Free All-Night Access to Dreams

Hi Deirdre
I am wondering if you can please tell me what you see pressing in my chart. I have a shop and the market is not good, so I do not feel safe and I am getting blocked in other areas of my life. All I want to do is sleep, but I have to work all the time. I know everything is a cycle, but now I am a bear in hibernation.

I am always thinking very analytically. I always feel I need to look beneath the surface. I search a lot and I have this feeling I want to go to the end of learning, this is such a mystery for me.

Thank you for your time
Gia, a Pisces from Greece

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Dear Gia,
I get the impression that your dreams are running better than your business, and maybe there is something magical in this for you. What is going on in your dreams? It is time to rembember them and follow the path.

Pisces can often times have fluid access to imagination.. No one is sure if we are daydreaming, night dreaming or just imaginative. Is this the case with you? This year it is as if you wake up in your dreams and start living them. Uranus is is passing over your natal Sun at the same time Neptune is passing over natal Mercury. From what do you want to be free? How do you want to live which you have been keeping a secret from yourself? This is all coming available to you now -- to live where you want to live, to do want you want to do and to be creative. What do you think is the message to the blocks? I think you know.

Much love,
Deirdre

The 1988 Saturn Uranus Conjunction in Sagittarius

Hi Deirdre,
I am a January x 1988 Capricorn and I have been wondering about my sign for a long time now. Everything that I read about Capricorn seems so unlike me. I identify with both of my neighboring signs way more then I do with my own. I think I could honestly be a Sagittarius or an Aquarius. They both really seem to fit my personality, almost a mix between the two. I read somewhere that the dates that determine the sign are different in western astrology. According to Sidereal astrology or the position of the constellations I would be considered a Sagittarius. What do you think? Which horoscope should I read for, Capricorn or Sagittarius? I would love to hear your opinion on this matter. Thank you soooo much!

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My response:
You are in fact a Capricorn. The Sun was at 15 degrees Capricorn when you were born. So definitely read Capricorn.

But don't stop there. I do also see the connection you mentioned to Sagittarius and Aquarius. The ruler of your Sun sign, Capricorn, is Saturn, and in the year you were born, Saturn was conjunct, (together mixed in with) Uranus, the ruler of Aquarius, thus the familiarity you feel with Aquarius. Furthermore, Uranus and Saturn were both in the sign Sagittarius. It was a historic time during this rare configuration. Little did anyone know, that when you were born, the Berlin Wall would fall the following year. Similarly, this rare conjunction of Uranus and Saturn in Sagittarius may also describe your peer group. It may be that your peer group in general including the other signs too, feel a little bit like Sagittarians and Aquarians also.

I think the way this conjunction effects you compared with the pure text book version of Capricorn, is you may be more optimistic (because of the Sagittarius influence) and less hung up on tradition (because of the Aquarius influence). That's my impression of how it might feel to be you.

I think when magazine and newspaper horoscope writers, like Eric Francis, write monthly and weekly horoscopes, my sense is go for reading Capricorn first, process thoroughly. Then, mix in a few tablespoons of Sagittarius, and lots of dashes of Aquarius, to taste.

Do you know the exact time you were born? That will most likely shed even a lot more light on your multi faceted chart. Cheers to you, Deirdre

photos: above by Carol Guzy, The removal of the Berlin Wall symbolized a shocking change in systems, like a wide scale closure on communism. Here, East Germans and West Germans stand together at the broken wall at Potsdamer Platz, 11/12/1989. photo below, photographer unknown. I have included these photos to show what kind of results were to soon come about as people a year earlier were born. Wild and surprising change was in the air.

Uranus Leads to Love

Hi Deirdre,
I’m trying very hard to approach love with integrity, and open heart. . . I do long for an intimate partner. I dearly would love to be a mom. The bad boys just really aren’t working for me anymore and at the thought of meeting Mr. Nice Guy I kind of freak out. Boring? Not exciting? Entrapping? Can’t relate?

Can you tell me how I will fare in love if I keep up like this? The guys I want never seem to come in the “nice guy” body – the nice guy being, one who treats me well, is capable of intimacy and wants commitment and a family. Is there something I’m not seeing? Am I going to meet my match or do I just really need to compromise if I want the husband/good dad type. Will I ever be able to connect with a “nice guy” or am I forever doomed to be passionate/in love with bad boys.

Thanks,
Robin

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Dear Robin,
I see several indicators in your chart of ways to settle into the partnership for which you are longing. I also see what you have been battling against and I will tell you what I see regarding this so that you can bring your awareness and feel proud of all the hurdles you have jumped successfully.

