The fascinating astrological moon in us

Many people know their zodiac sign as “Leo”, “ Gemini”, or “Scorpio” etc, but when asked “What is your moon sign?” People tend to get a bit confused and they ask, “what do you mean by moon sign?” In today’s journal, we will talk a little bit about the moon and how it works with us in astrology.

First of all, when someone says they are a Leo, it is usually referring to their sun sign. Sun sign is the position of the sun at the moment a person is born. A Leo sun sign person has the Sun located in the same direction with the constellation Leo section in the sky at the moment they are born. Since the the earth takes 12 months to orbit the sun, in average each sign requires 1 month time for the earth to pass through. So for a Leo person, the earth will pass through Leo section of the sky roughly between 22nd July and 21st August. Thus he/she has their sun sign in Leo.

This works the same way for the moon, though the moon is orbiting us but at a much faster speed. It takes the moon 27~28 days to finish one orbit, so for moon to pass through each zodiac sign, it only takes about a day and half. That is why moon sign calculation is more complexed. Two people born on the same day could have two different moon signs, while two people born on different days could share the same moon sign. To check your moon sign, you can go to this website:  https://astro-charts.com/tools/new/birthchart/

I cannot emphasise more about the importance of our moon sign to us. Sometimes we resonate even more with our moon sign rather than sun sign. The sun sign is the part of us that is most apparent on the surface, in comparison, the moon sign is the part of us that is hidden inside, and what is known best by ourrselves. There is a saying "someone wears their heart on the sleeve". This is exactly what we mean by the moon sign. We only reveal your moon sign quality to the people we are very close to, because this is our true emotional needs. When we are truely seeing someone on this deeper level, it is not just that they are teling us their secrets, but also this is their vulnerability and most private space. Thus in astrology, when someone's saturn and natal moon form a challenging aspect (conjunction, square and opposition), they tend to have a lot of difficulties revealing their feelings due to lack to trust. Have you had a moment about someone close to you, “wow, he/she really understands how I feel!”. That is the moment when you are opening our moon to them, and their understanding (their Sun) illuminates your inner self (the moon), which gives you so much warmth and security. 

In astrology, moon is the planet symbolising our emotional needs, feeling, sense of security, mother and home. It is also our subconscious realm in comparison with the sun. The sun is what we want, and moon is what we need; the sun makes us think and act in one way; whereas the moon makes us feel and react otherwise. It is instinctual, primal and deeply rooted within us. Sometimes we are not aware of our moon sign quality till adulthood. What gives you the real sense of security in life? What makes you feel nurtured, loved and fulfilled? The moon sign says it all.

In childhood, before our emotional life is fully developed, our moon sign tells what our infancy and childhood is like. This is especially related to the mother, or maternal energy around us. This interesting aspect of the moon is also reflected by Artemis, the goddess of childbirth in Greek mythology. Her great temple at Epheusus in modern Turkey was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Due to this deeply rooted primal instinct of the moon, moon in Capricorn people might have been brought up in a family that has very strict rules and disciplines, while moon in Aquarius people usually have very one or both parents very unusual, or brought up in a more “equal” environment compared to a more hierarchical one. For example, a client of mine told me he and his father would call each other “bro”, which is more like a friendship instead of child-parent relationship. Aquarius is the sign of shocking value and uniqueness, thus there is usually a sense of “liberate” and “equal” quality in Aquarius moon people’s family environment.

Artemis, goddess of childbirth and the wild

Here is a quick chart about what qualities we emotionally need in different signs:

Aries	action, independence, directness	Libra	love, relationships, fairness
Taurus	patience, practicality, planning	Scorpio	transformation, intensity
Gemini	communication, curiosity, variety	Sagittarius	freedom, travel, learning
Cancer	security, home,nurturing	Capricorn	control, career building, discipline
Leo	pride, romance, glamour	Aquarius	humanitarian, uniqueness, friendship
Virgo	details, order, productivity	Pisces	dream, imagination, ideals

In a psychological consultation, the practitioner usually asks the patient about their early childhood background and upbringing. Since the moon stands for our childhood, it is also a symbol of time. It reflects our ability to connect to our past, how we respond to the present due to our reminiscence. Our moon sign tells a lot about how we react to our future events based on our existing psychological pattern. This slowly forms our emotional needs in life, thus our moon sign is a critical signifier of our inner emotion. Based on the zodiac sign and the house location where your natal moon is, we see what gives us the sense of fulfillment in our interpersonal relationships. In astrology, moon rules the zodiac sign Cancer, and thus we usually hear people say Cancer likes to reminisce, and they have a strong tendency to live in the past. The most important thing for people who have very strong moon influence in their life (such as Sun, Moon, Ascendant sign in Cancer, or Moon conjunct Ascendant) is to knnow how to learn past lessons but meanwhile to be aware that we must look ahead. The past is simply a record, and the meaning of history is for us to creat a wonderful future. 

Moon influences our receptivity to others, and it is also important when it comes to building and maintaining relationships. One indicator to look at if two people can form any type of harmonious and long term relationships is if there is a conjunction, trine or sextile aspect between one person’s sun, and the other person’s moon. For example, let’s say your moon sign is in 10° Capricorn. Since The Sun enters Capricorn roughly between 23rd December till 20th January, and the 1 month Capricorn span covers 30° of the sky, you can estimate that the Sun would be around 10° Capricorn between 31st December to 2nd January. So people who are born on those three days will have there sun sign conjunct your moon sign, which creates a harmonious energy flow: You will find that naturally you two are drawn to each other, and you two have very good understanding with each other. Apart from conjunction, trine and sextile also works in the similar way. Now look at people around you, your friends, partner, families, was anyone born on those three days? Below I have put together a quick chart to find your match given 10 degrees orbs between your moon sign and someone’s sun sign. Of course, the smaller the orb is, the better it is.

