At the time of writing, the Sun has just transited into Virgo. It has made me think about Mercury and all of the gods associated with it.

Virgo, much like Mercury, is a underappreciated workhorse energy in this matrix of our level of creation. So many can wax lyrical about Hades, Pluto, Neptune- gods of oceanic darkness. I know I can.

But what about the *magician* energy that is within us all? What about St Expedite that can get all kinds of things done for you *fast* should you feed him pound cake- what about the magic that forms the tight and intricate connexions that form a computer system or communications network? For it is within us all. Beneath the skin, beneath the beatings of the conscious mind, lies a network of astonishing and infinite complexity that we one day we discover we have the reins of.

We each have a brain, and the ability to do wonders with it. We each have language, however it expresses itself- and the ability to work magic with it. Even any language has more words than we can count, we still manage to use it- without really thinking… If we were to think about it very, very hard- would we express ourselves well?

Mercury moves faster than any other heavenly body in the zodiac, other than the Moon, which represents the unknown and untouchable world of the unconscious. If you were to grab this metal, it would slip through your hands as quick as you can grasp it. The way of the magician is not to hold on tightly to what we seek to connect, the way of the magician is to move with the heartbeat of time, and to endure.

For Mercury is a shaman, an alchemist. Odin and Hermes have both been linked to shamanism, Virgo represents a trial of purification and Gemini a trial of separation. Odin hung upside down on the world tree for nine days and nights until he discovered the Runes. Hermes was moved to explore the sufferings of the dead and to endure catastrophic travelings as he worked as a messenger of the Gods. He gives his name to Hermeticism, and to an ancient magician who is said to have brought the secret of magic and alchemy from the stars to Egypt in times before time.

The story of these guys is the story of all of us once we learn how to know our own mind. Our human thoughts lead us into trials of suffering, as what we are is scorched by the flames of our own ego (the Sun). We lead our lives going through the alchemical crucible, the process by which we draw the impurities out of metal in order to end up with something workable, something we can combine with other elements in order to make something that suits our purpose.

When we pick up the runes at the end of our days and nights of suffering, when we return from a shamanic journey, we have entered into something a little deeper in our relationship with the Divine. Slowly, but surely, through hells of mental uncontrollability- we learn how to be co-creator with the Divine. We learn how to work with our thoughts, our nervous system, our words- how not to let these things rule us, but how to channel that energy through.

With Mercury, we accept both our humanity and our suffering- and through doing so, we learn how to be divine within it. This is an experiential journey that varies from person to person, a matter of gnosis. But sooner or later, we will all become in touch with our own personal magician within.

I’m not one to hop onto a bandwagon ordinarily, but I’ve spent years upon years watching Ellen Degeneres lap up applause and adulation while I privately thought “something not quite right about this one”. Which is how I feel about most celebrities, but that’s a rant for another day. Anyone who can be more than comfortable with the fawning applause of the public and happily accept their worshipping praise is someone I can’t relate to easily. She reminds me much of Mother Theresa bowing and nodding to the assembled hordes whilst being described a “living saint”. Let it also be said that I don’t necessarily view any soul as “less than”- we are all here to live our own unique purpose and live out our karma, and Ellen is no different. I will say, however, her eyes are empty and cold and I get nothing off her vibe but anger and self-importance.

At the time of writing, as you well know, the buzzards are hovering and DeGeneres is circling the drain. A lot of backed-up vitriol is being shot at her. I believe she is doubly unlucky to be the target of some allegations at this time of Covid, as a lot of individuals are in severe need of someone or something to vent their frustrations upon. However, it can be argued that this particular experience of public exposure is written into her very interesting birth chart- which I will now look at. With a North Node in Aquarius/Scorpio, what illustrates that archetype more perfectly than public torture in front of a baying mob?

Ellen is an Aquarius Sun, Aries Moon and Sagittarius Rising. She has her sun in Aquarius square her North Node in Scorpio/Aquarius and her South Node in Taurus/Leo. She has Neptune conjunct her north node as well, and Jupiter conjunct her Neptune. This is an absolutely fascinating configuration.

