Category Archives: aspects and placements

Emotional Bombings: Letterman and NASA

09 Friday Oct 2009

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, Chiron, Finger of God, Moon, relationship astrology

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I think these two events, the announcement of an extortion attempt revolving around talk show host David Letterman’s office affairs with staff members, and the bombing of our satellite Moon seeking evidence of water by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), are in a sense, one and the same, or at least, two reflections of a similar dynamic involving Chiron. Can we call this a ‘hurt to heal’ manifestation of the energies? Maybe, as in Letterman’s case his willingness to speak openly of his involvements took the power away from the extortionist, and though it certainly was hurtful to his new wife, Regina Lasko (but please, she met him while working on the show, over 20 years ago–doesn’t that suggest she knows precisely what kind of environment exists behind the scenes at ‘Late Night’?) it also meant that no one could threaten to ‘out’ Letterman–and for all we know, Lasko may have known about the affairs, and made her own peace with it.

When, on his show, Letterman detailed the threats he’d received, an astute reader asked me if the marriage of Letterman and Lasko hadn’t occurred under some less-than-optimal conditions–and indeed it had. Letterman’s public confession came with a Finger of God formed by transiting energies Mercury and Mars, with apex Chiron–surely an appropriate description of the admission, a kind of ‘Rip the band-aid off quickly’ method of dealing with hurt involving communicating and taking action.

The marriage chart for Lasko and Letterman (19 March 2009 3:00 PM in Choteau, Montana, per Letterman’s own announcement on his show) illustrates that tension may be an ongoing theme, as well as difficulty of the two parties successfully connecting. The Moon (bride) and the Sun (groom) form no aspect at the time of the wedding, but will connect by Solar Arc eventually in sextile–not promising. Juno is also exactly conjunct Chiron, cluing us in to the likely response to a threat of hurt (personal empowerment, taking control of the threat to partnership). The Sun itself is at 29 degrees Pisces, promising unrelenting tension, and Venus (the woman) and Mars (the man) make no contact but will eventually semi-sextile by Solar Arc–again, weak, and add to this Venus in Retrograde–oy! Nothing of a contract or relationship nature should be finalized during Venus’ retreat–we are just too unsteady in identifying our values and what matters to us, if nothing else. And we look at the significators for the Ascendant and Descendant, which also stand-in for bride and groom (designation depends on the personal charts of the individuals, though sometimes it’s obviously related to one or the other), and we see that the Sun and Uranus are past conjunction, perhaps suggesting that the relationship, too, is past its prime contact point (in this case that works out by Solar Arc measurement to have been the conception of son Harry. Sorry, I couldn’t get the chart to reproduce in a readable form–will keep working on it.

Does the wedding chart imply the relationship is doomed? Though I haven’t studied it closely, I think the answer is ‘no,’ as my impression is more along the lines of it being an arrangement–not without genuine feeling, but also missing the compelling spark between two individuals that we typically believe drives marriage today. Perhaps it’s a more practical relationship than we would like to imagine for people who choose to stay together and create a family–romanticism can lead us to over-value sex, magnetism, and one-and-only love while undervaluing companionship and a shared goal (in this case, the raising of their child).

Now what does this have to do with NASA crashing two bodies into the Moon? When it happened, about 4:30 AM 9 October (Pacific coast), the Moon was making a a trine to Chiron. An astute Twitter friend asked me what I thought the bombing signified–and I answered that it was in some way a Collective wound that we must look for the counterpart to in our own lives–but it also may in my opinion signify the kind of insult we’ve been suffering as a Collective for some time, as those who have the power act ‘in our name’ in ways that are pointlessly destructive–am I saying the bombing of the Moon is pointless? I’m not venturing an opinion one way or the other about the validity of the action, since I’m not a scientist privy to the thought process behind this choice–I’m simply saying that, coming right now, this seems to symbolize emotionally destructive actions on a mass scale–an undermining, perhaps, and it’s so interesting that they used a Centaur rocket! I think we meet it best by acknowledging the active Chiron in our own lives–how we may be hurt and hurting others–and the example of David Letterman’s public honesty, no matter what you think of the actions that led to the need for his confession, is a good attitude for us all to take–responsibility, openness, and the courage to own up to who and what we are.

I don’t know what the Moon bombing might stand for, though I was tempted to link it to Obama’s win of the Nobel for Peace. It seems to me a kind of wounding disservice to award someone something before he’s been able to implement so many of his ideas, a way to at once hamstring him (will he be able to send troops where he feels he needs to with the mantel of ‘Peacemaker’ on him?) and to somehow take the glory from the prize–the earning of it, through accomplishment, is where the prestige has always been–and though it was no small feat for an African-American to win the office of President, we need to let him show his stuff–not be in such a hurry to applaud him or condemn him that we don’t listen to his points, support his efforts at reform, and allow him to develop a foreign policy true to what he feels we need–rather than allow this blunting of his reach, by having Europe tell him, ‘You’re the bringer of Peace, now go sit in the corner.” Catch Jude Cowell’s excellent analysis here http://starsoverwashington.blogspot.com/2009/10/obamas-potential-peaciness-to-be.html and here by Dana Gerhardt http://mooncircles.com/blog/2009/10/obamas-peace-prize/

See the latest ‘What You’re Asking’ http://askjulie.wordpress.com/2009/10/10/what-youre-asking-asteroids-and-social-skills/

