January 2017

Feeling fired up? Riled? Combative? Wondering how much more of this you can take?
 
The cosmos has something for that. A giant wrap-up, reboot and restart dominate the month of February. One eclipse cycle is starting while another is ending, with the combined effect of a powerful vacuum sucking us into a worm hole and spitting us out.
 
Much will become clear during this strange ride. Lives are changing, permanently, inside and out. Epiphanies will flash like lightning strikes, suddenly illuminating while zapping targets with an overload of energy.
 
A lot of games have hit the point of no longer being playable. Some connections, of all kinds — relationships, family, group, political, work — will not survive. Others will find previously unlikely common ground and unite. Still others will regroup, consolidate and negotiate how to travel together.
 

We’re starting a two-year revisiting of a core human challenge, expressing individuality while coexisting in a group. (Not unconnected side note: the same journey has the US revisiting who we are as a people.) Each end is getting quite the backing and buffeting this month as we do.

The new cycle comes first, on February 10, when the Leo Full Moon plugs into the stabilizing but activating fires of the Saturn/Uranus trine that have been blazing since December.  Validation, recognition and just plain being seen are core themes of this high-octane lunar eclipse, fueling emotional flare-ups and sending inner children and drama queens alike into the spotlight.

These and related issues are coming back around from 1998-2000, the last occurrence of this Leo/Aquarius eclipse family, which has returned for the next two years. Our priorities, circumstances and self-awareness have been radically refined since the last go-round, so the themes will likely play out differently this time, too.

The kick-off comes with impulsive, self-propelling daring bordering on ferocity. Venus, ruler of relationships, money and creativity, enters Aries, the sign action hero Mars is marching through, on the 3rd. She’s no delicate flower in this mode, waiting for a big, strong man to come to her rescue. She is a force of nature, more than capable of seizing what she wants. And the big, strong man is absolutely in sync.

For the rest of the month, desire and will are in hunter mode, on the prowl without hesitation or apology. We’ll be standing up for ourselves, pouncing on what we want and fighting on a moment’s notice — or without provocation.

Watch for acute, perhaps sudden awareness of who’s paying attention and who’s not, of who and what fan your spark and who and what put it out. Revelations will impel us toward the first in each pair and shut out the second.  And because of the chapter-closing nature of a lunar eclipse, some of the second is on the way out, for keeps.

As progress reports come in on the condition of our inner spark, we are simultaneously undergoing a graduation exercise in maintaining intact boundaries amid immersion in all of life. It’s one of the gifts of the Pisces New Moon on the 26th, which is the final in the Virgo/Pisces eclipses that started in March 2015.

Over the past two years, we’ve been resetting boundaries and notions of service vs. martyrdom, logic vs. faith, and intactness vs. enmeshment. The solar eclipse hits the refresh button one final, time and unleashes a wave that carries us dramatically onward, leaving much — and many  — in the past. The waters we’re riding teem with compassion, transcendence, escapism and more than a hint of forgiveness, especially directed inward. (Potential downside:  am updated version of scapegoating is likely in those waters as well.)

The ride is hardly gentle or smooth, at least not initially. The final week of the month shoots us through an intense gauntlet that challenges, furthers and tempers individual drives and agendas, and forces potent action on situations and structures that have been in upheaval and turmoil for the past five years.

The ending stretch is a hotbed of anger, eruptions, accidents, blows for autonomy, and relationship standoffs, as Mars squares Pluto, joins Uranus and opposes Jupiter. Compromise is in short supply; Davids and Goliaths abound. Funny thing is, everyone assumes that he’s David. Even the big and powerful.

What’s happening is a more forceful replay, and a forceful furthering, of the energies of the last week of December 2013. Think back to how family/tribal foundations evolved then, for an indication of what’s likely now.

Whether you remember that time or not, think of February’s gauntlet as a birth canal. We’re forcing out new ways of coexisting. The passageway is tight, dark and uncomfortable, and some of the pressure could be painful. But it’s pushing us. Elsewhere.

