The Warrior’s Quest: Mars, Sagittarius & The Open Road

Today I had lunch with a friend of mine whose husband has cancer. He was diagnosed 3 years ago and is now in pain much of the time. Last year he entered his second Saturn return https://joycevanhorn.wordpress.com/2009/06/20/the-second-saturn-return-passage-to-wisdom which is earmarked by major events, both personal and professional, into life’s final chapter.

I was struck by my friend’s courage and love. In the face of challenge and the very real possibility of loss, she has the courage to face whatever may come with faith and openness. Very recently, friends, clients and community offered their support to her family. Part of her grace is the willingness to receive–to set aside pride and accept what others wish to give.

As Warrior Mars soars into meaningful action in Sagittarius until 12/7/10, ask yourself what it is that you must confront. What is the challenge to your balance? Where are your fears stored and how to you pray to them to show you the light? Mars likes to win. It needs to act. If you do nothing, you lose. Take the warrior’s stance and hit the open road. There is no map that to show you the way, so blunder well and wildly.  Keep an eye out for signs, omens and synchronicities , because information-bearing Mercury, also in Sag through 11/30/10, is leaving you clues and cues along the way. Learn as you go; there’s no better way to be prepared.

Sagittarius represents hope. It wants you to make a direct bull’s eye in the direction of your desires. Coupled with Mars, it encourages you to get messy and make good mistakes. Otherwise, there is a danger of collapsing into rhetoric, chasing your philosophical tail and wandering aimlessly off the trail.

Your blood is coursing now. You smell both danger and opportunity in the air. In Chinese, crisis translates into both opportunity and danger http://www.living-chinese-symbols.com/chinese-symbol-crisis.html Whuffle it up and get a move on. There are adventures to be had. Get started now!

See you on the road!

Joyce

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Winter Reflections: Beneath the Surface

In the midst of holiday celebrations also come endings-of yet another year. What is “outside of us” appears to be dead. Trees have gone barren and plants sleep, buried deeply beneath the surface of the earth.  We, too, need to go to sleep-to take the time to explore our inner realms. We round an astrological corner on 12/21 at 9:47 AM PST, leaving capricious Sagittarius as the Sun enters time-conscious Capricorn. This is particularly emphasized when the Sun catches up to psychological Pluto on Christmas Eve, where a deeply honest review of 2009 can be rewarding.

Questions to ask yourself as 2009 comes to a close – what have I done that’s make me proud? What lessons did I learn from the mistakes that I made that will prove to be useful in 2010? What do I know about myself now that I didn’t know at the beginning of 2009?

Keep your reflections on a positive note because they fertilize the soil of 2010, in which you will plant the seeds of your intentions.

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The Rising Sign: Your Social Persona

What is the rising sign?  Literally, it’s where the sun was rising at dawn on the day you were born–hence, it’s how you “dawn” on people. It’s your style, both relational and in your “look.”  The rising sign (also known as the ascendant) guards your inner world, protecting those more private parts of you known only to intimates. If you’re doing your rising sign consciously, you have poise, confidence and savoir faire.

Throughout a lifetime, the rising sign changes 3 or 4 times, giving you a social makeover.  If you were born with sensitive, protective Cancer rising, for example, at some point it will change to expressive, outgoing Leo rising.  At first this will feel like a really bad idea. It’s awkward.  Your clothing selection may not suit you anymore. Your behavioral style changes. Friends notice. Ask them what for their honest opinions:  “You love me. Do I look dumb in this outfit?”  or “Did what I just said make sense to you?”  The new Leo rising may want you to present yourself with more flair and color.  When an edgy, passionate Aries rising moves into earthy, sensual Taurus rising, it’s natural to slow down and adopt a simpler, more comfortable style. Once you’ve adjusted to a rising sign change, you discover a new set of needs which correspond with boththe new sign and the planet that rules it.

Want to know more about your own rising sign?  Or what it’s changed to now? Call for anappointment.  Sliding scale pricing available.

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Conscious Listening is Active Loving

I admit it, I jump to conclusions. I overlook details. Sometimes I move too quickly. This is the shadow side of my Sagittarian nature, constantly restless, exploratory, on the road to the next adventure. Admittedly, this can have some gypsy magic to it…and it can also drive people nuts.

Listening is a skill associated with the planet Mercury. Paying attention to the details is yet another Mercury function. When we listen, we show that we care, that we have interest in and respect for what others are saying. This demonstrates that we’re truly paying attention.

Most of us have probably had an ultimately frustrating experience like this: You’re sharing a story with a friend that’s important to you. They appear to be paying attention and listening. But when you finish, they look at you blankly. It seems as if they’ve listened, but have actually spaced out instead. Their vacant gaze says it all, or their haste to change the subject. If you’re checking out someone as serious love material, would that response be a turn-on? Not!

Conscious listening requires concentration and discipline. There are a million distractions from sun-up to sun-down. At one point I realized that I couldn’t multi-task anymore. The phone conversations that I used to be able to have while checking email, paying bills or even watering the plants are no longer possible. I wasn’t being fully present. This wasn’t just Sagittarian scatteredness, but the old, bad belief that the person on the other end of the phone wouldn’t notice. When I’d hang up, I wouldn’t be satisfied. The connection hadn’t really been made.

