New York City Tourism in a Blink

By: Shakti Carola Navran
Mercury Activities are the main Spotlight this week. Mercury turned direct again on the 29th of September. We are still a  transition period while Mercury is catching up to where he already was before his retrograde motion. With Mercury moving from Virgo into Libra on October 10, we will be truly on our way with everything Mercury represents. This weekly astrological forecast is written for the 41 week from October 5 to 11, 2009. But you will also find relevant information for yourself about the general planetary constellations if you have them in your personal chart and want to find out their meaning for you.

Mercury- the Messenger of the Gods

Mercury is the ruler of Gemini as well as Virgo. Mercury is representing our intellect, ways of communications and how we approach and filter the world through our mind. He governs our electrical equipments, computers, transportation, books, news, small travels, learning and teaching, in short everything that keeps us connected with each other. Mercury is like air, flexible and in between things, neutral and non attached. In Gemini the Mercury is set on gathering information of interest and is a very versatile and flexible fellow. In Virgo Mercury is focused on the details of life and has a micro vision and management style.

Mercury in Conjunction with Saturn

On Wednesday 7th Mercury will have his third and final conjunction with Saturn. The last and final of a planetary contact in their back and forth motion usually is a time of consolidation and integration of the theme. We have made it through the upheaval of the first confrontation with the issues brought together by the two interacting planets and have found ways to pacify and integrate key elements of both to some degree of satisfaction. With the last contact the newly integrated level of wisdom is tested and put on trial for further use in life.

Mercury with Saturn is a much more seriously minded combination then the winged, light footed messenger of the gods, Mercury likes it to be. Saturn is teaching the lessons of deep commitment, self responsibility, crystal clear communication, reliability, self discipline and self organization. You want to look in which house this conjunction is happening in your chart and which aspects are formed to your personal planets.



Mercury Dances into Libra

On Saturday Mercury finally steps into Libra, the sign of love, beauty and balance. With this move we might be more inclined to improve our communication with loved ones and others in general. We might be more aware and self conscious of our own needs and able to communicate them. This Mercury also might help us to be more able and willing to compromise in areas of confrontation and clear up misunderstandings.

Many of our problems in relationship areas are originating from holding back the truth and not being able to communicate in a successful, straightforward way. If we know where the other person is coming from, their needs and desires, we are more inclined to understand their position with compassion and are more willing to compromise.

Venus in Opposition with the Exciting Uranus

Venus as the ruling planet of Libra is stirred up by a Uranus opposition on Friday as well. Uranus interrupts the status quo, stirs the pot, surprises us and excites. Venus Uranus transits often carry the potential for sexual excitement and connection with somebody new in your life.

This week might bring a new development in your relationships because of the openness for change and excitement. It would be a good weekend to do something out of the usual trod. If you are in a relationship go somewhere together for the weekend, allow new aliveness into your connection. Have a little honeymoon! Everything we value in our life we give our attention and time. If you value your relationship you have to take the time and effort to nourish it to keep the excitement and joy going. It is so easy to take your partner for granted and get swallowed up by the demands of modern day life.

If you are looking for a partner get out, do something, meet people and be available to meet somebody. If you sit at home it is less likely for you to take advantage of this constellation. But be playful. This might not be the time quality to find your true mate, but it could be. It will at least bring you new joy, juice and connection.

Mercury is also in a Square to Pluto

This Pluto square is challenging us to decide if the glass is half full or half empty. With Mercury squaring Pluto on Saturday, we might tend to get tunnel vision and be righteous in our opinion and self expression. Our thinking (Mercury) is black and white (Pluto) and might go from one extreme point of view to the other. But by consciously choosing your mental focal point and where you hold your attention, you can be still in charge how you will feel.

The potential here is the ability to cut through falsehood, imperfections and illusions with the non compromising approach Pluto tends to take. Together with Mercury the process will bring us to a powerful inner place of clarity and truth, revealing deeper layers of reality.

