Star Trackin'

By Genie Parker

We in the Northern Hemisphere have come through the long winter again. and the rain, thunder, and lightning- and occasional wafts of warm air-are signalling the recharging of our part of the planet. Early Saturday, March 20, the Sun moved into the Zodiac sign Aries- officially the First Day of Spring! This time has been worshipped since prehistoric eras as the awakening/rebirth after the sleep/death of winter.
Aries is the beginning sign of the Zodiac. It is the initial Spring energy that charges and starts the real New Year. It is a fire sign (all signs are either fire, earth, air, or water) and is related to the planet Mars-the planet of pure energy, unfortunately known by a name relating it to the strong, negative energy of violence usually connected with Mars, the Greek god of war. All that energy can be manifested in many ways: as many ways as there are people. People who already have a tendency to be headstrong and jump head first into things (the symbol for Aries is a ram) should take extra care to be thoughtful and plan what you're doing. People who are ordinarily timid or unsure of how to get started to get things done should take advantage of the energy available now to move ahead and get involved.
Most of us will get Spring fever as the fire of Aries stirs our hearts and minds and bodies and everything around us to awaken -and that will manifest itself in as many different ways also. Tempers can flare, hearts will burn, our bodies may feel like exploding, while thoughts will have the tendency to expand, and if' they're not checked, they can scatter or plunge into anything in front of us without control.
Truly it is on time that, as this country enters its Bicentennial year, the planet as a whole has moved into one of its most intense periods of development. "Winter In America," as Gil Scott-Heron so aptly put it, is nearing its end, and the Spring of a new cooperative life system is pushing its way through the surface dirt most of us live in now.
With the movements of the slow moving planets Uranus into the sign Scorpio, and Pluto into Libra, we can see a clear reflection of the general state of affairs. Uranus is the planet most related to big changes, to revolution, to eccentricity, electricity, inventions, and discoveries. And Scorpio is the sign of added intensity to whatever planets pass through its spheres. Scorpio is life, death, and resurrection. It is deep and secretive, as well as intensely outflowing. It promotes relentless investigation into the very foundations of whatever is relating through it.
The planet Pluto is thought by many astrologers (or cosmobiologists a term becoming more popular in Europe and the Soviet countries) to rule the sign Scorpio. Pluto in Greek mythology was the god of the underworld. Like Scorpio, it delves deep into the mysteries of life, destroys the secretive nature, and brings things to the surface. On a personal level, it rules our deepest feelings and sensitivities.
Pluto has moved into Libra, the sign seeking justice and harmony, always trying to balance life and put things into their proper perspective and relationships. All over the planet you can see the manifestations of these things so clearly reflected in the sky. People want to know the very basis of what's happening around them, whether in a personal relationship or in business, societies and governments-local, national, and multi-national.
Taking imaginative control of our lives again has to start on a personal level, which is really a social level after all. Studying the movements of the stars and planets is one means of reading the possibilities open to us. They accurately, precisely reflect the energy movements that we react to on our planet.
We can make our own decisions daily as to how we will react to what is happening around us, despite the constant sensory overload of information from advertising media that would have us buy an American Way of Life. The concept of personal and community control over our lives cannot be developed in isolation, though. We start with understanding ourselves and our relationship to our immediate surroundings and lives-but we are all parts of a whole life that is happening, and people everywhere have many of the same reactions to similar experiences. When we can understand our relationship to each other, and to the life forms developing on this planet, and can work as a mass to make our lives comfortable. then we will get somewhere.
In the meantime, study your own possibilities and take advantage of the opportunities constantly forming. Learn the negative sides of your nature so you can get on top and develop the positive sides that are available, if you can recognize them. When reading the following suggestions for the various signs during this time (March 25- April 8), read your birth sign, as well as your rising sign and moon sign they are each as important to you as the other (you can have a basic natal horoscope charted for $3.00 ín many places; find an astrologer you like to do it). The intensity of the times will be building for several years now-and all possibilities will come forward to be claimed by those who will grasp the situation.

