We are heading into the finish line of 2009. With Mercury retrograde we are supported to review and tie up loose ends of unfinished business. This last week of the year is an excellent time to look backwards into your year, take inventory of what happened and evolved for you throughout the current year. You are a different person now then you have been a year ago or two years ago and you are planning now who you want to be down the road and welcome the new!

These are the highlights of this week:

• Partial Lunar Eclipse and Full Moon in Cancer
• Moon Squares Saturn and Opposes the Sun, Venus and Pluto
• Four planets and the North Node are in Capricorn

Time for Introspection
With four planets in Capricorn, the cosmic spotlight is turned on the tenth sign of the zodiac where it is all about clarity, focus, organization and commitment. With Capricorn we learn the lessons of maturity and responsibility. We can now successfully sit down and draw up the vision and plans for the coming year. We learn to be the stewards of our own fate and choose our destiny.

Mercury is turning direct again on January 15, 2010 and with that we will be able to truly move forward into the next year with first steps to implement our dreams. Use the next 3 weeks before this turn around for introspection and planning so you are ready to move ahead with the universal support in the middle of January.

This is the time to plan your year and brainstorm about all the different areas in your life: your professional life, you in your relationships and community, your spiritual life, your health and your long term goals of wealth and abundance. I suggest you sit down with your journal and just work with the different topics and let ideas and thoughts flow onto the paper.

You also could make it a real fun project and get together with a friend and create a vision board for the coming year. That is what I am going to do after pre-planning with writing out my ideas. I will meet with 2 girl friends of mine; we take a Sunday afternoon in January to work with colors, words and collage and put a visual feast together, my vision board for the wall over my desk to keep me aligned and inspired throughout the year.

The Four Planets in Capricorn are Sun, Mercury, Venus and Pluto as well as the North Node
The Sun is representing the center of your own individual consciousness and your self identity. First it is about reflection and clarity of purpose and then we can move into action.

Ask yourself: Who are you?

“I am a mother, wife, friend, artist, lawyer, doctor…”
What are your specific qualities and virtues?

“I am very reliable, I walk my talk, I am compassionate, I am creative, I am curious, I am social, I have a sense for beauty, I love to grow and learn, and I like to move my body…”

Where do you want to go, grow and expand?
“I like to learn how to do design work on the computer, I like to learn another language, I like to travel to Europe, and I like to create a writer’s network…”

Mercury is our mental capacity and ability to communicate, write, speak, learn and perceive the world. Ask yourself questions deepening your self perception and understanding. Use the mental clarity and focus of this Capricorn Mercury for this process and ask yourself.
What is my highest vision for myself in these different areas?
“I like to establish my own publishing company this year; I will finish my astrological life planner book…”

Venus brings the need for love and harmony into the mix and makes sure you consider her requirements for nourishing relationships and a supportive network of friends.
“Where am I going in my intimate relationship? Is there a magnificent other or not? How does my ideal relationship look like? What are my true needs? What do I have to give?”

Pluto stimulates transformation and over due changes and asks:
“Where do I need to implement changes into my life? What do I need to let go off? What is really not working in my life?”

Partial Lunar Eclipse: Full Moon in Cancer on December 31
This Full Moon which is also a Lunar Eclipse squares the Saturn in Libra and opposes Sun, Venus and Pluto in Capricorn. The Full Moon itself is always a significant culmination and climax point of the month. The Moon in general is your emotional make-up and coloring of your perception of the present moment. Especially the Full Moons of the Lunar Eclipses are calling us towards the new and expansion of life. In order for that we need to release and let go of the old and out grown structures of thoughts and emotions. The Moon in Cancer illuminates what we need for emotional and spiritual nourishment in order to guide us into the overview and maturation of Capricorn.

With the Full Moon squaring Saturn and opposing Sun, Venus and Pluto we are put to the task. We need to be impeccable in our commitments and as clear as possible to be able to chart the map and stir the course for our boat over the wavy waters of the present times.

Moon Will be Moving from Inquisitive Gemini, to Emotional Cancer, through Creative Leo, and Thoughtful Virgo
If you are interested in the particularities of these Moon positions you can look up older posts with the search box and find out more.

I hope I have given you some thoughts for a meaningful and fun transition into the New Year. I love to hear from you and wish you a wonderful start and Happy New Year!

If you like my astrological musings you could sign up for my weekly forecast and have it send to you regularly.

Much aloha and many blessings, Shakti.

Shakti Carola Navran: astrologer, jeweler and author

Shakti Carola Navran has been an astrological coach, jeweler, spiritual teacher and healer for over 30 years. She has studied with many different spiritual teachers. Her practice spans hypnotherapy, meditation, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, and healing with gemstones. She creates beautiful jewelry for the soul and spirit at her studio on Maui, Hawaii, and is the author of  Jewelry & Gems for Self Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eye & Strengthen the Soul.

This week’s planetary constellations are very energizing and uplifting and will stimulate and inspire you. You can read this article to prepare yourself better for this week or you could just read up on the different constellations out of the timely context of this week.
The highlights of discussion are:
•    New Moon in Sagittarius
•    Sun, New Moon and Venus in Sagittarius squaring rebellious Uranus
•    Mars in going retrograde
•    Sun sextile to Jupiter and Neptune
•    Moon starting out in Sagittarius, getting more settled in Capricorn and   breezes fresh air in Aquarius

Inspiration and Guidance is in Your Chart
With all the professional insecurities we are facing these day, wouldn’t it make sense to remember what you are really good at? Wouldn’t you want to find out more about your true calling, strength and potential? Let us think about this for a moment!

What were you dreaming as a kid of what you wanted to do when you were grown up? What did you want to do when you finished school and entered “real life”? It is really interesting and revealing to look back into your early dreams and compare to your journey through life and see where it has brought you.

As an example, my earliest dream was to become a doctor and really make a difference for other people in their life. Then one of my school teachers and mentor talked me out of it with pointing out that the education would take too many years and I might want to do something I could be finished with before I turned 30. Real life knocked at my door with good, practical arguments.

Still wanting to make a difference and contribute something of importance I decided at the age of 19 to become a journalist. I wanted to teach and educate others, influence and raise consciousness. I applied at a very good journalist school in Cologne which offered an education in combination with economical studies at the university. The test and application process took 3 days and I made it through with excellent results. Ten month later the program started and that left me too much time to change my mind. I did move to Cologne to start the journalist school but life took a different turn.

I decided I wanted to do something with art, create beauty and become a goldsmith after all. I also liked the idea of being self employed and making my own decisions.

Now you probably wonder where I am going with all this. I want to make the point that we have many different choices for our potentials to take form in our life. I am Gemini rising, with many interests and skills for communication and writing. That would have given me plenty of potential for the professional choice for journalism. With a Neptune trine to Mercury and the Sun in the twelfth house the interest for healing and caring for others could have guided me into a healing profession.

Practical Taurus Rising with Venus in the first house won the contest and I learned the craft of goldsmithing as an apprentice and then studied art. During my art studies I became interested in deeper layers of meaningful jewelry, in astrology and started on a life long journey of learning about alternative healing modalities and the evolution of consciousness. (Moon in Aquarius)

After over thirty years the circle of all these different ambitions has been closed with my first published book Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eyes & Strengthen the Soul where I teach you about astrology and how to read the blue print of your own chart. If you know where your challenges are, you can then take steps to support or balance yourself with your 12 personal healing gemstones. Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery is a treasure chest of ideas about Soul Jewelry; on how to select, purchase, and wear jewelry that will enhance your body, heart, mind, and soul. And you can see how it  has grown out of all these different interests and very specific set of skills of mine.

When I look back I can see how all my motivations of my early dreams have come to fruition over time and have culminated in my book.

This week’s heavenly potential can serve you well to do a little walk back your own memory lane and inquire what your dreams and aspirations were and what has come out of it. I suggest you take a cup of tea and sit with your journal or note book and write out your childhood dreams. It is also fun to ask your friends and find out about their life’s journey.

Mars in Leo Turning Retrograde on Sunday
Mars in Leo wants to express its creativity and shine from an inner place of self confidence and success.

Retrograde planets always turn our focus out of the normal onward directed flow. Things don’t flow as easily as we would like and it takes more determination and clarity to manifest and implement ideas. Therefore it is a wonderful time to go back and become more aware and conscious of forgotten motivations and gain more clarity, a new focus and intention out of that.

Mars is known as the warrior, presenting our ability to do things and direct our life force energy into action and results. It might not be easy to start new projects successfully right now till Mars turns direct again on March 10. But you can be wise and use this retrograde direction for insights into what has brought you into the present moment of time and make new plans for the future.

Sun, Moon and Venus in Sagittarius Squaring Rebellious Uranus
Whatever your life looks like today is very much connected with your childhood dreams and ambitions. When we are kids we are more in touch with our essence and not so corrupted by practical considerations of having to make money. If you are not happy and content with where you are in your life, if you feel like you are not living your fullest potential, I suggest to get an astrological reading, an update and feedback on where you are in your process.

