Where Are You In Time?

When you walk into a kitchen, you know you’re there to cook and eat. You’re not trying to sleep there.

When you walk into a bathroom, you know you’re not sitting down to eat.

When you walk into a coffee shop, you know you’re not going to lift weights there.

Physical spaces offer us a context for the activity we are going to do. We know what the space is for. We have an intention for what we will do there. And, if we’ve planned it well, the environment supports us in our intended task.

Time is simply another form of space — it’s temporal space.

The same principle that applies to physical space applies to temporal space, but we often don’t think about it the same way.

Just as the context of a physical space can support or hinder our desired activities, so too can the context of temporal space.

There are many ways we can leverage time to better suit our intended activities. Three ways you’re probably already doing this include:

• working with the seasons of nature
• working the cycles of the day
• working with your personal cycles and rhythms

Another way to work with time is by understanding the cycles of the planets, their current transits, and how those transits impact the conditions of your natal chart.

Just as the physical cues of a space help us orient to where we are in physical space, astrology can help you better understand where you are in time.

I like to think of astrology as a guide to seasons on a higher level than the seasons of nature.

While the seasons of nature change every few months, the length of planetary seasons can vary. Some last for a few weeks, while others last for a few years or more.

We can work with the planets in a few ways:

• On a day-to-day basis we can look at current transits and how they impact our natal chart.
• Working with a solar return chart gives us direction for our personal year.
• The technique of profections gives us additional context for our personal year.

Understanding the quality of the season we’re in can prevent unnecessary frustration, shame, and blame that often results from striving to do things at the wrong time.

Just as you wouldn’t cook a meal in your bathroom, it makes sense to know where you are in time so direct your efforts to the right activities at the right time.