Day: May 3, 2017
Astronomy Picture of the Day – The Hamburger Galaxy
Astronomy Picture of the Day
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
2017 May 3
NGC 3628: The Hamburger Galaxy
Image Credit & Copyright: Eric Coles and Mel Helm
Explanation: No, hamburgers are not this big. What is pictured is a sharp telescopic view of a magnificent edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 3628, a puffy galactic disk divided by dark dust lanes. Of course, this deep galactic portrait puts some astronomers in mind of its popular moniker, The Hamburger Galaxy. The tantalizing island universe is about 100,000 light-years across and 35 million light-years away in the northern springtime constellation Leo. NGC 3628 shares its neighborhood in the local Universe with two other large spirals M65 and M66 in a grouping otherwise known as the Leo Triplet. Gravitational interactions with its cosmic neighbors are likely responsible for the extended flare and warp of this spiral’s disk.
Earth Sky News For May 3rd: Comet Halley’s 2 meteor showers
Comet Halley’s 2 meteor showers
It’s because comets like Halley are so crumbly that we see annual meteor showers. One shower spawned by this comet is going on now. Another is visible in October.
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Comet Halley, proud parent of two meteor showers, swings into the inner solar system about every 76 years. At such times, the sun’s heat causes the comet to loosen its icy grip over its mountain-sized conglomeration of ice, dust and gas. At each pass near the sun, the crumbly comet sheds a fresh trail of debris into its orbital stream. It lost about 1/1,000th of its mass during its last flyby in 1986. It’s because comets like Halley are so crumbly that we see annual meteor showers, like the Eta Aquarid meteor shower that’s going on now. Follow the links below to learn more about Comet Halley, the meteor showers it spawns, and about how astronomers calculate the velocities of meteors streaking across our sky.
Comet Halley’s 2 meteor showers
Parent bodies of other major meteor showers
How fast do meteors from Comet Halley travel?
Comet Halley’s 2 meteor showers. Because Comet Halley has circled the sun innumerable times over countless millennia, cometary fragments litter its orbit. That’s why the comet doesn’t need to be anywhere near the Earth or the sun in order to produce a meteor shower. Instead, whenever our Earth in its orbit intersects Comet Halley’s orbit, cometary bits and pieces – oftentimes no larger than grains of sand or granules of gravel – smash into Earth’s upper atmosphere, to vaporize as fiery streaks across our sky: meteors.
It so happens we intersect Comet Halley’s orbit not once, but twice each year. In early May, we see bits of this comet as the annual Eta Aquariid meteor shower.
Then some six months later, in October, Earth in its orbit again intersects the orbital path of Comet Halley. This time around, these broken-up chunks from Halley’s Comet burn up in Earth’s atmosphere as the annual Orionid meteor shower.
By the way, these small fragments are called meteoroids when in outer space, and meteors when they vaporize in the Earth’s atmosphere.
Meteors in annual showers – made from the icy debris of comets – don’t hit the ground. They vaporize high in Earth’s atmosphere. The more rocky or metallic asteroids are what sometimes hit the ground, and then they are called meteorites.
Where is Comet Halley now? Often, astronomers like to give distances of solar system objects in terms of astronomical units (AU), which is the sun-Earth distance. Comet Halley lodges 0.587 AU from the sun at its closest point to sun (perihelion) and 35.3 AU at its farthest point (aphelion).
In other words, Halley’s Comet resides about 60 times farther from the sun at its closest than it does at its farthest.
It was last at perihelion in 1986, and will again return to perihelion in 2061.
At present, Comet Halley lies outside the orbit of Neptune, and not far from its aphelion point. See the image at the top of this post – for May, 2017 – via Fourmilab.
Even so, meteroids swim throughout Comet Halley’s orbital stream, so each time Earth crosses the orbit of Halley’s Comet, in May and October, these meteoroids turn into incandescent meteors once they plunge into the Earth’s upper atmosphere.
Of course, Comet Halley isn’t the only comet that produces a major meteor shower …
Parent bodies of other major meteor showers
| Meteor Shower | Parent Body | Semi-major axis | Orbital Period | Perihelion | Aphelion |
| Quadrantids | 2003 EH1 (asteroid) | 3.12 AU | 5.52 years | 1.19 AU | 5.06 AU |
| Lyrids | Comet Thatcher | 55.68 AU | 415 years | 0.92 AU | 110 AU |
| Eta Aquarids | Comet 1/P Halley | 17.8 AU | 75.3 years | 0.59 AU | 35.3 AU |
| Delta Aquarids | Comet 96P/Machholz | 3.03 AU | 5.28 years | 0.12 AU | 5.94 AU |
| Perseids | Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle | 26.09 AU | 133 years | 0.96 AU | 51.23 AU |
| Draconids | Comet 21P/Giacobini–Zinner | 3.52 AU | 6.62 years | 1.04 AU | 6.01 AU |
| Orionids | Comet 1/P Halley | 17.8 AU | 75.3 years | 0.59 AU | 35.3 AU |
| Taurids | Comet 2P/Encke | 2.22 AU | 3.30 years | 0.33 AU | 4.11 AU |
| Leonids | Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle | 10.33 AU | 33.22 years | 0.98 AU | 19.69 AU |
| Geminids | 3200 Phaethon (asteroid) | 1.27 AU | 1.43 years | 0.14 AU | 2.40 AU |
How fast do meteors from Comet Halley travel? If we can figure how fast Comet Halley travels at the Earth’s distance from the sun, we should also be able to figure out how fast these meteors fly in our sky.
Some of you may know that a solar system body, such as a planet or comet, goes faster in its orbit as it nears the sun and more slowly in its orbit as it gets farther away. Halley’s Comet swings inside the orbit of Venus at perihelion – the comet’s nearest point to the sun. At aphelion – its most distant point – Halley’s Comet goes all the way beyond the orbit of Neptune, the solar system’s outermost (known) planet.
Diagram via SurveyMonkey. We’re looking down upon the north side of the solar system plane. The planets revolve around the sun counterclockwise, and Halley’s Comet revolves around the sun clockwise.
When the meteoroids from the orbital stream of Halley’s Comet streak across the sky as Eta Aquarid or Orionid meteors, we know these meteoroids/meteors have to be one astronomical unit (Earth’s distance) from the sun. It might be tempting to assume that these meteoroids at one astronomical unit from the sun travel through space at the same speed Earth does: 108,000 kilometers or 67,000 miles per hour.
However, the velocity of these meteoroids through space does not equal that of Earth at the Earth’s distance from the sun. For that to happen, Earth and Halley’s Comet would have to orbit the sun in the same period of time. But the orbital periods of Earth and Halley’s Comet are vastly different. Earth takes one year to orbit the sun whereas Halley’s Comet takes about 76 years.
However, thanks to the great genius, Isaac Newton, we can easily compute the velocity of these meteoroids/meteors at the Earth’s distance from the sun by using Isaac Newton’s Vis-viva equation, his poetic rendition of instantaneous motion.
