Astral Meanders February 5-11 2014

In General:  Mercury stations retrograde this week and we are again plunged into the irritating world of confusion and delay! At the same time we have the first quarter moon and despite all the confusion we feel compelled to take action and make things happen! Be warned, there will be obstacles! Be prepared and you can flow with the twists and turns! Our work during this retrograde is to learn from the past so that we can eventually move forward with confidence. With Venus and the Sun in conjunction at this time we will also desire our fair share of peace and harmonious relationships but it can be hard to come by! On the 11th a square from the Sun to Saturn turns our attention to our responsibilities and encourages a more disciplined approach to life and its events. The big influence though is the ongoing opposition between Jupiter and Pluto. For all of us this about transformational changes at the fundamental roots of our lives. Changes in our goals, the way we see things and how we relate. Used well it will bring about a new vision of hope and positivity for us. If your birthday falls this week then it should be a year of change and transformation but also a year where getting things started can be difficult! Learn the gentle art of patience. On the world scene it’s a week where progress will come about as a result of our reactions to destruction…it seems folk are getting more vocal in their disapprovals of government approaches across the Globe and this week can be pivotal. Locally we should be kind to ourselves and find some time to enjoy the moment. Definitely a poor time to start a new project.

Thought for the week: Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams. Ashley Smith

Aries

This week you are planting seeds for the future and dreaming up plans that might begin to grow two months hence. It's a period when being a team player secures the most rewards, and you may also find yourself mixing business with pleasure now. However expect delays and be prepared for them.

Taurus

Decisions come more easily now, and you are likely to be clearer about what kind of changes you need to make to improve your life. This is a week of sorting the wheat from the chaff quite literally! Work and career will be in focus all month and the seeds of that begin this week.

Gemini

Loving relationships can be fiery, passionate, and possibly quite temperamental this week and indeed into most of February! It's an excellent time for looking at your life from a changed perspective and in particular, a broader one! Just remember, Mercury is your sign's ruler, and Mercury is Retrograde so put of major decisions till next month.

Cancer

This is a great week for partnerships and relationships in general. Success can come through others now. Family life is lively yet a bit challenging this week. You should however, feel enthusiastic about making changes and improvements to your home or to your domestic life now.

Leo

It's a strong week for putting your energy into intellectual projects or studies. Channeling your considerable extra energy into mental tasks can be highly stimulating. Negotiations with others and diplomacy are highlighted. Relationships can be a real learning place for you now too.

Virgo

It’s an excellent week for implementing health and fitness projects. It’s a busy period that has attending to a great many and varied details in your life. You can however feel more than usually critical of self and others. Use creative activities to soften this as creativity is favoured now.

Libra

Entertaining, recreation, romance and hobbies will appeal more than usual this week. You are particularly charming in a spontaneous, natural way now. Domestic relationships and the home atmosphere tend to be particularly harmonious and peaceful this week too, as long as you avoid lengthy and complicated communications!

Scorpio

Renovations, revamping, and making improvements that allow more freedom as well as organization and well-being on the home front can have long-lasting results this week and indeed all month! Basically, you are quite companionable this week. You relish talking about what interests you, and you see great worth in the exchange of ideas.

Sagittarius

You have a finger in many piers this week and seem to be running around doing a variety of things! Do watch communications in general and especially emails and so on as muddle and confusion can happen all too easily! You do have more energy and enthusiasm this week and enjoy being with others!

Capricorn

Whilst you have been questioning your powers of attraction, value, or talents in recent weeks, you're now back in your stride and feeling stronger, more content, and happy with yourself. Do be cautious with communications. Back up your computer and allow time for delays or transportation mishaps.

Aquarius

It's a strong time for increased personal confidence this week. This is an outstanding phase for making individual changes in your appearance, and for any self-improvement activities. Your love life might involve some form of sacrifice or simply a lot of giving and lending of support now.

Pisces

Now is a good time for dusting off ideas you've formerly put on the shelf. Your attention turns to the past so that you can decide which projects, concepts, or circumstances you might save or delete from your life. Communication with others however will need extra care at this time!

Astral Peeks: This month’s sky!

Jupiter will be visible as a bright star above North East horizon at end of evening twilight all month.

Saturn and Mars both rise later in the February 2014 evening sky. Mid-month, Mars rises around 9:45 pm AEST and Saturn rises around 11 pm AEST.

Venus is visible all month as a brilliant star above the Eastern horizon in the morning pre-dawn sky.

Mercury is at inferior conjunction mid-month (between the Earth and Sun) and is not easily visible this month. Neptune is also not visible as it is too close to the Sun in February 2014.

Uranus is in theory just visible low above the Western horizon at the end of evening twilight but its low altitude and the planets faintness will make locating it by ‘star hoping’ very difficult.

If you want to attempt looking using the ‘star hopping’ method, you will need a telescope and a finder chart (try  http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/Uranus-and-Neptune-in-2013-190064991.html). In spite of their large size compared to Earth, both Uranus and Neptune only appear as tiny featureless discs when viewed through even a high powered telescope. This is due to their great distance from the Earth.

Meditation moments: Going Within….

What I would like to do here is take meditation back to basics, and offer a simple process to just go within. We are composed of both external and internal facets. Yet we spend a good deal of our time only registering the external self. This following Meditation is a means by which to direct our attention to the internal. We are so wrapped up in the outside world, we can neglect what is within us. We are thus out of balance, "unequal". These directions are for a simple meditation that can help individuals to start going within.

Before you begin this meditation, make the decision to sit down and devote the energy of your mind, body, and heart. It is very essential that you are physically comfortable when practicing this meditation. This will help avert you from becoming distracted by bodily sensations that rise from physical distress. Take a minute to relax and create a condition of ease in your body. Your goal is to turn your attention inward, away from the external world of thought and time, towards the realm of stillness. Become aware of your breathing with each inhale and exhale. Feel the inhale and exhale. Remove your attention from thoughts about the past or thoughts about the future. Remove your attention from all thoughts and let your attention become more and more absorbed in the awareness of your breathing. 

Now that you rest with your breathing, gradually turn your attention inwards and discover the stillness in your mind. As you find this silence, be with it. Become the stillness. If it becomes hard to find the silence try repeating the word "om" in a regular repetition. Say the word silently within your mind. Feel the vibration of the word as you repeat it and immerse yourself in it. If you find yourself preoccupied with thoughts, slowly bring your attention back to the repetition of the word.

Good luck! Remember: the effects of resting within silence will be felt in your daily life. Combined with regular exercise, it becomes an excellent stress reducer.