astral meanders 6-12 April 2011

In General: At the end of March, Mercury began the retrograde part of its cycle and we are now well and truly into this! When retrograde, messages are confused and it’s wise to be extra cautious around communications, machinery, electricity, transportation, detailed plans and schedules. On the 5th Neptune enters Pisces. This adds a touch of fantasy and illusion to the mix. This planetary movement is the start of a much longer spiritual revival and a sense that there is more to life than meets the eye! Individuals are likely to look beneath the surface of things to find their answers. April 10 begins another challenging phase with Mercury and Mars in Aries forming a t-square with Saturn in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn. It’s a trial of stamina, requiring both inner and outer strength to push through obstacles. If you have a birthday this week then expect a year of personal searching and be prepared for a few mixed messages along the way! On the world scene we are in for more of the watery stuff and issues regarding water should be prominent as should religious or spiritual issues. Watch the days around the 10th for more globally challenging stuff. Locally be prepared to double check all plans. Quote of the week: Time changes everything except something within us which is always surprised by change. Thomas Hardy Aries March 21- April 20 Unusual meetings, chance happenings and so on are beginning to be the norm for you guys! Some relationship tension seems to also be in the picture. Carefully think over what you say before you blurt it out and double check all premade plans for any changes of detail. There is a tendency to fire from the hip! Taurus April 21-May 21 Love and deep connections are the theme now. You are also feeling the fire in your belly courtesy of Mars in Aries and will no longer allow yourself to be the long compromising one! You are ready to have your needs met too! Friendships are highlighted nicely and can provide some needed support. Gemini May 22-June 21 It’s a generally unpredictable time and you are more unpredictable than usual too! It’s an excellent time for looking beneath the surface of things and finding your real priorities and direction. A little sorting out of your social life is in store too, to get those highly wired Gemini nerves back under control. Cancer June 22- July 23 It’s a challenging month for you guys, no doubt about it, and this week in particular could stretch your resources somewhat. Family demands will continue to grow so it’s very important that you get some kind of rhythm and routine happening now. You are the carer of others for sure, but do not forget the self. Leo July 24- August 23 A lot is happening for you guys now and it’s imperative that you make sure you give planning and organising as much time as enjoying and adventuring! This will mean all those activities will actually work well and you will get the optimum rewards from them. Use your people skills to advantage now too. Virgo August 24- September 23 The edginess of the past few weeks should ease this week. You finally feel as if you can actually go with the flow. Enjoy the ride now as it will get all complicated and busy again soon! The 12th is demanding and might contain a surprise or two! Don’t make any plans for this day and take it as it comes. Libra September 24- October 23 It’s a demanding time for you guys. Avoid arguments by declining to judge others and situations and instead just roll with the demands as best you can! Try to overlook the less desirable aspects of relationships and people and appreciate the connections for their warmth and stability. Keep a positive perspective! Scorpio October 24-November 22 This is an interesting time when your drive to succeed and stay focused is high. Just be prepared for a few delays and irritations along the way! If you are generous with time and energy others will appreciate it and the rewards will come although not immediately! So keep smiling and be the friendly affable soul you can be. Sagittarius November 23- December 21 Your main task is to bask in a general feeling of well being and happiness this week! If you support those you love and those who support you, then the long term rewards will surpass your desires. Love energy and romance are highlighted and there is much opportunity to share with your partner and enjoy. Capricorn December 22- January20 You are entering a bright shining phase in which you stand out as the brightest star of all! Take more initiative with the family and around the home and hesitate less. Supporting others at work now will pay off next month so be your usual caring self and offer a shoulder if need be. Creative opportunities are brewing. Aquarius January 21- February 19 You need to harness the present energy for deep and meaningful talks with those that matter. A mini- problem can take on unrealistically big proportions now, but try to stay positive and see it as what it is, a minor obstacle. Travel and a deep inner search for knowledge and wisdom are still on promise this year. Pisces February 20 March 20 Things start to speed up this week. Opportunities are there for you so be prepared to act on them. You need to be aware of the little things too as there is much to gain through seemingly unimportant events. A desire for financial stability will push you forward anyway! It’s an important time for you. Astral Peeks: Meditation Classes... In my Sunday classes I tie our meditation focus into knowledge of astrology. Looking at individual charts we begin to understand not only more about ourselves and our friends but more about the practice and nature of meditation. Finally we begin to understand our journey in the world and how to optimize it! Following is a little taste of our classes. The Element of Earth: Earth folk are sensual, signifying that they engage with life through the five senses. It takes time to sense the dense physical world, and earth signs can operate at a slower, more thorough pace than the other elements. They’re oriented toward what's real, and often this makes them very productive, able to create concrete results. "The Earth element within us is always returning to the outside world. We shed hairs and skin cells, solid matter is combusting within the body and being exhaled. Even our bones, which we may think of as the most solid and enduring part of the body, are involved in never-ending process of being dissolved and rebuilt. There are cells in your body that have no other function than to dissolve the surrounding bone, while other cells are involved in building it back up again. So the Earth element within is borrowed, and it’s always returning to the outside world, flowing through us like a river. The earth element never was “us.” It never was “ours.” We never were holding on to it because how can we cling to something that’s flowing? Hence we are flowing..... The Earth element provides the paradigm for the remaining physical elements, which are all treated in the same way — recollecting the element within us, recollecting the element outside of us, reflecting that everything that is “us” is really just borrowed from the outside world and constantly returning to it."