Category Archives: current events in the sky

The Current Condition: Zelenskyy in the Role of His Life

04 Friday Mar 2022

Posted by in astrology, Astrology and History, Astrology and Identity, Current Events, current events in the sky, Finger of God, Natal Delineation, Transit Effects Explored

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{{PD}}

So here’s something I saw when researching the Moon book: it’s a compelling current transit picture for former comedian/ actor and now Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. I like to take a peek at newsmakers and historical figures, which can make for some time-jumping strangeness, like today, when I was examining the birth charts of Carl Jung, Napoleon I, Sharon Tate, Jean-Paul Guerlain, John McAfee, and Zelenskyy. It’s a process where I look at many more charts than I end up including in the book, but it’s always interesting, and in this case, maybe a little window into an individual who, until the present crisis, seemed to overall have been assessed as mild-mannered, a pushover, even not up to the task of running a country. The natal chart begs to differ.

Zelenskyy was born 25 January 1978 at 2 PM (Rodden rating A, from memory) in Krivoj Rog, Ukraine. This gives him an Aquarian Sun in the Whole Sign 9th House, conjoined a Venus that is just pulling away from their Superior Conjunction (that being the meeting of Sun and Venus when Venus is direct). The ideal with this man is the concept of understanding, especially others or the partner, via the intellect. Everything has to make sense, and interaction with and group effort with others (and he doesn’t shy away from being leader, when appropriate) is paramount. He moves toward the modern, the innovative, the unique, what benefits the group–he sees the value in that, accepts it as a philosophy by which to live, and strongly believes in Love as an active force in the Universe.

His 3rd House Leo Moon (making him an intuitive communicator, with feelings that support action, but also prone to not knowing if he’s thinking or feeling) touches a number of factors in the natal chart in a sort of chain-reaction way that links them all. The Moon rules the 2nd, suggesting his talent is versatility, an ability to ‘read the room’, to be a bit of a chameleon inspired by that darker side of life, those things that anger or enrage or that most are in denial of (Black Moon Lilith at 00–so highly raw and reactive–the only placement in the House). There’s also a positive sort of sensitivity, and an ability to think on his feet (good for acting/ improv and politics). Luna is semi-sextile Zeus (the feelings guide the ambitions, largely through discomfort that draws attention to needed change), sextile Pluto, ruler of 6th of duty, the everyday, job (an ability to intuit where change is needed, in order to carry out responsibilities), square Uranus, ruler of the 9th (difficulties may come from far away! The individuality may broadcast the beliefs, what he knows, in resistance to or rebellion from the conventional, and this inspires an original approach, ‘being himself’), and trine Neptune, ruler of the career and public image 10th, suggesting he has the ability to be seen as he wants to be seen, to build a career from his creativity, perhaps to mislead, confuse, or act as a screen upon which others project, as well. Moon trine Neptune is a dreamer, and an idealist, no question, with this combo uniting the 2nd and 10th, suggesting this is his core asset, and that it’s meant to ‘go public’.

So, we see a little about who he is, what he’s working with–and along comes the present situation. There are two transit pictures I’d like to mention: one is the way Saturn is just coming to his Aquarian Midheaven–it’s just over one degree from perfection, and Mercury is just separating from the same point. The Midheaven is set at the zenith of the chart, representing the highest point of the sky in relation to the place and time of birth–so also representing peak life achievement or notoriety for the individual. Where Saturn currently is in its journey around the natal chart tells us where we stand in terms of potential recognition and effectiveness of our actions in the real world. This, then, is a peak moment, one that he has been building toward for quite some time. His dream (11th) has Aries values of Self-reliance and Self-responsibility, of getting things done, and with both Eris and the South Node there, this may be a bit of a mission: acting to get away from or deal with the past, to mitigate or resolve strife.

The other interesting thing is a Finger of God, formed as Mars, Venus, Pluto, and Vesta arrive as a temporary apex to turn what is normally a simple natal sextile into a configuration base: Jupiter in Gemini in the 1st sextile Saturn in Leo in the 3rd. These base energies rule 7th and 8th (all others, open enemies, partners, and what is shared with them or contested), and suggest Zelenskyy naturally functions as a communicator and perhaps mediator with others, with his ability to show the social order (Jupiter) what the individual can do, be, or stand for (Saturn in Leo). The apex energies charge this up, collecting and focusing currents like a lightning rod, and suggesting that this normal function for Zelenskyy reaches a powerful realization point revolving around agreements to share or what is owed to whom (the four bodies are in his 8th), what change must occur (specifically what must be destroyed, resurrected, or regenerated, transforming the current condition), and that what’s sacred, to be honored, will be the measure by which this is carried out.

No matter what you think of him, he’s a player who’s found his stage and is having his moment, one that may be mission-fulfilling for him as an individual.

New Moon in Pisces March 2022 Bursting

26 Saturday Feb 2022

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

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‘The Sword’ By Alfred-Pierre Agache 1896 {{PD}}

It may feel like we’re on the verge of bursting–with optimism, with excess, with too much, with after effects of ‘the facts’, with emotion, with gratitude, with our own or others efforts, positive or not, at expansion. Sun and Moon pause to meet up just before hitting Jupiter, so that the New Moon new start is, one way or another, all out of proportion. Pisces makes us see that what we dreamed is possible–or that we are on the brink of starting something inspired, preposterous, or a little of each.

