Dear Friends, Welcome to the year of the Dragon!  It actually started yesterday with the new moon in Aquarius, but after a busy weekend teaching Spiritual-Psychic Development seminar, I was taking the day off to rest & relax (which is why I didn't write you with my dragon-New Year greetings then).

            In any case, you've got the whole year ahead to ponder the significance of the Dragon & the effects its energies will have upon you.  In my new "Cynthia's Cosmic Almanac for 2012"  book, I talk about how Dragon is a very fiery energy.  Fire is a "mover & shaker", cosmically speaking.  Therefore, this fiery, passionate year of the Dragon can be a good time for taking significant life action, and getting things done.  However, in a Dragon year, one must watch out for the "shadow side" of the Dragon, and avoid being consumed by rage, obsession, or sarcasm.

            For more info on the implications of the Chinese year of the Dragon that just started yesterday, please refer to Chapter 3 in my new book, "Cynthia's Cosmic Almanac for 2012".  

            Speaking of "yesterday"....it was quite a dynamic day.  Not only was it the start of the Chinese New Year of the Dragon, and the new moon in Aquarius, but Mars also went retrograde.  This is an event that only happens every 22 months.  Because Mars does not retrograde that often, we aren't that familiar with Mars retrograde energy on a collective level, so it can really screw with things. 

                In particular, Mars rules the head, and is also associated with accidents.  I had forgotten that Mars turned retrograde on this day (yesterday, January 23, 2012) until I smacked my head really good bending down to take out the trash.  I hit my head so hard that it literally forced my right contact out of my eye!  As I was sitting on the couch sending healing energy to my own head, I wondered to myself what kind of energy was hanging around in the ethers that might have caused me to be so accident prone (when normally, I am not).  That's when I remembered that Mars had just turned retrograde.

            Mars is also associated with mental stress, so during a Mars retrograde period, there can also be "head" issues of a different kind, if you know what I mean.  Some people who have been "on the verge" lately might find themselves finally toppling over the edge, mentally or emotionally speaking.  I wouldn't be surprised to find out that there are "spikes" in the admittance numbers to mental health institutes during this time.  Luckily, Mars is an impulsive planet whose energies work in spurts, so even people who find themselves having a bit of a "nervous breakdown" around this time will probably turn around for the positive again quite quickly, especially once Mars goes back direct on April 13^th.

Since Mars retrograde tends to lead to increased stress levels & a greater frequency of accidents, it would be a good idea to slow down & be more conscious of your movements between now & April 13^th. 

This is a period that calls for increased caution in terms of travel, movement, or any time you are exerting yourself in any way at all.  It is similar to a Mercury retrograde period, in that you can expect delays & re-scheduling in relationship to plans.  However, in some ways, Mars retrograde is even more intense than Mercury retrograde, as there is also an element of physical danger associated with it.  There can also be emotional danger too, in that you have to be careful of being too aggressive or assertive during this time, or it could ruin a relationship forever....

Here's more about Mars Retrograde, and how you might make the best of it.....