Pisces New Moon Feb 28: Sensitivity 101

“It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one destiny, affects all indirectly.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.

"Integration Station" iPad sketch by Joseph Mina

"To everything, turn, turn, turn, there is a season, turn, turn, turn...." Pete Seeger, American folk singer and activist, penned then sang these mystical words back in the 1950's. His recent death in late January brings to mind how seasons end...then begin anew. As we reach the Pisces New Moon on February 28, we embrace both the end of the astrological procession through Pisces...and await the new and seemingly exciting season to come through Aries. Turn...turn...turn....

Pisces calls us home to be part of the greater collective. Yet, despite its sensitive, compassionate and peaceful magnetism, this calling occurs in a sea of great planetary uncertainty, intensity, change and transformation. In some quarters, such as the Ukraine, Syria, Iraq or Pakistan, a boiling fervor ignites a call for freedom from oppression, while in other areas highly

Leo Full Moon Feb 14: Fueling Heart Desires

"Let the beauty we love be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground."  — Rumi

"Heart Activation" sketch by Joseph Mina

The desires of the heart move in mysterious ways. The brain does not understand this mystery. Where our mental perspectives are fueled by "this or that", the heart, fueled by love,  only knows desire and passion. Yet, our thinking and desires are potent forces. This Leo Full Moon invites you to reflect on what you truly desire to create in passionate, loving ways.

Full Moon occurs on the 14th at 1:53 pm in Hawaii, 3:53 on the West Coast; 11:53 pm GMT; and on the 15th from Italy, Germany, Eastern Europe east to the International Date Line.

This Leo Full Moon positioned at 26° arrives accompanied by a host of retrograde planets, or planetary energies in strong aspect to each other. Usually, a Full Moon period represents an

Aquarius New Moon Jan 30 2014: Year of the Horse

"Remember the Divine in everything you do."

"Ask for everything, like a child asks its Mother for everything, without shame. Do not stop at peace of mind, or purity of heart, or surrender. Demand everything."
Mother Meera, from the book Answers Part I

JosephMinaPhoto2014©, all rights reserved

Aquarius New Moon January 30, 2014 - Elevating Mind & Heart

Aquarius New Moon January 30, 2014 suggests a time to elevate thoughts. The air signs in the Zodiac relate to the mind and the mental element. As the last air sign, this New Moon at 10° Aquarius supports the intention to uplift consciousness for a greater good.

This day also signals the beginning of the Chinese New Year: the Year of the Wood Horse. Horse energy is about movement with purpose and passion. The transformative cycles of 2014 have great potential to shift the human perspective into a more uplifting vibration.

Aquarius also relates to friendships and associations.  This Aquarius New Moon, consider who are your playmates. Be sure you are positioning yourself with fellow humans who have similar vibration

Cancer Full Moon Jan 15, 2014: Sustainability

"You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself."  Nelson Mandela

“The difference between what we are doing and what we are capable of doing would solve most of the world’s problems.”  Mahatma Gandhi

"Nesting" by Kathryn Andren ©2013

Last week, most of North America and Northern Europe felt the intensity of winter in no uncertain terms. "Polar Vortex" became a household word literally overnight in the United States. Extreme cold, snow, and ice brought structured life to a standstill.

Hundreds of millions of people were impacted directly or indirectly by this intense winter weather. Extreme, harsh weather on this scale is beyond comprehension. In a matter of a few days, this brute natural force literally shook the very pillars of life's 4 foundational anchors - self-identity, home, career, and relationship. These are the very 4 areas of life now being activated by the powerful planetary cycle named "The Cardinal Cross of 2014". [Maybe the weather stations ought to start naming storms after planetary cycles? ;) ]

Consider for a moment how a natural phenomena rapidly and unpredictably changed individual choices, economic and commercial flow, family and community interactions, and relationship connection time. This is a potent example of how the Cardinal Cross can express its energy through the consciousness.

And in the midst of these life altering events, we arrive at the 1st Full Moon of the new season, gracing our night sky on the 15th.  This Moon arrives at the fullness of its current lunation at 6:52 pm in Hawaii, 8:52 p on the West Coast, just before midnight on the East Coast, and continuing east, on the 16th for the rest of the world. (4:52 GMT) The zodiacal reference point is the sign of Cancer at 26°, an archetype for how

Capricorn New Moon January 1 2014: Happy New Year!

"To have the kind of year you want to have, something has to happen that you can't explain why it happened. Something has to happen that you can't coach."
Bobby Bowden, former football coach, Florida State (1929 - )

January 1, 2014 New Year's day is also New Moon in Capricorn, It occurs at 1:14 am in Hawaii, 3:14 on the West Coast and 11:14 am GMT. New Moon on the 1st day of the year has only occurred 12x in the past 300 years.

This New Moon occurs near perigee making it the closest New Moon in 2014. Perigee New Moon, also referred to as a Super New Moon, symbolically represents an enhancement or intensification of a lunar cycle. Do you generally make New Years resolutions?  This New Year’s day is a perfect time to do so. The astrology for 2014 suggests an extra special time for empowering thoughts into action!

The planetary patterns on New Years day 2014 hold extra potency to align your intentions for the coming year. Five planets in Capricorn plus other planetary alignments known as the Cardinal Cross are strong indicators for other rhythms occurring through the first half of the year, especially in April and May into June.

