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.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

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.

Everything in the Universe is scheduled to change, and everything is right on schedule.

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.

Farming - America’s First Frontier

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?

The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits. ~ Albert Einstein

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 and Galactic Attunement Day

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

Pluto in Capricorn

"Faith is a Journey, Not a Guilt Trip."

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.

"Friends come and go, enemies come and go, but your interests will always stay the same." ~ Ancient Chinese Proverb

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.

America’s First Pluto Return

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

The Emergence of Warrior Priestess Energy

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.

Channeling Divine Energy:

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.

New Professions on the Rise:

"If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy." ~Anonymous

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.

Phoenix Rising

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:

"Every positive thing in your life represents a single unique blessing. Every negative thing in your life has the opportunity to become a double blessing.

Every negative situation carries its own energy. When you turn that energy around, the effort involved brings a double reward.

Don't seek to merely get rid of the negative things in your life. Instead, transform their energy into something of real positive value."

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.

The Economics of Pluto in Capricorn

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.

The New Sexual Revolution

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 Goddess Emerges

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.

Control Issues

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.

Star Wars

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.

Race and the Presidential Race

"Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything." --George Bernard Shaw

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.

Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. ~ Philo, 10 BC

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  

"While we have the gift of life, it seems to me the only tragedy is to allow part of us to die - whether it is our spirit, our creativity, or our glorious uniqueness." ~ Gilda Radner - Comedian (1946-1989)

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/Solar Wobbles Phases:

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.

2008 Wobbles:

February 6, 2008 - March 7, 2008 (peaks 2/14-20/08)
May 5, 2008 - June 3, 2008 (peaks 5/11-18/08)
July 18, 2008 - August 31, 2008 (peaks 8/10-16/08)
October 14, 2008 - November 20, 2008 (peaks 11/1-18/08)

2008 Mercury Retrograde Periods:

January 28, 2008 - February 18, 2008
May 26, 2008 - June 19, 2008
September 24, 2008 – October 15, 2008

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

5. hWhen 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. hMiscommunications 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. hMore 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. hBe 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. hPeople 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. hGive 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. hBest to use the time for organization, reorganization and tending to matters that you’ve been procrastinating about since the last retrograde.
     

12. hThe retrograde is best utilized for meditating on your relationship to the One. Tune into Spirit, tune into your Higher Self, and listen to your Intuition, as Intuitive faculties are heightened during Mercury’s backwards boogie through the heavens.

THE TAPESTRY OF 2008
© 2008 Penelope Addy

Years ago a friend suggested that the first 12 days of January would be an indication of how each of the subsequent months would proceed. While I have not found that to be necessarily true, I do tend to look at New Year’s Day for indications of what the coming year might bring – the background fabric of the tapestry that will be 2008.

We were greeted with a Mars/Pluto opposition, suggesting the likelihood of more warfare and talk of nuclear proliferation. This is not surprising since the Mars/Pluto opposition appears to represent the assassination of Prime Minister Bhutto.

It also seems to represent the run for the White House and a primary issue for the candidates. This aspect will be in effect until March when Pluto at 0 Capricorn and Mars, completing its retrograde phase, is at 0 Cancer and begins moving forward again. The shift in signs suggests a shift in the focus of the energy of the opposition – from mental and philosophical into more tangible areas of home, finance and security. Despite the opposition, both Cancer and Capricorn are concerned with these life elements, so in that sense, what might be considered a natural antagonism of planets involved as well as the signs, we are observing a sort of Mom (Cancer and Pluto) and Pop (Capricorn and Mars) and Home energy evolving and coloring the year.

There is something very familial being reflected in this New Year’s chart and that carries over to our national as well as our personal homes. It also suggests the type of presidency we will be looking at in the United States.

Mars in Cancer is a hard worker, used to carrying a load – in many ways it is a reflection of mothers everywhere – particularly single moms. Mars is considered debilitated in Cancer because it is not forceful, so its action might show up as defensive rather than offensive – or neither. The action may simply be action to keep on keeping on which is a trait of the crab. It holds on for dear life even when it may lose a claw in the process.

Pluto in Sag forced us to look at what we believed in on philosophical levels and is shifting to the pragmatic reality of Pluto in Cappy. This energy seems to be a testing of the waters – something that is already being felt in the world economy, but won’t take complete hold until later this year after it returns to Sagittarius one last time, then moves into Capricorn for its twenty-something year stay. How do we, and how have we, built our physical lives – from health care to where we live and work?

Mars continues rather swiftly through the rest of the signs and on November 4, finds itself at 21 Scorpio, square Neptune at 21 Aquarius, which suggests to me that some of the illusions that we have about the war in Iraq, i.e., that the "surge" is doing any good, is going to be challenged quite strongly. No matter how many soldiers are sent to Iraq, the opposition there is not going to go quietly into the deep, dark night.

