Monday, September 13, 2010

Longevity: The 10 Tips!

by Mary Marino

How we age is about 30% genetics. The rest is in our hands. It’s never too late to start to reverse the main things that cause aging– overeating, over stressing, and under-activity. We put together the 10 best tips we could find for taking control of the physical aspects of creating a longer healthier life.

-    Laugh. Laughter lowers levels of stress hormones, and boosts activity of the body’s natural defensive antibodies. Studies show that people with a sense of humor have a 31% longer survival rate.


-      Sleep enough but not too much. Both too much and too little sleep can have a negative impact on longevity. Six-to-8 hours is optimal. People who get more than 8 hours or less than 4 have a significantly higher death rate. See: Smart Snoozers

-    Cancer-proof your diet. The American Institute for Cancer Research findings show that about 40% of cancers are diet related. See: Live Long Eat Super Foods

-    Exercise. Fit women have a 40% less chance of developing heart disease. The Cooper Institute of Aerobic Research’s studies show that people in the lower 20% of fitness were 3 times more likely to die prematurely than the fittest group.

-     Floss. People with gum disease have an increased risk of heart disease and a higher mortality rate.

-    Take vitamins. Even the best diet needs some supplements. Dr. Michael Roizen, co-author of YOU: Staying Young, says the minimum should include a multi-vitamin, 600 milligrams of DHA/omega 3, 1000 IU Vitamin D, 600 Milligrams Calcium, and 200 milligrams magnesium. (NOTE: Look for whole food vitamins, not synthetic. It should say ‘whole food based’ right on the label.)

-    Work toward your ideal weight. Overeating is one of the main causes of aging and increases the risk of heart disease and cancer. Every 10% increase in weight raises blood pressure, one of the major factors affecting aging. Studies show that reducing daily caloric intake by 10-to-20% is linked to longevity.

-    Get regular check-ups. Have a PAP smear. Examine your breasts. Nine-out-of-ten breast lumps are benign, and most are found by women who regularly examine themselves. Most breast cancers are curable if they’re caught early enough.

-   Eat dark chocolate. It contains phenols, chemicals thought to protect against heart disease and cancer. Studies show that people who eat a moderate amount of chocolate live longer than those who never touch sweets.

-   Drink tea. Both green and black teas contain powerful antioxidants. A Harvard study found that one cup a day cuts heart attack risk dramatically. Other tests have found that drinking tea boosts the survival rate following a heart attack by 28%.

__________________________________



Hot Flashes and Fashion Are NOT Mutually Exclusive!  Style is ageless.

Mary Marino is a fashion journalist, clothing designer and style lover. For 25 years she has been identifying trends and giving them commercially viability for the fashion industry. In her 40s’ her love of fashions evolved into a pursuit of a life of style and substance.
Mary is the co-creator of Flashionista (http://flashionista.com/) , a voice for interpreting popular culture as it relates to modern boomer women staying healthy, fit, fabulous, and relevant. A Flashionista is a woman over 45 who loves style and fashion.
For more information about Flashionista.com, to sign-up, and to see what’s important to women over 45, visit http://flashionista.com/  Topics include Lifestyle, Fashion, Health, Connect, Reinvent, Be Happy, every modern boomer woman needs a strong combination of all of the above to stay current in a changing world.

Monday, September 6, 2010

The Power & Purpose of Your ‘Natural No’


by Lissa Boles

What’s one of the first words kids learn to say and use (often!)?

It’s ‘NO,’ right? 

Doesn’t matter what country we live in or what language we first learn, every child everywhere begins exploring their world able to tap into their natural, inner sense of NO.

In fact, most kids delight in saying NO, don’t they?

That’s because our ‘Natural No’ is there as one of our inner compass points.  It’s a primary source of our power and voice, guiding us away from what’s not best for us.

Saying it often when we’re young is how we begin to learn to hear ourselves, not to mention learning to exercise our voice and our power. 

Sadly, we learn - often and early - that saying ‘NO’ isn’t allowed, and loose touch with ourselves.

We learn to get along.

Be polite. Nice. 

How to do the right thing…

All this is done with the very best of intentions, mind you. Can you imagine a child who never learns limits or boundaries?

Thing is we’re only now coming to realize that in teaching ourselves how to get along with others we’re never really known how to show ourselves the way to stay in touch with our true selves in the process.

But there’s good news!  To reclaim your inner sense of your right direction, all you have to begin is plug yourself back into your Natural NO and practice using it, much like you did when you were a kid.

Now, here’s a minor caveat: plugging back in after all this time may feel a little odd at first.

A little counterintuitive - even a little risky. 

Remember that you don’t have to act on what your Natural NO says unless you want to: all you have to do is practice tapping in and learning how to hear what is has to tell you and go from there.

Uncomfortable though it may feel at times, your voice, personal power and clarity of purpose – not to mention the ability to stay on course - is on the other side of that discomfort, so give it a shot.

How To Plug Back In

Here’s the Top 10 Questions that’ll go a long way toward helping you plug back in and feel out the shades and nuances of guidance inside your Natural NO.

Answering them one by one will help you learn how it feels as your Natural NO talks to you.
They’ll also help you feel out the layers of meaning and information inside your NO, so you know why, how much and in what ways something or someone is a NO for you.

When you first start plugging back it, practicing’s with the past is much easier than diving into a high-emotion, in-the-moment experience first: there’s just less pressure. 

So begin by reviewing situations that were unhappy, hurtful or really dissatisfying to you.

When the details of the situation you’re working with are clear to you, let yourself feel again all the feelings you felt then (sucks, I know, but there’s purpose it in – inside those feelings are the answers and direction you’re looking for).

One by one, answer the questions below in writing, letting your inner kid – the unadulterated you you were before being socialized and the keeper of your Natural No – answer them. 

Just two rules: no censoring your answers. And judging yourself for how you naturally feel.

Just let the raw, natural response come through.

You’ll likely hear or feel simple, very clear and very direct answers.

Your answers might even be snippy, bratty or smartass.

(I myself am particularly fond of smartass – they make feeling crappy oddly enjoyable).

If that’s the case, just know it’s totally okay.

The objective here isn’t politeness but simple honesty. This inner part of you knows exactly how you feel about things - and why.  And she’s far less concerned with being polite than with you being who you really are in the company of people who respect, appreciate and want you to be the best you you can be – happy, fulfilled and fully alive.

She also knows that your ‘NO’ can go through the ‘polite’ filter later: what she wants first is for you to know what’s most true for you so you can make the best decision possible for you.