If January 1 were a hologram for the coming month and coming year, this powerful New Moon adds

Gemini Full Moon 2013: Previews for 2014 Astrology

Overwhelming Moon
outshines my boy Orion
distant stars retreat

Impregnated Moon
aligning at silver gateway
celestial womb

on the occasion of Full Moon meeting Orion.
"Heavenly Haiku" by Kathryn Andren Mina
©Heavenly Haiku series 2013 all rights reserve

Aloha from Hawaii and Happy Gemini Full Moon!

December Full Moon is found near the belt stars of Orion, a powerful place in the sky, highlighting the polarity point of galactic center. On this week of Solstice, this is a potent time to align with our ancestors and look forward to the future.

Gemini is the Zodiac sign of the lovers and the twins. We have used the name Gemini Awakening for over a decade in honor of this symbolic archetype. Gemini is duality, from two becomes one. Seeing things from multiple sides gives a greater ability for awakening insights. Do you find yourself stuck in a perspective or thought process? December astrology for Gemini Full Moon supports being adaptable, seeking new ideas in communication, learning, networking and sharing. Consider how many people catch up at this time of year with communications, cards, and gift giving!

This lunation serves as a strong template for what's to come in 2014. The coming year is potent for

Sagittarius New Moon December 2: Honoring The Inner Teacher

AstroActivators© 2001 Kathryn Andren Mina

Sagittarius New Moon occurs in Hawaii on Dec 2nd at 2:22:22 PM! 
(4:22 Pacific, 7:22 Eastern, and on the 3rd in Western Europe 12:22a UTC, east to the International Date Line)

It is the weekend after Thanksgiving. The good news: things are starting to lighten up from the intensity of November and the Mercury Retrograde. Last month was full of serious Scorpio energy near the north node destiny point. Fortunately, now with Sun in fiery Sagittarius through December 21, there is a more optimistic outlook on the road ahead.  Mercury moves through Sagittarius December 4 - 24 to uplift thought forms and motivate a lighter mood. Enjoy and optimize this time! The first few weeks of December offers an opportunity to get moving on projects before a long series of personal planet retrograde cycles commences on the coming Solstice through May 2014.

December New Moon at 11° Sagittarius is an invitation to explore the question of what is the truth.  What do I believe and what is right?  Sun and Moon in Sagittarius create a tight square to Chiron, the healing point, in Pisces. This square injects a deeper sense of compassion into Sagittarius’ otherwise strong directed energy. It indicates a greater depth of expanding vision to be of service to others. The glyph for Sagittarius is the arrow, a reminder and reflection to aim high. Set your sights higher; focus on a

Taurus Full Moon Nov 17: Sensuality and Values

To be sensual, I think, is to respect and rejoice in the force of life, of life itself, and to be present in all that one does, from the effort of loving to the making of bread.
James A. Baldwin, American Author (1924-87)

Plumeria Jewels by Joseph Mina

This month the November Full Moon shines its light in sensuous Taurus at 25°. 

Taurus is about beauty, values, sensuality and sexuality. Slow down. Get comfortable.  Stop and smell the roses. Enjoy the beauty of nature around you. 

What really turns you on?  This is a great question for Taurus Moon time! Venus, goddess of love and beauty is the ruler for Taurus. Her placement near powerful Pluto this lunation (see chart below) strongly suggests transformation in the structure of relationships and values. Their potent connection with Uranus in Aries further instigates new ways to express and assert (Aries) your individuated gifts in intimate partnership, especially around Taurus type values (possessions, money, self-esteem).

The Sun in Scorpio with Moon in Taurus November 17th highlights magic, mystery and

Astrology Forecast November 2013: Scorpio Season and a Solar Eclipse

“I was born on the night of Samhain, when the barrier between the worlds is whisper-thin and when magic, old magic, sings its heady and sweet song to anyone who cares to hear it.”
― Carolyn MacCullough, Once a Witch

AstroActivators© 2001 Kathryn Andren Mina

This is the November 2013 Gemini Awakening Astrology Update

The season of Scorpio offers opportunities to see beneath the surface of things, deepen emotional connection and reassess how we value our shared resources.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the leaves fall to the ground this time of the year, sometimes blazing in rich colors. Eventually this earthly gift returns or merges into the soil. And so it is with the vibration of Scorpio. The fading and ending of one form portends a merging and new beginning. The combination of the Sun, Saturn and Mercury Retrograde this month further amplify this process of the old merging into the new. In this vibration, everything becomes amplified...magnified...and issues of trust take center stage. Who can you trust?

Scorpio energy plunges to the depths of any situation. There is nothing boring about Scorpio. It is high octane fuel and full of life force. Yet, its shadow side may be even more potent than what is revealed on the surface. That edgier aspect sometimes is revealed in rather intense ways.

Aries Full Moon October 18: Communication Breakdown Continues

"There is no act of treachery or meanness of which a political party is not capable; for in politics there is no honour." Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881), former prime minister of England and Leader of the Conservative party.

Note: On today's Full Moon in Aries, specific details about this lunation and the coming Mercury Retrograde may be found in our October update, released in late September.

Irony seemingly knows no boundaries. A 19th century quote from a very conservative politician about the then state of politics and inter-party clashes in England mirrors quite poignantly the recent political strategy employed by 87 very conservative politicians in the US House of Representatives. This strongly aligned "Tea Party" group actually succeeded in shutting down most of the US Government for 16 days this month. In the end, in typical, unorthodox Mercury Retrograde fashion, nothing was accomplished by these 87 upstarts, other than deferring once again unresolved Federal debt and budget issues.

This dynamic action of a government shut down represents a text book example of how Uranus in Aries (rebellion and change) and Pluto in Capricorn (melt down of no-longer working politics, governance, business structure, rules etc) create mayhem, chaos and strong clashes every 35 years or so when they