Let me tell you a tale, all too common. It starts somewhere near where you live with once upon a time but doesn't end in happily ever after. Because as the statistics overwhelmingly prove, the epidemic of domestic violence in our country - and probably yours too - is beyond crisis point and only getting worse.

Dark moon bolthole, anyone? You know by now darklings my penchant for the isolation and wonder of the dark moon. And its blessed bliss is now upon us in the midst of madness, mayhem and a solid first week Mercing.

The glitching is almost delicious as Mercury and Neptune, space and time, solar flares and the Schumann resonance ripple and warp. As though the multiverse has set its sights on a spluttering earth and all kinds of mighty forces have come out to play. Together making for a continuing unprecedented adventure into the roaring twenties.

The sun's plunge into Pisces is our latest initiation point. Now we dive into Neptunia. Pisces is our shamanic sight line, the domain of peak emo as barometer and compass.

Sure it is only day one of the Mercing and already tech is behaving as if from another dimension, your old flame / nemesis / itch has resurfaced and so many ideas are downloading your head might explode like a star. Revolutionary times call for evolutionary astrology. This is no time to whinge about inconvenient blindsiding or bemoan all gadgetry that does not bow to your command.

Two significant movements in the cosmic choreography over the next day proffer a whole new terroir and a strange union of opposites. Merc turns retrograde in Pisces as Mars charges into Capricornia. The former a nebulous dive and the latter a rocket sent from the planet Ambition.

Valentines Day is named for the 5th century saint who used to marry couples in secret and was brutally murdered for his trouble. Terribly romantic unless you are St Valentine and his hung drawn and quartered heart. The celebration Hallmark nicked and beat up into V Day was originally the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia.

The overture and the undertow of our impending Mercury retrograde is already being deeply felt. In a climate of manoeuvering and misinformation, Merc's first rx offers nebulous antidote to a world in the throes of revolutionising itself.

With all this unprecedented disaster and catastrophe and serious change, it is easy for anxiety and despair to sink their talons in. And that's before you add whatever thafuck is enacting a similar impact for you personally. We knew this revolution would be televised but nobody said there'd be days like this, to quote the sages.

New year brings new readings, deeper shadow work and a whole bunch of new ways to work together. If you are looking for a sign, this is datura.

Venus in Aries is iconic and leaves an indelible impression. A one word moniker is often all that is required for these wonder women and gamechanging men. Audrey. Marilyn. Gaga. Rihanna. Einstein. Lincoln. These powerful ranks include epic go getters like Elizabeth Taylor, Jack Nicholson and Katherine Hepburn. Venus in Aries natives are born to shine brightly, lead the charge and leave a formidable legacy.

Aquaria is known for its irreverence and the delight it takes in forging an unseen path of its own. Said to walk to the beat of a different drummer than most everyone else, its natives are quirky originalists with a stubborn determination to do things their own peculiar way.

Our hair is more than just a reflection of our good health, virility and fertility. Great hair has a power and magic all of its own. For centuries, hair has held spiritual power in its strands and many religious rites have been associated with lustrous locks. In some cultures long hair brought you both closer to earth and closer to God. In magic, hair contains the essence of a person and is thus a supremely powerful ingredient in spells.

Pacific Roots Media interviews Kerrie Basha of Bohomofo. Kerrie’s writing moves me on a regular basis as it is deeply woven with practical advice, magical insight and writing that truly thrums my spirit.

No matter how mad the world gets, you can always count on the balm of the dark moon. Yes even in Aries when everyone else is going off like a packet of crackers, jacked up on all they have to say.

Doing the dark moon well imbues you with supernatural powers.

After so very long wafting about in Pisces, Uncle Merc's charge into Aries way back a week ago was welcome relief. Just add Venus and Chiron and we found ourselves jacked up on newfound firepower, ready to tell it like it is. Our cosmic communicator and militant overthinker fairly danced into the ram's lair, shortening fuses and heightening passions as brute cerebral force led the charge.

Not any journey to the shadowlands is a sunshiney walk in the park but all are undeniably worthy and transformative, a revolution within. When we accept the result is guaranteed - and my darklings it unequivocably is - we are better able to submit to the process itself. All of its many twists and turns, its great pain and even greater healing, its stunning capacity for teaching and understanding our sweet self.

This week will require extra salt. Without it the dance of the planets could sit too heavy in our bellies. The turn of the wheel could feel too dark. The dance of the shadow could exhaust instead of enchant us.