Moonkissd by Jessica

Cosmopolitan Magazine has invited moi(!) to participate in an evening of cavorting among clothes and staring at the stars. Ladies, I’ll be giving mini-readings (4-5 mins). Fun! Fun! Fun! Join us for hors d’oeuvres, personal stylists, clothes and astrology. Venus enters Leo this week – trust me, you’ll be in the mood to party and shop.

The details:

The Bioré Style Swap is where women get together to
swap gently worn clothing and handbags. Join us for
clothes swapping, hors d’oeuvres, astrology readings,
personal stylist consultations, and more!

Thursday, June 7, 2007
6:30 pm
Bambuddha Lounge
(Located inside the Phoenix Hotel)
601 Eddy Street
San Francisco

What to bring:
Gently worn clothing items and/or handbags

To RSVP, visit cosmopolitan.com/biore.

Sun in Gemini is like a flashy book with glitter and silvery things, and universal symbols and strange script that look like Angelina Jolie’s tattoos on the cover. And like any good book, you’ve just got to open it wide open to find out what’s inside. The Sagittarian Full Moon is a wide open and curious mind. We reach our hand into the goody bag and find all sorts of strange textures, itches and hankerings to do this or that. Which one will it be? On one hand or the other…As always with this Gemini and Sag combo, we can make a compelling case for darn near every option. Not all of them are sane or rational. So what? Who cares? We want to expand like a balloon, to rise higher than we’ve been before. Enthusiasm gives wings to the dullards of the world. And for those who can’t rise to the occasion, enthusiasm gives those dullards the big brush off.

Who said Sag Moon was sane or rational? Not me. It’s the highly improbable Sag energy that motivates the lives of entrepreneurs, adventurers, travelers and explorers. As a Sag friend said recently, “I wasn’t born to be in a cubicle. I was born to jump out of planes.” Need I say more? Mind you, I’ve just returned from a long journey in which a certain expansive lightness of being was cultivated when I spontaneously decreed “Let’s go to Budapest!” I personally witnessed my emotional and physical energy move from a lukewarm utterance, “I’m alright” to an enthusiastic “Ready for anything!” All it took was a little transatlantic time spent in the clouds for that lightness of being to hit my bloodstream like a drug. Far better than the paltry Bloody Mary high, this sense of expansiveness lives between the clouds…just out of reach, you see. The whole Sagittarian thing is built that way. Don’t try and argue with it. It’s wilier and trickier than a rascally wabbit…and a perfect match for Sun in Gemini.

I’m not one to sugar coat things. Let’s just say it’s a mixed bag.

Because you just can’t spend your life wandering the globe. While I cultivated my worldly sense of empowerment, I also cultivated a raging yeast infection. It’s impossible to travel on a diet. When in Rome, ya know? For years, my California diet and subtle bodies do not allow me to eat cheese, bread, yeast and sugar unimpeded by severe distress. Who cares? C’est la vie! I’ve officially deemed myself free of obstacles. I’m functioning on a travelers grace…kind of like travelers cheques but without insurance. When I return, I’m still free for a few days. But you know what hasn’t left – that lightness of being, that unquantifiable expansion of the soul. Who can measure it? It’s the knowledge that I am a far bigger player than I once was. And boy was it worth it.

There are certain things one must do before one dies. (Every Sagittarian reader nods here.) However…Sagittarius has a little issue, a minor problem you see with breaking this whole enchilada appetite down into bite-sized manageable life chunks. When you can only envision a big, wonderful that way over there, handy Gemini Sun knows how to finagle an angle on this, over here. It’s a question of proportion. You just find a way to get the same deal without getting on, or jumping out of, the plane. If you’re looking for heaven, focus on what’s in front of your mug. Self-help gurus, life coaches, spiritual folk do this really well. They’re the ones that bring blissful soul-expanding teachings down to earth. Woo-ha! Instant dose of inspiration, just like that…err this.

This whole human potential movement is an amazing Sagittarian thing really. And that potential of a self bigger than this one is translated through books, teachings and spiritual education. And in Gemini style, word by word, piece by piece, step by step we make that big giant leap in consciousness. No matter how brief, how small the bit of information, the mysterious expansiveness, the bigger than life largesse reaches into the spaghetti neurons and the primal beast who wants to roam and the information gets in there. Your daily horoscope illuminates a synchronicity; the information exchange you’ve fostered among friends yields a fabulous new opportunity. You puzzle at the puzzle and then the puzzle clicks. You’ve got to open the cover of the book though, to tear into the travel section and figure out where you’re going next to activate any of your handy ad-hoc skills.

