NMR ISSUE 35

As the Light
Astrological Forecast 35
Common Knowledge
Editorial 35
Esoteric Symbology of the Tarot
Inner Peace
Isis
Journey to the Crone for Power and Renewal
Letters 35
Macrocosm
Religion in Society
The Cauldron of Change
The Earth
The Magical Flute
The Magical Name Ted Andrews
The Odic Force
The Sign of the Cross
The Spirit World, Part II
Wren & Egret

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Astrological Forecast

January February, 1995

By Terry Lamb, M.A.

The new year starts off with a bang! Mars turns retrograde, a feat which it accomplishes only once every two years. When a planet retrogrades on a less than yearly basis, as Venus and Mars do, they take us by surprise. Mars retrogrades are therefore traditionally much more difficult to deal with because of this unexpectedness in its cycle and because we humans have yet to evolve beyond our Mars issues. This Mars retrograde is in Leo, affecting the fixed signs most (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius). The modus operandi of the fixed signs is manifesting and resistive. That is, they establish and maintain structures, and may resist changes to the status quo. When the fixed signs (and people strong in them) encounter irresistible forces, they can become the proverbial immovable objects. You may notice a world fraught with inflexibility and suffering from the fallout during the Mars retrograde.

Mars is specifically associated with our ability to act alone upon the world. Its fiery nature is dissociative and expressive. When a person is in their Mars, they will appear (and may be) oblivious to the viewpoints and experiences of others. From this point of view of separation, it is possible to commit heinous acts of aggression (which seem to be necessary acts of survival or even virtuous acts of altruism in a twisted moral context) by being unable to feel the experiences of the victim. Mars can also come out as selfless acts of heroism if the individual chooses to dissociate from personal safety in one-pointed concern for another. If repressed in one's personality, it can be internalized and surface as inflammatory illnesses, accidents and victimhood, to name a few forms of expression. Well handled, Mars is expressive of self-interest without overstepping one's personal boundaries, it is energetic and vitalizing. Poorly handled, its mildest forms of expression are anger, frustration, fear and worry. The more repressed Mars is, the more severe will be the symptoms of imbalance. Mars represents a vital life force to be reckoned with, as with any other planet.

Mars will color our experience of the next three months with broad, bold brush strokes. It may injure our sense of self in order to awaken the True Self to the hold of the ego. You will fare well during this time to the extent that your soul (Higher Self) holds sway in your daily life, not your ego. Mars presents to us the challenge, the inner test, of our existence in a physical body, to be in it but not of it, to be in the physical body without being identified with the physical body. This test is never more apparent than when Mars is retrograde. In some way we will be challenged when Mars contacts come our way, whether by transiting Mars or by transits to our Mars (especially those of the trans-Martian bodies—Jupiter and beyond). We may be tempted to feel threatened, to react, to defend. A defensive action appears to others as aggression; the milder you can make your response—the more you stay to the center—the less your ego has to grab onto to increase its leverage in your life, and the less vigorous a response you will sustain in both your environment and your inner being.

In the world around us, look for hidden conflicts to surface and open conflicts to heat up. Any of the world's hotspots (appropriate names for these Mars-influenced locations, don't you think) may become hotbeds of destructive force, the seeds of which were planted during November. It will be a study in human nature to see whether these tendencies can be overcome in these and other locations. Whether in this macro view or in the micro view of our own lives, the theme of this time will be to open the heart to love one another, to discover generosity and a caring for others and to become joyful in expressing it.

In our nation, our new Congress will be sworn into office under the Mars retrograde. Just as President Clinton has been subjected to the worst of Mars' slings and arrows, so too shall this Congress be under siege. In combination with other factors at work in the heavens at that time, we may see a political bloodbath over the next two years (the length of the Mars cycle, you will note). The November revolution of 1994 is upon us (recall the November seed-planting time mentioned above). I don't expect the electorate to be any more pleased with the accomplishments of this congress than the previous, but it may result in the realization that the problems which exist lie within us more than the world which a politician can legislate.

January:
The Dragons Appear in the Field

January is marked by few small planetary events, but the mega-events more than make up for it. Though our attention will be diverted in large part to Mars issues, an event of much greater impact will quietly occur. This is the ingress of Pluto into Sagittarius. Pluto, clipping along at the breakneck speed of one sign every twelve years, the fastest pace of its 248-year orbit, entered the sign of Scorpio in late 1983. Now it is time for its stare to fix upon things Sagittarian.

You may tend to be particularly introspective and focused on your spiritual path as the new year opens. Your goals (keep them open-ended and flexible, not rigid, as the term resolutions suggests) may reflect this interest. You may also feel particularly frustrated, especially on the 2nd, when your personal needs for fun and pleasure seem to conflict with the necessities of your life. Recognize these feelings as a signal of something out of balance in your attitude, and use this awareness to do ritual or meditate to bring yourself back to the right attitude. You do have access to a synchronization with your higher goals, but you will have to reach out to grasp them. Such efforts put forth on the 2nd will be rewarded on the 3rd.

