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Aquarius Leadership – Sarah Palin

Feb 17

Posted by Ellen Longo in Leadership Through the Signs, The Zodiac Signs for Business | 35 Comments

Hello everyone.

I’ve just spent the afternoon with Sarah Palin.  Not literally of course, but for our leadership study on Aquarians.  Sarah is an Aquarian to the max:  Sun, Moon, Mercury, Mars, and Saturn.  The two remaining inner planets, Venus and Jupiter, are in Aries.

One of Time Magazine's 2010 World's Most Influential People (Source:Wikipedia)

I really enjoyed my research on Palin.  I started with Wikipedia, then went to AstroDataBank to get her chart.  I read several articles on her from news magazines.  I found my way to her “Sarah Palin’s Alaska” show for The Learning Channel and watched the first episode.  Then I must have watched 20 YouTube videos on her, from the early Katie Couric Interview when Sarah was a Vice-presidential candidate to the recent comments she made regarding the Arizona shootings.

I wanted to write about Palin because we’re looking at Aquarian leadership qualities and the two I’ve covered so far, Yoko Ono and Franklin D. Roosevelt, are firmly in the liberal end of the spectrum.  I wanted to see how these same qualities apply to someone on a different square in the political landscape.

As I listened to super-Aquarian Sarah Palin, I recognized many of the traits we’ve discovered in the last two posts.

Let’s review the Aquarian qualities we’ve developed in this series and round them out with Palin’s interesting personality (in bold):

  • Each sign has its keyword, a phrase which captures the essence of the sign.  The keyword for Aquarius is “I Know.”  Aquarians know what they know and they’re certain they’re right!  It is striking how confident Palin is.  Katie Couric called her “cool, calm, and collected.”  There never seems to be a moment of doubt.  Regarding the Israel/Iran conflict she said with absolute certainty, “I know who the good guys are, and who the bad guys are.”
  • “Aquarians are the mental pioneers, the forward thinking individuals who live in the future and not in the past.” (Isabel Hickey, Astrology A Cosmic Science)  Palin comes off as impatient; exasperated by lack of progress toward her goals for the country. It’s also fascinating how she seems to have completely dropped the past, her governorship, her vice-presidential run, as if they are an annoyance. Her gaze in firmly toward the future.
  • “Aquarians are inflexible in their ideas and cannot be pushed into anything they do not want to do.” (Ibid.)  Aquarians can become trapped in their ideology.  Palin gives the sense that she believes what she believes because she believes it, and there is no need to contemplate it any further.
  • “They are rebels and individualists [who] have to go their own way.  Independent, imaginative, creative and inventive, there is a genius about them if they are evolved.” (Ibid.)  I have to admire her spirit.  Her life in Alaska as a hunter, fisher, hiker shows the independent spirit that draw so many to that state.  She obviously followed her own winding path as she gained her education, attending six universities in five years.
  • Ruled by two planets, Saturn and Uranus, Aquarians can be progressive in some ways and conservative in others.  With Saturn in Aquarius, she tends toward the conservative side of the spectrum.  But I noticed contradictions in her thinking about government.  As an example, when talking about the banking crisis she said she favors government-led “reform” but not regulations.  She wanted more oversight, but she wanted government to stay out of the crisis.  This seems like her Aquarian nature is split between liberalism and conservatism.
  • In Aquarius, “the individual loses himself in the group and shoulders his responsibility as a cell in the larger body of humanity.” (Liz Greene, Saturn)  I see this in Palin.  It’s like she has become a spokesperson for a certain part of the collective.  It’s hard to discern her feeling nature.  Her personal life has become a vehicle for her political message.
  • The Aquarian support for the disenfranchised often stems from personal experience.  This lends authenticity to their deep compassion for the downtrodden.  This one doesn’t seem to fit.  However, I don’t know much about her early, more personal life.
  • As an air sign, Aquarians lead primarily with ideas.  They are often thought leaders, out in front, pulling the public into new perceptions.  I think Sarah pulled many of us into a new perspective, a dawning of new consciousness about what was happening in the American zeitgeist.  I once heard it said of Newt Gingrich that he was like a bird flying in formation, and all of a sudden he realized the flock had all lined up behind him.  That’s how Sarah seems to me.  A certain political attitude was ready to erupt and she put a face and personality to that fervor.
  • Aquarians have been called “stubbornly liberal.”  There is a fixed nature to Aquarius, the persistence and determination to right the wrongs they perceive in society.  Perhaps not stubbornly liberal, but you can feel her persistence as she keeps herself in the forefront of the political discussion.
  • Searing intelligence is a common trait of Aquarius.  I think Palin demonstrates her intelligence in her knack for self-promotion.  She gains support through appealing to the protectionism of common people and to a sense of patriotism.  Brilliant!
  • Aquarians carry an inborn conflict.  They are often fiercely independent yet committed to humanitarian causes, which brings them into necessary contact with groups.  When I watched her in her “Alaska” show, I could sense that this was a woman who is truly at home in the wilderness, in spending time outdoors, writing and researching on her porch.  She has built a television studio at her home, conducting her many appearances against the backdrop of staggering natural beauty.  I think she displays this trait well.
  • Devotion to the common man is a standard trait of most Aquarians.  Yes, definitely.  Her “common man” may not be yours or mine, but she does seem sincerely devoted to “the people’s movement.”

    Republican Vice-Presidential Candidate (Source:Wikipedia)

  • There is often seemingly unflagging energy and a huge quantity of output.  This deep reserve of energy is a feature of all of the fixed signs and it shows itself here in fixed-air Aquarius.  You should see her hiking over glaciers!  And she does seem to have loads of energy, never tiring in what was obviously a grueling campaign which she was unprepared for in many ways.  And she has continued to produce, writing two books in the last two years, producing a television show, appearing at numerous Tea Party and Republican Party events, raising children, being a commentator on Fox News, and more.
  • The Aquarius does not generally think he/she has all of the answers.  They are open to input from various sources.  They enjoy a good debate and willingly engage with opposing points of view.   Uhhh.  I don’t know about this one.  She does say she receives and appreciates advice from her husband.
  • Alliances based upon and supported by friendship are deeply important to Aquarians.  A community brings out the best of their traits and they are loyal to others over the long-term.   This makes me think that her alliance with the Tea Party is stronger and more permanent than I had thought.
  • Aquarians “sacrifice their private life to a public cause.”  Becoming obsessed with that cause they can fall into workaholism and forfeit their own health for others.   Even while riding in a float plane above Alaska on her way to see grizzlies, she was working the entire time on her Blackberry.  I get the sense that her private life has been completely sacrificed to a cause.  I had thought that cause was Sarah Palin.  But after seeing her chart with all of the Aquarian influence, I now think she may be authentically working for the public interest.  Rhetoric is real in her case.
  • Aquarians tend to be “ahead of the curve” with technology, early adopters of the latest breakthroughs.  They have an intuitive resonance with the future and an uncanny ability to foretell the direction of coming change.   I think she was well positioned to bring excitement to the Republican Party when they needed it most.  And resigning from the Governorship of Alaska just as her poll numbers began to drop was probably a wise move for her future life in the public sphere.
  • Aquarians have a natural facility with words and can be excellent communicators.  They have an informal, casual conversational style which conveys confidence and garners trust.   I heard an interview with a presidential speechwriter the other day who said that Sarah Palin will have to drop her folksy idioms to be taken seriously.  I’m not sure.  Her way of speaking is one of the things which endear her to her supporters.  Her “don’t retreat; reload” comment, which was so disparaged in light of the Arizona shootings, actually has great appeal to her fans.
  • Aquarians have great courage when defending the rights of others.  She says that she can handle the mocking and criticism because she’s fighting for democracy for her country.  There’s no doubt it takes massive courage to survive on the stage she has set for herself.