ARIES (March 20-April 18) -
Spring fever is very familiar to you. This year it could be a time for especially deep thinking and expanded conclusions. Your urge to be flighty and headstrong is ever present, your temper and impatience can get out of hand, but you will be less impetuous if you try and take advantage of your rising and moon signs to channel your energy. The urge to travel and scatter your thoughts will be very strong until near the end of the month; satisfy your desires in a way that helps more than just yourself, in a well-thought-out way.

TAURUS (April 19-May 19)-
This can be an especially bright and prosperous time for you. Develop your capacity for consistency and practicality, and believe that your most positive thoughts are useful and badly needed in the everyday existence of everyone in your life, mostly in your own. You can be a very helpful and stabilizing influence if you try hard enough now.

GEMINI (May 20-Jone 20) -
You must make a strong effort to pull yourself together and get things done. Your capacity for getting involved in a variety of projects is broad, and that is good - but don't get so lost in the detail and full expositions of your thoughts that you don't make those thoughts useful. Use your imagination to develop new ways to organize yourself so you aren't overwhelmed by the energy you feel so strongly.

CANCER (June 21-July 21)-
The fire around you is immense-you may feel like boiling over. Impatience and setbacks could set in; your moodiness and deep feelings are volatile. If you concentrate on relaxing and nourishing the good in and around you, the results could be exceptionally satisfactory;but you must work at it

LEO (July 22-August 21)-
The fire can get out of hand with you at times. You can be much more friendly and helpful than you may think you are, if your courage and pride will let you. Self-centeredness could be disastrous at this point. Couple your steaming imagination with your capacity for creativity, especially now, with the burst of spring energy, when you can really be effective

VIRGO (August 22-September 21)-
Your abilities to analyze and criticize come quickly now. Things can seem out of hand, but you can enjoy helping an awful lot of people around you if you are conscious of your ability and are determined to do something practical. You won't be as irritated and get so lost in detail and negative criticism if you concentrate on the positive possibilities to change the situation around you for the good.

LIBRA (September 22-October 22)-
Your own sensitivities, as well as your social awareness, are strong. Be sure that your demands for justice on the social level and for balanced relationships on the personal level are communicated ín concrete, easily usable terms. Take well-thought-out steps, and be patient for the results that come when you put forth an effort.

SCORPIO (October 23-November 20)-
These times are extremely intense for you. Things happen fast and everything is changing around you, as well as inside you. You can easily lose control and react with a stinging intensity or an icy detachment that neither you nor anyone else likes. But this can also be a time for expanding your deepest thoughts beyond your normal boundaries. Let only your highest most positive thoughts be your guide at every moment, and results can be rewarding proportionately.

SAGITTARIUS (November 21-December 20)-
The fire in you is strong. Your urge to travel and experience life may be frustrating sometimes, and show itself in impatience to reach the goals you set up for yourself and those around you. This could be an unexpectedly prosperous and healthy time for you if you are in control of your practical thoughts. Use your will to be concrete and work towards your goals gradually.

CAPRICORN (December 21-January 20)-
You especially have tried to be practical in your thoughts and deeds. The limitations you've been running into are only there to make you stronger as you figure how to proceed. Your domestic and love life may be especially trying, but don't give up your goals. Use the energy available to get involved in a wider variety of activities, and the obstacles will not seem as important.

AQUARIUS (January 21-February 18)-
The expansion of consciousness and the changes taking place in your life go even deeper now. Communicating may be easier, but your sensitivities are strong and unless you take hold of the situation and get something done, you may get lost in your daydreams. Your awareness of other people's needs can be a source of stability and fulfillingness now.

PISCES (February 19-March 19)-
Your desire to help those around you sometimes over shadows your own needs and leaves you hard pressed to do anything. You set high goals and may not be able to do all that you want to, so you relapse into brooding over your problems. Be determined to think things through to a useful end, and take advantage of the added urge for more experiences, without allowing yourself to float aimlessly with no results.