Human Planet click on this link to watch the video Human Planet

On February 2 the Aquarius New Moon brought the awakening of a self- truth long sleeping in our soul. When the Sun and Moon conjoin in Aquarius we are  bathed in the wisdom of collective ideals, and challenged to think with our heart rather than our head. For many of us the last couple of weeks have triggered doubts about what we are creating and contributing to the collected experience of humanity. On February 18 this New Moon cycle culminated at Full Moon when the Moon in Leo conjoined the Sun in Aquarius. For those of us seeking recognition and approval from others it was a day of reckoning forcing us to shift our perception from seeing our self-value in the eyes of others to seeing our self-value from within.

The recent Full Moon was at the last degree of Aquarius and Leo. Within an hour after the Moon opposed the Sun it left Leo and entered Virgo shifting our attention from inspiration to integration.  The Moon is the translating light of our solar system nourishing the other planetary bodies with the illuminating light of the Sun. The Moon changes sign every two and a half days filtering the light of the Sun every month through the guiding principles of each zodiac sign. Under the influence of Virgo we learn to perfect what we have created before we share what we have with others. Through the guiding light of Virgo we are learning to integrate the body and mind as one, and if we open the aperture of the lens we use to see our self in the world we may witness the union of our body with our mind.

On February 19, less than a day after the Full Moon, the Sun moved from the collect thinking of Aquarius to the collective feeling of Pisces. When we are under the influence of Pisces we long for union with the source of our origin. When the Sun enters Pisces our individuality is set free from feeling tethered to an isolated and separate self. The guiding principals of Pisces merge our separate self with the source of ALL. With the certainty of Pisces we give all that we have created back to the collective waters of life knowing that everything we thought that we were creating for our self  alone we were creating for all others.

When the Sun is in Pisces we are learning that our individual life force shines brightest when it shines on behalf of the collective experience of humanity. Pisces is the aspect in our unconscious knowing that understands that all of life is interconnected, and in the continuous cycle of our soul’s journey toward wholeness Pisces is both the beginning and the ending of our growing.  At birth we step out of the waters of union -  separate, unique, and individual – and at death we surrender the totality of our separateness back into the same waters of union.

The first aspect the Sun made in Pisces was a conjunction with the wounded healer, Chiron, and pricking a wound to the collective feelings of humanity our solar journey this month will focus on a collective healing. Compassion and empathy are the guiding lights of Pisces. When the Sun passes through Pisces our consciousness is infused with compassionate caring for  our self and others. This month we can open our heart to the suffering of others without judgment or condemnation.  Seeing our self in the actions of others is one lesson learned from Pisces, and another is accepting life as it is and seeing the beauty of design in everything alive.  When the Sun is in Pisces we are learning to accept our self as we are and others as they are. Venus and Saturn were in mutual exchange and exactly square when the Sun entered Pisces adding our unwavering commitment to manifest in the world all that we value in our self and in others. There is tension in this aspect reflecting our tendency to reject the values of others. There is also grace in this aspect helping us to honor the union of life in our self and in others.

“For all the boring interpretations which have been allotted the sixth house, in reality it is the single most important area of the chart, where one can materialize one’s inner worth.” * Virgo, the natural sign of the sixth house is that aspect in each of us striving for a completeness, an inner wholeness that no one else can possibly fulfill for us. The first six houses, Aries through Virgo, are houses of personal self- discovery where our impulse to “be” in Aries takes form through our possessions in Taurus, our communication in Gemini, our emotional security in Cancer, our creative self expression in Leo, and our becoming that which only we can “be” in Virgo. In the words of Jodie and Steven Forrest, “Virgo looks inward, finding some aspect of herself that can be polished brightly and offered to the world.” When we are under the influence of Virgo we are the “worker bees” of the zodiac attaining the highest, most perfected levels of our potential in service with others. The bright face of Virgo awakens our mind to the value of our inner worth, while the dark face of Virgo, our ruthless self-criticism, cripples our capacity to appreciate our inner worth and stifles our ability to creatively participate in making the life that we want.

