Moon & Venus - Love and Reflections

Today's topic of conversation was inspired by the relationship I've noticed between venus signs and moon signs. I make it a habit to look at multiple sources of information when it comes to astrology. So even though I know a little about venus and moon signs already, I continue to look them up on different sites and in any new books I find, because I'm always excited to hear a new idea or point of view. Now on my birth chart venus is in Libra but as I was reading through the description of venus in Virgo I found it struck a cord with me and I could easily see those qualities in myself. Virgo is my moon sign.

I have a few close friends who's signs I can remember easily so I checked theirs too and found that the descriptions of the venus signs that matched their moon signs were also accurate, just as accurate as their real venus signs. Now let me explain why this would make sense.... As I mentioned before, our moon signs represent our subconcious self. That means they are our instincts, our way of responding without thinking, and our most rudimentery needs.

I've had people tell me before that they pick the wrong people all the time. They say that somehow they always wind up with crazy unbalanced boyfriends or girlfriends. Or a person will say to me that they love a person but that the person dosen't deserve their love, so why do they feel this way? And my responce has always been that you should look at your past relationships, all of them, good or bad, and see what those people all have in common. Because love is so personal and so deep, that every time we love another person it tells us something about ourselves. Love is something we give to others but it also reflects back at us, and shows us who we are, what we value, and what we need.

In astrology venus describes the things we love, the people, the place, and the ideas. But the moon is the reflection of that love on us. It's what that love says about our inner most needs. So read both of them carefully and really put some thought into the pattern you are making for yourself. Some people believe in fate and others don't. But weather it's real or not we can find ourselves in the same situations over and over again, because of our own decisions. Now maybe you will look in that mirror and you won't like what you see, then what? Well if you have an insecurity or an emotional need that is driving you to make the same decisions over again, don't beat yourself up over it. And don't react by trying to do the exact opposite all the time either! Instead, try to think of a way you can get what you're craving but in a very healthy way.

For example, maybe you just care too much, you're too sensetive, or you try too hard to please others and go that extra mile for them. These things aren't bad at all! But they mean that you need to find someone who will appreciate that sensetive caring trait, and not just appreciate it, but also give you the extra strength and stability you need in order to be such a careing individual. Because caring and going the extra mile for people takes a lot out of you! You need someone who will re-energize your life.

Nothing in astrology is a " bad " personality gene. And weather or not one of them is better than the other is just a matter of opinion. The truth is that they simply are what they are. We all need some type of emotional or psychological support and fulfillment from other people. Astrology is a tool we can use to help us understand what traits we most need to find in others so that we can not just find peopel that we like, not just people we love, but have the ability to find people who will ultimately make US better people. Because when we are at our most confident and motivated, that's when we can do the most to improve the world we live in and the lives of others around us.

Venus in Water and Fire

Venus in water..... Water energy is preceptive, it senses others on the most basic level so anyone with venus in a water sign will be very sensetive to the presence of their lover and that person's needs. So you can assume that they will be affectionate, thoughtful, and eager to provide whatever you require. However, it may be a mixed blessing. Read on!

Canser - These people are very sensitive and if they don't have a whole bunch of self esteem somewhere else in their personality's DNA then they might have an increadibly fragil heart. Take care to always speak kindly to them. They are very caring, and that's the trouble, they care too much about the thoughts and feelings of others. But they are also very nurturing people who will love taking care of another person. They want a sentimental romance with lots of affection.

Scorpio - When these people like someone they focus on them with an intensity that's hard to ignore. And there is something very subtly sensual about them. They can suggest physical affection just by looking at you. And it can really pull people in. All this attention can be extremely flattering... or scary. They might get the idea that you BELONG to them. And although they want to know every detail of you, they will often be hesitant to give away any secrets about themselves. These people definitly hold grudges and are not above manipulation if it helps them get what they want.

Pisces - These people come across as naturaly romantic at heart. They have a gentleness that may endear them to others. But you might get jealous when you see  that their gentleness isn't just for you. It's something they like to share with everyone. They are attracted to people who seem like they need help. These people will love you for who you are on the inside without caring what you wear, how much money you make, or what other people think. However, be careful to make sure that these people are commited to having a reltionship with you and make sure you're not just their newest good will project. These people might be easy to catch but hard to hold on to.