Degree	0~9	10~19	20~29
approximate dates per month	22nd~2nd	3rd~13th	14th~21st
Moon in Aries, Leo and Sagittarius
harmonious chemistry with people born on	Mar 22~April 2 Jul 22~Aug 2 Nov 22~Dec 2	Apr 3~13 Aug 3~13 Dec 3~13	Apri14~21 Aug 14~21 Dec 14~21
Moon in Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn
harmonious chemistry with people born on	Apr 22~May 2 Aug 22~Sep 2 Dec 22~Jan 2	May 3~13 Sep 3~13 Jan 3~13	May 14~21 Sep 14~21 Jan 14~21
Moon in Gemini, Libra and Aquarius
harmonious chemistry with people born on	May 22~Jun 2 Sep22~Oct 2 Jan 22~Feb 2	Jun 3~13 Oct 3~13 Feb 3~13	Jun 14~21 Oct 14~21 Feb 14~21
Moon in Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces
harmonious chemistry with people born on	Jun 22~Jul 2 Oct 22~Nov 2 Feb 22~Mar 2	Jul 3~13 Nov 3~13 Mar 3~13	Jul 14~21 Nov 14~21 Mar 14~21

 In future blogs, I will also write more about the aspects and different signs about our natal moon. 

Letao~the Kingdom Healer

www.thehealingkingdom.com

Pluto, God of Change and Rebirth

Pluto, God of Change and Rebirth

When I mention the name of Pluto in an astrological consultation, I tend to hear questions from clients like “Pluto? But I thought Pluto is no longer a planet. Why does it matter?” It is true that the International Astronomical Union (IAU) downgraded the status of Pluto in 2006 to a dwarf planet because it did not meet the three criteria IAU uses to define a full-sized planet. However Pluto’s transcendental power never stops surprising us till today. In astrology, Pluto is the planet in our horoscope that brings fundamental changes. If you have ever felt a moment when the things in life you have been extremely attached to are being forced to be taken away so that you could finally let go and rebuild the new? That’s usually the Pluto magic manifestation in life.

Pluto’s name comes from the Roman god of the underworld, whose domain is rather dark and shadowy. The Greek counterpart is named “Hades”. People tend to be afraid of Pluto, and it is quite understandable in astrology because facing Pluto transit is facing the ending of a chapter in life, which we could have been clingy to. In fact Pluto has always been associated with ending and destruction. In Tarot, Pluto rules the card "Death"; In Greek mythology, one of his most difficult labours Hercules has is to slain the Hydra, which is his his 8th labour, and the 8th house in Astrology is the natural house of Scorpio and ruled by Pluto; the Sumerian legend of the descent of Inanna into the underworld to face brutal trail by Ereshkigal is also a typical Pluto experience; and of course, the most well known story of Persephones’ abduction by Hades(Pluto). In fact, when Pluto was discovered in 1930, it was around the same time when we are in the middle of WWI and WWII, and it was also the time when nuclear weapon was invented for military and destruction purposes. No wonder we turn pale only at the mention of Pluto! However, there is also a different face of Pluto, which is creation. Pluto will cruely knock down everything that is establish and push us to rebuild. Nuclear power is now commonly used by nations across the world to generate electricity to reduce environmental pollution. Pluto’s influence is like two sides of a coin, they are opposite but always together.

Hades abducting Persephone

It takes 248 years for pluto to finish one single orbit around the Sun, and each contact of Pluto with a natal planet lasts for roughly 2.5~3 years. Thus Pluto transit is once a life time, it is usually transcendental and it symbolises an improtant rebirth experience. Rebirth sounds exciting to everyone, but we must know that only by accpeting death first, then comes the transformation to the after life and thus rebirth. In life, we establish and bolster our identity through attaching ourselves to something, so we gain a sense of who we are. It be could a group of good friends, our families, our career, or even in some way it could be our long term value system... whatever is used to help us maintain the identity we want. In predictive astrology, when we have a pluto transit to important planets(Sun, Moon, or chart ruler), there is a sense of “ending” in the related area in life. Sometimes it feels like we ourselves must descend into the underworld to face our fear for the regeneration experience. What I realised in the years of work with clients, however, is that Pluto will NOT destroy what is truly good for our future growth and development. It will only clean out the things we are too comfortable and content with, especially things that have hindered our development. Because Pluto is profound, it will emotionlessly wipe out our all the superficial attachment that we pretend we need. On the surface, we might feel being deprived, but it is usually symbolising a necessary timing that we cannot pretend anymore. I remember seeing a client recently who was having a pluto transit to her Moon, and she has 11th house cusp in Cancer, and Moon in the 5th house. She was having a difficult time because she felt being estranged from a fitness group she has been in for the past 5 years. Note that 5th house is her entertainment and sports, and 11th house is her community. She was very disappointed to face the fact that she no longer shares anything in common with the people in the group and she was feeling lonely. When Pluto touched her Moon, she made the decision to leave and group to join a different type of workout scheme. There she met new people in a new environment, which brought her new potential growth and understanding in what type of friendships she needs to look for. So you see, Pluto could be scary because it pushed us off the edge to see reality and it could be devastating in that moment. Descending into the underworld is never going to be a Disneyland experience. It forces us to confront our fear and inner demons—greed, envy, superficiality and unbridled sexual yearnings. But underworld is not an evil place, it is also where all the rare minerals, crystals, gems and hidden treasure are hidden. This whole process goes from change, decay, death to final renewal. By recognising and accepting our inner complexes as our human inheritance, we can begin the process of redirecting the energy trapped inside to become more productive in our transformation.

On a natal chart, Pluto is the area we need to delve deep to face our fear and worries, tackle the issues we have and regenerate ourselves in a different light. The house that has Scorpio on the cusp is affected, as well as any planets that form a critical angle with your natal pluto. Pluto in 2020 will keep its transit in Capricorn from 22° to 24° (yes, only 2 degrees for a whole 12 months). If you have Sun, Moon or Ascendant in those degrees in Capricorn, it is necessary to take a pause, have a proper review of life in the related areas, and see what adjustments are needed. Pluto and Sun contact could bring a total transformation in how we see ourselves as an individual and what changes our life path might have. Especially if you are Capricorn, Aries, Libra and Cancer, we might discover our own power and strength, re-work our very sense of identity. It is very common for us to meet a male figure around this transit time to challenge us to face our very fear and insecurity. During this transit, there could even be situations where you need to deal with power struggles, manipulations and people's passive agreessiveness. This is the time to reflect on our own negative tendencies and make adjustments, instead of act on impulses. Pluto transiting our Sun puts us face to face with exactly what it is that has been holding us back from living life more fully and meaningfully.

