Paradigms are systems of “ease” — frameworks that create a certain level of autonomy so that we can focus our attention on the novel, growth, what is coming into being.

A lot of your hear me going on and on about ease A LOT, but that’s the ease that comes on the other side of updating our Reality Operating System™️. When paradigms trap us in the past, in reactive, autopilot versions of self that prevent us from living fully in the present and with responsiveness, that when the shift begins. All frameworks, at some point in their life cycle, become dis-eased and dysfunctional — and they will, when the fear of ceasing to exist outweighs the fear of change, collapse. This applies both to the individual as well as on a civilization level.

In Aries, Neptune dissolves misaligned identities as Saturn demands integrity and meaning. A dive into power, perspective, and the next initiation of the Great Reset.

You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes…

“Try to learn to recognize what is simply the result of your own will from what is the will of something greater than you.”

— RAINER MARIA RILKE: Letters to a Young Poet (1903–1908), Letter 8

Sometimes You Get It Right … But Why Like This!

Last year, in I Perceive, Therefore I Am, my hypothesis was thatMercury and Jupiter were ultimately driving the bus of 2025 as the lords of the North Node in Pisces and South Node in Virgo. 2025 promised to be a “be careful what you wish for” year. Jupiter in Cancer relating to Mercury as it toured the zodiac was always going to be about the interplay between your deeply held (often unconscious) beliefs about how grace shows up in reality and the actual systems you use to navigate that reality.

In reviewing 2025, this hypothesis has been proven—perhaps more brutally than some of us liked. That’s benefics for you!

2025 was a year that PROMISED new beginnings. The outer planets teased us with ingresses into Aries and Gemini. We got a taste of that brief, intoxicating rush of masculine Air and Fire energy. But then, many of those beginnings stalled or collapsed—especially once the outers moved back into Earth and Water signs, bringing back to the fore the feminine receptive energy that demands knowing what is worth growing.

The new things were sexy, seductively extending agency and change, but were they worth growing? Were they even possible to nourish into fruition with the resources at hand? Could you accept the terms and conditions that came with them, or were they prefaced on compromises that would’ve buried you alive—six feet under and screaming, but without anyone to hear you?

What arrived in 2025 was meant for a “you” that you are only now becoming as you read this. If your manifestation felt like a false start, it wasn’t a failure of the stars; it was a diagnostic report. It showed you exactly where your repetitive patterns—your samskaras—are keeping you locked in an identity that is physically incapable of holding the fruits of the life you desire.

All that Lives Must Die

Despite the high-octane ingresses of 2025, we were still operating under a 9-year numerological cycle and the Chinese Year of the Snake. Both demand ENDINGS. We’ve been in a cosmic waiting room.

• Saturn and Neptune couldn’t begin the “Aries Revolution” of selfhood because they hadn’t finished the “Pisces Purgation” of collective connection to source and “why.”

• Uranus couldn’t revolutionize how we connect in Gemini until it finished blowing up the unsustainable, extractive systems still preventing the resources of Taurus from being regenerative and nourishing.

In short: 2025 taught us that we cannot have different lives if we keep showing up as the same people, functioning within the paradigms of the old, “safe,” and predictable reality. We cannot co-create new, responsive lives and neural infrastructure if we are perpetually reinforcing our inherited, autonomous predictive systems by seeking input that only confirms our unconscious biases.

2026: Ready or Not, Here I Come

If 2025 was the diagnostic, 2026 is the synthesis. This is the year that will break patterns—not because we’ve necessarily "done the work," but because the sky is finally co-signing action.

The Four Horsemen of the Great Reset:

• January 9 | The Mars Cazimi: This resets a cycle that began in late 2023. We move away from the energy of putrefaction and “toxic clearing” and into an agenda of Regeneration. Mars in Capricorn is here to build the scaffolding for coherent social and personal systems from the carcasses Pluto’s passage through Capricorn left behind for fertilizer.

• February 13 | Saturn into Aries: The 30-year thesis officially begins. Can you balance responsible “selfishness” with accurate self-awareness? For those undergoing a first or second Saturn Return, the “preview” of 2025 is over. This is the real game.

