Gemini Mercury Retrograde: Staying Grounded in a Hurricane

Here's a sampling of text messages, emails, and phone chats I've had over the last week, heralding the quirky and frustrating arrival of Mercury Retrograde in Gemini (May 18-June 11, 2015).

"My computer died. No, really. I took it into get fixed and it still DIED. Even though all the data has been replaced, it's all gibberish. I haven't slept in four days."

"My sister told me to email you and ask why one comment I innocently made to someone on Facebook has suddenly exploded. Now none of my friends are talking to me."

"My entire day was double booked. I want to fling myself from the top of a building."

And then the final icing on the cake: "We're in a Mercury in Retrograde, aren't we?"

Yes. Yes, we are.

Perhaps not "They're here" as Carol Anne says in the above clip from Poltergeist (1982), but "IT's HERE!" - until June 11, 2015, after which there's a shadow period of about two weeks where the effects will get lighter, before going away entirely.

Go ahead and back up your computer, your phone, your email account. Go ahead. I'll wait. Don't talk to anyone on the way. You'll just say something wrong and there will be an awkward exchange, probably with an ex- lover/friend/boss/coworker. It feels like you're speaking one language and everyone else is speaking quite another. 

Back from protecting all of your electronic files? 

We're in Mercury in Retrograde. Yes, again. The planet of communication goes backwards three times every year and this REALLY is one of those times. It's hurricane time.

Mercury in Retrograde means a few things. It means that communication can take a nose dive, computers commit hari kari, phones inexplicably lose power. My own brand new phone seems to have a keyboard that changes with the tides. Person A says something to us about Person B and before we know it, an accidental comment has gone from a light breeze of misinformation into a cyclone-level prime grade mine field.

Welcome to Mercury in Retrograde! 

This particular Retro is in Gemini. That means it's sort of a double whammy because Gemini is in its natural home - it's ruled by Mercury in the first place. 

Here's a survival guide.

DON'T (if you can help it)

*sign any new contracts

* buy any new technological items, cars, or large appliances

*get married, buy a house, or do any other big thing that can't be taken back during this period

* gossip - I promise, the information will get right back to the person being talked about

NOTE: If you absolutely MUST do these things during a Mercury Retro, find out about all escape clauses, warranties, and other "get out of jail free" information. You'll need it. If you're the one signing a client or, say, selling ad space or selling contracts to customers, make sure your client truly understands what he or she is signing. Otherwise, don't be surprised if the client has second thoughts.

DO:

- learn about options but don't sign anything

- revisit information, read, re-learn

- revisit or connect with old relationships or friendships from the past (yes, that may include past life connections or memories coming forth during a retrograde).

- reorganize/shift/clean

- communicate face to face and be as clear as possible

- be careful about any online communication

- if you must travel, double check all travel documents from tickets to luggage tags. If driving, have your AAA card on hand, just in case!

The big positive of Mercury in Retro, however, is that we have a chance to slow down. A friend of mine made a joke - "Of course we have to slow down if our phones have exploded and we can't get online because of ##%%%@&^ RETRO!" 

Fair enough. 

But Retro has many gifts on offer to us - new insight from old patterns. Old relationships or friendships may return. And trips taken in a retro may be fraught with the unexpected....but what's life without a little adventure?

Til next time,

Marissa

Full Moon in Scorpio on May 14 Forces Us to Our Depths

The Full Moon in Scorpio is an intense one! 

Thanks to the Full Moon in Scorpio on May 14, 2014, we're looking down the barrel of major change.

The Meaning of New Moons and Full Moons

A New Moon means that a situation is opening for us. New changes and chances which have to do with wherever the New Moon is are now alive for us. On the flip side, a Full Moon is kicking out old concepts and situations that are fueled by the Full Moon. In others words, New Moons start things; Full Moons bring endings or chances to let go.

The Full Moon in Scorpio on May 14, 2014

The Full Moon in Scorpio is forcing us to ask large questions about Scorpio topics: sex, death, soul mates, gut-level seismic changes - and asking us what we need to drop or get rid of. What needs a major clear out? With the Full Moon settling in Scorpio for this night, we're being asked by the universe if we have passion and intensity in our lives. Are our souls happy? With the Full Moon in Scorpio, we're karmically charged with fulfilling our own joy at the spiritual, foundational level. If it's shallow, it won't pass muster.  What has to go so that we can be truly happy? What must we create?

What You Need to Know

With the Full Moon in Scorpio, we must

* Lean in

*Dive deep

*Go to the depths 

*Get real

* Follow heart and emotions which will help us process this intensity

---- about the level of deep joy and passion in our lives. Are we living our lives from an authentic and joyful place? Or are we content to stay on the surface with pleasures that don't touch our soul?

Other Planets Contributing To This

The Sun in Taurus is holding up the other end of pleasure: what are our senses doing? Are we happy in our bodies? Are we able to GROW money, not just put it in the bank? 

Saturn in Scorpio is conjunct to this Full Moon in Scorpio. Saturn ties in these Full Moon lessons into deep questions about life lessons and karmic realities. Saturn teaches us Big Lessons and this Saturn is showing us that this Full Moon in Scorpio offers us powerful lessons about our spiritual realities and what needs to change in order to bring us fulfillment. 

Saturn in Scorpio links up with two other planets to form a Grand Trine in three planets: Jupiter in Cancer (luck in dealing...with family) and Chiron (the sign of the wounded healer) in Pisces, indicating that this is a great time of luck and healing deep wounds around personal dreams.

Want to know how this impacts your personal chart? Contact me for a reading.

New Moon in Scorpio - "Dig Deep! Power Up!"

New Moon in Scorpio on October 26, 2011!

(Happy birthday Scorpio? Want a reading? Go here or check out our Facebook page!

The Scorpio New Moon occurs at 3 degrees at 3:57 pm on October 26, 2011.

Scorpio shines a spotlight on the darker areas of our lives. Scorpio energy is powerful, passionate, intense, spiritual, and amazingly strong. The negative side of Scorp? Obsessive, controlling, and dark. We've got this powerful, powerful placement in the New Moon tomorrow night and it will remain there for about 2.5 days. However, we'll be riding out the tide of the Scorpio New Moon for the next two weeks. 