More than anything, she wants you to be in the right place, living the right life, with the right people because she knows that that’s what will make you the most happy, fulfilled and fully alive.

And who doesn’t want more of that, right?

Ready…?


The Top 10 Questions To  Plug Back Into Your Natural NO

  1. I hate these people because they can’t see that I…

  1. I’d be so much more comfortable around people who don’t…

  1. It’s so frustrating that these people expect me to be…

  1. Compared to everyone here, I’m much more…

  1. I don’t fit in this situation, in this place, with these people, because I am not…

  1. If I were in my right environment, with people like me, everyone would realize that I’m…

  1. This situation is way, way too…

  1. I can’t wait to get away from people who…

  1. I want to scream in this situation because…

  1. I’m so angry because no one here wants to let me…
________________________________________

Lissa Boles, is a Master Life-Purpose Coach and former broadcast talk-radio host on CKDO in Toronto. Our mid-life sista practices a kooky-cool next-evolution of astrology called Soul Mapping. To learn more about Lissa or about Soul Mapping, you can visit www.TheSoulMap.com, or become part of the Soul Map community by becoming 'a fan'
at www.Facebook.com/TheSoulMap.


Monday, August 30, 2010

Summer Detox to Feel and Look Fabulous

by Irina Wardas

Summer is the best time for an easy detox and natural weight loss because of its abundance of fruits and vegetables.

Detox is a relative term, because anything that supports elimination helps us detoxify. If the body is working well with good immune and eliminative system, we can handle the basic every day exposure to toxins. But sometimes we need to change our dietary (healthier food choices) habits to reduce intake of toxins and improve elimination which can be also a great weight loss technique.

Simply drinking more water (filtered) helps us eliminate more toxins. Hot weather increases sweating and reduces urination which might lead to dehydration.  Headaches, fatigue, dizziness, muscle cramps, tingling of the limbs are the symptoms of dehydration, so we need to drink extra 2-3 glasses of water to feel and look fabulous in Summer.

All fruits (apples, berries, pears, apricots plums, melons, grapes, peaches, mangos, papaya) as well as all citrus are both cooling and laxative which can help our cleansing/natural detox process.
 
We also should try to eat more refreshing and cooling salads with slightly bitter-tasting, cleansing greens, such as dandelion greens, watercress and endive.

In summer we can eat more local fruits and vegetables, so don't forget to incorporate a lot of cooling vegetables, such as potato, tomato, summer squash, zucchini, cucumber, celery, mushrooms, bean sprouts, artichoke, bell peppers, asparagus, sweet potatoes, beets root and yam into your diet. You can cook them, eat them raw or make delicious juices.  And have in mind that all vegetables from cabbage family increase alkalinity and reduce acid condition such as bad breath, excess hunger and even anger.
Humid weather demands additional cleansing, so enjoy your fruits and vegetables as a natural detox all day long.  And speaking about easy detox, a dash of lemon will be a great addition to any salad or drink.


If you live in a climate with high humidity, try to eat more watermelons - they can make a delicious breakfast or snack. As a natural diuretic food, watermelon increases urination and detox the system by flushing toxins from the body which is very beneficial for weight loss, high blood pressure, hormonal imbalance symptoms, such as bloating and water retention. Watermelons are also rich in lycopen needed for preventing heart disease, sun skin damage and cancer.

In Summer,
we are supposed to eat more cooling foods that are easily digested, so mung beans, barley, rice, couscous, as well as sea vegetables can be added to salads if you want to avoid hot dishes. They are rich in fiber and will help you improve elimination, lose weight, reduce heart attack risk, lower high blood pressure.
 
Let us drink more water, juices and smoothies, eat more detox and cooling vegetables and fruits to feel better, get slimmer and look fabulous, shall we?


________________________________

Irina Wardas is a founder of NaturalCounselor.com – Holistic Health and Wellness Programs, Retreats and Radio Show for Women. As a certified holistic health and nutrition counselor, Irina helps her clients get healthier and happier with her unique approach of combining natural detox, weight loss and stress relief techniques and tools.

Irina is also a producer/host of “Feel and Look Fabulous with Irina”, the talk radio show dedicated to helping women feel and look fabulous naturally.    http://www.naturalcounselor.com



Monday, July 19, 2010

Pursuing Trivia

by Lorraine C. Brooks, MPH, CEAP

I recently read an article about Alzheimer’s Disease.  The article stated that research is being done which supports a theory that some forms of memory loss may be lessened if we begin to stimulate our brains when we are in our 40s and 50s, rather than waiting until the memory loss is more likely to be irreversible.  Apparently there is reason to believe that if you fuel your brain and keep it active, it will remain healthy longer.  Sort of like regular exercise.  I called my friend Liz to tell her this great news. Or was it Toni?  No, it was Liz.

“Liz, I have an idea. You know how we’re always saying that we can’t remember anything?  Well, I just read this article that says we have to give our brains regular exercise, you know, like with muscles, so they won’t atrophy.”

“Who is this?”

“Liz, it’s me. Lorraine.  Remember, we went to college together?”

“Oh yes…of course. But what’s all this about our brains and our muscles?  Didn’t I get a bicycle when you were into biking?  Didn’t I buy a catcher’s mitt when you decided that we should compete in the softball toss at the school reunion?   I still have that mark on my chin from the stitches.  Remember when we went to that Richard Simmons ‘Sweatin’ With the Oldies’ convention?  Little did we know that the ‘oldies’ he was referring to was US, not the music.  Remember that we couldn’t sit down for a week?   I have a closet full of fitness tapes, and I still weigh 200 pounds. Now you are actually suggesting that we need to exercise our brains?  I think I’ll pass.”

“No, no, listen. I read this article that said we need to use our brains more while we’re still young enough to remember things.”

“Have you looked at a calendar lately?  I think it’s too late.”

“Come on, Liz, let’s at least try this.  Maybe we should start to stimulate our brains NOW, so that we can postpone anything.  I was thinking about a game of Trivial Pursuit this Friday.”

“OK.  I guess I’ll try it.  I have nothing else to do anyway.  At least nothing I can remember.”

On Friday night, myself, Liz, and four other friends gathered at my house for a game of Trivial Pursuit.  In order to make it somewhat competitive, I chose the “Baby Boomer” edition, figuring that we had a chance to get some of the answers right without too much trouble.  This would bolster our egos, and also exercise our brains at the same time.  Simply brilliant, I thought!

We formed 3 teams of 2.  My partner was Eugenia.  Eugenia was smart (she is a social worker), so I figured this was a good coup.  My team had a pretty good chance of winning. After all I was the host, so I didn’t want to look bad.  Liz’s partner was Mattie, and Toni and Cheryl were the third team.  

