Author Archives: juliedemboski

The Summer of Us, 2025

28 Saturday Jun 2025

Posted by in astrology, forecast, Mercury Direction, Mercury retrograde, Mystic Rectangle, Retrogrades + Directions

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‘Summer Night’ By Harald Sohlberg 1899 {{PD}}

By ‘us’ I mean each of us, individually, as the upcoming Mercury retrograde is contained entirely within Leo, focusing our thoughts, concerns, communications, judgments, conclusions, and revelations, whether we want them to or not, firmly on ourselves and our roles, socially, with our families, and within the greater scheme of the Cosmos. Leo intends to show whatever passes through it how to ‘shine’, but that useful reveal could be thwarted by our own reluctance to appear selfish, out of fear if we take our eye off our duties we might fail our relationships or those who rely on us, or from simple modesty–it’s not uncommon to want to inspect ourselves and our Soul’s work privately, and the Leo spotlight may feel not just too revealing, but as if we’re seeking attention–but you need to know, that’s not what’s happening, at all.

Personal enlightenment is one goal during this retro cycle, while gaining a better understanding of ourselves within the current parameters of our lives is another. One mistake easily made is to believe during the cycle we’ll sufficiently understand what we learn and what it means, that we can immediately charge forward (which is something, of course, that saucy Fire sign Leo will encourage us to do). We’ll need both processing time and the perspective that automatically comes when we are a step or two past the retro season. For instance, just as Merc retrogrades it’ll sextile Venus in Gemini–which almost certainly will persuade us we know and understand the ‘lay of the land’ in terms of both relationships and asset earning and usage; we may quite literally believe ‘we know what we think’ (Gemini). The problem is that, just as our capacity to handle things with the mind is withdrawn, we’ll get the impression that we’ve hit on what we need to know about Venusian matters; that’s when we’ve got to remember that feeling, sensation, intuition, sentiment, Love are how we gather knowledge during Merc retro–all else is misinterpreted or incomplete, lacking a full picture, or crucial details, of situations or events.

The moment of retrograde comes on the 18th at 9:45 AM PDT at 15 Leo 34, during a last quarter Moon on its way to the Dark period, suggesting a kind of ‘winding down’, energetically speaking. Merc will turn around sesquiquadrate Saturn, which will go retrograde itself just 5 days before; this suggests that understanding what’s concrete or solid, and what a barrier, rule, or prohibition actually means, may be a significant challenge during this period. Rules may not be clear, and the smartest option may, consistently, be to wait for direction to make a choice, decide, or to inspect circumstances again in a new light. At the time Neptune, which retros on the 4th, will still be conjoined Saturn; use the influence to make dreams a reality, and to give the imagined goal physical form, rather than succumbing to misleading or confusing detritus that only clouds the picture.

And, in less than a day, the Moon in Taurus will move into position to create a brief T-square with Mercury and the Black Moon Lilith point in Scorpio. This may bring feelings and intuitions about stability, security, and resources to the fore, and encourage us to believe this is the whole picture; not only will we be missing the details, we may also be ignoring those things we find less than positive, those things that threaten to destroy our emotional or mental balance, or which through neglect or refusal to acknowledge we have buried like a ticking time bomb somewhere out of sight.

The 29th retro Merc will semi-sextile Jupiter in Cancer, bringing enormous optimism into play. Remember, using the intuition and feeling nature at this time is the way to gain information, with the caveat being that we may accept that as the whole picture–which it definitely is not. This may feel like a high, and could urge us to put things in motion too soon–and the feeling carries over to the Inferior Conjunction, where it just might take on an exaggerated sense of urgency.

The Inferior Conjunction, the meeting of the Sun and Mercury during Mercury’s apparent retrograde phase, occurs on 1 August at 9 Leo. Within the past week both bodies will have opposed Pluto in Aquarius, suggesting interludes of despair, the threat of obliteration, an awareness of mortality or the inevitability of change, or realization of the power to transform–so it’s not like we’re hitting the Conjunction free of shadows, fears, or insecure in some way. With this as background, the Inferior point could see us vowing to overcome, to meet the challenge, or to give up and release ourselves to the flow of events.

For once this Conjunction doesn’t really serve us taking a new perspective or beginning anew; we’d do better to tell ourselves there’s no need to start over, that all that has happened was necessary to deliver us to our current position. Reminding ourselves of the eternal nature of the Soul (Leo) is needed–and if that’s not true, if instead we wink out of existence when it’s all over, that should be in its own way reassuring as well, because in either case, there’s nothing to fear.

Mercury’s direction occurs on 11 August at 4 Leo 14, and there’s an unusual amount of harmony among bodies, even as some of these combos are potent and possibly a little threatening. Mercury turns around at the rough midpoint of the Mars-Uranus trine, is opposed Pluto, and is trine the still extant Neptune-Saturn conjunction–and of course all these other entities make their own contacts to one another, as well. This forms a Mystic Rectangle among Mercury, Mars, Pluto, and Saturn-Neptune. Mystic Rectangles allow the four or more involved energies to function in a way that makes for a larger positive whole than we could’ve assembled from the pieces singly. In this case, we should expect the Truth, how to apply this to what we think and what we do, making areas to transform clear and the path to implement the dream obvious. The one energy left out of this equation, but which still contacts Mercury, is the sextile to Uranus–so the fact of surprise, revelation, innovation, or unexpected upheaval may be the trigger that sets off fate-shaping events.

