Category Archives: current events in the sky

Your Week 30 June-6 July 2017 O! The Contradictions!

29 Thursday Jun 2017

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‘A Hamadryad’ (1895) John William Waterhouse {{PD}}

Choices Without Rewards seem to be all that’s offered on the 30th; but is that really so? No matter what we do, clearly it won’t serve our desires or help fulfill ambitions, and relationships, values, and financial needs all seem to create conflict with our desired life direction. Are things truly that bleak? No no, and no. Here’s the thing: we’re thinking in unhealthy ways, processing events and alternatives in their most confining and least appealing forms; we’re telling ourselves there are ‘issues’ or impasses, rather than acknowledging that we just don’t want to, prefer not to, or that we are pretending circumstances are other than they are. The way around is right there, but you have to get real and be willing not only to accept the responsibility for making change but for its potential consequences, as well. If not, sit back and let the day go by–no harm, no foul.

Today’s word image is a driver who believes others always follow the rules of the road. I once had someone assure me in head-on traffic: “See that double yellow line there? Nothing can cross over that.” Yes, it was mansplaining, but beyond that, it was daft; paint provides literally no barrier at all–and as long as we don’t meet someone on the road with a death wish, we’ll likely all do our best to travel without incident–but that doesn’t mean we pretend there’s some magic at work, protecting us or our vehicle from mayhem or accident. Accepting that things won’t always go as we expect is required for successful navigation; is there some capacity in which you are exercising a kind of magical thinking, refusing to acknowledge that you must be more consciously vigilant, or cautious than you wish to be, after all?

The 1st arrives and we’re, well, out-of-sorts. Buried Instincts and things we know-but-don’t-know push up into relationship and financial matters and cause all kinds of bruising. Nagging too is the sense that we’re not executing our goals perfectly (let’s be real, who does?), and we’re haunted by a ghost or two from the past who insist on rattling their chains. How to handle it all? Strength at this time is found in mental toughness, in a clear and confident assessment of our own personal autonomy and ability. Owning one’s sense of authority within our ‘territory’ is a must. Those who bring forward a sense of their own Self-worth in answer to issues do best; those who pretend they lack agency place themselves at the mercy of those who would commandeer their power and use it as their own.

‘Cloud Shadows’ (1889) Winslow Homer {{PD}}

Today’s word image is an enormous shadow that passes over, with nothing above to cast it. Mysterious, right? Even a little unsettling. The issue isn’t that the shadow exists–we see it–but that we may spend an inordinate amount of time trying to locate the source. Think symbolically: trying to pinpoint what is forming the shadow may in the end help us eliminate it, but what we really need to do in the moment is accept that this shape of darkness just is–and then make choices that will provide some light, or take us out from under its breadth and scope.

On the 2nd our highest priorities and values literally and figuratively make up our reality; we see the results of our choices, our actions, and our investments–and we may feel a sense of power as we survey our achievements and their effects, or we may fight the impulse to burn it all to the ground–it all depends on how flexible we are in thinking about those concrete results. If we don’t mind admitting that we could improve our efforts, that maybe what we think we value is not what we actually value as revealed by our surroundings and outcomes, and if we Forgive Ourselves for not being all-powerful or all-knowing, then we are likely to gain a deep understanding of our inner workings and intentions that will probably make us a lot less concerned with worldly power, and a lot more proud of who we are.

Aspect to watch out for: Mars opposed Pluto across Cancer-Capricorn=could turn into a contest between the angrily passive-aggressive and the hateful won’t budge–or maybe the offended side that’s hosting a pity-party and the stern denier/ crusher of dreams. In any case, a situation where tempers and an insistent Willfulness may be disguised as sadness, vulnerability, ‘the rules’, the voice of authority, ‘it’s for your own good’, ‘do it for Mom’, or the warning to restrict yourself or risk ‘death’ of one kind or another. There’s a lot of rage covered over with what appears to be pretty innocuous stuff. No, there’s nothing dramatic about that at all.

If you want to harness the energy, be willing to choose or act based on what you care about, based on taking an empathetic view of the world, and by asking what nurtures the world, what harms it. Avoiding destructive impulses, especially when these are sanctioned by authorities, is half the battle; acting in positive and supportive forms is the other.

Today’s word image is a speeding red fire engine. Sometimes they’re fluorescent green, but the goal is the same: to be not just heard but seen and so avoided by bystanders, allowing the crew to get where they need to be as quickly as possible. Are you the fire engine, needing others to see, hear, and get out of your way? If so, ask yourself if your goal is that much more urgent or important than anyone else’s–and if your answer is yes, then I wish you good luck in separating those conjoined twins or negotiating world peace–but if not then you may want to consider how your rush or blaring siren or push forward may be creating a less-than-positive reaction in others. Or are you a bystander, in danger of being flattened if you don’t get out of the way of a Self-important someone in a hurry? And if you do see others speeding by you, does that suggest you aren’t motivated enough to make a difference yourself? Or do you lack a sense of urgency that may be needed if you’re to have a significant impact (‘put out the fire’ or ‘save lives’ in some form)? Finding a balance between pushing forward on our personal agenda and having respect and regard for others may be the theme today.

On the 3rd we’re just Too Open To Hurt from the social arena or from society’s attitudes or policies; it springs from our own imperfect processing of and understanding of the past and how it influenced our thinking. Trust instincts and skills, and be willing to look at how many assumptions, rather than facts, may lie beneath our beliefs. Seeing the gap between what really is and what we think is, should prompt us to drop some of our less successful filters. Too, we may see deja vu-like echoes of May 21st, when the Sun and Mercury met in Superior Conjunction, and so deal with things we thought were already concluded (this last reflecting Sun parallel Mercury).

‘Alice in Wonderland’, John Tenniel, Illustrator 1865 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a skull and crossbones–pirates or poison? If it’s pirates, you may need to be on the lookout for someone attempting to ‘raid’ your assets, while if it’s poison, this may be a warning you’re taking in something highly detrimental to your system.

The 4th we may become aware of the ways some of our values are based not on ideals, but on anger, injustices suffered, or our own insistence on ignoring certain realities–and that makes those Not True Values But Reactions. What we hold dear should be an expression of our ‘Best Self’, not created in a knee-jerk response to something we don’t find admirable; this sullies the ideal with negatives that almost guarantee our experiences of it will be full of conflict or disillusion. It’s time to be honest about those instances where our beliefs have been driven by fantasy or what’s unreal or out-of-touch; look for the thought sparked by choice, the ‘happy accident’, or the sudden realization fueled by the unexpected, to deliver insight and answers, right on time.

Venus enters Gemini=don’t live in your head or rationalize when it comes to relationships or finances, and look to the House matters where Venus now transits in the personal chart to see where you can gain through communicating, sharing info, or coming clean.

Today’s word image: a spaceship lands on an unexplored planet. What truly alien thing have you been brave enough to venture into, lately? Give yourself credit, just for the doing.

For the 5th, only Shakespeare will do (from Romeo and Juliet): “Why then, O brawling love! O loving hate! O any thing, of nothing first create! O Heavy Lightness, serious vanity, Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms, Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health, Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is! This love feel I, that feel no love in this.”

Oh, and also the Sun squares Jupiter and trines Neptune, making for intense creativity, as long as we don’t get pulled into a social brawl, waylaid by the facts, or find ourselves contradicting our own beliefs (see the quote above for the contradictory possibilities).

Today’s word image is a suggestion: a sunrise meditation.

Today, the 6th, is all chillingly-cool shadows on the hottest summer days (or sterile-bright glaring sun on snow, depending on your hemisphere), affronts and outrages that are both unjust and illogical, and exhibitions of strength that result in unhealthy developments. What do we have going for us? Somehow we are still pinging our Radar On The Future, and by keeping to our highest values and commitments, we create uniquely intelligent ways to proceed.