Intriguing Aspects At Large

05 Monday Oct 2009

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

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I look and at first see the same old same old, starring that Mystic Rectangle involving the Nodes, that just won’t go away–and I’m looking for it to dissolve as it doesn’t seem to be making life any better for us–at least, not in any new, obvious way–I think it set its effect some time ago, so it feels like a running ‘good luck’ thing for some and a ‘bad luck’ thing for others (if the elements of the Rectangle are in significant hard contact to important parts of your natal chart), and a mixture for those with both hard and easy contact. So, it hasn’t recently offered us much that’s new, until right about now, as Mercury moves into proximity to conjunction with Saturn, and Mars sneaks up on the South Node; suddenly our outlook changes just a bit–we’re primed to actually move on some of what’s been presented as possible (or possibly presented as outside our reach, depending on the aforementioned contact), and we have a strong urge to make our thoughts manifest. The impetus to make ‘it’ happen comes forward–but is it wise to act?

Mars is still quincunx Neptune, and the Juno/ Uranus combo is trine the Arian strongman–this suggests that implementing plans (specifically those plans you’ve been itching to get off the ground, but have so far been either totally in the planning stages or have somehow been thwarted when you did try to go forward) would be difficult–we can’t really tell what action’s needed, and underlying it all there may be too much ‘I’ll show you!’ energy, too much neediness to feel empowered, which makes it just too tempting to do anything in order to meet your goals. Better in my view to hold off until about the 8th; then Vesta is firmly entrenched opposed Jupiter, and the Sun is sextile our saucy, sacred tart, and together this signals we’ll see very clearly our own values vis a vis society and our personal social sphere–and that makes it easy to know what we want to do. As well, we’ll have the energy to do what we intend, as opposed to the current situation, where the energy seems to flow on and off as if controlled by a giant, invisible switch.

In fact, the 8th has a lot of big selling points in terms of what positive aid may be available to us. The Moon will be trine the Sun (that energy bounce), Mercury will be exact semi-sextile Ceres at 28 Virgo/ Libra, respectively(a glib tongue, the power, authority, and charisma to negotiate successfully, and very possibly a ‘right time, right place’ aspect, especially if either makes soft contact to the natal chart), and Venus moves to within conjunction of Saturn, opposition of Uranus/ Juno, and quincunx of Chiron/ Neptune. The first two sets of aspects put in place a dynamic of what we value, relationships, and assets being either ‘nailed down’ in some way, of being featured center stage as we want (demand?) their materialization, and we muster what education and skills, and sense of empowerment, we own in service of this. The latter aspect, Venus quincunx Chiron/ Neptune, may with care serve to make us sensitive in a highly positive way, possibly divinely inspired, and if we’re flexible, in touch with our ideals. And that is the key, remaining flexible to both take advantage of the influences and to avoid, in over zealousness to create precisely what we believe we want, shutting out the love that is there, available, being offered.

And catch this list of recommended blogs I’m very happy to have been included on: http://mountainastrologer.com/tma/some-of-the-current-best-astrology-blogs

Lunar Eclipse August 5th 2009

04 Tuesday Aug 2009

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, current events in the sky, eclipse, Fist of God

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The eclipse occurs at 5:55 PM August 5th PDT, with the Moon and Earth conjunct at 13 AQ 43; technically, the eclipse itself starts a few minutes after exactitude, but I think it’s reasonable to look at the moment of first contact, so here we are. And what do we see? No contact, using our strict two degree orb rule, except for a puzzling semi-square to the Ascendant (a ‘So what?’ position), and a sesquiquadrate to the Part of Fortune. But, if we stretch our rule just a hair (and what are rules for, if not to stretch hairs over), we finda Fist of God, with sesquiquadrates to the Part of Fortune and Ceres (aka Mother Nature).  Ah! Now a picture is forming.

Am I reaching, using the Part of Fortune? Depends on how you feel about the use of the Arabic Parts in general, I guess, but for an ‘occasion’ (or an event, as I’m guessing this will be) it seems appropriate. Using it allows us to have some fun (or to frighten the bejezus out of ourselves, depending!)

So, the chart I’ve drawn is for Seattle, my current hometown, and eclipse time puts Pluto at 00 Cap–what’s built is destroyed, disruption to the status quo–just inside the 1st at a late Sagittarius Ascendant, which makes a tight quincunx to the South Node–what’s happened before will happen again? or is it what’s been destroyed before, etc?–with Part of Fortune exact on the Descendant. Hmmm. Add the Nodes in crisis at 29 degrees, the aforementioned Fist of God, with component Ceres spanking new in Libra–nature, balance, out of balance, at 00–and Ceres square to Pluto–stability lost, Mother Nature disrupted–are we looking at an earthquake chart?

Now, I don’t like to make predictions, because I believe that nothing, absolutely nothing, is set in stone, nor do I want to whip my readers into a frenzy, or earn the epithet ‘Crazy Julie’; but this is an intriguing pattern, worth noting–and if nothing happens, all the better, or the earthquakes are personal or symbolic–I’d be glad to be wrong.