Toni and Cheryl went first, and landed on “Television”.

“Who was the first star of the show ‘Larry’s World’?”

“OK, I know this”, says Cheryl.  “Give me a second. I know he was married to that woman who starred in that show about the husband with the 3 disabled kids...you know who I mean.  She did that commercial for that shampoo that made you sing in the shower…”

“Yeah, I do.  He was also in that movie with the guy who broke his arm in that accident on the set, and they had to replace him with that other guy who had that game show where people had to do all these crazy stunts with people they didn’t know…”

“Riiiight...he was diagnosed with cancer and then he made a miraculous recovery after going to Mexico for some alternative treatments with coffee grounds and yucca seeds. His son is a basketball player...”

“Oh yeah, that’s right.  And he is married to the girl who sings with that country and western group that recently sang at the White House…”

“No, that was that other group.  She plays the guitar, but she sings more pop stuff.  That song about platform shoes…”

“That’s who I meant! Now what is his name?”

“I know the name of the show, does that count?”

“No.  They told you the name of the show.  The question asks who HE is, not the name of the show.”

“I think I’m getting a charley horse in my cerebellum.”

“Me too.  Maybe we need to warm up first.”

“How do you warm up your brain?”

“Maybe pour hot coffee into your ears?”

“Come on now, let’s be serious.  Could we just focus?”

“OK, OK…back to the question.  What was the question again?”

“How many times did Babe Ruth strike out?”

“Oh, that’s easy. 1330.”

“Wait a minute. You know how many times Babe Ruth struck out, but you can’t answer the question, ‘who was the first star of Larry’s World’?”

“My son is a baseball stat freak.”

“Is he still seeing that girl you didn’t like?  The one with the tattoo on her nose?”

“No, my husband finally convinced him that she was a little flaky.  Now he’s seeing some chick who drives one of those little “green” things, you know, the ones that run on cow dung or something?”

“They don’t run on cow dung.  Don’t they use kitty litter?”

“Cows, cats…what’s the difference?  The point is, she’s green.”

“Must be the make up she uses.  I notice a little green tinge when I use that off-brand stuff.”

I sit back in my chair and wonder where it all went wrong.  I guess the important thing is that we were having fun.  After all is said and done, these are the women I will probably be sitting with in our rocking chairs on the porch of the nursing home. Hopefully we will still be having fun and looking back on the night we played Trivial Pursuit.  Or was it Yahtzee?

_______________________________

Lorraine C. Brooks, MPH, CEAP is a native New Yorker who is, among other things, an actor, writer, and producer of documentary films and videos.  Her works in progress include "Passion: Inside the Hearts of Women", and  the documentary film "Affectionately for Adelita: The Life and Work of Adele Geraghty".  She recently published her first book of poetry, Riding the Wave, BTS Books, 2010.  She is actively involved with Safe Horizons, and the Purple Ribbon Council, both of which assist victims and survivors of domestic violence. 


Monday, July 12, 2010

How to Enjoy the Sun and Protect your Skin!

by Candy Dye
Apriori Representative

Ever wonder how those beautiful, warm rays of the sun can have such long lasting and damaging effects on your skin?

Like a straightened rainbow, you can picture the spectrum of sunlight with the red, orange and yellow wavelengths being the longest and making up infrared light.  As wavelengths shorten, green and blue light speeds up into indigo blue and violet colors, which are visible and contain Ultraviolet A and Ultraviolet B rays.  These are the rays that cause sun damage to our skin.

UVA rays are the ones that cause tanning and premature skin aging – I like to think of the A in UVA for Aging. UVB rays, cause sunburn and skin damage, which I like to think of the B standing for Burn. Both types of radiation can lead to photoaging (wrinkles and leathery skin) and skin cancer.

Repeated sunburning speeds up the aging appearance of your skin, caused by loosening of your collagen and elastin which are like your own skin’s natural girdle or support, skin thinning with underlying blood vessels more visible, leathery and rough skin texture, and the appearance of freckles and age spots.

When I asked my dermatologist what he would say to you about preventing sun damage, he told me how surprised he was that so many people are more concerned with finding treatments for their wrinkles than preventing them. He recommended staying out of sun during peak hours of 10 am – 4 pm, regular use of sunscreen, reapplying every couple of hours, and keeping hydrated by drinking water throughout the day. Wearing a hat and lightweight clothing is great if you are very fair skinned.

When you are looking for a good SPF lotion, make sure you find one that provides protection for UVA AND UVB rays. In a recent article in The Orange County Register (June 16, 2010), “Shedding Light On Sunscreen Debate”, author Landon Hall says in discussing the right amount of SPF to use, “the level of protection climbs only a little the higher you go.  SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays, the short-wave radiation that causes sunburn: SPF 30 blocks 97%; and SPF 50 blocks 98%.  There’s no sunscreen that blocks 100% of the rays.  SPF doesn’t apply to UVA rays, which penetrate more deeply into the skin and can cause wrinkles, freckles and other signs of premature aging over time.  Shop for sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays.”

Then there is the need for your daily dose of Vitamin D, which you can easily achieve with 15 minutes of sun exposure every day. Vitamin D is an important topic for another time, as it has great implications for our immune systems, and bones. Suffice it here to say that a little sun is good, and too much can be harmful.

Enjoy being outdoors during the warm months using preventative measures to protect your beautiful skin from long lasting damage and keep drinking water all day long!

Thanks for stopping by and “Making My Life Beautiful”!
 ______________________

Candy Dye loves everything about wellness and beauty which has brought her to Apriori Beauty!










Because the condition of your skin is a result of what is going on inside of your body, the science of Nutrigenomics - the effects of specific nutrients on your cells and genes, which can prevent degenerative diseases - is being embraced by both the scientific research world and skin care products industry.



This is the science upon which Apriori Beauty products are founded. "Apriori Beauty's mission is to help women look and feel beautiful with the purest, most-natural and most-innovative products and opportunity. When you look beautiful, you feel good. When you feel beautiful, you look good. And, when you can share this beauty with others, you can feel good inside and out. Beauty from personal success will also be key to success."

A Neonatal Nurse Practitioner and Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, she also currently teaches in University of California Irvine's Nursing Program. Candy also shares health, wellness and beauty tips on her blog (http://www.candydye.com ) and on twitter (@candydye). This week she was listed as one of the Top 25 Nurse Practitioners on Twitter. WAY TO GO CANDY!!

Monday, July 5, 2010

When Will Society Stop Slamming Cougar Love?

