I always get a kick out of discovering the correlations between events in my life and the astrological equivalent in the skies. It makes me feel connected with the motions of the universe in a meaningful way. I become a conscious part of the bigger picture and I just enjoy that.

In astrology we look at many relevant aspect connections between the planets in your personal chart as well as in the actual daily astrology. This article is an astrological discussion and forecast of the planetary weather in the heavens for September 7 to 9, 2009. If you have the same specific aspect connection being active in the heavens as in your own personal chart you will experience similar things I am describing. Like if you have Moon in Aries in your personal chart you will be able to relate to what I describe here today in an even more profound way.

Yesterday I had my Circle of Writers group meeting and I could really feel the Aries energy charging us up. We are 5 terrific women who get together every 2 weeks to share our work and support each other. It is like a master mind group and an enormous asset to have in my life. Writing is a solitary profession and I spend most of my time at home and in front of the computer. For me to have my circle is just wonderful. It is so inspiring to watch each other going through the process of writing and publishing our books.

The Moon in Aries
Yesterday we had an especially exceptional meeting. We had so much energy going on, so many ideas to share with each other it felt like we were on a whole new level. It was the most energetic meeting we ever had and that is Aries energy for you!

Aries is a powerful symbol of new beginnings, energy, light, and creativity. People born under the sign of Aries may be destined to be great leaders—if they can keep their aggression and tendency to dominate others in check. Aries must always be undertaking new projects, especially creative endeavors, to keep their high energy occupied and flowing. They are extroverts and tend to be very impulsive and initiative. Their challenge is to learn guiding their energy into proper channels.

The Moon in Aries will give us impatience and things will not move fast enough. We might have a shorter fuse then usual and easier to irritate or pick a fight. But it also gives us this fresh energy, motivation to start something new and put all our energy towards our goal. There is decisiveness and power available to really take action steps towards our dreams and create a new future.

Aries and their many Ideas
Aries is a very self confident initiator and warrior. There is no self doubting but the willing application to move and manifest in the physical realm. Always the first step of any manifestation process is the conception of an idea, and then the clarity of intention and the last step is the action we take for implementation.

For me the action part helps me to become aligned emotionally with my goals and I am enjoying the journey more and more. I used to get hang up with not being already there where I wanted to go. But I have learned to be in the moment and enjoy myself there and so can you.

The creator of Law of Attraction Abraham Hicks talks about three steps for manifestation.

1.    First we have a specific desire
2.    Then we released it to the universe into that creative potentiality
3.    To receive the manifestation of our desire in our life we do need to be energetically in alignment with it. We have to keep focused on where we want to go instead of the deficiency of that we want to manifest. Wherever I focus the universal manifesting energy will follow and flow. This is where our power lies.

--If you will simply imagine your life as you want it to be, all cooperative components will be summoned. And even more important, all components that are summoned will cooperate. It is Law. The experience that you have with others is about what you evoke from them.—Abraham Hicks

Take a Moment for Yourself
Today the Moon position is great for you to get your process of manifestation rolling. Write down your next dream project you want to manifest in your life. Write down why you want that dream in your life. What will it give you? How does it feel to be there? Get excited about it.  I really like you to approach this from an emotional standpoint. Your emotions will carry you towards it and make you feel good along the way.

Remember every journey starts from where you are. But to reach your destination you need to have a clear picture of where you want to go and keep your compass on it. If you like to learn more about the process of manifestation I recommend the books of Abraham Hicks. I have all of them and enjoy their teachings very much. They resonate with my own experience and I know them to be true.

Crystal Quartz as a Tool to help you Manifest
I am a gemstone lady as you might know. I love to beauty and the use of the metaphysical properties of gemstones in my life. I use them in meaningful soul jewelry, for meditation purposes, as objects of beauty on my shelves and altar and as an anchor to help me manifest my dreams. When you have done the work of becoming clear of your goal, charged yourself with the supporting emotions you can then download the emotional thought forms into a crystal. You can charge your crystal the following way.

