by Alison | Jun 4, 2020 | Blog
The Wheel of the Year
By watching the Wheel of the Year we are acknowledging the ever changing seasons, with all the gifts they offer, and also a rhythm known through time by our ancestors and also those still to come. It is both logic and magic. It gives us time and balance. And connections …
I’m Alison & this is why I use the Wheel of the Year
December 2019 and we moved to a place that had been on the cards for us for many years. The actual house move had been fraught and filled with all of the twists and turns of a great thriller, and our move took place over three days, however the joy of realising those dreams was huge.
And I realised that, amongst many astrological aspects at the time, transiting Mercury was opposite my natal mid-heaven and inspirations and insights ensued!
And so we celebrated Winter Solstice, and the sun rising into Capricorn, in a new land and yet one that we recognised on a deep level.
Sun-rise on the morning of the Solstice.
The key to working with the Wheel of the Year is to fully appreciate the turning of that wheel. That every moment of every season has joyous intent for life moving forwards. Every festival honouring the turn of the seasons holds within it an appreciation of agriculture and of the stars. And also holds within it sustenance on every level – physical, emotional, spiritual and connections with others.
I invite you to watch the wheel of the Year as it turns and turns about.
This is written in the Northern Hemisphere and all is opposite for the Southern hemisphere … absolute balance of our planet!
Winter Solstice – around the 21st of December
The shortest day of the year and the longest night. A time for the earth to begin to waken. And yet it is the darkest and coldest time. Families indoors making do with whatever they stowed away before the weather turned.
This is a festival of the light with candles & fires burning to encourage the Sun to return. And a festival of love as those inside took care of each other and the animals.
Re-birth of the Sun as, astrologically, the Sun moves into Capricorn.
New.
Imbolc – Beginning of February
The Sun is in Aquarius.
Snowdrop festival. The first lambs are born and the first spring growth appears.
A strong agricultural festival as our ancestors celebrate the return of crops growing and light returning – what a special time this is!
Hope.
Spring Equinox – around the 21st of March
The Sun moves into Aries and the green year shows us Spring in all of her natural glory. Abundance begins.
Day and night are equal and light balanced. Equinox is balance.
Growing.
Beltane – Beginning of May
The Sun is in Taurus and we celebrate the first day of Summer usually on May 1st. Flowers of different colours are picked and ribbons attached to trees ready for dancing.
Bees are occupied with spreading pollen and making honey.
Friends & Family.
Connections.
The longest day of the year and the shortest night. The Sun moves into the sign of Cancer and the Sun is high in the sky.
This is another festival of the light with candles & fires burning to honour the Sun as it will begin to draw back in light.
A joy-full time of warmth and unity.
Love.
Lammas – Beginning of August
The Sun is in Leo and it is time to start properly the Harvest. Children are out of school to help and the weather is still warm and usually dry.
The first bread and cakes are baked using newly harvested crops and the celebrations take place often on the first of August.
Bounty.
Autumn Equinox – around the 21st of September
A time of equal night and day in perfect balance. The Sun moves into Libra and nature begins to withdraw back into the earth.
Harvest is at highpoint as the crops need to be brought in safely before the weather turns and stored.
This is the time to honour and celebrate our gifts both actual and symbolically.
Prepare.
Samhain – usually celebrated on October 31st
The Sun is in Scorpio and these will be the last days when travel is easy. Families gather together.
October 31st and the veil between worlds is at the thinnest. A custom is to set an extra place for evening meal and this may be for someone who has passed or for a late-comer to the table.
Ancestors & families gather.
Honour.
And then a new Winter Solstice …
The ever turning Wheel of the Year.
A rhythm for us to know and to remember that we are a part of nature and have a part to play in the dance of the seasons.
As always, with love, from Alison
Tickets here for Summer Solstice Seminar
Summer Solstice – Celebration of beauty of the Sun
by Alison | May 31, 2020 | Horoscopes
Your stars for June with Grace!
So much to say and only a month of 30 days in which to experience just the energy that lends to your stars for June!
In a month that sees, amongst much planetary activity, Summer Solstice, six planets in retrograde plus an eclipse (!) we are to be forgiven for the following perhaps happening during your stars for June:
A) wires may be crossed, communications missed, words failing;
And yet …
B) insights will occur which are breathtaking in their simplicity, new friends or companions will arrive, a book is written and published, words arrive at the right moment plus time to catch up with emails and calls from last month!
And there is our key for your stars for June. All to unfold gracefully at the right moment.