Linda Franklin

After appearing on the  Joy Behar Show  recently, I got a flood of emails asking  - who was that guy on television with you? He most definitely raised the hackles on the backs of lots of women, but I guess he feels that's his job.  His name is Steve Ward and he is a  self-proclaimed “dating pathologist” who appears on VH''s Tough Love .

I got the impression that Mr. Ward doesn't like women very much and particularly women over 40. The Behar segment focused on cougar relationships and Steve doesn't approve of them. He thinks the guys are only there for sex and/or money, but who cares what he thinks?

I want to share with you just one of the hundreds of emails I received extolling the many virtues of cougar relationships. These fabulous females are sharing their lives with men who love and adore them. They have stopped listening to the advice of other people and started to listen to their own hearts. The results have been outstanding. What follows illustrates what I am saying.

"Linda, I haven't written to you in quite a while, but the catalyst for this note was your appearance on the Joy Behar Show the other night. As usual, you were well-spoken, fabulous and gorgeous, but that idiot who shared the space with you was so insulting and off base (I can't even remember his name), I just had to write and tell you that I couldn't believe it.)

"My husband is 48 and I will be 66 in March. We just celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary and have been together now for almost 22 years. Both of us are very active and enjoy life and enjoy each other. We are a loving, supportive couple. My husband is still advancing in his career and I am happily retired from mine. We adore my two daughters and four grandchildren. The age difference never bothers us, and he is definitely more mature than I am and always has been. Our marriage is better than most and I so resent that man's attitude." 

That's what I keep hearing from women all over the world. Can they all be smoking funny stuff? Cougar relationships, like all other relationships, flourish when you put in the time and effort to make them work. So Mr. Ward before you go around making ridiculous statements about who should love whom, maybe you had better take a closer look at what love really is.

______________________________

Linda Franklin is the author of 
Don't Ever Call Me Ma’am: The Real Cougar Woman Handbook 
http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Ever-Call-Me-Maam/dp/1599321610/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255663331&sr=1-1>
  and the founder of TheRealCougarWoman.c <http://www.therealcougarwoman.com/
 <http://www.more.com/7846/13653-defending-cougar-couples#>


Monday, June 21, 2010

Perrie’s Planetarium – Summer Solstice 2010



 Midlife Sky Hints with Astrologer Joyce Mason

Welcome to Perrie’s Planetarium! We meet quarterly in this feature to stargaze at the changes of seasons. It’s a great chance to see how we’re interconnected with everything and everyone under the stars. The view is awesome!

For more on how Perrie’s Planetarium works, visit the original Planetarium post from Winter Solstice 2009, especially if this is your first visit. For a sense of continuity from the last season (after all, each one morphs gradually into the next), check out Spring Equinox 2010, especially the outlook for your sign.

Summer.  It’s the Growing Season in the Northern Hemisphere. Summer starts on June 21 with the Sun’s move into the water sign of Cancer. No wonder we head for the beaches, lakes and pools this time of year!

If you planted seeds of intention at Spring Equinox in your mind or jotted them down in some way as a reflection, it’s time to see which ones are taking off.   Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year—time to “expose to thelight” all you want to grow and thrive for the next few months.  Want some rituals to celebrate summer? Read Astrologize! Jump Over the Summer Solstice Flame in a Spirited Dance of Life!

General Sky: Summer Solstice -  2010

To seize the opportunities each season presents, we need to identify them.  Here are summer’s most significant messages in the sky:

Aspect Pattern of the Year and Beyond: The Cardinal T-Square. This configuration was introduced to you late last year in the Winter Outlook and expanded in Spring. I won’t repeat what I’ve said so far on the subject (those curious can click back). However, I’m still giving it a lot of attention, as we seldom have anything this big going on in the sky. It’s important to understand what it means individually and collectively.

Now that Jupiter has joined the party, four planets are part of the Cardinal T-Square, an astrological pattern of great power: Pluto, Saturn, Jupiter and Uranus. All these planets are positioned in or approaching the first degrees of the Cardinal signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. We’ll be influenced all year by the tension of these planets “squaring off,” but the energy reaches its peak in July. I call the current sky pattern The Big Change Transits. To add to the excitement, on June 26, there is a lunar eclipse right on the Grand Cross. It aligns with Pluto, and I expect fireworks of some kind to be a result. Do your best to participate in the show—to roll with it. As Terra Wolfe, another astrologer I admire says, “We are all restructuring. We are creating a new normal.” The most important thing you can do is whatever helps you personally avoid being pulled into fear and negative emotions. (For me, it’s yoga, walking, gardening and inspirational reading.)

The influence of an eclipse can last for months and often brings big news. Lunar eclipses speak to relationship wants and needs. Because the eclipse occurs while the Full Moon is in Capricorn, the polarity of home and career is where it will be most felt—finding that balance between home and public life. Those with personal planets in early Cardinal signs will notice the effects. (This is a great time for anyone to have their chart done to know their personal influences under these big change announcements in the sky.)

The human fear of change is remarkably strong and often unwarranted. Our craving for excitement and variety is a desire for change. On the other hand, our dread of getting rid of what’s already dead in our lives defies logic. If “the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know,” by midlife, it’s time to let such thinking go back to the devil! In the case of the current sky, the changes on tap involve not just getting rid of structures (banking system, health care) that don’t work. With Pluto in the mix, they are likely to die off for something that works powerfully better. Even though the process may be difficult at times, the result is worth it.

Not just people but countries and leaders have horoscopes. (The USA is a Cancer Sun country, for example, “born” with the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.)* Anyone and everything with planets in the aforementioned Cardinal Signs or even late Mutable Signs (last degrees of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius or Pisces) will be most affected by this rock ‘n’ roll show. Mother Earth is morphing, and we have the option of trusting our nurturing mom to get us on track to where we need to go next—or living in fear. The last time Uranus and Pluto, in particular, were in close alignment brought us the Sixties. They were conjunct in the “unassuming” sign of Virgo, and you saw what happened then. Imagine this pairing as part of the Cardinal T-Square in go-for-it, impatient Aries. As the Beatles tune goes, we’re being invited to an Evolution Revolution.

After all that, the other cycles may seem like small potatoes, but here are two you’ll want to know about:

Total Solar Eclipse: This occurs July 11 at 19 degrees Cancer, affecting mid-Cancers and the mid-Cardinal signs (also Libra, Capricorn, and Aries). Cancer rules family, personal property, women’s issues, our roots and heritage, as well as emotions. The eclipse brings new beginnings in these matters, and that new opening can often be felt for up to six months or more.  Our deepest needs and the support of family—and our family of friends—will be up for examining, including how we value their help.