New Moons open the door to manifestation. They ask if we can work with energy and give us a special astrological passport to accomplish and co-create with the universe, so we've got the wonderful chance to really manifest Scorpio issues (see list below) in the next two weeks. 

The Sun is in Scorpio - and the Scorpio New Moon will match it tomorrow night, giving us a double whammy of Scorpio energy. Enough to blast the door open. Enough to plow through hardship and come out, renewed. Enough to really, really, really dig deep and get moving. There's a Facebook image based on the Occupy Wall Street Movement. It's called Occupy the Present and the caption is "Dig deep. Power up!" If I tried, I could not think of a more perfect saying for the New Moon in Scorpio. "DIG DEEP. POWER UP." Bingo! Allow yourself to pay attention to where you are and what you want. Be as authentic as possible.

The New Moon in Scorpio gives you power in the following (Scorpio themed) areas:

• psychological change
• courage 
• the ability to go into the dark and come out into the light
• exploration of your inner self
• rebirth
• regeneration
• personal clarity
• passion - that starts with the spirit
• healing, primarily deep psychological or sexual healing since both psychology and sex are ruled by Scorpio

What else is going on with this New Moon?:

Scorpio energy cleanses the old stuff and breaks it down, so that the new stuff can be born. On October 28, 2011, two days after this Scorpio New Moon, Jupiter (in sensual, earthy, grounded Taurus) trines Scorpio's ruler Pluto (in cranky, slow-moving, status-loving Capricorn). (Some believe that is the actual day that the Mayan calendar ends and projects us into an early "2012" - setting the stage for some major growth potential, both collectively and individually).

What does this mean? Basically the planet of luck (Jupiter) and the planet of the underworld and massive change (Pluto) are joining forces to bring great expansion and luck (a Jupiter quality) as the universe cleans out its closets in order to make room for the new (a Pluto quality) . In other words? Anything you want to drag up from your own personal underworld can only serve you and actually bring you luck and growth (although since Jupiter is in Retrograde until December 25, expect the major movement in this area to be after Christmas). 

Have any questions? Be sure to visit Happy Ganesh on Facebook or drop me an email here.

Image: Creative Commons

Full Moon in Pisces

We're in the Full Moon in Pisces for the next 2.5 days. The Full Moons present a challenge for us. Whereas New Moons start a chance to manifest a new situation, Full Moons ask us if we can integrate that specific energy into our New Moon (manifestation) plan.

This Full Moon in Pisces is especially poignant because of yesterday's anniversary of 9/11. It's been ten years since the world was rocked and New York stood tall and proud. Ten years of mourning, hope, prayers, and regrowth.

Along similar lines, the Full Moon in Pisces reminds us that we must maintain an internal connection to spirituality, regardless of what its earthy, opposite sign Virgo (now in the Sun) is doing. The Virgo Sun (and the recent Virgo New Moon) shows us the opportunity to integrate ourselves with the detail-oriented, material world. The Full Moon in Pisces reminds us that no "real world" interaction is fully complete without our emotions and connection to our spirituality, our compassion, and our imagination. Whatever house Pisces falls in your chart, you may see something end only to pave the way for something new.

To celebrate the Full Moon

• integrate your compassion and universal humanity into your business plan or other "earthy" endeavour
• work with children or animals
• ask that blocks to your compassion/humanity be removed

In Full Moons, the astrological monthly tide is going out. What elements would you like to be removed?

Til next time,
Marissa

Jeff Brown: Union from Disharmony.

Jeff Brown at Soulshaping.com is a profound and gorgeous writer. He wrote two pieces that moved me, made me ache, and really made me feel into whatever it is that teaches us about old relationship patterns - with ourselves and with lovers.

He articulates with great beauty, empathy, and intelligence, the masks, images, and divides that we create - and the extent that self-love and understanding can heal the split within. I also feel these essays are relevant, no matter what your sexual orientation is.

Apologies to the Divine Feminine (from a warrior in transition)

Apologies to the Sacred Masculine (the letter this warrior in transition would like to receive)



These are not mine. All copyrights belong to Jeff Brown at Soulshaping.com. I post his links out of gratitude and a desire to share their honesty and bravery.

Why am I moved to post them now? It could be the upcoming New Moon and Eclipse in Cancer, symbolising our own inner change in relation to nurturance and mothering - and the way the cosmos seem to be creating a gameplan to create change and new, daring foundations. It could be that the more I learn about my own disharmonies and inner unions, the more I become curious about ways to heal and/or celebrate them.  And the more I become curious about the ways we can heal each other, through our own self-understanding and love.

Image: Creative Commons

What's a Happy Ganesh? And...Happy Birthday Cancer!

***If you're reading this through email, please click through to view the Youtube videos!**

We're going to explore two things in this post.
1) What's a Happy Ganesh? What do we do? We've got the answer for you below.

and 2) Happy Birthday Cancer!!!!! Scroll to the bottom to get some information and some fun youtube videos all about you and your qualities!

What is a "Happy Ganesh"?

We sometimes get this question, usually followed by "isn't a Ganesh one of those things you buy at a deli?" No, that's a knish.

Here's Who We Are

Happy Ganesh is a firm dedicated to educating and empowering people through creative writing consulting and grounded and confidential astrological and intuitive sessions. Happy Ganesh encourages and supports our 200 + clients to use both left and right sides of their brain in order to achieve joy and confidence in their lives. HG is also an active community supporter for Gilda's Club, a cancer support network, and The Harvey Milk School in New York, devoted to the safety of GLBT youth.

From writing to astrology and back again - that's who we are.
---------------------

And it's all about Cancer - because it's time to celebrate the crab.

Cancers are best known for their sensitivity, their orientation towards family and their love of music -which is in part what we're going to celebrate tonight.

1) Here's Cancer Ringo Star singing "It Don't Come Easy."

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZfAik7wP8U

2) Here's Cancer Mercury Rufus Wainwright (with help from Shrek) singing "Hallelujah" - a great example of Cancer's natural spirituality.



