Category Archives: current events in the sky

Spooning By the New Moon in June

16 Tuesday Jun 2009

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

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This month’s New Moon occurs on the 22nd at 12:34 PM PDT at 1 Cancer 30, and makes only a few aspects. Two contacts have a less than one degree orb, a conjunction to Vesta and an opposition to Pluto. This paints a very interesting energy picture, where we might see the melding of the New Moon in Cancer energy with the sacred feeling, sense of ‘home,’ and potential for sexual expression and then juxtaposed against the Plutonian darkness–the ‘bad guys’ are out there, and we’re cozy at home, curled up before the fire. It’s a lovely image of nurture and inclusion, and we should certainly feel free to enjoy the feeling, to spoon to our heart’s content–but we must also keep in mind that it’s dangerous to disown or deny our own darker aspects. Pluto enjoys a spot before the hearth in every home, as well, and only the dangerously naive or boldly arrogant claim “I would never . . .!” when it comes to the Plutonian urge. So, celebrate the warm and fuzzies that will come with the June New Moon, but be aware that we all hold that Plutonian potential, the seeds of disintegration–making this New Moon feeling all the more delicious in its contradiction of the dark.

Of course, the New Moon/ Sun will conjunct Vesta and oppose Pluto (and Earth), and at just over one degree variation forms a quincunx to the North Node, and one big possibility here is that there’ll be a lot of sex, the kind that actually causes us to adjust our life direction (if only by reinforcing a previous commitment, though making a new commitment is a possiblity, as well, with new intentions and directions ‘birthed’ by the New Moon energy) and this potential is magnified by the meeting of Venus and Mars in Taurus trine Saturn in Virgo–Earthy vibes are everywhere, and the sensual, caring, and nurturing facets of sex and relationship permeate the worlds of those open to it. It’s a cosmic recipe for stable, dependable, yet exciting love and congress–and only the unfortunate few disconnected from or disowning their sexual nature will miss out.

And see a beautiful take on love and spoons (a bit more literal than mine!) here http://bitze.wordpress.com/2009/05/06/welsh-love-spoon/

Lemons

25 Monday May 2009

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, current events in the sky, Finger of God, forecast, Mercury retrograde

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Apparently I’ve been nominated for a ‘Lemonade Award,’ presented to sites with great attitude or gratitude–a big Thank You to lovely ladies Neith and Pat over at Real Astrologers http://realastrologers.com/ who put me on their list of 10–and that’s part of the deal, you pass along a list of 10 favorites, which is very tough for me to do–have you seen my blogroll? I love them all, for a variety of reasons! So, here’s 10 of my favorites (or at least, the first 10 who come to mind!) Many congrats to Pat and Neith on their nom, too–I’ve tried repeatedly to comment on their site, but am told I have an invalid user name (no matter how I modify it–and obviously I have a wordpress presence)–hope that’s just Merc retro talking, and not a Universal message! lemonadeaward_thumbnail

1. Jude Cowell at Jude’s Threshold http://judecowell.wordpress.com/ and Stars Over Washington http://starsoverwashington.blogspot.com/ and several other outstanding creative venues–she’s got an incredibly deep knowledge, a strong sense of history and politics, some of the best use of astrological degree symbolism around, and an excellent bs detector–her insights are phenomenal!

2. Love the insights of hitchhiker72–she’s “Unwriting the I”– at A Question of Mindfulness http://questionofmindfulness.wordpress.com/ She’s a thinker and observer in the best sense, commenting on the heart of the matter, whatever it may be, with just the right balance of knowledge, honesty, and personal reference.

3. Deeply thoughtful and well-realized astrological philosophy and meaning are the province of Chirotic Journal http://chirotic.wordpress.com/, definitely a favorite for its thorough, dimensional examination of natal placements and configurations.

4. aello at Dream Orpheus http://dreamorpheus.wordpress.com/ offers perceptive, sensitive, and enlightening dream interpretation–always fascinating reading!

5. Prolific, with a wide-ranging slate of topics and some of the sharpest astrological analysis around, Twilight at Learning Curve on the Ecliptic http://twilightstarsong.blogspot.com/ never disappoints, and always gives the mind something fresh to ponder.

