Working With Cycles        Using astrology as part of your yoga or spiritual path can be considered to have two main applications. The first of course is understanding your birthchart; what it reveals about your soul's nature and the particular challenges and strengths that create the unique pattern of your life's unfolding and destiny.        The second method is to work with cycles, which include both transits and progressions. By studying the connections between cycles and events and changes within our daily lives, we place our birthchart in the "here and now". Cycles are sort of a moving meditation; they focus our self-awareness within the flow of time. Cycle activity involving birth planets or houses show us where the "hot spots" are for a given period; where there is the most dynamic quality and potential for learning and growth.        Cycles teach us that we are not merely a fixed set of personality traits or an Ego bound to deterministic patterns and limitations. The waves of cycles that move through our chart remind us that we are essentially a flow, a process of constant change and unfolding of consciousness.        Although there are many different types of transits and progressions that can be studied, I believe the most useful, especially for beginning students are the cycles that have regular patterns of activity. They allow us to see the larger picture of growth over years and compare what we are experiencing now to the last time a particular cycle was active. Some of the most important ones are listed below.   Progressions require a little calculation, but transits can easily be followed by using an ephemeris which gives the daily position of each planet within the zodiac. Mars - the transits of Mars show us where the action is, where our energies are currently focused and which areas of our lives can best benefit from applying our will and creativity. As the "warrior" planet, it can also reveal where we need to face issues directly, deal with conflicts and assert ourselves. Mars spends about 6 weeks or so within each house of the birthchart, depending on the size of the individual house. Thinking of taking a class or seminar? Do it when Mars is cycling through your 3rd House, 9th House or 11th House. If you feel the need to start some counseling or therapy, plan for when Mars is within your 4th House or 8th House. Starting a yoga class or working with a healer? Look for when Mars is in your 6th House. Jupiter - since Jupiter's cycle is almost exactly 12 years, this is an easy one to work with. Jupiter symbolizes our inner need for growth, learning and understanding the larger patterns of our lives. Look at which house of your chart Jupiter is currently transiting and think back 12 years ago. Do you see a connection? Are some of the same types of opportunities and developments occurring now? Jupiter is one of the main planets associated with the Teacher or Guru archetype, as well as its long connection with religion, spirituality and dharma or study. So important Jupiter cycles can be optimum times to focus on spiritual growth and learning. These include - * the 12 year Jupiter return to its own position. * Jupiter's 12 year return to our Sun sign. * Jupiter's crossing over the Ascendant every 12 years. Saturn - the transits of Saturn can be one of the most powerful cycles to work with, both in terms of the wealth of information it can reveal and the depth of the personal challenges and lessons it holds for us. Saturn represents the way we form our fixed beliefs about reality and our Egos. Certain structures that were appropriate for us years ago now must change and be discarded if we are to continue to grow and evolve. Saturn is the "strict guru" as opposed to Jupiter. He reveals where our deepest attachments are; our fears, our self-judgments and limiting belief systems. His lessons are often the toughest, but the rewards also the greatest. He can teach us discipline, patience, humility and commitment. Most often important Saturn transits reflect our achievement and career needs, and how these are undergoing changes. Saturn is our contract with reality - the way we must meet the demands of our external lives while still keeping true to our inner direction and path.   Some of the most significant cycles of Saturn are - * Saturn's 29-30 year return cycle to its birth position. * Saturn's 2-3 year cycle through each of the houses of the chart. * the 7 year cycle of Saturn's square or opposition to the birth position. Most significant for young people are the Saturn opposition at age 14, and the Saturn square at age 21. * Saturn's 29-30 year cycle over the Sun. Also, the 7 year sub-cycles where it will square or oppose the Sun. * Saturn's 7 year cycle through each of the 4 hemispheres of the chart. Most notable are the transit through the 10th House of career and, 7 years later, its transit over the Ascendant or Rising Sign. The Progressed Moon - the Moon takes about 27 years to complete its cycle around the birthchart, spending roughly 2-3 years within each house. The Moon particularly reflects our soul's growth; the deeper changes occurring within us that may not be obvious to others or directly manifesting in our outer lives, although this is often also the case.        Find where the Progressed Moon is cycling through your chart, both the house location and sign. This will be an area of life where your needs are changing and evolving; where you have the best opportunities to grow in self-awareness and do what author Thomas Moore calls care of the soul.        The Progressed Moon's passage through the 9th House is often a time when people will feel the need to focus on spiritual growth. The 7th House cycle can be a 2-3 year period when relationships will be our main learning ground. And the passage through the 12th House, although challenging in some ways, can be a time to focus more on inner growth, meditation and dream work. For young people, the Progressed Lunar return at age 27 is often a major period where emotional and psychological growth can occur, as well as a time for relationships and social development. The Moon's Nodes - the Moon's Nodes can be one of the most powerful cycles to work with in spiritual growth, particularly in the area of karmic lessons, past life awareness and events and people who will serve as important teachers for us during these cycles. The North Node, which is the one usually shown in the birthchart, reveals both by house and sign some of the major experiences and lessons our souls have chosen to focus on in this lifetime. Its 18-19 year cycle return can reveal how life is presenting us with certain opportunities to understand and develop our destinies and life paths. Look at the sign of your North Node - this will often be the Sun sign of influential people who appear in our lives during these times to aid in our spiritual growth, at ages 18 -19, 38 and 57 particularly.          Also significant is the North Node's transit over the Sun, Moon, Ascendant or other important planets. The North Node always points us towards the future- our destiny and our potential. The South Node, which is always directly opposite to the North, denotes possible past life connections or old karmic ties to people or issues.        Finally, the 9 year sub-cycle of the North Node when it is opposite its birth location can be another important time of karmic balancing and reflection on how old karmic patterns are in conflict with our current needs and growth.  for change and growth over the next six years.