The New Moon occurs at 12 Pisces 06 on 2 March at 9:34 AM Pacific time, and everything about its aspects is unusual–or is it that ruler Neptune is playing with us? There is a Finger of God that seems not to have anything to do with the New Moon–but absolutely does. The apex is Earth, and Chiron sextiles Juno, forming the base–and so catching the New Moon at the base midpoint. Actions that wound and are driven by ego, Will, or wanting to be first (Chiron in Aries) meet issues of personal empowerment (boundaries, the right to autonomy, etc.) specifically grounded in the modern world and in modern thinking (Juno in Aquarius) and the New Moon inspires us with ways to make for a satisfactory material outcome, where fair distribution of both responsibilities and goods is achieved (Earth in Virgo).

The Lunar event is also itself sextile Uranus in Taurus, pointing up the material facets of this New Moon and promising surprises, accidents, and the unexpected will be the biggest influence. Notable is the way the stellium of Pluto, Mars, Venus, and Vesta are semi-square the New Moon, all in Capricorn. Though we might be fooled by the ‘minor’ aspect, we might be wise to pay attention to how small things can quickly evolve/ devolve (Pluto) into base struggles between what should be complementary energies (Mars and Venus). Vesta tells us that whatever disharmony occurs, it will 1) touch on what we find sacred, what we honor (which can be a trigger for all kinds of feelings), and 2) that it will seem like life and death (Pluto, messing with our heads). This will reflect real-world issues involving change to the order of things (Capricorn, Pluto) and where we might be wise to find balance, if at all possible–otherwise, righteous anger or a fear of losing what we care about (or having it or ourselves disrespected) could make for some brief but wild bouts of temper. Listen, if this occurs, because if it does it will happen around important issues and/ or with those you truly care about–and so reveal much about the fears that need addressing, and the walls that need breaking down.

One final but perhaps vital point: the New Moon is novile Eris. Discord! But we must remember, Eris doesn’t bring discord, she simply reveals what’s already there, usually tamped down or hidden under a civilized veneer. In her own way, she’s a truth-teller, and a novile is an aspect that reveals genius–in this case, what comes forth in disharmony, clashes, or fury gives us priceless insight into what’s really happening, especially if it involves one party trying to blame another, when the only supporting ‘evidence’ is the accuser’s anger. You know that old saying, that when you point the finger of blame, four are pointing back at you? Yeah, like that.

The thing we’re going to gain most from this New Moon is information, much of it extant but concealed, until Eris breaks the seal, or Pluto shakes someone’s fear or rage, or until Jupiter shows us the facts or a positive way forward. The trick is to be thankful for what we’re shown, even if it’s not as pleasant as it could be.

The Sabian symbol for the New Moon is, ‘An Ancient Sword, Used In Many Battles, Is Displayed In A Museum’. Two thoughts here: that what was once a weapon should now be put away, seen but not used, and that to forget how far we’ve come is to lose our Collective progress. What was once something formidable, awe-inspiring, even necessary for the age, is now to be put aside–that kind of savagery isn’t needed, anymore. On the personal level this likely applies to the ways in which we engage in disagreement. Don’t forget what you’ve learned, should Eris come to call.

Full Moon in Leo 2022: Let’s Go There

14 Monday Feb 2022

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Full Moon, Grand Cross/Grand Square, Sabian Symbols

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‘The Bridle Path, White Mountains’ By Winslow Homer 1868 {{PD}}

There are a few striking things about this Full Moon, falling on February 16 at 27 Leo 59, at 8:56 AM Pacific time. One is that there are only two close aspects involving bodies: a quincunx to Pluto and a square to Sedna; there are also things happening that don’t necessarily touch the Lunar culmination, but that will definitely figure in to the atmosphere, so need to be considered; and finally, there is a configuration not all astrologers will judge as legitimate, though experience has told me I should count it: a Grand Cross with the Sun-Earth/ Moon squared by the Nodal axis (with the North Node still conjoined Sedna, though separating).

Let’s start with the planetary contacts. A Full Moon is a summing up, a pulling together of a certain emotional and feeling picture, and in Leo this is very much centered on the individual, what each of us brings to the party, so to speak, what we are a ‘shining example’ of. Talents are a focus, as are unique qualities and characteristics, and the theme may be, ‘Who am I, and what do I live for?’

The Lunar event in quincunx to Pluto suggests a breakdown, of sorts, one that wants to get beneath the curated identity presented by Leonine energies to reveal all the Truth under that pretty surface. Something will make us uncomfortable (the quincunx) and that’s our cue to dig, to look for what may have changed without our having noticed, to to search, in particular in areas where we have felt secure, or where rules and boundaries seemed to be quite solid, even permanent (Capricorn). This digging should lead to transformation, but we need to be prepared to accept that something may in the end need to be purged or destroyed–and that the leeway to choose what needs doing or how things play out may not remain in our hands.

The square to Sedna on its own implies the instincts or those things that lie in our personal ‘blind spot’ may be causing friction, obliquely pointing out tension that again, we may not have been aware of–and with Sedna conjoined the North Node, how we handle these matters will determine our life direction. Sedna is also what we ‘know but don’t know’, knowledge we have that remains below the surface–and may be the very thing that Plutonian excavation is meant to uncover.

Look to the House in the natal chart where the Full Moon falls for the ‘triggering’ event or perception, the House that holds transiting Pluto, and the natal House it rules, for clues as to where to dig/ what has changed or needs changing, and the House Sedna is now transiting (Taurus) for the nature of the information that needs bringing to light.

