Category Archives: Asteroids

New Moon in Leo 24 July 2025 Truth Bomb

23 Wednesday Jul 2025

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

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Sign for “Truth” (bar), Broad up from Tulane Avenue, Mid-City New Orleans

Infrogmation of New Orleans Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

The Sun and Moon meet at 12:10 PM of the 24th at 2 Leo 08–which puts the New Moon in close opposition to Pluto in Aquarius, trine Saturn and Neptune in Aries, and sextile Uranus in Gemini. That sounds like the recipe for a bomb. The question becomes: is the bomb one of unanticipated revelation, one that removes restriction (especially around what we think) or acts as impetus for individual initiative, or does this destroy our understanding, our capacity for change and embrace of the new, instilling fear of authority as well as eliminating our own trust of ourselves? That may be an individual matter, depending on how the Lunar event contacts your natal chart, but in either case, the presence of Neptune in the equation suggests that the basis of any effects rests in whether we know ourselves, or find our own workings a mystery; whether we’re honest with ourselves, deceive others, or hold to our highest ideals. That’s the nub of it: our energy surges, born anew with the combining of Solar and Lunar power, and so will take a creative direction; it’s up to us whether that creativity is of the productive or the destructive kind.

A few things of note: Mercury is retrograde and will meet the Sun in Inferior Conjunction on 1 August–we know this meeting, much like a New Moon, as an inception point, a new start to something, and considering the players, we’ll either see the beginning of whatever is conceived at the NM, or we’ll see a ‘new’ idea emerge from the mix of events and influences occurring now; Saturn and Neptune both retrograded earlier in July; Uranus just entered Gemini for the first time since 1949–so will be ruled for some time by Mercury (and Uranian energies then may have more ‘swing’ when under the sway of the oft-retro Mercury–like they need more instability). All this suggests there is a newness, a rawness, to so many energies involved with the New Moon, both from their locations in early degrees of a sign, and because of the several recent turnarounds, symbolic of a pulling back, a hesitation, a need to reassess territory one has already traversed. The subtle involvement of Mercury through rulerships and its own retro cycle emphasizes the messages we send others, and what we tell ourselves, at the heart of all that happens, with this Lunar event setting off a kind of ‘Truth Bomb’, a situation, gift of information, or realization that we meet with our current level of ‘truthiness’, that allows us to discover something more about ourselves and where we stand, about who we are at core and where we can ‘shine’ (Leo).

Also sextile the New Moon and conjoined Uranus are asteroids Psyche and Sappho, and object Sedna*; these bring to mind passionate relationships (and these can be relationships to groups or to a vocation or life subject/ path) where some knowledge or denial/ lack of acknowledgment (for a variety of reasons) may be involved. Too, with Sedna there’s the potential for this attraction/ interaction to sit in one’s ‘blind spot’, suggesting we may feel strongly but not be completely aware of our feelings, which may read like instincts or suppressed knowledge (as in, Psyche sensed there was something different about her lover Eros, but wasn’t conscious of it until she finally made the decision to light a candle so she could observe him at last). This New Moon is ‘lighting the candle’, about something we might already be knowledgeable of to some degree, but not have in the forefront of awareness. Linked to Uranus, this may contain Higher Mind knowing, or may have the purpose of disruption to the current order; in any case, our relationship to it is unique to us, original in the way we see, approach, and interact with it.

Hekate in Scorpio is square the New Moon=the Lunar event is a ‘way shower’, but either the way is difficult or seeing the direction we must go causes conflict. Lilith in Pisces is quincunx the New Moon=are we seeking to wield our power simply to express ourselves, or are we seeking vengeance? An important issue to sort before proceeding. And finally Dionysus is conjoined the New Moon but out-of-sign, from 29 degrees of Cancer=the stress response to all this might be to go wild, party like it’s 1999, or try to escape in whatever way will let us hide from our feelings (Cancer placement)–and we all know that’s never a good move.

The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘A Middle-Aged Woman, Her Long Hair Flowing Over Her Shoulders And In A Braless Youthful Garment’. I firmly believe that everyone should dress the way they want; this description, however, hovers close to judgment, simply by the details it chooses to include, details that suggest, with use of the designation ‘youthful’, that how this woman has chosen to present herself is inappropriate, because the first thing mentioned is that she is not, in the estimation of the image assessor, youthful. Is she dressed inappropriately? No, she’s not, and make sure you hear that: just because someone else thinks they get to judge you, doesn’t mean they actually have any business doing so. That kind of thing is the opposite of the ‘Truth Bomb’ the New Moon will set off.

The Truth, rather than ‘out there’, is ‘in here’, in our own hearts and minds. This New Moon brings something that helps us discover it, and no matter how stunning, shattering, or powerful the event or idea (or how subtle–we can’t forget the porousness of the unconscious, or the influence we tacitly accept without realizing it)–we do best to welcome it. And if the ‘bang’ doesn’t come with the New Moon, keep an eye on the Inferior Conjunction on 1 August.

Have a wonderful New Moon, my friends!

*Sedna is an SDO (Scattered Disk Object). These are small bodies located beyond Neptune’s orbital path that have eccentric orbits themselves, which is what distinguishes them from Kuiper Belt Objects.

