Author Archives: juliedemboski

Merc Direct: We’re Free!

03 Friday Jun 2022

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Mercury Direction, Retrogrades + Directions

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‘Woman in Ecstasy’ By Ferdinand Hodler 1911 {{PD}}

Merc made apparent turnaround in the wee hours this morning PDT, the 3rd, and we may all be feeling just a bit freer, now–and you may have felt the Moon in Cancer form a sextile soon after direction, giving us a strong dose of emotion around what transpired during the retro period, and that may have been soothing or unsettling, but has probably been put into proportion, by now. What’s coming, though, is where our attention should be.

Mercury direct moves from a retro approaching sextile to Neptune to a waning one, with contact not having been made since Merc first passed in direct aspect, what feels like a lifetime ago (so, roughly a month!). This likely eases the mind as we feel more and more rational, less influenced by an overactive imagination or delusion/ deception–and this easing/ freedom feeling is even more apparent as Merc moves away from a some-time-ago square to Saturn–change and limits seem to fall away, boundaries no longer as defined or restrictive as they seemed.

So that’s all good. The question becomes: will these perceptions be accurate, in terms of our reality? The first two contacts Mercury direct makes tell the story: a trine to Pluto, followed by a conjunction to Sedna. This suggests that all the loosening and relaxing may lead to a surfacing of rage, an impulse to purge, a destructive desire, or a wish to transform or resurrect. This might apply to something one spent considerable time pondering or dealing with during the retro–suddenly, a big change might seem very positive. Judgments about the fitness of this conclusion can only be made in light of the natal scenario, but if things have been overall steady and positive, it may be just the thing to pursue, particularly if it has the character of attending to the long-neglected or the long-sensed but unaddressed. Use your instincts, and be honest with yourself–genuine honesty is the only way those instincts are worth a sh*t.

Saturn retrogrades on the 4th, and Neptune in just over 3 weeks, on the 28th. The former may lift even more restrictions, opening the way further, especially in intellectual pursuits, the new and the innovative, the original and unique, if you’re a Saturn retro responder– but, if the retro cycle tends to withdraw security or dependable supports in your world, then you’ll see the characteristic responses, concentrated in changes to your understanding of things, or calling into question what seemed unique, original and worthwhile just days ago, with the springing up, likely without explanation, of roadblocks and denials.

With Neptune we’ll be looking at a change in background noise, more than anything. Re-consideration of the creative, of ideas and ideals, may be on the agenda, and often this turnaround can prompt one to dig for the Truth of something, as we try and connect our conceptions to reality.

That’s our glimpse ahead. Have a wonderful weekend!

New Moon in Gemini 30 May 2022 The Clash

29 Sunday May 2022

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, New Moon, Sabian Symbols

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‘Flight of Airplane’ By Olga Rozanova 1916 {{PD}}

Am I late with this New Moon report? You bet I am. Too much to do, not enough sit and look at the Moon time. The New Moon perfects at 4:30 AM PDT of the 30th at 9 Gemini 03, and makes no major aspects with a tight orb, the closest being a square to Juno in Pisces and, perhaps most telling, a semi-square to Eris in Aries. What does that tell us? That what starts with this Gemini New Moon may be more talk than action–but that doesn’t mean it won’t affect us.

The Lunar event might seed the inconvenient energy of conflict over empowerment, especially over pursuit of a dream or creative effort–and whether because of empowerment disagreements or simply from all that irritating talk, anybody whose inner dialogue is out of harmony with their environment and/ or the line of patter they’re trying to sell others will find themselves or those around them lashing out. There may be lots of spontaneous finger pointing; remember that old saying about when you point at someone, there are four fingers pointing back at you? That’s this energy: being reactionary to ideas, assertions, plans, talk, suggests conflict between your own inner reality and the persona or thinking you’re trying to make others believe or accept. This isn’t an indictment; if you find yourself suddenly clashing with externals, it’s not that you set out to deceive anyone–it’s a signal to you that what you think you are and what you really are/ think/ or are doing is out of alignment–and we sabotage ourselves when the inner and outer don’t match.

