Cosmic Weather Column & Horoscope – EastYorker Paper, by Abella Arthur

March 29, 2013 / By Abella Arthur / In Astrology, Methodologies, Mundane, Abella, Consultations & Readings, Teaching, Writing & Blogs, Special Topics, In the news, Cosmic Weather / 2 Comments

Cosmic Weather

by Abella Arthur, for EastYorker

Abella Arthur has practiced astrology for over 20 years. She is available for private consultations and parties — putting the cosmos into a personal perspective for you and your loved ones. She can be reached on her website.

Covers the period of April 5th to 19th

Spring fever arrives with the stage set for surprise romances, friendships, and extra money in your pocket.

We’re in the thick of an Aries stellium. Aries is the sign of assertiveness, war, winning, initiative, masculine activities, and intense bursts of physical expression. It is the first sign of the zodiac and marks the first day of spring (vernal equinox) which was on March 20th this year. A stellium means there are three or more planets in the same sign, and it creates a specialized concentration of energy as it relates to the themes of that sign.

Right now we have the Sun, Venus, Mars, and Uranus in Aries. And with Jupiter still in Gemini, and connecting to this lust for life Aries stellium — lots of opportunities for unexpected romance, looking your best, movement, and financial well-being are available to you.

Aries is the next best time to assert new year resolutions made back in January. Yes, you have a second chance to make a fresh start or put something totally new on your agenda. And if love, money, and beauty are some of your goals – this is a fabulous time to get a head-start.

Aries: You and your fire sign friend, Leo, are about to be struck by cupid, beauty, and new friendships. Enjoy the heat, and stoke the fire. The scales are tipping to your favor.
Taurus: Invest in your finances, and see them grow faster than usual. For those green thumbs, start your gardening or nature projects and plans.
Gemini: Your self-esteem and zest for life is about to soar. Take time out to feed your mind, and your mouth with what’s hot at the moment.
Cancer: Bring more passion into your home by energizing your desires through spring cleaning. It will ground you.
Leo: You and your fire sign friend, Aries, are about to be struck by cupid, beauty, and new friendships. Bask in the light of the fire, and move past love lost.
Virgo: Work on your communication, and analysis for all tasks done. It’s time to think about your educational interests again, and possibly a change in job — making more money.
Libra: Don’t fight or oppose what’s going on. Let it expand your mind, and let love in. Actually, invite that sparkly someone out to a lively meeting place.
Scorpio: Get wrapped up into all that intensity. You’re a little cautious about a younger or less experienced person. Test the water, and don’t give up until you do. If they pass, show your warm side.
Sagittarius: You’ll get noticed if you get moving. Show off all your luscious love for living and learning large. What did you know before, and what do you know now?
Capricorn: Use all that friction as motivation to do it your own way. Break out of the mold, and entertain others through the music of your soul.
Aquarius: You’re in seventh heaven. All is well in your world, and you have more joys than you can handle. Build your love.
Pisces: Your mind keeps floating with fast thoughts, but not to worry — you’re moving forward and something will gel soon. Life on solid land can be had.

Jupiter square Chiron, on 27 March (14 Mar. – 5 Apr.)
Pluto sextile Chiron, on 4 April (15 Mar. – 23 Apr.)
Venus conjunction Mars, on 7 April (4 Apr. – 9 Apr.)

Abella Arthur has practiced astrology for over 20 years. She is available for private consultations and parties — putting the cosmos into a personal perspective for you and your loved ones. She can be reached on her website.

Mercury Pisces Retrograde 2013 / Rx: February to April Dates & Insights

February 10, 2013 / By Abella Arthur / In Astrology, Transits, World, Planets, Signs, Methodologies, Mundane, Special Topics, Predictive, Abella / Leave Comment

Mercury is in Pisces 8° right now.
My Mercury is in Virgo at 8° (it’s in exact partile today). I am/will be experiencing a Mercury Rx Opposite Mercury transit.
And have been feeling / experiencing the effects for about a week now.

