What quiet beauty and practical magic Taurus brings as we enter the month of May. The sea of petals, abundance of color, and aromatic pollen stimulate our sense pleasures, reintroducing human delight. As we move further away from Aries’ fiery impulses, we remember the unassuming power of Taurus, who exemplifies the beauty of stillness and embodiment. With five planets in retrograde this month, the slowness of Taurus is even slower. We have no choice but to take our time combing through previous lessons with fine teeth until all impurities dislodge, washing away with the last of spring’s showers. This is a beautiful but uncomfortable time, which allows us to release our most subtle, unexamined blind spots so we may fully awaken.

At the end of April, Mercury became the fifth planet to station retrograde, joining Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto, and Mars. This presents a potent time to harness psychic energies and connect with the vision of our innermost mind. If we meditate this month, we have easier access to alternate dimensions and the sacredness of everyday life. The retrogrades also mark a period of looking back, going inward, and surrendering what is not serving us. We may feel stretched, squeezed, tired, or irritable while we reevaluate our truths, circumstances, and past behavior. With Saturn in Sagittarius forming a T-Square with Jupiter and Neptune, the pressure intensifies and heightens, particularly on May 26, when the configuration is exact. An orchestra of voices and opinions surrounds us as Saturn in Sagittarius reveals our dogmatic beliefs. Like mating birds in spring, the competitive voices of ego-clinging—in our head, the media, politics, and relationships—nearly drown out our intuitive wisdom.

The good news is that whatever surfaces has the chance to purify. With Neptune squaring

this evangelical Saturn, we may notice that previous ego structures, politics, morality, and belief systems are undergoing change, that anything not working for our highest good is now boiling over and erupting. If we have been working for ego purposes (fame, wealth, power, or prestige), we may experience an existential crisis, finally asking ourselves why?

While at first these energies feel difficult, this period heralds a seismic shift so we may ascend to a purer way of being. Jupiter in Virgo is still connecting us with pure intention, giving us an opportunity to remember who we really are, to move beyond our irritability and allow a beautiful unraveling of our egos. Then we may open to a simpler way of being, existing with less effort. As we do this, we will find ourselves surrounded by people we have always known and loved, but who are finally growing into their truer selves alongside us. With the influence of Taurus, we may cook dinner together, plant gardens, share our spiritual insights, and laugh. Glimpses of enlightened society begin to emerge as never before, showing us what is possible as we look towards the new paradigm, set to begin in 2020, when Pluto and Saturn conjunct in Capricorn.

Towards the end of the month, the Full Moon on May 21 presents the continuing reversal of male and female energies. Venus and Mars line up with the Sun and Moon, respectively. As part of our personal and collective restructuring, feminine and masculine energies balance and blend, and more women come into power. Relationship values are questioned and current relationships undergo structural changes. The trends of transgender awareness, sexual ambiguity, and polyamory will also carry on.

In the end, there is no right or wrong. In each

domain, the purpose of this period is to push against the reality we have all agreed upon, to play with our rigidity like a rubber band, and to find the courage to let go. With Taurus ruling the month, we have ample ground beneath us to support this process. As the retrogrades push us into alternate dimensions, now is our time to purify, heal, and open our channels. From there, we may take a leap and explore what lies beyond. If we embrace the unraveling and remain truly present, every object and person will radiate with the magic of sacred world.

Summary

With five planets moving retrograde and Taurus slowing things down, May creates the feeling of entering a wormhole, our sense of space and time folding in on itself. If we are able to let go of solid belief systems and dive into the unknown, the stars will repay us with healing and an introduction to the higher realms. We are reexamining ourselves, our circumstances, and our belief systems with a magnifying glass. While it may be uncomfortable or painful, this is the perfect time to go inside ourselves, meditate, and remember our true nature. The underlying message is to relax, let go, and fully trust that the Universe provides all that we need in every moment.

Surrounded by intoxicating colors, the scents of spring, and the maze of flowering trees, may we connect with the richness within us. May we release and open—to the purpleness of purple, the pinkness of pink—to the sacredness of our world, which we finally realize was here all along.

To book an astrology reading with Juliana, write etherealculture@gmail.com, or visit her website: etherealculture.com.

As the melting snow reveals the first buds of spring and our pallid faces turn towards sunlight, we have finally entered the fresh energy of Aries and the Astrological New Year. Along with baby sheep and hatching chicks, we are born anew in the rush of spring, leaving behind the sleepiness of March and the rich, saturated Piscean dream realm. March left us wide open as we expanded into interconnectedness, and now Aries is helping us to embody our lessons. The ram is pushing us back into our human selves so we may radiate Universal love as individuals.