Other relevant influences include the conjunction of Venus and Mars in Capricorn, only one minute from perfection. They are semi-sextile Saturn and on their way to conjoin Vesta. This suggests a reality check in relationships or in interactions where complementary balance is key. Working responsibilities out for both parties in relation to their obligations to each other will lead to an effective re-dedication of energies and so a renewed commitment to what each holds sacred.

There’s also a Mercury trine to Ceres, with Pallas caught at the midpoint. The message is one that supports out personal authority–it’s meant to show us at least in part where we are most effective–and enhances personal wisdom–and yet, we may resist if what’s communicated is unpleasant, or demands much from us. That’s where the choice will lie: not in whether something should change or be eliminated, but in how we receive this information. Smart money says we process what we learn through the intellect (Mercury in Aquarius), with assessment of our own responsibility (that is, in both the ‘I did it’ sense and the ‘ability to respond’ sense), and then the courage to act on it (Pallas in Aries) the ultimate goal.

The Grand Cross gives us the large, sweeping map of where we’re headed, so let’s go there. It’s made up of the Nodal axis/ Sedna squaring Sun-Earth/ Moon, and simply points out how important understanding what we’re doing and why we’re doing it is right now, because of the way it will determine our path into the future. That’s a big trajectory determined by choices big and small, even minute–the danger is that we convince ourselves what we’re choosing now doesn’t really matter, or that shifts in the path can easily be corrected later–it will be much harder to turn the juggernaut than we think–better to aim well in the first place.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘Many Little Birds On A Limb Of A Big Tree’. The Sun’s Sabian, which we always inspect for a Full Moon scenario, is, ‘A Tree Felled And Sawed To Ensure A Supply Of Wood For The Winter’. The Moon’s Sabian is one of good weather, no danger, a Collective well-being, but the Sun’s may portray what happens after that peaceful moment. Something about where we’re ‘resting’ now needs to be dismantled, because taking it apart will insure well-being later. Cryptic, but right in line with what the planets are telling us.

Notes for 2 February 2022

02 Wednesday Feb 2022

Posted by in current events in the sky, forecast, Retrogrades + Directions

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Yes, it’ll hit the fan today, just not this kind of fan! Pontes Collection of hand fans Poderospontes 2008 {{PD}}

Have you noticed the way the sh*t’s getting stirred today? Especially this morning, Pacific time. It sent me to my ephemeris–and guess what I saw? A tense little T-square made up of an opposition between Eris and Zeus, with an arm of stationary Mercury. Ow! Eris, if you’ll recall, doesn’t bring the chaos with her, but acts as a catalyst–and opposed Zeus, she’s stirring up ambitions and desires, and maybe making us aware of how we might not get what we want–so she’s indirectly taking away hope, and you know how reactive one can become, when it seems things will never get better.

Then there’s Mercury, squatting (as much as such a fleet body can), poised to change apparent direction, and so rubbing in a sense that time has stopped, or maybe just paused. It makes the mind a receptacle for (even a victim of) our internal discord, the ‘I’ve got nothing to lose’ stance, that comes when believing we’ll be denied. And that means that when we get what I’ll call ‘bad news’, we are sorely tempted to think it’s much more serious, much more a final ‘no’, than it is in reality.

Here, we woke up to a small tree in our yard cut down by the neighbor–and a ‘Golly! I didn’t know that happened’ feigned by her spouse, then a call from the plumber’s office–he wouldn’t be showing today, as he had a ‘family emergency’–but would come Friday–after Mercury’s direction the evening before (the plumber’s office didn’t note that, it’s my addition). And seemingly another leak sprung–that within an hour of discovery appeared to stop (we’re still monitoring that one).

So, if you had a morning anything like mine, here are a few tips: it’s all more transitory than it seems–things are ‘in the works’, though probably not yet in motion, which is appropriate to the end of a Merc retro cycle. Remind yourself that this is not the time to draw conclusions about the success or feasibility of your ambitions and desires–we definitely lack perspective right now. And look for common themes in what occurs; for us it’s been leaks/ water, suggesting emotions that are pushing out and need to be expressed.

Today through about the 6th the Sun and Saturn are close; that can give the reality picture a too-intense aura, making what is and what surrounds, supports, keeps us safe, or has authority over us feel much too harsh. And adding to the general kerfuffle is the sextile between Mars and Jupiter. Temper is overblown, optimism drives efforts, aggressive and ego energies are exaggerated in both expression and perception, and ‘too much’ may be the demand. If you’re having trouble sorting it, use this easy rule: if you think you need more/ bigger/ better, you don’t! It’s not that you shouldn’t have more, but that right now we’re prevented from perceiving clearly what it is we really do have–so until our vision clears (Friday) take it slow. Remember that liminal points, as bodies prepare to change direction, can create a great deal of pressure, and push us to do what we otherwise might not, in calmer times.

New Moon in Aquarius 31 January 2022 Time and Tide

28 Friday Jan 2022

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Dark of the Moon, forecast, New Moon, Sabian Symbols

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‘Low Tide’ By Avery F. Johnson {{PD}}

What’s your first thought, as the New Moon forms just in the lee of Saturn? And I say ‘thought’, rather than ‘feeling’, deliberately, even though we might expect the information to come in feeling form; that’s in part because Aquarius is the sign of Higher Mind, and in part because Saturn, which both Moon and Sun will conjoin soon after their meeting, is the ancient ruler of Aquarius. They’re in his territory, a place that Saturn relates to in a primordial, ancient roots way, and their post-New Moon meeting with him will be the key to what happens at the New Moon–take notes, so you’re ready for the manifestation, the barrier, the delay, the detour, or the sense of rock-solid surety that will come, appearing through Higher Mind, through the group and especially your place in it, through innovation, invention, and the imposition of ‘the modern’ on existing realities.

