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Category Archives: aspects and placements

Aspect Expectations, What You’re Asking, and Chiron Bites Back

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Posted by in Aspect Delineation, aspects and placements, astrology, Astrology of Careers Vocations and Callings, Chiron, T-Square, What You're Asking

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‘Pythagoreans Celebrate Sunrise’ Presumably, they’ve already done the math. By Fyodor Bronnikov {{PD}}

We have a print in our house by the artist Julie Dillon. It’s called ‘Sleeping Giant’, and depicts an enormous ‘robot’, long ‘dead’, being worshiped as if it were a god, robed supplicants in attendance, votives and offerings placed before it. I love the way the picture tells a story, all at once: stripped of its original beingness, its purpose and point, the human mind sees this incomprehensible entity and fills in a scenario of what it must’ve been. The reverence is supplied by the observer; the thing itself is just what it is, and holds no sense of the sacred beyond what it’s given.

When we stop knowing what something is, we inevitably forget what it’s for; that seems obvious, but really isn’t. It’s easy to overlay our ability to perceive with expectations, judgments, assumptions, and beliefs, to the point where we not only don’t see what’s before us, we forget the original intent or purpose behind both the thing we’re observing and our decision to observe.

In astrology we transgress in this way when we see an aspect and think we know its meaning, devoid of context or other contacts; it’s why I’m so loathe to talk about aspects outside the landscape of a chart. Without House placement, rulerships, and other bodies or points aspected as part of the picture, what we see may be highly skewed, our own judgments and suppositions superimposed on the aspect; in reality, that aspect is a framework that gains full and nuanced meaning only when seen as part of a whole.

A brief example: if I say to you, assuming this is found in a natal chart, “Moon conjoined North Node in Aquarius”, and the conjunction is close, with only a seven minute differential, what characteristics spring to mind? Someone forward-thinking, intuitively inventive or innovative, a ‘free feeler’ with an emotional nature that embraces the intellect, and intellectual methods–and so may be a tad disconnected from the feeling nature–but we can’t be sure how this presents itself with so little info. To draw many conclusions about someone from this alone could be highly misleading–so what if we add more info?

“Ascendant conjoined Pallas in Taurus, only seven minutes past perfection, with this combo square that Moon-NN in Aquarius”. Now what might you think? Pallas rising suggests the individual meets the world in a practical or smart way, and that that’s what others see, someone wise beyond their years, especially when it comes to material matters, worldly things, survival and comfort. The square introduces the idea of conflict, and describes a smart personality at odds with an intellectual approach to feeling–which definitely doesn’t mesh with the Taurean predisposition to soothe through the senses. So, we have someone who presents much differently than they feel.

Now we add this to the picture: “Fixed T-square, NN-Moon as the arm (placing this combo at the top of the chart, in the individual’s 10th) to an opposition of ASC-Pallas to Jupiter and a stationary Mercury in Scorpio, roughly four degrees apart”. A T-square alerts us to the fact that all those seeming positives (wise presentation, progressive attitudes, keeping an eye on the future, strong connection among emotions, intuition, and intellect) might be part of a tense dynamic, one that could bring out their less positive sides. Jupiter-Merc in Scorpio suggests a deep, intense, almost cutting mental emphasis on knowledge, but whether that’s based in belief or actual facts we can’t determine outright, and exaggeration may be both a communication style and a way of thinking/ perceiving. But we do know that Mercury is stationary in a Fixed Water sign, which implies, just like the Moon in Aquarius, a mixing of feeling and thought, and possibly the emotions and mentality stubbornly ‘stuck’ at a particular phase, outlook, or level of development, and we get a glimpse of this through that ASC-Pallas picture: this individual is keyed to comfort and survival in whatever way the childhood environment dictated as practical or smart.

So what do we think now? Since our first aspect description, we may have decided this individual is much more emotional than we first suspected, and that they may be prone to use the mentality to justify what they feel–and that may be accompanied by the danger of presenting as very wise to others, which can be persuasive to those who may accept hyperbole as facts (as may the individual). We might think that spiritual or religious beliefs could permeate the mental faculties (and that beliefs, feelings, what’s smart, and the mental faculties could be in constant conflict or under tension), and that part of what this individual may do is bring these beliefs to others through the effectiveness of the personality. There’s also that cutting edge to Merc, Jupiter, Sun, and Venus all in Scorpio, that urge to destroy as much as to re-make, and the tension presented by the personal emotional make-up, that could clash and cry out for expression.

Two more factoids: Sun and Venus are closely conjoined in Scorpio (but not conj Jup-Merc), and Mars and Neptune are only 35 minutes apart in Virgo. How do these bolster either positive or negative impressions for you? What profession would you imagine this individual would choose–and what do you think life might choose, for them? Check back in a day or three, when I’ll present the chart these aspects come from, and you can decide how much or how little you really can glean from the one-aspect-at-a-time game.

Just to let you know: there’s a Russian language (scratch that, I think it’s actually Ukrainian) page offering Eclipse subscriptions–when Eclipse is no longer being published! So don’t give them your money, okay?

People are wondering . . .

. . . why so many astrologers got the US election ‘wrong’:

I think this is due to faulty assumptions underlying their interpretations. It seems to me they saw more positive/ ‘easier’ aspects in Hillary Clinton’s chart, and more challenging ones in Trump’s, and so assumed that meant a Hillary win; the problem with that is the belief that positive aspects imply winning a contest–but what they really imply is that what occurs is positive for the individual, from the individual’s point of view.