The answer, giving the velocity of these meteoroids through space at the Earth’s distance from the sun, is virtually at our fingertips. All we need to know is Comet Halley’s semi-major axis (mean distance from the sun) in astronomical units. Here you have it:
Comet Halley’s semi-major axis = 17.8 astronomical units.
Once we know is a comet’s semi-major axis in astronomical units, we can compute its velocity at any distance from the sun with the easy-to-use Vis-viva equation. The sun resides at one of the two foci of the comet’s elliptical orbit.
In the easy-to-use Vis-viva equation below, r = distance from sun in astronomical units, and a = semi-major axis of Comet Halley’s orbit in astronomical units. In other words, r = 1 AU and a = 17.8 AU.
Vis-viva equation (r = distance from sun = 1 AU; and a = semi-major axis = 17.8 AU):
Velocity = 67,000 x the square root of (2/r – 1/a)
Velocity = 67,000 x the square root of (2/1 – 1/17.8)
Velocity = 67,000 x the square root of (2 – 0.056)
Velocity = 67,000 x the square root of 1.944
Velocity = 67,000 x 1.39
Velocity = 93,130 miles per hour or 25.87 miles per second
The above answer gives the velocity of these meteoroids through space at the Earth’s distance from the sun. However, if these meteoroids were to hit Earth’s atmosphere head-on, that would push the velocity up to an incredible 160,130 miles per hour (93,130 + 67,000 = 160,130). NASA gives the velocity for the Eta Aquarid meteors and Orionid meteors at 148,000 miles per hour, which suggests the collision of these meteoroids/meteors with Earth is not all that far from head-on.
We can also use the Vis-viva equation to find out the velocity of Halley’s Comet (or its meteoroids) at the perihelion distance of 0.59 AU and aphelion distance of 35.3 AU.
Perihelion velocity = 122,331 miles per hour
Aphelion velocity = 1,464 miles per hour
Comets develop gas and dust tails as they approach the sun. Depending on the comet, the comet can orbit the sun counter-clockwise (as above) or clockwise (as Comet Halley does). Read more: Why do comets develop tails?
Bottom line: Halley’s Comet spawned two annual meteor showers, the Eta Aquarids in May and the Orionids in October. Plus … where the comet is now, parent bodies of other meteor showers … and Isaac Newton’s Vis-viva equation, his poetic rendition of instantaneous motion.
Published On Earth Sky News
The Wisdom of Buddha
The Wisdom of Buddha
There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills.
One for the Animal Lover in All of Us
Advice from A Hummingbird
The Hummingbird’s Feather Folklore
Your Animal Spirit Guide for May 3rd is the Hummingbird
Your Daily Rune for May 3rd is Gebo
Your Daily Influences for May 3rd
Your Daily Influences for Today
Tarot Influence
Four of Swords
A period of rest and restoration of energies. Tensions subside. Good changes are soon to come.
Astrological Influence
Aries Reversed
Aries reversed denotes a lack of energy and will
Element Influence
Air reversed
Air reversed denotes a lack of freedom to move through life as you want.
Your Past Lives Tarot Card for May 3rd is The Hanged Man
Past Lives Tarot for Today
The Hanged Man
A famous artist is a visionary who has captured images of the moment of time they lived in. You are probably also feeling that this is your moment to express what you really have to say and you need to do it visually. Possibly you were an acclaimed artist in a past life and once again their spirit yearns to express itself through you. Open yourself up to this incredible gift and use it wisely.
Your Daily Love Tarot for May 3rd is The Judgement
Daily Love Tarot
The Judgement
A decision works to your advantage if you make it after serious deliberation. As you do the latter, add a touch of intuition. Something that nags at you and nibbles at the edge of your memory has relevance today. Does something need to end? The Universe offers change for your own good when you need it. Closing chapters leads to opening new chapters. Ends are rites of passage just as beginnings are.
Tarot Card of the Day for May 3rd is The Three of Fire
Tarot Card of the Day
Three of Fire
May 3rd, 2017
This suit, most often called “Wands” and sometimes called “Rods” or “Staves,” represents initiative, ambition, drive and desire. This is the suit of enterprise and risk-taking.
A Three in this suit symbolizes an inner balance that allows you to feel more optimistic about new endeavors you are committed to, or want to commit to. In the illustrated Tarots, the human character is standing on his balcony, watching ships leave the harbor, loaded with his goods for far-off ports, dreaming of the fortune he will reap if all goes well. Summon the optimism within you.
This energy must be patient and trusting, because he or she will have to wait some time to find out how the ships have fared. Meanwhile, a lot of resources are tied up until they return with the bounty. Only those truly confident in their ideas and abilities would undertake such a risk. This card represents the energy a person needs to take on great adventures and accomplish noble (and remunerative) deeds.
A detail that sometimes appears in the more esoteric Tarots is a winged wand with two snakes twining around it, called the Caduceus, which is Mercury’s wand. This is an ancient symbol of the healer or shaman, one who can travel between the worlds to rescue souls from death or possession. Perhaps the feeling of empowerment this card represents points to the internal mechanisms of self-healing. Perhaps it refers to the courage it takes to be an entrepreneur or an inventor, which is in itself a magical process — bringing not only opportunity for success, but also an awakening to higher potentials.
Part of the Daily Insight Group ©2017
Get A Jump on Tomorrow, Your Daily Horoscopes for Thursday, May 4th
Get A Jump on Tomorrow…..
Your Daily Horoscopes for Thursday, May 4th
Aries
The Moon moves into your work and health sector this morning, dear Aries, and you can be geared up to get things done. However, you don’t have all the information you need, or you’re waiting for something that never seems to come. Try not to put too much of your energies into tasks that just aren’t ready to move forward or to wait impatiently when your energies can be better used elsewhere. With communications and transportation, be patient as well. Disagreements can be irritating. Taking on too many things at once can lead to unnecessary complications, so aim to keep it simple today.
Taurus
Crossed wires can easily occur again today, dear Taurus, although if you can tame impatience, you have the rare opportunity to see behind you and ahead of you to consider what’s your next step. Try not to take it to heart if someone says something that seems a little off. Tensions can rise, particularly if you are pulled in different directions or if you want to do a lot more than is possible now. Keep things simple rather than take on more than you can comfortably handle. Don’t feel pressured to make a decision or draw a conclusion now. Pushing these things is unlikely to work to your advantage and can cause undue stress.
Gemini
With Mercury only just pulling out of a direct station, dear Gemini, you have time to sort things out if you’ll allow things to unfold slowly. However, Mars challenges sluggish Mercury now, and this can produce unnecessary pressure or stress to move forward prematurely. Try not to succumb to this. As well, avoid snap judgments and decisions or hasty communications, particularly with friends and networks. You may be juggling too much, likely personal interests and the needs or demands of a friend, and tension can result if you can’t seem to focus on either one or the other.