Birthday 11~14th	January	April	October	July	September	May
Sign	Capricorn	Aries	Libra	Cancer	Virgo	Taurus
Aspect	Conjunction (0°)	Square (90°)	Square (90°)	Opposition (180°)	Trine (120°)	Trine (120°)

Pluto is physically so far away that it is always the most mysterious planet for us to understand. Some astrologers even believe that it is at this moment not possbile to fully have a grasp over how it affects us. However its movement in the celestial realm will always reflect our secret psyches. Work with him instead of fight or run away from him. The treasure Pluto brings is truely immense.  

Letao~the Kingdom Healer

www.thehealingkingdom.com

Uranus and the revolutionary future

Uranus and the revolutionary future

 In Greek language, “Ουρανός” (Ouranos) is the word meaning “Sky”; and just like his Greek name, the planet Uranus has always been closely associated with the God of Sky in Greek mythology. As the primal Greek god personifying the sky, he is the parent of the first generation of Titans, and the ancestor of most Greek gods. He himself is symbol of the beginning of our cosmos and the creation of universe.

Since Uranus itself is related to creation and beginning, there is a strong correlation between Uranus and human’s creative mind. After all, Uranus is an ancient and perfect portray of the divine mind that conceived the idea of a universe before the universe existed. To bring a brand new and genius idea to the world, revolutionary thinking without any type of restriction and limitation is required. In 1781, when astronomer William Herschel discovered this strangely axial tilted planet, it shocked the entire astrological worldview that prevailed for 2000 years. First of all, Saturn was considered to be the planet furthest away from the Sun. It was the symbol of boundary and limitation. The discovery of Uranus broke the boundary that Saturn has set for human and brought new horizons to the astronomical field, followed by Neptune and Pluto in the later years; secondly, the old-fashioned astrological teaching believed that the Sun and Moon ruled Cancer and Leo, and while the other five plants rules 2 signs each around the zodiac wheel in a perfect fashion. Uranus’s discovery completely overturned the established theory and threw the traditional order into wild chaos. You see what Uranus does with our world, it is rebellious, revolutionary and unpredictable.

Interestingly, various important historical happenings took place around the time Uranus was discovered. Industrial revolution swept across Europe between 1760 and 1820; American revolution was in full momentum, and French revolution broke out soon after; meanwhile in Asia, as the the first British diplomatic mission to China, Macartney Mission opened the first chapter of western involvement with the Qing government in 1792. This is what Uranus does to the World. In astrology, it symbolises “openness, liberty and revolutionary change”. It is the necessary chaos to force the situation to change for the better. 

Prometheus being punished for stealing fire for human

Titan Prometheus, another archetype of Uranus, describes not only the “invention”,but also the “sacrifice” very well for us. In mythology, he stole fire from Zeus in order to bring civilisation to mortals, and later was punished severely by the Olympians. His act was unique and unbelievable, and it brought wrath and chaos to the tradition and social norm. Prometheus suffered from his act, However for mortals, he brought forever enlightenment that society needs for development.

Like Prometheus, for many people Uranus energy is not necessarily pleasant, or even a bit “suffering” because it is not predictable, and it is hard to embrace such chaos without an open mind and an attitude of “go with the flow”, especially when we try to control everything around. I remember a client who had a Uranus transit through her 6th house (work and operation) and her 4th house(home and family) ruler. She received a very sudden job offer that requested her to move overseas. It was a great offer because she knew this job could take her to a totally different level in her career and she would benefit from the experience so much; however at the same time she was also a bit scared since she has never lived overseas before and she was not prepared to make such a big move so soon. This is how Uranus works in our life. It takes us onto the giant spaceship and pushes us into the vast night sky. The experience could be frightening because we don’t know what is out there in the universe, and there is nothing to hold on to. However when we can realise our control and go with the journey, we will get to see the Sun, the Moon as well as the shining milky way. It gives us a whole new perspective about life. Just like the industrial revolution, it will mark a major and positive turning point in the history of our lives.

In modern astrology, Uranus rules Aquarius, the sign of the unexpected, the unusual and the unconventional. The house of which the cusp is on Aquarius or the house has Uranus located in is the area in our life where we are a rebel and seek for freedom and independence. In 2020, Uranus will be transiting 2° to 10° in Taurus. This is a very innovative and self-expressive period of time for many Capricorn, Taurus and Virgo sun sign people, and it also brings a lot of sudden changes and opportunities. This is a time of “finding yourself”, when you begin to feel boredom with your current life routine. There is a strong urge to express yourself in unique and unconventional ways. You will feel more open to what is new and exciting, and thus encounter opportunities that appear to come out of the blue. Some people you meet during this transit will lead you into an undiscovered territory to broaden your horizons. Meanwhile, especially for Leo, Aquarius and Scorpio people in 2020, since Uranus transit will form a square and opposition with their Sun, try to reconsider a bit more instead of making hasty decisions during this time. The crave for new experiences and inner restless might push you to radical changes too fast. Differentiating rebelling and reacting from truly being yourself is essential. 

Birthday 24th~31st	May	August	December	July	January	October
Zodiac sign	Taurus	Virgo	Capricorn	Leo	Aquarius	Scorpio
Aspect to Sun	Conjunction (0°)	Trine (120°)	Trine (120°)	Square (90°)	Square (90°)	Opposition (180°)

Uranus' changes and tremors are not necessarily good or evil, it all depends on how we react to them. Do we see them are enemies, or do we take them as opportunities to breakthrough? A trip out of the blue could take us to a new horizon to connect us to new people and new love, would you resist simply because you didn’t have much time to pack your bag? Trust this rebellious celestial power, it brings so much exciting creation and unconventional ideas into our lives.

