Category Archives: current events in the sky

October 2024: Zombie Issues

08 Tuesday Oct 2024

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1943 {{PD}}

There are a number of current aspects, most waning, that occupy us right now, but my thought is these are largely distractions, influences that feel vital, in need of handling, and yet in a week or a month what was sorted will be no more than a faded blip on our radar. This is chiefly due to the separating Water trine of Venus and Mars. What could draw our attention more completely? Venus is in Scorpio, carrying a much more serious demeanor than she usually does, endowing her energies with a life-or-death aura, and Mars in Cancer is, well, a bit whiny for a Warrior. He wants his sensitivity to be seen (and perhaps celebrated), but everyone knows this is atypical, and he’ll be back to his old aggressive Self (rather than this passive-aggressive Self) in no time. And aspecting each other in Water only serves to make it all feel so compelling, so emotionally important–and yet the urgency here is temporary, even artificial–though by tomorrow Venus becomes apex to a Finger of God with base of Jupiter-Chiron–and boy will we hear some howls of pain, hear of the cost to us of our wounds. Examine them, yes–glory in them, exaggerate them, or try to use them as social currency, no. If we do wear them like a Self-serving sackcloth and ash, the only lasting result will be a reputation as too sensitive (which really translates as ‘aware, and asking for the rest of us to be so, too’) that will gain us an undeserved ostracism from those matters we most want to affect.

Mercury will move along quickly from its opposition to Chiron and trine to exaggerator Jupiter–again, an indicator that our thoughts about our own wounds will lack staying power and so lack genuine, lasting impact–so if you’re plagued by worry at present, especially about the consequences of your own injuries, emotional or physical, or about those dysfunctions so easily observed in the social order, know that the concerns are at the very least overblown, and may in fact not end up being a problem at all.

A Fist of God is formed by a square between Uranus and Neptune with apex of the Black Moon Lilith point (and just a few days ago the apex was filled by the transiting Sun). This may explain more of the underlying feeling that is so pervasive right now. The unexpected seems to be everywhere, things unanticipated or shocking jumping out of the woodwork very suddenly, and we’re unable to discern whether there’s real danger there, or real potential, and that confusion may even be internal, a case of us not even feeling we can reliably trust ourselves (or, worse) trust our perceptions. What resolves this upset is a willingness to admit what we may be in denial of, what we may have tried to bury. ‘Tis the season for issues that just won’t die, zombie matters we just wish would go away–and seeing that these issues won’t may enrage us. A clear-eyed look at those things we’ve been dodging is the talisman we need to ward off so much of our confusion and upset–so do it.

And finally, Jupiter, which has been stationary like an elephant sitting on our chests in matters of the House in the natal chart where this falls, and as well in the compulsive nature of our thoughts and communications of late (Gemini), will officially go retro tomorrow. Very slowly it will appear to move backward, with its first encounter a semi-sextile with Mars in Cancer the 13th-14th. Think of this as a premature trigger, and don’t let it push you into impulsive action fueled by the discomfort that the blind Will can feel when it realizes it must care (Cancer). Better to let the impulse pass. There’s a point, well off, when we are going to need to find a balance between optimism and pessimism, hope and reality, abundance and conservatism: roughly, the period of December 21-New Year’s, when Jupiter and Saturn share a languid square. Not acting impulsively now will put us in a much better place end-of-year. Just a thought.

Have a wonderful week, my friends!

Current Snapshot: 13-16 August 2024 Mad Mad World

13 Tuesday Aug 2024

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Mars-Jupiter Conjunction

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Earthrise Over Compton Crater NASA {{PD}}

The Mars-Jupiter conjunction in Gemini is the headliner–but it may not bring the impact we anticipate, since it could consist of Big Talk about action, rather than actions themselves. Is that a bad thing? No–it may be a useful exercise in floating options and measuring reaction to them in ourselves and others. Action is less likely than talk simply because ruler of Gemini, Mercury, is currently retrograde at 0 Virgo, suggesting that the inner consciousness is busy trying to organize, trying to account for our own methodology and internal logic. Pluto in Aquarius is quincunx that Mercury, stirring up the depths; it’s why we keep obsessively going back to mull over certain thoughts, certain situations, and it may be the engine that keeps us trying new solutions that we think will solve old problems; our success rate will directly reflect how accurately we perceive the issue in the first place (Uranus sextile Neptune, the latter at 29 tortured degrees, reaching the limits of both imagination and illusion/ delusion).

There’s a willingness to trot things (especially things we see as facts) out in public, making it easier than usual to see and consider the potential impact of what people think if they try to make these things a reality; too, this period can act as a compass, pointing each individual toward what matters to them, and making that clear to those around them. Our communications are useful sources of information, beyond the words: what we focus on, what we accept as real, factual, logical, will shape how we see the world, and so respond to it.