This is indeed a good time for an astrological reading. A good reading can be a delightful process of self discovery and be a quantum leap in your understanding of your inner dynamics. It is a process of finding your own inner truth and guidance more consciously. Even if I am living far away in Hawaii, I am available for you for readings on Skype if you want that. When I give a reading I am always looking into the present transits as well to see where you are in the moment in relation to your basic blueprint.

With three planets in Sagittarius this week is about expanding beyond your limitations. This is a sign of adventure and escapism. It spurs interest in education, religion, finding inner meaning and join political just causes. It is driven by fiery energy expanding in constant motion and unfolding. Uranus is the rebellious visionary wanting to change the world for the better by revolutionizing the old hierarchic structures. With all this we have a potent mixture for finding answers and fulfillment we have been looking for a long time.

New Moon in Sagittarius on Wednesday
The New Moon is the time of the month for contemplation and meditation. It is the best time of the month to reorient yourself anew for the coming month with new intentions and goals. The New Moon is this moment of darkness cleaning the slate from the old, starting a new cycle colored by the sign it is in. With the New Moon in Sagittarius it is all about your own sense of satisfaction and fulfillment, the meaning you give to life.

Sun’s Sextile with Jupiter and Neptune
There is the additional harmonious flow of Jupiter energy as well as Neptune this week. Jupiter is the ruler of Sagittarius and will deepen your ambition to look for deeper meaning, answers and guidance in your life. Neptune is the master of dreams and connection with the divine and universal wisdom. Their connection with the center of our consciousness, the Sun will be inspiring, uplifting and insightful.

Many of you are very busy with pre Christmas preparations. This is a busy time of the year not only because of Christmas but because of the Sagittarius influence stirring things up. Enjoy this week and ride the wave as best as you can. Next week we enter a whole different energy with the Winter Solstice preparing us for the change from the longest night and the shortest day towards the strengthening of light and life force.

I hope you enjoyed my musings, aloha and many blessings, Shakti.

Shakti Carola Navran: astrologer, jeweler and author

Why are you interested in Astrology? Think about it for a moment!

Me – I am fascinated and enamored by the mystery of life, how it unfolds according to some mysterious laws and dynamics. I always have been intrigued by the nightly sky with the stars shining down on me from far away. I am fortunate to live on Maui with many clear nights opening my view into the black, velvet, alive depth of the cosmos. But beside that I always was very curious and interested (Gemini rising) to understand more about myself and others, how I am wired, why I am doing things the way I do, how my mind is working.

When I connected with astrology at an age of 18 it opened a whole new perspective and promise of deeper self perception. Of course my interest was fueled by the hope to be able to create a better and happier life out of that for myself. It started me on a life time search and growth process of spiritual embodiment and application of timeless wisdom and truth I tapped into along my way. My Sun is in Taurus, so I have always measured the intellectual concepts or truth with their practical impact onto my own life.

Over all those years astrology has proved itself to me as an elegant tool of self inquiry, self discovery and guidance system. I have been in awe again and again about the specifics and insights astrology has to offer. In hard times it would give me understanding of the deeper universal principles I needed to find alignment with, usual triggered by transits of some kind. Astrology has provided a map for me on my journey through life, giving me the bigger picture and introducing me to the eternal cosmic dance I am part of.

The map of the planetary activities has given me a sense of being a part of life in its unfolding as nothing else has. The promise to live in a universe which is based in a higher consciousness, displaying itself in a network of universal laws and forces is much more comforting to me then the idea of a random, coincidental creation.

In my weekly astrological weather forecast I like to discuss the bigger picture and what it might bring up for you and into the foreground of your consciousness. I believe you will find value in the timeless planetary principles of this article even if this week and its actual time line is over.  I like to empower you to make better choices in your life because you are aware of the universal forces of the moment and help you to align with that. I love to hear your feedback and thoughts about the themes I am bringing up and how it works out for you.

The highlights of this week from December 6 to December 13, 2009 in the heavens are:
•    Mercury Conjunction with Pluto in Capricorn
•    Mercury Square with Saturn
•    Jupiter Chiron Conjunction in Aquarius
•    Moon Moves into Virgo, Libra and Scorpio

Mercury Conjunction with Pluto in Capricorn & Mercury Square to Saturn
This week is predominantly patterned by an invitation to take stock of your life, take a new look at what works and what does not. Mercury is the planet that is representing our mental approach to life, the way we think and communicate. Mercury in serious Capricorn is interested in a practical approach to life and making it work. Pluto the ruler of death and rebirth, seeking deep transformational processes is seen by many as the culprit behind the crashing of our economical and societal structures. But what does this mean for us personally? Mercury is our receptor for thoughts as well as our vehicle for consciousness.

One of the biggest aha moments for me was the realization that my thoughts are not as individual or personal in nature as I thought. It is more like according to my state of consciousness I can tune in to different levels of thoughts, like dialing in to a different frequency with different radio stations. Consciousness is unlimited and life itself, the ground of creation. The mind on the other hand has been our limited connection and filter to that big consciousness. So the question is how can we tune ourselves to the highest level of consciousness?

Meditation and Journaling
Meditation is an ancient method to quiet our thoughts to connect with a higher force or consciousness where we find peace, inspiration and joy.

Journaling is a way to connect with deeper layers of our conscious and unconscious mind. It is a tool to gather clear thoughts and work things out in our mind. We can set clear intentions as a first step to manifest them in our life.

On a personal level this weeks strong Mercury is well used to sit down with your journal or notebook and ask yourself some questions:
•    In what area of my life have I become rigid and unyielding to change          and growth?
•    Where would I like to see changes for the better?
•    Where would I like to learn and extend my view of things?
•    What new structures or habits could I establish?
•    Which new choices and decisions do I like to make?

Mind and Consciousness
This morning I got an email with an article from the Oneness teacher Bhagavan in which he is commenting on the mind in relation to consciousness. What a coincidence!

“Next we must realize that this mind is very, very ancient. It’s as old as man is. It has not changed at all. The brain itself has changed very little and the human mind has virtually not changed. The ancient man had fear of the tiger or the lion or something and modern man has fear of the share market or losing his job or girlfriend, so it’s the same thing. The ancient man desired for a spear, you desire for a car or a house, or some such thing.

So it is the very same mind, only the object of fear or the object of desire has changed. You must realize this is an ancient mind. Not only is it the one mind, it is also the ancient mind.

So what you must see is that it is the one mind, it is ancient and it is impossible to change it. If you really see it, you will become free of the mind. It will no more trouble you. It will be there, but it will be working on its own. It will no more infringe on your consciousness, it will no more take charge, it will no more trouble you. It is like a stranger living in your house, it will be there working on its own. It won’t bother you.

Now, the next part of your question is who is there in charge? Your consciousness is in charge. Consciousness knows how to respond to different situations. Not the mind, but consciousness takes over. The mind generally reacts to situations. Consciousness responds.

When the mind does something it will go back and think “Did I do the right thing or the wrong thing?” When consciousness responds, you do not go back and think whether it was the right thing to do or the wrong thing to do. Whatever consciousness does, it is perfect. It would take over and there will be no problems at all when consciousness functions. When the mind functions, the mind being divisive, it creates problems.” Bhagavan

Jupiter Chiron Conjunction in Aquarius
We had several conjunctions between these two advocates of healing through a higher consciousness – Jupiter and the healer Chiron. Each connection is another step of integration and application of the level of truth and insight we are able to touch. It is up to us to practice inner and outer integrity as a result of it. The additional opposition of this pair to Mars who is about to go retrograde, adds some urgency in finding some personal resolution. The quality of Aquarius is adding the awareness that each one of us has a unique and valuable contribution to give to the whole of human consciousness. We do make a difference in how we live our lives and how we touch others. And a happy life is always a good life!

And no — it is not selfish or egotistic to strive for your own happiness. In deed it is a big contribution to the global consciousness. Think about it: Happy people are overflowing in their energy. They are happy to share from themselves, contribute to others and make the world a better place. Happy people don’t go to war, take advantage of others; they are part of the solution in stead of the problem. Happy people are healthier in their bodies and live longer lives. Happy people feel like there are a part of something bigger then their own identity and act accordingly. Happy people are creative, full of ideas and in the flow with the present moment. Happy people feel abundant and manifest their heart desires with ease.

I believe this is something worth striving for! I am so glad to share this journey with you.

Moon Moves into Virgo, Libra and Scorpio – our Emotional Journey
Our emotional filer ranges from an inquisitive Virgo to a more accommodating Libra to end with an intense Scorpio. We start from a place of a tendency to scrutinize and analyze, rather then truly allowing the feelings to surface as they are. Virgo tends to be anxious and fearful, trying to control life by figuring it all out and being prepared.

Then with Moon in Libra our focus changes towards the other people, friends, partners or family in our life. The challenge here often is not to just accommodate or placate the other but to find a comfortable place within ourselves from where we meet, socialize and love.

With Moon in Scorpio we have to come clean and aware with darker motivations like power, control, greed, fear which are often driving our actions. Again this is something we all share and our level of self awareness determines if we act egotistically and blindly on these motivations or not.

Hanukkah begins at Sunset on Friday and is one more of the religious markers for the sacredness of the end of the year with the promise of the return of the light of consciousness into the time of darkness. Whatever form your religious worship takes it all points towards oneness and the light of consciousness we all long for. Use this week for a deeper connecting with that light insight yourself and pass it on to others.