The Moon in Virgo opposing the Sun in Pisces illuminates the time of year, the last Full Moon before the Vernal Equinox, when we can give that aspect of ourself which we have polished brightly back to the collective feelings of humanity.  It is time for us to acknowledge what we  accomplished the last eleven months and then let it go, a supreme challenge for Virgo, knowing that everything we did for our personal benefit was done in benefit for others. Pisces is that aspect in each of us intuitively knowing that all of life is interconnected, and when the Sun is in Pisces we drop our veil of autonomy and see our individuality and the individuality of others unfold together in union.

The Sun in Pisces garners a time when our creative vitality can penetrate the illusive membrane separating our rational and irrational realities. Pisces heightens our awareness of our non-material reality nourishing our yearning for the ephemeral without ever relinquishing our exquisite appreciation for the sensuality of the material world. Our heart melts under the radiant rays of the Sun in Pisces as we reach for the unspoken and the unseen. Our tendency under the influence of Pisces is too sacrifice our needs for the needs of others until we realize that the care we give to ourself mirrors the care we give to  others. Anything less  breeds illusions and self-deception. The Sun in Pisces assures us that our solar vitality needs compassionate nourishing from the inside out. To manifest  compassion in the world we must first allow our compassion to seep into the most guarded and protected aspects of ourself.

The bright face of this Full Moon reflected our inner worth, and opposing the Sun-Jupiter conjunction guaranteed that our conscious awareness is expanding beyond the familiar and known.  The work this week is to materialize our inner worth in some meaningful way that reflects our true self,  our creative self, rather than the self that we have been told by others is ours. The Full Moon in Pisces is helping us heal the subtle undermining of our inner worth wrought by self-doubting and self-negating attitudes learned long ago. We all have an inner critic ever eager to let us know exactly what we have failed to accomplish in our life, and why. We may gain great insight this week if while observing our inner critic sabotage our creativity we hear the calling to make visible the inner mystery of our Self.

The Moon 09 Virgo 58 opposing the Sun 09 Pisces 58 ::  Febraury 28, 2010

*Erin Sullivan, Saturn In Transit

Blame the title of this post on my recent descending into the undulating lush terrain of the Spanish language where every infinitive verb ends with the gentle messaging of the letter “r”, and so, our preceptor provocateur, a manic Mercury, pricked our curiosity yesterday changing signs for the second time in only 14 days; an exceptionally quick assault even for this planet of deft mercurial speed. Mercury entered the sign Cancer on July 3rd, opposed Pluto on July 4th, sextiled Saturn on July 11th, conjoined the Sun on July 13th, thereby flagging the impending retrograde station on September 6th, and entered  the sign Leo  on July 17th. Not surprising that this cycle of Mercury has left many of us on Earth breathless amidst an outpouring of collective concern seeking to understand the meaning of our deepest roots.

Walter Cronkite, who was voted “Most trusted man in America” during the Vietnam War died at 92 shortly after Mercury entered Leo punctuating this particular Mercury ingress with a somber remembering of a collective past passing. It feels significant to me that Mercury’s ingress into Leo immediately fused with the Leo South Node directing our attention to a collective past exaggerating social insecurities, rugged individualism, and social privilege. Mercury opposing the Aquarius North Node suggests a time for integrating our individual thoughts and feelings with the aspirations of the whole of humanity; remembering that Mercury in Leo can be a dramatic catalyst infusing our perception of reality with inspiration and creative self-expression.

On July 20 Mercury makes a creative aspect to Mars in Gemini insuring a day of passionate communication with others that can set off a spectacular array of fireworks heralding a new birth in our perception of reality. Our curiosity is pulsating with a living vitality as Mercury sojourns through Leo, and disposing Venus and Mars in Gemini Mercury enlivens our self-worth and desire with heartfelt intelligence. When we are under the influence of Leo we are learning something about “self-love”, and in the arms of Mercury  Leo touches the most tender core of our perception of self-love.

