Dawne Kovan

Sky Watching Wisdom , Astrology

July 15, 2009
by Dawne Kovan
2 Comments

My Daily Sudoku “Aha” Moment – A metaphor for life.

Every morning, if I have the time, I like to do a Sudoku puzzle – and no matter what the difficulty level, I happily fill in the numbers until successful completion. I prefer to do the game online because it enables me to add and remove mistakes, etc, without cluttering and messing up the page, as in the newspaper versions.

For those of you who are not familiar with Sudoku – it is a Japanese number game designed to test and develop logical thinking. It is made up of 9 blank boxes, each of which has 9 blank squares within it. Depending on the difficulty level, certain squares will be filled in already for you. Each of the 9 boxes then must be filled in with the remaining digits – 1 to 9 – one only of each digit. The across and the down rows will also follow the same rule – one digit per row. And that’s it!

However, I have struggled for some time with the “hard’ and “very hard” categories, until I realised that the devil is in the detail. Each blank square in each box can have a number of values determined by the numbers already in the box or rows up and down, and the remaining numbers needed to complete them. So, it is vital to fill in the blank squares with the correct possibilities carefully and accurately – if not, you will throw the sequence off course and be unable to complete the game.

This morning, as I completed today’s “hard” category puzzle, I realised that here in front of me was a metaphor for life. I was learning something beyond a simple game of Sudoku – I was learning the most important lesson that life could teach me.

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July 13, 2009
by Dawne Kovan
Comments Off on More thoughts on this month’s Eclipses

More thoughts on this month’s Eclipses

From Edgar down in Oz. (This link opens in a new window)

A full Moon Lunar Eclipse has just taken place in ambitious Capricorn last July 7, which in case you didn’t notice yet, emphasizes your career and worldly activities, while the Jupiter/ Neptune conjunction this weekend July 11-12^th keeps your idealism and optimism in full bloom.

There is not an ounce of cynicism in this spiritual pairing! As feisty Mars enters communicative Gemini on Monday July 13, you have everything you need to sell an idea or convince anyone of anything!

You’ll have plenty of exciting ideas and stimulating conversations as Mercury, communications, plays favourably with Uranus, your friends and new meetings to go to, all this week! The Communicator, Mercury, enters dramatic Leo on July 17 — definitely a time for bold ideas. Make sure you break out of old patterns as the Sun, solar power energy, excites forward-thinking Uranus, for unexpected new social adventures by next weekend.

The Venus, romance and art planet, challenges Saturn, so don’t be too verbally critical for the next 10 days and it also means it is time to assess your most important relationships. Then, July 22 brings a solar eclipse in the last degree of Cancer and casts a huge spotlight on the security, family and home issues that are so important to this sign.

This Solar Eclipse is, and will be, the longest one for ages and carries enormous changes to all those ethic groups under dictatorship ruling powers through Russia, Iran, Pakistan, India and most of all China which is a Libran based Zodiac sign, currently under enormous challenge by Pluto thru Capricorn. This means that Australia under the sign of Capricorn is going to be tested in its relationship with China as already being reported. The challenge for China is to see itself in a changing world and the need to be more responsive and flexible.

The 11^th to 30^th October has Mars over this point to trigger the most progressive changes ever seen in China’s history! This is the year that could see the most earthquakes in Asian history!

It will also herald a change in the political leaders (in particular the Liberal Party) of ACT and South Australia and possibly the Northern Territory which are under Capricorn energies! We shall await the outcome of the present difficulties (under Mercury’s rule over the trickster email issues) with interest.

July 13, 2009
by Dawne Kovan
Comments Off on Letting go of fear – and how we can change our lives

Letting go of fear – and how we can change our lives

Just as the ancient Chinese curse suggested, we are living in interesting times – all of us – and that includes you, me, the people next door, the Prime Minister, the US President, and the person who empties our garbage bins – or ‘buckets’ as they are called here in Fife, where I am right now.

And the way we respond to what’s going on in the world comes out of who we are. So, if we are filled with dread by the reports of doom and gloom in the various news media, then we need to change the dread into some other feeling that can enable rather than disable us.

