This week brings another turn of the Wheel of the Year, the entrance of Neptune into its own sign of Pisces followed by the Full Moon in Leo. Energies are still shifting, new opportunities are opening, and we'll soon be seeing more light here in the northern hemisphere.

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Leo Full Moon February 7, 2012

This week brings another turn of the Wheel of the Year, the entrance of Neptune into its own sign of Pisces followed by the Full Moon in Leo.   Energies are still shifting, new opportunities are opening, and we'll soon be seeing more light here in the northern hemisphere.

Thursday February 2^nd is Imbolc or Candlemas, a fire festival dedicated to the goddess/saint Brigid.   At this time of year, as the Light begins to grow, we begin to get in touch with our personal vision for the year.   Brigid is a fire patroness of artists, poets and smiths as well as healers.    Her light shines out to bring us vision and wisdom about the possibilities of the next phase of our lives.   In this pivotal year of 2012, we need a centered vision of who we are and what we can accomplish.

Neptune in Pisces on February 3, 2012

"Neptune in Pisces is such a fluid vibration that it seeps through the mind by osmosis.   Typical of the subtlety we associate with these archetypal themes, this ingress has crept up on us very slowly, infiltrating the collective mind without attracting attention.   Trying to encapsulate, in words, the essence of Neptune in Pisces is like trying to siphon a vast ocean one glass at a time. The themes of Neptune and Pisces are more easily accessed with images and music than with words, no matter how awash with watery symbolism and metaphor the words may be."        (Michele Finey, Mountain Astrologer, #160, Jan. 2012 p. 68.)

Our ability to access this new vision will be enhanced when Neptune, the planet of spirituality, artistry, and the creative imagination enters its own sign of Pisces for the first time in 165 years on February 3^rd.   It will travel through Pisces until 2025.    Neptune went into Pisces for a few months last year (April 4-August4) before retrograding back into Aquarius.   Those months in 2011, from mid-Aries to mid-Leo, opened the door to the "unseen' dimensions of life in some way.   It was only a few  months later that the Occupy Movement took to the streets.     Think back on what you were doing then, what was in the news, and what stories were influencing how you saw the world.   Did possibilities float through your dreams?   Or were you seduced into an old illusion?  

This weekend is also a great time to meditate or journey to look for this year's new vision.   Visions come to us mainly in symbols, which is also how Neptune works.   Work with those symbols, because they don't just mean 1 thing.   Symbols are living containers of energy.   Live within the symbolic story you discover in this vision and you'll soon understand its meaning.

Neptune's energy is subtle, unseen, spacey; it is often foggy and definitely invasive.   It can dissolve the oldest complexes, the densest defenses. So if you feel uncertain or confused, Neptune's probably seeping through your doors of perception.   Instead of fighting it like a drowning man, you could follow along and see what images are calling to you from the collective unconscious.   Because Pisces is the sign of the collective unconscious, Neptune can show us what archetypes are being energized by the heart of humanity.  

Our collective heart is troubled.   And why shouldn't it be?   The powerful are either asleep at the wheel or in a trance -- they certainly aren't listening to the people's voices.   Who amongst us wants another war with Iran, or more unstable weather?   Who really wants to poison our air, our food or our waters?   Who really wants to live in a violent world, where we and those we love are constantly in danger?   Who wants to live a life of constant struggle?  

Not the people!   And so, the waters of the collective unconscious are stirring and when Neptune returns home, he will find stormy -- and very polluted - seas.   How we deal with Neptune will be important, because its energy connects us to Divine Vision or a human hell.   Neptune can drug us into unconsciousness and mass hysteria, or he can bestow on us a healing vision for the world and our hurt hearts.

Neptune wants us to find our spiritual center, which was pretty much the message of Jesus -- we are all children of Divine Spirit.   It's ironic that as the Piscean Age comes to an end, that is exactly the Truth that we have forgotten.   Neptune in Pisces proclaims the truth that we are all One. (Jesus said, I and my father are one.) Before it leaves Pisces, I have no doubt that we will discover the truth of that statement.

Venus is also in Pisces until just hours after the Full Moon on February 7^th.   So when Neptune moves into his watery home, he will be greeted by the sweet effects of Venus' stay there.   Venus was born of the oceanic waters of the collective unconscious, a divine gift to all of us from the heavens.   Venus/Aphrodite brings love into the picture -- life itself and the archetypes that give rise to life are sourced in this Divine Love.   So no matter how stormy our collective seas become, if we hold to Love, and let Aphrodite/Mary as Stella Maris, the Star of the Sea guide us, we can bring calm, peace and joy to our hearts and to our world.