Giles Corey of the Salem Farms” (1868), John Whetton Ehninger {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a dip back into the past, where history gets re-written: a 17th century witch trial, where reason suddenly prevails and everyone goes home. It’s not always easy to admit that your cow just wandered away, rather than being transported to the next town by Goody Lowell, and it’s an inability to say, ‘Yeah, maybe that was my fault because I didn’t shut the pen’ that sends us looking to blame others who’ve irritated us in some way. Consider the modern equivalent, and vow that you will not allow small irks to escalate into life-changing accusations. The keyword here is, ‘Rational’.

Have a wonderful week!

 

Your Week 24-29 June 2017 A Rough Patch, Redeemed by Beauty

22 Thursday Jun 2017

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‘Idyll’ 1901 by Carl Larsson {{PD}}

Following on the New Moon in Cancer, we may feel on the 24th that we’re waking up from a fog, waking up to what’s dear, and we see (likely in an exaggerated form, to get butts moving) the dangers of destruction or loss. We may feel at odds with the social order, our own beliefs, or the facts, but we need to keep in mind that finding a way to get along is much healthier than being Willful or coming out swinging–either of those attitudes may create further obstacles to expansion, education, or getting ‘more’ that are not easily overcome. The good news is thinking is aligned with instinct and ‘deep within’ knowledge and this can guide choices into genius channels; be open to the ways communications and information can spark these smart answers.

By P Smith – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1598704

Today’s word image: a weather vane spins in the wind. Yes, we live in tumultuous times–but when have they not been? We’re all spinning, trying to adapt, feeling overwhelmed and disoriented–it’s not just you. It’s important to know it’s happening to everyone, that this state has always been and always will be more or less a constant (if you hold it, put your idea that things were more idyllic ‘back then’ to rest–it’s only a change in focus and awareness that makes now seem more disordered than then), and that your experience of it is not special in any way. Is it unusual for you? Yes, probably, but that doesn’t make it more unique than anyone else’s, or more intense. Don’t be vain (vane) in assessing what is essentially a state that our cultural and psychic ‘weather’ returns to rather frequently in the course of things. This should be reassuring; as it applies to the current situation, ‘This too shall pass.’

On the 25th we may meet obstacles to exercising our strengths and our Will; the way around this requires imagination and a creative approach, and maybe even an ideal-fueled refusal to acknowledge what’s in our way. Authorities, rules, and physical restrictions impede our progress, and how we think about these, especially how we choose to honor our own highest priorities, makes the difference between creative success and a move toward the ideal, or some unhealthy thinking that prefers the lie or the fantasy over reality.

U.S. nuclear test, 1954 {{PD}}

Today’s word image: an atomic bomb spills radiation everywhere. This is a man-made disaster, no question, and not even the biggest version of this possible; so what do we do, when we know better and continue the behaviors or practices anyway? Ask yourself how this applies to you–is there something you’re doing that’s destructive right down to the atomic level, that you’re with continuing in spite of awareness of its debilitating nature?

The 26th brings some consideration, even introspection, centered on what’s smart in terms of the material situation, and especially regarding shared assets, comforts, and the stability of financial matters. If you think you are disempowered, you are; reality follows thought in this matter. Angry? Use of practical skills will exorcise that demon.

‘Yamai no Soshi – (Man with Loose Teeth)’ Artist Unknown – http://www.emuseum.jp/detail/100995 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a grown man who loses a tooth. This image presents a situation of childhood, that is unexpected, if not inappropriate, for an adult to undergo. What thing are you losing that you shouldn’t be? What mistreatment has caused a loss? Is this in actuality something that should’ve been gone a long, long time ago? Or are you experiencing right now something that normally happens to a child–and how do you feel about that? Are you losing your ‘milk teeth’ in some regard, signalling you’re ‘all grown up’ in some area or at a mature level in exercising some skill?

What we do today, the 27th, shapes the future through negatives; it somehow fosters anger, outrage, or foments a kind of rebellion that says, ‘We won’t take this, anymore!’ This can be a very positive thing, if we are willing to see the whole picture, not just the parts that upset us. Too, if we are braced to go against the social order or its beliefs or expectations, we can access a high level of creative thinking. Instincts are right on the mark and bolster our ‘Best Self’, as long as we are willing to tailor efforts along a line that’s truly natural for us.

By Betsypicks – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

Today’s word image is a nest, thought abandoned, suddenly holds three blue eggs and the feathery wisps that indicate active parents nearby. Did you think that something that used to bring you great comfort (the nest) was all over? It’s not–look for it to start anew, very soon.

On the 28th our strength, especially to negotiate or to work our Will, comes from our past. What we learned there is of real value, but in order to take advantage of this, we must adjust our own boundaries or the reality picture itself, and we must set a limit that recognizes when our pursuit has gone too far and isn’t healthy. Special note: Mercury conjoins Mars in Cancer, quincunxes Black Moon Lilith, and noviles the North Node=actions, plans, and choices can be especially effective right now if we truly care, but there’s also the danger that we or others could be destructive and aggressive if we are influenced by suppressed rage generated by issues we’ve buried, ignored, or denied. In any case, what happens today shapes the future in some surprisingly deft ways.

Today’s word image is: an individual, after many years, finally sees a favorite painting in person. This suggests a long awaited and very satisfying, highly personal event, significant only to you. Take a moment to enjoy it, when it comes or is achieved.

The 29th beware of bullies–but also be willing to exercise your own rightful power, and to acknowledge others’ rights, as well. It’s a tough line to draw, but you’ll know if you (or another) has crossed it instinctually. There may be a lot of tough talk centered on who holds power, and who will allow, support, or block others’ ambition fulfillment. You know what’s healthy, and what’s warped–respect your judgment, and withdraw the moment things get abusive.

Today’s word image is a clear glass bottle, turned purple after years in the desert sun. What thing has revealed some startling and beautiful ‘colors’ after some brutal ordeal or scrutiny? Is this you, after life’s trials, now beginning to show your best, most refined (Royal purple) colors? Good on you, as they say 🙂

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Your Week 16-22 June 2017 Silence

15 Thursday Jun 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Horoscope, Neptune, Retrogrades, Sun/Mercury Superior Conjunction, The Daily Word Image

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Plas Newydd (Anglesey) – Terrace gardens grotto – Neptune as gargoyle By Wolfgang Sauber – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16274036

On the 16th Neptune stations retrograde at 14 Pisces 15, in close sextile to Juno in Capricorn, herself in apparent retro motion. This forms a loose Finger of God with asteroid Vesta in Leo–and if a personal body sits 12-16 Leo, you’ll see that natal energy as apex to an attempt at empowerment, one that either brings creativity to the fore, or is misguided, out of following your own delusions or misunderstandings. Juno prompts us to use our status, position, or connections to express our Will, and Neptune focuses that expression through our ideals, whether they are spiritual ones, imaginative ones, or off the mark, skewed by deception or delusion. For everyone, the Finger suggests that effort at exercising our prerogatives through creativity or misperception will result in pinpointing what we really care about, or discovery of what we’d like to dedicate our time and energy to; for those with a natal placement in that Leo range, this suggests you’ll see what matters in terms of the contacted energy, or possibly in terms of issues contained in the House it rules, if any. Vesta tells us what we honor in life; the Neptune station will make something about this clear, whether our efforts spring from a creative urge or a misguided one, though we may find we have no time, energy, or support to enact this particular ideal until Neptune is once again direct, in late November 2017.

Otherwise, we enjoy some very upbeat influences on the 16th, an unusually positive day when what we desire is actually good for us, when we have harmony between the mind and the Soul purpose (and so can choose, think, and act with little if any internal conflict), when we are optimistic about the future, and when we think along lines of ‘natural’ power and authority, and so make the most of our own abilities and influence. Reaching for something? Do it today, but be ready to listen if the internal systems tell you this isn’t your best course, after all–today’s excellent judgment may have you reassessing previous wants and goals.

