Full Moon in Virgo 10*, February 28th at 11:38 AM

The full Moon favors actions that refine your daily life, but contribute to an overall sense of mental, physical and spiritual well-being. It's a Moon that helps you purify your intentions so they come from the highest vision you have for your life. And with Pisces showering down epiphanies across the ecliptic, it's a moment to see how your own evolution toward wholeness contributes to those around you, and the world.

There's a total lunar eclipse moments before by the Sun in Pisces, which NASA says will be visible in the Americas, parts of Europe and Africa. The eclipse will turn the Moon red, the color of the Earth's shadow.

That cosmic veil will slowly eclipse Virgo's anchor in earthly order, amplified by Saturn's presence there, and temporarily overtake it with Piscean wildness. Both Virgo and Pisces are signs that have an innate sense of natural forces. The Pisces world is an imaginative, interwoven pastiche, with an understanding of things like the four elements. And that our energy body converges with the collective whole in dreams and waking life. Virgo is precise in its pursuit of wholeness through order.

It's a full Moon to discover the nature mystic within. Get to know an outdoor spot intimately, and watch it through the seasons. Find out what you can do to protect pristine areas of the planet, places where nature exists in its unviolated, virginal state. Use Virgo's practical magic to find ways to heal the Earth and yourself. This full Moon puts your body and its systems into focus, and it's easier to see cause and effect under Virgo's radar. Tune into your body, and see what it tells you, either through aches and pains, or through dream imagery.

The Virgo full Moon is trined by Pluto-Jupiter in Capricorn, adding some earthy weight to our intentions. The alignment with Saturn aids our path with discipline, and helps us know the joy of productivity, and sticking with realistic goals. Four planets in Aquarius (Neptune, Chiron, Venus and Mercury) bring the possibility for the unexpected to happen. Mars in Gemini has us reaching out in all directions, and curious about the new.

It's a moment for a shake-up, and sometimes that comes through jarring external events. When fragments fly psychically and in reality, it's a vulnerable moment, but one when original innovations to solve practical problems could emerge. The juggling of forms, while they're all made of the same stuff, means it's a full Moon to reinvent yourself. The path could be zigzag rather than linear. Mercury retro reaches back for timeless genius. A breakthrough could change your whole perspective. But with earth signs balancing things out, what's ultimately illuminated are the real steps that you know will get you there.

We are reminded of the need to manage life's little details with the Moon in meticulous Virgo. This contrasts with the expansive feelings and high hopes of the Sun and Jupiter in Pisces. However, achieving dreams requires many small steps along the way. Instead of hoping for a miracle that seems out of reach, addressing practical matters with patience and precision puts the power of working toward dramatic change in our hands right now.

The Sabian Symbol is:

"Two heads looking out and beyond the shadows." When allowing its dark side to dominate, Virgoan energy can become overly comfortable with denigrating itself - keeping to the shadows (literally or metaphorically) when it could be stepping into the light, sacrificing itself unnecessarily to avoid displeasing others.

The fact that this symbol has two heads peering out could imply the desirability of interdependence. It's a lot easier to break out of such a limitation when you have someone else to help you. So, even if you feel unworthy of imposing, at this Full Moon consider asking for help in moving more fully out of the shadows and into the light.

This enlightening Full Moon will lead us into March which will be a much quieter month from a planetary perspective. For a few weeks we will have an opportunity to integrate much of what we have assimilated over the past few months with so many powerful planetary alignments. This Full Moon can be an opportunity for us to realign our vision and move more fully into the future with greater conscious awareness.

Sign of the Month: Pisces

February 19- March 30

Mutable Water
Feminine (-) Yin
Key: "I Believe"

Symbol: The Fishes
Rulers: Jupiter [+ New Age: Neptune]
Exaltation: Venus
Detriment: Mercury
Fall: Mercury
Critical Degrees: 4 & 17



The Sun brightened sensitive Pisces, a feminine sign on your birthday. In astrology, the Sun stands for your inner nature, the true mark of your character. The twelfth sign of the Zodiac, Pisces is ruled by fortunate Jupiter and new age Neptune. A mutable (changeable and communicative) sign, dreamy Pisces is the exaltation of Venus, the goddess of love and artistic sensibility. It is a water sign, so Piscean people are creative, sensitive and deeper than they appear on the surface, although they can be emotionally vulnerable, clinging and rather melancholic.

The light of the Sun, ruler of our inner nature, is somewhat dimmed in Pisces, the home of Jupiter (lord of the gods) and his elusive brother Neptune (the king of the sea). Jupiter gives you a thirst for knowledge and understanding, with a natural lucky streak.