I update this forecast regularly with weekly podcasts and biweekly FB Live Astrochats. Join me at the OMTimes Webinars FB page at noon EST Friday, Feb. 9 and Friday, Feb. 24.

IN HONOR OF VALENTINE’S DAY: Learn what your chart says about what you’re looking for in love. My Astro-Keys to Love talk is live at 8 PM Thursday, Feb. 8 and available via recording after. Info and registration here.

Keep Astro-Insight going. Please contribute a cup of coffee, or maybe something stronger? Make a donation via PayPal to kbiehlATempowermentunlimited.net (and replace “AT” with @). Thank you!

© Kathy Biehl 2017. All Rights Reserved. You may forward this article as long as the copyright notice is intact. No part may be used or reprinted without my prior written permission. Karma, ya know.

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Forecast for the 2017 Aquarius New Moon

January 27-28, 2017
4:07 PM PST / 7:07 PM EST / 12:07 AM GMT
8 Aquarius 15

Who cares what the calendar says? Three weeks into the year, it finally feels like New Year’s. Not to mention like a new world.

That’s not just because the Aquarius New Moon launches the Chinese lunar year.  The sky is delivering the atmospheric gear shift that was missing when December 31 last gave way to January 1. We’re crawling out of the misty waters that have dominated life since then, drying off and turning our gaze forward.

The inherent detachment of the Aquarius New Moon promises to put those waters far behind — or rather, far below. It gives us the benefit of a bird’s eye view. The distance makes it easier to look at connections, networks and people without being so embroiled in dramas. We see more of the big picture and more of the future (at least, more of what’s possible in it).

Highly charged is an understatement for what lies ahead. One of the main reasons, and one of the year’s defining characteristics, reverberate in this New Moon:  the fiery collaboration between Saturn, lord of structure, and Uranus, agent of radical, unpredictable change, which are the  ancient and modern rulers of Aquarius.

They’ve backed off a bit from the unimpeded current that flowed between them in December, but they are still a team, coupling order and chaos, invigorating and igniting us. Their high-octane possibilities are beautifully synchronous with the Chinese Year of the Fire Rooster. Like an exuberant rooster crowing at the dawn, the Aquarius Moon’s rulers are an awakening, enlivening force that will not let us slumber this year (or lie still for long).

After years of upheaval and last year’s protracted daze, we have the motivation and the means to get going. The specific destination is not important at the moment; in fact, it may be impossible to discern just yet. The journey is the point, and its nature and purpose are self-actualization.

This New Moon is a gateway. It’s the lead in to the next eclipse cycle, which begins with the Leo Full Moon on February 11. The Leo/Aquarius eclipses will bring up issues of retaining individuality while existing within a group, with emphasis on how far and brightly your light shines.

For now, the focus is on individuality. Shake off those emotions, especially ones you soaked up from others. Wring yourself out. View your life as Mr. Spock. Put on your future vision. Embrace  the glorious, outrageous, unique you that is your core. And let it come out and play.

“The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.” — Joseph Campbell

 

Keep Astro-Insight going. Please contribute a cup of coffee, or maybe something stronger? Make a donation via PayPal to kbiehlATempowermentunlimited.net (and replace “AT” with @). Thank you!

© Kathy Biehl 2017. All Rights Reserved. You may forward this article as long as the copyright notice is intact. No part may be used or reprinted without my prior written permission. Karma, ya know.

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Forecast for the 2017 Cancer Full Moon

January 12, 2017
3:34 AM PST / 6:34 AM EST / 11:34 AM GMT
22 Cancer 27 / 22 Capricorn 27

How’re your food cravings these days? Your moods? Staying close to home? Tearing up at ads? Missing your Mommy? It’s all part of the cellular pull of the Cancer Full Moon. If only the rest of the sky would let us crawl under a blankie and enjoy.

A full moon always brings emotions and nonrational impulses to a crest, and none so much as when she is in her natural sign of Cancer. Have you ever gone back home or visited relatives and found old childhood needs, behaviors and dynamics resurfacing? A similarly automatic regressing happens under a Cancer Full Moon.