What do you think?  A good example of Aquarius, right?

The Sun moves into Pisces soon and we’ll move our study into that sign.  But now it’s your turn.  What is the one essential piece of advice you would give to an Aquarius just stepping into a position of leadership?  What do you see as the most authentic trait of an Aquarian leader?

Thanks for participating!  I look forward to your comments.

In case you missed them, here are the first two posts in this series:

Aquarius Leadership – Yoko Ono

Aquarius Leadership – Franklin D. Roosevelt

*******************************************************

For an Intro to Sun Signs and Leadership see this link to my other blog!

Have you seen my new blog? Discussing all things astrological, for anyone interested in real-life astrology, check out Ellen Longo’s Astrology Blog.

Do you have a question for Ellen? See the “Work with Ellen” tab at the top of this site for my Straight to the Point Response service.

For an overview of the month, see the Astro4Business Month Ahead – February 2011

For more info on the business descriptions of the planets mentioned in this post, see

Saturn

Uranus

Copyright 2011. All rights reserved.

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Aquarius Leadership – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Feb 14

Posted by Ellen Longo in Leadership Through the Signs, The Zodiac Signs for Business | 42 Comments

Hello, everyone.

FDR during Fireside Chat. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Today we continue with our new series:  Leadership through the Signs.  In this series, following each month’s zodiac sign, we’re exploring and uncovering essential leadership qualities for each sign of the zodiac.  We’re looking at real life examples of established leaders whose birthdays fall into each particular sign.  We’re testing the principles of textbook astrology and adding a few guidelines of our own as we discover them.  The purpose of the project is to recognize the leadership qualities we naturally possess and to recognize those qualities in other leaders.

First let’s define what we mean by a leader.  The American Heritage Dictionary defines a leader as 1) a person who leads others along a way; a guide, and 2) one in charge of or in command of others.  For our purposes, we’ll take both definitions and apply them to business life.  In this series we’ll look at thought leaders, political leaders, business leaders, sports figures, and a few of us regular people too.

This month:  Aquarius

There are many interesting leaders born under the sign of Aquarius.  Today we’ll continue our exploration with Franklin D. Roosevelt.  First, though, let’s list the primary traits of the Aquarius nature we’ve already discovered and then add bullet points as we examine FDR and his leadership attributes.  (*See the excerpt at the bottom of this post for more discussion of the sign Aquarius.)

The experts tell us:

  • Each sign has its keyword, a phrase which captures the essence of the sign.  The keyword for Aquarius is “I Know.”  Aquarians know what they know and they’re certain they’re right!
  • “Aquarians are the mental pioneers, the forward thinking individuals who live in the future and not in the past.” (Isabel Hickey, Astrology A Cosmic Science)
  • “Aquarians are inflexible in their ideas and cannot be pushed into anything they do not want to do.” (Ibid.)
  • “They are rebels and individualists [who] have to go their own way.  Independent, imaginative, creative and inventive, there is a genius about them if they are evolved.” (Ibid.)
  • Ruled by two planets, Saturn and Uranus, Aquarians can be progressive in some ways and conservative in others.
  • In Aquarius, “the individual loses himself in the group and shoulders his responsibility as a cell in the larger body of humanity.” (Liz Greene, Saturn)

What we’ve discovered in this series so far:

  • The Aquarian support for the disenfranchised often stems from personal experience.  This lends authenticity to their deep compassion for the downtrodden.
  • As an air sign, Aquarians lead primarily with ideas.  They are often thought leaders, out in front, pulling the public into new perceptions.
  • Aquarians have been called “stubbornly liberal.”  There is a fixed nature to Aquarius, the persistence and determination to right the wrongs they perceive in society.
  • Searing intelligence is a common trait of Aquarius.
  • Aquarians carry an inborn conflict.  They are often fiercely independent yet committed to humanitarian causes, which brings them into necessary contact with groups.
  • Devotion to the common man is a standard trait of most Aquarians
  • There is often seemingly unflagging energy and a huge quantity of output.  This deep reserve of energy is a feature of all of the fixed signs and it shows itself here in fixed-air Aquarius.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

If you have ever studied the life and work of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States, you can immediately recognize the traits of Aquarius.  See if you see the traits listed above as part of his story.  At the end of this short study, I’ll bullet leadership qualities which add to our list.

(I compiled the following from Franklin and Eleanor:  An Extraordinary Marriage, by Hazel Rowley; the Wikipedia article, “Franklin D. Roosevelt”; and the “Fresh Air” Interview with historian Jeff Shesol , author of Supreme Power: Franklin Roosevelt vs. the Supreme Court.)

Franklin Roosevelt surrounded himself with a loyal, intimate group of advisors, naming them the “Brain Trust.”  He gathered these men and women to the governor’s mansion when he was governor of New York, the White House when he was president, and to his home and retreat sites, as well.  They were university professors, lawyers, and financiers from the left and right.  He had a talent “for selecting colleagues, and knew instinctively who would make loyal, hardworking, good-humored members of his team.” (Rowley)  His group would “bat ideas around,” as he put it.  There were discussions about policy, as well as swims, receptions, movies, and picnics.

People working for Roosevelt found their work deeply rewarding.   They were invited into the most important discussions about the biggest issues of the time, and often met with the President while he was shaving or eating breakfast.  In fact, he made the biggest mistake of his presidency, in which he tried to pack the Supreme Court with his own appointees, when he kept the project unusually secretive, vetting it with only one key member of his cabinet.

