Alacazem 2011.03.17

18 Mar Alacazem 2011.03.17

March 17 to 24, 2011
Visible Planets: Morning: Venus and Saturn  Evening: Mercury and Jupiter

Chaos, Crisis and the Challenge for Creative Change

Spring begins this year on March 20th @ 5:21 pm MDT, when the Earth reaches the zero point of Aries in its orbit around the Sun. Herald March Madness, Vernal Equinox and all manifestations of the natural year’s Primal Thrust. Good luck and may the courage of Mars and the miracle of rebirth be with you.

On Friday, March 11th @ 2:26 pm JST, a 9.0-magnitude megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan shook the Earth with such force that it not only triggered an extremely destructive tsunami, with waves of up to 33 ft., which in some cases traveled up to 6 miles inland, but also shifted the Earth’s axis by approximately 6 ½ inches. An earthquake of similar magnitude in Chile last year moved the planetary axis by 3 inches. So what effects do these planetary changes have on those of us living on planet Earth?

Diana Roman, a geophysicist with the University of South Florida, said these changes mean the Earth's mass has been redistributed, causing the Earth to spin faster—and making days on Earth slightly shorter. The Japanese earthquake has also caused the Island of Japan to extend about eight feet eastward, and caused the ground to sink slightly more toward the center of the Earth.
    "This is like when a figure skater has her arms out, and she's going slowly as she's spinning. If she pulls her arms in, she'll speed up. The Earth has started spinning slightly faster, and that means the length of a day on Earth is about two-millionths of a second shorter," Roman explained. 

Scientists from NASA and Canada say this isn't unusual, considering seismic activity over the millennia. "Ten inches sounds like quite a lot when you hold a ruler in front of you. But if you think of it in terms of the earth as a whole, it's absolutely tiny; it's minute. It's going to make minute changes to the length of a day. It could make very, very tiny changes to the tilt of the earth, which affects the seasons, but these effects are so small, it would take very precise satellite navigation to pick it up, and centuries to notice an actual change. Ultimately, if you change the length of day, you can change the length of time a given point on earth receives sunlight and doesn't receive sunlight. But will this affect us in our lifetimes? Absolutely not."

Researchers say that while this minuscule change may be completely undetectable, it still illustrates the punch behind Japan's massive earthquake and the on-going, natural, evolutionary process of planetary change. Last year in late May, I wrote a column entitled “Wonder Woman, the Lord of Chaos and the Lord of Karma.” It addressed the then present global economic whack-job/crisis, the oil rig tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico, the apparent ineptitude of big business and the stagnation of our partisanship government. Many people were up in arms and aghast at what was happening and I had been asked by numerous parties for an astrological interpretation. This week, that same question is being repeated.

In a nutshell: these wild and crazy times continue as synthetic and natural worlds continue to crash and collide. This week’s nuclear disaster in Tohoku revisits last summer’s gushing oil well nightmare in the Gulf. And the rising casualties and devastation in wake of Japan’s earthquake/tsunami, the upheaval in Egypt and the unrest in Libya amplify a reverberating, log rhythmic theme: cataclysm, chaos and karma. Which way to turn? What to do? How to stay calm in an ever-hotter, flatter, less stable and more reactive world?

Astrologically, we are working with the powerful tension of a Cardinal Grand Cross, involving the planets Uranus, Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto. This is humanity’s ongoing challenge for creative change via personal responsibility and collective action. As quoted from my column last year, which is still appropriate and relevant for today:

Translation: The forces in power don’t want to let go, but conventionally established systems and governments no longer work. As a result, they are breaking down, being exposed and blown apart. The individual human is awakening to truth amidst the chaos. We can suddenly see the bigger picture. We realize we are no longer "alone" but an interconnected web of life and interdependence. What we do on a daily basis affects the world at large. It's time to take action for positive change. We must rally our forces, gather our strength and do whatever we can every moment of every day to make this planet a better place to live, eat, breathe and, ultimately, survive. Recycle, pick up trash, grow a garden, plant a tree. Join a support group, champion a cause, write a letter, make a call, associate with people working for the good of all concerned. Do the next right thing. And hope and pray and wish for good luck, guidance and assistance from the angelic realms, divine forces and spiritual sources. Heaven help us – we need all the help we can get! Amen.

