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
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Good sleep can be hard to come by for many people. For some, falling asleep can take hours because they just can’t turn off their brain; for others, staying asleep is the problem. There are many factors that can contribute to a sleepless night and many different ways that a lack of rest can affect you, both mentally and physically. Many people are unaware of just how much sleep deprivation can take from them and what those effects can do over time. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to help yourself get better rest. Creating a sleep routine that you can stick with is a great start; it might include changing your diet, getting daily exercise, or making lifestyle changes that will help you relax and reduce stress or anxiety. The way you feel can have a huge effect on your ability to unwind at the end of the day, turning your rest habits and your mental health status into a cyclical pattern. Keep reading for tips on how to get better sleep for the sake of your mind and body.
Getting the right amount of sleep can be tricky, especially if you’re a busy professional or if you have existing health issues. Talk to your doctor about the best ways to get rest if you’re still having trouble after making some changes, and keep him informed on your lifestyle so he can help guide you down the best path for incredible sleep. Sheila Olsen
Sheila Olson has been a personal trainer for five years. She believes the best way to achieve physical fitness and good health is to set and tackle small goals. She encourages her clients to stay positive and incorporates mindfulness and practices for reducing negative talk into her sessions. She created FitSheila.com to spread the word about her fitness philosophy. 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
12/10/2018 0 Comments Weekly Forecast for December 10th
Following energies and omens always requires balance and discernment for each of us on an individual basis. We all need to decide what applies to us, and how relate these things to our own experiences – or not. I never want to share these messages in a way that sounds flippant or naïve. I never want to bypass the full spectrum of life itself. Instead, I believe that the more we accept and acknowledge that there is chaos in the world, the more conscious we become of ways to make space for the good. Ignoring the challenges doesn’t make them go away. And sometimes, when I see the Sun card, I take it as a reminder to enjoy the little things in life, but to also be careful not to become blinded by the light to the point where I can no longer see the truth. Earlier this year, I met with one of my spiritual teachers. She told me she committed to her spiritual path seventeen years ago as a way to help eliminate chaos in the world. She teaches and counsels, hoping to reach just one person at a time. The basis of her teachings is simple:
I have thought a lot about these ideas lately. Especially as we wind down 2018 and start to look ahead to a fresh calendar year. There have been so many terrible things happening in the world lately. And yes, I know that we can say is true throughout all of history, but this is our moment, our time, and still, we wonder:
And then I think how overwhelming those questions can be, and so I take myself back to the messages of my teacher: That we can work against chaos through patience and kindness. By coming through for each other by… …holding the elevator door for someone else (even if you’re in a hurry)… …wishing someone well with their success (even when you’re struggling to make it)… …making time to see a friend who might really need a night out (even though your to-do list is piling up). This week, the Moon is waxing, and so our emotional energies can grow, too. What might you make space for in your heart right now? Where might you ask someone else to make space for you? And when Mercury enters fiery Sagittarius again this Wednesday, December 12, where might you be asked to apply these ideas further? Mercury in Sagittarius can cause people to react quicker than they should. It may be more challenging to practice patience right now, but when that challenge arises, it’s a notice from the universe to be more careful than usual. The energies of the week ahead ask: Where can you transform any collective rage, anger, or resentment and counteract it with a joyful, simple, generous act? Until next time, Liz xo
If you’ve been caught up in the current Mercury retrograde period, you can breathe a sigh of relief: Mercury goes direct this Thursday, December 6. There are always multiple factors that influence us at any given time. Astrologically, there can be many other planets that are working on your side. For example, Jupiter entered its home of Sagittarius in early November, which can help bring blessings and ease into your life. How we choose to move through the world has an influence on what we experience, too. Some people blame Mercury retrograde for delays and disorganization, but if someone chronically struggles with time management, then they also need to look at how their own actions have factored into any snafus they’ve experienced during Mercury retrograde. In other words: We can use astrology to become more aware of the themes, energies, and potentials that are available to us. But it shouldn’t be used as a crutch or an excuse. We each have to know the world we are navigating. Infrastructure, politics, and socioeconomic circumstances can have just as much of an impact on your personal experiences as astrology will. The key is in remembering that we are operating as part of a whole, and to look for ways to find solutions to the obstacles we run up against. This Mercury retrograde has brought a special focus on worldview, perspective, mindset, and truth. It started in the sign of Sagittarius on November 16 and slipped back into truth-teller Scorpio on December 1. In Sagittarius, Mercury retrograde forces us to connect to our personal beliefs and philosophies – the things we consider to be true. Here, you might have had the cover lifted off of something you felt was real, or right. These past few weeks might have revealed new layers to your personality, or new perspectives that shifted your world. It can be uncomfortable experience when you start to see something for what it is – especially when you thought you already had it figured out. Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius reminds us, too, that no one has all the answers. Which can be another source of pain for those who had a moment of humility these past few weeks. But not to worry: If you had to retrace your steps, apologize, or take back something you said, you are doing the work this retrograde is asking of you. It’s also part of the personal expansion that the universe is offering each of us right now. Growth can come by allowing ourselves to see that we can’t always be right. And it can come by allowing for new ideas, opinions, and angles to open our minds, especially if they have become too narrow in some of their views. With Mercury now in transformative, cleansing Scorpio, you have the opportunity to shed an old belief until December 12, when Mercury enters Sagittarius again.
