Authenticity & Unresolved Issues From Your Past!

Today's New Moon/Solar Eclipse will occur today February 15, 2018 within 27 degrees of Aquarius 08' - our fixed air sign representing individuation aka how to BE your true authentic self as much as possible!

Most people think of Aquarius as being a Water sign due to the phrase associated with it: The Water Bearer. What the bearer is holding is a vessel filled with Future Knowledge - yours and mine and theirs. It pours down, via the Milky Way/Universe into our Solar System and on down to each of us. During the time of the Sun's journey through Aquarius (January 19th - February 18th in 2018) activating our birth charts, we all experience our own version of catching up to our Future Self's knowledge and bringing it forward to be used NOW for  Self and the good of all, within community.

Wherever we have Aquarius in the birth chart - this is where we seem to bring forth Innovation and Invention - creating something NEW that had not occurred to us before this moment in time. As we do so, we expand our uniqueness in the world, bringing forth that true authentic part of ourselves, to be seen and heard by others around us.

Today, during the New Moon phase, we experience BOTH the Moon and Sun at the same time - along with a Partial Solar Eclipse! Here the Sun's vital and active energy is at play, asking us to take some ACTION in regard to who we authentically and truly ARE from the Inside, Out! The Age of Aquarius is all about moving forward authentically within your own life AND being connected and a part of the community around you. You support community when they need you and community supports you when you need them, creating a win-win for the good of all.

The Partial Solar Eclipse begins at 11:56 a.m. MST with its first contact with Earth and is at its Greatest Eclipse as of 1:17 p.m. MST, ending approximately at 3:47 pm MST. The timing of the New Moon during this Eclipse is at 2:05 p.m. MST (2:41 p.m. Calgary time).

What has been extra ordinary for this first Eclipse Season of 2018 is the location of the Moon's Nodes with each Eclipse - the North Node in LEO conjunct the Total Lunar Eclipse of January 31st (heading in the direction our Soul Self beckons us into), and today's eclipse brings forth the South Node in AQUARIUS - talents and skills we bring from our past lives AND any unresolved issues to be healed NOW. Hence the taking Action of some regard at this time.

When the North Node is in LEO while the South Node is in AQUARIUS (from: North Node Astrology by Elizabeth Spring M.A.):

• Soul Purpose: to create loving connections with others in order to heal the sense of being the outsider or the persecuted one. By leaving behind harsh judgments of self or others, the idea now is to "Come in from the cold and become one of us." Join with the family of man, and make your presence felt. Be effective and compelling rather than "being right" and alone.
• Shadow: A deeply entrenched unconscious fear can entice you to be controlling, inflexible or stubborn especially in the little things of life. Practice forgiveness and letting your funny bone out. You could be a good comedian! Humour acknowledges the dark side of life with a detached and ironic perspective. A heartfelt humour that knows the pain of life can accept the full drama of it as well.

See where the possible unresolved issues from your past dovetail with the lack of fun and play and humour (LEO) in your life. Along with feeling like an ALIEN amongst the family of man - that I don't belong here - I see future knowledge that I cannot seem to share with others - there is no true connection - I am lonely - I am not part of this community/group where IS my group? (AQUARIUS). Any or all of these scenarios could be what is holding you back from authentically expressing your future knowledge by just BEING You, with Others, Now. Take a leap of Faith, with Courage, and express yourself, gently, slowly, with patience and care, with others in your local world and see the gifts of NOT KNOWING what the outcome will be from taking this risk in the first place - until you get there! (Thanks for this bit, Michelle!)

Note there is a time-span of approximately 3.5 years moving forward from today that will be affected by how we conduct ourselves during this eclipse! What ACTION will you be taking at the moment of the New Moon (2:05 p.m. MST) that is reflective of how AUTHENTICALLY you are BEing YOU AND deal with any unresolved issues surrounding the need for courage to BE that authentic You at the same time? Will you hide, run away or face and walk through the fears that have kept you small, inauthentic, and less-than, within your full potential? The House of Life Experience within your birth chart shows you WHERE in your life these issues/actions will take place in order to heal!

Humanity, invention, seeing your future, revelations, humour, your friends, and avoiding excessive detachment (aka unemotional involvement that is a characteristic of Aquarius) will all be on the Aquarian menu today, moving forward these next 3.5 years.

KNOW THYSELF - LOVE THYSELF - BE THYSELF = authenticity!

Namaste

Posted By: Laurie Rae Rezanoff Astrologer | Teacher | Writer | Speaker

Photo Credits: Taken in Okotoks, AB in 2018 by Laurie Rae Rezanoff

Authenticity & Unresolved Issues From Your Past!

