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Category Archives: Dark of the Moon

3 May 2019 A Day of Subtleties

02 Thursday May 2019

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‘Landscape- Shinnecock, Long Island’ By William Merritt Chase c1896 {{PD}}

Nothing hits us hard, or if it does, it turns out it’s all about the more subtle aspects of things, so that’s really good news, right? We can pretty much ignore or not take too seriously what comes at us; it’s the little things we must pay attention to, largely because we need to be consciously aware of their influence. Things suppressed, forgotten, or rejected in the past may come back, claiming to hold the answer–they don’t. Communications and even our own thoughts are likely to run in pessimistic veins concerning our desires and ambitions–don’t accept them as valid. And attention may be unduly drawn to all the stupid things we’ve ever done or chosen–and since we’ve already learned from them, why are we giving them our energies? We shouldn’t. Allow the Dark of the Moon atmosphere to impart its subtle (and sometimes unconsciously delivered) wisdom–it’s the time of the month when the veil is thinnest, when we can access much of what’s unspoken–and then hold what you learn in reserve, for use later.

(SN nov Black Moon Lilith, Mercury contra-parallel Zeus, Sun qnx Pallas)

Setting the table for your year ahead. Art by Peter Ilsted {{PD}}

For those born with the Sun at 13 Taurus. Check your natal chart for the correct Sun degree (you may want to read both the degree number and the one that follows, if you have minutes on your Sun position–that offers a more complete picture of your year ahead). Wisdom will be yours this year, dear Taurus, if you can access the imagination and creative ‘juice’ without accepting the untrue and the misleading, the false and the deceptive. You will be offered a flow of inspiration, of genesis material, and it will be up to you to make the most of it. Of course, no one sets out to be deceived or misled, but too often we are complicit, willing to accept what we often, somewhere inside, know we should reject. Your other job, besides using the creative energy that will be abundant for you, will be to stay connected firmly to reality, to possibility, to the real-world material picture. If you can do both, you will shape your future–and even if you can’t do both, how you handle things will still shape your future. There’s no escaping the idea that this year is a fortune-determining one–so be aware of that, as you make your choices. Good luck!

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1 May 2019 Bedeviled

30 Tuesday Apr 2019

Posted by in astrology, Born Today, current events in the sky, Dark of the Moon, forecast

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Love the this poster from 1901 by Thomas Theodor Heine {{PD}} She looks bedeviled, right?

What we did in the past, the kind of thing that left loose ends dangling into the now, bedevils us with a quandary: how to process what happened then, and how to think of its effects now? Too, our state of mind is such that we may refuse what’s wise or practical, buying into a belief system or social construct, and in the process abandoning what we know to be smart. This is all about knowing what matters to us, what our priorities are, and what we honor. If we can center on that, a great deal of the static and noise of current situations (fed in no small part by our rebelliousness and the way it spurs the imagination) will fall away, leaving truer outlines of What Is, and so allowing us insight into our best course forward.

We enter Dark of the Moon late in the afternoon, Pacific time, and should be mindful of the way the Aries Moon may turn our attention, prompted by emotions, back onto ourselves. There may be a lot of Self-examination going on, and most interactions will be tinged with Self-talk–that is, what others say will apply more to them and the inner reality they’re dealing with than it will to you–just so you know.

(Uranus semi-sq Neptune, Jupiter contra-parallel Pallas, Saturn conj SN and Mars qnx both, Venus conj Vesta and opp Pallas, Mercury the arm of a T-square with NN opp SN-Saturn)

Setting the table for your year ahead. Art by Peter Ilsted {{PD}}

For those born with the Sun at 11 Taurus. Check your natal chart for the correct Sun degree (you may want to read both the degree number and the one that follows, if you have minutes on your Sun position–that offers a more complete picture of your year ahead). Dear Taurus, How long have you been waiting for a smart and practical way to show your skills and your power, to claim your place as an authority, even if that’s just as an authority over yourself? This year, through to your next birthday, you have the chance to do just that: claim your rights, your power over yourself and your domain (whatever that might be), by doing two things. One is by being open to cooperation with others you might not normally accept into your world. These others will be different than those with whom you normally want to create obligations or with whom you want to share duties. The second is to be unafraid of embracing ALL the facts in any situation. Those who are adept at shaping their lives will tell you that to ignore realities and the facts on the ground as they stand at any one time is a surefire way to fail–so don’t, welcome what all knowledge, and use it as a basis for knowing to whom and with what you should reach out, to fulfill your goals and steer your personal journey successfully. Good luck!