The other notable opposition, and the one that will be operative to one degree or another all year, is that between Saturn and Uranus – old enemies. The myth of Ouranos and Cronus (Uranus and Saturn) will be revisited in 2008. There is a period of time when these old enemies will be outside of a strong orb of aspect, but, for the most part, we will be feeling the force of the struggle throughout the year. Venus adds to the drama in January and again in November when she transits Sagittarius.

In part, I see this as superficial popularity rearing its head as a distraction from the actual issues; however Venus also represents the feminine and the women’s vote is considered especially important in this election. We can also see this feminine influence in the story of Cronus and Ouranos.

The myth, in brief, had Ouranos (Father Heaven) hating all of his children. They were considered monsters, not in a horror movie fashion, but those things that bring terror to our hearts in this day and age as well: earthquakes, hurricanes and volcanic eruptions - those forces over which we have no control. So, in his hatred, he imprisoned them under the earth. He did, however, allow the Cyclops and the Titans to roam freely on the earth.

Gaea (Mother Earth) was disturbed at the mistreatment of her imprisoned children and appealed to Cyclops and the Titans to help her. Cronus (Saturn) was the only one courageous enough to challenge his father. He wounded Ouranos badly and became the lord of the universe.

However, like father like son, when he discovered that one of his children would one day overthrow him, he began swallowing them as they were born. One child, Zeus (Jupiter) avoided this fate – again, thanks to his mother, Rhea – and went on to overthrow Cronus as was predicted.

Election Day 2008

So, how is Jupiter involved in this current Saturn/Uranus showdown? For much of the year it is sextile Uranus and trine Saturn. On the day of the General Election, November 4, the aspects are extremely close: Jupiter will be at 17 Capricorn, Saturn at 19 Virgo and Uranus at 18 Pisces Rx - for this we should all be thankful.

To put this in clearer terms – Uranus is a planet of great upset – change, if you will. I find it somewhat amusing that everyone is crying for change, but in reality most people don’t like change, nor do they welcome it in their lives when it actually happens.

We are having a big change right now in the stock market – Pluto in Capricorn dredging up problems that were created in the past and ignored, such as the sub-prime interest rates given to people to buy homes - homes that are now being foreclosed upon.

Change can also be seen in the candidates that are running particularly Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. There is a major upheaval in the Republican Party – again a change, since this group is traditionally fairly solid in circling their wagons around a candidate. Due to this inability to rally around one candidate – or even the introduction of a truly strong candidate, we are likely to have either our first woman or first black president. John McCain is my choice for the Republican nomination – on Election Day; he has about 40 transits to his natal chart. I will also go on to suggest Mike Huckabee as his running mate – this is more an intuitive pick, than astrological, but for the Republicans, this combination would appeal to the entire base and what they will need to compete with the Democrats.

Going back to the Cronus/Ouranos myth for a moment, we see Saturn coming into play after the Uranian dust settles in order to clean up the mess and create a new structure. Saturn always wins in the end. So looking at the election, it suggests that a strong Saturnian type will win the day. My pick is Hillary Clinton, because even with the change she represents, she is also definitive of the Mars in Cancer tone that this year started with. She is the feminine energy that would create an extremely profound change in the way this country has operated over more that two centuries.

In her chart on Election Day there are approximately 50 transiting aspects including the Saturn/Uranus/Venus T-square on her Moon with her natal Uranus forming a Grand Mutable Cross. This, in and of itself, suggests that she has the chart most in line with a universal pattern. The aforementioned Mars at 21 Scorpio will be on her Mercury (which, despite the fact that her birth time is being disputed, is her chart ruler in two of the presented times: 8PM and 2:18AM) and will square her Saturn.

Transiting Sun will be on her Chiron – the planet of wounds and healing. Mercury will be conjunct her Sun and transiting Chiron will be square her Venus within five minutes. So her essence, as defined by the Sun, is being stimulated by the planets of communication, love and a restoration to health. It is no surprise, then, that one of Hillary’s prime foci in this campaign is Universal Health Care.

One transit that I found particularly significant was that the South Node – the node of karma and past lives coming into play – will be on her Mars within 1 minute – about as tight an aspect as you can get without being exactly exact. The battles she is fighting now are not new to her – the experience she talks about is much deeper and more profound than what has occurred in this lifetime alone.

Obama also has a number of transiting aspects to his chart (approximately 30), among them the Sun will be square his Sun, and transiting Mercury will square his natal Mercury. The Moon on November 4, 2008, at 11pm EST will be at 1 degree Aquarius, during that day it will move over his Saturn setting off the inconjunct with Uranus (and Yod with Hillary). As the day goes on, the Moon will conjunct his Jupiter and opposes his Mercury. This looks to me as a day of challenges and events not completely to his liking, but at the end of the day with its positive transit to Jupiter suggests emotional satisfaction.

The Election Day chart also creates Yods with Obama’s chart. I have discussed Yods a bit more in detail in another article, but what many have discovered is that Yods tend to signify elements in our lives that we have little or no control over – where we need to learn to go with the flow because you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Sometimes clichés say it best!