Cancer
Rising tensions tend to come from dividing your attention between two very different drives, dear Cancer. Topics vying for your attention are likely to be personal or private matters, and professional/work-related. Watch for being impatient and short with others if you are juggling a lot. Things may not be moving ahead as quickly as you’d like. Tread lightly when it comes to interactions with others and communications, particularly on professional and public levels. Avoid speaking too fast on a matter. Creative explorations fare well today, however. The Moon’s move into your communications sector this morning keeps you on your toes and connections with friends or a partner can be particularly satisfying.
Leo
Emotions tend to settle down, or you’re not treating emotional needs as urgent today, dear Leo, with the Moon’s move out of your sign this morning. However, watch for impulsive communications and movements, whether you’re walking, driving, talking, or texting with Mars and Mercury in minor challenging aspect today. Mercury has just turned direct but is only slowly moving away from a standstill, yet you’re anxious to get somewhere or to make something happen. Tame impatience and avoid communicating too quickly, prematurely, or cuttingly today and tomorrow for best results. This is not the time to push yourself.
Virgo
The Moon moves into your sign this morning, dear Virgo, and this begins a new lunar cycle of emotional focus. Although on some levels you may feel as if you’re starting fresh, your ruler, Mercury, is just pulling out of a direct station and is connecting in a minor challenging aspect with Mars. This can point to misjudgments as you feel pressure for something to move forward when it’s too early to do so. Watch what you communicate today, particularly regarding how quickly you share an observation or make a criticism. Impatience can lead to irritating and unnecessary conflicts. Aim to accept that you’re not quite ready to push ahead and that problems are unraveling on their own time.
Libra
You can feel particularly impatient with conversation today if you want to get moving and doing rather than simply talking about it, dear Libra. However, it’s not yet the time to feel fully on the same page with a significant other. There can be much talk about nothing you actually care to hear about now. If you’re not feeling tense, then you may be attracting people who are grumpy or impatient. The sooner you tune out the nonessential and accept that you may need to wait a little longer for things to get back on track, the better you make use of the day’s energies which are quite excellent for injecting some extra excitement into your routines or work.
Scorpio
While the day is good for expressing your enthusiasm or affections for someone through your actions, gestures, and body language, dear Scorpio, communications over the phone or otherwise not face to face can be misunderstood. There can be anxiousness to get something going, mainly related to work or health endeavors, but pushing forward may not be wise now. Work and tasks can feel rushed yet you don’t have all the information you need to make the big decisions, so aim to pace yourself now. If you center yourself, you can tune into opportunities to connect with a person or project with passion.
Sagittarius
While you may have an easy time expressing your affection or interest in someone through your body language and gestures today, dear Sagittarius, there can be some curtness or impatience in our speech that can put a damper on things, most prevalent when communicating with someone from a distance rather than face to face. Restlessness or impatience can disrupt a perfectly good thing today, and it’s important to avoid trying to push for a decision or answer before it’s possible to do so mindfully. The Moon moves to the top of your solar chart this morning, prompting you to review recent performance or goals. However, nervous tension can interfere with your perceptions, so aim to take it easy instead of drawing quick conclusions.
Capricorn
There is good energy for work, dear Capricorn, particularly creatively speaking. However, there can be miscommunications between your actions and thoughts. Doing more than one thing at once can be particularly stressful today since there can be half-heartedness involved with most things. Spreading yourself too thin with your work or health efforts can be less than satisfying. Mercury has turned direct but is still apparently moving slowly as it pulls out of its station, and plans are not rolling forward yet, so have patience for best results now.
Aquarius
Mercury has just turned direct and is slowly moving out of its station in your communications sector, dear Aquarius. This can be a good time for taking a pause and considering your next move. With Mercury’s clash with Mars today, however, you can feel pressured to make a decision or put an idea into motion. Consider that you’re not quite ready to do so. There can be some curtness or apparent insensitivity in communications now if we are impatient in these ways. Try not to divide your attention or attempt to take on too many different topics and interests, as it can quickly lead to unwanted stress and tension.
Pisces
Try not to succumb to pressures to make a quick decision or to push a plan forward today, dear Pisces. Mercury has only just left its retrograde period but it will be a while before it resumes regular speed, so it’s best to ease yourself into Mercury-related activities, including new ideas and decisions or plans. Try also to avoid dividing your attention so much that you end up stressing yourself out. Keep things simple now. The Moon’s move into your partnership sector this morning can prompt you to seek out companionship for much of what you do. Alternatively, this can be a time for seeing your life through others’ eyes in important ways.
If You Were Born Today, May 3
If You Were Born Today, May 3:
Thoughtful and involved, you express yourself well, possess quiet charm, and easily endear yourself to others. You have an artistic bent that is undeniable, and your creative mind can help bring financial success. You are multi-talented and many of you spread yourself over multiple career paths and hobbies as a result. You expect a lot from yourself, and sometimes too much, which can lead to indecisiveness. Famous people born today: Bing Crosby, Sugar Ray Robinson, James Brown, Mary Astor, Christopher Cross.
Your Birthday Year Forecast:
Your birthday occurs around a First Quarter Moon this year, and you are reaching an important turning point in terms of personal growth. You may be more emotional this year, and you should watch for unnecessary conflicts and making hasty decisions as a result. Otherwise, this is a year of great energy, motivation, and growth. You are more ambitious and desirous of action in the year ahead.
Neptune continues to transit sextile to your Sun this year, however, softening and smoothing many of the rough edges. You are gentler, more intuitive, spiritual, and creative with this influence, and others are drawn to these qualities. Your natural ability to help others heal and calm down is enhanced. A higher purpose to your life is what you seek, and you rely more heavily upon your intuition in order to achieve it. You could find that your intuition is subtly enhanced and that you’re often in the right place at the right time, probably because your hunches are more likely to be correct. This aspect softens your disposition somewhat, as you tune into your imaginative and artistic side. This is a good year for self-improvement programs or efforts. The need to “get away from it all” — for some peace and quiet now and again — will be strong. A more sensitive, even mysterious, persona is projected this year, and this can attract pleasantly unusual circumstances (and people) into your life. You will want to spend more time away from chaotic situations.
Helping you with the practical side of life is a Mercury-Saturn connection. Your thinking is often practical and realistic, and your judgment is especially sound. You also derive much satisfaction from practical achievement. It would behoove you to identify and focus on finding pleasure in the simple things that make you happy.
Advances in intellectual and mental pursuits are likely, as you make steady progress that has long-lasting results. It’s a good year in which to get organized, to do detail work, and to prepare for the future. Work done during this period in your life will have tangible results in the future. Relationships with younger people in your life are solidified.
This can be a good time for updating your electronics and technology in ways that open up new avenues for communication or ease. Wonderfully creative ideas can fill your head this year.