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Keep Your Cool 12-14 May 2018

11 Friday May 2018

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Dominique Lang ‘Matin d’hiver’ 1916 {{PD}}

What fresh hell is this? On the 12th Mercury squares Mars, just as we enter the Dark of the Moon (in this instance, think of it as throwing a shadow, making it murky and hard to see). Yikes. Aggressive messages will underlay even the most benign communications–but why? We’ve all got Mars energy, and the vast majority of us have Martian impulses that are underserved, even ignored, but certainly, in any form, are refused adequate expression–and it ends up leaking out our mouths, in hostile barbs toward the barista, in passive-aggression in our child’s note to the gym teacher, and in snide observations uttered to an empty room as we listen to the news and drink our coffee. And even if we manage to subdue or harmlessly employ our own Mars (five miles on the treadmill, anyone?) we still suffer the internal hostility that pops up, unbidden, when we are frustrated in even the smallest way.

Part of this is due to the way both Merc and Mars are at 29 degrees of Cardinal signs when the aspect perfects. This layers on the tension, the feeling that it’s an emergency! But it’s not, that’s just the urgency inherent in Mars and that late degree (and spurred just a tad by the square and Mercury’s more shifty qualities), with Merc under Aries’ ‘I’ve got to do something!’ demands and Mars in Capricorn wanting to build a wall or make a difference or stop it, whatever it is. And this is prelude to Merc catching up to and passing Uranus (in the wee hours of the 13th Pacific time), also at 29 Aries, before both enter Taurus (separately, of course, not to conjoin again anytime soon).

The prevailing idea is to keep our cool over these few days as we suss out the issues presented by the environment and the asset and ‘comfort’ situation, as well as any challenges we may find within artisanal or materially creative matters (Taurus). By the 14th we may have developed what feels like x-ray vision in two important areas: we’ll see the reality situation and all that isn’t working in it clearly, even starkly (Sun sesq Saturn), and we’ll be acutely aware of where and how in the past we’ve hampered our earning ability, or our relationship interactions (Venus sesq SN). If we have been asking ourselves, ‘How have I been blocking Love or Money coming into my life?’ we’ll get some real-world, tangible answers.

Donate  —  Read  —  and have a great weekend!

This is good

And here is a very interesting discussion on being and purpose—

Just a Little AstroEssence 14 February 2018 Siren Song

13 Tuesday Feb 2018

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We may brave human laws, but we cannot resist natural ones–Captain Nemo, ‘20,000 Leagues Under the Sea’

John Reinhard Weguelin 1905 {{PD}}

We’re all tangled up in the Dark of the Moon, thinking big and sure of ourselves and of the rightness of our facts, and yet resisting our own inner voice, the one that can be so vital during times that decide the direction our Path will take (Sun conj Juno and both sq Sedna, Jupiter parallel Pallas). Every cell in our body is vibrating with the New Moon eclipse to come, the salt waters of the blood stream pulled like any ocean toward the extremity of the event; that can make us reckless, too prone to assess our own wisdom as greater than it really is, or to confuse optimism with what’s smart, with ‘knowing’. We need to focus on ‘mental health’, trusting ourselves to know what’s what; if it sounds questionable, it is (Mercury conj Hygeia). We need to watch out for the undercurrents, riptides formed by what we’ve ignored or denied, or by a flow of anger not yet released (Juno and the Sun semi-sq Black Moon Lilith). This can pull us under; we’ll also flail, perhaps risking relationships or finances, if we insist on pursuing desires or ambitions at this time (Venus sesq Zeus and semi-sq Pluto). We may only mean to follow our dream, but we may end up causing damage, instead–so proceed with caution, and be aware of the siren call exerted by the approaching New Moon.

Today’s word image is hearing a disembodied voice. What does it say to you?