Don’t expect it all to be revealed at once, despite the big impact the direction might deliver. The Pisces Moon passes over its own North Nodal point on that day, suggesting we become aware of our life direction in a big, Universal way, as Luna heads toward the upcoming eclipses of September. Don’t expect to enter autumn without having undergone a summer of change, and a reinvigorating of, and reinvestment in, your life.

Your Word Image for this week: ‘Mistaken Identity’

New Moon in Cancer 25 June 2025 The Lens of Belief

23 Monday Jun 2025

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

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In this case, the lenses are in the upper left corner. Trompe-l’oeil By Charles Bouillon 1704 {{PD}}

The New Moon perfects at 3:31 AM PDT at 4 Cancer 07, and our immediate reaction to events will be big, exaggerated, but the reaction will be based in facts and/ or our beliefs (Moon-Sun conjoined Jupiter) centered on what we care about or are responsible to care for (Cancer) as this applies to our individual position within the real-world situation (square to Saturn in Aries)–or at least, our reaction and actions taken will be based on what we BELIEVE the real-world situation is (Neptune conjoined Saturn). The thing we need to be cognizant of, more acutely than anything else, is that our illusions, prejudices, ideals, and beliefs, along with any deceptions perpetrated by or aimed at us, will be our lens–and that means we’ll be reacting to what we tell ourselves is so, rather than what’s really there.

That doesn’t mean our perceptions and experience of the moment are wrong; it means we’re bringing ourselves to the event and filtering what happens through ourselves–and we can’t help but add our interpretations to the mix. Awareness of these perceptual conditions is vital to being able to translate what we conclude into the most fact and reality-based version possible–because accuracy in terms of the reality picture is necessary for our presence to be heard and the impact of our actions felt–otherwise, we’re just waving out arms and shouting into an empty room.

A clear interpretation is important because a New Moon is a new start, a seed moment, when new conditions, ideas, perceptions, germinate and will be with us in one form or another at least through the Full Moon in two weeks, and possibly considerably longer, depending where in our own natal chart the New Moon falls and what natal placements it contacts.

The Moon-Sun-Jupiter meeting sextiles Mars in Virgo and so forms a base for a Finger of God, apex Pluto in Aquarius=this suggests that New Moon actions born out of critical assessment, harvest-sharing, or attempts focused on efficiency and accountability will result in significant change, that may be permanent, or potentially could go beyond helpful to outright destructive. The success of transforming some element of your world, then, is relative to one’s fairness in dealing with others (giving them their rightful due) and one’s processing of and understanding of critique. The change may be purely intellectual or may catapult us into the future, maybe even thrust us into the avant garde in some area where we hold experience or expertise–but it’s definitely a double-edged sword, as capable of harming as it is of clearing an avenue for progress.

The New Moon also makes a semi-square to Venus in Taurus=the Moon in its own sign and Venus in her own sign with an uncomfortable angle between them suggests feelings are strong, and relationships and/ or material assets and the situation generating them are firmly in place–and neither will budge willingly–so we look again to the required change demanded by our own actions and choices (Mars) and the new spark of the New Moon and see that the change to the asset picture or relationships comes about because of the Lunar new start and in spite of the way we’re dug in with both our feelings and our prosperity efforts. We know this because Plutonian outcomes are the result of the mix, and that they’ll take an Aquarian form (the Finger).

Also of note: Uranus at 29 stressed degrees of Taurus sextiles Mercury in Cancer=what shocks or surprises in the material world or conditions under which we operate can be anticipated–but it’s an individual matter how willing each of us is to acknowledge what we care about, what we see potentially occurring, to formulate ideas on how to handle it (Mercury), and then decide what we are willing to do (Cancer is a Cardinal sign) about the impending crisis. With a 29 degree placement, the wave will break, but it’s up to us whether we’ll position ourselves well or just get swept away by it.

The New Moon Sabian symbol is, ‘At A Railroad Crossing, An Automobile is Wrecked By A Train’. This emphasizes the need for awareness, especially of current surroundings, and whose or what’s path you may be in the way of. Too, it requires acknowledgment that there are forces larger than all of us capable of harm, often simply because the objectives it holds don’t take us into account–and at this moment in time, getting out of the way of Plutonian (focused on obliteration, change-by-force) and Uranian (anarchic, wanting to shock and surprise above anything else, all the energy in the act, and so not caring about the outcome) actors may be the best strategy for coping and staying safe.

Wishing you all a lovely, and above all, safe, New Moon–

Point in Time: The Summer Solstice 2025

20 Friday Jun 2025

Posted by in current events in the sky, Solstice

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‘Three Women on a Hilltop’ By Charles Courtney Curran {{PD}}

The longest day of the year deserves our attention, not least because at the Solstice point, 7:42 PM PDT, the Moon has just entered Taurus and is still sextile the 29 degree Sun, with Uranus caught at the 29 degree Taurus midpoint. It’s a portrait of emotional rawness, of extreme shock, surprise, stunning revelation, or higher mind understanding illuminated–and it may present in the actual physical atmosphere or with circumstances related to our comfort or security (Taurus), and hints at large themes we’ll deal with for the entire summer.