Both he and his wife, Eleanor, enjoyed communal living and often had ten or more advisors and friends living with them.  “They liked to have friends sleeping across the hallway, who wandered into their bedrooms in pajamas to discuss urgent matters.”  (Rowley)

Even when his health was failing in his 4th term of presidency, FDR travelled internationally to negotiate wartime alliances with Russia, Britain, and China.  Eleanor Roosevelt said of him that “he had chosen to sacrifice his private life to a higher cause and he must do everything in his power to fulfill his promise to the people.” (Rowley)

A wealthy New York aristocrat from one of the earliest U.S. families, he brought the five-day week, old-age pensions, farm relief, cheap electricity to rural areas, unemployment relief through public works, social security benefits, disability benefits, minimum wage, and aid for dependent mothers and children.  He worked with the Boy Scouts his entire life.  He spent his life in political opposition to most of his relatives and people in his class and they were convinced he was going to turn the country socialist.

Roosevelt also fostered artistic creativity and through various Federal Arts Projects employed artists, writers, and actors.  Through the Works Progress Administration, he led the construction of public buildings, roads, bridges, parks, schools, and housing, which provided employment for millions of Americans.

FDR was one of the first politicians to recognize the importance of radio as a tool of communication.  At the end of his first week in the White House, he initiated his “fireside chat.”  During these radio addresses, he explained “simply and without condescension” why he and his advisors were taking the actions they were taking to address the worst economic conditions the country had ever faced.  “As he talked his head would nod and his hands would move in simple, natural, comfortable gestures.  His face would smile and light up as though he were actually sitting on the front porch or in the parlor with them. People felt this, and it bound them to him in affection.”  (Rowley)

The Four Freedoms engraved on a wall at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington. (Source: Wikipedia)

In the early affronts of Nazi Germany, Roosevelt was the only major world leader to condemn Hitler’s actions publicly.  Under his leadership, the United States surpassed Britain as the most powerful nation in the world.  At home, as well as in international relations, FDR proposed “the policy of the good neighbor—the neighbor who resolutely respects himself and…respects the rights of others.”

Among his many firsts, he was the first candidate to make a campaign trip by airplane.  He was the first president to put a woman in charge of the Department of Labor.  He was the first American president to travel to Africa.

Aquarian Leadership Qualities

What can we add to our list of Aquarian Leadership from this story?  This is what I see:

  • The Aquarius does not generally think he/she has all of the answers.  They are open to input from various sources.  They enjoy a good debate and willingly engage with opposing points of view.
  • Alliances based upon and supported by friendship are deeply important to Aquarians.  A community brings out the best of their traits and they are loyal to others over the long-term.
  • Aquarians “sacrifice their private life to a public cause.”  Becoming obsessed with that cause they can fall into workaholism and forfeit their own health for others.
  • Aquarians tend to be “ahead of the curve” with technology, early adopters of the latest breakthroughs.  They have an intuitive resonance with the future and an uncanny ability to foretell the direction of coming change.
  • Aquarians have a natural facility with words and can be excellent communicators.  They have an informal, casual conversational style which conveys confidence and garners trust.
  • Aquarians have great courage when defending the rights of others.

Now It’s Your Turn

Did you pick up anything I didn’t note?  Are you familiar with an Aquarian in a leadership position who reflects the qualities above?  What would you counsel a young Aquarian just stepping into a position of leadership?

We’re not done yet!  While the Sun is in Aquarius, I’ll feature more profiles of Aquarian leaders to teach and inspire us!  Stay tuned.  If you missed the first post in this series, use this link:  Aquarius Leadership – Yoko Ono.

*******************************************************

For an Intro to Sun Signs and Leadership see this link to my other blog!

Have you seen my new blog? Discussing all things astrological, for anyone interested in real-life astrology, check out Ellen Longo’s Astrology Blog.

Do you have a question for Ellen? See the “Work with Ellen” tab at the top of this site for my Straight to the Point Response service.

For an overview of the month, see the Astro4Business Month Ahead – February 2011

Copyright 2011. All rights reserved.

Tags:

Aquarius Leadership – Yoko Ono

Jan 26

Posted by Ellen Longo in Leadership Through the Signs, The Zodiac Signs for Business | 504 Comments

Hello, everyone.

It’s Time For Action. The Action is PEACE. Spread the word. Spread PEACE. I love you! (Source:Wikipedia)

Today we start a new series:  Leadership through the Signs.  In this series, following each month’s zodiac sign, we’ll explore and uncover the essential leadership qualities for each sign of the zodiac.  We’ll do this by looking at real life examples of established leaders whose birthdays fall into each particular sign.  We’ll test the principles of textbook astrology and add a few guidelines of our own as we discover them.  The purpose of the project is to recognize the leadership qualities we naturally possess and to recognize those qualities in other leaders.

First let’s define what we mean by a leader.  The American Heritage Dictionary defines a leader as 1) a person who leads others along a way; a guide, and 2) one in charge of or in command of others.  For our purposes, we’ll take both definitions and apply them to business life.  In this series we’ll look at thought leaders, political leaders, business leaders, sports figures, and a few of us regular people too.

This month:  Aquarius

There are many interesting leaders born under the sign of Aquarius.  Today we’ll start with a great example:  Yoko Ono.  First, though, let’s list the primary traits of the Aquarius nature and then add bullet points as we examine Ono in her role as a leader.  (*See the excerpt at the bottom of this post for more discussion of the sign Aquarius.)

  • Each sign has its keyword, a phrase which captures the essence of the sign.  The keyword for Aquarius is “I Know.”  Aquarians know what they know and they’re certain they’re right!
  • “Aquarians are the mental pioneers, the forward thinking individuals who live in the future and not in the past.” (Isabel Hickey, Astrology A Cosmic Science)
  • “Aquarians are inflexible in their ideas and cannot be pushed into anything they do not want to do.” (Ibid.)
  • “They are rebels and individualists [who] have to go their own way.  Independent, imaginative, creative and inventive, there is a genius about them if they are evolved.” (Ibid.)
  • Ruled by two planets, Saturn and Uranus, Aquarians can be progressive and conservative at the same time.
  • In Aquarius, “the individual loses himself in the group and shoulders his responsibility as a cell in the larger body of humanity.” (Liz Greene, Saturn)

Aquarius Yoko Ono

The beam from the Imagine Peace Tower in Iceland seen from Viðey. (Source:Wikimedia Commons)

Most of the following was culled from the Wikipedia article on Ono:

Yoko Ono is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking. Ono brought feminism to the forefront through her music which prefigured New Wave music. She is a supporter of gay rights and is known for her philanthropic contributions to the arts, peace and AIDS outreach programs.

Ono has said that she and her once-prominent family were forced to beg for food during the fire-bombing of Tokyo while pulling their belongings in a wheelbarrow.  It was during this period in her life that Ono says she developed her “aggressive” attitude and understanding of “outsider” status.

