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Astro4Business Today – June 4

Jun 3

Posted by Ellen in Astro4Business Today, Mars in Leo | 3 Comments

Source:Wikimedia Commons

Good Day!

Today the Pisces Moon enters its Third Quarter phase, where it challenges the Gemini Sun.  Gemini is about the rational thinking processes; Pisces is about sensing the emotional currents around us.  If you can make room for logical linear planning and heartfelt connections with others, this can be a very productive day.  But if these two are at war, whether within yourself or with others on your team, you may reach an impasse where everyone just throws in the towel and walks away.

Add to this the Mars/Neptune opposition which has some of the same flavor.  Mars has been in Leo since last October and will exit that sign finally in a couple of days, on June 7.  Mars usually spends about two months in a sign but due to retrograde motion it spent eight months in Leo.  This has been a gift as Mars in Leo has heightened our awareness of our own creativity and the creative efforts of others.  It has shown us the value of boldly proclaiming our talents and leading our team with courage and flash.

But the entire time Mars has been in Leo, Neptune has been in the opposite sign, Aquarius.  Neptune in Aquarius is a long transit that represents our desire to abolish the boundaries that separate us.  We’ve been inspired to make global connections and form large, often faceless, tribes; in other words, to build a virtual community.  We’ve come to rely on this community for everything from business contacts and referrals to religious insight to product advice.

With the opposition of Mars in Leo to Neptune in Aquarius, we might be asking ourselves, at what price all this connection?  Today is a good day to look back at the goals we set when Mars entered Leo and see whether we were helped or hindered by our focus on our networked society.  Remember, when Mars is in Leo we want to shine and be individually acknowledged for our contributions; with Neptune in Aquarius we want to share collaboratively and merge our individuality into the group.

You may have your faith in all this public culture shaken today and be wondering, what’s in it for me?  Or you may recognize that the balance between the two has strengthened your ability to lead from your heart, and to appeal to the heart of your customers and employees.

A sense of futility can accompany a Mars/Neptune transit, or a sense of lethargy.  Sometimes we feel ill, like our fire has been put out.  It will pass, but before Mars enters Virgo on Monday, why not take some time and survey the whole landscape.  Did you reach your goals?  Did you lead with courage?  Did you mentor others to step-up in their authority?  What activities of this last eight months do you want to continue and which would be better left behind?  With Neptune and that Pisces Moon, we will be able to peek beneath the surface and truly understand our own intentions, which is great prep for Mars in Virgo.

Have a wonderful weekend!

For a review of Mars in Leo, see these posts:

Mars in Leo

Let Your Light Shine – Mars in Leo

The Creativity of Business

It’s Time to Find the Jewel

For an overview of the week, see the Astro4Business Week – May 31

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

For more info on the planets influencing today, see

The Sun

The Moon

Mars

Neptune

Don’t forget. If you have an astrology-related business question (or a business-related astrology question) send it to me at ellen@astro4business.com. I’ll answer it in these posts, anonymously of course, and we can all learn from each other’s experiences. I look forward to it! Have a question now? Email it and let’s get started!

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Letter to Mars – Welcome Back

Mar 10

Posted by Ellen in Introduction to Astrology for Business, Mars in Leo, Retrograde Motion, The Planets | 7 Comments

Dear Mars, 

I sat down 10 minutes ago to write you this letter and was interrupted once again!  I’ve been trying to write this post all morning.   You are turning direct in exactly three minutes, and I’m waiting, counting down the seconds. 

Fireworks 4Everything is on hold!  I can’t even write my blog post welcoming you back because there is no activity:  no brain wave activity, no ideas, no momentum.  This isn’t like me.  I miss your razzmatazz.  Are you sleeping, like my friend who said they slept all night last night and then continued to sleep all day today? 

I wanted to let people know you are moving into direct motion a couple of hours before you turned so they could be prepared.  I wanted to help them be ready.  And although I awoke this morning with a great idea about comparing the moment to just before a race flag is lowered, it fizzled out when I couldn’t find any good photos to go with the post. 

I thought it was a good analogy:  engines revved, the flag comes down, the initiating force of acceleration and gear-shifting, the gathering of momentum until we reach full speed in the next few weeks.  Good, right?  Then full-stop.  There I was, wheels spinning, rubber burning, but no traction. 