Centaur of Lefkandi, 1050 – 900 BCE, identified as Chiron, found in two pieces in two different tombs at the site of Toumba. It’s the first 3-D sculpture of a centaur ever. Archaeological Museum of Eretria. Photo By Jebulon CC0

. . . about an unaspected Chiron

Like any chart energy, an unaspected Chiron will generally function in one of two ways: either the wounded nature takes over the chart (and so the individual) becoming the most prominent thing within the psyche, or it floats around, disconnected from the individual psyche, so that when that wound is ‘touched’ the person reacts and doesn’t know they’re reacting. In both cases, the Chirotic nature has not been integrated with the other energies, impulses, and traits, and so either consumes the processing and perceptive functions or is completely denied by them–that is, the individual claims to carry no wound at all, or to have processed and dealt with wounds so completely that no psychic injuries remain–and that’s just not possible, for a human. It’s like an unaspected energy takes a bite out of our ability to comprehend the world and our place in it–Chiron (along with Mars and Pluto, and possibly others) is the kind that, as we try to reclaim it by consciously incorporating its energy and intents, just may bite us back, discouraging our efforts and making acceptance and absorption that much more difficult.

Check back in a bit for a new post that will give the answers to our aspect-reading example, along with more ‘What You’re Asking’, and have a lovely weekend!

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The Mother of Them All

10 Sunday May 2015

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, relationship astrology

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Here’s a Mother’s Day re-print, y’all! Happy Mother’s Day!

I really think there are many more maternal figures since Medea lost it who are worse than our subject; but it’s undeniable that her name has become a catchphrase for over-the-top histrionics and abuse (as well as the scourge of dry cleaners, through the admonition, “No! Wire! Hangars!”) Yes, I’m talking about the much maligned, and now nearly iconic symbol of dysfunctional mothering, actress and one-time Pepsico CEO Joan Crawford (23 March 1903, 10:00 PM, San Antonio Texas). To be fair to Joan, after a brief perusal of the mothering related factors in her chart, we’ll look at the chart of the adopted daughter who brought Joan’s alleged behavior to light, Christina Crawford (11 June 1939, 3:00 PM, Los Angeles California).

The attitude toward children in general, and one’s children in particular, is found in the 5th; for the senior Ms. Crawford, this is ruled by Neptune, alerting us immediately to the possibility that this woman does not see children in a realistic light. Neptune is in the 8th at 00 Cancer, implying that she may see children as a resource (something she was indeed accused of, in the sense of using her adopted children as props and a PR ploy), with the 00 placement in Cancer pointing up the emotional newness, even rawness, of Neptune related subjects–interesting in light of her lifelong occupation of film acting, with the 8th placement suggesting that she may have easily gained the support of others in this.

Neptune ruler, and symbol of both the mothering Joan received herself, and the attitude she carried toward mothering in general, the Moon, sits in Aquarius less than one degree from conjunction with Saturn, both in the 3rd. This is a combination for emotional repression, even coldness, as the emotions are processed intellectually; sitting in the 3rd this emphasized the mental approach to emotions, and this was communicated, whether she wanted others to see it or not. The Moon also trines Mars and Earth in Libra, marrying the emotions almost too easily to the material and to the ego and aggressive/ assertive urges, and the Moon sextiles Vesta and the Sun in Aries, making emotional challenges seem like ones that threaten her very identity, and giving the emotional scenario a label of ‘sacred’–no one may contradict her emotional interpretation! The Moon also sextiles Juno in the 1st, making her Self empowered through emotional expression. So, though the emotions are directly suppressed, we see they have plenty of real-world outlets, along with many underlying assumptions about their sacrosanct nature.

Mars, ruler of the Sun and already part of the equation through contact with the Moon, rules the 6th of duty and everyday happenings/ routine, and holds Venus in Aries, valuing the martial spirit and the kind of strict, military style routines her adoptive daughter said were a household staple. Chiron, which can often show a wound that drives much of our compulsive behavior, is isolated in Capricorn at the bottom of the chart, suggesting attempts to stave off the wound and attendant bad feelings about the Self may have taken the form of extreme discipline and repression. Chiron sits at the midpoint of a square between Juno (Self-empowerment) and Jupiter (society), implying she might have seen these two interests as in conflict, setting up a ‘Joan vs. everyone else’ dynamic.

But does she really fit the model of a ‘devouring mother’? Pluto is essential to that picture, and in Joan Crawford’s chart it is chart ruler, posited in the 8th, opposes Uranus, ruler of the 4th, and square Piscean Mercury, which brings us back to Neptune. This suggests that she may have been tempted to destroy the very people and things that supported her, that she may have been in an internal death struggle with her own expression of individuality and a longing to be part of the group, and that she was as likely to communicate destructively as she was to communicate in a way that reflected her (somewhat disconnected from reality–see Neptune’s situation) ideals. Though she certainly qualifies as responding to the devouring Archetype, she seems more a figure to be pitied than condemned; the emotional dysfunctions and woundedness that drove her were not easily dealt with, even for someone Self-aware. Ms. Crawford seems to have been unwilling, and perhaps even unable, to recognize her own distorted nature.

Adopted daughter Christina (11 June 1939, 3:00 PM, Los Angeles California) may have had her own motivations (aside from just revealing events) in writing her tell-all book, ‘Mommie Dearest.’ The view of the mother is found in the 10th, and the experience of mothering received in the state of the Moon. Leo is on the 10th cusp, with ruler Sun in the 8th in Gemini and conjunct Mercury. The Sun is sesquiquadrate Mars in Aquarius at the bottom of the chart–it just happens to conjunct Joan’s Moon. Where else would Christina’s ego and aggressive urges, intellectualtized and hidden deep inside herself, go for outlet, but to Mommie? Her Moon is in Aries (ruled by the instrument of her ego/ anger/ assertion); the Moon rules the 9th of publishing, and is square Chiron (the primal wound) in Cancer (Mom again!) and is conjunct Jupiter, which rules the intercepted 2nd, suggesting that perhaps there was a deeply hidden idea of the Self as ‘big’ and in connection to the other energies may have felt the only way to express this ‘bigness’ was through the emotions (Moon/ Jupiter conjunct).

