By Stella Woods

How Julia eclipsed Kevin

Symbolically, eclipses create a black hole or vortex, allowing hidden energies to rise to the surface. If an eclipse falls on an important point in your birth chart, you can expect some change, loss or deep insight in that area of life. In the June Stargazer column I discussed the powerful lunar eclipse at the Capricorn full moon on the 26^th June and quoted Eric Francis of Planet Waves saying:  “In understanding the symbolism of a lunar eclipse, think of it this way. Because the full moon disappears, it’s like a new moon at the exact moment of the full moon. It’s as though a month of experience is packed into two hours of real time. In computer terms, it’s a full reboot of the system.”

Well little did I know that Kevin Rudd (the solar masculine) was going to be eclipsed by his deputy Julia Gillard (the lunar feminine) in the extraordinary series of events leading up to that lunar eclipse. The eclipse fell in Kevin Rudd’s 12^th house (underworld and secret enemies) conjunct Pluto (ruler of the underworld) and he was brought to his knees by former supporters, his loyal deputy and pressure from the mining industry over the proposed mining super tax. Capricorn is the natural ruler of mines and minerals. Capricorn also rules banking, finance and business. Australian superannuation funds are heavily invested in mining shares such as BHP and Rio Tinto and many felt the mining tax would affect their own financial future in a negative way. We could say that Kevin Rudd was completely ‘under-mined’.

Like the former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, Julia Gillard has both her action planets (Sun and Mars) in Libra, the sign of negotiation, compromise and fairness. Gillard and Thatcher are both from modest backgrounds, both worked hard and excelled at school, both are trained lawyers and both entered politics early in life. That’s where the similarities end. Margaret Thatcher was a deeply traditional, conservative woman, whereas Gillard flies in the face of tradition with her lifestyle, relationship choices and avowed non-religious beliefs. What a breath of fresh air!  Even if she never moves into The Lodge, Australia’s first female prime minister has already shaken up the status quo, but not everyone is happy!

The lunar eclipse fell close to the Capricorn Sun-Saturn conjunction in Australia’s Federation Chart (1^st January, 1901) signalling profound changes to the very fabric of our country and the way we are viewed on the international stage where Australia has always been seen as a tough, macho culture. As Julia won the leadership ballot, Venus (the feminine) was rising in Leo (sign of power and leadership) making a grand trine to the Moon (more feminine), Jupiter (expansion and growth) and Uranus (revolution). I believe this lunar eclipse heralds a new dawn not only for Julia Gillard, but for all Australian women.

The Mayan calendar – gateway to other dimensions?

The Mayan civilisation in Central America had a highly developed understanding of the cycles of the Sun, Moon and Venus, illustrated on their famous calendar that began in 3114 BC and accurately measured the solar year to within minutes. It is now common knowledge that the Mayan Calendar ends on 21^st December, 2012, but what does this mean?

The Mayans worshipped the sun as the ‘First Lord’ and, like many ancient cultures, held ceremonies at the winter solstice, which marked the beginning of their new year and the return of the light. At the 2012 winter solstice the sun will rise through the exact centre of a gap in the middle of the Milky Way, known to the Mayans as the Sacred Tree. The Sacred Tree is both the door to the underworld and the birth canal of the Cosmic Mother. At dawn on 21^st December, 2012, the Milky Way galaxy, as seen from Central America, will lie across the horizon. So at sunrise the sun (First Lord/New Born Sun) will rise from the underworld, pass through this birth canal and open the cosmic sky portal. This event only occurs once every 26,000 years and the Mayans considered it so momentous, that December, 2012, marked the end of time as they knew it and the birth of a new age.

What is also interesting is that Terence McKenna, an American shaman, writer and philosopher, who had no knowledge of the Mayan calendar at the time of his research, came up with the date of 21^st December, 2012, as the point in time when humanity would experience the greatest novelty in its existence. Using a formula derived from the I Ching, McKenna tracked events in human history and graphed them on a time wave comparing periods of novelty (leaps forward in human progress such as the invention of the steam engine) against periods where little or no human progress occurred – periods of habit. McKenna wrote: “Our planet is on a collision course with something that we, at our present state of knowledge, don't have a word for. I would like to suggest that what is happening on this planet is that time is actually speeding up... we are soon to be sucked into the body of eternity. My model points to 11:18 am, Greenwich Mean Time, December 21, 2012.”

