For those of you still trying to catch up on sleep after the English Earthquake, the conjunction between Venus and Chiron over the next couple of days may help toward healing. Whether or not the earthquake woke you up, you may still be affected by it on some level, and may need to reassess your relationship with the earth and make it whole. That may include honouring your mother, and self-mothering. Chiron then segues nicely into a conjunction with Mercury on Tuesday (4th), enabling us to make sense rationally of what we felt about healing when Venus was conjunct Chiron. Of course, Chiron brings healing crises, so mini-emotional and mental storms may come as part of the package, but healing is the potential, and you may envision the answers to your problems almost as soon as the questions have been set. Also on Tuesday Mars is entering the sign of Cancer, which normally would make us all protective and stir up our parental instincts and again re-emphasize the role of the mother in our lives. But at the same time, Mars is limbering up for an opposition with Pluto, and so is in no mood for outside interference. Be aware of what your passions are leading you into, where they are focussed, so that your own Mars-Pluto process becomes a constructive one. I am getting ahead of myself here, but some preparing of the ground may be worthwhile. Don’t let the prospect of this forthcoming opposition spoil your unalloyed enjoyment of Sun sextile Jupiter on Thursday (6th). Really go for the pleasures life has to offer on that day (provided you have attended to your subconscious simmerings first and taken note of where they are likely to land up for Friday). Just take the day off work and celebrate life. If it’s not a public holiday where you live, then employ Zen and the Art of the Workplace. Friday (7th) starts with Venus conjunct Neptune, the afterglow from the more rumbustious pleasures of Thursday. Perhaps you really did reach some high spiritual states in connecting with your inner joy on Thursday, because you may find yourself starting Friday in total serenity over breakfast. That first fine careless croissant will be blissful. But you know what is lurking soon after, the opposition between Mars and Pluto. Perhaps someone tries to shatter the inner peace, and you will need to put into practice your highest ideals in order to show that you are not going to rise to the bait. Or perhaps you are on the other side of the fence, determined to be brutally frank, at the expense of the delicate flower on the opposite side of the breakfast table. Yes, we are still at the breakfast table, hiding our true feelings behind two different newspapers. Verbal sparring at dawn? Who will leave the table first, throwing down the napkin? Can there be any winners when discussing politics? Can you sort out the conflict in the Middle East or the rights and wrongs of the Obama-Clinton contest over the breakfast table? Don’t go to work on a cross word, or a crossword, agree to disagree if you must, but know that there is a new start at tea-time in the form of a New Moon in Pisces. During the course of the day and by the evening you will have sorted things out in your own mind, and be able to make that New Moon wish or pledge for a new start. With fresh learnings about our subconscious drives, the Pisces New Moon will favour new beginnings in psychotherapy, and in ecology efforts to improve marine life, and on higher levels spiritual unity. This puts us in a position to enjoy the last treat of the week, Sun conjunct Uranus on Saturday (8th) which favours the new, the unconventional, and surprises. It favours telepathy and astrological insights, as well as new group initiatives. It doesn’t favour doing things the way you’ve always done them and the way they have always been done. Emulate Emily, that young Masterchef finalist, and be truly creative and original next Saturday.

March 3rd is the First Anniversary of Moonpod, which was created as a result of the eclipse on that date last year. A big thankyou to all who have taken part in the research, and put their pens to the questionnaires (actually, virtual pens). It would be neat to report that there was a uniform response easily turned into graphs and pie charts. But the reality is that the experiences have been diverse and individual, and I think it is true to say that the value has been in the individual observations, each person understanding their own experience, and in the sharing. In that spirit, please let me know if you (the future Moonpodders) would like to take part.