The Mars-Jupiter duo is square Saturn in Pisces, which offers two possible effects, one suppressing Mars-Jupiter (so probably keeping matters in the talk-speculation arena), or making an almost magical effect that manifests almost as soon as something is expressed, a ‘speak (or think it) and it becomes so’ formula. Saturn in Pisces can put a glamorous sheen on reality, and suggests creative responses to the ideas put forth by Mars-Jupiter. Making the ideal real, though, carries a possibility that we get what we want, but that it has effects we either didn’t consider or didn’t believe might come to pass. Ask for what you want, but think it through, as you just might get it.

By the 14th the most notable change is that the Leo Sun is close to perfecting trine to Chiron in Aries. It’s like both our pain and our most unique skills are put under a spotlight. If you can do something about what causes you pain, then do it, but don’t waste what could be a glorious expression of your abilities by staring too much at your wounds.

The 15th sees that retro Mercury move back into 29 degrees of Leo–and the caterwauling of the individual who believes they haven’t received due attention may be deafening. For the rest of us, this may bring a moment or three of displacement, of feeling like we’re not who we think we are. It’s all part of the Mercury retro cycle’s gift of returning our attention to what we should be reconsidering, namely, ourselves, this time around.

By the 16th Mars is starting to pull away from Jupiter, giving us more realistic perspective on our own actions and choices, and Mercury retro moves out of the 29th degree, de-stressing Self-reflection, taking it from our stressful imaginings (quincunx Neptune) to the realm of genuine surprises, not all of which will be positive (square Uranus in Taurus) but at least some of which will answer our questions about the availability of resources, our own comfort with current circumstances, and what we can do to feel more secure in this mad mad world.

New Moon 4 August 2024 I Am, I Said

01 Thursday Aug 2024

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‘The Tight-Rope Walker’ By Jean-Louis Forain c1885 {{PD}}

If you read this title and automatically heard the words that follow this line from an old Neil Diamond song (‘I am I said/ to no one there’) then you’ve just grasped the essence of this Leo New Moon: we may end up feeling like we’re shouting into the Void, or at the crowd, or we may simply realize we are speaking, putting out info, sharing ourselves, to an empty room. The New Moon forms on the 4th at 4:12 AM PDT at 12 Leo 33. It doesn’t make a lot of aspects; that emphasizes the sense of Leo as a singular energy, one that sees the Self as spreading out into the Universe, with the Universe reflecting the Self, rather than the individual reflecting the Universe. The Leo energy glories in expression of the unique sensibilities, aware that its opposite (Aquarius) signifies the groups to which one belongs and one’s place in those groups, making for a kind of ‘othering’ of the individual’s obligations to everyone else, freeing Leo New Moon energy to be concerned only with the Self.

It’s important to note that between now and the New Moon, we’re in the Dark period, which calls for its own variation on low-key energy and a more contemplative-than-usual mindset. Rest and relax–not as easily done as it is said, but a good thing to aim for, anyway.

The New Moon prompts us to communicate assertively, to lay out the facts, to broadcast our ideas to the world (NM in wide sextile to Mars and Jupiter, widely conjoined in Gemini) and potentially to act on them–but there are some crisis energies in play right now that could distract, to the point where pronouncements are made but not effectively received by the intended audience—and yet what happens still shapes the future, whether we mean it to or not (NM trine NN/ sextile SN). Mars and Jupiter together in a Mercury-ruled sign could make for a racing mind, exaggerated Will, anger, or appetites, and may inflate our perceptions of the aggression or transgressions of others–we see a bullet coming toward us, propelled by angry words, rather than the tossed pebble it actually is.

What’s worse, our intuitive perceptions, and our experience of our own emotions (Lunar energies), may suffer as the mind (Gemini) insists on inserting itself–and we can’t get away from the ‘me’ focus of the the Leo Moon, which only encourages us to see ourselves as right, even perfect, despite any feedback to the contrary.

The energies in crisis are creative and relationship ones, ones where we are unsure of the value of things, ones where we are either worried that what exists will be destroyed, or that what exists isn’t what we think it is—both valid worries with Venus at 29 degrees of Leo, quincunx Pluto at 00 Aquarius, and quincunx Neptune at 29 Pisces. This draws a Finger of God in the sky; the apex (Venus) centers the effects on interaction, assets, and what we care about, while the base of Neptune sextile Pluto speaks of the power inherent in new knowledge, innovation, invention, or radical events (Pluto in Aquarius) combined with crises in the creative, inventive, spiritual, or in manifestation of the Universe itself (Neptune in Pisces–with this latter, think climate change, experiments or power generation that alters fundamental atomic structure, a shift in the magnetic poles, mutations, changes to the rotation of liquid layers near the Earth’s core, asteroids, comets, and space junk on a collision course with us–you get my drift). I have a totally irrational fear that gravity will stop working, right as I’m climbing a steep tower, counting on that downward pull to center me and keep me in place; this weekend would be just the kind of instance when that fear could come true. We must accept the stressful and inconclusive status of both creative and relationship matters at this time–walking a tightrope is tricky, but if we remain aware that the only way to resolve things is to get to the other side–that’s the beauty of not resolving these matters, right now.