There’s a Finger of God in place that may point out at least part of what’s coming: Pluto sextile Saturn-Neptune as the base, apex Mars=big, transformative (and possibly unwelcome or unwilling) change to the real-world picture, to established methods, structures, rules, and to the things we do or, crucially, don’t see clearly–or change to the ways we’ve so far implemented our dreams and incorporated or manifested them within our reality. The formula is something like Time plus the Powers-That-Be acting on our world, either bringing it closer to the ideal or dragging it farther away by exposing what had been obscured before. So, we find out the Truth, but we might not be happy about it–and from there we make our choices and take action.

Jupiter in Cancer is conjoined the Sun and sextile, to either side, Mars in Virgo and the Moon new in Taurus. In this Solstice snapshot that places Jupiter-Sun at the rough midpoint of Luna and Mars=feelings drive both actions and perceptions of identity and place within the social arena; we care more about how society perceives us when Jupiter is in Cancer, and we want to do something about it, and what we care about expands, as well. Who we are and how we’re perceived seems to matter so much more, right now; just remember, with everyone feeling that way, we can’t possibly be under as much scrutiny as we think we are. Living up to our own standards is the most important thing–and know that anyone who tries to make you feel badly about yourself is likely suffering deeply (and behaving insufferably, natch) themselves. It has, literally, nothing to do with you.

This also means that Saturn-Neptune sextile Uranus catches the Moon at their midpoint=emotional perceptions will definitely be filtered through our reaction to the Uranian unanticipated–and to what this shows us about our manifestation so far of the dream or ideal. How close have we come to what we really wanted? And how does the Uranian revelation change our perceptions of, and our feelings about, that dream? All good questions, that it will likely take the whole summer (or winter, for our Southern Hemisphere friends) to answer.

Note too that Mercury is trine the North Node=thinking, planning, communicating are shaping the life direction/ future right now. That means awareness of the power of your words and thoughts is paramount to knowing consciously just exactly what you’re creating/ drawing to yourself in the moment. It’s no time to sling words, insults, or criticisms casually–all will have an oversized effect on tomorrow.

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!

Full Moon 11 June 2025 Hurts If You Do, Hurts If You Don’t

10 Tuesday Jun 2025

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‘The Wounded Angel’ By Hugo Simberg 1903 {{PD}}

The Moon reaches peak opposition to the Sun at 12:43 AM PDT of the 11th at 20 Sagittarius 38. A Full Moon in Sagittarius brings knowledge, an awareness of ‘the facts’, exposure to or a reveal of the influence of what’s ‘foreign’ or exotic, the moment of sharing or broadcast (of previously assembled materials) and the results this brings, or the realization of the impact of institutions, specifically religious or educational entities, in the life of the individual. This Moon brings in some form emotional adventure that enlightens, with a need to act (Sag is a Fire sign) on what we learn or discover (though when it’s Sag, the action can coalesce around the mind as much as in the physical realm).

The Sun-Moon axis squares the Nodal one, suggesting tension inherent in what is revealed with the Lunar event; with Sun in Gemini it’s possible what happens will be all talk, or maybe just inside our own heads, but that doesn’t make it any less real, or any less volatile. Our feelings gel into a coherent picture at the point of the Full Moon, and this may spur us to act on what until now was only a concept or inclination, a possibility–so be prepared to change your mind about how assertive you want to be in the areas where the Full Moon falls in your natal chart. You may suddenly find a fire lit beneath a choice or act you hadn’t taken seriously before, and you may find that you’re focusing on the state of the mind, rather than the facts, which could be a clue that you’re on the road to hurtful Self-talk, and so looking too much inward.

There’s a Fire Grand Trine that will perfect a few hours after the Full Moon. The Trine involves the Moon, Eris and Chiron in Aries, and Mars in Leo. That suggests our emotions, fears, and/ or intuitions are set off by hurt experienced through the Willfulness of others and our own actions and choices, especially those fueled by ego and ‘heart’, the latter signifying what we pour ourselves into. We feel intensely, and react intensely–and so do others–which may mean that everyone’s acting out and reacting, true communication is rare, and there’s a good chance that what we’re responding to isn’t so much externals but our (wounded) perceptions of ourselves and our position.

So, it hurts if we express ourselves, and it hurts if we don’t, and the question becomes, How conscious are we of what we’re thinking, doing, processing? If we recognize our typical vulnerabilities and our reactions to them, we can spot the familiar pattern of reasoning, and so short-circuit our usual ‘loss of Self-esteem’ loop. We can instead substitute the emotional facts the Full Moon offers, and the other influences in effect right now can steer us toward some rewarding efforts, should we be open to them.

The Moon sesquiquadrates Venus in Taurus, and Venus is sextile Jupiter-Mercury in Cancer and square Pluto in Aquarius. Big thoughts, big promises, centered on what we care about (Cancer). Serious transformation is a possibility, if we can implement two things: if we can formulate our beliefs so that we see the value of them, particularly the way they add worth to our way of thinking and communicating, and if we can adjust our emotional reactions to the Full Moon to the needs of our relationships–that is, consider what each relationship requires apart from our own Lunar needs. Venus also opposes the Black Moon Lilith point, suggesting that what we don’t acknowledge could hurt us, denying us reward or satisfaction in relationships, and tempting us to hide what we don’t want to acknowledge–in essence, saving up our hurt for later.

