Category Archives: Astro Lessons

Some Thoughts On The Ascendant

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‘There is Light on the Horizon’ By Wilf Perreault 2019 Uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by Eisbergsk Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

The Ascendant is the symbolic point of entry for the individual, determined by the place and time of birth, the birth chart laying out the relative positions of the planets and lights as potentially observable (or as falling below the horizon) at that moment, at that spot on Earth (for Northern Hemisphere births, the chart is as if you are standing on the spot of birth, facing South, Southern Hemisphere, facing North). In a way the natal chart is a map of you sliding into the world, meeting the environment, showing your face, literally and figuratively, for the very first time–and the Ascendant describes your relationship to that world in a very specific way: it tells us how the individual, on first impulse, interacts with the world, and how that world receives the individual, ‘reading’ them through the attitudes and behaviors characteristic of the sign, the responses indicated in particular by the aspects the Ascendant makes and by the state of the Ascendant ruler, with these often funneled through matters of the House(s) an entity rules or is placed in.

This situation can make for an interesting paradox, as the individual sees themselves as having one particular interpretation of the sign energies in interaction, while the world may read them as having the same or other sign related qualities (and if the individual has Neptune or Pisces in the 1st, or Pluto in the 7th, they may be unable to avoid being a screen for the projections of others). For example, someone with Aquarius on the Ascendant may see themselves as unique, while others see them as too trendy, or too closely following ‘group-think’, or they see themselves as intellectually-oriented while others see them as so quirky they can’t relate or as erratic thinkers or even as so avant garde they leave others in the dust, or they may see themselves as using pure reason to navigate the world while the world sees someone so cold that the ability to find, much less join, their group is hampered–or the opposite, for all these, is possible–it’s only to point out that there are subtleties to viewpoints so that what one believes they’re conveying can be read in another light by those with whom they interact.

The Ascendant and 1st House also describe one’s survival methods–that is, what you believed the environment demanded from you early in life. In the case of Aquarius, the message may have been you have to be smart to survive–or maybe the world will only value you if you are totally original–or you need a role within the group to survive, and one day, you should lead it–or conversely, you’re only safe when you act as an individual–or even you have to be a rebel to be real. This point is in many ways about being seen, and that means one can feel less than, even invisible, if the Ascendant traits aren’t recognized and in some form validated by the world at large (with the potential that validation may come in negative interpretation of the sign qualities).

The way the Ascendant Self-image is mixed, more or less, with early childhood messages from the surrounding world and the way it can foster fears (because it’s natural to think about what you’re told and automatically draw the conclusion that if you don’t can institute disaster) means that operating mainly from the Ascendant energy can create barriers to operating successfully, and to understanding more completely why we were given those messages, as well as whether they’re still valid today. Often they are not; as adults it’s vital we reassess our Ascendant related persona in light of what behaviors and beliefs we still carry that may not serve our life and current reality. For instance, in our example Aquarian, if the message was you’ve got to be both smart and unique, and this individual has a Leo Sun, we may see someone who works very hard to excel, even to best, others, as if their life depended on it–that’s the ‘you’d better do this or else’ childhood message at work–and in Whole Sign astrology that places the Sun in the 7th, making for a built-in conflict, as the person has the urge to stand out from the crowd (which serves the Ascendant urge) but also the urge to partner, cooperate, connect, or to go before an audience and exchange energy that way–all of which to be successful require at minimum some humility, a willingness to see and regard others and their needs as equal to one’s own, and a non-competitive stance–not the easiest, when one is told that one must excel, because excellence can only be judged in juxtaposition with others.

There’s also the matter of the physical Self-image related to the Ascendant. Though our health largely resides in the 6th, and the Self-image of who we are and what talents we possess is found in the 2nd, the image we have of our own body interacting with the world is described in the 1st/ Ascendant. It’s how we picture ourselves in our own minds; as such, the image we hold may exaggerate some things, minimize or distort others, and is very likely to have a level of acceptability and appeal in our own minds that differs, at least somewhat, from how others see and assess our attractiveness (the world almost always sees us in a more positive light than we see ourselves!) This is one of those areas where it’s best to accentuate what we see as positive, and then go forward–otherwise we can judge and censor ourselves out of any number of paths and opportunities–go after what you want, and let the world respond!

What about other points or bodies found in the 1st? They definitely figure in to the ‘reaching out’ persona, and typically are qualities we will see as great strengths–until we push them too far (it’s inevitable, either by exaggerating their importance within the personality, or by giving them the lead, and so allowing those energies to run our interactions), at which point feedback prompts us to see them as our greatest weaknesses–and neither is precisely accurate. We understand these energies, yet they’re so integral to our ability to relate to the world that they are bound to take on too large a role in interaction–and then comes the swing in the other direction, where we condemn them, see them as liabilities, our Achilles heel. It’s only when we put them in perspective (often possible through funneling their expression through the House(s) they rule) that we find their best expression in the interaction equation–at which point they truly do become great strengths.

Let’s look at how something like the Moon in the 1st would play into personality expression and outreach to the world. Moon here makes one exquisitely sensitive and intuitive, especially in terms of allowing the physical reactions to the environment to inform the mind and perceptions–but what happens when one puts one’s feelings first and foremost in interaction with the world? Disaster, that’s what, as there are many situations in life that need to be met first with reason, situational awareness, and a decided lack of emotional response, required to assess reality in the first place. Yes, the feeling state and intuition is highly useful–but can’t always be the first thing exposed. The result is likely to eventually become a volatile, overly sensitive, ‘hurt’ personality that suffers unless met with 100% acceptance and love–and if the interaction ‘feelers’ are out principally for uncritical acceptance, other information won’t have a chance of getting in–with the likely result that feedback is negative, as others find it difficult to deal with what to them is an overly emotional personality.

