Counseling Psychological Astrologer in Atlanta, Georgia. Jung inspired, spiritually infused Astrology Readings and Astrology Counseling via phone or Zoom, wherever you are. And for students, a Beginner’s Online Astrology Course.
Today, Mars and Saturn, two of the glorious bodies orbiting ceaselessly with us, are coming together in the sign Sagittarius.
This alignment can be viewed in a couple of different ways, but I see this as a moment in time to take up a challenge with integrity and make something tangible happen via your serious efforts. Yes, there will be the naysayers who only want you to believe that Saturn’s ability to stifle and stymie will simply put the brakes on any right efforts you’re attempting… but this is the lower vibration of these two engaging energies. The higher vibration of this combination is what my mom would’ve termed “elbow grease.”
If you’re not familiar with that old fashioned phrase, it means – get down to work and put your back into it. Full effort. Full energy. And when you’re finished, you’ll feel great. A sense of accomplishment based not only on your efforts and strength of will, but on your sense of integrity – that part of you that operates from your highest ground and best intentions. Integrity means making whole – so let that be the impetus behind your actions.
That these two planets, Mars and Saturn, are together in Sagittarius lends us an even broader message. That message is to take responsible action not only with integrity, but also to fully engage your wisdom. And share it. And along the way you might find the rich positivity in going beyond your personal limits with strength and vitality – and with assurance of success.
So please – go and do! No complaints, just pushing through even beyond the hard bits. You might just surprise yourself with what you can accomplish.
Hey! Be sure to look for Mars and Saturn in the night sky… they’ll be aligning directly overhead tonight between 8 and 9 pm Eastern, with the fixed star Antares – a delightful threesome in a lovely line across the heavens.
Welcome to the second Full Moon in Sagittarius (7:02 AM EDT today, June 20, 2016) in a row… that’s pretty unusual! This Moon is called The Strawberry Moon, signifying to our early Native Americans that it was time to pick ripened fruit. (Maybe we can use that symbolism metaphorically. What ripened fruit is it time for you to pick?) This Full Moon also occurs at the 29th degree of Sagittarius, with the Sun at the 29th degree of Gemini, which is a very special degree. Add to that the Summer Solstice beginning today when the Sun moves into Cancer at 6:34 PM EDT, and we have very exciting energies to explore!
There are several different ways to come to this Full Moon. First I invite you to think back to 6 months ago, specifically Dec. 11, 2015, when the Moon was New in Sagittarius. Can you remember anything that you may have been excited or anxious about? Anything you were just beginning or making decisions on? Today is a culmination of that time, a moment of en-lighten-ment around whatever was going on in your life then. I also invite you to look back to a little over a year ago – May 2, 2015. This was the last Sagittarius Full moon until last month’s (on May 21) – so we’ve come a full year’s cycle since then. What has occurred for you emotionally during the past year? Track back and really think about what has come to fruition for you, and whether you have evolved in meaningful ways emotionally – perhaps pushing past boundaries and creating higher, broader parameters, which is what the Sagittarius Moon requests of us. Or perhaps you’ve devolved? In which case, you have another opportunity to become unstuck and get moving.
Second, this Full Moon in Sagittarius at the critical 29th degree seems to be highlighting relationships pretty “loudly.” With this fiery Moon in opposition to Venus, the planet of all things “love” and the ways of being that go with it, there’s an immediate understanding that this lunar event impacts us where we relate to others. Add to that a square to Chiron, our friendly karmic relationship indicator, as well as a trine to Juno, who wears the crown of symbolizing relationship from a karmic commitment perspective, and we have a relationship karmic cocktail. Juno, amazingly, is also at that 29th degree – of Libra in her case – which just happens to be the sign of, you guessed it, relationship. That critical 29th degree carries the energy of taking a new direction, sometimes in a completely unexpected way that belies our past ruminations and carefully laid plans. (And don’t get me wrong, I’m thinking positive here!) Degree 29 can carry a fated quality to it, and sometimes has us feeling a bit out of control. So there can be questions around our commitments, or, and better, opportunities to refresh them!
One other ally in this cosmic lunar posse pushing us to “clean” our love auras is Uranus – that feisty renegade who calls it like he sees it, and breaks down the status quo. So at this Saggy Full Moon, I’m imagining there may be some culminating moments providing us opportunities to clear our love alliances, particularly those with whom we carry karma. There can be enormous healing during this Full Moon energy… healing that allows us to attend to our loved ones with more acceptance of their uniqueness. Healing that opens the doors of the past and the future, asking us to balance our need for freedom and independence within relationship with our deep caring and devotion of our loved ones. This isn’t the time to be proud or stubborn, but a time to talk, to risk the truth, to stand by our commitments in a more faith-ful way, in order to create something more authentic – something that feeds our vitality and our emotional health. For many, I know there’s a whole lot of YUMMY that can happen with this Full Moon…
Thirdly, Mercury is also at 29 degrees in this Full Moon chart… and it’s creating a trigger point to the Saturn / Neptune square. How does this land? We need to talk. We need to talk about what makes us feel safe and secure. We need to talk about what confuses us, and about our pasts – not to create an environment of judgement, but to create an environment of acceptance and grace. Let’s get past the fears and anxieties that are holding us back (Saturn), be open about our dreams and our vision for the future (Neptune), and create a goal for our compassion – a goal for our spiritual evolution. And then make a commitment to it! You know what happens when we make a real commitment. All heaven and earth move to support it… And with Jupiter also involved in this mix, we can truly benefit from positive thinking here.