Of course, just because someone has Jupiter connected to the 2nd, it doesn’t mean they have an inflated Self-worth; but I do remember distinctly that the book featured many episodes where Christina asserted her talents failed to be recognized. I recall wondering what talents and abilities she repeatedly referred to in the abstract, as she seemed to take for granted that the reader assumed her to be almost magically accomplished and talented, though she made virtually no direct reference to exactly what those talents were. 5th House (creativity) Jupiter happens to be, among other salient aspects, trine Pluto, implying a syndrome I’ve seen at work before (and first saw mentioned in the work of the great Grant Lewi): frustrated individuals with Jupiter/ Pluto aspects often believe they possess a whole list of imaginary attributes; the unfortunate part is that they judge themselves on these, and miss connecting with their real talents, and thus short-circuit their opportunities in reality. I believe this particular kind of magical thinking was at work in Christina. Also of note: her Aries Moon is conjunct Joan’s Sun. Reincarnationists will of course enjoy that; I’ll just say that this speaks of the child’s emotional state (and needs) meeting the ego/ identity/ Soul of the mother, head on; could it have felt to both like there was competition for recognition of each of these needs/ energies in the other? Even looking at only the couple of contacts between these two charts we’ve mentioned (Mars/ Moon, Moon/ Sun), we can see that, no matter how Christina was treated, she likely would have seen Joan as trying to outshine her, and perhaps, in disowning her own aggression, Christina more than a little contributed to the situation that came about; even children have the full pallet of urges and attributes–when we forget that, we infantilize (and fail to respect) them, and put our ability to have a fulfilling relationship with them in peril.

What You’re Asking–Mermaids, Mercury’s Birth, and Peacocks–Delicious!

13 Friday Mar 2015

Posted by in Aspect Delineation, aspects and placements, Configurations, What You're Asking

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John William Waterhouse - 'Mermaid' {{PD}}

John William Waterhouse – ‘Mermaid’ {{PD}}

This is a re-print I thought you might find interesting, as it talks about both the Fist of God, a config involved in the upcoming Solar eclipse, and about the effects of an eclipse that conjuncts the natal South Node. ‘What You’re Asking’ is taken from search terms (shown in italics) used to bring seekers to this site, and I’ve modified the Full Moon answer below to reflect the next one that we’ll see, a Lunar eclipse.

mermaids and full moon

Let’s answer this one first, as an excuse to use that beautiful Waterhouse portrait of a mermaid: of course they exist, and if you’re lucky enough to see one, it’ll probably be under a Full Moon–just seems right. The next one comes at 5 April, 5:06 AM Pacific time, and falls at 14 Libra 24. Find the perfect beach, then when the day comes stake it out (you’ll be ‘up with the fishes’!) preferably with a picnic and someone you love to keep you company, and wait for the magic to happen.

astrology fist of god

A configuration where the base is two or more bodies square each other, with all base components sesquiquadrate (135 degrees) from the apex body. Typically this presents as an initial conflict between the base energies that, once resolved (or at least is brought to some kind of equilibrium) then results in another hurdle, described by the conflict between the disparate points of view of the base bodies and the apex body–so we officially have three viewpoints to juggle, and possibly to blend/ resolve. Often this generates both intense internal tension and stressful outward situations, and just as with a ‘regular’ square, we can’t ignore that initial clash of the base energies–they demand attention, and once they’ve gotten some, the apex energy makes demands, and this is so whether we’ve successfully resolved the base energies or not. We can really feel it’s being piled on when a Fist of God (some prefer Thor’s Hammer) is activated, but the thing to remember is this: don’t let the stress run the show; nine times out of ten, a Fist presents issues that are in some essential way unresolvable (at least, if formed or activated by transit, unresolvable in the moment and solely by you), and you’ll gain a great deal by taking a step back and recognizing that this may be a riddle that, right now, has no totally satisfying answer.

Saturn square Pluto

As a natal aspect, this is weighty; it pits the darkest and most powerful personal elements of the Self against the personal elements most slavish to custom, fearful of authority, locked into rules, hidebound, and conventional. The alchemical nature of Pluto requires almost constant change, either through destruction and resurrection or replacement, or through transformation, while Saturn is all about keeping things just as they’ve always been. So, we’re likely to see this clash as a recurring theme in the life of someone who has this in the horoscope, and this is likely to express with the individual balancing the two awkwardly (gently committing a little more to one or the other) until something forces an impossible choice or requires the two factors to work together–and the energies can be reconciled, if the individual knows both her or his own power (Pluto) and is firmly in touch with reality (Saturn) and as well has mastered at least a modicum of Self-discipline (also Saturn). We can’t overlook the fact that this unites two or more Houses of the natal chart, the ones with Scorpio and Capricorn (and possibly Aquarius, as Saturn was its ancient ruler) on the cusp; the nature of this connection will be one where some of the matters of the Houses will face this same status quo vs. regeneration challenge, possibly repeatedly, until the individual reaches a final, working relationship between the two energies, giving neither one short-shrift in the life.

pallas in scorpio

As a natal placement, this promises that one’s internalized wisdom is deep; there may be a sense of intuitive ‘knowing’ from an early age. Guidance may spring from getting to know darkness (one’s own or the workings of darkness within the world), and from a strong sense of curiosity, the kind that will research fearlessly for the answer. The person with this placement may understand emotion and the wisdom behind its expression, or may glean knowledge from emotional experience, and Pallas in Scorpio may have a kind of x-ray vision, seeing to the Truth of any matter. Positive manifestations show wisdom based in a thorough understanding and acceptance of the life-death-life scenario, while a negative expression could come in the form of the Evil Queen who offers others a poisoned apple (tainted guidance), out of malice, jealousy, or the desire to destroy.

