Mercury Retrograde in 08° Libra

 

Mercury Retrograde in 08° Libra 

9/9/22 8:328 PM 

Natural Chart / Whole Houses 

Mercury is transiting the area of the chart that rules over marriage, agreements, and partnerships of all kinds.  It is not uncommon for an old friends, lovers, or even an enemy to try to come back into our lives when Mercury Retrograde is in Libra. Conflicts and misunderstandings often result as well.  Old relationship issues may resurface again at this time forcing a renegotiation of the terms of the relationship that may have gone unsaid for too long.

This transit is good for reconnecting with your partner but not for finding or developing a new relationship. This house also rules open enemies and they can be troublesome during this placement. You may feel the urge for more balance in your life but may not be able to find it, albeit easily.

Carolina Dean 

Back to School Basics

 Back to School Basics

This entry in my blog started out as a facebook post and proved to be quite popular.

It's the MOST WONDERFUL time of the year! All the little monsters are going back to school so I thought I would share my back-to-school basics for supernatural students and paranormal parents as well as for terrific teachers! 

For Supernatural Students and Paranormal Parents.

• Cinnamon is the friend-maker, if your child has troubles making friends or is attending a new school, sprinkle a little cinnamon in his or her shoes to lead her to positive friendships.
• Whether you child is a "walker" or a "rider", you can fix a small packet of wormwood and comfrey root and hide it in your child's backpack to protect him or her when traveling to and from school.
• Write all the names of your child's teachers and administrators on separate slips of paper (don't forget the bus driver, lunch lady, janitor, and / or tutors) and put them in a jar of honey. Burn pink candles on top of your honey jar (make sure it has a metal lid) each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to ensure they they like your child and want to help him or her succeed.
• Designate a specific spot in the home where the child will do their homework and study. Burn Crown of Success incense in this area on a weekly basis. Keep a piece of fluorite, or some rosemary, in the area (for retention of knowledge). Make up a little Crown of Success packet and duct tape it under the chair where they will sit.
• Add Crown of Success bath crystals to the wash water when washing the child's clothes. You can also do this with any kind of protection, reverse evil, etc... bath crystals. You can also add any of these to the child's bath water and have them bathe in it.
• To help your child excel at sports you can dust him or her with a mixture of high john root powder and five finger grass. You can dress sports equipment with the oils. For example, baseball gloves are often oils to preserve them, you can add HJR to the oil and sprinkle five finger grass inside the glove. A baseball bat can be dressed with HJR oil to give the batter strength to hit home runs!

For Terrific Teachers

• Burn Crown of Success Incense in your classroom on a weekly basis to help your students succeed.
• Dress each individual chair and desk with a little Crown of Success Oil to help them succeed; a little Do As I Say oil on the chair of the class clown or unruly student will help keep him or her in line. High John the Conqueror Oil on the chair of the "weak" or bullied student to give him or her strength to stand up for themselves. Crucible of Courage to allow the shy student to speak up and participate in class. These are just a few examples of how you can dress their chairs of your student.
• Dress extra supplies (such as pencils and pens) with the money drawing oil to give out to students in need. You can substitute oils based on each child'd need (see above). Just be careful you don't use too much since many folks chew on their pencils and pens.
• Sprinkle rosemary in the four corners of the room to help the kids retain knowledge.
• Dress yourself with Look Me Over Oil to command your students attention while teaching your lessons. If you are male, carry a whole High John Root; if you are female carry a while Queen Elizabeth Root for personal power and charm.
• Fix a honey jar with the names of all your students on individual slips of paper and burn a pink candle on it (make sure it has a metal lid) on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays so that they all get along and like each other.
• Keep a hematite in your drawer that you can hold when needed to help you de-stress.
• Smoke a child's homework in incense or sprinkle them with powder before giving them back to the students. You can tailor the incense / powder to the child's need.
• Dress your own hands with Crown of Success Oil, place your hand on a student's shoulder when checking their work and make your silent prayer for their success.
• Save old homework or confiscated notes passed between students or notes brought to school from parents for their handwriting samples. These can be placed under fixed candles, incorporated into doll babies or packets that you work on the students behalf.
• After a bad day, or even before a big test day, you can put peace water in a spray bottle and mist the entire room.

