The Darkside of Taurus

Astrology is an interesting study. Not only does each person have their own natal chart (the signs at your birth) with 10 planets, two lunar nodes, ascendent/rising signs, and several asteroids, but then there are progressions (how zodiac influences have developed into the current aspects).

On top of that, the current placement of the stars and planets can have an overall effect on the world at large. This is seen more prominently in the outer, slower-changing planets (while the inner, faster-changing planets are more influential on individuals).

Each zodiac sign has it's own personality. Most zodiac descriptions focus on the positive of each sign, but each sign also has a dark side - the negative aspect of that sign.

This series explores the negative, world-effect aspects of each sign. For simplicity, I am assuming we are talking about the Sun in each sign, though most of these analyses would apply to other planetary placements, as well.

Taurus is a fixed earth sign, with its opposite/duality in Scorpio. Taurus is the sign of artistic work and sensory comforts. The bull also has tendencies towards stubbornness.

When the sun is in Taurus, we will likely see more actions around the home: decorating, cooking and cleaning. It's the perfect time for spring cleaning!

However, we should be on the lookout for certain extremes. These can include pickiness in eating and items surrounding comfort, such as fabrics or clothing.

It isn't uncommon to find yourself comfort hording, such as holding on to things from childhood even though it might be better to clear out space in your home. When combined with the hard-headedness of the bull, it's easy to find ourselves simply rearranging our nostalgia rather than moving on.

With Taurus' artistic nature, this can expand to crafting projects. We may keep around the yarns or paints that we may never actually use, because we will get around to it someday. It will be important to establish rules to follow for keeping things in our space.

Taurus loves comfort, and this may translate into focusing on present feelings. While not a bad thing, the bull can do this to the exclusion of future plans or simply keeping up on chores that are more drudgery than fun.

Put simply, the sun in Taurus can make us feel as though the treats we give ourselves today are worth the sacrifices we would make in our plans for tomorrow. Keep your eye on your goals without completely denying yourself, and you can ride out Taurus without going broke splurging on bling or Chunky Monkey.

The Darkside of Aries

Astrology is an interesting study. Not only does each person have their own natal chart (the signs at your birth) with 10 planets, two lunar nodes, ascendent/rising signs, and several asteroids, but then there are progressions (how zodiac influences have developed into the current aspects).

On top of that, the current placement of the stars and planets can have an overall effect on the world at large. This is seen more prominently in the outer, slower-changing planets (while the inner, faster-changing planets are more influential on individuals).

Each zodiac sign has it's own personality. Most zodiac descriptions focus on the positive of each sign, but each sign also has a dark side - the negative aspect of that sign.

This series explores the negative, world-effect aspects of each sign. For simplicity, I am assuming we are talking about the Sun in each sign, though most of these analyses would apply to other planetary placements, as well.

Aries is a cardinal fire sign, with its opposite/duality in Libra. Aries is the sign of impulsive action and a quick temper. 

Aries is the get 'er done sign, as they are really big on finishing what they've started. This can become a negative when what they've started isn't worth the effort. Like the ram head-butting a brick wall, Aries needs to learn when to give it up.

With a hefty dose of spontaneity, Aries takes off, ready to do the thing or to make their mark. While over-thinking is a very real issue for many people, Aries doesn't suffer much from it. They take what they've got and head out. In doing so, they might get the urge to go camping and forget to pack the sleeping bag. Or trail mix.

Aries can have a laser-fine focus on their goals, making them a force to be reckoned with. They are less likely to accept any information that doesn't forward that goal, however. This is up to and including information that would let them know when to stop or change direction or tactics.

With the sun in Aries, we are more inclined to hold on to what we were sure we knew. These beliefs and life goals may have been perfectly fine and logical, but we need to remember to stop once in a while and figure out if we are actually getting somewhere, or if we have missed something important that may change the situation.

We can also find ourselves poorly prepared for something that we began because of a strong emotional impulse. Emotional impulses are great for getting motivated, but we need to remember that not every situation is so simple that we can just jump into it without a little thought and planning first. Taking a moment to reassess will be a valuable characteristic during the time of the Sun in Aries.

Plus, if you plan ahead, you might have some pain-killers for that headache after head-butting a wall.

The Dark Side of Pisces

Astrology is an interesting study. Not only does each person have their own natal chart (the signs at your birth) with 10 planets, two lunar nodes, ascendent/rising signs, and several asteroids, but then there are progressions (how zodiac influences have developed into the current aspects).

On top of that, the current placement of the stars and planets can have an overall effect on the world at large. This is seen more prominently in the outer, slower-changing planets (while the inner, faster-changing planets are more influential on individuals).

Each zodiac sign has it's own personality. Most zodiac descriptions focus on the positive of each sign, but each sign also has a dark side - the negative aspect of that sign.

This series explores the negative, world-effect aspects of each sign. For simplicity, I am assuming we are talking about the Sun in each sign, though most of these analyses would apply to other planetary placements, as well.

