The every girls guide to using astrology in your everyday life

Happy Friday! I hope everyone has had a chance to start thinking about the small cycles in your everyday life. Now that we have taken a look at the daily ebb and flow of the Sun’s energy, and started to think about how the moon’s cycles might connect to our own, let’s look at the yearly cycles of the Sun. 

When we start looking at the seasons and how we are affected by them, it becomes easier to start planning for our natural energy cycles, or in Astrology, we plan for the sun transiting through our houses. Think about your birthday. I don’t know about you, but my birthday is usually kind of stressful. In Astrology, we call your birthday your “Solar Return”, or the point in time when the Sun is at the same degree it was when you were born. I don’t remember my actual birth, but from observation, nobody’s birth seems to be without stress, and coming into this world is a fight. Your solar return is a rebirth of sorts, with a new set of opportunities for growth, the chance to finish up old lessons, and another year to work toward being the best you can be at being you. 

This is where formal Astrology in your everyday life can start being a valuable tool. When a new client comes to me and asks where to start, this is where I recommend beginning. A natal chart (or birth chart) is always looked at, but a solar return is useful right now! A good solar return reading should take a look at what cycles are ending in your life, what cycles are beginning and what long term lessons have been developing for you. So for all my Aries friends that are having birthdays – I hope this is the beginning of a great year for you.

The every girls guide to using astrology in your everyday life

I have always loved reading my horoscope in the newspaper. I think it was just the idea of a universal order to things that made me keep reading. At some point though, I thought there must be more to this, because it’s hardly ever actually helpful. As I got older and started exploring astrology with a more serious attitude, I realized I could use astrology to help discover my place in the order of the universe.

When I talk to my clients, it isn’t that they want someone to predict their future they just want to know if they are on the right track. Astrology is really less about the zodiac constellations and more about seasons. Part of feeling like you are making the most of your gifts, and living life to its fullest, is being in sync with nature, life, and the season you are in. Each year has the same four seasons that dictate our life, but life also has its own seasons. Just like the seasons of the year repeat, so do the cycles of our life. Even though seasons repeat year in and out, each year has a different flavor to each season and unfolds in its own way. It is that same sense of order unfolding in each person’s life that can help us to get more in sync with our own rhythms. This Friday’s blog is going to be dedicated to helping us all get a finger on our own pulse.

So, as our first homework assignment: Start paying attention to the two biggest astrological influences in our lives, the Sun and the Moon. The motion of the Sun coming up and going down is the first and most important influence in our day to day lives. Doctors call the natural daily energy fluctuations we experience “diurnal rhythm” (measurable by temperature). The moon is a monthly cycle that most women are very aware of, even if they don’t pay attention. Most women have a cycle that follows the moons cycle. For years I didn’t think mine did, and then I noticed my cycle also adjusted with the SEASON! I was in sync with the full moon in the winter, but the new moon in the summer. You may want to start a quick energy and mood journal. You can always go back and look at moon phases and other details, but if you jot down quick notes about energy level, mood, etc. with the date and time, you may be surprised at the patterns you discover. Once you know your patterns and start planning ahead for them – you are using astrology! Of course it gets more complicated, but this is how we start making it FOR YOU!

 I would love to hear your comments about this Friday blog idea. They won’t all be this long, but I felt we needed an introduction to the idea. Take care and I will be back next Friday!

Leo Horoscope for the week of May 22, 2011

This should be the beginning of a nice cycle for you, Leo. You will be in your element this week as there is an emphasis on the groups you are involved in, friends, and work – especially the people you work with. As you enjoy this social time, try to evaluate what the friends you socialize with and the groups you are involved in say about who you are. Regardless of how you feel about it, we really are judged by the company we keep, and we are a microcosm of the macrocosm of our environment. Take a look at what the groups we are a part of have accomplished since your last birthday. Do you believe in these groups and what they stand for? If you are not involved in any community groups or networks, maybe this is a good time to look at what you would enjoy doing and get involved. Right now, the opportunity to advance your career and improve your life really can be found with friends and good times. The beginning of the week will also encourage you to want to spend time with your partner, or if you are single, there may be an encounter with someone that stirs your passions because “opposites attract”. While this encounter may be passionate, it will most likely be fleeting. It is a great opportunity, in either case, to learn about yourself, and if you’re in a long term relationship, you will discover new things about them, too. By the end of the week you will be feeling more comfortable in your own skin and you may have a real urge to get out and meet new people and make new friends. All in all, this should be an enjoyable week for you, Leo. You might not want to get much work done right now, but if there is any way for you to arrange for socializing to be part of your job, you will be quite successful.