- Carolina Dean

MIPC: Secret Chants for Love, Money, Health, & Happiness

 Note: MIPC stands for Magic in Popular Culture and this is a series of posts in which I take a magical belief or practice from a work of fiction such as movies, books, comic books, or tv shows and analyze them against real-world magical beliefs and practices.

The Spell or Belief

Your dreams can come true simply by chanting a few magic words to bring you money, love, health, and happiness. These chants were found in the ruins of an ancient Tibetan monastery by an archeologist from Nang Chang, China in the late 1980's. The chants had been handed down for generations long before the monastery was abandoned in 1011. 

The chants are short and easy to learn. they must be spoken after a period of meditation for maximum effect. These chants were tested on 2300 students in Nang Chang of which 1867 people reported the chants to have changed their lives. 

The Chants 

* To Bring Happiness - Repeat the words "Lo An An Ta Fa Ri" once a day for seven days. 

* To Bring Love- Sit quietly, open your heart to love and chant "To Do Si Ro An Wat Mono Ran" four times. 

* For Lasting Good Health- Chant "Chung Do Ama Rung Ning" and think happy thoughts for three days afterward. 

* To Bring Money- Cast out all selfish thoughts and think about all the god you will accomplish with your wealth. Repeat "Kung No Ro Ama Ni Lo Ta Wong" then times. 

The Weekly World News
April 11th 1989 

Commentary 

I first read about these chants around 1990. I was sitting in Mrs. Boulware's study hall and there were several of these tabloid magazines in the room to look through if we didn't have any homework or anything else to do. I've made no secret that I was a shy teenager who was often bullied throughout school. I was also interested in any form of magic because I thought it was the key to happiness in my life - so when I read of these chants I eagerly wrote them down in my notebook hoping to use them to improve my life. 

I began with the Chant to Bring Happiness. I started on a Monday. When I woke up in the morning, I tried to summon a positive attitude and would chant the mantra before school. I recall that they was one of the worst week's of my life. I vividly recall how one day that week I was standing by my locker minding my own business when a group of boys began throwing candy at me. I honestly just stood there and let it happen without fighting back or saying anything to them. At that point in my life I was so defeated and was contemplating suicide. 

However, I persisted. I dutifully chanted the mantra to bring happiness every day and completed the ritual after seven days. I wasn't sure what would happen or how it would happen. Would I simply wake up on the 8th morning and be happy or would circumstances change bringing about my happiness? Either way, I was confident in my belief that something would happen. 

Happiness did come to me, but it did not come all at once. It happened in small ways over time. My situation improved. The bullies started leaving me alone. I grew more confident. I made friends. Before I knew it, I was happy! 

Now considering the source of these "chants", I don't believe that they have any real magic in them but rather that my belief in their power actually allowed me to manifest a positive change in my life. I honestly do credit this ritual with changing the course of my life because had my condition not improved, I would have eventually attempted suicide. In fact, I am so superstitious about the mantra to bring happiness that I will not repeat the chant again out loud out of a fear that speaking the chant again would unravel all of the happiness it gave me in the first place. 

I have not tried the other chants, however, were I to perform them I would likely chant the mantra as part of a ritual that includes a period of meditation followed by the lighting of a candle under which I have placed my wish written on paper and then chanting the mantra to make it so. 

I present to you these chants now on the last day of the year in hopes that you will find some value in them and are able to draw love, money, success, abundance, and happiness into your life in 2021! 

- Carolina Dean 

Venus in Virgo 2022

 

Venus in 00° Virgo 

9/4/22 9:05 PM 

Natural Chart / Whole Houses 

Venus in Virgo (General)

With Venus in Virgo, people are generally more discriminating and analytical, especially in the pursuit of love. This does not make the search for love any easier. People are usually more interested in their work and less interested in love. If they do fall for someone it will be because it makes a logical sense. They may even pursue love in the same way that they  pursue a new job, making a list and checking off their criteria.  In terms of work, people generally enjoy taking a systematic approach to their work and bringing order where they see chaos. Virgo, also rules our health so this is a good time to show your body some love by getting healthy and developing healthy routines. 