Simply speaking, there is definitely an element of destiny involved.

So, Hillary’s chart is far and away the most active and it is hard to look at this activity and believe that it signifies anything other than her being the Democratic candidate. Combined with Obama’s chart, while the candidates themselves are not supporting this idea, suggests a viable and likely partnership between the two.

Roxanne expressed her feelings about this possibility to me a few months ago. When I put this idea out to others, I was advised that this would never happen, so went exploring the possibility of others as her running mate, but always keeping Roxanne’s thoughts in mind. As I watched the debate on January 31, I felt strongly myself what Roxanne had felt. There was an energy that radiated from Hillary and Obama that was undeniable and actually prompted a question from the press.

In order to back up this intuition I looked at their astrological charts. The following is a brief comparison showing the contacts between the two charts which suggests that this might be the "Dream Team" for the Democrats:

His Sun is on her Mars/Pluto - so he brings out the passion and aggression of those two planets in her. Her Saturn is conjunct his Uranus, so she forces him to examine his independent stance. This is one area where we see the myth acting out in "real" life.

Their Uranus’s are sextile within minutes, so there is a very viable workability between the two in terms of how they express their individuality and desire for freedom.

Her Sun forms a T-Square with his Mercury/Jupiter-Saturn opposition. I think this tends to dissemble him and sends him back to the drawing board. Her Sun is also inconjunct his Moon (if it's in 00 Gemini). It seems as though her drive and determination disturbs him on some very fundamental level. He’s not comfortable with her assertiveness and ambition. I suspect that it’s a gender issue. He has all these women supporting him - Teddy Kennedy is the only big gun male rallying around him – and as the Leo male, this is as it should be. Still, one body language expert suggested that he was a little fearful of her – won’t look her in the eye when debating with her. My feeling is that he’s simply uncomfortable challenging her at all. I suspect that there might be a problem for him in arguing with a woman who is his senior in both age and experience.

Ultimately, Hillary will ask him to be vice president - so he'll get the benefit of her support as well as her experience.

Her Chiron is just about exactly square his Sun (1 minute difference) - so here we have the opportunity for healing. Thing is, sometimes in order to heal, one has to feel pain at first. In Asian medicine there is a treatment called moxibustion: this is the applying of burning herbs on and around an injury to cleanse and purify it. The process draws out the poisons so the wound can heal. This is very much a Scorpio trait - or Plutonian, or both. Buddhism uses the term hindoku-iyaku – changing poison into medicine. That this square is to his Sun suggests that his ego needs some refining and purification.

His Mars opposes her Moon and is sextile her Mercury - so he will bring out her emotional nature, but stimulates her expression in a positive way.

Let’s look at the Yods between their charts. Her Uranus forms a Yod with his Uranus/Saturn and her Jupiter forms another with his Jupiter/Venus. This might be compared to the sand that gets into the shell of the oyster to create a pearl. What is particularly significant is that both Uranus’s and Jupiter are involved - so issues of independence, change, freedom, optimism, faith and good will are conjoined in a very challenging way. The odd planets are Saturn in the first Yod and Venus in the second – so responsibility and love/beauty are brought into the mix to be resolved.

His Mercury is trine her Jupiter, which opposes his Moon – so, despite some of the talk, I do think that they like each other. I don't find the opposition problematic with Jupiter. If we look at the angles (using 1:06PM for him), her Venus is on his ASC. I'm looking at the 8:02AM chart for her and her MC is conjunct his Pluto, but also has his Chiron on her IC. His MC is 19 Leo with this time, putting her Saturn conjunct. If we look at her 2:18AM chart, his Sun is sextile her MC. With the 8PM chart, his Chiron is conjunct her MC.

I can't see that this relationship is going to be worked out entirely with this campaign - the connections suggest a longer termed relationship that - no matter what birth time you use, has ramifications not only to the life paths of this man and this woman, but to their public personas.

We can see this partnership as some real thinking outside the box and could offer a refreshing new approach to Washington than either one could bring to the table as an individual.

For the rest of us, my sense is that we will all try to keep on keeping on. Saturn, by its very nature represents structure and those things that we have held close to us for lifetimes. As Cappy rising, I am actually rather fond of Saturn and don’t seem him as a demon. He gives as well as takes away – although it doesn’t always appear that way. I see the Saturn in Virgo influence as having to pay debts that have come due, much as the country itself as noted above. If you owe, you will have to pay up. If you have taken care of your debts, you will be rewarded with peace of mind and stability. Saturn as Lord of Karma is a point worth remembering.

Since I also have Uranus strong in my chart, I am familiar with his workings and again find his influence in my life to have been rewarding if nerve wracking at times. We all want freedom, but the price for that is often giving up things that have outworn their usefulness or simply don’t work. No one likes change, but it is really the only constant in the universe – so flexibility in thinking often helps when Uranus is active. One of the signatures of a Uranus transit has always been to create freedom for yourself before the universe steps in and does it for you. This works quite well with Saturn’s emphasis on taking responsibility for your life.