The shadow period is from the 9th to 22nd. We’re already in it! Double AND Triple check EVERYTHING.

The Retrograde (Rx) is happening between Feb 23 (19°) to March 17 (5°). And we are hardest hit, March 1 to 10th!

Mercury rules communication (spoken, phone, email, snail mail, written, etc), trade, sales, contracts, siblings, and travel (over short distances).

It’s a time when things traditionally slow down — including sales so pull out all your advertising mojo to make the sale.

This is also a great time to think about your dreams, meditate, do art, and commune with nature and animals.

When the planet Mercury appears to travel backwards, any word with re: in front of it is what we’re likely to experience — reward, renew, refresh, revisit, redo, renegotiate, redress, etc… In some cases, a retrograde is very welcome, and necessary. Similar to when rain and snow helps cleanse the land, and grow food — reigniting life — a retrograde can also cause havoc.

We are also, transit wise, experiencing Mercury Conjunct Chiron (the wounded healer, wounding healer, and where we receive wounds from others). It’s a good time to mind your words and thoughts, and keep them healing and helpful — for and to yourself and others.

I’m taking note too, and although I find myself wanting to give people a piece of my mind — I’m putting a lid on it. Oh, time to meditate.

The shadow phase, on the tail end — starts March 18th, and ends April 6th.

Godspeed!

The following music video, Retrograde, was released a couple of days ago — just on the cusp of the Mercury Rx shadow!

World Transit: Jupiter Gemini (Very small post)

June 14, 2012 / By Abella Arthur / In Astrology, Transits, World, Predictive / Leave Comment

Jupiter moved into Gemini a few days ago:

Like Jupiter Conjunct Mercury … expansive communication causes friction and hurdles… people are made aware…
People are made aware of what they don’t want to know but can no longer hide from — causes upset but ultimately healing.

World Transit: Moon Trine Neptune, and Personal Reflections on Chiron, the Sesquare, & Moon Conjunct Neptune

June 1, 2012 / By Abella Arthur / In Astrology, Transits, World, Solar Returns, Methodologies, Abella, Life Skills, Philosophy, Aspects, Psychology, Jaisla, Poetry, Artwork, Vocals, Spirituality / 2 Comments

It’s been awhile since I’ve had music on here.
I feel like it’s a Neptunian day. Let me check the world transits…

And so it is — we have Scorpio Moon (1° when I checked it) Trine Neptune Pisces, also Neptune Conjunct Chiron.
I imagine we’ll have many spiritual days and soulful sounds in 2012 with Neptune in Pisces

I’m already in tune with these energies since I have Moon (Virgo) Sextile Neptune (Scorpio) and Chiron in Pisces.
And I’m working on my Neptune Sesquiquadrate Chiron in talk therapy for 2012 as these two bodies conjunct and land in my 12th in the SR this year. I’m actually doing this in an institutional environment. Astrogasm!

I wrote about the sesquare aspect (three full posts on one aspect!) a long time ago…
I basically see this aspect as a different ability, and where you need help to rise to the challenges of society. It’s also where you’re naturally disconnected from society, with an unusual awareness that isn’t accepted by the masses.

As usual, there’s so many ways to read something and right now I’m reading my Neptune Sesquiquadrate Chiron aspect as if it were about me healing my spiritual wounds. I’m doing this with the assistance of a vision quester through narrative therapy.

I can see the spiritual wounds of others but often they can’t see it. And what’s worse, is that while I’m busy paying attention to others (other, public chart) I haven’t been able to readily see my own. This is a challenge and one reason why I decided not to become a psychologist and work with my own psychology instead. And I’ve decided the best way to help others heal, through me, is eventually through my art.

I’ll help heal others in the Neptunian way.

World Transit: Moon Scorpio Trine Neptune Pisces — Spiritual reflection, soulful union to Gaia or one’s mother, finding peace (yourself) in music, investigating feelings, feeling out your environment, foods that heal.