I don’t want to expect a disaster, but with these measurements I might anticipate one, and my own research has matched contact to the angles with earthquake activity–but of course, there are zillions of contacts to the angles all day long–it just seems that when an earthquake does occur, there’s significant, precise contact–so stay safe, West Coasters! And no matter how flamingly wrong I am about this, the post will stay up–just so we can all laugh about it on the 6th. (Typically, I feel eclipse possibilities last through to the following set of eclipses–so perhaps we’ll just have more activity than usual, through New Year’s Eve/January 2010)
Also see Jude Cowell’s excellent take here http://2hrsyulnvrgetbck.blogspot.com/2009/08/mystic-rectangle-lunar-eclipse-in-aq.html

Earthquake activity http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/quakes_all.html

Lucy knows what this means (see comments)

(see comments)

Solar Eclipse July 2009

18 Saturday Jul 2009

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

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Of the two Lunar eclipses and one Solar eclipse occurring in this set, the upcoming Solar one is the one to watch. Not literally, of course, as that will burn your eyes out (no wonder people were frightened of eclipses–there must have been plenty of village idiots who did just that–and who wouldn’t think it was God, or gods, or Baal, or Apollo, or Ra punishing those hubristic enough to stare into what in many cultures amounts to the face of God?) No, watch this Solar eclipse, promised in the Pacific time zone of North America at 7:33 PM the 21st of July, for the figurative burn it may bring.partial solar eclipse

The transiting Sun and Moon meet at 29 Cancer 26, an anaretic degree, and that signals the energies involved are both in a state of high stress. Why? Placement of any energy at an anaretic degree (the very earliest and latest of a sign) suggests that the body has traveled through the experience cycle of all preceding degrees of the sign–now the body is pressured to symbolically ‘finish up’ with the energy spectrum of the sign.  This means that any facets of the sign not experienced during the course of the transit now come forward, needing to be expressed in order to complete the experience cycle. In this case, the energies are Cancerian: of nurture, care, involved with others, nourishing, intrusive, emotional, intuitive, maternal, enveloping, sensitive, changeable or monthly. For all of us, the place in the natal chart where 29 degrees of Cancer falls (if this does not fall on a natal placement) will designate by House where we may be facing a crisis energy that blends the Cancer experience spectrum with the matters of the House.

Solar eclipseFor those with a natal placement at this degree (or within 2 degrees of it, either side), the crisis energy is much stronger, and specific to the manifestation of the natal body or point. By ‘crisis,’ however, I mean ‘need to face’ as it applies to the matters brought forward. If one is willing to be responsible, literally willing to respond, one need not suffer crisis or upset of any kind–in fact the impetus offered by the Solar eclipse energy can bring great leaps forward, particularly at the personal level, in illuminating all facets of a matter or issue, and endowing one with the energy and ‘sight’ to resolve it.

Other natal placements to which the eclipse is in hard aspect may share in the crisis energy (though to a lesser intensity or extent), with the aspect itself suggesting the way toward resolution. For instance, a square says that the eclipse will present an energy situation (related to both the 29 Cancer placement and the House in which this occurs) that is in conflict with the natal energy as it exists, and requires one to weigh, consider, and negotiate as one would with any square. Again, keep the aspect orb to 2 degrees or less, and as with the conjunction, a willingness to face the energy and deal with it can minimize or eliminate problems, and even turn them to your advantage.

Soft contacts to natal placements (sextiles, trines) offer to bolster the manifestation of the natal energy with the eclipse energy. We musn’t assume that this is uniformly positive, however, as ease in blending the two energies can bring forward a ‘path of least resistance’ manifestation that may effectively undermine our best interests. Control is the key with soft aspects, channeling them productively into assisting expression of the natal energy while remaining attentive to implications and ramifications of the interaction.

The eclipse itself makes a few aspects: a quincunx to Pluto, and a conjunction to the South Node in Leo (with complementary opposition to the North Node). Whenever we have an eclipse, it’s important to look at the pattern it forms with other transiting bodies, as this tells us something about the effects we can expect; the contacts the eclipse makes are essentially part and parcel of the ‘eclipse package’ we experience. A quincunx to Pluto suggests that the crisis energy of the eclipse will run deep, be intense, transformative, and perhaps a little dangerous or disturbing, unearthing secrets or things we’d rather leave buried. This aspect may make us feel that the eclipse itself is dangerous or disruptive, but this is the energy of the eclipse feeding through and adjusting (the quincunx) to the active energy of transiting Pluto, and to our senses there may be no distinction.orbital view solar eclipse

The Solar eclipse conjunct the South Node in Leo brings in elements of the past and our place in it. Identity issues are ‘lit up’ by the eclipse, and the South Node itself is at an anaretic degree (but this time in the opposite situation to the eclipse–here the South Node is back at the seminal moment of our past that helped form our identity, our creative sense of Self–00 Leo).

We can expect matters of the Self, our origins in the past, and secrets or change, to be the eclipse effect for all of us, with reference to the House where the eclipse occurs; those with a natal hook must figure in the natal effect, as well, using common sense and positioning oneself mentally to make the most of available energies. And remember, Dark of the Moon precedes the eclipse, meaning that we may all be feeling a little more ‘in the dark’ than we’d like beginning about evening PDT of the 18th, with illumination coming on the New Moon, as it always does.

lightningAn  eclipse is really an opportunity to put lightning in a bottle; let’s do our best to use the energy wisely.

And I love you all, but please, no questions about personal eclipse situations in the comments section–I’m available for single question assessments for only $25, and full eclipse reports for $50, email me at juliedemboski@hotmail.com  Thanks!