Your Mileage Will Vary

“Her name derives from the Sanskrit word ‘lakṣ,’ meaning ‘to perceive’ or ‘to observe,’ and is associated with goals, aims, and prosperity.”

— WISDOM LIBRARY: Lakṣmī (definition)

Almost 3 months into my Jupiter and Venus profection year, so they’re demanding a public accounting of how it’s going so far ESPECIALLY with the new moon in Libra on Tuesday, October 21st at 6:25 AM MDT fueled by Venus (finally at home) in Libraand squaring an exalted Jupiter in Cancer slowing down before its retrograde on November 11th

This won’t be joining the readily available plethora of “this is a great new moon for manifestation” information that’s in circulation currently on social media — because, depending on your natal placements, yes. It can do. 

Instead, let’s dig into what seems to be a central topic in our collective consciousness these days — especially thanks to the real estate that Venus and Jupiter are covering currently: How to manifest EASE, PROSPERITY, ACCEPTANCE in a system that seems allergic to granting these without major transformations of inner scripts (aka nervous system patterns) and outer structures (aka economic and political systems).

Hot Take: It Starts in the Cradle

Jupiter is the planet that asks: What do you believe about how reality behaves? Who or what has the ultimate power over your experience here in on planet Earth and how do they treat you? 

It’s seen as the energetic archetype that culminates in wisdom — which, ultimately, is the recognition that surrender is the only viable strategy to life on Earth particularly surrender to a “higher power”. Why? Because, as we travel along the arrow of time, it becomes increasingly clear that ease and joy exist on the other side of our personal accountability for the controllables and surrendering what’s outside of your domain to affect to whatever’s “out there”. (Believe you me, several of the younger Anaks riding along in my neural pathways is pitching a hissy fit and current me writing this — how dare I think that she can’t completely figure out how to bend reality to her will. Lol.)

(Side note: But, hold on, isn’t Saturn the planet of limitations and boundaries? Isn’t Jupiter supposed to be the one who sets you free and grants your wishes? Well, think of it as two different parenting styles: Jupiter will tell you not to touch the hot stove, but he won’t stop you from doing it. Saturn will ask you not to touch the hot stove, and he’ll build an impregnable baby gate around it. In the first case, Jupiter teaches you by letting you have what you want. In the second case, Saturn gives you the time to grow up and understand. Either way, you learn the lesson — the stove is hot and will burn you. Some of us like the former — we’d rather take our own lumps. Some of like prefer the latter — we’d rather learn from someone else’s lessons.)

But let’s get to the salient point about Jupiter’s role in manifesting abundance and ease: Parenthood, grace, and gratitude.

Don’t Believe the Hype

“What is meant for you will reach you even if it is beneath two mountains; what is not meant for you will not reach you even if it is between your two lips.”

— ARABIC PROVERB

What’s dangerous about the current manifestation talk?

A lot of popular techniques encourage obsessive loops that erode self-trust and agency.

• “You attract who you are / the vibration you’re at.” For folks already in the trenches—financial stress, relationship turbulence, career instability—this message can land as shame. It smuggles in an old worldview: your external circumstances reflect your worth. That spiral traps you in self-blame and disconnection from Self. Even worse, the usual “raise your vibration” prescriptions rarely address the root of the original signal. You get tactics without integration—surface-level gloss over deep material.

• Law of Assumption / “delulu” as a strategy. This works if you already have the skills and scaffolding to make congruent choices. If you don’t, it’s like using credit to finance a lifestyle, not an asset. “Fake it till you make it” often ends with paying interest on depreciating purchases—time, energy, reputation—without building true capacity.

The Axis of Manifestation: Rahu (North Node) & Ketu (South Node)

Eclipses are personal and collective portals. They don’t deliver “what you want”; they surface what you’re prepared to work with. How cleanly that lands depends on the relationship between consciousness (Sun | big “S” Self) and the conditioned mind (Moon | small “s” self).

