Category Archives: aspects and placements

The Happy Couple: Palin and McCain

11 Thursday Sep 2008

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, election 2008, relationship astrology

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Though there’s been plenty of excellent analysis of Republican Presidential and Vice Presidential nominees McCain and Palin (especially at Jude Cowell’s sites ‘Jude’s Threshold’ http://judecowell.wordpress.com/ and ‘Stars Over Washington’ http://starsoverwashington.blogspot.com/  she can also point you toward some other great material), I wanted to take a look at these two running mates as partners, applying many of the same principles we look at in any co-operative venture. A multitude of pertinent and lucid points of contact between the charts have been noted by other astrologers; I decided to concentrate specifically on asteroid contacts, both to other asteroids and to planets and points, and what these might suggest about the interaction of these two self-described ‘mavericks.’ Rather than assessing the implications for their political beliefs, I was looking for just how they might see each other, and how this might drive the relationship.

I used a biwheel and put John McCain (29 August 1936, 9:00 AM EST, Coco Solo Air Base, Panama) in the center, since we have a reliable birth time for him, and thus reliable angles, and also because as Presidential nominee and the ostensible chooser (as distinct from the ‘decider’ we’ve come to know and loathe) of the running mate, McCain logically would be dominant, making his angles more prominent to the duo. I used the data for Sarah Palin as presented by Jude Cowell, with the prospective (but still speculative, to my knowledge) morning birth time (11 February 1964, 7:06:26 AM PST, Sandpoint Idaho USA).

The first thing that jumps out is the busy 11th (what McCain has to give the world): McC’s Juno in Leo conjunct P’s Leo Earth, McC’s Sun conj. P’s Uranus, and McC’s Neptune conj. P’s Pluto, these latter in Virgo. With Juno in a man’s chart signifying what he identifies as ‘wifely’ behavior, or as appropriate to any person with whom he might partner, we find his ideals of Leonine ‘glory’ (certainly observed in Cindy McCain’s shellacked, trophy status) met in Palin’s Material Purpose–the circumstances with which Palin surrounds herself may in some way represent an ‘ideal woman’ to McCain, and these are likely connected to a willingness to ‘shine,’ to assert the Self’s goals shamelessly, but to appear ‘down to earth’ in doing so, and to be front-and-center with the personal agenda–certainly qualities that likely got Palin noticed in the first place. His 11th also holds his own Sun in Virgo conj. her Uranus, a contact that suggests he can identify with her individuality, and the Neptune to Pluto contact says he may not see her ‘darker side’ clearly, while she could end up trashing his ideals–of course, from another perspective, she could ‘clear the way’ for institution of his ideals (or dangerous fantasies)–unfortunately, we don’t get to vote on this particular manifestation! 

Much has been made of their Neptune connections, but the one that intrigued me is her Neptune conj. his Ceres. With this we see that she may not comprehend totally the role he expects her to play, namely that of a powerful authority figure (a goddess, even!) who can stand up to Hades and can control the political ‘seasons’–a tall order indeed. His Ceres is also conj. her Pallas, so he may certainly see her as having the wisdom to handle the job; but alarm bells should be going off in him, if his intuition were up and running, at the conjunction of his Piscean Earth to her Aquarian Saturn/ Piscean Chiron conjunction. This promises suppression and hurt to his material circumstances, and his Piscean Saturn quincunx Palin’s Leo Earth says that what he requires of her will take adjustment to her (perhaps ‘show-off-y’) material situation. These latter contacts should have warned them off each other, but were clearly overridden by other aspects (or sheer, unbridled ambition, your choice).

McCain’s Vesta is conjunct Palin’s North Node, and the near Nodal reversal has been noted by many commentators; I think the biggest effect may be that McCain may tend to see Palin’s life direction and intents as sacred–this is not the first contact that suggests an unwillingness on McCain’s part to recognize her motives and goals. His Juno is trine her Ceres, supporting her overreaching and controlling inclinations as appropriate and positive (!) McCain’s Chiron is quincunx his own Ceres and square his Saturn, implying that he may be more likely than most to trust a female who asserts her authority without hesitation, as he is ill at ease with his own internal anima–after all, he may think, would she tell others what to do if she didn’t have a right? And McCain’s Chiron is sextile her Earth and trine her Sun, suggesting that his own wounds may make him susceptible to her sense of authority. This Chiron is likely his Kryptonite, and Palin in many ways holds it in the palm of her hand.

The final aspect I’d like to discuss is her Venus at 00 Aries. This is a problematic placement simply by virtue of the newness of the energy in the sign; a ‘raw’ Venus in Aries is, for a woman, trying to find her stance as a female in a sign that is animus controlled and that emphasizes a ‘me first’ attitude, not a total contrast to Venusian vanity but with a solitary, rather than partner-linked, focus. Her Venus squares McCain’s Nodal axis, his Vesta, and opposes his Venus and Mercury. This mix sounds like a recipe for values that will be firmly at odds, some consolation to those of us who feared she was a radical reflection of his true intents.