Apparently expansion requires some major heaven to earth finagling.

I’m back on the wagon.

After eating my share of sweets and yeasty treats through Europe, I was kind of expecting it. You know ladies -the dreaded yeast infection. What’s astrologically synchronistic about this is it happens on this day when Venus is quincunxed by Neptune. That funny quincunx, who knows what to expect? It’s got this “breaking up is hard to do” thing going on with Venus and Neptune…surrender the sweets, my pretty, all the yummy yeasty treats, the too close for comfort relationships with food, beauty and love that you’ve enjoyed. Yes, Neptune loves to take things away and Venus in Cancer has been nursing herself on some mighty sweet mother’s milk, mmm mmm good. What’s your sweet mother’s milk -is it a relationship to food, are you substituting real food for soul food, or are you feeling the codependence of a symbiotic relationship creep in? Are you being called to “mother” and nurture above and beyond the call of duty? Is Neptune asking you to give something up right now, something you love? To completely change your tune, ready or not? Is it a senseless surrender or can you find a reason to ”give it up”?

Budapest is a Sagittarius city, Hungary a Sagittarius country (Lilly, Dariot), the astrological sign of the foreigner, priest, wanderer and teacher. As the sign where wisdom is acquired on the zodiac wheel, after the dark night of the soul of the Scorpio and before the wise elder of Capricorn, Sag’s task is daunting. How can we ever grow in wisdom without suffering? We’ve left Scorpio’s intense emotional waters and must learn to walk the long, dry desert of Capricorn without. What happens when we look up in the night sky and there is no guiding light? We learn to survive on faith.

Hardly exotic sounding, is it? No, this is exotic in the original meaning of the world. Exotic simply means different, not the flower behind your ear or the smell of some fabulous “exotic” scent. And depending on your surroundings, exotic can feel either stimulating, fascinating, as in a holiday to some place you’ve never before visited or completely, utterly bewildering. My experience has been both.

Sagittarius also sits across from and so opposes Gemini. If Gemini is the friendly character who owns your corner store, your sibling, your neighbor and kin who speaks your language (think immigrant cities like New York and London, Gemini both) Sagittarius is the stranger who you cross paths with but do not understand - without effort if at all. Yes, it will be difficult to communicate and understand one another. On an elementary level, language is the people connector, the copper cable over which the waves of understanding travel. Budapest is bordered by Austria, Croatia, Romania, all non-Hungarian speaking countries and the Hungarian language has Finnish roots! Reading the guidebook, I learn that out of all European languages, Hungarian resembles none. Nada. This proves challenging for European and English speaking travelers alike. So you can imagine what it’s like to arrive at the busy train station in Budapest for the very first time - absolutely disorienting!

After talking with our Viennese friends, we decide to the remaining few days of our trip on a quick jaunt to a neighboring country. Prague? Greece? Budapest. I don’t know why I’m so captivated by the thought of visiting this east meets west city straddling the Danube, once the most important hub for trade Actually, they’re two distinctly different cities – Buda and Pest. It sounds so exotic. When I think of visiting, I imagine myself as the teenaged heroine of a childhood novel I must’ve read, being sent off for holiday from her boarding school, to the orient to meet her diplomat parents. I’m wearing a late 19th century dress petticoats and a traveling hat, looking through the window of my train on this strange city. Could it be a past life connection, or am I under a spell? This fantasy, this strange magic magnetism is so compelling that I override my husband’s desire to go to the Austrian mountains, hike and spa (which sounds like a little slice of heaven after the past few days city living) by continually offering Budapest as a better suggestion. A recommendation from his Viennese colleague reinforces my wish – Budapest’s hustle and bustle is young, alive, not to be missed.

The reality is we missed the boat to Budapest. So we caught the train. I misread the travel site (“no reserved seats” does not mean “no advance tickets”) and of the 60+ passengers, 6 of which have no tickets, we are the only two people who do not make it on the boat. And we have a hotel room booked for 2 nts. in Budapest, not Vienna. We find out where the train station is and bags in tow, sit down in an internet cafe, waiting 2 hours for the next train. This is a sign, I think, of unexpected changes to come. And maybe, just like my fantasy, I am supposed to be on the train to Budapest. The boat to Budapest was not meant to be.