The Moon Astrology for this Week

Moon will take us on a journey through Taurus, Gemini, Cancer and at last into Leo on Sunday night.The different Moon positions will color the emotional backdrop of the week and strengthen or weaken the other constellations happening in that field.

Moon in Taurus on Monday and Tuesday

Moon in Taurus wants us to be comfortable and enjoying life through our physical senses. Taurus is so very practical in his step by step approach to reach the level of financial safety insuring their needs and luxuries. With the Moon in Taurus you might pamper your body with a nice massage or anything that helps you to enjoy the sensuality of this sign.

Moon in Gemini on Wednesday and Thursday

This Moon in communicative Gemini will prepare us emotionally for the flexibility we will need with all the Mercury activity this week. Gemini is the home of Mercury and this Moon will help us ease us into it.



Moon in Cancer on Friday through Sunday

The Moon is at home in cautious Cancer where safety and self protection is of great value. Matters of family and emotions are very important and a Moon opposition Pluto will intensify feelings. Add that into the Venus Uranus opposition we have already discussed, you really want to pay attention to your family and close relationships. Remember that wherever you turn your attention to, energy will follow and with it the manifestation of your dreams and intentions becomes more likely.

Moon Enters Leo on Sunday Night

With the Leo Moon we will regain more confidence and inner support after an intense week of different pulls of the astrological tides. It might feel like we found an inner place of peace and relaxation into what the presence holds, because of the self confidence of the regal Leo. We feel secure again resting in the knowledge of our own creativity and reconnecting with our faith and trust in the unfolding of life following an invisible, but divine plan.

The Healing Gemstone for this Week is the Blue Tourmaline

Tourmaline is a large family of beautiful stones that occur in every color of the rainbow and many different combinations of two-colored stones: pink-green (Watermelon), pink-blue, golden-green, and green-blue. Each color has its own name, but often they are simply called by their color, such as pink Tourmaline for Rubellite, blue Tourmaline for Indigolite, and green-pink Tourmaline for Watermelon Tourmaline. Tourmaline is an amazing versatile gemstone because of the color range relating to different chakras and helping with different themes.

One of the unique properties of Tourmaline is its piezoelectrical charge: when the crystal is heated or pressure is applied to it, it becomes electrically charged, giving it the ability to attract dust or small bits of paper. Tourmaline is a healing stone for the nervous system and very calming and balancing because of that ability. The Tourmaline I want to turn your attention to today is the Indigolite and the Paraiba, both blue variations of Tourmalines abundant colors.

Indigolite and Paraiba are Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Neptune stones.

Indigolite is the blue variety of Tourmaline. It often has some underlying shades of green mixed with the blue. If the stone is more turquoise than blue, it is called Paraiba and is very rare and expensive.

Indigolite and Paraiba belong to the throat chakra, which is the seat of our verbal expression. Both connect the heart with the throat, and thus teach us to speak from the truth in our hearts. Indigolite also calms nervousness and impatience, making this a good stone for students during exams—in the relaxed state induced by Indigolite we are able to tap better into our memory and knowledge.

With our need to align ourselves with Mercury in this turbulent week we can use Blue Tourmalines gentle guidance towards true self expression from the level of the heart.

Paraiba has a strong Venusian quality. With all the green in the blue it induces a deep connection to the heart and enables us to express feelings. I think it is a wonderful stone for men to help them to connect with their inner Venus and learn to share from their hearts.(taken from my book: Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eyes & Strengthen the Soul)

If you like my approach to astrology, I invite you to visit me on my Astrological Signs Weather Report & Healing Gems Blog for a free weekly forecast on the universal flow and planetary positions. If you know what is going on in the heavens you can then align yourself for more joy and success in your life. What I like about the abilities of the gemstones is that they offer a remedy to relax stressful aspects and positions in our personal chart as well as for the time quality of the present moment.

I hope you enjoyed my musings, aloha and many blessings, Shakti.

Shakti Carola Navran: astrologer, jeweler and author