Do we even need to mention the Moon to Moon conjunction, with its obvious emotional empathy, or Palin’s possible Midheaven conjunct McCain’s Jupiter, suggesting she may see him as a fame and career booster rocket? No, we probably don’t need to point this out; even without a chart, certain things are there for all to see. And the way that her Venus, ruled by Mars, is conjunct her Sun, and his Mars, ruler of his 7th of partners, is widely opposed her Sun, implying a sympathy that may confuse the values/ identity issue for McCain–he’ll be so sure she shares much of his Purpose and intent, right up to the moment he realizes how radically different they truly are at core.

And check out this view of Palin et al  http://www.uranias9thhouse.com/blog/ or this very intriguing prediction here http://astrologymundo.wordpress.com/  and see Palin’s past and destiny examined http://northnodeastrology.blogspot.com/2008/09/sarah-palins-astrology-chart-north-node.html

More on Mars/ Neptune: What Drives Creative Action?

03 Wednesday Sep 2008

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, Mars, Moon, Neptune, Vesta

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As promised, we’ll now look further into what makes Mars/ Neptune a driving force within the natal horoscope. One thing we must understand is that, as with any aspect, just having it in the chart doesn’t guarantee a particular outcome, event, or level of manifestation; and this prompts us to look for what factors may distinguish the chart where the creative impulse to action is extraordinary from the chart where it manifests in a more moderate way, likely overwhelmed by some other factor.

It’s easy to see Mars/ Neptune when it reaches a high level of manifestation in the life of an artist; a perfect case in point is artist, visionary, and writer William Blake (28 November 1757, 7:45 PM LMT, London England). A trained engraver, Blake left his native London only once in his entire life. One of eight siblings, Blake’s family was steeped in mysticism and to a lesser extent, politics, and this permeates his creations–and they must be called ‘creations,’ as his illustrations, engravings, poetry, and prose present an otherworldly perception that reflects his Mars/ Neptune conjunction in Leo, succinctly defined as acting for the glory of God and the Self as creative forces. A Placidus House chart puts Neptune in the 1st and Mars in the 2nd, and we see this as, after a seven year apprenticeship, Blake opened his own engraving and printing shop in the hope of generating income (2nd) to sustain the publications of his personal visions (1st), but he was never able to create a steady flow of income. Perhaps it was the darkness and chaos of his vision (Mars/ Neptune trine Pluto in Fire), or the way he would not compromise his vision or action (Mars/ Neptune opposed Vesta and Saturn), that lead to an inevitable suppression of popularity. The vision and the action to reveal the Cosmic vision (Neptune) were sacred to Blake, and choices based on this might have made Blake feel oppressed or otherwise disregarded (Vesta/ Saturn). He chose to communicate through words and images–Mercury in Water squares Vesta, perpetually stirring conflict between the need to communicate and commune and the need to respect and revere that which he saw as sacred. We have a clue in Mercury’s Water placement as to the driving force behind the impetus to communicate: emotion, and find a 29 degree Cancer Ascendant and a 12th House Cancer Moon sesquiquadrate Mercury as highly descriptive of the ’emotional engine’ behind Blake’s work.

It may be more interesting, though, to inspect the charts of those who were highly creative in fields other than the Arts, and it’s illuminating to note how this aspect manifests repeatedly through families; the state of the aspect picture is often directly indicative of the impact (or lack of it) of the individual along the outlines of accomplishments in the family vein. We see the Mars/ Neptune aspect in significant numbers of family members in the industrialist/ Fiat Agnellis and the shoe manufacturing Ferragamos, but I thought the Bonaparte family offered a good example of the way an aspect that can power greatness (of a kind) in one family member can be less than stellar (that’s an astrology joke!) in another.

Napoleon I (15 August 1769, 11:30 AM LMT, Ajaccio Corsica), who set out to conquer Europe and very nearly succeeded (and who believed himself to be the reincarnation of Alexander the Great), had Mars conjunct Neptune in Virgo in the 10th of public reputation and career (and we musn’t forget that the public nature of the 10th can translate career as ‘one’s impact on the world’). The conjunction shares the 10th with Pallas, the Sun, and Ceres, all in Leo. Our attention then jumps to the Moon at 29 degrees of Capricorn, with Saturn ruling the 3rd and the Moon ruling the 9th–this man had the emotional imperative to conquer something! Conjunction ruler Mercury in Leo and Moon ruler Saturn in Cancer (thus placing the Moon and Saturn in Mutual Reception) oppose the Moon, and here is the fuel for the creative engine, the accomplishments manifesting in the 10th arena. We should also note the exact conjunction of the South Node and Vesta–whether this stems from a former life as Alexander or not, this man felt his past was sacred, and perhaps felt a compulsive desire to duplicate it; clearly he identified with it, as SN/ Vesta sextiles the Sun/ Ceres exact conjunction exactly!