McKenna (who died in 2000) believed that the only way to predict what would happen in 2012 was to study current trends. He observed the gradual dissolution of boundaries between classes of people, bodies of knowledge, pools of capital and language groups and decided that ultimate novelty might be characterised by dissolution of all boundaries, paving the way for travel to other dimensions of space and time. With spiritual Neptune, symbol of higher realms of consciousness, moving into ruling sign Pisces in the lead-up to December 2012, I believe we are on the brink of a massive spiritual renaissance based on a reconnection between the sacred feminine and sacred masculine.

On a recent trip to Egypt, our group spent two hours meditating inside the King’s Chamber in the Great Pyramid of Giza. It is believed the chamber was used as a sacred initiation centre for the awakening, stimulation, and acceleration of spiritual consciousness, and that the Great Pyramid itself was a device for gathering, amplifying and focusing a mysterious energy field for the benefit of humankind. Inside the King’s Chamber is a huge red granite sarcophagus with no lid. Two members of our party, one a civil engineer and the other a musical director of a church, climbed inside the massive stone coffer. The engineer told me later that he had had the most amazing out-of-body experiences and been immediately transported to a past life. Earlier in the day the same man had found the force field surrounding the pyramid so intense that he had to lie down on the ground. The musician saw herself as a sound healer in another time and dimension, covered with beams of love and light.

These are not isolated experiences. Shamanic journeys, telepathy, sound healing, colour therapy, energy healing, stone levitation, sacred geometry, altered states of consciousness … our ancestors were masters of these techniques. Perhaps 2012 simply marks the collective rediscovery of what they knew and understood 26,000 years ago.

Featured sign – Leo

The Sun travels through fire sign Leo from 23rd July – 23rd August. Leo is the fifth sign of the zodiac with keywords ‘I express’ and ‘I stand out’. Leo’s symbol is the                         lion, king of the beasts, but also the beast within who must be subdued and civilised. Lions in art and myth are symbols of strength, supremacy, glory and brilliance. Leos are extremely creative and love to show off their talents. They are often attracted to the performing arts or any role where they can shine and lead others. At best they are loving, loyal, affectionate and sincere, displaying willpower, courage, dignity and leadership and radiating confidence. Negatively, Leos can be arrogant, bossy, vain and over-dramatic. Leo rules the heart, circulatory system and spine. When Leos are out of balance they can suffer from back pain, nervous palpitations, high blood pressure, fever, stroke and heart disease. The Leo colours are gold and orange. Leo is ruled by the Sun; so those with a prominent Sun in their chart often display Leo qualities. Leo’s greatest lesson is to learn that they are not the centre of the universe. The true leader is the servant of all!

Key astrological events – August

After the drama and meltdown of the June-July eclipses, August is a month for getting back on track and in particular focusing on personal relationships. Though the Sun will be in fiery Leo for the better part of August, the presence of Venus, Mars and Saturn in Libra (joined briefly by the Moon from 13^th to 15^th) will have us all taking a close look at our marriages and intimate partnerships.

Saturn will be in Libra for the next two years and is said to be ‘exalted’ in this zodiac sign, meaning its benefits and gifts are potentially great. Saturn acts as a kind of social barometer telling us what political and moral values and beliefs hold sway, and Saturn in Libra is all about relationships, equality and commitment. In astrology, Mars and Venus represent the yin and yang of the mating game. Venus attracts while Mars pursues. Venus is loving and charming, Mars is passionate and sexual. If you are a Libran, these themes are particularly relevant. The rest of us will be trying to strike a balance between pleasing ourselves and making compromises.

Another popular theme will be work-life balance. Most of us work too hard and complain about being over-committed and lacking in quality time for self, friends and family. Saturn in Libra encourages us to lead a more balanced, moderate lifestyle creating relationships based on integrity and worth, rather than money, beauty or other more shallow considerations.

Trickster planet Mercury turns retrograde on 21^st August and travels backwards through analytical Virgo for three weeks. This is good time to sort out paperwork, do your tax return and deal with any other unfinished business. The usual Mercury retrograde advice applies – don’t stress; be patient and, if things go haywire, see this as a sign that you need to slow down and contemplate life’s rich tapestry.

The Sun moves into health conscious Virgo on the 23^rd – time for a spring detox or visit to the gym!

Moon placements – August

Launch projects at the new moon, bring them to completion in the period from just before the full moon to the third quarter phase and wind them down and reflect on developments in the week before the next new moon. Important events such as parties, conferences and weddings are best held close to the full moon or when the moon is in the same sign as your sun (star) sign.