However, this is no ordinary Aries month. April presents a fascinating blend of energies as Mars, ruler of Aries, invigorates us while five planets move retrograde. As Mars pushes us to crack open like seeds and begin a spirited chapter of self-actualization, these many retrogrades ask us to remain still, holding our chi as we take time to rest, and clear the way for projects we are initiating. Whether we are beginning a new relationship, business, or way of being, the Universe is holding our hand, helping us to decelerate while we lay sturdy stones for our next ventures.

On April 7, we have the first New Moon of the Astrological New Year. Conjuncting Uranus, this will launch us into an energized cycle of self-sovereignty. These energies encourage us to fully embrace our true, eccentric selves, and to understand that we are the queens and kings of our lives, governing what to accept and reject. With most of the outer planets forming angles to the Moon, it will have societal emphasis, encouraging us to take responsibility for whatever arises, both in our personal lives and in the world.

Joining Saturn and Jupiter, which have stationed retrograde already, Mars begins his pivoting on April 17, remaining in one place for most of the month before moving back into

Scorpio. Mars moves quickly, so having him in one place for so long is significant. At first we may feel frustrated, as the impulsiveness of Mars is thwarted by his backwards motion; however, we could see this as a powerful opportunity for reflection. While Mars stands still, we will be able to receive the wisdom of hindsight in the present moment. This gives us the chance to thoroughly prepare for our dreams to be realized, as we build a solid foundation of clear karma, authenticity, and careful planning. Our job now is to ask ourselves what we would like to create in the world before Mars stations direct later in the summer. Is it a new or healthier relationship, a work of art or music, a prosperous business, a stronger sense of self-worth? What do we want to shed, and what do we want to bring forth? This is the perfect time to clarify such desires. With Jupiter on the North Node, hopefully we will feel moved to create only that which is of benefit to the world.

When our manifestations spring forth in late June, the whole world will glisten with the fruition of our pure intention. We may trust that the slowing momentum over the next few months is a necessary part of our unfoldment, that the Universe is giving us space to adequately prepare for a huge opening in our right time. Fortunately, the Sun moves into Taurus on April 19, giving us the virtue of patience—a welcome support for all of these retrogrades. The energy of the Taurus Sun will feel much more comfortable than Aries, helping us to release our Mars-retrograde frustrations.

With the Full Moon in Scorpio on April 22, we will end the month with a period of reckoning. If we have been doing our work, staying with our true purpose, and purifying our karma, we may feel rewarded by this Moon while efforts towards closure beautifully culminate. If we have been causing harm to ourselves or others,

we may feel like the Universe is punishing us, or at least ripening our karma with an abrupt swing of her Plutonian sword. If the latter is the case, do not worry. Instead, feel gratitude for this chance to release karmic debt and begin again with integrity.

Summary

We have awoken from the dreaminess of March, and the world has ignited with the beginning of spring, fresh buds, and the reclaiming of the light. However, April presents an unusual blend of energies, with the freshness and impulsivity of Aries mixing with the restraint of multiple retrogrades—including April’s ruler, Mars. This actually provides a wonderful opportunity to lay careful groundwork for our aspirations, which will likely bring epic fulfillment of our dreams later in the summer when the planets go direct. Rather than feel the frustration of potential stop-starts, we could examine every facet of our projects and intentions, purifying any hidden corners of our previous karmic lessons. Thus, this is the perfect time to clarify what we would like to accomplish, to tune in with our most genuine aspirations, and to harness patience as we follow through with the work the Universe is presenting us.

May we meet the energies of April with curiosity and playfulness, embodying Universal love in our everyday expressions. May we find beauty in intensity and rise from the melting snow, as fresh and awake as the daffodils of early spring.

To book an astrology reading with Juliana, write etherealculture@gmail.com, or visit her website: etherealculture.com.

Oh Pisces, sign of spirituality, magic, dreams, and delirium! She is ever the Queen of March 2016. Yet as five planets move into her dominion, you may barely notice her, for she dissolves all sense of me and you, her or us. She pulls us into the ocean of oneness, and we begin to expand, our edges breaking into the ether. Like a Turner painting, the land, elements, and sky bleed into each other, distinguishable only through feeling.

What a glorious month then for mystics, sensitives, and psychics, as the solidity of earthly reality bends, and the ethereal realm becomes much more visible. Our poets, musicians, artists, dancers—the other inhabitants of the heavenly realm—may feel much more open to channeling their creative waves, and this period will spawn works of art that transmit depth of emotion and glimpses of interconnectedness. Even those who seldom tap in will find their hearts flashing open to this permeability.