His son, Napoleon II (20 March 1811, 9:00 AM LMT, Paris France), known as the ‘KIng of Rome,’ also has a Mars/ Neptune conjunction, also conjunct Vesta, in the 6th of everyday duties–so he likely found the life of a ruler a sacred one, but was only moderately fired up about it (another astology joke!) with placement in the Mutable Fire of Sagittarius. Napoleon II’s Moon is also of note: at 00 Aquarius, widely sextile Nars/ Neptune, and involved in an out of sign Grand Trine with Jupiter and Earth. He clearly had the desire to affect the world, but his chart lacks the assertive outward impetus of his father’s.

The aspect skips a generation and surfaces once again in the chart of Napoleon IV (16 March 1856, 3:30 AM LMT, Paris France). He has a Libran Mars in the 8th of other people’s resources and interests quincunx Piscean Neptune in the 2nd, where it is also conjunct the Sun and Pisces’ ancient ruler, Jupiter. Here the Cancer Moon is exactly trine the Pisces Sun; this can make for a very emotionally satisfied individual–so we can surmise that emotional need was unlikely to be fuel for this Mars/ Neptune. Almost all the chart energies (exceptions: South Node/ Mars conjunction, Earth, and Moon) are below the horizon, making for a nature that processes experiences and the world largely internally; but, with Mars above the horizon, we may see someone who must show himself to be personally assertive, whether he truly has interest in this or not. This is exactly what we see in his demise: Napoleon IV literally acted out the Warrior, meeting his death fighting the Zulus at the Battle of Ulundi, and bringing to an end the hopes of those who still wished to restore a Bonaparte to rule in France.

What might we tentatively conclude from this brief study? We could guess that the state of the Moon, as well as the significant presence of Vesta, could be instrumental in utilizing a Mars/ Neptune contact to the fullest. It’s a starting point that may emphasize the necessity for emotional involvement and a sense of awe/ the sacred in successfully realizing life potentials.

Inspiration vs. Perspiration–Your Mars/ Neptune Balance

09 Saturday Aug 2008

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, Chiron, Mars, Neptune

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Though innumerable factors weigh into one’s success, it’s arguable that the ratio of effort to inspiration can make the difference between spinning one’s wheels, on the one hand, and ideas that never come to fruition, on the other. I see it all the time; there are people who work mightily who can’t seem to achieve, and those who believe it’s all in having the ‘right’ idea or attitude, who are puzzled as to why their plan for, say, potato chips on a stick hasn’t taken off. They’ll ask me why their great idea hasn’t caught fire; they’ve spread it around, and they don’t know why others haven’t done the development, publicity, and marketing work for them! Those at the other extreme barely look up from the grindstone long enough to notice whether all that work is producing sweat equity or just sweat. Astrologically, one of the best ways to gauge the way we naturally approach the effort/ inspiration balance is by inspection of the state of Mars and Neptune. These two bodies don’t have to be in aspect to deliver their power; but they do have to be used, preferably in a way that has them both working on a positive wavelength.

A good example of an effectively used Mars/ Neptune is found in the chart of Spanish architect and visionary artist Antoni Gaudi (25 June 1852, 9:30 AM LMT, Reus Spain). The man who was instrumental in fashioning Barcelona’s distinctive style of mosaic-laden construction of undulant, flowing lines devoted his energy almost exclusively to his work; he never married, and spent a notable period wandering the streets, begging alms for construction of his unfinished masterwork, the Familia Sagrada cathedral. Gaudi was known, as you may have guessed, for his eccentric personality, and for his outbursts–with a Virgo Ascendant and Mars rising, he was his temper! Mars opposes his 7th House Piscean Neptune, and here we can look at the ways this energy might have gone. With an opposition the two energies often start out at odds; many people bounce from one end of the opposition to the other, in this case possibly manifesting as action for action’s sake alternating with dreamy reveries, with the difficulty coming in marrying the imagination to implementation in the real world. Once these two began to find a way to work together, Mars could begin to shine in its command of detail (and what’s more detailed than a building covered in mosaic?) and Neptune could come to full creative bloom in its own sign.

Mars is part of an Earth Grand Trine involving Uranus in Taurus and the South Node in Capricorn; clearly, the impetus for action was focused on a material result. The GT reaches from the 1st to the 5th and the 9th, and connects personal endeavor with creativity and, in the 9th, both the exotic and religion, with Gaudi’s most famous creation being a church. Mars also trines Earth, Saturn, and Pluto, and sextiles the Sun, besides opposing Neptune. These contacts suggest that the ‘I will’ and action urge enjoyed excellent support; the material world, the propensity to build, the ability to destroy or dig deep in order to create, and the Soul intent all worked in concert with the ego and assertive urge.