Just a Little AstroEssence 15 January 2018 Waking From the Dream

14 Sunday Jan 2018

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I’d want to wake from this dream, if only because it’s so crowded! The dreamer is in the left corner, in case you had trouble finding her. ‘The Reconciliation of Titania and Oberon’ 1846, By Joseph Noel Paton {{PD}}

We’re in Dark of the Moon right now, you know; that makes influences like a whisper not quite heard, permeating the unconscious, seeping into dreams, curling around our ankles like fog–nothing truly dramatic, just persistent and stealthy, felt rather than seen, noticed only in the most oblique ways. That’s unusually subtle for an aspect like Jupiter sextile Pluto, which exaggerates or informs or fact-checks circumstances of change, transformation, or destruction: are things really destroyed? Do we know whether the transformation took? Is the danger as big as it seems? We see the dark side of Love or Money, and our imaginations run away with us, likely in a negative direction (Venus parallel Pluto and semi-sq Neptune). But here’s the good thing: the practicality and wisdom of our own minds and reasoning power reasserts itself (Mercury parallel Pallas), pulling us back from the brink, cutting through the fog, waking us from the dream, and showing us what may have been lurking in our ‘blind spot’, making us that much more prepared to go forward successfully (Sun trine Sedna).

Today’s word image is too much pepper. I know someone who cooks with what I consider too much ground black pepper–in fact, it’s pretty much the only spice she ever uses! Don’t get into a rut; variety really is the spice of life–season things in a new way, and watch the new ‘flavors’ as they come to the fore.

Your Pre-New Moon Weekend 16-17 December 2017 Finding Peace

15 Friday Dec 2017

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‘Feeding the Doves’ By George Dunlop Leslie {{PD}}

The Dark of the Moon leading up to the New Moon in Sagittarius will be gently fraught with energies that may make us feel a little anxious or aggressive, but that channeled successfully will actually lead to profit, originality, and successfully bringing forward lessons learned in the past and applying them to construct the future (Venus sxt Zeus and semi-sq Mars, Mercury sxt SN/ trine NN, Sun trine Uranus-Pallas) Relationships support ambitions, even if we may find it a tad hard to get others to take action in the way we envision, and despite Merc’s retro status, we see what’s smart, what’s practical, and what is uniquely suited to the current situation. All this is available if we take a cool, intellectual or innovative approach to matters (Juno enters Aquarius), and if we take the Merc retro precaution of being fully aware that there are facets of our decisions and information of which we don’t yet have knowledge.

By the 17th we’ll have found the ‘right’ creative channels and our own most profitable and authoritative role, and our actions and choices are likely fortuitous, despite being a wee bit haunted by doubts or the fear that we’re missing some vital clue. We end up finding that priorities and values are challenged to prove their relevance and veracity; as long as we’re clear on our ideals, we’ll have a solid ability to assess the direction in which our actions and choices are taking us.

Hint: The key to dealing with Mercury retrograde this time around may be in compartmentalizing ‘thought areas’, tackling them in narrow, one-at-a-time fashion that doesn’t demand we mentally process everything at once, just one small specific matter before us–and of course, use our feeling nature, as much or more than we use our minds, to suss out the landscape.

Word image for the weekend is: a dove, caught in a chimney. The global symbol of peace enters a conduit intended to release smoke and toxic gasses and then can’t find its way out. Sounds like the experience of the current Collective spirit! On a personal level, this suggests that our sense of cooperation, our willingness to live in harmony with others, our inner intentionality of causing no harm has taken a wrong turn, and is in danger of being extinguished. We can put it another way: our feelings of hope may be floundering, slowly poisoned by a loss of freedom, autonomy, and a chokingly toxic atmosphere. All is not lost; it will take careful, gentle, persistent efforts, but our sense of hope can be returned to its natural, free state–so don’t give up on those things that ‘keep hope alive’.

Or, is there a scenario in play right now where you feel someone is ‘shoving peace down your throat’, demanding a passive, play-nice interaction, despite your actual feelings. If so, time, with great care, to extricate yourself from constraints and express how you feel.

See the New Moon of the 17th here–and have a wonderful weekend!