Ono was accepted into the philosophy program of Gakushuin University, the first woman ever to be accepted into that department of the exclusive university. However, after two semesters, she left the school.  [After her family moved to New York] Ono enrolled in Sarah Lawrence College.

Ono was a sometime member of Fluxus, a loose association of Dada-inspired avant-garde artists that developed in the early 1960s. When she was invited to join the group she declined because she wanted to remain an independent artist. Ono has worked in conceptual and participatory art, challenging people to become part of the creation of the piece.

Ono funded the construction and maintenance of the Strawberry Fields memorial for her deceased husband John Lennon in New York City’s Central Park; she founded the John Lennon Museum in Saitama, Saitama, Japan; and she established the Imagine Peace Tower in Reykjavik in Iceland.

Many musicians, particularly those of the New Wave movement, have paid tribute to Ono (both as an artist in her own right, and as a muse and iconic figure.)

In 2002, Ono inaugurated her own peace award, The LennonOno Grant for Peace, by giving $50,000 prize money to artists living “in regions of conflict.” Israeli and Palestinian artists were the first recipients. The award is given out every two years, in conjunction with the lighting of the Imagine Peace Tower.

In 2004, Ono remade her song “Everyman… Everywoman…” to support same-sex marriage, releasing remixes that included “Every Man Has a Man Who Loves Him” and “Every Woman Has a Woman Who Loves Her.”

On April 1, 2010, Ono was named the first “Global Autism Ambassador” by the Autism Speaks organization. In 2009, she created a piece of artwork called Promise to mark the annual World Autism Awareness Day, which is on April 2.

Aquarius, much?

Wish Piece by Yoko Ono (1996) Make a wish Write it down on a piece of paper Fold it and tie it around a branch of a Wish Tree Ask your friends to do the same Keep wishing Until the branches are covered with wishes (Source:Wikipedia)

Whew!  Now that’s an Aquarian leader!  So what can we pick from her work to add to our list of traits and characteristics of Aquarius?

  • The once-rich family begging for food is a poignant reminder that the Aquarian support for the disenfranchised often stems from personal experience.  This lends authenticity to their deep compassion for the downtrodden.
  • As an air sign, Aquarians lead primarily with ideas.  Ono is not the leader of an organization or a political party.  She is a thought leader, someone out in front, pulling the public into new perceptions.
  • Aquarians have been called “stubbornly liberal.”  You can sense the fixed nature of Aquarius, the persistence and determination to right the wrongs they perceive in society.  Ono even calls herself “aggressive,” a trait you might run into if you ever take a conservative stance with an Aquarius.
  • Ono’s story gives us the sense of the searing intelligence that is common with Aquarius:  the first woman ever to be accepted into the prestigious philosophy department, the constant creativity, and the breadth of talents.
  • I get the sense that Ono is involved with groups, but always alone.  Fiercely independent yet committed to humanitarian causes, this is a conflict within most Aquarians.
  • You can sense the devotion to the common man which is a standard trait of the Aquarian, the desire for her art to be completed by others, the inclusion of everyday people in her outreach.
  • I also note the seemingly unflagging energy, the sheer quantity of output, and the active mind into her late 70s, (so far).  This deep reserve of energy is a feature of all of the fixed signs and it shows itself here in fixed-air Aquarius.

Let me take this time to thank Yoko Ono for her contribution, her authenticity, and her inspiration.  I’d also like to thank her for letting me examine her as an example of the Aquarius temperament and leadership style.

Now It’s Your Turn

Did you pick up anything I didn’t note?  Are you familiar with an Aquarian in a leadership position who reflects the qualities above?  What would you counsel a young Aquarian just stepping into a position of leadership?

We’re not done yet!  While the Sun is in Aquarius, I’ll feature more profiles of Aquarian leaders to teach and inspire us!  Stay tuned.

*******************************************************

For an Intro to Sun Signs and Leadership see this link to my other blog!

Have you seen my new blog? Discussing all things astrological, for anyone interested in real-life astrology, check out Ellen Longo’s Astrology Blog.

Do you have a question for Ellen? See the “Work with Ellen” tab at the top of this site for my Straight to the Point Response service.

For an overview of the month, see the Astro4Business Month Ahead – January 2011

*More on Aquarius:

Aquarius is also called the water bearer, and is symbolized by an angel pouring water onto the earth.  But the water the angel pours is not liquid; it is the water of knowledge.  The Greek myth related to Aquarius is the myth of Prometheus, known as the first revolutionary.  Prometheus had been given a mission by Zeus to inhabit the world with living creatures.  After creating all the other creatures, Prometheus fashioned a being made to resemble the gods themselves.  And as a gift, he taught his favorite creatures astronomy, mathematics, the alphabet, how to cure diseases, and the art of divination.  Defying Zeus’ orders, he stole a spark from the sun, fire, which would warm people’s homes and become the seed of civilization.  From this myth, we see the rebelliousness of the Aquarian temperament as well as the desire to uplift the disadvantaged and establish them as equal to the gods.

In astrology, Aquarius is known as an air sign.  Air signs are concerned with the mind and intellect rather than emotions (water signs), spirit (fire signs), and the physical world (earth signs).  The glyph for Aquarius is the lightning bolt, signifying flashes of insight and brilliance.  Airwaves and electrical systems come naturally under the influence of this sign and also technological revolutions, such as the industrial revolution in the late 18th and early 19th century and the digital revolution in our time.  The sign is also associated with revolutionary ideas, such as liberty, democracy, anarchy, and socialism that topple traditional institutions and is concerned with the nature of one’s responsibility and contribution to the group.  Aquarius includes an egalitarian vision, where each person is created equal to every other, and can make an equally valid contribution to the whole.

Copyright 2011. All rights reserved.

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Tinkering and Toying with the Aquarius Moon

Nov 11

Posted by Ellen in Astro4Business Today | 6 Comments

Source:Wikimedia Commons


Good Day!

A perfectly smooth day today with aspects of ease between the Moon, Mercury, Mars, and Saturn.

Actually the Moon/Mercury aspect occurs while most of us are sleeping so if you’re reading this the evening before put a pen and paper by your bed.  You may just get the inspiration you’ve been looking for and you’ll want to jot it down before it vanishes.  And if you’re reading in the morning think back to last night.  Anything worth remembering?

Later in the day you’ll get a boost of energy from Mars in Sagittarius.  You and your key employees will be thinking out of the box this afternoon.  Exploration and adventure will be on everyone’s mind so keep the creative juices flowing, even if it’s Friday.  If you’ve been tinkering with a new product idea, today’s the day to toss it to other people and see what they think.  You may be surprised how much further they take it, sensing applications you weren’t even aware of.