It stirs issues of home, tradition, comfort and nurturing, in the context of long-term goals and security, and responsibility and dependability. Throws in heaps of shoulds and guilt. And poses the ever-changing questions of who’s the mommy, who’s the daddy, and who gets to be the baby.

No wonder folks are hypersensitive. What we want is something — a hug, a doughnut, a soft stuffed animal — to make us feel safe and secure.

Unfortunately, plenty out there in the world is making us feel anything but that. A lot of people aren’t getting with the program…though, surprisingly, a lot are. Just not consistently who you might have expected.

We’re feeling a monumental evolutionary surge. The Sun has just passed the clarifying, simplifying scythe of Pluto, agent of unavoidable change. He remains close enough for our consciousness to tingle with awareness of our newly honed sense of self.

We can’t go back to how we used to be.  Relationships, alliances and agreements are now playing catch-up in response. They’re bearing the brunt of the unavoidable undercurrents and stresses accompanying this Full Moon.

Part of the tension comes from boundless Jupiter being in Libra, aka Relationship Central, exactly in between the Sun and the Moon. Reason and emotion are bearing down equally on him, demanding awareness, expression and action.

All three participants, the Sun, Moon and Jupiter (forming the dynamic configuration of a tight t-square), are getting riled up non-stop. Agitation, disruption and seemingly unresolvable conflict are in the mix. Perhaps you’ve noticed?

They come from the fiery, uncontrollable duo that has been inflaming the core wound of our nation’s psyche: volatile, unpredictable Uranus, advocate for rebellion, liberation and alternate perspectives, and his current traveling companion Eris, goddess of discord. Lovely couple, right?  Just who you want to have in your home. Where they’ve taken up residence for the foreseeable future.

They’re opposite Jupiter, upping the noise level and making it hard to find common ground or points of compromise. They’re arguing for breaking off on your own, in some cases through other people acting hell bent on stirring up trouble. They aren’t inclined to shut up, either.

Hence the extremes in emotional waters — some turbulent enough to warrant dramamine, some as soothing and nourishing as amniotic fluid. This year’s Cancer Full Moon is showing, more than the usual, who and what feels safe, and who and what decidedly does not.

Based on that status report, the concept of family, so sacred to Cancer, may well be up for redefinition. This goes for legal and blood family as well as chosen and tribal connections.

Relatives are the first front. They’re center stage now, whether they’re in your life (and face) at the moment or popping up energetically. You might be finding certain dramas extending past the holidays, or be experiencing your emotional reactions to them only now.

More than in the past, lines of demarcation have a lot to do with politics, world view and value systems. Thank Saturn, lord of order, rules, the patriarchy and the status quo and, of course, the Capricorn Sun. He’s in the sign of Sagittarius, where approaches to and philosophies of life can become fiery and judgmental.  He’s cooperating with Jupiter in Libra, while fueling those rabblerousers Uranus and Eris.

That teamwork is adding to the condescending, patronizing, self-righteous and condemning blasts so many of us are receiving and observing (but not sending out, right?), and the widening of gulfs that feel less and less bridgeable.

Discord is running rampart, straight into the heart of families. With so little room for peacemaking, compromise or reconciliation — for the moment, at least — ties of blood and shared memories are losing their hold. Instead, this Cancer Full Moon is awakening appreciation of trusted family, chosen family, safe havens and realigned tribes.

It’s also steeling your backbone to stop looking for safety and nurturing from people who are showing so clearly that they are unwilling or incapable of giving it.  And to stop feeling responsible for people, no matter what their legal relationship to you may be, who don’t want, need or appreciate your efforts to care for them.

The good news:  What’s safe and supportive has staying power. We’ve got the motivation to embrace and protect it. Saturn is conjunct Juno, queen of the gods and protector of marriage.  They’re encouraging deals, alliances, serious relationships and legal marriages, complete with license and rings. (Cue Beyonce.)

The bottom line, so dear to Capricorn?  What makes you feel safe and secure is up to you. This Full Moon promises to show you what that means and inspire you to cherish and protect it. And maybe deliver an updated answer to the eternal questions of who’s the mommy, who’s the daddy and who gets to be the baby. (Hint: Could be you.)

