I have always been interested in magic of all kinds: charms,spells,talisman,etc. In the mid-90’s I discovered electional astrology and the power of choosing an auspicious time to create planetary talismans. I was fascinated by many of the talisman designs that I saw and decided,at 36,to get my first tattoo. My first tatto was a Mercury talisman(Mercury is on my ascendant)and I elected a time when Virgo was rising and Mercury was in Gemini in the 10th house with Venus,Saturn,and Mars. I lived in Thailand for two years and heard often about Buddhist magic tattoos that were performed by monks and holy men with special powers. These tattoos are called “Sak Yant” and can be found all over Southeast Asia. I returned to Thailand after a two year absence, during which time I had been reading a very interesting website called www.sak-yant.com for about a year. I was ready for my next tattoo. I’m going to write more about my sak yant experience on travel.ancientsky.com, so be watching for that, but I wanted to talk a little about the astrological synchronicity on that day. The chart information is below. March 1 2008 3:30 pm Bangkok, Thailand What was amazing about March 1 is that the Moon was approaching my ascendant all day long. In traditional astrology both the ascendant and the Moon represent the body. The Moon was approaching an opposition to Mars. Mars rules sharp objects,stabbings,piercings and the pain that results. Jupiter, my natal chart ruler is at the end of Gemini where Mars was transiting. Gemini rules the shoulders,arms and hands. I should mention that I was originally going to have the sak yant done on Monday March 3,but the Ajarn(teacher)agreed to do a special session for me. If the tattoo had been done that day, the abovementioned transits would no longer have been in effect. As you can see from the above image,sak yant tattoos are performed with a long metal rod into which is inserted a sharp bamboo point. The person receiving the tattoo is repeatedly poked,prodded and jabbed with this instrument. It is much more painful than the tattoo artists’ machine. The first tattoo for all who receive sak yant is called “Gao Yod” or nine peaks. It acts as a beacon to attract the deities and spirits. The Gao Yod tradtionally goes between the shoulder blades. So, we have the Moon(the body) on my Sagittarius ascendant(the body) opposed by Mars(sharp objects)in Gemini(the shoulders). I can’t think of an experience that is more descriptive of the planetary indicators. I must admit that I was worried about what the Moon/Mars opposition would bring, being right on my ascendat/descendant axis. Another point of interest: All of the classical planets in this chart except Saturn are within 5 degrees of my natal placements. The Sun is on my natal Saturn. Jupiter is on my natal Sun. Mercury and Venus are on my natal Venus. And Saturn? He’s actually exactly on the ascendant of the chart for my first tattoo!. I couldn’t have planned things better if I had sat for hours trying to find an election. You can see some of the pictures of the sak yant process at my Flickr account. You’ll also be able to see pics of the rest of my travels so far. http://flickr.com/photos/24081049@N07 Join discussion...

