Winter
2008 - 2009
Travel and Event
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To schedule readings, regressions, consultations or events, please call
805-963-0842
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January
5th - 12th
Phoenix, AZ
January 23rd
The Oaks at Ojai
"Love and the Zodiac"
7:30 pm
The Oaks at Ojai
www.oaksspa.com
805.646.5573
122 East Ojai Ave.
Ojai, CA 93023
Retrograde
Schedule
2008-2009
Saturn Retrograde
December 31, 2008
to
May 17, 2009
21 degrees Virgo
through
14 degrees Virgo
Winter
Mercury Retrograde
Jan. 11 - Feb. 2
07 degrees Aquarius
through
21 degrees Capricorn
Venus Retrograde
March 6 - April 18
15 degrees Aries
through
29 degrees Pisces
Pluto Retrograde
April 4 - Sept. 9
03 degrees Capricorn
through
00 degrees Capricorn
Spring
Mercury Retrograde
May 6 - May 31
01 degree Gemini
through
22 degrees Taurus
Neptune Retrograde
May 28 - Nov. 5
26 degrees Aquarius
through
23 degrees Aquarius
Jupiter Retrograde
June 15 - Oct. 13
27 degrees Aquarius
through
17 degrees Aquarius
Fall Mercury Retrograde
Sept. 6 - Sept. 30 06 degrees Libra
through
21 degrees Virgo
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more about
Beth McDonald Consulting:
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Each
year in December I have a gift certificate sale, wherein you can buy
gift certificates for a one hour session with me for half price. Until
midnight on December 31st of 2008, you can buy these gift certificates
for $100 each. You can buy as many as you want, and there is no
expiration date. You can buy them to use as gifts for business
associates, friends and loved ones, or you can use them for yourself as
a hedge against troubled times or to get a jump start on strategic
planning for the New Year. To purchase a gift certificate, call
805-963-0842 or email 1oracle@cox.net.
Astro-Blog
Original Art & Photography
Vancouver Solstice
by
by
Eric Watts
Winter Oak
by
Jamie O'Toole
Winter Solstice Light
By
Jamie O'Toole
Pine Bough
by
Jamie O'Toole
Mandala
by
Jamie O'Toole
by
Eric Watts
Saint Joseph's Candle
by
Eric Watts
Portrait
by
Chris Schilling
Amaryllis
by
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Well kids, I did it again.
I was well on my way to finishing the winter solstice blog when, in typical Gemini fashion, I got a little
distracted. Actually I got totally derailed, mentally torpedoed by a
documentary on the missing years of Jesus (so many theories, so little
time!). Needless to say, there was a lot of material I had never heard
of before, it enchanted me and took me skidding and careening down a
very fascinating road. And so I missed my deadline - the actual
solstice. Oops! Sorry, guys. My bad.
So
here we are at the New Year and it is time to begin again. Another
harvest cycle awaits. Most western cultures celebrate the New Year on
the first of January, which is named for Janus, the ancient Roman
God of gates and doorways, beginnings and endings. Janus is always
depicted with two faces on his head, one on the front side looking
forward towards the future and the other on the back side looking back
at the past.
It
is said that in order to move forward appropriately, you have to do
both, have an awareness of the past and the future. So what is Janus
looking forward to and back at this new year? Let's take a peak at the
four outer planets, who are said to be the heralds of transformation
and change.
Saturn in Virgo: I am truly loving this one - have waited years for
it. But then again, I am pretty much of a freak. I just love Saturn. I
am probably the only one on the planet who does. His goal is to bring
you your heart's desire - what's not to love? And Saturn in Virgo is
giving us the momentum we need to get serious about embracing better
health in all areas, physical, mental, spiritual, emotional. Seriously,
he does more than invite a transformational experience. He drives you
there, rolls out the red carpet, escorts you across it and holds the
door open while he ushers you over a threshold into that brave new
world you have been fantasizing for years. It is a real test of your
self esteem to let yourself go there.
Uranus in Pisces:
For the last couple of years, Uranus - now in Pisces - and
Neptune - now in Aquarius, have had what is called Mutual Reciprocity.
Each planet is in the sign the other rules. This is said to create an
exponentially more powerful set of circumstances in the realms that
each one governs. In a nutshell, I think this is part of what has
driven our need for greater spiritual depth and meaning, and for
greater clarity around the boons and banes of the electronic age.
Neptune in Aquarius: Eeesh. I personally have way
more trouble with Neptune transits than I do with Pluto, so I don't
even know where to start here. On the upside, Neptune always
provides you with two opportunities: to strength your faith and to hone
your creative, artistic skills. Both realms are fantastic places you
can go with your Sturm und Drang, and are far
healthier than most of where we go. The problem I have with Neptune is
that when he is around, it is hard to truly feel you are moving
forward. In this case, around technology, around governments and
governing effectively, around humanitarian issues, and around
responding to natural disasters.
Pluto in Capricorn:
The biggest new transitory news this year is the movement of Pluto out
of Sagittarius (where it has been for about 12 years)and into
Capricorn, where is has not been in 246 years. As astrology is a
lot about math and statistics, one of the things us real, tragically
serious geeks do is go back and look at the historical record (hence my
little solstice detour). And if you do that, you will notice that
pretty much every time Pluto has moved from Sagittarius into Pluto,
there has been some sort of war AND ruling class greed-spawned economic
disaster that drives a revolution which in turn introduces and
normalizes new ideas which serve to move the species forward in some
way. Often a big way. In short, an epic transformation in
consciousness. Like say, Protestantism, or democracies.