With ruler Mercury still retro, our best course of action may be no action; instead, careful thought, a study of the actual power situation, and a revision of plans will all benefit us on direction. We’re approaching the liminal point, the time when Merc is slowing, poised to resume apparent direct motion soon, and this period always brings its own kind of stress, the kind that can push us to move forward when we’d do better to wait just a little longer.

The New Moon Sabian is, ‘An Airplane Performing A Nose Dive’. The thing with a nosedive is that pilots practice those so that if the plane suddenly does dive, they’ll be adept at pulling it out of the plunge. Are we practicing how not to crash and burn, how to pull ourselves out of Self-destructive attitudes, thinking, or behaviors, with what this New Moon presents? I think the answer might be yes.

Thank you for your patience–it’s been tough to keep up lately. I’m getting some practice keeping a handle on things–just like the New Moon says I should. Have a wonderful New Moon in Gemini!

Mars and Jupiter, Together Again

26 Thursday May 2022

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Mars-Jupiter Conjunction, The Word Image

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Though not exactly on point for the topic, I thought the rendering of this painting made it worth sharing. We can imagine Jupiter descending from the cloud, commanding Venus out of the way, and demanding Mars buddy-up with him–with an array of possible results. And who knows what Vulcan is doing in there. ‘Mars and Venus Surprised by Vulcan’ By Alexandre Charles Guillemot 1827 {{PD}}

The meeting of Mars and Jupiter perfects in the wee hours of the 29th AM PDT. Do we need to be so precise? Yes and no; this meeting isn’t that rare, occurring every couple of years+, give or take, depending on retro sequences, and these are major energies–it’s not like they slip from awareness day-to-day. On the other hand, the melding of energies related to ego, action, aggression, and Self-focus (in both positive and negative senses), and those related to the social order, knowledge, and the exaggeration of all that’s touched promise lively times–and this happening in Mars’ sign of Aries only adds, get ready for it, fuel to the fire.

So, what can we expect? A lot of that depends on 1) what House in the natal chart this combo falls in–that offers a prime stage for Mars-Jupiter assertion, 2) what Houses these two rule in the natal chart–look for combined elements to figure in, most likely presented through the House where the meeting occurs, and 3) how well we as individuals get along with our own Martian impulses and Jupiterian urges. It’s also worth noting if your natal Mars or Jupiter are receiving any transits–and if they’re hard (semi-square, square, quincunx, opposition) then you need to take into account that this energy is already under stress. That’s a lot to synthesize–which is exactly why astrology isn’t one-size-fits-all.

A few hints I can offer: if this conjunction falls above the horizon in your natal chart (in the 7th through 12th Houses, and for Whole Sign from Descendant to Ascendant, counter clock-wise) then you’re probably going to perceive these energies coming at you from the outside, from the social sphere, from religious or higher education sources, from individuals in your life who consider themselves leaders, from having to face ‘the facts’, from aggressors looking for an excuse to impose their Will, the effects trickling down for the most part from larger entities or groups to the individual–and perhaps pitting the individual against the larger group or organization.

If the combo falls below the horizon/ Ascendant to Descendant, you’re likely to be in the middle of it–generating assertive efforts (especially to gain knowledge or just to gain, to get more), possibly in response to vulnerabilities that, at the moment, are perceived out-of-proportion to their likely impact. Or you find yourself face-to-face with information or a social environment that requires you to assert yourself. Or you aggressively go after opportunity–or create opportunity, with your efforts. Or, it seems vital to sort out ideas around your own role, leadership/ leadership potential, enactment of your Will, or your Self-image. Will you have to go to war? You might not have to, but you might want to–the thing is, being aware of the distorted, objects-are-closer-than-they-appear nature of what’s going on right now may help you avoid unnecessary battles and overreaction.

If Mars-Jupiter hits a natal point or placement by hard aspect, expect a challenge to or a need to act on those natal energies, and if the contact is soft, see it as an opportunity to take action that is more likely than not to be successful. I’d say this aspect has been in range for a day or two, and will move quickly, waning by June 3rd–and that means that, though it may influence the susceptible for about a week and a half, it’s likely to precipitate one-off events, rather than initiate a long arc–so awareness and a minimum of Self-control mitigates any fly-off-the-handle influence during this rather brief period of vulnerability.