6. The application of astrology to Self-analysis is first rate at Lucy Watch the Sky http://lucywatchthesky.com/, and she has the capacity to state things in such a way that we can take the core of the observation and apply it ourselves–and that’s a gift.

7. One of the most useful and well-done sites ever is by serennu http://www.serennu.com/ Loads of hard to find info accurately presented–and follow her on Twitter, as she offers excellent Tweets that are truly enlightening http://twitter.com/serennu

8. Urania’s 9th House http://www.uranias9thhouse.com/blog/ offers succinct snapshots of current aspects, plus always fine commentary on conditions–greatly informative, in the best sense.

9. Found What the Astral Fog http://astralfog.blogspot.com/ very recently–love the tone and sheer utility, while still being imbued with poetry, of the advice. Added bonus is ‘birthcards’ (using a regular deck) of famous individuals for the day.

10. I’m cheating here; imaginative and fun is the astro info found at Wisestars http://wisestars.wordpress.com/ but I also want to note a new site that offers something different: advice for the day based on both Tarot and the Mayan systems at Stargates54 http://stargates54.wordpress.com/ Check both of them out!

It’s requested that each nominated site also do its own noms, include the logo shown here, and notifiy each nominee at their own site (something I’ll do in a few hours). And good luck to all, readers and nominees, as with such ‘tude this week, and bull on the rise, we’ll all need to make lemonade from life’s lemons!

Grand Cross v. Grand Square

21 Thursday May 2009

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, current events in the sky, Grand Cross/Grand Square

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Sometimes it’s hard to see a difference–they seem to be one and the same, four planets or points square, and two pairs of oppositions–everything contacts everything else. But today we have a configuration that perfectly illustrates why there is a difference: with a Grand Cross, we have the oppositions, while with the Grand Square, we have the squares with either a single opposition or none at all.

Today we have the Sun at 00 Gemini 45 square Jupiter/ Neptune/ Chiron at 26 Aquarius–so far so good–square the Earth at 00 Sagittarius 45, which (like the Sun) is square Ceres at 5 Virgo 11, but Ceres is not opposed Jupiter/ Neptune/ Chiron, creating a Grand Square, but not a Grand Cross.

Both configurations are dynamic, but the Grand Square offers a partial disconnect among the energies that will make them manifest in less than obvious ways. It’s a clue to us that, even though the various events seem to be unrelated, they are really touched off by or driven by each other–and this should alert us to any underlying context or possible repercussions arising from the more subtle contacts.

With this particular set of energies, we see the Sun/ Earth pouring attention on both Mother Nature (Ceres) and the Jupiter/ Neptune/ Chiron combo of heightened perceptions of the unseen, imagined, and the gifts and wounds unique to the individual–but grappling with illusions, ideals, and hurt is not connected in any obvious way to Ceres’ various attributes, including a proprietary attitude toward others, negotiations, and cyclic or seasonal occurrences. But, as noted, they are connected, we just have difficulty seeing how, for example, our mother’s comments on our private life (very Ceres!) have anything to do with the way we’re (unrealistically) approaching our current relationship–and yet if we look closer we may see that our desire to have the relationship just so may reflect a deep desire to be in control of our own lives–and despite the reality that we are, we still receive Mom’s comments as having a controlling effect that determines (if we don’t resist openly) our choices. So we’re in this example dealing with the exaggerated (Jupiter)illusion (Neptune) that Mom (Ceres) determines our inner and outer life (Sun and Earth), and this stimulates the wound (Chiron) from which we act.

You can see both the oblique effect of the contacts and the way that seeing the connection can help us steer clear of the debilitating effects of our own reactions and assumptions–a good way to go through life, I think!

Neptune-Chiron: Projection, Hurt, and Ownership

12 Tuesday May 2009

Posted by in astrology, Chiron, Consciousness Explored, current events in the sky, Neptune

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The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian by Honore Daumier

The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian by Honore Daumier

At least since December, when Chiron and Neptune entered each other’s orb, we’ve seen an ongoing test of our connection to reality. Now, everyone has areas they’d rather not look at too closely, places in our lives where we keep our perceptions in soft focus around the edges. I’m not speaking of those things we accept or let pass or don’t inspect too minutely, out of an already full life plate, or the simple reluctance to admit something isn’t perfect–that’s not only human, it’s probably vital to healthy functioning, as we could be easily overwhelmed by too much detail, too many things to ‘fix.’ I’m talking about those few of us with a relational disconnect in the overall world view, where the individual’s idea of who they are, and who others are, is deeply and fundamentally off.