Sagittarius is a big energy, and so its questions and intentions will match its infinite potential. It is idealistic, visionary, and expansive, and so it asks you to allow your imagination to see grater possibilities for the future. If you’d like to connect with this New Moon in Sagittarius on Friday, December 7, here is a tarot spread to help:
Until next time, Liz xo
Scorpio season is winding down this week. On Thursday, November 22, the Sun enters bright, energetic Sagittarius at 4:01am EST. Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter. Under this influence, our focus can shift to big plans and bigger dreams. The Sun will be conjunct Jupiter, helping to enhance this benevolent energy. The mood can be uplifting, optimistic, and promising. (The Sun, Mercury, and Jupiter all join up early next week, so this energy will continue to build in the days to come. Enjoy it.) Sagittarius is a marked shift from Scorpio, which helps us to transition into this late fall season. Scorpio has been helping us to see how the year has shaped us, and what we are ready to shapeshift into during the colder winter months. I always find Sagittarius season to be busy, but for me, the busyness is always more focused on play rather than productivity. When we are back in the element of fire, we can feel inspired to get moving in some way. For some, that might mean moving from one plan to the next. For others, it might mean moving through an exciting new creative period – especially if the muse was on hiatus during the recent Venus retrograde. (And yes, Mercury is retrograde in Sagittarius right now, though I find Mercury retrograde periods to be highly fruitful for new ideas – it’s as though Mercury is casting a wide net into the ether and catching all kinds of bright new possibilities that you can work on down the road.) On Friday, November 23, the Gemini Full Moon arrives at 12:39am EST. Full moons can help us to birth new understandings, concepts, or projects, or to bring things to completion. In Gemini, this Full Moon can help you to tap into questions and intentions about how you use your voice: What do you have to say, and are your words being heard? This can be a powerful time for writers, public speakers, educators, and other communicators. But then, aren’t we all communicators by nature? Pay attention to communication and connection at this time, as well as things you may be learning, or hoping to master. This Full Moon will connect back to the Gemini New Moon we had six months ago in the late spring, so if you set intentions then, check in on them to see how they’re doing. Personally, I love Gemini moons. I find they act as creative channels, once again helping to tap into some fresh ideas and perspective. If you are in need of a creative breakthrough, or have something important to figure out, set some intentions this week to have this Friday’s Moon help shed some light on it for you.
Whatever is happening for you at this time, the week ahead asks you to stay in tune with the magic that you can create, in whatever form it may take: “I surrender to the power that resides within.” And if you’d like to connect with this Friday’s Full Moon, here is a tarot spread to help: 1. What has been hibernating within me for the past six months? 2. What truth am I ready to share with the world? 3. How can I amplify my voice? 4. What is my imagination trying to tell me?
11/12/2018 0 Comments One retrograde ends, another begins: Lets talk Mercury and Venus! (by Liz Worth)Venus retrograde began back on October 5 in the sign of Scorpio. The planet of love, beauty, and art has since slipped back into Libra. These past six weeks may have stirred something up for you on a personal level. Venus retrograde can be a time to reconnect with your values and needs. Throughout the process, you get to check in with what’s most important to you and see how much space those priorities actually get in your life. Sometimes, we end up surprised by what we learn about ourselves in the process. Who or what we love doesn’t always get as much attention as it needs. Who or what we love doesn’t always give back as much as we’d like it to. Sometimes, that’s okay. Sacrifice and compromise can be necessary, and sometimes that’s all we can manage. But other times, we realize that we can change things up. Or that we need to. People end up making some big decisions during Venus retrograde.