The Sun in Aquarius is in detriment, and that square to the Nodes is a very challenging aspect indeed. As Neptune is conjunct the North Node as well, this is a person whose sense of self is very fluid, fragile, somewhat lost. Spirituality will be something she struggles to grasp and understand. Uranus in the eighth house is opposite her Sun and Venus RX as well, which points to cataclysmic changes and losses in life related to secrets, sexuality, hoarded possessions. Her life must be a series of Tower moments that is related to crises around self-worth. However, with her Sun, Venus and Chiron in the second house she actually craves that stability and material abundance. Her South Node in Leo/Taurus pulls her into a comfort zone where she finds a sense of identity in showmanship, adulation, material comfort- but if she pushes to find herself here (which she will do, out of habit) she neglects her higher purpose that is represented by Scorpio/Aquarius, the esoteric trial of “letting go” and finding freedom and identity in ego annhilation. It very much reminds me of King Louis XVI breathing a sigh of relief in Paradise after losing his head on the chopping block.

However, she is a chameleon. An actress needs to be. Venus RX conjunct the Sun can make a person very charming, very nice to look at and secretive about their love affairs and what they truly value. With the Sun and Venus square to Neptune, perhaps the father and home were both lost to them (Ellen was molested by her stepfather). An Aqua Sun/ Sagittarius Rising with Jupiter in the 11th house will find themselves feeling blessed by their friends but with the conjunction to Neptune, all is not what it seems. All is not what it seems with Ellen’s values either, but with Neptune the truth always comes to light and the fog always clears eventually- especially as this conjunction occurs in Scorpio.

With Scorpio/Aquarius we need to look at Mars and Saturn as well, and this chart contains some interesting dynamics when it comes to these two planets. Saturn represents where the person feels some restriction and has inherited some karma, and Ellen has a Saturn/Mars conjunction in her first house. There is some sort of imposed powerlessness, some kind of block that is placed on her understanding of her physical body and also her sexuality. There could be some real sexual problems here and of course I don’t just mean being gay, with Uranus in the 8th there is something outlandishly different perhaps, something difficult to reveal. Something deeply suppressed within Ellen is what actually drives her- with her Moon in Aries affected by this Mars-Saturn conjunction, the control and suppression goes to the core of her being and will largely motivate any explosiveness and ill-willed aggression to others. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if something did come out connecting her to Epstein’s island.

This painful Mars-Saturn stuff is what will put the pressure on the Mars/Saturn (or Scorpio/Aquarius) north node, of course. So what is the mystery of this polarity? With so much of this person’s identity lost between the urge for gilded stability and the urge for freedom and annihilation, what has this soul chosen to learn on its path?

Pluto is in Virgo in the ninth house, the obsession is all about maintaining an image of perfect benevolence. There is a sextile to Jupiter and of course Neptune, where the individual’s spirituality and belief system are dynamically transformed through new information and understanding that challenge and destroy anything that is outworn and rotten.
This one wants to be perfect, because she can’t stand herself and her own internal pain. She can’t be, however, and there has to be an understanding that things will change and things will come into the light. The gutter isn’t forever, neither is the spotlight. Liberation is not found through an avoidance of challenges or being a good person, it is found through the inevitable transformation that comes through great trials of human suffering and human imperfection. She may have stuffed up, but she will find her freedom and her peace regardless.

It’s time I wrote about this! We are well within the shadow period now, and the energy is starting to heat up. Some of you might be wondering what on earth is going on and why there have been so many angry upsets and delays, especially if you have strong Aries or Scorpio in your chart (I do!)

When we think of Mars, we can call to mind our fire and flame and gumption- the ability to go for what we want. This is the “get shite done” kind of energy. Mars in Aries is in domicile- here the god of lust and war can live his life at full speed. It isn’t all about blood and sex, however, it is about achievement and the desire and ability to push through to our goals.

There’s a bit of a problem with our tendency to look at ego, pride and power as automatically bad things. Like anything else, these are aspects to our character that can get out of balance and start to rule our lives, if we are not careful. However, if we suppress these very human aspects of our character, they will absolutely not go away. If we do not rule our dark side, our powerful and passionate side- it will rule us.

Let’s look at anger, first. Anger can be a very valid response to a hurt that has been done. It is linked to that survival instinct that will get our backsides out of a burning car and it is that ability to outrun the hunter and defend one’s family campfire against the enemy.

However, this primal aggression feeds into our neural pathways in such a way that it can get out of control- hence the imagery of fire. Humans aren’t meant to act completely on instinct, we have more complex aspirations overlaid on our ancient survival needs. This fire by its very nature does not want to be tamed, but for our social survival it absolutely must be.