Today's New Moon/Solar Eclipse will occur today February 15, 2018 within 27 degrees of Aquarius 08' - our fixed air sign representing individuation aka how to BE your true authentic self as much as possible!

Most people think of Aquarius as being a Water sign due to the phrase associated with it: The Water Bearer. What the bearer is holding is a vessel filled with Future Knowledge - yours and mine and theirs. It pours down, via the Milky Way/Universe into our Solar System and on down to each of us. During the time of the Sun's journey through Aquarius (January 19th - February 18th in 2018) activating our birth charts, we all experience our own version of catching up to our Future Self's knowledge and bringing it forward to be used NOW for  Self and the good of all, within community.

Wherever we have Aquarius in the birth chart - this is where we seem to bring forth Innovation and Invention - creating something NEW that had not occurred to us before this moment in time. As we do so, we expand our uniqueness in the world, bringing forth that true authentic part of ourselves, to be seen and heard by others around us.

Today, during the New Moon phase, we experience BOTH the Moon and Sun at the same time - along with a Partial Solar Eclipse! Here the Sun's vital and active energy is at play, asking us to take some ACTION in regard to who we authentically and truly ARE from the Inside, Out! The Age of Aquarius is all about moving forward authentically within your own life AND being connected and a part of the community around you. You support community when they need you and community supports you when you need them, creating a win-win for the good of all.

The Partial Solar Eclipse begins at 11:56 a.m. MST with its first contact with Earth and is at its Greatest Eclipse as of 1:17 p.m. MST, ending approximately at 3:47 pm MST. The timing of the New Moon during this Eclipse is at 2:05 p.m. MST (2:41 p.m. Calgary time).

What has been extra ordinary for this first Eclipse Season of 2018 is the location of the Moon's Nodes with each Eclipse - the North Node in LEO conjunct the Total Lunar Eclipse of January 31st (heading in the direction our Soul Self beckons us into), and today's eclipse brings forth the South Node in AQUARIUS - talents and skills we bring from our past lives AND any unresolved issues to be healed NOW. Hence the taking Action of some regard at this time.

When the North Node is in LEO while the South Node is in AQUARIUS (from: North Node Astrology by Elizabeth Spring M.A.):

• Soul Purpose: to create loving connections with others in order to heal the sense of being the outsider or the persecuted one. By leaving behind harsh judgments of self or others, the idea now is to "Come in from the cold and become one of us." Join with the family of man, and make your presence felt. Be effective and compelling rather than "being right" and alone.
• Shadow: A deeply entrenched unconscious fear can entice you to be controlling, inflexible or stubborn especially in the little things of life. Practice forgiveness and letting your funny bone out. You could be a good comedian! Humour acknowledges the dark side of life with a detached and ironic perspective. A heartfelt humour that knows the pain of life can accept the full drama of it as well.

See where the possible unresolved issues from your past dovetail with the lack of fun and play and humour (LEO) in your life. Along with feeling like an ALIEN amongst the family of man - that I don't belong here - I see future knowledge that I cannot seem to share with others - there is no true connection - I am lonely - I am not part of this community/group where IS my group? (AQUARIUS). Any or all of these scenarios could be what is holding you back from authentically expressing your future knowledge by just BEING You, with Others, Now. Take a leap of Faith, with Courage, and express yourself, gently, slowly, with patience and care, with others in your local world and see the gifts of NOT KNOWING what the outcome will be from taking this risk in the first place - until you get there! (Thanks for this bit, Michelle!)

Note there is a time-span of approximately 3.5 years moving forward from today that will be affected by how we conduct ourselves during this eclipse! What ACTION will you be taking at the moment of the New Moon (2:05 p.m. MST) that is reflective of how AUTHENTICALLY you are BEing YOU AND deal with any unresolved issues surrounding the need for courage to BE that authentic You at the same time? Will you hide, run away or face and walk through the fears that have kept you small, inauthentic, and less-than, within your full potential? The House of Life Experience within your birth chart shows you WHERE in your life these issues/actions will take place in order to heal!

Humanity, invention, seeing your future, revelations, humour, your friends, and avoiding excessive detachment (aka unemotional involvement that is a characteristic of Aquarius) will all be on the Aquarian menu today, moving forward these next 3.5 years.

KNOW THYSELF - LOVE THYSELF - BE THYSELF = authenticity!

