VIRGO.....ASTRO PACK-RATS ...2008

We enter the time of harvest.  What was sown is reaped.  We gather the produce of summer's giving to assure there is enough to sustain winter's silence. The days shorten, the air chills; life that lived in the heat of summer green turns to the chill of autumn's spice...The smell of life shifts to musky and damp.  Life gives of its' fruits and begins to seek rest before the white of winter falls.

It is as the season cycles, so do we feel those cycles within ourselves.  "Resistance is futile"...So... I say... give in to the seasons... their wondrous challenges.  As you welcome this Autumn's seasoning and fruits, consider a few Astrological thoughts as they may metaphorically relate to your life ....How will you sustain the labors of what you planted and gathered for this winter's rest?    What preparations will you take to prepare for what you need to have to maintain balance and productivity for the coming months? What details do you need to attend to that will promote healthy living and wise choices??  How will you serve the land as it comes to rest?

 I believe these are ‘heavy' times for some of us and I choose to keep this column for your enjoyment and pleasure, though hopefully provocative enough to invite question and consider possibilities.... Should you seek a deeper context to this very profound science, please consult with an astrologer you trust to deepen your experience.  and with all this...

Welcome Autumn and the sign of Virgo.

For all of us mortals to consider....    Mercury will soon go retrograde.  It appears from the sky to be going backwards (tho' it really can't do that), beginning Wed. 24^th till Tues. the 13^th of Oct, in the sign of Libra.  What you might notice:  communications, travel, appointments, traffic, ....all seem to be more difficult, delayed, confused, congested; misunderstandings rise without notice and clarity can take some time to establish.  This all gets expressed through the ‘eyes' of Libra.  Balance, justice, equality, right action, romance, sociability and more... So my friends, be mindful of what you say; be aware that what you put into action may be delayed.  Play fair.  Don't be a bully or let yourself be bullied.  Give everyone a little more time to connect with you, and know that plans change and you might need to change along with them.

VIRGO...This is your month.  Your concern for others is always great.  You find yourself through serving others and the world you share with them.  It is important that you surround yourself with others

          that are wanting to challenge the rules.. just a little.  Change feels hard for you right now; consider varying your routine.  (OH MY..) Go ahead, wash you body before your hair...or...use chopsticks instead of a fork.  Have dessert before dinner.  GO ahead....you need to give your life pleasure and defiance.  just a little... Buy something that you love that is impractical, useless; except that it gives your eyes pleasure and your touch joy.... Break a rule you always deny yourself.  Take an Aquarian friend along.

LIBRA....To begin this month....you are hot.  You are on.  You feel sexy!  You feel a spiritual encounter.  You are gifted with gab, the diplomat extraordinaire, enthusiastic with an exclamation mark;  Your imagination is on overdrive and you have to talk to everyone about it.  Who knew a Libra could sizzle.

          These are not casual times!  You know this on a deep level; you find ways to bring positive thinking to what might not feel positive to others.  Have a party with a bunch of friends.  Everyone brings 3 old antique/collectables that they have been trying to sell or just want to rid themselves of ... and.... this is the good part... you all trade with each other.  Re-circulate the ‘goods' and shift the energy around them.   Figure out the ‘rules' when you all gather.  Make it fun!!!

SCORPIO...With all the Libran energy chatting away, you might feel like everyone is just too casual for these important , Global times.  Isn't it time to get busy and look to the big picture and how we're going to fix this mess?  Let's get serious...with a capital ‘S'!!!  Well... you have a point ... oh deep Scorpio.  There is a challenging sense of spiritual righteousness that nips at your core beliefs.  Remember... what is the right Path for you... is likely not the same for many others.  How can you deepen your spiritual flexibility by connecting the differences and coming to compatible soul-lutions.  Listen to the chatter around you.  There are many voices you need to listen to that will act as guiding lights to the business of our planet.   You do need some fun... Oh yes you do!!!  As an Astro Pack Rat... perhaps you need to start now collecting political buttons; they willlll be valuable in the future and reminders of the past.

SAGITTARIUS ...Pluto is licking your heels as it readies itself to return to Capricorn.  "You are passionate in your search for truth and essence". Nothing superficial holds your attention.  You desire to get to the ‘heart' of things.  You really care what is happening in your world and your intimate relationships.  Use this energy to create healthy change rather than spewing your sense of ‘rightness' on everyone around you.  Be the change you wish to see.  This is a month for harvesting.... In the tone of a metaphor... What did you sow in the spring that is now ready for your picking?  What does the fruit of your labor say about what you planted?  What secures you to this land and the seeds of change?

          Oh my... it all sounds so intense.  You have fun in the intense spaces of life, ever pursuing the high ideal... Have you collected all the philosophies of change by other great minds????  Maybe that is what you could start collecting?!