If we have this 1st House Moon with the previous example of an Aquarian Ascendant, that means Luna rules the 6th, setting up a connection between the health and the emotional state, and offering these possibilities of channeling the sensitivity and intuition into a commitment, duty, obligation, or other work that specifically carries an aura of service. It’s in dedicating the emotional attention to something that takes one outside oneself that the intuitive and emotional nature can truly thrive. If that 1st House Moon were to rule the 9th, for instance, the outlet might be found in sharing knowledge or faith; ruling the 3rd it could be about writing out one’s feelings (anything from a diary to fiction to non-fiction that stirs the emotions), or concern one’s thinking/ ideas, one’s neighborhood (especially the childhood arena, perhaps re-visited), or in communication in general or with siblings in particular. No matter what, there’s a way to channel the energy that gives it grounding and perspective–and that’s what’s important.

And each year, when the Sun crosses your Ascendant, you can feel very vulnerable; there’s a floodlight on you and your interaction with the world, and it can be unnerving (unless you’re one of those people who loves the attention, who feels best when everyone’s eyes are upon them!) I think it’s a kind of animal response, one programmed into (most of) us for safety, and it may prompt us to hide. I suggest another tack, though: work up the nerve to allow scrutiny, and make sure that you’re pushing to the forefront all the things you’re most proud of, happy with, or hoping to connect to others through. You’ll be going into relative obscurity and isolation for the six months the Sun is below the horizon, so allow yourself to be seen–make it a Self-affirming experience. Though this only happens once a year, it’s good to be aware of, for matters of timing, and for awareness of the start of a personal year of your own.

Next up, the New Moon!

Sparking Response: Cross-Chart Contacts That Make You Go ‘Zing!’

11 Friday Feb 2022

Posted by in Astro Lessons, astrology, relationship astrology

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‘The Lovers’ By Konstantin Somov {{PD}}

This is a re-print from a Valentine edition of ECLIPSE–I hope you enjoy it, and have a great weekend!

We’ve all felt that zap of electricity on meeting particular people–what does that look like in cross-chart interaction? It’s not just one or two ‘special’ contacts; it usually takes a couple of conjunctions of non-like energies (when people are close in age they often have conjunctions of the same, slower moving energies–these in many cases needn’t even be considered in analysis), plus a square or three (because the right kind of conflict generates heat!) and strong interaction of principle energies (Sun, Moon, chart ruler, ruler of Sun or Moon, Venus for woman, Mars for a man–this latter designation is appropriate no matter the sexual inclinations of the individual, so that same sex couples look at Venus-Venus or Mars-Mars connections) as well as some firm Saturn contact going in both directions (each person’s Saturn must ‘hook’ into the other person’s chart for longevity of the relationship).

In my experience, conjunctions are definitely the strongest contacts; nothing else comes close. Next in strength are squares–we can’t ignore the energy one of our placements squares, and the other person can’t ignore ours. Oppositions can pull like a gravity well in space or repel as we point at ‘what I’m not’. Trines, of course, are harmonious, but along with sextiles, may not exert much influence; these can be so easy that they’re not noticed, unless accompanied by other, more compelling contacts (usually conjunctions, which are a direct confrontation of energies, or squares, with the ‘can’t ignore’ feeling). I can’t possibly list every potential pattern, but can give you a few highlights:

  • One person’s Pluto to the other person’s Sun, Ascendant, Ascendant ruler, Venus (for a woman) or Mars (woman or man), and sometimes the Moon (though this can be more intimidating or frightening for the Moon person than anything else). Pluto is intensity, and sex, and the contacted essence will stir that up in the Pluto person, while the Pluto person will see strong appeal in the qualities of the contacted energy.
  • Zeus touching anything, by any aspect! With this body we get a slice of passion, pure, primal, and totally undiluted, so that anything it contacts suggests the Zeus person is turned on by expression of the energy–and the person receiving the Zeusian regard will really feel it! In Platonic interactions it can mark an enthusiasm or the desire of the Zeus person to aid the other person in expression of the contacted energy, so can be a contact of great generosity, lust, and/ or overstepping bounds, as well as potentially showing someone who may further one’s ambitions.
  • A woman’s Venus in contact with a man’s Mars (or the anima dominant person’s Venus contacting the animus dominant person’s Mars, all dependent on what one identifies as ‘my’ energy). This at least sparks interest, though what these energies rule in the natal chart will be telling of how it may play out. Should these energies be ‘flipped’ (male’s Venus to female’s Mars) they will often show attraction initially, but find there is an imbalance that causes discomfort, typically she is a little too abrasive for him, he’s a little too ‘soft’ for her. This is usually a more dynamic contact with people who are highly gender-identified (very feminine woman with very masculine man).
  • The same rules for Venus-Mars ‘rules’ can be applied to Sun-Moon contacts; here, though, we may have to consider the prominence of the paternal-maternal influence as it appears elsewhere in the chart and life. Sun-Moon tends more toward the ‘established mature relationship’ category when it’s apparent in a mating relationship than it does in a romantic one.
  • The Mars of either sex (or either inclination) brings the assertive energy which is vital to sexual interaction to the table–and the state of this in the individual chart will tells us something about how it may play out in contact with another person’s energies.
  • Positive Venus interactions are a must; with Venus the common designator for both relationships and pleasure, we must find it active in a positive way.
  • One person’s Jupiter on another person’s planet or point can suggest the Jupiter person may be very generous in the contacted area–but also possibly a little proprietary, in the way the god imposed himself on mortal and demi-god alike.
  • Significant placements in one person’s chart falling in the 12th of the other can cause uneasiness in the 12th House person that is difficult to overcome.
  • Eros contact makes for objectification, and this can be sexy or off-putting depending on what’s contacted, and the individual attitudes toward being a sex-object!

These are just a few of the sparkiest contacts–investigation will likely reveal the ones that spark for you!

A Point of Fate: the Vertex

16 Tuesday Nov 2021

Posted by in Astro Lessons, astrology, eclipse, Finger of God, Fist of God, Full Moon, Lunar Aspects, Lunar Eclipse, Natal Delineation, the Vertex

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‘Fate’ By Alphonse Mucha 1920 {{PD}}

A Reader has put forward a question on the meaning of the natal Vertex, and she’s interested not least because she’ll be experiencing the upcoming eclipse conjoined this point in her chart. I use the Vertex to add meaning to interpretation for individual charts–it can be very telling of what someone may be especially attuned to and sensitive to, seen by them as matters that are fated, for good or ill–but it seldom figures in to the transit picture, so I don’t often address it here on the blog, the exception being examining an event chart–then it can speak loudly, particularly as to the ‘inevitability’ of an outcome or effect, or to the unavoidable nature of the event itself.