Aries ♈️
A fiery Full Moon in Sagittarius on the 5th allows the month to open with a hint of drama, an ounce of inspiration and a full amount of intention. The caution in your stars for June is to take time out during everything else you have going on Aries. Permission to take a break from routine and relax. Some decisions will need to be made, admittedly, however not all will be achieved this month and so be kind to yourself and to others and see the delays as beautiful hints of how better to use time!
Taurus ♉️
Last month there was advice to consider money and make sure that facts and figures were set down and recorded. And so … for your stars for June … take a breathe. Your ruling planet of Venus offers you a love of beauty, joy and all things wonderful. Take the time to pause, reflect, draw, paint, smell the flowers, and create a new vision for yourself. Towards the end of the month Venus turns direct and so you will have opportunities to begin to make those dreams real as we move into July and beyond!
Gemini ♊️
The ancient Greeks probably grew lettuces very similar to those we have today. The Romans may well have taken lettuce seeds with them as they travelled. Mid-month you may find, Gemini, that your messages are not being heard. This very quickly changes and all will become clear. Pack your bag ready for action or continue writing that report ready to deliver. Your ruling planet has moved into the sign of Cancer and this has huge emphasis for you Gemini as your purpose, and the message you have to deliver, will be very much required by others. Thank you.
Cancer ♋️
Cancerians where do we begin! This will be quite a month for you as you hold the keys to ask much planetary activity for us all! The Sun moves into your sign on the 21st and, together with the new moon also in your sign, brings us a Summer Solstice and an eclipse. Sunglasses at the ready. What are you bringing into the world this month? And, on an inner level, where and how are you shining your light? Balance is key as it would be wise to prepare for the limelight and to be able to, finally, talk about those subjects dear to your heart.
Leo ♌️
Can you feel the anticipation Leo? The build up to the Sun moving into Leo as it will next month? However this is your stars for June and, whilst your fiery enthusiasm is a joy to see, there is a sense of reigning it in and being more ‘earth’ based. Mars trines Uranus mid-month which could very well see you invited to a large gathering of new people where ideas flow and energy increases. Use the month for balance of inspiration of mind/ body and remember to align yourself with the Earth!
Virgo ♍️
Are you enjoying the new paths opening up Virgo? As you move forwards so you are also moving away from something. And nature fills the void. If you wish to move into the new creative buzz that will surely be around over the next few weeks it may well be time to let something else go. The final weekend of the month is a great time to clear out that cupboard or spare room and make the space for whatever will emerge. And before then? Take some time to enjoy the planning and dreaming.
Libra ♎️
A more slow start to the month although, when Mars moves into your opposite sign of Aries on the 28th, things do pick up speed for you. This month will feel like learning to drive a car all over again. And also, to keep perspective, there is a joy and a clarity to come in too. Be ready to move quickly when asked to do so and especially if this involves your work. An indication of changes to come will be felt around the 1st and then some form of communication around the 28th. Quite a busy end to the month for you Libra!
Scorpio ♏️
Your heart-felt insights of what is to come have … well … happened. And your loving nature is ready, with Queenly energy, to give signposts for the next chapter to all who are around you. Not everyone will wish to hear your message at the same time though. Delays abound for you regarding paperwork in the first week of the month and yet it is merely the Universe asking you to make sure that, whatever you are applying for, is truly what you want.
Sagittarius ♐️
The Full Moon on the 5th is in your sign and you can own full beam light on your intentions! At a full moon the water table is at the highest and plants at their strongest. With the Moon sending that big light towards your Sun and, over the next few days, a trine of Mars and Saturn giving you determination – the sky is your limit. So pull back that bow and release your arrow of intention out there. Keep your connection with the earth at the same time as reaching out to the stars. What will you plan for next month?
Capricorn ♑️
As gate-keeper of the Winter Solstice you are more than capable of watching the Summer Solstice unfold in your opposite sign of Cancer. Not only seeing the potentials and possibilities but also welcoming the shift in energy as we move into the second half of the year. The middle of the month could prove quite emotional for you, Capricorn, as you will find people asking you for their help in many different ways. However there is no-one stronger and more able to offer the compassion required right now than you. Thank you Capricorn.
Aquarius ♒️
Mars gave you quite a ‘buzzy’ time during May, Aquarius, and so the universe will be offering a somewhat quieter month in June. Look over any work contracts carefully and take time to understand what will be required of you. And use the same energy to plot out a dream for the months ahead. You may well be expecting some form of move by the end of the year and this is the month to begin the preparations. Not moving? Well, begin preparations for the months ahead as, when life gets busy again, you will want to be out there!
