An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon’s apparent disk is just smaller than the Sun’s disk and the Sun appears as a brilliant ring.

Eclipses have a reputation for bringing change, good or bad and often stress.

As an astrologer I don’t believe eclipses are a cataclysmic event that some people suppose them to be or an ill omen, as ancient traditional astrology says. If you expect bad things to happen, chances are you will create a self-fulfilling prophecy, because the energy of a negative thought could be very powerful. We are the co-creator of our reality; I believe we attract what is in sync with our thoughts.

However eclipses do present opportunities to change, and change is often necessary in order to evolve. When we fear change and refuse to accept when something is done or gone or not for us anymore, then we can experience bad things.

Eclipses bring messages, and if we ignore or miss ‘the message,’ chances are we won’t be able to fulfill our dreams and wishes for the future.

Being aware and conscious is the best way to confront any astrological event, when we are unaware, asleep or unconscious, we become vulnerable to events.

By being conscious you can take the reins of your life dear Leo.

Venus the goddess of beauty, love, luxury and women’s matters, is going to retrograde. It happens once a year and starts May 15^th and finishes on June 27^th.

May is traditionally known as the bride’s month, however this May, it’s not propitious for a wedding day, nor is it a good time for cosmetic surgery or to buy expensive items, such as a piece of art, decoration, jewelry and so on.

It’s a time to reconnect with LOVE; love for self and love for others.

Venus in retrograde motion is supposed to mean that love enters a fated period, where we may experience problems in our relationships and we need to sort out what our real feelings are for the person we are in a relationship with.

It’s a karmic time as well. Old friends or lovers may reappear offering us a second chance to reconnect or just to recognize that you don’t belong together. Sometimes some relationships finish leaving some feelings behind and some doubts. A Venus retrograde period can help us to review our feelings.

It may also be that an old flame appears on the scene again.

The area in your chart where Venus will retrograde shows where you may have ‘love issues’ during this period.

Read how these astrological events in May can affect your solar sign at www.sandraalvim.com

The full moon in Libra is on April 6^th at 3:19 AM (Eastern Time).

This is a time to balance giving too much to others, undermining our own interests with compromises, and being responsible for our relationships and partnerships.

This is not a fun full moon but a call to remember our responsibilities and duties to one another. Saturn will be next to the moon, and the Sun opposing Saturn will be squaring Pluto. Observe in your chart where this full moon will be shinning because this is the area where you need to face reality and transform old patterns into new ways of expression.

Please share your experiences about Mercury retrograde. Did you have any problem on your travels, such as delays, a wrong reservation, or a last minute change of plans?

Did you experience computer crashes, mal functions or loss of data?

Did you miss appointments? Did you send a wrong message?

Whatever happened in your travels, communications, with your appointments or with your gadgets, share your anecdote with me on my blog: http://www.yesim58.com/blog/

Aries

April starts with a big push in communication. Venus the planet of beauty, luxury and the arts enters the sign of Gemini, the sign of communication.  Read more…

Taurus

April starts with a big push in communication. Venus the planet of beauty, luxury and the arts enters the sign of Gemini, the sign of communication.  Read more…

Gemini

April starts with a big push in communication. Venus the planet of beauty, luxury and the arts enters the sign of Gemini, the sign of communication.  Read more…

Cancer

April starts with a big push in communication. Venus the planet of beauty, luxury and the arts enters the sign of Gemini, the sign of communication.  Read more…

Leo

April starts with a big push in communication. Venus the planet of beauty, luxury and the arts enters the sign of Gemini, the sign of communication. Read more…

Virgo

April starts with a big push in communication. Venus the planet of beauty, luxury and the arts enters the sign of Gemini, the sign of communication. Read more…

Libra

April starts with a big push in communication. Venus the planet of beauty, luxury and the arts enters the sign of Gemini, the sign of communication. Read more…