CAPRICORN...If not now, recently or soon you will feel the enthusiasm of Jupiter and the originality and intuitiveness of Uranus.   As you are people who can be aware of their social position, ambitions, and desires; dealings with Jupiter can expand your horizons.  Dealings with Uranus can give you the willpower and inventive thinking needed to get what needs getting.. going..  This could give you the added perk of connecting with the concerns and purpose of others.  You might even feel popular in a way you haven't before.  You can take that energy and move it; initiating opportunities, projects that can work for the common good and Of Course, yourself ... Remember... little Mercury is going to be stirring your pot and making some of the best laid plans slow... right.... doooown.  You need to go to a few last of year garage sales;  A mini road trip.

AQUARIUS...There is a lot of potential energy swirling around romance and that feeling you have known someone forever.  You could be feeling highly sensitive to what you perceive others are thinking... feeling.  The air is crisp with this sense of sensation like you are in touch with something grander than yourself.  Cherish it.  Be mindful of taking your time and let this energy flow with out it blowing others away with its magnitude.  Invest in your own spiritual journey, meeting like-minded souls whom are part of the Humanity that is making change in this world.  Romance Change.  When you feel a little frivolous, ...go and collect those wonderful old popup Valentines and give them to all those you love.

PISCES...'Going with the flow' is a trait most Pisces consider important and relevant to who they are.  Experiencing strong intuition, spiritual identity, and near mystical connections; it is important at this time to not be come convinced that you are the one who knows ‘The Way', and resents those near you who question your idealism and intention.  Share your experiences without dictating them as the only truth.  Don't let moodiness thwart your good relationships.  Flow....The Path to the Divine is as unique as the one that walks it.  If you are Astro Pack-Ratting you might want to collect elements of the earth,ie...fossils, stones, crystals, bones; things that keep you grounded and in touch with the physical world.

ARIES...The fire that was lite under you these last couple of years,. that invited you to deepen your spiritual outlook on life, needs your tending.  To be an inspired leader it is important to keep involved with what inspires you; Holding strong to your integrity and trusting your intuition; mapping out a plan that has a strong foundation and rules that are reasonable and flexible when needed.  Knowing who can be trusted and who needs to have your patience and perseverance.  You like to move fast.  Slow down... watch your aggression, mind your tongue... so you don't leave anyone behind or burn bridges that really need to be supported.  You may be independent and ... you are also part of a community that needs nurturing and interdependence.  What role will you play for your community?

          Maybe it's time to sell off your collection of weapons.

TAURUS...I know you just want to make some money and have all the toys and comfort you can possible own.  And... look at you... feeling the need to stay practical and reasonable always within the parameters of luxury.  Then the spark of the Mystical taps you on your shoulders and it seems just out of your vision, just out of your reach.  Rather than turning to see it, stop and feel it in your body and listen to what that silent voice is trying to say to you. Get to know the texture of it, the smell of it.. What feels magical to you?  Is it silky and soft?  Is it dark and brooding?  Is it that silent call that says ‘To give is to receive'?  Humanity is calling to you and what can you do to answer the call?

          While you're out collecting another really comfortable leather chair, consider giving that other really comfortable chair... that you love... to a home that cares for elderly who could really use some comfort in their old age.

GEMINI...Let new technology be a vehicle to your way to help change the world. Global moodiness strikes you in a way that urges you to look more deeply at the ways you can make a difference in your home and community.  Perhaps ... joining with some group that matches with your ideals, and you can all see how they might work with in your daily life.  Maybe your technophile self might help create a website that supports connecting the globe community toward something meaningful and fun.  You love fun!!  ( When your other twin isn't complaining.)  These are ‘times' that call us all to take action on behalf of the larger whole.  What will you do to help bring change to your community?  What if... you had a fund raiser that was an antique flea market and a percentage of the profits went to support a local need?  What a great Astro Pack-Rat you would be!!

CANCER...The big picture is looking you in the eye and challenging you to step out of your comfort zone to change your rules... or at least consider altering them... that have long held you to a certain way of living.  The balance and fairness of others is noticeable to you and you don't like what you have been seeing as it threatens what you cherish most... your family and friends.   You feel the nudge of change and the sense that something new is on the horizon.  Oh my... what to do??  First... be sure you attend to the details of self-care, physically and emotionally, so that you can support those around you who can't.  With that said... let others go about their business of life without you critiquing it.  Speak your truth without defensiveness and participate in discussions that you may have been ‘sitting on the side lines' with in the past.  Listen deeply to your heart's voice that speaks with love.  As this is a time of harvest... if you have been trying to sell some of your ‘stuff' for a long time... put it all on sale and start over again... Refresh.

LEO...The checks and balances of life as you live it are rising to the surface and it is time to take all that creative energy of yours and direct it to the human cause.  Expand your outlook and how you profess to be who you believe yourself to be.  (Does that make sense?)  If not yet... soon.. you will be face to face with the opportunity to feel your individuality being tested by  Humanities need for you to consider ‘the Whole' as equally important as yourself.  Where do you fit in the larger scheme of things and make the most impact in a positive and creative way?  There is a lot of chatter and energy given to the right and the wrong way to live in this world.  Be discerning with what that means to you.  Trust your gracious and positive outlook as a very good way to support your community.  Playfulness and joy are traits that are yours for the giving.  Give freely of them.  Isn't it time that you let people collect the art you make or maybe... sell off some the art you have collected.  hmm?