Venus in fire.... The fire energy adds a lot of spirit to a person's love life. It can also make their approach to love seem relentless. But you'll notice these people also have a child like approach to love. What I mean is they have a simple joy that is unashamed and hard to contain. If these people are in love with you, they'll really light up when you're around!

Aries - These people love the chase and the challenge of winning love. The challenge is part of the turn on for them. And in their love lives they want to take charge. They like to keep things constantly moving and there is a fun and youthful energy to their expression of love.

Leo- For these peple love is a little bit of an ego trip. They love to feel special. And they never want your compliments to run out! These people can seem awfully proud and demanding. Because they are proud they may boast about their love lives and make it seem more than it is. They love to have admirers and will enjoy telling you about them, in an attempt to impress you. Its important to them to always be thought of as attractive. They also express their love with a child like enthusiasm and a lot of physical affection.

Sagittarius - Flirty and fun, but lovers of big and crazy ideas, these people aren't agressive lovers. They might even seem a little uncommited. What they're looking for is someone to share new experiences with, someone to go off discovering the world with. You have to have a love of life to get on with these people. They aren't very skilled at handeling other people's feelings so you have to be patient with them and understanding.

Next up... Venus and the Moon, they're more connected than you think!

Love and Earth

Venus in the earth signs.... this gene will indicate a person who requires a certain feeling of stability in their love life. It will also indicate a person who wants to " build" their relationship with another person, often this means that they have a strong desire to build a home or family. These people are often cautious about love and don't leap in blindly. They will appreciate other people who are direct, honest, and mature. They have no time for pretenders or people who dont know who they are yet! And they all seem to appreciate the nicer things in life, nice house, nice furniture, good food, quality AND quantity are important here. Read on for details!

Venus in Taurus - These people tend to like comfortable surroundings that appeal to the senses. They aren't thrilled by the thought of a fast paced life or a whirl wind romance. They want constance, permanance, safety, and comfort. They will be very loyal lovers. You'll never have to worry about them cheating but you may also have to convince them that they are valuable to you. They want to know that they bring something important to the relationship. And they will take promises and comitments very seriously. They are definitly the type who want to get married and build a sense of home or family with the person they love. You will have a good chance with these people if you are straitforward, open, and natural. Expect them to be stubborn but consistent.

Venus in Virgo - These people will show their devotion through their eagerness to help you all the time and their desire to remember all the details about you. But they are shy in love and might need to be extra extra sure that you like them before they speak up and say they like you. They will try to help you at every turn, maybe more than you will want. But at least you know that if you need a hero there is someone right there waiting to be that person for you. They will always try to improve the relationship so be prepared to talk it out.

Venus in Capricorn - They are very practicle and responcible people in love. They need to be able to predict where your relationship with them will go. They like to look sure of themselves and very confident but they may be very hesitant to get attached and have their feelings hurt. They are attracted to people who know what they want in life and a plan for getting there. They admire hard work and determination in others.

Love and Elements

Venus in the air element... if your venus is in Libra, Aquarius, or Gemini then it's in an air sign. That means you may run the risk of falling in love with the idea of your relationship more than the person you're actually in it with! It's just something to watch out for. It's also important to keep in mind that people with this trait can be indecisive when it comes to matters of the heart. They may struggle to choose between potential lovers.

Venus in Libra - Love easily becomes an obsession. And because Venus is expressed so clearly in the sign of Libra it becomes one of the dominate traits in the person's personality. This signs is cardinal so it wants to take all it's love and shove it in your face haha. It's also prone to idealizing things beyond the actual reality. But you don't always have to look at that as a bad thing. If a person can use this ideal in their mind as a goal to achieve and inspire drive then it can be productive and positive. People with this gene will really go the extra mile for the ones they love. These people may also be artistic souls and are attracted to things with a certain elegance and symetry. You could call them people of refined taste.

Venus in Aquarius - Love is friendly and unposessive and unjudgemental. This person will take a much more hands off approach. Venus in Aquarius loves all it's friends and is genraly good to strangers too so it might be hard for them to show it if they like you in a more personal way. But the good news is that if you DO make it through the barrier and become someone they really love then you always will be. People with this gene do not fall out of love easily. They are attracted to things that are out of the ordinary. They love novelty so even if it's not really new, but just new to them, you'll have their full attention. These people can also dream pretty ambitiously.

