January 2021 Astrology - Shaking it Up!

As we leave 2020 behind, many are hopeful for a better year ahead, including myself. The overall astrology for 2021 looks more hopeful, but there will be a few challenges as we adjust to the new energies of Jupiter and Saturn in Aquarius, which will dominate this year. And we won't have to wait long, as Mars moves into Taurus on January 06, bringing conflict and challenges. 

Saturn (the World) and Jupiter (Wheel of Fortune) in Aquarius (the Star)

Jupiter and Saturn in Aquarius

Jupiter is represented in the Tarot by the Wheel of Fortune, bringing luck and opportunities to whatever house and sign of the zodiac he occupies. For most of the year he is in Aquarius, represented by the Star, a symbol of hope and optimism. We also have Saturn in Aquarius for the next two and a half years, represented by the World, showing us with hard work and dedication we can attain our hopes and dreams. 

Mars (Tower) and Uranus (the Fool) in Taurus (Hierophant)

Mars and Uranus in Taurus

 As positive as Jupiter and Saturn moving into Aquarius are, its not without its challenges as we adjust to the new energies of 2021. In January Mars, the planet of action, competition, drive and also fire and war moves into Taurus after a long six months in Aries. This was unusual as he usually spends about two months in a sign, but last year the length tripled as he spent two of the six months in retrograde. This brought frustration and a sense of sluggishness to the later months of 2020. The good news is that he now moves forward at his regular pace, however he is going to bring challenge and disruption to our hopefulness this month. 

Mars is represented by the Tower, he shakes things up, activates and brings change, even if it isn't welcome. He asks us to change things or have change forced upon us unwillingly. He is in Taurus as represented by the Heirophant, which is about tradition, order and the establishment. It seems the old guard does not want things to move forward in the new way (as represented by the Aquarius planets). those who favour old ways, may rebel against new technologies or social movements. 

The other disruption is that Uranus as represented by the Fool is also in Taurus. Uranus brings inspiration, new technologies, sudden change, and chaos. In Taurus this can mean new technologies in food sciences, the environment and farming. He can also bring disruption to these areas. This is a long term transit as he will be in Taurus until April of 2026. When Mars meets up with him this month, it will activate the some of the tensions between the Taurus and Aquarius planets.

Some dates to watch for 

 January 13 - Mars square Saturn Conflict between the old ways and collective rules crop up today. Look for tension between anaologue and digital, between individual rights and the collective good, between nature and technology. 

 January 17 - Jupiter square Uranus Tension between wanting to make changes, expand, and move forward for the collective good, and new technologies. Watch for sudden developments heping us to make positive changes, even if it makes us uncomfortable. 

 January 20 - Mars conjunct Uranus This aspect traditionally heralds a disruptive event of some kind. This can be for good or ill, but it shakes us up and forces us to look at things in a new light. 

 January 23 - Mars square Jupiter This one is challenging as it amplifies tension, and makes conflicts more explosive. If you have to have a difficult conversation, wait for another day. Avoid fights, and wait for conflict to simmer down. 

This month sets up some of the major challenges and conflicts that will be themes in our own lives and the greater world in 2021. The good news is that as January is one of the more challenging months of the year, it tends to get easier as we move forward. The best thing you can do this month is lie low and observe the patterns that are emerging this month. It will show you where you need to put in work, and what needs to change this year. 

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Top Tarot Myths Debunked for Beginners

While Tarot may be more popular than ever now, and more people are learning about it, unfortunately, there are still some misconceptions floating around out there. Every so often I get questions from people that show me there are some false ideas that continue to make the rounds for those looking to get into learning tarot. Below are the top 5 ones I hear most frequently. 

1. Your First Tarot Deck Must be Given to You. This false idea is probably the one I come across most often. The idea is that you can't buy your own deck, that someone has to give it you as a present. If you are interested in getting into tarot, please don't wait around hoping someone will intuit that you want one. Go out and buy yourself that deck! I think this idea came from in the past when tarot wasn't as common or acceptable. That way someone who knew how to read would pass on their knowledge to you. It was also a way of gatekeeping and controlling who had knowledge and who didn't. I personally do not believe in gatekeeping. If you want to read cards, please go out and find yourself a deck you love and a book or other resource to guide you. Don't hold yourself back.

2.You Must Take a Specialized Course or Certification to Read Cards. This is nonsense. Its said by those who either want to control who has access to tarot or want to sell you their course. That being said there are some great courses out there, and some people learn better from guided study than on their own. But you don't HAVE to take a course. There are plenty of inexpensive books, and free online resources to learn from. And if you want to take a course, do your research, find someone you trust, and avoid overpriced scammers.

3. You Must Store Your Deck in an Oak Box, Silk Scarf, Facing North etc. Of course if you want your deck to last a long time, storing it where its safe and protected from damage is sensible. But you will come across people who say that you must store it in particular fabrics, woods, facing a certain direction etc. or they won't work. This is just not true. Your cards will work just as well whether stored in a elegantly carved box or a cookie tin. 