•    Hold the crystal in between both hands. Take some deep breath and become aware of the energy field of the crystal between your two hands.
•    Then focus intently on your vision, intention, or goal. Imagine in it powerful clarity, as if you really were already experiencing the goal accomplished. Feel the strong emotions of success and fulfillment associated with your goal. Fill yourself with that energy. Maybe imagine it with a specific color penetrating your whole body and each cell.
•    Then release the image of your goal with a sharp breath out and store that energy burst into your stone.

Now you will be able to activate your vision any time by simply taking the crystal into your hand and reconnect with the thoughts and emotions you have stored in it.

Moon in Taurus
After you have done the work of getting clear about your intentions, setting your emotions into motion with the Moon in Aries, you will have the Moon in Taurus tomorrow, supporting you with further steps of implementation and practical steps and measures.

Taurus people are very much in tune with the earthly plane. Due to the influence of Venus, they have a great love for beauty found in all areas of live and things such as art, jewelry, and nature. Taurus people are loyal, patient, stubborn and deliberate in working toward their goals, just as farmers must be in tending their crops from planting through harvest. When a Taurus person undertakes a project, it most likely will be completed! Grounded in reality and the physical world, they excel at any profession because they just take one step after the other till they arrive at their goal.

I wish you much fun with the process of creation and hope you enjoy yourself.
If you would like to find out more about the metaphysical properties of gemstones and how to use them as uplifting tools, please see my book Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eye & Strengthen the Mind. To read more of my astrological ramblings come and see my Astrological Signs Weather Report & Healing Gems Blog where I discuss the actual universal, astrological forces and inspire you to use them wisely for a successful and joyful life.

Aloha and many blessings, Shakti.

Shakti Carola Navran: astrologer, jeweler and author

The Blazing Summer Sign of Leo

By the end of July the summer sun is blazing and crops are bursting with their life force. Leo is a highly energetic, masculine fire sign. Leos can be none other than kings, leading all types of enterprises with their strong personalities. They need to be independent in their work, not submissive to others. They have a sense of entitlement and expect to be served. Fortunately, their strong, egocentric, masculine side is balanced by devotion to their children, a warm heart, and generosity. Leos’ courage pays off in the business world, where they take risks that lead to success.

The Ruler of the Star Sign Leo is the Sun

The Sun is a decidedly male heavenly body. It is the ruler of our universe and the source of all life and consciousness on Earth—our father. Life is consciousness! Because it is the center of our universe, it is associated with the center of our conscious selves—our self awareness, ego, personality, identity, and spirit. This is a most creative, powerful, and energetic heavenly body, giving us our life force, health, and vitality, our strength, willpower, and determination.

The male quality of the Sun is associated with authority figures, leadership, husbands, and fatherhood. The creative power of the Sun is associated with all creative endeavors, including the arts, procreation, and even commercial enterprises. In the horoscope the Sun lends its energy to the other planets.

The Sun rules Leo and the 5th House (Children & Creativity). In medicine it rules the heart and circulatory system.

How Gemstones Can Enhance Your Leo Experience

Leo is a masculine fire sign. Gemstones and especially Diamonds perfectly represent the life force energy, power, and fire of Leos.

Gemstones have both physical and metaphysical qualities that can enhance all aspects of your well-being. The perfectly aligned crystal structure of gemstones creates an energy field that interacts with our own when you hold it or wear it on your body. In this way, the gemstone can be used to calm you, bring you mental clarity, increase your energy, enhance your creativity, and much more.

Astrology and Gemstones

Astrological principles manifest at all levels of creation, from the largest bodies in the cosmos to the tiniest particles of atoms—all are part of the same network of universal energy. Based on the hermetic principle “As above, so below,” those universal principles allow us to read relations among the planets and extrapolate those principles to things here on Earth, to events in our lives, as well as to our natural environment. The universal principles that govern the planets are also seen on the much smaller level of gemstones, crystals, and metals.

