Astrology recognizes that the beginning of  any event carries the seed  that will give form to that event; and so, today, the first day of a new month, the planet Mars, god of war, makes a harmonious aspect to the planet Pluto, god of the underworld, and we on Earth are given this opportunity to creatively transform how we assert our will and take action to achieve what we want.  Taking action is always guaranteed when Mars and Pluto are in dialogue; the quality of the action depends solely upon our self-awareness. We need only consider the devastation and death ravaging Mother Earth to comprehend the horrors that these two forces can produce. Luckily, we are given a celestial helping hand this month, as the Sun and Mercury  sojourn in Libra, to gain a better balance between asserting what we want in tandem with others asserting what they want. Negotiation and compromise are very much in the air working together with the self determination of Mars and the ruthlessness of Pluto to balance the scales.

Venus, goddess of love and ruler of Libra, inspires justice, harmony, and beauty. For the next two weeks Venus is moving in Scorpio, under Mars authority, and together they are stimulating an intense concern to reveal what we have kept concealed or hidden in our relationships. Venus and Mars are opposing aspects  within each of us struggling to find balance and harmony they often challenge us to reveal hidden aspects of our desires. Mars, the aspect in each of us ready and willing to assert what we want, and Venus, the aspect in each of us seeking to love and be loved, are mythic lovers more prone to passion than discretion. Hidden  or repressed desires may be provoked when, in full regalia, Mars enters Scorpio, on October 3 and our survival antenna is attuned for a ready defense. When we are under the influence of Scorpio we are acutely aware of surviving in a world that feels unsteady unless navigated with a fierce self-control.  The internal pressure accompanying Mars in Scorpio can be severe and require self-awareness to recognize when we are projecting our inner tension  onto our relationships. If that happens this month we are well served to solicit help from Mercury to bring fresh air to the smoldering atmosphere of our desires so that we can gain a more realized perspective of what we really want.

Fortunately, most of the celestial aspects during the month favor Mars, with the exception of October 8, 15, and 22, when the Moon challenging Mars signals a time when we may feel that we have to fight to have our emotional needs realized. Challenge often brings understanding and on those three days, if we use our awareness, we may learn a new way of asserting our emotional needs which include, rather than exclude, the needs of others. Remember we are moving through the annual cycle of Libra feeling the wanting to be connected with others and share with them our unique individuality. On October 22, the Sun, harbinger of our individuality, will move into Scorpio, and guided by Mars we have the opportunity to creatively explore (Mars sextile Jupiter), constructive ways of manifesting our desire, (Mars sextile Saturn), which ultimately can  bring innovative change, (Mars trine Uranus), which certainly seems one possible potential offered us today.

Today’s Capricorn Moon strengthens our emotional resolve with disciplines and responsibilities that could feel a little burdensome especially if our feelings are rejected by someone we love. The Moon, our nurturing mother within, is connecting with the two beneficent planets in the celestial sky: first, making a frustrating square to Venus sensitizing our attention to emotional rejection; and then, making a joyful trine to Jupiter and Saturn which can help divert our hurt feelings toward concern for an issue greater than ourselves if we do not exaggerate our feelings and infuse our day with a somber moodiness. It is important remembering that the choice is always ours to guide our individual star-ship as we will and create the quality of our life moment to moment.

The Moon journey’s through Capricorn every month, at which time, we are given two days to grow in emotional maturity by dealing with life challenges that force us to take personal responsibility for our feelings. It is important at these times not to reject our emotions or become emotionally cold or isolated. Today is a particularly challenging day for taking thoughtful action in our relationships. The Moon makes a square to Mars and Mercury in Libra and for a few hours we could experience frustrated communication with loved ones. The quincunx to the Leo South Node  alerts us to the possibility that accepting responsibility for our emotinal needs has something to do with being less in need of the approval of others. Tomorrow, when the Moon trines the Sun and sextiles Uranus, we may understand today’s conflicts as a purposeful refining of our individuality which is making us more inclusive of our emotional needs. The Moon and Sun trine in the earth signs foretell of a day to give concrete form to our emotions. It does not have to be a day of momentous acomplishing, rather, each of us can be respectful of our emotional well being in the simple gesture of sitting in stillness.

The waning Taurus Moon is telling us to evaluate the importance we place on the things we own in life and use as reflections for what we value in our self and measure as the breadth of our self-worth. This is a good week to ask ourselves if we spend more time worried about our material comfort than our spiritual evolving. The Moon is that aspect of our self seeking emotional security and well being feeling that we belong to the continuum of life. When we feel connected with our lunar self we intuitively understand that we belong to and are a part of the wisdom of nature; the divine Mother, our eternal “Feminine”, creator and destroyer of life. A dear friend recently returned from the Amazon in Brazil having experienced first hand the awesome magnificence of our divine Mother, “Madre Tierra”, tenaciously, and with a profound indifference to the momentary comforts of the human species, providing every breath of our existence. When under the influence of Taurus each cell of our body is made alert to the sensual experiencing of being alive. When we look into the loving eyes of creation spewing forth new life while devouring our decay we witness the chthonic source of our own creativity ripening into self-expression.