peacock to eat

I just had to Google this myself; Juno prefers these majestic birds pulling her chariot, and would flip out if she saw a mortal eating the bird that represents her (which is, I think, why this query showed up at my site, due to some mention of Juno and her mascot). I was curious: do people eat peacock? There’s this, which describes preparation of peacock in medieval Europe. Of course, about half the answers that Google gave reversed the scenario, as if I’d asked what peacocks eat; the most entertaining (and somehow unnerving–who is this person?) was on Yahoo Answers: and I quote, ” i used to raise peacocks and lemme tell you they are some good eatin.” And end scene.

south node solar eclipse

This seems a very compelling event, with the power and intense energy of a Solar eclipse meeting the point in the natal chart that designates ‘the past’ (one’s memories, experiences, all that is residue of what was for the Soul). The result could be a breaking-free from old habits, obligations, or restrictions, especially those that are imposed through outdated roles or occurrences that no longer have resonance; residue of memory and the interference of others could fall away in a single instant. One could even have one’s memory wiped clean, through something as soap opera-y as amnesia or as life-changing as a stroke, or where a version of the past is removed from the life quite literally, as when a tornado destroys everything one owns. It could be much simpler, and entirely internal, as when the eclipse illuminates something from the past that has been unavailable or hidden; one finds out about one’s own adoption, perhaps, or learns of a family secret that lifts the veil on some important mental viewpoint or emotional response to their own origins or experience. There’s also the potential for actualizing all accumulated knowledge in some form that allows it to flow into the future and manifest in some wise and divine creation, as if lightning has struck all that was for the individual and crystallized it into a single, shimmering idea that one is destined to deliver to the world. Just remember to keep the orbs very tight; for this aspect I would prefer 1.5 degrees or less in variation from exact.

Juno’s response to Mercury’s birth

“It’s a bay-bee!”

(Possibly as spoken by Julia Sweeney’s ‘Saturday Night Live’ character, ‘Pat’)

Have a wonderful weekend!

What You’re Asking: the Romance edition

14 Saturday Feb 2015

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, relationship astrology

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Dear Reader: Here’s a romance-themed re-print from 2009, for Valentine’s Day–Have a Happy One! jd

What’s the synastry of Chiron conjunct Juno cross-chart?

Here it’s very important to know who has the Juno, a male or a female–but since we don’t know, what we can say is that there may be some form of power struggle centered in one or both parties’ personal sense of empowerment in life. This may come in a wound v. authority conflict, or could center in a knowledge v. privilege stand-off. If the Juno is a woman’s, we may see her empowerment come about through the skill or aid of the Chiron person, whether this is a male or female; this individual might in a very real way ‘heal’ this woman’s sense of empowerment and Self-authority. This same person might also ultimately wound the Juno woman, as either he or she ‘acts out’ through the wounded nature whenever the woman seeks empowerment, or could feel wounded themselves by the woman’s empowerment stance. There is also a worst case scenario where the Chiron person (male or female) clashes badly with a Juno female in the most emotionally spiteful way possible; with the deep wound of Chiron activated and focused on and engaged with the vengeful side of Juno, this could be one very negative combination. If the Juno belongs to a male, we may see his idea of the ‘perfect partner’ activate the primal wound in the other person–this is a very toxic and probably insurmountable (as well as sad) potential reaction. On the positive side, the Juno male might, through his admiration and the sense of a ‘perfect fit’ somehow, bring forward the other individual’s unique Chirotic skill–no small feat, and again creating an unusual ‘trigger’ situation that can be highly significant in a relatively exaggerated positive or negative sense, depending on the situation.

Fantagraphics Books 2004, John Benson, editor

Fantagraphics Books 2004, John Benson, editor

Can a Capricorn woman and an Aquarius man find happiness?

As frequent readers of my blogs probably know, I’m no fan of sun-sign astrology, simply because, well, astrology’s just not that simple! We can venture a few guesses about this pairing, though, based on some ‘probablys.’ First, though adjacent signs typically do not make for good playmates, there are exceptions depending both on situation and which signs are involved, and this is one of those (possible) exceptions: since Capricorn and Aquarius share an ancient (at least, pre-outer planets discovery) ruler, Saturn, then we have an avenue for compatibility in energies that, at least in modern definition, contrast. Normally, the energy of each sign can be seen as a kind of reaction to the one it follows; in this case, Aquarius ‘reacts’ with an emphasis on anarchy, intellect, and modernism, to Capricorn’s emphasis on rules, the material, and tradition. But, since they share an ancient ruler, we must look for the commonalities, such as the discipline that intellectual achievement demands, and the need for the avant garde and innovative to have a past and tradition upon which to base their ‘newness.’ So, we may find that surface clash is really just that with this pair, surface, and that the underlying attitudes may be very much alike.

There is also the idea that, since energies that travel in proximity to the Sun (Mercury and Venus) are typically, if not in the same sign as the Sun, then in the sign on either side of it, this gives potential other personal avenues (through communication styles, aesthetics, values, and attitudes toward love, money, and relationship) for likeness in expression.

We could look at this combo through the elements, too: Air and Earth together could kick up a lot of dust, even a tornado of energy, or the two might never mix, leaving a static horizon with nary a breeze between them.

In any event, good luck, Cappy and Aqua–and for a truly meaningful and complete synastric comparison, consult an astrologer.

