I do agree that people in toxic situations risk extreme peril sometimes when it comes to getting out.  It is seldom as simple as, "that's it.  I've had it.  I'm out."  There seems to usually be some kind of a negative backlash, like extreme violence, or even something as seemingly simple as emotional abuse.  I think it has to do with the power struggle that most of us deal with at one time or another.

Even on a less dramatic level, I know that something that I sometimes struggle with is staying calm.  Like if I'm having a heated discussion with someone, the calmer they get, the madder and more desperate I get for an emotional escalation.  Like the argument isn't understood to be real or meaningful by the other party unless there's a frantic element to it.

I've been getting better at it, thankfully, and will continue to work on it,  but I do feel that it's easy to get sucked into a power struggle, or even create one, if you don't feel like you have any control over a situation.

I also agree with you that family murders/suicides seem to be running rampant these days.  Again speaking only for myself, I’ve lost two ladies from our family tree to suicide this year (one at the tender age of 13, the other one at age 29) and nearly a third just last week who is only 17, none of whom knew each other as they stemmed from different branches.  Of the three people I’ve talked to about them, each have told me of a recent suicide within their family as well, all mothers. 

These are, without a doubt, trying times.  In the end, I also believe that galactic/astrological events (and dark, deliberate influences) play their part but there seems to be more to it than that lately, as expressed in the Mark Krueger and Chris Hedlund updates.  So many people seem to just “want out” these days.  I’m seeing attacks on self and others everywhere, not just in the news.

Lastly, I want to thank you, ehhnus, gcg, TP, zenden and Seeking, with a FULL and OPEN heart.  (Do you “hear” me?)  I honestly don’t know how things are going to go in the next little while; I guess it all depends on them now.  I’ve definitely reached the love me or leave me stage and, most importantly, made peace with that on my end.

PS - I'm so sorry to hear about your mouse, zen.  And your situation, Seeking.  We'll all get thru this, huh?

The astrologer I use, Chris Hedlund of the
Cosmic Telegram,
says that this Venus retrograde is going through the
Saturn Neptune opposition and his main take on this loop
is that relationships are going through the gauntlet. 
Not just romantic relationships, but all kinds of relationships
are UP FOR REVIEW.  Any relationships that are already
dysfunctional may have meltdowns.  And with what Mark
Kruger said about times being tough, I can certainly vouch
for that being the case.

Mercury is in retrograde as well...until the tenth, and then we had two full moons in the month of June as well. It's suppose to be a very watery moon as well. So that means emotions are running high but communications with people well that ain't so great. (at the begining of this retrograde business both my phone and my car broke down and my 'puter is being really funny.)
Personally my relationships with people have been really good.

Do you, gcg, Tom Paine, and blue really put stock in the positions of the surrounding planets and our planet's position in relation to them?  Would you say that factors like that affect the decisions that you make, or even determine the outcome of things?  Do you feel that we have any free will at all, or that it's all predetermined?  How important is it to you?

I personally don't put that much stock into these readings, I do like Mark's style, he is quite humorous, and that is really what I get out of this, entertainment value. But I am aware (especially from reading Tom (Montalk's) excellent articles on the Moon and it's affect on people, of when these lunar periods are, and therefore I tend to increase my awareness during these times. I never read the daily horoscopes (unless totally bored), which isn't to say that I don't believe that some of these could be of value, it's just that ever since I can remember, I would never let another person influence my life, through this medium, as I could see many people almost running on auto suggestion ("I'm not driving the car today, - my horoscope says beware of accidents!").

As far as life in general, I believe we follow a set path, and along the way we get the chance to make little choices, that can take us off the path,  but the path still ends up where it was supposed to go, in the end.

ehhnus wrote:

Do you think this is a pattern indicative of something else?  Or do you think that there's a reason for all of this?  I think that negative forces are gathering in some ways.  I'm not sure.  But I'd love to discuss it with you posters.

I think there's definitely something going on here. And not just the full moon. For a couple months now, I've noticed an increase in negativity and relationships on the brink.  Although, thankfully, nobody has been murdered. But seriously, I know of 3 relationships (including my own), that are on the brink of 'death'. That number is high for me since I only have a few people in my life.

Lilmomma--Stick in there, hon. I know exactly where you're coming from.  I'm going thru the same thing as well. I hope you're strong, cuz you're gonna need it!   Zenden is right. Do what you need to do.  You can come and share with us anytime. We'll lean on each other, okay?

Hey zenden--can I get directions to the Zen Den at the end of the galaxy? I am so going to be there! That is, if you'd have me... I feel that it's not too long in the future that we'll be needing a place to gather. I'm taking up Palmistry, so maybe I'll read everyone's hands.

thinking of you, as u contemplate ur next moves.  and i'll be a havin a tribal smoke with ya, many times over.  it is hell carrying the load, i know about that.  from 90/10 trade-off's to what ever happened to 50/50?  then they'd have to be, more uh...self-actualized then.  jesssuuuzzz.  the "deals" we make.  the ppl we rode in with, hook up with, were born to.  man oh man, certainly makes one wonder about those damn contracts and agreements.  i've put a halt on pretty much "all deals."  tired of dealin', myself.  severed a few contracts, feels good, was necessary.  still workin on the biggie, but kept the old man.  will probably have to ride on out on with the "service" notion still clinging.  i figure im gonna use that one for "The Stand"--use it with all the psi-ience.  u know, keep makin plans, yet stay flexible with strategies.  the journey out is the road back.

ehhnus---Re: astrology.