New Moon 27 February 2025 What To Believe?

21 Friday Feb 2025

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

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‘Cassandra’ By John Maler Collier Before 1934 {{PD}}

The New Moon perfects at 9 Pisces 40 at 4:44 PM PST and forms only a few aspects, but they paint a surprising picture. First, a New Moon is an inception point, a new beginning, and in Pisces this entails a fresh spark or the origins of a new venture around our ideals, our dreams, in humanitarian concerns, in Collective or spiritual experience, or in those matters where we are deluded, misled, or deceived (that is, where we believe we’re headed toward a dream that may in fact be a nightmare). That’s the thing with Piscean energies: it’s difficult for the individual to know if they are being inspired or fooled, are seeing a dream manifesting or being led toward a kind of disaster, one where the individual intent is subsumed to the Universal one, or even where the individual spark is absorbed into the dominant stream of events, leaving us feeling inconsequential and adrift.

There’s a square to Jupiter in Gemini–that’s a lot of talk/ thoughts/ ideas, exaggerated, overblown, where much more is promised (or threatened) than can be delivered–but also where the social order has a strong voice, sounding out on Collective beliefs or networking people through ‘the facts’ and what those imply. In hard aspect, the New Moon suggests that what’s born there is in sharp contrast to the current social mentality–to the point where there’s active conflict. Pisces wants to aim at the ideal, to include everyone–and Jupiter in Gemini, more than anything else, wants to be believed, and isn’t beyond using reasoning, connections, exaggeration, even gossip to persuade. That pits altruistic intentions against the stake society has in getting us to agree and conform, with the result that we’ll see a lot of selective perceptions and carefully curated (to the point of untruth) information that will meet resistance from those longing to see ideals implemented–or to escape from what those selective perceptions are creating in the dream’s stead.

There are a slight handful of other aspects made by the New Moon, including a novile to Chiron at 20 Aries=from taking a good look at what we’ve discovered from our own wounds or in use of our Chirotic talents we can source incredibly smart solutions in personal choices and actions; the NM makes a semi-sextile to Venus in Aries, which is still at this point direct=we can turn over a new leaf with relationships, or by using assets to support ideals, or in measuring choices against values–small steps that lead us closer to dreamed-of circumstances or goals; and the New Moon is conjoined the asteroid Kassandra=you know the story of the mortal Kassandra, yes? The Sun god Apollo fell in love with her, and gave her the gift of prophecy, but when she didn’t respond with affection, attention, and dedication in return, this incel immortal grew angry. What the gods bestow they can’t take away, but they can add conditions: Apollo decreed that, though Kassandra knew the future, she’d never be believed, and so it was: Kassandra wandered the rest of her life, experiencing the frustration that only those who see but aren’t able to convince can know. This suggests that what begins at the New Moon springs from clear and accurate perceptions, particularly of what may be coming, but that we ourselves may not believe it, or those it would be necessary to cooperate with might not. This disbelief may be emotional (we can’t accept the reality of things, as it contradicts something we hold dear), or resistance may be masquerading as an intuition, as more accurate than the vision or inspiration (Pisces) we received. Of note, and perhaps relevant to this last bit, Neptune is conjoined the North Node, making it difficult to see what’s around the corner, and/ or to inspire new directions that support ideals or dreams.

The New Moon Sabian symbol is, ‘An Aviator Pursues His Journey, Flying Through Ground-Obscuring Clouds’. That’s a bit hair-raising, considering the recent spate of aviation disasters, and may signal synchronicity, pointing out that we are right in ‘the groove’ of what we might term fated occurrences. Beyond that, there’s the idea that we may be insisting on ‘taking off’ no matter what, despite the fact that we can’t locate firm ground beneath us, can’t see where it’s safe to ‘put down’, or could, as sometimes happens to actual aviators, become disoriented, not knowing ‘which way is up’. All could bring about a ‘crash’ of one kind or another. That’s the nature of an event in Pisces, though: it makes us dream, it gives us hope–and we could really use that, right now–

Asteroid Basics: A Quick Guide to Reading Them in the Chart

19 Friday Jan 2024

Posted by in Asteroids, astrology, Ceres, Chiron, Juno, Pallas, Vesta

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‘Jupiter and Juno on Mount Ida (detail)’ By James Barry 1790 {{PD}}

This article first appeared in a 2015 edition of Eclipse; the current version has been added to and modified.