One other thing I’d like to mention that’s not relevant to the Moon picture but will, for some of us, be distinctively, aggressively in the air: Eris and Chiron, conjoined in the latter third of Aries. Irritations and upsets we normally quash, ignore, bury, or otherwise have the Self-control to overlook come popping up, making for a kind of ‘instant anger’, and offering a fiery potential to hurt or be hurt. Try not to let anyone press your buttons if you can.

The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘An Old Sea Captain Rocking Himself On The Porch Of His Cottage’. This is an image of someone who’s been through the storm, who knows the (sea=emotional) score, and now has retired his full interaction with the world in favor of enjoying a quieter existence. This suggests to me that a peaceful situation would be a smart one to surround ourselves with at this time. It’s not out of defeat, but out of care for our Souls and our own peace of mind, that we can embrace a calmer situation and participate in less assertive engagement–FOMO may try to panic you, or your own ego (Leo) may see a calmer demeanor as uncool, but remember, rest and a lower profile are only temporary, a necessary Self-nurturing that the Leo New Moon can be very good at delivering, once we can accept that gift.

Full Moon 21 July 2024 Landslide

19 Friday Jul 2024

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

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Landslide Rock, Blue Mountains National Park, Photo By PrimenumbertheorCreative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

The Full Moon in Capricorn perfects at 3:16 AM PDT of the 21st at 29 Cap 08, poised to conjoin retro Pluto at its place at 00 Aquarius. Any body at 29 degrees is under stress, tense in its last moments in a sign, imparting a feeling that matters of that energy expression related to the sign must be wrapped up or otherwise attended to; with Luna under this stress, then fleeing directly into the arms of the god of the Underworld, we’re likely to see emotions that we’ve been struggling with, ones we’ve restrained, shored up ’til now, that we’ve found boundaries and containers for (Capricorn), suddenly break free, a landslide of feeling we just can’t hold back anymore, and most important, we’ll have to choose to shape these feelings as either expressions of power, or expressions of destruction. Some will see no difference between those two phrases; I offer that expressions of power can be uplifting, making the world a better place, and that even destructive acts can be good: in removing what must go, what has been detrimental, what has claimed our power as its own, which we must now re-claim. The form our Plutonian energy takes will be an intellectual choice, and can be a revolutionary one (Aquarius)–but the key to effectiveness is found in our intent: are we transforming something, resurrecting something missed, or using our strength and influence to build-up and create? or are our efforts driven by one thing, and one thing only: rage?–that’s the question.

Note as with all Full Moons, the Sun is directly opposite in the flat chart, to the minute, in the opposing sign, and so suffers its own stress at 29 Cancer. Where to put my attention and effort? Where to shine the light? we ask ourselves. In this instance the Sun is in Cancer, telling us that what we care about, nurture, call home, consume, or are sensitive to, requires our focus. The Sun’s demands will feel like a distraction from the important emotional work the Moon and Pluto are setting in front of us–but what we choose to spotlight will have an enormous effect on our emotional and power expressions–and can act as a conduit for those feelings, as well. Where, among those Cancerian subjects, do you spot the landslide? That’s the middle-of-the-night question that keeps you up, especially if you dwell in the Americas–everywhere else, it may seem slightly less stressful, as it’ll receive the bright light of day.

The Full Moon forms a trine to Mars and Uranus, though the first is in Gemini and the second is in Taurus. The effect may be we think assertively or aggressively, putting ourselves first in the equation, communicating our ‘I Am’ to others, but we shouldn’t underestimate how spontaneous, highly original, or even revolutionary matters around security, stability, prosperity, and comfort (Taurus) can massively influence those fledgling (Mars at 00 Gemini) thoughts and assertions about the Self. If we’re open, the feedback we receive on those ‘I Am’ and ‘I want’ statements can be a valuable orientation for us to the reality picture.

The Full Moon also sextiles a 29 degree Neptune; well that’s discouraging. We may struggle to understand or even get a clear picture of what we’re dealing with–that’s where faith in the Collective to help steer us (Pisces, and our own Neptunian ideals) comes in. Jupiter in Gemini is roughly sesquiquadrate the Full Moon, again asking what we have faith in, and offering illumination of where our faith should be placed, through difficult emotional reactions and circumstances triggered by this Full Moon event. Pay attention to what sets you off–that will tell you where you need the support, company, and spiritual sustenance of others.

Some notable contacts to other bodies include a wide square made by the Full Moon to Eris in Aries (which, when we include the Sun, forms a Cardinal T-square)=let’s put it this way: don’t let anyone push your buttons. Though the irritating matter that surfaces may have long needed airing, it’s not the time–addressing it will only be a distraction–and the ‘fix’ probably won’t stick. Quincunx the Full Moon is a convention of Orpheus, Dionysus, and Karma at 28/29 Gemini=that’s quite a ‘party’, involving a trip to the Underworld (one where the goal is lost through lack of restraint), indulgence of the appetites, and delivery of some earned situation or factors, good or ill, stemming from the past. This screams ‘Proceed With Caution!’ What may seem a chance to blow off steam, to ‘live a little’, could bring loss and a comeuppance (for some reason, that seems like the right term!) We may think we can get away with overdoing it (Jupiter in Gemini)–we can’t, and the results are served up immediately–so beware.