Pisces ♓️
Your stars for June have a subtle imaginative and ethereal quality for you as it begins. And any steps into the outside world should be taken slowly and carefully as if you were walking into a new part of town. And yet you are precisely the right person to help others become more aware and comfortable with new surroundings. You have a very real purpose, Pisces, and be ready to be invited to an event in which you will shine and radiate care for others. Oh and remember to use that amazing imagination to create something ready for next month!
Your stars for June for you to enjoy and as always, with love from Alison
And remember to book your call if you’d like a personalised horoscope/chart consultation! Book here
We all have free will and are free to decide if and when to make relevant choices. Astrology gives a guide and Alison does not offer medical, financial, legal, personal or any other type of professional advice. Information is provided for entertainment purposes only. Thank you. And with love.
T&Cs available here at https://www.alisontheastrologer.com/terms-of-use-policies/
by Alison | May 21, 2020 | Blog
Retrograde Planets
Retrograde planets are a fascinating mix of both real and not real! They appear, from our perspective here on planet Earth, to be stationary just before moving backwards.
Backwards?
Backwards as they appear! An illusion. Nothing that we see in our universe can really do anything much other than burn out, collapse or move forwards! In other words … there is always some form of activity with action taken. However, due to our Earth careering through space at a different speed to other planets and stars (plus our Earth has a wobble on its axis), occasionally it seems as if other
planetary bodies are moving in ‘different to expected’ ways.
Our Universe is wonderful and beautiful and constantly achieves different patterns of energy available to us all at all moments. As each planetary body moves at a different speed, so the way that patterns are created are completely unique and never to be seen again. As you began to read this article the planets had arranged themselves in a certain pattern which already, now, is different and will never occur again! Think of the tide moving and the ocean creating different patterns in the sand with every wave.
All energy is there to be accessed and to give us more information as to our choices and potentials as we, ourselves, move forwards through life. And so it is useful to look at the difference in energy from a planet moving forwards in motion in a normal way to then what happens to that energy when we view the planet in a different way from our Earth. The subtle adjustment (and, to be fair, sometimes not so subtle!) gives us an opportunity to grow in a different way.
To Illustrate!
Mercury has much to offer us all when his orbit changes and he also then becomes the most mis-understood planet of all. During a retrograde Mercury it may well be that out tech issues become apparent and our washing machine breaks down. However those things would have happened in any case. A Mercury retrograde gives us the opportunity to check that things are working correctly.
Contracts arriving during a Saturn retrograde will require all the “i”s dotted and the “t”s crossed. Of course legal work will be around at any time but how useful it is to know that the planets are giving extra emphasis and clarity for just plain re-reading them through at certain times!
And there is one of the main “retrograde” keys within astrology!
During a retrograde energy it is useful in the way of any word beginning with ‘re-…’. So revisit, re-read, rewind, repair, rethink, recover and receive – and feel free to add your own!
During a Mercury retrograde, which aspected my own Sun & Uranus, I signed up for, and leaned so much from, a crystal healing course.
What will you do the next time you hear a planet is retrograde?
The Key to Time …
Time only moves forwards. We grow and evolve and choose how to live. And so …
And no apologies for asking you again!
What will you do the next time you hear a planet is retrograde?
What action will you be inspired to consider? And how will you receive the nudges from the Universe and respond?!
As always, with love, from Alison
PS – remember to book your call with me to see how knowing where your birth planets are is helpful when looking at what the planets are doing now!
by Alison | May 2, 2020 | Horoscopes
A sense of May!
Mercury has joined the Sun and Uranus in the sign of Taurus bringing a much needed sense of earth based inspiration to us all. Never before have these planets (well the Sun is technically our star!) asked the question ‘Well, what is normal?’ and it’s been so apt.
What is it about ‘old normal’ that you wish to inspire more of for the ‘new’ normal? This is a sentiment to be revisited many times this year however Mercury is very fleetingly giving us all a flavour and then, mid-month, moves us into talking about the new way of being. By the end of the month (having travelled through Taurus, Gemini and into Cancer) he will offer us all a sense that we are the best custodians of who we are – our hearts.
The Full Moon on the 7th will add to the messages although, given that it is in the sign of Scorpio, we may have to allow a gentle unfolding of time. The planets are giving us time and, by the New Moon on the 22nd, we will have begun a process of finding balance through taking one step at a time!