This conjunction was early on imbued with both a spirit of Self and aggression and a mentality that framed dissonance as a personal power struggle, with the transits of both Mars and Juno to this combo.

The energy became more prominent as Jupiter neared the conjunction of Chiron/ Neptune; its presence boosts the need to project, to broadcast, related ideas and concepts as a means of expressing one’s belief in them, and thereby, at least to the mind that’s confused, proving their validity–it’s a Self-righteous energy that feeds on belief/ faith in an ideal that does not correlate to the reality picture. Jupiter also brings in the social element, the possibility of reaching out and imposing the ideas in the social sphere, again as an expression of their ‘truth’–“I wouldn’t be able to say this publicly if it weren’t true!”

The big problem with all of this is, Chiron and Neptune both hold expression pitfalls for those who are prone to fantasy, delusion, obfuscation, as the conjunction marries the urge to embrace illusion with the primal wound, the sense of hurt that, if left unclaimed and unexplored by the individual, becomes ripe for projection, and that is essentially what we’ve been seeing the past few months, an insistent sense of victimhood which has taken (temporary) hold of a dispiriting few.

How do we sort ‘true’ victims (as there are those who suffer legitimately at the hands of others) from those who have simply taken the worldview that they are victims, fueled by the easy Self-empathy of a complete mis-perception of role, actions, or intents? One easy way is to ask, where does this person ‘live’? Is their sense of Self seated in a me (or us) v. them mentality, where they are ‘done to,’ where others have bad intent, where they are a crusader for good and right in the face of those who are insensitive bullies? In this regard, anyone who disowns the potential to be the aggressor themselves becomes a candidate.

This is not, on its own, definitive, as there certainly are bullies, insensitive louts, and those who mean us harm, and sometimes the world does divide up into sides. There are other factors that distinguish those who are suffering under this transit (and suffer they do, as the pain they feel is real–the problem comes with their clear misunderstanding of where it originates). One distinguishing trait is, they are the aggressor–they pick the fight, typically based on an indignant reaction to what someone else has said or done that violates their delusional sense of Self. Often this has been sought out–the Neptune-challenged individual goes looking for a savior, or at least someone to support their fantasy Self, and when the mirror the other person holds up doesn’t show them the illusion they expect–well it must be that person’s fault, right there–the reflection is wrong, the mirror is wrong, and the person holding the mirror is wrong–because, they firmly believe, it couldn’t be them–in fact, that’s a basic assumption they enter the situation with, that in no way are they misguided, or have anything to learn–a real irony when the situation is a teaching or guidance one.

It’s also common that the person they choose to blame is someone ‘safe,’ someone who will likely not reject them, or who is not involved in the real problem. It’s almost a form of scapegoating, the ancient practice of designating someone or something as the carrier of all the village’s problems and sins, and then driving the bearer out of town–in this case the ‘village’ being the Neptune-influenced individual, who does not recognize the internal schism that prevents acknowledging the problem as their own.

How do you know when you are dealing with someone thus afflicted? “You think” may be the first words of many of their sentences–they speak as if they’re psychic (Neptune, again!) and yet what you’re hearing has no relation to what’s actually in your mind or heart–and you quickly discover that contradicting them brings out the emotional flood, anger or hurt, one and the same. They come at you claiming a wound, blaming the hurt on you, and yet this doesn’t make sense–it’s like they’ve set off huge emotional smoke bombs, deflecting attention from the real source of upset, determined to extract energy, attention, and penance from the accused–and if you’re the accused, you may think they have a point–until you realize that you are not reacting from emotion, or a need to Self-defend, and that even offered apologies or clear explanations as to your intent are ignored–the individual has a stake in taking a stance that demands you accept their indignation, and that you be responsible for their hurt, even if it doesn’t make sense, and it’s the one-sided, punishing nature of the interaction that is your biggest and best clue that this person is under the Neptune/ Chiron spell, using you as a screen for projection and Self-justification. Even those who claim to speak for the oppressed can be subject to this–for just as likely that they are correct in their remarks is the possibility that they are taking a passive-aggressive tack toward judgment and blame, typically engaging in precisely what they accuse others of.