Fourthly (and I’m about to get political) I like to think of Sagittarius as being “the citizen of the world.” That’s the phrase that Banzhaf & Haebler use in the book Key Words for Astrology as the by-line for Sagittarius. “The citizen of the world.” That’s always stuck in my mind. In the past 30 days we’ve been sandwiched between two culminating points – two Full Moons in the sign Sagittarius – highlighting who we are as citizens of the world. And with the deadliest mass shooting in the history of our country just behind us, we are left pondering – at least I hope we are – how we go about being better citizens of our world. Perhaps that’s the reason we’ve had two Sagittarius Full Moons in a row… so that we must use this emotionally charged energy to become wiser citizens of the world – to become righteous about gun control despite previous blocks preventing that effort, to become higher minded around, and more tolerant of, those who have different lifestyles. The 15-hour gun control filibuster on the the Senate floor this past Thursday, led by Senator Chris Murphy, is a perfect example of Sagittarius energy “having enough” and “stump thumping” to make a point of justice. And sadly, the horrific actions of the shooter are also an example of the lowest possible vibration of Sagittarius at work – being so self-righteous and filled with the fervor of your cause that you take life, feeling somehow justified in your actions. The shooting and the filibuster occurred between 2 Sagittarius Full Moons, the second one at the critical 29th degree – meaning we’ve reached a critical turning point, and while we may not follow any plans we’ve previously put in place, and we may be feeling overwhelmed – we know we must go in a new direction. Fate is in play here, and that new direction must have greater meaning and a higher purpose, and point us toward freedom and justice – for everyone – as we move forward. All Sagittarian qualities. (An interesting point: the 1:58 AM chart for the Orlando shooting, when the first gunfire was heard, has THE SAME DEGREE – 29 degrees Sagittarius – on the MC – the most elevated point in the chart, which is the angle that shows how we see that moment in the greater world. Blows my mind.)
The key here is meaning… what expanded awareness and meaning can we derive from these events, and how do we move positively forward with that meaning? And how do we derive wisdom from something so horrifying? The comedian Hasan Minhaj addressed members of the press and members of Congress at the 72nd Annual Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association Dinner this past Wednesday evening – 3 nights after the shooting. He said something in his address -a very Sagittarius address I might add – that seems to push us toward the higher vibration of Sag – striving for higher things, and expanding our awareness. He said, “Stuff like this (the mass shooting) is going to continue to happen unless we recognize that civil liberties are an all or nothing game. A rising tide lifts all boats. It’s not pick or choose. So whether you like it or not, we all have to step up and fight for each other – otherwise the whole thing is a sham.” A “rising tide” pulled by these Sagittarius Moons. That’s what I’m thinking. It all seems quite a bit zeitgeist-y.
(If you want to see comedian Hasan Minhaj’s full address click here. The first 18 minutes are funny in a “roast” kind of way. The famous 5 minutes begin at 18:16 – but watch the whole 23 minutes if you can.)
Fifthly – Happy Summer Solstice! The Solstice officially happens at 6:34 PM when the Sun moves into the sign of Cancer. As the longest day of the year, with more hours of sunlight than any other, most of us wait all year for this special day. It’s the FUN time of year! But as I mentioned previously, this Sagittarius Full Moon occurs at 29 degrees. The 29th degree of any sign is known as a “critical degree” or the “anaretic degree” meaning we’re coming to the end of one way of being and moving into another – a complete change of direction. Sometimes that change feels fated, or out of our control, but the change needs to happen. So as you’re soaking in the sun, soak in the meaning of this Full Moon as you think about your Summer. How will you be changing directions? What is your highest calling? Toward what direction will you be shooting your arrow of intent, and where will you be seeking meaning and purpose? This bright moon, this enlightened moment, is the perfect time to answer these questions.
P.S. It’s interesting to have a Full Moon in Sagittarius – the sign connected with the Winter Solstice – the shortest day of the year – on the longest day of the year! Here we are in the fullness of Summer with the Sun at it’s highest point (in the Northern Hemisphere), while the emotional energy around us is reminiscent of the shortest. Hhhhhhmmmmm. That just occurred to me – not quite sure what to do with it yet, but I’m thinking.
Chart for the Full Moon in Sagittarius – 7:02 AM, June 20, 2016 Eastern Daylight Time
Want some personal one-on-one help with navigating this Full Moon? Wondering where in your life and your psyche you’re being impacted? I’m happy to help! Please simply fill in the Client Info Form here, and we can set up an Individual Session. Looking forward to it!
“Every now and then go away, have a little rest and relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer; since to remain constantly at work will cause you to lose power of judgment…Go some distance away because the work appears smaller and more of it can be taken in at a glance, and a lack of harmony or proportion is more readily seen.” ~Leonardo Da Vinci
Astrologically speaking, there is a particular cycle, which while not always comfortable, has the result of great benefit: the apparent backwards motion of a very mischievous planet. Many of us wouldn’t normally consider the period of Mercury Retrograde a blessing, yet in nature, there is rule: two steps forward, one step back. Without this rule, we’d all experience burn-out, fatigue, frustration and end up relinquishing our health. We must have a period of rest and reflection to maintain balance, and that is precisely what is offered during any Mercury Retrograde cycle.