Much aloha and many blessings, Shakti.

Shakti Carola Navran: astrologer, jeweler and author

Shakti Carola Navran has been an astrological coach, jeweler, spiritual teacher and healer for over 30 years. She has studied with many different spiritual teachers. Her practice spans hypnotherapy, meditation, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, and healing with gemstones. She creates beautiful jewelry for the soul and spirit at her studio on Maui, Hawaii, and is the author of  Jewelry & Gems for Self Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eye & Strengthen the Soul.

Even if Thanksgiving is over I still feel as if it is a special time of the year and somehow holidays. And it is! The year is nearing towards its end; Christmas is almost there and we have to decide how we want to spend that time. Christmas is always the best with children and I remember fondly my childhood Christmases with my family. They would be the baking of cookies and the preparation of handcrafted gifts for my parents. I remember evenings with candle light and Christmas music.

Maybe we do not need to spend big money to make it a memorable time and we can get creative in how to create something special for our family. With the economical challenges we are facing there is definitely an incentive given for creating new rituals and ways to celebrate without spending a fortune.

This weeks forecast from Monday November 30 to December 7, 2009 is centered on the feminine with the Full Moon opposing Sun in Sagittarius joined by a wide opposition of Venus.

Full Moon in Gemini on Tuesday
The Moon is representing the principle of life and life sustaining nourishment, the archetypal mother and child. The Moon is how we feel and perceive life. It is our emotional filter and inner ground we stand on. The Moon in our personal charts is indicating what we need to feel safe and comfortable and gives insights into our family dynamics in our family of origin.

The Full Moon is at her fullest power and extension and is accompanied by a high level of awareness with the opposing Sun giving the fullest light of consciousness.  Full Moons keep my cats out all night on important cat business and might gift me with more restless nights.

Statistically there is more drunk driving and brawls in the bars which doesn’t seem to be in alignment with a higher consciousness. But maybe we use those measures to insure we don’t feel or see too much about ourselves. Not everybody values more clarity and exposure of unconscious inner material to surface and we all have a personal way to navigate the currents of life.

Full Moon in Gemini has a high flexibility and is more mentally colored then in other signs. Gemini is ruled by Mercury and is an air sign. We feel curious, adventurous and like mental inspiration, exchange of new ideas or discussions. We will feel socially inclined, get together with our friends and enjoy the pre holiday mood. It is a good time to write our Christmas correspondence and send our packages off to far away loved ones.

The time of Thanksgiving and Christmas is centered around family. And even if we cannot choose our family, we can make sure to take care for unfinished business and reach out with forgiveness if needed. Forgiveness is never for the other person it is always for ourselves to find a harmonious inner place with others. It doesn’t mean we necessarily like the other person but we can still love them on a deeper inner level.

This Full Moon in Gemini will give us the neutral perspective and analytical measures of our inner emotional dynamics. If used properly Lunar can help us to find the right words and higher perspective to truly make it a season of peace and harmony.

Venus in Sagittarius on Tuesday
When Venus has joined the Sun and Mercury already residing in Sagittarius we will feel an inner expansion and exhilaration. Venus the Goddess of love, harmony and beauty feels very gregarious and loves to share herself. But with three planets in this sign there is a tendency to also be very righteous about our personal perspective of life and might push us into preaching our truth a little too forceful and turning into a missionary.

The balance between Venus in Sagittarius and Full Moon in Gemini is in the balance of the broader spectrum of choices and a multitude of inspiring ideas of the Gemini spirit with the bigger overview and more meaningful perspective of Sagittarius.

Get ready for a delightful week with lots of fun, impressions and social interactions.

Uranus in Pisces Turns Direct on Tuesday
The innovative and rebellious spirit of Uranus will step more into the foreground and prepares us for the last conjunction of Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune in Aquarius next week. Uranus is sowing and sprouting the seeds for big collective changes through revolution, innovation and inventions. Uranus is the role model and rebel who is carrying the new paradigm and steps non-hesitantly into the unknown future based on his inner vision and guidance.

Venus Sextile Saturn on Friday
Our joy can flourish within self set boundaries. Common sense prevails. Spending does not need to go overboard on Christmas shopping sprees, because we already have set our intentions on what is truly important and in the true spirit of Christmas for us earlier on in the week. We can feel closeness and intimacy with our friends and family without impingement.

Mercury Shifts into Capricorn on Saturday
The Mercury in Capricorn will be carefully planning for the coming holidays and establish the budget and needs. Capricorn is an excellent planner and organizer and will help us to keep on top of the many demands on our time and resources this month.

On Monday there will be a conjunction with Pluto which can take us into more obsessive thinking and tends to dig up hidden layers in relationships. We might fight about something with our spouse or get anxious and overwhelmed. Pluto always brings intensity and cleans out the pathways for a closer and more intimate relating later. I always think about Pluto as deep cleaning in areas which have gone stagnant and stale. Renewal and rejuvenation comes out of it.

The Gemstone for the Week is Apophyllite
Apophyllite is under the influence of Moon, Venus, Jupiter, Neptune and Chiron and therefore very fitting for this and the coming week.
Apophyllite is a very rare, light green, four-sided, diamond-faced crystal found in only one place on the Earth, in Poona, India. The Poona mine was closed after some years of operation due to the objections of citizens to the dynamiting in the middle of their city; thus this is a very rare stone and good pieces are hard to find nowadays.

I love this stone because of its unique generous qualities for the heart. In its natural crystallized form it can be set into beautiful pendants and worn right over the heart. This is a stone for the heart chakra and connects us to the Christ consciousness and love in its highest form.
This energy is focused in our heart and connects us with the quality of compassion as a result of realizing who we really are: eternal spiritual beings of love, experiencing ourselves as humans on this earthly plane.

The light color of Apophyllite is soft and gentle, almost like a fragrance, and its energy very subtle, soothing, and expanding. The heart’s longing is to experience communion and oneness with God, with life in all its facets. It is the longing of the soul to melt the shell around the heart and heal its wounds, and compassion is the natural outcome of this process.

The planet Chiron represents the wounded healer. Chiron shows us our deepest hurt on the astrological chart.   He shows us where we need to heal ourselves and where we can become a healer for others as a result of our own experience. Chiron and Neptune are hand in hand, joining their energies together to help us experience the highest truth of love and compassion: this is what we call “Christ consciousness.”

Apophyllite also may bring up emotions that are not in line with the Christ consciousness. It may work as an accelerator of spiritual growth by helping us to cleanse ourselves of grief, anger, jealousy, and fear— all the so-called negative emotions—by realigning ourselves with the truth that we are divine consciousness.
This crystal is one of the most powerful healers for the heart and thus it is a stone for healers. It is very beneficial to wear this beautiful, unique gem over the heart, or for meditation you may put it on your third eye or on your heart chakra. It goes very well together with the Ruby or Spinel, which add other aspects of the heart.”

It makes a wonderful gift for yourself or a loved one and you can have a look at some examples on my website Shaktijewelry.[1]

If you like my approach to astrology, you can sign up for my newsletter and I will send you a free weekly astrological weather report forecast on the universal flow and planetary positions. If you know what is going on in the heavens you can then align yourself for more joy and success in your life. What I like about the abilities of the gemstones is that they offer a remedy to relax stressful aspects and positions in our personal chart as well as for the time quality of the present moment.

Enjoy your week, aloha and many blessings, Shakti.

Shakti Carola Navran: astrologer, jeweler and author

[1]Taken from my book Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones That Delight the Eye & Strengthen the Soul: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eyes & Strengthen the Soul. In my book and  many articles I teach you about the healing properties of gemstones and their use in daily life for meditation, balance and meaningful jewelry making. I introduce you to astrology and the concept of true Birthstones and their possible application for Soul Jewelry.

Other highlights of this week from Monday 16 to Sunday 22, 2009 are the square between Venus and Mars and the Sun moving into Sagittarius. After a month of intense feelings and reactions to things that seem to be out of control in our live we will experience a little more lightness and change in our perception and mood. But not right away!

Moon Astrology
To follow the Moon waxing and waning throughout the different zodiac signs is an elegant way to be more aware of your own constant change in the emotional landscape and how your emotional outlook is coloring the perception of events and circumstances. The Moon is the fastest moving planet we observe in astrology and is known for her fickle nature. Every 2 ½ days there is a variation in the way we subtly feel and react from that gut level instinct. The Moon is representing our emotional filter and the way we perceive life. The position of the Moon in your personal chart is one of the most important points of an astrological reading.

She represents the inner woman we need to find expression for in our life as a woman or hints at what outer manifestation she will take for a man in his attraction to the feminine.

The New Moon and Full Moon
The New Moon and Full Moon are very special culminations points of power in the dance between the male and female, because they involve the conjunction of Sun and Moon in the New Moon and the opposition of both in the Full Moon.

As a child I was always enchanted by the almost visibility of that far away, yet close heavenly body. The story of the man in the Moon sounded more believable to me then Santa Claus. As a child is seemed natural for me that there would be others on other planets out there somewhere and it translated itself for me into a love for science fiction and fantasy books early on. Looking up at the sky and feeling the mystery of life in our known universe is something many of us have in common. And the study of astrology seems to answer many of those questions about those mysterious universal mechanics.