Cancer Horoscope for the week of May 22, 2011

This week starts an important time for reflection, Cancer. As your solar year comes to an end, you are given an opportunity to review what you have accomplished and consider any outdated or unconscious behaviors that may be standing in the way of greater success. You have a better sense of your subconscious right now and if you pay attention to your behaviors there is a good chance that you could become aware of actions that seem to confuse other people because they may not be consistent with what you are saying or what you tell people you want. There is a lot of energy at work right now, and it’s possible that colleagues and friends could help highlight some of the behaviors that are holding you back. If you are finding a lot of road blocks at work, or feeling a lot of resistance, you may want to think back to the original decision that brought you to this spot. Was this what you wanted to do, or was it someone else's idea that this would be a good fit for you. While you could have some fairly serious subjects on your mind, think of this time as an opportunity to grow and create a world more consistent with your ideal life. A good attitude will make this a very productive time; setting the groundwork and foundation for great success. There will be some calm time for contemplation during the beginning of the week, but by weeks’ end, there may be some disturbance to your daily routine that could force some change or give you a reason to rethink what you are doing. I would encourage you to listen to your body right now – you may not have the energy that you would like to have, and if you feel like you need to slow down, do it. You have a lot going on mentally and that can be exhausting, so if you don’t find the balance your body needs, you may be forced to slow down with a cold or other physical ailment.

Gemini Horoscope for the week of May 22, 2011

Happy Birthday Gemini – This month is all about you! As this week starts, you may begin to really think seriously about what you have been doing with your life – especially if your career doesn’t fulfill your needs and give you a higher purpose. You are beginning a long cycle of discovery where you will start questioning what you are doing with your life. If you over identify with your career this will be a particularly difficult transition for you, since sometimes a job is just a job. Try to use this week to start looking objectively at what you do for a living and whether it is a means to an end or who you think you are. There should be some degree of detachment from your career to maintain healthy balance in your life. That being said, a career that makes you feel as if you are giving your talent to the world and provides a platform for expressing your gifts will be the best of both worlds. The first couple days of this week may prove a good time to reflect on your discomfort with the status quo and discuss the confusion with friends. By midweek you will probably want to be alone with your own thoughts to try to sort things out but by the end of the week you will be back to your social self. As your birthday approaches, start thinking about what changes you would like to make in this year to create an environment in which you will thrive. Just be cautious not to try to change everything all this year (or this month), this is a long cycle. Don’t jump to change your career or job without serious thought about everything that the change will entail and make sure the change will really showcase all you have to give to the world; or maybe your gift doesn’t have anything to do with a job or career, and your job is just a vehicle to allow you the time to do what you love. You have the opportunity over the next few years to really examine these questions and create the life that will be in line with your destiny. I can’t wait to see what your talents bring to the world, Gemini!

Taurus Horoscope for the week of May 22, 2011

Ego driven communication, especially through art or love, or to a loved one, is very pressing for you right now, Taurus. Your mind may be overly active, causing you to be unable to focus clearly on work, especially since your thoughts may be preoccupied with romance and ideas of a more spiritual or abstract nature. This week could provide an excellent opportunity to tell someone you have been in a relationship with exactly how you feel about them, or if you are looking for a new relationship, you are particularly magnetic to the opposite sex right now. Any relationship you start or are already involved in will most likely be passionate and feel as if you are connecting on a deeper level. Be careful to keep in touch with what you truly value and don’t compromise your true self. Because there is the potential for arguments with these transits, pick your battles. If you need to stand up for yourself or what you believe in, make sure that it is an important issue, but don’t back down if you would feel compromised by keeping quiet. Try to make some time this week for art, music or just enjoying the beauty around you in nature. If you are inclined to be creative in any way, go with it – even if you are not usually an artistic person. The outlet will be enjoyable and possibly therapeutic.

Aries Horoscope for the week of May 22, 2011

Aries, you have had your focus on issues of self and values and now your attention will include your family, neighbors and colleagues. This is a good time to consider how you communicate with the people around you, consider how you really feel about things and clear up any misunderstandings. It is also important to remember that an important part of communicating is listening – it’s not all about expressing your views! You may also be experiencing your usual spring fever. Even if the daily grind won’t allow you to leave everything behind and escape for a real vacation, try to work in a hike exploring a new location or break the monotony with a weekend get-away; it will really help refresh you right now. These little escapes will be a good time to evaluate how far you have gotten on the goals you set for yourself at your birthday. You won’t feel pressured to drive toward your goals, but you will be glad in the long run if you spend some time making sure you’re on track over the next few weeks. The last year may have been emotionally draining as you spent a lot of time learning more about who you are and becoming more comfortable with your true self but the road blocks to growth may have felt overwhelming. Things should start shaking loose and moving in a more positive direction and life in general should ease up over the next few months.