Saturn-Neptune in Aries squares Mercury-Jupiter in Cancer and needs mention (as it connects to the Moon via Merc-Jup sextile to Venus sesqui Luna) because some of us may find we’re pitting the facts that have expanded our minds/ thinking against the opportunity to make our real-world dreams a reality. This may present as someone saying they’ll deny you your dream (if projected), or you are acutely aware of real-world barriers to implementing ideals or dreams-come-true (too much awareness of Saturnian blocks), and we may let our emotional perceptions about the other’s/ external power dictate our beliefs (Jupiter)–essentially, we stop ourselves because we don’t believe we hold the power. In many ways, this Full Moon is a lesson in connecting to reality and then being responsible for that reality–beliefs vs. facts, and all of it at the least a little uncomfortable.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘A Child And A Dog Wearing Borrowed Eyeglasses’. Okay, I’ve got some questions: are they both wearing glasses? and borrowed ones, at that! That’s how the image reads to me: both are wearing spectacles that belong to someone else. When we’re in our ‘animal’ Self, or when we’re immature, we do use the lenses that others offer to measure the world. Growing up is about fashioning our own way to see. Maybe this refers to the tendency that may occur at this time to go with knee-jerk reactions, feeling states set in childhood, borrowed opinions and outlooks that appeal because they are familiar–and have never been examined. Watch for these kinds of prejudices within yourself, as they can stunt growth almost before it starts.

We always look at the giver of light, the Sun, for a Full Moon: ‘A Tumultuous Labor Demonstration’. Wow, shades of current events! We can’t demonstrate our support, or march for the way things should be, if we haven’t yet determined what we think that is. This image suggests it’s important we work it out, important we get the glasses that fit us, not leftovers from somebody else. This is just one more (important) step in embracing more fully what’s genuine to us as individuals.

Hi All! My apologies for being so late getting this out. I had a couple of vaccinations that knocked me flat. I’m all better now, and hope you’re enjoying June!

New Moon 26 May 2025 It Dawns On Us

23 Friday May 2025

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The New Moon perfects at 8:02 PM PDT at 6 Gemini 05, just three days before the Superior Conjunction, the meeting of the Sun and Mercury in direct motion. That suggests the New Moon generates fresh feeling that creates new thoughts or ideas (Gemini), or that a new, seminal-feeling idea engenders new emotional response, and that leads to the event the Sun-Mercury meeting promises: the culmination of energy and intent seeded with the Inferior Conjunction of March 25th. This connection is doubly potent, doubly exciting to the interplay of mind and emotion, because of Mercury’s rulership of Gemini. It will likely feel, between the New Moon and the Superior Conjunction, like we are seeing things in a whole new light; it dawns on us that we weren’t putting all the pieces together, weren’t appreciating what they mean or how we genuinely feel, with the result that we experience a quickening of mental activity, perceptual acuity, and an awareness of the depth and true nature of our own feelings. Think ‘Mercurial’, and expect some lightning-quick reveals, realizations, and thought and ideas that will shift and shift again our viewpoint of the current situation and what we must do.

Thanks to Selwyn Ken Abapo for ‘Dawn and the Early Blue Hues’ 2022 Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

Saturn has just entered Aries, is conjoined Neptune, also new in the sign, and makes a very wide sextile to the New Moon=the real-world consequences of our own choices and actions, what started with these and the emotional impact they have, is just now beginning to be apparent. We’re both moving toward the ideal, and moving deeper into the fog. Questions around discipline, boundaries, constraints, denial, and suppression all come to the fore, we attempt to measure what may be impossible to quantify (are we living our dreams and ideals? How successful have we been at embracing the spiritual? What are the real impacts of our creativity?), and, for good or ill, awareness of the individual’s responsibility for what they put out into the world is more acute than ever. This New Moon offers mental clarity in the midst of these contradictory trends, something we desperately need as the planet of ‘No’ meets the planet of ‘I don’t know’. The good news is neither Saturn nor Neptune is in ultimate control; it’s up to each of us to apply the constructive and restrained influences of Saturn to the creative and spiritually-oriented impulses of Neptune, in the hope that we choose well and Aries provides sound and rewarding results for individual choice and action.

The New Moon is trine Pluto in Aquarius and closely quincunx the Black Moon Lilith point=Aha! What we’re being offered with this fresh Lunar energy is the chance to change our minds. May not sound all that revolutionary, until we consider that’s the exact energy that’s currently motivating Pluto: Aquarian forward-thinking, upsetting the status quo, innovation and invention. The question is, will we embrace change because we have a progressive vision, a desire to transform and regenerate? Or will we destroy simply to see the world burn? It’s an important distinction, best determined before you light the match. Important note: the match itself may consist of those things we’ve ignored, denied, or been really p*ssed off about, and the danger there is that those angry, disowned energies may desperately want to strike without much consideration for what may result.

The dangerous part of this multi-energy mix is that we may expect ourselves to have all the answers, know exactly what we think and want, when this is actually the perfect window to re-consider, to discover, to explore, to acknowledge our uncertainties and what we’ve neglected or ignored. It should dawn on us that a) we don’t know everything, and shouldn’t expect ourselves to (that is, a little humility and modesty will go a long way), b) that there’s no virtue in being inflexible or failing to incorporate new information, c) that though what we think is a precursor to what we do and become, it isn’t who we are–don’t think that the story in our heads is more ‘real’ than the interactions we have and the real-world results we create. Too, just because we think a thought doesn’t make us a good (or bad) person–it’s what we put our energy into (and what we withhold it from) that counts.

