3/4/2019 0 Comments Creation from confusion: Pisces season gets murky with this week’s Mercury retrograde and New Moon (by Liz Worth)The first Mercury retrograde of 2019 begins this week, Tuesday, March 5, at 1:19pm EST, in the sign of Pisces. Mercury has already been in Pisces since February 10. Because of this month’s retrograde, Mercury will stay in this sign until April 17. Typically, Mercury only spends a couple weeks in each sign. To have Mercury – such a cerebral planet – swimming in the intuitive oceans of Pisces for such an extended period of time is going to be, well, interesting to say the least. Mercury doesn’t always function very well in Pisces. It’s not that it wreaks havoc, but it can make things a bit fuzzy, confused. Pisces energy can be dreamy, spacey. It is creative as hell, but not always grounded enough to harness its inspiration. Mercury is all about connecting the dots and getting a message across. With Mercury in Pisces, life can start to feel like a big game of broken telephone. Misunderstandings arise and messages get mixed up. We can be a little more forgetful, and a little less focused on the task at hand. Since February 10, some people might have felt like they were already under the influence of Mercury retrograde. The first week that Mercury entered Pisces, I forgot my wallet, lost the plot of the novel I’m writing (it has since come back, thankfully), and kept misplacing my sunglasses which were in my pocket the whole time (of course). But Mercury in Pisces can also be beautiful, creative, and inspiring. Since February 10, our minds have been under the influence of the higher realms. Pisces is poetry, transcendence, and dream worlds. It is non-linear concepts and spiritual epiphanies. It is about feeling your way through something to avoid over-thinking it. This hasn’t been a time to put pressure on yourself to run the tightest ship, or force yourself to do all of the things you “should” be doing. This has been a time to open your creative channels. To let yourself find new sources of inspiration, or deepen a spiritual path. We often talk about Mercury’s rulership over communication, technology, and travel, but we mustn’t forget that Mercury also rules divination – another form of communication. Mercury and Pisces is an invitation to tune into your intuition. To be your own oracle. To speak from the heart rather than the head. During this retrograde period, allow yourself the time and space to reflect on your gut instinct. If you feel creatively stifled, or spiritually stuck, the next few weeks might highlight what needs to change so that you can find more flow. Will this retrograde be an easy one? That always depends on our individual experiences. I would say to broaden your leeway with schedules and expectations, for others and for yourself. People’s heads are under water right now, and we might not be communicating as clearly or gracefully as we might like. On Wednesday, March 6, the New Moon in Pisces arrives. New moons help us to create space in our lives. They are points of activation for new energies and intentions to enter our hearts. This New Moon is conjunct Neptune, which gives it an added potency for intuitive hits. Ask yourself:
Sit with yourself during this New Moon. With Mercury retrograde, it can be a powerful time to rest and reflect rather than act upon anything right away. Listen, and wait. Let yourself sit with the truths that reveal themselves to you. Usually, these truths are nothing surprising. You already know what you need, but this is the time to commit to giving it to yourself.
And if you'd like to make the Moon’s energies and cycles a bigger part of your path, I invite you to join me in my upcoming Moon Magick program. This is a six-week online course that starts on Monday, March 11. Details and registration can be found at lizworth.com/moon Happy New Moon! Until next time, Liz xo
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This Friday, March 1, Venus, the planet of love, desire, and beauty, enters Aquarius, the sign of rebellion, future dreams, and idealistic visions. Aquarius is always an interesting place for Venus. Venus helps us to relate, but Aquarius can have an emotional chill to it. That doesn’t mean it’s not a nice sign – it is highly social and compassionate – but it expresses itself differently. Aquarius doesn’t always need to emote in the same way that some of the other signs do, like watery Pisces or passionate Leo. Some signs are wired to connect through deep feelings and intense conversations, and others are made to relate through ideas, notions, and actions – like Aquarius. Aquarius also gravitates towards the unconventional. It doesn’t care what anyone else thinks, which is also why it can come across as detached. Aquarius is drawn to people and concepts that are different, eccentric, or unusual. And so when Venus enters Aquarius, we are given the opportunity to open to new, personal experiences. To try on a different style, whether it’s through the clothes we’re wearing or the art we’re creating. Try out a new hobby, especially if it’s creative. Venus in Aquarius can be inventive, experimental, and avant-garde – perfect for exploring new artistic practices, whether you are creating them or supporting them. It’s also an opportunity to open to new ways of relating. It can be an interesting time to seek new connections, new social encounters, or, if you’re dating, to give someone a chance that isn’t your usual type. Venus in Aquarius might also help us to see whether there are any old relationship habits, patterns, or beliefs that are keeping us stuck. Late last week, on Friday, February 22, Venus conjunct Pluto, which may have stirred up some realizations around relationship attachments, dependencies, or power struggles that are not serving you any longer.
