Hi and welcome to the Stella Starwoman December AstroUpdate delivered to you on the day of the Sagittarius New Moon!
Last year, to challenge the collective mindset, I offered all AstroUpdate subscribers TWO complimentary $50 gift vouchers to give as presents to friends and family for Christmas. I’m repeating the offer this year – just scroll down for instructions on how to apply for your FREE vouchers.
And if you’re after a stress free Christmas shopping experience….check out the brand new Stella Starwoman On Line Store
This month’s AstroUpdate contains details of all my 2011 Courses and Workshops – I’m open for bookings, so let me know if you’d like to sign up for courses in astrology, magic & manifestation and tarot plus two new workshops ‘Speed Dating with the Court Cards’ and ‘Lunar Planning & Seasonal Rituals’.
Last month we looked at why Neptune’s imminent move into Pisces is such wonderful news for artists, musicians and spiritual seekers. This month we look at how Neptune’s influence on collective trends has played out over the past 100 years and where we’re heading over the coming decade. And given the growing number of men subscribing to AstroUpdate, there’s also a short article on The Ashes “Will Australia Thrash the Poms?”
Happy Christmas & blessings to you all, love Stella xxx
Stella Starwoman Store Launch
Many thanks to those of you who have supported the Stella Starwoman Store in its first month of operation. The Moon Diaries and Calendars are selling like hot cakes, and the customised Zodiac Screensavers have also proved very popular - don’t forget to place your order in time for Christmas and the New Year.
Here are a few product highlights. Please do let me know if there’s something you’d like to see in stock. Zodiac Screensaver – a new affirmation for each week of the year for your star sign - $19.99 (Mac/PC) Astrological Calendar & Moon Planting Guide from Thomas Zimmer - $14.99 each Moon Diaries & Moontime Diaries - $29.95 each Twelve Month Forecast Report based on your time, date and place of birth - $40 Tarot Correspondence Course - $395
Click here to go straight to the Star Store for stress free shopping.
Christmas Gift Voucher Special Offer
Last year I offered all AstroUpdate subscribers TWO complimentary $50 gift vouchers to give as presents to friends and family for Christmas. Your response was so amazing, I’ve decided to repeat the offer this year and keep all that good energy flowing.
There’s no catch - all you have to do is to send me your friends’ names and addresses via the link below and I’ll mail out the vouchers to them before Christmas.
TO SEND FOR YOUR VOUCHERS: click here Christmas Gift Voucher Offer PLEASE NOTE: This special offer expires at midnight on Sunday 19th December 2010. And wishing you a very happy and prosperous new year – I’d like to thank you for your support and goodwill throughout this year and look forward to sharing my love of tarot and astrology with you in 2011.
December Astro Energies
The dominant energies for the month are fire sign Sagittarius and earth sign Capricorn. One an optimistic, forward- looking and expansive energy and one a more conservative and practical force. Sagittarius provides vision and confidence, while Capricorn offers the discipline and power to manifest the vision.
Mercury moves into practical Capricorn on the 1 st December, but turns retrograde on the 10 th at 5º Capricorn and then heads back into Sagittarius on the 19 th . Mercury’s retrograde cycle completes on the 30 th at 19º Sagittarius. The Mercury retrograde period (10 th -30 th ) is a time for reflection and regrouping. Any disruptive occurrences, such as malfunctioning equipment, car trouble or lost mail should be viewed as a sign to slow down rather than a reason to become frustrated.
The new moon in Sagittarius on the 6 th is a time for new beginnings, inner work and reflection, so ponder the events of the past year and spend some time alone or with your partner and family making practical New Year resolutions. Pluto gradually loosens her grip on the karmic North Node as the month progresses and relationship planet Venus returns to passionate Scorpio after a lengthy retrograde transit which began in early October. A new perspective on relationships is now possible, and any unpleasant or surprising events of the past few weeks can be put into context. Mars moves into practical Capricorn on the 8 th December providing endurance and determination for the rest of the month. If you’ve got some project that needs an injection of energy to get off the ground or complete, Mars will assist you in your endeavours.
Watch out for the lunar eclipse at this month’s full moon on the 21st in Gemini on the eve of the summer solstice. This is the perfect time for a full moon meditation as the energy is extremely powerful.
Neptune into Pisces – In Search of Paradise
Idealistic Neptune continues to hover round the final degrees of Aquarius as a prelude to her 14 year journey through spiritual water sign Pisces beginning in April next year. Neptune is considered by astrologers to be the ruler of Pisces, meaning she is ‘at home’ in that zodiac sign and can perform to her full potential. Neptune’s transit of a sign gives us some indication of what ideas and values will be fashionable during a given 14 year period. Here’s a brief summary of the past 100 years of Neptune transits.