It’s a sad situation; it can bring to ruin perfectly good relationships, as the Neptune individual does not, will not, cannot allow themselves to see the imperfection in their reasoning–as that would require a release of the illusion of victimhood–and right now, for them, that just feels too good, too safe, and perhaps is the only way they can feel right.

And to those who may feel injury at the hands of others, it’s good to remember, that no one can injure you without your consent.

You may want to check out several of the excellent posts here http://questionofmindfulness.wordpress.com/ as they touch on the same topic, and offer some facets I might have missed.

A Meeting Between the Queen of the Mountain and the King of the Sea

25 Wednesday Mar 2009

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, current events in the sky, Dark of the Moon

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juno So have the past few days just been an anticipation of this meeting between Juno, Queen of Olympus, and her brother-in-law Neptune, King of the Oceans? The run up to this through the Moon’s Dark period suggests the nature of the meeting may sneak up on us, and, depending on our circumstances, we may see what’s eventually revealed in one of several ways.

This may represent exactly what it sounds like, an instance of adulterous betrayal, a turning-to of one person to an inappropriate other; and what is the crime? A sharing that should not be, a breaking of trust and confidence between a commited pair, or revenge–after all, Juno was married to the biggest rake of all time, Jupiter/ Zeus, who, once the honeymoon was over, thought nothing of pursuing anyone he fancied; maybe Juno’s had enough of that. It can also signal a meeting between the heights and the depths, between the intellect and the emotions that may drive it, or symbolize an encounter between those inhabiting two entirely different environments, with probably predictably tumultuous results.

The cuckolded King of the gods

The cuckolded King of the gods

Or maybe for you this is more subtle, not the alliance of two gods, but an anima/animus clash that sees the female energies exercising Will and ego, and the male energies confused, delusional, or trying to realize a dream; in this instance, you may be attuned to the semi-sextile of Venus in Aries to Mars in Pisces. These two make oblique contact and we may see a reversal of the typical receptivity/ aggression labels; the usual suspects behave in opposite character in relation to each other, which can bring disorientation or behavior that is out-of-sync with one’s true nature. It can also bring forward struggles or disputes that are not really concerned with the subject, but with the too passive stance of what should be active, and/or the too assertive stance of what should be less defensive.

Or this may take a materially-centered tone with you, where the power that exerts overt control over all that can be seen must negotiate with he who rules all that is unseen, shown by Ceres’ trine to Pluto. This may be the easiest situation to deal with, as the interplay is relatively smooth and both sides end up satisfied (trine). The fact that the bargained-for items refer to tangible assets or physical things helps, as well; being able to see and weigh the objects of the negotiation makes it much easier to handle. This may in particular refer to situations of obtaining credit, negotiating for an initial salary or pay raise, the matter of possession of assets, or in choosing material investments.

Mercury moves into Aries before the Pisces Moon can come along by conjunction, so emotional perceptions about these past few days may not be completely formed into communicatable thoughts and words; this recent period may just be like a long dream that upon waking we are unable to share with others, but are molded by, or even haunted by, just the same.

Catch me on Twitter, jdem759, visit Been There, Done That http://askjulie.wordpress.com for the dish on relationships, and buy my work at http://dogandsunflower.wordpress.com which features new, pdf versions of my books at a new low price!

Notes on Venus Retro in Aries, and Foul Play?

06 Friday Mar 2009

Posted by in current events in the sky, Venus Retrograde

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One thing I haven’t spoken of much is the role that the sign plays in the constitution and effects of any retrograde planet; with Venus in the Cardinal Fire sign of Aries, we should have both a desire to act, to do something about the Venusian subjects that come forward, and a certain fiery conviction: we can do it, and do it we must!