The opposing influence of Leo is Aquarius, the egalitarian face of self-love, reflecting our awareness that each individual has something of value to contribute to humanity. If Leo is learning to give love Aquarius is learning to receive love. On July 30 and 31 Mercury  in Leo opposes Jupiter, Chiron, and Neptune in Aquarius offers an opportunity for each of us to increase our awareness of  giving and receiving love by expanding our creative vision of humanity. Learning to share our differences with one another may teach us how to receive each others thoughts, feelings, and unique perceptions of reality.

]]> http://laurenlesko.com/2009/07/18/perceptor-provocateur/feed/ 4 laurenlesko Perceptor Provocateur http://laurenlesko.com/2009/02/08/cosmic-purifying/ http://laurenlesko.com/2009/02/08/cosmic-purifying/#comments Sun, 08 Feb 2009 22:37:48 +0000 Lauren Lesko http://laurenlesko.com/?p=2052 ]]> click on the image to read about the art
Every month the Sun, the source of our unique life vitality, and the Moon, the substance of our eternal self, conjoin in the same sign to give birth to a New Moon Cycle signaling something deep within our unconscious is being brought to conscious light. Twice a year, roughly six months apart, the Sun and Moon conjoin along the ecliptic at a point  on or near where the Moon has previously crossed on its journey around the Earth. This cosmic punctuation marks the Nodal Axis of the Moon and it is there that the Moon gracefully moving between the Sun and Earth briefly swallows the light of the Sun precipitating a Solar Eclipse and a dramatic changing in human consciousness.

And so………... it was two weeks ago that we set our intention for the next six months by deciding how we want to contribute our unique individuality to humanity. The influence of Aquarius is helping us understand that change comes from the effort of separate individuals working together on behalf of the greater whole. Today, two weeks after the Solar Eclipse, we glimpse the other face of the ecliptic cycle as we turn our gaze 180 degrees to face the Lunar Eclipse. A Lunar Eclipse is a Full Moon, a Sun and Moon opposition, illuminating a  unique time when the Moon gently moves into the Earth’s shadow and the Earth positioned between the Sun and Moon casts a shadow over the face of the Moon. When this happens we on Earth are made aware that an aspect of our individuality has eclipsed our unconscious and in order to grow in self-awareness we need to become consciously aware of that aspect of our self and whether it is a constructive or destructive force in our life.

The Moon in Leo emphasizes our emotional need for recognition from others reassuring us that who we are and what we are doing is making a valuable contribution to humanity. When we are under the influence of Leo we are hyper- sensitive to what others think about our individual uniqueness, and while we generously give our life vitality for others to enjoy, we tend to suffer self-doubts and insecurities concerning the true value of our self. When we experience a Lunar Eclipse in Leo the time has arrived for us to make an honest self- evaluation of how we express our self, and in turn, what we are contributing to the continuum of human consciousness.

One of the unabashed gifts of Leo is our learning to appreciation our process of  creative self-expression as the spiritual act of watching our self creating our self. It is all too easy to dismiss this process as self indulgent but  in so doing we deny the importance of affirming our unique individuality in tribute to the living intelligence of which we are apart. The Buddha taught that we are creating our self in each moment lived. Once we affirm our creative self-expression we can affirm the creative expression of all others and truly manifest the Aquarius aspect in each of us seeking to honor the diversity and differences of humanity.

This next six months may garner times when our ego flaring like a wild fire insists on unbridled freedom of expression.  At these times it is best not to take our self too seriously, instead, mindfully observe that we have set ablaze our self-doubts and insecurities. It might be helpful to consider this Lunar Eclipse as a tremendous healing for humanity. Chiron, the wounded healer, is in Aquarius and the Lunar Eclipse will make an exact conjunction and opposition with Chiron suggesting that our individual and collective healing has something to do with eliminating self-doubts and insecurities that are the source of defensive and brutish bulling of others. It is time to set aside our childish fears of doubt and inadequacy without sacrificing our child-like joy and pleasure in self-creating. The challenge facing each of us is gaining a true appreciation for the unique gift that we are contributing on behalf of the collective human experience of being alive in the world.