Today, the Sun enters Pisces, the sign of transcendence. This is the twelfth sign of the zodiac, the final curve of the wheel before we begin again at Aries. It can be a challenge to stay grounded during Pisces season, despite all the beauty that can unfold. It’s the second week in a row that I’ve pulled a card from the suit of pentacles for these messages. The pentacles are earth energy. They are grounded, practical, stable, secure. They ask us to look down at our feet so that we can see what we have planted ourselves upon. In spiritual discussions, especially of the esoteric nature, “groundedness” comes up a lot. But what does it really mean? While I don’t think there is ever one single, simple definition for how to be, or how to approach an idea or philosophy, I can tell you what my experience has been in defining groundedness thus far: Sometimes, when we are on spiritual paths, we can get really caught up the transcendence of it all. We want to connect to our intuition, our “higher selves,” to Spirit, to God, Goddess, to astrology, tarot, our ancestors…all kinds of possibilities begin to open up. And it can become so tempting to focus all of our energy and attention on the magic and mystery of spiritual realms. But the work of it all still needs to be done in the here and now. And of course, we can’t direct all of our energy into one area to the point where other things get neglected, like our physical bodies, our routines, or responsibilities. To me, groundedness is about staying practical and present, no matter what new horizons you are exploring. It is about checking in with yourself: “What do I need to get done today? What can’t wait until tomorrow? What do I know I need to feel calm, clear, and centred throughout the day?” The answers to those questions won’t all be about prayer, meditation, or divination. Sure, those things can be part of a daily practice or routine, but the rest of it will likely centre around the basics: Food, water, getting to work or school on time, paying that bill that’s waiting to be opened, or taking care of chores, kids, cats, dogs…you get the idea. Groundedness is about remembering that when we take care of ourselves and our daily lives, that we are still engaging in spiritual work. We are here for a reason, and it’s important that we care for the life that is in front of us. Sometimes, that means making time to run errands, or decluttering that junk drawer you’ve been meaning to tackle for the last six months.
