According to Sandy

Welcome to “twins” Land.  Gemini is the 3rd sign of the Zodiac, representing duality (think Castor and Pollux).  This Air sign is all about flexibility, multi-tasking, being busy, needing change. Regardless of your birth sign, everyone should benefit from a boost of Gemini energy. Communication is key – chatting, tweeting, talking, writing. The social butterfly routine can be done with a good time being had by all.

Yes, the Sun will be in Gemini until June 20, but, there’s more! Lots of planet activity during this same time period intensifies Gemini traits and influences are powered up several notches:

*New Moon and Solar Eclipse Sunday afternoon May 20 – “New” always great for beginnings. The Eclipse can encourage us to take chances, risk.

*Venus, planet of beauty and romance, in Gemini since April 4, has softened language, encouraged creativity. Its Retrograde from May 16 to June 28 when it goes direct and then forward again to reach Cancer on August 8. That book you’re writing may slow down, but use downtime for research, rewrites, rethinking whether or not it really is a good idea to include details about that weird love affair from 10 years ago.

*Mercury, planet of Communication, rules Gemini and is therefore very comfortable there. The transit lasts from May 24 thru June 7 and during this time the cleverness and adaptability of Gemini, along with its critical and sarcastic talents rise to the surface. Everyone knows that Gemini is smart and sharp, no need for unprovoked take downs with verbal sparring or careless gossip.

*Jupiter, planet of opportunity, luck, excess, will sit in Gemini from June 12, 2012 until June 29, 2013. This planet can lift spirits, add to the joy of life and also make us reckless, taking multi-tasking to new levels. Gemini’s communication talents can be stretched to outrageous, bigger is better proportions. This can be very entertaining, but ground yourself, contain the scatter and nervous energy.

While the Sun is in Gemini, its writing, reading, conversation, quick weekend getaways, a “I’m bored  - let’s do something/learn something new and different,” energy abounds. Enjoy!

*Gemstone – Pearl or Agate * Color – Yellow * Body part – arms, hands

FYI = Sun into Gemini – 5/20/12   8:16am Pacific /11:16am Eastern

Solar Eclipse. New Moon- 5/20/12   4:47pm Pacific / 7:47pm Eastern

May 18, 2012 could be a loving, luxurious Friday or a stubborn, determined one. When the Moon is in the Venus ruled, Fixed, Earth sign of Taurus, it’s all about sensuality, life’s beauty and pleasures, but it also brings forth the obstinate bull in us. Is there such a thing as inflexible love? Nobody wants to lose, give up/ give in, change direction. “Stickin-to-your-guns” works, until it doesn’t. Pay attention and accept when it stops. Regardless, surround yourself with good food, good people and good times.

On Sunday afternoon, May 20, the mood changes along with arrival of a Gemini New Moon. An initiative focused New Moon pushes us to “start” something. Since it’s in the 3^rd sign of the Zodiac, ruled by Communication planet Mercury, whatever we start will probably be in some form of personal interaction – speaking, writing, etc. Launch an idea, a pitch, a book, an inquiry…

BTW:  A Moon is “New” when it’s in the same sign as the Sun. The Sun moves into Airy Gemini on the same day, May 20, 2012 – 8:20AM Pacific/ 11:19 am Eastern.

(A post celebrating the Gemini Sun will be up on Sunday)

She sings the music of Cape Verde, an island off the west coast of Africa which declared independence from Portugal in 1975. 

Singing both in Portuguese, and in the language of her small country, Lura mixes some of the musical traditions, like “Morna”, with a more contemporary, urban sound.  Different from the better known tragic, emotional Portuguese “Fado” songs, the music from the Cape Verde interior catches you up in its smooth, jazz-like rhythms.

Lura Albums:

“Di Kopu ku Alma” (Of Body & Soul)

“M’Bern di Fora” (I come From the Country)

The unpredictable, rebellious, group focused Aquarius Moon on Friday May 11, 2012 might give us some surprises. If that makes you nervous this weekend, think of all the fun you might have. Just avoid the “off-the-wall” stuff and think thru any extreme plans that might cross your mind. 

Early Sunday, we will experience a more warm and fuzzy feeling with the arrival of the Pisces Moon. This water sign is dreamy, sensitive and imaginative, so be sure to hold on to reality. However, this might be a great time to get creative. (Try to remember and write down any ideas that float to the surface while dreaming.)

Have a great weekend!

I always get excited when Ms Morrison graces us with a new book. Just released this week, her latest is “Home”, which centers on a man’s two most life battering experiences – while a soldier during the Korean War and growing up in the South in the 50’s. 