Sorry–can’t seem to get the post to capture the chart any bigger without cutting some off–will continue to try to remedy. You can blow it up through your browser, a little fuzzy but readable.

Solar Eclipse July 2009

Lemons

25 Monday May 2009

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, current events in the sky, Finger of God, forecast, Mercury retrograde

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Apparently I’ve been nominated for a ‘Lemonade Award,’ presented to sites with great attitude or gratitude–a big Thank You to lovely ladies Neith and Pat over at Real Astrologers http://realastrologers.com/ who put me on their list of 10–and that’s part of the deal, you pass along a list of 10 favorites, which is very tough for me to do–have you seen my blogroll? I love them all, for a variety of reasons! So, here’s 10 of my favorites (or at least, the first 10 who come to mind!) Many congrats to Pat and Neith on their nom, too–I’ve tried repeatedly to comment on their site, but am told I have an invalid user name (no matter how I modify it–and obviously I have a wordpress presence)–hope that’s just Merc retro talking, and not a Universal message! lemonadeaward_thumbnail

1. Jude Cowell at Jude’s Threshold http://judecowell.wordpress.com/ and Stars Over Washington http://starsoverwashington.blogspot.com/ and several other outstanding creative venues–she’s got an incredibly deep knowledge, a strong sense of history and politics, some of the best use of astrological degree symbolism around, and an excellent bs detector–her insights are phenomenal!

2. Love the insights of hitchhiker72–she’s “Unwriting the I”– at A Question of Mindfulness http://questionofmindfulness.wordpress.com/ She’s a thinker and observer in the best sense, commenting on the heart of the matter, whatever it may be, with just the right balance of knowledge, honesty, and personal reference.

3. Deeply thoughtful and well-realized astrological philosophy and meaning are the province of Chirotic Journal http://chirotic.wordpress.com/, definitely a favorite for its thorough, dimensional examination of natal placements and configurations.

4. aello at Dream Orpheus http://dreamorpheus.wordpress.com/ offers perceptive, sensitive, and enlightening dream interpretation–always fascinating reading!

5. Prolific, with a wide-ranging slate of topics and some of the sharpest astrological analysis around, Twilight at Learning Curve on the Ecliptic http://twilightstarsong.blogspot.com/ never disappoints, and always gives the mind something fresh to ponder.

6. The application of astrology to Self-analysis is first rate at Lucy Watch the Sky http://lucywatchthesky.com/, and she has the capacity to state things in such a way that we can take the core of the observation and apply it ourselves–and that’s a gift.

7. One of the most useful and well-done sites ever is by serennu http://www.serennu.com/ Loads of hard to find info accurately presented–and follow her on Twitter, as she offers excellent Tweets that are truly enlightening http://twitter.com/serennu

8. Urania’s 9th House http://www.uranias9thhouse.com/blog/ offers succinct snapshots of current aspects, plus always fine commentary on conditions–greatly informative, in the best sense.

9. Found What the Astral Fog http://astralfog.blogspot.com/ very recently–love the tone and sheer utility, while still being imbued with poetry, of the advice. Added bonus is ‘birthcards’ (using a regular deck) of famous individuals for the day.

10. I’m cheating here; imaginative and fun is the astro info found at Wisestars http://wisestars.wordpress.com/ but I also want to note a new site that offers something different: advice for the day based on both Tarot and the Mayan systems at Stargates54 http://stargates54.wordpress.com/ Check both of them out!

It’s requested that each nominated site also do its own noms, include the logo shown here, and notifiy each nominee at their own site (something I’ll do in a few hours). And good luck to all, readers and nominees, as with such ‘tude this week, and bull on the rise, we’ll all need to make lemonade from life’s lemons!

Grand Cross v. Grand Square

21 Thursday May 2009

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, current events in the sky, Grand Cross/Grand Square

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Sometimes it’s hard to see a difference–they seem to be one and the same, four planets or points square, and two pairs of oppositions–everything contacts everything else. But today we have a configuration that perfectly illustrates why there is a difference: with a Grand Cross, we have the oppositions, while with the Grand Square, we have the squares with either a single opposition or none at all.

Today we have the Sun at 00 Gemini 45 square Jupiter/ Neptune/ Chiron at 26 Aquarius–so far so good–square the Earth at 00 Sagittarius 45, which (like the Sun) is square Ceres at 5 Virgo 11, but Ceres is not opposed Jupiter/ Neptune/ Chiron, creating a Grand Square, but not a Grand Cross.

Both configurations are dynamic, but the Grand Square offers a partial disconnect among the energies that will make them manifest in less than obvious ways. It’s a clue to us that, even though the various events seem to be unrelated, they are really touched off by or driven by each other–and this should alert us to any underlying context or possible repercussions arising from the more subtle contacts.

With this particular set of energies, we see the Sun/ Earth pouring attention on both Mother Nature (Ceres) and the Jupiter/ Neptune/ Chiron combo of heightened perceptions of the unseen, imagined, and the gifts and wounds unique to the individual–but grappling with illusions, ideals, and hurt is not connected in any obvious way to Ceres’ various attributes, including a proprietary attitude toward others, negotiations, and cyclic or seasonal occurrences. But, as noted, they are connected, we just have difficulty seeing how, for example, our mother’s comments on our private life (very Ceres!) have anything to do with the way we’re (unrealistically) approaching our current relationship–and yet if we look closer we may see that our desire to have the relationship just so may reflect a deep desire to be in control of our own lives–and despite the reality that we are, we still receive Mom’s comments as having a controlling effect that determines (if we don’t resist openly) our choices. So we’re in this example dealing with the exaggerated (Jupiter)illusion (Neptune) that Mom (Ceres) determines our inner and outer life (Sun and Earth), and this stimulates the wound (Chiron) from which we act.