Juno: the Consort, the Mate, the Woman in Charge by virtue of her position and status, a figure who should be listened to and respected, but who is repeatedly disrespected by her philandering spouse and ignored by others–hence her reputation for anger and vindictive displays. Who can blame her? No one likes being frustrated, which is why Juno’s magic comes from learning Self-empowerment, a condition where one doesn’t rely on others to feel effective in the world. Juno for a woman shows where and how she gains empowerment (through sign and aspects), with the sign opposite the one in which Juno sits giving hints about the kind of person with whom she’d like to mate (combine this with 7th House indicators for a more complete picture on the potential acceptable spouse–the 5th is for purely romantic considerations, and may not figure into mate selection at all). For women Juno’s front and center in terms of feeling one has an impact on one’s world and in how thoroughly one is in charge of one’s own Fate, and until she is determining her own Path, Juno may also show where a woman is being held back from that kind of Self-determination. For men it’s much more subtle, riding just below consciousness, and awareness of empowerment potentials. For both men and women Juno shows empowerment gained by personal effort and by status through association with other powerful entities; for men it further describes the kind of person seen as appropriate ‘mate’ material, especially in terms of the behaviors characteristic of the sign in which Juno sits. Typically men notice Juno most when they are seeking a spouse (and this is so no matter the sexual preference). Someone is assessed by the Juno standards, usually without too much conscious thought—they either strike him as appropriate to partner with or not. The keyword for reading Juno in the chart is ‘empowerment’, keeping in mind that this designates by aspect and transit where that struggle is occurring, or where we are trying to implement it, rather than guaranteeing the empowerment needs will be fulfilled there.

‘Ceres’ By Osmar Schindler c1902 {{PD}}

Ceres: she’s Mother Nature, but also every maternal figure (like the Moon), especially the ones who think they know best (not like the Moon), and she represents all growing things (though agriculture technically falls under Pallas–Ceres is instead Nature, with a capital ‘N’). Ceres is also all manner of negotiations, and generally every authority you’ve ever known who came by that authority as a given, a natural authority. Ceres has the life force itself behind her, giving her a source of power that drives all life on Earth–but such extreme power can also mean she fails to recognize the autonomy of others or their boundaries, overestimating both the reach of her authority and her rightful territory. The keywords for reading Ceres in the chart are ‘personal authority/ power’, though keeping in mind that the entity represented feels they have authority no matter what their actual position; also remember the potentials for the maternal influence (though it may only be a feeling or a ‘superior/ inferior’ relationship attitude), negotiation, and the over-stepping of boundaries, as well as health concerns centered on the body’s interaction with Nature (for instance, allergies).

‘Pallas Athene Visits Invidia’ By Karel Dujardin 1652 {{PD}}

Pallas: the child of Metis and Zeus, Metis being a Titan and representing ‘magical cunning’ (the original connotation of her name) and wisdom. She’s equal parts shrewdness and smarts, with a little dazzle thrown in (via the ‘Trickster’ label). It was foretold that Metis would have extremely powerful children, so as soon as Zeus and Metis got together, he began to worry. Zeus’ answer to all this was to trick Metis into turning into a fly, then swallowing her—what a guy! She was already pregnant with Pallas Athena, and began to create her child’s armor while still imprisoned inside Zeus. This gave him a massive headache—which he hoped to alleviate by having Hephaestus (Vulcan) open his forehead (great idea!) with an axe or a hammer (this sounds far too much like the description for an episode of ‘Jackass’). Of course, we know what popped out of Zeus’ skull with that rupture: a fully grown, fully armored, Warrior goddess, Pallas Athena. In terms of the asteroid, we need to be aware that Pallas’ history caused her to be created knowing a great deal already, and to be strong enough and smart enough to implement it.  Though her keywords are ‘wisdom and practicality’, she also signifies the productive and lucrative outcome of organized labor (such as agriculture) and represents skills of all kinds, but especially those of a practical nature (like weaving), and she can do the Warrior thing in a controlled and intelligent way that is often more effective than the full-tilt of Mars/ Ares. Pallas shows us where we may carry natural, internal wisdom–if only we’ll access it.  

‘In the Temple of Vesta’ By Constantin Hölscher 1902 {{PD}}

Vesta: is what we care about to the point of reverence. She represents those core things in life we find sacred, that we feel compelled to honor with our life energy. Though for each individual that involves a different set of concepts and material matters, they all hold in common the reverential attitude that means we will organize our lives around paying homage to these subjects and life areas—so, we will defend, put our energy into, even worship, Vestal things. She also describes (along with the Moon) the character of our need for emotional fulfillment and nurture according to the sign in which Vesta sits, and describes what feels like ‘home’ to us, the conditions we need, whether they are internal or external, in order to rest, relax, and thrive. Vesta can apply to the mate relationship within the ideal of dedication to the partner (and so apply as well to the sex life, which can carry the aura of a spiritual ritual), and of course to any matter, idea, or physical effort we see as appropriate to dedicate our life energy to. Keywords are ‘sacred’ and ‘commitment’, but keep in mind that aspects will elaborate on all potentials, including defending what shouldn’t be defended because of misplaced reverence, and an inability to respect (at least initially) some contacted energies (in hard aspect).

‘The Education of Achilles’ By Auguste-Clément Chrétien 1861 {{PD}}

Chiron: is the primal wound, one gained pre-verbally and so often not consciously recognized. Theoretically, within that wound lies a unique gift that with personal evolution is offered to others, then may move on to expression at a transpersonal level. You have a unique experience of your Chirotic injury, and that makes you specifically qualified to offer that particular kind of healing to others, once you’ve dealt with it yourself. My contention is that the big blow-out of 2012 that some assumed would be the end of the world was in fact a situation of shifts in many extant energies—Chiron being one. I think that Chiron’s gift, which previously could only be used to aid others, not oneself, became available to the individual for the first time at this point. We are now able to use our own Chirotic strength to heal ourselves, since the wound is always directly related to the gift; that means we hold the answer to our own healing. Keywords for Chiron are ‘wound’, ‘gift’, and ‘healing’; you’ve got to hold all three in your mind at once.