]]> http://laurenlesko.com/2009/02/08/cosmic-purifying/feed/ 1 laurenlesko Lunar Eclipse http://laurenlesko.com/2008/11/19/our-youthful-exuberance/ http://laurenlesko.com/2008/11/19/our-youthful-exuberance/#comments Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:33:02 +0000 Lauren Lesko http://laurenlesko.com/?p=449 ]]> click on the image to read about the art

The Scorpio lunation cycle that began our investigation into self-honesty is nearing completion reflecting the face of the Leo waning Moon  and the innocent exuberance of our self-expression. Every month, the waning phase of the Moon offers us a time for self-reflecting and integrating the creative energies we have released during the lunar cycle. When the waning Moon is in Leo our self-reflection is accompanied with a certain restless anxiety at having to shine for our self alone. Leo is that aspect in each  of us telling our self how boring it is to be an audience of one, and yet, this is the grace  and beauty offered  Leo; bringing to conscious awareness a blossoming self-assured confidence not dependent upon the approving applause of another. When we are under the influence of a waning Moon we experience the dark face of our unconscious, and in Leo this dark face reveals the past rejections and exclusions we have experienced that are in need of healing in the present.

When under the influence of Leo we feel the vitality of life pulsating through every cell of our being sincerely wanting to share with others the warmth and vibrancy of our solar light, yet, we can behave like an unaware child basking in the radiance of our solar light blind to the effect we have on others and insensitive to their individual needs. The solar radiance of Leo can scorch the sensitive receptivity of the Moon alienating us from our deeper emotional needs. The Leo waning Moon brings the opportunity of contemplating our deeper needs by bringing to the surface our self-doubts and insecurities.  Leo is that aspect in each of us seeking security within our self and the greatest lesson learned from Leo is the self-love expressed in our giving love freely from our heart to our self and unequivocally to everyone else.

The waning Moon always makes a square with the Sun suggesting an internal conflict requiring a creative solution. Before making a square to the Sun the Moon conjoins the South Node in Leo, opposes the North Node, Chiron, and Neptune in Aquarius, and makes a square to Mercury in Scorpio. The insecurity of Leo expressing our need to impress others is clouding our capacity to see an inner truth about our self. Leo is that aspect in each of us seeking self-respect regardless of what others think or say and the emotional distance and objectivity offered Aquarius can help us become less vulnerable to the approval of the group. This waning Moon seems to be challenging us to embrace our unique individuality without loosing our sensitivity and awareness of the needs of others. The Moon-Neptune opposition suggests that emotional deception is creating the unrealistic expectations we harbor about what others can give to us. This waning Moon is gently reminding us that the illuminating gift of Leo is our capacity to give love to others and the illuminating gift of Aquarius is our capacity to receive love from others; a realization  guaranteed to mark our inner transforming if we resist the temptation to remain complacent with the ways of our past.

]]> http://laurenlesko.com/2008/11/19/our-youthful-exuberance/feed/ 1 laurenlesko Sol http://laurenlesko.com/2008/10/21/into-the-night/ http://laurenlesko.com/2008/10/21/into-the-night/#comments Wed, 22 Oct 2008 05:30:36 +0000 Lauren Lesko http://laurenlesko.com/?p=394 ]]> click on the image to read about the art

The week preceding a new Moon, the waning phase of the lunar cycle, is our time on Earth for resting in order to contemplate and integrate our experiences of the previous three weeks. In traditional astrology it is considered an inauspicious time for taking serious action in the world, for it is far better to wait and evaluate the best course of action under the new Moon cycle. The waning phase of the Libra new Moon has the face of Cancer which is beckoning our attention to provide emotional nourishment to our relationships reflecting what family means to us. This is a week to contemplate our past  and consider what we have inherited from our ancestors. There is a gentle protecting quality of this waning Moon which insists upon the necessary gestation within the womb before bursting forth with new life. The past weeks have brought turmoil and struggle to the forefront; our resources threatened, our values under attack, many of us are feeling battle worn and yet the necessity to be vigil in our defense of our freedom and human dignity requires our undivided attention.