The wealth promised by Taurus is understanding that whatever we are seeking outside our self is first found within. The Leo Sun can be vulnerable seeking approval and appreciation from others while suffering rejection and exclusion if one’s talents and achievements are ignored. This week if we work together with the exalted strength of the Moon we may gain a deeper self-appreciation of ourselves based on our intrinsic knowing of our self-worth which cannot be measured against the standards of another. Next week we will experience a solar eclipse at 9 Leo 32 heralding a promise to eliminate an aspect of our individuality that has become obsolete. We can use this week as a prelude to the solar eclipse and reflect on what aspect within ourselves we want to sweep away for a more realized Self.

The first aspect the waning Moon makes is an earthy Grand Trine with Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter Rx suggesting that we can bring our lofty ideals down to earth and commune with the simple pleasures of life for free. One way to use the resources offered us this week is to free ourselves from the burden of our past without loosing contact with the source of our creation. The Moon squares Venus, the Nodes, Chiron, and Neptune indicating that our relationships may be challenging this week as we struggle to keep our mind open to the ideas of others.

We may find our self in situations requiring that we honor our individuality without steam rolling over our partner’s. You may feel like digging in your heels this week stubbornly refusing to budge on some aspect of your relationship that would have seemed trivial last week. This week it is a point of honor that you be right and if you allow your pride to dictate your emotional responding you may discover your partner giving you his or her cold shoulder. For those of us not in an intimate partnership at the moment we could inadvertently burden our friendships with similar behavior. The Moon sextile Uranus is itching for emotional freedom and the quincunx to Pluto requires adjusting how we relate to others if we want our relationships to foster our emotional evolving. The key to getting along with other’s this week is to turn our gaze within and observe ourselves creating ourselves.

]]> http://laurenlesko.com/286/feed 0 http://laurenlesko.com/213 http://laurenlesko.com/213#comments Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:36:45 +0000 Lauren http://laurenlesko.com/?p=213 click on the image to read about the art

In my last post, Part of the Whole, I curiously omitted mention of the waning Virgo Moon square to Mercury which has contributed to the current uncomfortable shift in our consciousness; our Mercurial wings clipped we fell like fallen angels down to Earth. In my personal experiencing of this cosmic event the mental breathing I had been exchanging with others in the community I live has come to a crashing halt. The past two days I have spent sitting quietly, attentively awaiting the continued interest in my astrology readings, which is not surprising, a waning Virgo Moon is asking us to develop emotional wholeness and completeness within our self, and followed by the waning Libra Moon, we can’t help but reflect upon our relationship with others.

The Sun and Venus have been arm in arm since Sunday, today Venus partile trine with the Aquarius North Node and sextile the Leo South Node suggests that we have creative skills at hand which we can use to reinforce our self confidence guiding us to a new found independence in our relationship with others. The Moon in Libra suggests that the emotional and mental independence we are experiencing could feel strange if we are seeking our self reflected in an other’s approval. We may experience the emotional independence offered the next two days in other people’s behavior, but be sure, the process is happening within each of us as we become more conscious of negotiating, compromising, and ultimately integrating our thoughts and feelings with others.

Chiron, stationed retrograde, has separated from the celestial pack translating the light of the North Node, the Sun, and Venus back to Mercury, stationed direct, in early July. This is a time for healing our wounded self esteem and learning to honor our individuality without isolating our self or discounting the individuality of everyone else. We also have the possibility to creatively express our appreciation for the intangible treasures we receive from the Universe. The only fly in our ointment will be if we exaggerate our instinctual habit of quickly judging and dismissing that which cannot be expressed though our senses. If that happens we may get a surprise jolt from the cosmos in the form of someone opening our eyes to a different reality than our own, which at the end of the day, harmoniously embraces our unique self. One of the healing wounds offered by Chiron in Aquarius is learning how to receive from others what they have to give.

]]> http://laurenlesko.com/213/feed 0 http://laurenlesko.com/199 http://laurenlesko.com/199#comments Sun, 08 Jun 2008 02:34:30 +0000 Lauren http://laurenlesko.com/?p=199 click on the image to read about the art

There is much creativity bouncing back and forth between our wandering stars as Mercury and Venus move swiftly into the heart of the Sun. The first aspect the Sun made after the New Moon was a sextile to a Leo Mars releasing the creative expression of an unfamiliar aspect of our individuality. The double dose of fire, the fire sign Leo joined with the fire planet Mars, inspired us to take center stage and courageously “strut our stuff”. It is a great time for our unique light to shine forth if we follow one simple stipulation; dye to what we think we known about who we are, and fearlessly plunge into our unknown selves; easier said than done, the likes of fire preferring an external exploration of the Self. The Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, with the occasional appearance of the Moon, are playing a spirited game of tag, and no wonder, Leo and Gemini adore the magic of play! If we allow ourselves to play along side our cosmic playmates, get into the creative spirit of self discovering, we may surprise ourselves with what we find.