In this sense, both Saturn and Uranus are actually on the same page. Unfortunately, most of us (all of us?) don’t look at having to let go as something positive. I think that the challenge here, as with all oppositions, is to make the energy work for you rather than against you. So, it looks to be a time of paring down, getting rid of dead weight, repaying debts of all kinds – not just monetary ones and taking responsibility. The more that this can be done on a conscious level, the easier it will be to deal with the changes that seem to be inevitable here.

The fact that Jupiter is in supportive aspect to both Saturn and Uranus, suggests that this is something that can be accomplished. He’s not in his happiest place with Capricorn, but at this juncture in time, the strictness of Capricorn is more valuable than the comfort of Cancer.

The message of this year – for me – is the need for us to take the blinders off and open our eyes to the reality of the world and our responsibilities. But I also see it as a time of hope for real purification and transformation.

THE FINGER OF GOD-
The Tapestry of Yods

I confess it; I’m a Yod fanatic – possibly because I have several in my chart, but also because they can explain some of the quirky and otherwise inexplicable things that happen to us.

To those of you not familiar with Yods, sometimes called "the finger of God" aspect, it is made up of a sextile between two planets and the quincunx or inconjunct of another planet to them. What this creates is an aspect that has 3 planets that have little in common. They are in different elements and modalities (Cardinal, Fixed or Mutable) which can lead to tensions - with both the inconjunct aspect and the sextile there are problems - even with the sextile, which is considered a positive aspect. In Karen Hamaker-Zondag’s book, "The Yod Book" she comments that it can be problematic because it can lend insecurity and what it promises we won't get for free. We'll still have to work hard for it, unlike with the trine where it all comes together more rapidly."

She explains the inconjunct this way: Kepler referred to the 150 deg aspect and describes it as 'cutting sharply.' Koch, who analyzed Kepler's study of aspects, describes the aspect as a 'clearly splitting tendency that sets both possibilities in clear-cut opposition to each other.' In his view, it indicates limitations and disappointment, because the situation insists on a decision. With the quincunx, we would tend to look only at the opportunity that was missed, and not at the one that was realized. We will have to understand the inconjunct if we want to be able to interpret a Yod. In another part of the book she states: that an inconjunct is therefore a troublesome aspect. We might say that the planets involved don't understand each other's worlds at all.

About the combination of the two: the Yod, she expresses the relationship as follows: Yods and unaspected planets cannot deal very well with situations where pressure is exerted or things have to be done under compulsion. This is tricky because people with Yods and unaspected planets often enter situations where something has to be done at the very last minute, so where the pressure is mounting. They may perform excellently, as it happens, but that isn't the issue. However, they cannot tolerate 'being besieged' by a partner, or being placed under pressure.

Back in November (posted on the AstroDataBank website) I had gleaned that both would likely be disappointed by the outcome of both the Caucuses and the NH Primary: Hillary, perhaps more than Obama. The reason? When I cast the event chart for the Iowa Caucuses (1/3/08) which had a sextile between the Sun @ 13 Capricorn and Uranus @ 15 Pisces. Obama's Sun @ 12 Leo (a little wide to Uranus, but still within Karen Hamaker Zondag's parameters for an inconjunct of 3.5 degrees) - Hillary's Mars/Pluto formed Yods.

Another Yod was formed on that date with the sextile for between the Moon @ 23 Scorpio (I used 8PM as the time of poll closings) and Mercury 23 Capricorn inconjunct Hillary's Uranus @ 25 Gemini.

To compound things, she had yet another Yod created from the sextile between her Uranus @ 25 Gemini and Saturn @ 21 Leo inconjunct Mercury @ 23 Capricorn.

Based on all of these Yods affecting her chart on January 3, it wasn’t surprising that she lost those caucuses.

This last Yod repeated itself on January 8, 2008 (the New Hampshire Primary) with the Moon creating theYod by inconjuncting her Uranus/Saturn instead of Mercury. My feeling is that because the Moon is so fluid and moves through the sign quite quickly, she was able to pull out a win. The Moon rules the feminine principal, which is what tipped the scales for her, as women voters were moved by her display of emotion the night before the primary. 

What also helped her was that transiting Mars at 27 Gemini, was creating a sextile to Obama’s Uranus and an inconjunct to his Saturn, which set him up for a heavier Yod transit on that date than the one for her.

Civics Lesson 101

Looking ahead, I’d like to offer a quick Civics lesson about how the Democratic candidates get nominated – Wikipedia actually offers it in length for those who want more information. Bear with me, there’s a good reason for this being introduced.

Each Democratic Representative, Senator and Governor is automatically delegates in addition to others that are pointed out on Wiki. These delegates can "endorse" a candidate as of 2/4/08 Hillary has 200 super-delegates and 248 delegates total, Obama has 107 super-delegates and 170 delegates total. (This article is going to press before Super Tuesday.)