3) Cancer Suzanne Vega got this catchy/annoying beat into everyone's head in the 90s - Here's "Tom's Diner" - all about one of Cancer's favorite things, food.



4) Cancer Sun George M. Cohan was best known as the "Yankee Doodle Dandy."

Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse on June 15!

We're heading into a double set of energy -- a Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse in Sag (at 25 degrees, starting around 1:12 pm tomorrow.)

• The Full Moon in Sagittarius: As always, Full Moons close out the manifestation stages opened in the New Moon in Gemini. My regular readers will remember that I often compare the New Moon to opening a cosmic door and the Full Moon to closing a door, or being active about the goals/manifestations. With a Full Moon in Sag, our sense of the larger picture may be challenged. We may not be able to see the garden for the flower - and we may have no idea how we'll  get to There from Here. (The key is to listen to your heart.) Typical questions asked during this kind of Sag energy are philosophical -- as if you're being asked to walk in a strange landscape.
• Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius: Lunar energy is all about trusting your emotions (and since it's Lunar, signifigant relationships with women may end or take on a transformative nature). Ties may be cut or relationships may change, depending on where Sag hits your chart.

HOW IT AFFECTS YOU

If you have Sag in your _________ house, it's like that part being lit up with neon signs, making it very important for this time.

Astrology Mad Libs

I have Sag in my _____ house which means I'll experience possible endings and renewals around the areas of ________.

For example

I have Sagittarius in A) my 1st house, which means I'll experience possible endings and renewals in the areas of B) Self perception.

Plug in the stems below



A                                          B

Sag in the 2nd house         Money issues.

Sag in the 3rd?                      Communication or writing abilities.

Sag in the 4th?                           Home and Family

Sag in the 5th?                          Love and children

Sag in the 6th?                         Health and work

Sag in the 7th?                        Relationships, open enemies, and the “other” in relationships

Sag in the 8th?                     Sex, death, money that you inherit or receive, tax money, debt                                                            money, loan money

Sag in the 9th?                      Philosophy and travel

Sag in the 10th?                    Career path

Sag  in the 11th?                      Friends and group associations

Sag in the 12th?                     Secrets and spiritual connections such as dreams. Giving                                                                 your time and energy to this area of your life will align yourself                                                         more powerfully.





Til Next time,

Marissa

Photo Credit: By Jacopo Montano (Creative Commons)

Inspiration

I'm sitting here listening to my friend April Claxton, CEO of The Movement Within being interviewed by Nate Klarfield  about her children's book Goodnight Just the Same (listen below). It's a project that's getting a lot of attention - and one I've very excited to have edited.

Nate Klarfield Interviews my friend April Claxton on Stonewall Live about Goodnight Just the Same

I'm truly inspired right now. I've watched April grow and change throughout the two years I've known her - and this truly speaks to me. Imagine all the ways we can learn to become present - if we allow it.

I'm on the cusp of a large self-change myself. The more I am involved in this work, the more I am starting to realize that - after all - the two worlds of education and intuition are not separate. No "worlds" are separate. They are as united in the world as we are united in ourselves. Nothing is outside of us. I talked to a close friend of mine the other evening about life change. She said "I'm doing what I'm meant to do." How many of us can say that?

Can you say that? Can I?

How deeply can you own yourself? Your sexuality? Your creativity? What makes you YOU?

I own myself today. I own all sides of me and all parts of me - the parts that have worked in corporate, the parts that have worked as a medium and astrologer, and the parts of me that haven't felt united. That's my goal - to accept and not just LOVE myself - but to get excited about what I'm here to do and my life.

That's my dare for all of us this week.

Live your truth. Make it one with yourself. It is WHO YOU ARE. Dance in it. Own it. Do what you came here to do. Period.

-----------------------------

News and  Changes

It's coming!!!!!!!! The August 4th Tricking the Goddess Poetry Reading at Books and Books in Fort Lauderdale is coming! It will be at 6 pm. Mark your calendars. Those who came out to the reading at Hollywood Vine really enjoyed it.

Also, the Goddess Initiative party from June 18 has - due to a space issue - been canceled.

The Radio Shows - both the one on The Movement Within Channel Weds at 6:30 and the one that was meant to start on the Happy Ganesh channel on Monday have (ironically! changes!) been quieted until further notice

But this blog will still offer fantastic astrological, writing and inspirational information. No matter what changes Happy Ganesh undergoes, you can rely on this blog and on the clear, astrological and intuitive readings that I continue to offer.

I'd also like to thank everyone who reads this blog, especially to my clients. Since Happy Ganesh opened in 2009, you've helped us grow and change - and you've held the space for me as much as I've held the space for you.

---------------------------

Here are some questions to get you inspired.

1) What are you DOING to live your dream?

2) What are your blocks and fears around living your dream? Be specific.

3) What would you do if you were safe?

4) What would happen in your life if you were safe?

5) What is your ultimate goal in your life?

6) Be still and listen to your heart. What does it say?



All my love,

Marissa

New Moon - and Eclipse! - in Gemini

[caption id="attachment_207" align="aligncenter" width="180" caption="Gemini Eclipses and New Moons! (And no Bella or Edward in sight!)"][/caption]

Well, not only is this title very reminicent of those Stephanie Meyers books (Eclipse and New Moon, thank you very much), but there's a lot going on tomorrow in astrology.

First, an announcement -- due to my own eclipse-style life changes, the radio show is suspended until further notice. However, you can always hear our radio spot on CBS Radio, every Monday night at 6 pm!

We've got a New Moon and an Eclipse coming our way! The New Moon in Gemini will bring us a new chance to manifest. As always, a New Moon is when we've got a Sun in Gemini and a Moon in Gemini. New Moons open the door for the month and for possiblities for creation. We're being asked to create Gemini energy and we'll have specific luck in any of the following Gemini themed areas

• writing


• double lives (or two parts of your personality coming together)


• curiosity


• learning


• short distance travel


• intelligence


• teaching


• humor


• areas around healing with words


• healing your hands - or being gentle with your hands (Gemini rules hands)


• healing any doubts you may have about your communication skills

And - here's the biggie - this New Moon is also happening on the same night as a major solar eclipse in Gemini. Wherever you have Gemini in your chart is where you're going to feel fantastic changes starting to move your life. Eclipses are RAW POWER, baby. They change things and shake it up. Here's what else is going on. With Gemini in both Sun and Moon we're being guided throughout this process to see and feel clearly around issues that are Gemini in nature (social, writing, travel). We're also trine to Saturn in Libra, which says to me that we're going to actually get some help from the places we've been limited in the past. It is also sextile (friendly next door neighbors) to Uranus in Aries, the planet of change. Eclipses are a very, very big deal. They close doors and then open windows - they give us massive changes into new ways of life.