Where Virgo falls in your natal chart is where you will feel the impact of Venus in Virgo. 

• If your rising sign is Aries, Virgo is your 6th house 
• If your rising sign is Taurus, Virgo is your 5th house
• If your rising sign is Gemini, Virgo is your 4th house
• If your rising sign is Cancer, Virgo is your 3rd house.
• If your rising sign is Leo, Virgo is your 2nd house 
• If your rising sign is Virgo, Virgo is your 1st house. 
• If your rising sign is Libra, Virgo is your 12th house 
• If your rising sign is Scorpio, Virgo is your 11th house 
• If your rising sign is Sagittarius, Virgo is your 10th house 
• If your rising sign is Capricorn, Virgo is your 9th house 
• If your rising sign is Aquarius, Virgo is your 8th house 
• If your rising sign is Pisces, Virgo is your 7th house. 

Example 

Venus in Virgo and the 11th House 

I express my love in a critical, analytical manner with my friends. 

With Venus in Virgo and the 11th house you take a practical approach to your search for love or romance. A friend could introduce you to someone special or you could meet someone through any groups to which you belong.  You may find yourself attracted to someone who shares your interest and is involved in the same groups. In some cases a friend may even become a lover. You are drawn to the strange and unusual. 

Aspects 

Aspects, or relationships between planets,  are another dimension of astrological interpretation that should be considered. Let us suppose that you have. Let us suppose then that you have the Moon at 29° Aries. This would mean that Venus in 0° Virgo is separating a Trine to your Moon in 29° Aries.  When the Moon forms a trine to Venus you feel more charming and attractive. You're more affectionate and nurturing. You may feel somewhat lazy and decide to spend more time at home (especially with a loved one). Your relationships in general improve, but especially your relationships with women. 

How will the ingress of Venus in Virgo manifest for you? 

- Carolina Dean 

The Astrology of September 2022

 All Times Pacific

• 09/04 Venus in Virgo 09:05 PM 00° VIR 00’
• 09/09 Mercury RX 08:38 PM 08° LIB 55’
• 09/10 Full Moon 02:58 AM 17° PIS 41’
• 09/22 Sun in Libra 06:04 PM 00° LIB 00’
• 09/23 Mercury in Virgo 05:04 AM 29° VIR 59’
• 09/25 New Moon 02:54 PM 02° LIB 49’14
• 09/29 Venus in Libra 12:49 AM 00° LIB 00’

- Carolina Dean

MIPC: On the Virtue of Spices

Note: MIPC stands for Magic in Popular Culture and this is a series of posts in which I take a magical belief or practice from a work of fiction such as movies, books, comic books, or tv shows and analyze them against real-world magical beliefs and practices.

The Spell or Belief 

For each person who comes into the shop there is a special spice for that one person. “It is called mahamul, the root spice, and for each person it is different. Mahamul is to enhance fortune, to bring success or joy, to avert ill luck.”

The Mistress of Spices (1998)
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Commentary

Within the context of the story, Tilo is of Indian descent and has gained the status of a Mistress of Spices (one of many). She has been charged to go to LA and run a spice shop out of which she uses various spices to assist other Indian immigrants who come into her shop. 

For instance, there is a young man who barely speaks English who is being bullied by his classmates so she wraps some cinnamon in newspaper and tucks it in his turban to help him make friends. In another instance, she gives fennel to a woman who is being abused by her husband because it is believed that fennel will help take power from one person and give it to another when they both eat it at the same time. 

As you can see Tilo is effectively the Indian equivalent of a Rootworker. Whereas Rootworkers work with roots and herbs, Tilo works with the spices native to India. In fact, Tilo has a special relationship with the spices in that she speask to them and they speak to her in return. Again, rootworkers and other magical practitioners  often develop relationships not with the roots and herbs per se but with the spirit within them. In my personal practices, I often meet with the spirit of any number of plant spirits in the dream time to learn how to use them for any number of purposes. 

Tilo and the spices have a working relationship - that is - so long as she obeys the rules of her tradition. For example, she is not allowed to leave the shop for any reason. Nor is she allowed to use the spices for personal gain. Finally, she is not allowed to fall in love with anyone. However, this being a work of fiction I don't have to tell you that Tilo eventually breaks all of these rules. 