The New Moon arrives at 9:45 PM PST of the 31st, Moon and Sun meeting at 12 Aquarius 19. The Lunar event forms very few aspects, and they’re all past perfection, aside from the approaching conjunction with Saturn, suggesting that the New Moon new start is more of a cumulative build-up than a single moment; with the Saturn contact being the only future one, we can guess that as the Moon hits Saturn we’ll feel the emotional reaction to the built-up energies, then as the Sun hits a couple days later, we’ll see precisely the effects it has all had on our world. In Aquarius this likely involves shifts in the Zeitgeist that turn our attention with what feels like turns in the tides of time and development; the ‘new’ thing takes on prominence, brings responses from groups (and often entails individuals leaving, taking a leadership role, or joining, so that the group itself takes on a new form), shows us the inevitability of some life factor (likely something ruled by Saturn or sitting in Aquarius or Capricorn or related to their Houses in the natal chart), shows us what time and/ or rules or delays have resulted in, and may alter our personal relationship to authorities or ‘the system’. We might rebel, we might take action to stand out from the crowd, we might present something original to our milieu, but no matter what, our response will be singularly ours, even if this is part of or in response to a group.

The past aspects include a sextile to Chiron, as the arm of a T-square with the Uranus-Hygeia opposition, and receding contacts of a semi-square to Pallas in Pisces and a semi-sextile to Vesta, which also happens to be very close to a stationary Venus in Capricorn (Saturn again!) Now, I only pay attention to Hygeia when it announces its presence, as it does here, alerting us to the Lunar ‘statement’ on accidents, surprises, and shocks, and their effects on our well-being. The sextile to Chiron lets us know that the focus may come in an area we feel we’ve recently made healing progress in, or in a wound we’ve lately been trying to address. The Pallas contact says we may not have handled things in the near past in as wise or skillful a way as we could, and the Vesta-Venus contact suggests the recent Venus retro period has helped us re-evaluate where we want to invest our energies, and into what–and so links the New Moon to this adjustment to values and what we honor in our lives in a deep way, one that affects our relationships, finances, and expenditures of time and Love.

With this New Moon, we’ll in some way be required to recognize the effects of time and tide, the way the waters of simply being alive have shaped us. We’ll become acutely aware of the minutes (or hours, or years) passage and the inevitable shifts to the larger social order–and we’ll have to recognize the ways in which those larger currents shifting in the outer have made incursions on our inner world, especially on our own Higher Mind. Our attitudes toward our most unique traits may also come into focus, and we may see just how accepting we actually are of our own need to be responsive, flexible, and to honor our own most original ideas. This period may be particularly challenging for those who resist the idea of responsibilities or obligations; those who define freedom as doing whatever they want may be in for a shock.

The New Moon Sabian is, ‘A Barometer’. Yes! We are taking measure, through a particularly Aquarian lens, but one that requires we bring our observations and conclusions down to earth; barometers measure air pressure and its changes, a perfect illustration for the Air of Aquarius, and pointing to the way the sign’s Fixed nature may resist what the New Moon reveals.

And a note on the Dark of the Moon leading up to this New Moon: lay low, don’t expect too much from yourself, those around you, or the environment. It’s a time for introspection, with all energies having a natural tendency to turn inward. Rest, recover, and don’t require accomplishment right now–even if you complete something, it may have an underwhelming quality that requires a fresh look and approach later–so save your strength.

Notes for 18 January 2022: Vantage Points

18 Tuesday Jan 2022

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, future events in the sky, Inferior Conjunction, Planetary stations, Retrogrades + Directions, Saturn square Uranus, the Nodes, Transits and Cycles

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What a view! Postcard of The Cliff House restaurant, San Francisco c1941 {{PD}}

Today Uranus stations direct at 10 Taurus 49. Stations are typically very tense points, long drawn out ‘moments’ when a body essentially sits still–which is unusual in a Universe where everything is in motion all the time, even when it seems not to be, when that motion is until a tipping point imperceptible, like decay or aging, or when the motion seems to bring a retracing of steps, as in the apparent retrograde of a planet or body. That’s the thing: as with the apparent change in direction of a retrograde cycle, a station is simply the cessation of motion in any direction from the vantage point of the observer. Symbolically this suggests that those who see the body as motionless do so because of where they are, physically (for the observation itself) but also energetically (with a body standing still representing that particular energy in the observer’s life).

So, a sense of ‘stuckness’ may assert itself, a feeling that everything around Uranian energies, both where it’s currently transiting in the individual natal chart and where it’s posited natally and what it rules, won’t change–maybe ever. The sensation is one of things having been this way interminably, and continuing to be so, no end in sight. Its location in Taurus tells us that there’s a material facet to all this, something along the lines of modernization, originality, accident, or the unusual happening with physical (that is, artisanal) creativity, with matters of sustenance and comfort, in areas of security, increase, profitability, and the kinds of nurture that cater specifically to the physical body. We may have recently discovered or uncovered unexpected talents or assets within ourselves or at our disposal, may have found unique ways of earning, providing solace and support, or of assessing ourselves, and all of this facilitated, possibly through challenge or difficult circumstances, by the recent series of squares between Uranus and Saturn, the latter standing for the real world, for the status quo, for authority and maturity, for obstacles and hindrances, for solid results, what we’ve ‘earned’, for constraint and methods applied.