Neptune, planet of creative imagination, communion with the Cosmos, and illusion/ delusion brings in some varied influences, notably a quincunx to the 2nd House Libra Moon, suggesting that the emotions needed to adjust to the creative urge, and vice versa, an opposition to Jupiter that perhaps shows some of the difficulty he had getting his creations accepted by the public as legitimate architecture, a sesquiquadrate  to Pallas that implies he probably did best when he accepted some modifications according to guidance received, and a quincunx to Ceres that require some adjustment to the wishes of authorities. Neptune also trines the Sun, making the Soul an excellent creative conduit, and trines the North Node–this latter is involved with Neptune in a Water Grand Trine with Jupiter, and could indicate what an enormous place creative expression held for Antoni; it was likely somewhere between an emotional imperative (Water) and a religious belief (Jupiter).

Lastly we might note in Gaudi’s chart Chiron in the House of deepest Self, the 4th, at 00 Capricorn, conjunct 5th House Earth and South Node, also in Cap. The 00 placement indicates a strong impetus to actualize the energy, to get to know it, and in Capricorn the wound may have involved structure, Self-discipline, or thwarted attempts to build, either literal or figurative, perhaps springing from the family of origin (4th) and incorporated into the psyche. Connection to Earth and the South Node say that both the wound, and the Cap-related gift, have been ‘earned’ in the past, and need to manifest in the material surroundings; that says that Gaudi’s fantastical creations were more to him than just decorated constructions–they may have been quite literal representations of the workings of his creative mind.

Eclipse Babies

31 Thursday Jul 2008

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, eclipse

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So we think we’re tense in the hours before an eclipse? What if you carried that energy for your entire life? That’s in essence what happens to those born on an eclipse; they come into their life on Earth charged with the intensity, and perhaps shadowed by, eclipse energy. My theory is that those born under a Solar Eclipse may be the source of tumultuous events in their own life scenario, while those who arrive under a Lunar Eclipse may experience the chaos as swirling around them, reflected (appropriate for the Moon) in surrounding events. I’ve only just begun to explore this idea, so stay tuned for further discussion.

Right now let’s look at a Lunar Eclipse baby around whom plenty of trauma and drama has swirled in her lifetime: Gloria Vanderbilt (Feb 20 1924, 9:55 AM, New York USA, Placidus). Known in 1930’s media as the ‘Poor Little Rich Girl,’ Gloria was the subject of a volatile, protracted, and very public custody battle for possession of herself and her millions upon the death of her father when she was an infant (possibly signified by Pluto, retrograde at birth, which continued backward progress for only about another month, then turned and passed back over the birth point). Ms. Vanderbilt was unusual for the time, early on attempting a career, first as a painter, then a textile designer, and finally as one of the original American designers who rose to fame in the 1970s as entrepreneurs who popularized the designer label on mass market goods. All Ms. Vanderbilt’s career choices are amazingly faithful to her Taurus Ascendant (and the Swan she chose as her symbol is also a good fit), ruler Venus in Aries (Self-assertion) in the unconscious/ Collective 12th, widely conjunct Chiron (working out wounds through beauty?) and to her Pisces Sun at 00 degrees, conjunct the South Node (the past influences the identity and Soul path), ruler Neptune in Leo in mutual reception, trine Venus ruler Mars which is conjunct Jupiter in 8th (receiving the support of others, expansive and active imagination that powers the Will), and suggesting she knew innately how to expand her audience, and to make her inheritance grow. The Sun is also semi-square Chiron, implying that the primal wound will be experienced to some extent through the discovery of the ‘I am.’

For the other side of the birth Lunar Eclipse we see the Moon at 00 Virgo, making this a very tight pattern, almost like you’d expect a little ‘ding, I’m here!’ on the child’s arrival! The Moon is conjunct Earth and the North Node (of course, contact to the Nodes is an eclipse!), hinting that both the destiny and the material experience will be inexorably entwined with the emotional Beingness; add to this a semi-square of the Moon/ Earth to Juno, and we see that this was, for her, the way to empowerment, and perhaps also instrumental in realizing, like the goddess Juno, that she could not personally control everything. This latter idea is tragically apparent with the suicide of one of her sons, who threw himself from the 14th floor family apartment right in front of his mother; she has three other sons, one of whom is reporter Anderson Cooper.

A varied marriage history does suggest recurring emotional changes, if not turmoil, and supports the Lunar Eclipse theory. She had a short, early marriage to a Hollywood agent; a second to conductor Leopold Stokowski, 40 years her senior, with whom she had two sons and from whom she parted amicably some years later; a third to producer/ director Sydney Lumet; and a fourth to Wyatt Cooper, with whom she had two more sons, and who died on the operating table, leaving Ms. Vanderbilt a widow.

Though we can’t know with any certainty that Ms. Vanderbilt sees her life as tempestuous, and herself subject to a high drama factor in events outside her direct control, we can guess that many of the events of her life at the very least required a strong character just to survive them, and her business success of course required another kind of energy and strength, equally vital for the secure development of the Self, especially important for someone with the Sun at 00 degrees.