However, this month also contains dangers if we refuse the lessons it presents. The axis of Virgo and Pisces asks us to maintain our sense of sovereignty, our pure intentions, and our rooting in the earth, as we expand outward. With two eclipses looming this month, the power of choice is tenfold, and we could either reap the rewards of our efforts, which are based in pure intention, or endure the karmic consequences of engaging in manipulation, addiction, self-gain, or other lesser pursuits.

At Beginning of the month, Chiron is opposing Jupiter, eventually joining the nodes of the Moon and aligning with the total Solar Eclipse on March 8. This is quite a moment for our collective healing. The Solar Eclipse sets the tone for the next six months, acting as an apex for the ongoing Jupiter-North Node conjunction in Virgo, which has been guiding us towards our highest good, engaging us in discipline and discrimination as our hearts and minds open to vastness. We are reminded to

be steadfast in healthy decision-making, and to care for ourselves in the most human, fundamental ways. If we have not been setting healthy boundaries, if we have been engaging in toxic behaviors or addictions, now is the time when the stars help us to connect with our growing consciousness by setting us forth on a path of healthy choosing; otherwise, they will painfully reveal the karma we’ve created.

But remember, nothing is bad. Whatever happens, fear not, because everything is path—pain and pleasure alike are energies we ride and grow from, as they guide us to center. As Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön once said, “Pain is not punishment; pleasure is not reward.” The idea is to find the middle way, where we neither shy away from what scares us, nor cling to fleeting moments of entertainment. With Mars moving through Scorpio, he asks us to surrender both pain and pleasure, lows and highs, in order to awaken. In tandem with Mars in Scorpio, the eclipses quicken our paths. Like wisteria in May, they burst forth, and with sometimes-difficult messages, they open the psychic doors of our hearts and minds.

On March 23, we experience the second eclipse of the month, this time a Lunar Eclipse in Libra, opposing the Aries Sun. The Jupiter-Saturn square, which we have been working with for a while, will be exact on the day of this eclipse, echoing the previous lessons of March around setting boundaries in order to expand. The emphasis is now on 'self' in relationship to ‘other,' and it asks us to have compassion, to forgive ourselves and each other, and to let go, with finality. Who are we on our own, and in relationship to others? Are our hearts open enough? Are they too open? Are we engaging with proper energetic boundaries, with balance and respect? These are the questions this Lunar Eclipse will ask. As we look around, it may be difficult to find where we end and others begin, and if we already have a propensity for openness, the key is to stand

firmly on the ground, to be still, and to feel the tenderness of our hearts simultaneously with the strength of our backs, allowing emotion and thought to move through us without altering them. Here, we feel the universe within us without losing connection with our beautiful earth.

Summary

With so many planets in Pisces and two eclipses this March, the sensitivity of our beings is heightened. We must remember to treat ourselves like delicate orchids, paying close attention to our basic needs while not pushing ourselves too far, only exposing our hearts to situations and people that align with our highest vibration. Like a mirrored room, reality and illusion blur together, offering a wonderful period for spirituality, art, and music to exalt our minds, and to help us feel the throbbing of our hearts and the tingling of our crown chakras. If we stay true to our highest intentions and practice the discipline of healthy boundaries, we will have a vibrant time filled with energetic play, heightened psychic abilities, and inter-dimensional travel. Of course, we run the risk that people, diseases, or natural phenomenon could expand out of control, but it is up to us as individuals to do our work, and to inspire each other to live from the heart by abiding in our own. Compassion and forgiveness come easily this month, so take advantage. Release the burden of all resentment once and for all.

May our roots grow strong and our flowering branches extend so far that we blend with the cosmos, becoming indistinguishable from glimmering stars. This way, the darkness of March’s eclipses will turn all of us to light.

To book an astrology reading with Juliana, write etherealculture@gmail.com, or visit her website: etherealculture.com.

February is a month ruled astrologically by the electricity of Uranus, and culturally by the romantic edge of Valentine’s Day. This February 2016, the stars see us continuing the theme of purification and deep purging, specifically through relationship—an influence that began when the North Node moved into Virgo a few months back. Looking behind us, January shaped up to be an intense month as Mercury joined Pluto, Black Moon Lilith opposed Uranus, and Mars moved into the intense sign of Scorpio, all transits pushing us into the underworld to face whatever we have been repressing. As February unfurls, the themes of delving into shadow work for the purpose of waking up will continue. Much like a crimson red rose with prickly thorns, this will not be a comfortable month, but as long as we do the work, it will help us to open into the beauty of our true nature.