Traditionally, the 3-week period of Mercury Retrograde (which is the appearance from Earth that Mercury is traveling backwards) that occurs approximately once every four months is that time when our cars breakdown, our computers crash, we miss our flight by seconds, our presentations flop, we’re accident prone, we can’t write or think clearly, and when we open our mouths to speak we say the wrong thing or nobody is listening. We are not meant to make any major purchases like houses, cars, boats, insurance, etc., and we are never ever to enter into any contract, (including marriage and mortgage refinances) during this time. People await Mercury’s back peddling atremble with trepidation and fear. From here, it doesn’t sound like much to be grateful for…
Certainly, the above is a blatant exaggeration. I pity the poor Soul who could actually have all of these communication and transportation problems during one three-week period-of-time. Yet, this cyclical period didn’t get its bad reputation without reason. So, what is it then, really? Why does Mercury Retrograde affect communication and transportation? Why do we lose our minds temporarily? Let’s look briefly at the mythological Mercury so that we can begin to make sense of, and feel gratitude for, this recurring phenomenon.
Even Mercury has to pause and adjust sometimes.
Mythologically, Mercury (Hermes in Greek) represents several archetypes: the Trickster; the Messenger; the Guide and Companion; the Psychopomp (the deliverer of the newly dead to Hades); the Puer Eternis (the forever young and charming fool); the Thief; the Teacher; and the Magician, to name more than a few. You may well ask how one God can wear so many different hats? The answer is that of all the Gods, Mercury alone has the power to mimic and portray the attributes of all the other Gods. His cleverness allows him to be a virtual chameleon, and because of this virtue he was favored by his father, Jupiter (Zeus), and was constantly sent on missions to rescue other Divine children, or to lead inept mortals currently in favor out of trouble.
Mercury is witty, confident, competent, and utterly without conscience. He is constantly on the move, gathering information, analyzing it and either acting upon it, or stowing it away to be dealt with later. He is pure mental process, the governor of the Mind. He is easily bored and often up to mischief. Because he achieved such elevated status as messenger of the Gods, he became the patron of all communication. Because he is so clever and forward thinking his influence is over all devices of communication, even as they are being invented. Because he journeyed via many modes between Olympus and Earth, and to and from Hades so often, and because he led so many, mortal and immortal alike, on their journeys (whether on an adventure, out of a misadventure, or to lead the spirits of the dead to the underworld forever), Mercury has become the patron of travel and all modes of transportation. Hence the breakdown in communication, transportation, and travel when Mercury decides to move backwards, rather than forward!
I believe it highly unlikely that the Universe has come up with a 3-week period three times a year simply to annoy and frustrate us in our attempts to get smoothly through our lives. Undoubtedly there is a deeper meaning underlying the mishaps and miscommunications that occur during Mercury’s retrogression. Consider this. The natural order of things produces periods of wakefulness and attention, and in balance, periods of rest and simple awareness. The pattern of waking and sleeping created by the rising and setting of the Sun is the most obvious example that comes to mind. The turning of the Seasons also mirrors the need for active attention (Fall) followed by a period of restful awareness and recharging through being still and turning inward (Winter).
When you understand the purpose of Mercury retrograde, you don’t have to feel like you’re wearing your life backwards.
So it is with Mercury who represents the energy and archetype that resonates with our inherent need and desire to communicate our thoughts, ideas, and artistry out into the world around us. The period of Mercury Retrograde, then, is an opportunity for restful awareness provided by Universal Law. It’s a time to turn away from full-tilt active attention to our forward driving lives. It’s the time to rest and refresh the Spirit; to re-evaluate where we are, what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, and how we’re doing life. All of the planets, not only Mercury, have their own periods of retrogression. Mercury, because it is closest to the Sun and has the smallest orbit, simply retrogresses more frequently than the other planets, hence the greater common knowledge of this particular planet’s patterns and its apparent “effects” upon us.
Now knowing what we know about Mercury, his mythology, and the natural need for times of rest and inner rediscovery, the question becomes “How do we best utilize this time to our greatest benefit, and to the purpose for which it exists?” The beginning of the answer to this question comes in the form of understanding that during our typical forward movement, we don’t process much of the information waiting in our unconscious minds. Information is there steeping, awaiting a moment to enter the consciousness to provide the thrust toward transformation that is appropriate for the time. Mercury Retrograde periods are when we should take the opportunity to rest and restore ourselves through self-evaluation. During this rest, Mercury will surprise us by dipping down into our unconsciousness returning upward with the most timely and incredible material. We receive a gift that we would have otherwise missed without this period of re-connecting with our internal selves. If we use this time wisely, we will consciously process this gift, alchemically transforming our current paradigm for the new and more relevant one. This process is extraordinarily healing, especially if in the months prior to the current retrogression, we have been experiencing a time of personal transition.
This is the time to rest and refresh the Spirit— let your internal, unconscious self catch up to your fast-paced forward life.
Another incredible gift of the Mercury Retrograde period is that we can place our current projects on hold, or put them on the back burner, so that they can in their turn steep and develop into what is needed toward our best interests. We may feel, however, that we cannot let go of, re-direct, or re-schedule a project or other imminent event. There are deadlines and responsibilities, and we can’t possibly base our modern lives on some ancient form of calendaring like Astrology! However, if we do not, if we resist the natural cycle of moving from forward attention to simple resting awareness, of the two-steps-forward and one-step back nature of all things, THEN we pay the price by experiencing the various frustrations around communication, travel, and technology, that are simply reminding us to slow down and reflect.