An unusual condition of this waning Moon is that both the Moon and Sun are preparing to enter new signs. The Moon, after it aspects the Sun, is void of course meaning that it will not translate the waning aspect shared between Sun and Moon to any other celestial body. We could experience this as a psychological aborting of our birth in consciousness if it were not for the Sun, before leaving Libra, making a creative sextile to Pluto in Sagittarius and thus insuring us a transforming experience in consciousness. We best be ready for a uniquely individual long days journey into night, with nothing specific to worry over other than being aware that Pluto always delivers a punch and tomorrow the Sun enters Scorpio, co-ruled by Pluto, heralding our annual death and rebirth in consciousness.

Adding noticeable heat to the intensity of the Sun-Pluto sextile is the fiery trine between the Moon in Leo and Venus in Sagittarius inflaming our passions for creatively expressing our emotional needs through the voice of what we personally believe to be truth. I offer a cautionary warning to us all not to become so overly zealous or self-righteous in our beliefs that we become deaf to the truth of others. This is a week of descent into the realm of our soul in order to nourish a deeper understanding of what we believe to be truth which may require directing most of our passion within.

This week brings with it many changing faces: the balsamic “face” of the monthly lunation cycle emphasizing the internalizing of our experiences following the Leo and Aquarius eclipse cycle; the waxing Gemini Moon’s conflicted celestial faces turned to Mercury, Venus, Uranus, Pluto; and thousands of hopeful faces at the Democratic National Convention gathered in force to generate enthusiastic support for a Democratic victory in November. Traditional astrology talk will say that the days before a new Moon are spent in contemplative calm reflecting on what has recently transpired while preparing for a new cycle of action beckoning the coming lunar cycle. The days before a new Moon can be fruitfully spent meditating on our future intentions, but it is most definitely not a week for taking action which makes me wonder about the intentions of the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.

Astrologer, Julie Demboski, sees passive-aggressive behavior in this weeks celestial atmosphere blanketed with low lying hyper criticism and turbulent self-defensive. This does not bode well for generating a spirit of unification required for the healing of deeply incurred wounding necessary to victoriously carry the Democratic Party to the White House; unless all concerned heed Julie’s warning that “there’s hope for a more tranquil atmosphere, found in several other influences, if we can just shift our energy away from shooting those ego-loaded arrows out into the world.” Unfortunately, “ego-loaded arrows” has been, in my opinion, the unfortunate mantra in the Democratic Presidential race, undermining a golden opportunity for the Democratic Party to actualize significant historical and cultural change in the Unite States by honoring that party’s commitment to liberal social changes underwritten in affirmative action stupendously manifest in this years Democratic Presidential race featuring a woman of Anglo heritage and a man of Anglo and African heritage. A terrible shame that so much bitterness soured the majestic possibilities of this coupling.

As the Democratic National Convention (DNC) comes to life the Moon in Gemini opposes Pluto establishing the psychological undercurrents of this event. I direct your attention to astrologer, Eric Francis, for a must read analysis of this celestial signature. I encourage you to keep in mind, as you read Eric’s insights, that Senator Obama was born when the Moon was in Gemini, as it is tonight, closely square Pluto in Virgo.

