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Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life, and you will call it fate.

Carl Jung

Astrological Consultation

Like a cosmic fingerprint, an astrological birth chart is a snapshot of your soul taken at the time of your first independent breath. This literal moment in time is when your chart begins, and when you were already the most authentic version of yourself. While we never disconnect with our birth chart, life happens and we can lose touch with that most vibrant version of our self. Astrology helps us rediscover our true potential with the unfolding, layer by layer, of our horoscope, reconnecting us with our magnetic, essential self and our mission for this lifetime.

Whenever we have an astrological consultation, always keep in mind that you have free will and self-determination – infinite possibility is always available and nothing is set in stone. While your chart itself remains static, like an imprint and cannot change, it is forever dynamic and you have absolute license to live your life in the way that is most real for you.

Your Key Astrological Make-up

Please note that that the following information is general and is more about describing how the Sun, Moon and Ascendant operate in a birth chart and the zodiac signs involved for you. I have not included information on the houses in your birth chart where your Sun, Moon and Ascendant are located, or the aspects that involve them, so that I don’t over complicate this information. Also, when I’m talking about the zodiac signs that follow (eg Leo, Aries, Taurus) I’m talking about the ‘energy’ of these signs, not the way you experience them – these descriptions are just to get an understanding of the way these energies operate and their motivations.

ARIES ASCENDANT

Your Ascendant describes the astrological energy that you were literally born into. By using your exact birth time to create your birth chart we know which zodiac sign was at the easternmost point of the horizon when you were born. The astrological sign that was present here at this particular time is where your birth chart begins – it’s your ‘ascending’ sign, the energy that was on the rise at the time of your birth, and the energy that you are ‘rising’ towards for this lifetime.

For you, Scorpio was the constellation on the eastern horizon when you were born and this is the astrological energy where you ‘hatched’. The presence of this Scorpio energy can even describe your birth story.

The sign on your Ascendant also describes the energy that you filter everything through because it was your very first taste of life and it is what you ‘know’. And because what we ‘know’ is how we feel safe, it then becomes your protective mask and you draw from this energy source whenever you experience a new situation (as your birth was your very first ‘new’ situation), begin a new task, meet new people – whenever you experience a ‘first’. It is not the version of ‘you’ that you share with people you know well but the version that people experience when they first meet you and in the early stages of getting to know you.

The sign on your Ascendant is also where you’ll instinctively go when you need to protect yourself. We draw from the energy of our Ascendant to keep us safe, and it works very hard to look out for us from the minute we leave our home in the morning until we return home at night. It’s essentially the energy that is always running behind the scenes of ‘you’.

An Aries Ascendant bursts onto the stage with lots of spontaneity and enthusiasm. It’s fiery and self-determined and doesn’t like to be told what to do. It’s really important for this Ascendant to have access to some freedom and have a sense of independence as this will give it a healthy outlet for its competitive and restless nature, otherwise it can feel stifled and suppressed.

Keep in mind, too, that Saturn (remember the planet that embodies the ‘men in white coats’ for you, that didn’t think you could live beyond a day, and you proved them wrong) sits right on your Ascendant. This energy can be restrictive and can put up walls around you that prevent you from acting too soon but it can also teach you about what other things you need to consider or do before you put yourself out there.

In terms of how your Ascendant will play out we always have to consider the sign that comes before it (in this case Pisces) because this is the energy that your Ascendant is born from. In the Pisces realm Aries has a memory of enormous sensitivity where there were no boundaries and it could merge with anyone and everything, like a psychic sponge absorbing all it came into contact with. It was highly emotional and could easily drown in this watery realm.

The Aries Ascendant needs a literal life buoy to keep it safe from this Pisces energy, so it will act with huge force and will overtly respond and react so it isn’t sucked back into the emotional overflow. To protect itself it needs to bring in some form of fire to fan its flame and keep it alight. This may mean literally lighting a candle immediately after you arrive home to remind yourself of the fire that you need to keep your flame lit. Or even activating fire in the form of physically moving around – doing the dishes, going for a walk (by the sea), dancing, yoga or anything that invigorates you and makes you feel alive.

LEO ASCENDANT

Your Ascendant describes the astrological energy that you were literally born into. We use the exact birth time to create a birth chart because it tells us which zodiac sign was at the easternmost point of the horizon when you were born. The astrological energy that was present here at this particular time is where your birth chart begins – it’s your ‘ascending’ sign. Also known as your ‘rising sign’, it’s the energy that was ‘on the rise’ at the time of your birth.

