We know it’s smart to behave as if we are empowered, arbiters of our own domains, and yet old wounds make it especially difficult to do; we resist what’s wise, our attention fixed on all we’ve been denied, missed, or that we see as unjust. Misdirection is how stage magic works–we aren’t looking in the direction of the action, we’re looking where we think it will be, and by doing so we miss the origins of what seems miraculous. The same kind of thing happens today: wisdom we already possess holds the key, and it’s up to us to look in the right direction to see the opportunities presented, the ‘luck’ that manifests, or the knowledge offered that we need right in the moment. Hint: the social sphere may be the vehicle for our enlightenment, or it may be that taking an optimistic attitude in the face of what seems hopeless will bring benefits, and look to the skills offered by your natal Chiron placement for clues as to what you can best contribute to your own success at this time.

(Sun sq Black Moon Lilith, Pallas trine Juno, Jupiter trine Chiron and sxt Pallas, Chiron opp Pallas)

Today’s word image is an individual meditating in a Buddhist temple, intruded upon by a politician who is busy campaigning and heedless of the atmosphere or surroundings. This is a symbol of glaringly inappropriate behavior, where someone ostensibly working for your benefit (even for you) is not only insensitive to what’s happening around them, they are so Self-focused they make it clear they’re really working for themselves, not you. Is there someone you’re counting on to ‘represent’ you, or to see to your interests, who fits this image? Time to dump them.