Murky Retro-Moon Wobble-Eclipse Period-Venus Retro
2004 Eclipses
The Clarke Controversy
The Goddess Emerges-Venus Eclipse –Venus Retrograde
What’s Love Got to Do With It?
The Conditions of Unconditional Love
The New Civil Rights Issue

Mercury Retrogrades April 6, – April 30, 2004, it stations retro at 2 deg of Taurus and then shimmies back into Aries on April 12. It will station direct on April 30 at 21 degrees of Aries and will reach 2 deg of Taurus again in its forward motion by May 17, the same day that Venus stations retrograde. This unpredictable mixed-up period impacts our love life. Jupiter will turn direct at 9 degrees Virgo on May 4, 2004 the day of the Full Moon Lunar Eclipse on 14 deg of Scorpio.

Moon and Solar wobble is from March 26 – May 19, 2004 . (See Moon Wobble ) The center of the Wobble is at 11 degrees of Taurus. The Moon wobble peak days will be April 27 – May 4, with a particular emphasis on April 29th - May 1, 2004. The Solar Eclipse in Aries on April 19, 2004 and the Scorpio Full Moon Eclipse on May 4, 2004 heightens the energies. (See 2003 Eclipses)

As with the nature of most retrogrades, moon wobbles and eclipses, issues surface that have either been denied, suppressed or unattended to. This can be a troublesome and disruptive period, as we may feel unnerved by what feels like an outside influence because it disturbs our set patterns. It’s not wise to go out on a limb now, secrets will find their way out of the bag, which some will feel would have been best left hidden. It’s important not to take this discomfort personally. There are simply times when an inner catalyst or karmic force instigates change without notice. Reduce your exposure to the possible negative effects of others. This is not to say that one should become antisocial and crawl under a rock, but rather do what you can to minimize repercussions in your life if someone chooses to go in a direction or undertake an action you’re not comfortable with.

While in Moon Wobble, the whole planet is affected, it's as if everyone's energy fields are thrown together in a type of cosmic 'washing machine'. You know that old saying: it all washes together in the wash? Being that we're all spiritual beings having human experiences, we are however capable of individuating and holding our own energy by staying in our power, however, if you're not aware of it, during Moon Wobble, you may become more empathic by unconsciously picking up the vibrations of others; so it's good to work on protecting yourself. For example, have you ever left your house in the morning feeling perfectly fine and then during the course of your day got mixed up in a crowd, like having to stand on line or ride a crowded bus or train, then for no reason at all developed a headache and/or felt depressed? Consider that it might not be you but the energies of others attaching to you. This can become an interesting exercise and time to develop and work on holding your own space while feeling compassion for the hardships of others.

Remember we cannot stop the waves of change. Instead, we need to learn how to ride them! This will be a time of unstable currents, weather patterns and strange storms. It’s probably wise to be flexible with your goal setting for now until these waves pass. Remember, chaos always precedes breakthrough and resistance to evolution causes pain. Meditation serves as a means for purification. It’s best to just go with the flow.

"People Plan…God laughs….Just Wing It ;-)"~ AngelStar

When the Sun enters Aries--the first sign of the zodiac, a new cycle in the Astrological New Year is initiated. It is the time of renewal, rebirth and regeneration. Aries is a masculine fire sign that represents our primal creative energy, which is the source of all life. During Aries, our needs can feel open and raw and we tend to be more direct and assertive by wanting things done immediately. It is the sign of impatience and primordial urges. With this energy we are put in touch with the culturally rejected wildness and undigested shadow side that each of us carries in our subconscious. This shadow lies at the core of our being. We cannot get rid of it.