For you, Leo was the constellation on the easternmost horizon when you were born and this is the astrological energy where you ‘hatched’. The presence of this Leo energy can even describe your birth story.

The sign on your Ascendant then describes the energy that you filter everything through, because it was your very first taste of life and it is what you ‘know’. And because what we ‘know’ is how we feel safe, it then becomes your protective mask and you draw from this energy source whenever you experience a new situation, begin a new task, meet new people – whenever you experience a ‘first’. It is not the version of ‘you’ that you usually share with people you know well but the version that people experience when they first meet you.

The sign on your Ascendant is also where you’ll instinctively go when you need to protect yourself. We draw from the energy of our Ascendant to keep us safe, and it works very hard to look out for us from the minute we leave the safety of our home in the morning until we return home at night.

Leo is a very dynamic energy and is the most magnetic sign in the zodiac. Ruled by the Sun, it is powerful and warms us with its generosity and affection.

With the nurturing and emotional support it received from Cancer (the sign before it), Leo has the courage to go out into the world and find its own creative self. It’s very determined and wants to get out there, to be seen – even better if it has a stage and an audience. It is searching for love and needs strong feedback and reassurance. Like the Sun, Leo is a very dramatic energy and while it gives us its solar presence it’s vital that it is stroked in return.

Leo rules the heart – the central core of us. On a healthy level it gives a show for the rest of humanity. (Barack Obama and Madonna are both Leos and make huge shows for humanity, though in very different ways!) It doesn’t embarrass easily as its intention isn’t to undignify itself ~ it’s important to know that it’s not at all conceited. It is courageous and possesses the courage of the heart, and it wants so much to love and be loved in return. It really does act from the heart!

Leo is all about putting its heart energy out there. With a Leo Ascendant you can light up a room with your warmth and you intuitively know just how to make other people feel special. You have plenty to draw from when you enter new situations and being front and centre feels very natural.

While it’s vital that you receive loving feedback and recognition in return, the effect can be so ‘warming’ that you may want to stay in your Leo and rely on your ‘masked’ self, rather than risk revealing your ‘true’ self.

Scorpio is a magnetic energy. As an Ascendant, in a social setting, it feels intensely because it comes from a place of deep emotion. It responds deeply to everything it encounters.

Every zodiac sign is a reaction to the sign before it: the sign previous to Scorpio is Libra, which wants to relate (like Scorpio) but it is a harmoniser and always seeks to create balance. Scorpio doesn’t mind tipping the scales at all if it means it can make the deepest connection with people. It moves from the social butterflyness of Libra to the place where it has your trust and your intimacy.

Scorpio is the most conscious sign, which comes from its clarity and always being aware of the decisions it’s making – its decisions are made with absolute awareness. Like a forensic detective it will turn over every rock and probe beneath it for answers. It cannot pretend at all.

Trust is so important for Scorpio, and it will test and test that trust. Equal exchanges of energy are essential and nothing less is tolerated – if it feels it has been betrayed, it may sever a relationship, but very often it will create another relationship to recreate that energy. Its ultimate challenge is loving in the face of loss, and loving with no guarantees.

Scorpio can be misunderstood for its intensity and has been known to sting with its tail. It knows how it feels to hurt, and will almost embrace the hurt and dive in for more; however, it’s one of the most hardworking signs in the zodiac and will try, try and try again to resolve a problem. It’s not afraid to delve into its deepest depths and it has the strongest ability to renew of any sign because it will really do the work.

AQUARIUS ASCENDANT

Aquarius is a visionary energy. It’s attracted to whatever is new and unique. It’s intellectual, with a quick mind. Its urge is to go beyond the limits of the self. It’s the part of us that has the ability to challenge and be individual. It moves to the beat of a different drum and if encouraged it can gravitate towards the bizarre, and may like to shock and be perverse.

Aquarius aims to move beyond the limits of boundary-seeking Capricorn (the sign before it) and rebels against Capricorn’s old structures. It challenges respected authority and it brings change for society for the sake of the future. It has a strong sense of a wider family – like a commune where everyone is equal and no-one is the star. It wants to create perfection for humanity. Unlike safety-loving Capricorn, Aquarius is willing to go into the unknown.

