subject: Aquarius: Daring Visionary, Role Model and Artist (January 20–February 18) Birthstone: Aquamarine [print this page] This week the biggest event is that two planets are moving hand in hand into Aquarius, the Venus and the Sun. The Sun in Aquarius will set the tone for a whole month and Venus for about 225 days. The Sun as the center of consciousness and life giving entity for our planet can be seen as one of the male planetary principles. Venus on the other hand is the goddess of love and harmony, rules relationships and defines how open we are in our hearts and what we are looking for in love. A conjunction between Sun and Venus is always depicting the yin and yang balance between the forces and the need to come to some form of equilibrium between the two. Aquarius might be a sign of personal freedom but still is an individual looking for a place within the context of a relationship, a group or society. For relationship matters this is a month to have a fresh look into the balance between autonomy and intimacy in your relationship and maybe ask yourself some questions. Do you have the balance between autonomy, freedom and intimacy you like to have in your relationship? Or do you feel stifled or suffocated? Can you talk about and share your visions of life and specifically about your needs in your love relation? What are you willing to commit to? Maybe you like to do something spontaneous together, take a weekend off and have a little honeymoon somewhere? If you have planets in Aquarius in your personal chart you can expect them to be more activated this month and pushing into the foreground. You might be willing to take more risks and receive sudden inspiration or insight. Let us have a deeper look at the particularities of Aquarius and how we can support ourselves with the birthstone Aquamarine. The Age of Aquarius Aquarius is a masculine air sign ruled by Uranus and belongs to the 11th HouseFriends & Vision. If youve heard the song from the musical HairThis is the dawning of the Age of Aquariusyou know that Aquarians are such original thinkers and nonconformists that they can change the world. They are not interested in how things have always been, but how they can reshape the world. They always have their eye on the future, not on the past. The cultural revolution of the 1960s and 70s epitomized the Aquarian need to rebel against the established order and bring forth a new vision. A Sign of Change Aquarians have a rich personalitya mixture of many traitsthat can be hard to pin down, making them unpredictable. And thats how they prefer it as they are always open to new ideas and new ways of beingas long as they initiate those changes themselves. They need the freedom to express their individuality. They can be very impulsive and act according to their own established values on a moments notice. Sudden changes belong to Aquarius. Great Humanitarians Water holds great importance for Aquarians, as depicted by the symbol for this sign, a woman carrying water. That seems to be a contradiction at first glance because it is a sign of air. But water is associated with nurturing, and Aquarians are fundamentally nurturing humanitarians, with a deep interest in and genuine concern for other people. They readily volunteer their time to service organizations of humanitarian interests. An Inventive Problem Solver Their original way of thinking allows Aquarians to see solutions to problems that others dont see. They pursue goals and challenges with great determination, but they have the flexibility to change course in midstream when they see a new solution or a better way of doing things. Relationships Aquarius is a highly sociable sign. Aquarians are very likeable, quite interesting, and great communicators. Many people are drawn to those qualities of Aquarians, and they tend to have a great many friends and associates and to join a lot of clubs and groups. Because of their need for individuality and freedom, and their mental approach to life, they can appear to be somewhat emotionally distant in relationships. When you meet Aquarians for the first time you may reveal quite a bit about yourself but you might not learn as much about them. Although they have many relationships, they only disclose themselves to a small group of trusted friends. Even with their chosen partner they might be uncomfortable and dissociate when confronted with too much intimacy. Work Aquarians are valued as employees and coworkers for their great social skills. They work well on group tasks. They enjoy new technologies and they make great scientists and inventors. Their communications skills and humanitarian values draw them to careers in service organizations and the media. Their creative side makes them innovative artists. The Shadow They can get lost in contrariness, eccentricity or rebellion and loosing their inner connection with being part of the whole of humanity and society. It is essential for them to find their chosen family and circle of like minded spirits to share their innovative thoughts and actions. How Gemstones Can Enhance Your Aquarian Experience Gemstones are the perfect way for Aquarians to achieve balance among the many different aspects of their personality and to support their unique life vision. They can help to align you to the true purpose of your soul for this life and help to stir you towards your evolutionary journey which must counter your social conditioning and old beliefs. Gemstones have both physical and metaphysical qualities that can enhance all aspects of your well-being. The perfectly aligned crystal structure of gemstones creates an energy field that interacts with our own when you hold it or wear it on your body. In this way, the gemstone can be used to calm you, bring you mental clarity, increase your energy, enhance your creativity, and much more. Astrology and Gemstones Astrological principles manifest at all levels of creation, from the largest bodies in the cosmos to the tiniest particles of atomsall are part of the same network of universal energy. Based on