About two hours into the DNC the Moon enters Cancer bestowing the opportunity for a carefully considered nurturing of family; at home, abroad, and ancestral. This is a fertile time for each of us to consider constructive ways of providing care and protection that will bestow nourishment to mind, body, and soul without falling into the all to familiar mode of hardened self-protective defense. It feels hopeful for the DNC that it is happening at a time when the transiting Cancer Moon conjoins the United States natal Cancer Sun assuring the people of the United States that the Democratic Party is deeply committed to serving and protecting both the emotional security and individual sovereignty of the American people. Danger lurks behind patriot rhetoric and sentimental slogans reducing the significance of this political forum to a solipsistic pandering to convention. It is also worth noting the one degree conjunction of Venus in Cancer between the natal charts of Senator Obama and the United States conferring the celestial signature of strongly shared values, a desired aspect in the synastry between any couple, but one which needs careful monitoring in this relationship to prevent becoming overly sensitive to the slings and arrows of others.

When the Moon enters Leo on the 27th, if we listen with our heart, we may hear the recent Solar Eclipse whispers of authenticity, and the Lunar Eclipse encouragement to give the gifts of our unique individuality in a mutual working together with others, which if heeded, may have auspicious results for the Democratic Party. The Leo Solar Eclipse conjoined the natal South Node in the United States chart and the natal Sun in Senator Obama’s chart clearly suggesting that the unique gifts the Senator will bring to the U.S. Presidency are valuable assets for the future evolving of the United States. The additional fact that Senator Obama’s natal Sun falls in the natal 12th house of the United State’s chart is a haunting cord that the Senator has plumbed the depths of the United States psyche offering possible healing for the unconscious wounding of the entire Nation if those wounds are allowed to be brought up from the turbulent waters of the unconscious into conscious light.

When we are under the influence of Leo our creative self- expression shines brightly illuminating our dynamic leadership abilities seasoned with unabashed pleasure. It is always important with Leo to be mindful of not falling foul of our insecurities making us vulnerable to the approval of others and blinding us to the evolutionary growing of Leo which brings self-assured self-confidence regardless of the opinion’s of others. I can’t help but feel that this theme is in high relief at the DNC considering that Leo fills the 2nd house, the house of self-worth, in the Solar Eclipse chart for Washington,D.C., as does Senator Obama’s natal Sun, Mercury, and Uranus.

Senator Obama’s natal Uranus plays a significant role in his presidential candidacy contributing to his electrifying oratory, mantra for change, and image of a man heralding the future. His natal Uranus opposes his natal Aquarius Ascendant, as well as, opposing the United States natal Aquarius Moon. Both Ascendant and Moon were conjoined by the Lunar Eclipse anointing Senator Obama’s already intuitive understanding of the emotional temperament of the United States: at best a deeply felt humanitarianism and concern for the equality of all people, and at worst a cold hearted rejecting of individual needs in favor of a faceless, mindless mass. Perhaps the message here lies in the ability of candidate and country to connect with the needs of the ordinary people.

The last aspect from Mercury, just before our celestial messenger enters Libra, is a square to Pluto adding psychological probing in our communication with others.* The Mercury and Pluto square definitely marks the occasion with the necessity to transform the way people are using their communication skills. Libra is that aspect in our psyche that intuitively understands diplomacy and the social art of compromise insuring that the needs of everyone involved are considered and negotiated before reaching a firm decision. Libra is a cardinal sign, ruled by Venus, speaking the virtuous language of human dignity for every action taken on behalf of human justice. It is possible that this theme will crown the DNC when we consider that Mercury in Libra conjoins the Mid -Heaven in the Lunar Eclipse chart for Washington,D.C., hopefully setting the intention for the Democratic Party of peaceful negotiation through a reconciliation of differences.

*This sentence has been revised from the original post due to my mis-calculation when Mercury made a square to Pluto.