We have an old maxim that the leopard cannot change its spots – and maybe it can’t because it has a leopard’s consciousness that keeps it camouflaged in the jungle in order to survive. We humans are different in that we have another kind of consciousness, however, the above maxim is repeatedly churned out and it keeps us believing it. This in fact means that most people have no idea that they can actually change anything about their lives, least of all themselves – and in fact, don’t even realise that there exists a self to change. I think that’s where the panic can set in – if we feel cut off from ourselves – then how can we be effective?

The show that’s keeping us all enthralled on our screens and in the newspapers may not be as serious as they try make out. I know that many people feel they have less money right now and fewer options than we thought we had last year – however, unless we’re living in a war zone, no one’s dying and there are no bombs falling from the sky attempting to annihilate us.

So, the question has to be – what do we want? And how can we make it happen?

This is being bandied about in all the “Self help” media at the moment – and I think that while these are fair questions to ask, they may also miss the point.

What’s more to the point is to ask – what is the meaning of my life? Why do I feel so ineffective? And how can I stop feeling as if I’m on that hamster wheel just going round and round until I fall off it?

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July 2, 2009
by Dawne Kovan
2 Comments

The Door Unlocked – An Astrological Insight into Initiation

A book by Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki and Stephanie Norris 113 pages £11 at Amazon

There have been many books written about the Western Esoteric Tradition that describe its roots and practices – Alice Bailey, Gurdjieff, Steiner, etc. And each of them is taught through the lens (and personality) of each particular teacher.

This book is different from all of those as it explains exactly what Initiation into a particular group is – in this case, the Servants of the Light School of Occult Science (SOL). This part of the book is written by Ashcroft-Nowicki – and is a good insight to what Initiation actually implies. The introduction by Herbie Brennan does a good job on laying down the groundwork for newbies to these ideas.

What it means to each Initiate as they go through the ranks is very cleverly approached in the sections written by co-author Norris, herself both an Initiate of the SOL and a professional astrologer. Who better, in fact, to undertake such a work?

Norris uses the birth chart of each subject and links it with a chart for the actual moment of the initiation ceremony. In other words, it is a simple examination of how a moment in time impacts on the life of a particular individual, and as such is a masterly description of the effects of the planets in real time, taken from a more esoteric angle. The same can be done for anyone entering any kind of spiritual undertaking, e.g. ordination, or any other meaningful event.

The conclusions that Norris draws offer teaching tools for any astrologer to learn from, whether one is interested in Initiation or not. I recommend it as an unusual book, coming at us from a little known angle, full of wisdom and information both for the student and advanced practitioner alike

July 2, 2009
by Dawne Kovan
Comments Off on More on the Eclipses from Oz

More on the Eclipses from Oz

Solar Eclipse by Edgar Winter – my Australian AstroPal – with thanks

The next new moon Cancer ‘Eclipse’ at 29 degrees in that sign is the 22^nd July!

Now the age bracket of those born 1935 through to 1941 are about to feel the effect of that ‘Eclipse’ strongly from now over the next 2-3 months at least!

They were born with Pluto in the sign of Cancer at the tail end of that sign or early Leo in the first couple of degrees.

This was the generation (aged now 67 to 75) born at the end of a fearful depression and the beginning of WW2! With similar world events at hand it would be helpful for that generation to lift up the hearts of those depressed now and tell them that they succeeded and came through against all odds. To keep healthy they need to be in good unpolluted, unspoilt environment and assisting friends or charities that need their services.

The group centred around the year 1941 may have throat or afflictions affecting the Thyroid gland and metabolic system. This in ‘metaphysical’ language was a time of being restricted and unable to speak freely and there was a possibility of chemical or radiation poisoning. Also it was a time of stubborn resistance to change and seeking others help so this reacts strongly around the neck, throat and lung areas of the body.

Anyway that is what the planets are saying now and you may find some with those planetary correspondences.

June 30, 2009
by Dawne Kovan
Comments Off on Astrology for Grown-ups, July 2009

Astrology for Grown-ups, July 2009

Eclipses in July/August

There are no fewer than 3 eclipses occurring in July and early August – a Total Solar eclipse bracketed by two Lunar eclipses. The size of this eclipse and therefore its power, could make it the most important solar eclipse in the 21st Century, according to some astronomers. Certainly it is the longest in duration occurring between 1991 and 2032.