Venus in Gemini - Of all the air signs this one may have the most trouble making up it's mind when it comes to love. Venus in gemini loves mental stimulation. So as with the other air signs, a person who is thought provoking will have their attention for a long time. Venus in Gemini is a very friendly gene to have, it ususaly means that the person loves conversation and talks to many people through the day. It might also mean that they gossip a bit. People with this gene can be very popular. But tread carefully, because someone this friendly might easily mis-lead others into thinking it's more interested than it actually is.


We'll be talking a lot more about Venus in the next few days!
Here is a piece of a very famous painting by Botticelli called
The Birth of Venus

Each Planet's Favorite Sign!

As I mentioned previously in my talking point about Mars and Venus, each planet has a sign that it finds easiest to express it's self through. And here's the list:


1. The Sun express it's self the easiest in Leo.
2. The Moon's favorite sign is Canser.
3. Mercury likes Gemini best but is also very fond of Virgo.
4. Venus is in love with Libra but has a crush on Taurus too.
5. Mars expresses it's self the best in Aries but it also feels strong in Scorpio.
                    It struggles in Libra and Canser.
6. Jupiter feels more powerful in Sagittarius and Aquarius.
                    It feels weaker in Capricorn.
7. Saturn feels most powerful in Capricorn and Libra.
8. Uranus is most at home when it's in Aquarius
9. Neptune is quite taken with Pisces.
10. Pluto only has eyes for Scorpio.

I know there are a few planets here that we haven't mentioned at all yet. Jupiter and Saturn work togeather to make our opportunities and challenges. They make up what we like to call fate. And the last 3 planets, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, have less to say about us as individuals. They have more to say about the generation that we were each born into and how we will find ourselves fitting into the bigger ideas of community, country, and history. We will talk about them in great detail soon!

Mars and Venus!

You can never look at one of them without seeing the other. And you've gotta know how your own Mars and Venus signs get along togeather before you go comparing them to someone else's. Mars and Venus can help eachother take over the world or they can cause eachother a lot of headaches. Let's make an example. If a girl named Autumn has both her Mars and Venus in the same sign then we know the things she likes and the things that inspire her to action are the same. Also we know that the qualities she's looking for in another person are also the same qualities that pull her in on a physical level. Now let's say that the sign these two planets are in on her birthchart is Libra. Well now Venus is in it's glory! What does that mean? It means that the personality traits given to her by the Venus gene are going to be more dominant, and stronger than the Mars gene. You might wonder why that is, I mean they're both in the SAME sign right?

Well it's because each planet has a sign that it finds easiest to express it's self in. Astrology books will often  call this a " ruler". So in most books when you look up Libra you will see that Venus " rules" Libra. And that just means that Libra is the sign which Venus has the easiest time expressing it's self through. But it's a difficult sign for Mars to express it's self through. What does that mean for Autumn? It might mean that she's surrounded by things she likes and things that spark her interest and her passions but that passion is very fleeting for her. She might feel like it's difficult to get in touch with the passion and physical energy that her Mars sign should be giving her. So now you have an idea of how these planets can be weakened and strengthened by the signs they are trying to express themselves through.

Now let's say that Autumn is in love with a man named Collin. And Collin's Mars and Venus are both in Aquarius. How will that help or hinder Autumn? Will he like her? Will it be a love that lasts? Well those are big questions that require you to think about ALL of their personality and not jus Mars and Venus. But the good news is that Aquarius and Libra are both air signs. That means that Autumn and Collin both appreciate the same basic things. If you look back to where I talked about the air element you will have an idea of what those " basic things " are. Autumn's Mars and Venus are in Libra, which is the cardinal air sign, the one that feels a big push to take it's energy to other people. So she is going to be very focused on the man she loves, probably a little obsessive in that she will make everythign else in her life somehow about Collin. But since her Mars is in the same sign and since it is also at a disadvantage expressing it's self, she may have trouble translating that obsession into physical passion.