Fireworks 2So I thought, I’ll check the Harvard Business Review Management Tips and find one related to Mars to clarify this moment with a good case study.  But there were no Mars related entries, only “Retaining Talent” and “Enduring the Trials of Entrepreneurship”.  Good for a Venus day, or maybe a Saturn day, but not for you, Mars. 

I successfully ran a project meeting this morning, your province, but that’s not to say things are moving along in the project.  Yes, it was a lovely meeting, but outcomes? 

And it’s not only me.  My clients have reported stalled real estate deals, job offers going nowhere, tax information blocked, project plans averted, publishers dragging their feet, and general feelings of overwhelm and overload, with no energy to make any progress.  We need you back! 

Okay, it’s 12:20 PM EST.  You resumed direct motion 11 minutes ago.  Welcome back.  These fireworks are for you.  I’ll try to be patient while you come up to speed, but sooner rather than later would work for me.  I’ve got a lot to get done! 

Yours always,

Ellen

For other posts on the current Mars in Leo cycle, see these links:

Mars in Leo

Let Your Light Shine

The Creativity of Business

Don’t forget. If you have an astrology-related business question (or a business-related astrology question) send it to me at ellen@astro4business.com. I’ll answer it in these posts, anonymously of course, and we can all learn from each other’s experiences. I look forward to it! Have a question now? Email it and let’s get started!

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It’s Time to Find the Jewel

Mar 3

Posted by Ellen in Introduction to Astrology for Business, Mars in Leo, Retrograde Motion, What to do now | No Comments

Hello, everyone.

Next week, on March 10, Mars resumes direct motion.  Let’s review where we are so we can take full advantage of these last few days of retrograde motion.  Many people feel they are standing still right now, and it’s true.  When a planet is coming close to changing direction it does move very, very slowly through the zodiac in the days just before its reversal.

Was that gold?

Gold on Quartz “The Dragon” (Wikimedia Commons)

Gold on Quartz “The Dragon” (Wikimedia Commons)

We’ve conceptualized retrograde motion as a hiker who has covered a certain portion of a trail, but then stops, turns around, and walks back to a certain point.  Then she stops again, turns around, and moves forward again.  Why did she stop and turn around in the first place?  What was it she missed the first time that made her want to retrace her steps? 

Perhaps she saw something shiny and intriguing but then dismissed the thought:  oh, it was probably just some Fool’s Gold.  But as she walks on it starts to bother her.  What if it was real gold, or a diamond shining in the soil? So she goes back for a closer inspection.

Right now, a few days before Mars turns direct, is like our hiker just reaching the point she headed back to.  She is slowing down because she is nearing her destination.  She’s looking for that shiny object.  Can she find it again?  If she does, what will she discover?

A Second Chance

In the days before a planet turns direct, it’s important to ask these questions.  Mars has returned to the very beginning of the sign of Leo.  It’s like we’re being given a second chance, a chance to start over on some creative project we had in mind last October.  This project may have been stalled since December, but soon the energy will move.  Have we learned what we needed to learn?  Have we uncovered the missing clue?  Have we gained wisdom?  Are we more ready to face the challenges of self-expression that are the mission of Mars in Leo?

In these last few days of stillness, look around, listen, observe your instinctual responses and what is drawing your interest naturally.  These few days are loaded with opportunities for insight.  They are packed with possibilities if we can uncover them.  Whether you notice something bright and shiny or something more subtle, we have come back here to this point for a reason.  Now is the time of discovery.  Now is the fertile opening, the pause filled with potential.

When Mars resumes direct motion, our business lives will gradually become more and more busy and we will forget the stillness of this time.  So in these last few days, let’s find the jewel, the gift of this waiting period so it’s in our backpack when we move forward again.

Here are some earlier posts about Mars in Leo.  Reading them may reveal what you are looking for, or where you should be looking.  As you find the gems, share them in the comments with all of us.

Mars in Leo

Let Your Light Shine

The Creativity of Business

4 Ways to Benefit from Mars Retrograde

Life doesn’t stand still – how to work with Retrograde Mars

Retracing Your Steps – Retrograde Motion

Are You Stalled?

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4 Ways to Benefit from Mars retrograde

Dec 17

Posted by Ellen in Introduction to Astrology for Business, Mars in Leo, Retrograde Motion, The Planets | 12 Comments

Apparent retrograde motion of Mars in 2003. (Source:Wikipedia)

Apparent retrograde motion of Mars in 2003. (Source:Wikipedia)

“Three steps forward; two steps back”:  sounds like Mars in retrograde motion.  This coming Sunday, December 20th, Mars appears to stand still for a few days and then begins retrograde motion.  Retrograde motion is when a planet appears from the earth to be moving backward in the sky.