Namaste

Posted By: Laurie Rae Rezanoff Astrologer | Teacher | Writer | Speaker

Photo Credits: Taken in Okotoks, AB in 2018 by Laurie Rae Rezanoff

Heartfelt Creative Courage & Support - Total Lunar Eclipse

In less than 6 hours from now, as I write this post, we will begin to experience a Total Lunar Eclipse/Full Moon - the first of two this year! During a Total Lunar Eclipse time is accelerated. We will emotionally undergo a 29-day Moon cycle during the 3.5 - 5 hours of this eclipse! Some of us will be sleeping, some of us awake. No matter what - Time will Accelerate your state of  emotional consciousness - be it coming from Love, Fear, Guilt, Shame, Joy, Peace and/or Light!

Almost Full Moon January 31, 2018

This eclipse will begin as of 3:15a MST Calgary time (Calgary lies 36' west of the MST zone), with the maximum eclipse occurring roughly at 5:53a MST Calgary time, and ends around 8:28a MST Calgary Time. Add or subtract 1 hour and 36' from this time if you are East or West of MST (or 2 hours 36' - you get the picture!).

This eclipse is located within the fixed fire sign of LEO - at 11 degrees of Leo 37' - hence bringing forth the themes of HEART, Courage, Creativity, and Support - Leo rules the heart, back and spine of our physical bodies. How are you heartfully supporting yourself, your creativity, and taking the courage to roar like a lion (assertively vs. aggressively) to SHINE your Light of You out into the world? Heartfully, what is it you'd like ACCELERATED early tomorrow morning, positively, honestly, without judgement or criticism of self or others?

Wherever Leo resides in your birth chart - this is where Time will be Accelerated - to clear off that which you'd like to let go of, to bring forth that which you'd like more of. Leo rules the 5th House of the birth chart, where the Sun is ruler - therefore the SUN is also the Lord of this Total Lunar Eclipse (and sits in Aquarius this night)! Interestingly, Leo is about Leadership, leading with heart, as part of a team, leading by example. Leo is about having fun and play, connecting with the children in your life AND your own Inner Child. Leo is about the romance/heart centred energy you already have or wish to have in your life.

I find it fascinating that President Trump chose tonight to deliver his State of the Union speech! In time? On time? Past time? It was interesting to hear all of what he wishes for his country and for the people who live and work there. Was he coming from the heart? Time will definitely tell...what has he ACCELERATED this night? We now know HIS intent...

Then Robert Kennedy JR - grandson of Robert Kennedy and great-nephew to JFK, former President of the US - made the Democratic Response speech. Interesting choice there. Third term Senator, aged 37, and is he the Democrat's future hope for the next Presidential race? Again, Time will tell...

Here in Canada - scandal now abounds from the ripple-effect of the US abuse of power scandals of the Fall of 2017...who says Canada isn't connected to the US? Or affected by their decisions, doctrines and trades? Time will tell yet again...

Almost Full Moon January 31, 2018

January 31st, 2018 holds the INspired Fire of the Creative Source of ALL - are you listening to your INspired creative heart? What is it you truly wish to create for your life these next 3.5 years? Why 3.5 years? An year for every hour of this Total Lunar Eclipse - give or take 45' each side.

Bring forth your heartfelt wishes and dreams, stir in some courage, stand tall, and take a Leap of Faith FORWARD into your life - and do it now, before you go to sleep - or get up early and meditate within the love, creativity, intuition, and FEEL your way forward into your future self. Leo is the opposite sign to Aquarius - our future self resides within this fixed air sign - which pours forth, from the Heavens, future knowledge required NOW. What future knowing do you carry Within, that needs to be shared Without? As Above, So Below. Create it!

One can list all the things, people, circumstance they wish to be accelerated tomorrow - however, if it's missing the HEART feeling, it won't fly! Bring your HEART into it - all of it - BE it! Love it, bless it, and let it go into the hands of the Universe to deliver it as it is meant to be received within the next 3.5 years of your life.

Ego and applause and greed have nothing to do with any of this. Aquarius asks us to BE our true authentic self; Leo asks us to BE so, heartfully. Support yourself, and your community, with heart. Assert with heart. Create with heart. BE heart.

Namaste

Posted by: Laurie Rae Rezanoff, Astrologer | Writer | Speaker | Teacher
Photos: taken tonight, January 30th, of the almost Full Moon by Laurie Rae Rezanoff

Heartfelt Creative Courage & Support - Total Lunar Eclipse

In less than 6 hours from now, as I write this post, we will begin to experience a Total Lunar Eclipse/Full Moon - the first of two this year! During a Total Lunar Eclipse time is accelerated. We will emotionally undergo a 29-day Moon cycle during the 3.5 - 5 hours of this eclipse! Some of us will be sleeping, some of us awake. No matter what - Time will Accelerate your state of  emotional consciousness - be it coming from Love, Fear, Guilt, Shame, Joy, Peace and/or Light!

