PHOTO © ALEX CARRILLO

If I had to pick a song of the day, which captures the energies reflected in today’s astrological patternings, it would be Imagine by John Lennon.

Imagine envisions and dreams about unity, peace, compassion, unconditional acceptance. It invokes a sense of etherealness which can transport us to a space where our hearts seem to flower. It is inspiring and yet provokes wistfulness as we realize that in our lifetime all we may be be able to do is imagine the reality his words yearn for rather than be able to live it. And yet, to imagine is still important, essential. It is still a creative force that gives us hope, that touches our soul. As the song does for so many people.

What are the astrological patternings of the day that seem to be captured in Imagine? The last aspect the Moon makes before it goes void-of-course (VOC) is to ephemeral Neptune. Then, beginning at 4:35 am PDT for the next 12 hours, it is VOC, a time/space that often feels a bit dreamy and untethered. Then, at 4:26 pm PDT, the Moon enters the sign of Pisces, known for its open-heartedness, empathy, and ability to imagine—and desire–the ideal.

Today…Imagine.

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Today, Mercury goes direct at 6:14 am PDT, leaving the retrograde cycle it has been in since September 6.

Was that a collective sigh of relief I just heard?

Actually, Mercury retrograde can be a really amazing time to harvest new ideas and realizations by turning your attention inward. It may cause communication snafus if people aren’t extra specially diligent about choosing their words very carefully, but at the same time it can teach us lessons about how to more efficiently channel our thoughts so that others more clearly understand what we mean. If you want a refresher on what Mercury retrograde is about, click here.

Remember, though, we are still in this cycle’s “shadow period”—which lasts until October 14—where the energy of the retrograde still exists, although in a much more diluted and subtle fashion. The next Mercury retrograde period is from December 26, 2009 through January 15, 2010.

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“Life is very short, and there’s no time for fussing and fighting, my friend.”

It is this partial refrain, sung by the now-Sir Paul McCartney, which just streamed across the speakers as I sat to write today’s Astrological Insights. And in a flash-of-insight moment I realized that these words of wisdom were especially poignant on this day, which features the Moon in flash-of-insight Aquarius making a harmonious aspect to the Sun in strike-an-accord Libra.

Aquarius provides us the ability to step back and look at the bigger picture in hopes of creating a better world. Libra is the sign focused on one-on-one relationships and the desire to create peace and harmony. Friends are important to both, with Libra more focused on the “us” that is two people while Aquarius’s “us” involves groups of people.

Today’s Sun-Moon alignment can help us focus on our relationships and get a broader understanding of where any disharmony may lay so that we can ideally foster greater cooperation and kinship. Today, we are supported to fulfill Sir Paul’s hopes, described in the song and captured in its title, that “We can work it out.”*

* Hopefully, the world leaders will be tuning into this energy as well.

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Today is a great day to take inventory.

It can be of anything: your pantry, your finances, your relationships, or–notably if you’re celebrating *Yom Kippur, which begins this evening—the last year of your life.

Choose the area of your life that you think is in need of some pragmatic reflection. Look to it and see which aspects provide you with true value and which do not. Measure and weigh the contents within to see which truly contribute to your lasting happiness and which are just taking up space, time, and emotions. With the Moon in hardworking Capricorn making aspects to assertive Mars, communicative Mercury, energetic Uranus, and constructive Saturn, today’s planetary alignments certainly support such a thoughtful review.

* To those observing Yom Kippur, I wish you an easy fast and a Happy New Year.

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Relationships are works of art that require time and effort, commitment and perseverance, give and take. And, like all art, they radiate grace into our lives.

Today is a good day to take time to reflect upon our relationships, paying homage to what we and the others with whom we are in partnership have created, and remembering that though relationships may have their ups and downs, they  can contribute so much value to our lives.

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This was a challenging post to write. Like a cat, it seems like it has had nine lives, considering the number of times I rewrote it. I just couldn’t seem to get it right, to clearly put into words what it was that I wanted to express. The first go-of-it had a sandwich theme. Then it did a 180 and was focused upon the importance of giving voice to what you were feeling. Then I started to write about how the word kerfuffle—which came into my mind from seemingly nowhere—captured today’s energy. My notebook is peppered with many iterations of the Astrological Insights for the day.