But here’s our warning: the New Moon is conjoined asteroid Icarus at 5 Gemini. Could we have a clearer message to keep our heads about us, to not let the misleading energies of the imagination pull us too far astray from the real and the practical? No, we couldn’t. And, Jupiter and Uranus are semi-sextile each other=though optimism can spark the unexpected, the fortuitous, the unlooked for opportunity, and the shock of the ‘new’ can send us careening in an entirely unexpected direction, whatever happens, we’d do best not to fly too high, to note the distinction between exploring mentally and translating that into concrete events–one doesn’t necessarily have to follow the other, at least not without some solid, Saturnian footings beneath it. Or, we can see it as Chiron sextile Jupiter, with Uranus at the rough midpoint=that lets us know that hurt might underlay a lot of the big pushes forward right now–and we all know the wound is never the best engine for choice/ decision making.

‘Daedalus and Icarus’ By Orazio Riminaldi c1625 {{PD}}

The New Moon Sabian is, ‘A Well With Bucket And Rope Under The Shade Of Majestic Trees’. We’re offered emotional ‘water’ at this time–the image is of a pleasant spot, a place of rest, and maybe that’s Luna’s point right now: we’re at the beginning, with what we learn at the New Moon, and with what we feel; best to take it easy, as many of the other current influences will push us to do the exact opposite, with very likely unhappy results.

Full Moon in Scorpio 12 May 2025 Configuring Emotion

08 Thursday May 2025

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‘The Icebergs’ By Frederic Edwin Church 1861 {{PD}}

The Full Moon perfects at 9:55 AM PDT at 22 Scorpio 12. At this point, Lunar energies (emotion, intuition, sensation, the concealed or obscured but felt, caretaking, nurture, mothering, the changeable and ephemeral) reach a peak, and in Scorpio this means things plunge into the depths. The Moon’s palette dovetails nicely with the Scorpionic; their watery emotional viewpoint unites them, as does the orientation of both toward perceiving the hidden or unseen, the unspoken and implied, and reacting to it through the feeling nature. Chances are this occurs unconsciously, with only the tip of the emotional iceberg perceptible to us, and that means that under a Full Moon in Scorpio feelings we didn’t even know we had can come to fruition–and our reactions to those emotions are reflected back to us through matters set in motion/ orchestrated by that current of feeling. Recognizing that our own emotions are the source of what’s presented at the Full Moon is vital; so is the need to read what occurs as if we’re sending ourselves important messages, things which may be too disturbing to the routine or status quo, or that we may be in denial of, to have delivered any other way.

This time the Full Moon is conjoined Juno and opposed, as always, the Sun, which is joined by Hygeia and Uranus=Personal empowerment, making ourselves felt in the world, is key this Full Moon, and if we neglect to claim our sovereignty, we’ll be faced with an unhealthy situation, one chaotic, surprising, or that demands we innovate or invent in order to survive, or in less extreme circumstances, in order to assert our individuality or uniqueness, to remain free of ‘group think’. Drama is a Scorpio specialty, exacerbated by the easy trine the Full Moon makes to Saturn and Ceres in Pisces (with Saturn conjoined Neptune in Aries, which is too far outside orb to be contacted by the FM)=we can be misled, deceived, or can simply allow wishful thinking to override a more concrete picture of how things are and what our personal power scenario is. Tuning in to reality is particularly difficult right now–things are fuzzy and motivations, thinking, and who holds what power is unclear, at least in terms of understanding realistic goals and potentials–and that means making choices can be harder than usual.

The Full Moon is part of several configurations, and we pull in little-used but illuminating points to complete the picture. There are two Fingers of God, one apex the Moon and Juno with base of Jupiter conjoined Hera in Gemini sextile Chiron, Sappho, and Eris in Aries=this suggests that either the belief system or what we believe we know is under strain within the larger social sphere, disregarded and disrespected, and this hurts, turns us toward those who choose as we do, and stirs up any latent discord that’s been dormant, with the result being an emotional lesson on where and how we are actually empowered (as opposed to where we thought we commanded power). The other Finger is Moon-Juno sextile Sphinx in Capricorn, apex Jupiter-Hera=here emotional empowerment is found in accepting mystery, acknowledging what is unknowable, right now, and moving forward anyway; the result is a broadening of our reach and potentially our knowledge, as well as the possibility of open acknowledgment by others as to where we’ve been wronged or not respected.

‘The Questioner of the Sphinx’ By Elihu Vedder 1836 {{PD}}

A T-square with the Full Moon opposed Uranus, Hygeia, and the Sun in Taurus, all square Pallas in Aquarius rounds out the FM picture=though emotional revelations and measures of emotional health draw our attention (and possibly our concern), what we need to remember is that, difficult as it is, what we’re being shown must be answered either with our innate wisdom or with a strong sense of practicality. ‘Make it useful’ could be our motto, at present; we might add to this a Cardinal T-square that could make its own waves by proximity, rather than direct involvement: Uranian Zeus opposed Eris, Chiron, and Sappho, both squared by the Sphinx=it’s useful to admit what we don’t know, or what’s unknowable, no matter what; when we do that in relation to our ambitions and desires, we disarm those who might want to struggle with us or hurt us, in spite of the way they are likely to be just like us. Taking ammo away from those who are looking to attack is a strong incentive for them to take their aggression elsewhere–or even to realize we’ve more in common than not, after all.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘A Rabbit Metamorphosed Into A Nature Spirit’. This Full Moon makes apparent the essence of what’s special and spiritual within. It’s there within our everyday, ‘rabbit’ form, but events now release what’s closest to Nature inside us. Expect revelations around feeling and purpose.

