Holistic Networker

The seasons mark the movement of time. The longest night has passed, and we turn slowly toward more light. It’s winter with long nights and cold: This is stressful for animals and humans alike. Food and heat are particularly precious. During this time we are reminded that we depend upon each other. The future is a promise, but how you perceive it is a choice.

2006 has arrived! It is a giant present tied with a simple bow. The months are like false sides that fall away, one- by-one to reveal the gift inside. Time pulls the ribbon and sets it free. As the future prepares to open, are you excited or fearful? Let’s look at the potential of the planets as we move through the Winter Stars.

Nothing Slow about This Winter: Dust off your running shoes and pull out your resume. This is a great period to start something new, big, or to make a change. If the fall of 2005 was characterized by frustration, the Winter of 2006 is the time of action. From politics to the Market, things are moving. You’ll want to be part of the action so move your body, commit to that exercise or education plan, grab a friend….or lover… and enjoy the ride. No guarantees that it will be a gentle ride, but I can promise you that this is the year of change. It’s up to you whether you’ll jump on it or run from it, but there is action, even in resistance. Put a pencil on your finger: to hold it steady, you cannot move. To get it to move toward or away from someone or something requires action and balance. That balance is as ancient as wisdom itself: mind, body and spirit. Pay homage to all three and you’ll enjoy the year. Listen to them and you can make internal and external changes that could last you a lifetime. That New Year’s Resolution never felt so resolute!

Winter of Wisdom: The heavens are divided into lunar mansions. It is interesting that most of the planets are currently in a group called the “white” mansions that are deeply soulful and known for heightened sensitivity and awareness. This is really good for peace talks and collaboration. Venus and Mars are also involved in active relationship with each other. In January, Mars is forceful and Venus soulful. On February 4th, Mars and Venus enter a mutual aspect that really helps love at every level from romance to the transpersonal love that connects all beings and their universe. Finally, on March 29th there is a Solar Eclipse in a place of the heavens known for heightened, energetic kundalini awareness. In fact, this eclipse would be the perfect time to spend time alone to listen to your heart or at least some soulful music. Regardless of where your heart begins this year, you are offered the gift of a patient, compassionate, hopeful future. How can you find the gifts? First, you must give them. Jupiter is a generous planet; this quarter he will throw his gifts out to the world. To catch some you must be willing to give.

This Winter, the planets are so active that we’ll even see our government in action. The group of 14 led by Lieberman and McCain are front and center keeping the judicial branch strong. There is more direct action in the news this month and in a while. Again, the Constitution will be reviewed and the judicial branch will be busy doing their part: making laws. It starts in January, but keeps on moving.

Now, let’s get back to the gifts this Winter 2006 has to offer. These are just the starting point; there are many gifts so look for them daily and share them generously.

January: The Gift of Compassionate Action. Venus opens your heart while Mars steps on the accelerator. The Moon is a tiny sliver of light. It sits near Venus, the planet of love. Venus has been very bright in the heavens, now it’s hard to see her because she slips between the Earth and the Sun and seems to disappear. During January, Venus appears to go backward. She lingers in a lunar mansion known for soulful tolerance and compassionate acceptance.

This is a great month to look around you. Do you see people to blame or those to acclaim? What you see around you is as much a reflection of your perspective as those people. Ever talk to someone who seems intent on proving that his perspective is correct and things are going from bad to worse? Ever been with someone who is excited about how hopeful things are? Which person you want to spend your New Year with is highly reflective of you. Venus slowly slips between matter and ego: the Earth and the Sun. You can find compassionate understanding to share, or lose the transit of Venus to self-gratifying blame. It is your future and your choice. When Venus appears to go backward, I hear many stories of lost love or friends reunited. January finds many of us looking back or finding the past suddenly appears on our caller ID. It’s a perfect time to review the good things from your past and to heal family pain.

Mars, the passionate planet, is really strong and throws himself into fast forward. As we begin the New Year, he pulls away from the frustrating grasp of Saturn and doesn’t look back. This combination appears in the charts of many folks who are successful, but they have learned patience with others, as well as themselves. You could say that tension is conducive to internal drive, but enough is enough already! Mars gains momentum and leaps into action…any action. Have some goals set so you can pull toward them rather than push your partner or friends. Yep, it’s the ol’ push-pull of life played out on a daily basis. Jupiter throws his optimism at Mars and Saturn pulls out of the obstacle seat. Jupiter loves to take a risk and he enjoys both teaching and learning.