Mars entered the sign of Leo (see category at right) in mid-October and has zoomed through 19 degrees of that sign.  (Each sign has 30 degrees.)  Now it will begin to backtrack, moving all of the way back to the beginning of Leo before it stops and begins moving ahead again in March.  Three steps forward, three steps back!

Mars represents our energy, effort, and will.  It is the urge to take action, to pursue our goals, to make it happen.  It represents the part of us that is competitive and motivated.  In the business world, it shows how effective we are in setting goals and achieving them.  Here are four ways to get the best from Mars retrograde.

1.      Revisit and review

With Mars in retrograde motion, retracing all of the ground it covered since mid-October, we can expect to revisit and review all the progress we’ve made since then.  This is an opportunity to take another look at our goals; are we accomplishing what we intended?  Although it may feel like stepping back or treading water, it’s a chance to recheck our direction.  Have we compromised our original intention?  Are we on the right track?  It’s a time to pause and consider whether new information has become available that should cause a course-correction.

2.      Set new productivity goals

In the chart of a business, Mars represents operations, productivity, and the skills of the second tier of leadership.  These may falter over the next couple of months.  The line managers and supervisors you’ve come to rely upon may experience a setback and productivity may fall.  This is in the natural order and serves the same purpose as above:  are you on the right track with your staff?  Are your expectations for productivity reasonable?  Are people working on the right projects, tackling the important assignments?

3.      Pull back and regroup

Mars also represents your competitive nature and the nature of your competitors.  If you feel you are losing ground during this period, it’s best to pull back and regroup rather than trying to overcome the opposition.  Remember, Mars is in retrograde motion for everyone, including the competition.  Use this time to plan your next move so you’re ready to act when the time comes.

4.      Experiment

Mars rules our own personal productivity.  You may feel lethargic and less than enthusiastic during its retrograde period.  Or you may persistently feel you are falling behind.  If so, take it as a sign to focus on inner work rather than outer accomplishment.  Retrograde periods are usually very useful for delving deeper into an endeavor, even though it may look like very little is being accomplished on the outside.  Explore new tools and techniques and new styles of working.  Experiment with alternate ways to maintain your productivity, such as working from home, outsourcing, or additional delegation. 

With Mars retrograde, it may look like three steps back.  It may especially feel like three steps back.  But used well, it is a fertile preparation time for renewed motion and solid gains come March.

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The Creativity of Business

Oct 22

Posted by Ellen in Current Events, Introduction to Astrology for Business, Mars in Leo, The Planets, What to do now | 2 Comments

Hi, everyone.

For many years I didn’t link the word “creativity” with the word “business”.  I had creativity firmly in one camp, meaning all those activities that my artist friends engaged in – writing, painting, clay, film, music.  And business was what I engaged in – operations, management, accounting, marketing, training, mentoring, planning. 

As someone with many planets in the house of creative self-expression in my horoscope, I kept waiting for the time I would be able to express my creativity, whatever it was!  I knew it must be there because my horoscope said it was, but I thought it must be waiting for sometime in the future to reveal itself.Celestia_sun

When planets are in Leo I think a lot about creative self-expression, because Leo is the sign of letting our own light shine, exhibiting our own talents and unique place in the world.  It is also a sign of perseverance, of not giving up, of retaining enough confidence in our ability to achieve our goals that we keep applying our energy to the task.

Now I’m looking back on my long years in business and my present efforts to start anew after a ten-year hiatus immersing myself in my spiritual life.  From this vantage point I recognize the immense creativity that is required of any business person in any field.

Just thinking about my current clients I can see how each day they bring their full creative selves to their businesses.  I think about one client who is a Real Estate Broker, how she constantly must think of new and creative ways to market her inventory, especially in this environment.  Or another client who, after years as a nurse, is embarking on realizing her dream of starting a sustainable farm.  The hot-dog vendor who expanded her business into a thriving delicatessen.  The physical therapist transitioning her business to teaching and writing.

In fact, I had a client tell me the other day that she had spoken to an astrologer who had admonished her for not pursuing a more creative career.  As a successful businesswoman in a major industry she said to me, “What made him think there isn’t creativity in developing teams, and strategies, and business plans, and in figuring out how to remodel organizations?”

