The Year of the Cosmic Rats
© 2008, 1996 by Roxanne Carol

"[The universe] cannot be read until we have learnt the language and become familiar with the characters in which it is written. It is written in mathematical language, and the letters are triangles, circles and other geometrical figures, without which means it is humanly impossible to comprehend a single word." --Galileo Galilei

That language is Astrology.

In 2008 we shift from the pig headed year of the boar, to the shrewdness of the year of the rat. It’s a ‘shifty’ year, meaning, that you’ll need to keep your wits about you, because just when you think you’ve figured it out, the rat shifts again. This is a dynamic year, with the only certainty that the sands of time will shift from right under your nose in the shake of a rat’s tail.

According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Year of 2008 is a Year of the Earth Rat which begins on February 7, 2008 along with a New Moon Solar Eclipse [see 2008 Moon Wobbles & Eclipses] and ends on January 25, 2009.  First in the cycle of 12 Animal signs, Rat Year begins the sequence and recurs every twelfth year. It is a time of renewal in so many ways.

The Chinese based their cycles of time on the cycles of Jupiter. The planet Jupiter was also known as Buddhic thought. It takes Jupiter 12 years to complete its cycle around the Sun through the Zodiac (path). Jupiter was considered in the past to be the second sun. In ancient Egypt, the tradition regarding education was based on this planet’s orbit around the sun. If you wanted to complete any course of learning, it was based on the completion of Jupiter’s 12 year cycle. This is why today, we have 12 grades of elementary education.

The Chinese say others should always listen to the advice of the Rat.  Because of their intellect and observatory powers, Rat people possess prudence and perception.  They can anticipate problems, and are always able to see the big picture.  Al Gore was born in the Year of the Earth Rat.

"Chinese Astrology is really just another rat race. According to legend, many many years ago Buddha summoned all the animals in the kingdom to his side. Only twelve showed up and the rat got there first. To reward the dozen animals who answered Buddha’s command, their leader awarded one year of the Chinese calendar to each. As the rat had won the race, he got to have his name on the first year out of twelve. How Buddha classed the rest of the animals, I don’t know, except that they fall in this order: Ox, Tiger, Cat, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig, following the Rat. Each gives his name to a year. So according to Chinese Astrology, this would be considered the beginning of a new 12 year cycle.

So what’s the Rat got to do with it? "Well, it was the clever country rat that Buddha honored. It is this rat, who was an admirable collector, and an amazing scrounger for food, finder of places to nest and procreator in the highest degree." Unfortunately, in our society today, Rats don’t have a very elegant reputation. Maybe we never forgave them for carrying the Bubonic Plague of the 1300s, and we have always associated them with filth. But, they always seem to be used for something and their nervousness and acquisitiveness make them smart little creatures.

So, what does it mean to blend this influence with the astronomical/astrological influences at play? Well, first of all, the year of the Rat came in during the Aquarius New Moon Solar Eclipse on February 7, 2008, along with the entry of Pluto in Capricorn which began January 26, 2008 for the next 16 years while it is making an opposition to Mars. Mars’ energy is always one of forceful energy, aggressiveness, and it rules anger and passions of all kinds. The planet Pluto’s energy relates to the depths of the subconscious, it refers to the stuff we suppress and hide. Whenever these two planets "square-off", an energy field of intensity emerges, to "root-out", any unconscious anger. Whatever has been "brewing" beneath the surface, has the opportunity to come to a head under this influence, as the inevitable ‘blow-out’ serves to ‘clear the air’. This takes energy (Mars) to bring out what’s been stuffed and denied (Pluto). In many ways, this can be related to squeezing a boil, and kind of toxic release. This sort of emotional spewing, will continue in preparation for the new frequencies coming through the Photon Band. As we are bathed in more and more light, the stuff stuck in the dark corners, will be elucidated and exposed. In the Tarot, Pluto is the Death Card, and Capricorn is the Devil Card, Pluto in Capricorn combines the energy of these two Major Arcana, so when you put the two together, no one can avoid it’s transformative partnership.

Our first set of eclipses will be February 7, 2008, the day that begins the Chinese New Year of the Earth Rat, in the sign of Aquarius at 17 degrees. Aquarius always brings sudden changes, new inventions and innovations and no matter what the catastrophe or disaster, it clears the way for progress and futuristic endeavors. Making the move and the mentality towards more ‘Global Consciousness’ to increase ‘Universal and Galactic Consciousness’ is the wave Aquarius is riding us on. The ongoing dialogue between humans, aliens and extra terrestrials will grow, and the trend towards more understanding, more awareness and more interest in taking this seriously will also shift in our collective psyches.

This eclipse pair and pattern actually forms an inconjunct by sign, as the Full Moon Lunar eclipse is February 21, 2008 in the sign of Virgo at 1 degree, which begins only a day after the Sun enters Pisces. This will enhance and magnify the work of the Saturn/Uranus opposition in Virgo/Pisces. [Scroll down for Healing Opportunity with Saturn in Virgo opposite Uranus in Pisces]

Remember back in the 1990s and early millennium years, people were not taking the environmental threat seriously, in fact the media hardly even touched upon it, now after the entry of Saturn into Virgo last year [see Saturn Goes Green] we are being exposed to more and more shows documenting the present and very real threat that exists in our environment so much so, that CNN has been running and repeating the show ‘Planet in Peril’ - which is a far cry from 10 years ago. Finally, this issue is being taken seriously, now the next step is shifting it and doing something worthwhile and impactful about changing and altering its deleterious effects. If we fail, as a group and species, as the odds are being stacked against us, our only alternative is to be prepared for death and the next life. I’m not trying to be morbid, as I know it sounds a bit doom and gloomish, but I think if you prepare yourself to accept death, and not to fear it, then what else is there to be afraid of? With all the Fear and Terrorist threats happening on this planet, the Fear of Change probably trumps them all collectively speaking.

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do." --Eleanor Roosevelt (1884 - 1962)

The next set of Eclipse patterns, will take place beginning August 1, 2008 on the New Moon Solar Eclipse at 9 degrees of Leo which will be followed by the Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius on August 16, 2008 at 24 degrees of Aquarius.

Those who have planets or personal placements (such as Ascendant, Midheaven, Nodes and the Sun) in those signs, particularly within 5-10 degrees of those eclipses are in for a magic carpet ride of intense change in one form or another.

Most people fear change more than they fear death. Of course Death is the ultimate transformation, but changing one’s lifestyle, or diet, even one’s belief systems, are far more threatening than letting go of it all, entering spirit and starting all over again in the cycle of reincarnation. Why? Because adjusting to new changes is hard for most people. It threatens our comfort zones and what many have always held to be true and secure. How many people who have suffered intense traumas in their lives find themselves somehow saying, it would have been easier if I had just died along with the rest of them. So that means, there has to be those who have the spiritual guts to stay behind and facilitate and establish themselves in the new mode of being, a new way of living, or a new way of thinking and believing. Definitely one of the hardest of human challenges.

This means that our emotional natures will have the ‘opportunity’ through this cycle to expand in ‘Jupiterian’ cosmic-waves, i.e., knowledge, education, ethics, morals, philosophies, and the exploration of new belief patternings, through having more light to examine truth from lies. This is a ‘positive’ ray of hope for us as Jupiter aligns with Pluto on and off this year to help jumpstart us to transmute Pluto in Capricorn, during our last leg of the Piscean Age.

Because of the Piscean influence, which is the Age we are leaving, what will inevitably be released in this new cycle, will have to do with ‘belief systems’. Combining this with the energy of the Rat, which according to the Chinese system, is a symbol of power, we can all expect to either witness or be involved in what may seem like power struggles over what we believe. This process over time, will prove to be cathartic, as it will purge us towards readiness of the new frequencies of the Age of Aquarius. In my opinion, this influence will bring to the surface, what we need to know regarding the past and who and what the ‘puppet masters’ of the fundamental religions are. Many will be shocked to learn that their gods are not what they thought they were.

In addition to these cosmic influences, it’s no coincidence this is a Presidential Election Year. Taking all the above into account, it is my assessment, that besides the war, economic and social issues that are usually fought over between the two opposing sides in a Presidential Election, the issue of ‘health-care’ will be paramount because it inevitably represents our own rights as human beings to have control of our bodies and ultimately our destinies. If the fundamentals seek to make abortion a central issue in this upcoming election again,<yawn> then they are simply missing the point. When men get themselves a uterus, then maybe they can have a ‘vote’ in what the female counterpart in society should do with their bodies. Until that time, women everywhere will be reclaiming their power back. It doesn’t matter whether they believe abortion is immoral or moral. It is not for them to decide. This sort of fundamentalism about how any of us (male or female) choose to approach health care, whether we choose Allopathic or Alternative Therapies or Both, must be our choice, not theirs, nor the ‘almighty FDA and AMA’ (a representative of 4D Annunaki/Martian Empire).

Another 4D Annunaki/Martian attempt to control the Goddess, which is distorted in our physical realities through these fundamental fanatical control freaks, in an attempt to cover-up their hypocrisy in using women as incubators in their genetic experiments, which in 3D, always results in ‘spontaneous abortions’, i.e. miscarriages. Not to mention all their 3D agents who abduct these females to be taken down into labs underground to be used as incubators in a ‘control group’. What’s the difference? They can control the Goddess, but the Goddess can’t choose for herself? NOT!!! The whole ‘abortion’ issue, is, and has always been, a hypnotic attempt to cover-up what’s really going on inside the wombs of females all over this planet, and much of that has to do with Alien experimentation.

Women have endured sex/race/ethnic/religious hatred, rape and battery, invasion of spirit and flesh, forced pregnancy; being the majority of the poor, the illiterate, the disabled, of refugees, caregivers, the HIV/AIDS afflicted, the powerless. We have survived invisibility, ridicule, religious fundamentalisms, polygamy, teargas, forced feedings, jails, asylums, sati, purdah, female genital mutilation, witch burnings, stonings, and attempted gynocides. We have tried reason, persuasion, reassurances, and being extra-qualified, only to learn it never was about qualifications after all. We know that at this historical moment women experience the world differently from men—though not all the same as one another.