Neptune that planet of discontent, dreams, imagination and punch drunk divine love is going retrograde and he’s left a note at the doorway for the Saturn part of us - who is quite honestly, terrified of losing his cotton pickin’ grip on reality. Saturn’s learning tho’ that without creative and spiritual replenishment he really loses it.  Lean into it, let your consciousness stream and dream…

Dear Saturn (in Saturn’s language),

Don’t insist on reality. Really, honey its better that way.

Don’t argue with your writer’s block, get mad that the kitchen’s a mess again or that you just spilled coffee on your white sweatshirt (that’ll teach you to not be fool enough to wear white on a Neptune day). Don’t force yourself to concentrate when you’d rather daydream, and don’t put off writing down your dreams, inspirations or lay in the sunshine because you’ve got to work on the project that kidnapped last years creative energy and threatens to take this year’s down, too. Don’t hurry. Don’t drown your creative energy in overwork, insistence on “the way things are” which always leads you to hit the bottle of emotional self-pity and self-doubt, hard. Reflect. Lose yourself. Go to the park, the sea, anywhere you can to get yourself outside that shell of a cubicle self you’ve inhabited like a prison term. Don’t insist on your “should”. Really, dear, you’ve insisted on reality far too long, it’s what trapped you in this colorless world and sends you scheduling weekend meditation stress survival retreats, yoga between lunch and conference calls like a multi-tasking maniac. You can’t get rid of me with drugs, God, belief…still too solid. I’m far more fluid than a Friday night bender….

Shift into Neptune’s stream of consciousness…. Sleep in let your spirit rise when it’s moved to. Keep your obligations but don’t sacrifice your wellness for them. Notice what you’re feeling…subtly manipulated by someone… sensitive and vulnerable…trapped in a dream,

longing for escape… haunted, slightly out of reach, love… yearning, yearning….inspiration…confusion… light streaming through a cathedral window…organ music, soft and powerful…spinning around in circles, dizzy…connected beyond time and space…a Georgia O’Keefe flower, infinitely small and large…weeping…ecstatic…forgiveness…whooooooooossssssssssssssshhhhhhh
Go farther deeper….what is that feeling…where is the loss coming from? Is there an “I” or is there only space….Noticing…

What is your music, your song? What is your theme? What does it sound, taste, feel like….what’s it’s color?

Vast space….the infinite expanse of time…..I have all the time in the world to accomplish your mission of self-crumbling….surrender the layers, peel back

There are no complete sentences where I’m from…no periods (.) No certainty…the only solution to your big dilemma is to be unsure… embrace your confusion… accomplishment is a ruse, a scene stealer from the real show of Spirit connecting everyone and everything everywhere…whoooooooooooooooooosssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhh

Say it with me…”I AM…and that is enough”

Love ya babe,

Neptune

p.s. – will you water your soul while I’m gone?
p.p.s.- and also feed the beauty around you?

