The day may be a bit tricky, in a round-peg/square-hole sort of way. The challenge (and reward) is to find a way to be yourself while still feeling in sync with those around you.

It’s definitely a day where jags and bumps can raise arise. Frustrations, notably related to being related (or not), may arise given Saturn is currently stationing. Mercury’s uniting with the Sun (exact tomorrow), and our thoughts are really loud. And yet as we are on the verge of the Leo New Moon and Venus in the last degrees of Pisces, so are our feelings.

It’s a good day to be fully present and yet take things slowly.

Astro-Atlas*
1:28 am: Moon (Cancer) trine Venus (Pisces)
4:31 am: Moon (Cancer) square Saturn (Libra)
4:31 am: Moon void-of-course
5:24 am: Moon enters Leo
9:00 am: Moon (Leo) trine Uranus (Aries)
11:23 am: Moon (Leo) square Jupiter (Taurus)

* all times are PST

February 7, 2012: Leo Full Moon (exact at 1:54 pm PST)

During a Leo Full Moon, issues involving individuals and their relationship to the collective assume center stage. One of the questions that this Full Moon poses is how we can authentically be ourselves while at the same time being part of and contributing to something larger than our individual selves.

If you are involved in any groups or associations, you may perceive a heightened sense of tension as the organization strives to accommodate the needs of its members along with its own overarching identity and goals. Yet, if outstanding issues are worked upon, there can be great breakthroughs in group dynamics and team building.

The key here is to have a serious focus on dotting I’s and crossing T’s. After all, make-it-real Saturn is stationing retrograde today. Cutting corners is not an advantageous strategy. Rather doing the work required to meet your individual and collective goals—including looking for clues on where the weak links exist in a system—truly pays off. Approaching situations from a perspective that involves efficiently using one’s resources can only help but strengthen the foundations of what you are creating.

An important strategy for attaining and maintaining group alignment today can be to infuse activities with a sense of Leonine playfulness and fun. Levity can help to release rigidity and enhance a sense of coalescence. It can also catalyze a creative process of thinking that can inventively spark the clarity needed to identify the group’s shared vision and the path that can be forged to bring it into manifestation.

With the Sun uniting with Mercury, it may be quite a communicative day. There’s a push to dialogue as well as investigate and share facts and figures. Yet, given Mercury’s opposition to the Moon—as well as Venus being in the last degree of Pisces during the Full Moon–the seeming mentality of the day may be perceived as being emotionally cold and less than nurturing. See if there is a way to view information objectively, taking it for what it is, rather than overly personalizing it.

This month’s Full Moon falls at 19 degrees of Aquarius (Sun) and Leo (Moon). While everyone experiences the energies of a Full Moon, if you have planets or pivotal points (i.e., Ascendant/Descendant or Nadir/Midheaven) around this degree in Aquarius, Leo, or the other fixed signs—Taurus and Scorpio—it may impact you more intensely.

Leo Full Moon Apothecary Suggestions

Aquarius is associated with the calves, ankles, peripheral circulatory system, and the body’s bionergetics while Leo is associated with the heart, spine, and hair. Pay extra attention to these areas of the body around the time of this Full Moon.

Mineral bath: While not a water sign per se, Aquarius is symbolized by the Water Bearer, a figure that delivers the offering of this aquatic elixir–a symbol of illuminated wisdom–in service of humanity. During this Full Moon, why not offer yourself a healing service by taking a relaxing hot bath. Adding mineral salts—such as Epsom salts—to the water can enhance your body’s bioenergetic field while including essential oils into your bathing ritual can add a fragrant therapeutic to this nurturing experience. Use your favorite scent or consider ones such as Leo-associated neroli and lemon, especially good for circulation, a wellness focus of this Full Moon. (Rather than putting a few drops of oil directly into the bath, mix it first with some of the mineral salts as this helps enhance the oil’s dispersion in the bath water.)

Hair and scalp treatment: Massaging the scalp helps to increase circulation in this part of the body. Plus, since there are numerous acupressure points located in the head, it can inspire the flow of chi (“life force”) throughout the body. Scalp massage also enhances the health and luster of the Leo-ruled hair. Nourishing jojoba oil is a good choice as can sesame or coconut oil be. After rubbing your scalp with the oil, you can spread the oil throughout your hair, leaving it on for a half hour. If you’d like more details on Ayurvedic scalp massage, here’s a how-to.