There can be a stronger focus on loyalty in your relationships, and working relationships can improve or work with a partner can be in focus.
This is a year of both practical application and an imaginative approach. This can be a time of career advances and is a strong period for focusing on priorities. However, it’s also a period for projecting a warmer, softer image and for building your creativity and imagination or discovering a spiritual side.
2017 is a Number Nine year for you. Ruled by Mars. This is a year of completion and transition. It is a time when we need to let go of things that no longer serve their purpose, and hold on to things that have a future. It is a time of cleaning out dead wood, not necessarily for new beginnings. It can be a time when a burden has been taken off your shoulders, and it can be a year of giving of yourself. Advice – let go of things that are holding you back, give of yourself and express your sympathetic, compassionate side.
2018 will be a Number One year for you. Ruled by the Sun. This is a year of action. The seeds you plant now, you will reap later. Others might find you less sociable, as you are busier than ever and you focus on your activities and your needs. Still, you are outgoing and your initiative is stronger than ever. Advice – Stand alone, take action, start fresh, express independence.
Your Daily Horoscopes for Wednesday, May 3rd
Your Daily Horoscopes for Wednesday, May 3rd
Aries
Mercury turns direct in your sign today, dear Aries. Mercury has been retrograde for over three weeks, some of the time in your resources sector and part of the time in your sign. In the coming weeks, recent indecision is likely to clear up and recent contemplation to pay off! Gradually, you’ll make more informed choices as new information comes in. Be extra mindful of details and instructions today as the shift occurs. Finances, communications, transportation, and work-related delays should lift going forward. A Sun-Neptune connection today helps you relax and let things be, and this helps your intuition kick in. Taking action on a private matter or putting a problem behind you may be in focus. Adding creative flair or imaginative touches to a project can be satisfying and successful now.
Taurus
Mercury began its retrograde in your sign over three weeks ago, dear Taurus, but then retreated into the sign just behind yours. Now, Mercury turns direct, and you’ll see some recent problem areas untangle. Choices become clearer in the weeks ahead. While you can continue to keep some things to yourself as Mercury moves through your privacy sector (until the 16th), you’ll find it easier to make decisions and to deal with private matters. Avoid big launches or new beginnings now, as the shift itself can muddy perceptions. Helping you with this is the Sun in your sign in happy aspect with Neptune today. This influence opens your heart and your mind to new possibilities and encourages looking at things and people for their beauty rather than their flaws. Dreams and ideals assume particular importance to you today. Helping others can be rewarding.
Gemini
Mercury turns direct after more than three weeks of retrograde motion, dear Gemini, and although problem areas may feel magnified now as the shift occurs, you’ll see some real progress in the days and weeks ahead as Mercury regains speed. Information may emerge that helps you make decisions or choices that left you confounded while Mercury was retrograde. Delays seem to lift. Your friendships or place in a group seem clearer. Helping you go with the flow rather than push ahead too quickly is a Sun-Neptune aspect today that encourages relaxation, retreat, and imagination. The creative side of your projects holds more appeal than usual, and you’re particularly good at seeing (or bringing) magic in/to your pursuits. People are noticing you for your kindness.
Cancer
Mercury turns direct midday today, dear Cancer, after over three weeks of retrograde motion, first in your friendship sector and then in your career and reputation house. Delays and limbo related to any of these things are likely to break in the coming weeks. Career planning and goal-setting, reputation, status-related issues, and mental health matters gain clarity and then momentum. Be particularly mindful today and tomorrow due to this change in direction that confuses things. Helping you take a break from overthinking so that you can rest your brain is a Sun-Neptune connection that inspires you to dream and imagine wonderful possibilities. Look for refreshing changes of scenery or activities that promote emotional refreshment. Friendships might develop, or you could connect with interesting people and ideas now.
Leo
Mercury turns direct today after more than three weeks of retrograde motion, dear Leo, and while the shift itself today can be disorienting, you’ll see forward progress with work, travel, and educational plans or endeavors in the coming days and weeks. Delays or problems related to transportation and communication may lift. Plans you’ve been rethinking now seem clearer. You’ll gain more motivation and clarity with schooling, career, creative direction, and friendships. Wait for an easier day to address big topics or make important decisions, but tune into the creative, imaginative energy generated by a Sun-Neptune influence. Channels for self-expression open with increased faith. Research and development benefit from your intuitive approach. You easily gain others’ support for your goals or plans today.
Virgo
Mercury stations and moves direct today after a three-week retrograde, dear Virgo. This has the effect of moving things forward and speeding up mental processes. However, easing back into things is best now as the shift occurring today can point to some confusion. Be particularly vigilant with business moves, intimate relationships, and finances. However, these very same things are set to clear up, move forward, and unblock in the coming days and weeks. Delays may also lift on educational, travel, or publishing efforts in the coming weeks. You’ll see a relationship more clearly and matters related to support clarify as well. While it’s not a great time for focus on details, it’s a fine day for creative activities. Patience and a feeling of connectedness with others can be in focus. Something spiritual, romantic, or otherwise inspiring can lift your spirits and improve your outlook. Feeling on the same page or understood can have the same effect.
Libra
Mercury ends its retrograde cycle today, dear Libra, and we come to the end of a period of mental reorientation. Keeping in mind that communications can continue to confound us during the shift now, you can nevertheless look forward to more clarity and forward movement related to your relationships, educational pursuits, partnerships, finances, intimate connections, and negotiations. These might turn a corner now, or results come in that offer you more clarity and make it easier to make informed decisions. A connection between Sun and Neptune adds creative flair and a nice touch of imagination to the day. It also helps you to “go with the flow” rather than rush or push things. There can be intuitive hunches that lead you to the right information and creative ways to improve your work or health. Supporting others or self-improvement efforts can be rewarding now.
Scorpio
With Mercury’s direct movement today after several weeks of retrograde motion, dear Scorpio, you’ll begin to see some delays lift and plans move forward in the coming days and weeks. Because Mercury is currently making a shift in direction, you don’t have the green light for big decision-making just yet. As more information comes in, you’ll feel far better equipped to make decisions, particularly related to work, health, partnerships, and finances. Missing links fill in, and these get the ball moving with projects that were put on the back burner. An easygoing aspect between the Sun and Neptune today helps you take things easy. You have faith that things will unfold as they should, and this can help you to relax and open your heart. There can be greater understanding and acceptance in a relationship now. Connecting with others can lead to nice opportunities, and creative efforts are particularly successful.
Sagittarius
Mercury ends its several-week retrograde today, dear Sagittarius, and while things may be a little wonky during the shift itself, you’ll see certain problems clear up and delays lift going forward. You’re likely to see forward movement or come to a turning point related to creative projects, romantic relationships (or signals), partnerships, negotiations, and work or health matters. A Sun-Neptune influence today helps you to see and focus on the benefits or beauty of a venture more than its flaws. Inspiration to improve your work or health can lift you up high today. There may be opportunities to bring more creative flair to your services or the job you do. Family relationships can improve, or you enjoy your domestic life more than usual now. Peace, beauty, and harmony in the home can be therapeutic for you.