This was illustrated by Tarocco Tavaglione’s 18^th century image of the "Scapegoated Goddess", whose image emerged with the head of a Ram (Aries) whose esoteric name was Baphomet, from the Greek words 'Baphe' and 'Metis'. The two words together mean "Baptism of Wisdom". She represented volcanic reserves of passion and primal desire which empowered her efforts to overcome the pressure of stereotyped roles that freed her to experience true freedom of soul. Tavaglione’s highly evolved image portrayed the magical formula for harnessing and transmitting primal and obsessive emotions into transformative energies. The old Gnostic message was that this fearsome passion and power must be reintegrated into one’s personality in order to fuel the soul’s passage from mortal to immortal. Baphomet is one of the most misunderstood religious symbols of all time. At first look, the image appears to be a grotesque misshapen sphinx like creature, with the head of a ram goat, wings of an eagle, cloven hooves, and the body of a nude woman. The image has become the 15^th major arcane of the Tarot, aka Devil card which ironically often means liberation, freedom from bondage and getting in touch with one’s authentic self. The Eliphas Levi image is the androgynous image incorporating all the imagery of Isis, Set and the gods of creation. Astrologically, all four cardinal points are also depicted; Aries (the Ram), Libra (the scales of balance) Capricorn (the Goat) and Cancer (the Moon). A modern interpretation is that it represents fertility, success and power.

The name Baphomet first surfaced during the trials of the Knights Templars, a medieval order of Crusader Monks accused of heresy, witchcraft, and other crimes against the Catholic Church. The code, known as the "atbash Cipher," is a common Kabalistic substitution cipher, spelled in Hebrew characters yields the name "Sophia." Curiously, a number of Templar artifacts bear an image of an unusual bearded androgyne which resembles alchemical drawings of the Anima Mundi, or soul of the world, who is identical to the Gnostic Sophia (Sophia was often referred to by the Gnostics as a hermaphroditic deity). The Energy of the Great Goddess Sophia is considered to be the universal womb from which all manifestation comes. Several commentators believed this points to the Templars having been Gnostics ('gnosis' meaning knowing).

"For a spiritual practitioner, one’s enemies play a crucial role. As I see it, compassion is the essence of a spiritual life. And in order for you to become successful in practicing love and compassion, the practice of patience and tolerance is indispensable. There is no fortitude similar to patience, just as there is no affliction worse than hatred." -The Dalai Lama

Aries is also the sign of the warrior so consequently we might experience the rough edges of our anger closer to the surface than we normally do. The Full Moon in Libra on April 5 symbolizes the balancing of war and peace, anger and love, aggression and gentleness through the realm of the relationships between the "I AM" and each other. While Aries rules over the lower ego, it is also the sign of the Mighty "I AM" Presence, the Divinity that exists within humanity. Libra is the principle of partnership, between the Human and the Divine, as well as between each of us. It is the sign of peace. Many Astrologers agree that Jesus of Nazareth was actually born on April 7, 1BC @4:15 p.m., in Bethlehem. This makes perfect sense because he was a pioneer of new thinking (Aries) and had the courage as a spiritual warrior to make waves during a time of great fear and tyranny. He was born under a Full Moon in Libra along with a Libra rising actually making him Venus ruled, which is why his whole mission was about Love. He came in with the exaltation of Venus in Pisces at 29 degrees, which is the master degree of Compassion. His Cosmic DNA assisted his mission as his very presence marked a shift between the harsh energies of the Aries age into the age of sorrows which is the Piscean Age.

The Full Moon in Libra every year marks the beginning of the Jewish Passover. A time which is suppose to represent peace, harmony and balance. Unfortunately, this aspect hasn’t always produced that, as its been troublesome for the Middle East and Israel.

A Global opportunity for transformation is offered to all as the Sun forms an expansive trine aspect with powerful Pluto between April 9-13, 2004, peaking on Easter Sunday, April 11, 2004. It’s an opportunity to heal the effects of the imbalances of anger in the world, as well as our individual relationships with the Divine. Compassion makes us more aware that underneath all the anger and hatred is deep pain from old wounds. Unity exists between all the "I AM" Presences in all of us all the time, whether we are aware of it or not, however as human beings, it becomes our individual tasks to ground our Divinity within this third dimensional experience we call Earth. We each play a part in co-creating Heaven on Earth.