Although over the next few days you will be able to place these concerns on the back burner, you must not forget to address the needs that they represent, or you will have missed the opportunity to make changes harmoniously. Relationships come under scrutiny on the 6th through the 9th, and if any emotional issues are undealt with, they are likely to surface at this time.

The 10th may bring us to focus on our own healing process (or that of others) and introduce to us a task to promote that healing over the next 5 months. The 13th begins the new yearly cycle relating to ideals, dreams and spiritual growth, as well as our sense of (inner) truth. Through this cycle each year, we encounter experiences that enrich our knowledge of the inner world. Important dates in the development of this cycle are April 27th, July 16th and October 4th.

On the 16th, Pluto enters Sagittarius, signaling a gradual shift in the focus of transformation on the deepest levels of consciousness and civilization. While no significant events are likely to occur because of this ingress, the fact that the full moon also occurs on this day is likely to bring some notable experiences more related to other energies that are exerting pressure at this time. You may see an escalation in conflicts around the world and in your own life, if any grievances need to be aired. This will plant the seeds of another yearly cycle having to do with revolution, innovation and the unexpected. Significant dates associated with this cycle are May 4th, July 21st and October 6th.

At this time a significant event occurs for those on a spiritual path. From about the 9th, a very rare series of planetary events is occurring which will serve to open the inner gates to interdimensional thought forms and archives such as the Akashic records. During this time, we will have access to the understanding and memory of personally significant events—childhood or adult experiences, choices and traumas. This type of opening occurs on one level only about every 20 years, but with all the factors involved as they are currently configured, this type of event only occurs once in about 175 years (and this precise event specifically, only once in every several hundred years). For most people, of course, this will be unconscious. But for those who are attuned to their inner self, the influx of energy and the potential for personal growth will be tremendous. You will have the opportunity to work with this opening through March 1st, when we will be more inclined to apply the results of these energies into our lives and disperse their benefits to those around us.

However, there are other, more mundane energies that will want to divert our attention as early as the 21st of January. Indeed, we may feel as though we are in a pressure cooker on the 21st through the 25th. On the 25th, we enter a three-week period of introspection and reconsideration, until February 15th. The theme of this retreat period is the welfare of the group vs. individual freedoms. This often results in political clashes, so don't be surprised if our new Congress gets off to a smashing start! Don't let the ideas of others put you off from what you know to be inwardly correct. Trust your innate sense of justice. Where you have been misguided (or misguiding yourself), you may be required to adjust.

During the remainder of January, we will have every opportunity to benefit by our better instincts and higher ideals. Although we may be distracted by seemingly unrelated events and issues, we maintain our inner balance by keeping these relatively minor experiences in perspective. We may have to deal with them as top priority for a few days, but return to your task when they are completed.

On the 30th, we have a new moon, the second new moon of the month. This is what most people call a blue moon, but of course the real blue moon occurs when the moon is new twice in the same sign. The confusion arose when the month stopped being reckoned from new moon to new moon. Incidentally, we have another blue moon in March, a fall out of the irregular lengths of our secular months.

February: A Planetary Crescendo

Action is the name of the game when February arrives! Getting what you want should never be easier than on the 1st—just make sure that it's really for the best, because the ease of the opportunity may blind you to its foolhardiness. Generally speaking, something too easy should be eyed with suspicion.

Seeds are planted around the first, as we begin to be able to carry out plans made in January. Action is paramount now through the 8th. You may encounter resistance around the 10th. But you will be able to see results around the 11th and 12th which will tell you how successful your efforts have been and give you the chance to adjust your methods and attitudes. You will have this opportunity for feedback and adjustment through the 22nd.

On the 11th, we reach the climax/crisis point of the Mars retrograde period mentioned above. Feeding into this point of new awareness are events and actions of November 1994 and around the 1st of January. The full moon on the 15th feeds the frenzy of this crisis and prolongs it—the good news is that it gives you longer to resolve it and increases your awareness.

There may be a decided change of pace on the 18th. Watch what occurs on the 18th and 19th carefully, since this will be a harbinger of the transformative processes that Pluto in Sagittarius may bring us.

The remainder of February is a time for manifestation, renewal of relationships and uplifting insights, as the interdimensional doorway finally closes. On the 28th, any meditation, ritual or introspection will be rewarded with gains in inner awareness.

Although we are unique in our experiences, the issues we encounter in this time of shifting historical, cultural and political patterns are not new. Rather they are a reflection of planetary energetic patterns that have repeated since time immemorial with mind-numbing regularity. What is different is the individuals and their responses—the expression of the creative spirit which fills us and, in times of peace and balance, actually breaks through into our realities and fulfills our dreams. If this time can be used to break through hardened attitudes and dissolve the barriers to love and trust, then we can gain from it.

Good will and respect for all living things cannot be legislated; the changes must come from within and be achieved on a personal and interpersonal level. This is something we can all participate in. If political dissatisfaction—which will surely continue—can lead to inward reflection, then we can truly begin on the road to a brighter future.

Blessed Be!