Capricorn
With Mercury turning direct, dear Capricorn, you’re likely to see some forward movement or more apparent progress in certain projects or endeavors related to home, family, hobbies, and your dating life. There can be more clarity and possibly improved communications in your personal life. Keep in mind that results of Mercury’s direct turn are not immediate and, in fact, life can feel particularly confusing as it changes direction today and tomorrow. Revisiting conversations or problems that confused you or left you with more questions than answers is likely in the days and weeks ahead, but this time you’ll know more variables or have all the information you need to make easy decisions. A Sun-Neptune influence today helps relax you as it fills you with faith and patience to let life unfold before you rather than attempt to push it along when it’s not ready to move! Fortunately, you can express yourself in wonderful ways without the limitations of words alone. This is a time of creative or emotional inspiration.
Aquarius
Mercury ends its retrograde midday, dear Aquarius, and while this points to increasing clarity and forward progress in many areas, the transition itself can feel a little muddled. As new information comes in, you’ll feel better equipped to make firm decisions in the days and weeks ahead. Transportation, learning, educational, family, home, and communication difficulties are likely to pass. Whether an idea or project is now more or less attractive with new information, you’re in a clearer position. Connecting, traveling, and communicating become simpler and more straightforward. Take new projects and developments slowly. You’ll find it easier to relax as the day moves forward, as a Sun-Neptune connection supports your faith and vision, making it natural to relax and go with the flow. Focus on activities that produce spiritual rewards. Imagination and intuition enhance financial and domestic ventures.
Pisces
Mercury turns direct after more than three weeks of retrograde motion, dear Pisces. Gradually you’ll enjoy more clarity with communications, transportation, personal finances, partnerships, and family or home matters. Today and tomorrow require extra care with communicating, purchases, and facts or figures as Mercury’s apparent speed is very slow. Ease back into decisions and projects. A Sun-Neptune aspect today helps you feel very much in your element, however. While strictly speaking the words you’re choosing may not be perfect, you’re communicating with imagination and unique flair. The emotional and spiritual elements of your life assume particular importance to you today. Others notice your finer qualities today.
Mercury Retrograde Horoscopes Spring 2017
Mercury Retrograde Horoscopes Spring 2017
Get back on the right track during this Mercury Retrograde
Spring, Mercury-retrograde, Horoscopes, Astrology
This spring, Mercury will retrograde through two zodiac signs, giving us a cosmic opportunity to re-evaluate more than one area of our life in order to make sure we’re on the right track.
On April 9, he’ll turn retrograde at 5 degrees of Taurus. Then on April 20, Mercury will back into Aries, where he’ll remain retrograde until May 3. Re-assessing the material side of your life (Taurus) as well as your personal identity (Aries) during this retrograde will keep your mind extra busy…
Be sure to read your sign’s horoscope below to see what this Mercury Retrograde cycle will bring up in your world!
Aries Horoscope (March 21 – April 19)
Money and identity are very much intertwined. This will be quite an interesting Mercury Retrograde cycle, because you’ll start out revising your ideas and thoughts connected to finances, but by April 20 your concerns will turn toward your self. How are you communicating — or miscommunicating — to others? Is it affecting your ability to earn money? Are you on the right track when it comes to developing your talents? These are a few of the many questions you’ll want to tackle during this time.
Taurus Horoscope (April 20 – May 20)
Initially, you may take a giant step back and realize that your words are not coming out in the way you intend during this Mercury Retrograde. If they are, then there might be something amiss in your delivery, because they are certainly not being received in the correct way by others. Use the first part of this retrograde phase to address this.
After April 20 you might want to spend more time alone revising an important communications-related project. Or, you might rehash unresolved matters during therapy. A breakthrough is possible after May 3 when Mercury turns direct.
Gemini Horoscope (May 21 – June 20)
You might fly under the radar during the first half of this Mercury Retrograde cycle. There’s something about your communication that you may feel insecure about. If so, until April 20, you’ll have a wonderful opportunity to work through it. After the 20th you’ll begin putting it into practice as you notice there’s more happening socially. If you are working on a presentation or speech, this will be a perfect time to have a few practice runs in order to work out any kinks. Schedule it after May 3.
Cancer Horoscope (June 21 – July 22)
If you’re working on a website, social media campaign, or other internet-related project, there might be a few hiccups to work through during this Mercury Retrograde. After the April 20 you will have an opportunity to revise the strategy you’re taking in order to achieve a significant career goal. You may also realize that this is not the time to start anything new, but instead to perfect what you already have in the works. Your boss will notice. Lastly, be wary of miscommunication to a higher-up. Avoid vital conversations until after May 3 when Mercury is direct again.
Leo Horoscope (July 23 – Aug. 22)
Even if you’re not ready to take on an entirely new career path, it may soon become clear that unless you go back to school or study for a license or certification, you won’t be able to get ahead. Until April 20 you’ll re-evaluate your professional goals, then after this point you’re likely to hit the books. Hire a tutor or ask someone to help you with the more difficult material, since it may not be easy to assimilate on your own until after May 3.
Virgo Horoscope (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22)
You might feel as if you’re having a crisis of faith until April 20. Re-evaluating your beliefs or spirituality is likely during the first half of this Mercury Retrograde cycle. Fortunately, you’re likely to have a deep breakthrough that will lead you to your truth.
After the 20th and until May 3, you’re likely to focus on fixing any financial mishaps you discover. Errors in taxes or financial documents may be found just in the nick of time.
Libra Horoscope (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22)
During the first portion of this Mercury Retrograde cycle you’re likely to pay close attention to your financial life. One possibility is that you’re applying for a line of credit, student loan, or mortgage. If the paperwork is delayed, be patient. Do what you can to ensure you have submitted all of the proper documentations. Same goes if you are experiencing any frustration with insurance claims.
After April 20 you might have to work through a misunderstanding with your partner in business or in your personal life.
Scorpio Horoscope (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21)
During the first portion of this Mercury Retrograde cycle you and your partner might feel as if you’re in relationship rehab. There might be extra misunderstandings, so exercise patience. It’ll be a great time, however, to resolve a previously unsettled conversation.
After April 20 you’ll focus on polishing your professional assignments. Expect to spend more time revising your work. Avoid office gossip though — it’ll get out of hand very quickly.
Sagittarius Horoscope (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21)
If you’re going through any health situation, it might feel quite difficult to make a decision regarding what protocol to follow or even what doctor to hire to help treat it during this Mercury Retrograde. Until April 20, spend time doing research on your condition and then be sure to ask your health care provider plenty of questions. Make final decisions after May 3 if possible, when mercury is finally direct.