Aquarius so wants to be an effective agent for social change. But when trying to make the world a better place you will have to deal with pain at some point – the pain of living, the pain of humanity, the pain of the planet – and this can be a hard reality to face. It can feel very uncomfortable and challenging when you despair over how you can possibly make a difference.

How do you rejuvenate when you feel like all of those Capricorn rules and structures are just getting you down? When everything feels negative and pointless and you couldn’t possibly make a difference? You connect with like-minded people. You surround yourself with people who feel the same way as you (even if it’s just online). Just by feeling like you are on the same wavelength and have similar thoughts as these other people will revive you and give you the lift you need to feel like you really do have the capacity to change the world.

PISCES ASCENDANT

Pisces’ energy is about merging. Ethereal and with no boundaries – it doesn’t know where it begins and you begin. It represents our empathic, compassionate, spiritual, artistic and intuitive function. It’s forever seeking transcendence. It will follow anything that will keep it in that state and can be very uncomfortable being connected to the world and in its body.

Pisces’ position as the last sign of the zodiac means it embodies the end before it has even begun. It can feel like an old soul because it has taken in all of the knowledge of the previous signs. It can be prone to melancholy because it knows that a cycle is about to end. Transitions can be particularly difficult because there is the constant awareness that another cycle will come to a close.

Pisces has the ability to empathise with every emotion and human experience possible. Its defence mechanism (ie its protective mask) can be its chameleon-like persona. It’s able to constantly reinvent itself – because it has all of the knowledge of the zodiac, it can change at any time.

In terms of how your Ascendant will play out we always have to consider the sign that comes before it (in this case Aquarius) because this is the energy that your Ascendant is born from. In the Aquarius realm Pisces comes from a deep knowing within itself that is right – it has a vast range of information at its fingertips.

All of this knowledge can be overwhelming, however, and can be experienced like a virtual flood of air. Too much information (especially during difficult times) can be very destabilising for a tender Pisces Ascendant.

When a Pisces Ascendant needs to bolster itself from the world (not from close friends or family) retreating or even hiding under the covers can be therapeutic – as long as you don’t stay there, of course. Also helpful when you feel overwhelmed and need to cut out external noise is to turn off the news, media and online devices. Definitely no late night news or checking devices before bed!

Water is the perfect antidote for a Pisces Ascendant, who absorbs so much emotionally. Pisces yearns to move back into the warm, protective space before birth, so keeping water in some form around you at all times can be very soothing, whether it’s a bowl of water, hearing running water, even washing dishes and especially taking baths is ideal. If you live by water, walk by it, look at it. If you cross a bridge, focus on the water beneath you knowing that water is always beneath you. This can be a literal life buoy.

TAURUS SUN

Your Sun represents the essence of who you are, your ‘self’ and your personality. Like the actual sun, it’s where we shine and where we come alive; how we express our vitality and get our ‘solar strokes’, ie where we go within ourselves to feel the warmth of our own solar rays. In a lifetime, we are learning to ‘be’ our Sun. It is not something we achieve automatically. Our Sun also defines the quest we are on, so we are not just an Aries, in this lifetime we are Aries-ing. It’s a verb rather than a noun (or a past participle if you are a grammarian!). And as our birth chart doesn’t exist until we take our first independent breath post-birth, for as long as we are breathing, we are living our chart and learning how to ‘be’ and inhabit this Aries self.

Aries is the very first sign of the zodiac, so it’s an initiatory, birthing energy and needs loads of force to get ahead. If you imagine the intense burst of power that a seed needs to activate to shoot through the soil and crack open for a plant to emerge, that’s the energy Aries possesses.

Aries is quick, fiery and has to be single-minded to meet its challenges. It can get a bad rap because this kind of behaviour can be perceived as selfish, but how can we begin anything if we don’t activate our Aries energy to get it off the ground?

This energy can’t be sustained, though. It has enormous impact as it begins but it only embodies the bursting-through initiatory energy point – after that it loses its momentum and moves onto to the next thing.

Aries will burst onto the stage with lots of spontaneity and enthusiasm. It’s fiery and self-determined and doesn’t like to be told what to do. In relationship, and in any situation where it is involved with others, it needs to have access to some freedom and have a sense of independence as this will give it a healthy outlet for its competitive and restless nature, otherwise it can feel stifled and suppressed.

For you to access your Aries Sun consciously, your ‘journey’ for this lifetime may be to develop your self-confidence, your personal authority and your ability to assert yourself in a way that is healthy, dynamic and sustainable without feeling like you need to a) defend yourself, b) get angry or c) stifle your anger to get your point across.