“The essence of Mercury Retrograde cannot be controlled by the will and when we think we are smugly in control we are most likely to experience the Trickster in all his magnificent glory.” — Erin Sullivan
Erin Sullivan, who wrote the preeminent volume on retrogression available today, titled Retrograde Planets, makes it clear here, that we are not likely to best the Trickster at his own game! When we accept the retrograde season as the teaching and healing device that it is intended to be we can stop anticipating it with dread and anxiety. We can, instead, receive the Trickster’s gift graciously, recharge and realign ourselves with our true nature and purpose, and then pause to give thanks for the opportunity to do so.
We have, as many consciously understand, through socialization and the raising of technology to such godlike degrees (while leaving the beauty, wisdom, and lucidity of Nature behind) almost entirely removed the numinous and sacred out of our experience of life. We are in the throes of healing an incredible separation from the Divine in our culture. In moving more toward the natural timing of cycles and events in our lives, with respect to informing and reflecting the macrocosm that is symbolized by Astrology, we can begin to reclaim our natural state of being and evolving. We can drive forward with our mission and our intention and then take a moment to reevaluate and redeem ourselves during the process of achieving. Give thanks then that your computer crashes, or your brakes need replacing! It means you might need to take a break, reflect, restore and enjoy this small moment to replenish your Spirit. This is the hope of Astrology, and the lesson, and true gift, of Mercury Retrograde.
This article by Astrology with Michelle Gregg explores Mercury Retrograde not as a curse, but as an Unlikely Healing Gift. Learn how this cycle is essential for rest and reflection, offering a period to re-examine life and align with your true purpose. The messenger god Mercury (Hermes), the ultimate Trickster, ensures that when you embrace this time for inner work and spiritual healing, you align with an opportunity for transformation. Discovering the deeper meaning behind Mercury Rx cycles, is perfect for anyone interested in psychological astrologyand conscious evolution.
Here’s the quick shake out for your Saturday, June 11, 2016 (Eastern Time.)
(I’m having a bit of fun with this one!)
Stay in bed until about 9am because the Moon in Virgo is in opposition to Neptune in Pisces, and all we really want to do is dream and fantasize anyway. Tell yourself that it’s ok to stay in bed, because the Virgo piece of this equation might feel guilty… a nice compromise would be to lay in bed in your half sleep, analyzing and making plans. 🙂
Then get up about 10am and really get down to weekend chores quickly to use the practical, get it done energy of the Moon squaring Saturn in Sagittarius – if you don’t get down to work, then you might just feel stuck and end up procrastinating (or feeling sorry for yourself.) The Moon isn’t only squaring Saturn… it’s also opposing Neptune. So there could be a bit of a quandary about whether to get something done, or whether to wallow a bit longer. Push, pull. Push, pull. Don’t use the energy that way! Best case scenario, do a lovely meditation, or sit outside in Nature to get centered, and THEN get down to business.
As the moon moves away from the Saturn/Neptune energy, make some afternoon plans for about 2pm, because just after that Luna gets a lot happier when she connects with Jupiter… shake off the dreams of the morning and all those chores (or the wishing that you’d actually done them) and just do something that makes you feel really good. Be social… Venus is still connected to the Sun today.
After a nice big dinner, get cozy in your hidey hole and do some deep pondering, or even some research, about what you want your future to hold. The Moon is conjuncting the North Node and making a trine to Pluto, so dig deep, tell yourself the truth, and lean into your purpose. If you think something in your immediate vicinity is holding you back… throw it away! This can be literal, emotional, or metaphorical, but when Pluto is tapping at our emotions, he likes us to purge. And ponder. And go about the business of evolving…
And if you’re sharing your evening with another, expect emotions to run deeply – and maybe even passionately.
During the morning hours, due to an uncomfortable angle between the Moon and Pluto (quincunx), there could be some adjustments that must be made in an emotional situation… the need to control something could be pretty strong, but look deeply at your motivations and see where you can shift a little to create a more comfortable atmosphere. As we move into the afternoon there are some super pleasant energies available today via Venus and the Sun in Gemini being intimately close (conjunction – we can see this as the beginning of the birth of Venus as she transitions into her new phase as the evening star), and the Moon reaching out to both of them (sextile) from Leo for possible social time with an intellectual bent – or maybe just a gossipy one. 🙂 These combinations create an emphasis on our vitality being impacted by beauty and relationship, our values coming to the fore in a prominent role, and connecting with others emotionally for companionable or even playful gatherings. There could be some creative tension possible with Mercury (the way we communicate) in Taurus moving into opposition with Mars (the way we take action to get what we want) in Scorpio, but the key is to be willing to go deeply into an issue without manipulating your opponent or refusing to budge in an opinion. Allow your peers and companions time to process rather than pushing for resolution. During the evening things may get a little more exciting – and whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing will mostly depend on how willing you are to let go and flow. The Moon will contact Uranus (trine), with Venus heading toward a connection with him as well (sextile), so be prepared to step outside the norm so that you can move with this often unusual and fluctuating energy. And make it fun! If your schedule unexpectedly shifts outside your comfort zone, move with the current and see where you land. It could be eye opening!
Every birth chart, every session, is a meeting of Cosmos and story.
These words come from the luminous people who’ve stepped into that dialogue with me – each one discovering their own rhythm, their own dance, and their own sparkle through the lens of astrology.
May their stories inspire you to listen to your own heartbeat, to trust your timing, and to meet your life as the magical light it already is.
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🌸 “A powerful force for good in this world”
“Michelle is a beautiful friend and mentor. As a master astrologer, she has helped me to see my life as the unique, messy, and wonderful adventure that it can be. As a therapist, she has gently and intuitively guided me into making better decisions, despite my stubborn resistance. With Michelle’s help, I have had the courage to start a new business, improve my family relationships, and finally let go of a destructive, twenty-year long alcohol addiction, something that seemed utterly impossible. Michelle is in tune with the magic of the universe, and she is a powerful force for good in this world!”