Almost Full Moon January 31, 2018

This eclipse will begin as of 3:15a MST Calgary time (Calgary lies 36' west of the MST zone), with the maximum eclipse occurring roughly at 5:53a MST Calgary time, and ends around 8:28a MST Calgary Time. Add or subtract 1 hour and 36' from this time if you are East or West of MST (or 2 hours 36' - you get the picture!).

This eclipse is located within the fixed fire sign of LEO - at 11 degrees of Leo 37' - hence bringing forth the themes of HEART, Courage, Creativity, and Support - Leo rules the heart, back and spine of our physical bodies. How are you heartfully supporting yourself, your creativity, and taking the courage to roar like a lion (assertively vs. aggressively) to SHINE your Light of You out into the world? Heartfully, what is it you'd like ACCELERATED early tomorrow morning, positively, honestly, without judgement or criticism of self or others?

Wherever Leo resides in your birth chart - this is where Time will be Accelerated - to clear off that which you'd like to let go of, to bring forth that which you'd like more of. Leo rules the 5th House of the birth chart, where the Sun is ruler - therefore the SUN is also the Lord of this Total Lunar Eclipse (and sits in Aquarius this night)! Interestingly, Leo is about Leadership, leading with heart, as part of a team, leading by example. Leo is about having fun and play, connecting with the children in your life AND your own Inner Child. Leo is about the romance/heart centred energy you already have or wish to have in your life.

I find it fascinating that President Trump chose tonight to deliver his State of the Union speech! In time? On time? Past time? It was interesting to hear all of what he wishes for his country and for the people who live and work there. Was he coming from the heart? Time will definitely tell...what has he ACCELERATED this night? We now know HIS intent...

Then Robert Kennedy JR - grandson of Robert Kennedy and great-nephew to JFK, former President of the US - made the Democratic Response speech. Interesting choice there. Third term Senator, aged 37, and is he the Democrat's future hope for the next Presidential race? Again, Time will tell...

Here in Canada - scandal now abounds from the ripple-effect of the US abuse of power scandals of the Fall of 2017...who says Canada isn't connected to the US? Or affected by their decisions, doctrines and trades? Time will tell yet again...

Almost Full Moon January 31, 2018

January 31st, 2018 holds the INspired Fire of the Creative Source of ALL - are you listening to your INspired creative heart? What is it you truly wish to create for your life these next 3.5 years? Why 3.5 years? An year for every hour of this Total Lunar Eclipse - give or take 45' each side.

Bring forth your heartfelt wishes and dreams, stir in some courage, stand tall, and take a Leap of Faith FORWARD into your life - and do it now, before you go to sleep - or get up early and meditate within the love, creativity, intuition, and FEEL your way forward into your future self. Leo is the opposite sign to Aquarius - our future self resides within this fixed air sign - which pours forth, from the Heavens, future knowledge required NOW. What future knowing do you carry Within, that needs to be shared Without? As Above, So Below. Create it!

One can list all the things, people, circumstance they wish to be accelerated tomorrow - however, if it's missing the HEART feeling, it won't fly! Bring your HEART into it - all of it - BE it! Love it, bless it, and let it go into the hands of the Universe to deliver it as it is meant to be received within the next 3.5 years of your life.

Ego and applause and greed have nothing to do with any of this. Aquarius asks us to BE our true authentic self; Leo asks us to BE so, heartfully. Support yourself, and your community, with heart. Assert with heart. Create with heart. BE heart.

Namaste

Posted by: Laurie Rae Rezanoff, Astrologer | Writer | Speaker | Teacher
Photos: taken tonight, January 30th, of the almost Full Moon by Laurie Rae Rezanoff

Mercury Retrograde Timing #2...

What IS all the fuss about Mercury Retrograde anyway?

I was asked this question by a new friend I met this past weekend. I promised her I'd explain it more than usual in my next post! So here you go Susan!

Let me tell you the story behind Mercury, what IS Retrograde motion, and how this 3-4 times a year occurrence seemingly affects our lives.

Mercury - is the planet that represents Communication, how your mind/brain thinks and learns, the knowledge you like to collect and how you share it. Mercury rules the mutable air sign of Gemini and mutable earth sign of Virgo. This combo brings forth the following:

• How you relate with your daily folks - roommates/household persons you live with, your neighbours, local vendors and friends you interact with.
• Collection of data and information and what you do with it - do you hoard it or do you share it with others? What types of data/information do you latch onto? What interests you, that you later converse about with others? Perhaps contractual information will be taken on here.
• Local travel - how you travel in your locale - using your car, transit, or walking.
• Processes - how you 'see' them within work settings, with co-workers, and your own life. The Rules of Engagement - the HOW of DOing, anything.
• Perfectionism - wherever Virgo resides in your birth chart, this is where your 'bar of excellence' resides and you expect this level of perfection not only from yourself - but from the people you work and live with too. Here we all carry a high level of EXPECTATION from performance - Within and Without. This is also where we can worry, and carry the Big Stick of "I'm Not Good Enough!" and beat ourselves up with it - and others.

