Category Archives: current events in the sky

1-4 January 2019 Happy New Year! + A Glimpse At The Year Ahead

31 Monday Dec 2018

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Fist of God, forecast, future events in the sky, Jupiter-Neptune Square

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‘Masked Ball’ By Jules Alexandre Grün 1934 {{PD}}

New Year’s Eve and day share a Scorpio Moon, ripe for intrigue and bringing matters of hidden or ‘power behind the throne’ realities, as well as ‘powerful anima‘ or ‘powerful women’ scenarios to the fore as it glides over both Ceres and Venus. Exercise care at the equivalent of early AM Pacific time of the 1st; that’s when the Moon sextiles Pluto and conjoins Ceres, when we may grapple for authority or struggle for supremacy (over others or Nature itself) without even realizing we’re doing it.

If we treat the New Year’s day aspects as general harbingers of the year ahead, what we see is stress, a suppressed vitality, constraints, serious questions, and the need to adjust and resolve in order to move forward. We might want to pay particular attention to the forming Jupiter-Neptune square, first perfecting on the 13th, shaking a confused, faith dissolving, or overly optimistic fist at the future (NN apex Fist of God). It suggests it may be about two weeks into the new year before we confront our own beliefs, attitudes, and delusions, a point where we find we must act to reconcile potentials with the odds of making them realities.

By Andreas Weith – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65253643

The New Year also brings a need to be flexible in fitting our status to our ambitions, and vice versa–that is, keeping desires and aims proportional to our actual ability to make things happen. Though it may sound discouraging, it’s in doing what we can that we open the way to do and achieve even more. Nothing is ever gained by sitting on our hands and mourning the power we don’t have.

We also need to be open to the messages the reality picture delivers, to the knowledge we can easily distill or intuit from real-world matters before us, and commit to making as conscious as possible what we ‘know but don’t know’ about our circumstances. The better we are able to sort ourselves and our reality out now, at the year’s beginning, the better we will be set to weather the other two squares (not to mention everything else we will encounter!)

(Juno qnx Zeus, Chiron contra-parallel Juno, Sun conjoined Saturn and both sesq Sedna, Jupiter and Neptune in a loose square forming base to a Fist with apex NN)

With two more instances of the Jupiter-Neptune square set to occur in 2019, we can use this aspect as a kind of marker that will show the potentials for handling ‘the facts’, dreams, faith, and the tendency to obliterate ‘What Is’ with fantasy, delusions, or outright lies.

The second square, which falls on 16 June, shows Saturn closely sextile Neptune and Neptune trine Mercury-Mars in Cancer (which places this duo quincunx Jupiter). The implication may be that both Jupiter-Neptune positives (a capacity to maximize the dream within the reality picture of both fact and belief, optimism and creativity applied, opportunity to create the ideal) and negatives (delusion through belief, opportunity misunderstood or improperly exploited, the facts in direct conflict with the dream) find real-world expression, and that thinking and actions are driven by the conflict between Jupiter-Neptune. This suggests the square is hugely important in understanding what we may face as a society (Jupiter), as well as what will affect us at a personal level. Thinking and action are both oriented toward what we care for and want to nurture (Cancer), at this point; that presents its own challenges, along the lines of unacknowledged emotionalism and blurry boundaries.

The final square, set for 21 September, finds the Black Moon Lilith point very close to Neptune. That suggests a whole lot of resentment, anger, and vengeful energy behind our imaginings–so it’s more important than ever that we have firm ideals and are honest with ourselves over what really is. The temptation will be to allow rage to fuel creative activity–but that can too easily tip into destructive or unrealistic efforts meant to ‘even the score’, rather than aiming to conduct ourselves (and so enhance our world) by ever-reaching for the highest aim possible.