"Women’s rights are human rights. Among those rights are the right to speak freely—and the right to be heard."~ Hillary Rodham Clinton defying the U.S. State Department and the Chinese Government at the 1995 UN World Conference on Women in Beijing.

The ‘Cosmic Rats’ are the genetic experiments taking place both inside the Earth, on its surface, and up in the Ships. We’ve really all been part of this genetic experiment from time immemorial. Much will be revealed concerning these ‘experiments’ from a variety of sources during this new 12 year cycle and stretching into the overlapping new 16 year cycle through the recent inception of Pluto into Capricorn till 2024.

I believe, we can also expect our Scientific Community to come up with ‘solutions’ and ‘cures’ to many of our known diseases, thanks to the Sacred Lab Rat, offering themselves as control groups for our own benefit. Maybe this is why Buddha blessed the Sacred Rat first, above the other animals. Their service and sacrifice to humanity has proven to be monumental.

In order for us to evolve to the vibrational frequency where we can communicate with our galactic neighbors, we first need to master telepathy. That is why we have such a potpourri of animals to live with and husband. When we as a species can master telepathy and empathy with our very own neighbors, then we’ll be able to easily and effortlessly make that shift toward communication with ETs and Aliens, for it is my opinion that most of the species in the universe are somehow in some form represented on magical Earth.
 
THE COSMIC RAT PACK

"A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."~Margaret Meade

When we hear of the term ‘rat pack’ many of us get glimpses of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr., but that’s not who I’m referring to here. The Cosmic Rat pack are all those abductees, implantees and experiencers of the UFO Phenomenon since the 1940s. We’re the ones who have been used for experiments, incubators and tagged like endangered wildlife with implants for surveillance and tracking.. Many of us have been awakening to this reality since the early 1990s. Now, the time has come for those of us involved in this program to come forward and share our stories. The world has a right to know, in spite of the obvious cover-ups and the Cosmic Conspiracy to surreptitiously hide in the shadows of secrecy. Over the past two decades many abductees, also known as ‘experiencers’ have come forward, through various publications as well as support groups all around the world. We know we are not alone, and we know we are not delusional. It is time for the suppression of this insidious and ubiquitous phenomenon to end, and come to the light of understanding for the good of all concerned.

I SMELL A RAT

The UFO Phenomenon As A National Security Threat

During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. ~ George Orwell

A revolution is afoot.

We are immersed in the trivial, the entertainments and the technological entrapments of this new age. As Ray Bradbury said, "There are worse crimes than burning books, one of them is not reading them." Why are we so ambivalent towards reclaiming our own liberty?
Below the surface of our mundane lives are the comforting lies that we whisper to ourselves, as an alien presence watches us silently, observing our behavior stealthily, targeting our interests, our conversations, our relationships, who comes and who goes and most importantly, our thoughts.

Why you might ask, are they so interested in us? Well, why do we watch, tag and observe our animals? Many animals, such as cattle are considered food, we drain them of their milk, we kill them for their beef and use their skins for boots and coats. So, we know that this alien presence doesn’t need us for physical food, but what about an energy source? Many humans are only just waking up to the reality that we are remarkable energy systems having a human experience in physical bodies. Our energy fields have layers of light, color and sound which is our essence, and fuels our body and gives us the life force we need to have life in the body. When we die, we simply step out of our physical bodies and our energy bodies are returned back to light and moves through the dimensional doorways easily. Many call this our Spirit bodies, or Soul, but the point is, we are energy fields and when the right buttons are pressed, we can supply the necessary energy to an alien presence, similar to what milking cows provide for humans. We get to keep our lives, but periodically we are ‘drained’.

One common denominator that runs through most abductees is that their lives have gone through some sort of ‘trauma/drama’ which has left them drained, heart broken with an overwhelming feeling of helplessness and powerlessness. Alien implantation is used for all kinds of reasons, but one of which is the energy that humans emit through our conflicts and our sexual behaviors. Somehow, they have found a way to harvest that energy through us, which is why they do not outwardly interfere with our lives, but covertly manipulate our thoughts, dreams and emotional reactions for their nefarious purposes. Holographic technology may be new to us, but it is certainly not new to them, and has been used to give visions to abductees of religious figures to mask the real alien presence behind the encounters. Hypnotherapists call this phenomenon ‘screen memories’.

The issue of UFOlogy, Exopolitics and Contact with Non Human Intelligences will not go away or be sloughed off as anything other than the most important conversation on this planet. It is up to us to discern which ones are scanning us, which ones want to abduct and control us and which ones are willing to rescue and help us. Because there is more to this reality than meets the eye.

Now I want you to think of a time on our planet where we experienced peace and harmony? Still thinking? Hard to find, except maybe for a few years in between wars in the Bible. There have always been wars, conflicts and trauma/dramas going on, no matter how much people desire peace and harmony. Why? Because of this alien presence.

"For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12

"Spy satellites and other classified intelligence technologies are poised to play a greater role in domestic homeland security and law enforcement missions, challenging long-standing legal and policy barriers against their domestic use. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Director of National Intelligence recently authorized access to intelligence satellite products by officials of the Department of Homeland Security to help support border security." -Secrecy News from the Federation of American Scientists Project on Government Secrecy

"Now, these same cynics decided that World War Three would be a war of information systems that had to do with the control of the belief systems of the masses by small groups of people, usually in a secret environment, with very sophisticated means of communications, computers, satellites and so on."-Jacques Vallee

Neptune and Chiron in Aquarius has a lot to do with truth, and the right information coming forward. Chiron in Aquarius is about the healing of the wounds that come from bondage, it is about freedom and liberation through truth, knowledge and becoming the bridge of humanity, by seeing that everyone is connected. Neptune in Aquarius is the vision of brotherhood and sisterhood, that truth, justice and equality can prevail, that’s the dream, however, on its dark side, lies confusion, and painful experiences that ultimately facilitate a healing crisis, one way or the other. Aquarius is the sign of knowledge, knowledge is power. What kind of world is it, when someone knows something to be true and they are ostracized or branded nuts for it?

"The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." --Albert Einstein

It is my understanding that when Jesus mentioned the ‘End Times’ he was referring to the end of this age. I’m sure everyone will agree that since the late 1990s, there has been a regular wave of mass deaths of one form or another cycling, and these waves are getting closer, kind of like contractions during labor.

Nobody really knows who’s next, which means we should all prepare ourselves that if that is the way we check out, then instead of living in fear of it, which creates lots of stress and tension and let’s face it, diminishes one’s quality of life, then we collectively need to find ways to live our lives whether or not we all may transition in a tidal wave, or dissipate into a fireball, find ourselves crushed with the wind and have the life knocked out of us in an earthquake, or fall from the sky in a plane. When we go in a group like that, on this side of our multidimensionality it feels scary, but once that transition is made, it can be very liberating. So therefore viewing death from a different perspective is helpful in living our lives with as much joy and grace as possible, with less stress and fear. Besides it’s doing those ‘edgy’ things that make us feel alive. Thrills, which require courage can be addictive.

Each of the above mass death scenarios I mentioned all involve one of the 4 elements, water, fire, earth and air. So when a natural disaster or a group death occurs, one totally becomes ‘One’ with the elements and returns back to the natural state of energy of the universe. Of course we are more than just physical bodies that can be snuffed out, we are spiritual beings that journey through human bodies. So, our spirits are instantly released en masse. Of course, being on this side of the experience, I can only imagine and intuit the experience, and I think going in a large group must be somewhat comforting after that transition is made. I’d imagine, that old saying, there’s strength in numbers becomes a reality when passing through the dimensional gateways, after experiencing a shocking and instant death - one’s spirit could be very disoriented. Being with others who have shared the experience with you, could help towards adjusting back to spirit. Of course many believe that each soul is met by angels and spirit guides that take us through the dimensional gateways. So it can’t be all that bad? What’s there to be afraid of?

There is an immense opportunity for souls seeking to evolve out of trauma, depression, anxiety, addiction and other psychological challenges during the Opposition of Saturn and Uranus, which is building during 2008 and culminates in its ‘full moon’ effect during October, November, December of 2008 continuing in its ‘full moon’ mode effect during 2009 where it retrogrades at 20 degrees at the end of January of 2009 and will continue its opposition dance all the way through the Spring of 2010.

O.k., so you must now be asking, how does this Cosmic Dance translate to me? Well, you know that the energies of Virgo are health, healing, service to others, animal welfare, attention to detail, artistic endeavors, and nutrition and specifically how food is assimilated into the body as well as the growing and harvesting of foods grown in the Earth. You also know that Pisces is the sign of the dark ages, a sign of two fish swimming in opposite directions, the yin/yang symbol, the drama masks of sorrow and joy, swimming through the Pisces Pea Soup of Confusion to Compassion, Unity and Healing. When you put those energies at opposite rooms and mirror them back and forth to each other, you have the energetic opportunity for incredible healing and integration to occur. However, at the same time, you also have within its opposition a Healing Crisis.

We could sum up Saturn’s trek through Virgo in this quote: The only people who find what they are looking for in life are the fault finders.~ Foster’s Law

Let’s face it, there’s a lot of fault to be found in our present healthcare system. The same old, same old, is no longer good enough. There needs to be new perspectives on the same old issues. For e.g., preventative medicine should be encouraged and taught by medical doctors, and it should also be rewarded like they do in France.