During the Aries cycle, we are called to find the few things that really matter to us and passionately pursue them. It requires self-discipline to not only stay in touch with the passion that drives you, but also to master it so it doesn’t race madly ahead or spiral downwards into addiction or insanity. Strive to become as authentic as possible as you are responsive to life’s creative potential. However, be patient as such developments don’t happen overnight. Know that it is available to you though, and you will feel so much happier when you have won your way to that freedom.

"Life responds when we risk."~ Rodney Smith, "Lessons From the Dying"

As Aries rules our Ego, the upcoming Aries Solar Eclipse tells us that the almighty ‘Ego’ can no longer block the light of awareness moving through the planet now. The Spiritual mission of humanity is to mediate the 3 worlds of universal consciousness, self-consciousness and the collective consciousness. When such epiphanies happen we experience ourselves in a timeless state of grace where there is no doubt, shame or grief. Moments like these are invaluable and worth all the work and waiting. It’s the result of all your efforts and a harbinger of incredible potentials, making it the "ultimate mystical experience."

The first series of Eclipses in 2004 will occur April 19, 2004 @ 7:21 am MT on the cuspy critical 29 degrees and 49 minutes of Aries. The Sun actually enters into Taurus later in the morning @11:50 a.m. MT. There are tense aspects between Pluto and Mars on this day going through the America which culminates into a opposition on April 24.

The fixed star Mirach is at 29 deg of Aries which is known as the "Visionary", it is a yellow beta star in the constellation of Andromeda and has historically imparted personal beauty, forgiveness, a brilliant mind, renown and good fortune to those born under it. When a Solar Eclipse happens with this fixed star, the potential for healing is emphasized, as the energy of this star is also involved in the Eclipse pattern. Eclipses are notorious for bringing together opposite energies that can be considered extreme particularly in a Solar Eclipse the Light energy dominates and eclipses the dark.

However, April 19 has indeed been an ominous day in history. The tragic Waco Fire occurred in 1992, the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, the tragedy of the Columbine murders in 1999, the Battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775 as well as the birthday of Adolph Hitler as. 29 degrees of Aries also denotes sudden changes in fortune and sometimes treachery. It has recently been called the degree of the Tyrant because its energy is aggressive, impatient, violent and unfortunately ruthless. The possibility and potential of some type of attack around that time is strong.

This eclipse represents a major turning point with respect to violence in the Middle East. The fact that this eclipse is also happening under Mercury retrograde, indicates we will be revisiting old issues once again. The beauty of Solar Eclipses is that they are always on New Moons, which is an opportunity for all of us to renew and rejuvenate ourselves. While New Moons last for 28 day cycles, Solar Eclipse energies continue on for 6 months – 1 year depending on the eclipse that takes place 6 months later.

And if that’s not enough to get your engines in gear, we’ll also be entering into a new Moon Wobble period that begins prior to the Solar Eclipse, will peak on April 30 and May 1, and continue on through May 19, 2004. Then on May 4, 2004 we will experience the first Full Moon Lunar Eclipse of the year @14 degrees of Scorpio, which is connected to the November 2003 Eclipse patterns, remember the Star of David? (see November 2003 Eclipses, Moon Wobbles & Retros) .

If you have planets within 5 degrees of 29 degrees of Aries, 11 degrees of Taurus (Moon Wobble) and 14 degrees of Scorpio (Lunar Eclipse), be prepared, as your life is about to go through a series of adjustments and changes. However, if you have planets between 10-15 degrees of Aquarius and Leo, you will be especially challenged during this period to make some necessary changes in your lives. Look to the houses that these eclipses and Moon Wobble is taking place, and you will get a much clearer picture as what area of your life is being focused on now. (for a more in depth reading, go to www.celestialliaisons.com).

The Lunar Eclipse in Scorpio represents that many things are going on behind the scenes that will find their way to the surface, i.e., the present administration’s ‘policy of secrecy’.