There are other more technical reasons why this eclipse is noteworthy described by the Moon’s perigee and syzygy – but quite frankly, if you want to know more about that, then take a look at Guy Ottewell’s “Astronomical Calendar 2009”.

As you should know by now, my interests lie a little closer to home – to you and me, to our families and to national events. However, I do think a little information could be useful for deepening your understanding of this wonderful phenomenon called an eclipse.

Basically a Solar Eclipse is a very special New Moon. A New Moon is when the Sun and Moon are together in the same zodiac sign – this happens regularly every month – what makes an eclipse is when the body of the Moon sits between the Earth and the Sun, and effectively disrupts the flow of sunlight coming to us for a brief period of time. As the earth turns, the shadow thus created shows up as a slick of darkness moving across the planet. Each eclipse creates a shadow on a different part of the earth – across different nations – and focuses the cosmic energy patterns there.

On the International level

The shadow of the upcoming eclipse of 22nd July, 2009 (GMT date) swings across India and China, which would indicate that those nations will be where the cosmic energy is at its strongest and most intense. However, last August, the eclipse that heralded the Olympic Games also fell across China, as will the next eclipse of January, 2010, which will begin in West Africa (where China has interests) and swing across India and up past Beijing, pulling in Korea and Japan.

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May 25, 2009
by Dawne Kovan
Comments Off on More Pluto in Capricorn

More Pluto in Capricorn

Pluto has really started as he means to go on through his sojourn over the next 17 years in Capricorn – particularly, though not exclusively, focusing on the countries ruled by Capricorn: UK, Mexico, Australia and Afghanistan.

Remember the themes that this combination represents are: Pluto = power, destruction and transformation, force majeure, birth, death and rebirth; and Capricorn = the State, it’s oldest institutions, such as ruling families, governments, big businesses, tried and tested methods, traditions, conventions and old age.

Here in the UK we are watching in horror as Pluto strips bear our most treasured of institutions, our Parliament. Politicians and even ministers are being found to have had their hands in the public purse for years and it is now being brought into the light. The problem that we now have is that the various tabloid media are mindlessly whipping up support for a general election before the issue has been fully addressed – which may mean that the very right wing BNP (British National Party) could benefit from this and gain a great deal of power. It’s fascism by the back door and very, very worrying – however, typical of Pluto in Capricorn.

For more on Pluto in Capricorn please see my previous article on this blog.

A small side issue that fits in with the above symbolism is the impending birth of a child, here in the UK, to a mother who is 66 years old. Well, how about that for transformation of old age? Rather her than me, but hey! Good luck to her, I say…..

Saturn changed direction last week so will move ahead quickly to oppose Uranus again through September and then heading off into Libra, where it really is at its happiest. The global financial situation will be on everyone’s mind again and will continue to be an issue right through 2010.

May 25, 2009
by Dawne Kovan
Comments Off on Cosmic Influences – Your Grown-up Astrology Pages June 2009

Cosmic Influences – Your Grown-up Astrology Pages June 2009

NB – The readings below can either be read from your Sun Sign – ie your birthday – or your Ascendant sign, which is calculated form your time of birth. Try also reading it from your Moon Sign, as Hindu astrologers suggest.

Don’t know your Moon Sign? Get your FREE Sun/Moon combination reading and discover how your emotions impact with your ambitions to create your unique life path. Just email me your birth date, time and place and I’ll email it back to you FREE!!!

Aries : 21st March – 20th April This New Moon falls in your Solar 3rd House bringing you a month of short journeys, possibly visiting your siblings, and/or rushing around your neighbourhood. You are full of ideas and the action all takes place on the mental plane, so this is a month of getting all your paperwork sorted out, emails answered and maybe even doing some public speaking. In other words this month is about communication, through whatever channels are available to you. Your exuberance is softened this month by the lovely Venus getting ever closer to your ruler Mars. Relationships are in your face this month – however, the reality of what’s going on will begin to cut through the dream and bring it down to earth by mid-June. This will enable you to judge whether the cost is really worth it for you. The slow moving energy in your workplace will begin to dissipate and a new lightness takes over – it could be useful to look at some of those ideas that you shelved a while ago and see if any of them have legs now.