The August Eclipses, 2008

28 Monday Jul 2008

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

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The August Eclipse set will fire us up (Leo) and present us with a distinct mental challenge (Aquarius): do we put ourselves first, or do we go with the group? For some, this will translate into an even more personal dynamic, with a twist: the dilemma will be between weighing the efficacy of what we must do to earn individual glory, versus the temptation to rebel against group demands, which offer an implied glory for the individual (likely of a reflective nature, where the individual basks in the glory of group achievement or ascendancy), just without the personal ‘spotlight’ effect. So, the essence of the eclipse influence will be a measuring of action (Fire) in terms of a kind of ‘attention payoff,’ with the main question involving whether the choices must be independent and Self-focused to attain Self-glory, or whether acts must comply with what the group thinks, wants, requires in order to earn its acclaim.

The total Solar eclipse of August 1st occurs at 3:12 AM PDT at 9 Leo 32, and is part of a single configuration; the Sun/Moon conjunction, opposed Earth, forms a T-square with Vesta in Taurus (see previous entry for other aspects active at this point). A fire lights us from within as the Moon and Sun meet; the aspect pattern says we will assess our material situation to see how this fits with the urge to act, and it also implies our conflicts in this regard will be presented by the home situation, the sex life, and/ or those subjects we hold sacred. That’s a formidable challenge, and one that is at the core of who we are; in order to successfully negotiate the eclipse energy, we must determine what our essential sacred values are, and then we must act accordingly. This is, however, only the initial phase of the set, and so we look to the Lunar eclipse that follows for clues as to how this scenario will play out.

The two weeks between the eclipse points will be fraught with tension, at least as regards our personal ambitions and our urge to forward our own cause. Though some may paint this as too much Self-focus, too vain, it is an absolutely appropriate response–no time should be wasted in judging ourselves for what occupies our attention. Instead we must make a concerted effort to understand our priorities, and what we need to fulfill the Leonine desire for acclaim. Focus on the Leo related elements of your natal chart will outline the methods, venues, and most effective approach(es) that you can take in dealing with the initial eclipse energy. During the two week interim both Mercury and Venus move from Leo to Virgo, and gently move our processing abilities from concentration on ego needs to the categorization and details that will help us implement the actions we’ve discovered we must take in order to thrive. When each of these energies meets Saturn (Mercury the 15th, Venus the 13th) be prepared to be presented with either an actual material manifestation of the action-need, or with an idea or concept that will point the way to fulfillment–either way, it will be solid; the only thing preventing successful use will be an unwillingness to recognize what’s come to us.

The partial Lunar eclipse (Full Moon) arrives at 2:15 PM PDT on August 16th at 24 Aquarius 21. Is a partial eclipse less powerful than a total one? I like to think so, simply because ‘total’ suggests an overwhelming influence we can’t avoid, while ‘partial’ gives us wiggle room, and possibly implies that some will remain largely unaffected by this contact unless it also aspects a personal natal placement or point.

This is a meshing of Moon and Earth, a blending of emotion/ intuition and the material; the Sun in opposition puts ego and Soul urges ‘out there,’ either in direct contrast to, or unavailable or unrelated to, the Moon/ Earth combo. The Soul/ ego/ identity becomes ‘the Other,’ and our focus becomes the emotional reaction to the material surroundings/ situation. We look to the feeling reality to guide us in material choices; the sensibilities respond to the unseen behind the physical world and the everyday object. We can make decisions about material matters with uncanny emotional accuracy at this point, if we can allow intuition to work ‘in the moment’–trying to get intuitive insight ahead of the game means we will be relying on every faculty except the intuitive–keep this in mind if you happen to be one who finds it difficult to walk into something without your mind already made up.

At Lunar Eclipse time we also see Mars exactly square Pluto and sextile Ceres, Chiron less than one degree from conjunction with the North Node, and Venus exact trine Vesta. Less precise in aspect, but still of note, are Ceres sesquiquadrate Juno and quincunx Pluto. These aspects suggest the atmosphere we’ll face as we are immersed in the emotional/ material meld. The ego Self will be bent on destruction or transformation, either in concert with or on its own authority; action feels both necessary and justified, but that authortiy on which we rely, whether personal or external, may need adjustment in order to truly be in our own best interests, the kind that keep us empowered, and again, the destruction/ transformation urge is linked with this. With Chiron/ NN and Venus trine Vesta we see elements of (misperceived) fatedness or woundedness, and a possibly too-adamant reverence for the sacred, enter the mix. These can make us intractable, unreasonable, and can give the ego too strong a foothold on the action, as it uses what we hold dear to justify nearly anything it wants. On the positive side, we may see Chirotic skills brought to the fore, and a true appreciation for relationships/ assets; we may even profit from events.