‘The End of Dinner’ By Jules-Alexandre Grün 1913 {{PD}}

We’re better off addressing a couple of highlights between now and the eclipse, rather than having exhaustive aspect analysis, simply because not much happens, and the building tension toward the Lunar event really garners most if not all of our attention. On the 2nd the standout is definitely a Pluto square to Zeus, reminding us how easily our attempts to exert our power can turn destructive as we seek desire fulfillment. The 3rd shows Venus trine the North Node and opposed Sedna, suggesting we may refuse to listen to our instincts in relationships and/ or financial matters, and so map out our future. This day also sees Mercury square Chiron and trine Uranus, warning us that internalized messages of hurt could prompt spontaneous utterances or ideas–and that can be truly Self-sabotaging, if they are born on a wave of upset that we likely aren’t full aware of. With any luck, though, processing those spontaneous thoughts could yield some entirely new approaches, especially in thinking and reasoning. And for the 4th we see Merc enter Capricorn and the Sun sextile Neptune, taking thinking in a practical vein and offering a better-than-recently-has-been base for creative effort, including pursuit of the ideal.

Next up is the second part of the Cinderella Point, and then the New Moon/ Partial Solar Eclipse!

‘Adieu, Cocottes!’ By Jules-Alexandre Grün 1903 {{PD}}

31 December 2018 Deep Cuts

30 Sunday Dec 2018

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‘Mist in Kanab Canyon, Utah’ By Thomas Moran 1892 {{PD}}

Channeled by the Truth-tellers, the Self-promoters, and the power-seekers, the conscious and unconscious alike, our surroundings are thick with an elemental kind of knowledge, a window into what lies beyond the material, and it cuts deep as a knife, or penetrates like an x-ray, or submerges us in feeling that can’t be denied. Sounds dramatic, doesn’t it? Instead of responding as if someone just plucked our last nerve, we should embrace the intensity and simultaneously take a step back from it. Communication is a perfect, unmistakable vibration; believe what you perceive. If we can create some distance from the emotions, allowing at least a small part of the Self to act as impartial observer, then we can know by today’s messages, interactions, and events where we stand with the Universe and with each other–and that’s highly valuable knowledge to have.

(Pluto trine Juno, Mars conjoins Hygeia at 29 Pisces, then enters Aries, Sun parallel Mercury)

30 December 2018 The Hand We’re Dealt

29 Saturday Dec 2018

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‘The Card Players’ By James McNeill Whistler CC BY-SA 4.0

The real focus today isn’t on how much power we exercise, but what kind of influence and effect we wield. It may be a matter of struggling with authorities in our sphere, trying to claim as much say as we can, or it could be that we struggle against someone’s inappropriate effort to exert influence over us, or that we struggle with ourselves over how much power our inherent authority conveys. No matter what, the one thing that opens the way to our most potent expression is through ‘natural’ roles, ones that mesh with our current standing, place in the world, abilities, skills, and that we are eminently suited for. That might be disappointing to some, but the reality is that unless we exploit effectively what we currently hold, we won’t get ‘more’–and to discard the real-world position in the hope that starting over deals us a better hand fails to recognize that we took the hand we were dealt and we’ve played it–and where we are right now is the result–meaning that the same central player, ourselves, won’t be any different than before, and that means that what we could make of things from a new start would likely develop along oh-so-familiar lines. That is, we have created what is in our lives right now; no matter what you think, a new starting point would have made very little difference, in the end. And that means we aren’t victims of others or circumstances nearly so much as we are conspirators with (or perhaps ‘experiencers of’) our own natures.

(Perfecting today: Juno opposed and Pluto sextile Ceres)

‘Street Musicians’ By William H. Johnson c1939 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is: overhearing, and so being ‘forced’ to listen to, other people’s music choices. Do you go with this, or are you annoyed? Does your reaction differ according to the environment, your expectations, or what they are choosing to play? Consider that your reaction to this scenario may say something about how you respond to others’ ‘songs’, that thing we create and ‘sing’ by living. Do you judge, criticize, praise? Do you find it intrusive when others’ songs waft into your space? Do you deliberately not ‘sing out loud’, believing you’re more considerate, or out of fear? Is there something about your attitude concerning this you’d like to change?

