Wow! Two eclipses and an extra day, not to mention National Freedom Day, Candelmas (Ground Hog Day), Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras), Ash Wednesday, and Chinese New Year, all in the first week of this second month of 2008.  This is the Chinese Year of the Rat (Lunar Year 4706).  Now before you get all opinionated, it is said that when the Buddha became enlightened he called all the animals to him.  The first twelve to arrive are the animals represented in the Chinese Zodiac; the first to arrive was the Rat.

Reminder: Mercury remains apparently retrograde in Aquarius.  While you are rethinking your positions on the ethics of our times don’t even consider a new computer until the 23^rd of February.  At this time Mercury is joined by the Sun, Neptune, Chiron, Vesta and the North Node.  All of these Heavenly Bodies can help us to see our world as the Global Village we are becoming.
 

• Although Mars is in Gemini for the rest of the month, if you locate him in the sky those are the Bulls horns of Taurus that he is moving away from.

• Jupiter is on the horizon east of south at dawn.

• No wobbles, meteor showers or occults to report, but we do have a fine eclipse on the 20^th visible all over the U.S.  For your viewing pleasure, dress warm; bring a blanket and a thermos.  The actual eclipse occurs at half time it takes awhile to move into it.

• Saturn remains in the morning sky until the 24^th when he again joins the nighttime crowd.

• Mercury and Venus will both be up in the early morning maybe a little hard to see but that is where you will find them.  If you are out on the 27^th you may catch them visiting, this increases their visibility.

Pluto and Charon will be spending the month at 0 Capricorn one of the 0 points that squares 0 Aries (the Aries point).  This will be stimulating the initiation of activity in many areas of our lives.  Particularly those places we choose to command our energies and train ourselves to be efficient.  An easy way to reach efficiency is to discard any and all excess baggage.  This Dynamic Duo is here to assist you, if you ever want to break on through to a bigger life take this energetic assist and run with it.

 This process is going to go back and forth until Pluto and Charon finally commit to enter Capricorn in Oct of 0.  As these two dance up to and around the Capricorn border it may feel like some kind of approach avoidance syndrome.  It's not!  What is happening is more like tumbling rocks − we get to one level of polish then shifted to a new tumbler and a little finer grind. While we journey in this manner our inner beauty and finest selves are being exposed.

 Venus enters Aquarius on the morning of the 17^th this energy helps to bring our values into an accord with all of the humanitarian impulses we are receiving from the planets already lining up in Aquarius.  You have through the first half of March to integrate these energies.  The more we can work at these levels the more we can fill ourselves with the gifts of light the Universe has to offer at this time

 The Sun enters Pisces on the 19^th the land of Empathy or how do we keep our space separate from their space.  This may be why the poet reminds us no man is an island.  In all seriousness, what I have found that works best is to picture a beautiful morning sun in my solar plexus and see it expand out to fill my aura.  All beautiful gentle fibers filled only with my energy.  This allows me to take note of the feelings of others without getting drawn into them.  Also this allows me to remain clear and grounded in the ever present now, which is much more fun! Excellent timing if you were thinking of adding to your meditation practice.
  

Mercury stations direct on the 18^th of Feb at 8° 19" of Aquarius at 7:57 pm CST. Remaining in Aquarius until the Ides of March, we are presented with an opportunity to put into play some of the forward thinking humanitarian ideas we have been tossing around in our head.  This can be as simple as picking up some trash on the beach, donating time, food or clothes to the charity of your choice, or as elaborate as putting together a Concert for public awareness.  The thing is to take advantage of Mercury’s progress through Aquarius and allow this energy to help you to take your place in the Greater World.

Mercury stations retrograde on the 28^th of January as Mercury begins the journey at 23°   and 53" minutes of Aquarius in an adjustment phase to Mars.   Returning to 8° and 19" of Aquarius, when he will Station Direct, hours before the Sun enters Pisces.  So we all know what to do with Mercury retrograde.  First and foremost, unless it is absolutely impossible to avoid, sign nothing.  Carefully review any instructions, directions, or requests and keep track of your keys. Be sure to make time to play with the kids, they are not the only ones who will benefit. 

Mars stations direct on the 30^th of January under the auspices of a Scorpio moon.  This is a comfortable energy for Mars to operate in.  You may find yourself in the deepest recess of your thoughts at this time, yet you will be able to clearly see the way out of any self imposed limitations.  This is the day astronomers predict that the space-rock, known as non-descript 2007WD5, may collide with Mars.  This is a football field sized object discovered in late November 2007.

The Full Moon Lunar Eclipse is February 20^th 8:30 PM CST, 1° 53" of Virgo

This Full Moon eclipse is actually visible in North America at a time that offers easy viewing when many of us will be awake.  To catch this show all you have to do is go outside and look up at the Moon, cloud cover permitting.  The other energies that you will be simultaneously experiencing are the Pluto/Charon trine to the Moon who is in close conjunction to Saturn.  They are quincunx Venus who is conjunct Mercury.  The Moon and Saturn are sextile Mars.  On the Sun side a conjunction to Vesta, oppose Saturn and the Moon sextile Pluto and in trine to Mars.  What does all this mean to us the average observer?  We can change dramatically right now if we want to.  The more time you spend outside actually absorbing these energies the better you will be able to utilize them.

How are we going to change at this level at this time?  Drop all pretense of duality.  When these thoughts enter your mind,  think “All Is One”.  Want a fun game to play that is helpful?  See how often during the day a duality is thrust upon you and refuse to accept it at any level.  Religious, political, racist, gender oriented − anything that separates or labels is suspect.  We will be Divinely assisted in whatever we create or grow at this time.  Anyone with planets at 0-3 degrees of the mutable signs probably already has an idea of how this is influencing them.  Likewise those with these degrees highlighted in the Earth signs.  The daring duo holding tight at 0 Capricorn will thoroughly re-enforce this energy.  If you are one of the lucky few to have this energy available to you tighten up your efficiency settings and slide gracefully into change.