These are the questions to explore in the month ahead. Tomorrow, on Tuesday, February 19, we welcome the Leo Full Moon. This lunation may add to the intensity that Pisces season stir up. This is a blend of fire and water, which creates steam. It may be a little harder to focus through this Full Moon, as we might be caught in its haze, but there can be beautiful hits of inspiration through it all. If you set any intentions with the Leo New Moon six months ago, check in to see how they are coming along. And if you are craving a deeper connection with your self-expression or artistic side, take some time this week to let yourself open to that energy: “I open to my creative potential.” Here’s a tarot spread to help you connect with this week’s Full Moon: 1. What can be a source of inspiration for me at this time? 2. Where has my personal power become stronger over the last six months? 3. What step can I take to explore that power further? 4. How can I express myself moving forward? Until next time, Liz xo
We welcome a new lunar cycle at 4:04pm today with the Aquarius New Moon. Here in the northern hemisphere, there are about six weeks until spring arrives. Last week, I talked about Imbolc, which just arrived on Saturday, February 2, another important energetic threshold we are moving through right now. The energy of Imbolc foreshadows our spring season. What we focus on within our intentions, paths, and plans can be indications of what is ready to grow for us in the warmer months. Earlier this year, I kept hearing a message being repeated through various conversations: If you have a desire, there is a reason for that desire. It’s up to you to follow it to find out why. I like this idea. While I do believe it is important to move towards the things we want, I think it’s also important to remain unattached from a specific outcome. What we sometimes envision for ourselves does not always appear exactly as we expect when we get it – but the forms our dreams take may be the exactly what we need to be working with. With the Aquarius New Moon arriving just days after the potency of Imbolc, it can feel especially important now to envision your future. Or, to listen for what your future is pulling you towards. Sometimes, we don’t always know what direction to take ourselves in next. Even when we know we need a change, it’s not always obvious how or where to begin. When I do readings for people who are in those in-between times, unsure of what to do next, I often hear that they are overwhelmed with the idea that they have to have it all figured out before they can take a single step in any one direction: “Who am I? What do I like? What do I want? What if I choose the wrong thing?” But changes are not always tests. It’s not always a question of being right or wrong, or coming at it from an either / or mentality. Often, changes occur because you are actually about getting closer to who you really are – you just can’t see it yet. The process of peeling back a layer of your old life can feel radical, uncomfortable, and uncertain. Why? Because the world doesn’t let us foster our true nature. So many of us spend our whole lives working our way back to the beginning, back to ourselves. Every relationship, job, hobby, mistake, joy, and transition we move through is an opportunity to call back our spirits. Sometimes, it’s important to remember that making a change doesn’t have to be approached as a massive overhaul. Sometimes, people fear change because they thing that it is somehow going to introduce chaos into their lives. They worry about spinning out of control, and so instead, they choose not to do anything at all. Sometimes we have to pull ourselves back from the “what ifs” and do a gut-check on what a decision or vision stirs up: Does it feel right, necessary, healthy, helpful, obvious?
“I am breaking free.” If you would like to connect with the energies of this New Moon and upcoming lunar cycles, I invite you to work with my New Moon Meditations to support your intentions. You can also book a reading with me for one-on-one insights into your current path. And for anyone who wants to work with the energies of this New Moon in Aquarius through tarot on their own, here is a spread you can try: 1. What does my future self want me to focus on today? 2. What can I start once I find that focus? 3. What change must I make at this time? 4. Who am I becoming as a result? Until next time, Liz x
If you were challenged to find some groundedness a couple weeks ago when Jupiter squared Neptune, take heart: This Thursday, January 31, you can find some new footing with Saturn sextile Neptune. Saturn asks us to do the work. It helps us to find our sense of duty in the world and rewards those who put in the effort. With Saturn sextile Neptune, we can all make progress within our spiritual paths and spiritual work. For anyone who has a spiritually-based business, or performs acts of service or healing, this can be an auspicious time. Especially if you have been challenged by blurred boundaries, demanding clients, or unrealistic expectations. In this world where we are taught that the “customer is always right,” it’s very difficult to know where that rule begins and ends. From a consumer side of things, many people have confused the message with thinking that they can buy their way to rudeness. And when companies of all sizes are willing to accommodate anything less than respect towards their staff, it can give people a serious superiority complex. They start to think they can get away with anything they want, and that every demand should be met. But if you’ve ever been on the receiving end of such behaviours (and so many of us have), you know that realistically, everyone has their limits. We can only do so much. We can only say “yes” so many times before we run out of time and energy to commit to it all. We can only give if we are taking time to refill our own reserves. This week gives each of us the chance to see where our acts of service – whether they are personal, or professional – are coming from a sustainable place. If not, take some time this week to firm up your boundaries, look at what you are ready to stop doing, and let yourself say no where it’s necessary. This is also a great time to map out any spiritual goals for yourself at this time. If you want to deepen your devotion to an existing practice, explore a new path, or connect with your deities or guides for their support with a special plan, set some time aside this week to reflect on those dreams. On Saturday, February 2, we welcome Imbolc. This is the halfway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox.
