Break a Pattern

Sometimes the trick isn’t to make resolutions, but instead to recognize how to better manage your bad habits. For instance, it’s not enough to vow to lose weight. What’s necessary is to become aware and conscious of when you eat emotionally.

Astrologically, reactions – especially unconscious acts and habits – are the province of your natal moon. Learning what your Moon tendencies are allows you to be conscious and then make better decisions in the moment. That may not seem like much, but if you consistently make better decisions when sitting down to eat, the year will end with you slimmer. Learn to work with your Moon and you’ll soon be in better control of your habits.

How the Moon can hold sway over coping strategies:

A Moon in Aries may be moving so fast from one thing to the next that you literally eat on the run.

A Moon in Aquarius may be so detached from your body that you don’t notice your hunger until you’re so famished that you eat everything in reach.

A Moon in Virgo may be determined to follow your diet to the letter, when you fall ever so slightly from perfection you feel crushed and drown your dismay in a quart of ice cream.

As you can see, being conscious of your Moon begins to give you power over it. If you understand why you’re doing something, it’s easier to stop the process.

Next, you need to bring in reinforcements: method, process and discipline. These are the arenas of Saturn and with his magic in play, it’s much easier to achieve your goals. Saturn controls limits, rules, and physical manifestation – so he can be a focused and powerful ally when you’ve decided to change. Lois Rodden, the noted astrologer states in her work, Modern Transits, “The order, sanity, and stability of our lives come from the methodical patience of Saturn, and from its lesson we learn to have the enduring calm that comes from inner strength.”

Saturn shows how you were born dealing with discipline and motivation. Begin to integrate Saturn’s energetic force in your life by finding the sign of Saturn in your natal chart.

How Saturn in different signs plays out:

Saturn in Taurus would be very grounded, cautious and devoted to careful planning, procedure and follow through. Activate these qualities by engaging in laying out your goals in a clear, step-by-step plan.

Saturn in Libra would be concerned with accomplishing goals by developing strategic partnerships, by choosing to work aesthetically and creatively towards goals.

Saturn in Scorpio would need to get to the heart of the matter first. From this crucial understanding of the central issues, a clear strategy would emerge.

Learning how Saturn, this innately talented manager of time, resources and energies works for you can be the difference between achieving your goals or setting them aside yet again. Yet many of us are mystified by how we actually rein ourselves in and get things accomplished. When we know how we work and what works for us, we can bring that power and knowledge in service to our goals.

In addition to your natal Saturn is the transiting Saturn, which is now in Leo until late 2007. This expression of Saturn affects us all equally and it’s focused on issues of creativity, authority, and leadership. To best work with this current astrological energy, act directly, proudly and courageously from your heart.

If you work with both your natal Moon and natal Saturn, then add the additional force of transiting Saturn to your plans, you really cannot fail. The natal chart and heavenly transits are your guides to using your capabilities in season with the astrological forces.