The Return of The Rings

The Return of The Rings


Thirty. The number seems to strike fear, dread and anxiety in most people. Male or female, one should have, must have, done this, bought that, had this, reached here, gone there etc. When the late 20’s hit, there is a maniacal assessment of one’s social, financial, physical, economic and even spiritual station in life. Being past 30 I look bemusedly and with much sympathy at those who are going through what I once was. Unlike many of my peers, I was actually looking forward to hitting the Big 3-0. Not because I was right on track with everything I wanted to achieve, but because of a little known planetary pattern that astrologers have come to call “The Saturn Return”.

The what? The Saturn Return, and yes I am referring to the original Lord of the Rings (sorry Tolkien) and it’s “return”. To be more specific, the first time Saturn completes its cycle through your birth chart and returns to the spot it occupied when you were born. Without getting too technical Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest in diameter in astronomical terms but is known as “The Great Teacher” in astrological ones. It completes a cycle approximately once every 29 years, and its energies are believed to be the cause of why those years approaching 30 seem so messed up!!

If you are 30 and over, look back at your life between the ages of 27 ½ to 29 ½, if you are between 27-30 or are close to someone who is, stop and read this, please. I can assure you that it’s not going to be a sermon, and you can of course come to your own conclusions and use this editorial to housetrain your dog. But, if it does spark an “Oh man, so THAT’S why….?!!” reaction, then do more research on The Saturn Return because it doesn’t just come once, but even thrice in a lifetime. The last cycle may catch you at 87, and honey, you had better have learned the lessons by then, or you are going to be one cantankerous old goat! (smile) Although a surly 28 yr. or 58 yr old is still pretty unpleasant.

What exactly happens during the ages of 27-30 (I’m lazy, so let’s just round the numbers off). Hmmm, why don’t you tell me? Perhaps you’re in a relationship now, everything blissful, perfect…and yet…you just want to be left ALONE, your partner doesn’t UNDERSTAND you, you feel like you don’t know whether to STAY or LEAVE. How about work? Normally you content, all of a sudden there are other offers or major changes abound. You feel you’re being pulled in all directions, the career path you’ve chosen is unfulfilling, your colleagues or your business partner PISS YOU OFF, or worse, you have just decided that life behind a desk is hell compared to making beaded underwear for a living. But so what? Life is nothing if one is not happy right?

Basically, on a whole you’re going nuts. The normal you is almost unrecognizable, your family, your colleagues, your romantic partner and friends see you turning into something different, and they’re right. Saturn asks you to “break” old patterns in your life, in order to sit your ass down, look you in the eye and say “Grow up, or get out”. True adulthood and wisdom are obligatory, because Saturn strips away illusions and points out limitations, allowing you to view yourself in a harsh, often unflattering light. At the same time, it endows you with prudence, practicality, and the perseverance to work hard toward achieving your purposes. When friends who are 27-30 or are dating someone of that age ask me advice about their current relationship (especially when it involves marriage) I shake my head and tell them to WAIT the period out.

But why why why? You moan. Because what is normally begun during this period is not long lasting. Relationships that have withstood distances, parental disapproval, racial and religious differences can fall flat when one goes through this period. The people and situations that enter your life in this season are literally being “used” by the Universe to teach YOU a lesson. You may even befriend someone suddenly who has recently passed a Saturn Return, because they know “exactly how you feel” even on a subconscious level. If you, on the other hand have a friend who is going through his or her return, then you have to be the patient and understanding one, it is not an easy time. They’ll be a little psycho, and trust me, so were you (ask your older friends or relatives)Sadly, 28-29 is the age when most suicides occur, because instead of growing up, the individual gives up. (yikes)

Ok, wait, wait, wait, before you decide that this article stinks and you had been better off reading about the latest vote off on American Idol hear me out. There is good news…this phase is temporary, and it’s always for the best, because that is what change is for, the chance to renew, to rediscover and to recreate the path this is meant for your absolute peace of mind and peace of heart. Saturn brings to your attention what is important to you, to fill a void. Think of Saturn as that teacher you had in school, the one who was super strict, but knew his stuff, so even if the lessons were hard, you learned from him the most. That’s what this planet is attempting to do with you, and it is a worthwhile education.