Retrograde (Rx) - is the seemingly backward-moving motion of any planet. The Sun and Moon never move Rx. Similar to driving in a car, and the car next to you speeds up - it seems your car is moving backwards when really the other car is going faster than you. The planets do the same within their orbits around our Sun - at certain times of their orbital cycles, compared to Earth, they seem to go Direct (move forward) or go Rx (slow down and go backward). It is all relative to us looking up and out from Earth.

In Astrology, the seemingly Rx planets' energy that is usually Direct and forward-moving OUTSIDE us, is now directed Inward, Within us - creating a sense of 'taking things personally' and/or circumstances and people in our lives seem to BE personally in our face for a time. All in aid of learning something NEW about ourselves that we didn't know we needed to know. If we are open to this learning, we grow Within Self. If we don't (when our Ego-brain can get in the way with resistance to change) the next opportunity to grow that comes our way will seem to be BIGGER and LOUDER (and more in our face). It's all about free will - Will I or Won't I, this time round?

Mercury Rx - occurs 3-4 times a year (2016 and 2017 are the 4 times a year occurrence) where Mercury, that planet of communication + thought processes, seems to take a vacation from the logical left brain side and spends that vacation within the right brain's creative "thinking outside the box" problem-solving side. Yay us!

Mercury rules all the technology that runs our communication - now more than ever - hence phones, cell phones, office communication machines, computers, cars (more circuit boards therein than ever) etc. Everything to do with communication and local travel in other words.

During Mercury Rx timings, Expect the Unexpected from machines and cars and plans and contracts and goals - Mercury isn't going Direct in a straight line, so why should anything else? Mercury likes to bring in more humour and play to show us just how serious (Virgo) we can be, stuck as we are in our daily routines and processes. So Mercury Rx shakes things up - and sometimes is what I like to call "The Gift That Keeps on Giving...sometimes weeks, months and even years into the future!"

What I LOVE about Mercury Rx timings:

• I find out information that I didn't know I needed to know! Truly - sit back and watch this happen in your life within this upcoming Mercury Rx timing. I promise there WILL be something that shows up for you - a missing piece of key information you didn't know you were missing.
• Expect the Unexpected! This is where Mercury's humour shows up - to presumably trip us out of 'taking life too seriously' and remind us that humour is the best remedy - no matter the situation. Traffic jams, detours, computers crashing (mine did during the Mercury Rx session 2 days into December 2015's timing and I'm still dealing with the aftermath 15 months later), office machines acting up more that usual, cars not starting or working as well - all to alert us (seemingly all at the same time!) that perhaps we've not been as careful with maintenance / nurturance of these THINGS in our lives. OR, to BE more patient...as in there's a traffic jam and I'm late for a meeting with a friend - I always find, especially during Mercury Rx, that I'm delayed because my friend is too! And when we do catch up with one another guess what? We're right on time! Here Mercury is showing us to CHILL (!) and take a long breath - there is ALWAYS a reason - be patient and you'll find out what it is...refrain from honking on the horn or shaking your head at so-called dumb drivers - they are actually assisting you.
• Clearing Clutter! Yes siree, 'tis time to clean out those closets, garages, drawers and trunks folks. Yay! Here's the Virgo portion of the program - clarifying what to DO with stuff and creating new processes of how to handle it all in future. With our logical brain out of the way for 21 days, the creative brain brings forth NEW bright ideas of how to handle our STUFF - try it out and see. What seemed like an arduous task prior to Mercury Rx will seem easy-peasy now. And you've got to take advantage of 'Spring Cleaning', right?
• People From Your Past Show Up! Yes - this does happen - more often than I can count. Perhaps to rekindle friendships/relationships/partnerships. Perhaps to mend fences - revisiting past conversations that ended badly - Mercury Rx gives you a chance to say it BETTER this time. I love this do-over aspect of Mercury Rx. Gives us TIME to think things over, talk about it more, then decide better when Mercury turns Direct once again. Cool, eh?