Taurus is about making Aries energy real. It gives fiery, initiatory Aries a container to exist, and it will hold onto something until it can make shape.

It represents the developmental stage of a child that is moving from a newborn into a baby that is able to feel, hold and experience the reality close around it. It needs to see things to believe. It likes repeated patterns and wants responses relatively soon. It can be stubborn as it likes things to stay the way they are, ie this is my reality, I know it, it’s real, I trust it. Its protection is to become very still when threatened.

It’s a very sensual and tactile energy (not necessarily in a sexy way) in that it’s very concerned with the senses – because it prefers a tangible reality. If it doesn’t have its identity validated, it will fixate on material objects and will need to acquire possessions so it can attach its identity to these objects.

(Remember, I’m talking about the energy of Sagittarius here, not necessarily you!)

SAGITTARIUS SUN

Faith-loving, truth-telling, philosophical Sagittarius is all about inclusivity. It isn’t petty and it sure wouldn’t care about the pigment of your skin ~ it only wants to know the greater truth.

So what is your truth, and are you willing to own it?

Sagittarius is all about moving forward, physically or mentally. It has the capacity to be incredibly optimistic, generous, positive and easy going. It doesn’t want to feel hemmed in and needs to feel like there is always an escape hatch if life gets too hard. Its fire is of the spirit and of the mind, so it needs to feel inspired by other cultures and other ways of being. Don’t even try to bore it with mundane details – it only wants to know about the greater truth.

A sense of freedom, expansion, open spaces and nature are all so important for a Sag to feel vital. Any adventure – even if that adventure is imagined – is invigorating and satisfying and allows Sag to explore on some level. Travel is obviously ideal, especially if it is thrown into an entirely different culture. And if this isn’t available, this Sun really needs at least some space to be able to think and ponder.

Being physical is also hugely important for Sag’s vitality. Horse riding is an ideal physical expression, but anything that creates movement is good as it is a hot, forward-moving, active energy (Sag rules the hips, thighs and haunches – but especially watch out for your sciatic nerve). And if it can think and move at the same time, all the better.

(Remember, I’m talking about the energy of Sagittarius here, not necessarily you!)

AQUARIUS SUN

Aquarius seeks to move beyond the limits of boundary-seeking Capricorn (the sign before it) and rebels against Capricorn’s old structures. It seeks perfection for humanity. Unlike Capricorn, it’s willing to go into the unknown.

Aquarius challenges respected authority. It brings change for society for the sake of the future. It has a strong sense of a wider family – like a commune where everyone is equal and no-one is the star. Its opposite sign, Leo, does like to be the star though, so it wouldn’t be surprising if a few times throughout your day you might ‘flip’ into Leo’s energy and find yourself performing or showing off a little, just to balance things out.

(Remember, I’m talking about the energy of Aquarius here, not necessarily you!)

MOON INTRO

Our Moon describes our emotional nature. It represents our physical, emotional and psychological needs; it’s how we long to be nurtured, nurture ourselves and nurture those around us. Our Moon also tells us about the emotional environment of our early childhood, including the ways we developed emotionally. Our Moon remains very young – it really doesn’t develop emotionally past approximately three years old (this is what keeps in it in the ‘feeling’ state; it hasn’t developed reason yet or the ability to intellectualise).

Our Moon describes the way we need to shape our days so we feel emotionally supported. Giving our Moon what it needs (ie ‘feeding our Moon’) makes life so much more manageable, enjoyable and helps us to heal in very real and foundational ways.

It’s so important that we acknowledge our Moon throughout each day – checking in to see how we’re travelling (What do I need to do revitalise, to feel safe and emotionally secure? Do I need to create space to feel my emotions and am I taking them seriously?). When we acknowledge the needs of our Moon and look after it, we can then meet the significant people in our lives from a place of security, rather than needing them to look after us or pushing them away because they don’t get our feelings.

ARIES MOON

Self-starter independent Aries is a birthing energy and needs loads of force to get ahead. If you imagine the intense burst of power that a seed needs to activate to shoot through the soil and crack open for a plant to emerge, that’s the energy Aries possesses.

Its focus needs to be so narrow, otherwise it won’t survive. This is why an Aries Moon can feel so ‘me, me, me! It’s all about me!’ But if we didn’t have Aries super single-mindedness and its spontaneity and enthusiasm to get projects going, how would we get anything off the ground?