Mercury Retrograde.  Mercury remains direct till August 20 when the next Mercury Retro cycle begins and continues until September 12. Communications and the equipment that carries them tend to go haywire. The best thing you can bring to this temporary condition is a sense of humor. (See Gear Down and Jest Humor Mercury Retrograde.) Avoid signing contracts or starting new ventures (marriage, business) and be careful on short trips.  (Exceptions noted in the Gear Down article.) Car repairs often come up (be proactive with a routine vehicle service), and you may be minor traffic accident-prone. Mercury also rules the mind as well as the tongue. Be sure you get regular summer pedicures so “foot in mouth” disease is less distasteful.


Your Spring Outlook

Here’s what’s Up for your sign this season:

Cancer, the Crab or Moon Child (June 21 – July 21).  Happy Birthday, Midlife Moonies! Hang onto your socks. With that Lunar Eclipse of June 26 opposing your Sun along with Pluto, your relationship needs will be up for reckoning, especially if they conflict with career or your work in the world. Permission to vent granted. For the first week of summer, Mars can help you channel your anger to request the exact behavior changes needed from others, even in the heat of discussion. Thanks to help from Jupiter and Uranus, there is a touch of genius to tap and blessings available in your extreme makeover. Don’t forget to play in the water this summer. It’s your medium and your tranquilizer! You’ll need it to cool down from the sparks of change.

Mid-sign will feel the Solar Eclipse on your Sun, especially those with birthdays on or within a couple of days of the July 11 event. You’ll find yourself focused on
new beginnings in matters of home, hearth, and people and things that support you.  See the General Sky, above, for more details on what this showy sky signature may bring you. As we get toward Autumn Equinox, you’ll have friendly aspects from Mercury, Mars and Venus to look forward to. Preview: You’ll be on a roll with communications, sex appeal, and romance early next season. Get in shape for it this summer!

Late Cancers: You remain under the influence of Chiron and Neptune, inviting you to make adjustments that involve healing, the arts, addictions, psychological states, intuition, and vocation. If you’re open to it, you can receive vital information for a tune-up in your life through your dreams. It would be a great time to check out my dream primer on my website. Saturn gives folks with birthdays in the last week—and especially the last days of the sign—an opportunity to restructure the way you are perceived by others. You can command more respect and take your position as a sage. You may find yourself ready to embrace the crone stage of life, knowing you don’t have to do it in your grandmother’s way, but in your own inimitable style.

Summer-y for Cancers: Happy Birthday! It’s your season, and time to come out of your shell and greet whatever growth awaits you, balanced with fun in the sun and play in the water.

Leo (July 22 – August 21).  Early Leos luck out twice in a row with a pleasant planetary influence to kick off the season. You’re influenced by Venus, the relationship sign, so don’t be surprised if romance is in the air! Venus also rules money, so things may be looking up in your corner of the economy. Jupiter and Uranus trine your Sun, which can bring unexpected blessings, travel, or learning opportunities. It’s also a combo that can expand you right out of a stable relationship into something more exciting. Let your midlife smarts co-navigate with your heart.

Mid-Leos also get a love potion from Venus, but during the week of June 26-July 3. Mercury is in good aspect as the summer season opens; just seize opportunities to make your ideas heard, including your suggestions for summer fun. During the first week of July, Mercury crosses over your Sun, which could mean short trips, especially to visit siblings.

Late Leos continue a relatively long influence from Neptune and Chiron that carries over from winter and spring. How are you doing on those boundary issues? In taking off your rose colored glasses? You might see the parts of yourself that beg to be healed or parts that aren’t working well. Those antiquated parts of self are dissolving. It feels strange, at first, but it’s really you—the new you you’re becoming.

Summer-y for Leo: Happy Birthday, Lions! Most of you will enjoy a playful and light summer. Even those who are reviewing their qualities of a too-open heart can enjoy the drama of resolving it. Leos love “the stage!”

Virgo (August 22 – September 21).  Early Virgos: As summer opens, you’re peaking on a transit of Mars over your Sun. This can be very energizing and provide the juice to accomplish even more than your normal overdo.  Since Mars can also pique in another form—spark hurt, resentment, or wounded pride—try not to read the negative into encounters. You’re temporarily more defensive than usual. Promise yourself an early seasonal rest, a word I know you barely can hear. What if I called it your homework? Chiron opposing your Sun gives old pain an opportunity to bubble up for work on yourself. Virgos are born healers. Healer, heal thyself! At summer’s end, a Mars/Venus conjunction in friendly aspect will make you very desirable. If you’re looking for love, work it!

Mid-sign: You’ll feel Mars over your Sun for the first week of July, so the Mars portion of Early Virgo will apply to you next (above paragraph). Plan ahead for Mercury Retrograde! When Mercury shifts into reverse on August 20, it will be backing over the territory in Gemini that squares your Sun. You might find yourself more affected than most by Murky’s tricks like computer and communications glitches.  The more major action you can avoid in Mercury’s mental, short trips and communications territory—the better off you’ll be. Also, take a page from Early Virgo’s outlook. Play as homework!

Late Virgos: You’ve been a lightning rod for the part of the Cardinal T-Square that pits Uranus and Jupiter opposite Saturn on your Sun. As a late Virgo myself, I can tell you I feel the pull between expressing my creativity and being brought down to earth by obligations and the need to create more solid structures in my life. The Anything Can Happen and erratic behavior aspects of Uranus are still in play. One thing I didn’t mention. You might be wired! Transits of Uranus can leave us feeling as if we’ve had too many double cappuccinos. However, Virgo is lucky as an Earth Sign. We have the capacity to ground the high voltage energy Uranus brings. Lastly, Chiron and Neptune ask for readjustments to those with birthdays on the last few days of Virgo.** Examine if habits have become compulsions and how you can transform an area of your life where you’ve overcome pain into a gift you give back to the world.

Summer-y for Virgos: Happy Birthday to the last of the cake and candles trio! Play is Virgo’s work this summer, in-between self-reflection and learning how to deal with changes in energy flow.

Libra, The Scales (September 22 – October 22).  Early Libras are really feeling the effects of the Big Change Transits. The eclipse at the Summer Solstice is likely to bring relationship issues to the breaking point. I know that’s the last thing a Libra wants to hear, but don’t assume this is a bad thing. At the same time, you’ll have a nice sextile from Venus that could help you spin conflict into some great make-up action if you take advantage of it—a counterbalancing influence that could actually help you resolve conflicts in the positive. The Spring advice holds. Be concerned about grounding during these times you’re being tossed on the winds of personal growth. “Being in your body” through sports and summer activities is an ideal prescription.

