Wheelof Lightwww.starwatcher.com707-887-1820Rio OleskyMAY 2009Most people are interested inpersonal relationships. This month aconjunction between Venus and Marsbrings that focus in high priority.This is not a particularly rare aspectas it recurs approximately every 12-18 months. What is unusual about thealignment this time is that lasts fortwo months instead of the week to tendays that is the norm. With that muchtime to work with we can take greateradvantage of the potential to improveand enjoy our relationships.Another factor that increases thesignificance of this aspect is that itcomes two weeks after Venus turneddirect after having been retrogradesince early March. As noted in thiscolumn last month, when Venus isretrograde we are challenged to reviewboth our needs and behaviors in anyrelationship to ensure that what weare doing is conducive to satisfactionand fulfillment. Since any conjunctionprovides the opportunity for a newbeginning, this one offers the energyto implement the new patterns thatwe assume will increase our degree ofhappiness.New beginnings are also furtheredsince Venus and Mars are in the signAries, the sign of new beginnings. Ariesrepresents the spontaneous impulse toexpress oneself in a dynamic, creativeand authentic way. This is especiallysupportive of Mars, the ruling planetof Aries. One of the challenges of thisconjunction is that we integrate in abalanced way, the energy of the twoplanets. The challenge is greater forVenus, the energy of harmony. Venustends to be thoughtful and diplomatic.It tends to see things from others‚points of view and enjoys makingothers feel comfortable. Mars, on theother hand, is focused on being trueto self. It is direct, straightforward andassertive. We could easily combinethese energies in ways that make usappear arrogant or pushy. We wantwhat we want and anyone who triesto prevent us from getting it could getblasted by a display of Martian anger.In this scenario Venus gets lost. It canseem to hide behind Mars to the extentthat the social graces are absent fromour interactions with others.Venus was retrograde in Aries a factthat challenged both men and women,but in different ways. As the energyof femininity, Venus retrograde cancause women to feel unattractive orunfeminine. The point of growth is forwomen to use the retrograde periodto analyze the difference betweentheir style of expressing or embodyingthe feminine principle as opposed tohow our culture defines and whatit expects from women. Since Ariestends to be confident and courageous,growth for women when Venus wasretrograde in Aries is to be yourself.It‚s more important to be the womanthat you are rather than the womensociety wants you to be.For men the challenge of Venusretrograde is to explore and developtheir receptivity. Men who have Venusretrograde in their natal charts tend tobe more in touch with and comfortableexpressing the feminine side of theirnature. So the conjunction of Venuswith Mars in Aries offers both menand women the opportunity to furtherexplore themselves within the contextof personal relationship. The point offocus is to create ways of relating thatenable us to become more integrated inour feminine and masculine qualities.What this aspect is stimulating usto do is step outside the behavioralboundaries that we have previouslyconformed to. In previous columnsI have discussed the consciousnesschanges taking place as a result ofthe mutual reception between Jupiter,Neptune and Uranus. One way thatawareness can be altered at this timeis in terms of how we function in ourmost important relationships. Insteadof conforming to sex-role stereotypicpatterns of behavior that have beenevolving since the Stone Age, we cancreate our own social identities andsocial behaviors. These new patternsshould be an expression of who we areas unique beings rather than who weare as men or women. In the processwe can feel confident in taking arelationship in directions that promotepersonal liberation and growth, ratherthan supporting culturally basedpatterns that are limiting and archaic.One way to avoid the disappearanceof the feminine within the masculinequalities of Aries is to be pro-activein expressing our receptivity in waysthat are dynamic and creative. Thereinlies the main challenge of the aspect.How can we be true to the feminineprinciples of nurturing, softness andaccommodation within a sign that isinherently self-oriented, physical andassertive? One way is to find the placewithin ourselves that contains theessence of who we are as people. Beingtrue to that primal sense of self willimmediately improve our relationshipto ourselves and by extension improveour relationships to others.30 - www.westcountygazette.com - 4/16/093/21-4/19Aries: This