Collin's planets are in Aquarius which is the fixed air sign. Because they are the same element, he can appreciate her form of affection and devotion and enjoy it but when he goes to return the favor it will look a little different because Aquarius is the fixed air sign. All of the fixed signs are very grounded in themselves so it's possible that many of the things he says he is doing for her will look like things he is just doing for him. And this will probably annoy Autumn. She might greatly enjoy his expressions of love, but at the end of the day be stuck wondering ..... wait a moment... did he really do it for me? Or did he just want to do it and then decide to bring me along for the ride? She might ask him this and he might say " Why does it matter? As long as we're both enjoying ourselves." But to someone with their Venus in Libra the answer is yes, it matters. Because now Autumn is stuck hateing the idea that she is making every part of her life about him, intentionaly makeing him the center of her universe, and he is acting like she's not anyone in perticular. And He may say to her " Of course you're important! Why is it I did something nice and you are so upset with me?"

Well a big part of the answer is that Autumn and Collin are both expressing their love and motivations with air signs. And air signs put huge importance on the idea of something. The mental framework of who they are and what this relationship is in their own minds, who they have decided to be for eachother, has never been more important. Air signs are very stuck in the relm of mental energy. All the thougths behind the actions count for double! So it's good that they both put importance in the same thing. But Autumn is showing it buy pushing her thoughts onto Collin, trying to absorb him and Collin is trying to return the affection but he dosen't feel the need to BECOME Autumn. One of the beautys of Aquarius is that it is almost never forcefull. It won't tell someone else who to be. And that may confuse Autumn because she may worry that his lack of agressive affection is also a lack of careing.

Interesting isn't it? In this situation Autumn and Collin are not a bad match for eachother. They value the same types of expression. They both value that relm of thought in the mind that motivates us and which prompts us to compliment eachother and verbaly show affection. Their relationship is never lacking in verbal affection. And it's likely that they enjoy and aspire to add to their lives very similar things. But they will need to learn how to understand eachother's way of expressing it. In this case, as with most relationships, listening to eachother and putting yourself in the other person's shoes becomes very important.

Your Personality Genes!

Excited to get started? I am. Ok, so your personality is made up of a LOT of differnet variables right? You can't just say " I'm a scorpio." and expect that to sum up your whole existance right? If someone tells you they are a scorpio or a taurus or whatever, they are really telling you what part of the sky the sun was in when they were born. Each person's peronality DNA can be draw out on a birth chart. Birth charts look a lot like pie charts and each slice of the pie is a zodiac sign. But in reality this pie chart isnt just a map of your personality it's also very literaly a map of the night sky when you were born. So the 12 zodiac signs that are in the 12 pie slices are the regions of space around the planet earth which you can assume is at the very center because that's the planet you were born on. ... I hope.

Now you can fill in these great maps with the exact location of every single star, planet, rock, dust particle, and piece of space junk but that dosen't mean that they'll all tell you something about who you are or what you need. So it's important to know what things on this map have meaning! There are actually SIX things on this map that will describe your personal traits. There are two objects on the map that will describe the challenges and opportunites of your life. And there are three objects on each of our maps which will tell us a little bit about how we will find our place in the bigger picture of society, world history, or something like that.

SIX Personality Genes:

1. Sun sign - this is the typical, cliche, I'm a scorpio sign. It's the sign that the sun was in when you were born. And just like somewhere out there in the twisted genes in your cells there is a little gene that has decided what color hair you have, this personality gene is a part of your ego. It's the person that other people think you are when you first meet them. But it's also the part of you that has been created by your environment. It's who you were told to be or expected to be. So you might call it the outer most part of your personality. It's the persona that you wear out all the time and maybe you like it or maybe you don't. But the odds are that it's not who you'd like to be in the future.  Remember that there is and always has been a difference between who we think we are, who other people think we are, and what we are actually capable of being.

2. Rising sign - this isn't actually an object in the sky, it's more like a mathematic equation. But the important part is that this is the gene for our inner sense of self. Sometimes we haven't fully developed into it yet and it's the person we think we want to be someday. But I think that even if you don't know a person very well yet, knowing who they WANT to be is almost more informitive than knowing their past. Because you can't change the things that have already happened so mapping out a person's past has it's limits. But mapping a person's future? The possibilites are endless. In some ways a person's sun sign can feel like their past while the rising feels like their future. It isn't necesarilly that easy. But when a person reads the descriptions of their signs they may feel that way.