The first major transit of February occurs on the 5th of the month, when Venus in Capricorn conjuncts Pluto, an intensely passionate stirring of energies just in time for Valentine’s Day. With Venus moving through Capricorn, we’ve been working with the more logistical aspects of love. Perhaps we’ve engaged in practical conversations with our partners and ourselves about relationship and commitment, keeping a cool restraint on passionate whims. However, February 5 may bring a powerful jolt to this self-restraint, and we could feel a great amount of passion, intensity, and intimacy suddenly springing forth, thawing the ice crystals of Capricorn, like a lightning bolt melting a snowflake. Any relationships that begin under this influence will be powerful and deep, perhaps setting us onto new life paths, and certainly forcing us to look at our shadows. In current relationships, unconscious or secretive matters may come to the surface, and this could be the turning point when we finally make the decision to release whatever is out of synch with our highest good.

The New Moon in Aquarius on February 8 will be extraordinary. New Moons mark beginnings, and Aquarius is the crystalline and eccentric energy of enlightenment and humanitarianism. Collectively, we are in a transitional period, leading to a new age and paradigm, and in a way this New Moon represents the beginning of our group awakening. The aloof, clear influence of Aquarius and the immediacy of its

ruler, Uranus, combined with the emotional reboot of the New Moon, means that we may experience sudden liberation from old habits that hold us back, both on collective and personal levels.

As Mars continues its journey through Scorpio, February carries us further into shadow work spurred by relationship. If we understand some key points, we can become night-blooming jasmine, opening into fragrant blossoms in the dark, while reflecting the iridescent light of the Moon. This is the time to look at where others have become our triggers, and where we are stuck in anger. The more we expose our cavernous, unresolved shadows to the luminosity of awareness, the more we wake up. The moment we shine light, shadows disappear, so we may as well relax and see relationship difficulty as an opportunity for personal healing and purification. We may even thank anyone who harms us for showing us the places where we need to stop judging ourselves. This is the graduate level spiritual work the Universe is asking of us now. We are ready. Let us remember to drop into our hearts if we feel like giving up.

While engaging in shadow work, what better sign for the sun to transit than Aquarius? The sign is cool, objective, and future-oriented, so while we examine the aspects of ourselves that we fear most, we will possess Aquarian detachment, making this an excellent time to undergo therapy. Electric Aquarius will show us alternative points of view, perhaps exposing an angle we could not access previously. With Uranian lightning, we may be able to release instantly whatever beliefs or relationships are holding us back, emphasizing the jolt of Pluto conjunct Venus from February 5.

When Venus enters Aquarius on February 16, some of us may try to break free from the romantic structures we’ve been building of late, and our focus may turn away from personal relationships and more towards the harmonizing of humanity. This is a wonderfully inventive and artistic period for Aquarians and other air signs, who may experience a shock of creative energy. Possibly, relationships may begin now that exist outside the social norm, or at least, conversations may take place around alternative romantic agreements.

A final noteworthy transit in February will be the Full Moon in Virgo on February 22. Full Moons bring the energy of completion, and this particular one will represent the conclusion of an issue around heartbreak or financial difficulty that began back in September 2015, during the Solar Eclipse. This Full Moon will oppose Neptune, and situations relating to bringing deep yearnings into practical reality will reach some kind of apex, helping us to clarify our purest intentions. Luckily, North Node-in-Virgo conjunct Jupiter has been tilling the soil for this influence. The more we return to our desire to be of benefit to ourselves and others, the more beautifully we will experience the light of this Full Moon; the more we have purified, the more the Moon will expose our beauty rather than our shadows.

Summary

This month we are certainly undergoing an interesting planetary dance involving the Aquarius Sun, North Node in Virgo, and some intense Plutonian influences. Pluto is forcing us into the depths; Virgo North Node is purifying our shadows; and the Aquarius Sun is pulling us back to see the big picture, in order to launch us into the future. These influences are all par for the course during this transitional period. We must not lose heart and remember that we are doing good work here. By the end of this cycle of purification, we will be like newborn babies, fresh, awake, and naturally shifting into a new paradigm founded in wisdom and love. We must try to stay open to all of it. As the Buddhists say, the next Buddha is a society. The idea is to keep returning to our hearts and to help others to do the same, until all beings have attained enlightenment. May we welcome the electric shadows of this potent month. May we bloom in the night.

To book an astrology reading with Juliana, write etherealculture@gmail.com, or visit her website: etherealculture.com.