Your Week 24-30 March 2017 Future-Oriented

22 Wednesday Mar 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Dark of the Moon, The Daily Word Image

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‘Surfer Girl’ by William Fulton Soare, oil on canvas, c. 1935 {{PD}}

I’m completely unavailable the 23rd-28th, so all comments, questions, purchases, and requests will be processed when I return to the keyboard. Have a wonderful week! jd

On the 24th our wounds, mental, psychic, emotional, spiritual, get in the way of hearing our own instincts, social feedback, ‘the facts’, as they speak; we resist input, the standards set by our own values, and the way our Self-image has been impugned by realities that have until now remained hidden, denied, or that have enraged us with their seeming inaccuracy. All this upset is most likely to come out through imbalances of power within relationships or that involve money; these trigger a sense of defensiveness or inferiority, and we’re off to the races. The antidote? Accepting that you’re not perfect–and that just because someone reflects back to you something you don’t like or that you disagree with, doesn’t mean either of you is right.

We’re in the Dark of the Moon at this point; expect more inner activity than outer–or, maybe I should say, expect inner realities to be more real than outer ones–and allow those lulls, moments of deep contemplation, and reveries to organize your thoughts and feelings for you. Sleep late or go to bed early, rest and rejuvenate–dream, ponder, or embrace silence–it’s time.

‘Still Life with Nautilus Cup’ Willem Claesz. Heda 1640 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is apple pie. Do you have a personal association with this? I do, as I don’t like apples much, and am not fond of pie; as a child this dessert always seemed like a small punishment, rather than a treat, especially because we were rarely allowed to decline (something about hurting the cook’s feelings)–so when I think of apple pie, I think of something mildly unpleasant, that I may be forced to ‘enjoy’. Obviously, few people have this particular thought around an apple pie; only you know what it means for you.

The 25th The Sun conjoins Venus while the latter appears in a retrograde state; we may get a good, clear look at lacks in the areas of Money or Love (or matters ruled by Venus in the natal chart), especially as they apply to the matters of the natal House in which the apparent meeting occurs–but we should note that at the same time, the Sun will be contra-parallel Pallas, while Venus is parallel Mercury and both are contra-parallel Juno, Venus is trine Black Moon Lilith, and Merc noviles Neptune. These contacts suggest that what we pay attention to, that is, the message we receive from all around us, may be distorted somehow, unwise or impractical to the extent that it disempowers, should we follow through on what we see or learn while in our current state of mind, and that’s key: the value of this particular set of contacts lies in the worth of what we uncover, what was previously disguised or kept hidden from ourselves; it’s what’s discovered that’s of worth, not our taking action upon it. Once we’ve processed the material, and are able to look past the impulse toward poor judgment and refuse to fix our gaze on what’s missing, we can recognize that what’s been revealed (whether we had to work for that info or realization, or it was delivered to us) is about the most useful thing we could’ve been given at this time, particularly in terms of making successful plans we can act on in future.

Today’s word image is a bluebird. Most associations, no matter from what culture they come, link a bluebird with happiness, specifically optimism about tomorrow, or an ideal situation to reach for, especially something that seems unattainable. Look for that note of optimism, that promise of something better, that harbinger right in front of you–it’s there to let you know everything will be all right.

What surprises, shocks, stirs the intellect, educates, or offers a radically forward-thinking vision today, the 26th, is future-oriented–our reaction and/ or the revelation delivered is a startling glimpse at what’s ahead for us, especially in terms of ‘reward’–but be aware that what has been shaped by our own choices and appears now is a direct result of rejecting certain elements of the past–that’s at least as important to know going forward as is what’s coming.

Today’s word image is a skull and crossbones. Poison! Pirates! What’s telling you to stay away at all costs–and you’re probably ignoring the warning?

The 27th we’re going to feel energized–it’s probably contributed to by the New Moon energy–or it may just be that we’re offered inspiration or a crack at power or making our imprint on things, and we do it. The thing is, don’t expect the reality picture to cooperate; material circumstances throw up roadblocks, or the real world simply resists our efforts–and this is due either to what we don’t (yet) know, or have ignored or denied, creating a ‘block’ of our own making, or we are potentially deceived, mislead, or so angry we can’t operate effectively. If there was ever a day to start over, to abandon dead ends and missteps, today is it, with our new start going best in the area of the New Moon.