–Joan Bacot
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🌟 “Feeling I’m a part of a great mystery that is infinite in its reaches”
“I cannot tell you how much I have gotten out of my many, many consultations with Michelle! I first went to her when my daughter and I were in our most difficult stage EVER and I got so much clarity from Michelle on our relationship that the months-long challenge seemed to dissolve almost immediately. Michelle is not into trying to predict your future – it is surprisingly scientific and you will be amazed at what riddles she can help you solve. Always – ALWAYS – I come away from a session with Michelle feeling inspired and calmer, and that I am a part of a great mystery that is infinite in its reaches. And THAT brings me a smile and a sense of peace like you won’t believe! Expect to be shocked at how this total stranger understands your deep emotional complexities (and those of your kids’/husbands’/wives’/biz partners’) AND gives you concrete tools to transcend the icky parts! Really.”
–Andrea Lea
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📚 “The real thing”
“Michelle Gregg is the real thing: an astrologer who uses her extensive, up-to-date knowledge with real intuition. She has helped me with her insights, and I am especially impressed with her thoughtful and sensitive approach. The world doesn’t always realize it, but we need a person with Michelle’s special gift now more than ever.”
–Thomas Moore Author of Care of the Soul, Soul Mates, The Planets Within, & Care of the Soul in Medicine
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✨ “Illuminated from within”
“Thanks for another great session! I can’t tell you how light I feel after talking with you each time – just illuminated from within, and happy! Like I had walked outside and got to watch the bees in the sunny garden. Or something equally as joyful to me. I love these consultations with you, and find them SO very valuable and life-changing (!!!)… I can’t well-describe, the part of just feeling bathed in love; I don’t know whether it’s from having touched deep truths and feeling validated and explained, or whether it’s from talking with you, who seem so bright and genuine. But there is a sure bliss after we hang up! Then starts the integration of things we discussed…”
–J. James
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🌻 “I am a better me”
“I’d heard Michelle was an amazing astrologer/counselor from a friend who recommended I have a session with her. I thought it would be fun and interesting to have a chat. That was about 6 months ago. Little did I know then how my life would change for the better as a result. What started as a one session curiosity has become a regular counseling session every two weeks. I prioritize my sessions with Michelle. Even when things get tough financially I keep my sessions with her…not just because she can read charts, but because I see and deeply feel results. I am a better me. We peel the layers of the onion, getting at deep issues and addressing them. I am in awe of this woman and how she works…and how amazing I feel as a result of working with her. She listens…interprets…asks…sees…she truly works WITH me to help me with my questions. She utilizes her knowledge and depth of experience with astrology, combines it with her sense of humor, her curiosity, and her solid desire to be there for her clients. Does she provide value in one session? YES! But I believe the real value is in working with her over time…as I have and continue to do…as the planets move and the issues change…as she gets to know you and your birth chart and how the transits affect YOU. She wants to help you grow…learn…understand…address things…love yourself! She is my mentor and my counselor and I LOVE working with her…and soooo appreciate the person I am becoming as a result of better understanding my patterns and finding balance. Thank you Michelle! I am freer…I more thoroughly enjoy myself and my relationships, and the circumstances I face every day. Life is smoother. I am softer. Thank you thank you. I’m looking forward to our next chat.”
–Verena von Dehn
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🌈 “Counseling that is fun”
“Who knew that counseling could be fun?! The best part of doing ongoing work with Michelle Gregg is that she uses the planets to make space for growth. In just about every session, she holds me accountable (and we don’t have to blame my mother!), makes me laugh at circumstances out of my control, and helps me to navigate the challenges of the present. She lets me wander out into the weeds sometimes, but then, by teaching me how to see a path where I thought there was no way, she opens doors to opportunities I had long written off. With Michelle’s insights, I get to dance between the wholeness and brokenness of yesterday while celebrating the fullness of tomorrow. For me, engaging in a long term relationship with Michelle means waking up to a brighter, more hopeful day each and every morning.”
–Corinne Dedini
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🌿 “True empowerment to affect changes”
“Michelle has the profound gift to take you on a journey to discover and understand the landscape of your internal world that affects every aspects of your external one. This knowledge gives you the true empowerment to affect changes in your life. I have learned in working with Michelle over a period of time that the depth of understanding the self, translates into my ability to respond to the internal or external obstacles I am faced with in a way that creates breakthroughs from my negative habitual patterns with the most lasting positive effects in my life.”
–Dominique Sire
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🌙 “I found what I was looking for”
“Michelle is an extraordinary talent, combining an extensive knowledge of the humanities, Jungian psychology, and classical astrology into a unique approach that helps you find your place in your own life as well as the world at large. I flirted with therapists for it seems like forever, and never really found what I was looking for until I started working with Michelle on a regular basis…”
–Michael Brandt
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⭐ “Life runs smoother and in a more balanced fashion”
“Working with Michelle regularly over this past year has helped me to understand and work with the astrological cycles and energy patterns so that my life runs smoother and in a more balanced fashion. I have experienced tremendous personal growth during this time as well and I owe it all to my regular sessions with Michelle. I’m less stressed and much more prepared for what life has in store for me.”
–Laura Halpin
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💝 “Mind and heart”
“Michelle is that invaluable breed of astrologer who thoroughly combines mind and heart. Her compassion is easily evidenced through her knowledge, and her astro-skill shines through her passion for growth and transformation.”