Richard Clarke an American civil servant born with a stellium in Scorpio trine a Moon/Uranus conjunction in Cancer was having transiting Saturn pass over his Moon and Uranus as it made a supportive trine to his Sun/Mercury/Venus conjunction in Scorpio, coupled with Uranus making a Grand Trine to his Sun/Mercury/Venus, Moon & Uranus on March 21, 2004 as he was catapulted from being a behind-the-scenes bureaucrat to being a whistle blower in the spotlight when he was interviewed on "60 Minutes". This was "Divine Timing", and regardless of what controversy he has stirred, he is under an extremely supportive and protective energy field from the cosmos right now. The brilliant timing of his "60 Minutes" interview, his book release, "Against All Enemies," in which he accuses the Bush administration of doing a "terrible job" of fighting terrorism, and his subsequent TV appearances caused quite a hoopla in Washington, which seemed to simultaneously and synchronistically coincide with the hearings of the independent 9/11 Commission. Clarke appeared under oath before the commission, and apologized to those families of 9/11 victims and its survivors by saying, "Your government failed you, those entrusted with protecting you failed you and I failed you." His testimony and apology touched many and offended some. Be that as it may, his apology remains unprecedented. Even though Donald Rumsfeld, Condoleezza Rice, and Colin Powell all disputed his claims in their attempts to cast aspersions on his credibility, they all seemed to contradict one another. Clarke has countered by saying that the White House is engaging in character assassination rather than addressing the issues he raises. So what else is new? They said he wrote this book out of anger for being demoted. From everything I’ve seen and read, this came from righteous indignation. So what if he was angry, it appears he had every right to be. This was not about him, this was about thousands of people. In my opinion his humility, touching apology and courage to tell the truth outweighs any feelings of anger or revenge towards the Bush administration. There is a difference between revenge and justice. It is up to the American people to decide that for themselves.

He makes two major assertions in his book: Bush failed to make terrorism "an urgent issue"; Bush and his administration were focused on Iraq and Saddam Hussein even though Clarke and others could not find any evidence that the Iraqi dictator was linked to Osama bin Laden. Clarke claims that, "By invading Iraq, the president of the United States has greatly undermined the war on terrorism."

With the upcoming wave of ‘Murky Retro’, a Moon & Solar Wobble and 2 Eclipses, one of which has the potential to reveal secrets and unmask the shadows, the timing of the release of Clarke’s book in my opinion could not have been better. There’s an old saying, "The truth is like oil, it almost always surfaces."

"It was pride that changed angels to devils; it is humility that makes men angels." ~ St. Augustine

Venus goes retro once every 2 years, and this year it will be doing its backward tango in the sign of Gemini on May 17, 2004 beginning at 26 degrees to 10 degrees of Gemini where it will station direct on June 29, 2004. Interestingly, that the same day Venus retros, Neptune also takes a few steps back on May 17 at 15 deg of Aquarius, the degree of the Angel. Astrologically speaking, Neptune is the higher octave of Venus. Venus generally rules over love - both romantic, platonic and familial, and Neptune is the planet of Divine Love, Agape Love, and ones connection to Spirit. Both of these planets will have much to reveal to us when it comes to matters of the heart, on every level. We’d be wise to spend a little more time and attention towards tending to our spirits and our relationships during this time. If blockages are revealed, the solutions will be right behind it, one only needs to pay attention. Have you ever noticed how young children will act up when they feel they need their parents’ attention, and once they get it, they behave like little angels again? What a wonderful metaphor to contemplate when it comes to our relationships in general. If a relationship is valued (the Taurus principle) then it is worth nurturing (the Cancer principle) and communicating (the Gemini principle) your thoughts and feelings.

Traditionally, when Venus retrogrades, it brings to the surface repressed women’s issues. If we look back on all the times during past Venus retrogrades, we can draw a parallel to news and media attention given to women’s issues, such as abortion, domestic violence, child abuse, animal cruelty, marriage and divorce, just to name a few. Of course, the sign it retrogrades in along with the aspects it makes determines what’s ‘up’ for any particular ‘Venus’ season.