There are two contrasting aspects today, and you may need skill to get them working together. Not sure which to give top billing to, but we’ll go for the conventional one first: Sun opposite Saturn. You may be hard-pressed to find inspiration for your creativity, especially if you are reading the newspapers and watching the news. There’s a real sense of sadness about much of what is happening. For admittedly there is a sense of loss with this aspect, and with it the loss of some of our self-expression, or perhaps having to let go of old ways of being. A constructive way of dealing with it is to recognize that some old clutter or habits need to be shed, and just get on with the shedding, knowing that the clearer the space the more quickly you will get where you need to be: a place of creativity, liberation or whatever feels good to you. The contrasting aspect is Mars trine the North Node, and that supports those who help themselves and supports right karmic action. Those of you aiming for the eternal now can get there, especially if you have done your filing first. Yes it was right to give top billing to the conventional aspect. When you do the work, you get the rewards. As soon as I have blogged, I will be right on that mountain of paper filing. By Tuesday, you will be ready to share your experiences, the joys of filing, with Venus conjunct Mercury. That aspect, when found natally, can produce great writers. But on Tuesday you’ll find that people are more open to communication, and more lyrical with it. People born with this aspect can charm the birds from the trees, but on Tuesday we’ll all be able to do it. It’s also a good aspect for diplomats and mediation, or any societies negotiating for peace and harmony. That’s actually it for the week, so it’s 2 days of filing followed by 5 days of peace-mongering. Bored? You can prepare in advance for next Sunday’s Venus conjunct Chiron, by gathering art materials or culinary ingredients. Be inspired by the finals of Masterchef this week, and the three fabulous styles of the finalists as they balance their flavours and hone their skills. Or by Bruce Forsyth, who has just turned 80 and can still tap dance…I am poring over his chart for the secret of eternal youth…

The biggest event of the day, around tea-time in the U.K., is Venus entering Aquarius. You may have had a sense of tying up loose ends in relationships this last week, because relationships are making a new start today. Venus is set for a short stay (just over 3 weeks) so we will be trying out new modes of being with each other and looking at people with new eyes. Venus transits Aquarius once a year, so if you are meeting up with people at tea-time, look at the changes in yourselves over the last year, how that has brought you forward, and how that can bring your relationships forward. If you’re having a tea ceremony on your own, focus on your relationship with yourself, and have a second cuppa for absent friends. The second event of the week takes place Tuesday (19th) and pause for fanfare while Mercury does a twirl turning direct after 3 weeks of havoc on the railways and other modes of transport and communication. In the last 3 weeks I’ve seen grown men and women, hardened long-term commuters, turn back at the Station and give up and go home. Mercury turning direct will be slow progress at first but it’ll be a relief if you’ve been waiting for important documents in the post, such as your rail compensation claim, or if you have been trying to clear confusion in negotiations. Blocked e-mails may suddenly appear, days after they have been sent, for instance. Tuesday seems to be the big day this week, because the Sun also arrives in Pisces and sextiles Pluto. With the Sun entering Pisces, you may be able to let go of the fog in communications and on the mental level, only to reveal another deeper layer of unravelling work to be undertaken on the spiritual plane. If it’s all too much, or you have gone down with a heavy cold, or are still in the grip of winter depression, you can always pass on this round. Otherwise, if you are ready to take the next step, you may be able to see your own emotions and those around you with compassion and see beyond the illusions created on the wider screen by politicians and celebrities. Still with Tuesday (if you’ve got the stamina) and now focussing on Sun sextile Pluto at the end of the day, give yourself a pat on the back for the psychological shifts you have made since Pluto entered Capricorn 3 weeks ago, and set your compass according to what you now know. Then cast your mind back to nearly 2 weeks ago and what the eclipsed New Moon brought up (e.g a proposed office move). The Full Moon on Thursday (21st) is also eclipsed, and will bring forward the theme started at the New Moon and intensify the the emotions around it. Bear in mind that the effects of eclipses can take 6 months to work out (e.g that office move could take place in the summer). The Moon will be in Virgo, opposing the Sun in Pisces, and so the issues will have moved on from the relationship of the individual to the group and will be more concerned with issues of purity, especially in connection with the environment. In the workplace this will bring up health and safety issues, e.g. the correct way to pack the ornaments on your desk without damaging them – that collection of souvenirs brought back from staff holidays wants to be preserved intact. Focus on the Virgoan details and the bigger Piscean ocean of office equipment will take care of itself in the move. But it’s all contingent on whether the bid for office space has been accepted, and whether the collective vision has been true. Sorry, I seem to have slipped into an episode of “The Quiet Office”…these things can happen while the Sun is in Pisces.