–Adam Gainsburg Astrologer and Founder of Soul Sign Astrology
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🎯 “Clarity I’d been seeking for years”
“My first reading with Michelle helped me get clear on issues I’d been trying to wrap my head around in therapy for years. More recently, she helped me to shift my perspective around my skills and talents to a wider view, allowing me to feel more confident and increase my opportunities.”
–Carter Tracy
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🌸 “A new perspective and renewed focus”
“One of Michelle’s greatest gifts is the ability to provide people with a new perspective and a renewed focus on their life goals. She is incredibly knowledgeable, creative, and honest. I highly recommend Michelle’s services.”
–Andrea Williamson
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✨ “Comprehensive and professional”
“My session with Michelle was comprehensive to say the least. She is one of the most professional counselors I have worked with. Her knowledge and expertise in the area of Astrology and how it relates to personal growth for an individual is incredible. She spent a great deal of time with me because she saw the need to further explain her findings in a way I could understand and integrate the findings into my personal life. I highly recommend her. I also plan to have future counseling sessions with her as needed. I cannot say enough good things about her.”
–Kay Citron Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse
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🌺 “The best therapy I could have asked for”
“Michelle is a wonderful astrologer. She really made me feel comfortable and eased my worries about my life. Her service was the best therapy I could have asked for.”
–Holly Hollingsworth
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🌀 “Depth translated into something I can use”
“I am amazed at the depth of knowledge Michelle possesses and her ability to translate that detailed information into something I can comprehend and use… I recommend her without reservation.”
–Frenesa K. Hall, MD
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🎉 “BETTER than therapy!”
“This is BETTER than therapy!“
–Sherri Lamar Partner and Marketing Strategist with Chrysalis Partners
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🌟 “A profound, deeper level understanding”
“You are an amazing talent, Michelle, and I want you to know how I honor that. It is one challenge for a person to learn all of the book-ish material in your field, but you have such a profound, deeper level understanding that books cannot teach. Also, I can tell that you allow your intuition to get involved, which makes it all the more special. You seem to have no judgment for the shortcomings present in all of us. And you bring with you a sense of empathy which makes it so much easier for a client to acknowledge their junk and look at it from a fresh perspective. Kudos! Thank you sooooo much for today – and for your magnificent gifts and voice.”
–C. B.
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🌿 “Helped me to relax, regardless of what is happening”
“I highly recommend Michelle Gregg’s work. Her interpretation of “how I am” in the world has helped me to relax, regardless of what is happening. An excellent teacher, her explanations of “what is happening, now” help me to choose how best to proceed. I suggest that you see her when you face illness, crisis, or any major change. She’s great on your birthday, too!”
–Susan Kramer PhD, Herbalist & Homeopath Author of The Healthy Traveler
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⭐ “The anointed astrologer”
“What’s incredible is your unique ability to intuit not only the messages of the planets and their intricate relationships with one another AND with each individual’s chart, but also just the right way to interpret these meaningful relationships to laypeople like me! You are the anointed astrologer! I trusted you implicitly from the moment I met you. Go figure. I’m wishing peace, calm, and abundance for you, Michelle Gregg.”
–Karly Hammond
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🌸 “An odyssey of personal discovery”
“Consulting with Michelle takes you on an odyssey of personal discovery. She is friendly, easy to talk to, extremely patient, and thoroughly knowledgeable about her subject. She gives wholeheartedly and approaches teaching with a loving concern for the well-being of the student. In one of her transit classes, she disclosed a personality dichotomy of mine (just a little something in passing) that no other astrologer mentioned. Knowing that has allowed me to be less critical and demanding of myself and more understanding.”
–Nanette Littlestone Editor and Writer, Author of The Sacred Flame
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💡 “Way more insightful than therapy”
“I wasn’t kidding. Spending an hour with you was way more insightful than a therapy session (and a lot more fun). I feel like I left knowing much more about myself. Thank you.”
–Daniel Keith Historian
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Thank you!
Thanks for stepping into this circle of stories… let these faerie-dusted life lyrics inspire your own wings to flutter. Let them dance you forward.
Astrology is art in motion, conversation in starlight. Whenever you’re ready for your next verse, I’ll be here – kettle on, chart open, the faeries on call.
With warmth, and wonder, Michelle🌿
✨If something in you sparkled or fluttered, follow that shimmer here. Let’s see what faerie dust looks like on you.
What I love about Astrology is that it shows you your intentions and potentials… and it maps the energy of the moment – any moment, whether a birth, or right now, or a particular time on a day 200 years ago. And that energy can be compared to the unique energy you were born with – which in Astrology is represented by your birth chart. When you make that comparison, between the “now” energy and the “birth” energy, you get what astrologers call “transits.”
Incredibly, using that comparison – those transits – gives you scads of rich information about where you’re up for evolutionary change and transformation. If you know your birth chart and your current transits (comparing the current energy to the energy with which you were born) – you have a remarkable tool for navigating life and for bringing your potentials into reality. I love this stuff!
I like to say to my clients, “Live your transits – listen to them – because they are the intuition of your Soul.” Your Soul, or Fate, or your God Self, or Core Self – whatever you want call that guiding direction – can be seen and understood through your birth chart and the transits that are impacting it, meaning you, in any given moment. Listen deeply and respond intuitively – and fearlessly!