Scorpio

April starts with a big push in communication. Venus the planet of beauty, luxury and the arts enters the sign of Gemini, the sign of communication.  Read more…

Sagittarius

April starts with a big push in communication. Venus the planet of beauty, luxury and the arts enters the sign of Gemini, the sign of communication. Read more…

Capricorn

April starts with a big push in communication. Venus the planet of beauty, luxury and the arts enters the sign of Gemini, the sign of communication.  Read more…

Aquarius

April starts with a big push in communication. Venus the planet of beauty, luxury and the arts enters the sign of Gemini, the sign of communication. Read more…

Pisces

April starts with a big push in communication. Venus the planet of beauty, luxury and the arts enters the sign of Gemini, the sign of communication.  Read more…

The new moon today, on the 22^nd at 10:38 AM (Eastern Time) in Aries marks the real first new moon of the new astrological year.

This new moon is an invitation for us to bravely or blindly delve into unknown territory.

Uranus and Mercury join this lunation, sparking unconventional ideas, even if we have to be “a little bit” ahead of our times.

So what! It’s great to be different, original and Avant-garde.

We can propose a change in ourselves, in our behavior and in how we approach our tasks more efficiently, how we connect with others, and how we bring out our creativity.

Do something different today! Be daring! Be mischievous! Be yourself!

Equinox happens twice a year, springtime and in the fall.  It’s when the sun crosses the plane of the earth’s equator and day and night are of equal length.

The day the sun enters the sign of Aries, (same day as the Equinox) is seen by astrologers as the beginning (first day) of the astrological year. Aries is the first sign of the zodiac; Aries is the initiator, the pioneer, and always ready for action.

Aries’ motto is “Ready to start”

When the sun enters the sign of Aries, the universe is open for new beginnings. There’s this energy of initiation which is appropriate for starting new projects, new routines, a new diet, a new exercise program, to launch a new book, an art exhibition, to change locations, to start a new job or a new life.

This energy is comparable to going sailing when there is a tailwind, and you don’t have to row, but just head the boat in the direction you want to go and enjoy the sailing without much effort.

However with Mars and Mercury retrograde the tailwind sailing can be replaced by the pulled brake while the foot is on the pedal effect. We should hold off on initiating anything today, but we can set new goals, make our resolutions for the year, or plan something to be implemented after April 13^th. It’s a time to perfect our projects.

But it is also a perfect day to do a cleansing or detox. It’s also good for cleaning out your wardrobe and your office. Cleanings opens up energy for new opportunities. Be courageous and get rid of everything that you no longer need and even anyone who is not positive in your life and let the NEW come in!

Here’s to a happy springtime in the northern hemisphere and happy autumn for those in the southern hemisphere.

Aries

For you Aries, this blissful aspect will impact your career and financial gain; you may launch a very successful project you have been working on since last year, which you can bet will be a smash! Read more…

Taurus

Mercury the planet that rules transportation, travel, communication, learning, and the media, is retrograde from March 12th until April 4th. Mars and Saturn are retrograde as well, so we have to adjust our timing with the Cosmos; in other words, be patient and don’t hurry on your projects, but instead go over them as many times as is needed to make them absolutely perfect. Read more…

Gemini

Mercury the planet that rules transportation, travel, communication, learning, and the media, is retrograde from March 12th until April 4th. Mars and Saturn are retrograde as well, so we have to adjust our timing with the Cosmos; in other words, be patient and don’t hurry on your projects, but instead go over them as many times as is needed to make them absolutely perfect. Read more…

Cancer

Mercury the planet that rules transportation, travel, communication, learning, and the media, is retrograde from March 12th until April 4th. Mars and Saturn are retrograde as well, so we have to adjust our timing with the Cosmos; in other words, be patient and don’t hurry on your projects, but instead go over them as many times as is needed to make them absolutely perfect. Read more…