If you haven’t seen Michael Moore’s provocative documentary exposing America’s lack of Compassionate and Intelligent healthcare, ‘SICKO’, you must go out and rent it now. ‘SICKO’ has been nominated for Best Documentary, which under the Saturn in Virgo influence has a good chance of winning this year. Michael Moore merely brings to light situations and circumstances that millions of Americans find themselves in now. With the growing number of Americans who can not even afford health insurance, there is a growing trend towards ‘Alternative Medicine’ or Natural Medicine. I’ve never liked calling it ‘Alternative Medicine’ - they make it sound so kooky, but that’s all part of the Allopaths who began competing with Natural Medicine at the turn of the 20th century. Natural Medicine has been around since humans began living on this planet. So to call it ‘alternative’ is a real slap in the face to all those physicians and healers that were our ancestors.

Working with plants, herbs and healing foods is what humans have always done until the rise of the pharmaceutical empires which were originally funded by the oil companies as all pharmaceuticals were ‘petrol based’ chemicals when they first started out, and many are still made from the chemical compounds that come from petroleum.

The grand irony is that the Allopaths (the world of medical doctors and insurance companies) have treated those who have used Natural medicine as if they are woo woos, wackos and snake oil salesmen, when the poetic justice these days shows that all their billions of dollars of research money that has gone to the search for the cure for Cancer and Heart Disease since the early 1960s has concluded in a multitude of clinical studies, which are now ‘official statements’ from both the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association, that both Cancer and Heart Disease can be prevented by eating 10-13 servings of raw fruits and vegetables each day. Not want you wanted to hear, heh? After billions of dollars put into all kinds of research, you would expect them to come up with some wonder drug or magic bullet, right? But the truth is, what most of our grandmothers told us was right all along, eat your fruits and vegetables and you’ll grow up to be strong and healthy. By the way, snake oil has turned out to be good for you, just like fish oil which has essential fatty acids, so maybe those old snake oil salesmen really did know something valuable?

What has happened to us? We are living in a time where going natural, supporting plants, trees, fruits, vegetables and herbs is considered outcast. Why? We are lost and subsequently, we have lost our way with the Earth and her resources. We are a race of human beings put here to be ‘stewards’ of this planets’ resources, yet we have disconnected ourselves with our animals and with natural living.

As humans, we’re part mammalian and part reptilian (our reptilian brains), so think of all the really big animals, elephants, horses, giraffes, elk, deer, they are all vegetarians. Even certain reptilian species live off of plants, vegetables. So why should it be so difficult for us?

So what’s the big deal about raw fruits and vegetables? Scientists say it’s the phytonutrients, the live cells and enzymes that protect the plant also protect us from disease. When we look at certain cultures which have a much lower rate of cancer and heart disease, such as Asian and Mediterranean diets, the reason being is they eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and healthful oils. So why on earth isn’t there are huge swell and movement for Americans to eat more fresh whole foods?

The roots are in the Food Corporations and their subsequent Lobbyists. Processed foods are more abundant and that’s what keeps Americans overweight, obese and unhealthy, which also makes the health care field rich so much so, that most working Americans can’t afford their medical bills, so we’re back to square one.

If practicing prevention through natural medicine can keep most of us away from the medical doctors, than why aren’t the so-called health officials of this country endorsing and promoting that in schools? The answer is money. However, this trend is scheduled to change. It’s one thing to talk about change, it’s another thing to actually implement it and act differently.

America’s New Healthcare System should take some inspiration from the French. French doctors are encouraged to teach prevention to their patients. If their patients quit smoking, lose weight, lower their cholesterol through diet change, the doctors receive incentives and bonuses for that. The HMOs as well as private practices should put prevention on the top of their list, and if the government wants to get involved and help out, then they should give tax breaks to those who achieve lifestyle changes. For e.g., to tackle the problem of obesity, those who successfully lose their weight and maintain a healthy weight should be rewarded for that. The same goes for quitting smoking, etc. Private companies are already doing that with their employees, so I think we can expect changes with the new administration, especially since the charts lean towards a Clinton/Obama ticket and victory in November of ‘08. Either way you slice it, it’s time for a Democrat to be back in the White House and time for healthcare and the mentality that goes with it, to shift in America.

Uranus is the great reformer and System Buster and Saturn is the great Lord of Karma, Uranus is like the Tower card in the Tarot, also known as the ‘wild card’ in Astrology, and when in opposition to Saturn’s rule of law, marks a time for busting systems that are no longer serving the greater whole.

As always when it comes to social and economic changes, we are subject to the laws of supply and demand. The more people who catch on to the natural way of living, diet and lifestyle, by creating a demand for fresh, pesticide free healthy food and natural medicines, the more the suppliers/farmers will need to produce.

When we look back at our country’s first farmers, we are brought back to the Pilgrims, who learned from the Native Americans how to grow corn, pumpkin and other crops. They became the staple foods which subsequently helped to create a nation. Along with food crops, came plantations of hemp, which is without a doubt, next to the Soy bean, the world’s most versatile crop. From Hemp, rope is created, clothing, soaps and bags, which are derived from the ‘male’ side of the plant. From Cannabis, the ‘female’ side of the plant, medicine is created to relieve pain, regulate hormones, cure nausea, and promote the body to thrive while assisting in the healing and alleviating of symptoms of many diseases, such as Cancer, AIDS, MS, depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress, cachexia, digestive problems, insomnia, dementia and Alzheimer’s without the harmful side effects of pharmaceuticals. One should wonder, how could America, after decades of scientific clinical research and studies done by our government as well as private universities and clinics, ignore the huge benefits from this medicinal plant?

Let’s not forget, both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were both affluent Cannabis plantation growers. Why can’t we be more like our founding fathers? I would imagine them scratching their heads from the after life wondering why their present government has evolved to be so ignorant, stubborn and well, just plain stupid?

It has been established in 2006 that Cannabis is America’s biggest cash crop. Why on earth aren’t we using it to get us out of debt, rebuild our national health care system, instead of support wars on the other side of the planet that are rooted in the need and greed for oil, which is of limited supply? Cannabis is abundant, and can be grown anywhere, why aren’t we using it like they did in the past? The pharmaceutical industry has a stronghold on this country and if Americans don’t actively do something about that, this country will end up like the Village of the Damned. Surely, Americans can rise to the challenge and be progressive enough to establish alternative resources to fossil fuel? If they can make ethanol from corn, imagine what they can do from hemp?

Saturn in Virgo is not going to be so merciful to big Pharma particularly during the opposition to Uranus in Pisces. Watch these strongholds yield in form or another. It’s already happening, with waves of study after study showing that chemicals used in processed foods are the cause of many childhood illnesses, behavioral problems, allergies and a lowered human immune system. Why on earth would anyone in this day and age of mutating viruses and bacterias coming in from outer space, want to put known chemicals into their bodies that lowers their immune systems? That would be like suicide, or self destructiveness to say the least.

So, what’s the deal? Why can’t we see the light here? The answer is ‘addiction.’ Most people can’t hear or understand this because they are blinded by their addictions and programming thanks to marketing propaganda. Most people can’t imagine living without fast food, and the myriad of processed foods that are so available and in our face. But they can, we can, and thankfully many are doing so, healthfully and economically.

Food and Drug Addictions

"Let your food be your medicine and let your medicine be your food." ~ Hippocrates, Father of Medicine.

Pisces rules addictions. I’ve mentioned this in the past many times when referring to the 7 years of Uranus in Pisces - the opportunity to break free from addictions is even more pronounced and highlighted during Uranus’ opposition full moon effect to Saturn in Virgo, it is time to bust those systems! I’d have to say the most important addiction we need to be liberated from is our addiction to oil and fossil fuels. Pluto in Capricorn will fix that! [scroll down for Pluto in Capricorn].

Remember the Regan era? Nancy & Ronnie coined the phrase, ‘just say no to drugs’? Yet, the drug industry has grown out of proportion since then. I think people need to understand the difference between ‘drugs’ and ‘medicine’. The word medicine comes from a Latin word, ‘Madeira’ which means to meditate. Our ancestors actually meditated on plants to derive which ones were ‘medicinal’ for the human body. Drugs are synthetics, made up from chemicals produced in a laboratory. More people die of complications relating to pharmaceutical drugs than the illness or disease that caused them to take the drugs in the first place.

Increasing awareness of the therapeutic properties of marijuana —to relieve pain, to ease muscle tension and spasms, promote appetite, and induce overall relaxation — has generated widespread interest in its use as a medicine. Without question, the best and safest medicinal application of marijuana is through ingestion. Scientific studies prove that marijuana is one of the world’s safest medicines.

Leap year as most of you probably know, is just the Gregorian Calendar’s attempt to play ‘catch - up’ with the Sun and its movement around the galaxy which happens once every four years, like the presidential elections. According to those who are working with the Mayan calendar, which is based on ‘galactic astrological calculations’, it is this very reason, they need to add that extra day due to the fact that the Earth is spinning too fast. The Mayans along with many other Astrologers feel that leap year is unnecessary, and just creates more disharmony. They say that this day, should be devoted to attunement with the Cosmos and with the Earth. They (the Tzolk’ins) are calling February 29, GALACTIC ATTUNEMENT DAY. They say to trust your intuition by asking your higher self a question and to expect an answer.

New Trends 2008 and beyond
© 2008 Roxanne Carol

Themes:

Battles over power and control; Transformations of the Patriarch, Healing Mother/Father Issues, Addressing Authority Figures, Bosses, Tradition, Inflexibility, Self Sabotage, Fear-Pessimism, lack of joy, fear of new approaches, strictness/sternness, usurping responsibility, delegating and assuming responsibilities, management, following protocol, hard work, goal setting, keeping commitments, competency, proficiency, responsible management of resources, oil, food, air, water, money and last but certainly not least, the transformation and dissolution of greed and self-importance.

Pluto in Capricorn is about letting go of the Tyranny of Ego in order to absorb the attitudes and attunements of Spirit.

Conservatism is on the rise, but its transformative side is resistant. This is the basis for revolutions. Feminism and Secularism will emerge stronger out of this phase. Remember that the energy of fear is just as much a creative force as the energy of love is. What we resist, persists. Fear of female power, the fear of science taking over religious fundamentalism, has already created the stage for these energies to flourish.