After April 20, you might notice a strange situation happening regarding your love life. An ex might come back into your life. It should be interesting!
Capricorn Horoscope (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19)
Miscommunication between you and your sweetheart or one of your children is possible during this Mercury Retrograde. You might not be able to agree on a major decision and if so, the frustration may not let up until after May 3, when Mercury is moving direct again. Another possibility is that you’ll feel creatively blocked. Use this time as an opportunity — revise your approach to any artistic endeavor. After April 20 you might hear from relatives who fell off the grid. It’ll be nice to reunite.
Aquarius Horoscope (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18)
This is not the time to sign any real estate contracts if at all possible. On April 9 Mercury turns retrograde in your home and family sector, where he remains until April 20. At that point he’ll retrograde back into your message sector and will not turn direct until May 3. You, more than others, will likely experience frustration connected to contracts, decisions, and other communication-related to domestic matters. Be patient and do what you can to clarify any misunderstandings on your end.
Pisces Horoscope (Feb. 19 – March 20)
On April 9 Mercury, the planet of communication, will turn retrograde right in the area of your chart ruling all matters of communication — your 3rd house. As a result, until April 20 you’ll be especially sensitive to mishaps during conversations and any type of correspondence from written to telephone to email. Be aware!
On the 20th Mercury will back pedal into your earned income sector, and will retrograde here until May 3. View this as an opportunity to reconcile your finances, despite the initial headaches.
Part of the Daily Insight Group ©2017
May 2017 Horoscope
May 2017 Horoscope
Getting things done
By Marie DeSimone
May begins with Mercury turning direct in Aries on the 3rd, allowing everyone to get communications matters in order again as the month progresses.
A gorgeous Full Moon in Scorpio on May 10 prompts everyone to plumb the depths of emotion in order to reach the heights of soul awareness.
Mercury enters Taurus on May 16 and remains in this steadfast sign through June 6. Our minds will be on the material world and how to secure our place in it.
A New Moon in Gemini on May 25 offers the opportunity to multitask as we begin multiple ventures that stimulate our minds. All communications and sales related endeavors are favored over the following two weeks. Get busy!
Part of the Daily Insight Group ©2017
May 2017 Astrology & Numerology Forecast
Marvelous May is here!
You will be delighted to know that this month will feel lighter!
After all the spiritual and emotional healing you did last month, now it’s time to enjoy yourself. The themes for May are HARMONY, LOVE & BALANCE.
Relationships will be highlighted, so get ready for love!
In this forecast, I share with you how to listen to your heart, so you can receive more love and prosperity.
Enjoy and share!
Monthly Astro-Forecasts May 2017
Monthly Astro-Forecasts May 2017
Message for May 2017
Life, by its very nature, is unknowable. None of us can ever truly know what lies around the next corner and none of us can know what the future will hold. Of course, this doesn’t stop us from having dreams and aspirations, as few people ever really think about the possibility that one day we will no longer have the luxury of ‘waiting for a better moment’. Nor does it stop us from taking so much for granted as we don’t plan for what may, or may not, happen further down the road of life. It’s often not until we reach a pothole and take a tumble do we awaken and realise the importance of truly living in the moment. Although the tumble can cause tremendous suffering and pain, the awakening experience can be truly rewarding as it brings us closer to life and enables us to live more consciously in the unknowable ebb and flow.
Life has a habit of throwing us some unexpected curve balls and surprises, and whilst some of these are joyful and delightful, others can be challenging and perplexing. Many of us have a tendency in life in keep our gaze firmly on where we’ve been and on where we’re heading, but so few of us have the presence of mind to be here, in this moment. Yet, this moment is really all we have as the past is behind us and the future hasn’t happened yet. However, we are complex beings, so doing what’s best for us is not always that straightforward as every single one of us is a mass of contradictions and complications; we are conflicted, imperfect bundles of atoms trying to make sense of this thing we call life.
We may try to seek out answers to the many different questions we have about life and existence, even though we intuitively know this quest will be both unsuccessful and unrewarding as there are no clear-cut answers; life doesn’t come with an instruction manual or guidebook. Yet, this doesn’t stop us going round and round in circles, trying to pull out ‘the answer’ from a previously unexplored source or sage. The desire to find answers is strong but the wisdom to know when to stop looking is less so.
Perhaps all of this helps to explain why we are the way we are but it doesn’t really help us to deal with the barrage of change and uncertainty flooding in on every layer of consciousness at the current time. We are in perplexing and bewildering times and whilst knowing we are complex beings with a tendency to want to make sense of why things are the way they are even when we know we never will, this is how we grow and evolve, so not doing this feels counter-intuitive.
Yet, there is another way: acceptance. Acceptance is another pathway to growth and evolution, and this now seems to be the over-arching force for many. Acceptance isn’t surrendering or giving up, it’s a willingness to live more consciously with the inevitable ebb and flow of life. Whilst this doesn’t make the ebbs or flows any less confusing or challenging, it can make for a more balanced life, allowing us to live more willingly in the present moment and inspiring us to live with more passion and courage. The time has come to breathe more deeply into life, to live wholeheartedly in the present moment and to have the courage to be free…
With love,
Sarah-Jane
Aries
♈
May looks set to be a month of high energy and creative spark as you open up your heart and soul towards a new (ad)venture in life. You have long been chomping at the bit to explore some new terrain as your everyday has been feeling quite pedestrian and stale. Although you do not seem overtly unhappy, there is a restlessness deep within you that is seeking out a bigger sense of purpose and meaning in life. It’s hard to ignore such a force as it’s a potent reminder of just how important it is to find balance between mind, body and soul, as unless you are nourishing and nurturing all aspects of your Self, you can feel out of sync and disconnected from your true vibrancy. As you continue to grow and evolve, you have started to realise just how much you have sacrificed of yourself over the years in an attempt to keep everyone happy and to keep the wheels on the big bus of life rolling on and on.
Although you are a determined and motivated soul, you are also very empathic and feel driven to divert from your own path in order to help or support others. This is very admirable and it has brought you great reward, but it has also seen a growing disconnect away from the path you intuitively know you were born to walk. Of course, one could argue that the path you are walking is ultimately the path you were born to walk, but intuitively you know you have sacrificed some of your effervescent and vibrant passion for life; this energy hasn’t vanished, it’s bubbling up to the surface now in order for you to either acknowledge it and let it go or to grab it and fly…
Taurus
♉
As you continue to focus on the essence of stillness, there is a growing sense of equilibrium and clarity rising up from deep within you as you are beginning to feel less flustered and befuddled by the constant ebb and flow of your life. You have had some challenging times recently and there have been moments when you have felt lost and alone, these have highlighted your uniqueness as you see the world so differently to those around you. Whilst this can feel isolating, it’s important to remember you are never alone as your heightened awareness and consciousness enables you to connect with others, and the world, in a profound and insightful way.