That’s something of a hard line to take in a period where re-assessing and perhaps experimenting with tastes and aesthetics is about as active as we should be; and we all know this is as bad a time as a Mercury retrograde to sign on the dotted line (worse! even, as what’s involved here is an asset of some kind, easily lost, rather than a bit of information we’ve yet to acquire). Looking back at my own history, I realized that Venus retro in Aries (which for me means it’s retro intercepted in the 2nd) evolved from centering on Self-image and Self-worth, to gifts (the arrival of my first daughter) and personal assets (my health and how that affected Self-image) to financial and lifestyle questions; all of these subjects were strongly connected with a Cardinal doing energy, one that demanded I take charge within my own life, and look squarely at who I am (Aries).

So, it’s worth considering that an active stance might be more appropriate than we think in this instance; at least, an active mental stance, that spends the retro sussing out the possibilities for Venusian themed subjects related to the House in the natal chart where the retrograde is occurring. Taking full responsibility for ourselves may be the ultimate expression, in this case, the success of which shines back at us through our Venus-connected losses and rewards for the retrograde period.

And finally, the most recent report I heard on the NFL players missing off Florida brought some mysterious elements forward, such as, why is there only one survivor, who had only mild hypothermia (despite supposedly being in the water, and on top of the overturned boat, exposed to the weather, for 40 hours)? And this person allegedly claims that the other three individuals all removed their life vests and just drifted away. Now, experts on survival at sea say that, in choppy, 60 degree ocean, which is what those people were in, loss of reason can happen relatively quickly, within an hour–but still, all three of them behaving the same way, having the same ‘delusion,’ if you will? I don’t think so. And to top it off, the relatives of the other three have not yet spoken with the survivor–whether this is by police design or simply allowing the individual time to recover, I don’t know–but I do know that that’s where I’d be, in that person’s hospital room, wanting to find out everything I could about my loved one’s disapperance.

I drew a horary at the time my suspicions were first aroused; I won’t be sharing it just yet, but will continue to look into the situation, and see what I can see, as my initial impression is: there’s something fishy here.

And everyone, have a great weekend!

Focus on: Uranus Sesquiquadrate South Node + Mini ‘What You’re Asking’

25 Wednesday Feb 2009

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, current events in the sky

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Starting tomorrow, February 25th, and lasting through March 29th, Uranus in Pisces forms a sesquiquadrate with the Leo South Node. A sesquiquadrate suggests we will experience a long-term adjustment, an irritation that seems to go on and on, related to the current role of transiting Uranus in our chart, and to the South Node. What we will likely find centers in a scenario of continuing upset springing either directly from our past or from those things we believed we’d already handled, and they will disrupt our individual innovative and creative expression, our role within the group, or both. Considering the signs involved, it may be a case where matters are presented as either ‘we do it for the group/ Collective’ (and that’s judged to be ‘good’) or ‘we do it for ourselves’ (with the implication that this is inherently ‘bad’). The most important thing to keep in mind is that we must choose and perform in such a way that we can exorcise the past while being true to what we as individuals choose–in this instance, consideration for the interests of the group can and should be secondary.

And now, a little ‘What You’re Asking’:

How long will Saturn oppose Uranus?

This pairing will move back out of and then into orb again several times before finally separating; the last exact opposition occurs at 00 degrees 25 minutes of Libra and Aries on 26 July 2010, with any leftover effects swiftly diminishing thereafter. The good news is that by then we will have been living with the opposition’s effects for so long that we will likely have long ago developed ways to accomodate its influence; the bad news is that once it goes the chances to reform old structures and strictures will be gone, as will the chance to make solid our inventions and our most original creative ideas. Ending in the Cardinal Libra and Aries also suggests that its final influences will be notably swift, sure, and in a much different vein than those of the Virgo/ Pisces time period. Saturn in Libra and Uranus in Aries suggest we could see solid new partnerships and perhaps martial revolutionary action before it’s all said and done.

How are Mars and Neptune alike?

At first glance this might seem like an odd and unanswerable question, but when I thought about it I realized that if nothing else they have strength of Will in common. Mars is known for his Willfulness, the ego ready to push his way to the front of the line, the Warrior who doesn’t hesitate to fight, and usually for a cause from which he benefits. Neptune is often characterized as soft, wishy-washy, illusive–but I think that’s protective covering for enormous drive to make the dream or ideal a reality. Even in its more negative manifestation, the strength of Neptune is impressive; it takes a tremendous Willpower to create and maintain a fantasy, a deception, or an escapist pursuit, and successfully shut out the world entirely. And when the two connect in the natal chart, we can be looking at one of the most persistent, determined, and yes, stubborn combinations around, if only because so much energy is devoted single-mindedly and with complete faith, to those Neptunian subjects.