3. Moon sign - Your moon sign is where the moon was when you were born. It describes your sub concious self. And that's a little bit of a puzzle in it's self isn't it? Because how many people really know for sure who their sub concious self is anyway? It's the part of you that just reacts to things without thinking or worrying how others will react. And in many cases it will show us our insecurities. By that I mean it will show us the things that make us feel safe and the things that make us uncomfortable even if we don't know why.

4. Mercury sign - This is the sign Mercury was in when you were born. This gene will tell us what style of learning works best for you, how you like to receive information, how you like to convey information to other people, and the frequency that your brain works on during a normal day. When you look at another person's mercury sign you will have a better idea of how to tell them things in way they can understand and also a better idea of what they're trying to say too.

5. Venus sign - This is the sign Venus was in when you were born. It's going to tell you what type of things you like. This could be your favorite smells, favorite food, music style, or your sense of fashion and how you decorate. WHY? well because at the very heart of it this sign tells you what you want from the world and from others. It tells you a lot about what you're looking for. It's your sense of good taste in people, places, things, and ideas.

6. Mars sign - This is the sign that Mars was in when you were born. It's going to tell you about your physical energy level and the types of things that motivate you into action.

These six genes work togeather in a variety of ways so that no two combinations are alike. Here are a few examples of how they work togeather. If a person's sun sign is completely different than their rising sign then they might feel like they are being forced to be someone they don't want to be. Or they might just feel very confused about who they are and who they want to be. But if the two signs are signs that work well togeather then a person might feel like he is completely sure of himself and who he is and what he wants. For an idea of what signs work well togeather and which don't, remember when we talked about the elements! Some elements work so well togeather it's like they were made for eachother.

We are going to take a much closer look at all of these signs so don't worry, there is a lot more to come and more to explain! In the mean time, here is a link to a website which will allow you to find out what all of YOUR signs are! All you need to know is the day, month, year and place you were born. But if you want to know you're rising sign then you will have to know the time that you were born also. If you don't know the right time you can still find out all of your other signs but I'm sure you can imagine why it would be very important to know a person's rising sign too.

Here is the link:   http://www.alabe.com/freechart/

Element - Water

And now for our 4th element, water! What type of energy does the water element vibrate with? It's tricky to sum up in just one word. I'm going to call it a receptive energy. When a person has a lot of water energy they often have awareness, sensetivity, and empathy. These traits are the foundation of many other traits. For example a person with these traits will find it natural to empathize with others and can easily become a councelor, missionary, or simply that person you run to with your own insecurities. A person with awareness can easily enter into a creative and artistic profession. You may get the impression that they have a " dreamy" quality to them. I'd say that a consistent quality I've found with most people who have an abundance of water energy is their ability to be in touch with their surrounding and the people in those surroundings as well. Now let's see how it's expressed in the different modes and signs...

Canser ------ - - - - - - Scorpio - -    -   -   -   -   -  - Pisces

Canser - Canser is the cardinal water sign. So it's the water sign that experiences the most outward drive to share it's energy with the world. Remember that because this sign has the strongest sense of awareness that means it can also come across as the most sensetive. You may feel like it very easy to hurt or offend these people. And I'd also like to stress how very important it is for a person with this perticular energy type to have a strong sense of self. It's very easy for this type of energy to loose it's self in the feelings of others.

Scorpio - Scorpio is the fixed water sign. That means it's self anchored and possibly the most reclusive sign. You may feel like these people are hiding from the world but in their own minds they're just enjoying their own company. This receptive water energy is focused toward the self so it's hard to find a scorpio that dosen't know who it is or what it wants.

Pisces - Pisces is the mutable water sign. They are the most adaptable to different situations. This type of energy is also one of the most creative and perhaps easily distracted. This energy is about as go with the flow as you can get.

Don't worry, we'll be talking about each zodiac sign much more in depth very soon! Tomorrow starts the conversation about how these personality genes apply to you and affect your life! Excited? you should be!

The Elements - Earth

Earth Signs! What's great about an earth sign? It dosen't sound exciting... well it can be if you're actually doing something with it. Similar to fire, the energy of the earth element is constructive energy. It wants to do, build something, make something. What makes that doing different than the type of buisyness a fire sign likes is that earth energy is channeled into a project that has more immediate and obvious results. Example.. maybe a fire signs will take 4 years to write an amazing award winning book but an earth sign will actually study for a test and take extra hours at work because the success and reward of those activities are easier to measure, easier to see, and benefit the person in a more obvious and practicle way. Make sense?