A year ago, in interviews with both Mike Klan of KEYT, and Emily Rancer of the Pacific Coast Business Times,
I said that this transit was destined to bring our nation two things in
2008: old history repeating itself and new history being made. And here we are.
So
the stage is sort of set for that, and honestly guys, we are living it.
History will always repeat itself, especially if we have not learned
its particular lesson. And we each have to find our own way with
whatever our individual, freakishly weird, intense, and yet somehow
transformational economic and political "growth opportunity" just
happens to be.
Now, with all that said, here
is a little spoonful of sugar (and some spice thrown in for good
measure) to help the medicine go down. Come on, baby, there is no
reason this can't be fun. Pour yourself a povertini, sit back, relax, read on and let your imagination run wild. |
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The Very Generic and Experiential
Zodiac-Based Guide
To
New Year's Resolutions
2009
Aries:
Driven by an Emperor's desire for absolute freedom to do anything you
want at any given time, your New Year's resolution is to make peace
with reality. And your mortality. And the space-time continuum.
Actually, this year, just wage peace. I know, baby, but this is the only thing you don't currently know how to do.
Taurus:
Driven by a purely Venutian desire for beauty, harmony, and
turning a tidy profit, your New Year's resolution is to work smarter,
not harder. You have a lot of opportunities this year to have all three
if you can become more open-minded. There is much to learn this
year, especially from your Capricorn and Virgo friends.
Gemini:
You guys are just driven. In all directions, all the time. The ongoing
influences of Saturn and Uranus make your New Year's resolution (again)
to begin to try to try to focus as you change at Mercurial rates of
speed. Whatever it takes, baby: a serious Ritalin prescription, a
Britney Spears-style team of babysitters, anything.
Cancer: Driven by the desire for and commitment to Security Uber Alles,
your New Year's resolution is to leave the proverbial panic room.
Seriously, baby, you can truly come to believe that there is more to
life than this. It might take some doing, but it really is
possible. Honestly. Not everything is a threat.
Leo:
Driven by the need to freely and fully express yourself, and the desire
to be worshipped and adored while you do it, your New Year's resolution
is to develop the ability to function without an audience and an
applause track. It may take an epiphany of Biblical proportions,
but this year you need to develop a better understanding of just how
good you really are.
Virgo:
Driven by a sincere desire to serve God and your fellow man, your New
Year's resolution is to develop enough self-esteem so you can
finally graduate and sit at the grown-ups' table. Seriously,
baby, there is such a fine line between service and slavery. and you
are not at all clear where it is most days. Pretend to believe you are
truly worthy, and let's figure this one out.
Libra: Driven by a fierce determination to create perfection in an imperfect world, your New Year's resolution is to calm the heck down.
No inciting riots, no fomenting dissent, no starting revolutions (the
Aquarians are doing that this year). Have a nice cup of herb tea, take
up Buddhism, and figure out how the darkness serves the light.
Scorpio:
Driven by a Shiva-like talent for destruction and creation, your New
Year's resolution is to focus a little more on the creative part,
especially around art and spirituality. Greater people skills wouldn't
hurt, either. You can still destroy some things now and again. But this
year it's less Machiavelli, more Mother Mary.
Sagittarius:
You guys are the most tolerant and enlightened of all the signs, and
because of this, on a good day you are able to put up with an awful
lot. Given that, your New Year's resolution is to develop some
guilt-free boundaries.You can still be the Bodhisattva, baby, just be a
more discerning one.
Capricorn:
Relentlessly driven to succeed, you guys work hard, master and achieve,
and then do it some more. Seriously. You just don't quit, you don't
know how. Good news is you don't have to. But occasionally you need
some rest (even God rested).Your New Year's resolution is to consider taking a day off now and again.
Aquarius:
Driven by a frighteningly large intellect, your New Year's resolution
is to get get some traction. You are way past the research and
development phase and are ready to test your theories. Don't forget who
you are, baby: Aquarians are the transformers of the zodiac. Pick a
starting point for your little revolution and change the world.
Pisces: Driven by a blinding desire to
experience the one-ness, your New Year's resolution is be a teensy,
weensy, wee little bit more selective about who you are communing with.
And why. Especially this year. The opposing pressures Saturn and Uranus
are putting upon you are changing your Neptunian perspective and your
values. And your taste.
In closing,
as you are focusing your intentions and setting your goals for the New
Year, do it with great care. And a massive sense of humor. Oh, and
infinite patience and flexibility. Why?
Because the first Mercury Retrograde of 2009 (in Aquarius) begins on
January 11th. All I am going to say on this right now is two
things. The first is to pray for the mental and physical
health and safety of our elected officials (and for some of them,
pray for a Grinch-style epiphany). These folks have a lot to contend
with. The second is to back up your computers.
Hold
on tight to your faith, and to those you love. This rollercoaster ride
is really just beginning. I wish you all many, many blessings, as
well as a peaceful and prosperous New Year. And don't forget what
a rich metaphor light is - as well as the quest for it - in religion
and metaphysical spirituality. Especially this time of year.
Without light, we cannot survive. Nothing grows and there is
nothing to nourish and sustain us. Nor can we find our way. So keep
looking for yours, it is there. And if you get stuck, call me.
We'll figure it out.
b
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