Ms Morrison, now 81, has such a fantastical, spiritual approach to her characters and plot, but she’s also got “edge”. She can set a tone, paint a picture, capture identifiable feeling/emotion and describe events so clearly and with such poetry that it makes you laugh or, it makes you cry. There are some passages in her much acclaimed book “Beloved” that are so painful that your throat clutches and closes.  Her “truth”, cloaked in make believe, is sometimes difficult to handle – sort of a ground glass in the oatmeal type of thing. You feel it.

I think she is amazing and a real gift. “Home”, by Toni Morrison

FYI – “Beloved” won the Pulitzer Prize in 1988 and Ms Morrison was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993.) 

Beginning Friday evening, we will be under the influence of a powerful, determined Scorpio Moon. Things get even more intense this weekend as the Lunar orb goes into its “Full” phase on Saturday night, May 5, 2012.  The 8^th sign of the Zodiac is a sensual, sensitive Water sign and the force of the Full Moon can distill all of its passion into a cauldron of “feelings”. Tuck in all exposed nerves. Pause before responding to slights or barbs, (real or imaginary). The comment or action that brought you to either anger or tears may not have been as snarky as imagined. Instead, use that Scorpio sizzle and passion to rock someone’s world in a delightful way. 

Scorpio pushes us to focus on money matters that may involve others. Are there any financial issues that need to be cleared or settled– taxes, business ventures? During a Full Moon, gauge what has been accomplished so far and move to finalize, complete tasks in the next few weeks. (Sort of a”what have I done?” and “what’s next”.)

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

An article by Fred Kaplan, “1959: Sex, Jazz, and Datsuns” featured in a past issue of New York Magazine determines that 1959 was an important year for music, politics, world dynamics, social issues, and the arts.  The 60’s might have gotten more press, but, 1959 was the year of change, innovation, out of the box thinking.

The magazine piece is based on Kaplan’s book, “1959: The Year Everything Changed”.  He presents his examples of some of the greatest happenings of this special year and they include:

*Actor turned director John Cassavetes was perhaps the first “Indie” filmmaker with his partly improvised script for his movie “Shadows”.

*Completion of the Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, changed the NYC sky line on the upper East Side.

*The first micro chip introduced by Texas Instruments.

*The release of the Miles Davis album (they were albums then) “Kinda Blue” (considered by many to be best jazz recording ever).

*Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro invited to NYC and staying at the St Teresa Hotel in Harlem.

*The emergence of Malcolm X and his conversations on race and politics.

(What were you doing in 1959?)

As you know, the Moon changes Astrology signs every 2 to 2 1/2 days. If you don’t like the Lunar energy one day, wait a few days – it will change. This weekend is no exception.

All day Friday April 27, 2012, the Moon is in its own emotional, homey, nurturing sign of Cancer. It is happy and comfortable in the Water sign it rules – expect “feelings”, sensitivity and vulnerability. 

Saturday and Sunday, the Moon will be lit up in the upbeat, “Me” sign of Leo. This Fire sign loves attention, melodrama and fun. Ruled by the Sun, the need for theatrics can rule – just remember that it’s not all about you. Be generous and entertaining. People might flock around you in droves.

Enjoy the weekend!

Yes, there are only 8 “planets” (I still keep Pluto on the list even though it was reclassified as a “dwarf” in 2006), but the 2 luminaries – Sun and Moon – are always included when discussing Astrology.

Planets are the spark plugs in an Astrology chart. They each have a job to do as they energize the many facets of an individual’s personality and life. In addition, a planet is said to have “rulership” of a particular sign (it will be at its happiest and most potent energy when transiting there – fully expressed).

The Planets are listed below along with their Zodiac sign rulerships and duties:

Sun– Leo: Life force, self expression

Moon- Cancer: Emotions, sub conscious, nurturing

Mercury- Gemini and Virgo: Communication (when Mercury goes retrograde, we need to watch what we say and write), transportation, education

Venus-Taurus and Libra: Love, beauty and how we view/value ourselves and money

Mars- Aries: Action, conflict, sexuality

Jupiter- Sagittarius: Expansion, recreation, philosophy

Saturn- Capricorn:  Discipline, boundaries, authority

Uranus- Aquarius: Change, the unconventional, extremes

Neptune- Pisces: Spirituality, dreams, illusion

Pluto- Scorpio: Unconscious, breaking down and rebuilding, secrets

The location of a planet in a birth chart – its House placement, its Astrology Sign – can influence how we act/respond in particular areas of our lives as they transit and move around our chart today. 

Early Saturday morning, April 21, 2012 a New Moon joins the Sun in the 2^nd Zodiac sign. A great time to initiate new projects involving Taurean themes – romance, creativity, finances. Both luminaries are in the same sign, so harness all that energy and start something. (Time for a new love, a new song, a new budget?)