Letao~the Kingdom Healer

www.thehealingkingdom.com

Saturn’s life lesson and its endless connection with us

Until the end of the 18th century, Saturn was known as the most remote planet in our solar system. As far as 800 million miles away, it was considered as the star orbiting on the edge of the universe. In 1610 by astronomer Galileo Galilei, a bright yellow/brownish belt was confirmed circling its equator like a beautiful glittering gold ring; and in the following 400 years, human-beings have develoed further and clearer understanding about what Saturn is to us, both scientifically and spiritually.

In mythology, Saturn was the God of agriculture. He was revered during the Golden Age—the babylonian time when human beings lived in harmony with the cycles of nature without violence and corruption. As the symbol of this utopian time, Saturn was auspicious and noble. The ancient Greeks also worshipped Saturn’s Greek counterpart Kronos, the patron of agriculture and lord of harvest. People believed that when autumn comes, Saturn appears from the heaven and uses his sickle to help farmers with harvest and clean the field to prepare for the following year. Saturn symbolises the earthy fertility, and he confers the rewards of honest effort only. Agriculture works very much like Saturn’s energy, in the sense that is “you reap what you sow”. We spread the seeds, water, fertilise and care for them, and when the right timing comes, we finally harvest the delicious fruit. On the psychological level, Saturn is the fundamental need for us to create solid foundations and to build strong structures in which life can thrive.

Since Saturn is the coldest inner planet due to its distance from the Sun; it hasn’t had the best reputation in Astrology. I have had clients who read about their horoscopes from time to time, and they fear anything to do with Saturn. It is true that Saturn is always associated with hard knocks and harsh life lessons. It is the planetary symbol of human capacity to survive in an unsympathetic world. Because without its discipline, we remain psychologically infants and would always seek for protection from parents, friends and lovers. We wouldn’t have the basic ability to be responsible for ourselves. Like a sheepish child, when the mother is not around holding its hand, it could never cross the road on its own. Saturn is an old teacher. He teaches us lessons about the necessity of separateness, self-reliance and boundary. Remember, Saturn has a gold ring around, which a symbol of boundary and commitment that we must have as adults. After all, the mythological image of this agriculture God is an old man, a symbol of maturity.

Saturn God of agriculture and time

Saturn is also the God of Time. He recognises patient hard work and brings us exactly what we deserve. It makes us disciplined, goal-oriented and tough with ourselves. Natives who have prominent Saturn influence in their natal chart (Saturn conjunct Ascendant; Ascendant in Capricorn; Saturn conjunct Sun/Moon; Sun/Moon in Capricorn) tend to be perseverent and hard-working. They know “Money does not grow on trees" so they always put in the time to do the hard work in order to create happiness in life. Saturn in the natal chart also shows where our vulnerability/inadequacy is, as well as what our life lesson is. Cultivating our braveness to face our weak points needs a lot of work, but it is also what Saturn will bring us if we do the work first without escaping. I remember a female client who had counselling with me a few years back. She is an excellent dancer. During our session, she told me she actually didn’t have the best physical condition when she started as a child. She was short, stiff (she wasn’t even able to touch her toes when she bent over at the beginning), and she had severe anaemia. If we were the dance teacher, we probably wouldn’t expect her to be the future star in the class. However, she was the most diligent dance student in her class and she would get up at 5:00am everyday to practice, 7 days a week. For the 6 years in her first dance school, she never gave up. I noticed she has Libra rising in conjunction with Saturn. Libra is the sign of justice, and Saturn on Ascendant gives her the discipline and determination to strive for the best. It makes so much sense that after she puts all her work in, at the end Saturn rewarded her fairly (Libra) with all she dreamed of as a little girl.

Now, we have a basic grip about what Saturn is, then how does it work with us during each individual’s life span?

Saturn transit is a very important concept in astrology since it doesn’t happen often and usually has significant meaning. It takes in average 29.5 years for Saturn to orbit the Sun. It is relatively a long time compared to the earth, which only takes 365 days. Saturn transit is slow, usually the effect could last for 3~4 months. Because Saturn is always trying to teach us something, and the way it teaches us is by giving us a harsh lesson, it is inevitably to say that it is not really a happy-go-lucky time to experience. We go through the hardships, learn from our mistakes, reach better understanding about ourselves and the environment, then we can move forward with the right attitude and even stronger momentum. The most important part of a Saturn transit is that we ask "why" when we experience delays, disappointment and fears. Merely wanting a problem to change and understanding the superficial cause for its existance will not make the problem go away. Saturn is practical, realistic and profound. Peeling layers of the fears to discover what is underneath is the way to go. Afterall, Learning through Saturn experience is like a infant learning to walk. You have to fall, and you might have to even bruise a bit first. We get up and figure out how to balance better. But no adult in hindsight would tell you they regret learning how to walk. Why? Because it was worth the pain. We grow and then we flourish.

Under some difficult transit, such as transit Saturn conjunct/square/opposite our natal Sun or Moon, it could inhibit, restrict, delay and cause fear in us. It feels burdening  and usually it is because we somehow are given more responsiblities to bear. Whatever Saturn touches, it urges us to review the related area in our life and to restructure. The God of time Saturn holds a scythe. He cuts the unnecessary out of our lives so that we have space to build a new structure. This process is also called “spring cleaning”. When the restriction and inhibition “attacks” us, we must become more aware of what needs to be let go and what must be ended, especially with the matter we had always known that would not serve us well in the long run. This is not the time to hold on to the decrepit, but to have a total release. When Saturn transits the Sun(ego, will and self), we might be forced to re-establish ourselves, getting rid of old bad habits and work extra hard for the recognition we crave; while when Saturn transits the Moon(security, emotional life), we are being urged to face our long due hidden insecurity, or realise the need for a more independent self. I remember a client I recently had has his Sun square Moon on his natal chart, and he was having a hard Saturn transit with both planets. A lot of things happened to him around that time. He realised some of the friends he has always cherished turned out to be untruthful to him, so he sadly decided to leave that friend circle; in order to open his own business, he left the company which has been his security blanket for the past 10 years; later that year he also decided to relocate overseas due to the non-stoppable social unrest in Hong Kong…Saturn transit can be intense and make us worry about our own survival, but if you just roll up your sleeves and do the hard work, it will always reward you in the end.