What a great month to take a class or simply study at home. If you get really excited, you’ll want to share what you’ve learned with everyone. Be patient, they have things to share too. It could take a while to exchange. Do you have a planet between 15 and 22 of Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn in your Vedic chart? [9-16 Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius of your Western Chart] You get relief; but we all are ready for a fresh start. Sometimes a long period of stress helps us appreciate the flow. It’s flowing now and throughout this quarter. This month Samuel Alito begins the confirmation process. More importantly the nation looks at the Constitution. It’s a broad- reaching document: The nation will review which “Truths” we hold today as self evident. Mars action faces Jupiter, beliefs. If we challenge the Constitution, what will we put in its place? These are big questions and we need time and vision to ponder them. But ponder we will, starting this month.

Pluto is Reborn in 2006: Pluto spent the last 13 months in a destructive place in the heavens. Hindu astrologers call this a place for death by drowning. Sometimes they are too literal. Now he moves into a place of rebirth. You probably already feel a fresh vitality. Life and death are part of one great cycle. Follow the exciting flow forward and don’t look back. That’s easy to say, but sometimes hard to face. This year, Pluto brings opportunity. It feels like a giant current in a river. It pulls us toward something greater than pettiness as usual. Take a deep breath and go with it. This is an exciting year. If you have a planet at 0-3 degree Sagittarius Vedic or 25-28 degrees Sag. Western, you are in the flow, trust it. We are right in there with you. Go ahead, take the plunge.

February: the Gift of Time and Attention: Look around, who is willing to listen to you? Who will sit while you spin your favorite oldies or argue your position with the radio or TV? These are precious folks: Find them in your inbox or on the phone when you need them. Venus slows to a stop and starts to move forward on the 3rd. Just in time for Valentine’s Day—we look forward to love, friendship and a little happy music. Neptune is the soulful planet of etheric sounds. He has dominion over all things spiritual and anything that deals with altered states, including distilled spirits! He joins Mercury, the communication planet, and the Sun for at least two weeks of talking, listening and melodic transcendence of the daily grind. The first half of February is all about love. Venus gathers momentum and so does Mars. The old Yin /Yang of the universe is alive and well. This is a great time to take a dance class and learn to follow the rhythm and maybe even your partner. This combination is also good for spiritual guidance. The attention is available, if we’ll only ask.

March: The gift of Conscious Optimism: Venus and Mars are still in a happy playful dance. This year is full of hope and joyful mingling. Get out of your routine and explore. This month, Jupiter slows to a halt. He is a happy visionary, not the visceral philosopher. He has a big heart, generous spirit and broad-thinking beliefs. If you have a planet between 22 and 28 of Libra, Aquarius, Aries or Gemini in your Vedic chart, you are in luck! Jupiter sits right on whatever that planet represents and throws luck and maybe a little unbridled optimism on you. [Watch for Jupiter at 16-22 Scorpio, Pisces, Taurus or Cancer of your Western chart.] Here’s a brief list of planetary meanings: Sun, life-force; Moon perceptions; Mercury, intellect; Venus, love; Mars, action; Jupiter, beliefs; Saturn, work; Uranus, change; Neptune mysteries and Pluto, transformation. Add luck to any of these and you are excited about the future.

In the News: The optimism in the planets is strong. The old blame game is not enough: Two issues will unite the left and the right. One is the Eminent Domain ruling passed down by the Supreme Court last summer. Local power brokers are already using it to push folks out of their homes to use that property for the “greater good” of commercial development. This pushes hard against the nation’s basic beliefs. The other is national security on the borders. Mars is decisive and direct. Expect more local action: This time by border sheriffs and local governments.

I do believe Alito will get in, but it will be a fierce fight of opposing sides. His chart looks good for a justice. Unlike Roberts, Alito does not have an abundance of easy transits in January. This will drag on. The bigger picture is the Constitution.

George W. Bush: The President should get a boost in the polls after the Iraqi election in mid-December. I doubt he will return to the level he was just after 9-11. Here is an interesting phenomenon. Uranus, the restless planet, will make its final aspect to his Mars and to his Mercury on February 19th. During the first pass of this three-part transit, a live grenade was lobbed in his direction on a trip to Germany, however, it did not detonate. On the 2nd pass, he tumbled from a bicycle in Scotland [during a similar transit he fell off a motorized skateboard and on another, he choked on a pretzel]. Uranus transits are innately unpredictable. He may take a tumble, and certainly face threats, but I don’t think he will be overtly attacked. I do believe that he will be rebellious and pull away from the far right. Expect the unexpected from his cabinet this quarter, particularly in February. It appears that Cheney’s chart is hit hardest. It doesn’t look legal so much as simply tired and he wants to spend time with family. I suppose they are all tired. Karl Rove should skate along without much trouble.