A fire sign too, our Aries Moon firestarters can react and lash out with intense energy but this can’t be sustained for the long haul, so it will sizzle and then fizzle, and will move onto the next thing. Although this can be confusing (and confronting!) for the people it lives with, an Aries Moon most often gets over it because the intensity of its emotional responses isn’t easily sustained.

So how might this translate for us personally when we have the Moon in Aries? The Moon describes our feeling nature, so you might feel like you need time alone on a regular basis to recharge and emotionally rebalance, or at least feel like you can recalibrate in a way that suits you. Feel into your gut response ~ what does it feel like it needs? However this works for you, you’ll feel better after asserting your independence.

You might also feel like you have ants in your pants, like you’re champing at the bit and you really need to move or initiate something to blow off steam. You may not feel like much of a team player at the moment, so individuate and do whatever feels right for you. It’s not personal.

Some kind of solitary movement would be perfect, whether that’s activating some heat via your own self-practice or by going for a walk, anything to light your fire. Even if you only have enough stamina for short bursts of energy, that’s still taking care of your body’s need to move.

Lighting a candle and having it nearby or being illuminated by some light will also feed your need to feel warm and be seen. This Moon needs to be out front and have its feelings acknowledged. It needs attention. Sometimes we need to feel independent and acknowledged, all at the same time.

LEO MOON

It’s so important that we acknowledge our Moon throughout each day – checking in to see how we’re travelling (What do I need to do revitalise, to feel safe and emotionally secure? Do I need to create space to feel my emotions and am I taking them seriously?). When we acknowledge the needs of our Moon and look after it, we can then meet the significant people in our lives from a place of security, rather than ‘needing’ them to look after us or pushing them away because they don’t ‘get’ our feelings.

Taurus is about making Aries energy real. It gives fiery, initiatory Aries a container to exist, and it will hold onto something until it can make shape.

From a developmental perspective, Taurus represents the stage of a child that is moving from a newborn into a baby that is able to feel, hold and experience the reality close around it. It needs to see things to believe. It likes repeated patterns and wants responses relatively soon. It can be stubborn because it likes things to stay the way they are, ie this is my reality, I know it, it’s real, I trust it. Its protection is to become very still when threatened.

From an emotional perspective, a Taurus Moon will be soothed via its senses ~ tasting, touching, smelling, hearing and feeling ~ because it needs a tangible reality. It’s a very sensual and tactile energy (not necessarily in a sexy way). I eat therefore I am, I drink therefore I am, I touch therefore I am. If I can hold it and have it, I am real.

If it doesn’t have its identity validated, it will fixate on material objects and will need to acquire possessions so it can attach its identity to these objects (I shop therefore I am!).

All types of security are very important too. ‘Touch’ is especially vital to feel safe, to feel that ‘emotional security’ is close. Any form of personal touch, like massage, playing with your hair or having something comforting to touch, are very sensual, grounding and soothing ways you can look after yourself.

As an Earth sign too, a Taurus Moon relies upon feeling grounded and supported and needs regularity and structure in its daily life to feel ‘earthed’. It needs to take its schedules very seriously. So that’s regularity in terms of a ‘regular’ intake of food ~ when it doesn’t get fed regularly it can get very ‘hangry’ ~ as well as getting regular sleep and not getting off track. These are ‘basic’ requirements for emotional well-being.

Leo is all about putting its heart energy out there. With a Leo Moon you will feel the most nurtured and emotionally centred when you are being creative and self-expressive. You can light up a room with your warmth and you intuitively know just how to make other people feel special, but it’s so important that you receive loving feedback in return.

You have always known you were special and as a child you would have been most supported by being encouraged to let your playful, exuberant self shine and to be physically seen and have your emotions validated and acknowledged as much as possible.

To feel nurtured, emotionally balanced and have the confidence to tap into your essential self, it’s so important to celebrate yourself, express your individuality and acknowledge all of the wonderful, amazing things that make you ‘you’.

To feel really comfortable, fire Moons need movement. To get in touch with your Moon you could ask yourself ‘Am I ready to take care of my need for moving by body?’

You also have a strong need for light and warmth. To respond to this need you could ask yourself whether you are willing to have ‘fire’ in your life, whether that is a candle burning or even an actual fireplace in your home, because either will make you feel ‘warmth’.