I've known a lot of people with this amazing quality ( that I regretably have very little of ). I think that it's a trait which commands a lot of respect. But like all the other elements, it is expressed a little differently in each of it's 3 signs.

Capricorn--------- - - - - - -Taurus- - -   -   -   -   -   - Virgo

Capricorn - Capricorn is the cardinal earth sign. It focuses that builder energy into the greater world. Other cardinal elements have a tendency to use that outward energy for volunteerism, social awareness, political campaigns, or things of that nature, but because earth signs are builders they're more likely to use their outward energy to start a new buisness or become the best in their chosen career.

Taurus - Taurus is the fixed earth sign. I think of this signs as the middle of the middle. What does that mean? Well in my mind it's the most stable of all the signs. It's energy is the most consistent and least like to spike or drop. Bear in mind too that this sign becasue it is the ability to build + self anchored, it keeps a lot of energy in reserve. That means it might be easy to underestimate because you see it there doing nothing every day and then when it's finaly conviced it should get involved, then you are thinking wow, where did all this strength and ability come from?

Virgo - Virgo is the mutable earth sign. Remember that when any element becomes mutable that means it becomes less consistent but also more versatile. This sign uses it's earth energy to improve something that already exists rather than build something all togeather new. It can collaborate a little more easily than the other earth signs and really it wants to collaborate with someone rather than have to fuel the project with all of it's own energy. This is why virgo is often thought of not only as a critical perfectionist signs, but also as an eager helper. It's driven to improve things but it's a team player.

My next blog post will be about the water element and it's 3 signs. You may remember that I mentioned the energy produced by the water element naturaly pairs well with the energy of the earth element. Water gives earth the type of energy it needs to make the most of it's building instincts, just like air feeds fire so it can take it's inspiration and passions as far as possible.

After the elements are complete I will be explaining how each of us is a combination of these signs, how you can find out what yours are, and what each sign is going to affect in your life. It's going to be just like saying " Look! you see this gene in your DNA? That's why you have red hair!"  So keep reading!

Quote of the Day

It's sunday! I hope everyone is enjoying the weekend. Here is a nice quote for today.

"We are born at a given moment in a given place and like vintage years of wine we have the qualities of the year and of the season in which we are born. Astrology does not lay claim to anything else." - C.G.Jung

That's a great way of thinking about it. Looking at some of this man's other quotes has been very thought provoking for me. If you'd like to read some of his other quotes yourself then here is a site for finding them.

http://www.danapanduru.co.uk/quotes.php

Tomorro we will continue with the Earth Element!

The Elements - Air

The next element we're going to talk about is air. Everyone loves a warm windy day right? It's important to remember that Air and Fire are natural compliments to each other. The reasoning behind that statement is that our idea of " elements" follow a give and take rule. Now in most astrology books they explain this by saying that Air and Water are sustaining or nurturing elements but I think that might be confusing. Instead we will compare it to food! You need food and water to live right?  And you need even more of it if you're going to climb mountains or invent a time machine. Air and Water represent the type of energy we get from food and water. Earth and Fire are the elements that allow us to put that essential energy to work. Food goes to your body's internal furnace to be processed and burned. Now Air is the type of food that works best for Fire. Both of these elements are a little more mentally stimulating and like to communicate with words, ideas, passions, etc. So this pair is more likely to help you build a time machine. And the Water + Earth combination is more likely to help you climb a mountain. Remember that Fire can still draw energy from Water, it dosen't mean that energy isn't being shared and transferred. The fire will still burn but it will be harder to reach it's full potential because the engine will still be running on  gas, but not the type of gas it was made for.

So let's talk about Air more specificly. What is the essence of this element when you get right down to it's core? Most books will tell you that it's intelligence and mental power. And it's true that people who have a lot of air signs in their personality's DNA are often very smart and quick thinking. But I think the real essence, the real treasure of air signs, is their ability to be separate from other people. Does that sound odd? I'm sure it does. Air signs have the ability to detach themselves from other people and events. They can simply exist. Why is that wonderful and what does it mean when we are talking about personality traits???