There are three major aspects this week, all of them involving the Sun, which is still in Aquarius. So the theme of the developing individuality and its relationship to the group is continuing on from last week. The first aspect evolving and reaching its peak on Monday (11th) is Sun conjunct Neptune: mystery building up and being highlighted on that day, for decoding. This may involve health issues or investigations in our personal lives (x-rays), scandals in public life (oily and slick politicians) or pollution in the environment (more literal oil slicks). For those who are limbering up for St. Valentine’s Day however it’s perfect for bringing out your poetic side. Write that poem now with Neptune as your muse, don’t wait until Thursday, when a different mood will prevail. For the Sun is trine Mars on Thursday (14th), Valentine’s Day, which unleashes passion and impatience. Girls, if you’re tempted to pop the question this leap year, you may not be able to wait until February 29th be warned. Be bold in presenting your poem to the object of your affections! If however you don’t receive a Valentine’s card, then write yourself a poem, or failing that read Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself”. Authentic self-love is the order of the day, and Walt really knew how to express it: “I celebrate myself, and sing myself, And what I assume you shall assume, For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.” Don’t hold back, for Sun trine Mars is expression itself. The third aspect which comes at the end of the week on Saurday (16th) involves karma in the shape of Sun conjunct the North Node. O.K. maybe you should have held back, though it’s too late now, you do have to consider your karma – sorry to have misled you…It’s a great day, joking apart, for taking stock of your karma, perhaps meeting up with an old friend and visiting nostalgic places, tuning into your individual karmic mission, and keeping tabs on your Soul group as this conjunction takes place in Aquarius. Why not invite them all round for a reunion?

On Sunday morning Mercury is conjunct Neptune and journeys will still be complicated, communications fuzzy and weather unhelpful, so be prepared with your Sat Nav (or on second thoughts maybe not), flasks of hot tea, credit on your mobile phone and an extra jumper. Over the next couple of days, conversations could be cloudy and inconclusive, in an effort to achieve clarity. By Tuesday (5th) Chiron will be conjunct the Sun and bring you to the point of decision, something pressing for resolution, and the answer to the problem could lie right under your nose. It may be a healing or health issue, such as a weak ankle which stops you from going into work and facing yet another day of rail travel, or enables you to understand the underlying cause of the problem. The Sun conjoins Mercury on Wednesday (6th) and hopefully clears the fog, enables you to travel more smoothly, and brings light where there was confusion. These events all take place in the sign of Aquarius, so there’ll be an underlying “for the good of all” purpose behind any angst, and a Dunkirk spirit. Together and separately we are all working on our Aquarian issues, so if you run out of steam, have a look and see what your nearest Aquarian is up to as he or she may be at the centre of all the action, and may embody the group effort. Thursday (7th) brings a change of sign and scene: Venus from the sign of Capricorn woos Uranus in the sign of Pisces, and Uranus wows Venus in return. There could be a few raised eyebrows, here and there. Of course, the ubiquitous Aquarian will be claiming the right to be in on the act by virtue of having Uranus as their ruling planet. But a good time should be had by all. Right on top of that is an eclipsed New Moon in Aquarius, so O.K. Aquarians never really did go off stage, they just hid for a moment. It is totally their show, and totally a time for everyone to interact as if the Age of Aquarian has dawned. The eclipse factor could still hold a few fears for some, but with Pluto in Capricorn you might have noticed an intensification of effort to dissolve karma and deal with our shadows more courageously, and at this time we can allow the Universe to help us in this process. Mercury is also conjunct Chiron on that day, which will enable you to analyse things on the mental level and also apply insights to health matters – generally to join up the dots. And you can rest easy knowing that I won’t be doing another astro-quiz next week.

I don’t intend to make this a regular feature, but just check your score against last week’s to see if you are consistent…Did you experience excruciating disruption on the trains on Monday, re-affirm a relationship on Wednesday, make some great social contacts on Friday, and get down to those nitty-gritty chores at the end of the week such as sorting out your kitchen cupboards? Again, two points for every yes and one for every no. More than 4 points and you are in tune with the planetary movements. Less than 4 and you may be creating your own reality entirely, your memory is poor, or you don’t notice much that goes on. Alternatively there may be no truth in Astrology. So it’s either congratulations, take ginkgo biloba plus ginseng, cut down on navel-gazing or read Richard Dawkins.