Another one of my favorite web astrologers, astrogrrl had this to say: "How has 2011 been for you so far? How much of it is what might have planned or expected? What of it are complete surprises or interesting turn of events?"

Here's some astrology Mad Libs for this one. If you want to get a free chart, go to astrolabe.com or astro.com. If you'd like to contact me for a personal reading, go here. I'm at your service.

Here's your Astrological Mad Libs:

For the New Moon and Eclipse in Gemini, I will feel a renewal (New Moon) and big shift (Eclipse) in the areas of.......

Gemini 1st house? Self perception

Gemini in the 2nd house? Money issues.

Gemini in the 3rd? Communication or writing abilities.

Gemini in the 4th? Home and Family

Gemini in the 5th? Love and children

Gemini in the 6th? Health and work

Gemini in the 7th? Relationships, open enemies, and the "other" in relationships

Gemini in the 8th? Sex, death, money that you inherit or receive, tax money, debt money, loan money

Gemini in the 9th? Philosophy and travel

Gemini in the 10th? Career path

Gemini  in the 11th? Friends and group associations

Gemini in the 12th? Secrets and spiritual connections such as dreams

 

No matter where the eclipse falls in your chart, expect changes of a transformative nature.

Happy Birthday, Gemini! "Together, Let's Explore the Stars."

[caption id="attachment_207" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="Happy Birthday, Gemini!"][/caption]Note: If you're reading this through email, please click through to the blog to experience the YouTube videos!

This blog is going to go a little quieter for the next few weeks (big changes at the home front), but I'll still update as much as I can.

In the meantime, Happy Birthday Gemini! Geminis are witty, clever, and fantastic with words. If you've got a Gemini Sun Sign or a Gemini Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, or Rising Sign (and if you're not sure, go to www.astro.com to check for free), that means that somewhere inside you, you contain a writer, a reporter, or a news anchor. My sources tell me that Lois Lane of Superman was a Gemini type.

Astrological guru and author of the classics Sun Signs and Love Signs, Linda Goodman said about Geminis "They are sharply satirical and they're more clever than just about anybody. Some Mercury types delight in disconcerting slower minds with their lightening fast mental processes."

From Tomb Raiders to presidents, there's quite a round up of writers, charmers, and quick-thinkers in this sign.

1) Wordy Gemini

From song-lyrics to heartfelt poems, Gemini types cut their teeth on words.

Judy Garland, a Gemini Sun, got under our skin with this classic song.

 



Other wordy wits?

The lyrics of Bob Dylan defined a generation in songs like the classic "The Times They Are a Changin'".



...and Gemini singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile covered it.



2) Charming and Impish Gemini

The iconic Marilyn Monroe made this showstopper famous



...and Gemini Nicole Kidman covered it in 2001's Moulin Rouge!



3) Versatile Gemini. Do you have a double-life like the average superhero? Gemini Angelina Jolie has made a career out of playing changeable heroines, as seen in this trailer from 2010's Salt.



4) Smartie-Pants Gemini

Sherlock Holmes author Sir Conan Doyle had a Gemini Sun, and the brainiac Gemini imprint can be seen all over his most famous character.



5) Political Gemini

Geminis have a way with words and a natural charm that helps to sway the public. It's no surprise that a lot of Geminis wind up in public life. Here's JFK encouraging the American people.



"Together, let us explore the stars." I think that's fitting for an astrology blog. ;-)

Want more? Contact me for an astrological or mediumship reading or purchase right from the site.

Happy birthday, Gemini!

Image: Cliff1066

CBS Spots and Two HG Radio Shows!

[caption id="attachment_179" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="The Happy Ganesh Radio Spot is UP on CBS RADIO!"][/caption]

The culmination of weeks of hard work is finally ready.

The official Happy Ganesh Radio Spot can be heard on April Claxton's CBS Radio show The Movement Within, Mondays at 6 pm.

*** To hear the CBS Spot, go to about 18 minutes, 7 seconds in.***

Amazing! A special thanks to April Claxton - who interviews Jillian Maas Backman author of Beyond the Pews on this episode. As always, Claxton is fantastic - and the interview with Mass Backman is very interesting!

Speaking of interesting, we've got TWO radio shows coming up!

1)  The Happy Ganesh Show: Starting Wednesday May 18th, The Happy Ganesh Show on blogtalkradio.com's  will air on The Movement Within channel. We'll talk about our two passions - astrology and writing/publishing! Get your astrology/intuitive and creative writing/publishing questions ready for the question portion of the show! Please keep your questions brief as time will be limited.

2) Happy Ganesh Writing and Homework Help on the Happy Ganesh BlogtalkRadio Channel: Starting June 5th, Mondays at 5 pm, join me for homework and writing help! This show will be on the Happy Ganesh Blogtalk Channel! Follow us! I'm a professional educator, writer, and editor, and I've worked in higher education for over a decade. I'll answer questions about APA and MLA style, grammar questions, and college level test prep! This show is geared to both writers and students from middle school age to the doctorate level. Need to know what a comma does? How do you start your paper? What constitutes plagiarism in a research paper? I'll answer these questions for free on air, starting Mondays, June 5th!

I am  grateful to you, the loyal clients and friends who read Happy Ganesh on a regular basis. It is because of you - your willingness to go deeper within your own nature, and your commitment to yourself through exploring writing or intuitive services - that inspires me to deepen my own faith in the universe.

Til next time,

Marissa

Mars in Taurus (and CBS Radio Goodness!)