Mid-sign: Like all the mid-signs this season, your Sun isn’t as affected by the Big Change transits, but no telling about the rest of your chart unless you know it. Even if you lack other Cardinal planets, you can’t help but feel the change in the air all around you. After all, Libra is both an air sign and the sign of The Other. Use Mercury Retrograde (August 20 - September 15) for one of its most potent applications—review, reconsider, and reflect on how you might take on others’ desires and suffering needlessly. This Mercury Retro is in the air sign of Gemini, which complements your Libra make-up. It can clear the cobwebs out of your head for greater self-awareness, particularly the knowledge of your own needs.

Later Libras: As the Moon crosses your Sun at Summer Solstice, you’ll feel the shift in season like a gust of warm wind. You retain your positive connection with Neptune and Chiron, now for a third season. With that lunar opening for your sector of the sign, it’s time for me to remind you again—your intuition is hotter than ever! Last season we talked about Uranus as your cosmic chiropractor, helping you see where you need to make adjustments in your life. Now that Uranus has joined up with Jupiter, there are chances for big adjustments. Some areas of life include philosophy, higher education, and spiritual seeking. Uranus itself will encourage sudden breakthroughs and changes, the need for freedom, and breaking out of convention on all levels. There will rarely be a better time for you to expand your thinking—to believe in and act on your insights and personal revelations.

Summer-y for Libras: Be in your body (play and exercise) but be willing to change your mind, the first step toward changing your life.


Scorpio, the Scorpion  (October 23 – November 21).  Early Scorps: Have you taken advantage yet of Pluto’s call to transformation? The long transit of Pluto sextile your Sun continues, offering opportunities for deep, organic change. But you have to take the pill or have the therapy. Don’t sit this out. It won’t happen again in your lifetime. On the lighter side, you start the season with a friendly Mars transit. Seize it! Mars is action, conflict, and sexuality—quite a package of plusses and sometimes minuses. Before Pluto was discovered, Mars was considered Scorpio’s ruler. It’s one of the signs that has dual rulership, an “ancient” and modern one. Google “astrology Mars” and “astrology Pluto.” Find out more about your sign’s co-rulers in this exercise of self-discovery.  With Jupiter and Uranus nudging your for improvements, it’s a great time to learn new things that bring those cosmic aha’s.

Mid-Scorps: You’re one of the Sun-sign sectors that can get a gift from Mercury Retrograde (August 20 - September 12). If you’re willing, you can achieve self-mastery in certain aspects of your life. Mercury Retrograde is meant to be introspective. Consider how you think and communicate. Does the Scorpio sensor for the dark side in others overtake your mental processes? How ‘bout that stinger? Does it really serve you to stun or almost annihilate your listeners just to make a point? Where does personal power fit into your life? Have you morphed from abusing it to using it to its optimal potential? When you’re not working on that project, head for the beach. As another water sign, you’ll be in your element—and possibly “click” on the answers to some of the questions above in the soothing waters.

Late sign: You have a golden opportunity for tackling issues of discipline, structure, time-management, matters of practicality and realizing your own wisdom. This is Saturn’s influence, often recognized by the public in his Father Time persona. There’s nothing more effective than a midlife wise woman paired with Saturn’s energy. While many people find Saturn a tough taskmaster, by our age, we know him to lay the foundation for a life that really ticks. Spring’s report on Neptune and Chiron’s nudge to change still applies. Time to cut through any protective mechanisms and explore psycho-spiritual issues for healing and insight. Don’t wait! Jupiter and Uranus offer luck and breakthroughs in the process.

Summer-y for Scorpio: The time is ripe to go for change. Working on yourself is where the Scorpio quality of tenaciousness excels to your advantage! You, too, need time in or near water as you “process.”

Sagittarius, the Archer (November 22 – December 20).  Lucky early Sag! Like Leo, you’ve got a love aspect going into summer with Venus trine your Sun. Mars, on the other hand, squares it—so don’t try to get physical too soon or risk tripping up your summer romance. (We talked about the Sag propensity for tripping last time.) Your relationship to the Big Change Transits is mostly positive. As Saturn inches back from its retro position in Virgo to the Cardinal point at 1 Aries the third week in July, your have an opportunity to get down to business about business itself or any number of responsibilities and structures in your life. While play is your natural wiring, all play and no work makes Jill a broke girl—in more ways than one! Now that Uranus has been joined by your Sun’s ruler, Jupiter, in early Aries, you have other nearly unstoppable opportunities—for learning, growth, travel, and sudden change. Since every Sag loves a good journey, you’ll come out bigger and better than ever before. That’s another thing you Archers love. Doing things up BIG! But watch your diet. That bigger part can also apply to your hips if there’s too much eating and drinking on this expedition in self-development.

Mid-sign: Venus will be trining your Sun in mid-July, bringing romantic and moneymaking opportunities. Pay special attention this Mercury Retrograde (August 20 – September 15). Mercury will reverse over territory in Gemini that opposes your Sun. You might get more than your share of the Murky Retro Glitches. More importantly, it’s a chance to re-examination how you communicate. If the shoe fits, rethink some the interactive styles Sag is famous for—being a know-it-all and a “blowhard” (overly boastful and talkative). How ‘bout tendencies toward excess and exSaggeration? You might find toning it down will improve your relationships more than you’d imagined.

Late sign: Uranus and Jupiter are squaring off with your Sun, pressuring you for big breakthroughs and new points of view. As a Sag, you know how important an integrated philosophy is to you, whether religious, spiritual, or ethical. What needs to change in this regard? As summer fades into fall, the Moon will join Jupiter and Uranus to bring a big wave of feeling you must “get it,” if you haven’t during summer. Pluto isn’t far off from your Sun position, reminding you that if you ignore the call to major self-renewal, life will bring you situations that demand it. Saturn is in the wings, ready to lay a new foundation for your personal reorganization.

Summer-y for Sagittarius: Change calls. How will you answer? It’s a journey, so bring your cell phone.

Capricorn, the Goat (December 21 – January 18).  Dear early Goats: I’d love to tell you things have let up as far as the impact of the Big Change Transits on you, but with Jupiter added to the mix and all the planets being in the early Cardinal signs, you’re still playing ball with no seventh inning stretch in sight. Still, there are peanuts, Cracker Jack, fun and friends at the old ball game. Take heed of last season’s discussion about personal power. By midlife, most of us are learning that being powerful means being completely ourselves in a grounded way with no holds barred except for common courtesy to others.  The Solstice Lunar Eclipse right on your Sun may bring big life events and the final juice you need to make the leap into hyperspace with this transformation you’re undergoing. Be brave, and remember, your sign is the mountain goat that sees the world from a higher perspective. You’re simply being asked at this time to own that in its wise and wonderful entirety.