Neptune in Leo (1914-1929) Glamour, style, individuality, movies Neptune in Virgo (1928-1943) Virginity, hard work, duty, sacrifice, hygiene Neptune in Libra (1942-1956) Marriage, diplomacy, keep it nice, aesthetics, romance Neptune in Scorpio (1955-1970) Passion, exploring the dark side, intensity, sex Neptune in Sagittarius (1970-1984) Freedom, adventure, knowledge, breaking rules Neptune in Capricorn (1984-1998) Business, wealth, achievement, hard work, status Neptune in Aquarius (1998-2011) Technology, androgyny, community, progress
Just as Neptune’s transit of Capricorn made business and real estate sexy, and Neptune’s transit of Aquarius (1998- 2011) made technology fashionable, we can expect that Neptune’s transit through Pisces will bring Piscean themes into the mainstream.
- The quest for redemption, salvation and paradise
- Escapism through drugs, alcohol and altered states of consciousness
- Escapism through film, fashion, beauty, glamour, music and the arts
- Withdrawal from society to meditate, contemplate, muse and reflect
- Divine love, unconditional love and unrequited love
- Desire to connect with divine, spiritual and supernatural forces
- Desire to rescue, save or suffer (the martyr, victim, saviour complex)
- Compassion, kindness, selflessness, sharing and humility
- Yearning for a more natural, peaceful and contemplative existence
- Desire to renounce one’s own individual nature or desire to merge with the collective or divine nature
Pisces is a quintessentially female energy and after 28 years of Neptune travelling through the serious and rather detached Saturn-ruled signs (Capricorn and Aquarius) I believe we will see a massive increase in feminine consciousness over the coming decade. This is clearly good news for artists, musicians and those working in spiritual or humanitarian fields.
I recently attended the premiere of Annika Glac’s new feature film Belladonna, a love story based on past lives. Annika says she likes to make films for people who are inspired by the thoughtful and magical, people who love movies, books and art and who are passionate about continuing life on this planet. Lead actor, Todd Macdonald said he had never worked on a film project in where ever single member of the crew from the person making tea to the director had such obvious dedication, passion and focus on the work they were creating. Kate Kendall, his co-lead said the themes of the film had made everyone involved think about their place in a greater whole and given life a new meaning. To me, these comments symbolise the new direction we will take with Neptune in Pisces. Technology and progress are wonderful, but it’s time to infuse our lives with love, feelings, beauty, compassion, sharing, integrity and all those wonderful qualities that make life really worth living.
Stella Starwoman Astrology & Tarot Courses 2011 If you’ve always dreamed of learning astrology or tarot, you might like to check out my 2011 Courses & Workshops. Scroll down to the end of this newsletter for a full listing with dates and prices or visit www.stellastarwoman.com or www.tarotforthejourney.com and follow the ‘Courses’ and ‘Workshops’ links.
Choose from three main areas:
1) Astrology (Introductory, Beginners and Advanced) 2) Tarot (Introductory, Beginners & Advanced) 3) Manifestation & Emotional Balance (Magic & Manifestation, Attracting a Partner, Lunar Planning & Seasonal Rituals)
TO MAKE A BOOKING: Call Stella on (03) 9534 5021, email stella@stellastarwoman.com or download a booking form from the website and forward with your payment. You can pay by credit card, bank transfer, cheque, money order, cash or EFTPOS. You are welcome to call me for more information.
Featured Sign-Sagittarius
From 22nd November to 22nd December, the sun travels through Sagittarius, an intuitive fire sign noted for its vision, adventurous nature and love of philosophy. Sagittarius is the ninth sign of the zodiac with keywords “I seek” and “I expand”. Those born under the sign of the Archer often struggle to integrate their animal nature with their more lofty human side. Sagittarians seek expansion on all levels, mental, physical, emotional and spiritual, and can usually be found travelling, studying and exploring life’s big issues. They love to share their wisdom and are often talented writers or teachers. At best they are intelligent, honest, generous and inspirational. Negatively, they can be tactless, self indulgent, coarse and hypocritical. Some Sagittarians are drifters, constantly in search of new horizons and ever more exciting adventures. Most Archers eventually realise that true freedom comes from commitment and dedication to a personal vision, rather than from the outer world.
In medical astrology, Sagittarius rules the liver, hips and thighs and sacral regions of the spine. When Sagittarians are out of balance they can suffer from sciatica, hip diseases, rheumatism and weight gain. The Sagittarian colours are purple and deep blue. Sagittarius’s greatest lessons are commitment, moderation, tact and learning to deliver what they promise.