[caption id="attachment_199" align="aligncenter" width="247" caption="HG's poetry reading -- and a Mars in Taurus are on the way! (The talented Nick Moore over at Clayfootjones.com created this of Ganesh reading a book.)"][/caption]

What with the working on the upcoming poetry reading at Hollywood Vine (5/11, 7 pm) and the upcoming radio show on Blogtalkradio.com (5/18, 6:30 pm), things have been hopping. That's right -- the live Happy Ganesh Blogtalk Show will air May 18 at 6:30 pm on blogtalkradio.com! Get your questions ready! We'll be taking live, on-air questions about publishing, writing, astrology, or intuitive services. Wondering where to go from here in your book -- or in life? Give us a shout during the May 18 kickoff!

Plus, our CBS RADIO SPOT RAN TONIGHT on April Claxton's The Movement Within on over at CBS The Sky Radio. I'll be posting the commercial by itself shortly, but in the meantime, do listen to April's fantastic show. Tonight she interviewed radio personality and author of Beyond the Pews, Jillian Maas Backman.

Mars in Taurus

And we're looking at a Mars in Taurus this week. On May 11, Mars, the planet of motivation and life force moves from direct, passionate Aries into slow, steady Taurus. The things begun quickly with Mars in Aries will have time to grow and florish under the grounding influence of Taurus Taurus grounds. Taurus takes its dear sweet time to get moving - and Taurus plans every step. This is a month long transit.

People will major planets in Taurus (Taurus Sun, Taurus Rising) will feel especially motivated (but in a secure and grounded way).

Where does this hit you and how does it affect your personal chart?

Taurus: If you have Taurus in your 1st house (Taurus Sun or Taurus Rising), expect this next month's Mars in Taurus to make you more confident or get you going. A transiting Mars (Taurus) plugging into your Taurus 1st house lights you up like Times Square.

Aries:  Taurus is in your 2nd house of money and finances. This Mars in Taurus transit  brings action and movement to your second house. This is a great time to move ahead with money negotiations or to apply for a job, or do anything to increase your financial power.

Pisces: Taurus is in your 3rd house of communication. Blaze a Taurus style trail for the next month. Transiting Mars Taurus will set up shop in this part of your chart for the next month. Begone, writer's block!

Aquarius: Taurus is in your 4th house of home. The transiting Taurus Mars will bring movement - and perhaps some disagreement to your 4th house of home and family.

Capricorn:  Taurus is in your 5th house of love and creativity. Yum. Blazing a Taurus-style trail in your creative or romantic love. Relationships with artistic children may surface during this time.

Sagittarius: Taurus is in your 6th house of work. The Mars Taurus transit will blaze and move you through your career.

Scorpio: Taurus in the 7th house of partnerships and open enemies? Hot partnerships (stable ones too, thanks to Taurus) making themselves known, perhaps partnerships that can help you to be financially stable as well. However, watch out for some fighting about money with the "others" in your life.

Libra: Taurus falls in the 8th house of sex, death, and other people's money. A transiting Taurus Mars falling into your 8th house may entwine sex and death and loans with swift movement.

Virgo: Taurus in the 9th house of travel and school brings movement and new growth to educational issues.

Leo: Taurus in your 10th house of career will interact with this Mars Transit by speeding up things to do with your career path. This is a great time to get your career moving because Mars energy will link up with your 10th house.

Cancer: Taurus in your 11th house of friendship and groups will interact with this Mars Transit by producing some blazing good times with good friends.

Gemini: Taurus in your 12th house of secrets and dreams will interact with this transiting Mars in Taurus by, frankly, taking a little bit of a snooze. The 12th house always holds secrets and things held back from your subconcious, so with a transiting Mars sitting in your 12th house, it may feel like an explosion of information or learning secrets that you didn't know were lurking. The good news? You'll be able to use all that to your advantage when Mars moves into Gemini in about a month.

Remember, this is only one slice of the current astrological pie. Do you want to know how the rest of your chart works with this transit? Do you want to book an astrology or intuitive session? How about a creative consulting or editing session?

If you want to read what others have thought about a Happy Ganesh reading, see the rave reviews here.

Or have questions? Contact me. I'd love to help out.

Til next time,

M

New Moon in Taurus

[caption id="attachment_48" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="New Moon in Taurus on May 2/3"][/caption]

It's been a quiet week at the HG blog but today we are back to make up for the lost days during the week.

We're going to head into our New Moon in Taurus on May 2/3. As always, the New Moon brings us chances to manifest new starts in the month and will only last about 2.5 days. With a New Moon in Taurus, we can create positive change around the following issues and questions.

• money


• values


• self worth and self esteem


• the connection between money and abundance in your life


• What does abundance mean to you?


• What are your personal values?


• feelings around femininity and beauty


• creating beauty around you


• getting involved in some kind of an artistic project that brings value or meaning to you.


• property or real estate - and their personal meaning for you

Take advantage of this powerful 2 day burst of energy. Want more? Consider a personal reading.

And remember to get your questions ready for the Happy Ganesh blogtalkradio.com show on May 18th!

 

Til next time,

Marissa

Weekend Update: "Happy Ganesh" Coming to Blogtalk!

***This article contains Youtube videos! If you're reading this in an email, please click through to the blog to experience the videos!***

[caption id="attachment_191" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="On 5/18, Happy Ganesh Radio Comes to Blogtalk for the World's First Radio Show All About Astrology - and Writing/Publishing!"][/caption]

Starting Wednesday May 18, 2011 at 6:30 pm, Happy Ganesh comes to Blogtalk Radio! This is the first show on the web to merge the worlds of astrology AND publishing/writing. Love astrology and want to write? Already a writer and curious about astrology? Just plain love both?

Join me for a solid hour as we talk about what's happening astrologically (and intuitively), and what's happening in the publishing world! We'll take questions by email or live in the Blogtalk chat room for the astrology portion of the show! From astrology to writing and back again, join us on Wednesday, May 18th!

The HG Radio show will focus on

• weekly astrological themes


• live audience questions from the chatroom -- about either astrology, intuitive answers, or publishing. This means that I'll answer any question that you have for free.