Today’s word image is a surfer riding a wave. This figure is poised, in control of the ride, relaxed atop that powerful natural flume, using the ocean’s energy (read: the Collective) to propel her forward. What ‘wave’ is offering you a big, natural boost of energy, a means of gaining ground that you control your own relationship to and with? That’s the thing to hop on now, if only because it offers a graceful and harmonious means of propulsion, one that makes you part of and yet arbiter of a personal movement, trend, or other form of expression.

The 28th may be the day of biggest import this week, if only because instincts will be disconnected from imagination and the creative urge, and this could imply we cook up some disasters, or maybe just make some boneheaded moves, before we even realize how disoriented we are. The aspects suggest our grounds for aesthetic judgment become just a little crass, rooted in material worth, the pleasing of others, trends of the moment, or in trying to bring something new forward that is measured solely by its status as an oddity–and none of those stances are particularly productive or rewarding, because of our failure to connect with our own true tastes. What works? A type of informed spontaneity probably flows best, as our choices and actions can be truly unique and inspired when we allow them to emerge spontaneously from previously curated understanding and past intellectual exploration: the informed mind sparks the creative.

“Photo: Graeme Main/MOD” OGL

Today’s word image is a hand of cards, a Royal Flush. In many games, that’s the best hand possible. In what way in your life were you dealt a Royal Flush, and how have you used it?

On the 29th we’re set to make things happen; we’re feeling ready and able, but flaws in our Being or our perceptions can get in the way. It’s one of those times when our effectiveness is a direct reflection of our health: are we doing it spurred by pure and positive Soul energies, or is some wound, especially one rooted in our own disapproval of ourselves, the driving force? Intention is the wellspring from which all comes; today we’re required to operate without ulterior or polluted motives, in order to succeed.

Today’s word image is a fisherman who spends all day at the pier but goes home without any fish. What are we ‘fishing for’ that’s just not gonna happen? Time to acknowledge that, and move on.

For the 30th all astro-eyes are likely on the perfection once again of the Jupiter-Pluto square. This has been a shake-down of massive proportion, simply by the way facts, beliefs, rage, revenge, the social order, and change all conflict to create an unusually tenacious instability. It’s a clash that demands unlearning; it also requires we expand our ideas of power, destruction, and regeneration, breaking them, sometimes forcefully, from the old mold and asking us to accept new definitions and new forms–and this, naturally, changes our idea of ‘the facts’ and what we know. This square marks another point in an evolution of knowledge. Accept the ‘new order’, because until you do, you won’t have any idea who to believe, and with whom to partner.

That previously mentioned disconnection from our own imaginative abilities (on the 28th) spills over into today, but now we’re offered a way to access the creative spark, peripheral as the method is: let it flow through the instinctual nature. Children, those who are ill or distracted, those with lots of Pisces, dreamers, drunks, and the feral all experience a thinner barrier between conscious reality and the impulsiveness and sensitivity of the unseen; listen to them, emulate them, and/ or study them, for hints as to how that access works.

Today’s word image is a flag. What kind of flag springs to mind? Consider that a tiny Rorschach test that speaks of your view or orientation, right now.

25 December 2016 Like a Rose

24 Saturday Dec 2016

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'The Roses of Heliogabalus' - Lawrence Alma-Tadema {{PD}}

‘The Roses of Heliogabalus’ – Lawrence Alma-Tadema {{PD}}

The AstroEssence: Here’s an odd configuration: Jupiter and Uranus are in opposition (and playing off the Nodes), Sedna and Black Moon Lilith are in opposition, with Uranus semi-square Sedna and sesquiquadrate Black Moon Lilith, while Jupiter is semi-square BML and sesquiquadrate Sedna. It’s like a skinny Mystic Rectangle, with all the fun pressed out. Why so much stress? For many, it’s Christmas, a time equally fraught with joy and pressure; but for everyone, it seems the tension between complete freedom in the form of total license contrasts directly in some way with the call for social conformity, or possibly contradicts the impulse toward freedom by demanding the individual stick to ‘the facts’, or draws in chaos and the unanticipated with each attempt at expansion. This occurs simultaneous to a tug-of-war between our instincts and ‘deep knowing’, and all those matters we’ve ignored, denied, or that enrage us–and each of the oppositions interact under unpleasant conditions. This suggests each individual will be under enormous internal tension and has a good chance of responding in undisciplined fashion to externals if the pressure remains unconscious; it may feel as if one’s fate is at stake, when it really isn’t. With conscious awareness this kind of overblown, reactive thinking comes the option of refusing the radical response in favor of the less rigid, less judgmental one, which is wise, considering how easily this can escalate into a lose/ lose situation.