All of these are creative acts.  And acts of courage, which is hand in hand with creativity and another aspect of the sign of Leo.

In astrology the house that rules creativity is also the house of children:  children of the mind, children of the body, children of the soul.  For every business person, our business is like our child, an entity we created out of our own fervor and passion and that we constantly guide and protect as it grows.  It is our work of art, and we continually shepherd it through outer and inner cycles of change.

Creativity, courage, perseverance, inspiration – these are the qualities of any business person.  Let’s own our art – the art of risk-taking, innovation, recognizing opportunity, and developing talents in others.  The art of pursuing day after day our own vision of what can be.  The art of finance and honing our own field of knowledge.  The art of leadership.  The art of conversation and negotiation.  And all the myriad other creative acts that are part of our daily business lives.

Toot your own horn.  Let us all know in the comments section how you express your creativity in your business.

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Let Your Light Shine – Mars in Leo

Oct 21

Posted by Ellen in Current Events, Mars in Leo, The Planets, What to do now | 18 Comments

Apparent retrograde motion of Mars in 2003. (Source:Wikipedia)

Apparent retrograde motion of Mars in 2003. (Source:Wikipedia)

Hi, everyone.

After last week’s post on Mars in Leo, one of my readers asked me, why is Mars in Leo for so long, when it was only in Cancer for two months?

Mars’ orbit around the Sun takes two years, which leads us to think of an average of two months in each of the twelve signs of the zodiac.  But every two years, Mars spends 72 days in retrograde motion.  Retrograde motion occurs when, from our vantage point here on earth, a planet appears to move in the opposite direction from its normal path.

This retrograde motion plus the normal direct motion causes Mars to spend a considerably longer time in one sign every two years.  Last time Mars was in retrograde motion was in 2007 in the sign Cancer, this time it will be retrograde in Leo, and in 2011 it will be retrograde in Virgo.  So every two years we get to spend an extended period of time diving into the energy of Mars in each subsequent sign.

During this cycle, Mars will be in the sign of Leo from mid-October 2009 until the beginning of June 2010.  Then it will resume its shorter and less effective stays in each sign.  So let’s look a little deeper into the meaning of this cycle to ascertain how to best use the energies in our business.

Mars, the Warrior

Mars is the energy of desire and will.  Mars is that within us and within all of life that reaches out to take what we want.  As a pure energy it is not tempered by caring for others or societal expectations.  Every action of your day is infused by the energy of Mars, from the impulse to rise from bed in the morning, to leaving your desk for a cup of coffee, to putting energy into your latest project.

Mars has been likened to the young warrior, the member of the tribe who needs a challenge, needs a fight, needs a hunt in order to expend its energy in productive ways.  In our times it is the energy of the entrepreneur, the energy to start something, the virile push that takes action and makes things happen. 

In the best case scenario, when Mars is in Leo, the young warrior has matured and become the king.  The impulsivity and action for action’s sake has been tempered by nobility of purpose and caring for others.  In our business lives, this may translate into young warriors of either sex moving into leadership positions, which they hold with dignity.

The other end of the spectrum may also exhibit itself.  This is the young warrior plotting to usurp the throne before he/she has the wisdom to handle the position well.  Mars in a fire sign, Leo, can indicate a fairly ruthless climbing and striving to overthrow the established authority.

This will lead to a heightened competitive atmosphere that will be with us for the next eight months.  How will you handle it?  As the wise and benevolent monarch who rules because of his innate poise and self-esteem or as the young warrior trying to prove his right to the throne?

With Mars in Leo, nothing will be done in the dark.  The spirited drives from the warrior elements around us are not underhanded; all of the actions are out in the light.  So as long as we are paying attention and noticing what is going on around us, it’s not easy to be fooled.

The Warrior in You

And of course, the warrior energy may be coming from you!  We will all feel the influence of Mars in Leo.  It will be more comfortable for some and less comfortable for others.  Some of us, especially those with their natal Mars in Fire or Air Signs, like to take on challenges, whether from within or without.  Others of us, those with our natal Mars in Earth or Water Signs, prefer a more passive or more relational arena for action.  (If you don’t know what sign your natal Mars is in, see the sidebar to request your chart.)

It’s worthwhile for all of us to at least try to take up the energy of Mars in Leo, especially since it will be with us for so long.  It will be the modus operandi for the activity around us, so we should try taking up the torch.  What is the torch when Mars is in Leo?  Making our own light shine with dignity and strength.  Leading with steadiness and authority.  Throwing ourselves into creative activities.  Securing and enjoying the limelight.  Harnessing the power to move ourselves to the top of our field of endeavor.