Shopping, chocolate, lingerie stores (Palmers, Europe’s Victoria’s Secret, literally on every other block) and a visit to the psychoanalyst – could a woman want for more? Oh, then there’s the shopping. For this city of window shoppers, Merchants cram as much as they can in the windows and doorways for the Sunday (nothing’s open) and evening strollers. Although businesses close early (Vienna makes serious business of leisure) you can still shop. The prices are conveniently posted next to everything – you can price and pick out your items and return when they open. Candy making is an art form here, also eating sweet tortes, marzipan or a fancy fruit concoction with your morning, afternoon and evening coffee (trust me, 3 times a charm). Evidently, Libra has a weakness for sweets. Evidently.
As I’m writing I hear those old familiar sounds, the steadily increasing rhythm of moans echoing between the buildings. I’m continually trying to distinguish the audible difference between pigeon and human lovemaking noises. Or it could be someone having a seizure, Goddess bless ‘em. What is that sound? The flapping of wings generally clears it up, but not always. Those could be thighs, slapping together.
Yes there’s Sigmund Freud, lingerie shops and the occasional shocking show of tongue. Which brings us round to Libra’s ruling planet, Venus, in the sign of Scorpio in Vienna. As the founding father of psychoanalysis, Freud had his first office here, a trip to the Freud Museum was a must see. I found Freud’s home rather dark and dreary. And the tour was dry, 6 mostly empty rooms full of scientific papers, diplomas and certificates and photographs of Freudian friends and family on the wall. There were cute pictures of an older, Cancer-ridden Dr. lounging in garden villas with his Frau, daughter, and loyal doggies. The pictures indicate he was a flower and nature lover, although his “obsessions” (their quotes) were: traveling, smoking and collecting. Someone forgot to include the juicy stuff – maybe some patient notes or Freud’s diary of sex dreams? Neine! In Freud’s office, sexuality was (and remains) discussed in polite discourse, just like I’d-rather-talk-about-sex-than-actually have-it-Libra. “The couch” was the first ever used in psychoanalysis. This new intimacy was risky in this strictly business relationship. Freud found, when reclining, people were more easily able to “free associate.” Here’s a free association: when you lay down to relax you’re usually taking your clothes off. Discussions on oral fixations and Oedipal syndromes only - nothing suspicious going on here, Bill. See my library shelves full of books on the subject? Psychoanalysis and sex: both Venus in Scorpio preoccupations, and both done in a Libran, I’ll keep my clothes on fashion. This reminds me of a Details magazine survey I recently read. Women were asked if they’d rather forego a month without their favorite clothing items or 3 months without sex. They chose to forego sex. (All hail Details. Men may be simple creatures, but in our way, so are we.). I propose a similar question: “Would you rather have a session with a fabulous psychotherapist or a mind-blowing orgasm?” most women would choose therapy. What do you think?

Vienna is a romantic Libra city. Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke fell in love in Vienna in the movie Before Sunrise. Was it true love or romantic love? Was it the ambience of art & culture, street performers and cafes, cobblestone streets and breathtaking churches? Maybe a boat ride on the Blue Danube River or an Einspanner coffee shared over a Sachre torte at daybreak? What makes a city romantic? I pondered this question last night in an open air café, where we ate bio salads. (We think ‘bio’ means organic which goes to show you, you can take the person away from California, but you can’t take the California out of the person.), John ordered spelt wheat beer and when I couldn’t decide what to order, the kind waitress took one look at my bleary face and asked, would I like her to make me a special drink? Examining my bleary eyed disposition, she knew a coconut, guarana and rosemary concoction would improve my concentration. I laughed at her good call. Sipping on its sweetness, I notice a high-heeled woman struggles to navigate the deeply grooved cobblestone streets. (A personal shout out to all the gorgeous worldly women who walk around looking beautiful and unhappy – it’s probably her shoes.) Perking up, I asked my husband his opinion on the romance of the city. The lighting, he replied. Ahhh, lighting is romantic: sconces, distinctive streetlamps, well-lit shop windows, spots on art and sculptures, cathedrals ablaze with light and the small flickering candle at our table. On the kind, sweet mannered people we encounter here, we both immediately agree. There’s no catcalling, foul language, roughshod street talk or skirmishes. Everyone is immensely polite, friendly, helpful and gracious. At breakfast we receive a United Nations ‘Good Morning’ from everyone who walks in - in the native languages of neighboring countries – French, Italian, Deutsche and German. It rubs off. Just like the Libran golden rule, if you want to receive something, give it, the welcome feeling we receive is mirrored right back at ‘ya. We smile warmly, “Good Morning,” “Guttentag”.

Yes, here in Vienna we encounter something distinctly different from our Aries San Francisco home city of impatient drivers and too-hurried-to-bother with-one-another-vibe. Here we are treated as equals, as honored guests. In this Libra city, I see a peaceful, easygoing attitude on the face of Vienna. The energy is amazingly peaceful and calm amidst normal big city people in transit hubbub. As a woman, I feel completely safe walking the streets alone. When I stop to consult my map I’m consistently asked where I’m trying to go. Just like a Libra friend, the MO of the city is accommodating, overly concerned for my well-being. They seem to know what I need or they spend a good deal of energy to find out what that might be. That’s what makes Libra so wonderful to have around. And why marriage itself, over which Libra presides, only really works if you’re regarded as your partner’s equal in all ways - and slightly better than in most (Librans love to put you on a pedestal). Romance is inevitable in a Libran partnership… and in this Libran city.