According to the stars, the year 2016 will bring a period of restructuring and relative peace—a welcome respite after an intense 2015. With mass shootings, divisive politicians, the refugee crisis, and more, 2015 saw much calamity—not surprising, considering it marked the end of a challenging square off between Pluto and Uranus, which brought the Great Depression and Hitler’s rise to power when it last formed in the 1930s. Now that this arduous angle has ended, the stars see us transitioning into a period of equanimity, when we can personally and collectively rise from the ashes in true Plutonian form, into a new vibration of consciousness.

First, we have work to do, and with Neptune squaring Saturn at the start of the year, we find reality conflicting with our dreams for the future. If we’ve imagined the impossible, our job is not to mourn what cannot be; it’s to figure out if we can make practical adjustments to accommodate our vision. If our dream is to grow African tulips in the Himalayas, we may ask ourselves what’s feasible: Could we adjust the soil pH, collect rainwater, build a greenhouse? Are we willing to accept limitations and alter our visions accordingly? Perhaps a field of blue poppies or purple primulas could bring a different kind of joy, still magnificent but more pragmatic given our circumstances. This is the type of balance that the Neptune-Saturn square insists we strike.

At the start of the year, Jupiter in Virgo has become our collective garden of white peonies bursting into bloom after fall’s careful pruning. It represents a time of abundance that comes from methodical planning and attention to detail. Any seeds of commitment, diligence, and integrity that we plant before September will pay off bountifully.

Throughout January and February, Jupiter will join the North Node in Virgo, encouraging us to ask: What are our purest intentions? A beautiful path will emerge if we can connect with our deepest drives and use them as a compass when we lose our way. As we shed our

old skin, we may find ourselves stumbling, feeling vulnerable and afraid. Who will we become? What new paradigm will we create? Facing the unknown is scary, but we must remember that it’s OK to make mistakes—the trick is to keep returning to our pure intentions while setting aside petty whims. Like a baby deer, we may feel wobbly on our new legs, but we can find comfort in remembering that every event, each moment of joy and pain, is an opportunity for growth, fodder for spiritual expansion.

On April 17, 2016, Mars will turn retrograde through Scorpio, the sign of sexuality and death. This is a time to explore the mossy corners of our aggression and psyches, in order to face the wounds we’ve buried out of fear. A healing crisis may occur, but if we do our work, we can come out of this with tremendous self-¬awareness, especially around our anger.

When Jupiter enters Libra in September 2016, we’ll feel as if we’re waking up from a midsummer nap in a romantic English garden, our senses filled with magenta mondahlias, tangerine sundahlias, and the thick scent of jasmine. This will be a period when relationships harmonize, intractable conflicts have the opportunity to resolve, and love expands globally and personally. It will be a wonderful time for Libras and other air signs (Gemini and Aquarius). Intellectual and artistic pursuits, romantic relationships, and marriage will have the lucky and joyful light of Jupiter shining on them.

With Venus aligning with Mars throughout the year, global fighting may soften, since Venus presents an opportunity for consensus and peace. Tolerance and compassion are likely to spring forth all over the world, even from the darkest corners. Male and female energies will blend easily now, contributing to the current movement toward gender fluidity. In keeping with these themes, Pantone has announced that the colors of the year are soft-pink Rose Quartz and baby-blue Serenity. The company’s director has stated:

"[These colors] demonstrate an inherent balance between a warmer embracing rose tone and a cooler tranquil blue, reflecting connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace."

Indeed, these colors reflect the harmonizing of Venus and Mars, our planets of love and war, femininity and masculinity.

January

The first two weeks of January are significant astrologically, leading us into a period of recalibration after the turmoil of the past few years. Fantasy and reality will dance uncomfortably as we begin the New Year, creating an energy best harnessed by making sure our dreams are firmly rooted in the earth. With Jupiter conjunct the North Node in Virgo, now is the time to shed old skin and connect with our authentic hearts. In establishing this connection, our life paths will begin to unfold. Facing our fears and returning to our purest intentions is key.

2016 Summary

Overall, the year looks hopeful. Peace, good health, and harmony in relationships are significant themes, and after some astrological intensity over the past few years, these pleasant transits are very welcome. Remember to take advantage of Jupiter’s expansiveness by organizing your life. We shouldn’t be afraid to make mistakes as we shed old layers and touch base with our aggression and hidden fears. We have Venus on our side to lighten the gloom, and globally this will help move us into compassion, understanding, and tolerance. After all, individuals plant the seeds for collective peace.

May your impossible dreams bloom into glorious fruition in 2016.

To book a reading with Juliana, write etherealculture@gmail.com, or visit her website: etherealculture.com.

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