This isn’t the only perfecting influence today. We’ll just be entering Dark of the Moon territory late in the day Pacific time, and that means the impetus and energy could drain away from both positive and negative endeavors. We also see a very busy Venus that offers ideal conditions, dreams come true, spiritual fulfillment, and gives the resources, especially spiritual and emotional ones, to reach out to others, to take offered opportunities, and to support permanent change or the building of a new foundation. That is, if you want to act better, want to respond more kindly and more accurately to others, today is the day to make that reform a reality. We may also see a lot of fortuitous opportunity and lucky spontaneous synchronicities that may, oddly enough, bolster confidence in the caring nature of the Universe, and this allows us to purge our thinking of destructive or negative tendencies. We come out the other side of this smelling like roses, while never losing our awareness of those things we haven’t yet handled, but will need to (Venus at the midpoint of Saturn-Uranus sxt both and trine Jupiter, Merc parallel Pluto and nov Venus, Sun nov Black Moon Lilith)

'Still life: Tea Service' Albert Anker {{PD}}

‘Still life: Tea Service’ Albert Anker {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a cup of tea, where the leaves settle in the bottom of the cup and take the shape of a leaping dolphin. Reading tea leaves is, of course, a form of prognostication; it’s literally the dregs of what made the beverage in the first place, ‘speaking’ to you! Living is a lot like sipping tea: we take it in a bit at a time, it scalds if it’s too hot or becomes unappealing if it’s too cold, and if we’ll bother to look at the aftermath of our interactions, we’ll find a clear though likely symbolic message about our choices and our future.

For those born with the Sun at 4 Capricorn: The first half or so of your Solar year, through to your next birthday, may be quiet, at least on the inside, as you ponder some serious and even dark matters, especially as they pertain to who you are–but by the second half of the year, you are ready to launch: a business, a new venture, a marriage, an assault, a missile–the list is virtually endless, but it all has the objective of allowing you to make your mark on the world–it’s time. Good luck, Cappy, and Happy Birthday!

29 October 2016 Out of It

28 Friday Oct 2016

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Lisbon "chill out" street art, Uploaded by tm Author: Bernt Rostad from Oslo, Norway Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

Lisbon “chill out” street art, Uploaded by tm Author: Bernt Rostad from Oslo, Norway Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

The AstroEssence the 29th: We’re well into the Dark of the Moon (the three days preceding a New Moon) so we shouldn’t be surprised that it’s a chill day, largely devoted to feeling just a little bit out of it. We’ll find cross-currents common, as we operate in our ‘blind spot’ and find the facts emerge to set us straight, or when our beliefs run up against our instincts, or as the social role requires us to tap into something we carry deep within but don’t often access. Even those who set out ablaze to party, to find out, to proselytize in their favorite arena, will find themselves subdued as lust turns to friendship, sought-after riches or rewards gain human-scale as the real-world intrudes, and modest wants and sober expression seem all we can muster. That’s not a bad thing, though: those who want bang and flash at this point just end up confused or failing in their goals; those who embrace the indeterminate, the vague, and the accepting sail through, with the option to nail down some serious Love or Money in the process (Jupiter sesq Sedna, Venus conj Saturn)

Portrait of Dr. Samuel D. Gross (The Gross Clinic) byThomas Eakins 1874 {{PD}}

Portrait of Dr. Samuel D. Gross (The Gross Clinic) byThomas Eakins 1874 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is sudden surgery. Who expects that, right? But the point is that, symbolically speaking, we may meet an occasion that ‘cuts deep’, and the exploration is completely unplanned. Look for Path-altering (even life altering) events that, for a short period, totally take over your experience, and ask yourself, What did that deep cut expose? even as you recognize the event was necessary to your healing.

For those born with the Sun at 6 Scorpio: Acute perceptual faculties are yours this coming year, through to your next birthday, but be prepared: not only will you divine all forms of perfection in your world, you’ll also see its flaws, in Technicolor, on the Big Screen of your mind–and you may be deeply inspired, and possibly deeply hurt, by what you see. If you can accept reality with all its unevenness, you can heal in ways you never anticipated. Bonus: you get a new start, a couple of months into this Solar year. Good luck, Scorpio, and Happy Birthday!