Buh Bye Mars and Mercury!

“Lord, help me to accept my tools. However dull they are, help me to accept them. And, then, Lord, after I have accepted my tools, then help me to set out and do what I can with my tools.”

— MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

The Rational Bit

So, when I turned 49 last August, I had an inkling that it “might” be a challenging year considering I was going into a 2nd House (my money, food, values, early conditioning around being nourished, what is needed to move through the world with ease) year.

Not only is my 2nd House overlaid by the sign Scorpio, it contains the North Node (aka Rahu) — that shiny unlived “experience” that my soul had craved and was obsessed enough with to come back into a human body for to try to finally have. Okay, that’s already pretty much a level 10 challenge considering that the shadow planet represented by a head that can never find satisfaction because it isn’t connected to its body is in literally the house of money and food … no, my soul when it purchased the “vacation package” described by the birth chart I came into this world with decided then it wanted that Mars ruling the 2nd House to be in the complete opposite house on top of the South Node (aka Ketu) on the star Algol (aka the binary star associated with Medusa). Ketu “disappears” or more accurately “discharges” things by making them inaccessible unless you release the certainty of everything you know about the sign that its in and the way that any planets it touches works. Literally, money, food, what’s needed for ease gone in a black hole in the sign (Taurus) of money, food, and what’s needed for ease. Bonus challenge for my 49th year? Mars is also the lord of my 7th house, making it what’s called a “maraka” planet in jyotish techniques — the death dealer.

But wait! When I do an annual analysis, I also look at the house and planet activated from the chart’s sect light — because that shows you how will instinctively cope and deal with the external events catalyzed by the Lord of the Year from the ascendant (bear with me those of you who don’t care of these technicalities). It shows you who is the actor that’s being transformed is and how that transformation will empower you to shine that piece of the divine you came here to share.

Oh, Mercury … the Princeling … not only Mars’ enemy because of all his questions, FOMO, sense of humor, apparent lack of gravitas and wisdom by the natural scheme of planetary friendships and enmities (btw, Mercury is neutral to Mars — he’s that crazy incel who runs the army but who can be fascinating every once a once) but also to my delight (not) in an exact square to my natal Mars/Ketu, Lord of my activated 12th (of self undoing, sleep, hidden enemies, inspiration, connection with the divine) and secondarily 9th (of belief, ethics, gurus, mentors, places of pilgrimage, expertise, wisdom) AND this kid is on Regulus (the Kingmaker), the place of the throne.

You cannot make this shit up … but optimistic Leo me! I took a look at my solar return chart and was like — I mean, how bad can it be? The chart lord is that strong domiciled Leo Sun in the First House, the Moon is in its natal sign in the house of its joy applying to the Part of Fortune … okay, fine … Mars is busted AF in Gemini (the domain of his enemy Mercury) BUT look! He’s there with his buddy Jupiter — Jupiter makes things better (but okay he’s busted AF too) … yet, it might be okay, they’re reporting to an exalted Mercury in the second house (let’s just pretend he isn’t retrograde — because look he’s with his BFF Venus — who’s also busted AF) … oh, and that pesky South Node is right on top of my natal Moon/Pluto conjunction almost exactly. <le sigh> Look! It’s gonna be okay — Jupiter, even though he’s banged up, sees the Sun. GIRL. Girl. The copium.

This is what I do when I look at your charts before an annual:

• What’s getting worked on?

• What planet needs the most attention in your external life? What part of your external life needs to be experienced fully — the best of it and the worst?

• What planet is the one that’s evolving — that’s learning to be better at enabling you to live in that liminal space between your corporeal existence and your divine being?

• How are they playing the game for the year? What does this mean for the lens through which you should shift your point of view to burn through your ingrained patterns that keep you stuck (aka samskaras) in an identity or way of moving through your human vacation that you know isn’t you anymore?

Your Chart as a Field Guide

“Śraddhā (belief/faith) is not blind acceptance but initially a working hypothesis of trust in the guru’s teaching, and attitude to be cultivated along with prescribed practices, such as meditation and mantric repetition, which provide experience.”