In 2020, Saturn will transit between 21° in Capricorn and 2° in Aquarius. For people who are born on the below dates, they will be welcoming the Saturn transit and have the golden opportunity to declutter their current life and restructure for the future. One extra thing we need to know about Saturn is that it carries very conservative energy. Avoid taking any risks such as reckless investment during the transit period . Be grounded and practical, and accept that reward can only be achieved by our diligence and assiduity. This is particularly paramount for those ones having conjunction, opposition and square aspects. 

Birthday 11th~22nd	January	July	April	October	September	May
Sun sign	Capricorn/Aquarius	Cancer/Leo	Aries/Taurus	Libra/Scorpio	Virgo/Libra	Taurus/Gemini
Aspect	conjunction (0°)	opposition (180°)	square (90°)	square (90°)	trine (120°)	trine (120°)

Learning to embrace the god of time and order is not a merry-go-round expeirence.There is no fast track to make friends with Saturn. In alchemy the base material to make gold was lead, which was also named "Saturn" in the old days. Hermetic schools believed that the transformation of lead into gold is analogical for the transmutation of Saturn into Sun(gold). Even though nowadays we know lead can never turn into gold, but on a psychologicla level we know that if we exert every effort persistently, we CAN extract gold  and we will see the light shines at the end of the tunnel, and our golden harvest time will not be far. Saturn will ensure us that the fruit we are going to pick at harvest time is going to taste so much better. 

Letao~the Kingdom Healer

www.thehealingkingdom.com

What is Neptune in Astrology and its transit in 2020

Neptune Transit 2020~What it means to us?

For thousands of years, astrologers and astronomers believed that Saturn was orbiting on the edge the universe, since it was the furthest planet that is visible to the naked eye. Traditional Astrology only used planets from Sun to Saturn to cast a natal chart. Uranus wasn't discovered until 1781, and 65 years later in 1846, Neptune was finally observed by German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle. Looking like a shining sapphire, Neptune is a beautiful blue planet through the astronomical telescope. Neptune’s discovery further validated the truth that the universe is limitless after knowing the existence of Uranus. The “boundary” and “Limit” themed Saturn is no longer the end of our cosmos.

                                     

Neptune is so enigmatically blue that it looks like a planet covered with ocean water. The first archytype astrologers created with Neptune is its Greek counterpart Poseidon, the God of ocean and earthquakes. We cannot help picturing the great ocean of the collective unconscious and dreams, which may bring forth psychic tremors and sweep us into the mystical realm of Poseidon. Interestingly in modern astrology, Neptune is the planet that rules the astrological sign Pisces, the two ocean fish swiming in the opposite direction. It is the sign of idealism, dreams and imagination, and it appears strongly in the horoscope of artists, musicians and dancers. Neptune is like the boundless ocean. It dissolves the thousands of years limitation Saturn had set for us into its cosmic water. In Astrology, Neptune is the ultimate symbol of losing oneself in order to merge with the universe. In Astrology, Venus as the love planet rules Libra (the sign of relationships) and is exalted Pisces. There is some logic behind it if we look closer—-Libra is the love between two individuals; Pisces, ruled by Neptune, is the universal love and sacrifice we make with the cosmos. In its positive form, Neptune is also the planet of spirituality, the experience of sacred dimension and the supernatual realm. Two years after Neptune was discovered, a series of spiritualist movements started in the western world, such as transcendentalism, Bahai faith, and the establishment of the influential new age secret society Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.

Neptune is imaginative, sensitive and compassionate. On an astrological natal chart, whatever planet is forming an important aspect with Neptune, it is “dissolved” and “merged” by it into a spiritual and idealistic realm. Since the Sun symbolises our ego and will, people born with Sun conjunct Neptune may glamorise their role in the world and they dream to be something special. Usually they have an idol in mind that is a hero or a successful person, and they wish to become him/her. I had a male client who was a crossfit athelet. He has Sun conjunct Netptune in his horoscope. He once told me that he has always had a dream in his mind about the future him in 10 years, 20 years...and how he conquers everyone else and becomes the hero he admires (in his situation, he was specifically talking about the world champion of crossfit). Sometimes he would go into a light trance of imaging himself shining on the world stage. This is a very typical Sun-Neptune conjunction expression. Since they are dreamers and idealists, they are encouraged by their dreams to strive for the best, meanwhile they also do sometimes face disappointment with the hardcore reality.

Strong Neptune influenced people also tend to seek out some added dimension (spiritual, artistic, or some kind of quest for higher meaning) in their lives. This could be about their personal growth, relationships or home life. They don’t have to be all spiritual, but there is a feeling in them sensing something is higher up there than a physical and tangible world they live in. An attraction to spiritual and metaphysical subjects is usually characteristic of these people.

Ariadne and Dionysus

In Greek mythology, there is a famous story about the couple Ariadne and Dionysus, who were both identified by many mythologists and astrologers as the second archytype of Neptune. Ariadne, the victimised wife of King Minos was abandoned on the island of Naxos by Theseus after she blindly fell in love and helped him to kill the minotaur. Her passionate mourning and weeping was so intense that it attracted Dionysus, who eventually saved her and married her. In my experience working with clients, I have noticed that people who are born with Venus in conjunction with Neptune are very idealistic and dreamy in love, sometimes to the point that they forget who they are and tend to idolise their love interests. Natives, both men and women who have a strong Neptunian Venus (Venus in strong aspect with Neptune, or Venus in Pisces) often embody such elements of Ariadne myth. They are passionate lovers, and from time to time they blindly dream about the beautiful future and idealise their partner as the perfect one, but later fall victim to romantic illusions. I had a female client in Hong Kong who fell in love with a man living in San Francisco. Later she gave up all her career and friendships in order to move to San Francisco to be with her man, wishing that she would have all she wanted. The relationship ended only less than a year and she was disillusioned by the reality of life in a foreign land and woke up from her love dreams. In the subsequent reading session she told me several times she hid in the bathroom to cry and felt sorry for herself. Like Ariadne on Naxos, we see there is a certain amount of romantic hysteria as well. Neptune brings dreams and idealisms to us, but if we cannot balance it well, it becomes illusions and love hallucinations.

