IN THIS ISSUE:

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JUPITER IN SCORPIO:
AN INTENSE YEAR AHEAD

One the one hand, Jupiter in Scorpio could be seen as kind of an uncomfortable fit. After all, Jupiter is the seeker, and Scorpio ain't exactly the mountaintop -- more like the dark underbelly of the volcano, all roiling lava and steam. But there's a kind of vision to be had from underneath that you'll never find out there in the open. You see deep rather than far. This year will be a prime opportunity to delve into the mysteries, both those within you and those around you.

Jupiter's entry into Scorpio brings it into mutual reception with Pluto in Sagittarius. No, this doesn't mean that the two planets will be exchanging business cards over hors d'oeuvres -- it just means that, by occupying each other's home sign, they partake of each other's flavor, reinforcing and intensifying the expression of each. While Pluto has been traveling through Sagittarius (since 1995), we've been experiencing profound transformation of our individual and collective world view. Jupiter in Scorpio is an invitation to engage on a deeper level, both philosophically and emotionally, actually blending the two as we make the connection between the personal and the universal. This is a great time to get help from a therapist, healer or spiritual teacher. Spiritual and religious groups, at best, will be more focused on meeting the need for that deep connection. At worst, they'll dig themselves yet deeper into already-entrenched dogmas in reaction to perceived threats from the growing and learning the rest of us are doing.

The next 13 months offer many opportunities to each of us to shed limiting beliefs and habits and grow exponentially -- if we're willing to do the work and make the necessary changes. Look to the Scorpio house in your birth chart, and the planets and points that Jupiter will touch, for important clues to what lies ahead for you.

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1% FOR PEACE
~ PLUS ~
10% FOR HURRICANE RELIEF

LIFE IN LIMBO: FINDING YOUR FEET

SUPPORTIVE WORKGROUP FOR PEOPLE IN CAREER TRANSITION

Are you in limbo -- ending one phase in your work or creative life and don't know where to go next? You're far from alone -- I keep running into people who are in this kind of "open space" in their lives and need guidance and peer support.

If you're like me, you've had a checkered career full of false starts and blind alleys, never quite finding a place, a goal, a way of working that works for you. I finally got fed up with working for nothing but a paycheck. Now my work comes straight from my heart and my sense of purpose. Having found my path to career satisfaction, I'd like to see you find yours too.

If you're looking for some inspiration as well as some structure, join the "Life in Limbo: Finding Your Feet" workgroup. This group will meet via telephone, every week for nine 60-minute sessions. I'll provide a listening ear, provocative questions, tools and tips for navigating uncharted waters, AND a private vocational astrology reading for each group member. There will be time for members to compare notes and swap stories. In addition, you'll have a buddy to check in with between sessions, and e-mail support from me upon request.

The group will be small -- six to nine people -- and will begin in January 2006. We'll schedule the nine sessions together, as soon as the first 4 people are registered. This is a pilot program, so the fee is a dirt-cheap $180 for the whole works, including the private consultation. Future groups will be priced at their true value of $360, so get in on the ground floor!

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RELATIONSHIPS UNDER THE OCTOBER ECLIPSES

The New Moon on October 3 was a solar eclipse, and the Full Moon on the 17th was a lunar eclipse. The eclipses occur in the signs of Aries and Libra. Wherever these signs are placed in your birth chart, that's where the Self-Other dichotomy will be brought forcefully to your attention this Fall. Actually, eclipses can stay in effect for as long as six months, so even though these have already happened, they're not "over" and won't be for a while.

Libra is always seeking balance and equity, but balance is a process and the seesaw is seldom seen poised perfectly level with the ground. Aries, on the other hand, seeks autonomy, self-reliance, and courage. Any opposition between these two, such as this lunar eclipse, is a balancing act between the demands of the individual self and the claims of others with whom we share a relationship. Not necessarily a romantic relationship, either. It all plays out against the backdrop of your natal chart. The houses that contain Aries and Libra show where the challenge is likely to crop up. In the 4th and 10th houses, there may be discord with parents or bosses, or you may be facing some hard choices between your career and your family. In the 5th and 11th, the star of the show faces off against the group, and so on around the wheel.

Ask yourself where in your life you are bending over backwards to please someone for fear of rocking the boat, or, alternatively, where you're losing out in relationships because you're too inflexibly insistent on having it all your own way. Since eclipses bring out whatever was hidden, you have access to deeper-than-usual perception of both sides of whatever conflict is on your plate. To achieve balance, try sitting in the middle.

ECLIPSE CONSULTATIONS AVAILABLE

I'm offering a special Eclipse Consultation for those of you who are struggling with this kind of conflict. It's designed to help you ferret out the hidden feelings and find balance and harmony in your situation.

MARS AND YOUR SPIRITUAL WARRIOR

Mars turned retrograde on
October 1. How are you handling the challenges of this "slow period"?

Things may seem exceptionally slow during this Mars retrograde in Taurus. People may seem stubborn and uncooperative. Delays and detours can make you crazy. But this is not a good time to push your agenda. Rather, like all retrogrades, it's a time to reflect, re-evaluate, and revise. In this game, you're the spiritual warrior (Mars is, after all, the warrior god), and anger and impatience are your main adversaries. You must be on the alert for their appearance and ready to deal with them.

So what does that mean? Well, impatience crops up in all kinds of situations. Whenever you're feeling frustrated or impatient, give yourself a time-out to take a deep breath. As the warrior, you can most constructively use times when your way is blocked to re-evaluate your target and your strategy. Challenge yourself by asking a few searching questions, such as:

• Is this what I really want?
• Am I on a path toward my true desires, or am I shooting for something that doesn't really feed me or support my purpose?
• What is my true will here?
• Am I operating on instinct, on adrenaline, or on auto-pilot, rather than on will?
• Am I fulfilling someone else's aspirations instead of my own?
• Is this the best way to go about attaining my goal?
• Are there difficult or inconvenient factors I'm overlooking or ignoring?
• Are powerful emotions getting in the way of seeing a clear path ahead of me?
• Am I overextending my energies, trying to do too much at once?
• What other strategies could I be employing here?

MARS RETROGRADE CONSULTATIONS AVAILABLE

Even though the actual retrograde period only lasts two months or so, Mars entered this "retrograde zone" in August and will stay there until February 2006. This means you're getting extra workout time in the area of your life ruled by your natal Taurus house. If you have planets or sensitive points in your birth chart in Fixed signs, and especially in Taurus, this transit will be rocking your boat and making some sizable waves.

Don't go it alone -- get help! Take 30 minutes with me to focus on the places in your life where the Red Planet's backward march is stirring up impatience and anger. I'll help you use this time of reflection, re-evaluation and revision to sharpen your self-awareness and devise strategies for dealing with the challenges.

This consultation is only $45, but it's only available while Mars is retrograde, until December 9. To make the most of this time-sensitive information, book as early as possible -- preferably during October or early November for optimal results.