Now let's get down to brass tacks - this second round of Mercury Rx in 2017 occurs as follows:

• The actual Rx (Retrograde) portion of the program begins April 10th and ends with Mercury stationing Direct May 4th - a little over the usual 21 days.
• The celestial longitude of WHERE Mercury is moving backwards/retrograde in the Astrological signs is from 04 degrees of Taurus 50' back into Aries to 24 degrees Aries 17'. If you have your birth chart handy, take a look at which House or Houses of Life Experience will be activated / affected by this round of Rx action (do-overs, rethinks, chances to speak again etc.). 
• For instance, this Mercury Rx timing begins in my 9th House of We Speak - communication with others - connecting with my Moon + South Node (emotional/intuitive insights + unresolved issues from my past) re HOW I interact with others while seeking my higher purpose. And will end in my 8th House of business partnerships, Ego fears and shared money/resources. Interestingly, I just completed 4 days of working with a lovely group of people for the Advanced Polls of the current Federal By-Election here in Canada. I was one of 2 Information Officers who greeted each and every voter, and I learned more about many of my co-workers from all the mini conversations we had during the lull times. AND I met a woman who was a year ahead of me in Junior and Senior High school. Talk about meeting up with someone from my past.
• But wait a minute Laurie Rae - it isn't April 10th yet! How come this seemingly Mercury Rx info is already occurring for you? Because there is always a PRE-Rx Shadow timing AND a POST-Rx Shadow timing. Huh? Meaning first Mercury was DIRECT, moving forward from 24 degrees Aries 17' before stopping and going BACK the way it already came. The PRE-Rx timing began March 26th. Talk about being 'right on time'.
• Then Mercury goes Rx from April 10th to May 4th, going back out of Taurus and into Aries, retracing its steps it had already taken since March 26th - hence do-overs, rethinks, and new opportunities to chat again, do again, think again...along the way. Get it?
• When Mercury turns Direct again, May 4th, it will be at 24 degrees Aries 17' and by May 20th will be right back into Taurus where it was when it turned Rx back on April 10th. Do you 'see' the zig-zag back and forth path Mercury makes when it goes Rx? And the analogy of first having conversations, interactions, travel, etc. that seemed normal, only for it to be re-visited somehow yet again, only this time more personally and perhaps perplexing as to WHY again? There was something you missed the first time - to say, do or know - and once Mercury goes Direct again May 4th (and further along, out of the Shadow by May 20th) what once seemed confusing or impossible is now perfectly clear sailing ahead.

Bottom line? The Pre-Rx Shadow time gives us a taste of what's to come from when Mercury truly is Rx. The Post-Rx Shadow time gives us answers/solutions we may not consciously have been aware of needing/seeking until Mercury went Rx. The themes we'll experience this time round come from the fixed earth sign of Taurus and the cardinal fire sign of Aries:

• Taurus brings issues around values, worth and money. How tactile and hands on we need to be with our personal talents and skills that assist us in bringing home income/money for those things we value. Taurus also heightens our senses - what we see, hear, feel, touch and smell. And how creative "I" can be with all I've got going for me - to be working, paying my bills, etc. Being fixed, Taurus can be "as stubborn as a bull" re: change...just saying...watch out for Ego resistance to changing your processes or language or habits. Worthiness issues will show themselves here. Self-confidence + self-esteem too...
• Aries brings issues around independence (vs. co-dependence), asserting self (vs. aggression or bullying), having the courage to try something NEW for our lives (that Pioneering spirit) that shows how "I am unique in the world and it's OKAY to show it!" This is where drinking from your Cup of Courage comes into play to CREATE something NEW (cardinal fire). Yeah, I've been THINKING about it, perhaps TALKING about it - but where's the ACTION, eh? Watch out for impatience, irritability, just wanting to LEAP before THINKING. Great timing on Mercury's part to slow us down, seemingly putting obstacles in our way - to take TIME to think, talk and mull it all over more than once. Cool, eh?

Here's your chance to really get at some of the roots of the WHY and HOW of things that have been getting in the way of making money (Taurus), finding work (Virgo), networking/making friends (Gemini) and starting something NEW in your life (Aries). And take the TIME to suss out what is truly right for you!

Photo Credits: by Laurie Rae Rezanoff - pictures taken at Nose Hill Park 2016, Luxor, Egypt 2011 and Neck Point, Nanaimo, BC 2012

Mercury Retrograde Timing #2...

What IS all the fuss about Mercury Retrograde anyway?

I was asked this question by a new friend I met this past weekend. I promised her I'd explain it more than usual in my next post! So here you go Susan!

Let me tell you the story behind Mercury, what IS Retrograde motion, and how this 3-4 times a year occurrence seemingly affects our lives.