Another historical fact that is also interesting to notice is that around the same time in 1846 when Neptune was discovered , two other major global incidents took place. The first was the widespread use of anaesthesia in medical science. In 1844, Nitrous Oxide was the first anaesthesia officially used in medical treatment. The second important happening was the Opium War between United Kingdom and China in 1842, which symbolised the ending of the 2000 years of feudal era, and the beginning of semi-colonial and semi-feudal era for China. Note that there are some interesting correlations. Both anaesthesia and opium are drugs to make us lose our sensation and awareness. This is a true reflection of Neptune, the planet that was discovered around the same time in human history. Neptune could work just like a drug, transporting us to a realm beyond the ordinary, a true ecstatic state that may indeed be achieved through drugs or alcohol. Interestingly, Dionysus is known as the Greek God of wine and ecstasy, which again brings us back to the Ariadne story, the illusive Neptunian type of love.

Neptune is not all bad, because it also brings us talents and gifts. As I mentioned in the first paragraph, I noticed that a lot of famous actors and artists have strong Neptune themes in their natal chart. We know that both Sun and Neptune are related to theatre and drama. The Sun is the identification of the shining ego. It illuminates eveything in the middle of our solar system, just like the leading actor on the centre of the stage; while Neptune dissolves our identity, carrying us into the imaginative narrative of the play. Leslie Cheung, the late famous Hong Kong actor, during his production of “Farewell My Concubine” in 1992 was having a once-a-lifetime Neptune transit (trine natal Sun and Jupiter). The harmonious transit aspect reflects him searching for himself (his Sun) through playing the role Dieyi Cheng (his transiting Neptune). The director of the movie Kaige Chen once said in an interview, “…I understood Leslie must have injected his complete personal sentiment and feeling into that character, thus allowing his performance to reach that boundary. It was precisely from that look of his that told us in full the issues of infatuation and betrayal that we wanted to tell in Farewell To My Concubine."

In 2020, Neptune will be moving back and forth between 16° and 21° of Pisces. This is going to be an important year for those of you who have Sun, Moon or Ascendant sign in between those degrees especially in Pisces, Virgo, Gemini and Sagittarius. Since Moon sign and ascendant sign change very fast and more irregularly, do check them with a professional astrologer. Here I have put the Sun sign interaction with Neptune description below for your reference. 

Birthday 5th~11th	March	September	June	December	July	November	May
Sun sign	Pisces	Virgo	Gemini	Sagittarius	Cancer	Scorpio	Tarus
Aspect	conjunction (0°)	opposition (180°)	square (90°)	square (90°)	trine (120°)	trine (120°)	sextile (60°)

The above 8 signs are majorly influenced by this year’s neptune transit. The other 4 signs (Libra, Aries, Taurus, Leo and Aquarius) are not forming major aspects with transit Neptune, so they are less affected unless the native has major Neptune influence in solar return chart or secondary progression chart (We won't delve into these things yet, so don't worry if you don't know what a return chart or a progression chart is.)

For those of you whose birthdays do fall into the above chart, know that whatever aspect Neptune will form with your natal Sun, you may experience a “wandering” into the ethereal realm of the cosmos. Since the Sun symbolises our ego and identity, when it touches Neptune, we might temporarily feel confused with who we are and what we want to be. There could also be hesitation in our general direction since we don’t know where we are heading. In a positive light, especially with trine and sextile aspect, we will feel intuitive, psychic and a heightened six sense. There is a blessing from the universe on them called "the universe has a better plan than our own's, and it will make things work out naturally". A lot of people also develop their interests in astrology, tarot, reiki and other types of spiritual practice during this life time transit. We also become more compassionate and sympathetic towards the people around, and less concerned with our personal gain and benefit. For example, during this transit, if you have Pisces(ruled by Neptune) on the 7th house cusp(rules commitment and partnerships), you could make some important compromises for your loved one this year; if Pisces is on your 5th house(rules children), there might be personal sacrifices for children. Once the transit finishes, you will become more clear and have a better understanding about what you truely need at a much more profound soul level.

Neptune will dissolve everything and make us surrender to the infinite cosmos. The best way to work with Neptune is to trust. Let it take you to the vast Neptunian ocean for a swim. The eternal waves guide you towards your true path.

Letao~the Kingdom Healer

www.thehealingkingdom.com

2020 Feburary/March Mercury Retrograde

Mercury Retrograde

In ancient mythology, the powers of language, logical thinking and communication are personified by an intelligent, quicksilver deity, who taught human beings how to read, write, navigate and calculate. This mysterious Roman God Mercury, also known as Hermes in ancient Greece, symbolises our fundamental capacity to think, as well as the planning and organising faculty that allow us to identify and categorise the myriad components of the chaotic natural world. On the psychological level, Mercury reflects the unique function of the human mind. Mercury is also a patron of merchants and money. In fact, the word “Merchant” itself comes from Mercury, the god of buying and selling. Another important role Mercury plays in the myth is that he is also a guide of souls. He is the only God who could transcend the three layers of the world—the heaven, the mortal world and the underworld—guiding souls back and forth to Pluto(Hades). Thus he symbolises the mind’s unconscious psyche. Either as a shrewd and lively merchant God, or as a soul carrier lingering inside and outside the profound dark water, he embodies the principles of communication between human beings (our daily communication with each other), as well as between an individual and its invisible inner realm(self-reflection).

Mercury, Roman God of communication, travel and thinking

In Astrology, Mercury rules the mental air sign Gemini(curiosity and daily communication) and practical earth sign Virgo (details and refinement of information). When Mercury is in a specific sign, it expresses its characteristics through our communication.In the future chapters, we will dig deeper and more detailed about the different qualities Mercury carries in different signs. Just to give some examples, people born with Mercury in Leo are expressive, dramatic and tend to have strong creative thinking; while Mercury in Scorpio tends to give the natives the exceptional skill of research and investigation. 