Even if the Moon is not a planet in the strict definition, she always seemed to hold our imagination in her constant change and fluidity. Her reliable motion over the night sky was one way of perceiving time in its unfolding since ancient times. The connection between the tides of the ocean and the successful planting and harvesting cycles of the crops were obvious to our ancestors from long ago and paid attention to. Also the inner connection with our emotional constitution is an empiric fact as it would show up in sleepless nights around the Full Moon, more violence and civil disturbances calls for the police then usual, more accidents and drunk driving.

The New Moon
The New Moon is of more subtle nature. When this Moon touches the Sun she doesn’t reflect any light. The New Moon is invisible to our eyes. The light of consciousness is gone for a short period of time and with it the self perception and self awareness. This moment signifies a clean slate, a new beginning into the next round of the Moon circling the Sun, the center of our universe representing the highest consciousness and life giving force for all the inhabitants of our earth.

The magic of the New Moon is the promise of redemption and a new start. For me it is the time of the month I use for some inner contemplation of where I am and where I want to go with my life. It is a great time to decide on what is really important for me and where I want to put more attention towards. The goals I set for myself can grow towards manifestation and ripen with the Moon growing into its full glory.

This Month New Moon is in Scorpio on Monday
Sun and Moon are in Scorpio, in the most intensely felt sign of the zodiac with its deep undercurrents of passion, determination and will power. Scorpio energy is driven by instinctual desires, deep unconscious motivations for control, domination and power. Scorpios are complex, charismatic and interesting people. They usually excel at where they choose to point their energy and you will always feel alive and kept on your toes around them. They will never be boring, but always a little mysterious and maybe feel just a little out of reach.

You can use this universal stage to your advantage to plot a new course for your life and getting a head start with it in the coming month. Sit down with a cup of tea or coffee and your journal and contemplate.

Venus is Squaring Mars On Thursday
Venus, the goddess of love, harmony and beauty is fighting with her lover Mars over their very different point of views. Venus is in Scorpio and wants deep commitment and honesty. Mars is in playful Leo and likes to play, seduce and tempt the goddess. Men are from Mars and women are from Venus and they are often very different if their perspectives, needs and desires. I always thought that book from John Gray was genius in playing on the deep archetypes we all have in us.

We all will have time this month with this conjunction to discover deeper layers in our relationships of all kinds. Man or woman, we will not feel so agreeable and compromising with our loved ones right now and we will feel more in touch with what is truly important and needed for us. There is more inner strength and daring to stand up for our needs and express our desires and make changes in our relationships.

If you have looked away from areas and subjects which are not right and satisfying in your intimate relationship, now is the time to look at it or it will blow up into your face. Ask yourself what it is you might have put under the rug? Maybe you want more commitment in your relationship? Maybe you need more autonomy? Whatever it is now is a good time to be honest and daring to go for your inner vision and dreams. If you don’t communicate clearly your desires and needs, you can bet on the outcome of not getting it.

As always your own level of consciousness and honesty with yourself and your partner is the key to success. I don’t know about you, but I often catch myself groaning over a couple in a movie or book getting themselves in the most complicated entanglements just because they don’t speak up and communicate honestly. If they just would speak up they would have a better chance in working things out.

So this is your time! Use it wisely my friend! Give yourself that chance of honest communication and the intimacy and deepening connection which can come out of it.

Sun Moves into Sagittarius on Sunday 21
With the transition of the Sun into the next sign of Sagittarius we will move into a more extroverted and expanding flow of energy with many ideas and inspirations.

Sagittarius: The Adventurer Searching for Deeper Meaning in Life

Nov 21–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.

Sagittarius role, after the introspection of Scorpio is to take the hard won wisdom and create something worthwhile from it and spread it around.

The Birthstone of Sagittarius is the Lapis Lazuli
Lapis Lazuli is one of the birthstones of this global thinker. Lapis is a stone for the third eye and deepens the connection to your own inner wisdom, intuition and truth. It is an opaque blue stone with the magical power of the earth to help manifest those creative impulses and insights into something tangible. Lapis was one of the sacred stones used in abundance in Egyptian jewelry in combination with gold and coral.

Lapis Lazuli is the bringer of the new dawn with Jupiter foresight and humanitarian vision. If used in meditation it is a stone to quiet the mind and bring a state of peace and overview from a higher perspective. If your mind is over stimulated and exhausted, Lapis can bring you back to balance and focus.

It is not a very expensive stone and is made into necklaces or bigger pieces for jewelry purposes. I especially like the deep, dark blue version with golden pyrite sprinkles creating very unique patterns mined only in Afghanistan. The lighter blue, grayish variety is found in Chile.

If you enjoyed my astrological insights and pointers, I invite you to sign up for my free weekly newsletter where I discuss the highlights of the week to inspire you to use them wisely for a successful and more joyful life.

Have a wonderful week, aloha and many blessings, Shakti.

Shakti Carola Navran: Astrologer, Jeweler and Author

Shakti Carola Navran has written the book: Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eyes & Strengthen the Soul and  many articles about the healing properties of gemstones and their use in daily life for meditation, balance and meaningful jewelry making. She teaches you about true Birthstones which are based in astrology and their possible application for Soul Jewelry.

Today I will only discuss this very impacting constellation  because it is so far reaching in its meaning for all of us even if there is a lot of other interesting stuff happening in the heavens this week. Just to keep you posted:

The other highlights of this week are: Scorpion Sun Squares Jupiter, Sun Trine Uranus, Sun Squares Neptune, Mercury enters Sagittarius. We have plenty of action in the stars and many good reasons to tune it with the universal energies to gain understanding of what the heck is going on. Also the Sun is still in Scorpio adding to the intensity of the moment.

The Saturn Square to Pluto is one of the Major Culmination Points in our Recent History
The exact Square between the Saturn who had just entered Libra and Pluto in the beginning of Capricorn will be Sunday November 15.  This is a major cultural turning point, challenge and start into an unraveling of structures in our society we all have dreaded since the financial markets meltdown started and the economy started to fall apart on us. Each one of us is impacted as an individual and called to action with adjustments in our personal lives.

All the abuse of power, driven by greed by people at Wall Street and big corporations is being exposed and needs to be looked at. I think you all agree that drastic change is needed. Right now we are facing the high point of the first wave of destruction and exposure of the old power structures with this astrological constellation. The second one will be on January 31 and the third in August 21 2010. In that time frame we will be facing the theme introduced now. Hopefully after the third square there will be some resolution and new direction coming out of all this.

Do not Loose Hope
We have to buckle up for a long intense ride into the shadowy dark side, exposing the secret dirty life of our government, corporate world and society. It is hard to face that extend of corruption, dysfunction and greed. Personally:  it makes me sick and depressed to watch the news.  I only skim the highlights on line to keep informed. I try to keep my focus on good things happening and there are many of those as well.

Many say that we are nearing the changes of 2012 and this process we are undergoing will either launch us into a new level of consciousness based on oneness and living life from the higher perspective of a flowering heart or we will be the dinosaurs who make place for a different form of consciousness of life in one of its endless forms. And I tend to agree.

Life is Indestructible
Have you ever seen an old stump of a cut down dead tree sprouting again? Or grass growing out of a paved street? Or a tree growing out of a wall of sheer rock in the mountains? Have you ever wondered about the amazing life force we are surrounded with? Life is such an indestructible force and it takes all these different forms. We as humans are just one form life takes out of many infinite expressions. And we think we are the most evolved version of consciousness on this planet. How do we measure that? Maybe we are not the pinnacle of evolution?

In the bigger picture we are just this tiny little speck of a planet in this vast universe neighboring other universes. Life and consciousness is limitless and forever and we are part of that. And we are living in this amazing time now where humankind as a whole is asked to step up into the next level of evolution, beyond the instinctual level of survival and domination of the strongest and fittest driven by the ego.

Newer research has proven Darwin’s theory of surviving of the fittest is wrong. The species which is working together for the highest good of the whole has the best rate of survival. And the highest good for the whole is based on how well we take care for the weakest members of our species.

What Can You do?
On a personal level you can do a lot. You can make sure you live your life from the level of kindness and love you wish for this world. You can make choices by asking yourself: What would Love do?

And you can examine your own life structures and become aware for where you hold on to rigid old structures instead of allowing change and transformation to happen easily. Your resistance and struggle is what creates the pain and suffering.

Most of all you have enormous power of influencing the dynamics of economy by your choices of where and for what you are spending your money. Buy local, support your own community, the small businesses instead of The Wal-Marts. Spend your money on organic products from farmers close by. Support green technology with your dollars. Drive your old car a little longer and then trade it for an electric car or other new technology. Save on electricity and water as much as you can by being smart.

The Berlin Wall Came down 20 Years ago to the Day– A Miracle
The wall came down with a Jupiter opposing Saturn, Venus and Neptune and a Moon square to Saturn in Capricorn. Moon is the people, mass consciousness and Jupiter is the expanding urge for freedom and a deeper sense of truth to live from. Venus the Goddess of love was softening Saturn with a conjunction. And Neptune is connected with our deepest truth of oneness. Saturn is his own sign Capricorn was crystallizing into his most rigid and inflexible position and facing the anger of people inspired by many years of oppression and occupation by a foreign reign. When structures are at their most rigid, they crumble easier.