Sisyphus is square the Full Moon from Libra=it may seem a pointless exercise, trying to make headway with others/ partners; put the focus back on yourself, and bypass a lot of frustration and wasted effort. Only those who are good and ready will help you push that boulder up the mountain–and you trying to make it happen won’t speed it along at all. And Kassandra sits conjoined the Full Moon–oh no! Do you remember this story? Apollo took a shine to Kassandra, a beautiful mortal, and gave her the gift of prophecy. She didn’t succumb to his attentions, though, and the god was furious. What a god gives, they can’t take away, so instead Apollo made it so that Kassandra would indeed prognosticate truthfully–and not be believed. This suggests that the emotional landslide we experience will show us some truths, particularly the kind that tell us what our future will be, without change or intervention–and we will be unable to believe the message–not surprising when we remember that 29 degree Neptune is essentially exerting the same influence, but also providing ameliorating advice: faith in the Universe, to steer us correctly. We just have to be willing to be stripped of our illusions. Look back to the emotions of the Full Moon–connect with them, and you’ll connect with Truth, via acceptance of one’s power (Pluto)–and we’re back to where we began, in trying to get Luna and Pluto to work together.

The Sabian symbol for the Sun, giver of life and source of the reflected light of the Full Moon, is, ‘A Daughter Of The American Revolution’. This suggests both a newness, a freshness of purpose within one’s Being, at this time, and that our lives have been shaped by trying to break free, form a better way to govern ourselves and to engage with others, to create a better atmosphere, full of opportunity. No one’s saying the methodology or the resulting nation/ person is flawless, but this image says that the environment that formed us gave us a certain energy and good intent with which to pursue our lives, an ideal of equality and justice–just appreciate that, and give yourself credit for both positive intentions and genuinely kind efforts to make the world a better place.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘A Secret Meeting Of Men Responsible For Executive Decisions In World Affairs’. This is the kind of image that we may picture when we’re thinking about events and their impact, that only people already holding a great deal of power can make a dent in things–that is, we think our smaller actions made in smaller arenas don’t really matter. The reality is, they not only matter, they can have a far greater impact than we know. Quit falling for the appearance of power–connect with the immense potentials you carry, and know you are as powerful as anyone else on the planet.

What We Should Fear

14 Sunday Jul 2024

Posted by in astrology, Conjunctions, current events in the sky, Mars-Uranus Conjunction

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‘Third of May 1808’ By Francisco Goya {{PD}}

Should we be afraid of the Mars-Uranus conjunction in Taurus, perfecting tomorrow and lasting roughly through the 23rd? No, of course not–these energies are your friends, one fueling the engine of accomplishment and action, the other connecting us to Higher Mind, spontaneity, invention, and an appreciation for the unique. True, when they come together we may find a crackling electricity in the air, an inclination to impulsivity driven by ego, rather than reason–but the key to not succumbing to a chaotic, Self-aggrandizing thrust of the I AM out into the world is to give both these energies a say in expression, but not allow either to drive it, dominate it, or use Self-expression as a channel for anger, spite, or the urge to spoil things for the group. If we give in to their baser forms, we run the risk of havng them attack each other, making the outer expression match a battle within (likely between expressing anger and maintaining control–because we literally can’t show genuine anger without showing passion–and everyone knows, passion does not color within the lines.

We must acknowledge ourselves, our Will, and the need to feel respected and heard (Oh! does Aries need to be heard–the ears and mouth are, after all, located on the head, which Aries energy describes and Mars rules). Each of us deserves validation as a unique and inventive individual, vis a vis the group, which can swallow identity in favor of tribal labels; when Mars and Uranus meet we need to find and act on our individuality, our absolute distinctness, even as we refuse to go to war with the wider world–for that, too, is a Martian impulse, and Uranus’ leanings to chaos-as-expression can seem quite appropriate, until we see that using our energy to foster discord and disorder, while it may temporarily blow off steam, serves nothing and no one, as eventually we find we still need to do something about ‘it’, and also need to clean up the mess we’ve made, as well.

Much has been made of this conjunction’s place on fixed star Algol. One thing we need to remember about the Fixed Stars is that their meanings stem from a time when the only people who had their horoscopes drawn were Kings, and at the time, the King was effectively representative of the country; his fate was the nation’s. Algol is shown as a severed head, the name derived from the Arabic ‘Al Ghoul’, demon or evil entity (from the same root as ‘alcohol’, apparently), and the general meaning has been one of indicating circumstances under which one may ‘lose one’s head’–so the impulsivity and Self-serving nature of giving in to one’s ego or to chaos as a means of expression that is suggested by Mars-Uranus could find specific meaning here–that is, if one indulges in Mars-Uranus blindly, one may indeed lose one’s head, meaning going massively, destructively, overboard.