Many of us have heard of the phrase "Mercury Retrograde". We know retrograde means to move backwards. People who are interested in astronomy know that every planet in our Solar System travels in the same direction in its journey around the Sun, and none of them actually pause or turn back in the opposite direction. So the question is: What does it really mean when we say Mercury is in “retrograde”?

It is true that planets in the solar system are moving in the same direction around the Sun, but it is based on the vantage point of the Sun as well. This means that if you are looking at all the planets from the Sun, they never retrograde. However, if you look at them from earth, they way they seem to move is quite different. The planets in our Solar System all orbit the Sun at varying speeds if we observe them from the earth. The outer planets — Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune — all take longer to orbit the Sun than the Earth, while Venus and Mercury take shorter time. Since their orbits are larger or smaller, the Earth often laps these planets in its journey around the Sun. When the Earth overtakes an outer planet, that planet appears to travel backward; while when the faster planets (Mercury and Venus) lap us, they “retrograde”.

So in fact, retrograde is not in absolute terms, it is a visual illusion. Also note that except for the Sun and the Moon, every planet in the solar system retrogrades from time to time. Mercury is just one of them.

As we mentioned earlier, Mercury rules all forms of communication, logical thinking, travel, and connections. The success of business partnerships, creative projects and interpersonal relationships all require effective communication. When Mercury is retrograde, the energy could set us one step back in our everyday exchanges. Since old days, Astrologers have recommended that we ease off starting new projects, signing contracts, initiating tasks, and building new relationships. If traveling, it’s a good idea to give yourself extra time, just in case plans “change”. I have had many clients telling them that during Mercury retrograde, they have difficulties concentrating and being productive. There is a sense of “air-headed” feeling. I have also noticed that during Mercury retrograde, we tend to see more traffic accidents, transportation problems and flights delay (as Mercury rules travel as well). During the past 6 months (2019) in Hong Kong, the two peaks of social upheavals both happened during Mercury retrograde: protesters paralysing HK international airport in August, as well as the gruesome battle against the police in Polytechnic University in November. Mercury retrograde tends to bring misunderstanding and temporary pause in things that we want to push forward. Roads are blocked, business are affected, and we could even feel very much “stuck in a rut”.

Having a temporary hiccup does not mean Mercury retrograde is all evil. During the retrograde time, Mercury wants us to move back spiritually. It provides us with a chance to re-examine various areas of our life which may need a little more work, so that we can move forward with even better momentum later in time. This period is for us to look at things with an analytical approach and fresh perspectives.

Mercury Retrograde is one of the best times to pick up old ideas and bring them back to life—tie up loose ends! Anything you’ve already started in the past such as writing, speaking, and learning are great things to pick up again and focus on during this period. When Mercury is moving backwards, our mind is naturally reworking existing plans and projects (revision, reconsider and reclaim). We may find what we are half way through now come together with renewed energy and in ways you never would’ve expected.

Some clients who have their natal birth chart in hand have asked questions like, “I noticed that Mercury was in retrograde when I born. Is that a bad thing? What does it mean to me?” This is a very interesting question, since Mercury spends three months every year in retrograde motion, in average a quarter of the entire population should be born in this scenario. Furthermore, since Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and other outer plants all have retrograde motion from time to time, most people would have at least one or two planets retrograde, sometimes more than half of the planets are so.

Remember, by no means Mercury retrograde in birth chart shows we are born “confused” or “delayed”.

Planets in retrograde in our natal chart (the map of the stars alignment at the moment of your birth) have very different meaning compared to retrograde in transit. In natal charts they expressive themselves internally instead of through outward energy. There is no “good” or “bad” about it, but purely depending on how we utilise its energy. For example, Mercury is the planet of communication and thinking, therefore when someone was born with Mercury retrograde, their thinking process is more internalised. They are introspective and intuitive. These people are thinkers rather than speakers, even from a young age, they have a stronger tendency to reflect and self-question. They tend to spend a lot of time looking back at events in life to analyse and digest before speak out loud. The retrograde motion is always about “review”. The more retrograde planets someone has, the more they have an internalised focus in life. They may even appear more mature when facing issues since they carry an interesting “review and revision” energy around them. Some of them actually benefit from the three times per year Mercury retrograde time because the it is the moment when transit Mercury goes in the same motion with their natal energy. They feel more in tune with their thoughts and can finally concentrate on their review process.

2020 the first Mercury retrograde day/time(Hong Kong):

• Pre-shadow Period :

February 2 4:32PM ~ February 17 8:54AM

• Actual Retrograde Phase :

February 17 8:55AM ~ March 10 11:48AM (Mercury retrograde in Pisces)

• Post Shadow Period :

March 10 11:49AM ~ March 30 10:45AM

Mercury in Pisces is our strong thinking process through creativity and imagination. Natives who have Mercury in Pisces have extremely acute intuition. During this Piscean Mercury retrograde, our  “intuition” and "feelings" could be temporarily off. We might be required to be more grounded and practical with our approach to problems. Check facts, deal with our daily operation meticulously instead of escaping with our dreams and illusions. Paying extra attention to details is particularly critical during this time.

An extra note: What I have experienced is that apart from the actual retrograde phase, the pre and post shadow period are also important. Especially during the post shadow period, Mercury will slowly gain its momentum from the stationary position. Be patient and slowly start your unfinished project.

Letao~the Kingdom Healer

www.thehealingkingdom.com

26th December 2019 Solar Eclipse in Capricorn~the magical new beginning in you

solar eclipse De 2019

Throughout history, eclipses have been considered as very powerful phenomena. In the old days, religious and other traditional ceremonies were organised in accordance with the stars, and kings regularly consulted their astrologers to rule their lands accordingly. In fact, eclipses were one of the most significant happenings in predicting broad-scale events. This month, we are welcoming a very powerful eclipse on the 26th. In this article, I would like to discuss how solar eclipses play out in our growth and what we need to do to take advance of its powerful energy.