The Vertex is defined as the intersection of the ecliptic (the path of the Sun) and the Prime Vertical (an imaginary circle keyed to a specific location–where the zenith–high point–and nadir–low point–meet in the east and west, these directions as shown in the flat chart). Yes, it’s a not-very-helpful description, but gives you some idea of how this attempts to measure extremes, both high and low, in the life; these tend to be the very kinds of events we see as fated, unavoidable, inevitable, destined. They shape the life, and can send us careening off in entirely new directions–just as eclipse contact to the natal picture can–so in a brief examination of the upcoming eclipse’s contact to this individual’s Vertex I’m hoping to illuminate how the Vertex (and eclipse impacts) have the potential to affect us all, particular to our own individual charts. The combined effect of an eclipse contacting the Vertex is a double-whammy, a wipe-out that shifts the very fate.

The eclipse, falling at 27 Taurus 14 and conjoined Sedna at 28.44, does indeed fall right on this Reader’s Vertex at 26 Taurus 24 in her Whole Sign 8th of other people’s resources and influence. Right away we’re alerted to the way the Lunar energy will impact (possibly even literally, with the eclipse in an Earth sign, echoing the potential for changes in the material situation, assets, talent expression, or comfort picture) the fate, the path forward, the destiny itself. Now, that sounds very dramatic, but the events themselves might not be; it’s not unusual for those path-changing occurrences and decisions to happen quietly, undramatically, unrecognized as the fate-shapers they are. How many times do we expect those life-altering changes to come with a big bang? Too many, as in looking back for those shift points, what we often see are that they happened in those quiet moments when our minds have changed, our attention goes permanently in a new direction, or when small choices lead to big shake-ups. That should tell us that not all things will be obvious or automatically bring devastating change; instead we should see an eclipse as designating a point of important change or development, that we might not recognize as such.

The eclipse will form the arm of a T-square with this woman’s 29 degree Nodal axis, and with her Mars, which is conjoined her NN. This suggests a life direction challenge offered in the form of a question: What should I do? What action should I take, or choice make? With the eclipse occurring in the 8th House, this may be a choice or action forced by others (and that may be as much this individual’s perceptions as it is the reality of the situation), and the unfortunate thing may be that this individual may feel they owe it to these others to comply–or that the actions of others must be responded to, that the individual has no choice. That’s not a great feeling, by any measure.

The eclipse also sextiles the individual’s natal Juno-Pallas conjunction in Pisces in the 6th (wise empowerment at the everyday level, the kind that is hyper-responsible and likely to make duty and obligations to others a top priority, along with a life-long effort to live in as healthy a way as possible, probably with an orientation to the spiritual and to the good of All–Pisces). Together the eclipse and this natal duo form the base of a transitory Finger of God, apex (the point both are quincunx) the natal Libra Ascendant. This ramps up the sense of what happens with the eclipse being very, very personal, to the point where the individual may feel singled out, even unfairly targeted. Why me? might be the initial reaction–but the practical spiritual orientation will quickly realize there’s broader meaning here, despite the personal circumstances in which it presents. Libra is already inclined to strong awareness of others and what they want–this may make that awareness almost painful in its intensity.

This eclipse also trines her natal Saturn in Capricorn in the 4th–and this Saturn happens to quincunx the natal Cancer Sun in its 00 10th House position. The quincunx suggests a perpetual questioning of the Self brought about by real-world experiences, with the Sun/ identity ‘new’ in the sign of caring and caring for, vulnerability, and emotional and intuitive sensitivity, meaning the Soul is attuning itself to a fresh orientation, a new perspective on the Self and where she fits in to the world. Considering all the ‘Other’ orientation of various natal placements, this should draw our attention to the way this Sun may suggest the individual is learning how she fits in with others, in what ways she’s obligated to them, where and how and for whom she should care–and with that it’s inevitable that there may be struggles to establish boundaries, and guilt about these that others may try to take advantage of.

Add in the eclipse to the Sun-Saturn dynamic and she may get a jolt to the identity–what she thought settled about who she is may prove not to be–and I suspect that what happens with the eclipse could trigger the Libra Moon to react: once Libra realizes things are out of balance, that she may be giving more than is reasonable, that Air element can kick in, diverting what had been an emotional reaction to be assessed by the mind–where lines will be drawn, even if the emotions are uncomfortable with it.

The Libra Ascendant is apex to the Finger, but we see fellow Libra placement, this sensitive and caring Moon, has another role: as part of the base of a Fist of God, as it’s squared at eclipse time by transiting Venus, with a configuration apex of the eclipse, plus transiting Sedna. This speaks of relationships or assets (Venus, which just happens to be ruler of the eclipse) creating difficult emotional responses or situations (the square to the Moon), resulting in an eclipsing event (that is, in something, that happens, or is perceived or felt) that wipes out the ‘old’ path or destiny (eclipse conjoined the natal Vertex), and this is known but perhaps not known consciously, or is felt instinctually (Sedna)–and that may imply that the emotional impact of what happens may actually obscure for a time the true changes that come about or are seeded by the eclipse activity.

Also of note is the Full Moon (which is what a Lunar eclipse is) position of the Sun in this whole thing, as it’s the light giver, literally. For this individual the eclipse Sun will fall in the natal 2nd, once again echoing the Taurean theme of assets and talents, along with concepts of Self-worth and personal finances/ assets. For this Reader, it appears to me the eclipse may bring some tough emotional situations, even showdowns, over who owes what to whom, for this individual requiring a reassessment of what she believes she must do for or give to others. The old way of seeing things is wiped out, particularly, with eclipse contact direct to the Vertex, the previous destined direction; an eclipse comes along and re-writes the book. A redrawing of boundaries may result, the kind that shape the path forward, which give new and perhaps unanticipated form to what, when it arrives, appears to have been destined all along.

