Article Topic: Astrology

With its designation as the "greater benefic," Jupiter is best known as a lucky charm. It is definitely that. Jupiter's position in your chart represents where your greatest luck occurs and where you're likely to be least cautious. But, Jupiter can also be fickle. In this excerpt from Llewellyn's Complete Book of Astrology, discover what Jupiter's placement in your chart means for you.

The sign your Moon was in at your birth describes your habits, comfort zones, the way you respond to your emotional needs, and how you express yourself emotionally. Knowing the Moon sign of others will give you clues as to how to better understand and relate to their emotional needs. In this excerpt from Astrology & Relationships, author David Pond explains the emotional needs of each Moon sign.

In the map of the sky that is the astrology chart, the positions of the planets are noted by the sign they are in and, more precisely, the degree they inhabit within that sign, each sign being 30° wide. However, because the planets move and their relative position to each other is not fixed like the signs (until we freeze them into place in an astrology chart for a time and place), they can wind up anywhere within the range of 30° of a sign when a chart is calculated. A planetary aspect is therefore defined more specifically by the actual degree distance between two planets. So how are aspects defined? And what do they mean? Amy Herring, author of the new Essential Astrology, explains.

Many people are aware of the trials and tribulations that can come with Mercury retrograde periods. But what about surviving—and thriving—during periods of Venus retrograde and Mars retrograde? Bernie Ashman, author of the new How to Survive Mercury Retrograde (And Venus & Mars, Too), presents some survival tips.

The Moon is a happily familiar sight when we gaze into the night sky. And thanks to cycles of rotation and celestial motion that are both constant and continuous, we needn't simply admire them from afar; we can also use the Moon to judge time of day and the passing of each month. In this article from Llewellyn's Moon Sign Book, Susan Pesznecker illustrates how we can use the Moon as both a calendar and as a gauge of time.

Brad Kronen's new book, Love in the Stars, profiles the romantic dynamics created between each of the twelve signs of the Zodiac whenever dating one another. The book illustrates that every combination of sign can work together, but that some combos take more work than others just to achieve a state of equilibrium. This is especially true when you consider the astrological rule of thumb that same-signed unions are generally frowned upon, due to each sign having its own unique issues to confront whenever dating itself. Since we're currently in the sign of Sagittarius, he discusses the issues that can arise with same-sign unions through the lens of the double Sagittarius couple Jim Morrison & Pam Courson.

Every few months, for about three weeks, the planet Mercury goes retrograde, appearing to move backwards in the sky. During this time—which can be a time of anxiety for many—experiences of issues with communication, technology, or travel are not uncommon. So how can we survive—and perhaps even thrive—during a period of Mercury retrograde? Bernie Ashman, astrologer and author of the new How to Survive Mercury Retrograde (And Venus and Mars, Too), provides some great ways to navigate this potentially frustrating time period.

In astrology, a grand cross occurs when four or more planets a form two sets of oppositions that combine to form four squares. These planets are also usually related by mode (Cardinal, Fixed, or Mutable). This is a difficult configuration, but there is usually great strength accompanying it to endure and develop character. So, there are three modal grand crosses: the mutable grand cross, the cardinal grand cross, and the fixed grand cross. How does evolutionary astrology, which examines why we are here and which lessons we need to learn, view these configurations? This article will focus on understanding the meaning of the mutable grand cross, from the perspective of evolutionary astrology.  

A midlife crisis is a household phrase in Western culture conjuring up images of middle-aged men in red sports cars trying to recapture their youth. Is there more to it than this stereotype? What lies at the heart of the midlife crisis, and does it truly exist? In this excerpt from Llewellyn's 2016 Moon Sign Book, Astrology of the Moon author Amy Herring discusses the psychological purpose of midlife transitions and how your natal Moon Sign can help us anticipate what to expect and to navigate the best outcome of these transitions.