Now they move steadily out of orb, to eventually return to the square in August and perfect in September. That suggests we have the rest of winter, spring, and most of summer during which we may apply those energies separately. Their effects will show in the way they interact with the individual chart; whatever we’ve seen with previous squares between them may seem to go dormant, lose its relevance, or be dismissed as an illusion or a threat/ promise that never materialized. When they do connect again, we’ll likely face either the very same matter we identified before, or a new iteration of it–a contest between what is and what could be, between holding back and moving forward, between innovating or sticking with the status quo, between originality and the safe bet. Just remember, there’s no pat right-or-wrong here; the choices must be made with awareness of our own individual needs and wants, congruent with what the spirit resonates to and can handle (that last is a valid consideration, considering the stresses of life anywhere on the globe in the past two years).

The Moon’s Nodes (remember, these are points, not bodies) slip into Taurus (NN) and Scorpio (SN) today, and that means they’re in the fateful and pressure filled 29th degree of their respective signs. In terms of the general zeitgeist (wait, General Zeitgeist, wasn’t he a Superman villain?) they show a certain axis of energy flow, moving from South to North, that says something about where we’re headed within the social order, and what we’re de-emphasizing or moving away from. In this case, that may translate into a stampede away from what’s too dark or feels too destructive (or transformative–never underestimate the human ability to confuse fear and wisdom), and toward more solid, hands-on forms of comfort, security, and expression. It may be all about soothing the Soul, looking for a corner of the world we feel safe in and can call our own. It’s not a bad impulse, but be careful not to let the initial hit at 29 tense degrees to make you think it’s an emergency. Please, no pushing as we move toward the exits.

The Inferior Conjunction of the Sun and retrograde Mercury falls on the 23rd of January in the wee hours Pacific time, and happens just after the Moon in Libra trines Sun-Moon in Aquarius. The Inferior Conjunction is a point of inception, the seeding of something that will mature or become apparent at the Superior (direct) Conjunction of Sun and Merc, on April 2nd. In this case, this is likely to be an idea, a ‘brave new world’ concept, an ‘experiment’, a revolution, or a falling away of constraints that results in emotional change or realization in our relationships, especially those involving partnership. The inclination we have, or idea that pops into our head, on the 23rd will have repercussions by early April–so choose what you will or won’t act on with care, and at the very least, contemplate until Merc is direct, then decide if acting on that idea will have a desirable effect on our relationships. Here’s a hint: at the point of Superior Conjunction, the Sun and Mercury will also be conjoined Chiron. Will what you do hurt or heal things? It’s under your control.

Be on the lookout, as well, for Mars conjoining Saturn in Aquarius, which occurs just a couple days after the Superior Conjunction, on April 5th. This suggests to me that whatever real-world actions and choices come to the fore at this time are definitely related to what you started/ pondered/ and then chose to commit to during the Mercury cycle. Keep that in mind, as Mars-Saturn in Aquarius could see ourselves or others choosing what we do based on high-flown (and possibly highly theoretical) concepts; that could mean we choose based on ideals that have never been real-life tested–or we splurge on an experiment, rolling the dice just to see what will happen–and in either case, we may not realize we’re gambling or theorizing with actual circumstances and real feelings.

I’m hard at work on the Moon book, and as soon as I can handle it I’ll be offering services once again. I’m also considering offering talks on topics in a venue that allows for a chat function where listeners can talk to me and each other, and ask questions, and this would be on a regular schedule (after the book is done, or nearly done, I’d start). If you’d be interested (or not!) please let me know in the tiny survey below. Thanks!

Full Moon in Cancer 17 January 2022 The Engine of Knowing

15 Saturday Jan 2022

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

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Involving another kind of engine, of course. ‘The Traveling Companions’ By Augustus Leopold Egg 1862 {{PD}}

There are a couple of configurations formed by this Lunar event, and a smattering of other combos worth noting as contemporaneous influences, all under the sensitive Cancer Moon. The Moon ‘meets’ the Earth at 27 Cancer 50 on the 17th at 3:48 PM PST. A Full Moon in Cancer should be a culmination of feeling or intuitive knowing–but of course, once one knows what one feels, one must act.

How do we see that energy channeled? For one, it may scoot along a somewhat loose Finger of God, with Full Moon sextile Sedna-Ceres in Taurus, apex Mars in Sagittarius. This may seem odd, but this suggests to me revelations about what we care about/ how we feel that are prompted or induced by diet of sustenance availability/ weather/ natural events and our intuitive understanding of the message they carry. This pushes us to act on what we know, on ‘the facts’, or on our beliefs–so the emotions and intuition power a kind of engine of faith that drives our inner knowing out into the world so that we may do what it urges us to.

The Full Moon opposes Pluto, Juno, and of course, the Sun, and this is part of a Mystic Rectangle, with the Lunar end as noted sextile Sedna-Ceres, and the Solar end widely sextile the South Node–and so drawing the North Node into the Sedna-Ceres end of the configuration. A Mystic Rectangle promises that the various components are in position to work exceptionally well with one another, and so offers a sum greater than its individual parts. Here we may see that the ‘caring revelations’ we receive with the Lunar event are directly 1) opposite of the matters where we’ve been putting our attention (the Sun), 2) not as destructive or transformative as we may have been telling ourselves, 3) and not as empowering or disempowering as we’ve believed. What we’re shown is the way our fresh understanding under the Full Moon liberates us from certain notions we’d previously carried; things are not as scary, intimidating, debilitating, or serious as they seem, and they either allow us more agency, or at least don’t take our current agency away, as we’d feared.