Pluto in Capricorn will prompt us to overcome jealousies that have crippled us in the past, we will witness the transformation of materialism, revolutions in power structures, including Alien/ET empires with relation to Earth. Collectively speaking, we are all called towards Mastering Limitations (Capricorn) and Mastering Fear.

Communism recycles again in Russia, not exactly classic communism, but more like China, with a free market. Communism is the antithesis of capitalism, yet China has made it work, so Russia will follow suit. Pluto in Capricorn will find many around the globe descending into the bottom of the barrel – running out of resources. The Rebirth side of this phase is finding alternative energy sources that will support a global economy. Because Capricorn is a sign associated with the past, and traditions from the past, it is important to take cues from our ancestors and incorporate certain practices from the past by applying modern innovations. Hemp trade becomes re-energized. Hemp is the world’s most versatile crop, yet, due to ridiculous prohibition laws that were politically established to compete with the growing oil industry in the 1930s, it was not allowed to flourish as it did in the past. Now, the world economy will have to make adjustments to the fact that they have exceeded the supply and demand status of crude oil; it takes the Earth a really long time to produce more crude oil. However, by going back to the number one trade of past centuries and millennia, Hemp is able to provide all the resources needed, including oil for energy, and fortunately the Hemp plant is as perennial as the grass.

Oil and gas will continue to rise until many will no longer be able to afford it. Watch how gas prices go down when Pluto retrogrades back into Sagittarius this year, and then goes back up when Pluto goes direct in Capricorn. This is why the revolution and race towards achieving alternative energy sources is paramount importance for the survival of any nation.

Capricorn is a Competitive sign; it is the transformation of the dolphin into the goat that must reach the top of the mountain. Capricorn is one of the most resilient signs of the zodiac, it knows how to achieve at a steady pace by persevering and taking regular steps towards its goal, so it eventually prevails. This is why Pluto in Cappy will transform the way most of the world does business, competes in the market place and interfaces with the resources of our planet in more responsible ways.

Pluto in Capricorn loops into the Revolutionary War, which becomes America’s first Pluto return. The US Pluto is 27 Capricorn, which means that momentum will be building toward its return over the next 16 years. This passage will create new revolutions including sexual revolutions due to Capricorns’ sexual nature. What America needs to review is where it started and what it has become. The War of Independence was against the Imperialism of Great Britain, the Mother country. But how often do children grow up and become just like their mothers? America will need to redefine itself in the world and take responsibility for its imperialistic regime. Pluto’s trip through Capricorn will energize and inspire new forms of power structures as well as new revolutions.

America needs to revolutionize the industry to alternative energy. We must be the first to make it work, and then sell those technologies to the rest of the world. We must do it now, and those in leadership positions must be firm on the role the oil company’s play. Pluto in Capricorn will come down hard on corporate greed, and the oil companies can save themselves by using their record profits on new technologies and new energy sources. Do not be fooled, just because in the past year, they are marketing new technologies, does not mean they are giving up crude oil, the new technologies they market relate to new ways of using crude oil and getting it out of the earth. What needs to happen is for them to substitute crude oil with another form of energy. Besides other types of plant oils, the most economical way to supply energy to the planet is through nuclear energy.

As we find ourselves right in the middle of the nuclear age, how many nations actually utilize nuclear energy as a power source for energy? Somehow during the next 16 years of Pluto in Capricorn, those adjustments will have to be made in order to save the world. While we may know how to make deadly weapons from nuclear energy, we need to find innovative ways of using this ancient power to power our energy grids and use as a resource. It’s possible, it’s doable and it’s inevitable.

Capricorn is a sex sign along with Scorpio and Taurus, however Capricorn rules lust, and being an earth sign, its physical expression is a competitive quest for power. Pluto is the planet of transformation. Pluto was known as Hades in mythology, and Hades was only happy when he was having sex, it’s the best vehicle for transformation.

One of the main books of the Kabbalah, the Zohar also known as the Book of Splendor, states that, "Arousal above, arousal below, male and female is blessed to create joy", it goes on to say, that the two halves of God unite through virtue to actualize Divine potential which in turn affects Divine Disposition which affects the flow down of Grace from the heavenly realms. In fact, the Kabbalah states that humans were created to be vessels and channels of good or evil, which is dependent on their free will. That when humans perform good and loving deeds it in turn affects the universe, and in turn, Human evil stimulates evil in the universe. Knowing this, doesn’t it make you more empowered? That your choices not only affect your immediate world, but worlds beyond ours? Reminds me of the scripture, "We are fearfully and wonderfully made." ~ Psalm 139:14

The Kabbalah says that Creation and Catastrophe are tied together. Divine sparks fell to earth as humans. Humans can find redemption through good works—Fragmentation is healed through human works which brings divine sparks together

With the Pluto return comes new challenges of the transformation of materialism, revolutions in power structures, including Alien/ET empires with relation to Earth nations, cultures and governments. Pluto in Capricorn is about redefining power. So where does true power lie?

"Where love rules, there is no will to power and where power predominates, there love is lacking. The one is the shadow of the other." ~ Carl Gustav Jung

As Jupiter and Pluto were conjunct the Galactic Center at the end of December of 2007, Prime Minister Bhutto was assassinated. Then only a couple of weeks later, of one of our female marines Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach was raped, murdered, burned to death and buried in the backyard of her assailant, a fellow marine. Some men are still not comfortable with women in power, or women as equals as in the case of our female marine. The fact they are so threatened by feminine energy and power enough to put their lights out, is quite frankly a serious issue that will become revolutionized during Pluto’s 16 year journey through feminine Capricorn. Everything in the universe happens in cycles, including cycles of power, whether that be patriarchal or matriarchal or the balance of the two, which is what the Aquarian age supports, team work between both the brotherhood and the sisterhood. When we enter the space age, officially, both men and women will have the opportunity for equal positions as crew on spacecraft, so beginning this practice on the ground through America’s Marines, are the necessary steps taken to insure that our future will be on equal footing.

Feminine energy is cyclical. It can be compared to the phases of the moon. Once a month the moon gets dark, there is no visible light or reflection from the Sun. This period is known as the black moon, which starts off as the balsamic moon, leading to the new moon. Then approximately 24 hours later, the first light of the new moon appears. If you use the lunar cycles as analogous to the fullness, waning and rebirth of feminine energy over the ages, you can understand that the dark ages of fear and suppression of the feminine energy is over, and the rebirth of the new light and renewed energy has begun.

As the shadow is healed, accepted, embraced and integrated, Divine energy is renewed and will spread light to the rest of the world. When more than ½ the population of the planet is suppressed, denied basic human rights, then everyone suffers. When men are ready to deal with their fear and threat of feminine power, then the world will heal. I’m certainly not the first to say this, nor will I be the last.

Women’s issues are big during Pluto in Capricorn as it rules the feminine energy. As Pluto retrogrades this year from April 2 - September 9, 2008 it will go back through Sagittarius and back over the Galactic Center. Pluto will be back in Sagittarius from June 15 - November 28, 2008 after which time it will remain in Capricorn throughout 2024. This period indicates more revelations and battles swirling over ‘belief systems’.

The Healing of the Shadow of the Church, is about the acceptance and integration of Mary Magdalene. When she is fully embraced, then the church will realize peace and healing. True, the Catholic Church does venerate Mother Mary, but they need to "consciously" accept that Mother Mary also includes Mary Magdalene, Mother of the First Daughter of Jesus. For the Church’s shadow self is Mary Magdalene. She represents all they have shamed and rejected. All aspects of her as well as Mother Mary are parts of all women. When this healing occurs, then a major "self esteem" piece that relates to women will be completed and the whole can then move on. All aspects of the Divine Feminine need to be embraced, accepted, even if not completely understood. Understanding takes time, having the ability to connect the linkages through repetitive cycles, helps through the language of Astrology.

Another phenomenon that needs to be more widely understood, is that the Divine Feminine operates the Star Gates, not the military. The only way to go through the gates is with a being of love. It has more to do with the signature frequency in the human energy field, than any piece of technology, which is why during the Montauk projects, they proved that time travel is possible, but were limited on the time line as they flat-lined and met their brick wall in 2012 and were not able to go beyond that program, because they lacked the necessary vibrational frequency that only masters can tap into. That vibration frequency comes from the mystery of the Divine Feminine. This knowledge and awareness will grow over the next 16 years.

Saturn in Virgo/Pluto in Capricorn:

Animal Husbandry, Animal Communicators, Animal Trainers, Tantra Teachers and Healers, Revolutionaries, Chiropractors, ‘Surgery Free’ Plastic Surgery, Lasers.

Saturn in Virgo issues: food, diet, nutrition, fruits & vegetables, supplements, chemicals and service to others.

Pluto in Capricorn: Bones, joints, arthritis, rheumatism, gall bladder, gallstones, knees, skin, psoriasis, itching. Pluto correlates with the RNA/DNA genetic coding in all forms of life, Saturn correlates with the physical structure of the body. Saturn also correlates with the pituitary gland as does Jupiter. Venus correlates with the kidneys as well as to estrogen and the receptor cells within the bone marrow.

Saturn rules Capricorn which rules over time, maturity, old age and retirement.

Signs affected: Capricorns, Cancerians, Aries, and Librans. The conjunction to Capricorn Sun, Moon, Ascendants and all planets in Capricorn are going to bring about circumstances and situations that will challenge control and power struggles, ultimately this is becomes with oneself, however, the soul sets up circumstances and situations through others to play that out with. These power struggles will happen multi-dimensionally, affecting personal lives, groups, corporations, nations and our planet’s present state of evolution.