Though I appreciate your interest in what I might say, I have to ask that you refrain from asking about your personal placements in the comments or by writing to me directly. I love your comments and I hate to disappoint, but when they put me to work, it cuts into book time. The Moon book is by far the largest astrology manuscript I’ve ever produced (I’m wearing ALL the hats!) and everything that draws me away from that just prolongs the wait.

We also have a Word Image for which I’ll offer absolutely no interpretation: you are in a fight with someone, a person you want to leave your house/ territory/ area, and heavy glass vases are the weapon of choice–and it’s frustrating, because despite good aim, none of the projectiles hit your opponent–and you are hit, but it causes no pain.

‘Moss Roses in a Vase’ By Edouard Manet 1882 {{PD}}

Today’s Train Wreck

23 Monday May 2022

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Considering current influences, we should just let this stressful train pass, and go about our other business. ‘The Passing of the Train’ By Darío de Regoyos y Valdés 1902 {{PD}}

That’s Ceres in Cancer (upping her ‘Mommy’ quotient) trine a 29 degree Vesta and square a 29 degree Mars in Pisces and Jupiter in Aries–with Merc retro also at 29 degrees closely conjoined Sedna, both in Taurus=that’s a lot of tension! That’s a train wreck as nerves, perceptions, instincts, values, and actions/ choices all demand supremacy within the psyche–and do we have a release valve via Ceres? Not really; she supports Vesta’s questioning of priorities and commitments, pushing those in the direction of obligation: to family, to nurturing duties, to elevating the personal authority over any other–and that may not be where our preferences really lie–but it may be very hard to argue that, as the maternal, our duties of care and oversight, and our deference to Mother Nature speak so loudly they drown out other stressed energy ‘voices’.

I feel like any cognizant Being equipped with a nervous system will be hard pressed to sort this out right now–so what do we do when something overwhelming has us in its grasp? One answer is to look to other energies–not for rescue, but for refuge. If we don’t force ourselves to respond to what’s pressing, if we focus elsewhere, then we can navigate this with our sanity intact and our spirit sheltered–and this so happens to be a time when, despite all the tension, we don’t have to move on very many things in the moment.

Two avenues stand out to me: one is the conjunction of Venus and Eris in Aries. I wouldn’t blame you for an initial recoil from these two, but hear me out: Eris offers Venus the kind of backbone, a surety of purpose, an ease with assertion, aggression, and action, that Venus doesn’t normally enjoy in Aries; usually she’s uncomfortable with being singled out, called to the front, or required to defend herself–but not now, with Eris at her back. Remember, Eris only brings out discord that’s inherent in others or the situation–if the energies she touches are in harmony with themselves, she adds confidence and a kind of bravery to Venusian efforts–perfect for a sojourn in Aries.

The second thing I’d like to point out is a sextile between Pallas and Juno. A sextile requires us to take advantage of opportunities–good things can be made from these contacts, but won’t come automatically, or will be mild if they do, unless we put our own energy behind it. In this case we see Pallas in Taurus keeping us practical, our wisdom applied to enhancing or maintaining our prosperity and our comfort, material and otherwise; now, united with Juno in Pisces, we add to this inclination to promote ours and others’ welfare, and appreciation for our personal bounty, with imaginative ways we can gain, prosper, and better control our own material position in the world. We suddenly find we own the personal authority to make things better–empowerment of the best kind, and only adding to the confidence we’ll see if we focus on Venus, right now.

These influences will linger a bit, especially if they prompt precipitous choices and actions–because repercussions won’t let us forget, in positive or not so positive ways, but today really is the day for a successful attitude re-alignment, with the mind out of the way, so to speak, and the Sun sextile Jupiter–optimism is ours, if we’ll only look for it. And if you came here from Facebook, you might want to sign up for email notices sent when I post–I won’t always put things on FB.