— Devadatta Kālī, IN PRAISE OF THE GODDESS

Guru Purnima Today

Today, in the Vedic calendar, is Guru Purnima — a sacred full moon dedicated to honoring the teachers — living and ancestral, seen and unseen — who awaken us to truth. While it’s often framed around gurus, this day is ultimately a celebration of the search for self-knowledge, -acceptance, and -love itself: the questions we are born to discover the answers to, the people we encounter who make us aware of ourselves in ways we could not do alone, and the opportunities and challenges that awaken us to our essential nature as conduits of the divine.

Often the search for a guru or mentor is surrounded by mysticism, mystery, the need for some epic soul quest. As a tropical Leo Sun with Libra Rising and Libra Moon, I’m all for an epic, romantic, bigger than life quest any day — but, if we’re willing to recognize them, our gurus surround us every day in the most mundane of circumstances and plain vanilla of interactions. How to spot them? Your chart is your personal field guide as you adventure through your 24/7.

From the Outside In

Modern astrology often begins from the inside out, asking: What do I feel? What do I want? It’s like working with a Method Actor who draws from their own psychology to build a role — who asks me, as the director, to be the bridge between the script, the mine of their lived experiences and impressions that unearth which parts of them are needed to embody this fictional character.

However, other actors skin a role from the outside in — finding how the body moves dictated by circumstance and costume, being present with their scene partners and allowing them to elicit a response with the words they’re constrained to with the script, using the senses — whether it’s a cut onion held up to the eyes to bring forth tears or a psych-up song with immediate physical resonance or even — and, yes, I’ve worked with an actor that did this — drink a liter of water before a scene so that the urgency of having to go to the bathroom was a real physical stake driving the performance. Both ways get to where you need to go — the second one is a lot easier to hack.

When you start learning astrology — especially if you want to start applying it to your life right out of the box, take the second path. The birth chart is not only a static reflection of your personality. It is a living stage — your very own reality show, populated by planetary archetypes — each with their own motivations and domains of influence — that show up as actual people in your life.

Planets as People

How do you spot the planets as the individuals populating the story of your life? Here are some astrologically sourced suggestions that you can extrapolate from and use to start identifying them:

Bridging Desire & Being

The North and South Nodes — known in Vedic astrology as Rahu and Ketu — have been surfacing constantly in client work lately. And I’ve started to think: maybe we’ve been hacking the whole “release and let go” thing backwards.

Behavioral studies show people don’t overcome dysfunctional habits through mythical “willpower.” They succeed by redirecting their attention. They don’t resist the chips in the pantry — they don’t buy them in the first place. (Chips in my house are an endangered species — ask me how I know.) Or they explore the emotional impulse behind the craving and find a more nourishing way to cope.

Same with toddlers. You don’t teach a toddler to stop climbing by scolding them. You redirect the impulse: take them to the park, hand them a jungle gym, let their Neanderthal nervous system learn through movement.

You get where I’m going.

The South Node Isn’t Obsolete. It’s the Key.

Astrologers often frame Ketu, the South Node, as the past — something to leave behind. But telling someone to “let go” of a Ketu theme is like saying, don’t think about a pink elephant.

Spoiler: they think about a pink elephant.

What works instead is strategic redirection. You’re not erasing Ketu. You’re discharging it — using lifetimes of experience and intuition to fuel your journey toward Rahu, the North Node. Rahu represents the growth edge, the obsession, the reason you incarnated in the first place.

“When you do something, you should burn yourself up completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself.”

— Shunryū Suzuki | Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind

Rahu and Ketu Are Always a Team

The lunar nodes are an axis. You can’t work with one without activating the other. So the goal isn’t to suppress Ketu — it’s to redeploy its instincts in service of where Rahu is trying to grow.

Let’s apply this idea to the current sidereal nodal transit:

Rahu in Aquarius / Ketu in Leo | May 29, 2025 – November 25, 2026

The year ahead calls for deep self-reflection and alignment of your beliefs with your actions. Discover how to tap into your intuition and manifest your dreams in 2025.