Mercury - is the planet that represents Communication, how your mind/brain thinks and learns, the knowledge you like to collect and how you share it. Mercury rules the mutable air sign of Gemini and mutable earth sign of Virgo. This combo brings forth the following:

• How you relate with your daily folks - roommates/household persons you live with, your neighbours, local vendors and friends you interact with.
• Collection of data and information and what you do with it - do you hoard it or do you share it with others? What types of data/information do you latch onto? What interests you, that you later converse about with others? Perhaps contractual information will be taken on here.
• Local travel - how you travel in your locale - using your car, transit, or walking.
• Processes - how you 'see' them within work settings, with co-workers, and your own life. The Rules of Engagement - the HOW of DOing, anything.
• Perfectionism - wherever Virgo resides in your birth chart, this is where your 'bar of excellence' resides and you expect this level of perfection not only from yourself - but from the people you work and live with too. Here we all carry a high level of EXPECTATION from performance - Within and Without. This is also where we can worry, and carry the Big Stick of "I'm Not Good Enough!" and beat ourselves up with it - and others.

Retrograde (Rx) - is the seemingly backward-moving motion of any planet. The Sun and Moon never move Rx. Similar to driving in a car, and the car next to you speeds up - it seems your car is moving backwards when really the other car is going faster than you. The planets do the same within their orbits around our Sun - at certain times of their orbital cycles, compared to Earth, they seem to go Direct (move forward) or go Rx (slow down and go backward). It is all relative to us looking up and out from Earth.

In Astrology, the seemingly Rx planets' energy that is usually Direct and forward-moving OUTSIDE us, is now directed Inward, Within us - creating a sense of 'taking things personally' and/or circumstances and people in our lives seem to BE personally in our face for a time. All in aid of learning something NEW about ourselves that we didn't know we needed to know. If we are open to this learning, we grow Within Self. If we don't (when our Ego-brain can get in the way with resistance to change) the next opportunity to grow that comes our way will seem to be BIGGER and LOUDER (and more in our face). It's all about free will - Will I or Won't I, this time round?

Mercury Rx - occurs 3-4 times a year (2016 and 2017 are the 4 times a year occurrence) where Mercury, that planet of communication + thought processes, seems to take a vacation from the logical left brain side and spends that vacation within the right brain's creative "thinking outside the box" problem-solving side. Yay us!

Mercury rules all the technology that runs our communication - now more than ever - hence phones, cell phones, office communication machines, computers, cars (more circuit boards therein than ever) etc. Everything to do with communication and local travel in other words.

During Mercury Rx timings, Expect the Unexpected from machines and cars and plans and contracts and goals - Mercury isn't going Direct in a straight line, so why should anything else? Mercury likes to bring in more humour and play to show us just how serious (Virgo) we can be, stuck as we are in our daily routines and processes. So Mercury Rx shakes things up - and sometimes is what I like to call "The Gift That Keeps on Giving...sometimes weeks, months and even years into the future!"

What I LOVE about Mercury Rx timings:

• I find out information that I didn't know I needed to know! Truly - sit back and watch this happen in your life within this upcoming Mercury Rx timing. I promise there WILL be something that shows up for you - a missing piece of key information you didn't know you were missing.
• Expect the Unexpected! This is where Mercury's humour shows up - to presumably trip us out of 'taking life too seriously' and remind us that humour is the best remedy - no matter the situation. Traffic jams, detours, computers crashing (mine did during the Mercury Rx session 2 days into December 2015's timing and I'm still dealing with the aftermath 15 months later), office machines acting up more that usual, cars not starting or working as well - all to alert us (seemingly all at the same time!) that perhaps we've not been as careful with maintenance / nurturance of these THINGS in our lives. OR, to BE more patient...as in there's a traffic jam and I'm late for a meeting with a friend - I always find, especially during Mercury Rx, that I'm delayed because my friend is too! And when we do catch up with one another guess what? We're right on time! Here Mercury is showing us to CHILL (!) and take a long breath - there is ALWAYS a reason - be patient and you'll find out what it is...refrain from honking on the horn or shaking your head at so-called dumb drivers - they are actually assisting you.
• Clearing Clutter! Yes siree, 'tis time to clean out those closets, garages, drawers and trunks folks. Yay! Here's the Virgo portion of the program - clarifying what to DO with stuff and creating new processes of how to handle it all in future. With our logical brain out of the way for 21 days, the creative brain brings forth NEW bright ideas of how to handle our STUFF - try it out and see. What seemed like an arduous task prior to Mercury Rx will seem easy-peasy now. And you've got to take advantage of 'Spring Cleaning', right?
• People From Your Past Show Up! Yes - this does happen - more often than I can count. Perhaps to rekindle friendships/relationships/partnerships. Perhaps to mend fences - revisiting past conversations that ended badly - Mercury Rx gives you a chance to say it BETTER this time. I love this do-over aspect of Mercury Rx. Gives us TIME to think things over, talk about it more, then decide better when Mercury turns Direct once again. Cool, eh?