Taurus: 19th April – 20th May This month’s New Moon colours your Solar House of financial matters. While your sign is said to be very steady with money, you can and do make sudden surprising decisions that can have you splashing out beyond your comfort zone on the odd occasion – and this month could be one of those times. There’s nothing wrong with that per se, just as long as you don’t over-stretch your budget and leave yourself out on a limb moneywise. The two relationship planets, your ruler Venus and her counterpart Mars are coming out of your closet and are going to be out for the whole world to see. Just make sure that you are in control of the amount of publicity you are comfortable with before you come clean. This could be the month that your sense of commitment to a passion of one kind or another is put to the test – if you really love it, him or her, then go for it.

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April 26, 2009
by Dawne Kovan
Comments Off on Cosmic Influences – Your Grown-up Astrology Pages May 2009

Cosmic Influences – Your Grown-up Astrology Pages May 2009

NB – The readings below can either be read from your Sun Sign – ie your birthday – or your Ascendant sign, which is calculated form your time of birth. Try also reading it from your Moon Sign, as Hindu astrologers suggest.

Don’t know your Moon Sign? Get your FREE Sun/Moon combination reading and discover how your emotions impact with your ambitions to create your unique life path. Just email me your birth date, time and place and I’ll email it back to you FREE!!!

Please note that this year is a Leap year, which means that a day has been added to the calendar. so, you may notice that the beginning and end dates in some cases are a day earlier than usual. The Full Moon in Libra, that traditionally heralds Easter, always presents relationship matters in your face, whatever your sign happens to be.

Aries : 21st March – 20th April This month is high octane with people coming and going in your social circle – even bringing a little romance into your life. Mars and Venus both dance across the cosmos in your Solar 1st House – so it’s all about YOU – isn’t it always? It could all get a little intense so just be careful that you don’t say something you may regret later. On 7th May, Mercury goes backwards in your Solar 2nd House – offering you plenty of opportunities to get all your financial paperwork sorted out and up to date. Something that you may have overlooked will present itself – remember the devil is in the detail – and how much do you hate details? Just bite the bullet and get it done – you’ll feel so much better. The New Moon in Taurus is really focusing your personal values and finances – just watch that you don’t overspend on something that’s not really worth it in the long run.

Taurus: 19th April – 20th May – see below

Gemini: 20th May – 20th June – The Taurus New Moon falls in your Solar 12th House which tends to mean that you will have to stick to your regular routines and put socialising on the back burner for a few weeks. If you are working on a project that needs a lot of research, then this is the ideal combination to help you do that. Your ruling planet Mercury, the communicator will do a backwards flip as well in the same Solar House – so get your head down and study. This is not the time to make any major changes in your work situation – if you feel that life is too much with you of late, then a little escapist activity, such as writing, painting or even dancing could help you de-stress. Venus and Mars in your Solar 11th House could bring some new friends into your circle – but you may find that until the month is over you can’t really give them much time or energy.

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April 26, 2009
by Dawne Kovan
Comments Off on Happy Birthday Taurus!

Happy Birthday Taurus!

Taurus is ruled by Venus, planet of beauty, sensuality and art. It is a fixed earth sign and therefore you can be very resistant to moving or making decisions quickly. This month, however, Venus is sitting in Aries with Mars – and when these two planets come together – well, romance could be in the air – or certainly all relationships are intensified and made much more dramatic than usual. This trend is likely to last for a couple of weeks, and so if you feel uncomfortable with all that heat – tough! It’s happening for a reason and will clear a lot of your social life out for you – things that you have been putting up with and doing about them. Now is the time to get moving.

Venus has been moving very slowly these last couple of months, and actually doesn’t pick up much speed for another month yet. As it is in your Solar 12th House, you may feel that you are still in the dark about certain things. If you are in a situation where you have to keep things under your hat for whatever reason this could pile on the frustration; but with the New Moon now in your sign, you can at least begin to map out a possible plan of action for the future.

Life does get interesting, though, as Mercury, planet of communication, begins his backward glance into Taurus on 7th May. This could bring a month of your past coming into your present and creating a new future for you. So, people whom you thought long gone or ideas that you put on the back burner could just come up trumps this months.

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April 26, 2009
by Dawne Kovan
Comments Off on Venus/Pluto – more thoughts

Venus/Pluto – more thoughts

This month’s short piece that I wrote about the Venus/Pluto myth working its way through the skies gives us a rare glimpse of how “collective” patterns as represented by Uranus, Pluto and Neptune can trigger off major political events worldwide.