Leo

Mercury the planet that rules transportation, travel, communication, learning, and the media, is retrograde from March 12th until April 4th. Mars and Saturn are retrograde as well, so we have to adjust our timing with the Cosmos; in other words, be patient and don’t hurry on your projects, but instead go over them as many times as is needed to make them absolutely perfect. Read more…

Virgo

Mercury the planet that rules transportation, travel, communication, learning, and the media, is retrograde from March 12th until April 4th. Mars and Saturn are retrograde as well, so we have to adjust our timing with the Cosmos; in other words, be patient and don’t hurry on your projects, but instead go over them as many times as is needed to make them absolutely perfect. Read more…

Libra

Mercury the planet that rules transportation, travel, communication, learning, and the media, is retrograde from March 12th until April 4th. Mars and Saturn are retrograde as well, so we have to adjust our timing with the Cosmos; in other words, be patient and don’t hurry on your projects, but instead go over them as many times as is needed to make them absolutely perfect. Read more…

Scorpio

Mercury the planet that rules transportation, travel, communication, learning, and the media, is retrograde from March 12th until April 4th. Mars and Saturn are retrograde as well, so we have to adjust our timing with the Cosmos; in other words, be patient and don’t hurry on your projects, but instead go over them as many times as is needed to make them absolutely perfect. Read more…

Sagittarius

Mercury the planet that rules transportation, travel, communication, learning, and the media, is retrograde from March 12th until April 4th. Mars and Saturn are retrograde as well, so we have to adjust our timing with the Cosmos; in other words, be patient and don’t hurry on your projects, but instead go over them as many times as is needed to make them absolutely perfect. Read more…

Capricorn

Mercury the planet that rules transportation, travel, communication, learning, and the media, is retrograde from March 12th until April 4th. Mars and Saturn are retrograde as well, so we have to adjust our timing with the Cosmos; in other words, be patient and don’t hurry on your projects, but instead go over them as many times as is needed to make them absolutely perfect. Read more…

Aquarius

Mercury the planet that rules transportation, travel, communication, learning, and the media, is retrograde from March 12th until April 4th. Mars and Saturn are retrograde as well, so we have to adjust our timing with the Cosmos; in other words, be patient and don’t hurry on your projects, but instead go over them as many times as is needed to make them absolutely perfect. Read more…

Pisces

Mercury the planet that rules transportation, travel, communication, learning, and the media, is retrograde from March 12th until April 4th. Mars and Saturn are retrograde as well, so we have to adjust our timing with the Cosmos; in other words, be patient and don’t hurry on your projects, but instead go over them as many times as is needed to make them absolutely perfect. Read more…

The planet Neptune, which just entered the sign of Pisces, for the first time in 160 years, is strongly aspecting this New Moon in Pisces, accentuating the spiritual energy. Neptune represents mystical dimensions beyond what is immediately available to our five senses of this physical world, and so this New Moon in Pisces which is the sign ruled by Neptune, and share the same principals.

This new moon is an invitation to dive into an ocean of emotions, inspiration, and LOVE.

It’s a perfect day to connect with our soul, to meditate, to heal and to connect to the cosmic sense of UNITY and deepen our connection with one another.

Be compassionate today; spur hope, faith and charity.

LOVE to all of you!

Aries

In February, those under the sign of Aries are the most lovable. Thanks to Venus in your sign you will be nothing but charm, beauty and creativity. As one of the more creative people around, you have everything now to show the world your creativity and attract any human being you wish. What else could you want? Read more…

Taurus

This is your wishing time dear Taurus! Get ready and make a list of your priorities and let the universal force and your guardian angels do their job to get your dreams to come true. Read more…
Gemini

The God of illusion, of inspiration, divinity and spirituality is entering you career area! A NEW era is beginning for you dear Gemini. Public recognition is in store for you. Read more…