Picky, picky, picky. Saturn in Virgo will overturn voting procedures. Voting machines are not democratic. If they can be hacked into by a Blackberry, then they certainly do not qualify as an accurate determination of fair elections. If Americans allow the demise of democratic procedures through paperless voting, which is the heart of each citizen having the right to vote and to have that vote be counted, then it won’t be long until America becomes likened to countries like, Pakistan and Niger who deal with elections with assassinations, riots and violence. America’s Pluto return will eventually wake Americans up.

Signs affected most by Saturn in Virgo: Virgos, Pisceans, Geminis and Sagittarians and all those with those signs prominently placed in their charts. See Celestial Liaisons Unlimited for individual chart readings.

Why Pluto? Last year it was demoted from planet status to asteroid by a small group of Astronomers, but Pluto’s presence in the symphony of planets has not changed, nor has its vibrational frequency and service to the metaphysical language of Astrology. Pluto is just as important as vowels are to us in the English language. It has history, archetypal presence and evolutionary purpose, so Astrologers will continue to track and interpret its journey through the stars with relation to our experiences on Earth as multi-dimensional beings.

Pluto has been one of my guides in this life because its conjunct my destiny point. Everything is about transforming the old self into the new and future self. It's all about letting go of the past, past patterns and all the baggage that goes with it, like guilt, blame, shame, betrayal and revenge. Pluto has been a faithful teacher, but to me, it's energy is nothing like Saturn, who will slap your hands and sometimes hit you over the head with the ole cosmic 2 by 4 just to teach you a lesson, nor Uranus, who takes you by surprise and can pull the rug out from under you just to liberate you, or Neptune who often makes you feel invisible, just so you don't over identify with your ego. I have come to make friends with Pluto, Pluto allows me to hang out in the shadows, without judging me, only from time to time giving me a reason of why I'm there, making me more aware, it allows me the space and time to feel 'wounded' and find understanding from those wounds. It offers me the choice, I could heal my 'woundedness' and therefore step out of the darkness, or I can hold on to those wounds, continue to nurse them, use them, and milk them to death.

Forgiveness is the longest and hardest road for a Plutonian, but it is the only way towards freedom from the past and healing of the wounds. Honestly, I think forgiveness is true love. Whether you experience it with a partner or with yourself or with someone who has already left your life in one way or the other, it is the most freeing and liberating process you can take on for the sake of your own soul.

I think Pluto is much more gentle at creating change than the other planets, as far as Pluto is concerned, egotism is the stumbling block, you got to get the ego out of the way for acquiring the 'pearls' and 'treasures' of the darkness. Ya gotta come out of denial in order to get the rewards. It's uncomfortable for the ego, but when that is sacrificed so to speak, it's an awesome cosmic ride. 'Truth' then becomes the 'crowned jewels'.

When delving into mythology years back, I was introduced to Persephone, or Proserpina, who in mythology was abducted by Hades (Pluto) and made a deal with her mother Demeter (Ceres) to have her as his Queen for 6 months of the year when the Sun falls below the Autumn Equinox, and then she can return to be with her mother when the Sun rises above the Spring Equinox for 6 months.

Becoming Goddess-oriented in my journey, I decided to turn Pluto into Persephone. Persephone took the place on my guidepost up on my North Node (Destiny point). Persephone's mythology is connected with all children who have been abducted, raped, abused, abandoned, rejected and separated from their mothers. She holds the keys of the underworld and is crowned with wisdom. She is the Queen of turning negative experiences into blessings. She has the alchemy to retain her Divinity while living amongst the darkness and the shadows. She sees the oneness between the duality and that is her magic.

I have had many clients over the years that have gone through serious Pluto transits and when they read about Persephone, their whole perspective on Pluto and what is happening to them changes. Persephone brings light and wisdom to the Pluto experience.

I thought the following was appropriate by Ralph Marsten:

So after Jupiter jump starts Pluto in Capricorn as it shimmies up and aligns with Pluto after crossing the Galactic Center together, that good, warm and fuzzy feeling, will wane as Jupiter will only last in Capricorn through 2008, separating from Pluto and leaving it there to hold space in Capricorn till 2024. Its influence will be far from easy.

Over the next 16 years the revolutionary changes that will be taking place all around the globe will teach all of us something about our redemption. Somehow we will all be given the opportunity for transformative work which will show us how people survive and flourish after deep inner work. In the process of expanding our consciousness, we will witness how resourceful, deep and multidimensional a human being can be. Life force resurrects itself from the deepest levels no matter how tragic or sacrificial one’s experience has been. When this mystery is fully understood, we will possess exceptional confidence and fearlessness during Pluto’s process.

Pluto takes approximately 268 years to make a complete revolution around our Sun and journeys through the Zodiac belt. Pluto’s only agenda is transformation. In fact, its motto can be at times, ‘transform or die’. Death is just another one of its metamorphic passages, so if that’s what your soul needs in order to evolve, then so be it. Remember Death is a two sided coin, the flip side is Rebirth and Transformation which is Pluto’s job. So, however you achieve it, you can count on evolution. It’s all in Divine Order, and all scheduled by Divine timing.

Suffice it to say, that no one living today has Pluto in Capricorn in their charts. So while there is no known living individual born today having an individual Pluto return, nations are, and therefore we all partake in deep transformation collectively and that is evolutionary energetically which waves into future time streams.

The last time Pluto was in Capricorn was from 1763 to 1778 during which time we witnessed the birth of a new nation, in 1776 as the United States of American emerged as a sovereign country after winning its War of Independence from Great Britain, a Capricorn ruled nation. From the years 2008-2024, we will witness changes again within both the USA and the UK. As the US will be getting its first Pluto return, which will inevitably revisit the ‘original wound’ which was the need to be free and independent in the first place, from the Brits. I don’t think the Brits are the ones holding the US in bondage now, but nevertheless these issues will resurface as new revolutions will emerge with the battle for freedoms and returning to the original template the forefathers laid with foresight for all Americans. The biggest threat to the US will be the merging with Mexico and Canada as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). NAFTA was signed under George Bush Sr. There are plans to expand it with a superhighway going through the Midwest and implementing a currency called the ‘Amero’ while adopting an EU type situation.

How does this happen? Do you remember voting for it? Yet, NAFTA rolls on as Americans are too busy living in a trance, hypnotized by consumerism, poisoned by obscene amounts of processed foods, chemicals and pharmaceuticals and weakened by obesity which leads to a host of mental, emotional and physical illnesses, making America the leading nation of obesity in the world, with the UK only just trailing behind only because its population is smaller but not necessarily healthier.

Revolutions in belief systems which have led the US to their present state of servitude as many lives are caught in a tsunami of consumerism. The potential for America to be reduced to size, literally and figuratively, is great during Pluto in Capricorn. No time will this old adage be applied more appropriately than now:

"And remember, where you have a concentration of power in a few hands, all too frequently men with the mentality of gangsters get control. History has proven that. All power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely." Lord Acton, (1834 –1902)

Think about the imbalance in the world for a moment, if we are all one on a supersubconsious level, than we need to integrate and heal the huge imbalances that exist within the 6-1/2 billion of us traveling the galaxy together on spaceship Earth. One side of the planet is reaching epidemic obesity levels, and the other side of the planet is starving to death. While there seems to be overwhelming challenges to those starving to death, that would prevent them from doing anything directly about their situations, the other side of the planet that are also malnourished from being over fat, does have the power to change their situation. I wonder, if those who have the power choose to use it to the best of their abilities, would those starving be affected by that shift? I think that would be an interesting energetic experiment. Perhaps there needs to be some type of National Contest, not just limited to a very dynamic TV show, which seems to have the right idea, The Biggest Losers, and expand their contest to National levels and national incentives. Imagine the next President somehow instituting tax breaks for the Americans who lose 25 lbs or more in one year? And somehow tied in with overflow going into successful and well respected African charities for food and medicine, also used as an incentive and reward somehow? Well, I know you may say I’m a Dreamer and I hope I’m not the only one, but I do know that rewards will flow on many levels, even if not directly governmental. This is why "Conscious" businesses will flourish during Pluto in Capricorn’s reorganization of power. After all, what is power but energy. Where thoughts go, energy flows.

So with that being said, let’s take a look at some major turning points for our planet during the passed transits of Pluto in Capricorn, what history has taught us is that it repeats itself, and recycles its lessons, remember that reincarnation is one of the ways we evolve, it’s a Pluto process, so even though the following events were in the past, observe how you feel and react to the periods of history, mentioned in the following paragraphs, it is possible that you have recycled in a particular place on this planet for a very good reason and that may be to complete or reinforce something that was established in a previous Pluto cycle, which have all been marked by revolutions and revolutionaries. Ask yourself, how the battles of the past mirror our present state of affairs. What role is your conscience urging you to play?

At the onset of Pluto’s entrance into Capricorn in 1763, the Peace of Paris was established which marked the end of the Dynastic Wars in Europe and the redistribution of the colonies to France, the UK and Spain and of course the US declared its independence. Instead the Brits focused their attention on ruling India. I guess in hindsight we can thank the Brits for inspiring two of the biggest democracies in the world, India and the US. And the question Americans need to ask themselves, is how democratic are we? How far have we strayed from the original ideals that created us? That gap is where our new revolutions lie.

Pakistan (which means "Pure Country") was once part of India and under British rule, now they are fighting for a democracy and not a theocratic government. The same as Iraq and eventually Iran (ancient Babylon & Persia).

In the Middle East, the remnants of the Ottoman Empire, which rose to power on the previous Pluto in Capricorn cycle from 1516 to 1532 when they conquered Iraq, was reduced and experienced limited power during the following Pluto cycle during 1763-1778. The Turks also went on to conquer most of Arabia, defeated Hungary, wreaked havoc on Vienna and devastated Croatia. The power of the nomadic Mongols, descendants of Genghis Khan, was coming to an end, who had once ruled enormous areas of the world. Russia and Persia (modern day Iran) emerged as key world players. In China the Manchu Empire was in decline.