Don’t forget, we’re part animal. Animals know instinctively how to be present. That instinctive part of us tells us if we’re being listened to or not. So even if you find yourself on the receiving end of a conversation with someone who is about as interesting as dirt to you, make their day–for a minute or two, genuinely listen. Ask questions. Take in their answers. There was probably a time in your life when someone felt exactly the same way about you…and perhaps their kindness, their ability to listen, made all of the difference.

The more that we’re heard, the more that we feel connected…to ourselves and others. I know a wonderful man who usually considers himself invisible and unimportant. A group of friends gathered together to celebrate his 60th birthday with a surprise party. He arrived at his apartment that night, arms full of groceries for one, when the lights went on and everyone yelled, “Surprise!”

Here’s the topper: for gifts, each friend had decided to share a memory of why this man was so special to them. Mercury is the storyteller and, as the birthday celebrant listened, he both wept and laughed. He felt seen and acknowledged. Since that birthday, he’s come out of his shell. A woman too shy to approach him before the party was one of the friends who shared. Now they’re together.

So make a difference. Listen. Listen with love. You just might learn something yourself.

Posted By Joyce Van Horn on Wed Oct 7 19:09:21

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Making Jupiter Work for You

If I’m doing a reading for a client who knows even a little bit about astrology, they always perk up and grin when I talk about Jupiter. Jupiter is rather showy, and has gotten a reputation of being the “good luck” planet. “Oh, now I’ll finally get the job I want!” or “Guess I’ll just relax and let the good times flow,” are a couple of over-the-top Jupiterian comments I’ve heard.

It’s true-Jupiter brings the potential for the expansion of your horizons. Whatever area of life it is affecting can get better. Practically speaking, however, Jupiter first brings an awareness of what could be in contrast to what is. The gap between the two inspires a yearning to make things better. This is usually uncomfortable.

What to do? Jupiter never presents the impossible. It is the gateway to what is possible-it raises the bar. For example, if Jupiter is moving through the career sector of your life, if you don’t take action, you might get a compliment from your boss or more of a raise than you expected–but nothing earthshaking. Jupiter is standing by to deliver the goods, but you have to answer its ring. Laziness is the best way to sleep through a Jupiter time.

Here’s an example of how you can make Jupiter work for you: When I was 29 (during my first Saturn return), I walked into a radio station in Santa Barbara and applied for a job as a radio announcer. I had no real experience-I’d worked as a secretary at KSFX Radio in San Francisco and had been a volunteer announcer (reading magazine articles) at a closed circuit station for the blind. When I applied for the real announcing position, however, it was during a major Jupiter/career time. Jupiter was generously left the door to this particular opportunity unlocked. All I had to do was open it. I got the job on the spot because I’d had faith and taken action (even though it seemed impossible)–and was rewarded by Jupiter.

An astrology reading will pinpoint when, where and how Jupiter wants to help you get what you want. Expand your horizons with one soon and get lucky.

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Saturn Return: What Is It, Who Does It and When?

Born between November 17, 1977-September 20, 1980? You’re experiencing one of the most pivotal, life-changing astrological events of your life: the first Saturn return. When did it begin? September 3, 2007. It comes to a close on July 21, 2010.

Saturn is the planetary CEO. The Goal-Setter. The Timekeeper. At the time Saturn returns to the place and sign it was when you were born, it’s time to grow up–for real. The twenties are a vision quest, during which you make youthful mistakes and prepare to enter adulthood. In the later twenties, there is a sense of urgency. The need for direction. An awareness of responsibility, and the consequences of your actions.

The Saturn Return is a red-flag. It alerts you to the fact that you’ve matured beyond certain beliefs, attitudes and conditioning of family, culture and society . It’s a series of shocks: it heralds such life-altering events as marriage, divorce, becoming a parent, buying (or selling) a home, changing careers, leaving it all behind and traveling the world, developing a new philosophy.

How to optimize this experience? There is a certain ennui, or boredom, built in. A sense of stagnation. An urge to change things up in a way that reflects your entry into true adulthood. You must choose mountains to climb. Goals to reach. Worthy challenges to face. This requires faith and true grit. Meet these demands and Saturn helps you achieve them. What you achieve during this time lays the foundation of your life until the second Saturn return at approximately 57.

Fail the Saturn return and you fail yourself. I did this; I left my husband at 30 and began living the wild life I’d lived before in my 20’s. Before too long, it became obvious that my friends were settling down. Becoming adults. I was a big kid in a grownup’s body. It took a long time to get back on track–Saturn is the planet of karma. It will be patient for a long time, but then there is payback. On the heels of this realization, however, I began to devote myself to my astrology practice which, over 25 years, now thrives. If I had used my Saturn return time wisely, however, it would not have been such a long haul.

On October 31, 2009, those of you born from September 21, 1980-August 23, 1983 begin your Saturn return. It concludes on Oct 6, 2012. You’ll notice that yours overlaps with those a few years older than you. More about that later.

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