Wednesday the Sun and Mars conjoined; Friday, Venus and Mars made a sextile; Saturday, the Sun and Mercury, Mercury and Venus conjoined; and Sunday, the Sun and Venus will conjoin. So what does all this celestial boomerang mean for us? One thing seems certain, our individuality keeps returning back to us stimulated with new ideas, experiences, and values which we can use to creatively express some new facet of our self. The Sun and Mercury conjunction signals the culmination in Mercury’s retrograde cycle meaning that we on earth will gain insight into what this Rx period has personally meant for us. I expect it has something to do with discovering a new appreciation for our self worth. Mercury continues moving backwards for another 12 days, entering territory recently occupied by the Sun, offering us a replay in our awareness of something in our individuality that is needing completion.

The Sun and Venus conjunction is alerting us that Venus will station retrograde in nine months time giving us three months of self reflection, contemplating our values and choices in life. Venus is that aspect of our self determining our personal style and aesthetic pleasures directly influencing the friends, foods, films we wrap our self around for personal enjoyment and pleasure. Now is our time to bring fresh breath to what we value, in our self and others, and broaden our horizons making choices that mirror our evolving individuality. After Mercury and Venus conjoin in the heart of the Sun, Mercury moving behind and Venus ahead of the Sun, the Moon will translate the scintillating creativity offered Mars and Venus inspiriting us to become more of who we are.

I highly recommend reading Terry Lamb’s June forecast for an in depth understanding of the coming month.

]]> http://laurenlesko.com/199/feed 0 http://laurenlesko.com/165 http://laurenlesko.com/165#comments Mon, 05 May 2008 13:17:41 +0000 Lauren http://laurenlesko.com/?p=165 click on the image to read about the art

I just finished reading a lovely ode to the Taurus New Moon* and appreciate an insightful astrologer’s tender reminding of the simple pleasures offered Taurus. When under the influence of Taurus our impulse is to reach out and touch the lush green of a fresh blade of grass because it is utterly impossible to see it and not touch it. The trick here of course is in the seeing and in a world under constant visual duress and media assault who in their right mind sees the grass? Taurus sees the grass and every other physical manifestation of life on earth which is one reason Taurus is our life line to the bountiful offerings of our Earth. The New Moon is turning our gaze toward our seeing and savoring the luxurious experience of spending time with Mother Nature and with ourselves. Yes, the Taurus New Moon is our promise of reuniting with some lost aspect of ourselves long neglected in our mad dashing to have a wonderful quality of life!

May be it isn’t ourselves that we have neglected as much as our time to enjoy the simple pleasure of walking not running, sitting and listening to birds at play, or watching the changing light of the sky as the Sun ends another day. I do worry that contemporary life has complicated our time and attention and that we are loosing the fine art of simply appreciating life as it is. This New Moon is bringing to our conscious light the blessings of Pluto and Saturn insuring that change is in the air. A Taurus Moon is a Moon of contentment, exalted by sign, a Moon embracing the pleasure of being alive and enjoying the moment at hand without pretense of a future the present moment savored. I know this doesn’t quite jive with the face of Taurus seeking material security in acquiring worldly possessions but our pleasure in ownership merely reflects what we value in life. The face of Taurus I am speaking of values the richness offered by Nature enveloped in the secure comfort of the enduring stability of the Earth.

This New Moon is translating to our Sun, our conscious light, the grace and beauty of Venus in Taurus and under her tutelage we have the month to consider what we value most in life, which translates into what we value most in ourself. Venus in Taurus is always directing our gaze toward self value and this new Moon promises the opportunity to manifest whatever we decide we are worth! The Moon in Taurus makes a nurturing trine to Jupiter in Capricorn and the combination of earthly wisdom insures physical manifestation in one form or another. The influence of Capricorn brings a tone of responsibility to our inquiry telling us that this is not a time to allow our flights of fancy to take hold and distract us from the very serious and honest assessing of how we value who we are. One of last aspects the Taurus Moon makes before changing signs is a square with Neptune soliciting a cautionary warning not to let this moment slip away without making the necessary changes so that our life truly reflects what we value. The Moon’s last aspect is a sextile with Mars in Cancer and the mutual reception of the two celestial bodies, the Moon is disposing of Mars, suggests that we have the courage to seek and find emotional security within ourselves all we need is to take creative action and make it happen!