You can see both the oblique effect of the contacts and the way that seeing the connection can help us steer clear of the debilitating effects of our own reactions and assumptions–a good way to go through life, I think!

Juno in Synastry: Dylan and Baez

16 Saturday May 2009

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, Juno, relationship astrology

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Baez DylanWho better as an example of Juno’s influence in relationship than in the now-kaput affair between the ersatz royalty of the Folkie-Protest movement, balladeers Bob Dylan and Joan Baez? Their birthdays are only a handful of months apart, so to delineate meaning we must look at what’s different, rather than what’s the same, but we must also note that a mirror effect occurs; sometimes a Juno aspect in the chart is echoed cross-chart, because the Junos are conjunct, and this suggests that these partners acted to externalize for each other some of the Juno dynamic that was also an internal dynamic for each. 

In Dylan’s chart (24 May 1941  9:05 PM Duluth MN USA) his Juno (28 Leo 49) fills in a T-square to his Gemini Sun/ Sagittarius Earth axis (he may feel that empowered women, as well as his own anima, clash with his Soul and Material Direction); Juno also squares Pallas (which is conjunct Earth, and so involved in the T-square) and this suggests that for him the concept of wisdom is at odds with the idea of partnership, as if he cannot accept that a partner can be wise! Juno squares the Jupiter/ Uranus conjunction (again, a threat, this time to the freedom and individuality); and Juno quincunxes the South Node (in this case, a ‘never goin’ there with a woman again!’ position). All these perceptions are really cemented in place, as Juno is conjunct Vesta, signifying that his internal ideas about partnership/ the mate are sacred, and will always trump reality. If you know Dylan and his work, you know his persona is notoriously hard to pin down, a ramblin’ man in more ways than one, and his Juno in Leo suggests he wants a woman/ partner who ‘shines’ with strength and purpose (the Sun)–a tough thing for a woman to fulfill, when his Juno aspects insist that she will, in the end, be fallible and unreliable. Dylan plants the seeds of the end of the relationship before it even begins, in an inability to trust, or accept the wisdom of, a partner.
Dylan’s beliefs about women as shown in his natal chart are perfectly reflected here in his song, ‘Don’t think twice, it’s alright’ 

It ain’t no use to sit and wonder why, babe
It don’t matter, anyhow
An’ it ain’t no use to sit and wonder why, babe
If you don’t know by now
When your rooster crows at the break of dawn
Look out your window and I’ll be gone
You’re the reason I’m trav’lin’ on
Don’t think twice, it’s all right
It ain’t no use in turnin’ on your light, babe
That light I never knowed
An’ it ain’t no use in turnin’ on your light, babe
I’m on the dark side of the road
Still I wish there was somethin’ you would do or say
To try and make me change my mind and stay
We never did too much talkin’ anyway
So don’t think twice, it’s all right
It ain’t no use in callin’ out my name, gal
Like you never did before
It ain’t no use in callin’ out my name, gal
I can’t hear you any more
I’m a-thinkin’ and a-wond’rin’ all the way down the road
I once loved a woman, a child I’m told
I give her my heart but she wanted my soul
But don’t think twice, it’s all right
I’m walkin’ down that long, lonesome road, babe
Where I’m bound, I can’t tell
But goodbye’s too good a word, gal
So I’ll just say fare thee well
I ain’t sayin’ you treated me unkind
You could have done better but I don’t mind
You just kinda wasted my precious time
But don’t think twice, it’s all right

While for Dylan the Juno interactions are in essence challenges to his idea of himself as a man, Joan (9 January 1941  10:45 AM Staten Island NY USA) Baez’s Juno (7 Virgo 16) presents a quandry concerning her internal workings: empowerment threatens the emotions and the intuitive and feeling nature, and vice versa.  Baez’s Juno also creates a T-square, this time with her Mars/ Moon opposition (the feeling nature at odds with the action/ ego/ animus, and both threatened by her own empowerment); Juno also happens to be square Ceres, which is conjunct Mars, and this speaks volumes on the conflict between the natural creative energies of Ceres, their ‘alliance’ with the ego and action urges (as well as with her idea of the ‘ideal man’) and the need for empowerment–and it spells out the idea that Joan may see the man in her life as the elementally creative one, and that this doesn’t support her own empowerment situation. Juno also trines the Jupiter/ Saturn conjunction (empowerment assists reaching out, feeling free, and building something meaningful); and Juno trines the Midheaven (empowerment aids the career) and quincunxes the South Node (in this case, suggesting that past experiences have not given her the impression that empowerment is a positive thing). If you know Baez, then you know she built her career on the image of being a strong and capable woman, and her Juno in Virgo is the epitome of just those qualities–we have to wonder, though, what toll it took on the feeling nature, and on relationships with men, considering the chart indicators. And there’s something else here, and that is that Baez’s Juno, though embroiled in an internal struggle, measures its effectiveness as does any woman’s Juno, in its interactions with the external world and relationships; it’s an outward-looking energy, and her work based on the relationship with Dylan reflects this.
The state of Joan’s Juno and its attention to the partner is well-illustrated here, in ‘Diamonds and Rust’ (notice the references to the Madonna, the Moon, and the girl on the half-shell, obviously Venus, all of which are traditional female symbols and all of which in this instance seem to support the mo-jo of the male caller from the past).