February 7 – June 25, 2012: Saturn Retrograde

Retrograde periods are times for reflection and heightened inner awareness. Since Saturn symbolizes limits, aging, and karma, this period can yield understandings in the areas of your life reflected by the houses that Saturn is transiting in your natal chart as well as the planets with which it is connecting. Additionally, since Saturn is retrograding through the sign of Libra, we can expect it a time when we glimpse new insights into Libran arenas of life, including relationships, sociability, justice, diplomacy, work partnerships, and the arts. A strategy for gaining this awareness is to take this time to foster your inner authority, seeing what wisdom it yields related to these—and other—matters of life.

Saturn retrogrades last for about four and one-half months and occur about every year; the last one took place January 25 – June 12, 2011. This retrograde cycle begins on February 7 and lasts through June 25. During this time, Saturn travels from 30 degrees of Libra through 23 degrees of Libra. While everyone experiences the energies of Saturn retrograde, if you have planets or pivotal points (i.e., Ascendant/Descendant or Nadir/Midheaven) in this degree range in Libra or the other cardinal signs—Aries, Cancer, Capricorn—it may impact you more intensely.

Saturn retrograde periods can allow us insights into our idea(l)s of authority, what it is and what our relationship is to it. Some good questions to meditate upon during Saturn retrograde include:

• Is authority something we readily give over to other people or institutions?
• Do we maintain a healthy level of authority within, being confident that we have the resources to be able to make efficient choices for our long-term well-being?
• Do we have adequate systems in place to filter the counsel we may get from others to see how it fits within our own knowingness of what is best?
• Are we the authors of our lives (or at least integrally contributing co-authors, since not everything is under our control) or have we ceded the role of writing the novel of our live to others?

We can also efficiently use the energies of this planetary cycle to reflect upon what we have built and what we are building. Considering whether projects and relationships that we are putting our hard work and resources into are good investments can be a very worthwhile activity.

As Saturn is related to foundations and protection, it also represents our defense mechanisms. These are the psychological structures that we may have unconsciously put in place to help us deal with the fear of feeling vulnerable. As Saturn goes retrograde, we can look within to see if we can understand more about our defense mechanisms, seeing those that may be supportive and those that may inhibit our ability to more freely connect and express the fullness of who we are. (For more on Saturn’s link to our defenses, see Barriers and Boundaries by Liz Greene.)

While we can gain insights on our relationship to Saturnian principles if we focus and reflect inward during this retrograde period, it’s often more powerful to wait, if possible, to take major related action until after Saturn has gone direct (on June 25).

Astro-Atlas*
3:01 pm: Moon (Cancer) sextile Mars (Virgo)

* all times are PST

Astro-Atlas*
1:43 am: Moon (Cancer) square Uranus (Aries)
3:53 am: Moon (Cancer) sextile Jupiter (Taurus)
2:06 pm: Moon (Cancer) opposite Pluto (Capricorn)

* all times are PST

Agape resurfaces
We Namaste
U. I. UnIte
A shangri-la quest

Neptune enters Pisces

Astro-Atlas*
7:24 am: Moon (Gemini) square Mars (Virgo)
10:52 am: Neptune enters Pisces
12:03 pm: Moon (Gemini) square Venus (Pisces)
9:06 pm: Moon (Gemini) trine Saturn (Libra)
9:06 am: Moon void-of-course
10:04 pm: Moon enters Cancer
10:06 pm: Moon (Cancer) trine Neptune (Pisces)

* all times are PST

Neptune has been in Aquarius since 1998. Since that time we have seen a collective shift resulting from how technology (Aquarius) can break down boundaries (Neptune) to hyper-connect (Neptune) people from all across the globe (Aquarius) and to forward social awareness/movements (Aquarius).

Tomorrow, a sea change begins as Neptune enters Pisces where it will reside for about 14 years. The transition could be readily apparent or may it may be more diffuse (the latter a signature of both the planet and the sign). Yet, regardless, the tides are shifting and over time we will see new influences and archetypes coloring the zeitgeist for this mini-era in time.

For more insights into Neptune in Pisces, see here.

Astro-Atlas*
6:41 am: Moon (Gemini) trine Mercury (Aquarius)
2:01 pm: Moon (Gemini) trine Sun (Aquarius)

* all times are PST

Astro-Atlas*
11:06 am: Moon (Taurus) square Neptune (Aquarius)
11:06 am: Moon void-of-course
11:15 am: Moon enters Gemini
2:54 pm: Moon (Gemini) sextile Uranus (Aries)
3:41 pm: Venus (Pisces) opposite Mars (Virgo)

* all times are PST

February 3, 2012: Neptune enters Pisces (at 10:52 am PST)

On February 3, Neptune moves out of Aquarius—where it has resided since 1998—into its home sign of Pisces. As it’s in the sign of the numinous until 2026, Neptune in Pisces is going to color the zeitgeist for many years to come. Mysticism, the quest for the ideal, taking the escape route if things don’t match up to romantic visions, a feeling of unity, finding your personal shangri-la, love in all its unconditional forms…these and other Neptunian manifestations are things that will shape and form our consciousness.