Real change is always working its way up from the ground by people changing their consciousness. At some point the leaders and people in charge have to yield to the mass consciousness. It was a true miracle when the wall in Berlin came down 20 years ago without any bloodshed. Considering the usual Russian way of squelching any opposition violently, it was a truly amazing historical event. Leading up to that was that many thousands of people gave up their life as they had known it and had been leaving East Germany through neighboring countries illegally and with a threat to their lives. Their sheer numbers made it impossible for the old power structures to remain the same. And it shows that we, the people have amazing power.

Remember Gandhi, who was the first man who made the English, an occupying world power leave his country by changing and elevating the consciousness of his fellow men and women. Grass root movements are the most powerful and unstoppable movements because they represent a change in the global consciousness. And then there is no way back. Consciousness is always evolving and unfolding to new levels, carrying evolution forward.

We Can Make a Difference
Change your own consciousness and you change the world. Balance your own busy, anxious and agitated mind with meditation to find inner peace. Feed your mind with uplifting books and movies to lift you up. Approach others with kindness and an open heart and act from that. Be courageous by facing your own inner dragons of anger, greed and righteousness and you are indeed doing a lot.

The Gemstone of the Week is again the Herkimer Diamond
I have suggested the Herkimer Diamond before because it is one of the most amazing gemstones able to support our inner growth towards balance between the polarities because it is a double terminated crystal. I believe the Herkimer Diamond is a must have gemstone in these turbulent times.

With the Herkimer we can find an easier way towards inner peace and balance in our own heart. He helps raising our frequency and consciousness finding the Middle Path. This stone is also keeping us safe from electro smog weakening our energy field in front of the computer, which we are all exposed to. Because it is made of crystal it is enhancing our consciousness with more clarity, focus, concentration and brings white light into our aura. It is a stone of true wonders and you can read more about it in other articles I have written.

As people we need to focus on what we want, more then onto what is wrong. What is wrong is just the starting point of where we want to go. Keep that vision as a guiding light in front of you. We are the creators of our own reality and that is where our power lives. Energy goes where your focus is. Keep that better world in your mind, heart and soul and align yourself with that the best way you can.

We might be looking back from the future and be grateful for these powerful times of change and events which helped us to become really clear in our vision and needs, laying the foundation for a world functioning from a higher level of consciousness of oneness and equality.

I would really like to hear back from you and your thoughts about all this and I am sending you as always many blessings on your journey, Shakti.

Shakti Carola Navran: Astrologer, Jeweler and Author

Shakti Carola Navran has written the book: Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eyes & Strengthen the Soul and  many articles about the healing properties of gemstones and their use in daily life for meditation, balance and meaningful jewelry making. She teaches you about true Birthstones which are based in astrology and their possible application for Soul Jewelry.

This weekly forecast is from October 26 to November 1, 2009. We have some really news worthy planetary activity this week with Saturn and Mercury moving into a new sign. Saturn’s entry into the love and peace sign Libra is starting a new cycle of challenging our structures and believes in the area of relating and finding balance and peace with the other which will lead to clarity and consolidation. If you have similar planetary constellations in your own personal chart I believe you will find value in this article as well.

Mercury Plunges into Scorpio on Tuesday 27
We have talked in depth about Scorpio energy in last week’s astro weather report. With Sun and Mercury in Scorpio for about a month we will have a more intense way to react and do things (Sun) and our mental focus and communication will be more scrutinizing and difficult in some ways (Mercury). The Mercury in Scorpio wants the truth and will accept no less then that.

Sun Squares Mars
Because of the Sun/Mars Square on Thursday 29 it might take a little time for the calming and reasoning qualities of Saturn in Libra to take effect. With the Sun in Leo and Mars in Scorpio we have two very powerful, righteous signs squaring off with each other; willing to fight for their stand point and not very open to reason or compromise. Some friction we have to expect around our self expression and wanting our own way. Maybe we will be too forceful and abrasive with others around us without meaning to. Awareness is the key!

Saturn Square Pluto
But the real challenge is that we are also nearing the square of Saturn with Pluto which will become exact in November 15. We had a similar powerful alignment and fireworks with 9-11, the war in Afghanistan and the invasion of Iraq. This is not an easy constellation and we will be tested and initiated as individuals as well as a nation to see what we have learned and what our true colors are. So let us start by looking at the new frequency Saturn is representing us with his new home in Libra.

Saturn Steps into Libra on Thursday 29
When we want to know more about the meaning and potential expression of a planet in a specific sign, we always want to pay attention to the opposing forces in the opposite sign. Both energies are always balancing each other in the middle which is the center of the zodiac wheel.

The axis of Libra and Aries is about finding balance between our survival needs, ego drive and self identity on one hand symbolized by Aries and our need for love, harmony and balance with others symbolized by Libra.

As individual human beings we have the need for love, connection and companionship which is essential for our emotional survival as well as physical survival. Throughout history humans always lived in tribes or kingdoms and later countries to insure their individual survival. There was a need to choreograph a society with agreements and rules for us to thrive as a part of a bigger entity. It is like each one of us is like a cell in a body, we all have a use in the bigger order of things and we can only survive if we contribute as such.

And for that we have to find our place within the bigger order through our own individuality and sense of self. Libra represents the area where we meet the “other” as an individual, a friend or potential partner or the “others” as in the countless faces of the billions of inhabitants of planet earth. That can be pretty scary and we need to be grounded in our own identity to be able to face that.

Only if we feel secure in our own self identity, know ourselves as who we are with our own needs and value, we will be able to dance with somebody else a satisfying dance of collaboration in harmony.

All the challenges we have in the area of our relationships have to do with finding that balance between self and other. When we reach the center between Aries and Libra we will find the autonomy, self value, self-confidence, love and connection we all long for. We will be able to share ourselves more deeply, lovingly and intimately without fear and dependency. I would say that this is a worthwhile goal to strive for, don’t you think?

The same holds true for the dynamics between countries. Only if we reach the point of balance in the middle between our own needs and the respect for the other, true autonomy and cooperation can evolve. As long as it is normal for us to use other less evolved countries to cater to our economical desires and start wars to enforce our superiority, there is no balance or peace to expect.

It is the same as if you would treat your spouse as a slave, have her sleep in the garden shed, feed her scraps from your table and force her into working for you all day long. You would not expect there to be love and loyalty under those circumstances. You would have to expect rebellion and upheaval if the burden becomes too heavy to carry and the things on your table look too attractive.

Your Responsibility and Your Choices
When I was young I was very political oriented and thought that I wanted to change the world by becoming a journalist and make sure to expose all the deficiencies of the world. I wanted to contribute to a better world. I still want that but over the years my perspective has changed into the realization that the only true power I hold is inside of me.

The only power I have is to learn to control my own thoughts, actions and emotions and contribute to people around me from that inner place of love and oneness. From that place there will be right action and true change in my inner world as well as the outer world.

We all are part of global consciousness and we do count. The global morphogenetic field of consciousness  is changing and evolving constantly. It brings in new souls, the next generation with a new level of consciousness and skills based on the work their ancestors or we have done.

I am not saying we shouldn’t change something in the outer world if we see need. The more conscious and aware we are the better the choices and actions we are able to take in our life. I just want to point out the necessity of starting within our own self and cleaning up our own act first because the outer world mirrors the inner world.

Challenging Times
In these challenging times with the economical meltdown, the old structures and paradigms not working anymore we have to find a new balance with “others” out there in the world as individuals as well as countries. There are plenty of challenging astrological constellations ahead of us and the Saturn square Pluto is one of them. Astrology helps us to understand the underlying theme and what is expected of us in the way of inner and outer growth. It gives us meaning and compassion for what is happening. Then you can do your part of contributing through your own inner growth and the choices you make for your life. We are also living in exciting times and we might see changes in our generation we would have thought not possible! And we are part of it!

The Gemstone for all this is the Crystal Quartz or Herkimer Diamond
The first gemstone that comes to my mind is the Crystal Quartz which is the birthstone for Capricorn and therefore a Saturn stone. It is the most exceptional gemstone with the clarity and translucency no other stone has not even the diamond. This stone can help us to raise our consciousness through meditation or wearing it in a piece of jewelry in our energy field. We can program it to our specific needs because it offers itself as a container for that.

The other is the Herkimer Diamond which is an especially clear, double terminated crystal which incorporates the Pluto energy as well as the Saturn frequency. But I just have written about the Herkimer Diamond so today I will give you the general qualities of Crystal Quartz. But I suggest you read up on my article about the Herkimer Diamond because that is the ultimate ally for the Saturn/Pluto square constellation which will be with us for a long time. And as often as I have commented and suggested the Herkimer Diamond you can tell it is a very special stone! He is especially beneficial worn as a pendant over your heart.

