of astrology) can see the way ahead, but life can only be lived in the present. Make this month count as you realize that the power is indeed, in the present.

Take advantage of the optimistic energy of Sagittarius and lean into the vision of your life. Sagittarius gives you the opportunity to find meaning and purpose for your life. Discover it this month as the Sun travels through this hopeful sign until winter solstice on December 21^st. There’s a lot of earth energy in the heavens this month, the Sun being the only celestial body in sunny Sadge as the month opens. So right off the bat you may feel grounded.

The month begins with Jupiter’s move into Capricorn on the 2^nd. Think back 12 years. What was happening for you in 2007? Planetary cycles tend to bring similar events to us so that we may learn and grow while on the earth plane. Jupiter’s warm abundant presence is curtailed in the heavy pragmatism of this most serious of earth signs and the forecast for 2020 is not warm and fuzzy. Nonetheless, Jupiter is always a feel-good energy so we can continue to expect and receive blessings though they may be tempered by the seriousness of the coming times.

On the 3^rd, Venus and Mars play well together making everything alright.

The 5^th is a tender day as the Aries Moon connects with sensitive Chiron. Do something that makes you feel better about yourself.

The 8^th could send some surprises your way when the Taurus Moon connects with wild Uranus. Mercury is at the tail end of its long sojourn through Scorpio so beware of heavy thinking. On the 9^th it makes the leap into Sagittarius and spirits lift. Mercury can be scattered in this sign so be alert over the next three weeks to sweeping statements and unclear outcomes.

11^th sees a Full Gemini Moon shining down, bringing the ability to connect the dots as you make sense of what you’re doing. There’s a square to Neptune at this Full Moon so don’t get yourself into a position where you’re being taken advantage of. Neptune invites dreams and dreaming so pay close attention to what comes through for you at this Full Moon. Saturn gets in on the Full Moon too stabilizing the situation and sending good business ideas your way.

The next few days (12^th – 14^th) see a flurry of cosmic activity including an intense Venus/Pluto conjunction which could evoke jealousy and intrigue; and a Mars/Neptune sextile which could see men and/or action plans promising more than they can deliver. 

Despite the waning Moon, the 14^th and 15^th are high jinx lucky days as Jupiter connects favorably with wild Uranus both in Earth signs. Try something new; for example work with and make art out of clay; or design things with rocks. It’ll be over eight years before Jupiter and Uranus will trine again so do make this a special time.

On the 17^th through the 19^th Mars connects favorably with stern Saturn making these great days for concerted effort and practical action.

The next few days sees Venus enter the final degrees of practical Capricorn while Saturn creeps up closer to Pluto. This conjunction will occur in early January 2020 and brings with it a foreshadowing of difficult times ahead.

Very early on the 20^th (MT), gracious Venus leaves prudent Capricorn for social Aquarius. Equality and fairness take center stage as personal relationships cool down for intellectual pursuits. 

Winter Solstice on the 21^st and the Sun leaves philosophical Sagittarius for Capricorn where most of the action is anyway. It’s time to turn your attention to the basic structure of your life – bill paying, medical insurance, and all that boring but really important stuff.

The 22^nd is a break away day as Venus square Uranus. It’s time to exert your freedom as you spread your wings and fly. New friendships and adventures await but can destabilize the status quo.

Christmas Eve brings new traditions as the Sun, newly in Capricorn, connects favorably with wild Uranus. This is on the heels of a New Moon solar eclipse on Christmas Day. Wow! Talk about opening a door to a higher portal. Jupiter is present at this lunation making wisdom and common sense available to all. Good business decisions and old friendships bring luck and good fortune.

Capricorn energy prevails over the next few days focusing your attention on your goals and plans. This becomes enhanced when chatty Mercury enters this most prudent, and also most lusty, of signs late on the 28^th. If you use this time wisely and strategize for the coming year, you’ll be well pleased. 

Mercury trines with Uranus during the last days of 2019 bringing fresh ideas and bold solutions to you. A little bit of re-structuring can help you immensely. The year ends as the Pisces Moon connects with Neptune. This can be melancholy but that’s what singing Auld Lang Syne is for. Don’t let yourself disappear. Dream a positive dream and connect to your highest self. 2020 brings many challenges but it’s not anything you can’t do. Au contraire mes frères et soeurs, we’re entering a time when we get to be and do what is most important to us.

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

Your astrologer,

Dulce