Astral Meanders Oct- 30th-Nov 5th

In General:With mercury still retrograde it’s still wise to be prepared for possible delays and general challenges. On the plus side this period can be used well for re-organizing and reflecting. We are more disposed look at the world a little differently now and can come up with some very significant revelations. It may be tough to communicate these revelations under this Mercury effect, but not everything needs to be rationalized or shared. The Moon enters Libra on the 30th and at the same time Mars positively contacts Pluto. We can channel our energy into a potent self-transformation and gain more control in our lives, who we are and where we are going, now. Venus semi-squares Mercury on October 31. Communications in intimate relationships can be shallow and unproductive and very frustrating. This is only exacerbated by Venus semi-square Saturn on November 3-4. Feelings of loneliness, of not receiving what we really want, and of not being loved the way we want to be loved can get in the way of agreeable relations with our partners. Don’t let this distract you from more meaningful personal work! The job is for you to satisfy you, and looking elsewhere now will fall flat! On the 3rd there is also a solar eclipse in Scorpio! For all of us, but particularly for those with dominant Scorpio and/or Taurus in their charts this will be a time of deep personal transformation and seed planting! Goals and outlooks will definitely change for the better! A sense of life speeding up and our vision of it becoming somewhat clearer is likely.  If you enjoy your birthday during this week then it can be a revealing and self-defining year ahead! On the world scene it is not a great time for international communications or rash decisions. Certainly negotiations of any kind will be delayed, full of frustrations and very revealing of individual frailties! Locally, don’t expect others to fulfil your needs, work on them yourself!

Thought for the week: You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
Mahatma Gandhi


Aries

With Venus moving into Capricorn this week, you will feel more than usually grounded!  You may find more pleasure than is usual in achieving your goals and working hard. On a more emotional level some personal issues that  you have been ignoring can be silently but insistently distressing you. You may have to confront something that you’re afraid to face. 

 Taurus

While normally a little cautious with your life, this week can see you pushing hard past some personal obstacles and boundaries! The Solar eclipse on the 3^rd can bring some lovely opportunities for you or a loved one! Some of the benefits may be a little delayed in coming but rest assured they are coming!

Gemini

 Intimacy is important to you guys now, and you will want to feel as close to your loved ones as possible, but do watch for being too clingy, which is generally not you style, but could pose problems at this time. Mercury retrograde will still be annoying you particularly at work where it is imperative you double check everything!

 Cancer

This week more than ever, you are trying to bring more balance into your relationships, and make them as pleasant as possible. The Solar eclipse can see you beginning a creative project that brings new opportunities into your life. Or you may take up a new hobby that you really enjoy and which becomes a long-time passion.

Leo

This week Leo finds pleasure in getting work done and being productive and efficient. As a result a lot of actual work is completed and progress is made. The eclipse this week can bring a positive opportunity for a family member or for you through them. You could also buy or sell property, or plan a move. 

Virgo

You guys seem to be having a hard time communicating with anyone and everyone. Your words don’t seem to come out true, and you have a tough time translating your thoughts into words. Right now you need to give yourself ample processing time before you actually say anything, otherwise you can get yourself in some hot water! 

Libra

Opportunities to increase your income are seeded now, and you will have to make some choices. You can more competently develop a new financial plan and tweak your finances so you’re more secure. You will also see an increase in your sense of well-being and personal security, as well as a boost to your confidence and self-esteem.

Scorpio

With the solar eclipse in your sign, it is an excellent time for you guys to embark on something new. Something in you is just itching to go on a new voyage, have new experiences, and develop a new side to your character. The seeds you sow now will have their impact later, but they are important seeds nonetheless!

Sagittarius

This week sees you feeling the need to indulge your senses.  More than ever you want to eat rich foods, drink fine wine, binge on chocolate or ice cream, listen to music you love and in general embrace pleasure in your life! The Solar eclipse on the 3^rd will also see you guys focusing on making your life better in some way!

Capricorn

Misunderstandings, little irritations and issues from the past can be more than usually annoying for you right now! However the Solar eclipse brings you an opportunity to pursue one of your dreams, or achieve a particular dream. You’re more optimistic about your future and more pro-active! Pursuing radical or different ideas will not phase you.

Aquarius

Especially towards the end of this week you will probably feel you find more pleasure in being by yourself, staying away from the masses, and being in the background. You’re not a devotee of getting too much attention right now. You can also feel a little frustrated with life in general, but this will pass.

Pisces

It’s a great week for Pisceans to do something to expand the mind and expose themselves to new experiences. There is great pleasure in being with your friends now, or in groups that you belong to, working toward a cause you believe in, or concentrating on the dreams you have for your future. In general you are feeling good!

Astral Peeks: November 3rd's Rare Solar Eclipse

Astronomically one of the year's big evens is this "hybrid" solar eclipse. The Moon passes directly across the Sun, yielding a fleeting annular eclipse at the beginning and a relatively brief total eclipse later on.

When the Moon passes directly between the Sun and Earth, the usual outcome is either a total or annular solar eclipse. But the event on November 3rd is something of a hybrid. At the point in the North Atlantic where the Moon's umbral shadow begins its dash across Earth, about 600 miles (1,000 km) east of Jacksonville, Florida, an extremely well-placed observer would get to see a vestigial ring of Sun surrounding the Moon's silhouette for a few fleeting seconds just after sunrise.

The eclipse on November 3, 2013, begins as an annular event but quickly becomes a total solar eclipse as the moon's umbra crosses the Atlantic Ocean and central Africa.

But after that, as it races south-eastward, the shadow's footprint is also moving closer to the Moon due to Earth's curvature. So the appearance switches to and remains a total eclipse — though a relatively short one. "Greatest eclipse," offering 99½ seconds of totality, occurs about 12:46 Universal Time at a point about 200 miles (330 km) southwest of the Liberian coast.

The Moon's umbral shadow is only 29 miles wide (47 km) when it makes landfall in Gabon, where there'll be 68 seconds of totality. Then it slides east-northeastward through Congo (up to 53 seconds), Democratic Republic of the Congo (44 seconds), Uganda (19 seconds), northern Kenya (13 seconds), before ending in southern Ethiopia and westernmost Somalia (1 second at sunset).

Meditation moments: tarot meditation.

One of the most important traditional uses of the Tarot is in meditation. In fact, some scholars consider this its greatest value and believe that the Tarot was designed for this purpose and only later was applied to fortune-telling. As focal points for meditation, the cards’ images can help you think about paths to spiritual self-improvement, broaden your understanding of the human conditions that we all share, and highlight the workings of archetypal forces in your life. The Tarot is an effective aid to insight meditation. Tarot symbolism is rooted in ancient Indo-European symbolic systems and resonates with the subconscious mind of the person viewing the cards. You don't need to study the history or conventional interpretations of individual cards to use them in a meditation practice.

It’s as simple as focusing on a random card a day…or if you prefer the cards in order, day by day….keep the image in mind as you let yourself go off into your usual mediative state and see what comes. Carry the image around with you for the day and read its meaning through your day’s activities… or sleep with it and see what dreams you have….

Bev can be contacted via email: insightbevmurray@yahoo.com or at the Wellbeing Centre Yamba.