Well I’ll be damned
Here comes your ghost again
But that’s not unusual
It’s just that the moon is full
And you happened to call
And here I sit
Hand on the telephone
Hearing a voice I’d known
A couple of light years ago
Heading straight for a fall
As I remember your eyes
Were bluer than robin’s eggs
My poetry was lousy you said
Where are you calling from?
A booth in the midwest
Ten years ago
I bought you some cufflinks
You brought me something
We both know what memories can bring
They bring diamonds and rust
Well you burst on the scene
Already a legend
The unwashed phenomenon
The original vagabond
You strayed into my arms
And there you stayed
Temporarily lost at sea
The Madonna was yours for free
Yes the girl on the half-shell
Would keep you unharmed
Now I see you standing
With brown leaves falling around
And snow in your hair
Now you’re smiling out the window
Of that crummy hotel
Over Washington Square
Our breath comes out white clouds
Mingles and hangs in the air
Speaking strictly for me
We both could have died then and there
Now you’re telling me
You’re not nostalgic
Then give me another word for it
You who are so good with words
And at keeping things vague
Because I need some of that vagueness now
It’s all come back too clearly
Yes I loved you dearly
And if you’re offering me diamonds and rust
I’ve already paid

Cross-chart there are many echoes that actively externalize the internal. The differences, though, tell the story: Joan’s Juno opposes Bob’s Pisces Mars, telling us her state of empowerment is directly at odds with who he is as a man; and his Juno trines her Venus, suggesting that who she is as a woman is in keeping with his idea of an appropriate mate/ partner. However, when you’ve got both Junos square her Moon/ Mars opposition, you’ve got not only her internal discord but his interaction creating a similar dynamic, adding the idea that anything he views as empowered behavior will be at odds with her emotional and assertive/ ego nature, as well as being in disagreement with her vision of the ‘ideal man.’ As well, with her Juno opposed his Mars, every time she exerts her own empowerment he would likely feel wounded as a man, especially so with Mars in Pisces, as this Mars would likely see itself as all lovey-dovey and peace, man, and her Juno would be at the very least demanding accountability, and perhaps bringing criticism into the mix.
The two most telling contacts are probably his Juno square her Moon–what woman can pair with a man whose anima would continually be challenging her emotional viewpoint?–and Dylan’s own Juno, as well as Joan’s, square his Jupiter/ Uranus conjunction; with this aspect he might as well wear a sign that says, ‘Women will take your freedom and tie you down!’ So, despite his Sun conjunct her Moon, a classic mating indicator, along with his Venus (his idea of the ‘ideal woman’) in Gemini in wide conjunction with her Moon, Juno tells us that there are too many upsets inherent in her empowerment, both internal and external ones, and too many beliefs on his part that a strong woman will somehow restrict him, to let these two remain in intimate relationship for long.
This is actually an extended version of the 5th and final part of the Juno series that would have appeared at sasstrology. See my book on Juno at http://dogandsunflower.wordpress.com excerpts from it here https://juliedemboski.wordpress.com/2010/09/21/excerpts-from-juno-in-the-natal-chart/   and follow my blog on relationships here http://askjulie.wordpress.com  My other books (on Chiron and on relationships) are also available at http://dogandsunflower.wordpress.com  

Idealism in Action

09 Saturday May 2009

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, Chiron, Consciousness Explored, Mars, natal placement, Neptune, Pallas

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Two interesting and dynamic individuals take a stand http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/mia-farrow-ends-fast–richard-branson-takes-her-place-1514520.story/?gt1=28145  I’ve written on both Farrow and Branson before; now I’ll post both charts and add extended remarks later. We can note, though, that both have that behemoth of idealism, Neptune, in Libra (others, or acting as a partner); Farrow has a natal Neptune/Chiron conjunction, perhaps stimulated now by the current Neptune/ Chiron union in Aquarius (group welfare, trine by sign), while Branson has a Mars/ Neptune conjunction, signalling the willingness to act on ideals. Farrow may be motivated as much by intense empathy as by anything else (Chiron), while Branson embodies the true activist whose actions follow his principles.

Both have a ‘warrior’ energy, he through Mars, she through a Pallas conjunction to the Chiron/ Neptune combo, and both have these idealism in action significators below the horizon, suggesting personal, internal motivations behind their efforts.

Mia Farrow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richard Branson

What You’re Asking: Composites, Political Suns, and Venus! Venus! Venus!

21 Tuesday Apr 2009

Posted by in 12th House, aspects and placements, astrology, Venus

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Please explain composite charts–

Composites are composed of the nearer midpoint pictures of each energy of two natal charts in relation to each other; some astrologers place them by figuring the composite Ascendant and using the preferred House system, placing the cusps from there, some use a more literal approach and figure each cusp based on the two natal cusps. This method is used widely in studying relationships, particularly between mates.

If you are an astrologer who uses composites, I say, More power to you! Many astrologers feel they get very illuminating results with this method. I don’t use composites, and here’s why: when we enter into a relationship, we don’t lose our individuality and morph into a single, compromise being; we instead act and react based on the interactions of energies as represented within our individual charts. Above all else, we are unique Beings, and I don’t think that disappears when we enter relationship.