A Beautiful Gift from the Earth to You
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in the Earth. It occurs in a variety of colors, including yellow, brown, pink, purple, and gray. The clear, colorless variety, called Crystal Quartz or Rock Crystal, forms exceptionally beautiful crystals that are sometimes used in jewelry to imitate diamonds. It has many fascinating physical and metaphysical qualities that can be applied in myriad ways to enhance your physical and mental well-being and help you achieve your goals.

Physical Properties of Crystal Quartz
Crystal Quartz is found all over the world. It is composed of silicon dioxide, one of the most plentiful compounds of the Earth’s crust. It grows as six-sided crystals, forming six-sided pyramids at the end of each crystal. The base of the crystal is milky, becoming clear at the tip. Quartz crystals often grow in clusters, in company with other minerals. Quartz can form huge crystals—the longest ever found was 20 feet long and weighed 48 tons!

The Astrological Meaning of Crystal Quartz
Pure crystal quartz is very clear or translucent, so its association with light and clarity is immediately evident. As the crystal grows upward to increasing clarity, it symbolizes our own striving for perfection as we grow toward ever-higher levels of consciousness.

Crystal Quartz represents the astrological properties of both the Sun and Saturn, two opposites of light and darkness. Saturn is the ruling planet of Capricorn (December 21–January 19). After December 21 (the Winter Solstice) the days grow longer while the nights grow shorter. That date represents the transition from dark into light that we must all pass through on our journey from the dark night to awakening.

From Darkness Comes Light
How can we have hope that such a transition is possible, that we may one day emerge from our darkness? We have only to observe how an ordinary chemical compound forms in the darkness of the Earth and grows into the perfect manifestation of light, clarity, and beauty. From darkness comes light! From humble beginnings comes magnificent beauty. And so shall it be in your own life.

It is only with a clear and calm mind that you can understand your earthly experience and come to terms with why you are here and how you want to live out your time in this life. Crystal Quartz can help you achieve that clear, calm mind and lead the way toward what is important to you. (Adapted from Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones That Delight the Eye & Strengthen the Soul © 2008 by Shakti Carola Navran. Llewellyn Worldwide)

If you like my approach to astrology, you can sign up for my newsletter and I will send you a free weekly astrological weather report forecast and keep you posted on the universal flow and planetary positions. If you know what is going on in the heavens you can then align yourself for more joy and success in your life. What I like about the abilities of the gemstones is that they offer a remedy to relax stressful aspects and positions in our personal chart as well as for the time quality of the present moment.

I hope you enjoyed my musings, aloha and many blessings, Shakti.

Shakti Carola Navran: astrologer, jeweler and author

In my weekly astrological weather forecast I talked about two gemstones which are the most beneficial to balance the challenging energies of Scorpio and Pluto activities, the Herkimer Diamond and the whole family of Opals. We talked about Herkimer Diamond and here is the birthstone article for Scorpios you have been waiting for. Remember that whenever you feel attracted to a specific gemstone you know that stone has some helpful properties for you, even if it only might be short term. If you choose gemstones based on your horoscope you can determine the stones which are beneficial for you throughout your life.

Scorpio: Phoenix Rising from the Ashes   (October 23–November 22)
Birthstone: Opal

Scorpio Has Depth and Charisma
Scorpio is a feminine water sign ruled by Pluto who governs the 8th House, Death & Regeneration. Scorpios are powerful, intense, complex people with a touch of the dark side. The energy of Scorpio is symbolized in the stinging tail of the Scorpio, which can be used for either positive or negative purposes. People are strongly drawn to the intensity, charisma, mystery, and energy of Scorpios.

Pluto rules the underworld, and Scorpios are very keen on discovering what lies beneath the surface of things. They don’t rest until they have gotten to the bottom of a matter. They are perfectionists and relentless in their pursuit of their goals.

While they like to dig deep, they prefer to keep their own true selves somewhat hidden and secret. It can be difficult to know what they’re really thinking and planning. Along with this deep side, they tend to have good intuition and understand people and situations well, making them very good strategists. In relationships Scorpios are fiercely loyal, committed, and protective—but possibly also possessive and jealous.

Phoenix: Rising from the Ashes
A keyword for Scorpio is “transformation.” I like to think of Scorpio—like Pluto—as a phoenix rising from the ashes. Scorpios have the ability to deeply transform themselves and their lives through their determined focus on their goals and their intuitive understanding. They use the natural cycle of endings and new beginnings to further their aims.

Scorpios do well in any profession that involves research and uncovering new or hidden information, such as detective, medical researcher, or scientist. A Scorpio would make a great spy!

How Gemstones Can Enhance Your Scorpio Experience
Gemstones are the perfect way for Scorpios to descend even further into their deep nature and focus on their goals.

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 or balance 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. The signature is based on the personality formed by the individual qualities of a stone like the color, chemical composition and their crystal structure.

Gemstones can be enjoyed and 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 67 gemstones through my book Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eyes & Strengthen the Soul.  I give you an introduction into the astrological way of thinking, and teach you 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, I call your true birthstones.

My book 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. And it will give you a new perspective onto the beauty in your life and teaches you how to align yourself with the cosmic forces for more joy and happiness in your life. Let us have a look at the metaphysical qualities of Opal.

Opal: A Gemstone to Support Your Transformation
Opal is one of the true gemstones of Scorpio. The Opals make up a large and beautiful family divided into three groups: the opalescent Precious Opals, the yellow-red Fire Opals, and the Common Opals. The first two are characterized by their opalescence, a rainbow-like sparkling and iridescence that changes when viewed from different angles. Each gem is an individual and unique, but this is especially true in the world of the Opals—there are no two Opals alike.

Opal is the stone of the mystic, shaman, artist, and healer in all of us. It is a stone for support during times of transition and intense change.

Precious Opals are always a mixture of all the energies of the outer planets. The color of the stone determines the planetary principle that it represents: the dark blues lean more toward Pluto and the green-blue-turquoises toward Uranus, while the very colorful Opals and the Black Opals express the energy of Neptune.

The Black Opal (dark grey, dark blue, dark green, red, or gray-black) leans toward the energy of Neptune, deepening our intuitive knowledge of who we are and the experience of feeling connected to the creator of the universe.

The Boulder Opal is famous worldwide for its vibrant colors, stability, strength, and uniqueness. It comes in all kinds of sparkling colors, including green, blue, turquoise, yellow, red, and violet. Because of its connection with the matrix rock, the energy of the Boulder Opal is very grounding. It helps us to stay rooted during times of upheaval in our lives.

Opals in the blue-violet-turquoise color range work with the throat chakra and the third eye. They give us a more holistic view of things and help us to let go of old thoughts, memories, and issues that may be blocking us. These Opals also stimulate our creativity and our search for meaning and vision in life—qualities that help to ease our challenging transitions. The green-blue variety gives us more understanding in working with the heart and the throat chakras. This Opal will help heal the heart, bringing awareness of our true feelings.

The Crystal Clear Fire Opal is the female Fire Opal: transcendent, brilliant, sparkling in many hues. It represents the Amazon woman, strong and independent, never giving her power away.  This stone connects us to the collective unconscious and all its treasures. It fuels our intuition with sudden sparks of insight and wisdom. But it is also the universal mother guiding and nourishing us, sustaining us in times of trouble and transitions.

The Fire Opal (orange) is a great energizing stone. When our movement in a particular direction is long overdue, the Fire Opal imparts its fire to us to get us moving. The wearer of this gem is an adventurer, a pioneer. The Fire Opal also represents a Don Juan and a tantric master who loves playful sexuality accompanied by true intimacy.

The Fire Opal is not only powerful, but also gentle and healing in its transmission of energy. It can offer support during recovery from sexual abuse. It helps us to rise out of conceiving of ourselves as victims, helps us to develop forgiveness, and empowers us by releasing those toxic thoughts from our system. It bolsters our sense of personal power and mastery.

Lightning Ridge Opal: The town of Lightning Ridge in New South Wales, Australia, yields some of the most striking Opals in the world, famous for their exceptional color and brilliance. These are Black and Crystal Opals that occur in a beautiful deep blue and other color combination. The most desirable and expensive Opals are those with the strongest, most sparkling colors and the most interesting color formations and combination. Lightning Ridge is the seal of quality in the world of Opals.

White Opals bring in the transforming and refining energies of the outer planets along with the soothing Moon qualities, making us feel nourished, balanced, and in touch with our feelings. The White Opal invites us to embark on an inner journey, diving down into the depths of our being to find unknown and unimaginable treasures. Being renewed, rejuvenated, and deeply changed as a result of this journey, we have a new outlook on life.

I hope you enjoyed this and wish you a very enchanted journey into the mysterious world of healing gemstones and looking at them in a new way! If you enjoyed this article, you can have a look at my other birthstone articles.
Aloha and many blessings, Shakti.

Shakti Carola Navran: astrologer, jeweler and author

This weekly astrological weather forecast is from October 19 to 25, 2009 and will support your ability to ride the wave of changes in your life. It is also valuable for you to read if you have Sun or Moon in Scorpio in your personal chart or strong Pluto aspects.

We can look into the time quality of the present to be better prepared for the requirements of this moment in time. If we know the time quality we can adjust ourselves accordingly and relinquish unnecessary struggle and resistance with what is. We have the choice to align ourselves with the flow of the moment.