• writing and how to create


• publishing and what's up in the publishing world


• Expect live interviews with writers and publishers -- and astrologers and intuitives!

AND --- remember that we're also sponsoring The Movement Within on CBS's The Sky Radio on 5/2 at 6 pm!!

Orson Welles Was on The Radio, Too

All this radio talk reminds me of the classic 1938 Halloween "H.G. Wells/War of the Worlds" Broadcast by Hollywood writer, director producer and genius Orson Welles, when Welles and his Mercury Theater company accidentally convinced the entire country  that we were being attacked by aliens from another planet. America didn't realize that they were listening to a radio broadcast based on a classic sci-fi novel, and Welles vastly underestimated the potential hilariousness of the situation.

Of course this would never fly today - like Orson's alien spaceships! Oh, we'll be here all week! Since this was before Youtube, major newspapers in the country reported that we were being attacked by aliens.  Yes, really. I mean, major newspapers. ( Think about that.)

[caption id="attachment_192" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="One Giant Leap for a Sci-Fi Classic, One Hilarious, Anxiety-inducing Panic Attack for America."][/caption]

In the pre-social-networking era of the 30s, Welles single-handedly had the entire country in an uproar and actually had to hold a press conference to, um, let Americas know that we were not about to be killed by an intergalactic war.

The whole point of this little historical tidbit was to promise that Happy Ganesh is not responsible for any similar confusion and will do our best to avoid accidentally creating a national incident. ;-)



However, here's Orson, accidentally making broadcasting history and inciting the country to have a massive, massive panic attack.

 

Happy weekend (and Happy Easter!) all.

- M

Fun Fridays: Happy Birthday Taurus!!

 

Countdown to the Happy Ganesh CBS RADIO Spot: We proudly sponsor  The Movement  Radio (starting 5/2, 6 pm, The Sky Radio) Countdown?: 14 days.

Note: This post has YouTube videos in it! If you're reading this from an email, please click through to the blog to experience the Youtube videos

Happy birthday, Taurus!

You're loyal. You love creature comforts. And nothing blisses you out more than a trip to the spa or curling up in the recliner. You give stubborn a new name. But no one understands more about money - how to spend it or save it - and the connection between values and cash.

Here's some Taurus traits and some famous Taurus Sun Signs who exhibited them. (And if you know you have planets in Taurus, celebrate your Taurus side!)

1) Stubborn and Romantic

Shakespeare (April 23, 1564): While his several Gemini planets gave him the undisbuted  gift of poetry that would make him a legend, his Taurus sun would have made him a stubborn romantic with a gift for making money.

Here's Joseph Fiennes playing Mr. Shakespeare in the 1998 film, Shakespeare in Love.

 



2) Love for music.

There's a funny connection to Taurus and the arts. Taurus (and Libra) are both ruled by Venus, making them artistically talented. Here's two very different Taurus women. Cher and Enya, singing their hearts out.

Here's classic 70s Cher, singing "Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves." (Let's just focus on the genius that is Cher and ignore the yellow fringe, shall we?)

 

 

Here's Enya. Her melodic, atmospheric music totally works with the sensuousness of Taurus energy.
Here, she's singing "Only Time."





3) The Long Haul

Taurus ruled people also are in it for the long haul. They don't spook easily and they don't give up. They just don't go away.

For example, Shirley Temple was a child star known for her adorable ways and riot of curls (hello, young Taurus). However, when she was much older, she harnessed a fine business sense. Wiki said about her "She sat on the boards of many corporations and organizations including The Walt Disney Company, Del Monte Foods, and the National Wildlife Federation."

There's that connection between money and values. To me, this is one slice of a classic Taurus journey - from dimpled beauty to a major powerhouse of money and values.

Here's Ms. Temple at the age of four in The Little Colonel, changing the values of 1930s America very slowly. Shirley Temple broke the color barrier when she danced with legend Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, making them the first interracial dancing couple in American history. According to the IMDB, "this scene was cut when the film played in the southern United States."

Classic Taurus - forcing people to take a look at their values - in this case, a four year old girl helping to tear down racism.




Happy birthday Taurus.

Until Monday,
Marissa

Fun Fridays: More like a Full Moon in Libra Friday.

[caption id="attachment_69" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Full Moon in Libra on 4/17"][/caption]

What's a New Moon? What's a Full Moon?

The Full Moon closes out the energy of the month and asks us if we have what it takes, where as New Moon energy (always at the start of the month) opens the energy and give us a chance to manifest.

Right now, the Full Moon will be going into Libra on April 17. Our New Moon opened the month in Aries. Our last New Moon was in Aries, encouraging us to manifest Aries skills: aggression, bravery, independence  (though other factors may have encouraged us to wait on it).

See below. The key words are in black.

ARIES Sun INTENDS to bring bravery and assertiveness to situations.

Aries New Moon (earlier this month) longed to MANIFEST these qualities.

Libra (Full) Moon longs to bring relationship skills and diplomacy to CONCLUDE a situation.

As I wrote in a previous post, “Full Moons provide the template for these wishes and dreams. Full Moons dare us to see if we reaaally have the guts and the power to make good on our manifestations. They give us support.”

Now, the Full Moon in Libra(4/17) asks us if we’re able to balance the scales enough  (Libra traits)  to manifest our strength and independence (Aries Sun traits).

Creating a balance between Aries/Libra elements is important in the next 2.5 days. This may mean that fueled by the several major planets in Aries currently, we have a chance to go back into or rebuild an existing relationship, but thanks to all the Aries energy, we're reminded to not give up ourselves. Also, Aries gives us a wonderful new power - a reminder that we are truly recreating from the ground up. Aries is about new growth, so we can maniest new situations in relationships.

As one of my all time favorite astrologers Molly Hall of About.com said:

"The Libra Full Moon in ordinary times might be one to celebrate all things artful and harmonious. It's a peak when the instinct to balance out relationships is strong. But this is also an extraordinary time of choice. We can re-create the old dramas, but with dangerous intensity. Or we can choose to see the blank canvas, and our freedom to draw forth new possibilities."

So well said, Molly.