"Goddess consciousness is the evolutionary path of choice for the planet." – Penny Hills

Within that period Venus will Eclipse the Sun on June 8, 2004 (appearing to trek across the Sun like a glistening beauty mark). This represents the rise of women in positions of power and leadership. The last Venus eclipse of the Sun was on December 6, 1882. Only months later in February of 1883, The Ladies Home Journal was first published, which at that time was quite the ‘ice-breaker’ for women issues and their voice being heard, only 37 years later women received the right to vote. As Venus eclipses the Sun again, we can expect this will have a lasting effect, as we will begin to see more and more women assuming leadership roles all over the planet.

Venus enters Gemini on April 3 emphasizing the balance of dualities. Gemini is a light and easy intellectual air sign that is detached from the arenas of the emotionalizing love and friendship. Gemini is naturally sociable and thrives on the ongoing exchange of friendship, community and a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood, which is what the sign of the twins represent. However, dual intellectual air sign often finds itself in judgment of its counterpart. Venus in Gemini has often been called "two-faced". The ancient myth of the good and evil twins of the fixed stars Castor and Pollux is inherent in the Gemini energy. This is why this sign rules over deceptive salespeople, liars, charlatan and evil masterminds. In a much more benign expression, this sign represents hypocrisy we all need to reconcile within ourselves. A wise old Astrologer D.K. Smith once told me, "Sooner or later we all need to come to terms with our own hypocrisy". This is also why this sign makes the best storytellers, as the art of storytelling is being able to weave meanings and mottos into the drama between good and evil. So, as we move through this retrograde season, the drama has no doubt already begun around us and within us, giving us all the opportunity to balance and reconcile many facets of reality.

"We teach what we need to learn." ~ Ancient Chinese Proverb

Have you ever been to a healer or healthcare professional, who is working on helping you with certain issues, yet has not dealt with those issues themselves? Or someone who is giving classes on how to create more financial prosperity yet can’t seem to rub two dimes together for themselves? It seems hypocritical, doesn’t it? This comes from a central teaching in most spiritual traditions: What you wish to experience, provide for another. Much of this has to do with some old programming that says we’re not worthy of giving to ourselves, we need to serve and give to others denying ourselves. For some, this kind of selflessness is not exactly the spiritual ideal, because in the end, we all come back to the basic truth, that all Love begins with Self-Love.

If you wish to experience peace, provide peace for another. If you wish to know that you are safe, cause others to know that they are safe. If you wish to better understand seemingly incomprehensible things, help another to better understand. ~ Dalai Lama

However, in the same fashion, there are many souls who are ‘working on their stuff’ and while doing so need to share what they have learned with others, while still being a ‘work in progress’ themselves. This leads more towards authenticity, as the exchange is very much a double-edged sword. If we can be honest with ourselves, and say we are working on these same issues too, then not only will we not be seen as hypocrites, but we will set up the vibrational atmosphere we need for our own healing. Nobody is perfect. However, what distinguishes these well-meaning folk from outright charlatans who consciously pretend to be something they are not? June 16-23, 2004 Jupiter in Virgo will square Venus retrograde along with Uranus in Pisces forming a T-square, which potentially sets up an energy field that will exposes liars, discerns charlatans and those who are trying to pull the wool over your eyes from the ‘real McCoys.’ We get to revisit this square after Venus turns direct on June 29, as Jupiter and Venus will square again July 16-23, 2004 however Uranus is slightly out of orb and retro.  Which means, if there's lid to pop, it will likely happen during these times. We are as a group learning to live in the light. The light makes things transparent, love is light and "light is sweet".

The influence of Venus in Gemini retrograde can serve us towards our individual soul’s growth. That is unless we can reconcile the opposite sides of our own being and consciousness we will not be able to move forward on our own personal evolutionary paths. If we continue to judge and distance ourselves from our dark, shadowy or unevolved natures, we will continue to project that out to others and our ideals of coherence and unity will continue to be elusive.