The astrology for May (and beyond) takes us through a number of planetary influences bringing in much to reflect on and consider. There are cycles of retrograde planets which will be either challenging or offer opportunities. Learning, growing, evolving and taking those small opportunities, as they present, will work well. There is a big creative push to break free and allow our unique selves to blossom and be more … well … unique!
However let’s continue our sense of May!
Aries ♈️
Be gentle with yourself Aries as the planets are unlocking imagination for you on a big scale. It may well feel emotional and even as if you are being challenged to stand still and let things unfold. Towards mid month check contracts with an eye of looking at the detail. And maybe there is a key for you this month Aries – balance out that amazing imagination currently being sparked with checking the details on any paperwork sent to you!
Be gentle with yourself and know that you do not have all of the answers yet and that is perfectly fine.
Taurus ♉️
Taurus we have a warning triangle for you. Money. There is a saying ‘look after the pennies and the pounds look after themselves’ and this is that time. Pay attention to book keeping, accounting, bank statements and the like. Bring your facts and figures to the surface and tick off each direct debit. Do you need to change any passwords? Spend an hour or two on the admin side of things this month. Why?
Next month will bring something delightful forward which you will want to spend time and money on!
Gemini ♊️
Dreams becoming real. Out of all of the signs you really can realise your goals and ambitions. It may well take all of this month, and into next, but you have the energies available to write, do, see and celebrate! What will you decide will manifest over the coming weeks?
The new moon (mid month) is in your sign, Gemini, and that helps you take your message out into the world. However you may also find that there is one part of what you do that feels like a mis-match. With this new moon allow something to end and something else to begin.
Cancer ♋️
Family connections are featured (well always for you Cancerians but a little more so in May!) and you are the one person who brings a group together. It may involve a person not seen nor spoken to for a while – and there is a sense of joyfulness when this happens.
You will not be surprised that this same energy will also allow you to connect with your inner world as well. They say ‘home is where the heart is’ and this is so true for you this month. What is your heart calling you to do? For family? And also for you? Be guided by your dreams and uncover a new sense of purpose along the way!
Leo ♌️
Please don’t worry that the party has passed you by. It has not. Even without the current situation this would not have been a time for you, Leo, to be socialising. Kings & Queens have to have their time to replenish energy and this is yours.
Establish your own inner authority and stand steadfast for what you believe in. And also listen to your advisors and those you trust.
Enjoy the time for inner calm and stillness, especially at the end of the month, as there will be a time, very soon, when everything gets very noisy!
Virgo ♍️
The month opens with the Moon in your sign and with a growing energy. There is much visibility available for you, Virgo, at the beginning and then a sense of stepping back to allow your message to settle. This is a good time to try photography or film making or even pencil drawings to record your journey.
Virgo is ruled by Mercury and you have quite the starring role this month in helping others to establish their new routines or dreams. And, as the month progresses, your own new pathway emerges.
Libra ♎️
Sociable ventures are very well starred. Yes you did hear that correctly! There is a very sociable element to the stars for you this month. From a career/work point of view new contacts to be made and, from a personal aspect, people asking you for help. Pace yourself with this as things get quieter as we go through May and on into June when things settle down however, for now, allow yourself to go with the flow as those new people coming in have good ideas and choices. Allow the doors to open and then take time to choose.
Scorpio ♏️
The Full Moon is in your sign and you may well find your sleep patterns disturbed with dreams on full beam. The usual advice of herbal teas, writing or doodling, not worrying about a night of disturbance, knowing that tomorrow is another day all applies. It’s a special full moon for you Scorpio as it heralds leaving behind / greeting a new sense of purpose especially as we move towards that next new moon in Gemini.
Mid-month be careful to assess an opportunity coming from a new contact and dig deep for the details!
Sagittarius♐️
Dream big Sagittarians and let that glorious imagination roam as far as it can take you. Inside the day dreams & ‘ponderings’ will be a golden nugget of inspiration for a new book or booklet. Would you make time to sit in silence and brew something special if you knew that the result would be something tangible that you could put your name to? See the month as an arc of creativity and use the Full Moon leading to new moon and then, at the end of the month, take stock and get ready to release your offer to a bigger stage.
Capricorn ♑️
Capricorn this is your time. You are really coming into your own and being appreciated for your wisdom. As structures change you have been so instrumental in helping others see their way forward. Career wise this is a month where your endeavours are mixed with stop, start, stop and then start again. However every time this happens you will be further along with your plans than you realise.
Use the New Moon energy around the 22nd to take stock of all that you have achieved this year so far. And then let the new ideas gently permeate through.