We also look at the Sabian for the Sun, giver of light: ‘A Jewellery Shop Filled With The Most Magnificent Jewels’. The more mundane face of this Full Moon energy shines on actual material matters–the spiritual essence we discover is reflected in these, but not derived from it. The wealth, and the payoff, really do come in an elevated spirit; the sense of prosperity or reward is just a nice extra.

There’s a great deal of feeling stirred up by this Full Moon, and so much of it we’ve likely been unaware of–our task is to give those emotions context, to configure them so they’re meaningful to us, and thus useful, and to remember others are having a similar emotional experience–again, seeing that we’re more alike than not can help bring down barriers that have been contributing to our sense of the ‘Other’ as invasive force, rather than as potential ally, collaborator, or partner.

New Moon 27 April 2025 Back From the Dead

24 Thursday Apr 2025

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‘Circee’ (Circe), drawing By Jean Delville 1893 {{PD}}

A New Moon in Taurus may ask if we are born from our environment, a material, sensuous Being with qualities and personality fully formed and fully intact, or if we are born into our environment formless, a tabula rasa upon which our surroundings write their influence? Of course, in absolute terms when we’re born, or re-born as part of the Lunar cycle, we’re neither totally unformed nor are all our characteristics already determined; anyone who’s dealt with an infant knows they’re distinctive from birth, even as they are learning and changing all the time, and so it is with us all through our lives: we live, we grow, and even as we develop we’re aware that there are some responses, feelings, traits that have always been within us.

Any New Moon offers us a moment of re-birth, a moment in which, in areas related to the sign and the House it occupies in our natal chart, we can begin again; with Taurus we focus on our surroundings, the atmosphere, our assets, what we have or are missing (and related to this, what we need, find comfort in materially, and what personal expression and power we derive from our wealth or talents), such that we may feel the sign concerns things outside ourselves, and so outside our influence or control. An easy mistake to make; that’s why we are obligated to remind ourselves that where we are in life, and what surrounds us, is a direct and undeniable result of each and every decision we’ve ever made. The outside matches the inside, not one-for-one, but in ways where many things are more subtle, cumulative, or far-reaching, extending into our futures and or sending tendrils of meaning and re-interpretation back into the past.

This New Moon sparks at 12:30 PM PDT of the 27th at 7 Taurus 46, conjoined (and moving toward perfection of the conjunction with) the asteroid Circe=the child of gods, but described as a sorceress and minor goddess, Circe is chiefly known now as having used her power to turn men into pigs just to keep the one she desired (Odysseus) trapped on her island. Like so many people used to wielding power, used to getting her way, Circe didn’t see how she was encroaching on others’ boundaries, that she was behaving in abusive and controlling ways, simply because to people who process power the way she does, others aren’t as real as she is–she’s a narcissist.

Together the New Moon/ Sun-Moon conjunction and Circe act as one arm of a Grand Cross made up of Mars in Leo conjoined the asteroid Karma, Pluto in Aquarius, and Black Moon Lilith and the asteroid Hekate in Scorpio. In a more conventional interpretation only the T-square would be considered, with Hekate (the one who shows the way) ignored–which may be the case even as we note Hekate’s presence, because it’s conjoined the Black Moon Lilith point, urging us to bury the info we’re being given about which way and how to go.

So, conscious of this tendency to skip over what’s uncomfortable or inconvenient, especially if it illuminates the direction we should take, we look at the other energies in play: Mars in Leo makes us want to act or choose, to our own glory or for our own Will or purposes; Pluto in Aquarius may, in this Lunar light, take on an unusually negative tone: awareness of Higher Mind, taking an intellectual tack, being inventive or innovative, may feel destructive–or, change and transformation seem to be required to move successfully into the future. Either way, the pressure is intense–and so may be the fear.

But, we haven’t addressed one element: the asteroid Karma in Leo conjoined Mars. Here we have a chicken-or-egg situation: do we act or choose because we’re meeting some facet of our Karma, something we have created ourselves and now must face (or embrace–it could be a good thing), or are we creating Karma with our actions and choices? Inevitably, both are true, in the larger scheme of things, but the label of ‘Karmic’ is one we should use with care; really, either everything is Karmic, or nothing is. Mayhap we should read this, then, as facilitating something we deserve–no more, no less–and no matter where or from whom this appears to come, we as individuals have earned it (Leo).

One other thing worth mention: the New Moon is at the midpoint of another energy picture, a trine among Requiem in Cancer and a conjunction of Orpheus and Damocles in Pisces. Requiem in the sign of Lunar sensitivity and emotions suggests an end to something, a feeling or caring situation memorialized which reflects the presence of Pluto in the larger equation. Orpheus attempted to retrieve his beloved from Hades, only to fail when he lost trust and looked back, violating the only order he’d been given; combine this ‘blowing his big break’ with the story of the Sword of Damocles, wherein it’s made clear that with enormous privilege comes a much higher level of danger/ threat, and we get a portrait of an individual granted extraordinary favor who then, either through his own misbehavior or through a newfound awareness, loses what he so deeply wanted. He is disabused of the idea either that he deserves an exception to the very rules of life and death, or that those with a particular status are immune from these rules. The Moon-Sun, then, poised between these, may imply that a particular idea about what one desires will need, one way or another, to die.