Self Confidence Can Change History
The main, main, main issue is self confidence. The proportion to which you will be gaining self esteem in the next couple of years, will show the degree of upgrade of your next boyfriend, this is guaranteed and completely controlled by you. This is Chiron in the 2nd house. 2nd house is self worth. And there you have Mars conjunct Chiron in Aries. Aries is intercepted in the 2nd house, do you see that? Pisces is on the cusp of the second, all of the sign Aries is in the 2nd and Taurus is on the 3rd house cusp.

What this does is make Aries and the planets in Aries a bit out of reach, like objects in the mirror are further than you think, so the maintenance around confidence requires special care. With Mars conjunct Chiron you will stand up for your self, but it is not easy. I think the motivation of wanting to have a baby and knowing you don't want to be 60 when this happens is throwing your second house (read: self esteem) into gear. You are not willing to get yourself in a heart wrenching situation again.

There is a theory, that if you fix Chiron, you can fix your chart, it’s like the master key. The trick is Chiron is often a blind spot, especially in your chart with the interception. That I am telling you this, maybe it feels weird, like well what do you do about it? Well, here is what: What makes you feel good about yourself? Do that, and do a lot of that.

Getting Involved with Groups
To me it looks like you are a bit of an eccentric person (!) and don't mind going off the beaten path yet still actively invloved with humanity and groups, that’s the Aquarius rising, Moon conjunct Uranus, Jupiter and Mercury in the 11th as well as Venus in Aquarius. This is why I think self esteem can partially come from 11th house activities.

11th house is groups, and goals. Make a fantasy 10-year plan where you get EVERYTHING you want. Everything. Include your ideal man, your babies, the schools, your travels your income, live this fantasy, because with this plan your self confidence goes up.

If you work alone, it is good to have a group or two to get you out of your head and out of your solitude. From your chart it looks like you can teach. What can you teach? Or what can you learn now that you will teach later? It should be something you love learning and something a little eccentric, which exactly fits you, it should be something Uranus driven, like astrology, or a protest political group, or an environmental group, or something sticking up for women or founding a funny little coffee house in the woods where you want to live with your man someday anyway. Is it a church? Is it yoga? Is it dance? Is it square dancing or country two stepping? Be in this group or these groups. The people are important. Having Venus in Aquarius is very pretty and elegant too, and in the first house, so play this up, this is part of your attracting powers — lovely yummy looking fashions etc, use this ability with intention to be attracted to whom you want to be, so you get the results you want within groups.

Saturn in 7th House Transit Survivor
The last few years must have taught you a lot about partnership, because Saturn had been going through your 7th and now it is in your 8th. Your letter to me is testimony to someone who has just had Saturn transit through her natal chart. You want to cut to the chase and be in relationship and position yourself to engage in a lovely supportive partnership. This is important, so you will keep that vision.

Having Sun in the 12th (maybe dad had some addictive natures and was unpredictable, the square to Uranus) has not made finding a guy easy. Because of that and Saturn retrograde, those two aspects are often signs of an absentee father who could not be present, though that may not have been his intention. It must not have felt very good, but that was then. With your awareness, you can change this old mindset. It takes strong strong will power. It takes Mars in Aries, which luckily you have.

You are having a heavy duty transit RIGHT NOW: transiting Chiron is conjunct your natal Venus, Right now Chiron is positioned at 20° Aquarius. When you were born Venus was at 20 ° Aquarius. I think of this transit as the last heart break. It’s like having a heart break which is the sum of all the past heartbreaks which may or may not be triggered by a love relationship, it is just triggered because it is time, and it’s heavy, isn't it. This is like a homeopathic remedy, a state of heightened awareness. You can learn a lot that will stay with you permanently.

Self Confidence Helps Heal Heartbreak
You may be feeling the waves of this Chiron Conjunct Venus transit during the course of 2008 until early 2009. This is a big project, you know, have you ever done a writing project that takes one year, but that you use for your self esteem for the next 10 years? That's what this is like. 2008 is a time for fine tuning your beauty, reading about self esteem, thinking about what have been your greatest sources of self esteem in your life, and like a snow ball, roll through 2008 like a little self esteem snow ball and roll roll roll through more and more self esteem, having new friends learning something new, enjoying group dynamics, people finding out how smart you are, and the snow ball gets bigger bigger bigger, until you will so be in the habit of being a self esteem HOG that it will just be natural -- and just think, lots of people live like this every day already.