Pisces is a mutable water sign, with its opposite/duality in Virgo. Pisces is the sign of intuition and empathy, with a strong leaning towards the betterment of the world and the detachment from the world spoken of by many religions throughout history.

When Pisces shows it's dark side, it can take those characteristics to the extreme. Pisces can turn into the one who drinks too much (escapism) while watching the world burn, commenting on how it's all a lesson that needs to be learned.

To a less extreme, Pisces can be the one who throws out platitudes and even criticisms in the face of an individual's pain. "God works in mysterious ways." "There's a reason for everything." "You had a lesson to learn from this." There are many kinds of privilege that can magnify the effects of this.

This can be painful for an individual facing trauma or real problems, but it is important to note that Pisces truly believes that there is a greater purpose behind these things. These fish are swimming in larger waters than most of us realize.

The Pisces needs to balance their belief in the larger growth of humanity with sympathy for individual pain. This is difficult for the water sign specifically because they may have such strong empathy that they build walls to protect themselves from being overpowered by others' feelings. And, sometimes those walls come in the form of altering substances, such as alcohol, drugs, gambling, or other addictions.

As we enter into Pisces in this particularly interesting time, we need to watch for a tendency to embody the dark Piscean characteristics. With the larger perspective that Pisces works in, political turmoil, in particular, may bring these out.

The lesson of Pisces is to prioritize empathy for individuals, even as the greater good and world view may dismiss such things as insignificant.

The Darkside of Sagittarius

Astrology is an interesting study. Not only does each person have their own natal chart (the signs at your birth) with 10 planets, two lunar nodes, ascendent/rising signs, and several asteroids, but then there are progressions (how zodiac influences have developed into the current aspects).

On top of that, the current placement of the stars and planets can have an overall effect on the world at large. This is seen more prominently in the outer, slower-changing planets (while the inner, faster-changing planets are more influential on individuals).

Each zodiac sign has it's own personality. Most zodiac descriptions focus on the positive of each sign, but each sign also has a dark side - the negative aspect of that sign.

This series explores the negative, world-effect aspects of each sign. For simplicity, I am assuming we are talking about the Sun in each sign, though most of these analyses would apply to other planetary placements, as well.

Sagittarius is a mutable fire sign, with its opposite/duality in Gemini. Sagittarius is the sign of knowledge and travel. They enjoy philosophy and experiential education, and they embrace the changes that happen in life.

Sagittarius will travel the world, but the one thing they will never be without is their trusty soapbox. The Sag is an expert in their chosen field (or two... dozen), and they have no doubt that their information is correct, so just be quiet while they share their wisdom.

Because Sag comes across as so right so often, this leads to them being unquestioned. They often forget to question how much their experiences can be generalized to others.

Unlike Leo, who can get the facts wrong, Sag often focuses on topics that are less black & white. And, as broad-minded as they are, they can mistake their few anecdotal stories for the experiences of an entire group of people. This can lead to Sagittarius making moral judgments about large and complicated issues.

This time of year, we find that many people may be more likely to take their own experiences as a universal experience (or, worse, a universal perspective), while dismissing the data that disprove such a stance. This can lead to incredibly biased or discriminatory mindsets based on rare or singular situations - think of the welfare queen myth and how many policies we push forward to prevent this imaginary person from getting away with a nearly impossible con.

But Sagittarius is, first and foremost, an intelligent and passionate activist. By keeping ourselves aware of these biases, and double-checking our assumptions, we can avoid this particular trap.

The lesson of Sagittarius is to be aware of judging based on over-generalizing our own experiences.

The Darkside of Libra

Astrology is an interesting study. Not only does each person have their own natal chart (the signs at your birth) with 10 planets, two lunar nodes, ascendent/rising signs, and several asteroids, but then there are progressions (how zodiac influences have developed into the current aspects).

On top of that, the current placement of the stars and planets can have an overall effect on the world at large. This is seen more prominently in the outer, slower-changing planets (while the inner, faster-changing planets are more influential on individuals).

Each zodiac sign has it's own personality. Most zodiac descriptions focus on the positive of each sign, but each sign also has a dark side - the negative aspect of that sign.

This series explores the negative, world-effect aspects of each sign. For simplicity, I am assuming we are talking about the Sun in each sign, though most of these analyses would apply to other planetary placements, as well.

Libra is a cardinal air sign, with its opposite/duality in Aries. Libra is the sign of balance and diplomacy. Able to see both sides and empathize with all, Libra is a non-judgmental and compassionate sign.

The flip side of being non-judgmental is that it is difficult for Libra to judge anything. They often have trouble determining the pros and cons of every decision and, afraid of hurting feelings if they make the wrong choice, often find themselves unable to make any choice at all.

Let's not forget the less optimistic way of saying indecisive: fence-sitting. Libra's can sometimes take this lack of judgment to the point of refusing to take a side when sides need to be taken. What is a positive thing when two friends bicker with Libra in the middle, can become a violation of friendship when one of those parties seriously harms the other - and Libra still attempts to remain neutral.

