At the temple of Delphi, the ancient Greeks proclaimed, “Know thyself and nothing in excess,” two very wise statements that can help us all today. As we move forward into 2011 and on to 2012, the key theme is BALANCE — balancing work and play, saving and spending, moving forward or staying put, staying flexible while maintaining stability. Yes, we all have choices to make constantly. We are all in a state of flux, growing and changing as we become more of who we inherently are. We are all in this together, and we have to learn to balance the “opposites” with our significant others.

Full moons, new moons, blue moons, blood moons, wolf moon, worm moon, snow moon, pink moon, harvest moons, flower moon, haunted moons, moon river... oh my! What do we need to do and when to get the most benefit of their powerful energies?

Our need to slow down and rest a bit is similar to a planet’s retrograde passage. Just around the corner in early March, Mercury will turn retrograde for the first time this year. In fact, every calendar year, Mercury turns retrograde two to three times, for weeks each cycle.  Some of us are aware of when this will occur and actually prepare for it as much as possible; others caught up in the midst of this activity wonder why their calls aren’t being returned, their tech devices are going haywire, their packages are delayed. Here’s the deal: except for the Sun and Moon, all planets turn retrograde. Why…. and what do you need to know about it?

“Filling the conscious mind with ideal conceptions is a characteristic feature of Western theosophy, but not the confrontation with the shadow and the world of darkness. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. The latter procedure, however, is disagreeable and therefore not popular.” - Carl Jung

We are who we are at birth based on our energy at that moment in time (time, place and date) and one of the ways this will continually play itself out is as our personal shadow complexes.

Our complexes (strongly emotional charges of energy that activate autonomously both positive and negative) in the psyches of everyone is a concept of Carl G. Jung.

So, our shadow self is everything about us that is unconscious, unacknowledged, undeveloped and denied. Let’s take each one of these words separately as to why these complexes are created in the first place and why it behooves us to continue to do inner work and come to know ourselves.

Many of us marry when we are in a state of romantic euphoria.

This surge of energy we feel around a particular person is that an unknown aspect of ourselves has been projected onto them. This is what generates the remarkable “spark” that gets ignited.

The intensity and intoxication we feel are clues that this transference of our own energy has occurred. Because it’s unconscious, we think we are relating to them.

Dr. Carl Jung, world renown psychiatrist explained that what is missing in us will be highly attractive when we see it in someone else and relating is how we get to know ourselves.

We all mistakenly believe we know ourselves but what we know is only what we are conscious of which is like the tip of an iceberg. No one knows their whole self. It really is a life-long process to bring unconscious contents to consciousness.

Best Friends, Not Fantasies

As humans, when it comes to our relationships, most of us have had painful and difficult experiences. And let's face it, most times, it looks like the problems and struggles are the other person’s fault, or maybe just bad luck in love or life, or whatever else we want to call it!

But did you know that oftentimes, the most intense and troublesome relationships we experience, usually have a lot more to do with what is inside us, instead of the “other”?

Shadow work offers us the opportunity to see this…

To begin the process of cutting through the illusion most every human encounters...

Many of us know our astrological Sun signs. But have you ever wondered what makes people with the same Sun sign seem so different? Say for example, why is one Leo so completely different from another Leo? How can they have the same sun sign when they seem like they are totally opposite signs?

Not all Leos are created alike, for good reason. Each of us is a composite of every planet in the galaxy. From the Sun all the way out to Pluto, each planet plays a role in our lives.

At the moment of our birth, every planet is located in a particular sign and house, one of 12 slices of heaven. These elements form your natal birth chart, the blueprint for your life. So any two Leos born in the same year, between July 22-August 21, will have planets in different signs and houses. Even twins born minutes apart are unique. Every single one of us is truly our own individual person.

Designing your home’s interior is one of the best parts of becoming a homeowner. Whether that’s painting your walls an inspirational sky blue or splurging on that cozy velvet chair- the options are endless. But to have a design that complements your lifestyle with your personality may be a little more daunting. And that’s where Astrology comes in to help you design your perfect space.

Chances are you likely know your zodiac sign, a Water sign (Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio), Earth sign (Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo), Fire sign (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius), or Air sign (Aquarius, Gemini, Libra). But Astrology goes beyond your Sun sign, which is why we’ve consulted expert Astrologers for their best advice. Whether you’re living in sunny Miami, FL or in rainy Seattle, WA, you can decorate your space with inspiration from Astrology for a happier home.