the hermetic principle As above, so below, those universal principles allow us to read relations among the planets and extrapolate those principles to things here on Earth, to events in our lives, as well as to our natural environment. The universal principles that govern the planets are also seen on the much smaller level of gemstones, crystals, and metals. The Signature of Gemstones Each gemstone is associated with specific planets. You are already aware that each planet has its own personality in astrology. And each gemstone has a personal signaturespecific metaphysical qualities, different for each stone, that arise from the stones association with its planets. How to Make Gemstones Work for You By considering the individual signature of gemstones, you can select the right gems for very specific purposes, according to their astrological qualities. Gemstones can be used in three different ways: They are precious objects of beauty that may hold a special meaning for us. We enjoy their beauty by giving them a special place on a shelf, desk, or altar. They can be used in meditation by tuning into their frequency for the purpose of balancing our energy field. They can be made into jewelry pieces for our pleasure, enhancing our individual expression of beauty and sense of empowerment. You can learn more about the metaphysical properties of gemstones, their application for jewelry and the true birthstones for all the different signs reading my other articles in the birthstone series. Aquamarine: An Aquarian Stone[1] The Aquamarine is one of the true birthstones of Aquarius. It is found around the world, with the most important sources in Brazil and Madagascar. It crystallizes in a long six-sided prism. Its name derives from the Latin for water of the ocean because of its color, which may be light blue, medium blue, or blue-green. The most expensive and desirable color is the darkest blue. Uranus infuses Aquamarine with some unusual qualities and a vision beyond our usual limited mind-set, making Aquamarine the rebel among the gems. This is the gemstone of visionaries fighting for a better life, supporting goodness and necessary changes. It urges us to seek freedom and independence and to express our uniqueness. Aquamarine is the stone of innovators, ahead of their time in many ways. It encourages us to always question our limiting beliefs with an open mind and to be willing to grow beyond them. It can help us to find our own vision and purpose in life and the courage to live them. This unique gem connects us with the unlimited aspect of being that is found in the ocean, symbolizing the vastness of existence, the unlimited space and horizon that we experience standing on a beach or on a boat. Aquamarine also has a female aspect, represented by the Moon. The Moon symbolizes our unconscious mind, our emotions, and our past memories. It reflects our emotional needs and wants, our ability to give and receive. Through its female aspect, Aquamarine supports and nourishes us, as if with mothers milk. Feeling full and nurtured, we are able to share from the abundance of our own heart. Aquamarine also sharpens our mind and our powers of discernment and helps us tap into the collective unconscious mind with all its creative resources. In so doing it helps us develop our intuitive creativity and objective knowledge. Aquamarine opens and balances the throat chakra, which helps us to express our personal truth, including our true feelings. The throat chakra is an area where we all have many blocks; thus we often feel limited in our self-expression. Iron gives Aquamarine its color and energizing element. It is said to help remediate iron deficiency. With its high energy level Aquamarine restores equilibrium in over energized people who are impatient, always rushing about, overstressed, and tense. Those individuals may be at high risk of accidents! Aquamarine also represents Mother Mary. When we strip away two thousand years of male Christian tradition, we discover that Mary was not only the mother of Christ but a strong and highly evolved being in her own right and thus a role model for us today. Her strength also relates to the tradition of the Black Madonna that is found all over the world. The Black Madonna stands for the destructive and creative female principle of the universe, called Shakti in the East Indian tradition. Thus versatile Aquamarine represents the qualities of freedom, growth, moving beyond limitations, a sharp mind, creativity, self-expression, and balance. Drawing on these qualities, Aquamarine helps women to grow into a new dimension of their womanhood and helps men to balance their own inner woman. A man who integrates these aspects of Aquamarine is able to enter into a balanced and equal relationship with a strong woman without fear of losing himself or his position. As you can tell, I am very passionate about the potential of healing gems and all the different applications of those enchanting allies to raise your frequency for more balance and joy. I have even written a book about my over 30 years of experience in the fields of healing gemstones, meaningful jewelry, and astrology. I wish you a delightful journey into the mysterious world of healing gemstones and looking at them in a new way! If you enjoyed this article and my perspective on things, I would like to invite you to sign up for my weekly newsletter where I discuss the actual universal astrological forces and the special powers of gemstones and inspire you to use them wisely for a more successful and joyful life. Aloha and many blessings, Shakti. Shakti Carola Navran: astrologer, jeweler and author [1] Adapted from Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones That Delight the Eye & Strengthen the Soul 2008 by Shakti Carola Navran. Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd. 2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125-2989. All rights reserved, used by permission of the publisher.
Aquarius: Daring Visionary, Role Model and Artist (January 20February 18) Birthstone: Aquamarine