Neptune brings out your sensitive and spiritual qualities, but it can also lay you open to deception and intrigue (that is if it's not you who is doing the deceiving!). You have probably noticed that Neptune can stimulate a thirst of a quite different variety — a thirst for liquor, drugs and addictive substances in general (including the addictions of love...). Both of these great planets influence your personality.

Sensitive and Humane
Sensitive Pisces reacts emotionally to everything. You just give in to your feelings, a trait which can lay you open to control by the unscrupulous. But then, you yourself are fairminded and not at all afraid to bend unbreakable rules, should the situation demand a more humane approach. You would make an excellent judge, a sensitive administrator, or a quite inspirational teacher.

Compassionate Pisces is idealistic, although you have a tendency towards sacrificing yourself on the altar of love, or some other noble cause. Hmmm. You really must watch that tendency to play the martyr.

Despite your sensitive personality and delicate physical constitutions, you really are a survivor. You outlast those who may be much stronger, by adapting more easily to the demands of changing circumstances. Your intuitions are reliable and should be trusted; you may even have natural psychic powers, which can be developed, given the right circumstances. This could help you pick your poker jackpots! However, because you are adaptable and so readily identify with the feelings of others, you risk exploitation and loss of your own needs, ideas, and talent. Of course, intuitive Pisces understands the moods and behaviour of others so well that you can be quite a manipulator behind the scenes. Pisces is a dual sign, which has both an up and a down-side.

The two fishes in your astrological sigil swim in either direction. Here is your choice: focus, be strong and overcome the weaknesses in your sensitive nature, or dissolve in vague longings and become the victim of your own vulnerability. For the sake of your emotional equilibrium, develop a private place of your own, or at least take a private time for daily retreat and relaxation. Your most creatively stimulating and soothing environment is close to water, especially near the ocean.

Artist and dreamers
Shy Pisceans would much rather impersonate someone else than be themselves. No wonder so many of you are actors, artists, writers, and dreamers. Elusive Neptune makes it hard to predict how you will develop. Some of you are neat and well organized, while others become slovenly and careless — largely a reflection of your emotional reactions to the environment. Your intense imagination can lead you to stretch the truth under many circumstances; the other side of the coin to your creative ability write fantastic novels, poetry and produce other artistic endeavours.

Psychosomatic Illness
Pisces rules the feet and lymphatic system. Swelling, allergic reaction to drugs, injuries to the feet and related problems are common complaints, but your emotional nature can also make you vulnerable to psychosomatic illness.

Flowers for Pisces are the orchid, lilac, wisteria, lotus, white poppy, and pansy.

Pisces Rising
Pisces Rising gives a flexible personality, with which you can easily hide your own traits and take on the characteristics of others. Despite your pleasant disposition and willingness to adapt to changing circumstance and the demands of other people, you can be surprisingly strong and determined. The strength of your character, however, is also determined by other important factors in your background.

You have a highly emotional nature, with a quiet, shy personality. Compassionate feelings can be overwhelming, and you must watch the tendency to become a victim of your own vulnerability. Almost before you realize it, or in some cases because you actually seek it, you become your own worst enemy. You are not above using subterfuge and game-playing rather than direct confrontation to get what you want. If however, you develop self-confidence, these less-than-honest emotional ploys are not apt to surface in your personality or behaviour patterns.

New Age Pisces is ruled by Neptune, lord of illusion and imagination, so you have little understanding of how you appear to others. The influence of Neptune can also add an element of glamour or mystery to your appearance. You can for example, either photograph extremely well or your likeness on film may be extremely poor. In either case, photographs fail to capture your true appearance.

Pisces is traditionally ruled by Jupiter, lord of inspiration and drama. Neptune and Jupiter blend together to create a highly imaginative personality and one which views life the way you want it to be, rather than the way it really is. Prone to feelings of abandonment, you often feel sorry for yourself and are easily disillusioned.

Your extreme sensitivity generates artistic or poetic talent as well as psychic abilities. Pisces endows a spiritual or philosophical bent, and great appreciation for education, even should your own have been limited. You love travelling, dancing, and sports and although it is by no means universal with Pisces Rising, you may be less-than-average in physical stature with a tendency to retain fluids. An addictive nature makes you extremely vulnerable to habit-forming substances. Sensitivity to medicine and anaesthesia – and problems with the feet – are typical physical complaints.

Neptune

Rules: Pisces with Jupiter
Exalted: (? no traditional exaltation)
Detriment: (? no traditional detriment)
Fall: (? no traditional fall)
Planetary Node: 11°31' Leo

Because Neptune, being invisible to the naked eye, was first discovered in 1846, there is no traditional rulership or exaltation. Modern astrologers generally agree that Neptune is well-placed in Pisces and may be said to be the co-ruler of that sign, though Jupiter is definitely the traditional ruler.