What happens when we drive anything underground or suppress it? It does not fade out of existence. When we take something out of the light of day and demonise it, we MAKE our devils! We get stuck in fears, and life won’t let us be afraid of things. Aries in particular doesn’t want us to be afraid of anything. Life has a way of insisting that we face the things that challenge us, until we master them. That is where retrogrades come into play!

With Mars Retrograde, we are led to confront our shadows that we have driven down to Hell in regards to vitality, sexuality, passion, aggression and acheivement. Things can start to go haywire and erratic as regards these areas of our life, and we are called to choose to respond more mindfully to them. Basically think of an underground fire that starts to break out on the surface now and again, with this time period being our chance to learn how to tame it altogether.

I see problems arising for people who push themselves too hard in the gym (I’m looking at myself here!) and anyone who suffers from impatience. Those who are not acknowledging their true sexual needs and desires may find events challenging themselves to tune in more respectfully to their sacred sexuality. Problems will pop up for eternal peacemakers and conflict-avoidant personalities as well. Also if you have Pluto in Libra, check your transits because Mars RX in domicile has a good chance of transiting your Pluto in detriment in opposition, and that can cause some interesting events for you!

Mars will be stationing RX on September 10 2020 (NZ time). The event chart shows the Virgo Sun in opposition to Neptune in Pisces. This definitely highlights a battle between truth and fear- what we wish was true and what is *actually* true. The ego is going to need to be refined through this process and it will be a process of elimination- people, obstacles, environments that are no longer healthy for us. Mars will also be conjunct Lilith and make the exact conjunction in retrograde, and I see this as a deep encounter with our own personal shadows and what makes us tick underneath the surface.

A square to Saturn on the 30th of September and then to Pluto on 10th of October leads us into a deep encounter with those pesky Capricorn heavyweights that have been calling us to make deep and meaningful change in our lives. There can be outbursts around these restrictions and those who have not yet learned to appreciate that change can’t be forced may find themselves getting more than they bargained for.

Mars will station direct again on the 14th of November, just ahead of the New Moon in Scorpio- which signals the green light to get started again and refresh our endeavours after a time period of erratic hesitancy.

I truly believe that the key to success is finding out what we actually want. A lot of the time we find ourselves stuck because what we are driving towards is not what suits us deep down inside. Mars Retrograde will help us open up those hidden vaults and look within to see what truly drives us, what we actually value- so we can go out and get it, and become truly happy. It will also help us be more balanced, as we address our vital energies and come to terms with the warrior within who only wants to claim what is truly his by right.

(All times and dates are in New Zealand time)

I have decided to start sharing some tips on wellness and self-care, as this seems to be a difficult area for many of us. It takes a lot of deprogramming to realise that our wellness stems from within, from the soul and the mind. Our instinct is to look for something outside of us to address any imbalances and while that is going to be of temporary benefit to us, permanent and positive transformation is a journey that takes us inside.

I believe it all starts with meditation. Now there are a lot of ridiculous misconceptions around meditation, like the idea of having a blank mind or a quiet mind. Or that you have to be able to visualise. Or that you need to be able to sit in a lotus position. All of this is bollocks. Let me set you right.

All you need to do is SIT. Or lie down, if that works better for you- I myself will lie flat when I am experiencing issues with my lower back. A straight-backed dining chair can work perfectly well. I will mostly kneel and place my bum on a yoga block.

Get your phone. Put it on a timer- there are plenty of good timer apps. If you want to go fancy, you can try pure tones on headphones, or binaural beats. But the only thing you really need to do is focus on your breath.

Start with five minutes and make sure you do it every day. If you do forty minutes but don’t do it every day, it won’t be as effective as getting up and making a routine of five minutes every day.

Focus on your breath. Don’t worry if you aren’t excellent at focusing on your breath. Don’t worry if you are worrying about being not terribly excellent at focusing on your breath. Simply pick yourself up, put yourself back on track when you find yourself no longer focusing on the breath. Feel the coolness enter your nostrils and leave. Find that one point and focus on it, keep returning to it.

And that’s it! For a daily practice, that is all you need to do. The main thing is that it is a daily practice, and that you return to it. As time goes on, you can start doing more advanced things like chanting, or sitting for longer, or visualising. You can get a candle and place it so that the flame is backlit by a blank surface- and merely concentrate on that candle flame for ten minutes. It all begins with this. It all begins with your breath, with sitting down, and nobody needs to sell you anything more or less.