Algol’s inclusion in the conjunction is fortuitous, I think, as it calls our attention to how dangerous indulging in anger, vengeance, and erratic behavior really can be; losing one’s head doesn’t just mean losing control, but losing reason, perspective, and even dignity. It doesn’t help that this conjunction occurs sextile 29 degree Neptune, suggesting great difficulty seeing matters that enrage or cause chaos clearly. In a week we have a Full Moon at 29 tense degrees of Capricorn, trine the still, at that point, extant contact. The implication is that we’ll try mightily to put something ‘to bed’, under wraps, secured with Capricornian boundaries and limits–and that it probably won’t work.

So what should we be afraid of? Our own desire to lash out, for vengeance, to indulge any thought that cloaks itself in righteous indignation or in revolutionary garb–for though the revolution won’t be televised, it won’t bring anything good if the only impulse is one that’s out for blood, rather than to enact true, Higher Mind ideals.

Current Conditions: Digging It Up, Sorting It Out, and the Yardstick of the Past

27 Thursday Jun 2024

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Retrogrades, T-Square, The Daily Word Image

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Laokoon By Adriaan Korteweg 1914 {{PD}}

Just a couple of things to note in what feels like a kind of intermission, its ending signaled by the Saturn retrograde on the 29th, and the Neptune turnaround on July 1st. Until then a retro Pluto in early Aquarius prompts us to dig into the imagination and the possibilities of what could be, in an attempt to answer the stress inherent in a 29 degree Neptune, while Pluto’s trine to the 29 degree Black Moon Lilith point makes us fearless in digging through material we at other times would resolutely ignore, particularly in that we’ll apply a critical eye, making accountability of ourselves and others a focus.

This is all good–a kind of housekeeping, if you will–and this may spur the action engendered by a Cardinal T-square with Venus in Cancer squaring the Nodal axis=we act or choose according to what we care about, what we are invested in, especially those things that matter to the asset picture or the relationship one; be aware that these decisions arise out of the past, and form the future, essential to remember and certainly influential in what we choose–we’re not pouring our efforts into a vacuum–there’s already a landscape that offers circumstances we must respond to–and our awareness that what we do now really does shape what happens next will be a useful guide when the options lie before us.

That Venus in Cancer is also sextile Mars in Taurus, uniting our emotional needs with a willingness to attend to material matters and emphasizing the necessity of those things that comfort, reassure, and make for a sense of security. And of course this means that Mars is quincunx the South Node, offering a highly valuable perspective: the past as measure, offering insight into the way our actions may play out, and on the repercussions they are likely to have, as hinted at by what we’ve created by our choices before.

And what of the apparent retrogrades of Saturn and Neptune? They’re ‘heavies’, slow-moving planets that typically exert a background energy, and particularly in the case of Saturn, may have different influences on individuals, likely based on the natal status of the planet, where the transiting energy is traversing by House, and what it contacts in the natal chart.

If Saturn is retrograde natally, its transiting retrograde may place us back in a more familiar constructive territory–direct may feel incomprehensible, as we struggle to understand realities and the system that contains them; things may be too restrictive when it’s direct, too straightforward–with Saturn’s characteristic energy (as defined by its natal situation) having the chance to bloom on retrograde for the retrograde natal Saturn. For those with direct natal Saturns, a retro transiting Saturn can skew the sense of reality, with both barriers and things we count on potentially withdrawn, and matters that were making steady progress coming to an abrupt, and possibly permanent, halt. We find ourselves suddenly hemmed in, turned away, blocked, and at least initially, unable to see a way around. The ground slips out from under us, and there’s nothing to be done, not until things change.

Neptune’s turnaround can bring what we were sure of just a moment before into question; suddenly we’re suspicious that there’s something we’re missing, not understanding, or being deceived about, or, something really is hidden or we really are being deceived or mislead. It may be tougher to sort illusions from realities and especially real potentials, and ideals could be gently shaken. Neptune puts a veil over what we most desire to see clearly in the areas of the House being transited, those things Neptune rules in our chart, and in things connected to natal Neptunian perceptions. Whether it’s direct or retrograde in the natal chart seems to matter less with this planet, as it deals so much with what’s nebulous, imagined, possible, or illusory anyway; retrograde periods are likely to shift what about and where we’re feeling its influence, and on the positive side, could bring inspirations and apply creative energies to areas we aren’t natally inclined to see them applied in.

Oh! And there’s this: the July Full Moon falls on the 21st at 29 tense degrees of Capricorn, conjoined Pluto and coinciding with Mars’ entry into Gemini. Mark your calendars. I’m anticipating the status quo and/ or various systems at a bursting point, one that reaches for power with aggressively persuasive words–something along the lines of ‘we must unite those who think alike (us vs them), because if we don’t, they will obliterate you, take your power, destroy what you count on for support–so give your power to us’. By status quo I mean what exists that has been in the process of trying to garner our power–and at this point may try to do so through fear. Beware with whom you network/ unite/ emotionally respond to–if they ask for your support but don’t offer anything but frightening words and encourage extremist behavior against ‘them’, then they are definitely not the ones to follow. Use your own power to think it through (Pluto in Aquarius).

