placement of the known planets and constellations. (The placement of the planets in the signs of the zodiac is not the same astrologically and astronomically.) The Moon’s astrological place is given on page 229; its astronomical place is given in the Left-Hand Calendar Pages, 114– 140.
The dates in the Best Times table, page 230, are based on the astrological passage of the o Moon. However, consider all indicators be- fore making any major decisions.
The Man of the Signs
Ancient astrologers believed that each astrological sign influenced a specific part of the body. The first sign of the zodiac—Aries—was attributed to the head, with the rest of the signs moving down the body, ending with Pisces at the feet.
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o Aries, head . . . . . . . ARI Mar. 21–Apr. 20 7 Taurus, neck . . . . . . TAU Apr. 21–May 20 i Gemini, arms. . . . . GEM May 21–June 20 c Cancer, breast . . . . CAN June 21–July 22 q Leo, heart. . . . . . . . LEO July 23–Aug. 22 r Virgo, belly. . . . . . . VIR Aug. 23–Sept. 22 f Libra, reins . . . . . . . LIB Sept. 23–Oct. 22 m Scorpio, secrets . . . SCO Oct. 23–Nov. 22 e Sagittarius, thighs . . SAG Nov. 23–Dec. 21 n Capricorn, knees . . CAP Dec. 22–Jan. 19 T Aquarius, legs . . . . AQU Jan. 20–Feb. 19 j Pisces, feet . . . . . . . PSC Feb. 20–Mar. 20
■ Astrology is a tool we use to plan events according to the astrological placements of the Sun, the Moon, and the planets in the 12 signs of the zodiac. The planetary movements do not cause events; rather, they explain the path, or “flow,” that events tend to follow. Astronomy is the study of the actual
■ Sometimes the other planets appear to be traveling backward through the zodiac; this is an illusion. We call this illusion retrograde motion.
Mercury’s retrograde periods can cause our plans to go awry. However, this is an excellent time to reflect on the past. Intuition is high during these periods and coincidences can be extraordinary.
When Mercury is retrograde, remain flexible, allow extra time for travel, and avoid signing contracts. Review projects and plans at these times, but wait until Mercury is direct again to make any final decisions.
In 2008, Mercury will be retrograde from January 28–February 19, May 26–June 19, and September 24–October 15. –Celeste Longacre
Use the chart opposite to find the best dates
for the following garden tasks:
■ Plant, transplant, and graft: Cancer, Scor-
pio, and Pisces. Taurus, Virgo, and Capri-
corn are good second choices.
■ Control insect pests, plow, and weed: Aries,
Gemini, Leo, Sagittarius, or Aquarius.
■ Prune: Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius. During a
waxing Moon, pruning encourages growth;
during a waning Moon, it discourages growth.
■ Build/fix fences or garden beds: Capricorn.
■ Clean out the garden shed: Virgo.
References:
Archives