Astral meanders 11-17 January 2012

In general: As this week evolves, individuals should find their vitality, passion, and resourcefulness will be growing as all the inner planets are now in helpful places. On the 13th Mercury conjuncts Pluto, inclining some of us to be stubborn, and immovable. On the 13th there is also a Venus conjunct Neptune which makes the unknown more appealing than the known! Dreams, illusions, imaginings, and the intangible will weave their way into our realities. Venus enters Pisces this week, continuing the more ethereal theme! However as we move towards the 17th tensions could start building with the Sun, Saturn, and Jupiter in conflict. The old and the new, the young and the aged, will confront each other in challenging ways. If you have a birthday this week then you should have a year filled with beauty and dreams come true! Enjoy! On the world scene it is firstly a peaceable week and then as the 17th draws near a tension packed week. Locally take some time to smell the roses.

Thought for the week: I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it. Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890 - 1969)

Aries
Business and all things that require a dose of your personal magnetism are favoured this week! You are showing yourself to be a strong, capable and practical individual when necessary and others are aware of your contribution. At the moment it is easy for you to put your ego aside and make the most of the moment and all of your contacts.

Taurus
After such a restless 2011 you seem to be settling into 2012 with more determination and resolve and a better sense of your personal balance! You are attracted to activity that is outside of your usual routine now and could even be thinking of taking up some new learning experience. You seem bolder and stronger in yourself now and are open to different experiences.

Gemini
You are still planning, dreaming and reassessing your goals. You are also inspired by those you love and are able to see them in a new and often more pleasing light. After the 14th the social arena seems to buzz more for you and there is plenty of opportunity for you to shine. You are feeling friendly, open and ready impress.

Cancer
Those close to you are receiving the very best of your attention now. You are learning a lot about yourself through your relationships and this is a good thing! Reconciliation and deepening bonds with another are the primary focus now. With Mercury moving through your solar 7th house you are a tad indecisive however.

Leo
Greater energy levels are positive and may see you more devoted to health and fitness regimes. However it’s also a busy time with lots of activity around you and this can be draining regardless of your better levels of energy! Getting a new and enhanced routine up and running is a great asset. Find out what works for you.

Virgo
Your energy levels are great now and you are busy trying new activities and enjoying your life in general. Loved ones and children are most likely making you proud at this time and can also take up a fair bit your time. It’s not your most productive period but it can be one your more delightful ones so enjoy.

Libra
This week it’s time to trust your intuition. You are much more sensitive than usual and decisions will benefit from your gut feelings. Home and family are still the main focus and it pays to find ways to enhance your close relationships and your environment now. Your powers of concentration are good now and much work can be accomplished.

Scorpio
It seems you are still running lots of errands and taking care of myriad details! From the 14th however love and romance get your undivided attention and you are happy with the results. Creativity and activities that allow you to express yourself uniquely are also favoured at this time. Avoid fussing over little details though!

Sagittarius
Good news is in the air for you guys this week and many will be delighted with something new that comes their way! You value the familiar now and enjoy the comforts around you more than usual. You are more romantically receptive and enjoy light conversation and little indulgences! The ambience of life is your motto!

Capricorn
Professional and financial matters will take a strong focus this week. Friendships also seem to figure prominently. You are restless in the mind and find it difficult to turn the thinking process off. Long conversations and talks with others can further your personal interests now more than ever. Go ahead and network.

Aquarius
Your powers of attraction are strong now and others are naturally drawn to you. However, you are actually enjoying your own company a little more than usual and value your space a good deal now. Your mind is deep and you are mulling over much that has happened I the past now. You keep much information to yourself.

Pisces
There is plenty of friendly and helpful energy around at this time. It is a time when you are planting seeds for your future and laying foundations for your projects. From the 14th however you can be a little self-indulgent and find it hard to deny yourself. Pay attention to the budget and your health during this cycle!


Astral Peeks: Chinese New Year January 23rd
Chinese New Year falls on 23rd of January 2012 and on this day begins the Year of the Dragon! Chinese New Year celebrations are habitually very symbolic, a time to welcome in long life, wealth and prosperity and remove any past negativities. Chinese Astrology says that people born under the Dragon are ardent, courageous and self-assured. At their best they are revolutionary spirits. Dragon years always encourage growth and change. Of all the Dragon years, the 2012 Water Dragon is most likely to bestow the Chinese Five Blessings of harmony, virtue, riches, fulfilment and longevity, adding some weight to the belief that 2012 will be about breakthroughs and positive changes , not just the inevitable disasters and water related issues.
From the first day of the New Year to the 15th day, Chinese people go to visit friends and relatives. New Year greetings are given to each other, and lucky money is given to children with the hope that it will bring them good luck. On New Year’s Day (23rd January) the act of sweeping is associated with sweeping wealth away, therefore Chinese people do not sweep their house on this day.

Meditation Moments: thinking ahead, whilst looking back……

Here we are in a month named after the Roman god Janus, an appropriate personification of the start of the New Year. This Roman god had two faces so that he could look ahead toward the future and back at the past at the same time. As we let go of an old year and look onward to a new one, we all try to be a little like Janus. We see through experience what we did wrong and what we did right, and have an expectation to do better this year. Some people make aspiring new year’s resolutions; others just take a deep breath and hope for the best.… following is a quote to offer an insight in the idea of a new year!!
Recipe for a Happy New Year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anonymous
Take twelve fine, full-grown months; see that these are thoroughly free from old memories of bitterness, rancor and hate, cleanse them completely from every clinging spite; pick off all specks of pettiness and littleness; in short, see that these months are freed from all the past—have them fresh and clean as when they first came from the great storehouse of Time. Cut these months into thirty or thirty-one equal parts. Do not attempt to make up the whole batch at one time (so many persons spoil the entire lot this way) but prepare one day at a time.Into each day put equal parts of faith, patience, courage, work (some people omit this ingredient and so spoil the flavor of the rest), hope, fidelity, liberality, kindness, rest (leaving this out is like leaving the oil out of the salad dressing— don’t do it), prayer, meditation, and one well-selected resolution. Put in about one teaspoonful of good spirits, a dash of fun, a pinch of folly, a sprinkling of play, and a heaping cupful of good humor.