Recommended music for today: Enigma, Cafe Del Mar, Buddha Bar, Julee Cruise, and Thomas Dybdahl. Listen on Youtube, Start here…

Namaste

Sunday May 20 – Sun Enters Gemini, New Moon Gemini, Solar Eclipse, Aspects, & Venus Rx…!

May 20, 2012 / By Abella Arthur / In Astrology, Transits, World, Favorite Things, Mundane, Abella, Modality, Astrologers / Leave Comment

Lots to celebrate, reflect upon, and think about with these upcoming celestial events.
Gemini and Libra are air signs and they like to talk it out, think it out, and express themselves assertively and with evenness.

Dates/Times

Sun Gemini 0° (exact on May 20th 11:16am EST), New Moon Gemini 0° (Exact on May 20th,7:05pm EST), Venus Gemini Rx 23°25, Saturn Libra 23°45 — Aspects: Sun Conjunct New Moon, Venus Rx Trine Saturn

A number of keywords for Gemini: Changeable, love of variety and mental excitement, $20 words, a gift for the gab, writers and communicators, intelligent, flighty, fickle, two sides, the watchers and observers, song-writing, jingles, text messaging, telephoning, email, board (not bored) games, Scrabble!, Trivial Pursuit, siblings, neighbours, learning, discovering, taking it all in, quick, witty, versatile, mental gymnastics, trade and commerce, sales…

The Sun & Moon are overwhelmingly happy and content with each other today and the Sun will get eclipsed (Solar Eclipse). I see this as the ego and self-interests being overshadowed and making way for the process of reconnecting and communicating with our emotional selves. We want to get in touch, understand, know, and communicate our feelings to others and more importantly — to ourselves!

Through the Venus Rx-Saturn Trine, Venus is re-evaluating her mighty and long-lasting karmic commitments she’s made to her finances, beauty, self-esteem, love, friendships, and relationships. She is taking a look at whether she wants to be further tested in these areas or make the final ascent to reach and end her old goals. For the most part, she’s done with what’s went on in the past.

Now Saturn is in Libra and Libra is at home in Venus so Venus Rx Trine Saturn is an important aspect as it relates to Libran themes, issues, and opportunities.

Saturn Libra has been doing a dance since 2009 but it’s since July 2010 that we’ve all really noticed serious and very real restrictions in our partnerships, art, contracts, finances, etc..

Saturn Libra is helping Venus take a fair and balanced look at all this.

And Saturn enters Scorpio in October 2012 so Saturn has 4 more months to do its work in finalizing and marking the tests our relationships, art, money, beauty, etc. have had to endure for quite some time..

As well, Saturn Libra is in Trine with Venus Rx until roughly August 7th which is also around the time that Venus is completely out of the shadow period (July 31). So by the start of August, the majority of us will begin to have a solid footing on where we are going next in the Libran areas of our lives.

Yes, we will feel more comfort, at ease, and at home with ourselves, and our renewed and redone commitments.

That’s a relief because the last two years have been the most trying years of my life (in memory. LOL)

Which house will the Sun, New Moon, and Venus Rx in Gemini land in your chart? Where’s Libra? Have you ever done a New Moon ritual or intention?

Things you can do? Send a message of love, send a package of joy, write out verbal hugs, express heartfelt thanks and gratitude. Name your feelings. Meditate upon your relationship to yourself, money, beauty, art, etc..

By the way, Sunday is my FAVORITE day.

RIP Etta James

Mars Direct: Get Out Of the Kitchen, If You Can’t Stand The Heat Because There’s Still Much Work To Do

May 12, 2012 / By Abella Arthur / In Astrology, Transits, Personal, Solar Returns, Writing & Blogs / Leave Comment

I’m ♫ ♪ “Sweating to the Oldies” ♫ ♪ today….