Dear Readers, Have a wonderful weekend!

Appetite for Life: Zeus in Aspect

03 Friday Aug 2018

Posted by in Aspect Delineation, aspects and placements, Asteroids, astrology, Zeus

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God, by Vasnetsov c1890 {{PD-Art}}

In thinking about our unicorns, I also started to think about where in the chart we might look for a truly direct line to our most characteristic desires, because it’s in recognizing and acknowledging our real wants that we begin to align our life so that dream becomes reality–and Zeus seemed the obvious choice. As the god who reigned over all the other gods on Olympus, Zeus is a mythic embodiment of male privilege and authority who clearly placed himself above considerations of the wants, needs, and even rights of others. He took what he wanted, made no apologies (not even to his long-suffering goddess sister/ wife, Hera/ Juno), and answered to no one–which strikes me as the ‘rugged individualism’ Western society has granted as a right to males (especially white males)–to everyone’s detriment. I think we’d all agree that the unfettered appetites of Zeus, his crass and uncaring behavior, and his obliviousness to the hurt and suffering he caused are undesirable–but the way in which he was able to not just pinpoint his appetites, but to act on them, is very desirable, with the proviso that we are able to identify ways in which these can be fulfilled that do not violate our highest values (Vesta), our relationships (Venus), or our Soul’s intents (the Sun), and certainly, that do not violate the rights of others. Easy natal aspects of Zeus to other bodies or points (some conjunctions, sextiles, trines) may show us the way toward our desires (or, point to what impulses we can trust in discovering and fulfilling these desires):

·         Zeus to the Sun: ambitions and desires serve the Soul’s intents and so the Life Purpose. This is no doubt a sweet aspect to have, as it makes for smooth alignment among impulses, desires, and goals; they all mesh successfully with identity and expression. In hard aspect can indicate conflicts between the appetites and the goals.

·         Zeus to the Moon: here the intuition and emotional perceptions aid (or hinder) fulfillment of the desires. The sign in which the Moon sits will profoundly affect the meaning of this Zeus–and may dictate the forms and/ or style used to express ambitions and desires. Nurture and/ or pronounced sensitivity will definitely be involved, and ‘receptivity’ may be a keyword in ambition manifestation; it may be a matter of attraction, as much as anything else.

·         Zeus to Mercury: communication is vital to ambition attainment, so much so that some form of communication may actually be the ambition itself. No matter what the desire, this individual will be saying something with every choice–it’s just in the nature.

·          Zeus to Venus: this brings relationships front and center with the desire nature, and with worldly and material ambition. This is not necessarily as $$ or thing-oriented as it sounds; this can apply Love (with a big ‘L’) to ambitions and desire expression, making for goals that are beauty or caring-infused. Again, a very attractive quality to the ambitions, so that fulfillment seems to come to the individual with little effort (or is denied inexplicably, with hard aspects), often through relationships.

·         Zeus to Mars: contact between these two can set up a scenario where the individual only discovers (or achieves) her or his ambitions because she or he must fight for them (or in struggling for autonomy of expression they find their desire/ ambition), or where they find desires stimulated by the need to best rivals, or to state the ‘I am’ loud and clear. Choice and action are extra important with this contact, having an impact on reaching goals even when one would think the choice or action is irrelevant to achievement.

·         Zeus to Jupiter: the individual may find opportunity in or through the social sphere, or must bow to educational needs or a religious hierarchy in order to meet ambitions. Or, the whole world is their oyster, and the life an oyster banquet! This person’s desires seem to get broadcast whether she or he wants it or not, and others may see them as excessively ambitious, competitive, worldly, or grasping, even when they are not.

·         Zeus to Saturn: opportunities are met through established structures and organizations; mentors and authorities may need to ‘grant’ one’s desires or goals. May have achievement delayed until he or she thoroughly embraces Self-discipline. Can get stuck in a loop of ‘poor me’ and lack of achievement until he or she completely accepts responsibility for the life; then others come out of the woodwork to offer support.

·         Zeus to Uranus: again, opportunities through the group–or one must be highly original in order to fulfill goals. Erratic behavior or ever-changing desires could de-rail achievement. Spontaneity must either be central to or completely eschewed in the life, dependent on which is missing from behavior, in order to meet and fulfill ambitions and goals. Uniqueness may make one a standout–though that’s not always good.

·         Zeus to Neptune: staying on track can be a problem, as this contact can indicate shifting ambition targets and a propensity to follow delusion and accept unreality as legitimate. Imagination and creativity can take one straight to the top, as long as one is careful not to be solely Self-focused along the way.

·         Zeus to Pluto: Opportunity may consistently come into the life via endings or the destruction of systems  or entities–which the individual then resurrects in a new, improved form. Must watch the Self in interaction–showing one’s power may come too easily, and can come across as overbearing.