You don’t have to be afraid of going overboard though because the final aspect of the day is between the Moon and sensible Saturn.  Not just fun or frivolous, whatever your team comes up with will have practical applications and a good chance of actually being implemented.

Have you tried anything new this week?  I am toying with taking a blogging bootcamp.  The first week is free so I’ve been participating.  Good ideas so far.  Here’s the link in case you’re interested.   Oh, and by the way, the bread I mentioned in yesterday’s post was just OK.  It looked beautiful but lacked flavor.  More experiments to come.

Have a fun Friday and a relaxing weekend.

Do you have a question about your business for Ellen? See the “Work with Ellen” tab at the top of this site for my Straight to the Point Response service.

For an overview of the week, see the Weekly Forecast – November 8 – 14

For an overview of the month, see the Astro4Business Month Ahead – November 2010

For more info on the business descriptions of the planets mentioned today, see

The Moon

Mercury

Mars

Saturn

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Google throws the Gauntlet

Mar 23

Posted by Ellen in Businesses in the news, Current Events, Neptune in Aquarius | No Comments

Hello, everyone.

Several weeks ago I wrote a post entitled “Google and China – Heading for a Divorce?”  In that post I compared the astrology charts of the two giants to examine the underlying factors in the relationship.  I was curious as to what astrology could reveal about the long-term prognosis for a continuing partnership.

It looked good.  My conclusion in that post was that “there are many benefits to both parties and strong Saturn connections that lead to permanence.  It depends on how they handle this juncture, though.  If they let it devolve into a battleground, they can be formidable opponents.”

The Gauntlet is thrown

Yesterday, Google threw down the gauntlet.  Quoting from their official blog:  

“Earlier today we stopped censoring our search services—Google Search, Google News, and Google Images—on Google.cn. Users visiting Google.cn are now being redirected to Google.com.hk, where we are offering uncensored search in simplified Chinese, specifically designed for users in mainland China and delivered via our servers in Hong Kong. Users in Hong Kong will continue to receive their existing uncensored, traditional Chinese service, also from Google.com.hk.”

Of course the People’s Republic of China (PRC) responded, defending its internet censorship laws and playing down any effect this move may have on China-U.S. diplomatic relations.

What is happening astrologically? 

Both Google and the PRC are experiencing a major Neptune transit and in each case it is virtually the only major activity in their respective charts during 2010.  Neptune crises bring to a business (and a country) trends that sweep over the entity and cause it to lose its footing.  Lines of business dissolve, not in response to competition or new technology, but because of a sea change in consciousness of the public. 

In Google’s case, Neptune is opposing its natal Venus, which rules social instincts, long-term professional relationships, public relations, markets, and money.  In PRC’s case, Neptune is squaring the highest point in the chart, the Midheaven, which indicates the country’s reputation on the world stage, and their growing position as a major player in the world markets, “too big to ignore.”

Both parties confused

Often Neptune transits indicate that a company’s leadership is confused about exactly how to address the crisis.  A move of Google’s search functions to Hong Kong seems more like a symbolic statement than a solution.  The Chinese government has already indicated it will assert its filtering functions to keep banned information from entering China.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said that no harm has been done to China’s image, but this indicates the delusion that is so common during a Neptune transit.  Both internally and externally, China has again made it clear to the world that they don’t trust the individuals of the Republic to handle uncensored information in a way that is supportive to the state.  In fact, China’s censorship policies have increased in quality and scope over the last few years as it’s opened its markets to foreign investment. 

The impact of Neptune in Aquarius is sweeping through the entire world and China is not immune.  This influence represents a global desire to connect with each other on equal footing through Aquarian means:  electronics, virtual space, airwaves, social media, and innovation.  These developing social media serve an essential role in the ongoing development of our world and China won’t escape it for long. 

We’ll keep watching Google and the People’s Republic in their not-too-elegant dance.  I still think the compatibility indicated in their charts will pull them through this crisis, once all the dramatics simmer down.  But both need to take the lesson of Neptune, which is to focus on what is the same rather than what is different, and to listen for underlying currents rather than what is apparent on the surface.   Their relationship has benefits for each other and the world.

For further insight on Google and China, see this post:
Google and China – Heading for a Divorce?
To deeply explore Neptune in Aquarius for business, see the sidebar at the right, or get started with these posts:
Neptune in Aquarius – Let’s Get Connected!
Neptune in Aquarius – Free

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We Made a Difference!

Feb 9

Posted by Ellen in Just for fun | 4 Comments

Hello everyone.

One of the perks of my recent move is that I’m within driving distance of Brown University.  Within a couple of days of moving to town, I signed up for my first class, Social Media and Online Community Building.  I’m hoping to learn more about ‘online community building’, a subject I’m interested in for my own work and for my business clients.

For class I read an article by Fred Turner, “Where the counterculture met the new economy: the WELL and the origins of virtual community”.  This article connected the dots for me in such a way as to reach a real ‘aha’.  It’s amazing how life brings information that adds one more piece to the jigsaw puzzle – little by little filling in the spaces until you can see the whole picture.

Remember Whole Earth Catalog?

In the article Turner outlines how the social media and online community passion that has become such a part of our lives now had its origins in the counter-culture movement of the sixties and seventies.  Did you know that?  Remember Whole Earth Catalog?  That “community in print” opened the doors to collaborative publishing.  Then in 1983 the online bulletin board version, the WELL (Whole Earth ‘Lectronic Link), became the forum for Bay Area professionals, such as engineers and scientists, to exchange information, converse with friends and colleagues, build community, and promote their professional and economic lives.  More broadly, both versions enabled a geographically scattered community of counter-culturalists to connect, suggest products, and write reviews based on experience in the field, sometimes literally.

In my early twenties I was a confirmed counter-culturalist.  I had all the credentials:  I hitchhiked all over the country with my husband and our guitars; I lived in Haight-Ashbury in a flat with nine other people; I spent my days experimenting with various levels of consciousness in Golden Gate Park; I baked bread and washed clothes in a wringer washer; and I avidly read the Whole Earth Catalog, pouring over the entries.  Whole Earth Catalog was probably the most influential publication of its time in my world.  Through it we discovered the diversity of interests and lifestyles that defined our culture, the counter-culture.

The Dawning of the Age of Aquarius

I had no idea until I read Turner’s article that our “geographically dispersed network” became the foundation of virtual online communities, the predecessor of today’s forums and networking sites.  I had assumed, and have written as much in these pages, that the open sourcing mindset had been developed by my son’s generation.  To quote my own post:

My son uses this often in his work.  When he has a thorny technical problem to solve, first he looks on line to see if anyone else has resolved it.  He often finds the answer or at least a clue that provides the opening for him to successfully resolve it.  If the answer is not online, when he has resolved it, he posts it.  The next person that runs into the same issue can access his best thinking, instantly and free of charge.  Why does he do it?  Reciprocity, certainly, but also for the pure satisfaction of contributing to the advancement of shared knowledge.  This is kinship of another kind, Aquarian kinship, based on a deep understanding of who are our kin:  those who love the same knowledge as we and who share the desire to advance its frontier.

