AstroUpdate – October 2017

Hi and welcome to the Stella Starwoman October AstroUpdate!

In this edition I share tales of my adventures visiting crop circles in the South of England - an absolutely amazing phenomenon. The big astro news this month is Jupiter’s move into water sign Scorpio where he’ll be staying for the next 12 months, helping us leave the past behind. There’s also a special ritual to welcome the spring and details of the biannual Venus-Mars conjunction at this month’ s full moon.

Finally, if you’d like to book in for an ONLINE VIDEO READING in your home, office or garden - here’s are the links TAROT READINGS  ASTROLOGY READINGS 

Crop Circles & Stargazing

Cley Hill Crop Circle – Wiltshire, UK - July 2017

Back in July I had the good fortune to travel to Wiltshire in Southern England to explore the crop circles which appear in fields of wheat, barley, corn and rapeseed mostly within a 20 km radius of Avebury between April and September each year. These amazing geometric formations appear overnight in the vicinity of sacred sites such as the stone circles at Stonehenge, Avebury and Rollright or close to the white chalk horses and dragons at Uffington and other ancient hill forts. And what do crop circles have to do with astrology, you might ask? Well I have no idea, but after visiting two of them at Hackpen Hill (60 m wide) and Cley Hill (170 m wide), sitting inside the massive formations and chatting to local experts, I need no further proof that these circles are NOT created under cover of darkness by trespassers dragging planks of wood behind them! I don't know who or what makes the circles (flashing lights have been seen over fields where they appear) but they are not created using a technology I am familiar with.

Hackpen Hill Crop Circle – Wiltshire, July 2017

Firstly, the huge circles appear fully formed overnight and there are only about 6 hours of darkness in the UK in midsummer. Secondly, why don’t we see crop circles 'in progress' and why has no-one ever been caught making a crop circle? (While in Wiltshire I met an architect who had commissioned a team of surveyors to work out how long it would take to recreate an average size crop circle. The answer came back - 42 surveyors and 28 days to peg out the geometric designs and cut the grain.) Thirdly how can the circles appear in the middle of fields with zero disturbance to the surrounding crop? Fourthly, how do the circle makers get the grains to bend over in such perfect formation without breaking the stems, often creating sophisticated woven patterns in the flattened grain? And finally - if humans knew how to make crop circles, surely there would be someone boasting about how they do it and holding workshops! 

I could go on, but I want you to think about crop circles for yourself and their potential message to humanity. Most people who see photos of the circles are overawed by their beauty, size and design. But when you ’re actually standing in the middle of one, all you can see is flattened grain - it's the magical combination of aerial photography, the internet and social media that has allowed us to truly appreciate and share these stunning images. What, if anything, are the circle makers trying to tell us?

I'd like to acknowledge the work of Steve and Karen Alexander of Temporary Temples who for the past 20 years have been flying over the circles, taking photos, making drawings and analysing the sacred geometrical designs. You can view images of the 2017 crop circles on their website, but in this article I’ve included photos of the circles I visited at Cley and Hackpen Hill in July and yes, those small dots are people! http://temporarytemples.co.uk/crop-circles/2017-crop-circles

Simple Spring Ritual

Spring is all around us and it’s time to celebrate this joyous season of growth! If you’d like to hold a simple ritual to welcome the spring, here’s one of my favourites. You can do this ritual alone or with friends.

You’ll need a yellow candle (representing the sun) plus a packet of your favourite seeds and some small punnets or seed trays filled with earth. Marigolds, nasturtiums and sunflowers are all good choices, being easy to grow and brightly coloured, but the main thing is to choose flowers you love (or vegetables/herbs if you prefer).

Sit for a few moments and centre yourself. Think of what springtime means to you and what delightful new things you would like to see blossoming in your life over the coming months. Now take your packet of seeds, count them and pour a few into your hand. Imagine that each one of these seeds has the power to grow into a beautiful plant filled with colour, energy and vitality. Something so small, tiny and seemingly insignificant contains the magical power of life. Now plant your seeds one by one taking care to gently cover each one with earth and water. Each time you plant a seed, imagine it growing to its full power and potential.