Everyone knows that a solar eclipse is when the moon comes in between the sun and the earth, thus the Moon blocking the light of the Sun. However solar eclipse does not happen every month even though the Moon does come in between the Sun and the earth each month. This is because the earth's orbit around the sun is not in the same sphere as the Moon's orbit around the Earth. The moon will only cast a shadow somewhere on the earth when the sun/moon conjunction happens within close proximity to one of the lunar nodes. This month on 26th, the Moon will come very close the south node of the moon and it will be a very powerful annular eclipse. (https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2019-december-26) 

We know that an ordinary new moon signifies a new beginning for each month, it is the starting point for the Moon’s 28 days journey around the earth. Essentially, a new Moon initiates an event that then culminates or takes a step forward with additional information at the full moon. The moon becomes fuller and fuller during the first 14 days of its monthly cycle, so does energy of our life. A solar eclipse, akin to the new moon, is about being refueled, planting new seeds, laying the foundation for new projects, reaching outward and striving toward new experience. The personal solar eclipse is about ego, identity, spirit, and vitality. Starting a new project is especially fortunate when we operate in line wth the new moon to full moon cycle. Solar eclipse makes the new moon energy particularly potent and strong. Some astrologers even say its influence can last from six to twelve months. Having said that, it does not mean that every time there is a solar eclipse then there is something dramatic happening in our life, however by analizing your birth chart, we can see if the eclipse is in conjunction with any of our natal plants (especially Sun, Moon and your chart ruler) or important angles (ascendant and mid-heaven). If there is, then it is wise to put extra attention in the related houses. 

This year on the 26th December, the eclipse is in Capricorn, which is the sign of goal-setting, career development and self-control. Making wishes in areas of life to acheive such qualities is especially important. For example, if this solar eclipse is happening in your 1st house on natal chart, it is a time for self-improvement in terms of how we can have more discipline in ourselves—-such as quite smoking and change bad habits. Eclipses show when transformations are coming and encouraging us to take stock of each of these life areas on a regular basis. This is the first place to check for imblanaces or need of adjustments. 

Another interesting thing to notice is that this month's solar eclipse is a south node eclipse. South node of the moon is also known as the Dragon Tail, it symbolises our past life and old tendencies. When a powerful solar eclipse happens near the south node, we are required to release the old energy. Letting go of the past, releasing our ego and attachment are critical in order to welcome the new beginning. The previous chapter must be wrapped up. Are you ready to let go of something that has been dragging for a long time? This is the time. 

If a solar eclipse is happening very close to any of your natal planets, or on a significant angle, we know for sure that a new change is just around the corner. If you don’t have your birth chart yet, you can go on this website and check it in here:

https://horoscopes.astro-seek.com/birth-chart-horoscope-online

 For example, let’s say someone named Mike was born on 19th November 1982 at 7:05am in Hong Kong. After input the birth information, we find the planets positions for this person on the right side:

Since this month’s solar eclipse is happening at around 4 degrees in Capricorn, you can see it is very close to Mike's natal Moon (3°19’), and we know right away this is a very significant eclipse and there will be strong influence for him. Moon rules our home, sense of security and emotion, the Solar eclipse taking place on top of his natal Moon is bringing a new understanding about what home means, or what they are looking for in order to build their sense of safety. There is also “2” next to it in the chart, this is the house where his/her Moon falls in. There are 12 houses, and they are symbolic of the all the areas that make up human life. The planets and zodiac signs will manifest themselves most strongly in the sphere of life represented by the House in which they fall on your chart and also in the House which they rule. Here we will skip the detailed explanation. You can simply refer to the number on the website. In Mike's chart, the moon falls in the 2nd House. This is his house of Finance. This means that some new focus or understanding would come into the area of how to manage money and how to deal with personal possessions.

Meanwhile, we need find the house that has Cancer on the cusp, since Cancer is ruled by moon. In the above chart, we see Cancer is on the 8th house cusp, so this solar eclipse also brings influences to the native’s 8th house, which is the house of tax, shared possession and partner’s money. 

A powerful Capricorn solar eclipse is essentially calling our attention to bring responsiblity, discipline, self-control and integrity into our life. Check your own birth chart and see what house this eclipse is taking place.

Another example regarding how to find out the house.

Amy was born 16th July 1992 at 12:00pm in New York city. Her house alignment:

We can see IC (IC means the 4th house cusp) has Capricorn 9°52’. Since the solar eclipse this month is happening at 4 degrees in Capricorn, it will fall into the house before IC, which is the 3rd house. Then we can refer to the information below related to the 3rd house to find out how this eclipse is influencing her life. 

Solar Eclipse in 1st House: Focus and changes may take place in your self-image, physical apprearance and personal popularity. 

Solar Eclipse in 2nd House: Focus and changes may take place in finacial status, posessions, and your own value system.

Solar Eclipse in 3rd House: Focus and changes may take place in surround siblings and neighbours as well as community events/involvement. Vehicles are also ruled by the 3rd house so buying a new car or using a new type of transporation is possible.

Solar Eclipse in 4th House: Focus and changes may take place in home life, domestic matters or parental responsiblities. 

Solar Eclipse in 5th House: Focus and changes may take place in love, romance, children and recreational activities.

Solar Eclipse in 6th House: Focus and changes may take place in work, daily operation, pet and general health. 

Solar Eclipse in 7th House: Focus and changes may take place in business partnerships, marriage or close relationships.

Solar Eclipse in 8th House: Focus and changes may take place in joint finance, resources, tax and debt.

Solar Eclipse in 9th House: Focus and changes may take place in foreign travel, learning and study or legal matters.

Solar Eclipse in 10th House: Focus and changes may take place in career, professional status and public image.

Solar Eclipse in 11th House: Focus and changes may take place in friendships, network and long term planning. 

Solar Eclipse in 12th House: Focus and changes may take place in retreat, subconsciousness and self-reflection.

No matter which house the solar eclipse is in, take advantage of its magical power and make the change. Abundance follows. 

Letao~the Kingdom Healer

www.thehealingkingdom.com