What a powerful idea - and I think that notion of deciding to recreate or create the old dramas, or allowing yourself to rebuild is a perfect example of the transformative power of our human process. Because of all the Aries energy that is around (Sun, Mercury, Uranus) we're going to want to change and change now. It's raw and it's fast and this energy can leave us aching to go into the New and Unknown. Use the power of this Full Moon in Libra to manifest and move forward, egged on by all the Aries planets. (Also, of course, remember that Mercury in Retro is still in effect, so any communication may be wrinkly until two weeks after April 23, the final date of Retrograde.

ASTRO HINT: If you know your chart, find where Aries falls in your chart. If your rising/ascendent sign is in Gemini, Aries will be in your 11th house of friends. Also find where Libra falls naturally in your chart. If, for example, your rising sign is Gemini, Libra will fall in your 5th house of love and children. How will you be impacted by the Sun in Aries/Full Moon in Libra opposition? Look to your chart.

Want to book a personal reading? Contact me here.

Have a great weekend!

- M

Fun Fridays: CBS RADIO and "Tricking the Goddess" Poetry Book

[caption id="attachment_179" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="HG is a Proud Sponsor of The Movement Within Radio on CBS RADIO! Hear the HG Radio Spot on CBS, starting May 2"][/caption]

Happy Ganesh is now a proud sponsor of The Movement Within Radio Show on CBS Radio!

Here's what that means for us: HG is now going to have a radio spot that will be heard during The Movement Within Radio Show, starting May 2, Monday Nights at 6 pm on CBS Radio ...AND will stream live on AOL Radio, Yahoo Radio, and on actual HD radio stations in Seattle, Boston, and Detroit.

Here's what that means for YOU

• more services


• more great seminars and one-on-one classes


• the creation of a Happy Ganesh bookstore


• and much much more!

We're very excited!! And a huge congrats to our good friend April Claxton who has worked her tail off on the creation of this show. We're so proud to be a sponsor.

Tricking the Goddess Hits Shelves in May

Plus, the first of two books is coming out in May 2011! My first poetry collection, Tricking the Goddess, hits stores in May, to correspond with the CBS Radio spots! Several years ago, I lost my mother to cancer and thought my life was over. But life is never over and just when my old life ended, I found myself in the middle of an amazing fresh start, from the darkness and into the light. You'll be able to buy it on amazon.com or right here.

But What About "Creative Astrology"? Wasn't That The First Book?

It's coming. Due to some scheduling changes, it looks like the release of "Creative Astrology" will be pushed back a little bit. No worries, though. It's not going anywhere, and we're in a Retrograde, so all good things will come after that, surely. ;-)

Happy Ganesh's Radio Show

Annnnnd.....we're going to have our own radio show. We'll begin sometime in April on blogtalkradio.com and for free, you'll get a full hour of

• astrological happenings


• writing how tos


• author interviews


• author readings


• what astrology means for you, including call ins


• and much, much more!

THANK YOU!

Thank you for being with us! You're the reason we do this at all - because there are people out there who care about Happy Ganesh's twin passions - astrology and books/literature. Because you have a curious and seeking heart and because you want to learn about your world and your life through intuitive readings. Because you understand that the only way out is through and that honest expression is empowerment.

And we could never do this without you.

In gratitude,

Marissa

 

Happy weekend!

- Marissa

Fun (and Freaky) Fridays: New Moon in Aries; Aries Energy is Fuel For Change

[caption id="attachment_60" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="New Moon in Aries and Aries Energy Sets Tone"][/caption]



 

 

More major planets move into Aries this weekend, as the New Moon in Aries gears up for April 3. What's a New Moon? As I wrote in a previous post "

“ New Moons dedicate themselves to getting rid of the old and ushering in fresh starts. The sign tells us what area of life we’re being encouraged to restart.  What’s even more powerful here is that – as usual, the sign the New Moon is in, is also the sign that the Sun is in.”

Get ready for the  Sun Aries/Moon Aries on April 3!  Do you feel all that creative and independent "Let's Do It Now" energy? (However, remember that the New Moon is happening in a Retro....so Retro rules apply - you may want to hold tight on the BIG ideas, or at least know that it will become easier to put them in place after the Mercury Retro ends on 4/23). Still, this New Moon pushes us to manifest what About.com astrologer Molly Hall calls "our own personal radiance." This New Moon is a great time to manifest your own independence and sheer LIFE FORCE.

You may want to use this time to manifest in the following areas.

• leadership roles


• concepts and images about bravery and independence


• what it means to do your own individual dance in your life


• what it means to Live In the Moment


• New identity or self-concept

Aries Key Words:

• heart


• bravery


• self reliance


• inner motivation


• self-love or self-trust


• uncovering your own self - who YOU are, as opposed to who others want you to be

What really gets me excited here is that we have several major planets in Aries right now. Mercury (Retro) in Aries, Sun in Aries, Uranus in Aries, and this New Moon (A reminder: New Moons only last for 2.5 days, but New Moons open the monthly doorway to that planet's energy and potential).

While the Retrograde may make us feel slightly held back, and the Saturn in Libra is still opposing these changes, overall, despite the opposition, we're being ushered into a tremendous new era of change and chance. It's as if we are being given a karmic birthright - and a direct order, even if we don't like it - to rebuild our lives into what we really want. Fittingly, all of this Aries energy is going to push us through the door and both help us and *urge* us to create the kind of life we want.

In Tarot, the first card in the Major Arcana is the Fool, the spiritual everyman who walks through the Wonderland of images known as life. The Fool is creative, direct and innocent. In astrology, the Fool and the Aries sign are similar - they both begin either the Major Arcana or the Zodiac wheel. He, like us, is uniquely posed to reap the benefits of his inner movement and outward manifestation of what he finds.

While these astrological times may seem challenging, they are ultimately liberating. Now, we are directly being assisted to blaze ahead and create from our souls and ourselves the kind of life and truth in which we long to live.

However a reminder. With Aries energy, there's a danger of burnout, of doing too much, of losing our tempers. We can direct the fire of creativity or we can turn it on others. The choice is, as always, up to us.

I, for one, am very excited to see what the next year holds on both a personal and global level.