Today, I have tr. Mars Direct Conjunct na. Mercury 0°11a

And the world is experiencing Mars Trine Pluto, Mercury is Trine Mars, Mars Inconjunct Uranus, Mars Opposite Neptune, Mars Opposite Chiron.

I’ve been wanting to write a post on The Astrology of Bullying & Abuse, for over a year now, and hopefully I’ll get into that groove soon. It’ll be a long one — filled with sources and resources — so I’ll want to carve out a couple of weeks where I can devote time to writing about it as it’s a serious topic and I want to make sure I give it as thorough a treatment as possible — maybe even in a series.

At any rate, today I have an overwhelming desire to communicate about abuse, bullying, and harsh behaviour that has went on in the past. Also, there was some communication about FIRE and the testing of fire alarms.

Transiting Mars is at 8° Virgo (considered a critical degree if it were fixed) which is my natal Mercury.

The number 8 also relates to power, wealth, and health and the month of August is the 8th month in the Gregorian calendar and the Sun is at home in Leo.

And on that note, indicators in a SR for abuse and bullying themes that can either transform, destroy, or cause you to take forceful action?

Sun in the 8th – Death of self. Sun Conjunct Pluto. And when it’s in the orb of influence of another planet, we get more information. For example, if the Sun is communicating with Venus: Death of self, as it relates to what you love or ability to earn a living through others, is likely to happen.

If you’re getting carried away with the death part, Sun in the 8th doesn’t always mean a literal death though it can feel like you’re dying because if you ever lost someone you loved, you know it can feel like a part of yourself is being torn away from you and at the time it’s as if all your joy and life force has been taken away from you — plus it can lead to physical degradation if you don’t take care of yourself in a time of such stress. And anyway, that’s only one manifestation of Sun-Venus in the 8th of an SR.

Mars in the 8th is also another possibility being that Scorpio (the natural house ruler for the 8th) is also co-ruled by Mars.

Mars can indicate a fiery temperament, self-gratification, indifference to the needs of others — one-track aggressive actions, like a freight train and when it’s in the 8th, it could become a train-wreck — wrecking havoc in one’s life and others.

Of course, it’s never so cut and dry. Lets say you have Sun-Mercury in your 8th house SR, that could mean that you are ‘talking about abuse’ as in you are doing talks or seminars or it could mean you are actually hearing or communicating abusive language. The possibilities are endless and reading the whole chart will give the whole picture. And by the way, whole chart reading (at least for me) takes a few sessions to really work it all out.

And while useful and helpful — a blog post, book, or report can only go so far. A professional astrologer becomes invaluable in sorting out all the little details that these mediums can and will overlook. So, as usual, know that there’s a lot more to what could indicate abuse and bullying in an SR. Also keep in mind, I’m looking at these signs, planets, and houses in the ‘negative’ light.

Life is full of dualities and the positive can and does co-exist with the negative. Rarely anything or anyone is 100% bad or good, which is why knowing the ‘context’ or lens (that information is being viewed under) is quite important for responsible reading.

Note: Not only does the Sun in the 8th become Sun Conjunct Pluto but it’s also Sun (Leo) Square Pluto (Scorpio) and Sun Trine Mars (Aries).

Oh and indicators in a SR for fire in your home for that year: Pluto in the 4th, and maybe Mars. Which reminds me, Neptune in the 4th can indicate a flood in the home.

Some Mars Dates:
Turned Direct April 13th EST
In Shadow until June 19th EST

Statistics: Mundane Astrology & Horoscopes

April 8, 2012 / By Abella Arthur / In Astrology, Transits, World, Methodologies, Mundane, Writing & Blogs / Leave Comment

Statistically it’s amazing how many hits a mundane post about world transits will get in comparison to regular astrology posts or how-to astrology posts. Actually, I imagine the same is true for horoscopes. This tells me, in some way, that readers would rather be delivered the goods than learn how to read their own charts.