29 December 2018 How We Think

28 Friday Dec 2018

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‘An Interlude’ By William Sergeant Kendall 1907 {{PD}}

It’s all about how we think, today; the lenses we use and priorities we bring to the reasoning process are all-important and for best results should be part of our conscious awareness. Positives involve an ease with being practical and applying earned wisdom to the thought process, as well as being cognizant of our desires and ambitions; without honesty around what we really want, we may miss goals and avert success out of misplaced modesty, fear of being seen for who we are, or in trying to uphold values that aren’t actually ours. Communications and reaching agreement goes well as long as we are willing to adjust our idea of what constitutes empowerment, and if we aren’t too attached to some particular status we fancy holding (especially a status that we might hold, currently or in future, only in our own minds!)

(Mercury sextile Pallas and Zeus, and quincunx Juno)

Your Week Ahead 23-28 December 2018

22 Saturday Dec 2018

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, future events in the sky, The Weekly Word Image

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‘Wintergewitter’ By Albert Ernst Mühlig 1909 {{PD}}

To give myself a little breathing room (and honestly, you’ve probably got a lot to do, too!) I’ll choose one or two (or three!) aspects for each day to talk about. I’ll go for what may add an unusual influence, what may have the biggest impact, and/ or what may be the one energy to concentrate on, and let the others go by. If you’re really longing for the dulcet tones of my-voice-in-your-head, then you may want to try one of my books–

Remember The Future–On the 23rd I’m all about Pluto trine Juno and Venus square Black Moon Lilith; the first suggests easy transformation of status or empowerment standing–just remember that can go in either direction–and the second describes the conflicts arising in relationships and/ or financial matters, with their origins found unquestioningly in those things we’ve ignored or denied. These two may mix, via Mercury sesquiquadrate the North Node, which makes it difficult to keep future effects of current thinking in mind–meaning we may, dealing with others or assets, fail to think of what we’re hoping to build or achieve. We may think only in the moment, probably in trying to justify those matters we’ve chosen to ignore, and so miss the impact this thinking has on our standing, our interactions, and on our future. Proceed with caution.

Photo by David Ellis/USFWS {{PD}}

Trickster Mode–For the 24th the mind tries not to operate in Trickster mode, but almost can’t help it. With Mercury square Neptune, sesquiquadrate Uranus, and parallel Jupiter, we are processing things erratically, unpredictably, creatively, and this likely makes conclusions fall in line with beliefs–which can mean that our Self-reinforcing view wrongly makes us think we are perceiving the world without significant filters. If anything, we’re in danger of fooling ourselves, with Self-honesty the obvious, but highly effective, antidote.

A Touch of Genius–The 25th the noviles set the tone–one between Jupiter and Pluto, and one between Mars and Black Moon Lilith. The facts or following one’s beliefs can lead to real, permanent change–the issue is, how strongly will you be influenced by what you don’t admit to or acknowledge? Whether you mean them to or not, choices and actions will be tailored to what you ignore or deny–be aware.

Bertha Lum 1913 {{PD}}

Mixed Bag–Here are the influences for the 26th; you decide what to do with them: action follows instinct or is subsumed by ‘blind spot’ material (Mars sextile Sedna) and that means we’re operating only half-consciously–and this is so despite our depth of thought, much of which is focused on the past (undoubtedly, it’s that turn to the past that keeps us only half aware of the now (Mercury parallel Pluto and novile the South Node). And how does it all look to us? As if we are disempowered or disrespected at every turn (Sun sesquiquadrate Juno). Keep your head in the present, and realize that your perceptions are skewed toward the negative, and that may prevent any serious missteps.