You also need attention. This fiery Moon needs to be seen. If you could have a mantra it could be ‘I need attention’ or ‘I am seen’, or even ‘I see Me’. Can you take seriously and get your needs met?

LIBRA MOON

Libran energy seeks to connect and its urge is to relate. It’s extremely good at harmonising and mediating – and always sees both sides of the coin. Like the scales that symbolise Libra, everything must be balanced and it can feel very insecure and shaky if it can’t achieve this, but in order to create balance, there must be imbalance.

From an emotional point of view, a Libran Moon needs harmony to feel safe, or at least balance, without any unambiguous tension in the air. If there is tension, or even if everyone is being too nice, it may instinctively push to correct the balance, even if it needs to be a bit snippy or rude.

It loves to be surrounded by beauty and refinement and will find security in a pleasurable environment, decorated with every level of comfort.

(Remember, I’m talking about the energy of Libra here, not necessarily you!)

PISCES MOON

Pisces’ energy is about merging. It’s ethereal and has no boundaries – it doesn’t know where it begins and you begin. It represents our empathic, compassionate, spiritual, artistic and intuitive function. It’s forever seeking transcendence. It will follow anything that will keep it in that state and can be very uncomfortable being connected to the world and in its body.

Pisces has difficulty grounding itself. Its position at the last sign of the zodiac means it embodies the end before it has even begun. Its tendency for escapism leaves it with a feeling that the world can be a cold, hard place. It can sometimes be misled because it only wants to see the best in everyone. But if channelled productively, it can make sense out of chaos.

Its boundaries aren’t strong and its aura is like an octopus, always reaching out to connect, soaking up everything like a sponge. It yearns to move back into the warm, protective space before birth, which can be done through co-dependency and substance abuse, allowing it to feel connected. It needs to find healthy ways of reaching this connectedness, through meditation, art, yoga, music, dance or simply walking along a beach – any way that allows it to transcend itself.

VIRGO NORTH NODE

I liken the North Node to the north point of a compass. It’s the direction your soul is headed to fulfill your destiny for this lifetime’s quest. An easy way to comprehend this is to consider ‘Am I moving towards the True North of my soul’?

Where the North Node is directed suggests what needs to be developed and where you’re being invited to go, and its opposite, the South Node, represents your comfort zone, what is super easy for you and where you are being called to shift away from in this lifetime, or not rely on that aspect of your personality so much.

With your North Node in Virgo you are being asked to consciously

MOON PHASE

You were born during a New Moon. This is the first phase of the eight Moon phases and takes place at the very beginning of the Moon’s cycle. Even though you were born during the day, the Moon was dark, overflowing with instinctual creative urges that are reflected through your personality.

Honouring your impulsiveness, your spontaneity and your enthusiasm will be your golden ticket (rather than seeing it as a negative, ie that you are flighty or inconsistent). Your emotional ‘vibratory’ antenna is always seeking new and stimulating opportunities for you to express yourself, so you will naturally be drawn to what feels fresh and invigorating.

When you are born under a New Moon, from a ‘feeling’ perspective you instinctively see the broader picture. However, because this phase is so new, this awareness can only be known unconsciously. Images and understanding may come to you by being ‘open’ (for example, through meditation or your intuitive abilities or via your dreams).

The vibration for this phase is very much about orientation – how do I move or shift myself into a new period of life? How do I fit in here? This is a ‘seeding’ time as the Moon is getting ready to begin a brand-new cycle – and it’s not about ‘knowing’ the outcome but instead asking what do my instincts tell me here? What is stirring in the very centre of me’? There may be a tendency to project this out onto other people and let them decide for you because the future is unclear but the answers will come by tuning in to what your senses tell you.

From a lunar perspective, this is also the time when you are biologically most fertile.

Transits

Following is some information on Saturn and Jupiter and their planetary transits as they cross your Ascendant and move into your 1st house.

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Each house within our birth chart envelops a part of us.

Following is some information on the Uranus planetary transit that is currently activating your Taurus Sun and is moving through the 1st house of your birth chart.

Each house within our birth chart envelops a part of us. focusses on yourself, your identity, how you present yourself to the world daily life from your routine to your work, your rituals, your health, your mind-body connection – the things you do that ‘service’ you. Wherever Uranus is travelling through our birth chart it is asking us to connect back to our true self. This can be triggered by surprising and sometimes radical or revolutionary situations (sometimes we need a bit of a lightning bolt to get our attention), but its intention isn’t unkind and while the first taste may not be very comfortable or it may not feel very graceful, this is a really potent time to make sense of how you operate from an individual standpoint and how you respond one on one with other people.