By Scott Darbey from Canada – bluebells, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42236316

Today’s word image is bluebells. Simplest symbolisms say flowers are a ‘natural’ cheering thing, bolstering spirits just by being, and blue can be seen as soothing, or in its meaning as sad or depressing. Is there something that should be pleasant and happy that’s actually depressing you or making you sad? Are you having a kind of contrary reaction to something? Is there something natural (something you should accept as part of life) to which you’re having an unwarranted reaction? Are you ‘blue’ in spite of the way things are ‘in bloom’ in your life? That last is a signal that it’s time to seek help, if only confiding in another trusted Being to help you gain perspective.

The 17th our viewpoint may be a bit skewed: we see all the benefits as coming from or being found in ‘the future’, and we tend to disregard the role or origins of some rewarding matters where they formed or were earned in the past. Too, we know what we want and how to get it, but we may be willing to do something unhealthy or negative to make it happen–please consider the merit of the means as much as you do the end.

By Iker Cortabarria from Palma, España – Dragó, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4263989

Today’s word image is a lizard, sunning itself on a rock. As pleasurable as sunning itself is, this behavior is actually necessary for a cold-blooded (as we describe them) creature. What thing that you enjoy, and possibly see as Self-indulgent, is really a very necessary part of your existence, one that you can’t do without? This asks us to reassess what we see as an indulgence, a luxury, and what is important to our overall health.

By the 18th we’re feeling both wise and ‘lucky’–and that’s a pretty accurate measure of ourselves in the moment. The only thing to watch for is thinking that rejects the reality picture. The only way to get ‘there’ from ‘here’ is to know exactly where you’re starting out–keep this in mind as you choose, act, and do.

Today’s word image is a clown. People seem to have very personal reactions to this Archetype–consider yours definitive for you, specifically as to what it might say about how you see ‘fun’.

‘Fireworks, Vernon Bridge’ by Theodore Earl Butler {{PD}}

The 19th the fireworks are as much internal as external, so that it’s uncertain how much of this will show in surrounding circumstances, and how much will be firecrackers and flashbulbs going off in our heads. What we’ve got going for us: there’s wisdom in spontaneity, in the ‘new’ idea or impulse, in a willingness to invent or innovate, and diving in to test skills can bring surprisingly good results. The group may offer the smart choice, if we find ourselves wondering, and what the intellect supports as wise very likely is. Positives are seated in showing genuine confidence (as opposed to putting on a show) and relationship or financial connections can bolster personal empowerment and reach. Right now the mind has a knack for drawing on the past in productive ways–all of these things are good, and available to us.

What’s not so great? The ego, if it’s ascendant, will keep us away from every healthy option–it’s a matter of feeding negative emotions as a way of enslaving us to our own capricious nature. No one can ask anything of us, if we’re unreliable and unable to take care of ourselves, right? It’s easy to put our attention on hurts, at this point, and that can offer the ego the foothold it needs to run away with things. Too, we see a Finger of God, base of Jupiter-Black Moon Lilith, apex Venus in Taurus, that suggests both beliefs and what enrages us must adjust, if we are to receive the comfort and sustaining nurture of Love or Money.

Not an easy day, but a lively one, where following our best impulses is much more than worth it.

Today’s word image is a phrase I’ve heard multiple times within just a couple of days, from sources ranging from real life to media: “You’re so lucky you must have a golden horseshoe up your ass!” This is a thing? We’ll proceed on the assumption that it is. My first thought was, ‘That can’t be comfortable, so is this luck in spite of the situation being difficult?’ I think that sums it up. Find the spot in your own life where you’ve been very fortunate, despite the pain.

The 20th we may feel at odds with ourselves and the social scene–there’s no safe harbor for Self-expression without critique, the facts don’t support our empowerment, and the worst may be that it’s our own ‘wounded thinking’ that’s creating most of the mess. If we are willing to reconcile with some less-than-positive aspects of the past, we can move on to reap rewards from the creative, the innovative, and the use of skills–and we can do it as the Sun moves into Cancer, pulling our attention toward caring, nurturing, and finding a prominent place in our lives for our emotional reality to shine.

Today’s word image is an old song, ‘The Girl From Ipanema’. If you don’t know it from the radio, you probably know it from the Muzak in elevators and grocery stores. What quality makes a song seep so far into the Collective consciousness that one can’t go long without hearing it in some form? What ‘song’ have you been singing all these years that has now become part of your consciousness–and are you aware of what it says to and about you? Ask yourself, Is it time to change the track?

The 21st sees the Superior Conjunction of the Sun and Mercury (their meeting while Merc is in direct motion). This should bring us the results of something seeded at the Inferior Conjunction. It’s not always evident, and may be so subtle that it seems a matter of course–but it should answer some question, no matter how oblique, that has been up in the air, or bring some communication or thought to a close, offering a form of ‘silence’. To make this meeting possible, we see Merc join the Sun in Cancer; don’t be surprised if what concludes has a prominent element of feeling, or brings an emotional conclusion that will often present as relief.

On other fronts, we see some resistance to what we know instinctively, we see some Self-destructive tendencies that endanger what we really care about, and we may find the imagination running away with us and focused on what we are in denial of or ignoring. You do the math; this is about facing things, pure and simple.

From our yard 2017

Today’s word image is peonies. On a gardening site I saw someone write in, frantically asking how to get rid of the ants that were swarming her peony plants; I and several others wrote back, ‘Don’t! Peonies need ants to help them open!’ This is the danger of engaging with something we know nothing about: not so much that something bad will come to us from it, but that we can cause harm in our ignorance. Whatever this brings to mind, just make sure you really do know what you’re doing.

On the 22nd no new aspects form–both our outlook and our word image for the day will be a kind of Silence. Find it, deliberately make room for it, sit within it. It’s likely to reveal to us just how much noise we’d like to be rid of.

Sorry I’m a little late getting this out. Windows hijacked my computer with a massive update that then wouldn’t allow my astrology program to open–so it took me hours to straighten things out. Have a wonderful week!

 

 

 

Your Week 10-15 June 2017 Navigating the Healthy Way

06 Tuesday Jun 2017

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…with the letter M – Mirta Toledo 2005 Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

For the Full Moon, the forecast for dates before the 10th, or Jupiter direct, please see the previous two posts. Have a wonderful week!

The 10th it’s Pedal to the Metal, with a full-out effort by each individual or entity to express the maximum authority he, she, they, or it holds. We somehow sense that right now, that’s a smart thing to do, and we’re given the inventive idea and the perfect action to take, and all of it’s aligned with our highest values and respects those things to which we’d like to dedicate our energy. Any drawbacks? Not really, though we should know that if our efforts aren’t working, they fail because we either aren’t recognizing our own inherent limitations, or we are attempting something that strays from our values guidelines, and so should be avoided anyway.

Today’s word image is a snow globe. This image is so ‘not summer’ that it suggests to me a time marker–but are we looking forward to this coming winter, or back at the last one, or another even further in the past? And for those in the Southern Hemisphere, this may apply to right now. So how do we tell? Think of it as a kind of crystal ball; when you visualized a snow globe, what did you see inside? That is a big clue as to what this symbol means for you personally. I visualized a scene of two children making a snowman, which just happens to be the illustration on a decorative plate my husband gave me when we were first married. For me that plate was a symbol of how much he wanted a family–and I think points up how that attitude is still the centerpiece of things for us both. So for me, a nice reminder of one of the things our life together is built around. What’s in your snow globe?