I must note that this is the general outlook for the eclipse for a single individual; this applies to no one else. But, discussing it here does allow you to get a glimpse of how, in at least this one instance, the Vertex and an event like an eclipse might interact. I want to thank this Reader, for trusting me to study her chart, and for her generosity in allowing me to write about it publicly, so that others might benefit.

The eclipse report for the upcoming Full Moon will post shortly!

What to Keep, What to Give Away: Personal Assets of the 11th and the 2nd

22 Thursday Apr 2021

Posted by in 11th House, 2nd House, Assets and Talents, Astro Lessons, astrology

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‘The Gift’ By Ángel Zárraga 1910 {{PD}}

This originally appeared in ECLIPSE, and has a second part that will follow.

We start by defining the difference between these two Houses in terms of assets and output; in both Houses we find qualities and talents inherent to the individual, gifts, abilities, and in each House the question is, What should be developed, shared, given away, or used to earn? In the 2nd we find material assets, including those earned through personal effort; we also find inborn talents, those things about us that can be considered a kind of natural asset—this is typically something that can be seen by material application: singing, artistic sensibilities that can be applied in multiple arenas, intelligence that takes a specific form. Our actual property falls in this House, as well (unless it is shared with others, then it is in the 8th).

Any talent we carry in or that is related to the 2nd is something we should rightfully expect remuneration for. These are things we value in ourselves, and that others value about us, and so are willing to pay for expression or sharing of—and these are things or talents with which we can do what we will, develop them or not, share them or not—others can’t really take them away from us, we must let them go (in the case of cash) or ignore or ruin them (in the case of talents or assets), for us to experience their loss—otherwise we can sing (Venus in the 2nd, perhaps) or write great speeches (ruler of 3rd or 9th in 2nd) our whole lives.

The 11th has a much different asset character, though in many instances there may be a little (or a lot) of overlap between 2nd House talents and what we find in the 11th, namely What We Have To Give The World. Rather than purely talents or assets, this House describes very particular inclinations, abilities, and gifts that we have specifically designated as not just worthy of sharing, but that we alone can provide with a special combination of ability, viewpoint, experience, and talent—and we have promised this, in some form, to the world. We are obligated to present these things; we may see fame from this, or give unrecognized, and we may experience very little of the actual asset we are sharing on a personal level. What we share from the 11th flows away from us, and there’s nothing that promises we will receive anything in return. When people say, “That’s what she came into this world to do” they are often referring to this 11th House offering; instinctively others know when it is manifested.

You’ve heard the saying, “Everybody has a story”? The 11th House assets are the equivalent of this in the form of talents, lessons, information, and gifts we have promised to share indiscriminately and on a large scale. When we share 8th House assets, we have an ‘us and them’ mentality, with awareness of how the assets are being distributed, who has what, and so on, while 11th House sharing goes one way, out from us, and we may only partially choose recipients or an audience; these are meant for everyone to partake in if they choose, and can be regarded as gifts to the Collective/ group.

Does that mean we always give away what’s in the 11th? Not necessarily, as the 11th is also the income House of the 10th of career or vocation. The 11th can be tricky to define in this asset sense, as it covers the spectrum from what we wish for, to our goals, to those things that are much more ephemeral, like our attitude toward groups and organizations (and toward the world, by extension), our prayers and intentions, and our hopes—but in with all those things are factors we will share in the course of pursuing our goals, dreaming and hoping, and through interactions with alike others.

The elements can give us a general idea of our proclivities, with Earth signs suggesting material manifestations or a focus on earning for what we do, Air signs implying the world of thought, the intellect, and ideas is the focus, Water suggesting we may appear to others to be more passive or receptive, almost offering the impression that we don’t generate anything, but the Water signs will have a direct link to, and often have the expression of talents shaped, by the emotional experiences, and Fire signs give an activist-orientation no matter what the talent or abilities.

Chiron Pt. 3

21 Wednesday Apr 2021

Posted by in Aspect Delineation, aspects and placements, Astro Lessons, astrology, Chiron, Conjunctions, Natal Delineation

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Chiron–what a dandy! {{PD}}

This is part of a continuing series begun last year where I asked readers to send in their questions about aspects, specifically natal aspects, they wanted to know more about.

Hi Julie
I am going to take a step in to play!!
Aspect: Conjunctions..
“blind spots” not noticed in the past, yet now it seems I am aware of that aspects signature more
(Birth data removed)

Be safe!! Love and Blessings!!

Dear Reader,

First, a thank you for your lovely wishes–I hope you’re staying safe, and thriving, well-blessed, too!

A little bit about conjunctions: natally they tend to weld two energies together for a lifetime, particularly if the conjunction is close (say, at or less than 2.5 degrees). This can cause the individual with the aspect to find it particularly hard to deploy the energies separately. For instance, a Moon-Mars conjunction can mean that hurt, sensitivity, intuitive perceptions, or emotional reactions can all be answered with anger, assertiveness, or a hot-footed insistence on doing something in answer to the feeling. This duo may predispose one to a fear that emotional expression may bring only anger from others, or that anger itself is the only acceptable emotion. But, this same combo can also mean that the feeling nature and the action urge can work in well-synchronized harmony, since they (likely) sit in the same sign, and share the same sensibilities (we’ll skip thinking about conjunctions that straddle two signs, for now!) Working together, Moon-Mars could make the individual highly dependent on the feelings to get them moving, or on the intuition to know what to do, with the down side that this could short-cut past the mind, leaving reason ‘out in the cold’ when it comes to choices and actions.

One of the biggest impacts of a conjunction, though, is the way it can make matters of the two Houses they rule (when the conjoined are major bodies) work together. In a Whole Sign chart using the same Moon-Mars example, we would find cooperation between the House holding Cancer and the House holding Aries. It doesn’t matter what sign the conjunction itself falls in, those two Houses would still find their subjects enmeshed, sometimes for good, and sometimes in more difficult ways. By example, we can consider a situation with that Moon-Mars conjunction ruling Aries in the 7th, Cancer in the 10th. This might mean that the individual’s ‘I Am’ and initiative (Aries/ Mars), when triggered through partnership or the creation of Art (7th), will automatically strive to show the emotional palette publicly (10th), through career or in support of the reputation, or even in business. ‘I Care’ (Cancer) would always prompt ‘I Act’, and would likely focus through interaction, presented to an audience or even just the spouse (7th), with the result aimed at enhancing the reputation, furthering the Self’s public cause (also known as the career), or letting the world know what the Self cares about (10th). There are lots of possibilities; it’s the entwined nature of the expression of conjunction energies themselves, and through the Houses they rule, that’s important to keep in mind.