Our flight time was 16 hours SFO-Vienna. We forgot the guidebook at home. We never found our camera. Arriving at the hotel, our room had been given away the night before – we had miscalculated the time zone change – and were unapologetically given a small musty, smoky room next to the elevator and the train station. The Sun was applying a square from Neptune, creating missteps, forgotten items, miscalculations and disillusionment. This will get better as the planetary energies pass, I remind myself. The melody of that first night was the intermittent arrival and departure of trains and the amorous lovemaking of a couple who seemed to require no sleep. I awoke many times that night, bemoaning the brick hard bed and prolonged exhaustion. Sleep is a tricky proposition when 9 PM Vienna time is 11 AM San Francisco time.

Days later, I am sitting inside our much improved accommodation. After surrendering to the accommodation (including the affirmation “I am blessed and lucky to be in Vienna”) by Monday we had earned the goodwill of our hosts and an upgrade - to a fabulous room with sun porch and Jacuzzi tub! (The Goldene Spinne, Room 43) I later learn Goldene Spinne means Golden Spider, my personal good luck charm. The veranda doors overlooking the Viennese rooftops are thrown open today as sunlight streams in. There’s a dense formation of apartments surrounding ours and the curtain less windows are eyes. I stop to wonder if I’m being observed and keep my doors open. I may be in a fishbowl but I am one happy sardine typing a letter to you, my American friends.

Penelope Cruz April 28 1974 

She’s been likened to Sophia Loren and Audrey Hepburn, but it’s more than her almond eyes that cross cultural boundaries. Penelope’s beauty is an outpouring of her soul, a soul who’s crossed paths with Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, and works on behalf of AIDS foundations. When she takes up a road to manifest a creative contribution in life, the Bull gracefully stumbles upon her heart’s craving: simplicity, the peaceful silence of eternity. She can find that in the beauty of a flower, in a spring day, a good meal with a friend or trekking to the Himalayas. For each Bull the path is different, but the goal is the same: reverential silence. Penelope’s soulfulness translates beautifully to the screen, but not all is ease and peace for the Bull. If you’ve ever been to a bullfight, you know that when a Bull’s heated up, all bets are off! When asked if she had a temper in Interview Magazine (2000) she replied, “Oh yes, I am a Taurus after all!”

George Clooney: May 6 1961

George Clooney’s Aunt was named Rosemary. Rosemary Clooney, that is. Maybe that’s why he has been known to break into song during interviews. Or maybe it’s because he’s had the honor of being one of two men voted Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine twice, ever (only shared by friend, Brad Pitt). Because he’s notoriously modest about his gorgeous genes, it’s probably not the latter - George is not one to brag. The Bull yawns, thinks “why bother?” and moves onto something far more practical, like his resourcefulness, aligning his ability to earn money with his principles. These are the Bull’s true coin in this crazy, confounding world. Surely Clooney is resourceful with his talent, rising in rank from television doctor to movie director. Notice his penchant for starring and directing in politically minded movies? The Bull’s sticking point is her values, what she stands for (Taurus is a “she,” a feminine sign). Clooney’s comfort with taking a political stand comes from hanging around his dad, a news reporter. About money: George paid for his Italian villa in cold, hard cash. The material- minded Bull only trusts what he can touch. George is also one of the most private bachelors in Hollywood, keeping his personal life out of the media. Nature-loving Taurueans can stay grounded by spending time outside, a remedy for the white noise that disturbs their peace. “I don’t like to share my personal life…it wouldn’t be personal if I shared it.”

Okay, here we are at magic. Let’s debunk magic (again).  I’ll give you a practical example. I’m not the type of person who has been able to actualize or even truly validate the idea that hard work equals success in my own life. In fact, sometimes the opposite occurs and you’ve seen it, too: you work hard and you’re still passed over for promotion and underpaid. While this specific example didn’t happen to moi exactly, you know the shtick. Feelings of fatigue and futility can and will undermine the best of intentions. A perfectly good, benign, lovely wish for success, love, money, friends morphs into a source of bitterness, consternation.  At worst, our wish turns dark and we become a nightmarish version of our former self.  Now that’s truly witchy or b***** as it may be.
I understand that with any life endeavor we’re attempting, be it love, a new job or honing our psychic abilities we’re all working within a complex melange of belief systems, karma, mystery and divine timing among other strangenesses.  These are givens. Does pounding the pavement with resume in hand, hitting match.com or meditating 24-7 work for everyone? It doesn’t for me. What does work is doing my homework, (deconstructing a belief system about money, or grieving a past relationship for example) aligning my spirit with an intention (”I am ready for a new ____), and whatever I can to open my INNER PSYCHIC SPACE to receive either (a) the desired wish or (b) information on the next step to receiving the desired wish. I just don’t have the energy to run around all over the place when I can ask for what I need directly. And when the spirit tells me to move, I move.