Sagittarius New Moon The new moon in fire sign Sagittarius on the 6 th is a time for new beginnings, inner work and reflection, so ponder the events of the past year and spend some time alone or with your partner and family making practical New Year resolutions. Sagittarius is an optimistic and expansive energy with the gift of passion, vision and wisdom. Uranus the planet of rebellion, change and insight changes direction on the day of the new moon, so things will begin to move forward and shift rapidly providing you surrender to the process and follow your intuition.
Gemini Full Moon & Lunar Eclipse The yang energy reaches its zenith at the summer solstice on 22nd December as the Sun enters Capricorn. But on the eve of the solstice, as the earth’s shadow casts an eerie light over the full moon, a powerful total lunar eclipse sets the scene for…..well who knows what? Normally the full moon is a time of culmination and harvest, but an eclipse tends to muddle and shake things up and its effects can last for up to six months, right up to the next lunar eclipse. The eclipse occurs at 29°21′ Gemini on 21st December at 7.15 pm Australian East Coast Daylight Savings Time and will be visible in those parts of Australia where the sun has already set. The asteroid Pallas and the planet Mercury are both conjunct the Sun in Sagittarius at the time of the eclipse. Pallas represents cool-headed intelligence combined with wisdom, while Mercury symbolises logic and rational thought. The full moon is conjunct the mighty Betelgeuse, the huge red star in the constellation of Orion, known to the Egyptians as the god Osiris. Betelgeuse is associated with themes of rejuvenation, transformation and ascension and can stimulate the flow of evolution. It is considered to be one of the most blessed and fortunate stars in the sky, for when linked to a birth chart, it promises success without complications.
This powerful line up of planets is guaranteed to stir the melting pot, bringing in the themes of death and rebirth in the lead up to Christmas and the Capricorn solar eclipse on the 4th January.
Gift Vouchers What do you mean you haven’t done your Christmas shopping yet? Consider a Stella Starwoman Gift Voucher and make life easy for yourself!
All you have to do is pick up the phone and dial 03 9534 5021 to order (you can pay by credit card or bank transfer) or send an email to stella@stellastarwoman.com or order on line at the Stella Starwoman Store. Vouchers are redeemable at any time, available for an amount of your choice, and can be used for any of the Stella Starwoman products and services.
The Ashes – Will Australia Thrash the Poms? Now I know many of you have no interest whatsoever in the drama unfolding at the Gabba, WACA, MCG and other acronyms, but I happen to be a bit of a cricket fan and being a Pom by birth, am eagerly looking forward to taking my seat at the MCG for the Ashes Boxing Day Test. We’ve had so many hung or almost hung parliaments this year (UK Election, Australian Federal Election, AFL Grand Final, Victorian State Election), I thought I’d take a look at this most classic of cricket contests and pose the question: “Will we thrash the Poms or will this be another ‘hung’ contest along with the hangovers?”
Gone are the glory days of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath laying waste to the entire English side – the Brisbane Test ended in a draw (but with five centuries scored by the English batsmen) and in the Adelaide Test, the Poms look set to continue their batting dominance. As the pound weakens against the Aussie dollar, the English cricket team goes from strength to strength.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting (born 19/12/74 in Launceston) is a Sagittarian and his opponent Andrew Strauss (born 2/3/77 in Johannesburg) a Piscean. Ponting has transiting Uranus square his Sun, solar arc South Node conjunct Saturn and transiting Saturn square natal Saturn during the test series. With these challenging aspects he could well lose the series and also his test captaincy to Michael Clarke. Strauss’s transits are less challenging and he is in a Moon Jupiter sub-period, but with transiting Saturn conjunct natal Pluto as the series opened, he cannot be complacent. Fellow English batsman, Kevin Pietersen has Pluto opposing his Sun by transit and Pluto trine Jupiter – more favourable transits for victory.
On balance, I’d say astrologically, the English team has the upper hand, but with rains flooding the country and Australia being the home side, perhaps we’ll see another ‘hung’ contest with the series ending in a draw and England holding onto the coveted Ashes trophy.
December 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).
Many of you have written asking for info on the best time to cut your hair or wax/shave your legs. 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 at www.stellastarwoman.com/files/LunarHairCare.pdf 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 - order your own Moon Calendar from the Stella Starwoman Store then you’ll know exactly what time the moon changes from one zodiac sign to the next.
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 stellaw@ozemail.com.au
PS – Don’t forget to check out your December Monthly Stars at www.stellastarwoman.com to see what’s coming up for you this month.
Happy Stargazing Stella Woods