Whenever Uranus is involved we can expect the unexpected. Its energy can be quick and lively – like we’re conductors of electricity, so we need to be grounded and earthed to contain this energy. This volatility can make us feel unsure of ourselves at first but its aim is to build up our sense of validity and self-worth in whichever area of our lives it is traveling

Jupiter has very recently come home to its position in your 2nd house of resources and values, ie what you believe you have in your ‘bank’, what you have to offer and put out to the world, and has begun a brand-new 12-year cycle. This transit is one of the final that we experience at midlife and it is a hugely significant marker of life. By this time we are already beginning to define a new change in life and the sense of a second chance feels more available. Now we have the opportunity to get what we put into our life. Because Jupiter’s energy expands whatever it touches it will capitalise on whatever type of energy you are creating in your life.

Your North Node in Capricorn is also strongly being activated by Saturn and Pluto. This is really transformative and because it’s located in your 3rd house of communication and community (from siblings to neighbors to the people in local proximity to you) it’s asking you to rethink your relationship to this zone in your life. To transform your self-belief around your place in this area. Slowly but surely, one step at a time, not necessarily in an overly dramatic way, although it may feel challenging to begin with. One way to approach this transit, which you may feel strongly in January 2020, is it to simply pay attention and be responsive to your reactions and your role in whatever circumstances arise here.

As we discussed during your session, Uranus is currently sitting right near your Sun (your sense of self, your self-identity), which is also activating your Moon (your emotional realm, your feelings, your sense of emotional security), and is likely to be creating some fairly shaky feelings.

Whenever Uranus is activating your Sun it will speed things up. It creates change and brings to your awareness what you actually already know on a very deep level so you can develop into your authentic self. What can be unpleasant is that it reveals what is below the surface that you may not feel ready or really want to see right now.

Wherever Uranus is travelling through our birth chart it is asking us to connect back to our true self. This can be triggered by surprising and sometimes radical or revolutionary situations (sometimes we need a bit of a lightning bolt to get our attention), but its intention isn’t meant to be unkind and while the first taste may feel uncomfortable and not very graceful, this is a really potent time to loosen up any rigidity, anything that you're holding on to too tightly, anywhere that you're feeling resistant to change.

Uranus' energy can be quick and lively – like we’re conductors of electricity, so we need to be grounded and earthed to contain this energy. This volatility can make us feel unsure of ourselves at first but its aim is to build up our sense of validity and self-worth in whichever area of our lives it is travelling. Moving through your 6th house it's asking for you to be open to changing how you set up your daily life and look after yourself, so that's everything from your routines, your health, your fitness, your diet, everything you do to support your physical well-being. It also concerns the actual work that you, the kind of everyday work you do.

This can seem like a lot! But truthfully whatever feels like is being lost is creating room for something else or an awareness that you're ready to receive (it just doesn't feel like that, I know).

OK, so you might have felt this quickening up of energy and this 'revolutionising' of your life from as early as July 2018 and then again from April to May 2019 if you are very sensitive. It got really close in May 2020, when I suspect you might have felt it strongly and this could have been very unsettling. It moves forwards and backwards a bit and you might feel it again in November-December 2020 and then finally in February-March 2021.

Whenever we experience a transit for the second time it can be felt like, oh great, I know this feeling. I don't like it but I know what it's asking of me. When it's felt for the final time you might find that you can assimilate it into your experience with some awareness, as though it's starting to make sense.

Seeing Lucy during these times or seeking support from close trusted friends and family can be very beneficial.

TOOLS

I’ve provided the following tools and rituals to acknowledge and support particular elements and areas in your birth as well as the planetary transits you are currently experiencing.

Mantra

My validation does not come from external sources.

My validation comes from myself.

Baths

Soaking in a bath would be a lovely way to honour the watery elements of your Scorpio Ascendant and your Pisces Moon, especially when you feel like you need some tender loving care. Any kind of bathing can be a safe container for you to feel your emotions and switch off from the mental chatter and overstimulation that you may be experiencing, without feeling overcome.

For a bath you could add a handful to a cup of Epsom salts (or any salt) and perhaps a rose quartz crystal to honour your heart space and soften into any emotions that arise.