Now let's get down to brass tacks - this second round of Mercury Rx in 2017 occurs as follows:

• The actual Rx (Retrograde) portion of the program begins April 10th and ends with Mercury stationing Direct May 4th - a little over the usual 21 days.
• The celestial longitude of WHERE Mercury is moving backwards/retrograde in the Astrological signs is from 04 degrees of Taurus 50' back into Aries to 24 degrees Aries 17'. If you have your birth chart handy, take a look at which House or Houses of Life Experience will be activated / affected by this round of Rx action (do-overs, rethinks, chances to speak again etc.). 
• For instance, this Mercury Rx timing begins in my 9th House of We Speak - communication with others - connecting with my Moon + South Node (emotional/intuitive insights + unresolved issues from my past) re HOW I interact with others while seeking my higher purpose. And will end in my 8th House of business partnerships, Ego fears and shared money/resources. Interestingly, I just completed 4 days of working with a lovely group of people for the Advanced Polls of the current Federal By-Election here in Canada. I was one of 2 Information Officers who greeted each and every voter, and I learned more about many of my co-workers from all the mini conversations we had during the lull times. AND I met a woman who was a year ahead of me in Junior and Senior High school. Talk about meeting up with someone from my past.
• But wait a minute Laurie Rae - it isn't April 10th yet! How come this seemingly Mercury Rx info is already occurring for you? Because there is always a PRE-Rx Shadow timing AND a POST-Rx Shadow timing. Huh? Meaning first Mercury was DIRECT, moving forward from 24 degrees Aries 17' before stopping and going BACK the way it already came. The PRE-Rx timing began March 26th. Talk about being 'right on time'.
• Then Mercury goes Rx from April 10th to May 4th, going back out of Taurus and into Aries, retracing its steps it had already taken since March 26th - hence do-overs, rethinks, and new opportunities to chat again, do again, think again...along the way. Get it?
• When Mercury turns Direct again, May 4th, it will be at 24 degrees Aries 17' and by May 20th will be right back into Taurus where it was when it turned Rx back on April 10th. Do you 'see' the zig-zag back and forth path Mercury makes when it goes Rx? And the analogy of first having conversations, interactions, travel, etc. that seemed normal, only for it to be re-visited somehow yet again, only this time more personally and perhaps perplexing as to WHY again? There was something you missed the first time - to say, do or know - and once Mercury goes Direct again May 4th (and further along, out of the Shadow by May 20th) what once seemed confusing or impossible is now perfectly clear sailing ahead.

Bottom line? The Pre-Rx Shadow time gives us a taste of what's to come from when Mercury truly is Rx. The Post-Rx Shadow time gives us answers/solutions we may not consciously have been aware of needing/seeking until Mercury went Rx. The themes we'll experience this time round come from the fixed earth sign of Taurus and the cardinal fire sign of Aries:

• Taurus brings issues around values, worth and money. How tactile and hands on we need to be with our personal talents and skills that assist us in bringing home income/money for those things we value. Taurus also heightens our senses - what we see, hear, feel, touch and smell. And how creative "I" can be with all I've got going for me - to be working, paying my bills, etc. Being fixed, Taurus can be "as stubborn as a bull" re: change...just saying...watch out for Ego resistance to changing your processes or language or habits. Worthiness issues will show themselves here. Self-confidence + self-esteem too...
• Aries brings issues around independence (vs. co-dependence), asserting self (vs. aggression or bullying), having the courage to try something NEW for our lives (that Pioneering spirit) that shows how "I am unique in the world and it's OKAY to show it!" This is where drinking from your Cup of Courage comes into play to CREATE something NEW (cardinal fire). Yeah, I've been THINKING about it, perhaps TALKING about it - but where's the ACTION, eh? Watch out for impatience, irritability, just wanting to LEAP before THINKING. Great timing on Mercury's part to slow us down, seemingly putting obstacles in our way - to take TIME to think, talk and mull it all over more than once. Cool, eh?

Here's your chance to really get at some of the roots of the WHY and HOW of things that have been getting in the way of making money (Taurus), finding work (Virgo), networking/making friends (Gemini) and starting something NEW in your life (Aries). And take the TIME to suss out what is truly right for you!

Photo Credits: by Laurie Rae Rezanoff - pictures taken at Nose Hill Park 2016, Luxor, Egypt 2011 and Neck Point, Nanaimo, BC 2012