29-31 August 2016 The Approach to the Solar Eclipse + Mercury Retrograde

28 Sunday Aug 2016

Posted by in astrology, Born Today, current events in the sky, Dark of the Moon, Finger of God, Fist of God, forecast, future events in the sky, Horoscope, Mercury Direction, Mercury retrograde, Sun/Mercury Inferior Conjunction, The Daily Word Image

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By Akseli Gallen-Kallela - Scanned by Alexius Manfelt 2007-12-01, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3170601

By Akseli Gallen-Kallela – Scanned by Alexius Manfelt 2007-12-01, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3170601

I’m going to wrap everything up together in this forecast for a few days ahead, as I finish the eclipse report (which should be available here on Monday the 29th) and give myself a little breather. This coincides with Dark of the Moon, a good time to plunge into a Merc retro period, as we’re already more open to the feeling and sensing nature, the mind stilled (somewhat) by the lack of Lunar light; we don’t find what we think, or what we think we feel, so prone to block incoming information as it usually is. Between Merc’s retreat and the looming eclipse, it seems that making the forecast as tight and easy to remember as possible might be best for everyone–so here goes:

The 29th: We may be inclined to be too headstrong, and so sabotage ourselves–cooperation is the key that both empowers us and brings about serendipitous reward and/ or ambition fulfillment (Mars sq Nodal axis, Venus enters Libra and nov Juno, Sun nov Zeus)

Today’s word image is a wounded bird. Accommodating an injury, whether it’s physical, psychic, emotional, or spiritual, is vital to both recognizing its impact and then helping it heal. Ignoring it only offers the potential for the wound to get worse–and if you don’t heal, how will you ever fly?

By Giovanni Dall'Orto - Own work, Attribution, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5208666

By Giovanni Dall’Orto – Own work, Attribution, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5208666

The 30th: change of mind might echo a change of heart; we benefit by facing what we’ve recently ignored or denied. All positives today come from embracing our own personal uniqueness (Venus nov Black Moon Lilith, Sun parallel Uranus and nov Hygeia, see also Mercury Retrograde, below)

Today’s word image is a pumpkin, ripened to orange in the garden. That’s a sign of fall–and yet it’s still August! What thing in your world seems to have arrived much more quickly than you anticipated? Is it truly ‘out of season’, or is it indicating more time has passed than you thought? What’s unexpectedly ‘ready to go’?

The 31st: reality-based evolution (whether that is transformational or destructive) is smart, with opportunity fostered by confidence in one’s abilities, a determination to deal with facts and ‘what is’, and a refusal to be rebellious just for the hell of it (Pluto nov Pallas, Jup p Ceres, Sun contra-p Nep and sesq Uranus)

Today’s word image is Pinocchio. The little wooden marionette wanted to be a real boy so much he actually became one. Is there some ‘impossible’ thing you’ve been wanting? Because you may just get it (and all that attends it, all the positives and negatives), after all. And don’t forget to tell the truth.

Lavender_wedding_cake_with_cream_white_swirls_and_ribbon_as_topper

By Jessica Erin Higgins – originally posted to Flickr as lavender wedding cake, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10310914

For those born with the Sun at 7 Virgo: sorting deceptions and illusions from realities, along with a sense of the emotions as being ‘closed off’ and inaccessible, may be the two toughest things for you to face this year, Virgo. This may be the year when you see and deal with every possible impediment or obstacle in your path to what you want–and then you may find, quite suddenly, that you’ve gotten exactly where you wanted to go! So go to work on those problems–it will all pay off handsomely, in the end. Good luck, and Happy Birthday!

For those born with the Sun at 8 Virgo: empowerment, the status you crave, and being part of a ‘power couple’ (even if you’re a silent or unwitting partner) may be in your year ahead, Virgo; success depends on how well you incorporate your ideals into your every day, how ‘married’ you are to having no illusions (hint: the more you like The Truth, the better), and being willing to exercise your creativity (no matter how minor the effort, or how creaky your attempts–use makes them better and better). Be brave, be willing, and get over your fear of heights–you can’t reach the top without letting that go. Good luck, Virgo, and Happy Birthday!