Stella Woods is an astrology teacher and consultant based in St Kilda, Melbourne. Contact Stella for private readings and course details on (03) 9534 5021 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or www.stellastarwoman.com.

By  Stella Woods

Uranus – The Great Awakener

One of the major astrological events of 2010 is the movement of mighty Uranus from Pisces to Aries marking the beginning of a whole new 84 year cycle of change and growth.

Each sign of the zodiac has a ruling planet that embodies a similar type of energy to the zodiac sign. Uranus, the modern ruler of Aquarius is our closest ‘transpersonal’ planet and is invisible to the naked eye. Western astrologers associate Uranus with intuition, originality, revolution, democracy, human rights, the universal mind, higher consciousness and unexpected events. The brilliant insight of Uranus destroys old beliefs, sometimes overnight. The discovery of Uranus in 1781 created a tremendous stir, blasting apart the notion that Saturn was the outermost planet in our universe and providing a golden opportunity for telescope-wielding scientists to attack the philosophical foundations of astrology.

The discovery of Uranus was mirrored by the Industrial Revolution and the American and French Revolutions. The French in particular attempted to create an entirely different society with a new legal system, new calendar, new religion and new weights and measures. The Industrial Revolution changed the face of the entire world and continues to do so with the breakdown of the family, community and agricultural society, the establishment of factories, mass production, transport, trade and international travel. Many people found it difficult to cope, just as today many are struggling with the impact and consequences of the Technological Revolution.

Those with a well-aspected Uranus often have natural mental brilliance, original ideas and the ability to channel information from the collective psyche. Uranus has an electrical vibration and some people with Uranus strong in the birth chart have an electrically charged aura or work with electricity. Uranus is considered to be the higher octave of Mercury. If Mercury is connected with the reasoning mind, Uranus is the universal mind, the inspiration behind original ideas, new technologies and scientific breakthroughs. Those who have difficulty with Uranian energy can be unimaginative or inflexible. Those with too much Uranian energy lead lives that are erratic, explosive and unpredictable, expressing their wilful desire for freedom.

Featured Sign – Cancer

Midwinter Energies

With four of the slower moving planets, Jupiter, Saturn, Chiron and Uranus all changing zodiac sign over this midwinter period, the shift in the collective energy is palpable. Some will welcome the change as a breath of fresh air, whilst others may find themselves grieving the relationships, activities, jobs and friendships that must be left behind to make way for this new surge of energy. If you find yourself feeling bereft or confused, take time to ground yourself through meditation and journal writing.

By Stella Woods

Winter Solstice

Our cosy heaters and pot belly stoves help make the colder months warm and comfortable. Many of us look forward to hibernation and the slower pace of winter days. Not so our ancestors, who prepared for the coming of winter long in advance, knowing the challenges of finding food and keeping warm. The midwinter solstice was a vital turning point in the seasonal calendar, marking the longest night of the year and from midwinter to the summer solstice six months later, the nights would grow shorter and the days longer. Many of the customs associated with the winter solstice (and with other midwinter festivals such as St Lucy’s Day, Saturnalia, Hanukkah, New Year and Twelfth Night) originate from stories of a fierce battle between the dark and the light, where the light finally conquers the darkness. Other traditions record this as the time that a saviour or sun-child is born to a virgin mother.

Many people suffer from depression and a lack of energy during the winter months. Winter is a natural part of the seasonal cycle, and just as nature slows down in winter, we need to slow down too. In practice this means conserving energy, eating warm, nourishing foods, spending more time in bed, taking hot baths and allowing our bodies to rest and recuperate. In Chinese Medicine, the meridians associated with winter are the kidneys (yin) and the bladder (yang). The kidneys are responsible for filtering waste from the blood and sending the waste product to the bladder for elimination. In winter it is vitally important to keep the kidney area warm to avoid stiffness, coldness and aching joints. Make sure your midriff and lower back are always well covered.

In Australia, our winter solstice is marked by the passage of the sun into Cancer on the 21st June. Observe the point at which the sun rises from the 21st-23rd June and you will see that it is in exactly the same place over these three days. Solstice means “sun standing still”. The winter solstice is the perfect time for a ritual to cleanse and release old energy and honour winter, the season of death and decay. And with Pluto, Uranus, Jupiter and Saturn forming a grand cross with the solstice sun (material stress and tension), while the sun, moon and Neptune simultaneously form a grand trine (spiritual ease and flow), we can expect the 2010 winter solstice to be even more potent and transformational than usual.