You can add anything you like to your bath to make it a ritual bath – planning and sourcing the herbs, plants, essential oils and crystals help to make it a reality and create a focus for your bath’s intention. These ingredients can be added both to the bath and placed around its edge.

To begin a ritual bath, dunk your head after you get into the water and then place your hands over your heart. Ask yourself a question and breathe deeply three to seven times into your belly before your relaxation begins, focussing on your heart beat and the silence and stillness. Letting your meditation lead you where it needs to go.

(To minimise a messy clean-up, it helps to replace your bath plug with a tea strainer when letting out the bathwater.) If you don’t have a bath, you can still create the same experience on a smaller scale with a tub of water, in which you can add all of the above and just soak your feet.

Gratitude Practice

As soon as you wake up in the morning, before you reach for your phone or engage in any form of communication, you might like to spend at least 30 minutes thinking about everything you are grateful for. Anything at all. If you run out of things, you can make things up. And if your mind wanders, that’s OK, just get back on track and think of anything that excites you, inspires you and lights you up.

This is a really powerful tool that signals to your brain that you are open to seeking these things/experiences/way of life, so don’t be surprised by what comes your way! (Because you are also likely to be in a sleepy state, your subconscious will be taking all of this in. Your subconscious doesn’t know what is real and what isn’t, so you can really get creative here and play with manifestation.)

You can do this while you are going about your morning doing anything you usually do, or you could make an actual ritual out of it, like a meditation.

Abhyanga Self-massage

This Ayurvedic form of self-massage is beautifully soothing and grounding. This will really tell your body and your nervous system that you are taking care of it. Following is a link to a YouTube video explaining how to do your own Abhyanga massage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HQLsfZh5js

Personally, I do mine sitting on a towel on my bathroom floor. With my hair up and out of the way I use sesame oil or sweet almond oil. While the video above starts from the top down, I start with my feet and work my way up, using strokes that move upwards towards my heart. Depending on your skin you might not want to use too much oil on your face but concentrate on massaging your third eye (that sweet spot in between and just above your eyebrows); pressing the points across your eyebrows and pressing the points along your ears are very relaxing too.

The main thing is to make it as easy as possible for yourself. You can do your own Abhyanga massage in five minutes before a shower or a bath (either morning or at night).

Boundary Setting 101

When you begin consciously setting boundaries it’s important to spend time rehearsing and practising them while you build your confidence.

It’s best not to start with your Mum, Dad, sister or best friend. Instead start with someone who you don’t have strong feelings for. A perfect place to start is in a shop or a cafe where you would like something that isn’t being offered to you, or where you feel that you could be getting better service. You don’t need to make a big deal or a complaint about the issue, but draw a line about what you really want and what you would like the outcome to be.

If you go in angry or with a snarky tone, you will put the other person off straight away. You can absolutely establish a boundary by being your most charming but firm and clear self.

Definitely don’t go in with all guns blazing at the professional level when the stakes are high. The idea is to rehearse and practice with people and situations at times in your life when the outcome doesn’t mean much to you.

Put a Timer on it

When things are challenging during transformative periods it’s important to validate the intensity of our feelings and at the same time develop our trust muscle so we can handle what we are being asked to respond to.

One way to proactively respond is to give yourself time to feel your feelings. By ‘time’ I mean to literally put a timer on your feeling experience. This doesn’t negate your feelings or push them to the side but it allows you to create a boundary around when you let yourself fully indulge in these feelings so they don’t leak into everything you do, or they don’t leak onto someone who isn’t prepared for it.

So this could look like setting a timer for 20 minutes when you allow yourself to completely immerse yourself in every emotion that is coming up for you, wallowing in all the self-pity you can muster, crying, getting angry, punching your pillow, whatever you need to do, even if that’s just sitting quietly on your own. The timer goes off, wipe your tears, get yourself sorted and back to your day.

This gives you a very real way to respond emotionally without having to change who you are.

Resources

The following books and resources are recommended to support and expand you during this transformative period.

· The Values Factor by Dr John Demartini – this is a great book for working out what it is that you really care about so you can hone your focus on these essential parts of you.

· Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert – to reinforce your powerful ability to tap into the universe and mine its resources

· Burnout by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski – offers great practices to support your nervous system during stressful periods, and excellent tools for maintaining your wellbeing at any time

· Dr Nicole LePera’s Instagram account: the.holistic.psychologist – very helpful for learning how to create and maintain boundaries, which we especially need when we are working with change and transformation