How do I seduce a woman with Venus in Aries?

Very carefully! Just kidding–though it never hurts to approach the Warrior Venus with respect. Keep in mind, Venus in a woman’s chart represents her ‘ideal Self,’ as well as telling us of her attitudes toward love, money, values, and aesthetics, so we’re really talking about appealing to her as she likes to see herself. For anyone, reflecting back to them the image they most want to have can leave them totally charmed; after all, who wouldn’t respond positively when someone is not only interested in them, but sees them as they imagine themselves in their very best form.

Aries Venus wants to be seen as strong, as offering some form of leadership (and this can be in a fashion, beauty, or aesthetic sense, as well as overt command), and definitely wants to be seen as  her own woman, significant in her own right, entirely Self-determining. Treat her like she knows what she’s doing–she’ll love you for it.

Should I swear at an Aries man?

The question is, should you swear at anybody? I don’t think a Sun sign really comes into it–but if you must swear at a man, Aries not only can take it, he may be just a little turned on by such a fiery display. Tread with care, however–simple human decency suggests that you might do best to show the attitude but hold back on the more graphic accompaniments.

Just a Little on Natal Moon in the 3rd House

17 Wednesday Dec 2014

Posted by in 3rd House, aspects and placements, ECLIPSE magazine, Moon, Natal Delineation, natal placement

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It's all about communicating emotion for Moon in the 3rd. Pierre-Auguste Renoir - 'Confidences' {{PD}}

It’s all about communicating emotion for Moon in the 3rd. Pierre-Auguste Renoir – ‘Confidences’ {{PD}}

A little something on natal Moon in the 3rd, part of a series in ECLIPSE, from the current issue:

To Think They Feel, or Feel They Think, is the problem presented by both a 3rd House Moon and a Moon in Aquarius (and sometimes Moon in Gemini). The individual with Luna in the natal 3rd ‘hears’ the emotional content behind everything communicated, takes in the subtle current of what’s unspoken, and feels keenly every sentiment conveyed by others—and may do it all as a matter of course, without recognizing that emotion as communication isn’t the way everyone sends messages, or feels feelings. Too, they may not be aware that everyone doesn’t run the emotions through a language and symbol filter, just so they can get a handle on what they’re feeling—and so a person unable to express their emotions through language may be a unicorn the 3rd House Moon doesn’t believe exists, adding a degree of difficulty to relationships with, for example, Water or Fire types.

We can theorize that the childhood environment, also contained in the 3rd, sensitized the individual to all those unsaid things, emotional assumptions, and the uneven affections of family and friends to an excessive degree; this is the person who senses everyone’s feelings about everyone else—but that doesn’t necessarily mean their perceptions are accurate. For all their ability to discern emotional inclinations, the 3rd House Moon is not beyond placing her or his own filter over what’s perceived: their filter is the mind. This is natural for everyone, especially those with lots of Air, but may be especially relevant for this Lunar placement as, whether there’s an unspoken message or not, 3rd House Moon may perceive one. Since they believe all communications have these emotional undercurrents, it’s (nearly) impossible for them to see that sometimes, words convey only what they actually say, nothing more. They may have a hard time believing that others aren’t as emotionally engaged in communications as they are.

Hurry, time’s running out! You only have 16 more days to sign up for ECLIPSE and reserve your free copy of ‘We Are All Vessels: Vesta in the Natal Chart’. ECLIPSE subscribers receive a Daily forecast, Hour-by-Hour Lunar outlook, Daily Word image for synchronicity and guidance, and a Weekly with articles and commentary, plus my latest Book FREE upon publication! The current, minimal activity here at the blog will decrease even more after the 1st, and no new subscribers will be accepted in the new year–so don’t delay!

Just a Little AstroEssence 23 April 2013: ‘A Paradigm Shift’

22 Monday Apr 2013

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, current events in the sky, ECLIPSE magazine

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Each of us will hold the key to something special today; for some this will presage the upcoming Lunar eclipse. Detail of 'Death and the Gravedigger' by Carlos Schwabe c1890s {{PD-Art}}

Each of us will hold the key to something special today; for some this will presage the upcoming Lunar eclipse. Detail of ‘Death and the Gravedigger’ by Carlos Schwabe c1890s {{PD-Art}}

This is from the current issue of ECLIPSE; order now to get all three issues that include analysis on the upcoming eclipses, and to receive a new issue each week!

23 April may be a paradigm-shifter, or, at the very least, we will seriously consider altering what it is we want, what we hope to attain. Pluto proceeds in retrograde to trine Pallas, bringing massive power and immense wisdom into alignment, underground; change can happen, much of it ‘out of sight’, guided by what’s wise, and communications will be infused with our truest beliefs. Philosophies may be shared, and transformation visits practical skills; what doesn’t fare well at this time is the personal agenda, the desires and ambitions for the individual. Instead we have a rare day when major change, physical and mental, may occur, with the unusual condition of the perfect ability to transform combining with the perfect realization of wisdom–a unique set of elements that should result in a highly unique outcome–just don’t push too hard for these energies to fit your specific plans–they may end up drawing new ones for you. (Pluto trine Pallas, Mercury sextile Jupiter, opposed hZeus)

Will this presage the first eclipse, which promises to show us how something, some goal or dream or ideal we thought was impossible is, somehow, now within our reach? It may, or it could be its own thing, more focused on the noble aim or betterment for the social sphere than on the individual want, though the eclipse could encompass either–today the emphasis is on the bigger picture, and on our role in making the world, even just a little, a better place. To know if the upcoming Lunar eclipse will be personal or Universal for you, check where it will fall in your natal chart: 1st through 5th House, it’ll be first person all the way, 7th through 11th, your focus will be on the wider world and those in it, 6th or 12th could go either way.