When you have finished planting your seeds, light the candle, hold it in your hand and sit in silence for a few minutes. You too have seeds inside – seeds that can grow into majestic and beautiful creations. Ask yourself, “What seeds will I plant this spring and how will I nurture them? How long will they take to flower or bear fruit? Imagine that each one of your dreams (seeds) is connected to one of the seeds you have planted in the earth and that the more you care of your seedlings over the coming months, the more their growing energy will power your own dreams. Finish the ritual by blowing out the candle and giving thanks to the universe for the wonder of spring.

Venus Conjunct Mars – The Cosmic Lovers Unite

When cosmic lovers Venus and Mars unite in the heavens every couple of years, their conjunction marks the beginning of a new cycle - a time when love can arrive suddenly and unexpectedly. Venus is the divine feminine, symbolising love, beauty, pleasure, kindness, intuition and caring. Mars is the divine masculine, symbolising power, protection, strength, logic, courage and action. The two lovers embrace just hours before the full moon on the 6th infusing our deeds and actions with purpose and meaning; helping us break through isolation and opening our hearts, so we can give and receive love. The conjunction takes place at 19-20° Virgo and is tied in with Saturn, the planet of steadfastness, faithfulness and responsibility.

Aries Full Moon
Honouring the Male-Female Polarity

The October full moon is in fire sign Aries on the 6 , its theme of yin and yang reflected by an exact Venus-Mars conjunction on the day of the full moon. This is a very special day with the golden opportunity to truly understand and honour the male- female polarity in all its power, beauty and mystery.

Jupiter in Scorpio – A Brand New Story

On the 11th October, Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system will glide into water sign Scorpio for a year-long stay, blessing all those born under the sign of the Scorpion. (If you want to look back to see what happened last time Jupiter was in Scorpio, check out events between October 2005 and November 2006). Jupiter will remain in Scorpio until early November 2018, offering those with planets in the water signs Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces special opportunities to achieve their potential over the coming year.

Jupiter represents our yearning for meaning in life and our desire for expansion and growth. Jupiter’s true purpose is to inspire us to embrace a belief system that gives meaning to life. In practical terms, this means all areas of life ruled by Scorpio will be fashionable or ‘in the news’ over the next 12 months. Scorpio themes include business, politics, finance & investment; courageous exposure of the truth regardless of consequences (think Wikileaks); all things esoteric, occult and mystical; research and development; death, rebirth and emotional transformation; the dark side of life and all things hidden, secret, illegal or taboo.

As Scorpio is the sign of death and rebirth, Jupiter in Scorpio is a wonderful time to let go of any old story you’ve been carrying and create a brand new one. Scorpio is a fearless sign, unafraid to look into the darkest of corners and the depths of the soul. Her special gifts are courage, loyalty, tenacity and inner truth.

Venus in Libra – Looking & Feeling Good

Love goddess Venus sashays her way into ruling sign Libra on the 14th October. Venus in Libra loves everything to do with luxury and aesthetics – clothes, make-up, hair, beauty, design and glamour, so enjoy making yourself and your surroundings look and feel good, even if you don’t normally do that kind of stuff! Venus in Libra also favours any kind of artistic activity ( you ’ve got until 7 November to start that masterpiece ….)

Libra New Moon – Declare Your Love

The new lunar month begins on the 20th at the Libra new moon. The male-female polarity theme is strong, meaning this lunar cycle is a great time for starting a new relationship, declaring your love or even proposing marriage. And with the new moon aligned with optimistic Jupiter and eloquent M ercury, you won’t be short of words!

Happy Birthday Scorpio!

In 2017, the Sun will travel through water sign Scorpio from 23rd October to 22nd November. Scorpio has three symbols, the scorpion, representing Scorpio’s lower nature, her jealousy, desire for revenge and tendency to manipulate others; the eagle, representing Scorpio’s ability to soar above emotional attachment thus accessing the true power of the sign and finally the holy dove, symbol of divine love, compassion and forgiveness.