That Little Bird

17 Tuesday May 2022

Posted by in current events in the sky, The Weekly Word Image

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‘Portrait of a Child With a Bird’ By Wybrand de Geest 1610 {{PD}}

What’s happening right now, in the lee of this eclipse, an event that carried a big impact, the extent of which we may not completely uncover (or recover from) for some time (we have six months, after all, to bask, or is that flail? in its effects)? I’m drawn to the way the Sun is creeping up on Sedna, late in Taurus; I choose the word ‘creeping’ for a reason: to me that’s a picture of conscious awareness trying to bring what’s instinctive, what we know but don’t know, or what’s in our ‘blind spot’, to light–probably so it can be changed, purged, or resurrected in better form (trine to Pluto)–and we want that little bird of unconscious knowledge to eat from our hand, not startle and fly away.

What gives us a chance to gain the insight we want is the way those liminally-carried, instinctive energies will be engaged in sorting conflicts arising from what we find sacred, seek to honor, or have dedicated our energies to supporting (Sedna square Vesta, the latter in Aquarius). The material matters that at this time would normally be taking our attention, blocking below-the-surface perceptions (Taurus) will be temporarily disabled, distracted as the symbol of all we revere–Vesta–runs up against the symbol of what we should be aware of, but in some way aren’t–Sedna. This friction is likely in service to a simple but vital cause (Aquarius, as standard-bearer for the Higher Mind): giving us the necessary perspective to know what we really care about, what we truly want to commit our life energies to–with the added benefit that conscious energy has a crack at gaining genuine and needed insight into the Self and our own motivations. Maybe, too, this is where Pluto comes in: helping us eliminate what isn’t serving that higher cause, either aiding us in taking steps to put out attention on what we value, or forcibly removing distractions and dead ends, so that we turn in another, presumably more effective, direction.

One other thing I’d like to talk about right now: the Saturn-Eris sextile that catches Mars-Neptune at the midpoint. This is a highly potent formula for real world antagonisms and restrictions that enrage, that lead to actions and choices that are either highly imaginative and creative (and that’s no comment on their worth or morality!) or that are delusional in their perceptions or their understanding of the situation. What we’re moved to do may express our ideal individual Self, responsible and showing a kind of leadership (even if only to ourselves), or it may bring our worst (that is, most inaccurate) visions of who we are forward in service to the ego. Our job here is simple, and tough: know ourselves, and be so honest with ourselves, that we don’t take off in the ‘wrong’ direction.

The word image for the week: Alice in Wonderland. This is the story of an innocent who tumbles into an unfamiliar world, one that her fresh, child-perspective allows her to interact with more effectively and more directly than would one more jaded (that is, an adult, who would probably spend a lot of time arguing that what they were seeing couldn’t be!) Alice succeeds, or at least makes it through her journey, despite any momentary disbelief, by engaging with the inhabitants on their own level–and I’ll take that as our message from my repeated exposures to this story in the past 72 hours: don’t try to judge whether things make sense, or dismiss them as impossible when they’re right in front of you; instead, meet circumstances and people where they are. Don’t waste time or energy in denial, arguing that it shouldn’t be–it is, so respond accordingly.

‘Advice from a Caterpillar’ Alice in Wonderland Illustration By Arthur Rackham {{PD}}

Lunar Eclipse in Scorpio 15 May 2022 Total Emotional Metamorphosis

10 Tuesday May 2022

Posted by in astrology, Full Moon, Lunar Eclipse, Sabian Symbols, T-Square

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‘Butterflies’ By Odilon Redon c1910 {{PD}}

Is it the T-square formed by this Lunar eclipse, the Sun-Sedna, and the arm of Saturn-Vesta that will be most prominent, the T offering a dynamic emotional confrontation (probably over what we should see/ recognize, but don’t) that may be resolved through honoring real-world manifestations of what’s sacred (or that may conclude with the shut-down of some outlet we have been dedicated to)? Or will it be the trine to Mars-Neptune sending at least some of us chasing the Dream (or maybe, the mirage), or will we feel the delicate quincunx to Eris, as she extracts full-blown conflict from what should be minor discomfort? Much of what’s emphasized for the individual will depend on what in the natal chart is stimulated–but all of us are likely to feel the sweep of this Total Lunar eclipse in Scorpio (that happens to sextile ruler Pluto) as it digs deep, brings forward a Truth, unearths secrets, purges shame or guilt, resurrects what we thought lost, or brings a searing and complete end to something that once was a passion: vital, central, something we believed we couldn’t live without.