Now just a few observations; this isn’t definitive, by any means. You, dear Reader, have a number of conjunctions we could discuss that I think would be helpful to others, and today we’ll look briefly at two clusters; first, your Chiron-Venus conjunction in Aquarius in the 7th (note: Chiron is novile the Sun, while Venus is closer to a semi-square, though both are novile Pallas), square Mars, opposite the Ascendant, quincunx the South Node, square Neptune, widely opposed the Moon, and sextile Black Moon Lilith; Chiron is also sesquiquadrate Vesta, while Venus makes no contact. This weaves Chirotic energy directly into the personality, into the identity and the Soul’s purpose (all through the Sun contact) in a way that informs the way of Being in the world with a unique viewpoint and a bit of genius via skills, especially healing skills (the novile), playing up the innovative qualities (Aquarius) through the creative Piscean Soul (Sun) and fusing them with Love (Venus). But, Venus’ rougher aspect adds this: that relationships and/ or finances don’t come easily, that there may be lessons to learn to adequately answer the questions, What is Love? What is really an asset (i.e., worthy)? What can–and should I–own?

We get a clue about potential areas of Venusian difficulties via the Houses Venus rules, the 3rd and 10th, which could imply that ways of thinking or communicating may be a big part of the problem, with the ability to understand others (Libra in the 3rd, Venus in Aquarius, the sign of understanding) potentially the main issue. The sextile to Black Moon Lilith implies it may be easy to ignore what you find unpleasant–and that could complicate communication, as well. The 10th may suggest issues are with those in authority, with business practices, gum up the career, or are very visible to those with whom you interact, to the point that they are part of the reputation. Too, with Libra involved, you may be known for your gentle diplomacy–or for your passive-aggression, both Libra specialties! The square to Mars says action and choice always seem to either be forced or come rapped up with difficulties in executing the Will; it isn’t hard to see how mental processing or communication issues could set the stage for awkward reception of your actions and choices.

The fact that the conjunction falls not only in the 7th but so closely opposed the Ascendant may create a tricky dynamic: a kind of echo around choices and actions that asks, ‘Will this hurt?’ and ‘What will it cost me?’ with the added difficulty of either not being sure whether these potentials are coming from the actions of others or from yourself (the 7th, either seen as your own energies or projected as belonging to others)–and this could suggest that you see others as having communication or anger issues that are actually your own, as the Universe loves to confront us with others who show us in bold type our own failings.

The novile to the Sun suggests the Soul finds ingenious ways to express its healing nature and skills (these being the positives associated with Chiron), but also funnels this hesitancy surrounding a sense of vulnerability directly to the identity and may impinge on the Soul moving toward expressing its purpose. But, the Pisces Sun sits in the 8th, reinforcing that possibility of mistaking one’s own methods and motivations for those of others, but also steeped in the creative energies derived from interaction with and cooperation with others. One issue may be that you offer healing even when others don’t want it! perhaps creating the dissonance of the Venus semi-square, making relationship a bit tense at times.

This is it me or is it them? confusion may be central to the Chiron-Venus in 7th in Aquarius: anytime there’s hurt or a potential for healing (with the Self or in relationships), in the asset picture, or in your view of your own talents, you may either 1) intellectualize things, thinking you need to ‘figure it out’ or justify matters before you can accept that healing potential, or 2) see either the healing or the hurt as potentially coming only from others; that is, you may not recognize your part in things (i.e., that others can’t hurt you unless you agree to feel hurt, for instance). The sesquiquadrate between Chiron and Vesta could imply that only when wounded do you consider deviating from your highest values–but with Venus there, Love likely pulls you back from that precipice very quickly.

The approach to Love, Money, and injury, psychic, emotional, or otherwise, may also be intellectualized as a way of Being; that is, you may go deeply into these subjects theoretically, while in the real world you may feel either that thinking about how they operate is enough, or that others are more responsible/ have a more intimate relationship with these matters than you feel you do. This could also show as a tendency to think about things, especially relationships or assets, and feel that you’ve then dealt with them, without taking any action, with the square to Mars showing just how hard that can be for you.

One good potential with that Venus-Chiron/ Mars combo is that you likely work very hard to define and express yourself, and that your sensitivity levels, especially to others, are very high. There is probably a high degree of conscientiousness and a determination not to harm others. It may be vital for you to operate (that is, to act or choose) only when you are both intellectually and heart-centered in any matter–another meaning for the Mars square, then, may be you holding yourself back until you are sure of what you want to do, vetted against all that’s most important to you in life.

And a word or two on the Venus-Neptune square: this is an out-of-sign aspect, with both sitting in Air, Neptune in the 3rd in Libra, introducing the potential for creative, inspired, or completely delusional thinking, and the contact to Venus linking it to relationships again, once through Libra and once through Venus in the 7th. This unites the 3rd, 8th, and 10th Houses, suggesting that thinking and communication are heavily influenced by others and your interactions with them, especially what you share, and that this is part of the reputation, career, or expressed through interaction with authorities or publicly. Do you write? Are you an Artist? If not vocationally, you certainly are in your essence.

There is also the potential for you to associate yourself as a woman with carrying unique skills, with being fundamentally injured, and/ or with innately being a healer. I suspect with you it’s this latter, but any of those are possible, and may make up various facets of the identity specifically associated with womanhood as you see and express it, as well as likely pinpointing a specific feeling of vulnerability within your identity.