 

Keep Astro-Insight going. Please contribute a cup of coffee, or maybe something stronger? Make a donation via PayPal to kbiehlATempowermentunlimited.net (and replace “AT” with @). Thank you!

© Kathy Biehl 2017. All Rights Reserved. You may forward this article as long as the copyright notice is intact. No part may be used or reprinted without my prior written permission. Karma, ya know.

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Forecast for Jan. 8 – 15, 2016

Love Boat under a Mommy Moon. Carbs, guilt and compassion:  loading and off-loading. Bonus Song of the Week:  Wind of Change, by Scorpions.

Learn more in the Astro-Insight podcast for January 8 – 15, 2016  (7:36 minutes). And hear my 2017 forecast in Astrology Hub’s online forecast marathon Jan. 12 & 13! 

Keep Astro-Insight going. Please contribute a cup of coffee, or maybe something stronger? Make a donation via PayPal to kbiehlATempowermentunlimited.net (and replace “AT” with @). Thank you!

© Kathy Biehl 2017. All Rights Reserved. You may forward this article as long as the copyright notice is intact. No part may be used or reprinted without my prior written permission. Karma, ya know.

January 2017

January sets the tone for the year:  blasts of forceful, fiery action, passions and emotions, interspersed with pockets of contemplation, grace and renewal. Think of a cosmic hand feverishly working a cigarette lighter,  taking a periodic break, then returning to the lighter with renewed, relentless vigor.

The high energy of late December is still with us as the clock strikes midnight. Then foglights — or heartlights — lead into the year. The air of nostalgia, gentleness and moment outside of time are only a way station, as action hero Mars joins Neptune, lord of transcendence and illusion. (Since the sea is also his terrain, this meeting could foreshadow fighting for — or over — water as a theme of the year.)

Those qualities permeate relationships and the way we look at our fellow humans when love goddess Venus slides into Pisces herself on 3rd.  Compassion and empathy flow more freely; idealism, magic and romance are in the air. All these qualities infuse Venus’ desires and the marching orders she’s giving to her consort Mars, and carry on all month long.

The sparking begins when retrograde Mercury backs into Sagittarius on the 4th. Snarls, investigations and do-overs switch from plodding and practical to impulsive, high energy and political. Look for reasons to laugh; they abound.

The cosmic hand bears down on us from the 7th – 11th. Self-awareness heightens. Pressure mounts to break out of prisons (inner, family, relationship) and strip down to core personal truths.

While we’re morphing, pronounced touchiness is likely at the Cancer Full Moon on the 12th. Issues of emotional security and sustenance boil over and inspire search parties for Mommies and blankeys.  Spoilers: (1) They’re an inside job; (2) the optimal response to the pressures:   consolidating your own personal power.

rocess counts to mount till the 12th, when the winged messenger regains solid footing and practical orientation in Capricorn. That day brings the second of the month’s pockets of contemplation and renewal.

Coinciding with the Cancer Full Moon, this one carries a risk for squalling (see above), but also a wondrous oasis of escapism. It’s not only harmless, but absolutely what the doctor ordered:  a magical blend of earthly love and compassion (Venus) and  divine levels of the same (Neptune). Soak good and long. These waters are balm for heart and soul (not to mention catnip for certain star-blessed romances).

Also on Jan. 12:  my 2017 forecast, part of Astrology Hub’s online marathon! Sign up for free! Let 13 astrologers prep you for the year!

Then comes another push, as Mars engages law-and-order Saturn in a shoving match, on the 19th.  A steamy force emerges from the waters and demands accountability, responsible action, perhaps a sacrifice. Watch for issues of how well personal codes line up with spiritual guidance or the greater good. Shortfalls require corrective action.

Another pause arrives on the 25th, this one with profoundly curative properties benefitting desires, creativity, relationships and issues of worthiness. Venus, ruler of all we value, meets Chiron, the healer who gave up immortality to become fully human and overcome a wound that would not heal. They’re opening a font of gentleness, compassion, loving kindness and forgiveness, all of which can flow from you to yourself.