That’s the essence of it all, really, right there–to go on would just be extraneous. So, other energies in play may include the Jupiter-Ceres Cardinal square at 00 Aries-Cancer, respectively=the individual role within the larger social order or belief system (Jupiter in Aries) has to work it out with the sense of personal authority, and/ or the care-giving role(s) (Ceres), as they are chosen to show who and what we care about (Cancer). At time of perfection Chiron and Venus are still very close together in Aries, and semi-sextile Uranus=hurt in relationship may take on a too-singular view, losing sight of the fact that any interaction automatically involves more than one person, who also has needs and viewpoint of their own–and something in this arena could shock or surprise us–so get out ahead of it by keeping the needs of others in mind. And finally, Hygeia in Scorpio opposes Pallas in Taurus=what’s practical or wise will expose the weakness or rot behind what we’ve been calling healthy–not pretty, but infinitely useful.

I’d like to look at the Sabians involved in the T, as I suspect these will be the major energies felt by most. The Lunar eclipse Sabian is, ‘American Indians Making Camp After Moving Into A New Territory’. The question here is, is the new territory a place entered by choice, or was the move forced, remaining where one is untenable? Considering the general history of the Native American, we might infer that this move, whether willing or not, may be due to the incursion of others.

For the Sun we have, ‘A Spanish Gallant Serenades His Beloved’. The Sun, as light-giver to the Moon, may represent the catalyst: a (potential) invader, indeed, who likely sees himself as a ‘lover, not a fighter’–or maybe in the case of wooing someone, a (forceful) persuader. What does the T tell us? Saturn describes real-world circumstances or conditions: ‘A Butterfly With The Right Wing More Perfectly Formed’. That phrasing implies the left wing is perfect–the right is just more perfect! Is that even possible? There are no degrees of perfection. Add this to the symbol for Vesta: ‘A Tree Felled And Sawed To Ensure A Supply Of Wood For The Winter’. Storing up for the future, investing, in a sense. Does that suggest that exaggerated assessment, judgment, or appraisal is a kind of storing up, putting things in a kind of relationship bank? That can certainly be what someone serenading another is thinking–that the attention and flattery is an investment in the future–but what about moving into new territory?

To my mind at least one of the possibilities is encountering (or being) someone at the eclipse who goes into what for them is new territory: trying praise, flattery, and maybe a little smoke (!) in place of more aggressive methods for getting what they want. If you run into someone who’s, probably outside their usual behavior, trying a ‘catch more flies with honey than vinegar’ approach, you’ll know that they want something. It’s not necessarily nefarious in its current form, but whatever they’re aiming for, know that going along with it might eventually completely run you off what is, right now, your territory, your land. Be aware this condition is possible through the next eclipse set, 6 months down the road.

The event itself falls on the 15th, 9:14 PM PDT, at 25 Scorpio 17.

Mercury Retro May 2022 Reconsidering Revolution

09 Monday May 2022

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Mercury, now stationary, goes into apparent retrograde motion at 4:48 AM PDT 10 May at 4 Gemini 51. This point gives us a kind of ‘birth snapshot’ of the retro period–and in this case, offers commentary on the atmosphere that will surround the second eclipse of the set, due late PM Pacific time of the 15th.

Turnaround occurs just after Merc was squared by the Virgo Moon and just as Merc begins to pull away from a semi-sextile to Pallas, and at the point the Moon sextiles Hygeia and the two act as base to a loose Finger of God, apex Venus=emotional conflict (or an intuitive critical take on that conflict) moves away from a Warrior stance, the kind we might’ve taken automatically in supposed defense of our rights, and toward something healthier, something that rewards via better relationships or some other sort of pay off.

Happening in Gemini, this retro period asks us to re-think, and it does so after giving us a feeling-based critique or conversation, or offering a fresh accounting or new contacts–and that means best results come if we’re willing to cast a thoughtful, critical eye on proceedings of the House(s) where Gemini sits in the natal chart–and should perhaps consider using this period for making plans or laying out the narrative we want to follow post-direction. The first thing Merc does in retro is re-initiate that semi-sextile to Pallas, suggesting that re-consideration of matters brings a wise viewpoint into perspective–what more could we want?