The author drew upon the rich traditions of India and the relationship they have with their spices to craft this wonderful, magical story.  After all no Indian kitchen is complete without a Masala Dabba. The Mistress of Spices gives us a Sister-Tradition to Rootwork and Witchcraft albeit a fictional one and the novice rootworker can learn a lot of how the relationship with the plant spirits and the human from this novel. 

- Carolina Dean 

New Moon in Virgo

 

New Moon in Virgo 

8/27/22 1:17 AM 

Whole Houses 

The New Moon in Virgo

When the New Moon is in Virgo people generally experience feelings of being more humble, they want to be of service to others, but they can also be more critical and discriminating. People want to improve their routines, refine their processes, and make everything efficient and running smoothly. Since Virgo rules both health and work, this new moon is good for starting a new diet or health regime. Its important that you don't attempt to make too many changes too quickly or you may not stick to you program, instead focus on making small, but powerful, changes over time.  This is also a good time to organize or improve your work environment and you relationships with your co-workers.

General Suggestions for Working With New Moon in Virgo Energy

• practice humility
• be of service to others
• balance your checkbook, double check your taxes
• catch up on any record-keeping
• read a murder mystery, or solve a crossword puzzle (in ink)
• invite a friend over for a game of chess, scrabble, or mahjong
• start the process of spring cleaning
• declutter & organize your home or work space to be more efficient
• prune and water your plants
• engage in journaling, writing, or editing that needs to be done

The House is Where it Happens

The Astrological House in which the New Moon occurs in your Natal Chart gives an indication of the area of life activated by the New Moon and where you can expect to see the energy of the New Moon in Virgo to play out. Since the September New Moon occurs in 25° Virgo, you would look at your Natal, or Birth Chart to ascertain in what House 25° Virgo occurs.

The Twelve Houses of Life

1. The self, ego, appearance, initiative, leadership, fresh starts and new beginnings.
2. Money and material matters.  Your physical environment, income, money, and your sense of self-esteem.
3. Communication in all its forms (thinking, writing, speaking, etc... ) as well as siblings, local travel, teachers and community events.
4. Home, privacy, your basic sense of security, your mother, children, and your own ability to nurture others.
5. Creative expression, drama, attention, love, and romance.
6. Health and service to others. Your routine, diet, exercise and helpfulness to others.
7. Marriage, partnerships, and relationships of all kinds.  Contracts, business deals, etc...
8. Birth, death, sex, other people's money and property.
9. Expansion, the higher mind, foreign matters (languages, cultures, travel) luck, adventure, risk, philosophy, ethics and morals.
10. The public, fame, honors, reputation, awards, boundaries, rules, discipline, authority, the father.
11. Groups of people such as friends and associations, networking, social justice.  Originality, sudden unexpected events, invention, surprises, and all things futuristic.
12. Endings. Completion, tying up loose ends, old age, karma, making amends, and the afterlife. Imagination, creativity, poetry, and the subconscious mind.

Example

New Moon in Virgo and the 11th House

When the new moon occurs in your 11th house, you may spend more time with your friends and can be more vulnerable and open with them.  Now is a good time for networking or socializing for either business or pleasure.  You are attracted to anyone or anything that is new, unusual or different. The New moon in your 11th house also your annual wishing moon.

Aspects

Aspects, or relationships between planets, are another dimension of astrological interpretation that should be considered. In my own chart, the New Moon at 04° Virgo is applying a square to my Natal Neptune at 04³ Sagittarius. Under this aspect your personal energy levels may not be at maximum strength, however, the urge to do good things is strong. You are attracted to things of the spirit and spirituality. You may have a mystical experience. 

Where does the New Moon in Virgo fall in your natal chart and how will it manifest for you?

Carolina Dean

Mercury in Libra

 

Mercury in Libra 

8/25/22 6:03 PM 

Whole Houses 

Mercury in Libra (General)

When Mercury is in Libra, people are generally more charming and diplomatic and are more interested in the relationships in their lives.  Their communication skills improve and they are open to learning new subjects. They are more willing to talk about social contracts, the listen to the "other side" and compromise on important issues.