 

Sign Relationships, the Quincunx, and Extreme Degree Meanings

06 Wednesday Jun 2012

Posted by in Aspect Delineation, aspects and placements, astrology

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A delicate balance must be achieved when dealing with the contrasts of adjacent or quincunx sign energies. Vermeer c1663 ‘Woman With a Balance’ {{PD-Art}} via Wikimedia Commons

In our quest to access all possible meanings inherent in each sign of the Zodiac, we shouldn’t overlook how the relationships among signs have an effect on meaning. Specifically, we can look at how each sign has a meaning that is a reaction to the one preceding it. This is an especially helpful point of view to have in at least three instances: 1) when we have a placement at 00 degrees of a sign, 2) when we have a placement at 29 degrees of a sign, and 3) when we are talking about the relationship between placements that sit in neighboring signs, or those in signs that are quincunx each other.

For example, Mercury at 00 Libra implies that the communication skills are at the beginning of a journey that will orient expression toward diplomacy, fairness, and balance. These are the impulses; they are in reaction to what came before, the experience of Virgo. The Mercury-centered lessons of Virgo are ones of discernment, critical assessment, and communication as service. We can see a Libra Mercury as a set of values and attitudes that spring from experiences of a Virgoan nature, especially from experiences of a negative Virgoan nature. The impulse toward diplomacy may spring from the one-sided nature of criticism, and from the desire to put the Virgo penchant for communication as service into a situation that acknowledges the rights and contributions of the other party, while the Libran desire for fairness may spring from the experience of receiving criticism.

What about when we have a placement at 29 degrees? This is a situation where we have experienced the gamut of manifestations available in the sign, and there is pressure for the individual to ‘finish up’ the lessons of that placement in that sign–this means that one is on the verge of embracing the values of the next sign in the sequence. For instance, what if one has Neptune in the 29th degree of Libra? Likely there is a sense of being very familiar with disillusion in love and delusion in relationship, even from a very young age. There will also be a strong understanding of spirituality in partnership, and the way in which imagination and fantasy can have both positive and negative influences in relationships will also be inherently understood. There may be a certain feeling of dissatisfaction in this knowledge, a feeling that there’s nothing anyone can tell them in this arena. There may be a mental ‘reaching toward’ the ideas of deep, intense communion with Neptunian energies, of the desire to ‘dig up dirt’ (Scorpio) rather than ‘smooth things over’ (Libra). One will be restless with Neptunian energies; of course, as with all planetary positions, the house placement will tell us much about how these experiences will manifest.

When we have placements that are semi-sextile, or quincunx, we have some idea that they have a relationship, and the aspect lets us know the (uneasy) nature of their alliance. But what about when we have placements in adjacent, or quincunx, signs, and they have no ‘formal’ relationship to each other? Then we can look at the way they fail to communicate, and why, by noting the natures of the signs. For example, let’s look at Mars in Gemini and Venus in Cancer–how do they see each other? Mars is likely to funnel assertive energies through communication (especially words/ talk), to exercise the ego energies through networking and social outlets; Venus is ahead of Mars in the Zodiac, and has brought values and relationship concerns into the Cancerian sphere. Venus says, ‘Relationships can’t be just talk, just flitting from occasion to occasion, they must be caring and nurturing,’ while Mars says, ‘My ego wants things light and social; why must relationships be so smothering?’ This means, generally, that Mars and Venus will always be slightly at odds in expression, symbolizing disparities in the personality and the successful manifestation of each of the involved energies.

Placements in signs that are quincunx each other suffer a similar awkwardness in relationship. For instance, Sun in Pisces and Pluto in Libra will never quite express ‘in sync’ with each other. The Sun will be embracing the Universe, accepting all, emphasizing the spirituality inherent in every Being, while Pluto watches from afar and cautions: relationships can be destructive! Negative urges do not support a Oneness of All! Be serious! Suspect everybody!

Noting the relationships between signs can add a little something extra to our understanding of our placements, and as well can help us understand why some energies express with more harmony to neighboring placements than do others. Briefly, Aries is the ego/ individuality rebelling from the All is One stance of Pisces; Taurus says, it’s not just about me, it’s about my things and environment; Gemini says, don’t be so wrapped up in the material, lets talk! while Cancer pleads, don’t be so frivolous, nurturing and love must be sincere; Leo says, good grief, let’s get back to the Star of the show; Virgo says, quit being such an ego-maniac, go help out, and fix everything; Libra puts the other before the Self, and the whole thing better be pretty! while Scorpio says, I can’t make nice any longer, let’s dig up the bodies! Sagittarius says, I can’t live in a cave anymore, let’s get out and explore; Capricorn insists one sit still and get serious; Aquarius wants no restraints whatsoever, unless the group says so, and Pisces says, you can’t be one in the group, you must be the group!

This article is a reprint that first appeared on my blog at Yahoo 360, and that was again re-issued about four years ago–but it’s a worthy subject that can stand another look! Have a great day! jd

Discussion of the Mystery Charts from ECLIPSE’s Article on Career and Talent Markers, Pt. 1

10 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, Astrology and Communication, Astrology of Careers Vocations and Callings, Natal Delineation

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Chart of Mystery Man #1  26 January 1955  1:05 AM  Amsterdam, Netherlands

What grabs your eye right away? That often ends up being something key to understanding the chart, and here it’s no exception; if you’re like me, Neptune in the 12th only one minute from the Ascendant is what caught your attention. This suggests to me a Neptunian quality to this individual’s essence, one that hooks the personality to the Collective, almost in tandem–this man was meant to express something ideal or creative through his individuality that is right in line with a statement of the Collective spirit–and this suggests a timeliness to the expression, where the individual is instrumental in bringing something ‘of the moment’ into being. Neptune is opposed Sedna, though, and that suggests that, though the individual takes to his Neptunian role like a duck to water, he’s really unaware of the true extent of his ability! Neptune rules his 5th, suggesting his role is both creative and a labor of love.

