Switch-up

A fun fact about astrology is that there are numerous different ways a given energy can manifest in your life, but over time you've probably settled on specific things that work for you. If you don't like some of your habits, and you can trace back in your chart to which energy chunk is causing which habit, you have the freedom to learn to express whatever it is differently. It's always up to you.

(An easy way to find out what is causing what in your chart is to watch what happens when the transiting planet Mars touches it, since Mars activates planetary formations quite nicely. Harsh aspects like conjunctions, squares, and oppositions are ideal, but sometimes sextiles and trines will do the trick.)

Let's say you have a moon-Mars interaction in your birth chart. This typically manifests as someone who 1. has a temper and 2. is fiercely protective of home and family. The planet that's the god of war is tied up with feelings and family so...big shock, right? The signs of the moon and Mars are even more telling. Let's say it's a Gemini moon and a Virgo Mars, so a square aspect: now the person in question is probably going to do a lot of talking and cleaning. What if you wake up one day and decide you no longer want to solve problems by yelling about them? What most people do is give up the behavior, so in this case no more yelling. Here's the problem with that: unless you find a substitute behavior, you create an energy vacuum, subconsciously inviting people into your life who will represent the behavior you're trying to give up. So while you're trying not to yell, all of a sudden everyone around you is having tantrums out of nowhere. What's a person with a short fuse to do in this case?

Alternate expressions for moon-Mars are numerous. Since Mars is action and moon is food, feelings, home, and family, you could devote yourself to childcare, cooking, selling home security systems (especially with Gemini-Virgo involved), doing DIY projects around the house, making videos of DIY projects, and working your temper out through vigorous physical activity.

You can do this with anything in your chart, and you can also figure out where you've created vacuums by disowning your own energy if you have recurring situations or people acting special in your general direction. It actually isn't very hard to find a substitute for a behavior, either, you just need to have a basic understanding of what you're targeting and be a little creative about it. Sometimes when I'm reading charts for people, I'll start listing expressions of a certain energy combination and throw in some of the rougher examples, and then get a "well, I don't do that *now.*" Our teenage selves tended to be a little or a lot more diabolical, but over time, we figured out that [whatever it is] wasn't our best look. So if you changed then, you can change again.

You know what moon-Mars can be? Lots of things. Clannish. Racist. Us-vs.-them. Get off my lawn. OR. A great cook and very adept at changing diapers.

The choice is yours.

XO,J