Cancer

It was asked of a Guru at the moment of his death what his wished for before leaving this world. His answer was: I wish to learn!
Leaning is evolution and evolution takes us closer to God and perfection.
Now is the time when your mind is in its best moment to learn and find a major spiritual life purpose. Read more…

Leo

If you think money and love can pair together…. You are right dear Leo, at least in astrology; love and money occupy the same astrological house. Whatever you choose is your call; as is the consequence of your choice. Read more…

Virgo

February is all about love, closeness and strengthening the bonds with your partner and if you don’t have one, finding an interesting companion. Read more…

Libra

You have the best energy available this month to take a big step forward on a job project dear Libra; or maybe you’ll hear about a promotion you have being waiting a while for. Read more…

Scorpio

This month dear Scorpio, if you are single, FINALLY you will have THAT electric meeting, the one you have been waiting a long while for. If you have hoped for a baby, you may conceive this month during the new moon. Read more…

Sagitarius

This is the best time for you to look for a property or even buy one, dear Sagittarius; your home now will become the center of your attention. You may want to redecorate your home and make it a sanctuary. Choose a spot in your home and place objects, candles, angels and anything that represents spirituality for you. Read more…

Capricorn

Nowadays we can access any information, from any location and find whatever we need from a computer screen…
It’s you moment dear Capricorn to take the most advantage of those handy gadgets we have at our disposal and research, learn, get informed and connect on the web. Read more…

Aquarius

The focus shifts from you dear Aquarius to your values and assets. It’s time to take your finances seriously and get organized. How about hiring a financial consultant to help you out? Read more…

Pisces

To understand why, and for that we are on earth, God prepared a mission to each of the twelve Horoscopes. Read more…

2012! The ‘OH MY GOD’ Year

Writing about 2012 is like walking a minefield.
It became a mystical year, outlined by prophecies and myths, thanks to our sensationalistic media, movie producers, and fortunetellers announcing the apocalypse of 2012 and even some astrologers without realizing that they would be scaring the public.

So I decided to erase everything I’ve heard and read, to find my own truths away from the doom and gloom and do my own research based on history and analyzing the transits of the year.

The year of 2012, will be for sure a dawning of a new age of awareness, a year that offers us the opportunity to access a higher vibration and a more sacred connection with our precious Earth.

The world will NOT END in 2012. There’s no astrological basis that proves that. You don’t need to be an astrologer to see that there are problems everywhere, in politics, monetary systems, religion and we cannot continue on the same trajectory that brought us to this moment of chaos.

Everything in the universe is cyclic and we are experiencing shocks, catastrophes and changes in our society since 2001, with the terrorist attack on the twin towers, Iraqi insurgency (2004) Hurricane Katrina (2006) global financial collapse (2008) and the earthquake/tsunami/nuclear meltdown in Japan (2011), and so on. So 2012 will represent not a peak, but ‘a point of no return.’
We are in a moment where there’s no more choice, we either fix our mistakes or we collapse.
There will be no POW! BOOM! and we won’t be swept away from earth, but a segment of events begins that will continue until 2016.

About December 21st , 2012, again, nothing in astronomy or astrology proves that the end the world is coming, the fact that the Mayan calendar ends on December 21st  2012 doesn’t mean the end of our times, but the end of a cycle and the beginning of a new cycle of 26,000 years.

Yes the year of 2012 is a very special year; we are under some aspects that don’t happen every day like an alignment of Venus with the Sun along with the final entry of Neptune in Pisces, and a Uranus-Pluto square.

We are in a process of change and for people who don’t get it, it may seem like the end of a world, for others it is the beginning of a new way of seeing and living. You just have to choose which side you are on.

There are two contradictory opinions about 2012, the terrifying one and the peaceful one.
Every time we go through these cycles, we see great leaps of consciousness, broken frames and the presence of synchronistic events.

We are passing through a period of transition to a new era in which humanity can experience a new Golden Age after undergoing a process of inner purification, which involves the rescue of human conscious values.