Here’s just a little example:
A woman we will call Adara experienced the orbiting planet Uranus making a challenging transit to her birth Moon in the 4th house. During this time (about a two year period) she lost her job and subsequently her home and was forced to move to a new state to live with relatives.
This certainly brought new challenges into her life and created much anxiety for her emotionally, to put it mildly.
However, the transiting planet Uranus was also connecting with her birth Jupiter/Sun combination in her first house and with her Midheaven (the portal into the house of career.) This meant that while her life was certainly being shaken up, Adara was also being supported and could experience great benefit and find tremendous meaning through the experience.
Shortly after she made the necessary move, which initially felt incredibly unfair and difficult, Adara unexpectedly met someone who propelled her toward an entirely new career where she soon felt both excited and fulfilled. She was finally doing her life’s work!
Without the unfortunate loss of her previous job and all that resulted from that, Adara wouldn’t have had the opportunity that ended up unlocking her heart and bringing her happiness.
The beauty of this story is that not only was someone propelled toward a more joyful existence, but that Adara, through astrology, was able to understand, sometime during the midst of these events, that some sort of upheaval and life changes were necessary to her evolution – to becoming who she was meant to become. She was then able to prepare to expect the unexpected.
After Adara began making discoveries about herself and what was impacting her via several astrology sessions, she no longer felt that something sinister was being done TO her – but instead understood that theses changes were her Self – her Soul – speaking directly to her to help her change what needed to be changed in order to move her toward the state of fulfillment. She decided to remain positive and to look at her challenges as opportunities for growth and possibility – and therefore she was rewarded with exactly that. And she was also able to understand the time frame during which all of this would happen, because transits, the impact of orbiting planets to your birth chart, are very easily timed.
What a great story, yes?
I’d love to hear your comments!
And if you’re interested in discovering your own “intuition of the Soul” via astrology, please be in touch! Email astrology@michellegregg.com or click here to get started.
Prometheus, the original rebel with a cause and a mythological figure related to Uranus, steals fire from Zeus while he rests with Ganymede. He will then take the fire to humans, bringing them out of the darkness and cold. Painting by Christian Griepenker (1839-1916)
That lustrous orb that sweeps our oceans to and fro is also the harbinger who describes and defines our day-to-day fluctuating energy. As the face of the Moon is ever changing, so are the feelings and intuitions that push and pull us through our daily rounds. The sign of the Zodiac the Moon occupies changes about every 2-and-a-half-days and as she orbits she makes different connections to other planets, touching all of them in different ways as she speeds her way through the sky. Each of us will resonate to the energies of the flirting, capricious Luna in different ways and with different reactions according to the energies of our own birthcharts – our own dispositions and levels of consciousness. However, this comes as a guide to help you understand which fickle face our Lady Moon is showing today.
If you know your birthchart, or at least your Sun, Moon, or Rising signs (or better yet – all three – and if you don’t know any of them, maybe it’s time for you to send me an email) knowing where the Moon is playing and who she’s playing with will help you understand how to navigate your day and why you may be feeling the way you are or why you’re having the reactions or responses that you’re having.
I’m going to try to write this everyday for you – or at least, most days. No promises being made here, but I hope the days I manage it, that you’ll find some peace, and maybe even gain a little edge, in knowing. I want to dedicate this effort to Kat. She told me that she missed my posts. So Kat – this if for you. If any of you enjoy this lovingly crafted energetic gift – please let me know! It will help to keep me motivated to continue…
(The above 3 paragraphs will be repeated each “By the Light of the Moon” post, so if you’ve read it before and know it by heart, just skip to the stuff just below. All times given in this column are Eastern time. )
Emotionally speaking (since we’re talking about the Moon here)… it’s time to fly your freak flag high and proud! Today the Moon not only moves into “me first” Aries at 11:07 AM Eastern (and I can say that guilt free since I was born with an Aries Moon) but it’s pairing with Uranus, that planet of high idealism and reform, of rebellion and breaking the status-quo. My favorite!
You might expect to feel some agitation today… possibly because you need some changes and haven’t quite taken the steps forward to put them into play. Today’s Moon in Aries making that rebellious conjunction to Uranus might be just the impetus you need to break out. If you don’t actually take action, the level of agitation and irritation that you feel simply escalates. That means today is a great one to find or create for yourself an outlet for percolating steam. Something physical would be ideal.
Moon/Uranus describes the need to be emotionally true to your own unique feelings… to what nurtures you even if it looks radically different than what you expected or what from what others have put into place for you. Moon in Aries describes the need to act on your emotions. I hope I’m painting a clear picture here… 🙂 It’s a day to express your independence and to explore radical feelings, even though the Sun and Mercury in Capricorn – Capricorn being the Keeper of the Status-Quo – might not feel too comfortable with all that. So as you can imagine, there could be some push-pulling going on today, especially in the afternoon (Eastern time).
As the day progresses, Venus makes a strong connection to Pluto, intensifying and deepening our needs in relationship – and bringing out obsessive tendencies and possibly power plays in emotionally challenging situations. Venus/Pluto interaction also describes intensity in desire, in love, in sexuality – so the tantra minded couples out there may want to explore this in seclusion. The same energy can bring out and up some very deeply spiritual cleansing and healing as well. Deeply psychological rapport with loved ones and healers could develop.
The archetypes to consider today are The Rebel, The Warrior, The Outcast, The Genius, The Seducer, The Shaman, The Divine Couple and Eros.
It’s a pretty intense soup of energies today… erratic and powerful. Have fun dodging the mines. And if you can, lift the potential up into the enlightening, spiritually purifying healing that can be yours.