“My acts of service are stronger when I sustain myself.” Until next time, Liz xo
The Sun entered Aquarius yesterday, Sunday, January 20. As we come out of Capricorn season, which is a time when many of us become extra focused on goals or plans for the year-ahead, it’s important to take a moment to breathe. Acknowledge the shift out of earth energy and into air, where we are encouraged to look up from our work and day dream a little bit more.
Aquarius is an energetic opportunity to make your own fun, especially if you aren’t feeling very energized right now. It is also a reminder that spring really is just around the corner; Imbolc, which is celebrated on February 2, is a time when we can begin to hold the seeds of what we want to plant come springtime. Aquarius’ future-oriented energy allows us to transcend the everyday experience and begin to envision all of our plans coming to fruition. As you allow yourself to reflect on what those plans may be, take a moment to connect with today’s Full Moon in Leo and lunar eclipse. This lunar eclipse is the final chapter in the story of the Leo-Aquarius eclipse cycle that began in 2016. As full moons can act as culmination points, it might be a nice time to reflect back on what emerged for you over the last few years in regards to what you are creating, how you are being seen, and your relationship with recognition. Eclipses can act as catalysts that introduce change into our lives, but the effects are not always immediately obvious. Remember that change can come in the smallest forms. A song you hear might spark some inspiration, or a comment someone makes might get you thinking about something that sends you down a whole new path. Likewise, the feelings that get stirred can be signs, too. Like the resentment that builds when a colleague takes credit for your idea, or the envy you feel when someone has something you really want. Ask yourself how you can be motivated by the tough stuff. Explore what’s keeping you from getting what you want, or get inspired to work harder towards a special goal. Look at the story you have been living and how it affects your ability to shine, connect, and create. Look for all the ways you’ve been motivated in recent years and consider those influences treasures you can mine in the year to come. If it helps, here is an intention you can work with throughout the week: “I am ready to be the star in my own story.” And if you would like to connect with this week’s Leo Full Moon and lunar eclipse, here is a tarot spread you can try at home: 1. What story did the Leo-Aquarius eclipse series open for me? 2. What final chapter can I take from today’s Full Moon in Leo? 3. What is ready to change through this lunar eclipse? 4. What am I ready to step into this year? Until next time, Liz xo
1/14/2019 0 Comments Jupiter square Neptune: Reality check or a test of faith? A look at the energy of the week ahead.A major astrological transit to watch this year is Jupiter square Neptune, which was exact yesterday, Sunday, January 13. What does this mean, exactly? Jupiter is hopeful, optimistic, expansive. It helps us to have faith in overcoming barriers. It helps us to connect with our higher selves in order to grow. Neptune is dreamy, spiritual, and deep. It helps us to connect to the divine and to channel new creative visions. It is the ruler of poetry, dreams, magic, and illusion. Both planets are at home right now: Jupiter is in Sagittarius, Neptune in Pisces. They are at their most powerful, but potency doesn’t necessarily bring blessings across the board. Jupiter in Sagittarius can struggle to see – or acknowledge – its limitations. It wants to move forward with the hope that everything will work out just fine. Neptune’s influence can be confusing. This planet dissolves boundaries, which can be a good thing if that’s what you need. The problematic side of it is that Neptune can make it hard for us to know what’s real, and what’s just an illusion. Delusion and misperception can become big issues when Jupiter and Neptune square off, which they will do in January, June and September. These are times to be extra-careful with big plans and promises. By all means think big – Jupiter in Sagittarius can certainly help with that – but back your sh*t up, especially if you are making commitments you’re not sure you can keep. Otherwise, it can be all too easy to be blindsided by reality this year to the point where you might have to go back on your word. Similarly, this also applies to opportunities that may be coming our way that seem too good to be true. If someone is making you promises that you’re not sure they can deliver on, listen to your gut. Even though it may be a little harder to hear that inner voice right now, it’s still important to listen. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should turn yourself away from all the good things in life now and throughout the year. Just be aware that we can all be a bit more naïve these days, and that our faith in something, or someone (including ourselves) may be tested along the way. Spiritual growth can accelerate now, too, though again, we have to be careful to stay grounded on any spiritual path as well. By all means dive deep into a practice, but remember that Neptune can have escapist tendencies. It’s easy to lose touch with reality when we go too far in any one direction, and false gurus and guides can come out of the woodwork throughout the year. Choose your temples and teachers wisely. And be careful that you’re not pushing yourself to become an expert too soon, either. There’s a big trend right now in spiritual and divinatory practices for people to learn fast and try to start a business right away.