Just for this moment, it’s okay to be human. It’s easy to see commonality in fellow humans. It’s easy to view others through the eyes of God. Remember what you see and experience and sear the experience into your heart. They may slip off the radar as the year intensifies.

Venus has her own shoving match with Saturn on the 27th. The clock is ticking. Boundless love finds its limit. Connections feel the call for structure and commitment, or for pulling back. One approach is steamy, the other dampening. Both could lead to comparing and contrasting a particular connection (or relationships in general) with long-held attitudes and beliefs, and seeing which end has to give.

The calculus becomes more objective the next day at the Aquarius New Moon, on the 27th. In its detached, intellectual light, stepping aside a few inches comes easily. Take the breathing room. Take the elevated perspective. Take the future vision and drink in where you’re heading.

rocess counts to mount till the 12th, when the winged messenger regains solid footing and practical orientation in Capricorn. That day brings the second of the month’s pockets of contemplation and renewal.

Coinciding with the Cancer Full Moon, this one carries a risk for squalling (see above), but also a wondrous oasis of escapism. It’s not only harmless, but absolutely what the doctor ordered:  a magical blend of earthly love and compassion (Venus) and  divine levels of the same (Neptune). Soak good and long. These waters are balm for heart and soul (not to mention catnip for certain star-blessed romances).

Also on Jan. 12:  my 2017 forecast, part of Astrology Hub’s online marathon! Sign up for free! Let 13 astrologers prep you for the year!

Then comes another push, as Mars engages law-and-order Saturn in a shoving match, on the 19th.  A steamy force emerges from the waters and demands accountability, responsible action, perhaps a sacrifice. Watch for issues of how well personal codes line up with spiritual guidance or the greater good. Shortfalls require corrective action.

Another pause arrives on the 25th, this one with profoundly curative properties benefitting desires, creativity, relationships and issues of worthiness. Venus, ruler of all we value, meets Chiron, the healer who gave up immortality to become fully human and overcome a wound that would not heal. They’re opening a font of gentleness, compassion, loving kindness and forgiveness, all of which can flow from you to yourself.

Just for this moment, it’s okay to be human. It’s easy to see commonality in fellow humans. It’s easy to view others through the eyes of God. Remember what you see and experience and sear the experience into your heart. They may slip off the radar as the year intensifies.

Venus has her own shoving match with Saturn on the 27th. The clock is ticking. Boundless love finds its limit. Connections feel the call for structure and commitment, or for pulling back. One approach is steamy, the other dampening. Both could lead to comparing and contrasting a particular connection (or relationships in general) with long-held attitudes and beliefs, and seeing which end has to give.

The calculus becomes more objective the next day at the Aquarius New Moon, on the 27th. In its detached, intellectual light, stepping aside a few inches comes easily. Take the breathing room. Take the elevated perspective. Take the future vision and drink in where you’re heading.

While you’re still getting your bearings, the cosmic hand hits the lighter but good and inspired action follows. Bravado, gumption, derring-do, risks, aggression, anger, assaults, strikes, just plain getting up and getting going — all erupt and spread when warrior god Mars enters his home sign of Aries on the 28th.

His homecoming coincides with secrets emerging from behind the scenes, secrets that have been flirting with exposure since Mercury turned away from Pluto and went retrograde on December 19. The winged messenger meets the lord of the underworld at last on the 29th.

Disclosures are likely involving levels of power and money that evade most humans; the political and international news promises to be stunning. On the mere mortal level, watch for revelations and truths that clarify and simplify much (though perhaps with a sharp intake of breath).

Metaphoric breaking glass follows. With a chaser of high-octane activity in response.

Keep Astro-Insight going. Please contribute a cup of coffee, or maybe something stronger? Make a donation via PayPal to kbiehlATempowermentunlimited.net (and replace “AT” with @). Thank you!

© Kathy Biehl 2016. All Rights Reserved. You may forward this article as long as the copyright notice is intact. No part may be used or reprinted without my prior written permission. Karma, ya know.

About Astro-Insight and Kathy Biehl

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