See you next week for Manifestation Mondays.

take care,

M

Aries Mercury in Retrograde Mondays

[caption id="attachment_157" align="alignleft" width="260" caption="Mercury in Aries is a-coming! 3/30-4/23"][/caption]

Note the title. It's usually "Manifestation Mondays", I know. But Mercury in Retrograde is almost here.

Mercury in Aries will be in Retrograde from March 30, 2011 to April 23, 2011.

What's a Mercury in Retrograde? (More about that here.)

As I stated in a previous article "As with all retrogrades (more about that here) this is going to guide us to focus our attention on the areas of communication and travel. To sum up, during a retrograde

• Don’t sign on the dotted line unless it’s for something from your past.


• Redo, Rethink, Reflect.


• Back up computers.


• Careful with spoken or written communication.


• Old friends or lovers (with, in this case, Aries planets) may resurface during an Aries Retro in order to heal past events.

In a nutshell, with Aries Mercury Retro, there can be a tendency to be too fiery or incendiary. It reminds you to look before you leap and please, please, please don't go blazing off into the Great Unknown to start something new unless it's something that's come back around a second time.

Also, Astro Hint!

Wherever Aries falls in your chart is where this Retro will hit you.

In the section of your chart that Aries falls is also where Mercury in Aries in Retrograde falls. This is where you may experience any of the bulleted points above, from communication confusion to old friends/lovers returning.

All astrological transits (when a planet is in a certain placement RIGHT NOW instead of on the day you were born) can be calculated in terms of your personal chart by looking at two things: your Sun Sign ("What's Your Sign, Baby!") and your Rising Sign, which is in your first house. Not sure what your Rising Sign is? Go to Astro.com and find out for free. Go on. I'll wait right here.

Ok, now with both of those in hand, use the list below to see what you can expect for Mercury in Retrograde in Aries.

For example, Mary's Sun Sign is in Libra because she was born on October 11. Astro.com says her Rising Sign/Ascendent is in Gemini because she was born at 10:15 PM.

Mary will read BOTH the Libra section (for her Sun Sign) and the Gemini section (for her Ascendent/Rising Sign).

Aries Suns or Rising Signs will feel this upcoming Aries Mercury Retro in their 1st house of self.

Taurus Suns or Rising Signs will feel this upcoming Aries Mercury Retro in their 12th house of secrets and hidden things.

Gemini Sun Signs or Rising Signs may feel some communication confusion in his 11th house of friends and associations.

If you have a Cancer Sun Sign or Rising Sign, you may feel some communication confusion in your 10th house of work and career.

Leo Suns or Rising Signs will feel this upcoming Retrograde in their 9th house of travel and higher learning, and so on.

Virgo Suns or Rising Signs will feel this upcoming Aries Mercury Retrograde in their 8th house of death, sex, and other people's money.

Libra Suns or Rising Signs will feel this upcoming Aries Mercury Retrograde in their 7th house of partnership and marriage.

Scorpio Suns or Rising Signs will feel this upcoming Aries Mercury Retrograde in their 6th house of work and health.

Sagittarius Suns or Rising Signs will feel this upcoming Aries Mercury Retrograde in their 5th house of love affairs, children, and creative pursuits.

Capricorn Suns or Rising Signs will feel this upcoming Aries Mercury Retrograde in their 4th house of home and family (and mom).

Aquarius Suns or Rising Signs will feel this upcoming Aries Mercury Retrograde in their 3rd house of neighbors, communication and siblings.

Pisces Suns or Rising Signs will feel this upcoming Aries Mercury Retrograde in their 2nd house of money and property.

 

And...sometimes I have special updates about astrology that are exclusive to the Happy Ganesh Facebook page. Join in order to get allll the good stuff.

 

And here's the most recent episode of Bob Decker's Blazing Blog, a show that I co-host with Bob Decker.



 

Fun Fridays: Aries Sun

 

***Message to My Email Blog Subscribers: This article has YouTube movies in it! If you're reading this in an email, please Click Through To The Main Blog In Order to Watch the Youtube movies. ****

 

The SUN is in Aries! Happy birthday, Aries!

Let's break this down. What's a Sun Sign? Simply put, a Sun Sign is that part of your chart that most people already know. (This is what you answer when some drunk and/or well-meaning person stuck in the 1970s slurs to you "Hey baby, what's your sign?") This is the sign that you look up when you read your astrology column.

As of a few days ago, the Sun went into Aries. What's an Aries? Who is an Aries?

An Aries is a person born between March 23 and April 20 (roughly; some dates may vary). Aries folks are known for their motivation, intention, and moxie. They want to get things done and by God, they want to get it done NOW. RIGHT NOW. Waiting does not work with these people. (A relative of mine is a double Aries - she has an Aries Sun and an Aries Rising Sign - and she lives her life by the phrase "If not now, when?")

Famous Aries people that we have known and loved have been

Lucy Lawless (star of the tv show Xena; born March 28, 1968): Frankly, there could not be a more perfect Aries example than Xena: Warrior Princess who battled on for six seasons, kicked the snot out of bad guys, and made a career out of being the Warrior Woman. (Lucy Lawless is also a Sun Sign Aries)




Russell Crowe (Born April 7, 1964): Another Aries Sun who played an Aries type in 2000's hit film Gladiator, both Crowe and the main character in Gladiator are typical Aries types: fiery, aggressive, and dripping with the full intent to kick someone's butt.



Karen Blixen, author (Born April 17, 1885): Karen Blixen (also known by her pen name, Isak Dinesen) was played by Oscar winner Meryl Streep in 1982's epic film Out of Africa, a film about Blixen's life on a Kenyan coffee plantation. There's a lot of scenes of Karen Blixen  looking determinedly over her land, lugging riffles everywhere, and clearly showing Aries qualities of independence and fearlessness.



Rachel Maddow (April 1, 1973): The Oxford graduate turned MSNBC-talk-show-host is an Aries Sun. She single handedly calls out Republicans and Democrats alike on her show. Since this isn't a political blog, though, here she is telling us how to make cocktails.



And that's your Aries update!

Have a great Friday,
Marissa