Why it's wonderful:  Because that means people with air signs can be more self sufficient. They might like living with other people but they don't need to for the sake of mental or emotional sanity. And it gives them the ability to look at situations fairly without as many personal judgments. They are able to meet new people without any particular expectations or judgments. They give new friends a fair shot. Last but not least, isn't it wonderful to think that someone has the ability to be happy in a truly light-hearted child like way, even if the whole world is crumbling down? Because they can form an inner sense of calm and balance which the outside world can not touch.

Why it can be a problem: Air signs are often described as being cold or unsympathetic because they can detach their emotions from others and it makes the empathy they give less personal and much more general. If they do you a kindness you may feel like ... " well he would do that for anyone. It doesn't mean I'm special or that we are close." Some people have trouble feeling close to people with these traits. It can seem like they are walking around with a shield over their heart at all times so that you can't get in.

The three signs that express the element of air are Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius. You might recall that yesterday we talked about the 3 modes of astrology and how they help us measure the intensity that each element has in the three signs that express it.

Libra ------------ - - - - - - - - - - - - Aquarius - - - - - - - - - - -    -    -    -    -   -    - Gemini   -   -   -   -   -


Cardinal - Libra is the cardinal air signs. It reaches outward to try to shape and influence the world.
             So Libra is taking that great energy and trying to do something with it. This sign is especially
             good at fairness and likes to meddle in things.
Fixed - Aquarius is the fixed air sign. Like all fixed signs it is securely rooted in it's self. Sometimes
             being " rooted " in yourself can look like selfishness, vanity, or tremendous self confidence.
             Aquarius is the one who most often seems to be wearing a shield over it's heart as a means of
             self preservation.
Mutable - Gemini is the mutable air sign. It is the most adaptable and we usualy think of that as a
             good thing. But remember that it can also make a person look uncommitted, or unreliable.
             Gemini is often the most social of the air signs and does not find it as easy to detach from the
             world as the other air signs.

You can imagine this as a very strong wind that starts near the Libra with a very concentrated flow of air which begins to spread out a little near Aquarius, and by the time it reaches Gemini it's rushing off into all different directions.

I hope you enjoyed the description of air signs and that it got you thinking!!! Please feel free to leave your thoughts and comments. I'd like to hear what ideas and questions this information inspires in your mind!

The Elements - Fire

Today's black friday, so a belated Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope you spent the time appreciating what you have in your lives. It's easy to get really caught up in your goals and the things you want for the future without really taking time to like enjoy anything you have NOW. So I hope everyone took a moment to appreciate those things yesterday!

Now getting back to astrology... I'm sure many people are already aware that in western astrology there are four elements. Even if you didn't know that I'm sure you wouldn't have trouble guessing what they are.  The elements are and how they affect the 12 zodiac signs could be called the basics of your personality's DNA. Fire is my favorite. Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius are considered to be the three signs " ruled" by fire. You will see that term in astrology books a lot but I don't really like it. Rather I would say that Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius are the 3 expressions of fire. Fire is passionate. What is passion? On one occassion I was guest speaking at my former high school with a friend who I'd graduated with long ago. He was telling a class about what it was like to pursue art on a college level. As he spoke the gaze in his eyes traveled further and further away. He wasn't looking at the students, or over their heads, he wasn't even in the same room with them. The words he spoke came tumbling out smoother, stronger, as he described the mediums he used and the faces he drew. Public speaking had never been his element but at that moment it didn't matter because he had transcended us and left us all behind. Standing right beside him, I knew even I was gone in his mind and a wave of envy crashed over me. Because the passion for his craft was radiating from him, vibrating through every word. But I couldn't find that passion in myself and I couldn't be lost in the moment with him. I could only stand and watch like the rest of them.  I suppose when put to defining it, passion is a love of something + a tremendous amount of energy seeking an outlet.  In my friend's life the outlet is art, but it can be different things for different people. Passionate people are often a little unpredictable. We can understand this by saying that if their energy is similar to a fire then it's not as simple as an electric light simply being either "on" or " off", instead their intensity flickers and because of that they can be perceived as quick tempered or moody or a little unbalanced.