Astrology will be one of the best tools to understand our times. Actually, 2012 is officially the year of astrology. Regardless that astrology has being rejected, ridiculed and even deemed as nonsense, the heavens will continue to inspire, reveal and unify our visions. The vibration of the planets and its’ cycles are and will be the best guide to understand the evolutionary process of our world.

The Important trends of 2012.

The year of 2012, will be ruled by the Moon.
The Goddess of Night, as the Moon is called, governs the changes, emotions and memories making us more emotive, nostalgic and very impressionable; eager to make important changes in our lives.
We need desperately to return to nature, to our mother earth and we need to rescue the yin and yang balance. (Feminine and masculine).
There will be more attention on Eclipses in 2012.

A year ruled by the moon is a good year for those who want to move, get married, have a child, or want to “generate” a new project and a new seed of life.
A good way to tune into the moon is to wear white or silver on New Years Eve and spend the night near a lake, a river, or even the sea.
Decorate your house with white flowers, like white lilies, daisies, white orchids or calla lily.  Place an opal stone, a moonstone, quartz or pearls in a plate and use aloe or jasmine incense to sync with the energies of the Moon.
The moon will be at 9º Aries (Eastern Time) 11º Aries (Pacific Time) and 8º Aries in Brazil, in crescent phase (waxing moon) when the clocks reach 12:00 midnight on January 1st 2012.

The most important event of 2012 is the inferior conjunction of Venus with the Sun, also called the “Transit of Venus” which will take place on June 5, when the planet closest to the Earth can be seen for a few hours with the help of an eclipsed telescope, from some places on our planet.
It is an event of great rarity.

Our generation is privileged with such an opportunity, as there is only one pair of these conjunctions every eight years, with an interval of a little over a century (121, 5 years)
Because this pair of Venus transits of the Sun occurs in Gemini, we get a sense that a flourishing of new ideas and discoveries is upon us.

Several very significant events in history, preceded the transit of Venus with the Sun, like the discovery that the Earth was round, the formation of the Lutheran Church, the beginning of the industrial revolution, critical moments in the history of the U.S. economy, the international agreement on the time zone schedules and the imaginary line of Greenwich was created, just to name a few.

Shall we discover something this year that would change our perception of the universe? Maybe. Can we discover life somewhere else? I think a major event will change the course of our civilization that could make humankind start a new era.

The definitive entrance of Neptune in Pisces on February 3rd 2012 which will last until 2026 resonate with a collective desire to belong and to feel that we are included in something universal and mindfulness.
If you want to read more about Neptune in Pisces, please check this article.

It will definitely involve issues related to gas, water, ocean and excessive flood.
And of course, we can expect to see new techniques incorporating spiritual healing and/ or the revival of older techniques. Advanced healing technologies are coming into the mainstream that use light and sound to influence the body’s core energies so that it can heal itself.

Traditional medicine that prescribes toxin drugs will be replaced by medicines based on tapping into our regenerative powers, reconnecting with the unmanifested energy of the cosmos. The holistic doctors will be more suitable to our times.

Astrology is a great tool to heal clients by helping them find the sources of their wounds and heal them with their own inner energy and power.
Of course this is a process and every process in humanity starts at some point and keeps going and getting more popular and more accurate with time.
Neptune in Pisces is impelling us to follow our heart and look for the answers within not out side and acting not by default but by using our instincts instead.

The so spoken and feared Uranus and Pluto square may be the more challenging one. This transit may bring the collapse of social and political institutions and of course monetary crisis, which is not a surprise. We will experience a breakdown /awakening moment, which is necessary for the world to evolve.
We are going to experience some ‘AHA!” type awakening this year. These changes of course will take some years to get incorporated into our understanding, especially for those who insist in remaining in their old behaviors.