May looks set to be a month of shifting perspective as you begin to see the bigger picture of your life with more clarity than ever before. It can sometimes be hard for you to know what to do with such clarity as it doesn’t seem to happen very often, and there are times of your life when you feel more discombobulated and befuddled than clear and focused. However, it’s important not to feel overwhelmed by the prospect before you even reach that point as you cannot truly predict exactly how you will feel until you experience it. Easier said than done, but try to see this as a prime opportunity for you to re-define and re-shape the story of your life. You are a wise and vibrant soul, and this is a pivotal time for you to allow the essence of stillness to grow and flourish into all aspects of your life enabling you to ride the ebb and flow with courage and confidence as you step into the unknown with a growing sense of knowing that everything is exactly as it’s meant to be…
Gemini
♊
As the tinglings of creativity and passion continue to stir and rise up from deep within your heart and soul there is a growing sense of possibility bursting into life with great vigour, energy and excitement. In many ways, you feel as though you are nearing a new chapter in your life as there is a strong sense of new beginnings but, at the same time, your mind is also lingering on the ramifications of this as you intuitively know that with beginnings inevitably come endings. Yet, you also know this new chapter is an important step so the excitement somewhat outweighs the melancholy. However, you’re a complex and sensitive soul so it’s hard for you not to accommodate this low-level downhearted feeling but it’s important not to allow the melancholy to take over or this may become the defining flavour of May.
Of course, logically you accept the continual process of change and you know that nothing ever stays the same but there’s a part of you that resists this, longing for the comfort of the familiar. You know that it’s change that brings you deeper understanding and a growing wisdom, but you still long for a rest in the warm blanket of continuity and permanency. Change takes you into unknown terrain and it can throw your sense of inner equilibrium into turmoil leaving you wondering whether you are coming, going or stuck somewhere in-between, and it can challenge your beliefs as they become outdated and outmoded. However, it’s in these unknown spaces where you have the potential to truly flourish and thrive as this is where you grow, learn and evolve. So, take a deep breath and move with the natural ebb and flow of your life as this is a magical and vibrant time for you to shine…
Cancer
♋
May looks set to hold your focus on the 1% of your existence (mentioned in April) that’s magical, amazing and extraordinary as it starts to grow and expand. The other 99% of your time continues to tick along as you deal with the everyday pedestrian mundaneness of keeping on keeping on. This 1% therefore feels very significant as it represents moments that lift your consciousness and inspire you to the infinite possibilities both within, and around, you. However, there is a sense you believe such moments are extremely rare and there’s a chance such a belief is actually preventing you from experiencing more of these moments in your life. Of course, ‘1% of your existence’ sounds tiny but remember you are a being of infinite consciousness and this goes way and beyond the concept of linear time so 1% can represent so much more than the fleeting moments you perceive it to be.
In many ways, it seems as though your perspective has shrunk in accordance to the routine of your life and you’ve stopped looking beyond this as your focus has been on the daily ebb and flow, and little else. Whilst this is understandable as it’s a management strategy, it’s kept you bound by the restraints of your ‘everyday’ and away from the magic of possibilities all around you. As a result, you seem to have lost sight of the bigger picture and disconnected from your hopes and dreams as they somehow seem impractical and inconvenient to your everyday. Intuitively you know this is not your natural way of being and you seem ready now to take a deep breath and reach back out into your dreams in order to expand that ‘1%’ into every aspect of your life…
Leo
♌
You are a complex and complicated soul as there really is nothing straightforward or ‘black and white’ about you! You live in a canvas of a richly vibrant palette of colours representing your creative, passionate and courageous perspective on life. No two strokes of the brush are the same as you never quite know what you’re going to get when you allow your true essence to flow freely and this makes being you exciting and invigorating as the unknowable nature of your existence is tantalising and exhilarating. In many ways, this is reflected in the choices you make (or do not make) in life as you are not afraid to face your fears or step into unchartered terrain when your intuition calls. However, despite your innate tendency to ‘live on the edge’, there is a sense that your tendency to try to do ‘what’s right’ combined with your desire to keep others happy both prevent you from living quite as close to the edge as you would like.
In your heart and soul, you are a ‘living by the seat of your pants’ kind of soul but in your everyday world you seem to hedge your bets and spend a great deal of your time trying to create the ‘right life’ rather than simply living it. The power of your mind is often under-rated but you are a profoundly deep over-thinker and this seems to be at the root of your somewhat challenging predicament as you are a perfectionist at heart. Let this go and love yourself: faults, quirks and imperfections included! Also try to remember that this is only a predicament if you choose to see it as one as keeping others happy does not have to be mutually exclusive to living the life you were born to live…
Virgo
♍
You spend a great deal of time thinking about, and musing over, the life you know you could be living. You create the vision of what could be in great detail, knowing that you can fulfil your dreams and live the life you were born to live. At the same time, you are aware of the bigger picture of the path you need to walk in order to get to where you need to be, enabling you to gain a clearer sense of direction and purpose in life. With such a visionary perspective, it often irritates and frustrates you that you are still thinking about such things rather than living this vision. You feel the gap of every single millimetre between where you are and where you want to be, and this can be quite painful at times as it reminds you of how far you still need to travel to reach the promised land of your vision becoming a reality.
Of course, if you took even a brief moment to contemplate the notion that thinking about the life you were born to live takes you away from actually living the life you were born to live, you would quickly realise that there is no gap between ‘there’ and ‘here’ as you are already exactly where you need to be in order to live the life you were born to live as you are already, by default, living the life you were born to live! Your dreams are only dreams because you haven’t grabbed hold of them and you feel the gap between there and here because you lack belief in yourself even though you know you are a vibrant, passionate, visionary and talented soul. The time has come for you to stop procrastinating in musings and ideas in order to start being the you, you already are…
Libra
♎
When you take a step back to gaze at the life you are living, it is easy to see the knots, tangles and twists of an over-active and over-busy brain. To an onlooker, your head is like a maelstrom of chaos, moving at a million miles an hour, never resting and always active. To many, this can appear abnormal and peculiar, but to you, this is business as usual! Your head is naturally busy, the chaos is your ‘normal’ and anything less than a million miles an hour feels slow and dawdling. Yet, you often feel as though you should be different as you listen to the perspective of others and wonder if you should be residing in stillness and tranquillity instead. As a result, you can do battle with yourself, wrestling with the maelstrom, trying to tame the energy into a more manageable flow. Why? Why would you want to slow down when this is your natural flow? Rather than trying to fix ‘what is’ wouldn’t it be better to embrace it and love it instead?