On the 11th our Instincts May Test the Limits of our current life direction, and we may have the ways we’ve misunderstood our own values, exaggerated our negative issues, and refused to accept the smart uses of our own power to thank for it. We may be faced repeatedly with examples of how what we think we stand for is not what we really stand for, how our detailed attention to injustices and hurts has only given them a more prominent place in our consciousness, and how we have avoided using what clout we do have, out of either a misguided idea that to be powerful means we can’t also be pure in our intention (a misreading of the ideas behind ‘power corrupts’), or because we may think we need to be the only one with power in a situation in order to be effective–and both interpretations are not just wrong, they suggest we have a lot of distorted perceptions around power and its use that we need to examine. Best course today is to take a step back from anything that makes a demand on you, so that responses can be considered, rather than automatic.

Origami Elephant made from a US $1 bill. Released into the Public Domain

Today’s word image is found money. I don’t mean money you have stashed away and forgot about, only to ‘find’ it later, or the cash from selling your old junk, or a surprise inheritance, I mean literally found money, in a public hallway, a stairwell, the street, or other place accessible to many and where no one lingers–meaning that whoever dropped or lost it is long gone. Recently I’ve seen someone find a dollar in a parking lot (exclaiming, “Look! I’ve graduated from finding quarters!”) and seen someone find a one hundred dollar bill in a parking garage (she turned it in to building management in case someone reported losing it, but after 10 days they returned it to her, saying, “It’s all yours.”) It’s nice to get a tip from the Universe, a blatant message symbolic of you having worth–but we get found energy in other ways, too, like from a truly friendly connection made with a stranger, assistance offered or given, or a compliment or smile delivered just when we need it. Your job today is to notice just how many times you are given these little energy ‘boosts’, and how many times you may be the one offering a boost to others.

The 12th seems like a quiet (figuratively speaking) day, as thoughts and communications display two consistent characteristics: we wrestle with trying to understand what’s healthy, and we refuse to recognize reality. All the noise may be in our own heads, and real-world interactions have an air of unreality as we speak, act, and do from behind a clear but Impenetrable Barrier that keeps us from having much impact on (or any understanding of) surroundings or circumstances–and the same goes for everyone else. Retreat a bit, and try to get straight on what’s actually good for us, and what’s not such a big deal (hint: there’s no need for confusion, you already know). The world and all its wonders and ills will still be here for you when you mentally return to it tomorrow, sans invisible shield.

Carl Blechen – ‘Gorge at Amalfi’ 1830 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is liquids–all of them. Notice where they are, and where they are not, and if you choose to look at them as symbolic of emotion, what does that tell you about your world and your feelings within it?

On the 13th thinking is optimistic and what’s wise steers us into our best future, but uneasiness with power in all its forms, and a (somewhat Self-destructive) wish to turn off the mind and act purely on instinct gets in the way of any potential leaps forward. What’s the issue? Like the sad refrain to a song that never seems to end, we see what we’ve ignored, denied, or hidden exert its influence–and if we surrender to an avoidant urge, we envelope ourselves in confusion, deception, or a simple disconnection from reality. Dealing with those denied matters head-on clears them out much more quickly than we anticipate, and even better, it gives us a positive and highly accurate take on our own power expression–which give us Confidence to Reach Out in forward-thinking ways. Clue to getting along: stay out of power struggles, and if others try to engage in them with you, modify your stance so that they can’t find a handhold with which to pull you down.

I believe “Butter my crumpet!” is a pre-war British expression of disbelief. CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=137966

Today’s word image is a butter knife. Doesn’t it seem contradictory to use something with much more aggressive connotations (a knife) on something as pliable as butter? Is there something you’re tempted to ‘put to the knife’, which would be much easier to handle if you’d just give it time to soften a little?

What is this obsession (okay, more like a preoccupation) with our thoughts and whether our thinking is ‘healthy’ or not? By ‘healthy’ I think we probably mean ‘beneficial for us’, as this kind of mental patterning can mimic mice running a maze that’s all dead ends. The 14th brings mental issues/ reasoning front and center once again, and we may be hard pressed to see that we’re not wondering about health so much as we are about the Personal Power to Heal. We’re obsessed with our ability to care for and nurture ourselves. That can be a potent thought (fear?) if we doubt our own strength, our reach, and our ability to foster our own well-being. We may feel keenly a need for such nurture, and a strong awareness of our solitary form adds a note of uncertainty–can we do it? Indicators give a resounding ‘Yes’, with two things to remember: one, Mother Nature is on your side–let her do her thing–and two, relationships, especially those that provide comfort and support, will show you what to do. Love can offer tangible, uplifting benefits at this time, and can heal what you didn’t even know was injured.

Today’s word image is two candles, one of which won’t stay lit. Is there something (or someone) you’re trying to ‘keep the fire alive’ with, that just isn’t responding (or you’re not responding to) as you’d like? It’s important to see when something isn’t working, or doesn’t stir the kind of passion it used to–there’s no shame in seeing things for what they are. It’s vital to being in touch with reality that we recognize when the time for something has come and gone–letting things that are no longer valid go makes room for what’s new, and what really matters to us, now.

Today, the 15th, is the day to pursue ambition fulfillment–and don’t be fooled by what appear to be restrictions, barriers, and obstacles before you–they are merely there to urge you in a more natural direction–and by that I mean, a direction that takes better advantage of your own abilities, and that does not force you into too harsh or too suppressive environments. You will benefit, though gathering in that reward may require some acceptance of needed change or call for adjustment. In order to make the most of this day’s influences, you must agree not to let surroundings or those in authority define who you are–if they declare you ‘x’, it really doesn’t matter, as long as you stay firm on your Self-identity–knowing who you are within yourself is what’s important.

Jan van Eyck (detail of a larger work) 1435 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is the last book you finished; how does that book’s title or general story line/ contents describe something in you or your life? This may point to something that has been growing/ taking shape, and is on the verge of becoming prominent in consciousness or character.

Donate —  Read  —  Enjoy your week!

Your Week 2-8 June 2017 Super-Positive Spin

01 Thursday Jun 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Fist of God, forecast, Horoscope, Mars, The Daily Word Image, Weekly Astrology

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‘At the Moulin Rouge, The Dance’ Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec 1889 {{PD}}

On the 2nd, Power Deceptions come into play. It’s not that we are unable to grasp which way (or to whom) the actual power is flowing, it’s that we are being presented with something by those holding the power that deliberately obscures the facts. Chew on that for a second; how does it feel to know that the Truth is being so purposefully withheld, and is done so with impunity? That’s what those in power do when they are unwilling to share. We’ll be mad, agitated, and probably lash out, because dah-um, it hurts, and hurts in a way that cuts us right down into our core, hitting a primal wound that triggers a sense of shame at our own vulnerability. At least in part, this is about learning that the hard edges of the reality picture can’t harm what’s most important: ‘what is’ just can’t put a dent in what we revere, in our highest values, or in what we find sacred, unless we hand our own power over to that external. That’s good news, showing that our Beingness, what’s important (and so what’s eternal) within us, is unaffected by those slings and arrows of misfortune. That should reassure us that the real problem lies outside of us and outside our reach, after all.

Message in a bottle, By Peer Kyle – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36953569

Today’s word image is receiving contacts from strangers. Suddenly there seems to be a flood of individuals reaching out to people they don’t know; I’m getting them, clients and readers are reporting getting them, and not the kind that are to be expected from the line of work or the social presence–and these are not banking scams or info seeking. They seem to be ‘fishing’ in the old-fashioned sense: looking around for someone to engage with, the equivalent of approaching a stranger at a cocktail party for chit-chat. What they all have in common is this: they are the shallowest of contacts, and don’t promise any real interaction–so why should we respond? We should respond only if we don’t value our own time, if we are looking for meaningless interactions, if we are avoiding life at all costs. It’s the Universe asking us to show discretion, to value ourselves, and to think enough of others not to waste their time, either.

