Springtime puts me in mind of the feminine in nature. How about you? When you look around, you see the feminine in many guises: Mother Nature is sprouting new growth in flora and fauna. Baby animals emerge from the safety of their dens and nests. Birds build or refurbish their nests and lay eggs. Insects emerge and add to the buzz of life. All of this activity reflects the nurturing of the feminine.

Of course there is another side to life (the masculine). However, this column focuses just on the feminine qualities in yourself and the world around you. Astrology defines the feminine in several different ways: 1) through the Moon and Venus; 2) through images of the goddess; and 3) through the six so-called feminine signs of the zodiac. I took a look at the chart for the beginning of Spring 2007, and found some very interesting correlations to the feminine.

Spring begins when the Sun enters Aries, one of the six masculine signs. The Sun itself is considered a masculine planet. So where do I get the sense that spring embodies the feminine so strongly? This year there are several specific ways.

It is the Moon that signals the best time to plant after the Spring Equinox. This truth is well known to farmers the world over. The Moon tells us the times when Mother Earth will best nurture root crops or plants that bear fruit above ground. In very cold regions, you might expect to wait for the second New Moon after the equinox to plant, but you would still choose according to the Moon.

This year the New Moon in Aries occurs on April 17. In northern regions, traditional lore suggests this is too early to plant, as a late freeze could destroy new shoots. Therefore, you may choose to wait until May 14 to16, when the Sun and Moon are in late degrees of Taurus, a feminine sign. These dates are particularly favorable for planting root crops.

The Chinese say that 2007 is the Year of the Fire Pig. Author Angelica Danton (Goddess Signs) says that the pig is definitely feminine, symbolizing the earth goddess. You can expect Mother Earth to offer her protection this year because Demeter, goddess of the earth's richness, is associated with this Chinese sign.

Kwan Yin, the goddess of compassion and motherhood, is also closely allied to the Pig in Chinese astrology. So are Fortuna, the Roman goddess of plenty, and Isis, the Egyptian mother goddess. All in all, this should be a very feminine year!

The Virgin Mary presents a Christian image of the feminine, although visions have appeared to people of Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and other faiths. Courtney Roberts (Visions of the Virgin Mary) found, through her meticulous research, that visions of Mary are strongly associated with the signs of Cancer and Virgo, both feminine signs.

In Mythic Astrology and its companion volume, Mythic Astrology Applied, the nature of the feminine is explored through a multi-cultural approach. Here you will find an almost infinite variety of goddesses and their attributes, and you learn how to involve the goddess in your daily life.

Everything You Wanted to Know about Venus, Goddess of Love
Want to know how to turn on your charms for that special guy? Wonder where the charm comes from in the first place? Explore both with Anne Massey (Venus) as she reveals the cycles, symbols, and myths of the goddess of love. Maria Shaw (Soul Mates & Hot Dates) and Elizabeth Perkins (Star Guide to Guys) apply Venus lore to relationships for every sign of the zodiac. You discover why one relationship failed miserably while unanticipated success was your good fortune in another.

When You Think You Have Found That Special Someone
Discover the secrets—the intimate details—that will make your relationship sing! Astrology is an incredibly precise tool for exploring any relationship, and it reveals subtle turnings that can make a friendship last, or change a chance meeting into a lifelong romance. John Townley (Composite Charts and Lunar Returns) shows you exactly what makes your relationship tick, and then provides a monthly guide to your personal experience. You can actually forecast the times when the two of you are fated to mate or ready to call it quits. But never give up on love—it revives you and revitalizes your life in ways you never suspected!

Reflected in the Face of the Beloved
Relationships help you feel secure and loved, that's for sure. They also challenge you to understand yourself at the deepest level. Every day you discover something new about yourself by simply being around your partner.

When you question your own motivations, it may be time for you to explore your self-awareness through astrology and mythology. Astrologers often ignore the Midheaven in your birth chart, yet it is a powerful resource for self-understanding. My book (Power of the Midheaven) gives you the means to consider your inner urges by bringing them out into the light of day and examining the contradictions. Noel Tyl (Astrology of Intimacy, Sexuality, and Relationship and Solar Arcs) fearlessly examines facets of relationships that are often relegated to the unspoken recesses of your mind and too rarely addressed with your partner.

As you examine your own romantic and sexual motivations, you find you are a more tantalizing partner. You also find that you are far more excited about what your partner brings to the relationship! The face of your beloved becomes a magnet that draws out your hidden gifts and talents, and through partnership you both become the people you were meant to be.

Going Beyond—Your Evolutionary Journey
Bil Tierney (Alive and Well series) and Jeff Green (Pluto) have supplied ideal guidebooks for your spiritual self-exploration. If you want to enhance your life in every way, this is the testing ground for your efforts. From the first sentence in the introduction, where Jeff asks the question, "Why am I here?" to the conclusion, where he repeats it, you are immersed in the dynamics of the evolutionary journey. Your transformative path comes alive!

Then Bil Tierney reminds you that you are alive and well through the auspices of the outer planets. He provides dynamic, intensely personal descriptions of three archetypal expressions of self-awakening, heartfelt expression and experience of the hidden side of life and love.

Moon Wisdom
The most obvious factors in astrology are, of course, the Sun and the Moon. Just about everybody knows his or her Sun sign. Whether you are just starting to explore astrology or you are a seasoned practitioner, you can always learn more about the Moon. Daniel Pharr (The Moon & Everyday Living) provides a way for you to find out your Moon sign and then explore the Moon's special power to transform your life. He shows how your personal Moon sign expresses itself throughout the month as the Moon travels through the signs, and shows you how to get in touch with the subtle, yet very real energy flows associated with this heavenly reflection of the feminine.

Expand your self-awareness and deepen the intimacy of your relationships by exploring some of the books mentioned here. Whatever your level of astrological expertise, one of these is sure to find a permanent spot on your bookshelf.