is a period towork on your social skills.Being thoughtful andconsiderate of others canbring a sense of satisfactionas well as more attentionand affection from partner.Growth for you comes from beingassertively diplomatic and harmoniouslyself-expressive. Attention to personalappearance can bring interest from others.Taurus: The newbeginnings that is impliedby the Venus-Marsconjunction in Aries canbe utilized by you in a4/20-5/20creative, artistic context.You may find that youcrave time alone this month and that youractivity of choice in your alone time isbeing expressive. Visual art might appeal.Growth for you comes from exploringand developing your artistic nature withconfidence.Gemini: This is a time toreview your communicationpatterns, interests andtendencies. The goal isclarity of expression.5/21-6/20Experiment with friends asyou explore new patternsof both socialization and communication.Mid-late month could prove challengingin terms of being clear and centered insharing ideas and information. Growthcomes from working to develop intuitiveawareness of others and integrating theensuing into conversations, especiallywith friends and colleagues.Cancer: This is amonth to focus ondiscipline, structure andindividuation. Setting limitsand boundaries with others6/21-7/22is part of this dynamic.Working to integrate yourenjoyment of the immediate experiencewith satisfaction in achieving goals isanother. Growth for you comes from beingclear about how you feel in the now withwhere you are going in the future.Leo: A sense of securityand stability in early monthcould give way to feelingsof confusion from mid tolate month. You could feel7/23-8/22confused about who youare, how others perceiveyou or how to relate to them. One wayout of the confusion is being willing tosurrender attachment to self. See yourselffrom the inside out, striving to be true toyourself emotionally and spiritually. Howothers perceive you is, ultimately, none ofyour business.Virgo: Two primarypatterns emerge for youthis month. In relationship,strive to deepen theemotional bond between8/23-9/22you and your partner.Take some risks and openup in new ways or in ways that enableyou to share new parts of yourself. Thesecond pattern is to review career issues.What are your goals? Are you on track toachieve them? Is your job right for you?Do you have a job at all? Answers to thesequestions can be found by looking withinthe self at this time.Libra: This month it‚sall about relationship foryou. Growth comes frombalancing your usualfocus on harmony and9/23-10/22consideration with a clear,authentic expression ofself. Balance your relationship by makingsure both you and your partner feel seenand heard by the other. Be direct andassertive even as you also express thewillingness to negotiate and compromise.Scorpio: The full Moonin Scorpio on the 8th couldbring deep feelings oreven cathartic emotional10/23-11/21experiences. Growthcomes from working todevelop techniques ofemotional self-nurturing. Feeling morecomfortable expressing what you feel thanyou usually do is another benefit of thistransit. Developing a discerning mind thatenables you to discriminate about who toopen up to and when is another growthpoint for you this month.11/22-12/21Sagittarius:Thisis a time to work ondeveloping a receptivemind that enables you tobe aware of informationthat you may normallytend to overlook orundervalue. The best time and place todo this is right here and right now. Anysocial activity, from the most structuredto the most spontaneous, and from themost casual to the most intimate offersopportunities to grow.Capricorn: Begin newprojects this month thatyou have been planningor researching for the pastfew months. Caution and12/22-1/19attention to detail mayslow down your progressinitially, but is the best strategy for ultimateachievement and success.Aquarius: This monthoffers the possibilityof major shifts inconsciousness. Since thisprocess tends to be subtle,1/20-2/18you may have to take sometime to tune in so that youcan feel and take advantage of the newawareness. Growth for you this monthcomes developing your intuition and beingin synch with the mystery of life.Pisces: This is thesecond of what ultimatelywill be 6 monthsof spiritual growthand consciousnessdevelopment. Most2/19-3/20 Pisceans crave alonetime. Make sure when you satisfy thisdesire it is in ways that will enhancethat expansion. Daily activities such ameditation, yoga, prayer or chi gung canbe useful to that end. Paying attention toyour dreams and working with them canbe another activity that can be beneficialat this time.To contact Rio about his classes, or to make anappointment, call him at 707-887-1820.
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