Backwards to go Forward

Sagittarius 2013

Sagittarius – the archer in the sky. We are just at the end of his period in the year and about to meet the goat again. So we are in a time period where we can look back over the year and attempt to spot patterns. Saggi is good at observing patterns. Based on a bit of self-reflection, you can think up some targets (the archer likes those too) for 2014, and Capricorn can then make concrete plans to get stuff done. You know it’s the right thing for this time of the year!

But instead of going inwards and reflecting in these traditionally dark days, (sorry you of southern climes), the message we get is to go forth and indulge, drink too much and spend too much. Watching the BBC you would think that everyone is expecting to cook a gourmet meal for about 500 people and have a stunning tinsel and light covered house to boot. With exquisitely crafted decorations and champagne which is lovingly hand-made by a silent order of monks somewhere in France. Actually that sounds quite good – but I digress.

The down-side of Sagittarius is greed and over-the-topness. Unfortunately there is still a lot of it about. But this time of year is perfect for finding a philosophy to live by – your own  – and not necessarily a set religious one. The church has traditions and these are important to humans. Traditional things give us a sense of continuity – we are safe in the knowledge that life will continue. But we can be caught like a hamster on his wheel. Carrying on in circles and getting exercise but not getting anywhere else. And probably getting the hamster equivalent of RSI.

I can’t find who should get the credit for this image – if you know let me know… I love it!

How can we step out of the wheel, the daily grind, the traditional Christmas fights, the eating patterns that don’t serve us, etc., and discover (another Saggi word) a new way to live? It’s scary taking that leap.

One way to start is to take some time to get an overview of 2013. Sometimes we need to step back and look at the ‘Big Picture’ – Sagittarians are good at this. The God associated with this sign is Jupiter – the judge who sat high on a mountain and could observe from a distance. When astronauts could do this from space, our view of the earth changed radically. Sometimes we are too close to see the ‘whole’.

If we are right next to something we see this:

 It could be anything. But if we step away we can see the whole pattern:

Self Portrait Vincent van Gogh, 1887 – Rijksmuseum Amsterdam

It’s like that with our lives. Astrology offers a great tool for seeing patterns, the circles in our lives – our life cycles – and where we are getting stuck. We need to step away to see where we are and get an idea of where we want to head.

So … for in those quieter moments here are some questions about 2013:

• • What did you enjoy?

• • When were you happy?

• Do you have people who support you as you are or want to be?

These can be questions with painful answers. But these answers may help you focus on what is important for your life in 2014.

And in business:

• • When did an idea fly?

• • When were your staff happy?

• What was successful?

Below I give a link to an interesting report called ‘WHEN IT COMES TO BUSINESS LEADERSHIP, NICE GUYS FINISH FIRST‘. This is against traditional wisdom! A quote from this report shows why reflecting on life, and in particular self-reflection and looking at your own role in events, is important. “Leadership searches give short shrift to “self-awareness,” which should actually be a top criterion. Interestingly, a high self-awareness score was the strongest predictor of overall success.” If the answers to the above questions are painful or difficult, then try to develop new goals to address these issues. It is a good time for it – not only because of the time of year, but also the planet Jupiter is at present going backwards. Words that come to mind are:

• • inner faith and wisdom

• • reflecting on strategy

• • journeys inward

• re-evaluating beliefs – particularly about where you belong – in families, relationships and at work.

You have until 7th March, when Jupiter goes forward again. Interestingly the planet Venus – money relationships, self-worth, what you love and how you can earn money – also goes backwards within a few days of writing this – from the 22nd Dec until February 1st. So this is also a good time for reflection on these themes too.

So go forth and reflect I say.

Faye Blake-Cossar

Interesting Website of the Month

Here is the article for the business study – ‘Nice guys finish first‘ mentioned above.

And just because it is a great photo from National Geographic about life cycles:

From the National Geographic site: “A tradition a thousand years old, passed on to generations in today’s remote Donje Ljubinje in the Zhupa area in south Kosovo. Today, this tradition is at the verge of extinction, as only a 65-year-old lady continues preparing young brides according to their traditions. The bride’s face is painted in many beautiful layers of color. Three golden circles symbolizing the cycles of life are tied to one another by the golden roads that one crosses over their lifetime. The inner red circles are symbols of fertility, where red and blue dots are born from, and the whole face is covered by them, wishing her a healthy and happy family.” Photograph by Nita Zeqiri

Quote of the Month

“To doubt everything or to believe everything are two equally convenient solutions; both dispense with the necessity of reflection.”
Henri Poincare, French mathematician, physicist and philosopher (1854-1912).

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