I am living in Hawaii and have a very healthy respect of the ocean and the power of the waves. People break their necks here once in a while or have other, less severe accidents when they don’t go with the flow and try to fight their way against the currents and waves. You learn to respect the flow and learn to either dive under the wave in just the right moment or let it carry you and ride it to the shore. Ignorance is no excuse and can be lethal!

And you can even have really fun with it. You can learn how to body surf or surf with a board and enjoy the rush of being taken and carried by the ocean. It is totally exhilarating, a moment of oneness with the divine force and makes you feel really alive and in the moment.

You can use astrology in a similar way. If you know the astrological time quality of the present moment you can let it carry you and enjoy the ride. You can even use it to get you where you want to go. If you align yourself with the universal forces you know the time to put seeds in the ground and when to harvest. There is always a right time to do the right things. For me astrology is a special pair of glasses I use to look into the world to help guide me in my decisions and intentions. It gives me a broader picture and higher perspective of what is asked of me. I enjoy the intro perspective and guidance I receive that way.

When I research and write my weekly forecasts I enjoy seeing the main theme of the week crystallizing itself for me to see. Obviously I am not commenting on every planetary aspect happening in the week. Instead I allow that crystallization process and I am always amazed how it becomes clear what the week is about. Last week we had relationship as the highlight with 4 planets in Libra. The week before the Mercurial activities and communication was at the forefront. And so it goes on this week with the theme of Scorpio. Scorpio energy is not an easy one for most of us so I thought it deserved a longer introduction.

Moon Astrology

Scorpio energy was already introduced to us with the Moon entering Scorpio last Saturday till Tuesday 20. Because the Moon is often unconsciously motivating our actions it is helpful to follow the position of it throughout the zodiac. Moon astrology is giving us more awareness of those inner promptings and always changing inner tides of emotions. The Moon moves through the whole circle of the zodiac in one month and is the fastest moving planet we watch in astrology.

When we experience the turbulence of those inner feelings going through the monthly changes we may get more compassion for ourselves and relaxation around their constant changes. Often there is nothing much you can do about it, besides feeling what is there to feel and bringing full awareness to it. Only then we will have the chance to take the next step and reorient ourselves into better thoughts and feelings.

Moon in Scorpio
With this Moon position we will have a tendency to see things black or white, look into the world through glasses of duality, extremes and polarities. We want to have things our way and need to be in control of others around us. We tend to be controlling, manipulating, and openly pushy or whatever it takes to get what we think is right. This is not a Moon position of compromise and interest for the other person’s position. This is often a time of passionate and righteous action.

But experienced with awareness it can be an initiation and door way into a whole new level of being. If we allow ourselves to see the dark shadowy parts in us where we just care for ourselves and our own well being, we can acknowledge and embrace those rejected parts and become conscious of them. Then there is a good chance for us to channel those darker energies in an appropriate way for our own benefit and for the others in our life as well.

We live in a world of polarity and opposites like light and dark, day and night, life and death. The yin yang symbol is showing us how the light and the dark shape the whole circle balancing each other. The two sides of the yin yang can never be separated from each other, they coexist. Let us have a deeper look at the qualities of Scorpio.

The Sign of Scorpio: Phoenix Rising from the Ashes   (October 23 to November 22)

Scorpio Has Depth and Charisma
Scorpio is a feminine water sign ruled by Pluto who governs the 8th House, Death & Regeneration. Scorpios are powerful, intense, complex people with a touch of the dark side. The energy of Scorpio is symbolized in the stinging tail of the Scorpio, which can be used for either positive or negative purposes. People are strongly drawn to the intensity, charisma, mystery, and energy of Scorpios.

Pluto rules the underworld, and Scorpios are very keen on discovering what lies beneath the surface of things. They don’t rest until they have gotten to the bottom of a matter. They are perfectionists and relentless in their pursuit of their goals.

While they like to dig deep, they prefer to keep their own true selves somewhat hidden and secret. It can be difficult to know what they’re really thinking and planning. Along with this deep side, they tend to have good intuition and understand people and situations well, making them very good strategists. In relationships Scorpios are fiercely loyal, committed, and protective—but possibly also possessive and jealous.

Mars is the Co Ruler of Scorpio
Before the discovery of Pluto only Mars was attributed to Scorpio. Mars is the fierce warrior in mythology. Mars represents our aggression, our will to succeed, our life force energy, determination, focus, sexual drive and creative energy.
Mars and Pluto, they are a formidable pair we need for our inner strength, growth and self expression. They are not just the “bad guys” who make us work hard, but we need their sincerity, drive and passion in our live. Only when we allow them to remain unconsciously driving us we might get in trouble. They give us a depth, transformation and rejuvenation we need in our live. Growth is a human need and we feel empty, depressed, stagnant and ultimately die if we don’t change and grow.

Phoenix: Rising from the Ashes
A keyword for Scorpio is “transformation.” I like to think of Scorpio—like Pluto—as a phoenix rising from the ashes. Scorpios have the ability to deeply transform themselves and their lives through their determined focus on their goals and their intuitive understanding. They use the natural cycle of endings and new beginnings to further their aims.

When we have Pluto transits in our life it is usually a very challenging and turbulent time. We might experience one mishap after the other, “bad” things happen. What helps us is to become more aware of other ways to live the required changes and allow that deep transformation to happen without to much resistance, pain and struggle.

The same applies for the time the Sun in Scorpio is bringing in the general quality of challenging the status quo for all of us. We can expect higher waves in politics, power struggles between the parties or even countries. This will become more prevalent with Saturn moving into Libra next week with a square to Pluto.

The Scorpio Birthstones are Opal and Herkimer Diamond
Besides a higher awareness we can support ourselves with gemstones which represent the astrological principles and help balance that specific energy in our system. The most beneficial gemstones for Pluto energy are the Herkimer Diamond and the Opal. Opals can be very pricey and are wonderful companions to have in a piece of jewelry if you have a strong Scorpio or Pluto in your chart. The Herkimer Diamond also makes wonderful jewelry pieces and you can just have one in your pocket or use it for meditation.

This is the perfect stone for bringing together the opposing poles of the dark and the light, the yin and the yang. In this double terminated Crystal Quartz one tip is charged minus and the other plus. They are in perfect balance with each other. When you lay a Herkimer Diamond onto your body where you have pain it might help with that.

The Herkimer Diamond: [1]
–The Herkimer Diamond is one of the true birthstones of Libra. Found in Herkimer, New York, is a double-terminated rock crystal with such clarity and brilliance that it was named after the most reflective and brilliant stone there is, the Diamond. A handful of Herkimer Diamonds are as dazzling as real Diamonds. The most common material on earth, silica, becomes a sparkling little gem in the Herkimer Diamond.

This stone grows in small air pockets in the mother matrix rock material. It starts as a small seed crystal and grows outward from the center. Some collector’s pieces are displayed still embedded in a pocket of air in the mother matrix.

This stone is amazing in its beauty, clarity, and perfection. Unlike the Diamond, which must be cut and polished to bring out its beauty, the Herkimer Diamond is perfect in its natural state and requires no cutting or polishing at all. It is untouched by the human hand.

Balancing the Aura and Stabilizing Our Energy
The Herkimer Diamond has a very special place among the gems because of its superior qualities. It is worn most beneficially over the heart. Sitting on the heart chakra, which is the middle one of the seven, it balances the whole energetic system. Thus it is able to strengthen our auric field against all kinds of radiation, including electro smog and negative thought projections. We are constantly targeted by radiation in our daily lives, especially in urban areas. It is known that sitting in front of a computer for several hours can lower our white blood cell count, which inevitably impacts our health. The Herkimer Diamond in its perfection and balance between the negative and positive points can balance us and strengthen our own energy field.

This stone also strengthens our auric field against negative emotional or mental projections. I have made many Herkimer Diamond pendants for people who work in the healing professions to help them stabilize and treat their clients without picking up their imbalances. The more sensitive you are the more likely you are to pick up on disharmony in your outer field. The Herkimer Diamond is your ally in maintaining your own balance and strength.

Balancing the Brain
This stone also balances the right and left hemispheres of the brain, the creative and logical, the female and the male sides in us. Most of us tend toward one side or the other. The Herkimer Diamond balances us out in the middle between the two. The creative mind and the logical and scientific mind are enhanced by each others qualities: the creative mind benefits from greater focus and logic and the scientific mind draws on
more creative and intuitive resources. The two hemispheres join forces, resulting in inventions and discoveries beyond the known.

Stimulates Creativity and Inspiration
The Herkimer Diamond’s brilliancy stimulates our inspiration and connection to higher truth and wisdom. Clarity of thought and a peaceful mind are a matter of balance.
The Herkimer Diamond can be worn very beneficially over your heart or as earrings close to the brain. For jewelry seek the clearest and most perfect crystals. For meditation or even under your pillow you may choose a larger crystal, which might not be quite as perfect as the smaller ones. The larger stones have inclusions  and rainbows that make them very beautiful nonetheless. The Herkimer Diamond is a gift in its perfection and balancing qualities, a visual reminder of God’s perfect creation.–   (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.)