"Happiness and suffering come from your own mind, not from outside. Your own mind is the cause of happiness; your own mind is the cause of suffering. To obtain happiness and pacify suffering, you have to work within your own mind." ~ Lama Zopa Rinpoche, "The Door To Satisfaction"

As Venus retrogrades in Gemini, we are all being given the opportunity to love the parts of ourselves that are not in alignment with our ideals of light, truth and integrity. This happens through the intervention of others in our orbit, i.e., a relationship reflects this unconscious aspect of ourselves, we respond through judging it, or becoming in conflict with it, and as a rupture occurs, we are inevitably left with ourselves. Do we continue to ‘lie’ (Gemini) to ourselves and say it is all their fault, and we are pure, innocent and irreproachable; or; do we move our consciousness up a notch and choose to take responsibility for the relationship by acknowledging that what we like or dislike about the person are those same qualities reflected in ourselves? If we choose to take the latter road, then we have created an opportunity to transcend judgment and unforgiveness many get stuck in, as we ourselves apply the ideals of unconditional love for ourselves. Let’s face it, unless we can experience self-love, we aren’t fully capable of loving another. This is the essence of Venus retrograde in Gemini.

"What we love in another, we recognize and love in ourselves. What we hate in another, we recognize and hate in ourselves." ~ Anonymous

According to many NDE’s (Near Death Experiencers), after one dies and enters back into spirit, they all seem to report that there isn’t any ‘Judge’ presiding over our souls, but that we ourselves end up judging ourselves. We all set these standards for ourselves before birth, what we’ve come to learn, experience and share with the world, and after our deaths, we are the judge of how far we’ve come to what we ourselves have set out to do in this world and life in body. So, if this is so, why not start now? If we can practice this in ourselves, think of how much projection we’d save the world from?

The Gemini-Sagittarius polarity are the signs of judgment and prejudice. When Venus the planet of Love enters into one of these signs, in this case Gemini, the opportunity to ‘melt’ the ‘Devil’s Advocate’ into the charms of Divine Love exists for all of us. Gemini has also been known as the Devil’s Advocate, a much needed character in life as we learn to discern truth from distortion. We are in a long era of Pluto the planet of transformation traveling through Sagittarius the sign of belief systems and religion, as we are witness to many of the world’s religions adjust themselves in the face of evolving times. As Venus will opposes Pluto, an inner battle ensues literally between the forces of good and evil, truth and lies, spirit and religion, and love and hate.

Many of us "set up:" these dramas with our loved ones to work out these issues in a safe and secure arena. However, for others, the need to work out these issues can be experienced vicariously through watching the dramas of others unfold around us. In any event, one needs to be aware of how you either polarize yourself from another or find the common denominator that threads us all together? The drama you choose is irrelevant.

April 22-25, 2004: Mars opposite Pluto at 22 degrees of Gemini opposite Sagittarius: Power and Control Issues Surface, not a good time for peaceful relations, Middle East conflicts run high. Intense feelings emerge and are difficult to suppress. The challenge is finding the best way to express them without going too far. Whoever is annoying you is only the trigger, not the real cause. Hidden deep within you may find some core issues about power and control that are the real culprits. This time is best utilized to overcome incredible obstacles. Prioritize and focus your activities to the most essential, because your energy force can be like a laser able to cut through anything at this time. Those with planets within 5 degrees of 22 degrees of Gemini, Sagittarius, Virgo and Pisces will feel this one most intensely.

Unconditional Love is such a high ideal for humans to live by. Animals have a much easier time of becoming the vessels of unconditional love. Humans are wrought with all kinds of hang ups and patternings that it seems that no matter how hard they try to become completely unconditionally loving towards others, they somehow fail because of their judgments and anger. Understanding that its only human to have dislikes, judgments and annoyances towards other humans is no less spiritual than those who believe that they should be unconditionally loving at all times, while denying their own prejudices, fears and anger.