You are perfect exactly as you are, although you can struggle to accept this as it can feel slightly over-inflated to acknowledge your perfection! Doing battle with your natural essence only leads to disconnection and discombobulation but accepting your inner whirlwind enables you to ride the flow with courage and confidence. May looks set to be a month for you to be proud of the rollercoaster within as it looks set to catapult you from where you are to where you now need to be. Try not to over-think this (!) but allow the process to unfold naturally as life is changing moment to moment and where you think you need to be is unlikely to be where you will end up. Keep an open mind and enjoy the ride…
Scorpio
♏
The essence of being you is a complex and complicated matter as you are a profoundly complex and extraordinarily complicated soul. This isn’t a criticism, simply an observation of the vastness of your consciousness and the enormity of your creative spirit. Over recent weeks and months you have grown more aware of your essence and this has led you into some moments of deep thinking and profound insights as you have begun to realise just how complex you really are. You have spent a great deal of your life trying to live the best life possible by living the life you thought you ought to be living, and whilst this has brought you happiness and reward, you have also felt a little disjointed as you have always (albeit most likely subconsciously) known of the infinity of possibility residing beyond the concept of ‘ought’.
However, now you have started to look beyond the boundaries of your everyday life, you are opening up to new layers of insight and revelation in connection to how you could be living your life. This has, inevitably, stirred up some deep, and often difficult, feelings as you have wrestled with the notion of upsetting the apple cart of your life. This inner wrestling is doing battle within your heart and soul as you are feeling the incongruence between the way you have been living your life and the way in which you now see the bigger picture of possibilities of what ‘could be’. It’s important not to get carried away with what ‘could be’, after all, you are a dreamer and a visionary so the possibilities are endless. However, what is important is a need to find ways to allow your true essence more freedom to naturally grow and expand into every nook, cranny and crevice of your life…
Sagittarius
♐
The concept of happiness continues to take centre stage throughout May as you begin to question what happiness really means to you. Does happiness mean ‘having it all’? Is it something to get or feel? Is happiness what emerges once you’ve fixed the unhappiness? Does happiness come by reaching the end of your bucket list for life? Is happiness a constant state of being or is it fleeting moments of joy? So many questions to contemplate and so little time to contemplate them! May certainly looks set to be a busy month for you as you make some big decisions about where you are in your life. You have spent a great deal of your time looking ahead to the horizon of a nirvana-like existence of happiness and success, and you have worked hard to make this a reality. Yet, what’s the cost been for such a vision? Do you feel closer to the horizon or is it still on the horizon? Are you closer to happiness?
These are important questions to consider as your whole inner infrastructure is undergoing a major refurbishment as many of your long-held beliefs are crumbling into dust and falling away. Instead of rushing around trying to keep the structure up in the air, you have, perhaps for the first time, allowed nature to take its course and let it all fall. This may sound scary and a bit like giving up but this couldn’t be further from the truth as it’s exactly the opposite: your willingness to let go is enabling you to honestly answer these questions and realise that it’s not what’s on the horizon that’s important, it’s where you are now. Happiness isn’t a force to go out and get, you have it now, so love it, honour it and tenderly nourish it…
Capricorn
♑
As mentioned in your April forecast, there are many moments of ‘almost perfection’ which often get overlooked as you strive for the lofty heights of perfection in life. You work hard to get life right and anything less than this can feel deeply unsatisfying and unrewarding. Yet, what is ‘right’? What defines ‘rightness’? It’s a bit like the concept of ‘normal’, it’s a moveable measure as everyone has their own version of it, seeing anything else as ‘abnormal’ which is not only unhelpful but potentially very divisive as well. Getting life right is an inherent part of being human as you want to live the best possible life in the best possible way. Yet, have you ever considered the idea that getting life right is perhaps less important than living life well? If ‘rightness’ is a moveable measure, will you ever reach the point where everything is absolutely exactly as it should be? It seems unlikely as the goalposts are constantly shifting and moving.
So, does this mean that striving for ‘rightness’ can only lead to dissatisfaction as you have set yourself up to attain a goal that’s unobtainable? It seems important to contemplate these questions as there is a sense that you often give yourself a hard time for not doing more, being more or achieving more which stems from this drive for ‘rightness’. Yet, when you take a look at your life you know you haven’t given up but you are doing your best; so don’t berate yourself for this. Perhaps the time has now come for you to see the joy in all of those moments of ‘almost perfection’ as these are many and they are not failures of not achieving perfection but they represent the perfection of being an imperfectly perfect human being…
Aquarius
♒
For a fluid, free-thinking, creative and passionate soul, you do have a tendency to write your beliefs in the immoveable, rigidity of concrete. Some may call this determination, others may see it as courage but there is also a possibility of a smattering of stubbornness as well! Yes, you are fluid and free-thinking, and your perspective on the world is far reaching as your consciousness reaches far and wide, but you are also a tenacious stalwart soul, often clinging on tightly to your own ideas, ideals and beliefs. After all, you created them, so you are keen to take full ownership and copyright for them. Yet, even you know that, over time, beliefs change and even those carved in stone fade with the passing years. Perhaps it’s time to ask yourself why your stubborn streak digs his/her heels in so deeply? Is it a determination to stick with what you’ve already discovered and therefore an unwillingness to evolve? Unlikely. Is it a desire to have the last laugh as you really did get the answers to those questions right back then? Unlikely.
So, what drives your apparent unwillingness to let go of beliefs and ideas that have grown dusty and outdated? It seems most likely that it’s habit; pure and simple. There nothing deeper or more profound, just a tendency to stick to the familiar because that’s what you’ve always done. So, you don’t really get stuck in old beliefs you just keep accumulating layer upon layer of new ones to accommodate your fluid, free-thinking, creative spark. Of course, there will come a time when the weight of this becomes too great and you will sink under the pressure, so why not take the helm now, break the habit and let go? Letting go will set you free…
Pisces
♓
You are a multi-layered, multi-faceted and multi-dimensional soul; your consciousness reaches out far and wide into the far-reaching depths and dizzying heights of existence. Your creativity is your lifeblood as it is a way of being that allows you to express your true essence and inspires you to live with vibrant interconnectivity as an integral part of the integrated whole. Of course, much of this can feel vague and slightly nebulous as there are no clear boundaries or definitions, but that’s the point as there’s nothing clear-cut or defined about you! This can lead to even more confusion as it can be so hard for you to gain a foothold when nothing is tangible and everything is indefinable. However, whilst it’s easy to get lost in this, it’s important to realise that this is your natural way of living and being, so, as a result, you will only feel lost if you forget that this nebulous, fantastic, mystical world is of your own making as it is you.
Instead of trying to fight for clarity, why not dive into the depths of your being in order to see the joy of being you? You are multi-layered and multi-dimensional for a reason and that reason isn’t to feel overwhelmed or lost, it’s to have the capacity to bring together the boundless possibilities of your consciousness and the magic of your creativity into the here and now. You often forget your gifts but it’s time to grab hold of them now in order to celebrate the clarity that comes with being a complex, intangible soul. Yes, there is clarity to be found in confusion, as confusion only exists because you fight your true essence. So, the time has come to start loving yourself and allowing your majestic, vibrant and indefinable being to thrive…
Witches Of The Craft® 
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