Interestingly, contact of Zeus to other asteroids seems to emphasize pitfalls found within the ambitions. For instance, with Vesta one may see oneself as having an aggressive prerogative to force others to do what one wants (the Will as sacred), while to Juno and Ceres we see power struggles featured, to Chiron says we may use wounds as an excuse not to achieve (or as fuel to achieve, making the most of the Chirotic wound or skills) & with Pallas a need to learn to follow the inner wisdom or wise counsel, and avoid the impractical, tempting as it may be.

This article previously appeared in ECLIPSE Astrological Journal.

Orpheus, Or A Voyage to the Underworld

06 Friday Apr 2018

Posted by in Asteroids, astrology, Dreams, Spiritual Considerations

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Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot – ‘Orpheus Leading Eurydice from the Underworld’ 1860 {{PD}}

Like everyone else, it seems, I’ve been having some highly unusual dreams of late, so I decided to run down some of the associated asteroids and other bodies, just to see what this might spell out by contacts to my own natal chart. I’ll offer my interpretations, and invite you to see where these might fit in your own chart–I’ll keep details of my nighttime adventures to a minimum; as author John Green (and a lot of other people) have said, “Nothing is as boring as other people’s dreams.”

First we look at asteroid Orpheus, named for the poet, musician, and prophet (that last not until after death, when his still-singing head was thrown into the sea, landing at Lesbos where an Orphic oracle was established). He was known to enthrall and charm (in an almost magical sense) others with his creations and performances; even the animals, trees, and rocks were said to have moved when Orpheus played. He learned his Arts from Calliope, the patron of epic poetry and likely his mother, while his father is said to have been either the King of Thrace or the god Apollo.

Orpheus voyaged with the Argonauts and saved them by blasting his boom box (or however they did it in those days!), drowning out the Sirens’ seductive call. Upon their return, Orpheus married Eurydice; the honeymoon had scarcely begun when she was bitten by a snake and died. Naturally, her husband mourned her with song. He charmed all who heard him, including Charon, the boatman who transports Souls across the river Styx, as well as Hell’s guard dog, Cerberus. His grief was so affecting that Hades chose to grant the disconsolate musician an exception: you can lead your bride out of the Underworld, Orpheus, on one condition, that you will not look back at her until you’re both completely above ground–and Orpheus readily agreed.

We all know what happened: Orpheus had almost reached the surface, and had managed not to look behind him, when he suddenly turned; some versions claim he heard a noise, some that he saw the Sun and wanted to share the moment with his wife, but in any case, she vanished, his mission ending in failure. So what does this have to do with a dream of mine? I was told that I was an Orpheus-like individual in a dream world that was supposed to be the 1920s. There were a number of people in a large, gold-walled room, and I was to round them up and lead them out–and that’s all I remember.

On the day of the dream, the asteroid Orpheus (3361) was at 19 Capricorn 53–within orb to both Pluto 21 Capricorn 11 (another version of Hades, which asteroid was at 5 Cancer 53) and Charon, the boatman, which is a moon of Pluto and travels with it, and asteroid Cerberus at 27 Aquarius 9, with Eurydice (also spelled Eurydike) at 9 Libra 28. The agent of dreams, Neptune, was at 15 Pisces 01.

Orpheus, Pluto, and Charon are all passing through my 12th, sextile my Moon and opposed my Ceres=this suggests an Underworld journey, in the spiritual or emotional sense, one that is meant to re-make the individual, or to be seen as part of a larger, life-death-life cycle–a winter experience, one of loss as part of a larger pattern, or of death or what’s beyond this life, perhaps? Hades is square my Mars=again, the trip to the Underworld, the result of my actions, or because of them?! Hades is the one who offered Orpheus the deal, that O couldn’t see through out of impatience, folly, impulsivity? The dog that guards the Underworld, Cerberus, is square my Venus and sextile my Sedna–maybe being ‘guarded’ keeps out love, or money, but allows the instincts and deep knowing to function without distraction–necessary for such a journey. Eurydice, a stand-in for what’s rescued from the darkness, sits conjoined my Mars=is passage through the Underworld a kind of retreat, necessary to save the Self, or perhaps to save the ability to act autonomously? Maybe. And finally there’s Neptune, in wide quincunx to my Sun=dreams that may disturb, just a bit, in order to reveal something of the Soul. And I’ll throw in one more, Hekate, the way-shower, which is at 23 Cancer, conjoined my Ceres=Mother Nature as guide–I hope she’ll show me more.

And a Little More on Ceres

06 Tuesday Mar 2018

Posted by in Asteroids, astrology, Ceres, current events in the sky, Finger of God, Gemini

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Also known as Ceres: ‘Demeter Mourning for Persephone’ 1906 By Evelyn de Morgan {{PD}}

I was wondering if the spate of attention I’m giving Ceres (or Ceres is drawing me toward!) warranted a little investigation. The current picture is this: Ceres is in apparent retro motion in Leo, in close quincunx to Juno in Pisces–and Juno is sextile Saturn in Capricorn, within range of a quincunx to Ceres, so making Ceres apex to a Finger of God. Why does it seem Ceres is so often involved in a Finger? Maybe that’s about Ceres as a natural expression of the flow of energy, with the influences exerted by Nature and our own expressions of Ceres (Nature, agriculture, the power of authority, negotiation, food sensitivities and allergic reaction, to name just a few) ways of dealing with and responding to the extant energy stream (and so to power, and to its consequences) in the world.