Each state is allocated a number of delegates based on population, etc. Some of the delegates are pledged and after the caucus or primary, the pledged delegates are allocated to each candidate based on the percentage of the vote that they get. For example, in Iowa, there were 45 Pledged delegates: Obama got 16, Hillary 15 and Edwards 14 (don't ask me why Edwards didn't get the 15, but he didn't), so the loss to Hillary wasn’t as major as it may have seemed overall. In New Hampshire they both picked up an additional 9.

Pledged delegates do not have to vote for their candidate at the convention, but can be removed by the candidate if s/he senses that there will be problems, so the pledged number is pretty much what the candidate goes into the convention with.

To get the nomination on the first ballot (August 25-28, Denver, CO), s/he will need 2025 delegates. If no one has 2025, then after the first ballot, the delegates can vote for whomever they like. So, technically, Obama or Hillary can "win" every state and still not have enough delegates to get the nomination. In addition to Michigan not being allowed any delegates, neither is Florida.

The reason that I'm discussing this has been the nagging feeling that this race isn't going to be over so quickly. My intuition, plus some more astrology besides what follows here, tells me that this nomination process is going to be taken to the convention and will not be decided in the primaries.

On January 19, 2008, Nevada had their caucuses – using 8PM for the Nevada chart, the Moon is conjunct that pesky Mars which will continue to dog Obama. It isn’t going away anytime soon for him. There are other factors that suggest to me that this isn’t going to be a runaway for him. The nodes on February 5 – super-duper Tuesday - are 28 Aquarius and Leo - this is a flip-flop with Obama's natal nodes of 27 Leo and Aquarius. It also puts the south node quite close to his Uranus, which is a part of the Yod formation. I get the sense that there will be some sort of shift in his appeal.

Hillary isn’t exempt from the finger of God either. On February 5, there is a sextile between Uranus @ 16 Pisces and Venus @ 15 Capricorn - her natal Pluto is 14 Leo (so within Hamaker's orb for a quincunx to Uranus). There may be some more disappointment, but, Yods are also karmic learning tools. The fact that we have Venus (in the not very warm Cappy) and Uranus in sensitive Pisces, suggests that she is learning how to tone down her Pluto (with Mars, of course), be the modern woman, but make it more palatable. This warming up was evidenced in the New Hampshire primary when she became tearful and showed a humanness that is sometimes not readily apparent. She went on to win.

Overall, because their charts are both being affected by Yods, that the primaries are going to be a mixed bag and that neither one will come out a clear winner and, for the first time in many years, the conventions will be more than just a formality.

Penelope Addy is an Intuitive Astrologer who discovered what would be her lifelong love affair with Astrology when she was about 6 years old and began reading the little Sun Sign booklets that were sold in the corner candy store near her house in Chicago. In the mid 1970s, she had the good fortune to meet Betty Collins, who, at that time, was the astrologer for Maureen Reagan and gave Ronald Reagan his first chart analysis. Her other clients included Richard Chamberlain and Bill Bixby (the Incredible Hulk), which enabled Penelope to cut her Astrological teeth reading these charts and those of Betty's other clients. This mentorship lasted for ten years. Penelope has also studied at the Philosophical Research Institute in Los Angeles that was founded by Manly P. Hall. In addition to Astrology, Penelope has read Tarot for about 30 years, and became a Reiki Master in 1997. She offers a full spectrum of services to support your life and to provide answers to those questions that often seem completely unanswerable. The hope and goal of any service that is selected is to provide healing - emotional, spiritual and/or physical. Clients of Penelope's often comment upon how spot on her insights are and her ability to cut through to the situation at hand and help them to find real solutions to their problems.

To book a reading with Penelope just click on Phone Readings and place your order through Celestial Liaisons Unlimited.

The New Age Mother
© 2008 Roxanne Carol

We evolve through revolutionary thought, when we reach a crossroads in our life when we realize that our family patterns hinder us, instead of support us, then its time for that generation to implement the change. What you change in yourself, you change in your DNA and therefore pass down to your offspring. Raising children is never easy, but kids being born today, need new programming from their parents in order to match their destinies. Each child comes in with specific gifts, talents and marching orders. They all have missions and are all here to make a difference in one realm or another. When souls live up to their potential, they evolve, and so does the rest of their world. When parents unconsciously hold their children back through ignorance of their special soul’s purpose, then they actually are performing a disservice if they are just becoming what their parents were. This is not an easy task to conquer, because the very nature of becoming a parent, is that ‘ancestral and parental’ instinct kicks in and takes over. It’s in our DNA, all mammals and humans have that.

Here’s where Pluto’s process will shed light over the next 16 years, by revealing the parenting shadow while you parent your new Starchildren, Indigo children, Rainbow Kids, Millennium Children, Super Psychic Kids of China or any other place on the planet, they will all bring it up in you. The very thing you hated your parents for, you somehow unconsciously find yourself doing to your kids. The moment you realize it, you shift, the second you change your reaction, you create new habit patterns and the more you practice it, your DNA is affected, and therefore shifts. If you have more children, their DNA will change as well, and you’ve just corrected a family pattern. Easier said than done! But the more awake and aware we are, the easier it gets, and the more little successes we accumulate, the more confidence we get to keep massaging those ineffective and outworn family patterns out of us.