We have a Daily Word Image today: walking a path, a small, agile snake crosses in front of you in an ‘s’ pattern and disappears into the foliage. Something crossing one’s path is typically an opportunity–but then again, if it’s a black cat . . . and ‘crossing paths with’ something or someone is generally considered confrontational, though it can also suggest a fated encounter. And, a snake can represent knowledge (especially knowledge gained through autonomous, assertive, or defiant behavior), the kind that opens one’s eyes, or deceit (‘snake in the grass’). I think the meaning all depends on how the image itself strikes you; for me, I was struck by how young and small the snake was. It made me think of something just started, fledgling, that I needed to put on my radar before it slipped away, something I needed to know, or maybe something that could ‘get by’ me and grow into something larger (and potentially threatening). I’d love to hear what the image means to you in the comments.

Full Moon in Capricorn 21 June 2024 Emotions Light the Way

19 Wednesday Jun 2024

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

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Sky lanterns, Château de Montsoreau-Museum of contemporary art, Loire Valley, France Photo By Suavemarimagno
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The Full Moon perfects at 6:08 PM PDT on the 21st at 1 Capricorn 07 as part of a compelling Grand Cross of Sun conjoined Chaos and Venus opposed Earth and Moon, squared by 29 degree Neptune in Pisces conjoined Circe in Aries, opposed by the Black Moon Lilith point at 29 Virgo. The Sun-Moon axis is Cardinal; the Neptune-BML axis is Mutable. Usually a Cross has four arms located in the same modality, which means that when one arm is activated they’re all activated, with each arm mobilizing according to that single modality, making for 4-reactions-at-once scenarios, and so typically linking all factors of the Cross through similar character or style of expression.

In the Grand Cross formed at the time of this Full Moon, two modalities are present. That means some of the response will center in taking action (Cardinal) while some, occurring at the same time, will be fluid, and not necessarily manifesting in outward effort or change, but possibly changing ideas or attitudes around what to do and how to pursue and/ or judge things (Mutable). In this case, the implication is that the Sun (the energy to do or achieve, with focus on caring and sensitivity–Cancer) and Moon (emotions around the material and status quo, or that are constrained or otherwise limiting or disciplined–Capricorn) drive action (Cardinal placements), and that those Solar energies are, put simply, chaotic; at the same time this urge to act is offset by crises in creative, imaginative, or misleading energies that prompt change and/ or shifts in meaning from moment to moment (Neptune in Pisces), as well as expressing in a headstrong and sure manner, a ‘must have my way’ energy (Circe conjoined Neptune from her place in Aries), and crises in discernment and accountability that must underlie choices/ impulses that acknowledge matters we’ve swept under the rug or ignored, until now (Black Moon Lilith in Virgo).

Current influences create a pressure-cooker that compels action that must take into account our need to express as creators and requires that we use our most sophisticated tastes and judgment when doing so–and yet we do so surrounded by or generating some sort of anarchy. It isn’t easy to act or make choices while inspiration and the creative urge shift and flow, and things we’ve ignored or denied refuse to remain buried. It’s also notable that the Solar energy that drives everything is characterized by action that arises from caring, and that this is, in some way, without organization or discernible boundaries, perhaps making what we’re doing unrecognizable, either in intent or the realization that we are the engine driving developments. That’s a lot to sort through at one time, and may be especially difficult because each impulse interacts and combines with all the others.

The Full Moon is also opposed Venus, taking that chaotic and caring energy and aiming it at relationships, the partner, and/ or assets, resources, or sources of income. The presence of Black Moon Lilith and Neptune in the equation suggests we might not recognize we’re taking aim at or affecting Venusian matters, even as we look right at them (Sun conj Venus). The Full Moon is also semi-sextile Pluto and quincunx Vesta, warning us that a delicate balance between exercising our own power, dealing with the power of others, and maintaining our allegiance to and support of those things we find sacred and cherish must be achieved.

What should we make of all this? Aside from being aware that we might not be aware (!!!), we find a beneficial clue in the Full Moon’s trine to Hecate. She is the way-shower, that energy that answers our questions and vets our suitability for and readiness for a particular path; in flowing connection with the Full Moon in Capricorn we see that disciplining and containing the emotions might be the way to bring order (at least internal order) from the chaos of conflicting influences and a less-than-clear environment. ‘Feelings as guide’ might be an appropriate mantra, so long as we understand the framework within which those feelings are generated (Is this worth getting angry over? Do I truly understand what’s happening? Why does reality look this way to me, and what could this look like to others?) So, relief and illumination almost certainly rests with our own ability to stay calm in the midst of our surroundings, and the actions and responses of others.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘Three Rose Windows In A Gothic Church, One Damaged By War’. This speaks of how intents expressed through actions are creative, and yet those same energies interacting with each other can inadvertently be destructive. The creative acts involved in conceiving of and creating the windows clash with the destructive act of war, though both are themselves acts of creation: they express the creative energies of human Beings, as one creates Beauty/ Art, one creates conflict–and when those two creative streams interact, destruction is generated simply because it’s the nature of one of those impulses to tear down, obliterate, alter, as part of its very existence, while the other’s nature is simply to exist. Both are generative acts, and it might be worth asking ourselves, ‘Is what I’m creating (in my life) something that just needs to exist, or is my creation such that its nature requires it to alter what’s around it, for good or ill?’