]]> http://laurenlesko.com/2008/08/25/peaceful-negotiation-at-the-dnc/feed/ 3 laurenlesko Hermes Trismegistus http://laurenlesko.com/2008/08/21/tempered-patience/ http://laurenlesko.com/2008/08/21/tempered-patience/#comments Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:24:05 +0000 Lauren Lesko http://laurenlesko.com/?p=314 ]]> click on the image to read about the art

As the Sun prepares to enter Virgo it is worth spending time meditating on what aspect of our individuality we want to improve as we work the coming month toward a conscious integration of the disparate bits and pieces of who we think we are. The Leo and Aquarius eclipse cycle focused our attention toward paying attention to who we are, as well as, what we are contributing to the collective. Now is the time when we can “reap what we have sown” and benefit from the self-honesty offered by a Virgo Sun if we are willing to drop our veil of self-deluding and face a realistic fulfilling of our dreams. This is definitely the month for rolling up our shelves prepared for concentrated working at learning more about who we are and what we are contributing to life.

The last aspect the Sun makes before entering Virgo is a magnificent Grand Trine with the Aries Moon and Sagittarius Pluto nurturing inspired passion for transforming our past, while calling for emotional courage tempered with patience lest we find ourselves spinning our wheels but going nowhere. The good news is a Virgo Sun heralds a definite time of tempered patience to help guide us on our continued journey to self-discovery. It is worth remembering that the Sun is the central force guiding the constantly changing planetary cycles with each new cycle influencing and impacting our personal life. In astrology the Sun represents our life vitality, the essence of our identity, the place deep within our psyche symphonically resonating “I am”.

When under the influence of Virgo our “I am-ness” is prepared to face our disappointments and failures in the belief that we can improve our past choices and become a more whole, self-realized, individual who is not dependent on pleasing others, shades of Leo, or in needing the rules and regulations of others to make our self complete. This Virgo Sun is offering us the earnest possibility of becoming more authentically who we are by taking personal responsibility for our individual choices in life. It is no longer fruitful to blame others for the difficulties in our lives without first examining how we have contributed to the problem. In other words, Virgo requires that we accept personal responsibility for what happens in our life without criticizing, chastising, or condemning our self or others.

This month’s celestial signature is strongly suggesting that we use precise objectivity in our process of self-analysis. The Sun, Saturn, and Jupiter are in earth signs signaling a golden opportunity for manifesting an improved aspect of our individuality by using acquired skills in ways that can improve the quality of our society. We can easily exercise our leadership qualities this month as long as our goal is for improving, not sustaining, the statis quo. We may experience a sudden or unexpected change in who we think we are, and if we continue hiding our authenticity behind other people’s choices or blaming them for our dissatisfaction in life, we may find ourselves at the end of September, when the Sun squares Pluto, experiencing a profound emptiness within.

]]> http://laurenlesko.com/2008/08/21/tempered-patience/feed/ 0 laurenlesko Virgo http://laurenlesko.com/2008/08/08/acquired-crafting/ http://laurenlesko.com/2008/08/08/acquired-crafting/#comments Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:10:42 +0000 Lauren Lesko http://laurenlesko.com/?p=300 ]]> click on the image to read about the art

“A total eclipse of the Sun in Leo stands as a direct invitation to wake up and pay attention to who we are. But rather than trade one Self-Concept for another, we have a bold calling to trade a Self-Concept for an actual sense of self. ” I have been reading amazing insights from other astrologers about the meaning of the August 2008 Solar Eclipse and all are pointing fingers at gaining a deeper understanding of who we are by surpassing what we identify as our ego. The quote above is from the astrologer Eric Francis who, in the same article, pointed out that the last time we experienced a Solar Eclipse on the Leo South Node was in 1971 a time in recent history when people were willing to give up how they identified themselves for something new and unknown. It seems possible that once again we are given the same celestial opportunity to drop the prescriptive veiling of our individuality for something more authentic and rooted in the core of who we are.