Mid-sign: Enjoy the flow of ambitious Mars in relationship to your Sun during the first week or so of July. You’ll feel sexy and full of energy to “go for it,” whatever “it” is for you. It’s also a perfect time for an athletic event or getting back to the gym. Think that old song, I want to get physical! The last two weeks of July, you get another set of good vibrations from Venus. July’s your month for playing with these energies. Caps, along with Virgos, are one of the signs that tend to be workaholics. If you recognize yourself in this description, a vacation and time off during July is ideal. Come August 20 through the first few days of September, Mercury Retrograde will be calling you to make readjustments. Here’s your chance to learn the value of having a Plan B—maybe even a Plan C.

Late Caps: Saturn’s on your side, helping you restructure anything that needs fixing in your persona and approach toward life. As your Sun ruler, this is a perfect time for making gains without pain. There’s help from Jupiter and Uranus, too, on the side of insights, spirituality, and adopting points of view that are more progressive. You’ll feel this most acutely toward the end of summer, especially just as the Moon joins Jupiter and Uranus at the Autumn Equinox. Ponder these things, be willing to change, and as summer ends, you’re likely to have the process punctuated with some intuitions and insights that tie it all together for you in a package of grand take-aways.

Summer-y for Capricorns:  You’re all straddling the work/play axis in your own way. Take play breaks and ride the waves of change, whether choppy or smooth.

Aquarius, the Water Bearer (January 19 – February 17).  The recent hook-up of Jupiter and Uranus brings you opportunities for sudden expansion. If most Perrie readers weren’t of a certain age, I’d tell you to watch your birth control; instead, I’ll suggest watching your diet for waist expansion. Now that those concerns are out of the way, this is a chance for unique personal insights and flexing your own brilliance. Uranus is the ruler of Aquarius. It’s like having your cosmic coach recommend you for the all-star team. You’ve made the tryouts. Now, if you apply yourself, and seize the unexpected and new awakenings, the sky’s the limit. There will be a lot of luck, benevolence, and blessings in this process, but you have to step up to the plate.

Mid-sign: Yours is one of the zodiac sectors that will benefit from introspection this Mercury Retrograde (August 20 – September 12). When Mercury reverses in Gemini, it trines your Sun, a positive energy flow. But Mercury asks us to do “re” things in return for reaping its rewards—rethink, renegotiate, reconsider—and so on. You might even find that some of Mercury Retro’s typical snafus benefit you in some way. For example, your cell phone goes out just when you’re being tele-stalked by someone you’re trying to avoid. Or a package you sent to Aunt Tillie gets misdelivered a block away to an old high school friend who recognizes your name and a much welcome reunion results. You’ll enjoy telling the stories, too.

Late sign: Neptune has retrograded back into the late degrees of Aquarius and will be affecting most people born during the last week of the sign. Chiron will follow suit, not far behind. They both go direct again in November, so here’s your opportunity for healing more of those inner hurts that keep you from moving forward. It’s also perfect for looking at whether you’re kidding yourself about yourself on any level. Who are you really? Are there issues on the polarity of addiction to spirituality that need tending? This introspection usually results in expansion that will require new boundaries to contain your expanding. Saturn is in a pattern to provide you with the roots you need to make it safe to spread your new wings.

Summer-y for Aquarians: You have many opportunities now that involve the need for both inner work (reflection) and stepping up to the plate (both in the real world and in the psycho-spiritual work force). Seize the season!


Pisces, the Fish (February 18 – March 19) Early Pisces: How has Chiron’s initial visit to your sign been since it arrived on April 20? If old hurtful situations have come up for healing, don’t be surprised. The beauty is that Chiron can also lead you to discovering your true vocation. Whatever territory of life you’ve been assigned to have a “sore” in, learning to make lemonade out of those lemons can often lead to your life’s work. One of my favorite soldiers on the Lemonade Trail is Michael J. Fox, who has taken on fundraising for Parkinson’s as his job and fun-raising for anyone challenged, telling us, I’m still me! His books are humorous and inspiring. Chiron is about the overcoming spirit and sharing it with your community for group learning. Early Fish still have a nice aspect from Pluto, inviting organic change from the inside out. This combo is awesome for your personal evolution and empowers you to shake past pain for future power. You’ll feel that Solstice Lunar Eclipse, too, but it will bring opportunities. With your strong, natural intuition, go with your first “hit” on what to do with them. 

Mid-sign: Mercury Retro alert! Your sign’s one that’s squared by Mercury as it retros in mid-Gemini. My recommendation is always to take seriously, in those cases, the introspection this cycle asks for. From August 20 to September 12, make time to look at what’s going on in your life, especially in the areas of communication, thinking, and siblings. Are you on the “outs” with a brother or sister? Are you communicating your needs clearly to others? Has a generalized negative attitude started to seep in? Preview: Come early fall, you’ll have a lovely Mars and Venus aspect that will play out even better if you’ve done this review in Mercury’s area of influence, finding out how you can relate better to others and to yourself by harboring the most positive and life-affirming thoughts.

Late Pisces: Even though they have moved onto Aries, you’re still likely to feel the pull of Jupiter and Uranus as they hover near your Sun. This will be truer as summer moves on and they both retrograde back into late Pisces and are back to influencing you more directly. This pair of energies has many adjectives: unusual, dynamic, disruptive, expansive, and unpredictable. As I mentioned in the General Sky, Jupiter/Uranus has a history of radical and unruly social and political shifts. “Shift happens” could be your personal motto. You may find yourself a different breed of Fish these days, as I mentioned in Spring—an electric eel. Take good care of your physical vehicle during this process. Use your considerable Piscean intuition to know that you’re going to make it to the other end of this process renewed and refined.

Summer-y for Pisces:  You’re in many ways a Fish out of water, exploring inner depths and new ways of being. Don’t make that literal. As another Water Sign, water is your salvation in this process and brings you back to feeling in the flow. Go swimming to stay in the swim.