The 3rd brings Opportunity and Optimism painted in broad, shiny strokes, via sudden relationships, a choice of financial paths, an asset windfall, loves lost and found, past group affiliations that build new affiliations for tomorrow, and a promise that any power you have will be treated as sacred. Sounds wonderful, and for the most part, will be. Issues are generated by us, and arise from those matters we’ve ignored or been in denial about, and now must deal with to successfully take advantage of the sudden opening, the revelatory information, the innovative plan, or the original idea.

Today’s word image is a garbage scow moving over pristine waters. Is it time to ‘take out the garbage’ in a big way? The thing with the massive transporting of garbage is, we see it as ‘disappeared’, but it’s really just been taken to where we can’t see it–so isn’t really gone at all. Maybe it’s burned, or buried, but there’s usually a lot that doesn’t get obliterated. What ‘housecleaning’ have you done lately, literal or figurative, that may not have been entirely successful–that is, where’s the garbage been moved to, and does it need further handling, processing, or a final and complete destruction?

By Jot Powers – Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=934530

Mars enters Cancer on the 4th and we may all feel like we’re Running Through Marshmallow Fluff. Suddenly ‘straight talk’ just isn’t as welcome as it was in Gemini, and the only ‘acceptable’ attitudes are caring ones–anything else invites censure or reprimand. Others may see us as overly aggressive, most especially when we’re minding our own business and seeing to what we want and need. ‘Selfish’ may get thrown around a lot, but so may labels that apply to those who take action because they care, who step up to leadership positions expressly to nurture, rescue, or comfort others, and who emphasize that individual responsibility is really the only genuine responsibility that exists. Remember during Mars’ sojourn here that Cancer is a Water sign; that can make assertive energies more volatile as they’re so easily paired with emotions, but it can also mean that if you can touch an aggressor through the feeling nature you can diffuse the human bomb.

The mind and the instincts are melded today, but this includes the ‘blind spot’ material, making for a touchy mental stew where it may be nigh on impossible to trace thoughts and conclusions along some logical or totally obvious course. The reality picture presents us with the need for adjustment, and if we can trust the instincts and are reasonably sure we’re not hiding anything from ourselves, then things can turn out just this side of inspired. Those sitting on a pile of denial or anger will only manage to fool themselves; everyone else will find the imagination stimulated and a creative viewpoint readily accessible.

Today’s word image is a bed in the middle of the forest. Is yours a fairy tale image, a hippie dream, a swirl of leaves where an animal or small human lay, or actual furniture, incongruous among the trees? There’s something about the image of a bed in the forest that says accessing the unconscious, possibly through dreams, a relaxed fugue state, or a meditative one. Examine today’s dreams, the ones you have asleep, and the ones you ponder awake, with an eye to what they might say about what your unconscious mind is building into your future real world.

The 5th we feel strong, sure in our identity and our purpose–so what is all this mental static? It’s caused by the way we’re Connected to Inner Power, but fail to connect to the reality picture as it currently exists. The mind is being short-circuited by a Fist of God, base of Hygeia square Jupiter, apex Mercury, that’s acting as a lightning rod for the dissonance between What Is and the internal landscape. What’s healthy for us is at odds with the social sphere and perhaps with the facts, and this is what creates interference between impulses and forming cogent thoughts. The urge may be to give the life direction a good going-over, but that misses what we might gain if, just for today, we’ll leave behind the rational and go with the fanciful and creative.

Expecting animals to behave like people is generally frowned upon, now days. {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a seal balancing a ball on its nose. Generally, we don’t see making animals do tricks as a good thing, anymore. In what way are you subject to someone else, who has ‘trained’ you to do something useless, frivolous, or simply to show they have power over you? And what will you do, now that you’re clear on how ‘unnatural’ it all is?

On the 6th we see Mercury move into Gemini and Venus into Taurus. Thinking takes on a crisp edge–a relief after yesterday–and relationships and finances take a bottom line, is everybody satisfied approach. We have an Optimistic, Forward-Looking Attitude that may be a tad impulsive to be productive, though the true measure of our effectiveness is found in whether we are able to reconcile our need for empowerment with both our highest values and what’s truly healthy. Not an easy equation to work out, but one that will be exceptionally beneficial if we can.

Today’s word image is a rainbow in an unexpected place. We’ll catch one, when light hits a piece of crystal just right, or mist catches the sunlight, or even when a thin sheen of oil slicks the surface of a puddle. Look into the unexpected, the unplanned, the spontaneous for the fleeting beauty it can offer, and watch for those ‘signs’ that say to you everything is going well–because it really is.

Rainbow and sulfur dioxide emissions, Halemaumau vent, By Brocken Inaglory – Own work, GFDL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3909872

For the 7th we end up shooting ourselves in the foot if we aren’t willing to Adjust our need for empowerment as it relates to our natural talents and tendencies–but if we are, we can allow values to work with what we’ve ignored or denied, and thereby solve or diffuse issues; adjustment also allows us to incorporate the ambitions and desires into the identity with great success. This day should leave us in a much better position than it found us, assuming our power needs are modified as noted, though we should expect (and accept) that thinking at this time won’t actually be clear on how we can best empower ourselves–relax, that comes later–right now the need is to adjust the Self–any conclusions about empowerment can’t be safely drawn until later.

Today’s word image is a place: Mexico, and specifically Cancun (or another ‘C’ city). Look for references to this (the phrase ‘South of the border’ or ‘going South’, for instance, which can mean escaping, hiding out), or use your own associations with the city or the country.

The 8th offers some highly positive and constructive influences, with only a single tricky dynamic. First, the good news: highest values put a Super-Positive Spin on expression, attracting opportunity and spinning facts into ideal shapes. Wisdom guides creativity, and in relationships and/ or finances we take unusual or innovative steps that can bring (or at least lay the foundation for) serious reward. The only thing to watch for is the working of our own minds; in spite of our skills and smarts, we may succumb to the allure of desire, which in this instance carries some inherently destructive components (Fist, Zeus-Pluto, apex Merc). We may be tempted to choose gratification in one area, and in the process fail to acknowledge that we’re ruining everything else. C’est la vie.

‘Lady in a Red Hat’ 1924 By János Thorma {{PD}}

Today’s word image is something red, that will really stand out. Mark the moment.

Enjoy a book! And have a great week!

 

 

Your Week 26 May-1 June 2017 A Thousand Suns

25 Thursday May 2017

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‘Sunset’ 1917 Arkady Rylov {{PD}}

On the 26th, Love is Wise. It’s the answer for everything. Oh, and ignore the darkness, your fear of change, and the Powers-That-Be; just for today, they can’t touch you.

And you’re welcome. (That’s my answer to you thanking me for not posting an MC Hammer video).

Instead we’ve got Today’s word image:a Tarot card that is totally blank. No such thing exists, right? So we’re left with symbolism. This says to me that if we’re looking for signs and indicators of what’s coming, we may not be given any, not because the Universe carries any malice toward us, but because some things aren’t meant to be known.

The 27th things get complicated. We’re trying to go at it in a straightforward manner, being spontaneous, open, healthy, nothing to hide, thinking, applying ideas, and making progress–but what’s been only in our peripheral vision and (perhaps unbeknownst to us) enraged us comes forward and completely messes with our ability to be autonomous, to exercise our prerogatives and abilities, and to expand our reach and effectiveness. If we turn to the social order for help, we get lots of hemming and hawing, and those with real power for some reason just don’t want to be associated with us! What’s a just-want-to-get-it-done innocent to do? Cop to whatever you’ve been denying or not giving your attention to–that’s what’s causing this mess.

Unsigned. Japanese, 19th century {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a goldfish with a tiny shark fin strapped to its back. Be fierce today, even if that’s not your nature. Not aggressive or hostile, but confident; burn with the intensity of a thousand suns–or the equivalent.

The 28th we want More and it’s just not good for us. We try to act in spite of obvious barriers and restrictions, mostly because we just don’t want to let go of a fantasy or ideal. I could be harsh and say, ‘Grow Up,’ or we could each say it to ourselves, but either way, that’s the essence of today: a need to formulate a positive but much more realistic (and so, more workable) picture of our world and how we fit in it.