The Signature of Gemstones

Each gemstone is associated with specific planets. You are already aware that each planet has its own personality in astrology. And each gemstone has a personal “signature”—specific metaphysical qualities, different for each stone, that arise from the stone’s association with its planets.

How to Make Gemstones Work for You

By considering the individual signature of gemstones, you can select the right gems for very specific purposes, according to their astrological qualities.

Gemstones can be used in three different ways:

1. They are precious objects of beauty that may hold a special meaning for us. We enjoy their beauty by giving them a special place on a shelf, desk, or altar.

2. They can be used in meditation by tuning into their frequency for the purpose of balancing our energy field.

3. They can be made into jewelry pieces for our pleasure, enhancing our individual expression of beauty and sense of empowerment.

You can learn more about the metaphysical properties of gemstones through my book Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eyes & Strengthen the Soul where I teach you more about astrological concepts, how to read your horoscope and how to find the main themes in your chart. You will know how it all fits together into the bigger picture and you will be able to balance yourself with your 12 main healing gemstones, you could call your true birthstones. If that interests you, have a closer look at http://www.JewelryandGemsforSelfdiscovery.com .

Below you will find a description of the Diamond, one of the true astrological birthstones for Leo. The astrological signature of Diamond is Sun, Saturn, Mars and Venus.

That means if you want to support those planetary principles in your chart Diamond is one of the best stones to do that!

Diamond: The King of Gemstones [1]

“Like Leo, the Diamond is the royal king of gemstones. Throughout the ages it has been accorded a place of honor as the most beautiful and precious of all gemstones. It has the highest reflection of light and is the hardest and most durable of all gems.

The Diamond represents the life force energy of the sun, the highest expression of light and consciousness in our solar system and therefore serving as the gateway to higher perceptions of reality, other realms and dimensions.

Many of our myths and stories show the individual hero struggling against some challenge; conquering that challenge requires growth and evolution to a higher state of  understanding and consciousness. This is the quest that we all pursue. The Diamond is a metaphor for this process: it is mined, cut, and polished, evolving toward a state of ever more refined perfection until it becomes a perfect manifestation of light and wisdom. Does this not mirror our own path toward a greater state of enlightened perfection?

The Diamond helps us to connect with our creativity and the power radiating out from the center of our being. Supported by the Diamond, we delve below our outward personality and discover our true selves.

As Diamond is the hardest stone, it supports us by helping us to achieve structure, self-discipline, and endurance in our lives so that we may extend the boundaries of our capacities.

The Diamond represents the crown chakra, our connection to unity consciousness, to all that is. It refracts light prismatically like a rainbow, representing our eternal connection to the divine source.

Given all of these superb qualities, we can all benefit from wearing a Diamond, wherever we are on our path. Its strength is enhanced when it is worn with the right awareness, helping us, through our human consciousness, to discover that we are part of the divine consciousness.

Whenever we wear a Diamond in combination with other colored stones, it enhances the qualities of the colored stone. I love to combine Diamonds with other stones in my jewelry; it’s like shining the light of consciousness into specific areas of your life.

The Green Diamond is very rare. It teaches us about the riches of the heart. It is an androgynous being with both male and female qualities. She is the lover and the beloved. He is the healer of the heart and makes it strong to protect it from hurt. Abundance of the heart and spirit and the grace that ensues from them—those are the lessons of Green Diamond.

The Yellow Diamond is also a unique and highly coveted stone. It represents the Sun and pure life energy and joy, meaning also love. Its golden light radiates into our body and soul, reminding us of the truth of who we are: eternal beings of light and spirit.

The Yellow Diamond stimulates and enhances our creativity and self-expression. It represents an artist of life who is able to celebrate and respond to life and its challenges. The wearer of the Yellow Diamond can stay very focused, determined, and patient as projects unfold.