Those born under the sign of the Scorpion are usually loyal, strong and courageous. They love exploring the mysteries of life – birth, death, sexuality, reincarnation and anything taboo. Scorpios have a reputation for being passionate, secretive and highly sexual and, due to their emotional intensity, often have to deal with issues of trust and betrayal.

In medical astrology, Scorpio rules the organs of elimination and reproduction including the urinary tract, bowel, prostate gland and nasal bones. When Scorpios are out of balance they can suffer from haemorrhoids, constipation, urinary tract infections, menstrual and reproductive problems plus catarrh and sinus problems. The Scorpio colours are dark red, purple, dark green and black. Scorpio’s greatest lesson is to learn to let go on an emotional level and forgive others.

Mars in Libra

Wilful warrior planet Mars will be cruising through peace-loving Libra from 23rd October to 9th December but the energies of Mars and Libra are shall we say, a little incompatible… think Kanye West on silent retreat in a Thai monastery…. So what to do? Well Mars brings energy and passion to whatever zodiac sign he visits, so if you’re an artist or creative type, you might find yourself particularly inspired. And if you need to pull off some tricky diplomacy at work or with your family, now’s the time to make a move. It’s also a great opportunity to soften up and tell someone how much you care. All you have to remember is Mars helps you get what you want and Libra does it in a polite, pleasant and ‘nice’ way.

October & November Moon Calendar

Launch projects at the New Moon, bring them to completion in the period from just before the Full Moon to the Third Quarter phase and wind them down and reflect on developments in the week before the next New Moon.

The period between the New Moon and the Full Moon is the waxing moon (moon getting bigger and fuller). The period between the Full Moon and the New Moon is the waning moon (moon getting smaller and thinner).

You can use this moon table to select the most favourable days to slow or increase hair regrowth. Full instructions can be found in my Lunar Hair Care guidelines but to get you started I’ve marked the best dates for waxing/shaving to slow regrowth in yellow and the best dates to cut hair for thicker, lusher growth in green. If you’re serious about Lunar Hair Care – why not purchase a moon calendar, available at most esoteric book stores, then you’ll know exactly what time of day the moon changes from one zodiac sign to the next, meaning you can fine-tune your activities with confidence.

Date	Moon Sign	Element	Moon Phase
OCTOBER
1st -3rd	Aquarius	Air
3rd-5th	Pisces	Water
5th-7th	Aries	Fire	Full Moon 6th
7th-9th	Taurus	Earth
9th-11th	Gemini	Air
11th-13th	Cancer	Water	Third Quarter
13th-15th	Leo	Fire
15th-18th	Virgo	Earth
18th-20th	Libra	Air	New Moon 20th
20th-22nd	Scorpio	Water
22nd-25th	Sagittarius	Fire
25th-27th	Capricorn	Earth
27th-30th	Aquarius	Air	First Quarter
30th-31st	Pisces	Water

 

Date	Moon Sign	Element	Moon Phase
NOVEMBER
1st	Pisces	Water
1st -3rd	Aries	Fire
3rd-5th	Taurus	Earth	Full Moon 4th
5th-7th	Gemini	Air
7th-9th	Cancer	Water
9th-12th	Leo	Fire	Third Quarter
12th-14th	Virgo	Earth
14th-16th	Libra	Air
16th-19th	Scorpio	Water	New Moon 18th
19th-21st	Sagittarius	Fire
21st-24th	Capricorn	Earth
24th-26th	Aquarius	Air
26th -29th	Pisces	Water	First Quarter
29th -30th	Aries	Fire

Thanks for being part of AstroUpdate. If there’s something you’d like to see featured, or have something you think would interest others, please contact me at stella@stellastarwoman.com

PS – Don’t forget to check out your June Stars at www.stellastarwoman.com

Happy Stargazing

Stella Woods
www.stellastarwoman.com