I did one of the love spells in the book Moon Spells (below) to attract a soul mate. Sure, I never know whether the magic “will work” but that’s not the point. I had a blast doing it,  and by adding in my own elements to personalize the type of partner I wanted to attract I got clearer. The point of the spell is not to force anything to come to you - that can be problematic. It’s to encourage the good that is already coming to you, to give a heads up to the Creator that, “hey, I’m ready!” and to give you a sense of participation in the mystery of love and life. There are things we can’t control or necessarily see, but we can always ask for help. I think of a spell like a little prayer. I light my candle, I build a ritual or altar, I name my intention just like every religion in the world does.  ‘Cept my religion is my own heart.So the information and books recommended here are offered in the spirit of making your life a little easier, maybe even more enchanting. Human consciousness doesn’t have to be tied to the “scary” albatross of the salem witch trials, we’re big kids now. (One PBS special exposed the whole witchcraft thing as a case of bad fungus infiltrating the food supply. Whatever. See there were never mean green witches to begin with, only wise women using their Goddess given gifts to encourage healing, goodness, luck, love and discourage disease and suffering.)  We can handle the idea that people will always have wishes and if we the people can’t find a path to express and ask for our wishes from God, Goddess, the Divine, the Source, Allah, or the Big Wow that’s when things get really hairy. 

Here is an awesome astrology bookstore I visited while in London this January.  Isn’t it beautiful??? It was my reward for soldiering through the endless armories of Henry VIII at the Tower of London in high heeled boots. The energy of beheadings was depressing, the day gloomy and ahhh my aching dogs. When we made the spontaneous decision on the Tube to check out the single line listing “The Astrology Shop” who knew? The Brits love, love astrology. The Faculty for Astrological Studies is in London and it’s home of Liz Greene, the diva of psychological astrology among other great astrologers. And what San Franciscan’s book was on the shelf in front of me? My friend Bill Street’s book. The Astrology of Film: The Interface of Movies, Myth, and Archetype

“PRONOIA is a life manual for not just overthrowing the dictator within
(and so without) but more vital than this, a manual for creating an
intelligent, sexy and juicy alternative to the Big Should.” - Jessica Shepherd

That’s my official endorsement, appearing in Rob Brezsny’s book promotion for Pronoia. Why did I say this? OMGoddess! this book gives you permission to end all that unhealthy negative uptight thinking and unleash the wild, compassionate trickster you know in you are in your heart of hearts. (Apparently I can’t talk about this book without waxing lyrical, rowdy and poetic. I think there’s some kind of pro-love anarchy alchemical neurotransmitter thingy happening everytime I pick up Pronoia). The gist is: the world is conspiring to shower you with blessings. Think about it: it’s the ultimate conspiracy theory. The world could be full of drudgery, inhumanity, evil, violence and suck the life right out of you -or- the nastiness could be an invitation to be more JUICY, TRUTHFUL, PLAYFUL and ALIVE. Of all the un-truths Rob could rob from you, your dispirited worldview takes the biggest hit. In a good get all up-in-your-face-radical-on-your-worldview way.

“If you choose to become a practitioner of pronoia, your life will suck. It has to suck. Let me explain. As you cultivate the arts of gathering and bestowing the blessings that the universe is always conspiring to send your way, your life will suck in the best senses of the word. First, your life will suck in the same way that you use a straw to compel a thick milk shake to disobey gravity and squirt your mouth. Metaphorical translation: You’ll work hard to pull toward you the resources you need, perhaps even exterting yourself with a force that goes against the natural flow…” -RB

Read it and be changed.

strong>The Astrology of Self-Discovery by Tracy Marks

Intermediate to Advanced

This is an invaluable book for getting down into the nitty-gritty of your own personal experience with a Saturn, Uranus, Neptune or Pluto transit. Yes, the a-ha! moment everyone has when they first understand the archetype of a planet (ie Saturn as responsibility, self-denial or Neptune as transcendence, necessary losses) is huge one giant leap toward self-understanding. Yet the psychological reality of it is a subtle, daily event that takes your attention and time. How do you deal with that? Enter Tracy Marks. (For you Scorpios who love to probe your psyche, psychological astrology is a field unto itself - you can imagine that it can get real complicated real quick.) Tracy Marks is pretty straightforward, she uses concrete examples, asking the right question, or suggesting the right activity for each big transit.