Smart Money–Choices keep the future in mind, and we know the value of asserting our own authority, of showing our personal competence in the roles we inhabit, and of maintaining awareness of our own agency–the smart money is drawn to expressions of power–so what are those shadows dancing at the edges of our otherwise sunny vision? They are everything we’ve been in denial of. Yeah, I said it right out–and you should face it, negotiate new terms–that’s the thing that must be done on the 27th that will allow inner wisdom to apply itself to empowered actions, making what you do smart and effective (Pallas quincunx Juno, Mars trine the North Node, Venus conjoined Ceres, Sun novile Black Moon Lilith)

‘Salzburg’ Alfred Gelbhaar {{PD}}

What’s The Difference?–we may have a hard time today, the 28th, when it comes to telling what’s smart from what we want, and whether we’re acting and choosing out of hurt or out of the chance to mobilize our most unique skills. How do we sort this out? Dig deep, really deep, into inner wisdom, searching for Truth with a capital ‘T’–that’s the thing that must be your guide in all things today–that, and a little Love (Pallas conjoined Zeus, Mars conjoined Chiron, Pluto square Pallas, Venus sextile Pluto)

This week’s word image is an episode where life hands you a metaphor–mine is, ‘You’ve run out of thyme’. What have you been putting off and putting off, always thinking you’ll do it tomorrow? That’s what you have to do right now.

See the recent Full Moon in Cancer here–

 

 

22 December 2018 Full Moon in Cancer: Beacon in the Dark

21 Friday Dec 2018

Posted by in astrology, Configurations, current events in the sky, Fist of God, forecast, Full Moon, Lunar Aspects, Sabian Symbols, T-Square

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‘Vuurtoren in de branding’ By Hendrik Willem Mesdag c1885 {{PD}}

This Full Moon in Cancer (22 December 9:48 AM PST at 00 Cancer 49) follows on the heels of the solstice (21 December 2:23 PM Pacific time–winter in the Northern hemisphere/ summer in the Southern hemisphere). For we northerners, the closeness of the two events makes the revelations and conclusions of the Full Moon a kind of beacon in the dark, both literally and figuratively, as Luna lights the way out of the longest night of the year, at least here in North America.

The Full Moon is apex to a Fist of God with base of Venus-Ceres square Black Moon Lilith, out-of-element sextile Uranus, T-square with close Chiron-Hygeia conjunction, novile to Juno. Always, a Full Moon brings an ending, a culmination, a conclusion, and this can signal a definite end or can usher in a new stage, or an entirely new beginning. In Cancer these endings carry a heavier-than-usual emotional component, a sensitivity to the import of what’s concluding, and intimations through the feeling nature as to what’s beginning. Emotional conclusions are reached and intuitive information received; that is, we realize with surety how our feelings resolve on some subject related to the House (or across the axis) in the natal chart in which the FM occurs. This resolution may come consciously (more likely if the FM falls above the horizon in the natal chart) or through the unconscious ‘assembly’ of information learned and intuited, presented to the conscious mind as it coheres into a relevant picture under the Full Moon’s light. It’s a ‘just dawning on us’ event, so to speak, represented by the very early sign degree in which the culmination occurs.

The aspects for this Lunar event suggest that what arises is conflict, stress, or tension that once expressed creates a more healthy atmosphere, leading to a new, unanticipated level of empowerment or a rise in or change of status. The challenge will be to stay true to our best Self even as we deal with what may be a messy situation; with Black Moon Lilith involved we may have to face what we’d rather ignore or suppress, what we may feel ashamed of or guilty about (though as we know, those are distortions, re-directions of anger as we avoid sending it to the appropriate target), and we may be required to deal with matters that enrage us, making things even more difficult.

There is also a matter of conflict among authorities, with authorities, or over who holds authority and so who holds the reins to assets. We may only observe this authority-centered upset, or we may find it angers us in the way it threatens to wrest agency from us or those we love. Know that misdirection of energy is a real possibility, and that inappropriate anger and overstepping of boundaries are the avenues of least resistance–and knowing that you can take a step back from the fray, receiving or causing no harm.

But, there’s a promise of healing, once we’ve located what or whom we care about, what needs our nurture, or what may offer nurture to us (Cancer), and caring mobilizes skills, especially the ones that only we can wield in just that particular, individual way we have. The key is twofold: pinpoint our feelings, and see where they can and should be ‘applied’, and be fearless in meeting, dealing with, and then letting go of whatever conflict transpires. Take care not to confuse the order of this–it doesn’t do anyone any good to fight first, then figure out what they want! This scenario probably won’t unfold in an easily palatable way, but will serve the cause of necessary emotional processing that supports both our health and our unique expression and empowerment.