Uranus and Pluto will make seven passes making a square to each other and the first one will be on June 2012. It doesn’t represent any immediate “GREAT AWAKENING” but the first manifestation of a major change that will take place with time. This transit will remain from 2012 to 2016.
Therefore 2012 represents the moment we will reach a point of no return, the beginning of a new era, not a culmination of any sense.

Uranus is responsible for bringing changes with shock and unexpected events, and Pluto is the planet that brings death in order to have a rebirth, not necessary physical death but the death of institutions, political systems, authority power and the relationship we have with money for instance.

For example, we can compare Gutenberg’s printing press in 1455 with IBM’s System/360 that was introduced in 1964 and both discoveries were technological innovations (Uranus) that brought about profound cultural evolution (Pluto) and both occurred at the time of a Uranus-Pluto transit.

The majority of the populations of the world are more concerned with work, career goals and power. This is the reason our world became focused on greed and unbounded ambition which generates crimes, war, hate and competition.
The words of this transit are Righteousness, Truth and Honesty.
Take the responsibilities for our choices without putting the blame on the government, on your family or on your spouse… delete old crystallized paradigms.

So stop relying on this so-called ‘the end of the world’ and take responsibilities for yourself.
The world will end for those who insist on spinning around in his wheel like a hamster. Find the way to get out of the wheel and you will not be swept from the planet.

Uranus and Pluto will exactly square each other on June and September 2012, March and November 2013, April and December 2014 and March 2015.

GOD KNOWS what the heavens will use to make us understand we can’t remain where we are. The denial of these changes is what can create the struggles, crisis or even pain. Accepting is the best way to be in sync with the inevitable change in our universe.

While all the signs will be affected, those born under the signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn should be prepared for the greatest and most profound changes of their lives.

The Mercury retrogrades period is a time to rethink our projects and avoid starting any new and major projects or making any important decisions that could impact our future. Mercury will retrograde on the following dates in 2012:
May 12th until April 4th in Aries and Pisces.
July 14th until Aug 8th in Leo.
November 6th until November 26th in Sagittarius and Scorpio.

When Venus retrograde, it is not a good time to marry or to get a beauty procedure, like a plastic surgery or a tune up.
Venus will retrograde on the following dates in 2012.
May 15th until June 27th 2012 in the sign of Gemini.

The time between March 22nd and April 14th, is a period of much concern for the world, when we could have earthquakes, war, epidemics and other affairs that could be harmful to humankind.

On June 5th Venus retrograding will make the rare transit with the Sun.
This is a good time to reassess how we deal with love and how we could start to become part of the wholeness, activating the chakra of love (on the center of the chest) and spreading unconditional love to others.

What should be our resolutions for 2012 in order to be in sync with the new cycle?

Being generous and forming associations with people of common and positive purpose.
Shifting relationships from self centered love to building trust, love, and respect for each other.
Be tolerant and avoid petty arguments.

Jupiter remains in Taurus until June 11th when it moves to Gemini.  I will post an article with more details about this passage of Jupiter to Gemini in June 2012.

Saturn remains in Libra until October 5th when it moves to Scorpio. I will soon write an article about this change in the second semester of the year.

Eclipses of 2012:

May 20th Annular Solar Eclipse at 0º Gemini at 7:53 PM (Eastern Time)
June 4th Partial Lunar Eclipse at 14º Sagittarius at 7:04 AM (Eastern Time)
November 13th Total Solar Eclipse at 21º Scorpio at 6:12 PM (Eastern Time)
November 28th Lunar Eclipse at 6º Gemini at 10:36 AM (Eastern Time)

Each one of us receives the planetary vibrations in a different way, according to our own degree of consciousness, but the analysis of the trends of the year is designated to understand the cycles of humankind, the process of transformation and what our society will experience in this particular year.
In the year of 2012 we must try to understand that strategies that worked under the old paradigm are no longer effective.

I insist on this quote, I have posted it so many times and I suggest for once you pay deep attention and reflect upon it this time.
“Be the change you want to see in the world”
Gandhi