The Sabian for this New Moon is a little startling: ‘A Sleigh On Land Uncovered By Snow’. We’re given a symbol of movement that’s in a totally unsuitable environment. This just reiterates that the ‘old’ idea of how to move forward needs revision–and certainly, that what we find comfortable and secure may need to be revised, updated–because how many of us regularly drive a sleigh anymore? You see what I mean.

That New Moon in Taurus gives us a re-birth in what’s not just materially important or possible, but in what we want and deserve. Awareness grows, likely through emotional processes, and so our ideas about what brings comfort, prosperity, or security, particularly on an individual level, change as well. We’re re-vivified through a process of assessment and evaluation–and we are shown in the light of the New Moon exactly what we must do, what direction we must take, to make it happen. We’re, in some important way, back from the dead, in the Taurean areas of our life. Enjoy it.

Spring Break

16 Wednesday Apr 2025

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‘Beauty of the Season: Spring’ Hanging scroll by Fujiwara Chikanobu 18th century {{PD}}

Hi All! I’m stepping away from the computer for a short while, but will be back with the New Moon post. I won’t be answering emails or processing orders or sales through Dog & Sunflower–it’s a bit of a detox, for me–but will be back up and running next week. With Mercury conjoined Neptune, and Venus and Saturn conjoined the North Node, we can be inspired to plan for an abundant future, make dreams into realities, and as well appreciate everything we already have. The ideal is apparent–all we have to do is reach for it, but with the caveat that the unscrupulous may try to obscure the facts or mislead. So, eyes wide open. Have a great week/ weekend!

Full Moon in Libra 12 April 2025 Divining Our Best Self

10 Thursday Apr 2025

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By Leon Wyczółkowski 1933 {{PD}}

Here’s the Sun in Aries, shining a light on each of us as individuals, making us hyper-aware of ourselves, our actions, our choices, making us sensitive to expression of our Will (are our wants reasonable? possible? do they leak into others’ territory? are we letting others know what we want? are we frustrated in some way? do we know what we want?)–and shining that same light on both our primal wounds and our highly unique gifts, pointing out how thoroughly these permeate our identity, our idea of who we are, even our very consciousness (Sun conjoined Chiron)–and so affect our ego, our choices, our wants, who we believe we are.

Then the Moon comes along on April 12 (at 5:21 PM PDT) and opposes the Sun-Chiron in Aries at 23 Libra 19, creating a T-square with Mars in Cancer=Cardinal (action) energy makes for a dynamic Lunar event; most likely we are faced with a clear picture of a wound to the identity that must be healed (a few of us will instead have that spotlight shine on some talent that we can no longer ignore expressing), and we see who we must appeal to, partner with, or cooperate with in order to make that happen (Libra Moon). It’s an emotional perception, so we may be at the mercy of our own fears and limitations and Self-designated comfort zones as these hem us in, short-circuiting progress in order to foster a sense of safety and control. That’s where Mars comes in; it takes the identity wound and the emotional attitude that would allow us to escape noticing it, and forces us (the T-square) to take action–simply because we care.

There are a few minor entities of note: Eris, pot-stirrer and body most likely to get everyone to clear the air, is conjoined the Sun and Chiron, which suggests that part of healing may be being more honest about how we see ourselves, our Willfulness, or our abilities (Aries); and the Uranian Zeus and asteroid Nemesis are both in Libra conjoined the Moon, implying that our emotional reactions at this point may reveal much about our desires, and who we think is preventing us fulfilling them.

And we must acknowledge the Finger of God, with a base of stationary Venus (which technically goes direct about a half hour later) and Saturn in Pisces sextile Uranus in Taurus, apex the Full Moon (which, we should note, is conjoined the Earth). This suggests that revelation keyed to what the Venus cycle has exposed us to or made us face, which was initially just an inspiration, something we imagined or idealized (Pisces), has taken solid, real world form (Saturn)–and this is our first inkling of what this manifestation might entail. This involves a material surprise or spontaneous insight or even a radical change to the atmosphere or asset picture (Uranus in Taurus); we then observe the events of the Full Moon in Libra, which are the results of our Venus retro experience and what it changed in the real world that triggers our Uranian insight or shock, and which creates the Lunar event–one that asks us to stop navel-gazing (Aries) and start looking around at others, particularly those with whom we partner or cooperate (Libra).

The Finger of God is like a Cosmic divining rod, the quincunxes that are its ‘legs’ requiring that we deal with whatever love, money, or relationship issues we’ve recently reviewed (the retro) and the shocks, surprises, and revelations they delivered (Uranus) that have likely shaken our way of living, our comfort or asset status (Taurus), and that have resulted in this Lunar episode. A Full Moon in Libra delivers the product of our relationships, our aesthetic choices, and those areas where we’ve made our investments of time, energy, attention, and other valuables, and in this case, the fruits are real-world ones, generated by the ways and places we’ve invested in our own lives. At this time we’ll see just where and from whom we receive significant support, as well as the ways in which we’ve engineered, successfully or not so, our own lives–and all this either heals us in some important way, or calls us to offer our unique Chirotic gift.