The Sabian for the Sun is, ‘A Man On A Magic Carpet Hovers Over A Large Area Of Land’. Try to get ‘the lay of the land’, to gain an overview, a ‘Big Picture’ perspective, on the current scene–that will definitely keep things in proportion, and our responses on an appropriate scale.

Thank you to all my readers, and have a wonderful Full Moon experience!

New Moon 6 June 2024 In Love’s Pocket

04 Tuesday Jun 2024

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By Pieter Claesz c1632 {{PD}}

The New Moon occurs at 5:38 AM PDT at 16 Gemini 18 as the Moon, Sun, and Venus line up–and Venus is latest zodiacally, meaning the Moon and Sun have yet to perfect contact (though admittedly that will happen very soon after New Moon formation, as Venus is only 30 minutes ahead of the lights). The Sun in Gemini puts the spotlight on our thinking, on networking and the sharing and spread of information (or gossip), on the mentality with which we meet life, the messages we send and receive (as much below consciousness as overtly), and the lightning speed with which info is disseminated, including something that’s just ‘in the air’ or that dawns on us with a spark of recognition (whereas a lightning strike of revelation is Uranian, rather than Mercurial). The Moon introduces the emotions and intuition as conduits of this information, and Venus suggests either who’s involved (loved ones, partners, ‘the Other’) or what’s involved (assets, finances, values, treasured connections to others, Love itself). As the Sun and Moon move on, what we find is that Venus in some form is the subject of what we learn, communicate, or receive; in the best case scenario, we find ourselves in love’s pocket, soothed, appreciated, rewarded, the mind verifying what we feel under sunny emotional skies.

A square to Saturn in Pisces and a sesquiquadrate to Pluto in Aquarius may give us pause. In spite of that sunny atmosphere, we’re having a tough time getting a handle on reality and the consequences of current circumstances (Saturn, Pisces); we don’t see just how destructive things could be if they continue in their current form, or we may see that destructive potential but perceive it more as an intellectual exercise, something that won’t seriously affect our world (Pluto, Aquarius). That means we may not be as responsive as we need to be, and we may not take things as seriously as we should, lulled into complacency by the sparkling, love-enrobed energy of Venus, Sun, and Moon. The temptation is to embrace what feels good and ignore what doesn’t–and that’s never a good bet, especially when time is of the essence (Saturn square) and we may feel pressured to lash out and destroy (sesquiquadrate Pluto) trying to gain relief–and so miss that coming reward (Sun and Moon perfecting to Venus) as well as forgoing the power to make real change (Pluto). We can put the Saturn/ Pluto influences in a productive light if we are willing to acknowledge we can’t see everything clearly right now–that reality is unnerving, a little scary–but are still willing to go forward, trusting our ability to respond creatively (Pisces), aware that we can take that Plutonian upheaval and use it as transformative, rather than destructive, even though it’s bound to be difficult to handle (the sesquiquadrate).

So, we end up essentially with two flows of energy that may seem unrelated, but that actually connect through our emotional reality, our Venusian manifestations, and what currently draws our attention. It’s the loving emotions and feelings of prosperity, support, and emotional safety that allow us to tackle an uncertain present and attempt to transform it in positive, ‘modernizing’, even revolutionary ways. The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘The Head Of A Robust Youth Changes Into That Of A Mature Thinker’. Keeping our heads (in the sense that we don’t insist on either denial of negatives–unwilling to see the darker side of things–or immersion in negatives–being willingly deluded and destructive) will mature our approach to what’s around us and so insure the results of our thinking will bring positive and rewarding outcomes rather than chaotic, uninformed, or destructive ones.

A Season of Revelation 29 May 2024

29 Wednesday May 2024

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‘Spring Scattering Stars’ By Edwin Blashfield {{PD}}

So Jupiter and Venus have been illuminated over the past week by the Sun–and what has it shown you? Happening in Gemini, this ideally brought insight on Love, finances, relationships, and what we value, and revealed never-before-thought-of opportunities and ideas for expansion and adventure. Sounds great, right? So why hasn’t everything been kittens and roses?

At the same time, the Sun has also been in dialogue with more challenging energies, making a sextile to a 29 degree Neptune and a trine to Pluto in Aquarius. These contacts may have created crises most notably in creative expression and in Truth-telling–that is, we’ve been pressured to account for our use of our own creative energy–and if we haven’t been productively channeling it (in Art, in personal expression of all kinds, in innovative and inventive ways), then almost certainly that energy has been pouring out as destructive and obstructionist expressions–and the worst part could be that the liar, the fabricator, the confabulist, the misleader may be themselves deceived, unsure, doing the best they can with distorted or deceptive information. We’re all trying to exert our Power, but our success requires a clarity of vision that may be difficult to grasp when sorting through so much that confuses and obscures, or when dealing with the Power expression attempts, well-meaning or not, of others.