More Politicians: Did you know that W and Bill were born only 6 weeks apart? They share many similarities in their charts. W has Saturn strong and so he is more wooden. Clinton has a charming union of Venus and Mars at the front of his chart and is more fluid. Both men are having difficult transits and feeling the weight of age and mortality. Clinton has several stressful transits in January. I hope he will take it easy, a difficult thing for a busy man.

Hillary has hard transits in January, and her adversaries from both parties will hit her hard. This is the 3rd pass of these transits and I expect her to stand up to it. The same is true for Condoleezza Rice whose chart is surprisingly similar to Hillary Clinton’s: Both are tough, determined, and as everyone knows, very, very smart. The transits are even tougher for HC July through October. She’ll have more competition than we might expect. This year, she’s not only running for Senate, but trying to prove to the nation she is presidential. The old financial scandals pop up again. That’s a tall order.

Kinky Friedman has great transits in 2006. His campaign will bring humor and serious discussion to the Texas governor’s race. Take the time to read his platform. You will laugh and think more deeply than you expect.

How the Love Grows: As you might expect, love is everywhere: romance is in the news and at the dinner table. It should be a busy year for weddings and even busier for rekindled passion. Who said love can’t rise again?

Where the Money Flows: It’s flowing everywhere. 2006 is a good year for business in general, but the promised cutbacks are a reality in January. There is also growth. There is some profit taking early in the year, but the powerful transits are even better for reconstruction. That is literal in some areas, but it is a theme everywhere. What will you build? Can you build it stronger than the past? Of course, it is a great year for building trades and another good year for bio-tech. Will you participate or wait? How will you perceive the future?

---

Cynthia Novak is a professional astrologer. She can be contacted at metro 817-261-2984. Read Cynthia’s daily astrological message at www.HolisticNetworker.com/dailymessage/ or see www.CynthiaNovak.com

Come hear Cynthia’s talk at the Wellness Expo on Sunday April 23rd at 11:30am on “Astrology and You”.

Everyone has a levee that Needs Attention, where’s yours? Watching the suffering hour after hour and unable to pull myself away from the tube, I had to ask, “Why was I watching?” It was an easy answer: I kept going back hoping that there would be a moment where the cavalry rode in and saved the poor suffering folks of New Orleans. Surely it could be done, but it seemed that at every turn there was an obstacle.

Finally, once the National Guard came in force I realized that on some level we all have a levee that needs attention. It is costly to repair. We need to do what it takes to fix it and not wait. This sounds harsh because it pinpoints our vulnerability. Yes, we are all vulnerable and we all live in a bit of denial about this. It is time now to look around and to ask, “What are we neglecting?” Do we appreciate the power of nature? We should; in Texas we live at the bottom of tornado alley. So I ask you to look with me at this autumn as a turning point.

Mars in Bharani: The god of death shines the light. Mars remains close to the Earth. He appears to go backward until December 15th. On August 29th and through the catastrophe, Mars lingered in Bharani. This lunar mansion is associated with Yama. This deity in both Hinduism and Buddhism is the god of death. He began as the first mortal. He was the first to face death and for his courage the gods made him immortal. They created a place in the heavens for him to light the way for those who would follow.

In October, Mars is still moving close to the Earth. It is moving backward or retrograde. This is a time to review, reflect and consciously react. Mars is, after all, the planet of action. He spends time in the Pleiades in a mansion called Krittika or “the razor.” Here the 7 sister stars come together and sacrifice their comfort and their status to give birth to a being that would save the world from evil. This is appropriate for those who are both giving and receiving; for those who have lost and those who have shared.

Mars lingers in the Pleiades through the October eclipses. In October we get ready to make cuts. We are reminded to cut the fat from our plates and from our bodies. Now, we gasp under the weight of the bureaucracy; the arteries for survival were clogged by denial and protocol. It is time to cut through it. The weight of polarity is too great; it is time to run past it. The weight of complacency is too costly in terms of human life. It is time to come together to make decisions, to stretch beyond our beliefs and to see each other as one. It’s time to build a more efficient system; not to tear the old one down, just to clean its arteries and clear its eyes. We begin in October and then succeed as early as February with a fresh start from the ground up. From November through December Mars returns to Bharani; it is time to revisit the scenes and to find our way to the light.

