The Moon enters Leo Mid-afternoon PDT, on its way to conjoin the Sun and begin a new Moon cycle–but that new start isn’t just yet. And while it’s still in that tense final degree or three of Cancer, Luna moves from a square to Chiron to a semi-sextile to the Sun, setting off a mini crisis in identity or purpose. Just know not to take this too seriously; the upset brews in hurt (Chiron) aimed at the ego (Leo), so is seated more in susceptibility to manipulation by others than it is in reality.

Also of note: a semi-square between Uranus and Jupiter, suggesting the above crisis may be ‘fed’ by exaggeration, applied to a disparity between the way we see ourselves as individuals and the way others see us. This is likely related to our own idea of our uniqueness, of who we think we are (Uranus in Gemini); we assess ourselves in the light of how we believe (Jupiter) others see us: avant garde or freak? Innovative or chaotic? acting erratically or guided by Higher Mind? doing and being in the interests of ourselves alone, or in the interests of the group? Even the most together of us may feel a tremble in our confidence–but don’t let it get to you. Again, what others say or think about us not only isn’t under our control, it’s irrelevant to our existence. Does it close doors to us? Sometimes, but isn’t it most important to be ‘right’ with ourselves, to fit our own idea of who we want to be? Yes, yes it is.

Comments on assessing the meaning of retrograde Chiron, Ceres, etc.: in my view, this hasn’t been observed thoroughly enough over a long enough period to have clear meaning. The mere appearance of a body moving ‘backward’ isn’t necessarily significant, anyway, especially when we consider that movement is apparent motion, appearing so only because of our point of observation. I’m not big on investing retrogrades with lots of deep meaning, as I think that can be a distraction, a kind of justification for negative effects. News flash: those negative components are present no matter what, and they don’t particularly become more prominent just because it appears the body is moving backward from our spot, here. And that brings up another point: one of the things I’ve noticed is that some negatives associated with a body may be removed when the body appears retrograde–and that alone suggests that counting on retro status to explain certain things doesn’t, at least for me, really hold up.

The Daily Word Image is the satisfaction of a job well done. That sounds both nebulous and a little smug, until we think about it: when was the last time you felt that sense of happy completion, of making an impact that was genuinely positive, no matter how small the stage on which it occurred? It’s telling that so few of our efforts result in that sense of accomplishment, and maybe that should prompt two questions: do I want more of that kind of satisfaction in my life, and if so, how do I get it?

Please see previous posts for mentions of ongoing astro effects, and have a great day!