‘Washing Fairies’ Hamburg-St. Pauli, Photo By Oxfordian Kissuth – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11258295

Today’s word image is us, rolling up our sleeves, to give the dingiest part of the house a scrubbing. Inevitably there’s always some corner, some neglected area, where grime collects. It’s one of those days where we can take this literally, and shine up a portion of our abode, or figuratively, which requires cleaning out a corner of the psyche where we know there’s an issue, that up until now we’ve chosen to overlook.

On the 29th Ideas spark ingenious action and choices–go with it. Nevertheless, what rewards us does not reflect our ambitions, our desires, or our dreams–so maybe the second message here is, Don’t look to what you usually want, pine over, long for, or moon about for a payoff, emotional or most especially material. Relationships may offer Love unconnected to our roles, obligations, agreements, or familiarity levels; we can’t buy that kind of caring, it springs from some much purer well than the average interaction, so savor it, today.

Today’s word image is weather finally warm enough for seeds to sprout. Is there a milieu or environment you’ve been waiting for a long time to see ‘heat up’? Get ready, as the wait’s over.

The 30th actions, choices, and communications are spontaneous, inspired, imaginative, innovative, and so successful, in large part because we follow our highest values and priorities. Ambitions and goals may suffer only in their need for adjustment, to fit what we revere. We’ll see very clearly what we ourselves honor, and what others find sacred or make a priority; remember this for the future, as it always helps to know what we and others truly care about–and it can explain just about everything.

‘Harmonie du Soir’ Michel Simonidy 1904 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is suddenly beginning to listen to a kind of music you’ve never really liked before. Our tastes change; that’s why we need to keep looking around at the world, as there’s always something to try, something we’ve passed up before that’s become interesting, a thing overlooked to sample. If you haven’t lately, give something new a try.

What’s working in our favor on the 31st? A whole lot. We are confident, and because of that opportunities come to us; we act from lessons learned in the past, which have been distilled to wisdom, and we apply this to our life direction, with an eye on the future; we think it, or voice it, and connected change happens–so be especially careful with your thoughts and words. Attention is fixed on ideals, and reality doesn’t interfere. What’s not working so well? Confidence in something doesn’t mean it will happen–we can only hold confidence in ourselves–and erratic or extreme actions or responses are rooted in ignored or denied material, so that the less we have buried, the more reliable and coherent our choices.

Today’s word image is a painting centuries old where one of the figures looks just like someone you know. There’s a timelessness to individuals, with physical types recurring over and over through the years. Think of whoever of your acquaintances you imagined when you read the first sentence–consider this may be a prompt asking you to recognize something eternal in this person, to acknowledge some ancient continuity you’ve never noticed before.

June 1st offers the feeling of a ‘new start’–or would, if pesky reality didn’t keep getting in the way. We are reminded of what’s not working in our world, according to our own highest values, and we are aligned with and conscious of this most perfect sense of what we honor and who we are; listen to that inner perception, as that allows us to follow our instincts to gain in Love or Money, and to perform in harmony with the world as it is, obstacles and all.

These are definitely not those ‘so comfortable you think you’re barefoot’ shoes. By Carel Paris – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37023331

Today’s word image is a pair of shoes that feel like you’re not wearing shoes at all. I think these suggest the kind of imperceptible support we get from the Universe. We can’t always feel it, but it’s there.

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25 May 2017 The New Moon in Gemini: The Germinal Spark

22 Monday May 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Fist of God, New Moon

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They’ve got New Moon ideas. Carl Bloch – ‘In a Roman Osteria’ {{PD}}

This New Moon may be like a little *ping*, almost unnoticeable, so distracted will we be from the new start, inception, or burgeoning issue it represents. The New Moon makes only one aspect, forming apex to a very loose Fist of God with base of Zeus square Juno (There is an argument to be made for a sextile to Vesta, as well, but no, it’s 3 full degrees–a little more than I like for a crisp Moon picture). This suggests something interesting: that we’ll have an idea, a thought, become aware of some germinal seed, just beginning, that comes to us at the same time we experience a conflict or upset, a clash between what empowers us and what we want–and those topics are so compelling that we may have a difficult time holding on to that new concept, that just-starting idea, that could grow into something great. Whether the idea comes to us as a result of the conflict, or is subsumed in the course of the conflict, we will be presented with a mental ‘spark’ of one kind or another; it’s up to us to refuse to wrangle with others (especially partners–Zeus in Libra) over our desires, and whether we have the clout, the support structure, or can show Self-restraint or follow the rules sufficiently (Juno in Capricorn) to fulfill our ambitions. It’s in this sort of dust-up that our New Moon idea can be lost, as we are tempted to focus on justifying, explaining, or proving that we both deserve what we aim for and are capable of getting it. We don’t need to explain ourselves to anyone–and we deplete ourselves if we use our energy to explain and plead, rather than to be and do.

So what’s the nature of the spark we’ll get? Look to the matters of the House where the New Moon falls for you. It may be an idea on one or more of the House topics, could present a sudden and fresh way of dealing with a long-standing related problem, or could be something we hear or read, a message or statement not necessarily meant for us, but just what we needed to be privy to, to realign our thinking or open our mind to a new way of reasoning or seeing. If the New Moon forms aspects to your natal placements, these are also clues as to what may contribute to the spark for you–and in particular, pay attention to Houses ruled, if any, by natal placements contacted by the NM. These can show a synergy that connects and combines matters into a single issue. For instance, if the New Moon falls in your 3rd, square your Virgo Sun in 6th, with Sun ruling the 5th, you could see a change in the daily routine (6th) as you get a new contract (3rd) related to your creative output (5th). This same combo could refer to a new creative idea (3rd, 5th) that causes you to take a particular job, or to change the one you have (6th). Or, you take a short trip (3rd) to gamble (5th) and lose your job! (6th) You get my drift.

The Sabian for the New Moon is, “A Revolutionary Magazine Asking For Action”. Words can educate us, move us to a cause, inform and inflame–but at this time we must take care to keep our attention on our goals. We can try to explain our ideas, try to enlist others to our side, but in the end, this is energy, as the Fist tells us, that’s better spent actually pursuing what we want. To change the world feels good, but it happens in the doing, not in the talking about doing–something to keep in mind as we deal with today’s influences and events.

We also see a passel of other distractions, presented through relationships, finances, and a reality picture that forces us to adjust our thinking by making it impossible not to deal with what we’ve up to now ignored, denied, or been enraged by. We may be told by others that only the future matters; what really counts now is to accept, even love, change–it’s not just the only way to stay sane, it leaves that much more of our energy and attention for our own use.

Your Week 19-24 May 2017 The Big Kahuna

18 Thursday May 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Fist of God, forecast, Horoscope, T-Square, The Daily Word Image

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‘Shaman’ 1930 Arman Manookian {{PD}}

I’ve added the answer to the Horary chart in the Horary article (scroll down or click here), in case you’re interested.

Friday the 19th there may be massive, literal finger-pointing over beliefs, facts, and disclosures, and though it gets ‘it’ out in the open, it’s not particularly healthy, in terms of the debilitating effects it has on everyone. We have a pounding Fist of God (Hygeia square Jupiter, apex the Sun) that suggests enlightenment will be brutal, and a tense T-square (Venus opp Jupiter, square Hygeia) that pits values, assets, and relationships against beliefs or facts–but which of the latter? In a best-case scenario, beliefs will be replaced by facts–that, at least, will make the discord worth going through, as it puts everyone on the same page, and removes a ‘wishful thinking’ element that’s contaminated Venusian areas for too long. Here’s the kicker, the key, the big kahuna, the whole enchilada: Mercury parallel Uranus tells us Higher Mind understanding, revolutions in thinking and reasoning, and revelatory information, is the result–truly a worthy and desirable outcome.