‘Death of a Butterfly’ By Evelyn de Morgan 1914 {{PD}}

The Moon’s Sabian is, ‘A Butterfly With A Third Wing On Its Left Side’. Is that ‘extra’ wing extraneous, or does it offer advantages in lift or ability to fly longer distances? Does it weigh one side down, causing imbalance? This may refer to the Chirotic gift, a special ability that we carry as a wound until we are able to transmute it in a kind of alchemy that distills it into a unique quality or talent we can offer to others. This may require us, too, to ask ourselves: what are we seeing as a burden, that may actually be something that helps us soar, once we see and respond to it appropriately?

We always look at the Sun’s Sabian for a Full Moon, as well: ‘Blown Inward By The Wind, The Curtains Of An Open Window Take The Shape Of A Cornucopia’. What the wind blows to us is another way of describing the challenges and windfalls time and events present to each of us–and in this instance, what’s blown our way may be fortunate, offering a bounty. But then, what some would call luck, others would see as the reward for seeds sown and hard work. Call it what you will, but at this time what appears in our lives is both chastisement and reward, opportunity and notice of what we lack, abundance and where we’ve fallen short–and since information is the most useful thing we can receive at any point in time, this Lunar event might prove to be very ‘lucky’, indeed.

10 April 2025 A Critical Point

07 Monday Apr 2025

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Rock balancing (Counter Balance).jpg

With thanks to Leandro Inocencio

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I know that sounds dramatic, but the confluence of energies on the day is exceptional, despite the way many of the contacts are in place well before, and for some time after, that day; the difference is in the Moon, in Virgo, as it passes over the South Node point, highlighting what’s going on, and potentially bringing the emotional realities behind the other aspects to awareness. It’s likely a deja vu, an ‘All this has happened before, and all this will happen again’ revelation, one that perhaps pulls past events into the present, making clear the emotional impact they’re delivering in the moment. Think in terms of accurately seeing the origins of things, and the consequences our handling of them bring forward now.

With Moon in Virgo the impulse is to be critical, to dissect and fact-find and, unfortunately, edit; if we succumb to the urge to trim, and so in effect deny, the facts, we deprive ourselves of the full picture. Use that Virgo energy to catalogue, instead: allow the perceptions to see things that don’t neatly fit into a preconceived picture, accepting the contradictory, the inconvenient truth, the messy reality. Remind yourself that the job here isn’t to complete the puzzle or draw sweeping conclusions, it’s to be as aware as possible of all the factors in play and to accept as reality the genuine state of things.

Within less than six degrees we see five bodies/ significant points: Venus retro, Saturn, the North Node, Mercury, all in late Pisces, and Neptune at 00 Aries. This massive line-up tests our ability to see reality, as well as to respond creatively and, at the same time, take responsibility for our choices. These lie opposed the Moon and South Node, pitting our revelations about the past and its (emotional, if not literal) connection to the present against our re-visit of our talents, assets, and aesthetics, the nuts-and-bolts reality picture, things and particularly our thinking that have been restricting us or holding us back from pursuing our intended life direction, and what we imagine we can do–versus what we actually are capable of doing.

Our minds, still sluggish after the recent Mercury direction, are groping around, trying to identify what we think, what our standards are. We’ve been myopic, trying to discern not just our place in the scheme of things, but our own best use of our time and talents, and how to implement our goals that make the most of who we are–and Luna in Virgo brushes up against the South Node and fairly shouts at us: it’s your feelings about the past that are holding everything back!

That big Pisces/ Aries line-up is also trine Mars in Cancer–there’s another clue, a reiteration–that the only way to get moving is to sort out the feelings, and sextile Uranus in Taurus, implying that either the material or asset situation, or our feelings around comfort and its lack, will surprise us, perhaps delivering unexpected insight.

Now Neptune, at 00 Aries, has its own little dialogue going, with a quincunx to the Black Moon Lilith point in Scorpio and a sextile to Pluto in Aquarius, which makes BML square Pluto=this applies to us trying to pinpoint how we can muster creativity to express the ‘I Am’, influenced by those factors we ignore or deny (and which are now being dredged up–Scorpio) and spurring intense, permanent change, the kind that ushers in a ‘New Age’ (Aquarius), one that we may be acquainted with intellectually but in which we may lack hands on experience or understanding (the 00 degree). That means our discretion and judgment may be clouded by what we’ve been avoiding or even can’t know about—so again, facing all components, and admitting exactly how we feel (once we discover it!) will be the only way to shape and control what happens. Otherwise we invite big change that we didn’t necessarily want, and which will seem to come out of the blue–but of course, it won’t, we’ll only think that if we are in denial, or haven’t yet sorted through the feelings.

One more point: the Sun and Chiron are conjoined in Aries; they square Mars and the Sun is moving away from a sextile it formed last week with Jupiter in Gemini. Again, we have a tendency to focus on our own wounds and potential talent expression, and may be having trouble taking action; this is specifically because we have allowed the Big Picture, and our place within the social order, to lose relevancy for us personally. The more attention we pay to ourselves and our issues, the less we see what’s happening around us–and that means we make our decisions and act as if we are independent of the social arena, rather than a component of it, with all the crossed wires and inadvertent interference that may imply.

Back soon with the next Lunar update!