In the darkest time of the year, the Sun is in the sparking sign of Sagittarius. It's a month of looking for the light within, as the solar light wanes through to Winter Solstice (Dec. 21st). When that warms us up from within, we re-discover our own natural optimism. It's a time for finding faith in the darkness....

Sun in Sagittarius brings:

• The rhythm of being in-motion that gets you moving!
• A social curiosity that makes it easier to mingle at the holidays.
• The impulse to learn, travel, experience....a time to dream of future plans.
• Startling, bold communication that wakes you up!
• The restless desire to experience life, firsthand.
• The awareness of "signs" like serendipity, that show you you're where you're meant to be.

The Sun in Sagittarius gives us a solar dose of real optimism. Not from being in denial, but from knowing that despite how bad things look, things always evolve. You never know who you're going to meet, or how an experience will change you. It's knowing that there's some kind of divine hand, guiding you forward on the path.

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Since it appears that something wicked this way comes that could affect our health, it's wise to boost the immune system as much as possible. Some countries, like Serbia are turning to garlic as a tried and true "folk remedy," and Moldova is giving out extra cloves to their soldiers. In his article on Star IQ called Your Health and Neptune, herbalist and astrologer Jonathan Keyes has other natural remedies to try.

Neptune in medical astrology is linked to the immune system, which is the lymph glands and vessels that help us fight off disease. And there's a guide in that, says Jonathan, that faith (Neptune) and healing go together. Besides immune boosting herbs like echinachea, astralgus and reishi mushroom, Keyes recommends things like:

• meditation and prayer
• taking a break from the mundane...and escape to the sublime (watch the clouds?)
• essential oils or just comforting kitchen aromas
• rediscover the wonder found in nature

Keyes says that Neptunian types, being more sensitive to toxins in the environment, need to take special care. You're strongly influenced by Neptune, he says, if you've got planets in Pisces, many planets in the Twelfth House, Neptune on one of the angular houses (1st, 4th, 7th or 10th), or if Neptune is part of a planetary aspect in your chart.

For sensitive Neptunian types, writes Keyes, "When our immune system is strong, we feel healthy and vibrant and can live in the world without being overwhelmed and overpowered. When our immune system is low, we feel run down and wilted like an old flower." In the second part of Your Health and Neptune, he has excellent nutritional and lifestyle suggestions, like drinking lots of the purest water available. Having a Berkey Water Filter has made me want to drink more water, because it doesn't taste all chemical-ly.

Many of Keyes suggestions are back-to-basics. They're a reminder that if our bodies get nutrients (in real food) and sleep, that our immune system can do the rest. And that as Keyes says, "faith can move mountains" when we're trying to stay healthy.

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There was a joyful flashmob in Cork, Ireland last weekend to the happy Aquarian tune of "Mr. Blue Sky." The idea of the flashmob is very Aquarian to me. It's coordinated via texting and emails, and involves a spontaneous-feeling outburst in a public place. Sometimes, it's for a cause, but mostly, it's to dance en masse for the sheer fun and randomness of it.

"Hey you with the pretty face....welcome to the human race," sings the Electric Light Orchestra. The Cork flashmob chose this 70s techno-style song, from a band that first peaked when Jupiter was in Aquarius in 1974. The flashmob transforms the usual anonymity of the crowd into smiling, excited people doing something unusual together. You could see Jupiter and Neptune in Aquarius here, in a joyful shared act that dissolves the usual social barriers. And that's a good thing!

Click here to watch the flashmob in Cork, which was a benefit for the arts.

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What holds you back from Doing What You Love? Mars in Leo through the year is stirring passions, including buried ones. It's inciting us to be big and step into the spotlight. Today Mars in Leo is in a tense square to Venus in Scorpio.

This square can lead to outbursts of frustration that come from a burning desire to live our creative dreams. Venus in Scorpio keeps us close to the roots of the psyche. So when it's triggered with the square, there's raw emotion released that can free us up.

This cosmic weather may lead to:

• Looking at how debts keep you from following your heart.
• The purging of toxic patterns in relationships that make you feel a loss of self-respect.
• Releasing yourself from the bondage of adult stress, to get back to a healthy playful attitude.
• Purging negativity so you can shine in your unique way.

Today's tensions may lead to edgy encounters, where people feel rage at being disrespected. If it's in a relationship, that anger can be a red flag that you're not living up to your own standards. The anger can be a motivator that propels you out of your personal swamps, and gets you moving. Seen in that way, the Venus square Mars aspect today can be an antidote to apathy. It may open old wounds that have yet to be transformed into your personal masterpiece.

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