The Mystic Rectangle employs all the knowledge we’re not conscious of, especially what we’ve gleaned from the past, marries it to our sense of personal authority and responsibility, and gives us power that will effectively shape the future. Now that’s not scary at all, is it? We’re in charge–if we are comfortable with taking on a role that accepts our own power, particularly the power to direct our own course.

We also should note the close conjunction of Neptune and Pallas in Pisces=the ideals, creativity, and spirituality are the conduits for both what’s wise and what’s practical–listen to that inner voice. There is also a T-square with Eris in Aries opposed Zeus in Libra, the arm Juno in Capricorn=when we don’t understand our own potential for authority and power (whether we over- or underestimate our capacity), we end up attracting all the sh*t stirrers every time we go after what we want–so if people seem to be popping out of the woodwork and giving you problems, it’s time to reassess your own abilities and roles. Both these situations offer context and influences active when the Lunar event occurs.

All other contacts are not only past, they’re well past, so we need to look at one other thing: the Sabian symbols. For the Full Moon in Cancer we have: ‘An Indian Girl Introduces Her White Lover To Her Assembled Tribe’. This is more than just an image of a couple from two different worlds, creating a bridge via personal relationship, with one side having first contact with the larger world of the partner, the one from which she came, the one that shaped her; this is an image that emphasizes status differences we may not at first recognize or think of. We’re instead attuned to Love, to see them as two individuals, viewing it as a ‘Love conquers all’ scenario. But, we must consider when the Sabians were delivered in order to decode this image successfully–and the society into which they were delivered was white-controlled and male-dominated, a social order based on the assumption of cisnormativity, and the inferiority of other races and cultures. When viewed through that lens, there might be a belief that the Indian girl is moving up in the world, or maybe even that this is the very reason for the relationship at all–and that only the white lover is being genuine in his feelings–after all, why would he want to be with someone ‘lesser’, except for his emotional involvement? This is all very ugly, viewed from a 21st century position–but we must be clear: there are still plenty of people who would make these assumptions, would read into the image in this very way–or in other ways, such as believing the white lover was superior for leaving the white world and joining a group they might characterize as living a more ‘natural’ way of life. Possible assumptions and judgments abound and are just waiting to be made by the observer.

I’m interpreting the girl of the image as a Native American. Her entire culture was overrun, decimated, changed forever with the arrival of white invaders. And yet, she falls in love, and brings him home to her family (tribe). But we must ask, how much does the white lover’s superior power position affect the interaction? Is a genuine relationship possible between individuals who have unequal power, autonomy, or privilege? We don’t know if her white lover is a male or a female, but considering the era in which these symbols were formulated, I believe the assumption was definitely that the lover is male. Now, it’s not at all fair to assume that the inherent power imbalance between a member of a subjugated group, who also happens to be of a sex that is also viewed as inferior at the time the image was formulated, and a member of the invaders will necessarily infect the relationship–but each individual will undoubtedly bring lots of assumptions and beliefs and reactionary material into the interaction, at the very least.

So, the symbol brings two ‘messages’ to mind: that it’s not enough to know how all the parties to an interaction feel, we also need to be cognizant of the context in which the interaction is taking place. What’s the bigger framework? The social underpinnings and potential assumptions by the parties? And most important, who holds what power? Does the power imbalance require varied things from the parties? Does it confer privileges to some, penalties, pressures, or restrictions to others?

The other message is this: that there’s always a danger of us superimposing our own framework, beliefs, and assumptions onto a situation, ones that spring from our own cultural teachings, experiences, and ideas about others. We have to be aware of what we’re bringing into our interpretation of any situation. If we are, we’ll have a much better chance of truly understanding what’s really happening before us.

All this suggests the Sabian, in the most general way, is a Rorschach for our own assumptions and beliefs, a warning to make us aware of the lenses we use to view the world. For a Full Moon we also look at the Sun’s degree, as this provides the light of the Moon in the first place. This one is, ‘A Large Aviary’. An aviary is, first and foremost, unnatural, in that it’s a human-created place to keep a creature plucked from Nature. No matter how benevolent, it’s still captivity, a system imposed overall in which living things are expected to function–a lot like the social order and the larger cultural context in which we live, and which provides potential frameworks for interpretation of events, come to think of it.

Merc Retro in Aquarius 14 January 2022: Mind Inspired

10 Monday Jan 2022

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Mercury retrograde, Retrogrades + Directions, Sabian Symbols

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Nicolas Poussin c1627 ‘Venus and Mercury’ {{PD}}

Mercury pauses and enters apparent backward motion at 3:42 AM PST of the 14th, and the effect is likely to be subtle but far-reaching. The planet has stationed at 10 degrees, arriving there one day before and remaining one day after; the turnaround itself occurs at 10 Aquarius 20. The Sabian symbol for this degree is, ‘During A Silent Hour, A Man Receives A New Inspiration Which May Change His Life’. This is the heart of it: the retro period brings re-consideration of our ideals, of what we find sacred and honor, of how we wish to spend our days and hours–we look at how we are actually spending our time (what a phrase in English! Equating our lives with the use of any other asset), and how close this comes to (or diverges from) what we truly find of value.