What is indicated when a man’s Juno is conjunct a woman’s Moon?

If these individuals are the appropriate ages in relation to each other, then the strongest possibility may be that they will be partners in parenting. He will see her nurturing, feeling, and maternal nature as perfect partnership material, while she would vibe strongly to his need for and model of partnership. The connection will be an emotional one on her part, and one that feels ‘right’ on his–but without more specifics we can’t begin to guess whether this would indicate a true, intimate partnership, or a functional one that focuses on raising children or centers on maintaining a household.

Is there a connection between politicians and having a 12th House Sun?

In order to try and get a handle on such a broad category, I looked into one of the most exclusive clubs on earth, those who hold the office of U.S. President. I found five presidents with 12th House Suns (though one, Andrew Jackson, is questionable due to uncertain birth time). The others are Chester A. Arthur, George W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, and Ulysses S. Grant. Anything stand out to you about this group? What struck me was the way four of the group (Jackson, Bush, Carter, and Grant) are all assessed in stark terms, with no shortage of those who would point to them as presidential failures.

Does a 12th House Sun limit abilities in some regard? No, not at all–but the aspects may say a little something more, and combined with a typical 12th House Sun’s fulfillment often coming in a behind-the-scenes capacity, could suggest that a 12th House Sun may find it extra difficult to act effectively as leader and figurehead for a nation–it tends to be harder for this placement to be seen, and you’ll note that most rose to prominence in another arena before entering politics (Grant and Jackson as generals, Bush as failed oilman, failed Rangers owner, and son of a President, Arthur as school teacher, lawyer, customs official, only elected to Vice-President and succeeding to the top office with Garfield’s assassination, and both Bush and Carter, a peanut farmer, were governors just before they won the office).

Arthur, second only to Millard Fillmore in forgetability

Arthur, second only to Millard Fillmore in forgetability

Astrologically the most notable thing was that these 12th House Suns didn’t enjoy many positive aspects; in fact, Bush and Carter have only hard aspects between their Suns and other natal energies, while Jackson has one positive aspect, Grant has a few trines, and Arthur a few sextiles–but even with these positives their Suns carry the brunt of some outnumbering negative aspects, as well. It’s more like these men rose to the presidency in spite of their 12th House Suns, and in suffering some of the difficulty a person with this placement faces in mustering support  to lead a country, they also suffered as carriers of the Collective shadow. All were president during especially unsettling and challenging times when the country itself was undergoing huge turmoil–and we may consider that this may be why, at least in part, they won out over others, as the populace sensed the ability of each to recede into the flow and change of the times.

Does Venus retrograde natally indicate unfaithfulness?

No. No one placement ever defines a behavior–and there’s also the matter of free will, and choice.

Does Venus in the 2nd indicate you’ll have a beautiful partner?

No; the 2nd indicates what assets you possess–and as we know, partner’s are not possessions!–and though physical beauty can be suggested by particular placements or configurations, we must remember, when it comes to people, beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.

What happens when Venus transits in Capricorn?

The general atmosphere may skew values and aesthetics toward the practical, the useful, and tempers lean toward the no-nonsense. We may appreciate things like architecture, industrial design, and civic improvements more than usual, and around the house we may stick to making sure systems run soundly. Cappy Venus can offer us a chance to make money through things we’ve already studied/ prepared, or through plain hard work–and love may boil down to what’s dependable, rather than what’s exciting.

See my latest over at Been There, Done That on men and mood http://askjulie.wordpress.com,  buy my work at http://dogandsunflower.wordpress.com  and see my ongoing series on Juno at http://sasstrology.com

Is Your Love Conditional?

14 Tuesday Apr 2009

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, Consciousness Explored, relationship astrology, Venus

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Unconditional love is the love we’re all seeking, all the time, whether we’re aware of it or not, and in our ideal life, we’d be surrounded by it in every circumstance. But how often do we inspect the quality of the love we offer others? Often, we give it with expectations, assumptions, and qualifiers; and we may then ask, is it still really love? Yes, it is, it’s just that we may without realizing it hook needs of our own to loving someone else; ideally, we will in the course of a lifetime (or many!) learn to love purely, without those requirements or pre-conditions–but how?

Our expectations are often quite reasonable; for instance, we should expect to be treated well within an intimate relationship, as healthy Self-respect and Self-regard demand it. We run into a problem, though, when we say through our behavior, “I love him; he’s rude, arrogant, thoughtless, and cheats on me, but because I love him I must stay engaged in the relationship and try to change his behavior.”  This is based on the belief that everything would be fine if he would just conform to the mate’s expectations of treatment.We feel justified in demanding this because, well, we say we love him. But what we fail to realize is that love is beside the point; love can exist no matter the behaviors of any of the parties, it’s intimate relationship that’s where we must choose to be with those who treat us well–and we must do this by recognizing and accepting another’s behavior as it is, not as we think it should be.

Too often we are attracted to someone, draw closer, and then immediately begin to judge their attitudes and behavior. We feel that we can criticize and demand changes because we claim to love the individual–but what do we love if we don’t accept them as they are?