Retrograde Mars: It is best to shut your Mouth and to Roll up your Sleeves. Anything we associate with Mars is frustrated. Action, war, drive and macho mania are all passive-aggressive and weakened during the fall months. It’s hard to get going and harder to get folks behind your call to battle. The good news: Mars is strong in his constellation Aries. He sees where cuts need to be made and where we will end up if we don’t make them. Folks who make their mark by angry bitter dialogue will be seen as the empty polarizing forces they are. This Mars transit demands action when we feel like it least. Most of us will rise to the occasion, but we are tired of empty talking heads and annoyed with potential threats when we are faced with real need and action. Mars in the Pleiades reminds us that we can come together and that passive-aggressive behavior is not action; it just feels good to vent. There is no time for that this fall.

Names to watch in the News: Jesse Jackson is already printing racist currency from New Orleans. His chart is hit hard through September and October. He may lose his efficacy and go through a transformation by the end of February. New York’s Rudy Gulianni is being called in to help. He may want to, but his chart suggests that he is weak. He may not be up to the mammoth task, but he might work as an adviser. Newt Gingrich is making a path to the White House; watch him and Hilary Clinton, too. Both are powerful minds and capable of coming up with plans for socio-economic reconstruction. France’s Chirac has been ill; his health is highly unpredictable this season and so is the political climate of France. If I have the correct chart for Kofi Annan, then he will be pushed out of his position at the United Nations. The trail of money from Oil for Food leads closer to his door. Watch for Retired Col. David Hunt on c-span and check out his most timely book.

Former President Clinton: Did you know that he has many similar planetary placements as GWB? They were born just 5 weeks apart. Both are having their second Saturn Returns; both feel the weight of responsibility and the enormity of their roles. Clinton will be criticized as he comes forward to work with the Bush administration and to continue his role as an American Statesman. He is teaching us all to stretch beyond party lines to do what is needed. While his good will helps us heal, he is still weak. He will rise in the eyes of the American people and surprise some that disliked him before, but he must go slowly now through January.

Where the Money Flows: It’s flowing to the Gulf Coast. First the draining, then the power, then the insurance adjusters, then the demolition and recycling and the construction crews coming from the four corners to take part. There is a market for the glut of used cars and slowly some optimism. The Nation will choose to pay a little more here and there to help. Big Oil remains the same glutton he has always been, but I doubt the price will remain as high and the economy in general stays strong.

The Bull is still alive. Watch jobs and money flow to the hard hit areas. It sure looks like a time for Public Works programs. I still expect to see more troops returning home. There will be a redistribution of wealth as some insurers of insureds struggle to meet their commitments and that money pours into rebuilding. Don’t get me wrong; I expect the Carpet Baggers to come to the south just as they did after the Civil War. Entrepreneurs come in at all levels. While big oil is the parasite we love to hate, we will financially flow through this jump just as we did in 1973.

Many ordinary Americans have found a new appreciation for the little things like water and plumbing, as well as a new sense of meaning and purpose. A large portion of the population of New Orleans has just been plucked out of their past and challenged to start fresh. Several states like Texas have extended themselves to help. There is money and manpower reaching out. For some folks it will be a fresh start with a different look at their fellow Americans. It will be a group studied and followed and a place to test our creativity. After the death there is still light.

How the Love Grows: This is dicey. Romance moves slowly while we see whom we can trust and choose partners who will be there for us. I expect the real love growth to come in the nation. A group of people experienced first isolation, then desperation and finally, a fresh start. The horrendous flood forced them from their homes with a brutal tide that we cannot imagine, but they finally landed in the arms of those whom they would not have touched otherwise. It is a new beginning not only for them, but for all of us kept isolated by fear, circumstance and choice. We are all one and we cannot turn away again.

Eclipse Time: There are two eclipses in October. There is a total solar eclipse on the 3rd. It will be visible in Northern Africa and the Middle East. This is exciting for elections in Afghanistan and Iraq. It also suggests technology or something new begun in the northern African nations. Eclipses are intense and this one happens to fall in a lunar mansion that is great for technology and ingenuity. This is particularly good right now as there is a lot of rebuilding to do in various places around the world.

The Lunar Eclipse on October 17th is great for healing after betrayals and for new beginnings. It is the very beginning of the astrological constellations and marks a fresh start. Lunar eclipses are very emotional so that’s where we have some emotional healing to do.