We may find ourselves comparing our current situation to the dreams we have and had, especially those expectations for life that we carried at an earlier time. We are able right now to set aside those rationalizations that may have made us compromise our visions and goals; we see exactly how we may have diluted our aims to accommodate practicality, expediency, and varied duties. Some of these duties and choices, we’ll find, do represent what’s most important, in the form of commitments to others or to causes; some won’t pass the smell test, no matter what we tell ourselves–and this retro is the time to see, acknowledge, and then prepare to do something about the ways in which our thinking and pursuit of Higher Mind goals have gone seriously off-track.

This need for re-consideration is apparent in the contacts Mercury makes at the moment of retrogression. Happening in Aquarius, a Fixed Air sign, we know that previously rock-solid ideas and opinions will be examined by the Higher Mind and vetted through current or near-future conditions–and we know that at least some of the revelations we’ll receive will come through accident, surprise, or rebellion, which in this instance will be necessary catalysts to the examinations we must make.

Mercury will be novile both Neptune-Pallas, planet of creativity, imagination, ideals, and delusions, united with the asteroid of practicality, skills, and wisdom, and the asteroid Vesta, harbinger of what we honor and dedicate our life energies to–in fact, Mercury will turnaround at the midpoint between the other two points. The novile is an aspect that draws the genuinely innovative and ‘genius’ elements from the two bodies in question; in this case, we have four, three of which, in two portions, Neptune-Pallas, and Vesta, aren’t in major contact to each other–but they are through the mechanism of Mercury and his retro mentality of review. We can expect the retro period to offer inspiration as to what we want to use our life energy for, where we want to focus our efforts, and how we can best fulfill our highest ideals, and to offer this in both practical and smart forms. This may or may not reveal itself in material forms (Merc ruler Uranus in Taurus/ ancient ruler of Aquarius, real-world oriented Saturn, just ahead of Mercury in Aquarius), but we will certainly get a solid mental picture of what needs to occur upon direction–and this is contrary to the usual message of letting the mind rest during a Merc retro. In this case, we just won’t be able to. The hamster wheel will keep spinning–just be aware that final conclusions shouldn’t be drawn until well after the tension of retro and direction have passed, in this instance maybe even waiting until once-again direct Mercury passes its retro point, around the 25th of February–which is also the time when Mercury will, just past the retro point, square Uranus.

We have noted that Mercury turns around just short of completing a square to sign ruler Uranus, now in Taurus. This suggests that we won’t actually confront material realities during the retro, that instead those will be delivered through difficult (the square) Uranian circumstances after direction (and those may include through leadership issues, group mandate, innovation, rebellion by ourselves or others against demands or constraints, accidents, surprises, or serendipities, through application of academics or Higher Mind thought, through revelation, invention, or modernization, or through taking an original approach or manifesting an original idea).

At the point of retrograde Mercury will also be in wide conjunction to Saturn–again as with the square to Uranus, not perfected, and so any limitations or constraints won’t be applied to matters, just yet–and sextile Chiron, offering some promise of healing through the retro review. This is a ‘make plans, understand what you really want and care about’ retrograde, with careful attention to aims and extended consideration of wants vital to eventual good decisions. The usual admonitions ‘don’t sign, don’t buy’ are still in force, though as always I would add that if something has been thoroughly vetted or chosen well before the retrograde, proceeding during to complete the deal typically holds no more risk than when Mercury’s direct. Though I often suggest using the feeling senses as the go-to during a Merc withdrawal, this time, as I’ve already noted, it may not be easy or even possible; the less time we spend judging our mental state during this retrograde, the more actual, effective exploration of our priorities and our ability to implement them is likely to get done. The unsuitability of emotions and senses for processing may be shown by the retro moment’s capture of a tight quincunx between the Moon in Gemini and Venus in Capricorn, implying that the feeling nature and relationships/ wants will be generating their own friction, and so might not be available as an alternate conduit for perceptions right now.

Threads Through the Fabric of Time: The Feminine Active, January 2022

03 Monday Jan 2022

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky

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‘Venus with a Mirror’ By Titian c1555 {{PD}}

We’re not talking about females, necessarily, but about the characteristics of the anima side of the energy equation: receptivity, the importance of and effectiveness of the Beingness (as opposed to the Doing urge), the concept of sensitivity and the ability to read the atmosphere (as opposed to trying to actively make an impact on it), and the idea of healthy nurture, which is really a sharing of energy that benefits both parties. These are strong threads running through current events; to respond to them, to expose them, to weave them into something meaningful, is to bring them to awareness and so make their energies accessible and, in accessing them, beneficial in the larger scheme of things.

One of these is Venus retrograde moving toward conjoining Juno, both in Capricorn, perfecting January 6th. During this same period, this pairing will be sextiled by Neptune and quincunxed by the Black Moon Lilith point. This suggests that our ongoing review of matters of the House in the natal chart where Venus is moving backward will be measured through either our assessment of our own empowerment (especially through the status or material accomplishment shown by Capricorn) or through the empowerment status others reflect back to us–and it’s important we use our own dreams and ideals to guide us in judging our abilities–if we don’t, we’ll be susceptible to being misled or deceived, or may be caught off guard by things we’ve ignored or denied that won’t stay buried. It’s a matter of claiming and so harnessing our own creative energies; if we deny those energies expression, it leaves a vulnerable spot, ready to be filled by enterprising, and sometimes ill-intended, others.