Which, itself, feels relatively symbolic of today’s energy as the Moon connects to the Saturn/Mercury conjunction opposite Uranus. This astrological patterning can portend the honing and rehoning (Saturn) of our communication (Mercury) in order to be better able to say what we mean and mean what we say. Uranus contributes to the mix by allowing us access to uncharted insights that help us to forge a new approach, if the one we are pursuing isn’t working out well. Today’s planetary energies can hopefully, in the end, allow us to create and express something of value and something that communicates what we are thinking and feeling. (Which hopefully, in the end, this blog post did.)

PHOTO © ALEX CARRILLO

Are you looking for guidance as to how to proceed with a delicate situation? Are you going back and forth with a decision, not knowing what option to choose? Are you wondering how to approach a partner, friend, or associate about something that seems imbalanced in your life? If so, today may be a great day to seek out the wisdom of a revered teacher, whether that be a person or a text you’ve come to rely upon when looking for answers.

To find a solution it may even be helpful to consider the sage question posed in a popular bumper sticker, making it work for your own spiritual beliefs. As such, consider asking yourself:

What would *Jesus*Buddha*Moses*Mohammad*Durga*Wise-Person-of-Your-Choice* Do?

Reflecting on the question today–notably as the Moon is in Sagittarius harmoniously aspecting this sign’s ruler, Jupiter–may help yield the insights you seek.

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Earthquakes and volcanoes are natural processes of Gaia, reflections of her need to move, breathe, and readjust. Yet, their outcomes can cause great destruction while also reminding us of the kinship of humanity as we rally around to support those affected.

Sometimes, like the Earth, we need to release pent-up energy–unexpressed feelings and thoughts that we may have kept within, below the surface. Ideally, when we do so, we do it in a way that doesn’t cause harm to ourselves or others.

As the Sun is square out-from-under-the-covers Pluto and Mercury is opposing shake-rattle-and-roll Uranus, today may be an auspicious time for a cathartic release of our own. Write in your journal, have a good cry, seek out the compassionate ear of a therapist or friend…do what you need to do to clear the way for your further unfolding and healing.

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Today is the Autumnal Equinox, the first day of fall.

With Mercury conjunct Saturn today, compelling us to use our words constructively, it feels only fitting to point out what Equinoxes mean and some myths surrounding them.

* The Autumnal Equinox is the day when the Sun enters Libra, the sign known for fairness, equality, and diplomacy. (The Vernal or March Equinox is the day when the Sun enters Aries.)

* According to Greek mythology, it is the first day of fall each year that Persephone descends to the Underworld, from which she emerges on the first day of spring, when life flourishes again on earth.

* In pagan traditions, the Autumnal Equinox coincides with the holiday of Mabon. This is when the second harvest is celebrated and when thanks are given to the gods and goddesses to ensure protection during the winter months. Sacred scents during Mabon include  frankincense, myrrh, and benzoin.

* Even though the word Equinox derives from aequus (equal) and nox (night), except on the equator, the length of the day does not equal the length of the night. (It is the equilix which signifies the day when the sunset to sunrise period is of 12 hours in length.)

* Despite folkloric tales to the contrary, you likely will not have any better luck balancing an egg on its point on the Equinox than on any other day of the year.

Happy Autumn!!!

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Today is the last full day of summer this year in the Northern Hemisphere. There’s often a shroud of melancholy that accompanies this day no matter how much we may look forward to seeing the parade of red- and golden-hued leaves and wearing cozy fall sweaters.

With the Moon in Scorpio today, a sense of brooding wistfulness may even be stronger. That’s because Scorpio likes to tenaciously grasp onto what it desires, ramping up any feelings that may be circulating within. Yet, Scorpio inherently resonates with the sentiments reflected in Ecclesiastes 3.1 (or The Byrds’ adaptation in Turn! Turn! Turn!):-”To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven…” This is the sign aligned with the inherent knowingness that the cessation of something is always necessary for the creation of something else.

So, enjoy the last day of summer, while honoring any deep feelings that may arise (whether about the passing of summer or something else). Remember that life is a cycle with endings always yielding to new beginnings.