This particular Finger implies that empowerment through dreams, visions, creativity, or the loss of this through deception or misunderstanding couples with the reality picture to result in a personal (Leo) experience of the extents of our authority, our body’s ability to process food and/ or the environment, of our role in nurturing or guiding another (a maternal role), and/ or in a need to negotiate in order to see our dream or project realized, or our authority (perhaps even our autonomy) returned. Ceres is also widely sesquiquadrate Vesta, pinpointing the home environment and something to be learned there (Sagittarius placement) that can help further or restore our empowerment options.

And here’s a re-post from the blog: What You’re Asking: Ceres and the Death of Shelley, Synchronicities, and Rejecting a Gemini Man

What does Ceres have to do with health?

In mythology Ceres’ Greek predecessor, Demeter, was goddess of Nature, abundance, and the fruits of the Earth, but by the time she reached Rome and her current name and form, she was decidedly more tame: a goddess of agriculture, of Nature that’s been shaped and subjugated to man. That suggests that in modern conception she may deal with the balance of the body and its vulnerabilities to natural elements, of being overwhelmed from without (drowning, buried in a landslide, struck by lightning, for instance, or from things like allergens and starvation) and from within by invasion (of germs, viruses, bacteria, fungi). She doesn’t offer a total picture of health in the natal scenario or by transit, but does speak of certain conditions one may be prone to, or illnesses susceptible to, aside from her other meanings: a sense of personal power and authority, a maternal interest in others (which can easily tip into a controlling one), territoriality, and negotiation.

Romantic poet Percy Shelley (4 August 1792 10 PM Horsham England) was just coming up on a Lunar Return in Pisces the day he drowned in a boating accident (8 July 1822 Lerici Italy). He has Ceres natally conjoined the Sun, Venus, Pallas, and Uranus in Leo in the Whole Sign 4th (and though Juno’s close enough to the Sun, it’s too wide for Ceres, in my opinion); Ceres is also opposed Pluto and quincunx the natal Moon and Sedna in Pisces. Already we can see that Ceres was a vital part of the life, and so of the death as well. In the context of the drowning event, the natal scenario suggests sudden accidents (Uranus) based on unwise decisions (Pallas–staying on the water despite the storm) activated the Self-destruction he had always been conscious of, and perhaps at times had to fight (Sun opp Pluto), with Ceres’ involvement implicating the elements, the weather, even potentially activating an emotional attachment to the water, and a need to adjust (the quincunx) to prevent getting lost in it! (the Pisces Moon)

The Cremation of Percy Bysshe Shelley, by Louis Édouard Fournier

The Cremation of Percy Bysshe Shelley, by Louis Édouard Fournier

On the day he died, Shelley’s Ceres was contacted exact by degree by the transiting South Node, suggesting a ‘pull back’ to a previous (pre-birth?) state; t Ceres was opposed natal Mercury in the 5th=the elements literally in opposition to the lung function; t Merc was conjoined n Chiron in Cancer in the 3rd of lungs, breathe=water water everywhere, water that injures; t Mars was conjoined the n NN, spurring actions and choices that take one into the future; and t Earth sextiled the n Moon-Sedna, forming the base of a Finger of God with apex n Ceres-Pallas=here’s a recipe for the environment ganging up with instincts and emotions to prompt that natal judgment of Nature. Shelley may have believed he was very practical (Pallas) in his relationship to the elements and the natural world (Ceres), feeling that instinct (Sedna) and emotion (the Moon) would inform his choices. There’s a sense that he didn’t fear them, that instead the Pisces Sedna-Moon may have seen the obliteration threat of the natal Pluto opposition as a kind of Oneness with Nature–absorption rather than obliteration. Too, the transiting Sun had just run over his natal Black Moon Lilith=he may have been more than a little in the mood to explore the darkness.

To A Star

Sweet star, which gleaming o’er the darksome scene
Through fleecy clouds of silvery radiance fliest,
Spanglet of light on evening’s shadowy veil,
Which shrouds the day-beam from the waveless lake,
Lighting the hour of sacred love; more sweet
Than the expiring morn-star’s paly fires:–
Sweet star! When wearied Nature sinks to sleep,
And all is hushed,–all, save the voice of Love,
Whose broken murmurings swell the balmy blast
Of soft Favonius, which at intervals
Sighs in the ear of stillness, art thou aught but
Lulling the slaves of interest to repose
With that mild, pitying gaze? Oh, I would look
In thy dear beam till every bond of sense
Became enamoured–  

That was definitely written by a guy with Sun-Venus-Ceres-Pallas-Uranus conjoined, all opposed by Pluto!

Synchronicities

Synchronicities have been everywhere lately–have you noticed that for you, too? Those little mentions or phrases or events or people that grab your attention simply by the unlikely way they’re brought into one’s compass repeatedly within a short period. To my mind that signals we’re in a kind of flow, that attunement to the optimum vibrational level for you is very close to perfect–and that implies intuition is sharp and accessible, that information is yours to pluck right out of the air, that you can ‘know’ without anyone telling you. Though our tendency is to breeze through these interludes, to remark ‘Isn’t that strange?’ when we hear the same song or its lyrics or mention of the singer in every store and elevator and TV show and conversation we’re exposed to the entire weekend, and at the same time to be very focused consciously on the here-and-now, what we really need to do is pause; this is a point when we are cruising along with a lot of our perceptual abilities working below the surface, and we can see the world very clearly, if we are willing to. We can get our questions answered, if we’ll only stop looking out, and take a moment to look within.