For those born with the Sun at 9 Virgo: the anticipation feels killer, doesn’t it? Almost there, you may be telling yourself–but somewhere along the way, did you forget where you were going? That may be the sense you have of things this year, through to your next birthday, Virgo. It may be difficult to believe that your dreams have changed, as has your idea of what it would be to ‘make it’–but they have, and it’s up to you now to respond to those changes and alter course. Until you do, you may remain stuck–or worse, succeed in meeting the old goal, and being immensely disappointed in how it doesn’t fit your life now. Look at what’s deep inside–that’s the only way to know what’s real, and needs to be followed. Good luck, and Happy Birthday!

By Steven Depolo - originally posted to Flickr as IMG_5971, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10325105

By Steven Depolo – originally posted to Flickr as IMG_5971, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10325105

For those born with the Sun at 10 Virgo: you have to look at those matters that enrage you, or that you’ve been ignoring or in denial of–they are the keys to moving forward this year and bringing your dreams to reality. A new emotional viewpoint unfolds for you no matter what, though how you deal with all these factors, the feelings and the problems, will determine your future, and possibly your fate–so don’t hesitate to tackle difficulties; it’s vital you make your voice heard. Good luck, Virgo, and Happy Birthday!

 

Mercury Retrograde 30 August-22 September 2016: Taking Aim at the Material

'Young Samurai and Female Attendants Practicing Archery' Utagawa Toyokuni I 歌川豐國 c1800 {{PD}}

‘Young Samurai and Female Attendants Practicing Archery’ Utagawa Toyokuni I 歌川豐國 c1800 {{PD}}

Mercury begins apparent retrograde motion at 6:04 AM Pacific time of the 30th at 29 Virgo 04–and immediately it feels like we’re thrown into a state of mental crisis! Criticisms, doubts, and potentially a headlong rush back toward either ‘the facts’ or the standards of the social sphere ensues–and this is just our immediate reaction. The retro period is one that prompts us to re-think, examine, and question the material situation (Earth sign) and how we got to where we are. We ask ourselves if we’re satisfied with what we’ve got, with what we see around us, with what we’re earning, bringing in, getting, enjoying, and whether our resources are adequate to our intentions; our thoughts about the material situation, likely keyed to matters of the House where the retro occurs (and secondarily to the Houses ruled by Merc), are vetted, and by the end of the retro we may have a completely different idea of what we need and want materially at this time. This interval will change our material aims, both how we think of our goals, and how we intend to get there.

If we look at the retro picture poetically, we see that Mercury was in pursuit of Venus, newly fled into Libra (to the shelter of a partner? or a tax or investment shelter? or a partnership of earning and caring, or one of being valued or valuing the partner as an asset?) but the chase slows and then abruptly ends, with Merc retreating to a social milieu (a retro meeting with Jupiter) that welcomes him and envelops him with ‘I told you so’ and ‘What were you thinking?’ and ‘What more do you want?’ This meeting can also signal a retreat to ‘Big Picture’ thinking that believes the individual is too important to mess with details–a misunderstanding of the energy, in this instance.

Heed instincts and the wisdom of impulses on the 6th, as Merc trines Sedna, and be prepared–this re-thinking and re-ordering may hurt, or potentially could heal our ideas about the material world and our place in it (the 10th). At the same time as the hurt/ healing, we also receive a personal shock, lightning strike, or group contribution that offers wise revelation, that brings forward just what we need to hear, realize, or learn (Merc as apex to a Finger of God with base of Uranus-Pallas). A Fist of God forms the 12th with Mercury-Sun square Mars, apex Ceres in Taurus, that suggests action combines with thought, ideas, plans and though it’s not easy, the result will be the best ‘power position’ we can hope for materially in the moment. This also happens to be the point of the Inferior Conjunction of the Sun and Mercury, so keep awareness of whatever ‘seeds’ may be planted, deliberately or inadvertently, at this time. Mercury goes direct around 10:30 PM Pacific time on the 21st, in the midst of a trine to Pluto. This suggests change, transformation, destruction, reformation, right out of the gate, based on the changes to our mentality and to our view of the material world, and our place in it.

The page on the September eclipses is up!

Thank you, and enjoy the run up to the eclipse!