The 2nd, seat of his assets. is ruled by Pluto, which sits in the 10th of career–this suggests both the ability to be known specifically for one’s talent, and to make a lot of money at it (Pluto can be connected to serious money wherever we find it). Pluto is conjunct Zeus–in someone with fewer positive attributes, this could read as ‘naked ambition’, but in this man it manifested in career focus that took him to the top. The 2nd also holds Pallas, Venus, and Ceres–again, money, wisdom (perhaps in the guise of a smart woman at his side), and access to nature, this latter a connection that can give someone a ‘primal’ edge, and so make them very appealing.

The article also noted Chiron as indicating abilities, and his is at 29 Capricorn 51, conjunct the Sun in the 3rd, opposed the Jupiter/ Uranus conjunction of the 9th and quincunx 10th House Zeus; Chiron in Cappy suggests a practical or ‘applied’ bent to the talents, with conjunction to the Sun making it integral to identity (indeed, the 29 degree placement says Chiron expression is a must, and so lends some urgency and feeling to what might’ve otherwise been a too-cool Aquarian Sun). Tucked near the IC, though, Chiron/ Sun says he doesn’t need the spotlight–bringing the talent forward is really about communicating who he is. Jupiter/ Uranus conveys luck in a lightning-strike kind of way–Jupiter rules the 3rd, Uranus rules the 4th, reiterating the communication/ identity focus, and ruler of both these, the Moon, sits in the 4th in Aquarius, conjunct Mercury–again, deepest Self and communication as a focus, and with the 3rd/ 4th so much involved, we might expect that family, specifically the father or a sibling, has something to do with this–and they do.

The unconscious influences are creative (Neptune in 12th), influenced by the Self-worth picture and the assets/ talents (12th ruler Venus in the 2nd), with a need to communicate at a ‘higher order’ level, and/ or the need to be original, surprising, and inventive. Partnership is a big part of this (Libra on the 12th) Of all the Neptunian Arts, music might be the one we would call ‘highest level’, with its correspondence to mathematics, and if you guessed music is this man’s field, you are correct. He is capable of putting the brakes on, and of Self-discipline when need be (Saturn in the 1st, which has a lot of contacts to other energies).

What about his audience–what do they want from him? The 7th says energy, drive, ‘manly’ performance, while the 10th says that power and desire are visible to all, as is his essence, with the Sun ruling the 10th–people see him, and approve his efforts toward ambition fulfillment, fame and fortune. Nice if you can get it, right?

After a period of big and relatively long-lasting success, this man’s band went through some difficulties and some decline–and once they’d retreated somewhat from their more prominent status this man suffered cancer of the tongue–are we surprised, considering the emphasis on Merc and communication, the conjunction of Mercury with the Moon, and Pluto’s opposition to these? No, we’re not; illness in a part of the body representative of something critical to life expression is not uncommon with a sensitive individual when the road gets rough–and we can’t overlook the influence of the father here, as when this musician early on complained of extreme pre-performance nerves (a perfect expression of an anxious Aquarian Sun) the father (remember the family/ 3rd/ 4th emphasis) told him to just have a drink to calm his nerves–thus precipitating a serious substance abuse habit, again, not surprising with Neptune right there in everything he does. And there’s more family involvement, as this man formed his band with his brother.

Commenter Dunyazade got the power in his field part very right, along with the way his Art got this man into (substance abuse) trouble, and Aphelionex was right top to bottom–impressive!–kudos to both of you! And Donna Davidson didn’t waste time; she went straight to the answer, correctly naming this the chart of Eddie Van Halen.

Will discuss the 2nd chart tomorrow. Many thanks to those who participated! And don’t miss the subscription specials, listed below–

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Re-Visiting: Desperate for Power: Aspects of Rod Blagojevich

20 Tuesday Mar 2012

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, Juno

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rod-blagojevich

Here’s a look back at the chart of just sentenced former Illinois governor and ‘Apprentice’ candidate Blagojevich; we get a reminder of how much better it serves us to carefully balance the Self-image we insist on with the undeniable facets of our reality.

We don’t have an accurate birth time readily available for embattled Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, but we do know reliably that he was born December 10, 1956 in Chicago. The lengths to which he’s willing to go to defend himself, marked by an extreme impetus for denial, even in the face of material evidence, suggests some interesting astrological dynamics at work, and in inspecting his chart, I wasn’t disappointed. The big question for me was, does he genuinely believe he’s done nothing wrong, or is this an ego-driven show designed, like a magician’s sleight-of-hand, to re-direct attention, and leave at least a few of his followers with the ability to maintain the illusion of good character? The principle being that, as long as he continues to insist he did no wrong, some will believe he didn’t.

I went in looking for how he feels about power, and a few things jumped out at me. Of course, I have my own personal ideas about Juno in a man’s chart (please see my Juno book for further explanation), and Blagojevich did not disappoint: he has Juno opposed Uranus involved in a T-square with Neptune. Now, with no angles there’s only so far we can go with this–but do we really need them? This, to me, summed up his personality nicely: the Will to total power, wherein the male incorporates the female as well, making himself, in essence, everything (which is what I believe Juno can, in some men’s charts, indicate) is here opposed to the individuality urge as well as the group (Uranus), and we have some volatile ingredients for a contradictory temperamental dish. His Will to power is at odds with his own uniqueness, as well as with group involvement, and these two features may be constantly at war–he has to stand out, and yet may reject his own separateness, if his goal is empowerment–and no one runs for political office without that goal.