The House where Libra falls in your chart is the area of life that will most be affected by Mercury in Libra

• If your rising sign is Aries, Libra is your 7th house
• If your rising sign is Taurus, Libra is your 6th house
• If your rising sign is Gemini, Libra is your 5th house
• If your rising sign is Cancer, Libra is your 4rd house.
• If your rising sign is Leo, Libra is your 3rd house
• If your rising sign is Virgo, Libra is your 2nd house.
• If your rising sign is Libra, Libra is your 1st house
• If your rising sign is Scorpio, Libra is your 12th house
• If your rising sign is Sagittarius, Libra is your 11th house
• If your rising sign is Capricorn, Libra is your 10th house
• If your rising sign is Aquarius, Libra is your 9th house
• If your rising sign is Pisces, Libra is your 8th house.

Example

Mercury in Libra and the 12th House

When Mercury is in Libra and the 12th house you are ambivalent about sharing your thoughts and ideas with others. On the one hand you want to want to share your secrets while on the other hand you want to keep them to yourself. There is an underlying fear here of being judged wrongly for your thoughts and so for this reason you tend to think more than you speak and reserve sharing your opinion on matters that arise.

Aspects 

Aspects, or relationships between planets, is another dimension of astrological interpretation that could and should be considered. For example, let us say that you have Pluto at 3° Libra, that would mean that Transit Mercury is applying a conjunction to your natal Pluto. A conjunction is a type of aspect in which the energy or urge of one planet merges with the energy/urge of another planet and you cannot tell them apart.

When Mars conjuncts Pluto your mind becomes stimulated and you can become obsessed with an idea that you can't shake; or you become driven with finding out the truth of any matter that interests you. There is depth to your thinking now and you can use this is an good aspect for research, study, and uncovering secret knowledge.

How will the ingress of Mercury into Libra manifest for you?

- Carolina Dean

Uranus Retrograde in 18° Taurus

 

Uranus Retrograde 

8/24/22 6:55 AM 

Natural Chart / Whole Houses 

Uranus RX in Taurus (General) 

Uranus does not do well in Taurus. Uranus is the rebel of the planets. It is associated with sudden and unexpected changes. Taurus is a fixed sign, known for being stubborn and he does not like to take chances.  In addition, Uranus is said to be exalted (enhanced) in Scorpio, which means it is in Fall in Taurus. When a planet is in Fall, it means that is is blocked and must find alternate means to express its urge and reach it's potential. 

Uranus's basic urge is overcome restraints so that it can enjoy greater freedom. With Uranus transiting the sector of the Natural Chart that rules over money, material matters, and personal values, we can expect people to seek out freedom from financial and monetary constraints. They don't want to be held down or back by their possessions. Their ideas about what they value may undergo a change resulting in a surprising and progressive attitude towards money and material things. 

How Uranus Retrograde in Taurus Affect You 

In order to determine the house that Uranus  in Taurus is transiting you look at your birth chart and determine what house aligns with Taurus. For example. 

• If your rising sign is Aries, Taurus is your 2nd House. 
• If your rising sign is Taurus, Taurus is your 1st House. 
• If your rising sign is Gemini, Taurus is your 12th House. 
• If your rising sign is Cancer, Taurus is your 11th House. 
• If your rising sign is Leo, Taurus is your 10th House. 
• If your rising sign is Virgo, Taurus is your 9th House. 
• If your rising sign is Libra, Taurus is your 8th House. 
• If your rising sign is Scorpio, Taurus is your 7th House. 
• If your rising sign is Sagittarius, Taurus is your 6th House. 
• If your rising sign is Capricorn, Taurus is your 5th House. 
• If your rising sign is Aquarius, Taurus is your 4th House. 
• If your rising sign is Pisces, Taurus is your 3rd House

Example 

Uranus RX  + Taurus + 7th House 

 Uranus Retrograde in the 7th house of relationships can manifest as a rebellious desire to introduce change into your relationships (business and personal). You may want to change the nature of your relationships to something less conventional and more progressive.  If you are in a relationship, it could very well come to an end (unless the relationship is otherwise secure). If you are single, a relationship may begin and end quickly. Such as relationship may be experienced as a wild ride that distracts you from your usual routine. 

How will Uranus Retrograde manifest for you?