Libra is the sign of balance, and they are constantly walking the balance of not hurting people's feelings. While this is nice to be around, it makes them inconsistent about any kind of feedback or criticism, something that good friends can and should provide. Every now and then, friends should call out bad or destructive behavior to help each other grow.

The scales can swing back and forth to reveal the truth, and Libra needs to learn to embrace that: Truth can trump balance.


The Libra time of year is the start of the new school year, when things reset and people prepare for winter. We may find ourselves unable to determine what old stuff to let go and what new stuff to let slide, giving us a real balancing act of projects.

Now is the time of year to find the most difficult kind of balance: you have to allow new things to come into your life without judgment, AND you must force yourself to make hard decisions - and they will ALL seem hard - about what must stay and what must go. You've gotten on a path, but figuring out the specifics will require the complexities of Libra's scales and the diplomacy that Libra excels in.

The Darkside of Leo

Astrology is an interesting study. Not only does each person have their own natal chart (the signs at your birth) with 10 planets, two lunar nodes, ascendent/rising signs, and several asteroids, but then there are progressions (how zodiac influences have developed into the current aspects).

On top of that, the current placement of the stars and planets can have an overall effect on the world at large. This is seen more prominently in the outer, slower-changing planets (while the inner, faster-changing planets are more influential on individuals).

Each zodiac sign has it's own personality. Most zodiac descriptions focus on the positive of each sign, but each sign also has a dark side - the negative aspect of that sign.

This series explores the negative, world-effect aspects of each sign. For simplicity, I am assuming we are talking about the Sun in each sign, though most of these analyses would apply to other planetary placements, as well.

Leo is a fixed fire sign, with its opposite/duality in Aquarius. Leo is the sign of the showman and the politician. Comfortable in the limelight and drawn to leadership positions, Leo often radiates confidence.

Confidence - as in confidence man, or con man. Leo isn't necessarily an intentional scammer, but the best intentions can lead to a hellish result. Leo knows what they know, but fact-checking may not be a priority, and they can passionately lead others down a very wrong way.

In the realm of world-effects, this means Leo can leave people feeling overconfident in what they know and/or believe. Given the politics surrounding the current US election cycle, we are seeing this pretty strongly. People believe, but don't research or follow-up. There is a lot of deeply-held convictions, but less checking of facts and figures.

Leo is not a sign that can be fooled easily, but it isn't terribly focused on details and research. This means there are times when superficial facts can mislead us, and we aren't focused on finding out the nitty-gritty, drill-down information. Leo tries to make a situation simple (they love soundbites), but can overlook the details that make the situation more gray than black-and-white.

Leo is the sign of entertainers, and we can see the effect of this in our desire to be, first and foremost, entertained. This is the time of the summer blockbuster, and we may see ourselves more drawn to click-bait than at any other time of the year.

The lion lives in a pride, and Leo definitely lives in pride. While pride in one's accomplishments isn't categorically bad, this is the time of year when bragging rights may be taken too far. It's a good idea to be forgiving of people who won't stop talking about themselves, and to mentally check yourself for appropriate levels of humility.

The lesson of Leo is to check in - for facts, for real life, for humility. Being sure of one's beliefs and accomplishments is great, but can be taken too far, leading to foolishness.

Pagan Parenting: The personality effect

Another piece done about three years ago:

Little adults? Not so much...

Many parenting techniques seem to focus on getting children to behave the way that adults want them to behave. This does not often take into account the child's development or the child's personality. Child development works with the biological development of the brain, and emphasizes how the brain can and cannot perform at a certain age. Developmental psychology and attachment parenting are good places to start in learning about this aspect.

Today, however, I am focusing on the aspects of the child's personality, which can be broken into two segments: astrological/elemental and past life carry-over.

By taking into account your child's astrological and elemental aspects, you take into account the foundations of your child's personality. By understanding what motivates your child's behavior, you can encourage positive behavior and discourage negative behavior. (I will be talking in the more general elemental aspects regarding astrology; that is, fire = ares, leo & sagitarius, earth = taurus, virgo & capricorn, air = gemini, libra & aquarius, and water = cancer, scorpio & pisces.)

I am Scorpio... FEAR ME!!

For example, air children will want more explanations, appealing to their logic, while water signs have more emotional motivations. So you would tell an air sign that they should pick up their toys so they can find things more easily, but water signs will pick up their toys to make mom and dad happy. Any basic astrology book or website will give you insight into your child's sun sign motivations, but I recommend finding out the rising/ascendent sign and reading up on that as well. The sun and rising signs will be the most important ones in understanding how your child "works." The moon sign, meanwhile, will help you understand the emotional reactions of your child. Needless to say, the more in depth you go with your child's natal chart, the better you will understand your unique little pagan.

The second aspect of personality that I am addressing today is the past life carry-over. This is the emotional memories that every person brings with them into their new lives. Anything you learn about your child's past lives will help unravel the mystery of his or her mind. By doing this, you can help your child get through the obsticles of past-life "baggage" and support them in discovering their purpose in this life. This will help make the child's life more complete and fulfilling.