On Friday August 8 we experienced the waxing phase of the new Moon Solar Eclipse, the Moon in Scorpio, alerting our attention to survival. Few celestial signatures are as intense as a Scorpio Moon and when coupled with the Leo Solar Eclipse it seems likely that we are preoccupied with the survival of our individuality. This of course can take on a myriad of faces and easily account for any number of worldly events all of which seem to point at a fearful ego terrified of sitting on the side lines. When under the influence of Scorpio our insecurities can flare manifesting raging jealousy and manipulative possessiveness. Certainly not the prettier faces of Scorpio but perhaps the faces we need to face in order to discover the rich treasures buried deep within our Scorpio nature; self honesty and profound self-transforming.

This Scorpio Moon bestows celestial harmony except on the Sun, Neptune, and Mercury offering us on Earth a curious déja vu when earlier in the week Mercury opposed Neptune and communication was rife with uncertainties and mis-understandings. Moon square the Sun brings conflict with how we emotionally express our self and Moon square Neptune can provide creative communication if we can stay afloat of emotional innuendos. The last aspect the Moon makes before leaving Scorpio is a square to Mercury adding additional stress on changing the way we emotionally communicate. The square aspect harbors creative change disguised as tension or stress, and this particular square, coinciding with Mercury’s ingress into Virgo, is heralding a definite time for thoughtful communication taking full advantage of implementing the many useful skills acquired in prior years.

Venus moving into Virgo directs our attention to using our discerning eye in relationship with others. Gone are the lazy, crazy, fun filled Leo days of spontaneous romancing and love-making. A Virgo Venus brings us a time of reckoning when we need to digest the love we have given and received since the last time Venus entered Virgo, eighteen months past, and with a practical reasoning discern what has improved and what needs improving . When under the influence of Virgo dissatisfaction with what “is” can drive us to distraction as we strive for perfection knowing deep within our heart that life is eternally imperfect, or so it seems. From the point of view of a learned sage life is perfect just as it is and what makes it imperfect is our human dissatisfaction. Many years ago I was sitting with friends, all of us complaining about what we were being given, our dissatisfaction hovering in the air like a heavy blanket, and I understood in a flash of insight that the purpose in life really is “to be” and all our striving to improve ourselves and others generates tension and aggression. For thousands of years, in every culture known to humankind, sages have taught us humans that what we are seeking outside ourselves is already within ourselves. When Venus is in Virgo the perfection we are seeking in love and partnership has something to do with self acceptance.

Venus is fast moving this month directing our attention to the certain intensity of personal growing in our relationships with others. Venus enters Virgo sandwiched seven degrees ahead of our capacity for communicating, the planet Mercury, and seven degrees behind our capacity for taking action, the planet Mars; telling me that this is a good month for analyzing our relationships and working toward resolving conflict by keeping in mind that our dissatisfaction is speaking on behalf of something within ourselves. On August 13 Venus and Saturn hold hands helping us better understand what constitutes personal responsibility and commitment in our relationships. When under the influence of Virgo the celestial spotlight is on work, and because Venus is our capacity for relationship, it seems likely that we will work hard to improve all of our relationships but especially those that involve our work environment. Best be prepared for the relationships in your life that are not fulfilling your standard of excellence becoming difficult to continue.

Shortly thereafter, on August 16 the day of the Lunar Eclipse, we are given a celestial helping hand when Venus and Jupiter harmoniously garner buen fortuna from our hearts. What an auspicious event heralding our awareness of the value we place on our skills and talents and our willingness to place them in service to others. This is a wonderful time to turn our gaze within and take appreciative note of everything that we have learned on our life journey thus far. It is time for an honest evaluation of how well we have assimilated and disseminated our knowledge of the world by keeping in mind that when looking at life through the lens of Virgo there is always room for improvement but not at the expense of loosing our perspective on what we have accomplished.

Later in the month Venus opposes Uranus stimulating sudden changes in the quality of our work relationships which could bring disruption when hidden agendas are brought to the light.

]]> http://laurenlesko.com/2008/08/05/the-love-we-give/feed/ 2 laurenlesko Venus and Amor