Greetings everyone and welcome to my website!        Astrology News for February 2012        Well the big news this month is Neptune's entrance into Pisces, the sign that it calls home, for the first time in over 160 years. I hesitate to make any specific predictions on this transit yet, only to say that it will certainly direct more energy into the areas that both Neptune and Pisces symbolize and cause them to experience change, as well as many of these issues getting more attention on our collective cultural radar. They are -  1, The Oil industry - possibly a restructuring of the powerful oil cabals over the next 10 years. And possibly another war fought over oil, or an oil shortage due to that war. Both the price of oil and the search for alternative fuels will be priority issues. However, due to Neptune's fluctuating nature, we may see big highs and lows in oil prices during the next few years as things re-organize. 2. Pharmaceutical drugs, illegal drugs, prescribing drugs for children, alternative healing, the drug industry - these issues and more will come under scrutiny like never before. 3. Religion and spirituality - the last time Neptune was in Pisces was in the 1850's and 60's. In America, this marked the rise of the Transcendentalist movement of Emerson and Thoreau. And later on the birth of the Theosophical society. Both of these movements were non-traditional to say the least in terms of orthodox religion. And so now this Neptune in Pisces period will likely give rise to some new spiritual movement rather than reflect a return to traditional forms of church worship.      However, Pisces has a long history of mythological connection to the Catholic church and the Redeemer archetype. And so I also believe we will witness some kind of crisis, death and rebirth of the church over the next two decades. This transit could be a powerful time for the church to make some reforms and be the force for social change that they were in the 1960's. We will see. Certainly a very fruitful and active time ahead for those of us who are involved in our spiritual growth. 4. The arts and music - certainly our arts need a big shot of new inspiration and imagination. Aren't you tired of movie remakes and computerized cartoons? And the music industry is in some kind of post-something phase that also seems to be repeating itself. The late 1800's were, under Neptune's Pisces period, the time of the Romantic movement. And so we may be about to see a revitalization of the arts, especially films and music. Arts programs may again be funded in the schools.      I'll have more to say about this as things develop. Meanwhile, enjoy this Aquarius period - help a friend in need, improve your mind, and let your wild rebel out now and then! Best wishes, Michael Thurman, MA            I'm always happy to hear from you with comments or questions. Email me at - mailto:mthurman@thecosmicwheel.net

Quick Dates!!  Full Moon - February 7th at 18 Leo New Moon - February 21st at 2 Pisces Mercury enters Pisces on Feb 13th Venus enters Aries on Feb 8th Special events Neptune enters Pisces on Feb 3rd Saturn turns Retrograde on Feb 7th NEW !! Order your own personal transit report for each month. The transits of the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars and how they impact your birth chart every day.  Your report is Emailed to you in Word .DOC format and can easily be printed out, or saved to your computer. Great for monthly planning! Click here for more info - My Daily Transits Also, I can now accept payments through Pay Pal for the convenience of my internet clients. This Month's Sun Sign The Way of Aquarius Click here to see the 2011-2012 forecast for Aquarius Ruling planet - Uranus Element - Air, Fixed mode Tarot card - The Star Jungian type - Thinking Main issues -  intellectual development and original thinking, confidence in one's individuality and uniqueness, the need  to rebel against old rules and restrictions on personal freedom, the need for community, grounding one's idealism in practical works, the conflict of commitment versus independence in relationships. Mythological Archetypes - Prometheus, Ouranos (Uranus) as the Greek sky God who mated with Gaia to create the universe. The Light-Bringer, the Rebel, the Inventor. Also would include elements of the Native American Trickster and/or Shaman. Yoga - Karma Yoga or service to others through teaching or community work, Zen meditation, intellectual study (Vedanta). Positive traits - intelligent, kind, fair, open minded, idealistic, hard working, original, inventive, loyal, helpful, witty,  spontaneous. Negative traits - disorganized, rebellious, fanatical, stubborn, aloof, cold, bossy, ungrounded. Careers - teacher, social worker, computer tech, administrator, graphic designer, writer, engineer, architect, pilot, electrician. Health issues - the nervous system, blood pressure and stress. Also the calves and ankles. The inner ear and lens of the eye. Colors - Cyan blue, turquoise, grays and silver. Famous Aquarius Sun signs - Mozart, Schubert, Paul Newman, Bob Marley, Graham Nash, Jack Lemmon, Gertrude Stein, James Joyce, Alan Alda, James Dean, Carole King. Aquarius Movies - Rebel Without a Cause, Casablanca, The Rain Maker, Shane, Cool Hand Luke, The Music Man, Mutiny on the Bounty, From Here to Eternity. Any film dealing with rebellion or the "Outsider" who brings new ideas into the community. Questions or comments? Email me at - mthurman@thecosmicwheel.net Thanks and see you next month!

Recommended Links The Mountain Astrologer  one of the best astrology journals around. Lots of great articles, resources for learning astrology, software and more. Lois Rodden's  Astrodatabank discover the horoscopes of celebrities and current newsmakers. Apollon - the Journal of Psychological Astrology  an excellent journal with a Jungian psychological focus. Lots of in-depth articles and information. Lunar Astrology Ezine   a great site with a focus on lunar cycles, the Moon's Nodes and more. A Place in Space  many articles on holistic astrology, Chiron and using astrology for personal growth. The Astrotheme collection of famous charts hundreds of famous persons and celebrity charts to explore listed alphabetically.   Other Links for the Journey The Omega Institute the premier holistic learning center, located in Rhinebeck, NY. Sign up for their free catalogue. The Ram Dass Official Website   site of the legendary 1960's teacher and  author. Information on tapes, workshops and more. Parabola Journal one of the best journals around with articles on mythology, folk tales and archetypal symbolism. Joseph Campbell Foundation site dedicated to Joseph Campbell's lectures and writings on mythology. Also book ordering information. The Official Grateful Dead Website every spiritual path needs some music now and then. Lots of info on the band's current tours, music downloads and more!

Lyrics to "The Wheel" by Robert Hunter/Jerry Garcia