Carl Schweninger the Younger 'Not Willing' 19th century {{PD}}

Carl Schweninger the Younger ‘Not Willing’ 19th century {{PD}}

rejecting a Gemini man

Are you thinking there’s some magic word (he’s a Gemini, after all) that will make him take it well, not make a fuss, even see it as a gift? There’s not, and it’s likely that if he senses you are trying to out think him (by manipulating or being one step ahead, the latter of which you automatically are if you know something–that you intend to reject him–that he doesn’t) he’ll be very resentful, indeed. Geminis are highly focused on thinking, processing info, communicating, networking–so he may already be aware, whether it’s through the grapevine or through reading your body language and tone in previous encounters, that you aren’t interested. That puts you in a precarious position: if he does know and he’s still coming at you, he’s forcing you to say it outright, and if he doesn’t know, he’s going to feel especially upset that he didn’t parse it out ahead of time (it’s a Gemini thing–they always think they should’ve known!) All you can do, really, is send a clear, consistent, and polite message through every pore of your Being and, obviously, word spoken: no thank you. Problems will only arise if you’ve been ambivalent in your feelings or in your behavior, wrongly believing that will ‘let him down easy’ (and if so I bet you’re horoscope is chock full o’ Water signs). Come clean without engaging in any way that sends the wrong (that is, an enmeshed behavioral or contradictory) message, and it should go fine–the last thing you want to do, and he wants to feel you’ve done, is mislead him.

I hope you’re having a great week!

Your Weekend 7 January 2018 Echoes

06 Saturday Jan 2018

Posted by in Asteroids, astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Horoscope, The Daily Word Image

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Talbot Hughes ‘Echo’ 1900 {{PD}}

Influences today are oblique, coming at us sideways, so to speak, and echoing instinctive knowledge, what we know but haven’t recognized (info carried in the ‘blind spot’), or the past and what it has taught us (Neptune semi-sq Pallas, Mercury qnx Sedna and paralled by the Sun). How successfully do we handle this? It may all depend on our relationship to various women in our lives, or to the anima spirit within or without, or to the financial reality and arrangements, as these challenge our personal autonomy and right to choose for ourselves (Venus qnx Ceres). The information we need is evident, right in front of us, and it’s up to us to ‘read reality’, and combine it with highest values as applied to matters we’ve ignored or that have enraged us (Vesta nov Black Moon Lilith). A successful reading of What Is, plus a vetting against values and what we’d rather ignore, promises we’ll find our answers, or at least what we’re looking for in the moment as it applies to our priorities and commitments, and that what comes forward as needing to be acted upon has a touch of genius, giving the whole thing a satisfying and inspired feeling.

By the way, the asteroid Echo is at approximately 15 Scorpio 56 today, making it still conjoined Mars and Jupiter, square Ceres and the Nodal axis, and sextile Sun and Venus, and tying it firmly into today’s picture–but was it necessary to look up this object, to get the ‘message’ or sense of ‘Echo’? No–I only looked after having written this post. This is a great example of how we don’t need more minor bodies in order to see what’s happening, we just need to be well acquainted with potentials for what we do examine daily. The essence will come through, with minor bodies acting to reinforce one’s perceptions, or sometimes to pinpoint something the meaning of which would otherwise remain diffuse.

Special notes: if you have a natal placement at 15-18 Gemini, you’re on the receiving end of a Finger of God, the apex of which is the natal placement. This promises action characteristic of your Soul and purpose, performed in Love, that broadens outlook or potentials, via the natal energy or the House matters it rules. If you have something at 14-17 Taurus then you’re looking at a Grand Cross with the natal energy as one arm; expect reflections of the past to echo through decisions about life direction and power expression, involving the natal placement or the House it rules, if any.

Today’s word image is a man in a ladies pant suit. What’s wrong with that? Nothing, really, though the issue may be one of fit; the proportions will be off, as will the tailoring to curves that don’t exist in the wearer. What in your life is ill-fitting, not from being the wrong thing, but from the attempt to apply a set of suppositions that are not cut for the situation?

Get my books here, and have a great day!

Goddesses In Sync: Vesta Parallel Juno 12 December 2015

11 Friday Dec 2015

Posted by in Asteroids, astrology, current events in the sky

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'At home or Intimacy' Louise Catherine Breslau 1884 {{PD}}

‘At home, or Intimacy’
Louise Catherine Breslau 1884 {{PD}}

Perfecting today is a parallel between Juno and Vesta; this translates as the two bodies being on the same side of, and at the same distance from, the celestial equator (which is itself an imagined projection of the Earth’s equator out into space). We might consider them loosely quincunx, otherwise, with Juno late in the 0 degree of Scorpio and Vesta heading toward 2 degrees Aries, but the parallel adds to the story: where we might’ve seen these two as requiring adjustment to each other, now we see that, despite surface tension, they are really working in harmony, not like two sides of a balance, weighing out their differences–more like parents who disagree fundamentally but manage to align their goals completely when it comes to common interests like the family’s economic welfare or their children.