4. You Can Only Read For Others and Never Yourself. I'm really not sure where this idea came from, as the way almost everyone learns is by starting by reading for themselves, then slowly branching out to read for family and friends. Its a great way to learn the cards. I often suggest starting with pulling one card a day, looking up its meaning and making note of how it played out for you. Or you can do a weekly reading and again make notes to refer back to. When you get more comfortable you can move on to others who are open to you practicing on them.

5. Tarot Cards are Portals to the Spirit World/Hell/ the Devil etc. This one comes from horror movies and poorly researched paranormal TV shows. It has no basis in fact and is based on superstition and fear. I even heard someone claim that each deck was a portal to Hell and opened the user up to demons. If so there would be a hundred demons in my house right now! After 26 years of reading cards, and owning dozens of decks, I can assure you, no demons have appeared. Tarot cards are a tool to help you access your intuition and are nothing to be scared of.

I hope that this post encourages you to pick up the cards, if you are interested in reading them, without fear or worrying about barriers. What other ideas have you heard about tarot? Let me know in the comments if you have any questions about getting started.

Top 5 Dos and Dont's During a Mars retrograde

 As I am writing this, we are approaching a Mars retrograde, starting on September 9, and ending on November 13, 2020. While you've probably heard a fair amount about Mercury retrograde, you may not know about the other planets retrograde periods. A retrograde period refers to when a planets appears to go backwards in the sky. Of course we know they don't really go backwards, it's only because the Earth is orbiting the Sun at a different speed, that they appear to be. The reason you've probably heard of Mercury retrograde, is because it happens three times a year, so it gets more attention. Mars' retrograde period only happens about once every two years, so it is less frequent. Like the other personal planets Venus and Mercury, retrograde periods can cause some disruption if you don't know how to work with that particular energy. Below you will find five things to avoid, and five things to do during any Mars retrograde period.

Top 5 Don'ts

1. Don't Start a War. This is the classic advice for a Mars retrograde. Traditionally it was said that whoever started a war during this period would lose. While you are probably not leading an army, it is good advice not to start a fight at this time, as you will probably lose it. Avoid starting arguments, getting swept up in other people's fights or starting a lawsuit. The outcome probably won't be the one you are looking for.

2. Don't Get Elective Surgery. Mars rules sharp objects like needles and knives, so avoid unnecessary procedures during this time. Of course if you need surgery please get it done! Your health and common sense comes first, and we need to do what we need to do, and can't avoid every retrograde period. You still have to live your life. What I'm advising against is unnecessary or cosmetic procedures or tattoos. These can wait until after the retrograde period. Otherwise the results may not be what you wanted.

3. Don't Start a New Exercise Regime. Mars rules exercise, so don't start that kickboxing class, or join that gym until afterwards. There is the tendency during this time towards pushing yourself too hard and getting injured or burnt out. Sports competitions during this time period, also tend to favour underdogs, which can be good or bad, depending on your outlook.

4. Don't Buy a Car. I'd also advise this for a Mercury (transportation) or Jupiter (large purchases)retrograde. Automobiles also have an association with Mars as they are the modern day chariot, and rely on combustible engines (Mars rules fire). A new vehicle bought at this time is more likely to create problems for the owner, rather than benefits.

5. Don't Start a New Project. I'm talking about a major project here, like a business venture or big creative venture. The Mars retrograde will cause things to move slower than normal, and there will be more obstacles. There is a tendency for new ventures that require a lot of time and energy to fizzle out and end up failing. Wait until afterwards, and use the time to plan things out in more detail.

Top 5 Do's

1. Do Get Some Rest. When Mars is in retro, energies are not at their highest. Use the time to get more sleep, relax and recuperate. We don't have to go, go, go all the time despite the messages out there telling us otherwise. So get cozy, watch some TV, and read those books that have been stacking up.

2. Do Engage in Low Impact Exercise. While it isn't a great time to start a new exercise or sport, it is a good time to maintain one. Mars retrogrades can cause frustration as things aren't moving forward at the pace we'd usually like.  Exercises like yoga, swimming, dancing, and walking can all help us manage our energy and get the daily exercise we need without overexerting ourselves.

3. Do Some Car Maintenance. While its not a good time to get a new car, it is a good time for  maintaining the one you have. Rotate the tires, or put the snow tires on, change the oil, or get the little repairs you've been putting off done. Your car will thank you for it by being of service for you for a longer time. 

4. Do Examine the Way You Fight. This can be a great time to do some reflection on how you handle conflict. If you find yourself involved in an argument or conflict of any kind, step back and look at your default ways of handling it. Do you run away and avoid things? This might be time to develop positive ways to stand up for yourself. Or do you try to push your own way onto others? Do you attempt to guilt or manipulate? Look at ways of being more gentle and direct. Mars is asking us to look at healthy ways to resolve conflicts.

5. Do Practice Patience and Kindness. During Mars retrogrades, energies are low, things don't move at the speed we'd like, and efforts seem to fall flat or not come together at all. This can frustrating. If we go into this period knowing this, and expecting not to accomplish as much, we can be more patient with ourselves and others. Remember too that this time period doesn't always bring out the best in people. So be kinder to yourself and others. You'll be glad you did when its all over.

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And finally, below is my video with the astrology headlines for September 2020, where you can learn more about Mars retrograde.