If it helps, here is an intention to take with you throughout the week: “I intend to move forward with anchored, grounded focus. I intend to keep my heart and mind clear of any unnecessary confusion.” Until next time, Liz xo
After a five-month retrograde period, Uranus stationed direct yesterday, Sunday, January 6. Last May, Uranus – the planet of innovation, rebellion, and evolution – entered Taurus for the first time since 1942. During its retrograde period, it slipped back into Aries, where it was from 2011 until 2018 when it began its transit through Taurus. Because Uranus spends about seven years in a sign, it can herald new eras within our collective experiences. It is a generational planet that colours longer-term themes, inventions, beliefs, and politics. But like anything in the collective, Uranus’ energies also affect our personal consciousness. Uranus’ entry into Taurus is a significant shift to pay attention to. It marks a turning point in our world when it comes to our relationships with work, money, the body, and more. (Here’s a deeper discussion into Uranus in Taurus if you want to learn more.) In Aries, Uranus can be intensely creative and pioneering, but like anything else, those energies have to be used to wisely. Uranus in Aries can also give way to individual extremism and a culture that forgets how to balance differing viewpoints. Whatever happens with Uranus in Taurus, Uranus in Aries has been paving the way towards it. During Uranus’ retrograde in Aries, you may have had another chance to revisit a theme that emerged for you from 2011 to 2018. If you need to do a bit more work on your personal freedoms and independence, Uranus may put the pressure on to work through any challenges with authority, or with commitments that were not allowing you to evolve to new potentials. This planet will continue to travel through Aries until March 6, when it re-enters Taurus. How can you expand your own horizons with the energy of this time? Today, Venus enters Sagittarius, where she will stay until February 3. The planet of desire in freedom-seeking Sag encourages us to find inspiration through our connections with the world around us.
If it helps, here is an intention to take with you throughout the week: “I am consciously creating my reality.” Until next time, Liz xo p.s. Are you interested in using more astrology in your everyday life this year? Join me Monday, January 21 for a talk about the astrology of 2019 at the Inner Arts Collective. Visit lizworth.com/events to register. Want to book a private tarot or astrology reading with me instead? You can do that here: lizworth.com/readings
Happy New Year. We will enter 2019 with a lot of energy. Mars enters Aries today at 9:20pm. Mars is at home in Aries. This is a driven, determined planet. It can bring on a lot of action and inspiration, though we all will have to be careful about its impulsive shadows and potential for outbursts. Tempers can quickly flare up. It can be easy to jump to conclusions, or assume you have all the answers prematurely. And yet if you work to harness this energy, Mars in Aries can be an amazing start to a new year. While I believe that we can set intentions and resolutions at any time of the year, the first week of 2019 can hold particularly potency when it comes to getting clear about where you are being held back, and what you are ready to accomplish instead. For anyone who is craving progress, creativity, or change, this can be a great week to make a fresh start. On Friday, January 4, Mercury enters Capricorn. If you feel like the energy of Mars in Aries is too much, amping your adrenaline, scattering your ideas, and messing with your focus, just wait: Mercury in Capricorn will help to turn your thoughts into things.