That query is answered by a square to Juno that doesn’t perfect before retrograde. That implies conflict over empowerment and personal authority, especially over oneself, may go unresolved, for a while longer. The Sun and Mercury meet in Inferior Conjunction at 00 Gemini, just after Merc has been sextiled by Jupiter and just before the Sun sextiles Jupiter. This may inspire a kind of ‘last word’ in beliefs that undergoes stark examination under the light of the Sun–with thoughts then two days later plunging into the experience of sensation and instinct–and it feeling as if we must understand something visceral, primal, and necessary to our survival–which is likely to make us both a little irrational and a little testy (Merc conj Sedna at 29 Taurus).

The Sabian for the turnaround point may tell us something, especially in terms of setting our expectations for progress/ change: ‘A Revolutionary Magazine Asking For Action’. There’s an irony in something as staid as a magazine advocating for upheaval of the status quo and thorough change–and another point: if, say, a manifesto for revolution appears in a magazine, how much action would you expect that to prompt in this day and age? We may spend the retro seeing this kind of discrepancy, noting how the words don’t match the medium that delivers them (making it hard to take them seriously, or at least hard to be inspired to extremes by them); those words for revolution may in fact be pre-approved by the powers-that-be, change that only touches surfaces and keeps those who hold power in place. It may be that we must adjust our expectations: though we may long for revolution, the time may not yet be right–we are in the planning stage (Gemini)–we still need to get in touch with our gut (Merc’s retreat into Taurus) before we’ll know what to do, what to think, how to respond.

A Look Up Between Eclipses

02 Monday May 2022

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Creator Unknown 1882 {{PD}}

We’re in that valley between eclipses, a time that always feels somehow . . . uneasy–or I should say, I always feel uneasy around this time–and maybe you do, too. To me there’s a ‘waiting for the other shoe to drop’ sensibility that permeates everything. So what do we see happening right now?

The first thing I see is the way Mars in Pisces is creeping up on Uranus in Taurus by sextile, catching Chiron in Aries at the midpoint–and the Sun is moving toward conjoining Uranus, bringing more and more light to the situation–no wonder I feel uneasy! Mars in Pisces may be experiencing something like trying to punch his way out of a paper bag–no matter how much energy is expended, if seems his (and our) efforts are ineffective. Or maybe you prefer the old ‘fog’ analogy–just as valid, though in this sign Mars is likely to imagine he knows exactly what he’s doing (and facing), even to believe he’s fighting for his ideals. Nope. The clue this bit about ideals isn’t so is found in the contact to Chiron–this fight is about something that hurts, personally.

The sextile suggests what we/ Mars is doing may precipitate something sudden, unexpected, that surprises the senses, alters the material situation, brings Higher Mind revelation, or changes the comfort level–and in the process, may injure the ego (Chiron in Aries), which as Chiron is currently ruled by Mars, says the ego may be on the same deluded, misguided, or massively personal quest as general Martian energy is right now. That action urge is trying to punch up, but ends up having the impetus boomerang back in our faces, hence the wound re-opened/ re-visited.

Ceres is square Neptune and Eris is sextile (and so semi-sextile Neptune). If that isn’t a recipe for women who seem to be aligned stirring each other up over misunderstandings or imagined wrongs, I don’t know what is. That’s not to say that this reaction is wrong, more like what we think is the issue or transgression isn’t really what’s bringing forward the strife. Too, Saturn is in the mix by trine to Ceres, only exacerbating our idea that we’re seeing reality clearly! Keep on the lookout for the true trigger behind any upset, and know that the deceptions we think we’re perceiving aren’t the ones that matter/ count. With Venus just having entered Aries, it’s just not the time to act out in relationship.

Sedna and Pluto are in an Earth trine and catching Jupiter in Pisces at the midpoint. Here the instincts and the real-world power situation are exaggerated, and thereby deceptive, not out of anyone’s malice, but again out of skewed perceptions. We may be, on the one hand, very optimistic, creative and inspired to the point of bursting, but also faced with the need to deal with the actual circumstances before us. Not exactly fun, but if you can be patient enough to connect the practical dots, you’ll end up with a pretty good plan–with first steps to be taken after the 25th of May. Yes, that will be during Merc retro–which may mean that good plan gets even better, with cautious re-visioning, with Merc ever helpful on the re-think in Gemini, and moving into Taurus by the 23rd, showing us how to materially implement what we’ve been contemplating.