A wise healer friend of mine told me recently, "Anger moves mountains but Love lifts mountains." Anger makes activists, and activists create change. Anger is an energy that is so primal, so part of human development, that if we deny it, we would implode upon ourselves. Anger is a teacher that shows us basic boundaries. In the animal kingdom, apes will pound their chests when another is encroaching upon its space, cats will raise their fur up and hiss when another treads on its territory, dogs will bark, birds will caw, etc. So, what’s wrong with humans expressing their anger? Well, we are one of the only species that will intentionally kill each other for trespassing on each other’s space. Even monkeys, cats and dogs will let the other go however wounded. Ironically in some New Age arenas, anger is considered to be so bad and evil, that anyone expressing it is usually shunned or pitied in a self-righteous sort of way. What we have here, are extreme examples of how humans will deal with anger, one is overreacting, the other side is complete denial.

Neither levels of expression or behavior is healthy, and as these coming cosmic patterns form around Earth’s orbit this spring and throughout 2004, we are all being given opportunities to reconcile these ‘dual’ aspects of our consciousness.

Both Venus retrograde in Gemini and Jupiter’s entry into Libra in September, will show us how to reconcile opposite points of view. Venus in Gemini likes to keep things light and easy, people born under this influence relate to love in a cool detached but friendly way. Many will seek multiple partners in their lifetime, this is their nature, Venus in Gemini loves variety and will do anything to prevent boredom. However, now that it will be retrograde, the game changes a bit particularly as it will form a harsh aspect with deep dark Pluto, engaging in clever chit chat about superficial things is only one way to avoid what’s stalking beneath the surface. It’s these hidden secret feelings that will make the next few months really juicy for some.

The frustration of unrequited love, and feeling unfulfilled both socially and romantically, are common feelings and will be "up" during Venus retrograde in opposition to Pluto. What’s happening is two completely opposite energies are fusing together to create just enough tension to either attract or repel depending on the individuals involved. This will be a time where feelings will flow out of control, for some that will be very hard to subdue.

When Venus opposes Pluto, it creates a chasm between love and control, what you end up with is jealousy rearing its ugly head which could potentially turn romance into deception. Love and commitments are being tested on all levels. Feelings will intensify when Venus eclipses the Sun for the first time since 1882 on June 8, 2004.

By early April Mercury slows down and actually retrogrades on April 6 during the Full Moon in Libra. Matters of the heart become uncertain as we weigh the issues of whether freedom is more important than love and we get to revisit things we thought we knew. Reconnecting with people from the past is part of this messenger’s process as we are reminded of where we’ve been and what we thought was good for us at the time. Those who are thinking about making a move may feel thwarted until early May when Mercury moves forward again and should really wait till after May 19 when the Moon Wobble ends.

Mercury the Messenger forms a harmonious trine to intense Pluto as it stations direct between April 30 and May 7. Mercury was the only Greek God who could travel unharmed back and forth over the River Styx, which separated Pluto's underworld from the Earth’s surface. In the same way, we can use Mercury's gift to communicate to us the depths of our subconscious mind and bring back gems of understanding.

Mars conjuncts Saturn on May 24. Have you ever thought that something that is capable of irritating you can inspire you simultaneously? In Astrology, this is considered to be one of the worst malefic aspects. This will be a few days when irritations and annoyances will surface. It may feel like others are trying to get your goat. However, the restrictive, limiting energy of Saturn on Mars makes it difficult to express anger. It’s not healthy to let this kind of energy just sit inside you, because it can be physically destructive, so it would be wiser to use this time to throw yourself into hard work until the energy dissipates, and you are able to face the problem without having to deal with your anger. Both of these planets relate to power, control, authority and energy. It is time to shrug off a former role, search your heart and get in touch with your authentic self. As you practice this new level of self honesty, remember that you can’t get what you want, personally, spiritually or otherwise until you know what you want.