Hey! If you want to be sure not to miss any of the future posts of “By the Light of the Moon” please find the box on the right of any page on this site that says “Follow Astrology with Michelle Gregg via Email” and click “Follow Me!”
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Go to my Facebook page, Astrology with Michelle Greggand give me a like! Then anytime I post, the goods will show up in your Facebook Home scroll.
Everyone who joins me on this New Moon Tele-Class and Meditation will receive 20% off your firstIndividual Consultation until the Full Moon on August 1st! That’s two weeks to take advantage of this Great Gratitude Offer! To schedule your gratitude appointment, just emailAstrology@MichelleGregg.comafter the class on Thursday.
Looking forward to it!
Venus is reflecting on her own image – via a mirror being held up to her by Cupid – or Love. What reflections have you made during Venus Retrograde that YOU can move forward with now that VENUS is moving forward?
Venus begins her forward motion today, having appeared to be traveling backwards since May 15, 2012. Yay!
We’ve had a full 6 weeks (and the spectacular Transit of Venus across the Sun) to come back to right relationship with our loved ones, our resources (money!) and our values. Maybe we’ve felt a little estranged from love, beauty and appreciation during this time (especially Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius & Pisces). Maybe a close relationship has come up for inspection and failed to pass muster, or the shadow nature of it has been exposed to work on. Maybe the darker side of intimacy came up for air. Maybe you just haven’t felt very social… or if you’re an artist of any kind, perhaps your work has taken an unexpected turn and deeper material was exposed.
What have you learned? What have you processed about the way you approach, receive, and share love? How have your more feminine desires made themselves felt and understood? What has come up to be processed about your creativity – your artistic nature? What happened to help you look at money, investments, and your resources differently?
Venus moving forward means that we can get our beauty groove back on… we can see the light of love once again. Look for a real solution/resolution after August 1 when Venus travels forward over the 23rd degree of Gemini – where she was when she began her backwards travel.
And remember that Venus is in Gemini (as was the Retrograde and the Transit of Venus). So the workings of your mind are involved here – how you process, how you think, how you communicate all things Venus – that’s right LOVE, RELATIONSHIP, MONEY, RESOURCES, BEAUTY, WHAT PLEASES YOU – PLEASURE, WHAT YOU FIND BEAUTIFUL. Ponder, ponder, ponder where the past 6 weeks have taken you with respect to thinking about, understanding and expressing yourself around these ideas, these parts of yourself.
Feel appreciation! Venus is back on track, and all that walked in the shadow can come out into full light again.
If you have a Venus Retrograde or a Transit of Venus story, I’d love to hear it! Venus IS direct now – time to share!
Please See My Related articles – More About Venus and the Meaning of the Transit of Venus. Enjoy!
Second, this Full Moon in Sagittarius at the critical 29th degree seems to be highlighting relationships pretty “loudly.” With this fiery Moon in opposition to Venus, the planet of all things “love” and the ways of being that go with it, there’s an immediate understanding that this lunar event impacts us where we relate to others. Add to that a square to Chiron, our friendly karmic relationship indicator, as well as a trine to Juno, who wears the crown of symbolizing relationship from a karmic commitment perspective, and we have a relationship karmic cocktail. Juno, amazingly, is also at that 29th degree – of Libra in her case – which just happens to be the sign of, you guessed it, relationship. That critical 29th degree carries the energy of taking a new direction, sometimes in a completely unexpected way that belies our past ruminations and carefully laid plans. (And don’t get me wrong, I’m thinking positive here!) Degree 29 can carry a fated quality to it, and sometimes has us feeling a bit out of control. So there can be questions around our commitments, or, and better, opportunities to refresh them!
Fourthly (and I’m about to get political) I like to think of Sagittarius as being “the citizen of the world.” That’s the phrase that Banzhaf & Haebler use in the book Key Words for Astrology as the by-line for Sagittarius. “The citizen of the world.” That’s always stuck in my mind. In the past 30 days we’ve been sandwiched between two culminating points – two Full Moons in the sign Sagittarius – highlighting who we are as citizens of the world. And with the deadliest mass shooting in the history of our country just behind us, we are left pondering – at least I hope we are – how we go about being better citizens of our world. Perhaps that’s the reason we’ve had two Sagittarius Full Moons in a row… so that we must use this emotionally charged energy to become wiser citizens of the world – to become righteous about gun control despite previous blocks preventing that effort, to become higher minded around, and more tolerant of, those who have different lifestyles. The 15-hour gun control filibuster on the the Senate floor this past Thursday, led by Senator Chris Murphy, is a perfect example of Sagittarius energy “having enough” and “stump thumping” to make a point of justice. And sadly, the horrific actions of the shooter are also an example of the lowest possible vibration of Sagittarius at work – being so self-righteous and filled with the fervor of your cause that you take life, feeling somehow justified in your actions. The shooting and the filibuster occurred between 2 Sagittarius Full Moons, the second one at the critical 29th degree – meaning we’ve reached a critical turning point, and while we may not follow any plans we’ve previously put in place, and we may be feeling overwhelmed – we know we must go in a new direction. Fate is in play here, and that new direction must have greater meaning and a higher purpose, and point us toward freedom and justice – for everyone – as we move forward. All Sagittarian qualities. (An interesting point: the 1:58 AM chart for the Orlando shooting, when the first gunfire was heard, has THE SAME DEGREE – 29 degrees Sagittarius – on the MC – the most elevated point in the chart, which is the angle that shows how we see that moment in the greater world. Blows my mind.)