What we must learn not to do is tie our own willingness to love another to how they treat us, how they behave, or what they are out in the world; and we can only love another by seeing and accepting who they are. What I’m saying is this: we must learn to love without condition, even as we love ourselves enough not to continue in relationship with those who don’t love and respect us. It’s very simple: at the bottom of every successful and loving intimate relationship is a love for Oneself that says, “I love you no matter what; but to stay in intimate connection to me, you must continue to behave in a loving and respectful manner.” If the partner doesn’t treat us kindly, we can continue to love them, but we don’t need to remain in an intimate relationship with them–in fact, we cannot stay in intimate relationship with them if we love ourselves. Part of our weakness in loving both ourselves and others is to confuse the two, to believe that a love relationship exists even when our partner is behaving in an unloving way. It’s true that love may exist, but a loving relationship does not–and that is the heart of how we must choose our companions. It’s noble to continue to love someone who mistreats you–it isn’t noble in the least to remain open to, vulnerable to, and in intimate contact with someone who mistreats you. A truly loving attitude toward others is not based in how they treat us, but a relationship is.

One of the most mature and loving things we can do for ourselves is to recognize when we are in a close relationship where love and respect are not shown to us and to say, as Buddha is reported to have done when confronted on the path by an angry man, “I respectfully decline your gift of anger, and ask that you keep it for yourself.” You see, we may love someone, but just because they offer us something ugly or destructive doesn’t mean we must accept it. To subject ourselves to the unloving denigration of others is to treat ourselves in an unloving way–and if we don’t love ourselves, we don’t have love to give others–because we simply can’t give away what we don’t have, and if we don’t have a resource for ourselves, tangible or intangible, we are unable to share that resource with others. So, to remain in a relationship where we are treated badly is to be unable to love, since to continue involvement says we do not love ourselves, and so cannot truly love another.

Where do we find the conditions we might place on our love? In the state of Venus in the natal chart, of course, but also in the situation of the Sun, as this represents the Soul, the essence of the pure love known as life energy, and in the condition of Neptune, as representative of our ideals. The Moon, too, might give us useful clues, as significator of the feeling nature and the intuition, and the Moon, Venus, and Neptune elaborate on how we relate to others in intangible ways.

With these ideas in mind, let’s look at the chart of Clara Petacci, 29 years younger cousin and mistress of dictator Benito Mussolini, born 28 February 1912 at 10:15 AM Rome, Italy. Clara’s Venus sits on the Midheaven just minutes inside the 10th in Aquarius and conjunct ruler Uranus which sits in the 9th, making the love nature the most visible part of the Self, seen publicly and emblematic of the reputation, making it almost, unfortunately, Clara’s career. Being placed in Aquarius likely only confused the matter for her, as Aquarian Venus may mistake ideas for love, and values having modern attitudes toward relationship–and what could be more modern in tradition bound, early 20th century Catholic Italy than ‘free love’ (very Aquarian!) and status as an openly acknowledged mistress? clara-petacci

Her Venus rules the 1st and 6th, making it integral to the persona and to everyday interaction and activity. It trines Mars, ruler of the 12th, and here we have a suggestion that co-operation with the male energies in the life might be not only easy and comfortable, but an expression of love with origins in the subconscious (12th connection). The only other aspect for Venus is a semi-square to Juno, automatically linking Venusian subjects to personal empowerment as a woman. With so few contacts it may have been inevitable that Venus was able to express in only the handful of ways she knew how.

Her Moon is in Cancer in the 2nd, making for a sensitive and nurture-seeking and giving nature, the success of which likely was reflected in how she felt about and saw herself, a Moon expression more vulnerable than most to the emotional appeal of a mistress’ situation of caretaking and ‘special’ status. Her Sun is in Pisces conjunct Chiron in the 11th; this may have only reinforced the idea that she and her nature were the commodities she had to share with the world. It’s a hyper-sensitive combination and placement, to some extent dependent for identity security on feedback from friends and other allies, and likely imparting the feeling that she was very much synchronous with the Collective.

Her Neptune is, like the Moon, in Cancer, but in the 3rd, perhaps showing vulnerabilities in communication, and an idea that she may have felt connected to the Collective through thought and ideas–but it can also suggest she may have believed she knew what the Collective was thinking, and this is something she badly misjudged. At war’s end Clara Petacci suffered the same fate as her lover, shot, then the next day dragged through the streets, hung upside down, and mutliated by an angry mob, and I can’t help but wonder how shocked she must have been at the Collective she probably felt so much a part of, and which she was sure she understood, turning on her as all the things she valued through Venus came crashing down.

Clara Petacci clearly attached love to the world of concepts and ideas, to the subconscious, to animus energies in herpetacci-portrait life (and it appears she probably ceded her own animus to Mussolini, as well), and had a deep need to be loved and nurtured on both an individual and a larger, public level. Like all of us, she was looking for unconditional love and acceptance in the only ways she knew how. It’s rumored that in the last hours of her life she was offered the chance to go free, but she declined; and what kind of life would it have been for her if she had, having lost her Venusian status, the man who carried her animus, and her illusions about the nature of love and her role within the Collective? Clara confused her relationship with love itself, and in not sorting out the difference, would have suffered at the end of the war whether she’d gone on to live or ended her life as she did, at the hands of those for whom she was a symbol of the worst of Venus.

Please note, this article uses a Placidus chart for analysis. See my book on the astrology of intimate relationships at Dog and Sunflower Press http://dogandsunflower.wordpress.com