This is not just a pretty page of sparklies.
It is a mirror reflection of our lives at this magical time.
This is Neptune; what you see is not what you get.
Whether you know it or not, you are blinking
your eyes to keep from being blinded by the light!
That means that what you are looking for
is right in front of your eyes,
but you simply cannot see it due to the glare!

This glare has many possible sources.
An inflated ego who sees nothing but himself,
basking in his own most glorious light, is blind to
the talents and offerings of others who are less obvious,
and therefore often misses opportunities for learning and growth.
Likewise, a deflated ego, one with little self-esteem,
sees only her own failures and shortcomings when
compared to the "blinding light" of her competitors.
Neither vantage point is a holistic one,
and both will demand a rebalancing, which usually means
getting "knocked for a loop" one way or another.

The insight of Neptune reminds us that receptivity and deep listening
are the only way through the mists. If you have ever driven "intuitively"
in a heavy fog, turning or slowing down at the right time, without being able to physically see where you were going, then you know how this works.
You do not have to be psychic to experience Neptune.
We had all better get used to receiving our information and guidance
"on new channels," with new listening skills and all new tools!

Students of most spiritual disciplines learn early in their studies
that humility is at the core of the mastery they seek.
The old Buddhist saying is ever so true:

"Before Enlightenment: chop wood, carry water.
After Enlightenment: chop wood, carry water."

It is also no secret that as soon as you think you "get it,"
you are immediately "tested" with a situation
which demands that your newfound wisdom be applied.
This is not "somebody out to get you."
This is the natural Universal Balance taking effect!
"You take the first step; the Universe takes the next one."
You move a piece of the puzzle (of Life),
and then the Universe moves a piece.
Each cause and effect,
the ebb and flow of life's tides,
is nothing more than a balancing act.
Once we familiarize ourselves with the rhythm,
we can better harmonize with what is,
rather than being sliced to ribbons by insisting that
we know the way it is "supposed to be!"

None of us really knows what is around our next corner.
The only preparation or protection there can possibly be is our own
Inner Truth, the only Path that can lead us Home!
Neptune and Pluto have been doing a cosmic dance since 1979,
when they slipped out of their usual respective positions in our solar system,
sort of "switching places," putting Neptune farther away than Pluto,
and Pluto closer than Neptune. On February 15, Chinese New Year 1999,
they slipped back into their natural positions, heralding change
paralleled only by the coming of the Aquarian Age in 2012.
Neptune's realm is the highest heights, while Pluto's is the
deepest depths, and ultimately they merge into One.
Staying conscious of this Oneness in every moment's breath
is the ultimate challenge in Life.
This is "the dance" of which T.S. Eliot spoke,
"...and there is only the dance."

We need also stay conscious of these two Blue Moons, Jan. 31
and Mar. 31, a unique phenomenon that has not occurred since 1915.
Any astrologer can tell you that 84 years is a Uranus cycle,
which means breakthrough. The difficulty lies in recognizing our own path
amidst the many tangled threads of all the other lives woven throughout ours.

Saturn is in Taurus now and will be bringing us "to ground."
Watch your footing, check your bank balance, and keep it simple.
Forest pathways, Buddhist temples and Zen gardens will all lend peace of mind to the otherwise chaotic times through which we travel. Taurus and Saturn
are both of the Earth, and counsel us to mind our nutritional manners,
take care of the basics and not over-indulge. Comfort zones are
quite allowable, but not deep pits of self-indulgence, despair or
self-destruction. 1999 is a year of renewal, fresh
beginnings and solid steps, even if they feel tentative.
The lack of absolute certainty is due to Neptune's and Uranus's
transits through Aquarius. Being an Air sign (of the Mind) the
certainty is "known" but may not be tangible. Jupiter in Aries until late
June will keep the pace ultra-fast in spite of Saturn's lead weights.
Yoga, Tai Chi, weight-training and long walks are recommended, in order to
keep your thoughts from overrunning your physical capabilities.
As Above, So Below has many applications.

We continue to live in an unpredictable environment,
which can produce unseen enemies like:

• new influenzas and viruses of unknown origin and description
• flashing lights on a TV cartoon causing epileptic seizures
• youth gangs that employ eight-year-olds with live weapons,
• one more nut-case released from custody into our community,
• terrorists, AIDS, bankruptcy, divorce, Y2K
• the list is endless, and growing.

There are no weapons, inoculations, or dead-bolt locks
to keep these insidious enemies at bay. Our only defense,
and the "perfect" defense, is our own intuition,
which if running through clear channels, can warn us
ahead of time which way to turn and how fast to go.

As Neptune and Saturn square each other from late
March to mid-April, our securities will be challenged,
foundations become wobbly and rock-solid support turns to jelly.
We are reminded of the expression from the `70s:
my karma ran over my dogma
This is the part where you meet yourself ... coming and going!

The trick is to weave the yin and yang
of "spiritual and physical" significance into every moment.
Let your intuition tell you "who to trust."
(this does not count after the second glass of wine)
If you can look into his eyes and see a friend,
then the piece of paper is irrelevant.
If you look into his eyes and feel fear,
the piece of paper is also irrelevant.
If we are relying solely on the physical,
material world to sustain our reason for being,
and our way of being, we will very likely find ourselves
in an extremely vulnerable and unfulfilled position.

The capper of the season (March 18 - June 4) is Mars turning retrograde
from 12° Scorpio to 24° Libra, rehashing and rearranging our body's energy,
our relationships of all kinds, particularly with ourselves. This is the time for a new health regime, a juice fast, a colon cleanse, a retreat or just a little break, to relax and remember why you are doing all of this. If you can't remember, then go farther away for a little longer, until you do. Some of this travel will also be in the Dreamtime, as some of our most important work is done there, and now more than ever, with Neptune in Aquarius. We will all be "going places" or experiencing things we have never known, and need to remain open and receptive to wisdom in all its forms. It is good advice to surround yourself with people who know more than you do, so you never get so naively self-assured that you stop learning, and thus, bring your evolutionary progress to a dead halt. This is usually accompanied by "other things"
coming to a dead-halt too, like relationship, job, health, etc.

Honouring our body's innate wisdom and intelligence is vital to our
holistic success. By treating it well and listening to its symptoms
as direct, deliberate messages, and not just as irritations,
we can readily attune to our own "perfect pitch,"
and will be instantly rewarded with revitalized energy,
greater stamina, increased strength and natural grace.
Choose wisely how you expend your energy during this Mars
retrograde period, as missteps can be costly.
Warnings include speed, vehicles, impatience,
machinery, anger, sharp tools and fire.

Mercury also retrograde, in Pisces, until April 2,
is even more reason to go within for the answers, rather
than flinging ourselves around in emotional dithers.
If you find yourself struggling, pause and ask,
"where is the flow?"  It has to be there somewhere.
We are more often than not kicking up such a fuss
railing against it, that we don't see the opening.
A quote from A Course in Miracles comes to mind:
The door is part of the wall too!

If you want to see whether you were blinded by the light
when you landed on this page, please note whether or not
you noticed all the hidden messages concealed
within "the light," in this case, the stars.
Either way, let's keep our tuners set on our own frequency.
We wouldn't want to miss any signals being sent our way.

Are you listening to your body?    

It knows your resonance levels better than you do!

Our role in the collective is determined by our ability to recognize

our personal passions and develop them into their soul-driven purpose.

With Jupiter in Aries since mid-February, we will not be stopped,

our courage is building, engines are revving, even as systems are falling apart.

Neptune asks simply that we allow ourselves to ... l e t   g o  ~ ~   ~

          whose life is it, anyway?