Throughout history the use of torture, which are ancient, barbaric, and medieval methods to inflict pain and suffering on the weak and the vulnerable, will get busted during Pluto’s trip through Capricorn. Torture is prohibited under international law and the laws of most countries, however, Amnesty International estimates that 75% of the world’s governments currently practice torture. In the 21st century, torture is widely considered to be a violation of human rights, and discouraged by Article 5 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In times of war, signatories of the Third Geneva Convention and Fourth Geneva Convention agree not to torture protected persons (POWs and enemy civilians) in armed conflicts

This is another issue that must be brought out of the shadows and into the light. While we can forgive the past, what are we still doing repeating it? It’s time to shift this. A movement towards eliminating torture will continue to build as many who were once tortured in past lives wake up and reclaim their lost power by making sure this practice is obliterated from human practices on planet earth. With that being said, Americans need to become more outraged over the acts of torture that the American government is responsible for, and make sure this voice is heard loud and clear so the next administration will put an end to these heinous crimes of the past.

Capricorn is goal oriented which means Pluto’s journey through Cappy will bring about the transformation of goals and the things we value. Starting the phase off in a recession, is a tell-tale sign of the portents of what’s to come over the next 16 years.

Capricorn is also the sign that represents the Devil Card in the Major Arcana Tarot. This is the card of Bondage and when reversed, indicates Freedom. Pluto’s journey through Cappy will be liberating on many levels, but only after one faces the battle of letting go of identification with the ego through facing one’s shadow self, embracing it, accepting it and allowing it to transform by becoming better more efficient vessels of spirit. The shadow self will trip you up if you continue to deny and repress it. It only creates the opposite effect, which somehow creates an energy field that arranges circumstances, situations and relationships to somehow mirror it all back to you. Many choose to deal with it from a victim state of, why is everyone blaming me, or why me? When we realize that we create both consciously and unconsciously, we become whole human beings. Capricorn is the sign of responsibility, duty, commitment, self discipline. If you know any Capricorns or Capricorn Moons, and Capricorn Ascendants, they are the hardest working signs of the zodiac. With Pluto in Capricorn, this expands out to the ‘group’ consciousness or collective in general. It’s about the psycho-spiritual healing of the collective wounds and like the mutation of Capricorn, from starting out as a dolphin and transforming into the goat which is urged to climb to the top of the mountain, Capricorn will always embody the wisdom that with directed will and self-discipline, anything is possible. It is one of the most resilient signs of the zodiac, and as Pluto journeys through Cappy over the next 16 years, we collectively get to know what that’s like.

Baphomet [pictured above] is one of the most feared images in the western world, because it is so misunderstood. It is a symbol of feminine energy and transformation.

It was created by Eliphas Lévi, who was known for his work regarding the alleged deity of the Knights Templar, the Baphomet. Lévi considered the Baphomet to be a depiction of the absolute in symbolic form. The crescent moons have traditionally represented Isis, the Archetypal Mother who gives new life through new lunations, new cycles, while she sits with a Caduceus, the symbol of medicine and healing, as she transforms her animal and human nature into that which is divine. It’s actually a symbol of mastery over one’s animal nature through the transformation of Kundalini energy (symbolized by the Caduceus as well as the golden torch of energy above her head). This symbol is also a great mystery to those in the occult as secret societies have used her image to tap into power for centuries now. The image was feared as a symbol of Satanism by ignorant Christians, and so its stigma stuck.

The illustrative representation of Baphomet then found its way into Waite's Tarot deck as the Devil card which adds another page to the Baphomet Mythos and which contributed towards demonizing something that was created with a more innocent interpretation.

Suffice it to say, that with Pluto’s trip through Capricorn, the Corporate World will get a major makeover. Business as usual, will undergo ground sweeping changes like the change of currency. The economy will have its ups and down, which will alter through it’s many retrogrades and marketing revolutions. The greatest blessings rain down on the businesses that serve others with a conscience. Supply and Demand are old partners in economics, and when companies continue to put out products that are harmful and can potentially poison others slowly, you can bet your bottom dollar, they won’t survive Pluto in Capricorn. China imports need to be watched carefully. However, on the upside, companies that put out products in a responsible, earth friendly way that is safe and good for the harmony of the planet as well as humans and animals, will find their blessing of abundance and sustenance during Pluto’s reaping process.

I find it funny when my little girl who is turning 8, gets all excited about reading the bottom of a toy or chachka that says, ‘made in china’ which in her innocence thinks it comes from some exotic place, when in reality China has a lot of problems with polluted water, poisoned food, and they don’t care about using dogs and cats in meats and furs, so buyer beware! Something that is said ‘made in China’ should be a warning. There must be more regulations on imports which require countries like China to meet higher standards.

Governments are there to regulate laws and policies, they typically don’t put out a product like a corporation does, which is why we need government to keep the Corporate World in check otherwise they will end up running everything, which many believe they already are. There must be responsible trade, imports and products. Pluto in Cappy will see to that.

"The issue which has swept down the centuries and which will have to be fought sooner or later is the people versus the banks." Lord Acton, (1834 –1902)

China which is now the world’s biggest polluter, next to the US, is rapidly moving towards being the world’s next superpower. America’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is 13 trillion dollars. China’s GDP is almost 2 trillion, but their economy is growing at a blistering pace of almost 10% a year, compared to America’s which slowed to 1.8% but has averaged 3.3% a year for the last 20 years. We spend 550 billion dollars on defense. China spends about 100 billion on defense. China should be of concern to us, especially because we have borrowed a lot of money from them to help pay for the Afghan and Iraqi wars. Being involved in long complicated wars is a sure way to bleed America’s wealth over time, which is part of the Islamic terrorist’s tactics to keep us involved. They don’t need to win they just don’t need to lose.

What will also shift is the way people do business. Because of the change of currency, the oldest form of trade, which is barter will have a comeback. Yes, there will continue to be the debit/credit system, this is a micro/macro of the universal law of sowing and reaping.

Sex and how it is presently viewed in the Western world, will change. What the west has been suppressing, since the inception of puritan values, has in turn created a 12-14 billion dollar porn industry. This is what happens when you try to suppress the collective shadow. What I see happening as a new trend over the next 16 years is more of a return to old traditional sexual values that were rooted in the East. India, the world’s largest democracy, will influence the western cultures with their liberating views and values on returning sex and sexuality back to what once was considered sacred. The acceptance of the emerging truths over the life and death of Jesus Christ and his relationship with Mary Magdalene will transform and begin to ‘heal’ sexuality in the next two decades.

This will coincide with the transformation of fanatical religious beliefs that are rooted in fear and insecurity. Christianity and Islam will cycle through the crucible of truth, revelation and consequently revolutions.

The return to the sacred sexual temples of both India and Egypt will grow around the globe in spiritually minded individuals who desire that sacred connection through their sexual experiences. The old mindsets of sexuality, homosexuality and what the real purpose of sexual relations is about, will be shattered through the emerging truths and spiritual quickening happening worldwide.

As each individual heals their psychic-sexual wounds from their cultural and religious upbringing, it adds to the grid of those sexually healthy beings around the universe, both in this world and beyond. This is where the return of the Ancients comes in, to help millions heal their ‘sexual psyche’. Let’s face it, Capricorn is a sexy sign, and with Pluto hanging out there for 16 years, you can expect a new sexual revolution on the rise, that blends Capricorn’s traditional values by looping into a much deeper part of our past, a time in our time line before the psychic-sexual wound was felt. A time where those who practiced sacred sexuality led the way to merging with the Divine. A time where the road to Ascension, was once paved with Orgasms.

Another side of this sexual revolution, is stamping out sexual abuse of all kinds. The nefarious deeds that seem to be prevalent in the shadows of many countries, such as selling young girls as sex slaves, and using and abusing young children in pornography, and the gang raping of women, will no doubt rear their ugly heads. It is time to do something about this, as when women are in bondage, no woman is really free. We are all connected. We tend to think of our lives as singular and individual apart from others, yet many are asleep to the fact that many of us live parallel lives right here on this planet, right now during this time. While you may be living a rather comfortable life in America, your parallel self may be living in a place where women are regularly raped with very little recourse.

Parallel lives are similar to the many ships that connect with a mother ship. The Mother Ship represents the soul, and the little ships represents each lifetime and individual personality, which all report and convene back with the Mother Ship for integration and to receive their new missions. If we look at our lives like this, we can ‘see’ the bigger picture, that we are all one.

The feminine energy transpires through how we actually get the job done. Capricorn is a feminine earth sign, and just as women know how to use both sides of their brain simultaneously, there will be a lot more networking, organizing and delegating jobs in order to pool our resources together to achieve the collective shift together. The way women are viewed, will shift across the board. Meaning that the areas and groups around the world that have the heaviest repression and fear of the feminine energy, will undergo the most turmoil and discomfort through these necessary shifts and steps towards the evolution of harmony, which is the balance of both polarities. When religions become more inclusive of women, this will in turn affect the culture, the economy and the situation on this planet.

When we talk about shadow healing, it also includes inspiring those women who have literally been living ‘in the shadows’ of others to give themselves permission to reclaim their lost power. Women in general, need to allow this, and not react through jealousy as they have resorted to in the past due to survival issues in the patriarchal world. Capricorn is a competitive sign, yet with Pluto there, it requires us to transform those old outworn patterns and urges, through being supportive of others who achieve this.

I heard pundits talking about the Iowa Caucus, and why women didn’t vote for Hillary Clinton, and for reasons that are rooted in fear, ignorance and jealousy. They told pollsters that they are more comfortable with women in traditional roles. This is exactly what is shifting, like it or not, the winds of change are in motion. It’s not only men, who need to adjust to a new balance of power in the world, but women too need to awaken out of centuries of role playing, by expanding their understanding that not all women are alike, not all women need to be pigeon holed, whether that be old traditional roles of nurturing, or even the way others dictate what women should look like. Another thing that is already shifting, is the male version and air brushed magazine version of the female image. This is not only unrealistic to most women, but has caused huge imbalances in the psychological and physical health of women who are under the illusion that they somehow must match those unrealistic images.