I never connected the dots back to our activities in the seventies:  attempting to live in a nonhierarchical, collaborative, interactive community led to the virtual social environment of today. 

Where’s the astrology in this?  I’m not sure.  I’ll have to go back and see what correspondences can be drawn or what long theme in the skies has played out since the countercultural revolution to now.  But I wanted to share this startling piece of continuity with you.  I must confess, I feel a little smug – we did make a difference!

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Astro4Business Month Ahead – November 2009

Nov 2

Posted by Ellen in Astro4Business Month Ahead | No Comments

Solar_system

AUDIO VERSION: Month Ahead November

Hello, everyone.

Let’s take a look at the month ahead, November, and see what the planetary influences are and how we can work with them.  We’ll start with the most long-range and overarching influences, the planets Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus, which you will notice do not change from month to month but stay in the same sector of the sky for many years.  Then we will look at the mid-range influences, Jupiter and Saturn, which stay in the same sign for 1 – 2.5 years.  Last we’ll look at the personal planets, Mars, Venus, Mercury, and the Sun which stay in each sign for much shorter periods and primarily influence our day-to-day lives.  We don’t include the Moon in the monthly forecast because it changes signs every 2.5 days, travelling the breadth of the zodiac each and every month.

Pluto in Capricorn

We’ve spoken at length about Pluto in Capricorn (see category at right), where it will remain until 2024.  In a nutshell, this long transit will bring fundamental change to many of the structures we have come to rely upon:  government, banks, industries, transport systems.  It carries the energy of revolution and evolution and can be dramatic and at times overwhelming.  Pluto in Capricorn exposes what is hidden, for better or for worse, and usually now, at the beginning of the cycle, we become more aware of the worse rather than the better.

Pluto hastens and intensifies the processes of endings and new beginnings, so it will bring about the ending of our business pursuits that are no longer suited to our growth and personal evolution.  Whatever has been slowly leaking vitality will go ahead and die, including old business models, practices, and products.  These are formidable energies, and your best strategy is to tune in and work with it.  Resistance is futile!

 Neptune in Aquarius

With Neptune in Aquarius (see category at right) from 1998 to 2011, we’ve been experiencing a forceful, heartfelt global consensus regarding the equality of the common man, shared responsibility to the group, ascendancy of people and nations based on the power of knowledge, the right of all nations to progress technologically, and the right of each person to contribute to and further the base of common knowledge.  

The best way to work with this energy is to allow the realm of the rational mind to open to waves of inspiration from the collective whole, from your community to the global community.  Expect to be inspired by your neighbors and friends. 

Uranus in Pisces

The Uranus in Pisces (see category at right) transit from 2003 – 2010 is bringing innovation and invention to the toppling of hierarchies.  It is loosening all types of boundaries and enhancing global transactions and interactions.  We are all experiencing many variables in play simultaneously, and working with moving parts which connect and disconnect frequently, including projects, alliances, and workforces. 

How do we work with Uranus in Pisces?  Product diversification, committee leadership, and collaboration, as well as global connection, and dissolution of hierarchical structures – any one of these is a good place to start.

Saturn in Libra

Saturn has entered the sign of Libra, where it is exalted.  When a planet is exalted in a sign, it has a special affinity to the sign and if you’re willing to do the work, there is a promised payoff.  I’ll write a longer post on this important planet in the coming days.  But in a nutshell:  what is the work of Saturn in Libra?  To develop patience, persistence, responsibility, and humility in relationships.  What is the payoff?  Cooperation and mutual support. 

Jupiter in Aquarius

Jupiter is in Aquarius from January 2009 until January 2010.  This transit brings benefits through large projects and social reform.  We see the propagation of revolutionary ideas, such as liberty, democracy, anarchy, and socialism that can topple traditional institutions.  Learning and advancement comes through deliberation about the nature of one’s responsibility and contribution to the group.   

Mars in Leo

When Mars is in Leo our assertion of will power becomes focused and controlled.  Mars in Leo (see category at right) loves to lead and gives faithfully and generously to those who follow.  When Mars is in Leo our tendency is to be honest, direct, and fully dependable.  The sign Leo is also creative and artistic, so at this time we may love performance and display. 

The best use of these next eight months? Make your light shine with dignity and strength.  Lead with steadiness and authority.  Throw yourself into creative activities.  Secure and enjoy the limelight. 

Venus in Libra/Scorpio

Venus is in Libra until November 7 and then spends the rest of the month in Scorpio.  When Venus is in Libra, we experience a time when our social instincts are fair-minded and our business relationships intellectual and rational.  This is a good time for hashing out contracts with everyone’s best interests in mind.

Venus in Scorpio is a very different energy.  Scorpio is secretive and emotional, passionate and aggressive.   The people around you (and you, too) may feel self-protective and insecure.  Long-lasting contractual or financial agreements can be gained at this time but may contain an element of intrigue and the possibility of betrayal.  Review everything carefully and if there are unspoken emotional undertones, make sure you get them out on the table before you commit.

Mercury in Scorpio/Sagittarius

On October 29, Mercury entered Scorpio where it will stay until it enters Sagittarius on November 15.  Mercury in Scorpio brings a “fierce acuteness of mind”, according to famed astrologer Isabel Hickey.  At this time we are farsighted, clear-sighted, and great at research and detective work. 

When Mercury enters Sagittarius, we may find our minds becoming more scattered, especially compared to the previous focus of Mercury in Scorpio.  It’s a time we may miss the details of the present because our minds are captivated by the future.  Try to count to three before making any snap judgments.  On the plus side, communications will tend to be sincere and honest.

Sun in Scorpio/Sagittarius

With the Sun in Scorpio, we can exhibit great creativity and resourcefulness, and our strength comes from service, compassion, and humility.  This is a good time to be clear about your financial strengths and weaknesses and to make a plan to address any shortfalls.

The Sun moves into Sagittarius on November 21.  This is a friendly, outgoing, optimistic time, the beginning of the holiday season.  In fact, we may tend toward over-exuberance as we know we are sliding into the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere.  Increased sales are favored under Sagittarius and a generosity of spirit with employees and coworkers is a great use of this energy.

Monthly Recap

Against the backdrop of massive global changes to the structures in our lives, we are inspired by and engaged with the global community as never before.  With Jupiter and Saturn both in air signs, we find our footing in the realm of social ideas, such as responsibility to each other and to the wider public.  We want to toot our own horn but may feel held back this month by feelings of self-protection and insecurity in our relationships with others.  Our minds move from clarity of focus to “spread too thin”, as we begin the holiday season and approach the Solstice.