Pluto deals with all those ugly emotions. Anger, Rage, Abuse, Guilt, Shame, Blame, Jealousy and Revenge, oh and lets not forget murder and death. It’s what made Annakim Darth Vader. It’s the deepest psychic wounds we carry with us. Pluto in melancholy Capricorn calls all of us to get in touch with our inner Darth Vaders and put it through Pluto’s cleansing and healing transformation.

Here’s the pattern that needs to shift during Pluto’s next journey, which is the ability and consciousness to support the transformation and transmutation of family patterns deeply rooted within our DNA. Pluto correlates with the RNA/DNA genetic coding in all forms of life. There’s a lot of buzz these days about transforming DNA, but how?

Well, two things we know affect our DNA, 1) each cell is made up of protein, and DNA molecules are supported by phytonutrients which come only from live plants, fruits and vegetables; and 2) the ability to actually change behavioral responses and reactions to situations and circumstances that differs from our parents, which in turn alters the patternings in one’s DNA.

For example, if you come from a family that has a pattern of alcoholism, which will show up in your chart by the way, and you choose to avoid drinking alcohol then you will have altered that DNA pattern, and therefore pass that on to your offspring so they are not born with the alcoholism degree in their mock up. What you have done is changed the evolutionary pattern in your family.

Those born with a propensity towards addiction will also show up in their charts, and oftentimes when family patterns are passed down, they are passed down in a much more weakened state than what their ancestors had, because they were too busy creating it. So a child born into a family with different types of addiction often grows up having a resistance to different types of foods and substances because of this weakness in the DNA. With parental ‘consciousness’ they can guide their new kids towards a healthier diet and lifestyle and early discipline is the best kind, because it may take a few months to create a new habit, but it can take years to break it.

I have come across many new Starchildren and Indigos that have an intolerance, sensitivity and/or allergy to certain foods and medicines. It’s as if they are trying to tell their parents, this is no longer good for us on a family level, so it’s time to change the family diet and create new patterns.

Wheat, White Flour in particular, Dairy products, peanuts, food dyes and food chemicals are the biggest culprits that can disturb the homeostasis of the New Children. Sadly, parents and physicians that lack this type of awareness end up dumbing down these sensitive souls with pharmaceuticals in the form of psychotropic drugs to control their behavior, while gradually and daily poisoning these new bodies and suppressing their natural gifts and immune systems, when all that was needed in the first place is an adjustment to their diet, by incorporating alternative foods that do not cause intolerance and sensitivity.

In fact some of these kids know at a very young age what they’re here for, they are strong willed and independent and will refuse popular childhood foods like chocolate and pizza, which seems very strange to parents who have it in their mock up that in order to have a happy childhood, kids need to be fed with lots of pizza, sodas and candy to make them happy. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

The biggest challenge is getting parents and teachers to see this. "It Takes a Village To Raise A Child" which is so true. Even when parents become conscious and aware of the integral connection between different foods and their child’s behavior, health and well being, they still need to battle with the ignorance of teachers, Principals and the school system that is bent on feeding children all kinds of junk food riddled with chemicals and rewarding children for good scholastic performances at school with junk food. To grow up as a healthy child in today’s world is like growing up as an outcast. There’s something wrong with this picture. Don’t you think? While the rest of the group is busy eating cow’s milk and processed cookies for snack, these New Starchildren and Indigos are choosing healthier snacks like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and natural juices. Schools need to see that all children can no longer tolerate the old paradigm of being raised on cow’s milk, which has proven to be one of the biggest culprits in immune deficiencies, ear infections and let’s not forget our newest and biggest epidemic, childhood obesity.

This should send alarms out to all new parents to make changes in their family diets and put pressure on their schools and community to accommodate these necessary adaptations. Schools should offer choices between animal milk (cow’s milk) and one or two milks that come solely from the vegetable kingdoms, like soy milk or rice milk. This would make the school’s system more inclusive than just supporting one industry by submitting to the loudest lobbyist.

Did you know that supplementing your child’s diet with Fish Oils, which come in delicious fruit flavored chewables that taste like candy, helps with growing pains? Besides the DHEA only found in Fish Oil helps with brain development and can actually make your child more attentive in school by increasing their ability to concentrate.

Most parents can’t get their children to eat enough fresh fruits and vegetables, especially when their taste buds are numbed down through too much white flour, white sugar and sodium rich processed foods. However, there is a product on the market today that is likened to space food. 17 different organically grown raw fruits and vegetables made into delicious gummies and sweetheart like chewables, sweetened only with fructose. Kids love them and all they need is 2-4 a day to get their daily requirement of fruits and veggies. For more information, visit: Whole Food Supplements.

