InnerSelf.com

Horoscope: May 21 to 27, 2012

Astrologer Pam Younghans writes this weekly astrological journal based on planetary influences, and offers perspectives and insights to assist you in making the best use of current energies. This column is not intended as prediction. Your own experience will be more specifically defined by transits to your personal chart.

Highlighted Aspects for This Week

Sunday (20th): Solar Eclipse/New Moon 4:48pm PDT;
Monday: Saturn quincunx Mercury, Pluto sesquisquare Mercury, Jupiter conjunct Mercury;
Wednesday: Neptune square Sun;
Thursday: Mercury enters Gemini;
Friday: Neptune square Mercury, Sun conjunct South Node;
Saturday: Mercury conjunct South Node;
Sunday: Sun conjunct Mercury, Uranus sextile Mercury

SUNDAY'S SOLAR ECLIPSE was an annular eclipse, which means a ring of the Sun's disc was visible around the dark circle created by the Moon. This type of eclipse has its own meaning and purpose, a bit different than a total eclipse, where the Sun seems to completely disappear behind the Moon's shadow.
 
The circle of light we see during an annular Solar Eclipse reminds us of the sacred circle of life, the ongoing process of beginnings to endings to beginnings again. The circle itself has been used in ceremonies by many traditions to create sacred space and to symbolize that we are all interconnected and also protected. The halo painted around the heads of the saints in ancient art is reminiscent of the halo of light seen during an annular Solar Eclipse
 
THIS PARTICULAR ECLIPSE, occurring with the Sun and Moon in close proximity to the South Node, seems to be an especially powerful reminder of the need to release the past in preparation for the greater light that is to come. Just as the South Node in our natal astrology charts represents our individual karmic past and the traits that our souls intend to refine in this lifetime, the current sign of the South Node reveals qualities that we all are working to upgrade and bring into better balance.
 
With this Solar Eclipse and the South Node in Gemini, we are being asked to look at how we can refine the areas of experience that are ruled by the third sign of the zodiac. Questions to ask ourselves at this time are in these general areas:
 
Communication -- Are we able both to speak our truth and to listen to what others have to say? Or do we drown out others' contributions with our need to share information? And do we share information that resonates with who we are and what we value? Or do we leak mental energy through gossiping and focusing on the negative?
 
Thought processes and mental health -- Are we the masters of our minds and able to consciously direct our thoughts? Or do we allow fear and anxiety to interfere with our intuitive connection to others and to our spiritual center?
 
Curiosity and flexibility -- Do we gather information both to support our decisions and to modify our path along the way? Or do we keep seeking more and more information and postponing making concrete decisions?
 
Knowing -- Do we trust what we know to be true? Or do we often give more value or weight to others' perceptions over our own?
 
THESE GEMINI THEMES, emphasized due to our Solar Eclipse, are reinforced throughout the coming week through planetary interaspects with Mercury. Mercury is the planetary "ruler" of Gemini, and represents the workings of our logical mind, including how we communicate, network, and learn.
 
Monday seems to hold the greatest challenge to these areas of our experience. Saturn and Pluto both form slightly irritating aspects to Mercury, indicating that the work week starts off with a need to be flexible and openminded. This may be difficult, given that Jupiter is conjunct Mercury in Taurus, exaggerating our need to express ourselves and also increasing our (already) stubborn adherence to our own ideas and opinions.
 
BY MIDWEEK, Neptune steps in with a square to the Sun, softening our egos and helping us be more willing to let go of any disagreements that may have arisen. That tendency continues for the next couple of days, as Mercury enters Gemini on Thursday and then squares Neptune on Friday.
 
Friday and Saturday may bring clear indicators of exactly what we are leaving behind now, as well as remind us of how far we've really come already. The Sun aligns with the South Node on Friday, and the next day Mercury steps into that position. In real-world terms, we may hear from someone from the past, or who represents an old way of thinking and communicating.
 
AS NEXT SUNDAY dawns, the Sun and Mercury join forces and form an opportunistic sextile to Uranus. If we've been waiting for the energy and insights that would help propel us into a new way of looking at this reality, this alignment may supply just what we've been needing.
 
At the very least, the energy of these three planets working together will support our being more openminded and assist us in releasing the mental programming that has kept us going down the same paths, even when we've seen alternate routes that hold more promise. This influence continues into Monday of next week.

 About the Author

Pam Younghans lives in a log cabin outside of Seattle, Washington with her two dogs. She has been interpreting charts professionally for over 25 years. If you are interested in an astrology reading, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or leave a message at 425-445-3775. For more information about NorthPoint Astrology offerings, please visit http://www.northpointastrology.com

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