Aries (Mar. 20-Apr.19)
The Pisces lunar cycle comes to fruition on the last day of winter, ending the season with an illuminating crown of intuitive insight and enlightenment. This translates as a powerful mandate for personal awakening and pivotal change. As you stand on the brink of another birthday year, commit to a program of self-betterment and stick to it.

Taurus (Apr. 20-May 20)
After several months of planetary emphasis in collective signs, we are now moving in the direction of the personal and individual. This week’s full Moon brings winter to an end and simultaneously shines light upon humanity’s evolutionary challenge – the integration of head and heart, body and soul, matter and spirit. Feel your feelings and walk your talk.

Gemini (May 21-June 21)
As the nodal axis shifts from Cancer/Capricorn to Gemini/Sagittarius, you may also feel a subtle shift of personal priorities, interests and desires. Awareness and awakening are keywords in your week. Pay close attention to synchronistic occurrence and matters of coincidence. You are being called upon to participate in a bigger picture, on a grander scale.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)
A long period of personal spiritual searching and researching is drawing to a close. The rather radical experiences and subsequent changes of the last seven years have reinvented your philosophies and perceptions, whether you asked for it or
not. Your definition of God and religion has changed as well. Embrace the changes and accept the new reality as it is.

Leo (July 23-Aug.22)
The willingness to face your shadows and fears bursts forth as the Sun and Moon oppose each other in the late degrees of Pisces/Virgo. What is your personal mission here on Earth and what have you come to do? Without too much discourse or deliberation, listen to your heart and hear its wisdom. The answers lie within. With peace and quiet, you will know. 

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep.22)
This week’s Full Moon lunation and the coinciding birth of spring mark a time of important personal endings and new beginnings for the Virgin. Embrace the knowledge you have gained via life experience and use it like a tool to navigate the road ahead. People and relationships come to us as lessons and are precious and essential to our growth. Learn, grow and go.

Libra (Sep. 23-Oct.22)
Springtime heralds the second half of your solar year and indicates the completion of six months of personal focus and attention. In other words, you’re ready to be more socially interactive and available. Take it slow and easy as you drop back into the world at large. Balance is your key to health and happiness. Maintain equilibrium and cultivate peace.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22)
Zodiac Pisces is the time for Scorpions to work the heart chakra and realign with the creative source. Love, romance and passion abound in the quest to fuel those inner fires and spark the divine within. Now it’s time to calm the conflagration and enter the world of inner work and wisdom. It’s the best thing you can do to sustain the flames. Relax.

Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 20)
The Full Moon of Mar. 19th resonates with the challenge for change evoked during the lunar eclipse just prior to Winter Solstice 2010.
Think back to that time and know this week is one for personal reawakening and reckoning. Repeating patterns of behavior and themes in relationships must be readdressed and rectified. You can do it, so do it!

Capricorn (Dec. 21-Jan. 19)
Vernal Equinox marks a time of annual personal cleansing and inner process for those willing to do the work and walk the talk. As noises soften and you seek out spaces and places of peace and quiet, take a good look at where you are and what you’re doing. Assess the situation and take action, cultivating integrity and humility along the way. Good luck!

Aquarius (Jan. 19-Feb. 18)
You may feel somewhat overwhelmed by all you’ve done and how far you’ve traveled. Take it easy and take your time as you close the door on winter and embark upon the fresh path and possibilities of spring. Increasing light and more direct solar rays infuse you with hope and optimism. Embrace the warmth and keep the faith. Get out and get ‘er done.

Pisces (Feb. 18-Mar. 20)
This week’s Full Moon in late Pisces brings a year of powerful personal emotional experience to a close. What you’ve done, what you’ve learned, who you’ve helped and what has happened as a result illuminates a path of spiritual enlightenment and growth. Feel your feelings and accept responsibility for your choices as you step forward into spring.

Cynthia is a third generation astrologer living in the high mountain desert of the American Southwest. Visit her website @ www.alacazem.com.