This Diamond imparts the ability to keep the bigger picture in mind without getting lost in details, making us very successful in all our endeavors. We become winners with a golden touch like King Midas.”

If you enjoyed this article and my musings, I invite you to come and visit my Astrological Signs Weather Report & Healing Gems Blog where I discuss the universal, astrological forces and inspire you to use them wisely for a more successful and joyful life.

Aloha and many blessings, Shakti.

Shakti Carola Navran: astrologer, jeweler and author

[1] Adapted from Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones That Delight the Eye & Strengthen the Soul © 2008 by Shakti Carola Navran. Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd. 2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125-2989. All rights reserved, used by permission of the publisher.

Shakti Carola Navran is originally from Germany, living in Maui, Hawaii, is a professional jeweler, astrologer and author with a lifelong spiritual journey; she has been crafting personalized Soul Jewelry since 1977.
In her book Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eyes & Strengthen the Soul she teaches you about how to read your personal horoscope and blue print for your life. Then you will be able to balance yourself in your most important areas with your 12 main healing gemstones, you could call your true birthstones.
Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery is a treasure chest of ideas on how to select, purchase, and wear jewelry that will enhance your body, heart, mind, and soul. Find out more about it on her website http://www.JewelryandGemsforSelfdiscovery.com and see her astrological weather report at http://www.jewelryandgemsforselfdiscovery.com/blog/ .

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/astrology-articles/the-metaphysical-properties-of-the-diamond-one-of-the-true-birthstones-of-leo-the-lion-king-july-23august-22-1025996.html

Let us have a look now into the specifics of each astrological sign and how that might apply to us. It is easy to see how each month in the unfolding of the year is different.

If you live in a place that has four seasons, you can strongly sense that your life has an ebb and flow related to the seasons. You may be acutely aware of changes in your energy, emotions, sleep patterns, and ambitions as the seasons change. The astrological signs represent that cycle of evolution of energy.

Below are the astrological signs with their dates, element, and gender, and characteristics of people born under each sign. Notice how as the signs progress throughout the astrological year they represent new stages of learning, evolution, and personal growth in the circle of life.

Aries: The Initiator & Warrior

March 21–April 20

Ruling Planet: Mars

Element: Fire

Gender: Masculine

Aries begins at the Spring Equinox, the point when the Earth enters into a period of longer days and shorter nights. Aries is a powerful symbol of new beginnings, energy, light, and creativity. People born under the sign of Aries may well turn out to be great leaders—if they can keep their aggression and tendency to dominate others in check. Aries must always be undertaking new projects, especially creative endeavors, to keep their high energy occupied. They are extroverts and tend toward impulsivity. Their challenge is to properly channel their energy.

TAURUS: Planter and Beautifier of Life

April 21–May 20

Ruling Planet: Venus

Element: Earth

Gender: Feminine

At this point in the year the Northern Hemisphere is free of its winter snows and it is time to attend to caring for the Earth and planting crops. Taurus people are very much in tune with the Earth. Due to the influence of Venus, they have a great love for beauty found in things such as art, jewelry, and the natural landscape. They are loyal, patient, and deliberate in working toward their goals, just as farmers must be in tending their crops from planting through harvest. When a Taurus person undertakes a project, it most likely will be completed! Grounded in reality and the physical world, they excel at professions such as artist, farmer, the financial sector, and politics.

Gemini: Inspired Communicator and Curious Butterfly

May 21–June 21

Ruling Planet: Mercury

Element: Air

Gender: Masculine

Geminis have great minds! They are fast learners and interested in a great variety of topics, so they accumulate a large store of knowledge. Additionally, the have the ability to communicate their knowledge very well and make great conversationalists. They need the stimulation of moving like a butterfly from one thing that catches their interest to the next. This gives them flexibility—they don’t get stuck for long in one place and are always ready for a new challenge. A drawback of their fascination with details is that they might miss the bigger picture. They excel in all fields involving the written or spoken word.