With Saturn in Cancer through mid 2005, emotional awareness coupled with emotional responsibility are the lessons we are all collectively learning, regardless of where Saturn in Cancer is aspecting in your individual charts. Obviously Cancerians, (those with Sun, Moon, Ascendant and any other personal planets in Cancer) are being hit the hardest and feeling the most impact of this transit as Capricorns are receiving the opposition, which may cause them to feel thwarted in their goals, and Aries and Librans are being tested and challenged by Saturn’s square.

Astrologically Saturn is known as the planet of Karma, the judge and the equalizer of the laws of cause and affect, aka the planet of Wisdom and Authority. Saturn will conjunct Mars on May 24, 2004. Mars is the planet of energy, war, aggression, anger and sexuality also traveling in the sign of Cancer, which by the way in Astrology is considered to be its "fall" because the energy of Mars does not do well in the sign of Cancer. It’s like mixing fire and water, you get a lot of steam, tempers can flare and we can do crazy things. The anger of Mars in Cancer can be temperamental and can hold on to resentments for a long time. When this configuration meets up with Saturn, it’s possible for congealed emotional tensions to break up, because its combustible energy can disintegrate old patterns that have been stuck in old traditional and tribal ways. Unfortunately suppression won't work because this kind of energy requires some form of expression. The best thing we can do is to continue to breathe deeply and work on expressing it gradually, rather than allowing ourselves to run out of steam in one big explosion. On a global level, when these two planets get together it can indicate power plays in government and within military forces.

As the discussion of same sex marriages continues, it will become the new Civil Rights Issue. The right to love and be loved regardless of gender, race or creed. The issue of Security comes up as does conflict on what does it really mean to be considered a family unit? As Jupiter moves into Libra the sign of partnership and marriage in September of 2004 – October of 2005, this issue will expand not only in the national discussions, but will enter into law (Libra) as new legislature (Jupiter) is written to protect the rights of human beings and citizens of the United States to love and be loved. Jupiter in Libra will square Saturn in Cancer which will again give us all the opportunity to realize what constitutes Soul Mates, Marriage and the Family Unit. Soul Mates are beyond gender, this is a union that is made in the heavens in our prebirth state which has nothing to do with what race or gender human beings may be encased in.

In the 1960s, a similar issue emerged when interracial couples became public. In fact as of June 12, 1967, a Supreme Court decision was made overturning 15 states stating interracial marriages could no longer be illegal in any State.  (A conjunction between Jupiter, Venus and the Moon in Leo making harmonious aspects to Legal Eagle Mars in Libra) 1969-1970 became a major turning point with multi-racial marriages which happened while Jupiter transited through Libra as the number of interracially married couples in the United States went from 150,000 couples in 1970 to 1.1 million in 1994 and the number of children born out of interracial marriages jumped from 460,300 in 1970 to 1.9 million in 1994. Furthermore, a Gallop Poll indicates acceptance for interracial marriages is growing. Sixty-one percent of White Americans are more likely to approve of such marriages today, compared to 4% in 1958. In addition, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, one in fifty marriages are interracial which is four times the number compared to 1970.

Thankfully, we’ve moved beyond that, as men and women from different races are free to enter into the bonds of matrimony. There is no difference between Soul Mates who come in different races or different genders, a bond of love is just that – Love Bonds - and it is not the business of government to interfere with such an immutable force.

In comparing the history of interracial marriages with that of same-sex marriages, the freedom to marry has long been recognized as one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by freemen and women. 

References & Credits:
David Wood, "GenISIS – The First Book of Revelations"
AtroData Bank: Richard Clarke’s Birth Certificate, 10-30-50 @ 5:45pm Cambridge, MA
courtesy of Pat Taglilatelo
American Wedding: Same-Sex Marriage and the Miscegenation Analogy, 73 B.U. L. rev. 93 (1993). 
Emily Field Van Tassel, "Only the Law Would Rule Between Us": Anti-miscegenation, the Moral Economy of Dependency, and the Debate Over Rights After the Civil War, 70 Chi.-Kent L. Rev. 873, 895 (1995).