The reason that I think that this is a key time in our history is because not only do we have the above Venus/Pluto story but we also have Jupiter, Neptune and Chiron coming together for the first time since 1946/7. They were in Libra then, the sign of balance, justice and harmony. It was a period of licking our wounds and attempting to reshape a broken and beaten up world – I wonder what the relevance will be this time around?

So, if we put the energies of these three slow moving planets together – at the end of Aquarius, by the way – we can begin to see something much bigger beginning to emerge as a possible scenario. Jupiter is the great exaggerator – he magnifies and enlarges whatever other planet he touches; Neptune rules religious beliefs; and Chiron, the Cosmic Shaman, is so new to our astrological palette, that there are a number of different possible interpretations of its behaviour and effects.

Anyway, linking the inflation of Jupiter with the imagination and religion of Neptune and Chiron’s drive to heal all in his own maverick manner – we can easily see something beginning to be played out here. The conjunction this time is in humanitarian Aquarius – the sign of decency, democracy and social equality. Let’s just hope it brings a swelling of humanitarian hearts and enables the powers that be to respond in a manner that leaves us all feeling somewhat better about life.

April 24, 2009
by Dawne Kovan
Comments Off on From my Astro Pal, Edgar Winter in Australia

From my Astro Pal, Edgar Winter in Australia

Another awesome TRIPLE conjunction is gaining steam, like a gathering storm of divine discontent- discontent with the status quo, backed by a huge surge into a new collective visioning. Jupiter, the Wisdom-Keeper, Chiron the Quantum-Shift Shaman, and Neptune, the Invisible Dreamer are coming closer and closer together in Aquarius, exact on May 27 and again July 10. The challenge is to lift ourselves above anxiety-ridden confusion and sense of hopelessness. The high side is a quickening of spirituality in the global mindset and heart set.

The coming of this conjunction surely contributed to the Susan Boyle phenomenon, the Scottish woman who has broken internet records with the popularity of her rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” seen on ‘YouTube’.

If the above video doesn’t play (due to embedding restrictions) then click on the following link to open the youtube page in a new window: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OcQ9A-5noM

This conjunction is on the South Node of her chart, which means that she is naturally channelling the quality of this energy. This triple conjunction has not happened since 1945-46 – think about that year on the global stage! It was then in Libra, but before Chiron was discovered and became a more available archetypal factor.

For more on Edgar’s work please see astroclairvoyant.com

April 24, 2009
by Dawne Kovan
Comments Off on Venus/Pluto – coming out of the darkness into the light

Venus/Pluto – coming out of the darkness into the light

I was wondering how the ongoing square of Venus and Pluto would manifest on the world stage – remember ANY planetary aspect involving the outer planets will have world wide implications. The aspect first began its 3 month long, extremely difficult relationship in the first week of February, 2009 and is still resonating in the skies right now.

It is the archetypal aspect of kidnap and abduction of a young innocent woman by a power that is determined to win at all costs.

It took its time for us all to be alerted to the holding of Roxana Saberi by the Iranian authorities – apparently she was able to work officially in Iran as a journalist for 6 years, until her work permit apparently ran out at the end of January 2009. Then it seems she was arrested – accused first of all of buying a bottle of wine, which is illegal in Iran; then accused of not having a press permit; and finally denounced as a US spy, put on trial, found guilty and is now in prison, where she is threatening to go on hunger strike.

For those of us who know the story of Persephone’s abduction by Pluto, Lord of the Underworld – embodied right now in the sky by Venus, the young woman, in hard aspect to Pluto ……. Pluto held Persephone below ground for months as she languished on hunger-strike until her mother, Demeter, managed to persuade Mercury, he of the slick-tongue, to speak on her daughter’s behalf, and bring her out of the darkness into the light of day.

Interestingly, Venus is now at the beginning of Aries schmoozing with Mars, the warrior – could this indicate a very tricky situation with a great deal of sabre rattling between the US and Iran. Could she be the trigger for more action than we might need in the Middle East right now? Will Hillary Clinton, in the role of Demeter manage to sweet talk the Iranians into letting this young woman go free – or not?