Each goddess retains her priorities, in this case probably getting to the Truth (Juno in Scorpio) and honoring the needs of the ‘I Am’ (Vesta in Aries). On the face of it this can look like one party concentrating completely outward, focused on others, following a passion, getting down and dirty in the search for ‘What Is’ (Scorpio), while the other seems to be Self-absorbed, concerned with reaching goals (which are treated as sacred) and expressing the personal Will (which is treated the same way); but the reality may be found where the truth of the interaction is found.

Where an investigation into the reality picture meets the needs and expression of the individual, that’s where you’ll find the meaning of this pairing. It will definitely look as if the world is divided into truth-searchers and Self-interested seekers, but the actual actions will be interlocking and so, once each adjusts for the other, complementary. Look for those who are ‘Queen’ of something, those who shoulder responsibility, who exercise and are concerned with their status and reach, and who are concerned with the conduct or fidelity of all kinds of partners or co-‘rulers’, and those who seem to be operating to further the individual agenda but who are proceeding according to their highest standards and values, and so therefore are looking to create ideal circumstances on a scale wider than first glance reveals–each will have her function, each her use, with the result that unlike entities may find themselves coming to a cooperative understanding or an agreement to go forward in concert, where a short while ago such teamwork would’ve seemed untenable.

Have a lovely Saturday. Try out my books here, and if you come to the blog often, please consider offering support through a purchase or small donation (button at right). Thank You!

Focus on: Vesta Square Pallas

28 Wednesday Oct 2015

Posted by in Asteroids, astrology, current events in the sky

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'The View at Lacroma' Emilie Mediz-Pelikan 1901 {{PD}}

‘The View at Lacroma’ Emilie Mediz-Pelikan 1901 {{PD}}

Today’s perfection of the Vesta-Pallas square, though ostensibly of minor significance, actually clues us in to something important: a current, standing conflict between our highest values and what we know to be wise. That puts us in a terrible spot: do we choose to honor what we find sacred, what we dedicate our life energy to, what we care for most, including home and mate, or do we do the smart and practical thing, the thing we know will be the wise choice? Both asteroids are at 29 degrees of their respective signs, and that means stress; we also know that Pallas in Sag will be oriented toward facts and knowledge, and will have a far-sighted outlook, while Vesta in Pisces will, if we honor our highest values, also honor our dreams, our creative nature, and our ideals.

Maybe we should go at this another way; we can consider each side by what it might cost not to get it. The wise choice is likely also the safe choice, but may be stodgy or fail to honor our standards. If we embrace what’s wise, we may lose the dream, but if we grab for our ideals we may end up with an impractical or foolish alternative. Serving the wise and practical Pallas choice will make sense, but serving the Vestal ideals will open creative options, though these options could prove untenable or illusory, and so leave us in a very impractical position. Of course, for each person the issue will present differently, and there is no right answer–but we might ask why this is even an issue in the first place.

This may be a signal that what is smart under present conditions and circumstances is in conflict with our deepest  convictions and values because these  matters have somehow drifted an unreasonable distance apart. Honoring what’s most important to us, what we find sacred, shouldn’t make it difficult for us to act wisely–but if it does, either our values need revision, so that they accurately reflect our circumstances (a mobster, for instance, would have a tough time honoring an ideal of non-violence), or our circumstances must be altered so that they support the highest values (we can’t continue to be a furrier if our ideal is to see animal goods removed from the marketplace).

There is one other aspect perfecting today, a Ceres trine to the North Node, with both at 00 of their signs. The more Self-possessed we are, the more clear on our priorities, boundaries, responsibilities, and abilities, the more easily we shape our life direction. If we can connect to that elemental power, we may not have to worry so much about what’s wise vs. what’s valued–it may naturally just shake itself out.

Have a great day, and see (and buy) my books here–Thanks!

And, if you were an ECLIPSE subscriber who was supposed to get a copy of VESTA and haven’t received yours, please let me know.

VESTA IN THE NATAL CHART IS HERE!

16 Wednesday Sep 2015

Posted by in Asteroids, astrology, Books, Vesta

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Arnold Böcklin {{PD}}

Arnold Böcklin {{PD}}

“Vesta’s placement in the natal chart tells us what we find sacred in life, what is, without question, to be honored. She is a compass that points unerringly to our most revered values. The quality of the sacred with which the Vesta spirit is imbued makes it an indicator of and channel for the spiritual and for expression of the Soul’s intent. It’s the symbol of all we hold in highest regard, the things we’re willing to dedicate our life energies to, to protect, to harbor, and to sacrifice for, and it acts as a kind of internal beacon that recognizes ‘home’ in all its forms and guises; as well, Vesta tells us with what externals we want to merge–this can be through sex, or through some other dedication of energy, time, or attention, but it always reflects a spiritual unity, a choice to fuse the Soul with the spiritual essence represented by an ‘Other’. With Vesta we might modify the idea of ‘As above, so below,’ to ‘As in the spiritual realm, so in the physical one.'”

 

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