Today’s word image is a joke: cat walks into a bar, sits down, and orders a drink. The bartender puts a shot down in front of the cat, who reaches his paw out and swipes the glass off the bar and onto the floor. Then the cat says, ‘Gimme another’. Is there something we approach with a bit of swagger, certain in our actions, that appears confident and yet ends up being wasteful or silly? Are we even in the right place, placing the right ‘orders’, in the first place? Questions to ask ourselves today.

The 20th brings those with wisdom and those with empowered status into conflict. Are those qualities, wisdom and empowerment, necessarily always mutually exclusive? Of course not, but in this case, those seem to be the lines along which this particular confrontation will divide. Illusions about what’s healthy, or in how to achieve a functional state, abound, so it’s unlikely that, as the Sun enters Gemini, we will reach any workable conclusions–but we’ll sure think about things a lot.

Today’s word image is something red. Though things that are red will be noticed, there’ll be one thing in particular that stands out. What it is, and what it says, represents, or means to you, is what’s important.

The 21st brings unexpected harmony between the senses and the instincts–and so can lead to excellent responses and choices, when the mind doesn’t interfere and gum it all up. Our responses to relationships and financial situations will be right on; don’t forget tomorrow what you thought about someone, or some asset or money-related situation, today.

Today’s word image is a haircut. In symbolic terms, I see hair as representing thoughts. So, what does your choice of hair style say about you? Do you change the natural tendencies of your hair by adding product? Is your hair (and so your thinking) stiff and inflexible, does it curl tightly around on itself, is it limp or have you changed it by artificial means (dye or perming, perhaps)? What do you see being ‘shouted’ by the hair of those close to you? You may notice a surprising correlation between thinking ‘style’ and the way the hair is kept.

On the 22nd temper is a factor, at least in part because, consciously or not, we recognize that our reasoning at this time is clashing with our values. Don’t ignore this; have the courage to admit that what we want may actually violate our most important personal standards–and then let go of the desire. Nothing’s worth getting if it compromises our integrity.

There’s even a comic set on the Pacific trash heap itself. Image Comics, Joe Harris and Martin Marazzo (Fair Use)

Today’s word image is the great Pacific garbage mass, an accretion of discarded trash, junk, plastics, things sucked out to sea by tsunamis, and anything else that found its way to the water and doesn’t break down fairly quickly. We’ve been hearing about this for some time, the warnings dire and downright frightening, and there’s no disputing that this is a bad thing for the planet. But NOAA tells us the situation isn’t quite what we’ve been led to think. Consider that you may be viewing something in your world as hopelessly ‘polluted’, when in reality you can still change the course of things, still ‘clean it up’ and revitalize some vital component of your life. You can save it, if you really care; it’s not hopeless, after all.

The 23rd the sh*t hits the fan, as they say, with another Fist (Zeus-Juno, apex Sun) and another T-square (Venus opp Zeus, both square Juno) taking aim at our tender bits–and perhaps destroying our idea of what’s wise or practical in one fell swoop, or maybe re-shaping our inner wisdom or practical stance to be much more applicable in our current world (Pluto square Pallas). This Fist of God forces our attention to the way our ambitions and desires are at odds with our present empowerment scenario. We’ll see exactly how our status fails to bring us what we want–and presumably, we’ll see how to correct this. At the same time, though, we’ll be faced with the stress of the T-square, which pits ambitions against assets, or maybe relationships, and requires us, via Juno, to use what power we hold to work out a detente between two factors with each clearly seeing the other as a threat. The saving grace here, aside from the transformative power of Pluto that we will undergo, want it or not, is found in Mercury novile Chiron. This promises we will find a way to think about things that will ultimately be healing. When we look back, then, we’ll likely see today as rough but beneficial, possibly making one or more life areas much, much better.

Today’s word image is a husky, stranded on the median of a busy road. In this image the fact that this isn’t just a dog, but one that is most at home in the northern wilderness, and yet is found under stark, man-made circumstances, speaks of something close to Nature that is in a ‘foreign’ environment. What part of you is ‘made’ for something much more natural, for a more open or isolated setting, that has been forced into an unpleasant, even dangerous, situation?

The 24th we’re still wrestling with our own power situation and our ability to implement our wishes, but we see a few other factors become prominent: we’re stirred by both fear of being hurt in the future and a certain discord between reality and our instincts; we see that in some way getting what we want is out-of-step with our values, or endangers our relationships, or will cost, possibly more than we can bear; and we see highlighted those areas where we lack power, or the ways in which the current power structure denies us access or effectiveness. Today is simply a day to note what comes at us, to consider, formulate or fine-tune plans or approaches, and not to stress too much about where it’s all headed–we’re not nearly ‘there’ yet.

First known depiction of a Snowman from a Book of Hours, 1380, found in Koninklijke Bibliotheek, in The Hague {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a snowman! Who in your world is frozen, and is this keeping you from connecting, or does he use his frosty outsides to willingly isolate himself? Not all who are troubled need your help; sometimes they want barriers, want things to be this way.

The New Moon and general forecast for Thursday the 25th will follow in a separate post. Expect my explanation of the Horary chart tomorrow, the 19th. Many thanks to my readers! You are a lovely lot 🙂

Your Week 12-18 May 2017 Cannibals All

11 Thursday May 2017

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Hans Baluschek 1894 {{PD}}

Don’t really know why, but ‘cannibals’ seems to be this week’s theme. I don’t mean the literal, eating-each-other kind, but more the ideas of: relentlessly consuming until ‘it’ is all gone; incorporating into ourselves; devouring; engulfing; merging; being submerged in deep process–and all of these applying to the psychic, the emotional, the spiritual. Consume with care. Bon appetit!

On the 12th, while we’re busy trying to change the past (hint: it will not work!) we should be attending to matters of health, and specifically acting on ‘the facts’ or to support what we believe. By taking steps to better ourselves, our environment, our relationships, our spiritual state, our reality, we will generate opportunity. I hate to be so blunt about it, but those who make the effort, win, and those who are passive, lazy, or avoidant, lose, and those who are delusional–well, it could go either way.

Today’s word image is this song and video from Seattle group ‘People Eating People’ (You can back it up to the beginning–it insists on loading midway)

Oh, the twisty ways of the world! On the 13th the very opportunities we sought yesterday prove somehow bad for us today–and yet, if we can access inner knowledge, dragging it to the surface and putting it into a form the mind can accept, we’ll have taken the first step in turning things back to our advantage. The second thing needed will be to reach back into the past via relationships, financial connections, or once-shared values, using this contact to bring something useful from then into now.

I’m assuming this is the witch’s house, as it appears covered in sweets. CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1586149

Today’s word image is the fairy tale, ‘Hansel and Gretel’. I always found this one disturbing not so much for the child-fattening-and-eating witch (she just seemed to be following her nature–what else would you expect from someone billing themselves as a witch? For now we won’t talk about how she tried to force them to push each other into the oven), but for the explanation as to why the children were in the forest in the first place: mom and dad were so poor, they gave their offspring a crust of bread and lead them to the middle of the forest, and left them. What?! Abandoning your children and framing it as a kindness, as if you’re releasing wild animals back into their native habitat, pretending that the odds for survival are better for children alone in the forest than with their parents in the ‘civilized’ world, seems pretty delusional to me, and raises all kinds of questions about what kind of people these parents are. For our purposes, then, we may be one of two parties in this scenario. If we are Hansel and/ or Gretel, we may want to look at a situation where we feel abandoned, where we have been left behind. How did you feel about the reasons you were given for such treatment? Or if we are the parents, in what situation have we told ourselves something or someone would be better off without us, when in reality we have abandoned our responsibility?