Though eclipse effects are strongest at the event itself, influences will play out through to the next eclipse set in January/ February 2009. Matters of Self, Self-promotion, and absorption/ resistance to the group will be recurring themes; look to the Houses of the natal chart where the eclipses occur for the areas of your life mostly likely to be affected.

Watch the eclipse here: http://oregonspacegrant.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/view-a-full-solar-eclipse-webcast-live-at-omsi-august-1-2008/

!

The Package We Expect: Knowing Our Venus

03 Thursday Jul 2008

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

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Most of us believe that inherent to our Beingness is an ability to discern a potential mate when we first see him or her. True, there is that thing we call chemistry, indicated astrologically by a variety of cross-chart contacts (usually those involving ‘heat’=Mars, Vesta, Eros; intensity and a pull to darkness=Pluto; desire=Venus, Vesta, Eros; and/ or the 5th or 8th Houses) and there is compatibility, the way two personalities complement each other, and of course there is love–but the odd part is how we think we will know the mate when we encounter him or her–and how that judgment springs forth in an instant, based not on what is presented to us, but on what form we believe our love will take, indicated generally by the state of Venus in the natal chart.

Venus describes the characteristics we think our love will have; we assess every person we encounter based on the picture Venus has given us. Her sign, aspects, and placement all tell us how she assesses desireability, and, there is no way around this: if our Venus cannot relate to someone, if they do not possess at least one or two of those things Venus designates as embodying our desire, then we will not be able to be interested in another, no matter how the individual, others, or society define him or her on the ‘desireability scale.’

Two brief examples may show something of how this works. First, Gwenyth Paltrow (27 Sept 1972, 5:25 PM, Los Angeles California USA) shows Venus in Leo–she wants a star! Her very public dating history corroborates this, from a long term, serious relationship with Brad Pitt to current hubby, Coldplay front man Chris Martin, all have been at the top of their respective fields. Her Venus sextiles Saturn=she likes them steady, dependable, mature; Venus quincunxes the North Node=successful attraction is based in part on the partner’s ability to cause adjustment to her life course, almost as if she doesn’t perceive a relationship as serious unless she quite literally must change her life for it! And her Venus semi-squares its own ruler, the Sun in Libra in the 7th=she really only feels she can ‘shine’ in partnership; someone who has the same outlook is required.

Venus represents desire in the chart of a man as well. Well-known serial dater Warren Beatty (30 March 1937, 5:30 PM, Richmond Virgina USA) spent most of his successful acting career characterized as a womanizer–and he capitalized on this persona, particularly in 1975’s ‘Shampoo,’ a witty and perceptive exploration of what it’s like to live so much in the moment that you let real happiness slip away. Beatty’s dating history is far too long to summarize; suffice it to say that his Venus in Taurus required real beauty, and loyalty and steadfastness from his partner, if not himself. He very much dated ‘beauty of the era,’ women who reflected the current fashion in looks. His Venus is conjunct Uranus=he likes something ‘new,’ in perpetuity! Venus quincunxes Mars in Sagittarius=he wants a woman who will adjust to his masculinity (and possibly to his roving ways, courtesy of Sag). His Venus is sextile Vesta, suggesting that his prolific love life might have very sincere roots; he may indeed be motivated by a sense that sex is sacred. And his Venus is semi-square his South Node, suggesting that at least in part, his desires and behaviors in love and mating are rooted in the past.

Next time you find yourself attracted to someone, check your Venus, and see if that person doesn’t in one way or another express something vital to your sense of desire. You might be surprised at how many forms Venus can take!

Pallas Into Taurus: the Wise Earth

19 Monday May 2008

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

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We’ve seen startling transformations to the solid structures of the Earth, whether man-made or natural, in the earthquakes in China, with the unseasonal tornadoes across the United States, with the massive cyclone in Myanmar, and I’m sure there have been many other instances of destruction of the current reality, figurative and literal, in many many places. Saturn and Pluto have been showing their willingess to embrace each other; destruction and the solid easily combine, and humankind loses what they count on in the process. With Pallas entering Taurus, we’ll witness a Grand Trine for approximately one week, from the 20th to the 27th. What can we expect when Pallas puts down her shield and spear, and looks to plowing the field? 

The spirit of Taurus is of the Earth itself; when the Warrior Queen enters the sign of the Bull, she puts aside her armor, leaves the battlefield, and returns to the source of sustenance and creation. This is represented by Taurus as the sign of the fields, of gardens and growth (though agriculture is Virgo–why?–because Taurus is the seed, the act of planting that is akin to faith, while Virgo is the gathering in on a large scale of the product); as well, Taurus is the actual soil things grow in, and as such she is the sign that represents those crafts and artisanal skills that are quite literally of the Earth and its products, such as sculpting, pottery, cooking, the fashioning of jewelry, and use of stone and wood to build.