A short description of the astrological meaning of the planet Neptune, the great deceiver, master of disguise, deception and delusion – and harbinger of spiritual growth.

Neptune, the planet of deception and spiritual enlightenment, rules the oppressed and abandoned: the misfits of society. On a higher level he rules visionaries, and those who are glamorous and charismatic. Neptune represents spirituality, mysticism, and ideals.

Neptune's house position and aspects with other planets in your chart will describe spirituality, abstract thinking, illusion, disillusionment, and areas of your life where things aren't always what they seem. Neptune rules derangement, guilt, persecution and describes the potential for experiences related to confinement, abandonment, and addiction or physical intolerance to drugs and alcohol.

Traditional Associations


Plants: Waterlily, those blooming in Piscean color, poppies, rhubbard, clematis, wisteria
Trees: Willow, fig, trees growing near water
Animals: Mammals that like water, fish
Colours: Soft sea green, red violet
Element: Platinum, tin, pewter
Countries: Portugal, small Mediterranean islands, the Gobi & Saharan deserts 

*Art of Josephine Wall

New Moon in Aquarius, February 13 at 9:51 pm.

The February 13 New Moon in Aquarius accentuates our sense of belonging — or lack thereof. The Sun and Moon join with transcendent Neptune and bittersweet Chiron to trigger — and perhaps heal — our wounds of alienation and to help us bond with others of like mind.

The urge to take risks is hampered by a nagging feeling that those risks need to be measured carefully against potential losses to avoid a setback. Just a couple of days prior to the New Moon, communicative Mercury and assertive Mars are in a standoff (from the 10th-12th) -- a time when angry words and hostile actions may dominate the scene. These aspects filter into the economic and business picture, most certainly, but there's a real glimmer of hope emerging, too. In fact, from the 14th - 16th, the loving heart lights the way for fresh vision and renewed optimism, while Venus joins Jupiter for these few days, and action-packed Mars gains stability from Saturn. What a lovely set of aspects for the celebration of Valentine's Day!

This Chinese New Year on February 14th marks the Year of the Metal Tiger. Tiger, representing luck and power, shows special attributes when expressed in the element of metal. Hopefully, the qualities of fast-moving ideas and sharp, crisp action will open the way for the types of breakthroughs that will help resolve some of our most pressing problems here on Planet Earth.

Tigers are powerful, somewhat solitary animals. Strong, independent, and courageous, they are perceptive, having excellent distance vision.This makes the year of the Metal Tiger a year of deeper awareness of our own emotions and of other’s feelings, giving us the courage to face our fears and release them. The year of the Metal Tiger will help us develop good judgement, empathy and understanding.


We are under a strong Aquarian influence right now. Aquarius teaches that emotions are energy, and it's only the story that we attach to the emotions during the conjunction of Chiron and Neptune that create the emotional pain.

New Moons are times of new beginnings, when the solar principle of consciousness and ego development fuses with the lunar instinctive principle governing that which is more hidden. With the energy of this Aquarius New Moon it's time to integrate all of the lessons of emotional balance of the past year as we move forward in a completely new direction. This visionary Aquarian influence is all about getting un-stuck and using the power of the mind and reason to move us out of dead areas of our lives and into new beginnings.

This New Moon also includes a harmonious aspect that helps us to get real in all of our dealing with others, and another which helps us to create a solid plan in our life to help us to move forward. On the 15th a beneficial aspect showers good fortune along with the ability to recognize it.

The Sabian symbol for 26* Aquarius is: A hydrometer.

A hydrometer is an instrument used to measure the density of liquids, and magically, the Sun and Moon are aligning with water planet Neptune as well as healer Chiron, creating a beautiful resonance between consciousness and the unconscious, a healing marriage of mind and soul.

Since a hydrometer is a device for measuring the density of liquids, this symbol may help us understand the true depth of our feelings. Are we in touch with our feelings? And how do we express what we feel?

The cosmic timing of this New Moon could not be better. Occurring on around Valentine’s Day, traditionally a time for opening our hearts and minds to love, makes this Valentine’s Day quite unique.

Magically, Venus, goddess of love and beauty, is emerging into the evening skies now, entering a mature phase of relationship and she will be uniting with expansive Jupiter, instilling a sense of love, hope and joy.

Jupiter helps Venus take risks by expressing our true feelings, so messages of love will be eagerly exchanged this Valentine’s Day. To open our hearts, we must first break through the fear barrier.

This will be aided by other aspects in this New Moon chart. Cosmic lovers Venus and Mars are the focal points of two yods (the green triangles involving Saturn and Pluto), which gives us an opportunity to release our fears and inhibitions. Chiron and Neptune continue to play a role here by helping us resolve old relationship wounds and forge new emotional and spiritual connections.