By the 14th we find our groove, and the result is a sort of ‘magic touch’ in just about everything. Let’s make a list: our inner wisdom is inspired by a deep knowing, instincts, and ‘sight’ that allows us, temporarily at least, to excavate and deal expertly with our ‘blind spot’; original ideas meet the exact right attitude and ability to materialize them that offers optimum expression; action, skills, and smarts go hand in hand in hand; facing and embracing the darker elements of the things and people we love has surprising benefits; thinking is only mildly creative, but completely attuned to the future and what it requires. Any down sides? Not really, though appetites may be all-consuming and could lead to an energy hangover, in one form or another, down the road.

Today’s word image is the 1945 film version of the Noel Coward play, ‘Blithe Spirit’. Let’s just say that once you open the door to the unseen, life’s never the same again.

Today, the 15th, Mercury enters Taurus, bringing a perhaps too-literal sense to communications; too, we may insist on being ‘comfortable’ with what we hear, say, and think–an attitude that’s not exactly horizon-expanding. There’s also a slight tension underlying relationships and finances–this is meant to make us listen to our sixth sense in these areas. Otherwise, it’s just like any other day.

Today’s word image is a tiny bunch of carrots, accidentally pulled from the garden while weeding. I yanked these Barbie size root vegetables from the ground before I realized I had them in my hand; the largest is no bigger than the end joint of my little finger. Is there something you’re doing that endangers something so new you’re not even aware it’s there? That’s an impossible question to answer, really. So let’s ask this: in what areas of your life do you need to be extra careful right now, as new things could be in beginning stages that will be destroyed if you get too hands-on, too aggressive, too interventionist, about it? What useful/ desirable is growing where you can’t see it, amid things you want to eliminate?

The 16th what we sense we, quite literally, see. For some this will play out with matters residing in the ‘blind spot’, with what’s usually tucked out of sight suddenly right in front of them. Our impulses to act are aligned with our highest values, and we have the idea that we need to adjust reality to accommodate us–maybe we should consider adjusting ourselves, instead.

By Ángel Rollón from Madrid (Spain) – Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5990145

Today’s word image is a woman walking three big dogs she clearly can’t control. A few questions you must answer/ issues define for yourself: what (or who) are the ‘big dogs’ in your life? Are you trying to handle too many large or unwieldy issues? Is it really appropriate that you even attempt to ‘handle’ these in the first place? And what happens if it all gets away from you?

On the 17th our own imaginations (or in some cases, delusions) may encourage us to overdo, and this may be in spite of a reality check offered by the social sphere. Our action urge is perfectly expressive of our ambitions and desires, and yet we may find it difficult to act because of our status, or because of inhibitions necessitated if we want to retain our position or power. Clarity comes through an open-eyed look at what we know to be wise, practical, or skill-based–these offer guidelines and a measuring stick by which to appraise any and all matters.

Vincent van Gogh – ‘Head of a Skeleton with a Burning Cigarette’ 1886 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is something to consider: does something we’ve been only in our imaginations have the ability to affect us, especially physically? I’m thinking of someone I know who told me she has imagined herself a smoker her entire adult life, though she’s not a smoker, and recently she’s faced a handful of health issues associated with being a heavy smoker. What about you–anything you believe about yourself (with no supporting material evidence) that has had an effect on you in the real world?

The 18th we see a perfect synergy between stasis and movement, the established and the new, the traditional and the modern. This is Saturn trine Uranus, the signifier of grounded electricity; that state or containment (Saturn) of a current of charged particles (Uranus) is necessary to make the energy both useful and safe. This combo supports our original and unique Self-expression, imbues the staid with excitement and variety, enlivens (perhaps literally) breathing life into what is inanimate, and offers both material form and time parameters to what otherwise could be a fleeting and possibly damaging ‘charge’. That suggests that today’s image must be a Frankenstein of one composition or another. How have the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ been combined in your world, so that it brings ‘new life’ to the already familiar?

On the 18th circumstances surrounding this Saturn-Uranus excitement are ones of healing wherever we put our attention, and of learning that we shouldn’t count on the social sphere or the facts to bring us profit or love.

Have a wonderful week!

Full Moon in Scorpio May 2017 The Results of Refusing

06 Saturday May 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Full Moon, Lunar Aspects

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‘Riding in the Bois de Boulogne’ 1872 Pierre-Auguste Renoir {{PD}}

The Full Moon in Scorpio arrives at 2:42 PM PDT of the 10th at 20 Scorpio 24. It’s widely opposed Sedna, which the Sun is moving toward, sextile Pluto, and in loose sesquiquadrate to Venus. It’s a lonely ol’ Moon, one we may hardly notice, and yet it promises subtle change eased into place, with shifts possibly rooted in the ways we refuse to see our ‘blind spot’, or in ways we reject our own deep, whispered inner knowledge. What we ‘know’ we one way or another deny or turn away from, and this creates a tension in relationships, values, finances, or over assets or anticipated rewards that makes for that change, slip, shift, like a kaleidoscope given a short turn. This culmination offers illumination, of the kind that a mirror offers: we see reflected back to us, in our surroundings and in events, just what it is that we have created by refusing or denying something we should’ve listened to or dealt with. We had a chance to harness the power within it, but we may not have believed it held any worth–or perhaps we believed that we needed to have our own power first, and the opportunity went by.

In all fairness, what influences us in this direction probably has to do with other things: the trine of Saturn to Uranus-Mercury may shut down consideration of the unusual, the unique, making those options and ideas seem unreliable, even dangerous; the Nodes just entered Leo-Aquarius, in the 29th degree feeling like there is some crisis in life direction or a bugaboo threatening to rise again from the past; Juno and Pluto cozying up and giving us the impression that we’re surely facing an emergency in empowerment, or that our status is about to crumble beneath us (the exception here are those who are very comfortable with Plutonian juice–they may get a surge, instead)–and Zeus squares these two, perhaps making us feel our very ambitions and desires are on the chopping block, too; then there’s the Cardinal T-square of Jupiter opposed Pallas, both square Hygeia, a perfect picture of the health care crisis in the US, and presenting personal issues of expanding or stretching ourselves, likely in some physical regard. We face the way this isn’t wise or practical, and yet either option, holding back or pushing forward, promises a difficulty around health (and this threatened facet of health may be physical, mental, emotional, or psychic in nature). In a few days (the 13th-15th) Venus will trine Black Moon Lilith in Fire; that’s when we’ll see the value of what we’ve rejected or avoided, that brought about the FM culmination. Until then we may spend our time just trying to hold on to our little bit of paradise, or power, or love–don’t worry, you’ll succeed. Anything that falls away at this point didn’t give you what you thought it did, anyway.

‘Pleasures of the Tang Court, Spring Outing’ 8th century Zhang Xuan {{PD}}

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘Obeying His Conscience, A Soldier Resists Orders’. That makes sense, since we know from the aspects that we have turned away from something, and the Full Moon is bringing the results. It’s reassuring to know that we were following a higher purpose, a glimpse of our better nature or a glimmer of spiritual knowledge, that pushed us to refuse; we may have told ourselves that we missed an opportunity, but the Higher Self knows better–and we followed its promptings.

The Sun, of course, generates the original light of the Full Moon, so we look at its Sabian as well. ‘A Finger Pointing To A Line In An Open Book’ tells us that this Full Moon is about pointing us toward important knowledge, or the right life direction. Thanks, Universe.

If you’re interested in politics (or astrology as it plays out in real life) trundle on over to my friend Jude Cowell’s fabulous Stars Over Washington (This link is to an article on the 2020 election that I really enjoyed).

Follow Julie Demboski’s Astrology on Facebook, sign up with WordPress to get notifications each time I publish, donate to support the blog, or buy my books here– Have a great week, and an enlightening Full Moon! And if you’re waiting to hear from me, I haven’t forgotten you! I’m just very busy–I’ll get there eventually.

Full Moon in Scorpio May 2017