Some Goals and Objectives

Take some time to set a few goals and objectives that will help you take advantage of this cycle.  Some examples may be:

  • I will enter my design into the regional competition
  • I will take a course in Leadership
  • I will pick an up-and-coming employee and promote and mentor her
  • I will undertake a project that will push me into the limelight
  • I will toot my own horn, knowing that my competitors are tooting theirs too

Enjoy this cycle.  I look forward to hearing from you as we all learn to take advantage of this energy of Mars in Leo.  Let’s inspire each other by listing a goal we’re setting in the comments section.  Let’s see – mine is:  I will look for an opportunity for an article I write to be featured on someone else’s blog.

What’s yours?

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Mars in Leo

Oct 16

Posted by Ellen in Mars in Leo, The Planets, What to do now | 4 Comments

AUDIO VERSION:  Mars in Leo

 

Hello, everyone.

Today, the warrior planet, Mars, enters the sign of Leo, leaving the sign of Cancer where it’s been since late August.  Mars will remain in Leo until June 2010, spending some time in retrograde motion.  So we’ve got a good long time to learn how to work with its energy.

Tracking cycles

Let’s briefly revisit what we are tracking when we follow the planets through the signs.  We’re all familiar with the cycle of the Sun through the signs; we call it the seasons: Spring, the season of renewal; Summer the season of growth; Autumn the season of withering; and winter, when the life seems to die, only to be reborn in Spring.  We’re also generally aware of the “seasons” of the Moon, as it waxes to Full Moon and wanes back to New.

The planets also have their own seasons; we just don’t stay as consciously aware of them as we do the Sun and Moon.  However, they are operating and affecting everything in our lives.  Astrology is the study of bringing to our awareness these more subtle cycles and pointing out how these cycles are supporting our endeavors and how we can align ourselves with them.

250px-Lion_waiting_in_NambiaMars in Leo

So what can we expect now that Mars is moving into Leo?

Mars indicates the ability to take action, to assert our will, to accomplish our goals.  Mars represents ambition and the competitive nature.  It indicates how a person becomes inspired to act, and how or whether they are able to inspire others to act.    The strength of Mars in a chart shows the level of physical energy and the healthiest way to express that energy. 

Leo is a Fire sign and like all of the fire signs expresses heightened energy and enthusiasm.  The Fire signs are inspirational and they carry a forceful, ardent, and sometimes impulsive energy.  Leo’s fire tends to be controlled and steady, with more discipline than the other fire signs.  Leo knows what it wants and goes after it steadily and earnestly.

When Mars is in Leo our assertion of will power becomes focused and controlled.  We can access great courage and confidence which others recognize and are willing to follow.  Mars in Leo loves to lead and gives faithfully and generously to those who follow.  Mars in Leo is honest, direct, and fully dependable.

Sharing the Stage

The sign Leo is also creative and artistic, and loves to be on display.  Mars in this sign may incite us to competitions and overt displays of our talents.  Since Mars in the business chart indicates the second tier of leadership, your lieutenants may desire their own limelight and it would be a good time to share it with them.  The best creative initiatives may come from them and the rewards will be for all to enjoy.

The Yajur Veda is an ancient scripture of India.  I read a passage this morning that I thought expressed Mars in Leo, as well as a key to using this time well:

           

             O supreme Lord, you are full of fiery spirit.

            Give me fiery spirit.

            You are vigor; give me vigor.

            You are strength; give me strength.

            You are discipline; give me discipline.

            You are conquering might; give me conquering might. 

 

I’m sure you see the key:  discipline.  Mars in Leo has a natural sense of discipline.  What discipline is needed when Mars is in Leo? 

Mars in Leo hates to be wrong.  During this time we can become so fixed in our convictions and opinions that we can brook no opposition.  We’re certain we’re right!  When Mars is in Leo we need to remember humility and service, so our righteous passions and desires don’t become too overbearing to our employees and coworkers. 

Mars in Leo has a natural sense of dominion that is an assurance of success but if dominion becomes domination we will lose the loyalty of those we lead.  We must assert our authority as well as delegate authority to others.  We must share the stage and celebrate the achievements of others.  In this way we will stay in tune to the overall energies of the time.

Have a fantastic, fabulous, successful Mars in Leo cycle!

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