Ruler of Aquarius, Uranus, is sandwiched into another conjunction, this one uniting Moon, Jupiter, and Uranus within just over seven degrees of one another, in Cancer in the 12th. So, we have the Moon in its own sign (very strong!) connecting to the Venus-Chiron duo by opposition, bringing the emotions into, and perhaps having them drive, all that we’ve been discussing. In the 12th, the Moon may not make itself known directly, instead having a strong impetus to push out through those natal energies contacted, so that you may be less aware than you know of the influence of the emotions on other life areas (and this may be doubly so with Aquarius putting the stamp of intellectual understanding on so much, possibly unaware of how the feeling nature has a hand in things!) The feeling could be, ‘I’m very sensitive, but not emotional–I’m the most rational person I know!’

There’s a lot to unpack here, but we’ll look at only one thing, the Houses brought together through rulership by these bodies: 5th, 7th, and 12th. That suggests that creative acts (5th) are fueled by feedback from or cooperation with others (7th–as well as giving that creative urge and artistic bent–also 7th), and that this can be a channel for, or overwhelmingly influenced by, a connection to the Cosmic and/ or the unconscious (12th). With the conjunction located in the 12th, this is a powerful recipe to bring spirit as a living, breathing, creative thing into the everyday life–and goodness knows, the world definitely needs more of this right now–

Want to know more about Chiron in your chart? Get my Chiron workbook here–

Family Patterns: What’s Your Element?

17 Wednesday Mar 2021

Posted by in Astro Lessons, astrology, Astrology and Family, Parental Energies, relationship astrology, The Elements

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By Unknown author – Photo courtesy of the United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs Division under the digital ID ppmsc.06257 {{PD}}

When we consider a return to the family atmosphere (as we do at holidays, or for summer BBQs, to name just two occasions), we may find those gatherings of togetherness and food and sharing inevitably bring us back, to some extent, to our place within that family, with all the feelings, attitudes, closeness, and knee-jerk reactions that go with it. Even the best of relationships can grow strained with time, distance, and conflicting choices. We’re almost sure to both look forward to these reunions (especially after the scourge of Covid) and dread them–at least, we are likely to fear falling back into less-than-positive patterns in interacting with these familiar others, adding to the stresses already extant in our grown-up, everyday lives.

One thing that can help immensely is determining what element dominates within the family, and whether that is your dominant vibe. Sorting this out can explain on what level and through what mechanism (mental, emotional, action-oriented, material) the family is operating (in the Collective sense), and if this is the element through which we are most likely to channel our responses. At its simplest, this is a very straightforward process: draw a ‘family tree’ (or your own version of one) and list the Sun sign and its element for each individual. I can (almost) guarantee you’ll immediately begin to see correspondences, connections in behaviors, the grouping together of some individuals in social settings while others retreat to a lone ‘branch’–and you’ll have the beginnings of where you fit in the mix.

Though, as we know, Sun sign astrology doesn’t provide many answers by itself, we must in this case acknowledge that the Soul (Sun) element is a vital part of the individual’s unique expression; nobody is alienated from their own Soul (no matter how it may appear from the outside!) so when we look at the Sun’s element, we are looking at a crucial vibrational chord for the individual. No matter what else we have in our charts, we respond to that Soul element.

Naturally, the more detailed we can be in our assessment, the more we will be able to draw connections and understand interactions. If we know the Moon and/ or rising sign of the individual, or if we have access to the whole horoscope and can determine the overall dominant element, even better. In particular, the Moon will help us see those close connections that may not be explained with Sun sign elements. For example, I was very close to my maternal grandmother, whose Sun element is Water; mine is Air. Those would seem to ‘talk’ past each other, except that my Moon is in Water–I could empathize and relate to her need to see the world (in essence) through the emotions, even though my predominant viewpoint is a mental one, and she could relate to me, through her Air Moon, making for a kind of personal ‘mutual reception’ that balances shared elements between individuals. We often thought and felt remarkably alike; and this was in contrast to her daughter, my mother, whose Fire Sun and Moon often left us completely in the dark as to her thought processes and her motivations, a double Fire, ‘leap without looking’ approach.

It also helps, though, to consider the Earth sign of the individual (always found exactly opposite the Sun). For example, in the case of relating to my mother, it is possible for me to relate by light conversation, using wit and verbal sparring to find out what she thinks and feels, as her Earth is in Gemini Air; the fact that the body involved is Earth suggests that the conversation must focus on material matters, or at least start out there–then she will open up to relating, to exchanging information. Of course, the more you know about a person’s chart, the easier it is to see why they do or don’t blend with others in a group.

Let’s take a look at a family like any other, the Royal family of England. Specifically, let’s look at how the ladies who’ve married into the family have fit in, or failed to. HRH Elizabeth II (21 April 1926 2:40 AM London United Kingdom) has the Sun at 00 Taurus (some call this ‘the Hitler degree’, as it was also Hitler’s Solar placement, but I find that a little harsh)–so an individual who sets a grounded tone in the family; you’d probably do best to chat about her dogs or hunting or her castles, as finding common points of reference and common comforts and values are the way to relate. Son Charles (14 November 1948 9:14 PM London UK) has Sun in Scorpio–he’s a feeler!–but Earth in Mom’s Sun sign of Taurus–so they relate easily, especially through material matters, and Mom’s Water Earth sign reciprocates–and bonus! Charles’ Moon is exactly conjunct Mommy’s Sun (not an especially unusual parent/ child contact)–so there’s a lot of harmony there, with Charles for the most part bowing to his mother’s preferences–though when feeling triumphs it really triumphs, the case in point being his marriage to Camilla (17 July 1947 7:10 AM  London UK). Her Water Sun and Moon fit in with her husband’s temperament well and relate to the Queen through material commonalities (Camilla’s Earth in Earth! Perhaps representing that Camilla’s family is of the same milieu as the queen’s). Her Water-Earth Sun-Earth combo relates well to her husband through shared feeling about material matters, as well as the strong feeling nature. But what about his ‘old’ wife?