Aquarius ♒️
Mars sets your creative energy buzzing this month. Aquarius, let those ideas and creations flow as there could very well be a new career for you beckoning as an additional source of income. These are exciting developments in the world of work for you over the next few weeks. And people. Oh yes … people. Have you been waiting for someone new, or a new group of people, to enter? As doors open so there is new energy for new dates in your diary and choices to make as to where you go next! Let laughter and fun commence and you will brighten up the world around.
Pisces ♓️
May begins for you with a delightful Neptune opposite the Moon bringing that imagination to the forefront. You have much to offer this month to all of the other signs of the zodiac in the form of inspiration. Deepest dreams, mysteries to uncover, odd thoughts and even sweeping away the cobwebs. Use the time just before the new moon to give cupboards and drawers a spring clean and see what you find. Coins, memories or unfinished projects are waiting for the new Summer light. And enjoy the change of energy as we move from Spring into Summer!
I hope you enjoy your star sign observations!
As always, with love from Alison
We all have free will and are free to decide if and when to make relevant choices. Astrology gives a guide and Alison does not offer medical, financial, legal, personal or any other type of professional advice. Information is provided for entertainment purposes only. Thank you. And with love.
T&Cs available at https://www.alisontheastrologer.com/terms-of-use-policies/
by Alison | Mar 6, 2020 | Blog
The Essential Guide to How the Planets Orbit … and why this is useful information to know!
The Universe creates a special pattern every moment by the way that the planets orbit our Sun. Our planet Earth takes around 365.3 days to orbit. The Moon takes around 27.3 days in its orbit around the Earth. Those 2 particular pieces of information are not only well known but give us our sense of time and rhythm of the weeks, months and years. For thousands of years (maybe longer), and now, we observe the changing months and seasons in relation to the position of us and the Sun. And the Moon’s cycles help us understand our night time skies and, amongst many other things, planting crops.
However … might it be useful to know about the other planetary orbits?
And how do the signs of the zodiac fit in with all of this?!
The Constellations
In astrology we talk about the signs of the zodiac and these are the names given to 12 constellations of stars that envelope our planet Earth. From Aries through to Pisces, the clusters of stars give us insights, points of reference in the sky and specific themes as we observe and note the passage of the Sun together with the planets appearing to move through each of those constellations. The energy of the Sun moving through the sign of Taurus will have a completely different flavour to the passage of the Moon through Leo … and this is where astrology gets exciting! Think of all of those potentials for ‘what if’s’ and ‘I wonder what’ or even ‘should I do this or do that?’!
Looking at maps
In a birth chart (map of the stars for the moment of arrival here on Earth) all of the signs of the zodiac are shown. And then the stars and planets are plotted and added in. From the date, time and place of birth we establish exactly what was happening in the sky above just at that moment of birth down on Earth. And, most amazingly of all, there will never, ever be another map identical to that one.
Those Orbits
Mercury has an orbit of around 88 days which means that he travels around the whole zodiac about 3 times in one of our calendar years. Together with a Venus orbit of around 225 days and Mars at approx. 687 days (each year) these planetary phenomena are easy to watch and to apply their circuits to our birth charts.
The longer term orbits in years are: Jupiter 12 years; Saturn 29.5 years; Chiron 50 years. This is so very interesting as we see longer term influences unfold for us as these planets (and yes … Chiron is an asteroid but a VIP in asteroid lore!) as they offer their incredible energies to us at significant points in time. And in seeing how this dance of planetary bodies above us interacts with ourself down here on Earth adds so much information for our daily life and indeed our Soul’s evolution.
Shall we take just one of those planets for instance? Understanding a Saturn energetic influence is a key to our long term plans for career, how we work and our Soul Path. We consider where he is at a moment of birth and then (as a broad example) when he forms an opposition in the sky roughly 14-15 years on or indeed returns to the same placement approximately 28-30 years after birth. And of course a Saturn return can occur 3 times in a lifetime currently.
And then …
With Uranus taking 84 years to return to the place where it was at the moment of birth we see more people have their Uranus return than ever before. This can result in people in their 80s making quite life-changing decisions such as a move of house, major travelling or even going into a new business. In our life time we will not see people having their Pluto returns (a 248 year cycle!) or even opposition at age 124, however I have no doubt it will happen at some point. And think of the deep insights that could very well emerge.
You may like to read this article about exactly what a transit is and how the planets ‘talk to each other! Just click here.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this short guide. Let me know and keep in touch!
As always, with love from Alison
PS – download my guide to inspiration by clicking here!