The President: Love him or hate him, the president’s destiny placed him as the face over our nation during two big catastrophes. We, the People, watch and voice our opinions, but he has to face the task each day. He came forward with strength and passion during 9-11. His chart is hit hard and will continue to be hit with grief. The transits he is currently experiencing: Saturn, the truth teller, the pain and wisdom of time, is sitting on top of him. This transit is very emotional and sensitizes one to suffering. He also has Pluto on the dragon’s tail. This is a deep karmic time for him and has been all summer. He should climb up to meet it, but the steps are steep and long. This event will haunt his presidency. We saw grief in his chart this summer. The suffering he saw will haunt him and pull him out to the people. I expect him to rise to the occasion even though I cannot see how. Watch as both he and Former President Clinton bring people together. Both have very similar transits this fall. They have something to share.

Astrologers often look for the event, but the depth of a transit is the internal experience. We all have shared a death of the illusion that the cavalry is organized and ready. The President is feeling the pain of the masses and the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. Expect changes in his appointed officials as he looks more closely at the people he appoints. There is a new head of FEMA. W, the People, likewise must look more closely at those we elect and the problems in the levee of the bureaucracy. This is a time for change for them and for us. What is the levee you are ignoring? Don’t wait for the next generation or administration to fix it.

Justice Rehnquist’s Replacement: We saw it coming. Justice Rehnquist’s chart was hit hard in August and we could see that he would be replaced in the fall. The powerful yods of destiny grab our attention and our fears. Don’t worry needlessly; the Supreme Court will maintain its balance. I expect a replacement that is a moderate.

Pluto Leaves Jyeshta in December: This deals with betrayal. Don’t think for a moment that you can point a finger and blame your circumstances on “those people.” You have a levee to tend to. Pay attention to your life, your purpose and your beliefs, as well as your property. The temptation here is to find someone or something to blame. We are all vulnerable and know it in our core, but we hope that there is some religion or ideology that will keep us safe. It helps.

We are reminded in these final months of 2005 that we need each other. Not only for survival, but we need to have someone to help and to give to. The ultimate self-betrayal and resultant depression is the belief that we are separate. I do not foresee any more destruction like that in New Orleans. There may be storms, but not of this magnitude. Pluto is now pulling forward. The most destructive time is always the apparent station: that was the end of August through early September. Now we take a collective deep breath and rebuild. In Vedic astrology this zone where Pluto lingered deals with drowning; I never thought it would be so literal. This period ends in December.

Violence among us: We watched the violence and chaos in New Orleans and are reminded that we neglect the violence around us. If it’s in that neighborhood, then it won’t matter. But suddenly the lines fell and it was everywhere. Where is the leak in our community? What can we do to address the influx of violent crime? It’s the levee we seem to ignore.

The Price of Oil: By the time you read this, Oil should have already come down…some. Strangely enough the increase in oil prices stimulated domestic production. This leads to more drilling and more jobs at every level. Sure, some clever folks will get rich and the monster corporations that we love to hate will get richer, but there are also jobs forming from this. It’s a step toward domestic production. Are you old enough to remember when the price of gas doubled in 1973? If you lived in Texas, then you might remember it as the beginning of a boom.

Catharsis is a Rebirth: It’s hard to find the silver lining within such great tragedy and loss. It pushed us to remember that we are all dependant upon each other. The stories of valor and generosity slowly surface and are heard over the horror stories spread on the news. Each story of selfless generosity and valor helps our collective spirit to be reborn. Sure, there are folks who will spin it to keep us separate, but in one horrific week people were moved out into the arms of strangers who did not know that they, themselves, were big enough to love them. It is a rebirth; don’t miss the baby for the stories of the pain and contractions during the process. Our nation is in a gestation period. What will we birth?

Retrograde Mars: Shocked and stunned by the horror of the Gulf Coast we move slowly until December 9th when Mars starts to leap forward with a clear path of action. Lots of businesses will be born through the rebuilding and restoring process. These are retrograde Mars’ domain. On December 10th things take off quickly so be ready to run.

Retrograde Mercury from November 14th to December 3rd: Confusion and repetition are part of the period. Just keep trying until you get it right. It will fall into place only it won’t take a direct path.

---

Cynthia Novak is a professional astrologer. She can be contacted at metro 817-261-2984. Read Cynthia’s daily astrological message at www.HolisticNetworker.com/dailymessage/ or see www.CynthiaNovak.com

Come hear Cynthia’s talk at the Wellness Expo on Sunday Oct. 16th at 11:30am on “Astrology and You”.