Gain is possible in many forms today. ‘Earthbound’ Evelyn De Morgan 1896 {{PD}}

We gain, we get opportunities, we profit, we get more (or better) simply by being willing to face what isn’t working within the ambition and desire picture, particularly the ways in which our goals are causing conflict or upset to others (Zeus in Libra). A clear-eyed look at where we stand will take some nerve, especially since the reality picture may be making it abundantly obvious in what areas we aren’t powerful or in charge; our natural response may be to feel sorry for ourselves, then go out and try to prove the Universe wrong, but we benefit much more by acceptance of what the real world is telling us. We need the feedback of the concrete world, because our thinking is too easily clouded now by those things we’ve tried to ignore, gone out of our way to deny, or that have gotten under our skin–and that means hyper-reactivity is a danger, even for the most sedate among us. We may also see many efforts in many forms to stop or control Nature–not a good idea. To review: opportunity abounds and we gain if we assess ambitions and their effects ruthlessly; note what the circumstances of our reality are telling us, but don’t take them to heart; don’t resist Nature (or Time, for that matter); and keep in mind that the more buried material we carry, the more touchy we may be–and that can definitely affect our judgment at this time (Saturn sesq Ceres, Venus sq Zeus and sxt Jupiter, Mercury trine Black Moon Lilith)

Today’s word image is a sound: the hoot of an owl, without seeing one. We’re hearing what’s smart, what’s wise, but we may have trouble taking it in, as we’re either unsure of the source or we are ‘believe it when we see it’ types. Consider that wisdom is wisdom no matter the origins, and to expect visual ‘proof’ of the rightness of things before we’ll implement them may be just slightly unreasonable.

We start Dark of the Moon around 4 AM Pacific time of the 1st. It’s a time to allow for silences and the sounds of Nature, to retreat, to rest, relax, to be open to meditation and contemplation. Have a wonderful, laid back Friday!

‘A Friendly Call’ William Merritt Chase 1894 {{PD}}

We have access to wisdom, and skills are on point, and both may be available through ourselves or others; thinking aligns with values, and our empowerment options seem to line up with those areas where we already hold power and with willing aid from authorities or highers ups–so where’s the problem? It may lie in a certain, very specific vein of thought that is decidedly unhealthy for us, possibly shown by the less positive side of our natal Mercury by sign and aspect.

Whether the issue’s signified by the return of an old habit, a new ‘bad practice’, or a negative emotional turn, our mentality can run in an unhealthy direction, and we may be prone to excuse it, or not even spot it, so that it is able to take significant, destructive hold. Trust those with whom you have a shared mental outlook to be able to tell you what must go; all you need to do is ask (Juno parallel Ceres, Merc sq Hygeia and parallel Venus, Sun trine Pallas)

Please note: tomorrow Mars stations direct, and will be sesquiquadrate the Sun and parallel Pluto. Assertive energy that’s not ‘claimed’ or sufficiently employed may be looking for a place to express, and where it lights it may be destructive, as the tendency will be to see what needs change, what draws our criticism, and to sic our Martian energies on it. Tread with care, as the force of release is bound to be too enthusiastic and somewhat clumsy–and Mars is always best when we find a productive, positive target, and let it loose at that.

Martin Le France, 1451 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a witch. What does that mean to you? For some it’s a childhood character that doesn’t exist in real life, for others it’s a blasphemous label, for still others it’s an older term for those who practice Wicca, while others may not think of this as a person so much as a kind of curse, something hurled, especially toward a crone, to show disrespect and to take another’s power by naming–if you can spot a witch and call her out, the belief is she’s somehow then helpless. Which of these you relate to may say something about your own views of and relationship to the idea of elemental power and perception–and about what powers, in yourself or others, you may reject due to fear.

William Orpen ‘The Eastern Gown’ 1905 {{PD}}

The wonderful thing about today is that the creativity flows, imagination pays in astonishing ways, and relationships live up to our ideals; too, a sense of being powerful in some area that is clearly our province is supported by our thinking, and generates ideas. We are able to use past successes to inform the now, tapping into creative capital, with results surpassing our expectations. So what might stop these miracles of progress? Our own mentality, if it is focused too acutely back at ourselves, if it is mired in past injuries, or if we are acting from a sense of woundedness–then we might see forward motion at an inexplicable halt, and find ourselves wondering if there’s anything we might do about it, which takes us back to that creative energy: it might need to be employed to once more tune in to the Love all around us, to set us back aright (Ceres nov SN, Venus trine Neptune, Merc sxt Ceres, sq Chiron, and parallel the Sun)