*Moonkissd by Jessica

Today, the waning Moon enters Aquarius at 12:27 pm CDT and so begins our week of introspection, a time when we internalize the illumination offered by the full Moon now passing. The time for taking action is temporarily on hold while we reconsider our actions of the last week. The lunar phase now ending began with an Aries New Moon and the entire month has been reflecting our unconscious will “to be” and our creative impulse to take action in the world. Tomorrow, the Aquarius Moon will square the Sun in Taurus alerting us to a conflict between our conscious and unconscious selves that has something to do with stubbornly holding onto ideas which have finely crafted our perception of who we are “way back when” but now are frustrating our creative impulse to grow and to change.

The Moon is our comfort our safety our sense of belonging in life and the Sun is our core identity expressing our unique and individual journey in life. When the Moon is in Aquarius we feel secure keeping our emotions cool and calm giving us the distance to intellectually understand what we are feeling. When the Sun is in Taurus our individuality is seeking physical expression through something that has value for us. It can be hiking in nature, changing the decor in our home, relaxing at the local spa, curled up in a corner reading a book, sipping a glass of savory wine, listening to our favorite piece of music. The choices are endless and one is not more important than another. What is important is that we are creatively expressing our individual value and self worth. Once, every year, the Aquarius Moon will make a square to the Taurus Sun and when that happens we on earth are made aware of the necessity to change a ridged emotional pattern that is defining our individual value and self worth.

The first aspect the Moon makes in Aquarius is a quincunx to Saturn in Virgo signaling the time to be discerning of what emotion is rigid, defensive and inhibiting our emotional fulfillment without falling foul of criticizing ourselves or others. The jewel in today’s celestial crown is the harmony between Mercury and Jupiter insuring we enjoy a day of intellectual expansion and ease of conversation. This contact is also softening the approaching tension between the Moon and Mercury suggesting that our minds may be wrapped too tightly around some idea that makes us feel secure but is in fact preventing us from being open minded and expansive. The Moon conjoins Chiron, North Node, and occults Neptune, all in Aquarius helping us become more comfortable with our uniqueness and less in need of approval from others. The last aspects the Moon makes before leaving Aquarius is a quincunx to Mars and a sextile to Venus reminding us that our self interests are not mutually excluding of the needs of our tribe, be it family or community, and to weary of the temptation to sacrifice our emotional needs as the Moon prepares to enter the sign of Pisces.

The Aquarius Moon is void of course on April 29 at 8:25 pm CDT and enters Pisces at 9:11 pm CDT.

Scorpio Full Moon and our conscious identity is seeking rejuvenation hot solar hands reaching out to touch the Moon and something from our past is being destroyed. This is not to be feared, on the contrary, this is a process that brings emotional maturing. We are being offered the possibility of transforming an emotional response we inherited from our past, something to do with our primal fear to survive, which has become stagnant and no longer reflecting our individuality. Yesterday, the Sun entered the earthiness of Taurus bringing us on earth the certainty of renewal and rejuvenation which arrives the same time every year in the bountiful arms of May. When under the influence of Taurus we feel our physical body a solid anchor manifesting our life force, and we are keenly aware, more than at other times, that our body is deeply rooted in the earth tenaciously springing forth like the lush meadows of wild grasses and flowers that blanket the earth this time of year. When the Moon is in Scorpio opposing the Sun in Taurus our unconscious is telling us that something about our identity needs breaking down because that aspect of ourselves has become impervious to the creative flow of our life.

Taurus is that aspect of ourselves seeking security by producing material substance which is most commonly expressed in making money and accumulating wealth. The difficulty of the Taurus aspect of ourselves is our stubborn attachment to what we own coupled with our fear of change which can prevent us from taking the necessary risks in life to grow in self confidence. I am not suggesting that we give all our worldly goods away, which in fact would be a rather futile use of a Scorpio Full Moon, because the issue at hand is not how much we own but our attachment to what we own.

Lucky for us the Scorpio Full Moon is softening our resistance to change, breaking down our crusty, hardened defenses, and demanding that we give up something we own. This does not have to be an ominous experience because loss can bear a fruitful offering worthy of any self respecting Taurus when the gain is in appreciating our value and self worth. This is the promise of today’s celestial landscape. The Grand Trine in earth shared between the Sun, Saturn, and Pluto suggests a time of ease when forces outside our immediate control work in harmony with people in authority making our lives more pleasurable and supporting our substantive existence. If we add the Full Moon sextile with Saturn and Pluto the Grand Trine transforms into a kite accentuating the creative possibility for change looming on the horizon. The cosmos is offering us a guiding hand encouraging us to create our comfort and our substantive security within ourselves so that we are not endlessly swept away by the tides of worldly change which ultimately we are powerless to prevent and sadly continues to contribute to our fear of change and prevent our growing anew.

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