. . . It's like the weather.  There are local weather conditions which
apply to you and there are large weather patterns that affect many
people.  But as to your question of is there free will---yes, there is,
but if you're not paying attention and you're just unaware then
astrological aspects and conditions are like a DEFAULT program.
At any given point under any circumstances you have a choice.
Whether you go against the grain or float with the tide is up to you.

. . . My statements about the large heavy aspects going on were to
give people a clue as to the pressures that we are all feeling to
some extent.

Tom, well said. 

ehhnus, I wasn't referencing astrological influences per se when mentioning sun spots, asteroids, the galactic core, etc.  Earth's part of a macrocosm and experiences the effects of solar, galactic and universal influences.  These, in turn, affect the lifeforms inhabiting the earth. Astrology, for the most part, looks at planetary influences affecting the earth within our solar system.  While these influences are likely the most immediately felt due to proximity, there are subtler, vaster energy tides flowing in, thru, and around the earth that seem heightened in intensity at this time.

There is also a generalized speeding up of "time" that seems to be compressing everything.  I read somewhere that our 24 hr daily cycle is rapidly being compressed to the equivalent of 16-hour daily cycles (not sure how that's measured). It seems sometimes the days between Monday and Friday dissipate in a blur, with me having to literally stop and think about what day it actually is.

lilmomma, hang in there!  The changes are causing many to feel as if we're hanging on by a thread. The intensity makes it easy to have buttons pushed and sometimes the best thing we can do is to push back just enough to make some space so we can breathe freely again.  The energy intensity will die down a bit after the full moon passes (it usually does). 

Spiegel, thanks for the update that crazy stuff is happening in the Netherlands as well.  It's probably happening all over the globe and, as you say, widespread media coverage may indeed be affecting folks as well.

You can't get anything of value from newspaper/fanzine astrology
columns.

You must either have an astrologer interpret what's going on in
your chart with the current aspects or learn to do it yourself,
or go to http://www.astro.com and log in your birth data and
look to see what's going on with you personally.  It's free!

It's like the weather.  There are local weather conditions which
apply to you and there are large weather patterns that affect many
people.  But as to your question of is there free will---yes, there is,
but if you're not paying attention and you're just unaware then
astrological aspects and conditions are like a DEFAULT program.
At any given point under any circumstances you have a choice.
Whether you go against the grain or float with the tide is up to you.
We all are to some extent driven by unconscious cycles.  Some
are very short duration and some are so long and slow they
affect entire generations.  Knowing about these helps us navigate
our own universes.  As the C's say, Knowledge Protects.
Ignorance Endangers.

My statements about the large heavy aspects going on were to
give people a clue as to the pressures that we are all feeling to
some extent. 

Hope that helps.

TP

I do want to say, however, that "having enough" is not a decent explanation for what has been happening of late.  That reasoning makes it possible for anyone who decides they've "had enough" to shoot up their place of employment, or hurt another person.  You had enough, and you left the situation. 

Note the fact that while your situation seemed to be, at least from what you described, an unhealthy one, while at least some of the other ones did not.  I of course have no way of knowing that factually, at least without being a fly on the wall, but still.  These are massacres.  Plenty of people seem to be able to leave a toxic situation, or at least have a heated argument, without reaching for a pistol.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19424899/

Nevermind what’s up on planet earth.  How about what’s happening in our own homes?  To our own families?   I can only speak for myself, but it seem to me that I’ve managed, for all intents and purposes, to “divorce” my husband of 17 years and parents of 33 years all in one fell swoop these past few days.  And that’s not to mention quitting my job in December. 

Is it because some planet’s gone retrograde?  Maybe the full moon made me do it.  Or maybe it’s because I’m just plain old sick and tired of carrying all the weight, taken too much shit and abuse, withstood all the negativity and neglect, misogyny and manipulation and gloriously f*cked up “push and pull” as Lyra puts it, for one lifetime.  I don’t know.  All I really do know is that I’m pretty much a mess right about now and posting about it on a public forum for god knows what reason.  I’m not stoned.  I’m not drunk.  Aside from smoking my brains out I’m stone cold sober.  I’ve just had enough.  Maybe every one else has too.

(pardon my french)

I was wondering about some of the other posts involving astrology.  Do you, gcg, Tom Paine, and blue really put stock in the positions of the surrounding planets and our planet's position in relation to them?  Would you say that factors like that affect the decisions that you make, or even determine the outcome of things?  Do you feel that we have any free will at all, or that it's all predetermined?  How important is it to you?

I ask merely out of curiosity.  I'm a virgo, and actually take some stock in that, but my response to your reasoning is a need for simplification.  I am curious as to how you live your lives and make your decisions.  I can honestly say that I've had my share of tumultuous relationships of late, but I seem to be coming out of it.  (I hope)

Because it is sometimes very widely discussed and covered in the media, it is thought that this is lowering the treshold for those that are close to acting like this. Hearing that several others do this may lower the barrier of doing it themselves.