Cancer: The Archetypal Mother

June 22–July 22

Ruling Planet: Moon

Element: Water

Gender: Feminine

The symbol for Cancer is the crab, symbolizing Cancer’s strong association with water, a feminine element. On planet Earth, water is the origin of all life, so Cancer is associated with giving life. The Cancer person is the consummate mother, always concerned with caring for others, whether family, friends, or associates. Cancers also need to acknowledge that they need to be cared for themselves in order to be emotionally balanced! They are more emotional than practical. Their creative side might lead them into professions in the arts, theater, and music.

Leo: The Lion King

July 23–Aug 22

Ruling Planet: Sun

Element: Fire

Gender: Masculine

By the end of July the summer sun is blazing and crops are bursting with their life force. Leo is a highly energetic, masculine fire sign. Leos can be none other than kings, leading all types of enterprises with their strong personalities. They need to be independent in their work, not submissive to others. They have a sense of entitlement and expect to be served. Fortunately, their strong, egocentric, masculine side is balanced by devotion to their children, a warm heart, and generosity. Leos’ courage pays off in the business world, where they take risks that lead to success.

Virgo: The Analyzer and Organizer

Aug 23–Sept 22

Ruling Planet: Mercury

Element: Earth

Gender: Feminine

By September the summer Sun is fading, and crops are ready to be harvested. Virgos have none of the fiery dominance of their summer predecessor, the Lion. They are reserved people who don’t boast about themselves or behave flamboyantly. They are quietly reliable, attending to the smallest details of any project in an organized way, making them good lawyers, doctors, and scientists. That trait can be carried to a fault when they fail to see the bigger picture. They are more intelligent and analytical than emotional, which serves them well in complex tasks but may prevent them from establishing deep relationships. Virgos are practical people, good with their hands, and combining those qualities with their attention to detail they could excel in professions as jewelers and dentists.

Libra: The Judge and Harmonizer

Sept 23–Oct 22

Ruling Planet: Venus

Element: Air

Gender: Masculine

The symbol for Libra, a scale, indicates Libra’s strong need for balance. Libras are very oriented toward other people and skillfully tuned into their needs and emotions. Their preference in relationships is for harmony and love—they are peacemakers. Others are drawn to them for their sociable charm. Putting together those qualities, they make wonderful psychologists and mediators, as well as friends and partners. Because they have the ability to see both sides of things, it can be difficult for them to make decisions. Their love of harmony and balance draws them to beauty in the arts and wherever else they can indulge their aesthetic sense.

Scorpio: Phoenix Rising from the Ashes

Oct 23–Nov 22

Ruling Planet: Pluto

Element: Water

Gender: Feminine

Scorpios are powerful, intense people who pursue their goals with great determination. Once they’ve decided to do something, they give themselves over to it and nothing can distract them from their purpose. They are perfectionists, sometimes to the point of obsession. They are deep, complex, brilliant people who excel in their endeavors. Their single-mindedness can make them rigid and lead to black-and-white thinking. That lack of flexibility, combined with their tendency to manipulate others, can make it difficult to be in an intimate relationship with a Scorpio. Because Scorpios are drawn to extremes, they find themselves continually transformed by cycles of death and rebirth—such as the end of a relationship and the beginning of another. This is how they learn.

Sagittarius: The Adventurer Searching for Deeper Meaning in Life

Nov 23–Dec 21

Ruling Planet: Jupiter

Element: Fire

Gender: Masculine

It’s hard not to like Sagittarians, for their openness, generosity, and sociable nature. They are deep thinkers in search of universal wisdom, attracting them to philosophy and religion. Their minds can grasp both the details and the bigger picture: they can think with intellectual precision but also intuitively. That unusual combination of thinking skills allows them to be at the forefront of creative ideas. They are idealistic and care about the state of the world, leading them to take up vocations in medicine, education, religion, and politics. They need to be highly independent in their work and in their personal lives.