Pallas steps onto the fertile Earth, and a set of talents entirely different than those we’ve seen during her time in Aries come forward. Pallas is an indicator of practical and artisanal abilities herself, and when in Taurus she becomes the pair of hands that deals skillfully with all that the Earth produces. She is also a businesswoman, and as such will deal in Taurus with the material, the tangible, with the real estate (in its most expansive sense) of each one of us. She will help us re-build, help us find a home, bring us to fertile ground, in one sense or another.

When she enters Taurus she creates a Grand Trine with Saturn and Pluto, and should aid in recovery from all the devastation that the Earth and her inhabitants have been experiencing. This aid will be practical and beautiful; Pallas is nothing if not wise in her choices. To respect Pallas is to honor our own wise inner voice, as well as our most useful skills and abilities. For this week long period, we’ll see some of the most meaningful steps being taken in building, planting, with energies rising Phoenix-like from Mother Earth. Check the House in the natal chart where this will occur for you to know where best to apply your Taurus and Pallas oriented efforts–you can make significant strides during the week long trine, and can exercise the wisdom of Pallas Athena in all Earth-related matters as she helps us move forward toward a productive and bountiful summer.

A Heat Wave, Ants Invade, Progress is Made

16 Friday May 2008

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It’s not supposed to be 93 in May in Oregon, but it is; why does reality constantly contradict what’s ‘supposed to be’? That’s so irritating. For once curious about the weather, I looked at the current aspects, just to see what I could see (or imagine, or make up). At first I had no idea what to look for; should I concentrate on elements, certain ‘weather-y’ planet characteristics, hard aspects? (And I’ll apologize right now to those who are more knowledgeable about mundane astrology than am I–I’m making this up as I go along!) Then it jumped out at me: Chiron/ Neptune/ the North Node conjunct in Aquarius, trine Mercury/ Ceres in Gemini, Mercury semi-square Mars in Leo. Debilitating (or perhaps wounding) weather, very humid (fog formed yesterday morning, with temps in the high 70s), a sign of climate change? (NN), contacting changeability and the seasons/ Mother Nature, all in Air, heated up by hard contact to Mars in Fire. Hot air. That describes so much!

Have you heard about the ants that crawled off a cargo ship in Houston two years ago and have now taken over five Texas counties? Dubbed ‘Raspberry Ants’ for the exterminator who first identified them, they are blanketing Pearland, and moving northwest. The good news: they eat Fire Ants, and their own bite is very mild; the bad news: they are unaffected by existing pesiticides. We see a possible indicator of their arrival two years ago with the Ceres/ Neptune conjunction–Mother Nature sneaks in under Neptunian obscuring cover. So why are we hearing about it now? I’m going back to that same well, with the Ceres/ Mercury conjunction in Gemini trine Neptune/ Chiron/ NN, communication, nature, the obscured facet revealed, the skills we need to develop (or is it Neptune, the poison we’ll create?) to deal with this; and today the Moon briefly creates a Grand Trine, perhaps making the importance of this obvious to all. The involvement of the North Node at this point suggests to me that we’re just recognizing that this may be ‘where we’re headed,’ and that it won’t just peter out, but needs to be addressed.

Two days ago my husband received an offer for a new job–it means a promotion, and also a move. The Universe truly does work in mysterious ways. The time when he was offered the job put transiting Sun conjunct exact N Jupiter, and the T Ascendant exact conjunct his MC. But what am I to make of the four horaries that all pointed toward this coming Tuesday, the 20th, as the day of resolution? I’m very curious to see what next week brings–he’s accepted the job, but no paperwork has been signed–in fact, it won’t be until June 16th. I do not like the looks of this day, and am going to ask him to change it to the 23rd (his other option to start). Among the problems: Mercury is retrograde, Pluto is back in Sag, Jupiter is quincunx the South Node, Chiron is conjunct the North Node, and the Sun is sextile Vesta (these latter three are exact). Some of this doesn’t change in just a week, but at least Merc would be direct, with paperwork on that date initiated before the Moon goes Void of Course. Though not an ideal situation (he’ll have to drive one and a half hours each way until we can move), we are grateful and in many ways, it’s a vast improvement over the current, soon-to-end situation. Many thanks to all who offered their kind words and support during yet another personal crisis! I hope that means I’m done with those for a while. UPDATE: The horaries were right! He received a second job offer, for even more money, in an even better situation. Now, I almost delight in bad news, for like Jung I immediately think, “What good will come of this?” I’ve got so much proof that that’s true!

The Devouring Mother: Happy Post (or Anti-) Mother’s Day!

12 Monday May 2008

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

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So we have this T-square formed right now with the axis of the Taurus Sun/ Scorpio Earth squaring Aquarian Chiron, and coming into orb as it did just in time for the pseudo-holiday celebrating guilt and obligation that we generally feel toward our mothers (and come on ladies, it’s up to us to break the cycle with the next generation–let’s free our children, so that when they come to us, they come to us out of love, simply and completely), and this touchy config may have led to some less-than-pretty scenes. Oh, things may have gone well on the surface, but how many of us cringed with carrying out the expected (no, required) obeisance? And how many of us saw dissatisfaction expressed, the kind that poked at the primal wound (Chiron) through a not-so-positive evaluation of our material choices (Earth) or our Soul’s necessary direction (Sun)?