So what now? Should you dump the person, friend, career if it is indeed occurring during your Saturn Return? That is up to you. Let me clarify that the life lessons you have to endure are directly correlated to the quality of life you have lived during your 29 years. If you learn the lessons quickly, and take them to heart then the dramas won’t be as dramatic. Know this, that if you truly, truly love who you are with, and what you are doing, then this is just a bump on the road. And when you hit your 30s you can, like me, look back, with a smile and say “Phew! Thanks for the lesson!”. See you again in 29 years.

Totally Eclipsed!

Totally Eclipsed!
by: Katrina Holigores

Ah..the weekend once more. Summer has started and thankfully, the island of Boracay has not sunk under the weight of the sun-worshippers, sun-evaders and sunset fixated photographers who landed on its shores. Our world, along with other heavenly bodies, (planets not Vicki Belo endorsers) seems to revolve around the Sun; it is, for the most part, the center of our celestial universe, and can dictate how people schedule their activities. Nobody wants to work on a Sunday, which is often viewed as a day of rest.

Today though, the Sun is about to be eclipsed, literally and figuratively by the original lady of the night, The Moon. The purpose of this editorial is to raise awareness of the relevance of the moon and its varying stages of waxing and waning and how one can use these energies to move forward, to gain more self awareness, and for most people, just to “shake them up a little”. Bear in mind that my studies come from personal experience and self study of astrology, which at most, offers “possibilities” and in no way promises a fixed destiny. In this life, one is always granted free will.

A quick lesson: There is the New Moon phase (when the moon starts off like a crescent) and the self-explanatory Full Moon. When the moon is new it “waxes”, (approaching full moon status) this is often the best time for you to start something new, take a risk. A full moon on the other hand, symbolizes the culmination or end. These moon phases occur every month, so you basically have one chance to get things moving and growing on a regular basis. This April though will be slightly different, as the moon comes equipped with a “turbo-booster” More on that later.

The New Moon started on April 8, but to be precise, it hit our part of the world at 4:37am this very morning, the full moon will reach maximum potency on the 24th late evening. (Yawn) and so what? So everything. If you want something new to happen in your life, if you want a project you have been dreaming of to move, it’s best to start presenting these new ideas or striving for goals within the weeks that the moon grows from New to Full. For example, if you have wanted to start an exercise regime or lose some weight, the time to enroll in a class, gym, begin a dietary program is TODAY! And if you want to see results, continue till well after the Full Moon, as it reveals the “fruits” of your labors.

Still there? The presence of the ECLIPSE adds to the potency of the moon although they only occur about twice a year. Eclipses bring to your attention (sometimes through a very dramatic event) what you need to focus on in your life at present. Even if you are NOT affected directly by the eclipse (and this is based on what month you are born in) you will notice that there are MAJOR events happening in the world around you. If the eclipse does not bring MONUMENTAL news to you it will to the rest of the world and people around you.

The eclipses are said to be the “wild cards” of the zodiac. They reveal things about situations and people to you that will “force” you (not always subtly) to make crucial decisions, often times WAY before you are prepared to. (Hence the term, turbo-booster). Choices made by everyone in general will affect the world as a whole, even if on the onset it seems like something so personal and intimate. To make this more relevant let me show you some examples. For those cynics out there bear with me a moment, you might just learn something, whether you agree with it or not.

Last week saw the passing of the Pope and millions witnessed his burial yesterday. That means an “end” right? Yes and no, the end of his tenure, yes, which has set into motion the selection process for his successor, right on the onset of the New Moon. Throw in the Solar Eclipse, and you and more variables are added to the mix. The new pope and what he stands for and represents, be he pontiff of the developing world or a doctrinal conservative, will impact the world in a major way, and I do mean the WHOLE world. The Vatican must make its announcement no SOONER than April 17, roughly a week prior to the Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse.

Nationwide, high school graduates are storming major universities in order to register and enroll. The first three weeks of April are all about them choosing which school, which course, what time, what professor, etc., Is it coincidence that enrollment normally falls around a new moon, and that universities “close” by full moon? This month is no exception coupled and with the eclipse, the choices a student makes may possibly, for many years irreversible. Many people stay in professions unhappy or unfulfilled because they feel obligated to stick to what they learned in school. The industries they choose to eventually support will impact as in the future as well.

There is not enough space for me to fully explain the nuances (although they will certainly be felt) of the eclipse. I can only share this, be aware that eclipses bring forth revelations that may prove cataclysmic to your future. Take a step back as a situation is brought into full light, so you may gain more understanding of it, and assess wisely what to do next. By the light…of the silvery moon….