The Sabian Symbol for this Full Moon is, ‘On A Ship The Sailors Lower An Old Flag And Raise A New One’. This may be a change of signal flag–letting others know changes in our intents or destination–or a complete change of authority, the new flag showing who is now ‘running the ship’. In any case, it’s a symbol of communicating identity, which is something we do quite naturally when we set priorities (identify what we care about) and then speak up in defense of or in dealing with what comes before us (with our Self-image shaping the forms and character of our assertions).

We also look at the Sun’s Sabian, as it’s the source of the light play that gives us the Full Moon event in the first place: ‘An Indian Chief Claims Power From The Assembled Tribe’. In this Full Moon’s aspects we have seen a recurring thread concerning individual authority; this symbol suggests that what generates the conflict, the expression, and the eventual healing, all stem from issues surrounding who holds the reins, who should hold the reins, and these may be best determined by who is supported by the group–but then again, the upheaval may come from the fact that this is tribal thinking–and if there’s anything we know at this point, it’s that blind tribalism is positively the most destructive way of organizing our priorities and our lives.

This Full Moon offers a beacon in the darkness of tribalism, help in sorting out the competition for authority, and shines a light on both our duty to use our skills and the ways in which we can access healing and enhance overall health.

21 December 2018 Larger Than Life

20 Thursday Dec 2018

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Photo By Daderot {{PD}}

You can feel it building, brimming, and ready to break, can’t you? Immense, overflowing, perhaps a burning knowledge, or thoughts on the social order or on our own or others’ belief systems, permeate everything with a larger than life quality. It seems we can think transformation into being–and we can, with enough investment, enough creative and imaginative ‘juice’, enough Love–with a subsequent spotlight falling on the real-world results. It almost feels magic, this ability to Love, to throw our lot in with, to dedicate our energy–and that is the way it works, the Universe responding to our energy, a wavelength that is both assertive and receptive, listening and making a statement, open to what’s out there and closed in embrace of what we hold dear. Enjoy it, and feel the power of the mind as it stretches, reaches out, and contacts the new, the unfamiliar, the radical and revered.

(Merc and Jupiter conj in Sag, both sxt Vesta, Merc nov Pluto, Venus trine Neptune, Sun enters Capricorn)

Today’s word image is a question unanswered, despite a jumble of words poured out. What question are you putting out into the Universe that appears to be unanswered? I say ‘appears’ as the idea here is that no question goes unanswered; we may miss the answer, not see, accept, or understand the vernacular in which it’s delivered, may reject the answer, or may try to insist the answer take a particular form, and if it doesn’t, we’ll pretend no answer has been given. The reality is that as soon as we ask a question, we have the answer–it may take a little while to dawn on us, it may take a nudge from the physical world, or it may take a remark from your own personal angel (anybody who plays a part in your drama), but you have received an answer. Now you must be brave enough to see and accept it

Next up: The Full Moon in Cancer!

20 December 2018 Celebrate and Elevate

19 Wednesday Dec 2018

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‘A Party in the Open Air’ By Isaac Oliver I c1592 {{PD}}

Why do even the good things seem painful, right now? Relationships and financial choices and even values require careful negotiation; failure to deploy our most personal skills (that is, those that are most unique to us as individuals) will only add discord to the sense of woundedness. What we need is a celebration of who we are at core, done by honoring exactly what we find sacred in life, and most Soul-specific in ourselves. Yes, it’s a vague formula, but that’s the point: each of us must tailor the party to our experience, our needs, our gifts, our passions, here on Earth. Stay true to who you are, elevate that expression, and both surprising healing and unanticipated benefits will be yours.