Can a person breathe on Pluto?

Sorry. No.

Eclipse, February 2009

07 Saturday Feb 2009

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, Chiron, current events in the sky, Earth, eclipse, Moon, Sun, Venus

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february-lunar-eclipse-2009The second part of the Aquarius/ Leo Eclipse set occurs on February 9th at 6:49 AM at 21 Leo 00 (I want to note an unsatifying amount of confusion I’ve found over just when this occurs, and the exact degree reading, and I suspect the actual eclipse moment is slightly later, but for our purposes, this will do–see comments for more on this–and note that witty reader max calls this ‘The Drunken Eclipse,’ with good symbolic reason, see comments), and brings forward an intriguing pattern: the Moon/ Earth conjunction is semi-sextile Saturn, which makes it quincunx the Sun, notably conjunct Chiron at this time; the Sun/ Chiron conjunction has its own semi-sextile, to Uranus, which of course is quincunx the Moon/ Earth combo. So we have a kind of net drawn across the Eclipse, two anchors in the form of  a pair of what could be characterized as opposites, forces that have recently been in long-term opposition. This may suggest that the Saturn/ Uranus struggle, both personally and society-wide, will lay a gentle web of insistence across the Eclipse energy, each with its own view. Saturn says, I can bring even more stability, and a sense of authority and permanence, to those who vibe to the blending of Earth and Moon, to those who equate emotional sustenance and security with the material; from those who are enveloped in the unity of Sun/ Chiron, Saturn in Virgo requires adjustment and an accounting of the details–‘If you want to feel safe, pin down the identity and put boundaries on the Soul Purpose! (and maybe, just a little, fear that you are a crippled Soul!)’

The Sun/ Chiron combo, quite naturally, implies one of two approaches, for those who will vibe to this side of the equation: at a Soul level, one will feel a fusion of the identity and life Purpose with either the most unique gifts and deepest healing energies the Soul possesses, or one will experience the ultimate individual primal wound, and will, at least for a time, be convinced that the Soul itself is marred, with a resultant difficulty with identity consolidation and expression. This energy, in either form, receives the Saturn quincunx (or threat, as we might think of it), but also reaches out by semi-sextile to Uranus in Pisces, which offers the Sun/ Chiron the awareness of its own uniqueness within the Collective–and for many, this will be all the security they require.

Uranus quincunxes the Moon/ Earth, as well, and makes its own ‘threat’: those who find emotional security in the material, in the physical nurturing and sustenance of all (and this is important to understand, that the Moon/ Earth is not an inferior vibe to the Sun/ Chiron–please don’t make that mistake) may be shaken by rebellion, by the urge to disrupt, by the demands of the group, by a need to innovate, but will find their security in the rules and boundaries and traditions represented by Saturn–and this will be all that they require.

There is also a single, other aspect to the eclipse set, a sesquiquadrate from Venus to the Moon/ Earth. Venus is not necessarily loud or flashy (in fact, she shies away from such display), but she is insistent, and this aspect suggests this quality will come forward, framed by the exclamation, ‘I desire!’ (Venus in Aries) On either side of the Eclipse equation, the desire nature will come forward; the only question is, What form will it take? If our sympathies are seated with Earth/ Moon, it may likely be a longing, an emotionally charged wish, aimed at adjustment of the material situation or circumstance; this isn’t greed, or materiality, it’s a plea for whatever we believe in the physical world will soothe and nurture. If we side with Sun/ Chiron, we will more likely want for the healing of a relationship, or even of the Soul to its own assets (nothing is more tragic than a Soul at war with its own talent).