The fact that some women are uncomfortable with women as powerful leaders, as in the case of the Iowa women who were threatened by Hillary Clinton, along with those women who are uncomfortable in their own bodies, is the aspect of the feminine shadow that needs integration and healing over the next two decades. Having a woman as President, doesn’t only empower one woman, it empowers all women. Imagine being a child who grows up with a female president, and what that could inspire and encourage in a young girl? Yet, even now at this crossroads of time, women are still programmed to play a supportive role towards a man instead of rallying around a female who could have the potential to liberate all women now and in the future to be on equal footing with men.

It is reasonable and understandable to not support a candidate because of their politics or personality, but for reasons because they are female is no longer acceptable. America is a relatively young country, and during its first Pluto return, it will find itself with a woman President. In fact, during the next 12-16 years, it will take a strong woman that embodies both strength and vulnerability to navigate the many twists and turns of the cosmic ebb and flow of energies bathing our planet.

It is time to write new archetypes into the grid and let go of the patterns of the past which no longer serve us.

One reality that will become widely accepted over the next 16 years, is the fact that we are not, and have not been in control of our lives, nor our planet for centuries. The fact that Extra Terrestrials and/or Aliens have been running the show for millennia is a concept that many can only relate to through science fiction stories, but as Pluto uncovers the shadow aspects of Capricorn’s power structures, we will collectively come to know who and what has been guiding, influencing, and in many cases, controlling the power structures set up all around this planet.

Who and What is running the show? We hear all kinds of reports of agreements with alien races, the evidence has been mounting, and perhaps it is time to make that discussion part of our national dialogue. We have all been influenced by sophisticated and sinister mind control techniques, as most are unaware of their apparent "trance". But for those of us awakening out of that trance, it is possible to see the forest from the trees.

In Anderson Reed’s revealing book Shouting at the Wolf , she goes on to say that whoever is in charge of any group, whether it be a family, a church, a school, a corporation or a nation channels a spirit, and that spirit then becomes the ‘spirit’ of the group.

The spirit running this country has been compromised. Many know and feel this, but feel powerless to do anything about it. Pluto in Capricorn has the potential for a group or corporation or even governments to band together in a common cause and a shared consciousness, and change that. The key is ‘shared consciousnesses’. When enough of us wake up from all the mind and body control implants and techniques that have been thrown at us, we can pierce through that veil of denial and the mass trance that the rest of the group is under and begin to manipulate the time-space continuum.

Quantum physics has proven that our thoughts affect the time-space continuum, which lets face it, is made up of consciousness.

Saturn in Virgo is the precursor to the Petty Tyrant --

So why do people fall into this syndrome? Well firstly it’s because they feel powerless in their lives. By playing the Petty Tyrant, they get to feel a sense of power over their fellow humans. Making a mountain out of a molehill or an issue out of a tissue is nothing new when people feel the need to control - couples do it all the time, as do families. Children will imitate this as little things are big to children, and in schools, they are indoctrinated with all kinds of rules and instructions and are often penalized or singled out for not paying attention to it.

But if you think about it, all anyone is doing is imitating the behavior and treatment they are receiving from their superiors, whether that is on a corporate or government level. So the question is, who and what is the one setting the tone and spirit for this kind of tyrannical energy?

We all know that blaming the Bush administration and their mastermind, Dr. Evil, ahem, I mean Cheney, has become one of America’s favorite past times, but does anyone ever get anywhere? Why not? Because one needs to look even further than the front men of Bush and Cheney. Who and what is behind them?

Imagine for a moment, which many can relate to science fiction movies, that a dark alien presence has taken over the government, they are able to take over human bodies, shape shift back and forth into their true form when necessary, and have mental powers to control others’ minds and emotions through emoting negative energy through fear. Sounds familiar? Do you really think that mere humans have the necessary power to sustain what the Cheney/Bush administration has achieved?

Do you remember the Dr. Seuss story, The Grinch? When the Grinch came, a dark cloud covered the whole land, and everyone became fearful and sad? That’s exactly what the present administration pulled on the American people, not just through 2 stolen elections, but more importantly through the orchestrations and manipulations that took place on 9/11.

Those who have been crying conspiracy - have been drowned out through the denial -- as many of us have asked ourselves over and over again, how could they do that to us? Many have said, "I can’t believe our government was behind that" -- well, where were they after Hurricane Katrina? The point is, our government is not who we think they are, and as the thousands of people who waited for support after Katrina will attest to, as well as the rescue workers of 9/11, can tell us all first hand, that the emperor wears no clothes. There has been no government for the people, by the people and to the people.

America and Americans face a grim reality as Pluto moves through Capricorn. As history teaches us, it is only through the revolt of the people that can bring down the tyrannical and oppressive regimes, which creates liberation and solidarity for the people and for future generations. Somehow, Americans need to wake up and smell the sulphur, otherwise, this country that many fought and died for the ideals of freedom, equality and humanitarianism, will eventually be brought down to the ground to the levels of 3rd world countries.

The shift needs to take place through a shared collective consciousness, and the wave that is sweeping through our spirits needs to be caught and acted on.

What I am seeing, and the writing is on the wall, is the inevitable showdown in the skies, yes, the real ‘Star Wars’. The fact that our government has made agreements with different groups of Aliens and ETs, will no doubt over time produce an all out battle over who controls this space, both above and around the earth.

Do we really think we have a handle on this?

There is much we can do, both individually and as a group. Never underestimate the power of the individual and the power of the human spirit. Human beings are designed to be multi-dimensional beings. Many are waking up to this reality. Quantum Physicists are now able to make sense of what many Shamanic people have known for centuries. The point is we are here to channel other streams of thought, spiritual energies and ground the telepathy we have with our higher selves, spirit guides, masters, angels and ETs. We can do it, many already are doing it, this wave will swell and the opportunity requires spiritual guts to coalesce together similar to the energy and spirit present during WWII that brought everyone together to defeat the Nazis. That

wave and opportunity is cycling back to us again, to defeat similar forces, which many historians will see as a continuation of WWII.

Can we do it?

Yes. Critical mass dictates that when a percentage of us reach a certain level of consciousness and a spiritual awakening, the rest of us will follow, kind of like the hundredth monkey theory.

Still can’t believe it’s real? Ponder this: Why has religion been at the root of most wars over the centuries? Who are all these Gods and Goddesses of the world’s religions? Who were the Heroes and Goddesses of our Mythology? The answer may surprise many, but the reality is that these Gods are Extra Terrestrial, they are not all the same, some see themselves as our Masters, and see us as their slaves and servants, and others want to free us from centuries of psycho-spiritual bondage. Remember Jesus when he said, "I have bought you for a price." Who did he pay? Many Christians will say, it was the devil, Satan of course. But who and what is this entity that many call Satan, which in the Hebrew language only means, ‘adversary’. Who are the adversaries of the Human Race? Did you ever think that this could be a collective force? Not necessarily limited to one being? Why can’t the religions get along? Mostly because of who and what is controlling them, and I’ve got news for you, they are not all the same beings.

Every religion or spiritual path encounters spiritual battles. But what we are heading towards is that these battles will come out of the shadows. Racism is the number one psycho-spiritual and social issue that will get busted through Pluto’s journey. Pluto is involved with long term projects, and something as deep and as pervasive as the hatred associated with all forms of racism, is something that must be healed in order for us to evolve as a group of humans traveling around our sun and the great central sun, otherwise known as the Galactic Center. We need to understand the roots of racism, which stems back to our Extra Terrestrial origins.

Take Anti-Semitism, for example, the hatred and fear of Jews and what a monster that created, humans need to become more inclusive because we have become a global society.

Superman was created by Jerry Siegel, he was a nerdy Jewish boy who was able to reveal what he really was through his channeling and fantasy of Superman. Like the Jews Superman was an outsider, he came from the planet Krypton which was an acronym for Kieve where Jerry Siegel’s family came from. He had to hide his strength and hide his brains, because he was Jewish, when in reality Jews come from an ET race, so he becomes the unassuming Clark Kent. However, Jews are not the only ET root race on our planet, and as each nation and culture begins to heal from centuries of darkness and denial, we will evolve towards understanding of our true origins which will explain a lot about our torrid and violent history. In that process, lies the opportunity to evolve towards conquering hatred.

What continues to perplex me to this day, is how come hate groups that are bent on hating Jews and Blacks, can call themselves Christians? Don’t they know that Christianity was born from Judaism? Jesus was and still is a Jew, and if we take the Christian standpoint that Jesus will be coming back to save his people, why on earth would these hate groups think they will be singled out from the rest of the Judeo-Christian population? What if Jesus was really Superman, and he will come and rescue his people, how could those Anti-Semitic beliefs justify believing in Jesus? Sounds like these hate groups have a double standard. Or what they really need is to have some of their ‘hate implants’ removed. For it is my observation, that they are heavily implanted by an alien race that periodically uses them to create drama, discord and dissension, and the energy that they provoke somehow feeds this group of aliens. But that’s just my intuition.

This upcoming election will no doubt press a lot of racist and sexist buttons here in America. What I’ve observed from previous elections is that Americans are prone towards voting from fear. In this case, they are being presented during the primaries for either a white woman, or a black man for President. Even though people tout this and that to pollsters, in the end, when they are casting their secret ballots, they will vote against the one they fear. If they fear a black man being President, they will vote for the white woman, however, if they fear a woman being in charge, then they will vote for the man and justify it by telling themselves, he’s not all black, he’s milado. After the delegates have chosen their nominees, the same will hold true in the general elections. The polarization may end up Woman vs. Man. After all, Americans voted in George Bush twice, so fear has played a major role in elections. The question is what do they fear the most? The dirty secret is that although many will deny it, or are even embarrassed about it, is that bigotry still exists. This upcoming election is packed with major issues. In the end, Clinton and Obama will team up, and it will be the first time in a long time, that the Democratic party unites, which is what they need energetically in order to claim victory in November.