Aries, the Ram (March 20 – April 18)Early Aries: There’s no let-up so far in your rebirth process, but as I mentioned last time, you’re not a change-resistant sign. I’ve seen the Aries I know take on every kind of challenge with a gumption that would make a Taurus or Capricorn envious.  With Jupiter now added to the Cardinal T-Square, you’re even finding the blessings in the sudden readjustments life has demanded. For example, one Aries friend lost her job and sees it as an opportunity to reorganize her side business, which may increase its chances of supporting her full-time. Another Aries had break-ins to her home, very disturbing, but leveraged the crisis into a new and better home in short order—and to a serious review of her personal issues with security. The Lunar Eclipse at the Solstice will bring more news and growth opportunities. Venus trine your Sun in at the Summer Solstice adds a short window of good news in areas of love and money. Every Aries has the potential to be Rambunctious in an impressive way during the Big Changes. Do what you do best. Go for it!

Mid-sign Rams get an opportunity for mental readjustment during this summer’s Mercury Retrograde, especially during the last week of the August 20 – September 12 cycle. How can you communicate better? Is your thinking positive, upbeat, and life affirming? As Mercury appears to be going in reverse in the sky, it’s time for Aries to become acquainted with that particular gear. Most of you live on overdrive! Reconsider how downshifting a few times a year can actually benefit your overall performance. Of all the signs, Aries fits most the metaphor that your body and being are your “personal vehicle.” You may require an occasional shift into lower gears or you’ll end up spending time in the shop.

Later-sign Rams: You remain under the influence of Neptune and Chiron. You have an opportunity to let dissolve those parts of you that no longer work in the positive and to heal longstanding pains from your past. It’s a time for working with spiritual and intuitive tools and to discover your own gifts in these areas. Saturn asks for readjustment from the latest birthdays in the sign, offering you a new structure for holding you during these sensitive times of self-discovery—and the extra protection you need while opening yourself up to psychic information, dreams, and healing.

Summer-y for Aries: Go for it—or rest from it—in your usual fiery style! Spend time in the summer sun to recharge your batteries.

Taurus, the Bull (April 19 – May 19).  Bulls are getting Pluto’s call to personal transformation in a kinder, gentler way, which fits your sign to a T. While you’ll feel the Lunar Eclipse at the Solstice, it’s likely to bring opportunities that enhance your brand of slower but certain personal evolution. You are probably also sensing a chance for healing and sensitizing from the Chiron/Neptune pairing in positive aspect to your Sun. There’s a synergy to these patterns that allow for a kind of growth spurt that has been building slow but suddenly blooms. Mars trine your Sun in early summer energizes you, so get out there and enjoy some summer exercise. Even if you move slowly—walking, yoga, t’ai chi—it’s a great time to keep moving, both inner and outer.

Mid-sign Tauruses are likely to have supportive opportunities, because of the July 11 Solar Eclipse. Hold family and friends close, and read more about the Total Solar Eclipse under General Sky near the top of the Planetarium report. 

Late-sign Bulls are still feeling the square from Chiron and Neptune, who are by now insistent on the topics of healing and spirituality as well as questioning your right vocation and artistic contributions.  Saturn is supportive with a flowing aspect to hold you while you rebirth yourself.

Summer-y for Tauruses: Most of you love to garden, and you’re the garden this summer! Let friendship, family, and supportive astrological energies form a firm flowerbed as you expand and bloom.

Gemini, the Twins (May 20-June 20).  Early Gems: You’re probably all fired up by the changes on tap offered by Uranus and Jupiter in aspect to your Sun. You like variety and change, and there’s nothing more changeable than Uranus and Jupiter together! Try to keep some grounding—always a Gemini challenge—as you ping off the walls of your mind with new opportunities and ideas. Enjoy a nice Venus aspect to your Sun, making you even more attractive than usual, around the Summer Solstice, but don’t forget to answer Chiron and Neptune’s call. For all this fun you’re having with the other planets, these guys want you to pay attention to your interior—to what needs to be healed and what has to go in your psyche to support your next leg of your personal journey in the most positive way. They’re willing to make it easy with a flowing trine to your Sun.

Mid-Gems: Pay attention to Mercury Retrograde August 20 – September 12. Mercury “backs up” right over your Sun, and if you don’t want to feel like you’ve been run over by a truck, do what it asks. Reconsider, review, revamp—relax and use this inner time for a personal tune-up. I often find errors during this cycle that prevent big problems later on, like a math mistake in my checkbook. That’s the purpose of Mercury Retrograde—to slow down and hopefully avoid slipping up.

Late Gemini: You retain that Neptune/Chiron square Sun aspect that can have the very amping up effect on your energy that I mentioned last time from the side of Uranus.  I know you’re unstoppable with creativity right now, but it’s very important to ground this energy. Unlike some of the other signs, Gemini does not feel its feet on the ground easily. You are an air sign. You like to fly! With Chiron presenting opportunities to heal lingering past hurts, you can either slow down and look for what needs to be done in this regard—or the universe will make you face it in more unpleasant ways, like recreating a scenario similar to one in the past that brought you a lot of grief. Chiron is a teacher, and you get to choose whether you want to learn the hard way. Saturn may already be slowing you down as it tries to reel you in from your current trip to the stratosphere. You don’t have to go as high as you can, just because you can. It’s crucial to add some gear shifting to your current flight to the creative realms. If you do, you will have not just mastered these transits; you’ll have learned a crucial lesson for all Geminis. Regardless of our astrological elemental make-up (in your case, Air) we live on the ground. We cannot fly without frequent trips back to earth for refueling.

Summer-y for Gemini: Grounding is a bigger issue than ever for you this summer. Play in dirt. It’s the element you need! Garden a little this summer to appreciate how lovely it can be to come down to earth.


See you at Autumn Equinox for our next show at the Planetarium! 

~~~


Joyce Mason has been an astrologer for 22 years and a writer ever since she could hold a pencil. Learn more about Joyce, her two blogs, and her library of articles on topics from A to Zzz (astrology to dreamwork) on her Joyce Mason website. Check out Personal Consultations on Joyce’s website for information about her “astrology plus” practice, Inner Growth Work. She welcomes hearing from you: joyce@joycemason.com.

Notes:

* The “correct” chart of the USA and when to consider its “birth” is hotly contested among astrologers. Most use the July 4, 1776 chart with Sagittarius Rising, known as the Sibley chart after Ebenezer Sibley, the 18th century astrologer and freemason who first proposed it.

** The dates given for each sign in parenthesis next to each sign are not exact every year because the Sun varies in when it shifts signs. Those born on the first or last day of a Sun sign need to have a chart run for their exact birth time to know for sure which sign they were born under. The time of shift can vary from a few hours to a full day. For example, my birthday is September 22. My Sun is in Virgo and the Sun did not shift into Libra at year until eight hours after I was born.