Venus retrograde can be an uncomfortable time because the things that make us comfortable don’t always flow as easily. Venus is a creative muse, and our sources of inspiration can feel tired, our motivation lacking. But retrogrades are meant to be periods of rest, and also times when new ideas emerge – though they may not feel ready to be acted upon yet. As Venus has travelled through Scorpio and Libra with this retrograde, we have been asked to look at our inner worlds as much as our interpersonal ones. Scorpio is introverted and private, but Libra likes to be paired up. This has been a journey that has started from the inside out, reaching into the depths of the soul and psyche and extending itself to our closest relationships. On Friday, November 16, Venus stations direct at 5:51am EST. What has been under construction, or on hold, for your personal and creative life will start to flow again soon. It may have a slightly new road map to follow than before, but it will serve you well in your next chapter. Retrogrades help us to make the changes we need, or take the breaks our hearts and bodies demand – even if it doesn’t always feel easy at the time. Which brings us to Mercury: The messenger planet begins its final retrograde period of 2018 this week, too, at 8:33pm EST. Mercury retrograde begins in Sagittarius. Mercury rules our thoughts, and when it’s in Sagittarius, we can find ourselves daydreaming about big plans, far off places, and new ideas or projects to explore. Sagittarius doesn’t like to be confined, so it can bring a sense of wanderlust and a need for intellectual, spiritual, or philosophical stimulation. You might it harder to focus on the here and now once this retrograde kicks in. But you might also struggle to feel as connected to a big dream or special plan at the moment. Don’t quit on something if pessimism creeps in. It may just be the universe telling you to ease up on yourself a bit. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself right now to have everything little detail figured out.
Until next time, Liz xo Liz Worth
As we start a new week, you may be asking yourself questions similar to these. Jupiter, the planet of expansion and growth, the planet that opens doors and pathways, has spent the last year in Scorpio. Scorpio’s lair is a place of shadow and mystery, secrets and depth. Throughout this time, we have seen assumptions and judgements around sexuality and gender being called out – and necessarily so. We have seen shame being challenged, and abuses of power being not only questioned, but brought into public light. This is the power of Jupiter in Scorpio – an exploration into things that were once hidden and are now being opened wide. And this is just one facet of Jupiter in Scorpio, and just one influence our universe has us under at the moment. Jupiter in Scorpio has also helped many of us to excavate our own mysteries. It has been a powerful year for intuitive exploration. There has been an unmistakable trend towards tarot, astrology, witchcraft, and other spiritual and divinatory practices, not just throughout this last year, but several now. Jupiter in Scorpio, however, has helped to open the way even further within that realm. Scorpio doesn’t shy away from the esoteric as these are all paths to personal power, something that this energy constantly seeks. And so when I ask the questions above, I do so out of reflection on some of the transformational energy that Jupiter in Scorpio has offered throughout this past year. Perhaps you tapped into a hidden talent, or reconnected with an old dream you thought you’d lost. Perhaps you took a brave step towards your own healing. Or made amends with the past. Or confronted something that you could no longer stay silent about. Perhaps you got closer to your truth, closer to the intentions you want to be living out on a daily basis. Perhaps your intuition tapped you on the shoulder one day and told you to wake up to a new reality. Maybe you experienced something entirely different, but no less significant. It has been a heavy year in many ways, and it’s time now to take whatever you are nurturing, or nursing, and give it any affection or tenderness that is required. The Scorpio New Moon arrives this Wednesday, November 7, marking the middle of the week as a time to give yourself the gift of healing. Maybe you are seeking peace. Or forgiveness. Or recommitment to who you are. Maybe you are ready to shed something from the past. Whatever you are inviting in right now, think of this New Moon as one of rebirth. It is a time to rise into something new. It is a time to leave an old story behind, if you feel it’s necessary to do so. On Thursday, November 8, Jupiter ends its transit through Scorpio and enters Sagittarius. This may feel like a page is turning. The energy will shift. Jupiter rules Sagittarius. It is returning home to the fiery sign of the centaur, where magic and myth occur. It is taking reprieve from the intensity of Scorpio’s underworld and travelling through Sagittarius’ jovial territory. If Scorpio is associated with the sign of phoenix, which always rises from the ashes, then this is the phoenix in flight. Bright, warm, and ready for anything.
If it helps, here is an intention you can use in the days ahead: I invite any blocks or barriers to lift so that ease can enter my heart. And if you would like to use tarot to connect with the energies of this Scorpio New Moon, here is a tarot spread to help: Card #1: What can I let go of now? Card #2: What can I heal now? Card #3: What can I commit to now? Card #4: What can I become now? Until next time, Liz xo Book a reading with me: lizworth.com/readings Buy my book: lizworth.com/shop Come to a workshop: lizworth.com/events
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