On Neptune: “Neptune can indeed be highly frustrating, immobilizing and even terrifying. Our grasp upon reality may feel shaky. We may feel paralyzed, unable to make any decisions or act in a forthright manner. Neptune may blind us to our internal feelings and keep us engaged in internal dramas that seem to go nowhere and which have little relevance to our actual circumstances…” She then opens up a number of possibilities tc consider that helps you get clearer. There’s even a “Neptune Worksheet” appropriately titled “Coping with Confusion” and one for each planetary whammy (all lifesavers!). Also notable a very helpful section on Eclipses and Lunar Nodes. Help is good.

The Tarot Handbook: Practical Applications of Ancient Visual Symbols by Angeles Arrien
Thoth Tarot Deck by Aleister Crowley

Intermediate to Advanced

Tarot is an ancient form of divination, just like astrology. Well maybe not just like astrology. Tarot uses cards, astrologers use circular maps of the heavens (and the computers do the math). But the similarities are striking, especially when you’re using a deck that uses the imagery and symbolism of Planets and Astrological Signs, like the Aleister Crowley deck on which this book is based.

I don’t use tarot a quarter of as much as I use astrology, but everytime I do, I pull out this book. Why? Because we speak the same language, astrology. Maybe I should use it more. Here’s a personal antecdote: As I was getting ready for a first date with my now husband, my tarot deck fell off the bookshelf and the Lust/Strength card landed at my feet. Angeles writes: “As the principle of strength, passion and lustre, the Strength/Lust card is representative of the universal myth known as “Beauty and the Beast.” Here is the princess, riding the back of a Leo, the Lion, the astrological sign of creative power. It certainly described my relationship with my Leo husband, who was then my boss and whom I jokingly “tamed” (yes, he admits this). The princess was riding the back of the Lion, posessing “an inherent faith within herself”. This card still gives me the insight and confidence to pet, soothe and challenge my strong Lion with grace and conviction.

The Inner Sky by Steven Forrest
Beginner to Intermediate

The Changing Sky by Steven Forrest
Intermiediate to Advanced

Inspiration. Storytelling. Imagination.

These are the generous gifts Mr. Forrest brings to the world of boring old Astrology books. But he’s no boring Astrologer, he’s an Evolutionary Astrologer. Just like it sounds, the “endpoint” of each life is to evolve into a higher life form. That may mean talking to a few lower life forms first. He names them for us. Cool.

Every chapter of The Inner Sky is a multi-faceted jewel. SF turns a Sun sign, House or Planet one way, then the other, leaving no piece of the journey untouched, unexplored or unfelt. Real life story vignettes pepper each chapter making one tasty, satisfying astrology salad. Yes, you can eat this one. You immediately connect the questions and dysfunctions to your own real life examples. And you begin to feel the astrology rumble in your belly. Of course anything delicious is a combination of simple and complex…you approach the Sun sign simply, but soon realize there’s more to the story of a Taurus than you realized. And so on. The more you read, the more you come to appreciate the amazing potential in this human journey.

So you naturally want to read The Changing Sky for dessert. Your curiosity has moved from “what’s my Moon sign?” to “I’ve got to figure out why I had that breakdown in ‘05 and is it going to happen again?” or “Maybe my boyfriend’s having a Uranus transit, he’s been acting so out of character…” And so on. Now you’ve caught the bug. Which leads you to the next SF series on intimacy and relationships (see below).

Celestial Forecaster 2007, Everyone’s Daily Astrology Guide by Annie Bones

Beginner to Advanced

Another professional astrologer’s dream tool but why aren’t the neophytes using this too??!! If you want a day by day breakdown of the planetary haps written out for you by one very wise woman astrologer Annie Bones, search no further. Annie captures all the nuances of a day, large and small. It can be information overload when there’s so much planetary activity in one day (welcome to the mind of an astrologer). But AB’s style is practical without being pedantic, spiritually generous without going all woo-woo on you.