Good Habits Last a Life Time

Part of the problem with American families is not having the spiritual guts to be a good disciplinarian with their children. I have met women, who are afraid of being a firm disciplinarian because they fear being mean to their kids, so they are lax in teaching little ones good eating habits at a very young age, they somehow think that its taking away from their childhood, which is rooted in a time where eating certain foods, were more wholesome than they are with today’s dairy products, which are riddled with chemicals, hormones, antibiotics as well as genetically modified. Parents are afraid and lazy at the same time to make the necessary changes to ensure that a child grows up healthy and doesn’t end up with Cancer and/or Obesity at a young age. Eating is such a Family Pattern. Families need to be aware, that just because a particular dish is part of their culture, or family heritage, it can still in this day contribute to illness because our food supply has changed.

What many are growing up with, are alternatives. I grew up in Italian/Jewish families, and I can no longer tolerate white flour and dairy products. But because of the wonderful world of alternative whole foods, such as soy, tofu products, rice, spelt and a variety of other grains, I enjoy most of the same dishes just without the wheat and dairy. My daughter was born with a sensitivity and allergy to dairy, and reacts negatively to too much wheat, so it is possible to raise a child in this world on an alternative organic diet. Supplementing with only whole foods, such as Fruit and Vegetable Extracts is far better than feeding them synthetic vitamins. Fruits and Vegetables support the body and its immune defenses more efficiently than synthetics do, it delivers phytonutrients, which so far, laboratories have not been able to produce. Phytonutrients come only from plants, (phyto means plant) it is what protects the cells of a plant, and it also protects human cells, and repairs damaged DNA. Damaged DNA comes from free radicals and chemicals, and damaged DNA attracts cancer cells, where as healthy DNA can be protected. It’s really so simple, eat more fruits and vegetables, which builds and supports good health.

Astrologically speaking, Saturn cycles rules over maturity and development. Every 7 years, there is an aspect to Saturn. Age 7 is the first square, age 14 is the first opposition (adolescence) age 21 the second square and age 28-29 is the Saturn return. Establishing good habits and teaching children self-discipline and self-control by their first Saturn square, will insure these habits will develop and serve them throughout their lifetime.

Some children experience the terrible two’s when they are three, at which time you see your sweet little baby turn into the Tasmanian Devil. This is always a challenging phase of parenting, and just when you think you’ve got that under control, they turn 7 and test you on every boundary you set up for them up to that point, only at age 7 they know how to argue and manipulate better than at age 2 or 3. This is a time where parents have to remain firm, to insure that the good habits, good manners and self control you are teaching to them, sticks. When parents give up on this power struggle with their children, no body wins. The child thinks it has won, but in reality it has lost, because it needs these boundaries and limitations to grow up securely, the parent loses because now by the time the child reaches its next Saturn aspect at age 14, i.e., the passage of adolescence, the child feels lost without the foundation that should have been established at the first Saturn square, and you’ve got a troubled teen on your hands. 7 year olds will argue, and find ways to manipulate, but if parents stay firm and on track, this stage passes, a child has been given a solid foundation, and the struggles will grow less intense at age 8.

Also, on the flip side, if parents are excessively strict or abusive, children will grow up to rebel, so this is why they say, parenting is no easy job, finding that right balance between knowing when to be strict, and knowing when to let go, requires lots of long term patience, more so with oneself than just your child.

Celestial Liaisons Unlimited offers two very unique reports written for both children and parents. The Child Report is written for parents to understand what energies, personalities, gifts and challenges their children are born with. It is accompanied by a Natal Analysis written in Book Report format with colorful pictures to be enjoyed by the child when it comes of age to soul search for itself. Both reports are published in colorful booklets along with artistic color natal charts. The Teenage Reports which is a daily, weekly and yearly forecast written for both young adults and their parents. The parent section gives insight into guiding their teenagers through the difficult passage of adolescence, by giving insight into the energetic changes constantly taking place in their lives daily as well as the many temptations and emotional ups and downs experienced by young adults. Teenagers benefit greatly from their report written to appeal to their level of understanding which encourages them as they pursue their goals and stay out of dangerous pitfalls that tempt many teens today.

In my opinion, some cases of ADD, or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) are caused by impatience. Most of these Indigos, Starchildren, Millennium kids, come in with a higher level of energy than what exists on the planet today. Parents face new challenges to match their children’s energy and when parents fail to understand the root causes of this condition, by ignorantly exacerbating the problem with poor nutrition, they resort to pharmaceuticals to numb and dumb down their kids high energy.

I am offering a ground breaking documentary on my Psychic Kids page titled, The Indigo Method-Healing ADD, ADHD & Bi-Polar Disorder - 2- DVD set Documentary © 2005. The Indigo Method™ offers a family system approach to healing and transforming ADD, ADHD, Bi-Polar Disorder and Sensory Integration Disorder, through healing modalities of nutritional adjustments, naturopathic applications and psychotherapy with horses.

