We live in a solar system under the control of the big local star we call the Sun. Using an earth-based perspective we see that in a year the Sun passes through 12 different sectors expressing the energies of the astrological zodiac.
The sun is an immense force sending its transmissions out to embrace all the planets within its system and with capacities way beyond sunshine and solar flares.
Every year this outpouring of solar creative energy brings that force to a particular aspect of your life for a period approximating a month.
Even if you don't have a personal birth chart which will give you a more personalised schedule of the solar cycle this additional method will also work to highlight the month by month focus areas.
Starting on the day of your birthday you can consider and hopefully pursue the areas of focus that offer growthful development.
The basic premise is that on one level the individual's solar year starts at the person’s birthdate with the year then divided into 12 monthly sectors.
For example a Scorpio born 15 November will begin month 1 of their solar year on November 15, Month 2 on December 15 switching focus on the 15th of every month.
A Leo born on the 8 of August will begin month 1 on that day every year and change focus on the 8th of every month
So everyone allows one month from birth to contain the first sector –then proceeds through the year to observe 12 sectors.
Month 1 = time to be more self aware, discovering ourself as a separate being, in touch with your needs and reaching out for what we want. A me-myself-I time.
Month 2 = meeting survival & security needs - food, clothing, shelter, income. Being in touch with body needs such as sensory stimulation or pampering the senses –massage, spa, makeover etc
Month 3 = time to shift into mental stimulation –reading, writing, learning, conversing, discussing. The mind is seeking input and variety. Some of this is achieved by information input and output, some achieved by gathering information more subtly through walking, jogging, cycling, driving or travelling into other environments, observing the variety of life.
Month 4 = more awareness of and emphasis on family and home related matters, housing or accommodation, your place of shelter, where you nurture yourself in privacy away from the world. A time to know what you’re really feeling, discover how to nurture yourself and others.
Month 5 = the drive to create can express itself in this period through the fine art of child-rearing or the arty-crafty or designer side of you. Emphasising the recreational aspects of these –enjoying a fun activity with children or immersed in solo enjoyment of a home interior project, painting a landscape. This month is also time to be in touch with your heart, doing what you love and expressing love to others.
Month 6 = the emphasis is on making sure all your systems are functioning well. Firstly it is the body in terms of the digestive system –as this can be the source of so many subsequent health issues –which can in themselves require attention in this month. Diet and nutrition then become a relevant focus as a health-improving approach. The other system involving most adults is the day to day tasks related to their job. Focus may be needed to improve efficiency, become better organised, reflects on what’s working, what isn’t and finding solutions or improvements.
Month 7 =Focus on how you relate to other people, how you treat others, how you manage your marriage, partnership, one-to-one processes or your closest relationship. Looking at any imbalances in contributions, fairness, inequality. Is someone being too selfish, too lazy, too irresponsible, unsupportive? Try to find agreeable solutions to restore harmony.
Month 8 = Issues of power or disempowerment can arise including any form of power abuse. Power is an energy that many gain from physical means, from money or from a position of authority. Many people abuse their power and many suffer from that abuse. In biological terms the sexual use of power is intended for the creation of children but we also engage in sex for reasons such as physical pleasure emotional intimacy, stress relief, dominance or violence. Sexual union as a transformational experience is explained in Tantric Buddhism and this quality of transcending the physical plane into a metaphysical experience of energy is the use of the sexual drive in pursuit of enlightenment. Another aspect which can arise in this part of the cycle - is death: the symbolic death is the process of ongoing change we all have the opportunity to embrace – where parts of us die -thoughts and ways of being –so we can be born again with a new sense of ourselves. It can be having to deal with the experience of literal death and its duties –such as dealing with a will or inheritance – someone you know may die –or someone known more remotely –a famous person.
Month 9 = encourages an urge to expand ourselves on one or many dimensions. This many come through sport or exercise developing our physical capacities. It may be through very specialised study beyond our school education – expanding our minds with knowledge. It may be through travel we expand – moving across large distances with encounters that stretch our concepts of the world and humanity – or through exploration of unknown territories that excite our thirst for adventure. We may choose the armchair option of expanding the mind through philosophical or theological enquiry, seeking to understand the nature of our existence, the nature of reality and what we believe in.
Month 10 = we can now reflect on our successes and attainments and see what goals we still aspire to or what special vocation is our social responsibility. We can assess how much growth we have achieved in terms of increasing our level of maturity. Knowing how developed we are in terms of our capacity for self management and how successful we are in managing others is part of the process. This is a time to know what benefit we are to society and how to improve that. Seeing what we are contributing and how much guidance we are offering to others is a gauge of how capable we are in nurturing our larger community
Month 11 = a great time to devote to activities with friends one-to-one and/or have some group activities –whether that is recreational or for some developmental purpose. This is also the community-awareness month when opportunities to be involved outside your personal circle can be very beneficial. Community awareness then feeds into issues of how everyone is getting on, who needs help and what issues need highlighting. For these reasons issues of social justice are very relevant in this period.
Month 12 = the best opportunity to go into hibernation –the month before your birthday. This is the retreat from the world period and corresponds to the final month in the womb, pre-birth which is spent in a sleep state. As best you can, if a full solo retreat is not possible, it is advisable to spend as much time as you can alone doing those very private things like meditating, journal-writing, artwork, walking, daydreaming – to the exclusion of as many everyday tasks as possible. In a sane world this is when we would be able to take our annual leave.
This annual refresher allows us to get in touch with ourselves, process the complexities of life such as families, work, relationships and to formulate strategies for betterment.
This sequence starting from your birthdate is accessible to everyone and easy to enter on your monthly calendar
For those who know their accurate time of birth a more personalised solar cycle can be calculated. This is equally valid and will show that there are times when two areas of life activity are activated by the Sun.
The other planets plus the Moon add further layers of focus which are dealt with in addition to the Solar cycle in personalised astrological consultations.
In Google Drive you can access a PDF version of the text section which contains instructions plus 5 sheets related to the Monthly Focus information [sample of page 1 above] you can print for your own personal non-commercial use Monthly Focus Table
[updated June 1 2018 with simplified keyword calendar, example sheet and blank for you to print ]
[updated June 1 2018 with simplified keyword calendar, example sheet and blank for you to print ]