Don’t get me wrong; I’m a mother myself, and know what an incredibly difficult, long term task it is to even try to guide and provide for another human being who comes to us helpless and, to some extent, unformed. It’s been said that mothering is the toughest job in the world; but I believe that mothering well is the toughest job in the world. We definitely need to make a distinction between those who approach the job with the best of intentions and a willingness to do their utmost to provide what their child truly needs, and those for whom motherhood has been a role Self-centeredly, if not unconsciously, played.

If you were lucky yesterday (or today, or tomorrow, or the next day, until the Sun/ Earth moves askew to Chiron) you were or will be reminded of one or more of your most personal, unique, and useful skills/ strengths. These are talents you are born with (and as such your association to Mom may be in some way a trigger, or interwoven emotionally, with this, possibly triggered particularly by the Nodal proximity, which as we know is natally mother-related), that you are probably the best person on the planet to deliver to the world, that you don’t need a license, degree, or permission to use (though you may need to take this attribute from a sensitive spot to a positive ability before you can employ it), and these few days are ones that may bring this to the surface.

Now all of this is just a pre-rumination on the real-life possibilities of a terribly unflattering maternal Archetype, the Devouring Mother (and don’t worry, fathers get equal time; for instance, in the form of child-devouring Chronos, so frightened of a prediction that he would be surpassed by one of his offspring that he ate every one of them he could find!) I’ll post a second part soon, with the chart of a real-life example of the Devouring Mother for us all to inspect.

My 12th Comes to Life

10 Saturday May 2008

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

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Though I’m loathe to talk about myself (1st House Pisces Moon–see my previous article on how we want to hide!) it almost seems a disservice to relate to my readers, and to astrology, as if it’s all an abstraction, ‘out there,’ and of course part of my job is to apply astrology to real life–so sometimes, as when I spoke of my own recent health crisis, it seems appropriate to share. Almost two weeks ago my husband was told his job would no longer exist as of July 1st. This was more than a shock (and Uranus is conjunct my natal Moon! I was warned of this by an alert reader months ago, but my response was, “Yes, but I think this has already come about with ‘x'” Boy was I off!)–the situation didn’t make sense–my husband’s the guy who actually supervises everyone else, does all the paperwork, keeps things in compliance and running–what were they thinking? That leaves the people who deal directly with the clients, and the big-wigs who do . . . I don’t know what. On top of this, we’ve always been the ones to do the leaving, to wave good-bye to one circumstance as it recedes in the rear view mirror and to head off toward another–no one’s ever said, “You can’t have this job anymore” to either of us. So setting aside the blow to the ego, we’ve both gone through the five stages (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance) in lightning-quick speed, largely because we’ve both got an extremely strong belief that the Universe is to be trusted, that this is happening not just with good reason, but with our consent. I look at the transits to my chart (and maybe this is a weakness for me, that I’m not constantly ruminating on my own chart) and of course see that one of my greatest fears (held for me in the subconscious 12th, which is Saturn-ruled), the fear of extreme impoverishment (and of course it’s extreme, my Libra Sun must swing to radical ends before it balances itself out) and destruction (my packed 8th House) has come to reality (T Saturn just 13 minutes from N Pluto in the 7th of spouse, the other, the audience, Art–Pluto rules the 9th, which contains Venus and the North Node–Saturn also squares the Midheaven, sextiles Neptune, semi-sextiles Mercury).

Or has it? The more time that passes, the more this seems like an obvious blessing. My husband’s workplace is not just dysfunctional, it seems to be imploding (and there’s some question as to whether his position received the ax because he pushed strongly for compliance with federal mandates, and the powers that be were highly resistant–likely because the obvious analysis would have displaced one or more of them). It has challenged us to move toward what we say we want–and though I love my life here, there are things I want to do that will not happen in this spot. It’s pushed us both to make choices, and I’m grateful for the wake-up call to move us forward in so many ways. Yes, we could still lose our house, could still find ourselves in tough straits–but as I work to live in the moment, what I find is that everything is really going very well–and I’m challenged to trust that whatever the future brings, even if it appears disastrous, is right for us.

Silly me, when I first contemplated the possibilities of the Saturn to Pluto transit, I skimmed over the idea of job loss for my husband (7th House location). Saturn and Pluto have always been my friends, and the idea of him losing his position didn’t make logical sense, so I actually looked forward to this. And now, almost two weeks after revelation, I finally am once again anticipating that this contact will, eventually, be a positive one. One last aside, as an astrologer I of course have done some horaries related to possibilities–and had to laugh, as in three separate charts asking three separate questions and cast at totally different times/ dates, the indication has consistently been that resolution (likely in the form of a new job) will manifest May 20th. I’ll keep you informed!