Did you have a defining Pluto-entering-Capricorn event over the last few days? Today’s a good day to turn the symbolism over in your mind. Maybe your dreams are trying to bring through a special message related to this event. This week the meaning of the event will start to play out, perhaps in more practical terms, in your life. The first hurdle of the week will be travelling and communications tomorrow (Monday 28th), for Mercury is going retrograde, and skywatchers have got used to seeing its trickster hand in the realms of communication. The retrograde motion of Mercury happens early evening (UK time), so you may get to your destination fine, then have a more complicated journey back. It might be worth asking the question though: why does Mercury do this to us? The answer from me, is I don’t know, but I have observed that under the retrograde people are lax about their verbal communications, are unconscious about that, and misunderstandings arise. So be aware of your communications, and make sure the other person hears you clearly. Mercury is retrograde until 19 February, so you have plenty of time to figure out what you need to work on in your communications. If any skywatchers are working in public transport, they may evolve some understanding of how the transport systems need to change. Venus trines Saturn on Wednesday (30th), and this can encourage commitment and loyalty in relationships, engagements or renewals of mutual vows. Later that day Mars goes stationary prior to turning direct. Some of you may have felt that retrograde motion of Mars over the last few weeks in different ways, such as a pressure to get things done, jobs piling up, but an inability yet to do so. Therefore, it will be a welcome relief to start to catch up on those tasks in early February (Mars skids for a few days before actually turning round). Friday 1st February is a great day to be getting married with Venus conjunct Jupiter. Well if the engagement was only on Wednesday, that’s fast going. So rapid developments will take place in relationships this week. Elopements to Gretna Green are usually chilly at this time of year, but we are having milder temperatures than usual here in the UK. It’s also a good day for social celebrations generally, and Cinderella may get to the ball. And by Friday, Mars is starting to move forward again so it’s a good time to release the passion for house and garden work, get those rubber gloves, oven gloves or gardening gloves on.

Did you feel balanced on Monday (despite the economic slump), emotional on Tuesday (missing a loved one), spiritual on Wednesday (in a holy communion), profound on Thursday (insight into deep issues) and different on Saturday (feeling a change in perception about the world)? Score 2 points for every yes, and 1 point for every no. More than 5 points and you are in tune with the planetary forces and movements. Less than 5 and either you create your own reality entirely, your memory is poor, you don’t notice much that goes on, or there may be no basis in truth for Astrology. To find out more, tune in to next week’s Astro-quiz.

Much has been promised for this week, but will it deliver its brief? Sunday morning (20th) kicks off with an opposition between Venus and Mars. We all go back to the drawing board on the battle between the sexes. Are you polarized on one side or the other, or are you a balanced blend? The Sun also enters Aquarius on that day, so we are geared to the new but not quite sure what to expect. Monday (21st) brings the first of three main events this week, a trine between Jupiter and Saturn. Here’s a different opportunity for balance, this time between hope and caution. Don’t be tempted to dismiss this aspect, it’s important, and doesn’t come round very often. In the heady mix of this week with a need to juggle various forces, don’t underestimate the helping hand it is offering. Tuesday (22nd) delivers the next Full Moon, which steps up the sense of anticipation. The Moon itself is in the sign of Leo, with the Sun opposing it from Aquarius, calling for another balancing act: this time between the needs of the individual (Leo) and the team (Aquarius). Can Kevin Keegan, with his Aquarian ability for team-building, deliver his promise and brief? In the early hours of Wednesday (23rd) Mercury is conjunct Neptune, which can bring about mystical meetings of minds on the spiritual plane, but as much of it goes on silently there may be many different experiences and interpretations. Venus takes centre stage the following day (Thursday 24th) in the final dress rehearsal for Pluto’s entry into Capricorn. Venus conjoins Pluto (favouring in-depth psychology and awareness, especially as applied to intimate relationships) and then enters Capricorn, softening the way for the lead character. For in the early hours of Saturday (26th) the main event takes place of Pluto’s entry into Capricorn (see the blog I made earlier). Will we see it immediately for what it is? Of course it will have a cumulative effect over the next few years, but there may be an event which encapsulates the meaning in the moment. If so, take note. Just to recap the week so that you get everything in proportion: event No. 1 – Pluto enters Capricorn, the most important and far-reaching event. At No. 2 – it’s Jupiter trine Saturn, those planetary giants on their best behaviour. And at No. 3 – the Full Moon in Leo, theatrical but not to be over-dramatized. The essay question set for this module is: how do you balance the three polarities of this week – male and female, optimism and pessimism, and individuality and collectivity? Answers next week.