The other prominent combination is the late Taurus duo of Ceres and Sedna. The two have been hanging out together for a while–and focusing our attention on expression of personal authority, situations of nurture, negotiations, diet, and Nature, and in particular showing us the way we already ‘know but don’t know’ consciously what we should do, what the answer to our material issues truly is. Pluto is still within trine and Vesta quincunxes, forcing us to acknowledge our instincts and our suppressed knowledge via destructive forces, home matters, commitments, and violations of what we consider sacred. We must respond, and the best way to address this energy is to admit what we’ve been reluctant to see, change what needs to be changed, and align what we honor in real-world terms with what we say we care about.

There’s also a conflict inherent in the square between the animus-oriented Warrior Mars and the anima-oriented Warrior Pallas, he in Sagittarius and she in Pisces. This may appear as an aggressive ‘pushing’ of ‘the facts’ that finds resistance in the form of a kind of practical idealism. Both sides are right, in this case; those with the facts need to be listened to, and they need to frame goals that offer hope, while those focused on ideals need to see that only by dealing with the facts will they make any progress in making things better. If these two would just stop insisting on themselves, they’d find that they actually want the same thing.

And finally, we have the opposition between Eris in Aries and Zeus in Libra. Remember, Eris is a catalyst, and in this scenario, may show as individual Willfulness that just doesn’t want to cooperate in making others’ ambitions and goals attainable. With this we must ask ourselves, ‘Am I going my own way because it’s the right thing to do, or am I simply angry at the idea that I’m not the only one who’ll benefit from cooperative effort?’ That may sound selfish, until we consider that, if we aren’t successfully realizing our own ambitions, the last thing we may want to do with our precious energy is share it; we may see it as a ‘me or them’ kind of thing. Here Eris is acting up only in proportion to how we may feel that others are asking for our support but offering little or nothing in return. It’s a call to re-balance relationships–and to acknowledge that we don’t live or act in a vacuum.

New Moon in Capricorn 2 January 2022 A Grounded Utopia

31 Friday Dec 2021

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Jupiter in Pisces, New Moon, Sabian Symbols, Saturn in Aquarius

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Map of Utopia By Abraham Ortelius c1595 {{PD}}

A New Moon in Capricorn promises a fresh emotional grounding, a window during which we see what can bring us a sense of security and a feeling of accomplishment. This New Moon in Cap (2 January 2022 at 12 Capricorn 20 at 10:34 AM PST) brings a little something more: a sense of what’s truly real-world possible for us in the near-future, indicated by the close semi-sextile of the New Moon to Saturn in Aquarius. The conduit the New Moon creates between the ancient and modern rulers of Aquarius, Uranus (which trines the New Moon) and Saturn (which aspects and rules the New Moon and is currently in Aquarius), allows for a harmonious marriage of what is with what could be–but it’s up to us to follow a few simple New Moon hints that will allow us to guide our own personal progressive vision to successful realization.

Is it a reality check if we’re already clear on circumstances, but are shown possibilities for the future? Current energies are operating in a kind of flux that turns the meaning of a reality check on its head; instead of showing us where we’re disconnected from the true nature of things, we’ll be shown how completely aware we are of what is, and how our reality can fold outward from itself, how it and we have the momentum to bring about a bright, shining, personal utopia–or at least, we’ll have the ability to see it, reach for it, aim for it.

The New Moon is novile the South Node, suggesting we have a (temporary) genius for parsing the past and extracting resources, particularly things we’ve discovered or learned (SN Sagittarius) that can help us build our brave new world. The Lunar event is also trine Uranus and sesquiquadrate the close Sedna-Ceres conjunction, all in Taurus. Here the New Moon emphasis may be on innovation, realizing (as in making real) our own original ideas and impulses, and finding ways to create change or progress that both supports and makes use of our instincts and ‘what we know but don’t know’, and that can effectively draw on the actual personal power situation we have command over. It’s all about material or conceptual changes that implement our most unique visions; it’s a statement, presented via the feeling nature: we have what we need to make ‘it’ happen–go out and do it!–and that may introduce the element of surprise, to ourselves at what we’re capable of or equipped for, and to those around us, who may not have realized we are ready and able to shape the future as we truly want it to be (and an approaching semi-sextile of the Sun-Moon to Mars in fiery Sagittarius puts the responsibility on each of us to do what we know is right, in terms of our own knowledge and beliefs).

But, we must first know what those beliefs are, before we can act on them. We have an intriguing Sabian Symbol for this New Moon, one that seems especially applicable, considering the way idea inception seems to be so prominent at this time: ‘A Fire Worshipper Meditates On The Ultimate Realities Of Existence’. The symbol speaks of a dynamic individuality that steps outside its own action urge in order to contemplate the larger mysteries of the Universe. This may indeed be what we do: we may feel grounded, and therefore safe, in taking a pause in order to understand what lies beneath the reality that surrounds us. In doing that, we better see and understand the implications that our own actions may have. A thoughtful period before implementation of goals is required before proceeding; don’t allow yourself to think that this caesura is a waste of time, as without it you won’t truly understand the ultimate effects of what you’re doing.

Also of note: the recent foray of Jupiter into Pisces only aids us in accessing our dreams. The ancient ruler of the sign offers an energy that can lift the innovation and originality to new heights, and can free imaginative and creative impulses that can inform our efforts and our creative product–however, don’t lean solely on the Jupiterian impulse to get things done–you’ll go wildly off-track if you do–instead accept the need for constraint and emotional discipline the Lunar event will remind us of, and use it to harness our natural largesse and generative ability in service of our New Moon new beginnings.

I want to thank my Readers for their support and participation in 2021, and I hope to see each and every one of you here again in 2022. Happy New Year! Sending you all heartfelt wishes for a safe and happy year ahead.