You are a Capricorn. And this is a great year for Capricorns, there is a lot of movement. Jupiter is in your sign, use this year 2008 to expand your horizons. Stay in your power and be very aware of your aura, the energy field like 3 feet all around you, keeping your aura positive and attracting what you want. I do believe you will reap the benefits of the self confidence and self esteem work you do this year. Your bank account will reflect this next year.

Some Personal Chart-Based Confidence Boosters for You
1. when people notice you are a genius, or at least really really smart and funny too.
2. being in groups and being noticed for your extraordinariness
3. getting out any rage, punching bag anyone? Don’t be pleasant to the punching bag.
4. being pretty, wearing flowy fashions that show your body in a sophisticated way
5. having a connection to spirit

Yeah — having a connection to spirit. I say this because of the Neptune at the Midheaven, this comes naturally to you. On one hand this is a need to work alone, but with your Aquarius and all the Uranus stuff you need groups, too. So your days will ideally be: work work work alone most likely, for interesting clients, stop working at 5 and do spare time stuff. Be in groups for hobby purposes, for something you really enjoy.

Envisioning Partnership as Antithesis to Isolation
You ask if you will find someone to whom you are attracted and is still nice, my sense is start with your attractive self, be nice to yourself and expand to your community, be nice to them, the rest will fall into place. Your chart is so social, I see you and a partner integrated in community not isolated at all. This is the combination of Moon in Libra conjunct Uranus and Juno. I think the more you travel in circles which are meaningful to you, the more likely you will meet someone who has common interests, someone who will find it natural to share community with you, someone nice, to whom you will be attracted.

Much love to you
Deirdre

To submit a question, write to deirdre@cosmicguidelines.com.

Vesta & Rites of Spring

Dear Deirdre,
Thank you for your blog. I enjoy reading about charts! Now here is what I'm curious about:

I am wondering if there is any special thing I can be aware of, considering that Venus and Mars were both in Aries at the time of my birth. My sun sign is Pisces and over the past year and a bit, I've have formed four new friendships with Aries men. Three of these friendships have a really exciting quality about them, and especially two have a child-like innocence and magical feeling. And one of them, is extremely volatile. It's driving me slightly mad, but of course, everything's good I'm learning a lot in the process and feeling an intense drive to grow and grow and grow. So I wondered, realizing yesterday upon looking at my birth chart, that I had Venus and Mars in Aries, if you had any advice on how I can make the best of this volatility. I don't want a crazy emotional rollercoaster or drama. I want to find peace within the fire....does this make sense?

Thanks so much, I hope all is well with you. :)
e

P.S. I feel a little scared to send this and I also feel sort of embarrassed that I'm scared. Anyway, love to you. e :)

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Dear e,
You wrote that you want to make the best of “this volatility” and find peace in the fire. I recommend two things and then I will tell you why.

1. Write a fire safety manual. Begin with some basic rules you learned as a kid. One rule that comes to my mind is: Never leave fire unattended. Collect old fire safety manuals at yard sales or in libraries; read about fire safety on the net. Create an ultimate compendium on fire safety and see the parallels in keeping oneself safe. I believe your continuing confidence in your self and your sexuality will roar. You might even want to join the volunteer department.

2. Learn about Vesta in mythology and astrology. If there are aspects to the myth which you feel are anachronistic then update the myth to correspond with what is happening in your life. Create a Vesta character in your mind. What does a modern chic and sexy Vesta wear? What does she look like? Go shopping with Vesta in mind.

You already know you have both Mars and Venus in Aries and you have also connected the dots regarding the appearance of Aries men in your life. What is also fascinating is that asteroid Vesta is closer conjunct to your natal Mars than Venus is. Vesta is at 5° Aries; Mars is at 6° and Venus is at 13°. Now that's fire!

We can think of Vesta as goddess of fire, protectress of the inexhaustible in sexual, creative, and divine energy. It is important to remember that the inexhaustible is a result of discipline and intention. Even when Vesta sleeps, there is the image of darkness inside of a stove and the little blue pilot flame which is there if you look.

Transiting Vesta is going to ingress Aries soon, on April 19 and stay in Aries until June 30. This is something we will ALL feel if we choose to tune into it. I think having Vesta in Aries will make the rites of spring very enjoyable for many people and animals. There are some dates coming up specifically for you. Take note and and bring your awareness to these days because I think you will get a good sense of what Vesta energy is. The first of May is going to be your Vesta return. If it is warm enough and weather permits and if it is at all possible, I would have a bonfire outside. (And remember Smokey The Bear, Only you can prevent forest fires; remember your fire safety manual) If this is not possible then what about an indoor fireplace and if that is not possible, then there are always candles, and I bet you love candles.