Because I’m a natal astrologer, I’m focused on personal chart readings. This is one reason why mundane astrology or writing a horoscope column hasn’t interested me as much. But from time-to-time I get the bug to write about an astrological event, as I did below with Venus Rx.

World Transits vs. Personal Transits

April 1, 2012 / By Abella Arthur / In Astrology, Transits, Personal, World / 4 Comments

When I fist started learning in-depth astrology I didn’t know a) where to find the transits or b) what the difference was between world and personal transits, because most astrologers just say the word by itself, transits.

I’m sure if I leafed through one of the many books I purchased on astrology to find out, I would have learned right away. But I’m an autodidact and try to learn things on my own without much assistance elsewhere. I don’t like to have things handed to me on a platter but I do love to be inspired (Mercury Semi-sextile Uranus). And I like to discover ( Aries on the 3rd house cusp, with Chiron inside). And this is how I teach, by the way (Jupiter-Uranus Libra in the 9th).

So, for me, transits were not self-explanatory just by looking at them.

I can’t remember the moment I figured it out but I had pieced together what Internet friends mumbled about, along with looking for patterns in the ephemeris, and what astrologers said in their Facebook notes and in their blogs! So I figured out world transits first, and then I moved to learning about my personal transits.

I remember myself being totally like a fish out of water: Check where I have 15° Gemini?! Huh. How do I figure that out? I don’t have any Gemini signs.

Everything seemed more complex than it had to be (see my Virgo stellium).

Anyway, bottom line:

Transits are like the weather — always changing, and often having an impact on us. What we do, how we feel, etc.

World transits: These transits are what mundane astrologers write about. These are the Twitter messages, Facebook notes, and blog posts that talk about what’s happening in the cosmos (no matter where you live on Earth) and how it affects the earth and its people, plants, and animals.

These transit delineations have some affect on you but it’s your personal transits, combined with what’s going on in the skies, that have more personal impact.

World transits tend to be external, and connect to an overall vibe of a people or environment (for example). Like, have you been out and about and most people seem grumpy, sad, or happy? It may be due to the astrological weather. But because it’s external, we can sort of get away from it with skill. But other people’s vibes have a tendency to rub off on us. Like contagious laughter.

Mundane astrology is mostly used to determine world geological weather patterns, politics, and what’s happening with a large number of people (i.e. movements) because it does not include your personal natal chart. Again, it’s not generally used to tell you about what’s going to happen to you personally, because of that.

World transits are found through reading an ephemeris. You can also use a website like planet watcher.

Personal transits: These transits are what natal astrologers write about (that’d be me). These are the personal transits that you’ll often learn about in a one-on-one consultation or through buying a transit report. Some websites and blogs delineate a large number of planetary personal transits (cookbooks), and blogging astrologers often talk about their own personal transits.

Personal transits are internal and not only affect you, but affect the people around you as you interact with them — just like their personal transits affect you. Many times, there’s some karmic contact happening between your transits where astrology can explain both of your parts in the karmic interaction.

Personal transits incorporate what’s going on in the sky but it gets connected to your natal chart (and other personal charts too) which is drawn based on your month, day, year, time of birth, and location of birth. So if Sun is in Aries today and you have your natal Moon in Aries, by sign, you could have the transiting Sun Conjunct your natal Moon. Many astrologers will use abbreviations to describe this such as tr. Sun 0° na. Moon.

Natal astrology is mostly used to determine your personality, psychology, daily life, major goals and milestones, strengths, challenges, talents, joys, and things that have happened to you, are happening to you, and most likely will happen to you.

Personal transits are found through reading an ephemeris and your natal chart or reading your natal chart that selects a transit option to be overlaid and connected to your natals.

I think I’ll spend some time exploring this topic, with pictures and a how-to Screenr video, over on my VirgoVault blog. This post is getting a bit too long and pedantic for Astrogasm.

Visit Skyview Zone to learn about how to find aspects in your natal chart.