Finally, Vesta creates the arm of a T-square with the Nodal axis, acting as a compass for life direction choices. All we need to do is ask ourselves, Does this honor what I truly care about? Am I respecting what I find sacred, with this choice? Answer that and you’ll know without question what to do.

Solar Eclipse April 2022 The Shock of It All

22 Friday Apr 2022

Posted by in astrology, Sabian Symbols, Solar Eclipse, The Word Image

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Fahd Hasis December 2019

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The Sun and Moon meet in partial Solar eclipse on April 30th at 1:28:04 PM PDT at 10 Taurus 28 and don’t form many aspects, the closest being a sextile to Mars in Pisces. The idea may be that what old is wiped away, and what new born, may be overshadowed by other meetings that grab the attention and let the Solar event seed a new energetic flow without our really being aware of it.

In Taurus a Solar eclipse speaks to the material condition, matters of nurture and comfort, to the artisanal and earthy–and don’t forget, to whatever matters are represented by the natal House in which this event occurs. Location in the natal chart is what gives any event like this its personal meaning; all we can do here is study the general nature of the energies, see what change they might carry. And, a Solar eclipse (without specific alignment otherwise known as a New Moon), gives a fresh start–a really fresh one, with an eclipse’s ability to obliterate circumstances related to the sign and involved bodies and Houses that existed before.

The Union of Sun and Moon occurs just as the two approach contact to Uranus, suggesting an almost explosive potential for surprise, the unanticipated, and possibly for a flash of Higher Mind guidance in the wake of the eclipse. The Moon will, upon separating from the Sun, contact Uranus first, implying an emotional impact that arrives before we can really see (the light of the Sun) what’s happening.

There’s a sextile to Mars, telling us that the event will spur action, or force choices, in Taurean realms, and the eclipse forms as both bodies separate from opposition to Hygeia–not a big deal, but a notable one, as changes or challenges to the material situation (Earth, Taurus) may affect the health and well-being.

This aspect picture leaves us with a surprisingly subdued event, with a ‘kick’ only coming later with the revelation of Uranian contact–as I said, our attention will probably be on other things, such as the conjunction of Venus and Jupiter, only two minutes before perfection and falling at the midpoint of the Sedna-Pluto Earth trine, or the Mercury-Pallas semi-sextile, or the Neptune-Ceres square, or the Saturn-Ceres Air trine that catches Eris at the midpoint. All these will be loud, not offering us much choice: look at us, otherwise you’ll miss ‘it’! For most of us, though, what the eclipse eliminates and replaces will in the end be much more important, have a bigger impact on our survival and Self-image, than any of these other flashes-in-the-pan.

Venus-Jupiter, late in Pisces, may make for a kind of existential angst around Love, Money, or Relationship. It may feel like in the Cosmic order of things we’ll never have enough, never feel completely secure in Venusian areas. Our needs may seem greater than usual, but shift your perspective, and what you’ll have is an awareness of rewards greater than you anticipated–they just might not be in the form or quantity you expected. This falling at the Sedna-Pluto midpoint says anxiety may arise from instinctual feeling and/ or awareness of the power situation, with the reminder that upset is likely seated in those blind spot areas where we have given away our power. So, it’s not the power landscape itself that causes upset, but the way we’ve abdicated our own agency, prompting something within ourselves that’s struggling to be heard and known.

Mercury-Pallas says wisdom is available, as long as we don’t insist it be comfortable for us to know! Neptune square Ceres challenges us, as do many of these other aspects, to embrace Self-responsibility rather than delusion or pipe dreams (it also says, watch out for hidden environmental or dietary factors that could blindside you). The Saturn-Ceres-Eris formula suggests discipline and following ‘the rules’ pays off in authority points and the ability to Self-determine, but may also draw ire from others who benefit when you are confused or fail to stand up for yourself. If somebody is upset with your assertive nature, you’re probably doing something right.