A Vesta return means that transiting Vesta will be back at the place it was when you were born which is 5° Aries, it's like a birthday for your Vesta. Ask her if she wants a hearth as a present. The last time you had a Vesta return was January 2005. I generated a list of some past and future Vesta returns so that you get a sense of how fast Vesta orbits and so you can look back and see what comes to mind around these times in your life. When you have a Vesta return, this also means that Vesta conjuncts your Mars the next day. Mars is initiating, direct and go-getting energy. This is when the fire roars. This is why I say bon fire and fire safety in the same breath.

Another interesting day for you could be May 18, when transiting Vesta will be conjunct your natal Venus. Notice energy around beauty, art, money, creativity and sexuality on this day. I speak of these days not as predictions or fortune telling, but more as energetic points in time for you to focus your awareness, as I believe this is the most empowering way to work with transits.

Whether you decide to read about Vesta and have a conceptual experience, or redesign your living space as a modern day Temple of Vesta, I think you may find a lot of inspiration for you, your three Aries men, and the discipline of your future consciousness as goddess and protectress of the inexhaustibly divine.

Babylust, Saturn & Neptune

Dear Deirdre,
I am 37 years old and for the past 5-6 months I have been getting very strong urges that it is time to begin having a family. I have a wonderful boyfriend but we have had a very unstable relationship over the past 5 years. We love each other but he has been going through a pretty significant Neptune transit which has resulted in him being quite confused over where he wants to call "home". I am from Canada and he is from Iran. He has gone back and forth from his home country throughout our relationship. Financially, we are also not very prepared to begin a family as he is just beginning to think about starting his own business. I have gone through my own significant transits, Pluto square Pluto recently and have come to the realization that I no longer expect "marriage" and perhaps some of the "traditional" trimmings of relationships and that if we have a child, it may be left mostly in my hands to provide the care as neither of us have a lot of family where we live. I have spoken to him about having children and he said he will think about it. I know though that if I continue to have conversations with him about this issue, likely it will happen for me. On the surface, it appears that I am very unprepared financially and socially to begin having a family. Some of my career and travel plans will also need to be altered if I go through with the decision to have one. But how can I ignore this growing urge inside? Can you provide some guidance?

Thank You, L

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My Responce:

Dear L,
I don't know of a way nor do I recommend ignoring the growing urge inside. This might be your Moon in Pisces in the 12th wanting to do the ignoring, but your Taurus Sun conjunct Saturn in the 1st is not willing to put on blinders. In fact, as a Taurus you already seem to be pretty far along with the project, with your natural sense of the scope of work, time and money entailed.

You seem to have a realistic sense of your boyfriend's life intention in the moment as you said he is not sure where he wants to live and he is about to start a business. There is a possibility that even if he will be in the same country as you, it could be that most of his time will be devoted to the business. You seem to be aware that he has not given you any signal to prioritize or be the driving force in this project.

Therefore, I would proceed knowing that when a child is born, so are legal and emotional rights. I would make sure that you have 100% custody of the child, so you have the freedom to live wherever you want and send your child to whatever school you want. If your boyfriend wants equal custody, I would consider developing a contract stating the terms with the amount of support, and the agreement to a common lifestyle with the child and you. A child has the moral and emotional right to see its father, but a child cant buy the plane ticket on its own for the first couple decades of its life. An international lifestyle adds financial and emotional expenses. If a contract with your boyfriend seems impossible to get on paper, this will be the sign that you are the sole project manager.

I write this way to you because you are a Taurus with Saturn conjunct. I think delving into the responsibilities will shed a lot of light on you and your boyfriend and your levels of commitment and make it clear why this is an urge you will be happy to explore.

In terms of the astrology, both of you have strong Saturn aspects to your Suns and both of you have Sun and Moon respectively connecting to Neptune. I think in the highest light you will both benefit greatly as individuals when setting boundaries in the relationship. It is also as if something you have in common is seeing your lives as both a documentary as well as a romance. It may be that your way as a couple is to acknowledge that there are a couple of movies playing at once, and this could be fun considering how seriously both of you take responsibilities once you decide to commit.

Thanks for writing, Yours, Deirdre.

Artwork, acrylic on paper, by Camilla, age 5.
Camilla did this painting during an unplanned visit yesterday as I was writing this post.