‘Woman With Lorgnette’ Artist Unknown, from the Epoche Louis-Philippe {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a crown of pearls. We all have these just hanging around, waiting to be worn, don’t we? Pearls are the only gem created by a living creature, and as symbols of purity, have often adorned wedding garb or been involved in the ceremony–though a pearl as an engagement ring is said to be bad luck, as pearls have also been linked with tears (sometimes described as the tears of angels)–and pearls were a way in Medieval Venice of telling the ladies from the courtesans (nobles 1, prostitutes 0). So, pearls, and their form is a crown: not only the topmost Chakra, but also the thing worn by royalty, the ultimate symbol of a reigning monarch’s power. This symbol may be about tapping into our own highest, purest power, a spiritual manifestation of our integrity, connection to and honoring of the divine–which suggests a link to Vesta, currently at 18 Gemini–and though still within range of square to Jupiter, trine to Zeus, and quincunx to Pluto, rapidly moving away, implying a sense of  losing anchors related to the social milieu, our own ambitions and wants, and the change we want to see occur. It may be time for re-consideration of our current position, especially as it applies to our beliefs and our status, in light of changing times; align yourself consciously with your highest values (that is, crown yourself with pearls!) and you’ll know where you stand.

‘Girl with a Pomegranate’ by William-Adolphe Bouguereau 1874 {{PD}}

Contrariness may be the order of the day, but as long as we don’t play identity politics (feeding on or reacting from stereotypes, especially ones concerning female-male dynamics) and don’t insist on picking at what’s better left alone, we’ll be fine–in fact, better than fine, if we do these things: Look at those hidden depths, ignored issues, and things that make you angry, just don’t touch; and truly honoring (through thought, word, and action) our ambitions and desires. And, refuse to live within the wound–it’s just not the place to be (Vesta trine Zeus, Chiron contra-parallel Hygeia, Venus sesq Mars, Mercury sesq Black Moon Lilith, Sun trine BML)

Amanda Almira Newton, http://usdawatercolors.nal.usda.gov/pom/catalog.xhtml?id=POM00007510 {{PD}}

Today’s image is a whole pomegranate. We know this as the fruit that kept Persephone, still a mortal, in Hades for 6 months after she ate 6 seeds while visiting the Underworld; that suggests there’s something in our world, should we willingly ‘partake of the fruit’, that will bind us in our own Hell, obligating us to spend time in a presumably less-than-comfortable environment or forcing our awareness of something that to us is tortuous. We are told that Persephone ate because she was hungry, so, presumably, we may find that our appetite for something may bring more problems, or keep us stuck in place, in a way we never anticipated.

Paul Gauguin: Study of a Nude (Suzanne Sewing), 1880 {{PD}}

Aspects perfecting today ask us to assess our personal level of dedication to those things we say or believe we are committing our life energy in service of; a big part of this assessment will involve discerning whether what we say we serve is what we actually serve. It’s a matter of thinking, perceiving, and processing honestly (Vesta in Gemini). Our capacity for truthiness comes into play, and likely involves some formula using the quincunx of Vesta to Pluto (our personal bullshit detector, tuned to sniffing out anything that threatens our highest values and most important commitments) and Jupiter in Virgo, which is square one and trine the other (affording us the ability to critically examine the intersection of ‘the facts’, our beliefs, and the social sphere in which we move). Knowing how close we are to our intended mark requires being honest with ourselves, and being able to do something about what we find requires internal flexibility, the capacity to admit we were wrong or that our beliefs were distorted, without dissipating our energy in pointless anger at ourselves, rather than in taking needed action.

We may also see a clash between individuals, each of whom believes the role of leader or authority should fall to them; in the end, you (and they) may see that neither is correct in that idea. We may feel isolated in some way, and as well tempted to undermine authorities or weaken our own or others’ empowerment through thinking that springs from stressful cooperative or partnership situations; it’s our ideas about how the partnership or cooperative effort should go that cause issues. Here, perspective is key, as is the realization that most of the stress is from skewed expectations, not the situation itself. Take a step back, and think and speak with real care (Vesta T-sq Nodes, Mars qnx Ceres, Merc sesq Juno)

Today’s word image is a little dog dressed in human-style clothes. Something that’s been ‘dogging’ us (or something that we are the caretaker of or responsible for the welfare of) is being dressed up inappropriately; that is, either we’re seeing it as something it’s not, or it’s being presented to us as fundamentally other than it is. Strive to see its true nature, and you will.