Now let's think of this as being a scale:
Aries  -   ----------------------- - - - -  - - - - - Leo  - - - - - - - - -   -   -   -   Sagittarius -   -    -    -    -    -    -

Aries :   Intense energy has a more physical and aggressive feel           
Leo:    Intense energy has a more fun, theatrical feel, less aggressive, still in your face.                          Sagittarius:  Intense energy that is less aggressive, less vocal,
                     more like a candle of inspiration, not a bonfire.

It's important to remember that EACH person is a COMBINATION of these 12 signs. No one is just one zodiac sign. This blog is covering the basics first. Because a human being's personality is made up of many traits, some they were born with and some they have learned through their life situations. So each zodiac signs should be viewed as just one gene in your personality's DNA.
Now astrology offers even more ways to understand the intensity levels of each of the fire signs. In astrology there are 3 " modes". They are called cardinal, fixed, and mutable. 

Cardinal =  energy that pushes outward towards others. Aries is the cardinal fire sign. It's energy is a bonfire that is always reaching outward to consume more, have more, and control more.

Fixed = energy that is consistent and this is important - anchored in it's self - Leo is the fixed fire sign. It's energy is a campfire and it's sense of self is strong. It's not as consuming but it will never let it's self be ignored.

Mutable = energy that can shift and change the most. It can change the most because it is the least intense. Sagittarius is the mutable fire sign. It's energy might be over looked because it adapts to situations instead of insisting that it's way is the only way.

I hope you've enjoyed this basic explanation of the fire element in astrology. My next post will reveal the air element and how it pairs with fire elements! This is all leading up to some great astrology for relationships so keep reading!

An Introduction to Astrology

When I was 13 I had a rather strange friend with a very different background than mine. She wasn't my best friend but she was the type of person you never forget. We were both about the same height and build with long red hair. Kristin was the type who leaped without looking and I was the type who never leaped at all for fear of all the things I couldn't control. So here we were, good twin and bad twin, sitting at a lunch table, our attention riveted in an enormous purple book. It was her mother's, that she'd brought into school that day. The pages were yellowed, the corners were folded, and we turned each paper with care as they tried to escape the binding. The book looked so mysterious and important to us that we took it as seriously as if we were opening the tombs of pharaohs for the first time. And in that book were descriptions of all the twelve zodiac signs along with descriptions of the different planets and what they mean in your chart. Kristin and I drew up charts for ourselves with her mother's help. And this became an ongoing theme in our lives for many years. Even when I thought I had exhausted my interest in astrology and even though I hit dead ends and gave up sometimes, eventually I always return to my original fascination with this ancient science.

I've heard astrology described as a pseudoscience. If you're not familiar with the term, it means a fake science! But chemistry is a very real science and all the ideas and innovations in chemistry can be credited to ancient people's fascination with the idea of alchemy. Ancient alchemists were obsessed with the idea that they could turn ordinary substances into gold. Their thinking was that all things in the world are made of the same little pieces, and if they could just rearrange those pieces then they could make anything into what they wanted it to be. That sounds a lot like wizards and magic but it is also the founding principle of chemistry. Every thing in the world IS made of the same elements. Rearranging them is far harder than ancient alchemists could've ever dreamed but the concept was still true. And I would like to suggest the same thing about astrology. I believe that the methods astrology uses are outdated and no one can dispute the fact that the stars HAVE changed since the ancient Babylonians were looking at them. However, I believe that the underlying principle to astrology is that the time and place of a person's birth is an indication of their personality, their relationships with other, and to a MUCH smaller extent, their destiny. I know a lot of people don't believe in destiny and I'm not out to prove that it exists. The truth is that when your life seems unremarkable you want to tell yourself that you were " born for greater things" but then when you feel like you're stuck in an awful pattern where bad things keep happening you tell yourself " I'm the master of my own destiny! I decide" Funny thing isn't it?  People are rarely happy or satisfied, and when they do manage it, they don't like to stay that way for long.

So here's what this has to do with astrology the way I see it.... weather you believe you have an ultimate destiny or not, most of you will probably agree that your life has a pattern to it. The pattern may be subtle or it could be very obvious. These patterns probably happen because of the similarities in the decisions you've made over the course of your life. These similarities are a representation of your personality and where you are on your personal journey of emotional development. I'll talk more about all of these things later but for now I will wrap up the point. Astrology helps you understand your personality and your personality is what causes you to make similar decisions throughout your life, and so it can help you understand the destiny you are going to make for yourself, through your own actions.