The energy this week can help you bring the structure and momentum you need to start building a new foundation for what 2019 can become. On Saturday, January 5, we welcome the New Moon in Capricorn at 8:28pm. I love that the New Moon arrives so closely to the first day of the year, as it allows us to really align any fresh intentions with the Moon’s new cycle.
Thank you for being here. Happy New Year! Talk to you in 2019. Until next time, Liz xo
Sagittarius season is winding down. This Friday, December 21, the Sun enters Capricorn. I always find it difficult to connect with the natural energies at this time of year, even though I always feel so called to Capricorn season. Yet there can be so much pressure with the holidays coming up that it can be difficult to get much downtime. People are rushing from party to party, store to store. And I feel guilty saying no. And also, I want to say yes. Friends who have moved away come home at Christmas. There seems to be an extra effort on everyone’s part to get together, catch up, and enjoy the moment. And yet I am a walking contradiction these days. I always feel a strong pull to go inward at this time of year. Which is why I wish it was a bit easier to get into sync with the natural energies, rather than feel pulled against the grain by all the rushing around that can happens now. One of my favourite memories about the Winter Solstice, or Yule, goes back to when I was in college. I was off on break, and staying at my parents’ house. It was chilly outside, and my parents were in the basement, watching TV. I was laying across the living room floor, with a book and a glass of wine, and it was absolutely perfect. I even remember what I was reading: Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood. Later, the snow started to fall, and I stayed up late writing poetry in my journal. Poems that, several years later, became a book. Why am I talking about this? Why does it matter? Because to me, this the ideal thing to do at the Winter Solstice. It is when the wheel turns once again and we enter into a season of solitude and hibernation. It’s within those quieter times that we incubate ideas for what’s to come. It’s in making space for silence that we can hear our own voices again. We can gather inspiration from the books we read. We can heal through a quiet, warm night. Perhaps with a hot bath, or some time spent journaling. We get back to our thoughts, where we find our true plans and paths. We can enter into dialogue with ourselves, and our spirits, and ask: What has this year meant? And what will I need to do with this new year ahead of me? It can be challenging to map out the architecture of one’s life without uninterrupted time to do so. And sometimes, I feel I need those deeper, longer chunks of time to do that. I need days where I’m not obligated to be anywhere. I need days where I don’t have to pay attention to what time it is. I need to time and space to think for myself, and to do what I feel naturally drawn towards, rather than what I feel obligated to do. It’s not always possible to carve out these times for ourselves. Maybe that’s why I have such a vivid memory of a time when I felt I got it right. Last year, at this time, I was helping my mother move, as she is not at a time in her life where she can manage these things herself. As she gets older, her independence suffers. Moving another person – arranging their things, their lease agreements, their address changes – might actually be more work than moving yourself. (Who thought that was even possible, right?) Sometimes, life will demand more of us, and we need to respond. But during the times when we are able to hide away, to get lost in a book or to sit in our own sacred spaces, even just for a short while, I think it’s important to take advantage of that. The Winter Solstice reminds us that we are entering into a full season of space. And so my hope is that you are able to get a little bit of silence for yourself sometime soon, if that’s what you need right now.
On Saturday, December 22, we welcome the Full Moon in Cancer, a time where your deepest needs can come to light. It feels so magical to have this Full Moon arrive so close to the Winter Solstice. What a beautiful way to bring your feelings to the surface and see which of your intentions are coming full circle at this time. This Full Moon will connect back to the Cancer New Moon earlier this summer, so if you set any dreams into motion then you might want to see how they are developing. Because this is a deep, watery Moon, emotions can run high, so if you feel a little tender, or if you notice those around you are having stronger reactions than usual, take care. Remember to be careful with yourself, and those you love. Especially if you are celebrating the holidays at this time, too. The air can have an extra charge to it already, and when you throw a Full Moon in the mix it all goes up to a whole other level. If it helps, here is an intention to take with you throughout the week: I open to the silence within and trust in its gifts. And if you’d like to connect with this week’s Full Moon in Cancer, here is a tarot spread you can try at home:
Until next time, Liz xo
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