Diana Spencer (1 July 1961 7:45 PM  Sandringham UK) has what should be a very sympathetic placement of Sun in Water, Earth in Earth–so what made for such discord and alienation between herself and the family she entered through marriage? Probably that Aquarian Air Moon of hers. It may have required things make sense, be explained, and be subjected to logic and intellectual examination–not to mention taking her vows quite seriously, at least until she found she’d been deceived by her husband, who never stopped seeing old flame Camilla. The need for ‘shared Air’ may have driven Diana from the family; it could’ve felt like no one spoke of anything important, that information was never really shared–is that really surprising, from a family that lives in a series of castles, who have feelings deeper for their corgis (or at least seemed to, from Diana’s point of view) than what they felt for a woman who essentially just needed to relate?

Charles and Diana’s son William (21 June 1982  9:03 PM Paddington UK) was born in the lee of a partial Solar eclipse, while wife Kate was born on the same day as a total Lunar eclipse (9 January 1982 ntk Reading UK). Weird, no? There may be an implied energy balance of extraordinary extremes in the pairing of these two–William’s dual Water Sun-Moon and Earth in Earth fits the family dynamic neatly (and his 00 Sun placement may sympathize with grandma’s 00 Sun energy), and Kate does, too, with Sun in Earth and Moon-Earth in Water. She may come across as super-practical, and on the inside could be a little more sensitive than other family members, but likely doesn’t let that show except to her husband–who has the freedom of those born into an extraordinary situation to be a little looser in expression and choice. These two fit into the current Royal family like hands in gloves–but as we’ve seen lately, his brother and his spouse haven’t.

Prince Harry (15 September 1984 4:20 PM Paddington UK) has Sun in Earth, Earth in Water–so he should fit in well, right? His Moon in Earth only reinforces this. The answer to Harry’s recent defection might lie in other areas, which I’ll note later–but we have been presented with the family’s treatment of his American wife as the reason, so we need to look there, at least for the trigger to Harry’s leave-taking. Meghan Markle (4 August 1981 4:46 AM Canoga Park California USA) has a Fire Sun and an Air Earth. Uh-oh–she tires them out, agitating for clarity, and probably for due respect (that Fire is Leo, after all!) Meghan’s Earth in Air echoes Diana’s Moon, probably stirring up fears in Harry that his wife may suffer the same hounding and ill-fate his mother did. So, we have our trigger–but is that enough to make Harry dump the institution, and consequently his family, since they can’t seem to see themselves as separate from it?

Though there are many interesting ties between Harry and Meghan, I’m going to point to only two that I think tell the story: Her Chiron conjoined his Moon, and his Sun square her Neptune. She may stir emotional feelings and fears he didn’t even know he had, and she may register to him as ideal (as a media star, the epitome of a particular shad of Neptune) but the dream she represents may present difficult circumstances, challenges to overcome (the square) that speak directly to who he is (Sun). Add to this in Harry’s own chart that his Sun is closely conjoined Zeus, melding his Beingness with his ambitions and desires–and can you imagine a more unfortunate placement for someone who, before William had children, was considered the ‘spare’ to William’s ‘heir’? Leaving may have been the only way for that Sun to fulfill itself–and certainly, he’d already distinguished himself in the military, and in creating the Invictus games, taking a special interest in those wounded in war, just as his mother similarly did in her crusade against landmines. Add to this his Nodal axis at 29 degrees, suggesting pressure, a do-or-die need for fulfillment in the life direction, and he may have felt a kind of unfocused urgency to create an exceptional life–and after a point, leaving the family may have seemed the only way to do it.

Some things to consider: those we are related to, those with whom we’ve grown up, and/ or those with whom we feel ‘obligated’ to share holidays or to gather with for larger reasons may not necessarily need to be a part of our current lives, especially if we associate significant pain with this individual or group. Though we may have quite an internal conflict over the appropriateness of spending the holidays at a distance from some we would normally include, our primary duty is to look out for our own health and well-being. The truth is we can hardly be kind to others if we mistreat ourselves.

A Brief Guide to Families by Element

Some of this might seem a little obvious, and of course there will be variations–I didn’t get into the sub-groups, where a family has a main element and a secondary one, or where there are splinter groups within the larger groups that carry their own elemental themes–but I think you can see where I’m going, and can figure this kind of thing out. It often jumps out as we outline our family tree, revealing alliances we always knew were there, somehow, but hadn’t really consciously acknowledged.

Water families communicate through feelings–and everything, even those things that seem to be material (like gifts) or cut-and-dried (like contracts or wills) are driven by emotion. Water families are often emoters and everything is expressed to extremes–and they’re also the group most likely to punctuate gatherings with fights, swearing, accusations, and copious numbers of tears. They’re as well the group that opens their get-togethers to strangers most easily, who are warmest and most demonstrative, and who may be very uncomfortable if you’re not letting every feeling show, too.

Fire families are just that, full of fire, which means they’re assigning tasks, organizing games, playing sports, or running errands non-stop. All this fosters lots of interaction but with little depth; it’s a matter of each group member doing doing doing beside the others, so engagement is on the surface or minimal. That’s the way they like it, though; to them sitting for hours around the table chatting or watching the snow fall is pointless. This group loves to include anyone who’s a good sport and willing to get their hands dirty; balk at their tasks and you might be seen as ‘being mopey’.

Earth families are all about comfort, and making everyone feel secure; they find fast movement risky, too much talk distracting, and crying a sign of emergency. The stars of this family are the carpenters, cooks, craftspeople, and anyone who offers physical comfort through skill or effort. Their all is aimed toward creating a cozy environment, seeing to plenty of sustenance, and a satisfying material experience–which can be lovely if your idea of a great holiday is to wrap yourself in a ham cocoon in front of the fire, but most of the non-Earth oriented may find the low level of interaction or exercise frustrating, especially as any expression of dissatisfaction is likely to be met with an offer of warm slippers, cocoa, and a big, crush-the-unhappy-out-of-you hug.

Air families communicate endlessly–everything means something, has a message, must be discussed, and is in danger of being misunderstood. For all their emphasis on mental exchange they can be terrible listeners; but they do think about what might make everyone happy, and in that way they can be the most accommodating of the groups, as long as they can relate to what someone else might need. The stars of this family are the witty and the intelligent, the co-operative and the artistic. Words are the currency in this group, followed by expressions of ‘thoughtfulness’, and because there’s so much attention to communication they can be uneven in departments like decorating, activities, or buying enough food–because who’s counting portions when you’re thinking of all the stories you’ll tell at the dinner table?