With Neptune squaring this dynamic, the imagination, ideals, and urge to deception are all perpetually in conflict with what has to amount to a basic manifestation of the Beingness–and telling lies could, under the right conditions, become a way of life. Neptune, remember, can also serve us as we attempt to create an image for the consumption of others–and with his Pisces Moon, this would be a natural channel for the emotions to express (this whole set-up could be the mark of a strongly ego-centered artist, as well . . . so nature/ nurture, I guess!)

Juno is also part of a mixed element Grand Trine with the South Node and Jupiter, the latter of which sits at 29 degrees (stress!) of Virgo. This dynamic suggests that the empowerment needs are easily linked to the social realm, and that the social framework within which Blagojevich moves is both a source of personal stress and the forum for expressing the empowerment desires, all guided by the past/ past experience/ where he came from–and he’s made no secret of his exceptionally rough upbringing within the transplanted Serbian culture of his Chicago neighborhood.

Juno sits in wide conjunction with Chiron, uniting the primal wound and the empowerment urge, and these two are widely sextile Saturn, which is in a Grand Trine with Uranus and the Mars/ Ceres conjunction in Aries, bringing in the personal Will to action, to arbitrate, to be the authority in any situation. All this only points up the need to express the Will as absolute, and with Mars and Ceres together in Aries, this individual will not negotiate!

There’s plenty more in the chart that could feed our analysis and give it more dimension, but these components seem so strong, and are currently so prominent in his behavior, that I think they nicely sum up some of the crucial energies at work in the Illinois governor’s psyche. One more point: with ‘the head’ such a strong energy in his chart (Mars in its own sign of Aries), I especially enjoyed this story I heard, and if we give Ceres (as Mother Nature) credit for hair, it makes it even more fun: you all know how the suitcase that travels with the President and holds the codes for nuclear launch is called ‘the football’–well, Blagojevich is said to have his own football (this is what he calls it), the loss or misplacement of which has been known to lead to fiery scoldings (very Arian!) and possibly a firing or two: a particular hairbrush, the only one he believes can tame his thick hair!

My conclusion, gleaned in large part from the above aspect picture, is that Blagojevich doesn’t believe his own patter–but that he stridently expects that others should–and that if they don’t, they must at least pretend to! (Jupiter opposed Mars, Mars quincunx Neptune) His claims that his enemies are cooking up the charges that he was attempting to sell Obama’s vacant Senate seat so they can raise taxes are so silly as to be an embarrassment, as is his attempt to link Obama to this mess by claiming that Oprah was being considered for the seat (implying that this was being pushed for by Obama’s people). Mr. Blagojevich is that most pathetic of individuals, the bold-faced liar who won’t give up, no matter what he’s confronted with, surely the ego (Mars) and the urge to total empowerment (Juno negatively manifest in the male chart) in spectacular overdrive.

A Morsel of the Future: Your North Node

20 Thursday Oct 2011

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, North Node

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Here’s a re-print from July of 2008-hope you like it! For the current daily Lunar picture, the forecast, articles, commentary, and more, please subscribe–Thanks!

The Future by Rainer Maria Rilke

The future: time’s excuse
to frighten us; too vast
a project, too large a morsel
for the heart’s mouth.

Future, who won’t wait for you?
Everyone is going there.
It suffices you to deepen
the absence that we are.

When we are looking for a sense of our future, we should look to the North Node, and particularly to the ruler of the North Node. In studying the energy that rules the North Node, we find an uncanny recurrence of planetary themes within those life events that are path-determining; in other words, the properties of the North Node’s ruler will always be present when one’s fate is taking a turn. Think about the energies of your North Node’s ruler, then think about three or four major turning points in your life. Most likely you will see a definite flavor of the ruling planet, and may even see a variety of energies that reflects facets of the planet’s character. Finding this thread in the past has a definite positive for the future, as it makes it easier to recognize an important or ‘fateful’ point while one is in the midst of it.
We have an excellent example of this principle in Karen Silkwood (19 February 1946, 9:50 PM, Longview TX USA). Ms. Silkwood was an employee of Kerr-McGee Corporation at their plutonium fuel processing facility when she noticed outright falsifications of processing and safety records. She notified corporate and union officials, and continued to gather evidence in spite of being twice deliberately contaminated during her shifts. Ms. Silkwood became a vocal critic of the corporation and the dangers to those living in the area due to Kerr-McGee’s shoddy practices, and many believe she lost her life because of this. On the way to meeting with a major union official and a New York Times reporter, Karen Silkwood was run off the road and killed in the ensuing crash. Autopsy revealed Quaaludes in her blood, an unlikely primer for a meeting of such consequence, and documents she was known to have been carrying with her that were damning for the coporation were never found.
Of note in Ms. Silkwood’s chart is the Gemini North Node, suggesting the importance of information/ communication in her destined direction. We see Pluto in the 10th, linking her reputation quite literally with Plutonium, as well as with issues of death, re-generation, decay, and waste, the latter being one of the issues of lax disposal involved in Ms. Silkwood’s investigation. She has a Pisces Sun at 00, suggesting both a ‘brand new’ phase of identity and a Soul intent attuned to the Collective good. Note also Chiron, Jupiter, and Juno rising, implying strong identification with healing society and Self via Self-empowerment and the initiative of the individual. Mercury, ruler of the North Node, is sited in Pisces in the 5th, with its ruler Neptune posited in the 12th, again connecting Ms. Silkwood to the Collective; it’s quite likely that she was driven by a strong sense of obligation to the Universal welfare, and that perhaps she was not entirely conscious of why she felt she must pursue justice for the common good.