We can expect 2010 to give us the strength to face old wounds, to heal grief and help transform suffering into acceptance and love.

The New Moon is a time of beginnings. You can set intentions or do a New Moon Ritual that grows with the lunar light and reaches fruition at the Full Moon.


What's in the Air:
• brainstorming innovations
• emotional detachment, but with egalitarian attitude
• global networking for causes, social change
• virtual meditations for peace
• awareness of interconnectivity
• making decisions for the Whole
• glamour and futurism.


New Moon in Aquarius themes:
• Upgrade the quality of your thoughts.
• Hit the reset button of your mind.
• Rising above polarizing left/right paradigms.
• Connecting with like minds, as part of "evolutionary" family.
• Letting go of negative influences on your mind.
• Freeing yourself from mind control.
• Contributing to the collective visioning process.



It's a Good Time to:
• show appreciation to your colleagues
• join an association, union, club, group or party circuit
• meditation, pray, do yoga or any other focused moving art
• break out of your mental boxes
• Shake up your routine, to see life from new angles
• join with those creating the future you want to see
• be a visionary

February Planetary Highlights

Feb 01, Monday. This month begins with Mercury (19 Capricorn) nearly conjunct the North Node (21 Capricorn) with their exact conjunction on February 3.
Feb 02, Tuesday. The Moon moves into Libra and conjuncts retrograde Saturn (4 Libra)
Feb 03, Wednesday. Moon is visible passing 3.3 degrees SW of Spica tonight. Mercury is passing beyond the degree of its retrograde station today.
Feb 04, Thursday. The Moon moves into Scorpio
Feb 05, Friday. The Scorpio Last Quarter Moon (17 Scorpio 04) is exact at 6:46 pm EDT. Between the two brightest stars of the Scales Zuben Algenubi and Zuben Alshamali. Venus and Chiron conjunct
Feb 06, Saturday. Moon moves into Sagittarius and is visible approaching Antares. Chiron and Neptune (25 Aquarius 51) are conjunct with Venus still near its exact alignment.
Feb 08, Monday. Venus catches up to Chiron and then Neptune late yesterday or in the early morning hours today depending on your time zone.
Feb 09, Tuesday. Moon moves into Capricorn catching up to Pluto.
Feb 10, Wednesday. Mercury moves into Aquarius today
Feb 11, Thursday. Venus moves into Pisces until March 7.
Feb 12, Friday. The Moon is passing 2.3 degrees NW of Mercury about 21 degrees before the Sun in the morning sky and Mercury (4 Aquarius) is trine retrograde Saturn (4 Libra)
Feb 13, Saturday. The Aquarius New Moon (25 Aquarius 18) is at 6:51 pm Pacific Time. Mercury (4 Aquarius) is opposite retrograde Mars (4 Leo).
Feb 14, Sunday. Happy Valentines Day and also Happy Chinese New Year of the Tiger. The Chinese New Year starts in China on February 14 with the New Moon. Due to the time difference the New Moon for the United States was yesterday. Sun is conjunct Neptune (26 Aquarius) and Moon is conjunct Jupiter (6 Pisces 22).
Feb 15, Monday. Retrograde Mars (3 Leo) is sextile retrograde Saturn (3 Libra). This will happen again on March 22 after Mars goes direct.
Feb 16, Tuesday. Moon conjuncts Uranus before moving into Aries and Venus conjuncts Jupiter
Feb 17, Wednesday. Vesta reaches opposition to the Sun exact tomorrow
Feb 18, Thursday. Sun moves into Pisces
Feb 19, Friday. Moon moves into Taurus.
Feb 20, Saturday. Chiron (26 Aquarius 29) and Neptune (25 Aquarius 22)
Feb 21, Sunday. Moon moves into Gemini as it occult the Pleiades and then first Quarter Moon is at 3 Gemini 17 just past the Pleiades and moving toward Aldebaran (10 Gemini) tonight.
Feb 22, Monday. Venus moves 10 degrees beyond the Sun today
Feb 23, Tuesday. Moon moves into Cancer. Sun sextiles Pluto (5 Capricorn)
Feb 25, Thursday. Moon passes within 5 degrees of Mars
Feb 26, Friday. Chiron (26 Aquarius 55) and Neptune (25 Aquarius 26) are being joined by Mercury exact tomorrow
Feb 27, Saturday. Mercury conjunct Chiron and Neptune (26 Aquarius)
Feb 28, Sunday. The Virgo Full Moon (10 Virgo) with Sun conjunct Jupiter (10 Pisces)