Astrologer’s Datebok 2007 (Calendar) by Jim Maynard
Beginner to Advanced

You need to plan a business meeting, so what day should you choose? A day when Moon’s in Capricorn and/or Saturn makes a harmonious aspect to Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars. Is there a book that will tell you this? Yes, this is it. It’s the most elemental tool for anyone who likes to go with the flow instead of push, and yet not many people use this. Why oh why not? I don’t know. It’s so simple to use. There’s a handy Moon through the Signs, Aspects, Planets and Moon Phases guide in the front. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to piece things together, just your willingness to get curious and observe what goes down on any given day. Even my sister (who’s not an astrologer) uses this. Granted, she is a Gemini!

Note: These are specific to the time zone you live in so be careful to order the right one.

Astrology for Yourself by Douglas Bloch and Demetra George

Beginner

This was my very first astrology book (thanks, dad!). It’s a workbook you use on your own birthchart. There’s just no better way to learn about astrology than doing hands on workbook exercises on your favorite subject - you!  How hard it is looking back and forth from your chart to a book that doesn’t ask you to participate. This is not that book. Astrology is interactive, learning is interactive. The very cool thing about this book (especially for people who get overwhelmed by numbers and math) is that it doesn’t intimidate beginners with calculations and degrees. There are no calculations required. Ah, an intuitives dream!

Planets in Transit : Life Cycles for Living
by Rob Hand

Another must have for the intermediate to advanced astrology library. Every, read EVERY modern astrologer has this book. No one has ever compiled such a complete, psychologically oriented source for what’s happening when Pluto opposes your Sun, or Mars trines your Saturn. Many astrology websites you regularly use base the information they give you directly from this book. That’s no secret.

Making the Gods Work For You by Carolyn Casey
Beginner to Intermediate Level

This is the one book that lifted my astrology off of the page and into the realm of magic. It does just what the title promises. Let’s get one thing straight about magic: it is not witchcraft, it’s cooperation. Cooperation. Not coercion, manipulation or black magic. What you resist, persists, plain and simple. What you don’t know you’re resisting also persists. You begin cooperating with the Gods, God, Goddess, Angels, Your Destiny when you understand what’s being asked of you. For example, when you want a relationship, what do you want? Sweetness, beauty, a sense of worth, being loved. So why not perpetuate those same qualities in your self and your environment? You put on makeup, you treat everyone as though they’re worthy and wonderful. That’s magic. You do it everyday
This book is a wonderful primer for the planets. Suggested magic comes in the form of rituals from different cultures and traditions that Carolyn personally occasioned. Fabulous!!!

You say Neptune is hanging around your Venus, what do you do about THAT? Well, you read this book.

Suri Cruise: 18 April 2006

What can we say about the little baby daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes that hasn’t been said before? She’s dark haired, blue eyed and has beautiful parents. But just from knowing her Sun sign, we offer Katie and Tom some helpful advice about little Suri. She may look small and helpless now, but deep down she’s a tough independent spirit who won’t be afraid to let you know if she disagrees with you. Early on this may come out in red-faced crying fits, but when she reaches her terrible twos she’ll be cutting her teeth on all the freedom she can’t wait to taste. Certainly she’ll be bubbly and joyful (we rarely meet an Aries who doesn’t have a cheery disposition) likely surprising you both when she pulls a few devilish tricks out of her bonnet. But perhaps you already knew this about sweet Suri, whose name means “princess” in Hebrew, and in Persian, “red rose” - the flower of Aries.

Secrets From a Stargazer’s Notebook
by Debbi Kempton-Smith

“For those who don’t have all day to figure out tomorrow…”
You want to learn astrology, soup to nuts but you need to be entertained.  Ms. Smith keeps her promise. She’s also a respected astrologer who runs a daily column in the U.K. and has been around for awhile (this was published in the early 80’s). The chapters are short and sweet. They’re concise and quite accurate. Sometimes her own humor doeth runneth away and the deeper meaning of the symbols get lost in her funny gal style. But that’s okay too because it doesn’t lead you too far astray. I pick up this book to tickle my funny bone. Look to the “Astrology and Daily Living” sections on gifts, food, health, wealth and her complete list of keywords for astrological houses.