Other aspects in effect at the time of the Eclipse, and so displaying a possible hand in things, include Venus sextile Jupiter, Juno, and Mars (exaggerating all the effects of the above Venus influence, and throwing in questions of Self-empowerment, for good measure); Mercury sesquiquadrate Ceres, suggesting communications from whatever we regard as ‘authorities’ will likely chafe; Juno and Jupiter conjunct the North Node, perhaps making each of us put too much importance on sorting out our ‘destiny’ at this moment, and thus taking ourselves far too seriously, Vesta creating a T-square with the Nodes, suggesting that a true clash is in the air over what we truly find sacred on the life path, and finally Venus at the Juno/ Pallas midpoint, giving us the idea (perhaps wrongly) that our Venus-influenced decisions are both vital to our empowerment and wise.

NASA Eclipse website: http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse.html

Beth Turnage talks about the eclipse effect through the Houses here: http://www.astrologyexplored.com/the-astrology-of-eclipses-january-26-2009-the-ring-of-fire/

Another view of the eclipses (scroll down for February’s) http://www.astrologycom.com/eclipse.html#lunar

Did It Happen To You?

05 Thursday Feb 2009

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, current events in the sky

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Just something I noticed yesterday, and I must preface this with the caveat that not every communication I received falls in this category; but I did hear from a scattering of individuals who all had something I’ll define as a theme in common: they were busy ‘showing me.’ These were people I don’t hear from often, the rarity of their communications part of what tipped me off to the trend. Did this happen to you? Did you hear from someone whose message was passive-aggressive,  filled with angry engagement that you don’t (or perhaps no longer) feel? The tone of these notes/ messages was ultimately sad, as these individuals somehow feel that something is owed them psychically, emotionally, and yet that’s not appropriate to the existing relationship (and in my case, it never was appropriate, a condition that these people do not seem to fathom). It was the psychic equivalent to Bill Gates’ mosquito releasing stunt: irritating as he tried to make a point, but not really of significance.

Now, don’t get me wrong, my mailbox wasn’t stuffed with hate mail–far from it, but there were enough out-of-the-way communications (some of them wearing very pretty words and images) that it made me take a look at conditions. My first thought was the Moon; it was moving through Gemini, so no surprise that people felt motivated to speak out, and in easy aspect to many energies (specifically the gathering in Aquarius–and that’s a lot of air, spurring us to think, whether we want to or not). Jupiter squared Vesta, and this may be key to the tone: these individuals may have been challenged to measure their own beliefs against what they truly find sacred–and when we come up short, the tendency is to rationalize and justify, for the ego (Mars–more about him in a moment) to jump forward. Mercury moved into semi-sextile with Neptune yesterday, and this says that communications can be guided by ideals or by delusion and fantasy–you decide. But I think the real trigger may have been Mars–as it moved from Capricorn (restraint, reality) to Aquarius, we may have seen the brakes come off the aggressive and assertive energies, with a tendency now to intellectualize and rationalize (Aquarius) one’s desire to lash out (or just to speak out–as I said, not all communications will fall into the ‘show you’ category). So, if this happened to you, I would say take it less as a true communication and more as a statement, an instance where someone is showing how they believe (Jupiter) you should be engaged with them, in defiance of the real life situation.

Today much the same is in effect, with one important difference: the Moon goes Void today at 9:45 AM PST today (the 5th) and remains so until 8:05 PM PST. This suggests that, with the same conditions in effect, we could have two radically different outcomes: messages received today may be of the same character, but they may either pack no punch (where even the individual speaking doesn’t believe what they’re saying), or they could spark a completely unanticipated response within you, leading you somewhere you never expected to go.

CHIRON IN THE NATAL CHART is available directly from me, or from Dog and Sunflower Press (which is me, too!) and so is THE ASTROLOGY OF INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP–email juliedemboski@hotmail.com or dogandsunflower@hotmail.com to order–Thanks!

Here’s some great truth-telling going on about male/ female relationships, excerpted from an upcoming work by Jessica Shepherd http://moonkissd.com/2007/12/12/use-your-venus-ladies-not-your-mars/ and here http://blogs.astrology.com/venus_beyond/2009/02/chiron-neptune-node-shake-the-disease.html

Take note of more Mercurial happenings here with Jude Cowell http://judecowell.wordpress.com/2009/02/05/inauguration-2009s-mercury-return-feb-15/

And have a great Thursday!