We’ll seek the un-nameable and non-rationally describable. We’ll be more moved by feelings, influenced by the moods and energies around us. Issues related to water and the seas will come even greater into our consciousness. The yearning for unconditional love and acceptance may color our perspectives. The greater understanding that we are all connected will catalyze the self-less compassionate actions of many, who will answer the call to serve the less fortunate among their fellow man/woman.

This isn’t to say that it’s all going to be a bed of proverbial roses. After all, Neptune blurs boundaries and Pisces isn’t really known for having strong ones to begin with. What’s mine is yours is a valiant ideal and yet if not coming from a centered place can lead to martyrdom and co-dependency, and/or a demand that you’re due something that’s someone else’s. Additionally, we may want something so much we believe that it has manifested. It may have, it may not have–but sometimes it may be hard to tell in the hall of mirrors that Neptune in Pisces can sometimes be. Hence, it’s important to be on watch for the three “sion”s—the confusion/illusion/delusion that may make their presence more greatly known.

It is said that when times get tough, the tough get going. With Neptune in Pisces, where are they going? For many, likely to a place of escaping the tough times; after all, Pisces is idealistic, finding the realities of life to be harsh, abrasive, and even painful. As such, escape routes of all kinds may become more commonplace. Some may do it through the usual suspects—alcohol and drugs, shopping and television, a state of just “checking out.” It’s also likely that virtual reality worlds will become an even greater part of our “reality.” Additionally, meditation, spiritual practice, artistic pursuits, and seva (service work) may also become more mainstream as we find ways to open to our yearnings for the ideal in a constructive, heart-centered way.

Neptune entering Pisces will also impact us differently depending upon our personal astrology charts. For example, more watery types (those with planets in Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces) may have an easier time flowing with the heart-felt “blurriness” than more airy types (those with an emphasis on Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius) who are inclined to want to make rational sense of things.

And yet, if we can open up to it, we all may find ourselves more moved, touched, and inspired by a sense of love and connectedness not yet known. One thing we have the potential of realizing, of understanding, on an almost cellular level, is that surrendering and letting go are not the same thing as giving up. Releasing into the natural stream may actually take us to where we truly want to be. Yet, that’s not simple since it requires putting aside our egos (that fight so hard to keep us separate) so that we can swim more fluidly in grace, “magic” and soulful delight. And yet with Neptune in Pisces and its inspired unveiling that may be more potential, or better yet said “our potential.”

I could write more and more about Neptune in Pisces. It doesn’t feel complete at all. And yet, given the archetypes of infinity it represents, could it ever be? Instead of going on and on, I will do something that we need to remember to do (though which may not feel like second nature) while Neptune is in Pisces–create a boundary, a closure. And so with that, I will end this part of the article, while also promising to write more about this compelling subject in the near future.

Neptune in Pisces Apothecary Suggestions

Sandalwood essential oil: Sandalwood essential oil is a divine fragrance that can help you open to the Piscean gifts of imagination and connection that are more accessible during this time. It is a great aid for a meditation practice and said to stimulate the pineal gland, associated with psychic abilities in spiritual traditions. Sandalwood is calming and centering and may help alleviate spells of anxiety. Like with other essential oils, you can use sandalwood in many ways; for example, you can mix it with body lotion, use it in an aromatherapy diffuser, or add a few drops to a mister bottle of water and use as a room spray. (Note that the widely used sandalwood variety, Santalum album, is now close to extinction in India because of unsustainable harvesting; therefore, look for alternate varieties such as Santalum austrocaledonica.)

Jatamansi essential oil: A relative of valerian, jatamansi (Nardostachys jatamansi) is also known as Himalayan spikenard. It is an amazing essential oil for instilling calm, reducing anxiety, and promoting sleep. Jatamansi is also prized for its use in alleviating the grief associated with loss as well as releasing subconscious trauma. To use, place a few drops on your palms, rub them together, and then inhale the fragrance. Massaging jatamansi mixed with plain massage oil into the soles of the Piscean-ruled feet promotes nighttime relaxation and is said to quell insomnia.

Astro-Atlas*
6:08 pm: Moon (Taurus) sextile Venus (Pisces)
8:28 pm: Moon (Taurus) trine Mars (Virgo)

* all times are PST