Leo Full Moon, February 7, 2012

The Leo Full Moon occurs on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 1:54pm PST/ 4:54pm EST/ 9:54pm GMT.

The full Moon brings to light what we planted at the new Moon.   The new Moon in Aquarius highlighted our need for a new collective vision.   Mars went retrograde hours later to begin the process of honing our personal story in relationship to these times of cultural change and transformation.   The 60s are back - redux!

This full Moon between the Aquarius Sun and the Leo Moon brings out the best in us. Since the full Moon symbolizes the sacred marriage, the energies evoked this month are powerful.   He's an Aquarian -- noble, truthful, controlled and rational.   She's a Leo -- noble, self-aware, creative and intuitive.   They both value nobility of spirit -- he because it's the right thing to do, she because it's innate to her nature.   She's an Aquarian -- a humanitarian, a rebel and definitely a free spirit.   He's a Leo -- self-confident, charismatic and proud. They both value their uniqueness, she because she values her freedom, he because he values his individuality.   The Leo-Aquarius axis energizes us to develop our creativity and offer it to our collective future.  

This marriage brings together our unique personality with our collective purpose.   It is no longer relevant to create just for ourselves.   There is this over-riding feeling that whatever we create must be beneficial to all humanity.   We each have a piece of the collective puzzle, and as we move through these next years of social change and global transformation, each of us can contribute our piece to the picture.   If we do this, we are sure to create a future world that benefits all of us.

The Sabian Symbol for the Sun at 19* Aquarius is: Amidst smoke and drizzle, jubilant fire fighters dig the final trench around a mountaintop blaze. It is up to us to mobilize all our faculties to bring destructive passions under control and then channel them into further human evolution.   As we work with these elemental powers of life, we are doing the groundwork to manifest our vision of the future.   It takes courage and fortitude to face the destructive fires ablaze in the world and create something new with them.   This is the time to engage in alchemy.

The Sabian Symbol for the Moon at 19* Leo is: Revelers on a houseboat dance to the sounds of a swing band.   It's time to have fun and engage in life.   Just as we think we are headed to disaster, the fires are contained and we can rejoice.   Dance to bring in new life, dance to understand the wisdom of life.   There's no way we can escape the limits of life, but we can dance our vision as we listen to the rhythms of life.   The cosmic rhythm is telling us to dance a new creation into being.

Mercury joins the Sun this full Moon, enhancing our ability to communicate (Mercury) our ideas to our group.   We have to have a clear idea or vision before it can manifest.   Group work helps.

With Jupiter in Taurus still working with Pluto in Capricorn, we will find opportunities to build and manifest our dreams.   That is, if our dreams are sourced in Love and humanitarian principles.   We are creating our brave new world as the old world dies its natural death.

Saturn goes retrograde hours after the full Moon at 30* Libra.    Three mounds of knowledge on a philosopher's head.   This is a symbol for understanding and wisdom.   Saturn marks the boundaries of our reality; at this degree, we are urged to understand the universal truths that underlie justice and fairness.   It's time to ponder how a responsible humanity must act for the benefit of all.   Saturn will stay retrograde until June 25^th.   This is a time to decide how to handle karmic relationships - it's your choice whether to transform, end or begin one.  

The year feels as if it is rushing ahead, and yet nothing seems to be proceeding.  Take time to meditate and exercise, so you can be clear about what you intend to manifest in your life this year.  Mars retrograde will help you do it. 

Bright Blessings as we watch the Light grow!

Cathy

Authors Website: http://www.cathypagano.com

Authors Bio:

Cathy Pagano is a spiritual advisor and Jungian psychotherapist, storyteller, author and teacher.

She is the author of a book on the return of the Goddess, "Wisdom's Daughters: How Women Can Change the World".

Cathy trained at the C. G. Jung Institut-Zurich in dream interpretation, has an M.A. in Counseling Psychology in Feminine Spirituality, and is a certified Life Coach.

As an astrologer and storyteller, she weaves the Cosmic Stories written in the stars. From The Bard's Grove, she writes about emerging archetypal themes in movies and books.

Cathy works with the tools of the imagination - dreams, alchemy, myths, astrology, symbolic language, storytelling, ritual - to awaken the Soul's wisdom.



I believe that Americans are called to a higher consciousness at this point in our history. We are called on to live up to our ideals and create the country our forefathers imagined. Inner consciousness needs to be acted upon for social justice.



Cathy believes that our writers and artists must take up our responsibility to create art that inspires, teaches and heals our humanity.



Cathy writes about political, psychological/spiritual, and cultural issues.