 

Let me know how your month plays out!

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Ready for Opportunity? Jupiter Direct

Oct 13

Posted by Ellen in The Planets, The Zodiac Signs for Business, What to do now | No Comments

Happy Jupiter Day!

Voyager 1 took this photo of the planet Jupiter on January 24, 1979 while still more than 25 million mi (40 million km) away.

Voyager 1 took this photo of the planet Jupiter on January 24, 1979 while still more than 25 million mi (40 million km) away.

Today is the day the great planet Jupiter comes to a standstill before resuming its direct forward motion.  Of course none of the planets ever actually stand still, but from our vantage point on earth sometimes it looks like a planet is moving forward, sometimes it looks like it is moving backwards, and, as it changes direction, it can look like it is standing still.

When a planet is stationary, it is a powerful time for the energies of that planet.  So today I thought we should revisit Jupiter and its transit through the sign of Aquarius, and then look at where you should look for business opportunities depending on which house of your chart it is traversing.  I’m honoring Jupiter with a very Jupiterian post, big and expansive!

Jupiter

As the largest planet in the solar system, Jupiter is clearly visible and bright in the night sky, a large shining diamond.  Jupiter represents expansion, any activity aimed at extending or improving the mind, body, philosophy, or sphere of influence.  Jupiter represents our aspiration for wisdom and for a philosophy and moral code to live by. 

In the chart of a businessperson, Jupiter indicates the area of life where confidence and optimism brings luck and opportunities.  It shows the person’s judgment and discrimination, or lack thereof, and how practical they are in decision-making.  Jupiter indicates inspiration and the tendency toward expansion into new territories, and can indicate whether international business opportunities are a focus.

The condition of Jupiter tells about your openness to new opportunities and experiences, and your business philosophy regarding continuing education and training.  It indicates the level of benevolence and generosity toward employees and colleagues, and whether the person is reasonably openhanded or a spendthrift.

Iuppiter Tonans, possibly reflecting the cult image of the temple of Jupiter Tonans (Prado)

Iuppiter Tonans, possibly reflecting the cult image of the temple of Jupiter Tonans (Prado)

In a business chart, Jupiter describes the moral standards of the company and its advisors or board of directors.  It describes legal and international affairs.  It shows the company’s approach to goal-setting and strategic planning, and whether learning and experimentation are encouraged in the culture.  The general expectation for financial success can be seen from the placement of Jupiter.

Some vocations associated with Jupiter include publishing, law, and philosophy.  Jupiter also is associated with all forms of higher education, both as professor and student.  The ministry falls under the rulership of Jupiter, as well as vocations associated with international travel.

Aquarius

Aquarius is an air sign, concerned with the mind and intellect.  The glyph for Aquarius is the lightning bolt, signifying flashes of insight and brilliance.  Airwaves and electrical systems come naturally under the influence of this sign and also technological revolutions, such as the industrial revolution in the late 18th and early 19th century and the digital revolution in our time.  The sign is also associated with revolutionary ideas, such as liberty, democracy, anarchy, and socialism and with the nature of one’s responsibility and contribution to the group.  Aquarius includes an egalitarian vision, where each person is created equal to every other, and can make an equally valid contribution to the whole.

Jupiter in Aquarius

Jupiter has been in the sign Aquarius since January 2009 and will continue in this sign until January 2010.  What are the business opportunities when Jupiter is in Aquarius?  A partial list includes:

  • Expansion of business through technological innovation
  • Business opportunities through social networking
  • Optimism about teamwork and open innovation
  • Inviting customers or your audience to define their own product needs
  • Opportunities through spiritual or philosophical discourse, especially when disseminated through the latest technology
  • Providing opportunities for philosophical discussion among employees and coworkers
  • Success through collaboration, sharing, coordination, and cooperation
  • Virtual connectivity across borders
  • Investing in digital publishing

 

Aquarius Glyph

Aquarius Glyph

Jupiter in Aquarius for you

In this section I’ll outline for you where to look for business opportunities while Jupiter is in Aquarius.  You’ll need to have a copy of your chart to see which house Jupiter is transiting at this time.  See the sidebar if you’d like me to send you your chart with the current transits.

1st house – with Jupiter passing through your first house, the force of your personality alone attracts opportunities.  You come off as confident and optimistic and people are drawn to your energy.  So get out there and be with people and the opportunities will come.

2nd house – with Jupiter passing through your second house, a little gamble and a little risk with your own money will pay off; just don’t go overboard.  Invest in something solid and practical; bricks and mortar.

3rd house – your opportunities come through the field of education.  Find a way to pass on your knowledge or learn something new yourself.  Learning and teaching brings business expansion now, as well as writing and/or publishing.  Get that blog started!

4th house – anything to do with real estate or house wares in a good area of expansion for you, especially if there is some virtual or technological element involved.  Just promise me you’ll read the fine print before you sign.

5th house – the arts, creativity or businesses focused on children are important for you to invest in now.  Take a gamble and try something risky.  You’ve got the charisma to carry it off.

6th house – your day-to-day life holds opportunities for you, or anything you do to support the daily grind of others.  Also, finding a way to be of service will bring important business contacts.

7th house – partnerships!  Get together and collaborate with someone else and your business will boom.  Don’t be naïve though.  Check references and background thoroughly and get all of your agreements in black and white.

8th house – this is a good time to attract other people’s money or resources into your business.  People want you to handle their finances.  Invest wisely, and make sure all expectations are clearly stated and agreed to beforehand.

9th house– opportunities to do business overseas promise success, or at least to distant places over the airwaves.  Look also to contracts with learning institutions and extend yourself into publishing if that’s a fit for you.

10th house– The sky’s the limit for you.  This time should be brimming with opportunities for success – if you grab them.  Get out there with confident leadership and everyone will want to do business with you.

11th house– Your opportunities lie in groups, societies, associations.  Either find a way to collaborate with large numbers of people, or sell your products or services through a social network.

12th house– You may be inclined to retreat for a while and this is fine.  It’s time for some inner work and redefining of your goals.  But if you do seek opportunity, large institutions like the government or healthcare systems are perfect avenues for sharing your wisdom.

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The Zodiac and the Business Life Cycle – Maturity & Transition

Sep 11

Posted by Ellen in Astro4Business Basics, The Zodiac Signs for Business | 5 Comments

Business Life Cycle

Business Life Cycle

We’ve been looking at the stages in the business life cycle, Start-up, Growth, and Expansion, and correlating them to the developmental cycle of the Zodiac.  In this post we look at the final two phases, maturity and transition. 

