Jupiter in Taurus goes Retrograde Today Until Christmas!

Taurus the Bull (Frozen, Like Retro)

Today, Jupiter, the planet of luck and expansion in Taurus (planet of beauty, slow growth, and sensuality) goes Retrograde (backwards) until Christmas day. What does this mean for you?

First of all, Retrograde gets a bad rap. It's during Mercury in Retrograde that we're used to communication blowouts, computer explosions, and relationship/friendship confusion. It's during Venus Retro that we can expect love to sllooooow down. But really, all Retro does is put a specific planet into hibernation for a while - all the energy is there, but it's just gone for a nap.

However, here's what is nice about a Jupiter Retrograde: it's still lucky. Jupiter is the planet of luck so astounding you cannot believe it. It's Santa Claus bringing unexpected presents. It's international and/or expansive. Having a transit or natal chart planet in Jupiter is like watching that area of your life get blown up with a helium pump! Bigger, faster, more fun than ever! Jupiter is also the ruling planet of Sagittarius, one of the most spiritual, belief-oriented signs of the zodiac, so when Jupiter is in Retrograde we start to take that global spiritual perspective back into ourselves, making ourselves our own compasses.

Retrogrades ask us to please keep it a little bit quiet, to reflect, to get clear on our motivations. Maybe no big stage shows until Christmas, but it will ask you to allow the universe to slow you down a little. It's like an automatic reset -- things getting too intense? "No problem", says the universe. "We'll go into Retro." What can you watch for?

• money issues from the past (Retro rules the past) in flux until Christmas
• financial concerns from the past being slowly fixed behind the scenes
• back up your values, stand up for your belief system within yourself 
• focus on internal strength and values (there's that word again!)
• .....and less on the outer trappings of "luck"

Around Christmas, we'll be able to move ahead feeling financially stronger and more spiritually connected, which will be wonderful. Right now, we're being asked to replenish our own inner core with Taurus principals (money, values, belief systems). Be patient, ground into your personal values and build from the inside out. It doesn't matter who is watching.


Image:  Enygmatic-Halycon

The Big Move - Reposted from Happy Ganesh Writing!

(Reposted from Happy Ganesh's Writing Wonderland!)

Boy howdy, do we have big news. Do we ever!

MHC's Writing Wonderland is the writing side of my business Happy Ganesh.

On August 24, 2011, HappyGanesh.com will launch a BRAND NEW SITE, featuring fun stuff like

• gorgeous new look
• free videos about writing!
• bookstore
• a complete list of blogs and publications
• a merch store and more!

Here's our new banner. 

Best of all? We've got a newsletter that can give you info about both sides of Happy Ganesh - either this blog (astrology) or the second blog all about writing. (Want to get both blogs to your inbox? Sign up by email on either blog . To info about ALL things Happy Ganesh, go to the main site on 8/24 and sign up for our newsletter!

Our QR Code

We're so excited that we forgot how to punctuate correctly and started writing words IN ALL CAPS LIKE THIS. That's what happens when we totally forget ourselves. 

Once again, HappyGanesh.com (the new, uber-exciting version will be up on 8/24! Yeah!)

Check it out.

Full Moon in Aquarius, Sun in Leo

Posted on 08/13/2011 01:21 pm by happyganesh

Tonight, on August 13, the Full Moon in Aquarius comes to town. As always, Full Moons are indicative of some kind of completion. Any time you’re dealing with Aquarius energy, it’s like looking at a download of universal information – something is changing, something is happening, everything is shifting – with an eye toward freedom and friendship – for the better. With the Full Moon in Aquarius, we’re dealing with the power and magic of groups and community – and the unique way that those arenas are serving to nurture your Leo style (creative, flamboyant) dreams.
Do you have the larger picture of group support and true friendship (AQUARIUS FULL MOON) in place so that you can realize your dreams of creativity and dramatic self-expression (LEO NEW MOON, EARLER THIS MONTH)?
As always, the New Moon opens the cycle while the Full Moon closes it and brings it to completion. This is a great time to focus on Aquarius-style themes such as

• communities
• thinking about  - and planning for –  a transformative, freedom-loving future
• your place in the unique world of social technology or the internet
• friendships that offer a lot of freedom to be yourself
• breaking down old ways and re-establishing new forms of living

If you have Aquarius in _________ House, You’ll Be Finding Friendship and Freedom (or Huge, Aquarius-style, Life Altering Changes For the Better!) in the Areas of ______.
1st house – Self-Love
2nd house – Money
3rd house – communication and neighbors
4th – home
5th – love/creativity/children
6th – work
7th – marriage partners and divorce partners
8th – sex/death/other people’s money
9th – travel and learning
10th – career
11th – friendship/freedom/groups
12th – secrets
Have questions? Want a personal reading? Feel free to drop a line at marissa@happyganesh.com

Grammarly.com Piece is Up!

Posted on 08/09/2011 03:38 am by happyganesh

The Books and Books reading was a smashing success. More on that later, but in the meantime, here’s the fantastic ad that ran in the Books and Books flier.
http://www.moafl.org/eblast/august_2011_events.html
(It seems that Retrograde has come to the HG blog. We’re having some slight technical difficulties this week, so please copy and paste the above link into your web browser to view the ad.)
Also, a few weeks ago, the lovely folks over at Grammarly.com comissioned a blog piece about grammar in the real world. It’s up, it’s funny, and we’re darn proud of it – and plus, the Grammarly.com team are amazing, intelligent people who really believe in the power of the written word to change the world. Thanks Grammarly.com!
Check out the piece over at the writing side of Happy Ganesh.
http://mhcwritingwonderland.blogspot.com/2011/08/dating-in-grammar-free-zone.html 

Mercury in Retrograde (8/2-8/26)

Posted on 08/03/2011 11:44 pm by happyganesh

On this, the second day of Mercury in Retrograde Leo (and in Virgo from 8/8-8/26), communication in the areas of self love (Leo) and health (Virgo) will be coming back around. If we don’t show ourselves to ourselves, we can never be healed.
What does this mean on a deeper level? First of all, as usual, Retro requires a certain amount of patience. It’s not a good idea to run around doing any of the following:

• signing paperwork
• making commitments that you can’t undo later
• buying large electronic items such as a car or a computer. If there’s no way around this, it’s a good idea to check the return policies, just in case.

Mercury in Retrograde has unique lessons for us, especially when the Mercury is split. In other words, we’re going to have Mercury Retrograde in picky, health-focused, type A, organized Virgo
until 8/8 and then from 8/8 to 8/26, Mercury in Retrograde will be in courageous, heart-centered Leo
. Focus on where you have those two planets. For example, if your Sun or Rising Sign is in Leo, expect your self esteem and communication to feel a little shaky (and potentially healing) until 8/8 when you can expect communication about financial concerns to take on a whole different light. People sometimes don’t mean what they say or written communications can become hazy. Be careful to clarify what you mean.
Not sure? Feel free to contact me at marissa@happyganesh.com for more details or for a full reading.

The Resurrection of the Oxford Comma

Reposted from a merry little freak out over at my writing home.

The Oxford Comma - Dead, Now Alive!

The Oxford Comma is Dead.

The Oxford Comma, best known in recent years for confusing the living hell out of college students and pleasing professional writers worldwide, died on June 29, 2011 in the pages of one of the University of Oxford's style guide."

Read my article all about the happy return of the Oxford Comma here.

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