Well, well, well. The myths are truly alive and living in our midst, are they not?

March 30, 2009
by Dawne Kovan
1 Comment

Do schools kill creativity?

If you haven’t already discovered this excellent video, take some time out and enjoy. Though this is a serious subject Sir Ken discusses, his dry wit will have you rolling on the floor in agony!

I have also written a review of his book “The Element – How finding your passion changes everything”. you will find that below the video.

This book is both inspiring and uplifting, written with great passion and love by a writer who is obviously in his “Element”. Robinson, or Sir Ken I suppose I should call him, is an educator; not a teacher – but someone who seeks to bring out the best in all young people and who sees that while some teachers may do this, education systems around the world do not seem to.

Although this may sound dry – actually it is anything but, as the book is peppered with the stories of those whom the education system failed and who climbed out of that failure to become world leaders in their chosen fields. People like Paul McCartney, with whom Sir Ken is on the board of directors of LIPA (Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts); Gillian Lynne, tutor and principal ballerina at the Royal Ballet and choreographer of Cats and Phantom of the Opera; Matt Groening of The Simpsons; and many, many, more.

The complete title of the book is “The Element – How finding your passion changes everything”. Sir Ken expects that the aim of all education – private, public, state or home-based – should be to honour the Element within each child on an individual basis. If that is not achieved then the schooling children receive at age 5 may continue to teach them to be cogs in an Industrial Revolution model, but it may not fit them for careers that don’t even exist yet in a tomorrow that is way off our scale of imagining today.

The need for inspired young people, who live in their Element, their passion, is never more than now. However, the book is written with love and warmth rather than being a rant – worth reading, I think.

See below how to order your copy.

March 23, 2009
by Dawne Kovan
Comments Off on Happy birthday, Aries!

Happy birthday, Aries!

There’s lots of action – your favourite word! – happening in Aries right now. Mercury and Venus as well as the New Moon and Sun are happily moving through your sign. Mercury has his winged boots on again so is zipping through in about 3 weeks; Venus, on the other hand, is going backwards, so gets to bring you more than relationship and friendship fun for a lot longer than you would usually expect.

Venus is in Aries right now then takes a tiny visit back to Pisces for about 10 days in early to mid-April, and then re-enters Aries where she stays until early June. As a result you can expect your days to be filled with people – some new to you, and others coming from your past, who are likely to have a significant effect on your future. The fun really gets intensified through May when your ruling planet Mars comes along to join in -and we all know what can happen when Venus and Mars get together, don’t we?

Mars stays in a sign for about 6 weeks so can impact on your solar houses for about a year. These last few weeks Mars has been in your 12th solar House and will stay there almost to the end of April, so will have held your energies in check somewhat. This may not have been a bad thing, though a little frustrating sometimes, because it gives you the time you need to get down to doing the research that you’ve been putting off for some time.

Then, when Mars goes into Aries through May, this is a time of feeling right on target because you are armed with the information that you gleaned in April. It’s as if all your arrows are hitting the bull’s-eye dead centre – so focus your sights on whatever you choose and go for it! With Venus also being involved you will have to take someone else’s opinions into account, though – so get your negotiation skills activated – it’s a useful skill for you to learn.

June/July Mars is in Taurus, so you will be focusing your energies towards your financial status – or even take some old ideas out of the attic and revamp them to bring in some extra cash. Through the second half of July and through August, it’s the time for you to communicate your desires – maybe even learn some new skills to enable to teach what you already know.

September/October see Mars slowing down in Cancer – home matters are in your face – making you feel as if you’re on the back foot. You are having to curtail your own desires to help family members realise theirs. It could be a good time to take a rest and chill out – just let life happen around you instead of always driving things along.

From November until June 2010, Mars goes to and fro in your 5th house of creativity, children and enjoyment. So take the time to have some fun time, but just make sure that you keep a tight rein on all your expenses and maybe have a quieter Christmas than usual – we are living in straightened times this year and next. I say this because Mars also rules your Solar 8th House of joint finances and arrangements like mortgages – so you need to keep a good weather eye on what comes in and what goes out during this period.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though, you can still enjoy yourself as long as you don’t rush head first into 2010, tempting though it will be! It does promise to be a creative 6 month period for you and one that you will look back on in years to come.