In Reframing Organizations. Artistry, Choice, and Leadership , the authors Bolman and Deal perfectly describe the last signs of the zodiac cycle, stating, [with my additions]:

The proliferation of complex organizations has made almost every human activity a collective one.  We are born, raised, and educated in organizations.  We work in them and rely on them for goods and services. [Capricorn]  We learn in schools and universities. [Sagittarius] We play sports in teams. [Aquarius] We join clubs and associations. [Aquarius]  Many of us will grow old and die in hospitals or nursing homes. [Pisces]  We build organizations because of what they can do for us.  They produce consumer goods, bring entertainment into our homes, provide education and health care, and deliver the mail.

Capricorn

Capricorn signifies the beginning of the phase when the business becomes a complex, collective organism or institution. This phase is another major transition for the business, with great rewards.  However the risks are very real.  At this point the business is known in the marketplace and the community.  There is prestige, honor, and success before the public.  There are loyal customers and a significant volume of repeat business. 

Yet, now that the business is so integrated into the overall economy, economic changes due to societal or market conditions can impact sales and profits.  The bureaucracy which has allowed the institution to reach the mature stage has become imbedded in the organizational culture.  This bogs down the entrepreneurial spirit needed to respond to market changes with new products and innovative services.

The business is beholden to and may become run by stockholders, and employees may wield control with collective bargaining.  The business is less and less able to compete with smaller, more responsive competitors.  Capricorn qualities of strength, dependability, persistence, efficiency and practical response to internal and external threats are needed at this stage.

 

Aquarius

In the Aquarian phase the entrepreneur’s original goals of individual self-expression and gain have been left long behind.  By this phase, not only has the bureaucracy made innovation highly cumbersome and unlikely, but the company has become an arena for union activity, employee ownership, and pension obligations.  The social has overtaken the individual.  Costs are high and productivity may stagnate.  If the company attempts to reduce costs, it must fight against entrenched attitudes and the status quo. 

When a company is in the aging side of the lifecycle, it is less likely to be able to call upon traits such as adaptability and flexibility.  These are the “too big to fail” companies and government intervention may shore them up but at a high price in terms of reputation and control.

In order for innovation to be created, it must come from the bottom up, and management must provide the means for employee team contribution.  Or the business may look to collaboration with outside partners and open innovation for new ideas and invention.  Yet this carries risks if outsourced suppliers deliver inferior goods, as was the case with toy company contracts in China.  The Aquarian traits of mental pioneering, and independent, imaginative, creative, thinking are critical to see the company through this phase. 

 

Pisces

The Pisces stage is the transition stage, either to decline or to a new cycle of innovation.  Retiring staff and owners are interested in management succession and exit strategies.  Key employees may break off from the behemoth institution to begin their own start-up activities, taking talented resources with them.    The company may be broken up into smaller divisions in an attempt to reinvigorate the entrepreneurial spirit. 

This is the phase when high costs and declining sales can lead to dissolution.  The company may falter, leaving it open to attack by corporate raiders.  The business retreats from the public eye to retrench, restructure, or terminate.  A successful retrenching will allow the giant company to retain the competitive advantages of its size while discovering and harnessing the entrepreneurial talents of individual contributors.

This leads the business to the start-up phase again, as our Zodiac wheel turns to Aries.

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Neptune in Aquarius – How to Compete with Free?

Jul 23

Posted by Ellen in Long-term Planning, Neptune in Aquarius, Philosophy, Signs of our Times | 5 Comments

According to Chris Anderson in his book, Free:  The Future of a Radical Price, free is not going away but there are things people will still pay for.  He says people will still pay to

  • Save time
  • Lower risk
  • Purchase things they love
  • Achieve status
  • Keep using something you’ve got them hooked on

It’s time to innovate and the real innovation in this economy, Anderson says, is finding new and unique ways to charge for your goods and services.  He refers to two groups of consumers: 

  • price sensitive consumers who will like the free version (think Linux);
  • risk sensitive consumers who will like the paid version (think service level agreements from Microsoft). 

In other words, when you reach new customers, it doesn’t mean you can’t charge some of them.  But you’ve got to either match the price of free or ensure that the differences in quality overcome the differences in price.

And to my reader from yesterday’s post who hasn’t figured out how to compete with free, you’re in good company.  Neither has YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Digg, and many other companies with outstanding reach.  They still lack a business model that actually makes a profit. In fact, Google, the godfather of free, is beginning to be dragged down by the increasing investment in computers and data storage equipment needed to keep up with the 20 hours of video per minute being uploaded to YouTube, for free.

A couple of more gems from Anderson’s book:  he says that you can shift your company culture, or personal mindset, from “Don’t screw up” to “Fail fast”.  This is a freedom of Neptune in Aquarius.  Since effective efforts are not so much personal but collective these days, we are freed from the mental block of thinking it is up to us to find the correct answer to a problem.  The community is there like never before.  I love music sites like Jamglue where you can upload your songs and let the community work out the backgrounds and mixes.   Or Sound Cloud,where you can put up a demo and let people give feedback on your work. 

When the marginal cost of trying new things is zero, we are free to throw ideas against a wall and see what sticks.  Not that the marginal cost of our time is zero.  The time you spend experimenting may be time wasted if the idea goes nowhere.  And in the meantime, there’s that constant requirement of eating and shelter to take care of.  But I like this “fail fast” idea – I think it’s very Neptune in Aquarius.  Seems like a good idea?  Try it.  Another good idea?  Try it.  A totally different good idea?  Try that one too.  An off the wall idea?  Yes, that one too.  Neptune’s inspiration doesn’t always come in familiar forms.  But one way to be successful is to be a conduit for what she is trying to bring into the world today. 

The other gem from Anderson’s book I want to pass along is, “Every abundance creates a new scarcity.”  What has become scarce in this environment of zero cost for marginal bits?    

An excerpt from my blogging mentor, Yaro Starak gives the clue:

… Being open, honest and demonstrating your personality in everything you publish on your blog is the key to developing rapport… I want you to be very open, honest and real with your readers.

This reminded me that what can be scarce with Neptune in Aquarius is the very opposite of the Aquarian energy – the individual personality.  Even in this time of the ascendancy of the group you can find a platform on which to stand out, to demarcate yourself with your individuality.  The quotes above from Anderson and Starak apply to any product or service.  What is in abundance?  Digital bits.  What is scarce?  Face to face personal contact.  And personal responsibility.

My tax clients know they can take their taxes to H & R Block, or do them on TurboTax.  Even my astrology clients can buy computerized, very accurate reports about their strengths and weaknesses, or coming days.  Why don’t they?  Because personal interaction is vital to many kinds of problem solving.   And they know I will consider their unique situations compassionately and with commitment to their personal success.

What are you doing that the internet cannot do?  Let’s create a forum for how to compete with free.

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