Venus is just now leaving Jupiter’s influence, so it may be a kind of waking up, a turn to the practical in relationships and finances over the optimistic and expansive, a ‘bird in the hand’ mentality–and that may be just what we need, in preparation for the meeting of Mercury and Uranus in Taurus, a combo promising the sudden realization with rewarding or comforting repercussions. The one thing to be wary of, perhaps, is the way Mars and Chiron are so close, at present. That can make us feel that injury is inescapable, should we act, or even make a choice. But, this pairing is in Aries, with the way to beat that ‘it’s gonna hurt no matter what’ feeling by completely, thoroughly, willingly accepting responsibility for the Self. Doing so should make us hyper-aware of our obligations, our role in things–and hyper-aware that so much more is in our control than we typically realize, especially whether we will see ourselves as vulnerable, as victims, when our openness will show us we are capable of so much more than we usually think we can handle. That’s another element of Uranian surprise, that we are in charge, and inspired by our own ideals and dreams–and there’s no better way to be.

Full Moon 23 May 2024 The Dream in Crisis

20 Monday May 2024

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‘In the Luxembourg Gardens’ By John Singer Sargent 1879 {{PD}}

When the Full Moon perfects (the 23rd at 6:53 AM PDT at 2 Sagittarius 55) we see multiple energy streams ricocheting off one another, many of them in an unformed or newly formed state (those very early in a sign, including the Moon, Sun, Sedna, Pluto, and Earth) and others at the very end of a sign, fully developed and feeling strain, in crisis mode (Neptune, Venus, and Jupiter, the latter two close together in Taurus). These are all demanding our attention, and then along comes the Full Moon in Sagittarius, which says, “This is all we’re going to know! These are the (emotional) facts–and we need to accept them!” The Moon itself tells us (by being so early in the sign) that conclusions are premature, most especially those based on feeling or intuition–that sense may in the end be correct, but in the present we will inevitably miss something, our timing will be off, and so our awareness of what is and how we feel about it will suffer–and this is so despite the fact that a Full Moon carries the expectation of endgame, conclusion, completion.

Our emotions around knowledge, ‘the facts’, interests at a distance, beliefs, and other Sagittarius-flavored matters (Moon), our sense of purpose and identity, specifically the way we think about ourselves and our roles (Sun in Gemini), how we perceive and assess our instincts, ‘blind spots’, and what we know but don’t know (Sedna in Gemini), our feelings of power and deep perceptions, especially Truth, as seen through a very modern, even revolutionary lens (Pluto in Aquarius), and the way of knowledge and beliefs interact with our material circumstances (Earth) are all in need of guidance, shape, intention, and aim; they’re new to the energy in which they move, and that may leave us feeling unsure of how to handle them in the moment.

But Neptune, Venus, and Jupiter are all at 29 degrees, with the latter two both widely conjoined Uranus (and with Venus parallel Jupiter and Uranus–so, at the same declination on the same side of the ecliptic) reinforcing the idea of a sense of abundance, Love, and dreams working together, or melding or blending in such a way that one can’t be distinguished from the others. There’s electricity in the air, a sense of potentials and the unexpected, in terms of relationships, reward, and opportunity. That sounds lovely, but it also means we can’t tell where our own responsibility ends and the largesse of others and the Universe begins; it also implies we may see ourselves and our assets and relationships as at the mercy of larger trends or accident and chance–and so believe there’s nothing we can do to affect them. Voluntary helplessness is not the way to go–but what is?

Focus on the Moon gives us a much clearer picture. The Moon sits conjoined the Earth in Sagittarius, opposed the Sun, Sedna (both in Gemini), and the closely placed duo of Venus-Jupiter (Taurus). Luna is also sesquiquadrate Mars in his own sign of Aries, sextile Pluto in Aquarius, and trine that 29 degree Neptune. We see the dispersal of knowledge or the culmination of beliefs (Moon in Sag) illuminated by what we know instinctively, may have ignored until now, but have foreknowledge of deep within (Sun-Sedna), and this reveals how our thinking (Gemini) about relationships, assets, prosperity prospects, reward, and social position is challenged by what we learn at the Full Moon. It’s the facts (Sag Moon) versus fantasy (Neptune) and they go down much too easily (trine), especially those illusions or untruths that we thought we could embrace indefinitely–we likely find we just can’t–or at least, we’re presented with evidence that says we shouldn’t.

What we discover fosters some upset, some confusion, and makes it difficult to know exactly how we should respond or what we should do (Mars), but here’s the thing: if we can link informed, Higher Mind thinking (Moon plus Aquarius–the kind of thinking that keeps us aware of both the greater good and our own spiritual imperatives) with expressions of power (Pluto) and manifestations of creative energy (Neptune) aimed at garnering positive results (Venus-Jupiter), we should do very well indeed.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘Two Men Playing Chess’. The Sun sits at ‘The Garden Of The Tuileries In Paris’. Think strategically, look for the beauty that surrounds, and remember, it’s all just a game, in the end.