(Venus sesq Chiron, Sun trine Uranus and nov Vesta)

19 December 2018 The Power of Self-Determination

18 Tuesday Dec 2018

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‘Niños en la Playa, Valencia’ (Children at the Beach, Valencia), By Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida 1914 {{PD}}

We may start out rejecting authority or our own agency, but in any case it spurs us toward a kind of empowerment centered in Self-responsibility–even in wanting to avoid making our own choices, we end up wanting to! Or maybe we have to. We can’t resist the power of Self-determination–nor should we. For each of us, the vital factor on which so much hinges right now is either the health situation or the skill situation–and we must face where we actually stand with each, in order to see where we truly are empowered, where we can go with all this, and where we might’ve been fooling ourselves, just a tad.

There’s also the matter of a Fist of God formed by the square between Hygeia-Chiron and Earth, with all sesquiquadrate Venus. This emphasizes the material factors, the physical needs as well as the atmosphere/ environment, and implies that handling these in a realistic manner (that is, by addressing what we have the power to address) we create reward, a pay-off, or better a relationship–somehow we benefit, even though the situation the benefit arises from may be difficult or may be one of outright conflict.

Bonus: if you have natal placements at 26-29 of Virgo, this fills in a Grand Cross with the Sun-Earth axis and Hygeia-Chiron, suggesting a tense situation where health takes a big role in life direction and the plan for material accomplishment or manifestation of the Soul’s purpose, with the influence defined by the function (that is, the verb version) of the natal placement (for instance, Mars would be about doing or choosing or possibly aggressing, while Venus might be about valuing or receiving). Health (or possibly skill levels, that ‘gift’ that is unique to you, Chiron’s other broad meaning) temporarily has an out-sized impact on where you’re headed, and this is weighed through the natal planet or point and its action possibilities (the verbs associated with the energy). If the fill-in planet happens to be Pluto (which it may be for many), this could be more about the tension caused when one knows something must be eliminated or transformed, for one’s own good and/ or so that the life direction can continue as desired–so could bring a kind of crisis that may, initially, seem unsolvable.

(Uranus contra-parallel Ceres, Mars parallel Juno, apex Venus sesq Hygeia-Chiron and Earth forming a Fist of God, Sun-Earth sq Hygeia-Chiron conjoined forming T-square)

Also By Sorolla y Bastida 1915 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is picturing yourself walking out into a body of cold salt water on a brightly sunny summer day. What does this say to you? Are you frolicking at the beach, taking a dip to cool off from extreme temps, staying in the shallows because you can’t swim or don’t really want to be wet, planning to swim to an opposite shore, are you plunging in to rescue someone or something (a dog in a rip current, a washed-away purse), are you walking out with rocks in your pockets, Virginia Woolf-style? If the water symbolizes your spiritual essence, what does the interaction you imagined say about your current relationship to spirit and spiritual practice (this latter of which, I argue, is simply another phrase for life)?

18 December 2018 Pulse

17 Monday Dec 2018

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Instincts lead us–or is it drive us?–into the future–or rather, into creating our future by our current choices. That’s always so, but there are times like today when the pulse of energy we generate seems to travel a straight line to what we’ll eventually be. The direction we go right now will express (and consequently shape) who we are. It’s a chicken-and-egg thing, whether the impulse generates the thought or the thought the forward-moving energy, but in the end it doesn’t matter–the effect is the same. And, all this is done only half deliberately, with a semi-conscious notion that aligns choices and efforts with both goals and identity–and that means that whatever happens, your responses and those events you generate will be strongly attuned to who you are and what you intend. As always, if you’re not happy with what you see, you know where to look for change.

(Merc semi-sq Zeus, Sedna sxt NN forming base to a Finger of God with apex Sun)

‘The Tower of Babel’ By Pieter Bruegel the Elder 1563 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is an idea I’ll title, ‘Controlling One’s Image’. Are you the kind of person who believes they can (and should) try to tailor people’s impression of you to the image you desire? If so, do you honestly think that’s really possible? This simply calls for each of us to take a moment and reflect: Are we able to let others think what they think, without trying to shape perceptions or change their minds (manipulate them), while being true to ourselves (being who we are, without artifice or pretension)? Because if not, we’re failing twice: once when we don’t recognize boundaries, and once when we aren’t being true to ourselves.