If you like my approach to astrology, you can sign up for my newsletter and I will send you a free weekly astrological weather report forecast on the universal flow and planetary positions. If you know what is going on in the heavens you can then align yourself for more joy and success in your life. What I like about the abilities of the gemstones is that they offer a remedy to relax stressful aspects and positions in our personal chart as well as for the time quality of the present moment.

I am looking forward and hope you enjoyed my musings, aloha and many blessings, Shakti.

Shakti Carola Navran: astrologer, jeweler and author

Shakti Carola Navran has written the book: Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eyes & Strengthen the Soul and many articles about the healing properties of gemstones and their use in daily life for meditation, balance and meaningful jewelry making. She teaches you about true Birthstones which are based in astrology and their possible application for Soul Jewelry.

We have an astrological active week ahead of us. With the gift of awareness through astrology, we can be better prepared for difficulties and challenges and even turn lemons into lemonade. This weekly forecast is designed to give you deeper understanding of the universal background as well as tools from the world of healing gems to help align and balance yourself with the planetary principles ruling the heavens. The aspect connections we are discussing hold the same basic meaning for you if you have them in your personal horoscope. We are looking at the activities of week 42 from October 12 to 18, 2009.

Mars and Venus are moving into new signs and a New Moon joins Venus, Sun and Mercury in Libra the sign of balance, beauty and relationships.

Venus Dances in Libra
On Wednesday, October 14, the goddess of love, harmony and beauty moves into her own home Libra. Whenever we have several planets visiting one sign, that sign and what it represents gains strong importance for us. We will have 4 planets in Libra by the end of this week. Also by the end of the month Saturn enters Libra, which will cast high waves and marks a significant historical impact onto society. Saturn needs almost 30 years to move through the zodiac and around 2 ½ years to move through on sign.

Each planet can be compared with the personality of an actor in a play. The actor can only perform the way the play is written and the stage is set. The astrological sign is the play, giving the theme for the actor and determines how well the hero can perform his role. Therefore let us have a closer look at Libra.

Libra: The Judge, Lover and Harmonizer
Libra is ruled by Venus and is considered a sign of air. Air is very mental, flexible, between things and connecting different people or points of view.

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. Their love of harmony and balance draws them to beauty in the arts and wherever else they can indulge their aesthetic sense.

The Opposing Sign of Aries
As I have pointed out before, one sign can only be balanced in its alignment with the opposing sign. That means for a Libra that the ego drive of the Aries needs to be integrated and vice versa.

In Libra it is easily all about relationships and the “other” out there. In Libra we are called to find a balance between our own ego drive for what we need and want (Aries) and the people we are relating to in our lives. If we don’t find that balance we get lost in placating our friends and partners, trying to make them happy and loosing ourselves along the way. Does that sound familiar?

Making somebody else happy is not really possible as many of us can testify to because we have tried. We also wanted our beloved partners to make us happy and maybe tried to do the same for them. Did it ever work?

The responsibility for happiness and joy lies solely on our own shoulders. It is a result of our conditioning, our values, the thoughts we are thinking in a habitual way and the decisions we make. In consciously taking on that responsibility there is freedom! Freedom lies in taking that happiness into our own hands, the possibility of making it a daily practice.

Four Planets in Libra
With Sun, Mercury, Moon and Venus in Libra it is a time for us to gain clarity in that dance between intimacy and autonomy, relating with others from a place of inner strength and clarity, meeting our own inner woman, ( yes, even if you are a man you have an inner woman) her needs and finding our own inner truth and expression of it.

Venus Conjunction with Saturn on Tuesday
If you have a stressful Saturn/ Venus connection in your chart relationships will always be an area of challenge and learning. There is the need for autonomy, distance, freedom and independence always struggling with the other need for love and intimacy. The life’s lesson is to find a place in us for both, honoring both as equally important needs. How that will look like will be different for each of us.

Maybe you choose a partner who is much older or younger then you are. Maybe your partner has a different nationality and cultural background. Maybe you live in different cities or keep your own apartment or house.
There is nothing wrong with you needing your own space and independence. Just find somebody who has acceptance for that out of his or her own make up.

The Saturn/Venus conjunction this week will bring up that theme to some extent for everybody. We might be a little bit more inwards oriented or want to stay home at night. We might inquire into our desires and needs in relationship and distinguish between the two. If we do the work Saturn requires of us, the gift is always more clarity and the shining light of awareness. Saturn is a tough teacher who forces us to confront our issues and deepen our insight.

You want to pay attention where this conjunction is taking place in your chart and which aspects it will activate with your personal planets.

The New Moon in Libra on Saturday 17
The New Moon is always in conjunction with the Sun. There is no light reflected and it is a moment of rebirth out of the darkness of the womb into a new cycle of creation. It is a most powerful time of the month. In that moment the dormant forces of creation form the seed of the plant that will evolve out of it, the miracle of life.

Each month the New Moon is in a different sign representing a different theme. Armed with the astrological wisdom we can consciously set the tone and decide which kind of plant we would like to grow this month. We can set our intentions and goals within the universal flow of the universe and watch the unfolding throughout the month.
The New Moon in Libra gives us the chance to allow and invite changes for the better into our intimate relationship. With her friend Venus, both female planets are in the same sign, working into the same direction.

This week is especially powerful for us women to deepen our self confidence about ourselves as a woman and lover. We have so much to give if we  take care for our own needs first. Only if we are full and replenished, we can overflow and share from our bounty. Because of the big emphases of relationship I want to share this exercise with you I have mentioned before.

The Relationship Inquiry
My husband and I are married now for 13 years which has been a record for both of us. We have used one extremely helpful structure which helps us to really listen to the other which I believe has saved our marriage through hard times. We have been doing this for many years as a means to connect on a deeper, non judgmental level. We call it an inquiry. We especially do it if we have trouble in paradise…Here is how it works:

We set a timer for 15 minutes and one of us starts to just talk about where we are in our life and how we feel in our professional life, with friends or with the relationship. The other person just listens, no interruptions or comments are allowed at this stage. After the 15 minutes there can be 5 minutes feedback and then it is the others turn.

This structure is so powerful because it doesn’t allow you to argue or react immediately. It forces you to listen with an open heart and a willingness to perceive the other in his world of thoughts and emotions. Sometimes we don’t do any feedback if we are too charged or upset about something. We just listen to each other and maybe get back together at a later time in the day.
Relationships are like plants! They need attention and proper care according to their needs. Having the monthly Moon visiting Libra always helps us the refocus and make it a special two days, like a mini honeymoon.

Mars Strides into Leo on Friday 16
Mars is the lover to Venus. Mars represents our life force energy, our juice and sexual energy, our potential for aggression and implementation of ideas, and how we do things in life. With Mars in Leo there is abundance of creative energy and self confidence in accomplishing goals we have set for ourselves. There is the potential for joy, generosity and heartfelt enthusiasm. The dark side is an ego which is driven by aggressive control and dominance of others.
I think this Mars position goes well with all the Venus activities this week. Make sure to find time for your lover, do something special, and water your relationship plant with attention, appreciation and love.

Morganite: A Venus and Moon Gemstone
I always suggest gemstones which are appropriate because of their special signature and frequency to help balance and align our flow. They also can become an anchor for the theme they represent. The individual signature and planetary frequency is the result of their color, chemical composition, crystal structure and light reflection. We have discussed the Morganite before but it is the perfect stone for any Moon/Venus activities we want to support.

–Morganite is the pink to violet variety of the Beryl family. This is the Divine Mother, a delight for our heart because it magnifies our ability to feel loved.

In my experience one of the root stressors basic to our human condition is that we don’t allow ourselves to be loved because of deep feelings of unworthiness, pain, and despair. We think, “If God loved me, he would not allow me to experience all this suffering, pain, and disaster. And if God doesn’t love me, how could anyone else love me?” Morganite brings us the message that we long to hear: that indeed God does love us. This message of God’s love becomes a deep inner spark of knowledge that sustains us in our search for a deeper, richer, more meaningful life—the longing for happiness and joy that is our heritage and our way home to our deepest selves.

Morganite is the queen among the heart stones. Its beautiful, noble appearance raises up our spirit so we may start feeling love by sharing our love. We come to understand a simple truth: that whenever we express love by caring for the plants in our garden, our children, our pets, our friends, our neighbors, our fellow humans we are sharing love. Morganite reminds us that we are never truly alone, for we all have the capacity to give love and care. — (This is taken from my book: Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones That Delight the Eye & Strengthen the Soul, published by Llewellyn)

I hope you will enjoy nourishing the plant of your relationship and love to hear your feedback. If you enjoyed my astrological insights and pointers, I invite you to come back and visit my Astrological Signs Weather Report & Healing Gems Blog for a weekly update on the universal, astrological forces. I like to inspire you to use them wisely for a successful and joyful life.

Have a wonderful week, aloha and many blessings, Shakti.

Astrologer, Jeweler and Author

Shakti Carola Navran has written the book: Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eyes & Strengthen the Soul and  many articles about the healing properties of gemstones and their use in daily life for meditation, balance and meaningful jewelry making. She teaches you about true Birthstones which are based in astrology and their possible application for Soul Jewelry.