One last, small aspect of note: the Solar eclipse is septile ( officially 51 degrees, 26 minutes) the Black Moon Lilith point in Cancer–which of course is ruled by the Moon. The septile is an influence that the rational mind doesn’t grasp easily; ‘inspiration’, or ‘in spirit’, might be good descriptors of the triggered energy. In this case the emotions will be deeply stirred by the eclipse event, but again, not reach awareness until later. Something denied, ignored, or that enrages, that we are sensitive to or care about, will begin to emerge, as we are inspired to deal with it. Give it time to reach complete consciousness, before reacting/ responding.

The eclipse/ New Moon Sabian is, ‘A Woman Watering Flowers In Her Garden’. A garden is the essence of Taurus, right? The admonition is to care for what’s already underway, rather than to put attention on something new–that comes shortly, with that Uranus contact I talked about.

I have a Word Image for the week, drawn straight from real life, and I’m thinking it applies to the Solar eclipse: you are in a public place, you look down, and there at your feet is a large blue pill. Via ‘The Matrix’, a blue pill has come to be a symbol for keeping things as they are, for refusing to recognize reality in all its horrifying detail–but I don’t think that’s what it means here. The assumption that we’re not focused in reality can be a pernicious power game, with someone always claiming to have red-pill insight beyond anything available to us. Though it’s important to acknowledge there’s always more to learn, that doesn’t automatically mean we aren’t seeing what’s before us. The Solar eclipse, with its low-key ‘planting’ energy, may tell us that what we’re seeing/ perceiving is accurate–so believe what you and others are gestating–a matter of believing what we see, real world efforts, rather than being distracted by stories, ‘what ifs’, and intimations that others with power (or who want power) know more than you do.

We might also imagine that the blue pill being left on the floor implies that it was the red pill that was taken–so perhaps pointing us to our own solid connection to reality, which speaks to a vivid awareness, alive and well, seeing warts and all. Or, there’s that other blue pill, Viagra (though the pill I saw was a capsule identical to the one offered by Morpheus). Does it suggest we need to up our potency, possibly to reinvigorate the life force? Since symbology is an individual matter, we can pick the idea we resonate to, and go from there.

Have a wonderful eclipse!

Stepping Away

13 Wednesday Apr 2022

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‘The Dance of Spring’ By Edward Atkinson Hornel c1891 {{PD}}

I’m stepping away from the computer for a few days. See the Full Moon report here, a bit on the meeting of Jupiter and Neptune, and a few thoughts on Chiron here. Please be aware that any comments, questions, and any orders made through the Press will only be filled when I’m back online, in less than a week. Have an enjoyable and safe Full Moon, and a generally happy existence–until we meet again!

This Week’s Word Image is a terrarium, as a miniature world. What would you place in one? Would it be delicate plants that need a careful balance between humidity and air flow? Would it be filled by a scene made from inanimate objects, figures, a rockery, that wouldn’t need any care at all? Would it contain succulents or cactus, so that it contains living things that need almost no attention? Would it be filled with exotic specimens or tiny plants from the store or miniature things you dig up from your own yard? Would it mimic a beach, say, or a shaded forest, or a manicured garden? Imagine your terrarium, and then consider some of the symbolic meanings possible: water and its state translates as emotion, with the terrarium your way of containing it; air flow is thought, openness to what blows in to your world, and comfort or discomfort with change, especially emotional change; a container filled with inanimate objects may suggest you are uncomfortable with the need to be responsive in the way that living things would require, or that you hesitate to take on that responsibility (“I kill every plant I touch!”) for fear of not living up to its needs (so issues around nurture, or fear of your own inadequacy in a demanding situation, especially one where others depend on you); a container that holds a miniature desert might suggest you want to keep things tidy, objective, or that you expect the elements of your world to take care of themselves, leaving you with all your energy (and there’s nothing wrong with choosing to keep your energy for yourself–more of us should have such good boundaries!) There are lots of ways your imagined world can speak about you, and to you, letting you know a little about your outlook, your fears, and your expectations.

Terrarium with hedgehog skull, some moss and drosera plants.

Plantlover93

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