Eclipse, January 2009

03 Tuesday Feb 2009

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, current events in the sky, Dark of the Moon, eclipse, forecast, future events in the sky

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solar-eclipse-january-20092The next annular Solar Eclipse occurs January 25th at 11:59:44 PM PST at 6 Aquarius 30 (note that the eclipse starts slightly after the actual New Moon). Keeping orbs very tight (approx. 1-1.5 degrees) we have three aspects: a conjunction of the Sun and Moon to Jupiter; a square to Vesta; and a trine to Pallas. The character of the Eclipse is big, exaggerated, and if it aspects natal placements, I would anticipate that the time through to the next eclipse set (in July-August ’09) will carry a similar tone on a personal level of ‘bigness,’ relative to the energies aspected. For instance, if it hits your Venus by close orb (especially if the aspect is ‘hard,’ a conjunction, semi-square, square, sesquiquadrate, or opposition–even a semi-sextile can irritate) you may see months of overblown importance of love and/ or money, or secondarily an exaggeration of the subjects of the Houses Venus rules natally.

As it is, all of us may find ourselves wrestling (yes, I think the sheer largeness and push of the energy will cause upset) with Aquarian ideals; it may be a matter of each of us feeling the ‘New Age’ is here in some respect, and going gung-ho with our personal agendas. These could center on a fresh (for us) approach to academics (as in attempting to bring Ivory tower principles to everyday existence), inventiveness and innovation applied to life circumstances, rebellion from what is (with its own particular danger of pointlessness and potential for destruction), and a strong desire to push one’s own specific brand of ‘group think’ on others. What’s the result? Likely real difficulties and clashes due to our tendency to fail to respect what’s sacred to others, what may be considered their ‘home turf,’ and I wouldn’t be terribly surprised to see a rash (so to speak!) of infidelities of one kind or another, all indicated by the Eclipse’s square to Vesta.

None of this sounds like good news, but we can take a different tack, choose a different reaction, via the Eclipse’s trine to Pallas. This offers us a source of wise information (Pallas in Gemini), a network that will support good choices, as well as venues through which to develop and exercise our skills. The implication is that, if we concentrate on what we can do, what we can offer that speaks of our most meaningful and useful traits and talents, then we can for the most part avoid the brouhaha that may follow those who carry the banner of a cause, no matter how just, as they will definitely be inclined to overlook the rights of others.

Dane Rudhyar describes this degree in An Astrological Mandala as ‘A Child is seen being born out of an egg.’ He refers of course to the ancient symbol of the Cosmic Egg, out of which the Universe was said to have been born, and out of which a new one is said to be symbolically emerging. This suggests a number of possibilities, including that the philosophies that come forward at this time are free of past prejudices, biases, and traditions, very Aquarian in that sense; and yet, as a symbol of global ‘newness,’ this degree also implies a loss of both localness (and thus relevance to the everyday life of each of us) and the care and maturity that comes with accumulated knowledge and experience. So, for the coming few months through to the next Eclipse set, we may find ourselves and/ or those around us inclined to trade what we know for what we hope is better, with a likely mixed result, and the best outcomes promised to those who serve at a practical and useful level.

Minor aspects of this Eclipse include a pair of semi-squares to Venus and Uranus, and a sesquiquadrate to Saturn, all of which reinforce the difficulty with boundaries and Self-control, the values anomalies and challenges to both relationships and finances that can be expected with the above-described mentality ascendant, and a drive toward the Aquarian that is at once refreshing and unnerving.

Try image interpretation for this Eclipse set: http://starsoverwashington.blogspot.com/2009/01/jan-26-solar-eclipse-leads-to-lunar.html And add this enlightening take on the Solar Eclipse to follow in July: http://starsoverwashington.blogspot.com/2009/01/solar-eclipse-29-cancer-72209.html

Will post the second half of the Eclipse material later–have a great Wednesday! By the way, Dark of the Moon begins late night the 22nd PST–no matter what you are doing for the three days preceding the New Moon, take a meditative approach, and don’t try to launch any new ventures.

More eclipse info available here  http://celestialspace.wordpress.com/2009/01/16/new-moonsolar-eclipse-in-aquarius-on-january-25th26th-2009oc/