So what does the average human being do about all this?

The most important endeavor any human can take is the path to their Soul, their Higher Self, their Spiritual Self, but not without facing the shadow first. Pluto’s influence through Capricorn will illuminate the way, if we are ready to take that plunge. Some have already begun, we are not alone. God, the Universal Force of All Life lives on in all of us, and that is our common denominator, regardless of what other god, or religious figure one may believe in. Believe in your Self, and in the creative force of Love that not only keeps us altogether, but allows this Cosmic Drama to play itself out through us.

We live in interesting times…. Everything comes to pass, nothing comes to stay.

"We seek security not knowing that the only real security comes from within ourselves, from inner space." — Carl Payne Tobey  

2008 Moon/Solar Wobbles
© 2008 by Roxanne Carol

All celestial objects wobble. The Earth wobbles, and because our Moon is in a gravitational relationship with our Earth, it wobbles up and down on the ecliptic, which is the path of the Earth's orbit around the Sun. The ecliptic’s path is the shape of an ellipse as all orbital paths of one celestial body around another are elliptic. The Nodes of the Moon also known as the Dragon’s Heads, which have North and South poles, these are actual points that wobble up and down on the ecliptic. They represent a powerful cosmic force in our karmic destinies. They are always in direct opposition to one another. The North node rises above the ecliptic and the South node is where it passes below the ecliptic. The positions of the Moon's nodes effectively revolve round the Earth relative to the Sun with a period of just over 18 years. Solar Eclipses occur when the Moon is at or very near a node at the time of the New Moon. Lunar Eclipses happen when the Full Moon is conjunct one of the nodes.

The mean nodes are permanently retrograde except when they wobble. True nodes follow the exact path of the intersections with the ecliptic and therefore make allowances for the 'wobble' in the Moon's orbit. For short periods the true nodes can be in direct motion, which are like noodles wobbling.

True nodes, reflect an oscillation between retrograde and direct motion - with direct lasting shorter periods, sometimes only a day, but with frequent changes of motion. The mean node gives the average position over the month. The reason that the True nodes oscillate is due to the 'wobble' in the Moon as it orbits the Earth which 'causes' the apparant movement of the nodes (the projection of the Moon's crossing of the Ecliptic).

The Moon's nodes take 18 years to progress through the entire Zodiac. 2008 begins with a shift in the Moon’s Nodes from Virgo/Pisces to Aquarius Leo, which is a significant phase shift. That means the Eclipses this year will be in Aquarius and Leo respectively. The North Node is in Aquarius, which is the Destiny Point, leading us towards revolutionary thoughtforms, an increase in innovative technologies, progressive action towards humanitarian issues, and changes in power and leadership around the globe. The South Node in its polar opposite of Leo, indicates the Karma that we are all called to leave behind and integrate, which is the arrogance of power, the over identification with Ego, Competition and Self Aggrandizement. The Aquarian/Leo Nodes and Eclipses stimulate us to use our Creativity (Leo) towards positive change and altruistic endeavors.

Our first Solar Eclipse of 2008 will take place on February 6 at 17 degrees of Aquarius. This degree is known as the degree of violence or the Warrior’s degree. The Solar Eclipse also begins the Chinese New Year of the Rat [see Year of the Cosmic Rats above]. The Eclipse will also be taking place during a Mercury retrograde which begins on January 28- February 17, 2008 as well during a Moon and Solar Wobble. Suffice it to say, this cosmic ‘cocktail’ are the times when we collectively shift the most. It’s like the New Year really gets into gear after the sand settles from these eclipses.

Our first Lunar Eclipse of 2008 will be a Total Eclipse of the Full Moon at 1 degree of Virgo on February 20, where the shadow of the Earth casts a shadow over the Full Moon. Due to the wobble, the Full Moon occurs just one day and one degree after the Sun shifts from Aquarius to Pisces and the Moon shifts from Leo to Virgo.

Unfortunately, this does not fair well for peace, however, it is a revolutionary aspect, making the landscape ripe for effecting positive change and progress, but not with out its share of battles. I’ve mentioned this before in previous newsletters, that when it comes to Aquarius, the sign of change, the biggest chasm we face in the world today is the battle between the old patterns and the new codes being released into the Earth’s grid. Each time we have an Aquarian eclipse, something unusual and unexpected occurs, which is not always positive at first, such as shuttle disasters, but they do pave the way for lessons learned which leads to future progress.

Our second set of Eclipses for 2008 will take place beginning on August 1, 2008 which is a New Moon Solar Eclipse at 9 degrees of Leo. 9 degrees of any sign is considered a critical degree, due to many reasons, one of which it is the last degree of that decanate, as well as in this case the hard aspects it will be making to Saturn in Virgo (inconjunct). [scroll down for Penelope Addy’s article on the Tapestry of 2008 and the Finger of God, where she goes into great detail of the Presidential Election and the Convention Delegates with respect to the aspects in August of 08]

August 16, 2008 is our last Lunar Eclipse of 2008 as the Full Moon at 24 degrees of Aquarius will coincide with the Solar Eclipse of February 6, 2008 in Aquarius, marking a new era for progress, futuristic thinking, innovations and revolutionary change that leads towards liberation. Aquarius is the sign of freedom and knowledge. Knowledge is Power and Truth is Liberating. These are the main themes. Of course there is much resistance on the planet towards change. Humanitarian concerns is Aquarian, and the issues of health care, food, nutrition, justice and fair play, come under this eclipse. This eclipse will carry the energy forward to elect a new administration for America on November 4, 2008. Voting procedures and the proper use of voting machines are still unresolved issues that require attention. This eclipse will create the space for the necessary changes to take place.

Moon Wobbles have similar energies and affects except they are more emotional and karmic. Large groups of people can check out during wobbles through disasters, catastrophes and accidents. Others suffer through emotional turmoil. It’s a phase that holds great healing potential should one choose to tap into it. Through awareness and self observation, when repressed emotions surface to be dealt with, they can be healed and transmuted once and for all, if one is committed towards self-healing. By choosing to see the ‘gift’ embedded in the wound, one may need to dig deep, as well as deny denial and allow the integration of shadow parts to add power to the soul.

Here’s a few tricks to navigating and winning through Murky retro phases:

Firstly, many are not aware of the retrograde before the retrograde. It actually takes a week for Mercury to slow down in its elliptical orbit around the Sun. When it reaches the zenith of its ellipse, it stations retrograde or direct, respectively. This usually takes approximately one week for actual movement along the eliptic to occur. So it can sit at the same degree for a week as it slows down to retrograde, as well as the same when it turns direct. This week coming and leaving the actual retrograde period can be crucial. Yes, you can use these days, but cutting it too close to the retrograde, will give you that retrograde ‘bounce’ and you might as well as have done your deed during the retrograde, as it seems to be affected by the retrograde ‘curse’ or Mercury Retch as some Astrologers call it. So, if you have something really important to do, avoid the retrogrades.

1. During the actual dates of the retrograde, avoid signing important agreements, contracts, buying a house, purchasing anything major, new computers, automobiles, appliances, etc. However, Mercury Retro is a good phase for breaking and ending agreements. I get asked by many clients, is it a good time to file for bankruptcy? And the answer is yes, because it’s essentially a breach of contract.
    

2. Avoid getting married. Remember marriage is a contract. 1 out of every 2 marriages ends in divorce, think about how often Mercury retrogrades and you can understand why. Getting divorced during the retrograde does work though, because it’s a phase for fixings and endings.
    

3. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Leave well enough alone. Allow Murphy’s Law to show itself to you, if something needs attention, you will surely know about it.
    

4. Avoid getting major surgery and dental work if at all possible, most likely you will need to revisit that, which ain’t fun.
    

5. When travelling, take nothing for granted. Label all luggage! More luggage gets lost during retrogrades than any other time of the year. Check and recheck your travel schedule. Be pragmatic.
    

6. Miscommunications are Hallmarks of Mercury Retrograde, so watch your ‘p’s and ‘q’s and make sure you pay close attention to details. The Devil’s in the details as they say.
    

7. More accidents happen during Mercury retrograde than any other phase during the year. Why? Because Mercury rules our mind, our mental processes and our communications. Judgment is erred during this phase, because it’s designed for right brain activities. When engaged in left brain activities, such as driving, don’t day dream, stay focused and grounded and take nothing for granted. Just because you’re aware of the retrograde, doesn’t mean your neighbor is, nor the maniac racing down the highway cutting everyone off in its path. So keep your wits about you when you’re out and about, it just takes a moment to space out which can cause an accident.
    

8. Be specific. So many issues occur when people aren’t paying attention to details. One detail missed can cost someone their life. Mostly they cost us lots of time spent on correcting other people’s mistakes, because of typographical errors and being ‘out to lunch’ so to speak when they’re suppose to be doing a job. One’s frustration levels are heightened during the retrograde because of this phenomenon. This why some Astrologers call this phase, Mercury Retch!
    

9. People tend to slur their speech. Watch how many fubars occur from journalists, most catch themselves while in self correct mode, however, others can cost them their careers, when they say something off the cuff or unexpected and don’t realize that they are being taped. By being aware of this pheonomen, when giving lectures or talks, you can easily inject humour into your presentation and move on.
    

10. Give yourself time on either side of the retrograde to allow the energies to shift before you go forward with life changing plans, like marriage, buying real estate or investing in machinery.
     

11. Best to use the time for organization, reorganization and tending to matters that you’ve been procrastinating about since the last retrograde.
     

12. The retrograde is best utilized for meditating on your relationship to the One. Tune into Spirit, tune into your Higher Self, and liste