This work first appeared in ECLIPSE, and has been edited, and modified with the addition of the material on Prince Harry and Meghan.

New Moon 12 January 2021 A Fissure Filled With Light

09 Saturday Jan 2021

Posted by in Astro Lessons, astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Grand Trine, New Moon, Sabian Symbols

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Kilauea’s Fissure 8 cone erupting in the early morning of June 28, 2018, in the Lower East Rift Zone. {{PD}}
Courtesy of the United States Geological Survey

Usually we get that ‘wipe out’ feeling/ energy from an eclipse, when the old patterns are disrupted by new ones; this time, we get the same experience from a New Moon as it meets the god of the Underworld. The Lunar event of the 12th falls at 23 Capricorn 13 at 9 PM PST, closely conjoined Pluto–in just over two hours the Moon will perfect contact, while the Sun will take a tad longer, a little more than twenty-four. This suggests the dawning of new emotions or intuitive perceptions that transform our Beingness, or that change what we pay attention to; we are plunged down, to the depths, perhaps in the birth pangs of a new world order arising from the institutions, rules, and constraints of the old order a la Capricorn, and we’re given a clear insight into what this change means for us as individuals.

A New Moon in Capricorn promises two things: new rules, and efforts at ‘building’, whether that’s something intangible, within the psyche, or an actual, literal structure or figurative framework within the social order, but when the Sun-Moon meeting is on the way to conjoin Pluto, we are effectively stunned by the energy–hence the similarity to the eclipse ‘wipe out’. In this particular case, the new feelings, followed by a new sense of ‘I Am’ or ‘I See’, then gets the Plutonian treatment. We can’t be sure if the emotions and changed efforts are undertaken in anticipation of serious, inevitable, even extreme change that is before us, or if they’re the result of such thorough, deep, and irrevocable developments–all we can know is that this New Moon is the first glimpse of an ever-growing light shining at the bottom of the bottomless fissure that opens up beneath us: the New Moon shows us a way out, a new way of structuring or processing, or the resurrection of something, as it delivers an inspiring and instructional glimmer of not only what’s to come, but what we can build from it, that will culminate with the Full Moon two weeks from now.

How much this New Moon will bring change to the individual is dependent on the contacts the event makes to the natal chart. This is precisely why general forecasts aren’t ‘one size fits all’. That said, see below for a brief lesson on reading a configuration filled in by the New Moon event. What all of us will be influenced by: the New Moon semi-square Juno=we see our own relationship to pure Power, and see just where out limits are (but that also means we’ll get some idea of what we’re missing, and so how to go about getting more); New Moon square Zeus=we see where our ambitions, relationships, or desires are making it difficult to start anew, or to make the changes we really want to, or what we learn at the New Moon creates tension or conflict with those ambitions currently on our agenda; and lastly, the New Moon forms an Earth Grand Trine with Vesta and Sedna=I’m counting this despite Vesta being more than six degrees from perfection to Sedna 1) because Sedna is in apparent retrograde right now, so moving back toward Vesta, and 2) because trines are major aspects, and 3) because this configuration is in Earth, same element as the New Moon, and 4) because the presence of Pluto and the Sun together gives a big energy ‘punch’ that I see as carrying farther than I normally would accept. Ties of the placement together make up for the looseness of the orbs, particularly the way the NM and Pluto ‘bridge’ the degrees between Vesta and Sedna. The Grand Trine suggests that what changes/ evolves/ is forced/ transforms/ resurrects at the New Moon is in harmony with our actual highest values, and with our instincts and what we ‘know but don’t consciously know’. We may not see the benefits of the GT energies right away, because they have a good chance of emerging from our own ‘blind spot’, and so carry the feeling that they’re coming from external events, rather than that they’ve been orchestrated by our own intents, even though they have.

‘A Nun’ By Ragnhild Beichmann 1878 {{PD}}

The New Moon Sabian is, ‘A Woman Entering A Convent’. This implies that though what occurs seems excessively restrictive or that it requires an inordinate degree of discipline or supplication, it’s actually based on what we’ve chosen to dedicate our life energies to (Vesta). A look at your Vesta will help tell you the intent behind what manifests, and may give you a greater understanding of the nature of what you genuinely care about in life.

A Little Something on Configurations, as Demonstrated with the New Moon

When judging whether a configuration is formed, we need to keep in mind the various strengths of the aspects. The loose Grand Trine I describe above is allowable at least in part because a trine is a major aspect, and that allows for a greater orb; in the Fist I describe below, we have a square between NM and Zeus, which is a major aspect and so can take a greater orb, but in order to form the Fist, we need both bodies to sesquiquadrate (135 degrees) a third body, and since this is a more minor contact, we need a closer orb, something around no more than two degrees from exact in either direction, which in the following example would be 8 Gemini. In this case, anyone with a natal placement 6-10 Gemini will find their natal energy at the apex of a Fist of God with base of New Moon-Pluto square Zeus. This suggests the New Moon will bring change that arises from conflict over or forces change to the ambitions or desires, particularly as this applies to relationships (Zeus is in Libra). What happens or is revealed by the light of the New Moon shows how the current ambition picture contrasts, and requires modification of, what you’re aiming for, and this is because of what you learn now–and this will affect the natal apex planet, either through expression of its characteristic energies or through something it rules, House or other bodies, in the natal chart. (And just a reminder: please don’t write and ask if the aspect, for instance, applies to your Ascendant at 12 degrees Gemini, or your Sun at 5–I’ve told you the range of things already: anything between 6 and up to but not past 10). Keeping in mind what aspects any configuration contains, and then keeping orbs crisp, will insure you not only get a clear picture, but also that you don’t lead yourself astray or distract with an inaccurate or exaggerated picture, though there are exceptions, as I describe using the example of the Grand Trine aspect, above. Thus endeth the lesson!

Forecast for the 10th is here–

Tomorrow the Weekly will go up. Have a great rest-of-the-weekend!