Question: Sorry to ask you this, but can anyone see whats going on with my transit chart? I am in a complete mess with money. I have had to sell off possessions to pay bills, and i soon have to sell my car, which is not worth much anyway. I have had to buy food on my credit card a few days ago to feed me and my son aged 9. Payment from his father has stopped over a month ago (begin jan). and my daughters' benefit has stopped since sept due to her leaving home. I cant find a job, although i am trying. Along with this I think i am recieving psychic input from where? ( i not sure if from spirit or my conciousness) same thing isn't it? I've had one flash vision which was not very nice....i saw a man outside my house, pouring petrol from a plastic container, he had a black hood or balaclava on, ( i have taken an injunction out against my long ago ex for harassment, and am due in court in april 2nd). I have had other spiritual stuff, but it will sound crazy if i tell you! Although i do have pisces moon and ascendant, with pisces in chiron and other intuitive stuff on my natal chart i think ...(DOD 8-8-1960 - 9.17pm london england). Can anyone pleeeeaaaase tell me when this money probs will ease and when will legal battle with my ex be over. Answer From Ancientsky: Hi, I'm answering this query with a horary chart using the question: What's Going On? 23:09 pm Penang,Malaysia Asc 25Scorpio28 Moon 29Libra16 Unreliable Scorpio rises, and more importantly, late degrees of Scorpio are rising. 25 degrees isn't quite late enought to say "It's too late to make a judgement" (maybe there isn't ever a time to say that), but I will say that this cycle has run most of it's course. This is confirmed by the void of course Moon and the late degrees of the ruler of Scorpio,the chart ruler, Mars. Very little can happen right now that will bring new energy to the situation. Debt and alimony are definitely what this situation is about, with maybe an ugly tax bill for a nice turd frosting. Mars is in the 8th house,2nd from the 7th,your husbands' money and the house of debts and settlements. We can tell that the lawsuit is probably marriage related because the 7th house of contentions and lawsuits is 25 Taurus, on Algol, ruled by the lady of marriage herself,Venus. Your husband and his money (Venus and Mercury) are together, but ,unfortunately, your husbands' money is moving away from the lawsuit, and maybe moving away from him as well.It looks like there will be something of a protracted battle, with you getting your due at the bitter, bitter end. The timing is 9 months or years(could that be possible?). Venus, your husband's significator is in a fixed sign, so he isn't budging unless he has to. This chart is so descriptive. Your money is ruled by Jupiter in his fall of Capricorn, clearly showing the problems. However, I didn't write this piece merely to confirm your worst suspicions and to rub your difficulties in your face, I actually wrote this piece to tell you that you're sitting on a new career! The clue came with your statement, "Along with this I think i am recieving psychic input from where?" Both the VOC Moon and Mars, the chart ruler, are moving out of the signs they are in and into their respective falls, Moon in Scorpio and Mars in Cancer. Both of these signs are water signs, which are highly sensitive. Most importantly, Scorpio, the ascendant, represents the head and the Moon's entrance into this sign highlights this sensitivity - sounds like trance mediumship or psychic visions. The Moon is the ruler of the 9th, the traditional house of auguries and prophecies. Scorpio,ruler of the genitals, represents things hidden from view, the unseen or "occult". The 9th house is the joy of the Sun, who also represents auguries and prophecies, and he is probably close to your natal Solar degree in empathic Pisces. The Sun is ruler of the 10th of career and reputation. He is leaving an opposition to Saturn and is moving towards Jupiter, ruler of your 2nd of money, and the exaltation ruler of the 9th(Cancer). A new way to make money? I think so. Let's pretend that all of this will be over in 9 months and,meanwhile, you'll be using that 9 month period to develop your psychic gifts and start making money from it. There's probably mediumship in your future. Maybe find the nearest Spiritualist Church in your area and start receiving and giving psychic messages. They will probably have some kind of program for development which seems to me the most viable way for you to make money in the short and long run. Good Luck, Antoine Join discussion...

Written for a precious metals site, this article explores the many ways that horary astrology can help speculators and investors. Join discussion...

In my previous post, "The Current Pluto Transit For Sagittarius Ascendant," I wrote about the ascendant, its often overlooked connection with the physical body and health, and my hip problem. I thought I would look at my natal Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius, for a more in depth picture of Pluto’s transformational effect. Join discussion...

While writing my former post "Pluto Transiting Sagittarius Ascendant: More Thoughts," something strange but fabulous happened. Join discussion...

Pluto has been travelling over the last 5 degrees of Sagittarius for quite some time now. I have a 27 Sagittarius ascendant, and Pluto’s transformational influence is affecting many areas of my life. As the ascendant rules the body,and Sagittarius the hip, an old hip injury has escalated to a chronic sciatica condition and I am now at the position where I’ve decided to undertake a very disciplined yoga regime to try to transform and strengthen it. Thus, concentrating on the hip is transforming my relationship to my body and to physical activity as well. Join discussion...

Question: “Mercury rx will be transiting my seventh house and my husbands 2nd. I am trying to look at this trip as a re-kindling of romance. Any advice? Should I reschedule the trip?” The Astrologer Replies: You were right to be concerned about traveling during a Mercury retrograde, as he rules travels. I found this an interesting question, so I decided to answer it by using horary. The use of horary (from the latin “hora” meaning “hour”)has been more rare among astrologers in the past 100 years, but it has many excellent applications, and this travel question is a classic horary question. Join discussion...