Animals as Healers

Working with animals has long been a solution for distressed children. Horses are the land dolphins. So much research has been done on working with dolphins that in turn help to facilitate healing in children and adults of all ages. That same work goes on with horses, which are just as empathic and telepathic as dolphins are. Horses, like dolphins respond to our emotional energy and "energy fields". They mirror back to us what we are not feeling, because horses feel everything, energetically and physically. They can feel a fly land on their back, as well as feel subtle energies, that most humans can’t. True, horses have been used for centuries as work horses, warrior horses, and serving our transportation needs. These animals have gallantly assisted in humanity’s evolution. Now new research shows that horses can help heal psychological, emotional and physical blocks.

Horses can be great Healers and Teachers to us. They not only get you to confront your fears, but act as agents and healers of self doubt, as they challenge your courage and confidence when working with them. In fact, that seems to be a prerequisite for handling them. Their horse sense knows if you’re afraid of them which they will take advantage of if you let them. They respect confidence and so inspire it.

The irony is that horses can be afraid of their own shadows - literally! So they look to us to make them feel safe. The Equine Partnership is as old as life itself, but recently has taken on new depths in the fields of healing deep rooted issues.

Besides the psycho-spiritual connection, riding horses for physical, emotional and psychological healing is called, "Hippotherapy." Hippo comes from the root for horses, which comes from the word Hippopotamus, which was originally the first horse or water horse. Hippotherapy is a relatively new form of physiological therapy that helps those with physical and psychological challenges to align themselves to the natural rhythms of the horse. Using the horse as a vehicle for the adjustment of the spine, helps those who are physically challenged to gain balance and confidence. Because horses mirror emotions, those who are emotionally constipated, can benefit from handling horses, as they will mirror back those emotions that humans have stuffed and allow healing to take place through awareness and integration.

Melissa Pearce is an Equestrian Psychotherapist with a ranch in Longmont, Colorado who regularly holds workshops and seminars on Intuitive Awareness with horses. She is featured in The Indigo Method™ DVDs, and has successfully assisted children with ADHD to have more confidence and control of their energy through working with an Equine partner.

Horses are the Land Dolphins

I have been on the horse path for 20 years now, mainly riding trails anywhere I could. However, over the past year, I have taken my Equestrian path to a different level, by learning different training techniques and doing ‘groundwork’, which is a totally new perspective than just being on the back of a horse. I have come to realize that after having the opportunity to work with both wild and trained dolphins over the years, how and why horses are the ‘land dolphins’. Both animals empath energy fields, they can scan you in about 30 seconds and know stuff about you, that you, yourself may not be aware of. They are able to tap into emotional energy that humans have been conditioned to hide and deny. Besides their obvious differences, they both have the gifts of empathy and telepathy. They feel everything and they communicate through visuals via telepathy. When you hook up your visual with the horse and dolphin combined with physical signals, hand signals for the dolphin and body language communicated to the horse, you have established a bond of trust and they will then do just about anything for you.

If you’re dedicated to the healing path and the path of self-awareness, having a session with a horse or a dolphin can jump start self-healing in ways no other modality can. Don’t be afraid to take the plunge. By working with an accomplished trainer in a safe environment for both humans and animals, it can be a richly rewarding healing experience for both human and animal that will certainly jump start your energy field to ‘shift’.

References:

Roxanne Carol, The Year of the Desert Rat, 1996, originally published in ISCNI, The Institute for Study of Contact with Non Human Intelligence.
Suzanne White, The New Astrology-A Unique Synthesis of the World’s Two Great Astrological Systems: The Chinese and the Western
Ibid
Goodbye To All That #2 by Robin Morgan http://www.womensmediacenter.com/ex/020108.html http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches
/hillaryclintonbeijingspeech.htm http://paradigmprobe.blogspot.com/2008/01/national-security-and-targeting-of.html
Ibid
See Roxanne Carol’s 2007 Newsletter Trends – http://www.celestialliaisons.com/Trends.htm
See Roxanne Carol’s Archives Newsletters, http://www.celestialliaisons.com/Trends.htm
http://www.kaia.ca/Death-by-pharmaceuticals.php
"How to Personalize the Outer Planets", book number 10, in 1992, a series of books edited by Noel Tyl.
Ralph Marsten, http://greatday.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torture
Eliphas Levy, http://www.templarhistory.com/levi.html
How The Church Created the Image of the Devil, http://www.twistedtree.org.uk/baphomet.htm
http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2007/06/29
/us_cracks_down_on_fish_from_china/ Anderson Reed, Shouting At The Wolf, A Guide To Identifying and Warding Off Evil In Everyday Life
Roxanne Carol © 2001 Moon Wobble http://www.celestialliaisons.com/MoonWobble.htm
Roxanne Carol © 1994, 2002, Strategies, Games People Play: How to Win With Mercury Retrograde:
http://www.celestialliaisons.com/StrategiesGamesPeoplePlay.htm
Hillary Clinton, It Takes A Village To Raise A Child