Capricorn: The Conservative Pragmatist

Dec 22–Jan 20

Ruling Planet: Saturn

Element: Earth

Gender: Feminine

As people mature, they move from self-centered to be more oriented toward others. They begin to have a sense of their responsibility toward society. Capricorn is the first sign in the last quarter of the yearly cycle, representing this social stage. Capricorns seek to be in visible positions of power and prestige in society. Their high degree of organization, discipline, ambition, and intelligence make them perfect as leaders of organizations of all types, in government, business, and the military. Their conservative values and black-and-white thinking can make them inflexible with respect to morality. They are bent on success, holding high standards for themselves and others.

Aquarius: The Daring Visionary, Role Model, and Artist

Jan 21–Feb 19

Ruling Planet: Uranus

Element: Air

Gender: Masculine

Contrary to rule-bound Capricorn and Leo, Aquarians are such revolutionary thinkers that they are said to herald a new world, the Age of Aquarius. Indeed, the social revolution of the 1960s and 1970s represents the nonconformist, idealistic Aquarians and their rejection of the established order. Their inventiveness leads them to great discoveries in the sciences, as well as great works in the arts. The keyword for Aquarians is “new,” and their lives are full of change and innovation. Their life path may appear to take many detours as they are drawn to new ideas, interests, and ways of living.

Pisces: The Wise and Mystical Servant

Feb 20–March 20

Ruling Planet: Neptune

Element: Water

Gender: Feminine

By the end of the astrological year, all that has been learned in the previous months is integrated in Pisces. The gentle and sensitive Pisceans see life through a spiritual framework based on a deep sense of connection with others and with the entire universe. This gives them the gift of love, compassion, and empathy for others and they may choose careers in medicine, psychology, or spiritual work. They seek a higher consciousness, beyond the physical world. This is not a practical, earth-bound sign: Pisceans live in a mental world of dreams and fantasies that are expressed in artistic and spiritual ways. Of all the signs, they are the least invested in their own egos. They are not interested in winning conflicts and will avoid confrontation whenever possible.

You might want to go and read the article “Introduction into the Astrological Signs of the Zodiac, Part I”which gives you the bigger picture of how it all fits together with the stars in the heavens…

In my book Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eyes & Strengthen the Soul I teach you the basic concepts we use in astrology, how to read your personal horoscope and how to find the main themes in your chart. Then you will be able to balance and heal yourself with your 12 main healing gemstones, you could call your true birthstones. You can find me at http://www.JewelryandGemsforSelfdiscovery.com .

You can also visit me at the Astrological Signs Weather Report & Healing Gems Blog where I discuss the actual universal, astrological forces and inspire you to use them wisely for a successful and joyful life. Healing gemstones are suggested as tools to balance and come into alignment with the cosmic flow and can be used to create custom designed soul jewelry.

I hope you enjoyed this look into the mysterious world of the universal forces and their interconnectedness with us.

Aloha and many blessings, Shakti.

Shakti Carola Navran: astrologer, jeweler and author

Shakti Carola Navran is originally from Germany, living in Maui, Hawaii, is a professional jeweler, astrologer and author with a lifelong spiritual journey; she has been crafting personalized Soul Jewelry since 1977.
In her book Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eyes & Strengthen the Soul she teaches you about how to read your personal horoscope and blue print for your life. Then you will be able to balance yourself in your most important areas with your 12 main healing gemstones, you could call your true birthstones.
Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery is a treasure chest of ideas on how to select, purchase, and wear jewelry that will enhance your body, heart, mind, and soul. Find out more about it on her website http://www.JewelryandGemsforSelfdiscovery.com and see her astrological weather report at http://www.jewelryandgemsforselfdiscovery.com/blog/ .

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/astrology-articles/the-astrological-signs-of-the-zodiac-a-description-of-the-twelve-signs-1009951.html