"Hope is definitely not the same thing as optimism. It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out."

— Vaclav Havel

The Sun's arrival in Gemini this week, joining Venus and Mercury, places a great deal of focus on a curious pursuit of new information. The Sun trines Pluto early in the week, deepening our search for answers — the truth. However, the Gemini influences are challenged by the Sun's square to Jupiter, now in Pisces and Mercury's square to Neptune, also in Pisces. The Pisces-Gemini 'axis' explores the challenges of 'describing the indescribable'. The flow of information may be overwhelming or, alternatively, exhilarating this week. However, we have difficulty clearly articulating what we are seeing and learning. We may find ourselves floundering in vague and confusing [...]

"We cannot think of being acceptable to others until we have first proven acceptable to ourselves."

— Malcolm X

A great deal of this week's journey is focused directly on understanding the lessons of this year's overarching Saturn-Uranus square. We can begin to recognize that this pressurized atmosphere is forcing us to look within ourselves and deal with our basic sense of self-worth. Pluto is now retrograde, encouraging us to look within ourselves to see what needs changing — or what needs healing. Last week's Scorpio Full Moon may have revealed uncomfortable truths related to our limitations. There is an increased imperative this week produced by the involvement of Chiron in Aries, sextiling Saturn, that is now ruled by Mars in the protective —and sensitive — sign of Cancer. The waning lunar cycle sends us through a series of [...]

"When forms begin to crumble there is always an opportunity for great deepening. By deepening I mean the arising of who you are beyond form."

— Eckhart Tolle

The Sun and Mercury both leave bold and fiery Aries at the beginning of this week. The bold, fiery energy of Aries has been fed by the transit of Mars through airy Gemini, especially under the helpful 'mutual reception' between Mercury and Mars. The effect of both the Sun and Mercury in Taurus slows down our thinking and actions, encouraging us to be more methodical and cautious. Mars will leave mercurial Gemini by Friday and be somewhat 'dampened' in watery Cancer. The transitions are actually rather subtle but noticeable and very important. The initiatives of Aries are stabilized in Taurus, where roots begin to go deep into the earth in order to establish strong holding power. Mars in Cancer has us becoming more [...]