Time to Complete the Past

“Setting the goal is the work of the Conscious Mind and achieving the goal is the job of the Subconscious Mind.”

— Dr. Jayshree Om, Vastu Remedies: Manifest Your Dreams

Saturn retrograde is winding down, and we’re now in the final stretch of this retrograde period, which began on June 29, 2024, and concludes on November 15, 2024. It’s a moment of cosmic reflection — a call to review and re-align with the structures that define our lives. Saturn, the planet of discipline, responsibility, and enduring impact, has been pushing us to take a hard look at what’s been working and what hasn’t. It’s time to wrap things up, complete the past, and prepare to step into a new cycle of manifestation.

What Are Retrograde Periods?

Think of retrograde periods as cosmic "reaping" seasons. They offer a chance to revisit the themes of the retrograde planet and harvest the fruits of your efforts during its previous direct motion. Essentially, it's a time to integrate lessons learned and course-correct where needed.

With Saturn, these themes are about:

• Consequences: What has manifested from your past decisions?

• Boundaries: Have you held firm where needed, or compromised too much?

• Duty and Responsibility: Are you living up to your commitments to yourself and others?

• Manifestation: Have you brought your ideas into tangible form?

• Community Building + Sharing Your Gifts: How have you contributed to society by granting it access to your unique talents?

• Legacy: How have you been creating something that will endure?

• Delays and Frustration: How have you cultivated patience and perseverance?

• Endings: Have you let go of what no longer serves you?

This is a chance to confront any frustrations, delays, or feelings of stagnation that might have surfaced, and to turn those experiences into stepping stones for what’s to come.

Saturn in Pisces: The Energy of Sacrifice and Inspiration

Saturn’s current journey through Pisces adds a layer of complexity. Pisces, with its themes of divine connection, inspiration, and the subconscious, invites us to align our tangible efforts with a deeper spiritual calling. It’s not just about checking off to-do lists; it’s about finding meaning in the mundane.

Get Re-Aligned Step-by-Step After April’s “Thrill Ride”

“All we can know is that we know nothing. And that’s the height of human wisdom.”

— Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace

With the dust starting to settle, it’s time to catch our breath and get ready to emerge from the chrysalis.

All the woo woo spaces have been buzzing about how DYNAMIC (understatement) April’s starscape was going to be — which is one reason I’ve been mum. No one needs another voice added to the cacophony stirring up calls of massive change, upheaval, once in a lifetime conjunctions of outer planets. Where TPA shines is being there when all is said and done and helping you get sorted with what to do with all the major transits behind us … and, thankfully, no the possibilities aren’t endless anymore. You know what you’re working with.

Let’s use the Full Focus Method from Michael Hyatt’s, Your Best Year Everto harness the insights gained and shape the rest of the year.

Your best year ever — if you go back and dot your i's and cross your t's

“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

— Winston Churchill

Mercury Crossing

As of this writing, Mercury is about to cross backwards from Capricorn into Sagittarius, where it will stay until it stations direct on January 1st or 2nd (depending on where you are).

As usual, my usual volume of messages bemoaning Mercury’s backwards dance naughtiness have been pouring in — with my usual, response of the opportunity is in the cock-up or let Mercury show you where the mistake is before it becomes a disaster.

BUT this is no ordinary Mercury retrograde — look at what you have to re-[insert verb] in the previous sign / house in your chart before you can move forward with what Mercury showed you in the next sign / house. NO. This retrograde coincides with yesterday’s Winter Solstice (now we’re gaining light) as well as Jupiter slowing down to turn direct at the end of the month. <insert choirs of angels singing>

On December 18th, Mercury and Jupiter perfected their backwards trine. As I often say during consult, whenever Mercury and Jupiter make an aspect a window opens between the divine design and the manifest world. For flowing aspects like trines, the energy gives birth to a balanced idea harmoniously — ESPECIALLY in earth signs — which are all about results you can measure with your senses. This aspect functioned like a hand off from guru to student: