Category Archives: Dark of the Moon

New Moon in Aquarius 11 February 2021 What Are We Waiting For?

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‘Waiting’ By Henri de Toulouse Lautrec 1887 {{PD}}

The New Moon perfects at 11:05 AM PST on the 11th at 23 Aquarius 16, but before it does, we pass through the pre-New Moon three day period known as The Dark of the Moon, notable for its absence of Lunar light. This is a period when forward momentum can be sidetracked or stalled, and new projects will sputter, fail to get off the ground, or later require a rehaul or restart–and that’s doubly so during Mercury retrograde, currently in effect.

What can we do during this period? Normally we’d do best to drift and dream, meditate and relax, to connect through silence or dreams to the non-verbal perceptions, but during this Dark period we have a slightly different mandate: it starts with the Inferior Conjunction of Sun and Mercury on the 8th, an inception point for development related to matters of the House where the contact occurs, specifically around shifts in thought, plans, and where we’re putting our attention–and it continues as later that day the Sun meets Pallas, with the Moon to pass over Pallas just over two hours before the New Moon perfects. All this speaks to reconsideration of Mercurial subjects that leads to a wiser take on things, and to a smart or more practical new beginning shown by the New Moon event.

Otherwise, this New Moon doesn’t make much notable contact at all. Its closest aspect is a trine to Zeus in Libra, suggesting that Higher Mind revelations (Aquarius) in relationships and their role in ambition and desire fulfillment (Zeus in Libra) will lead to greater understanding–but understanding of what? For some this might be revelation in relationships themselves, a more accurate view of how they work on a daily basis, and what each party gets out of them, but for many of us the emphasis will be on how our interactions with others color, constrict, shape, or curtail our own efforts toward ambition realization. We may become acutely aware of how we modify our efforts to accommodate relationships, and how we modify relationships so we can pursue our goals, and we’re very likely to see where we need a re-think on the whole thing, with this re-consideration informing the latter half of the Merc retro cycle.

Too, Zeus speaks of the power balance within any relationship, the ways in which we get our needs met but must accept that others, too, have needs, and that the clash between these two sets of wants can be chaotic, a contest between our desire for the relationship and our desire for, well, just about anything else that creates an appetite. With Juno, the asteroid of empowerment, and signifier of Zeus’ partner, placed sextile Mercury from her spot in Sagittarius and conjoined the South Node at the time of the New Moon, we definitely see a rise of smoke from smoldering relationship issues, and between the New Moon of revelation and understanding (Aquarius) and the Merc retro cycle, we are likely to find these issues cropping up, many of them as direct power issues and some as an outright clash of wants between partners.

We might also want to count a very loose square to Sedna, only in contention because Sun and Moon are approaching rather than retreating from the aspect. This might give just the barest hint, the vaguest echo, a mere wisp of an idea that trouble may be on the horizon. This might take the shape of Self-sabotaging instincts or an insistence on not admitting that everyone, including ourselves, has a blind spot–and this might be just the time when we need some reflection (the Moon) from those with whom we’re in relationship (that Libran Zeus)–because that’s exactly what we’re offering them, too.

The New Moon Sabian is, ‘A Man, Having Overcome His Passions, Teaches Deep Wisdom In Terms Of His Experience’. I’ve not much to add to that since it seems we’ve already covered this same message via aspects, but will point out that the symbol strikes a hopeful note, as the messiness that is natural to relationships will show us what we need to know, and make us wiser in the process.

Have a lovely week, everyone!

Your Weekend 11-13 December 2020 Challenge To Balance

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‘Woman Holding a Balance’ By
Johannes Vermeer c1664 {{PD}}

Catch the report for the Solar eclipse of the 14th here–

Real life is inconvenient, isn’t it? And why oh why, Friday the 11th, are your influences so difficult to balance, so irritating, and why are we so annoyed by others? We think we’re sassy (Mars trine SN, Sun conj and parallel SN, the latter something that happens during eclipse season) when we may really be lashing out based on old hurts; we’re hyper-sensitive, too, going out of our way to protect all those raw spots we’d rather not acknowledge (Vesta parallel Black Moon Lilith) and that’s not smart (Vesta sesq Pallas) as it puts our reactive responses (and our vulnerabilities) on display. How to handle this? Talk it out, communicate, even if our thoughts aren’t especially coherent or if our feelings about things are messy (Mercury trine Hygeia). Problems come when we think our empowerment rests on following our instincts–but today those instincts are either inaccessible or distorted by unrecognized feeling (Juno opp Sedna)–so talk, write, send ‘the message’, concentrate on expressing–that will alleviate tension, probably keep us from getting into it with others, and may reveal ourselves to ourselves, in ways that at other times may be hard to come by.

Something to keep in mind as we approach the Solar eclipse: we’re in Dark of the Moon territory, which means the Lunar impetus behind much of what we do is missing–and that can impart its own sense of drifting, unreality, and ungroundedness to proceedings. Not a time to start anything new, and also not a time to try to pin down our own or others’ feelings. Be kind, be (carefully) receptive, and note what floats in and out of both your own consciousness and your world, as this can give helpful hints to what’s bubbling up from the unconscious or currently hidden from view.

The 12th can be met by following two guidelines (or maybe we should call them warnings): 1) don’t communicate anything that conflicts with your genuine deepest values–it’s not smart, and may get you into circumstances or commitments you will be unwilling or unable to continue (Mercury sq Vesta and semi-sq Pallas); and 2) every single thing before us today, every single item highlighted, spotlighted, or illuminated for us will reflect something we need to attend to, recognize, deal with, or accept (Sun sesq Black Moon Lilith). Don’t look away, and don’t betray your own standards–thus endeth today’s admonitions.

On the 13th our own beliefs or philosophies may be stronger than ‘the facts’, which we will almost certainly misunderstand (Mercury sq Neptune and nov Jupiter); this can be good, if faith is called for, but disastrous if we embrace fiction at the expense of reality. Overall, we may be resistant to the real-world situation in relationships and/ or finances, out of a mistaken idea that this is the way to preserve our power and influence (Venus opp Sedna and parallel Ceres), and we have a complicated relationship to ourselves, as well, being knocked off balance by our own erraticism or originality (Sun sesq Uranus) or by the unexpected or by accident, even as we see the options for ambition fulfillment in the upset, and can pinpoint what’s really smart, if we’re open to admitting or acknowledging it (Sun sxt Zeus and nov Pallas). So, it’s a mixed bag where we’re required to walk a tightrope of sorts; results depend on how quickly we can respond to the winds of change, as well as how invested we are in seeing things a particular way, versus in the most objective one.

Good Day To . . . 16 September 2020 A Personal Reckoning

15 Tuesday Sep 2020

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‘In der Gartenlaube’ By Arnold Böcklin 1891 {{PD}}

The 16th Is A Good Day To . . . watch what you communicate to those who nurture you, care for you, have some form of control over you, as well as be cognizant of what ‘message’ you’re sending to Nature/ the Universe itself (Mercury sesquiquadrate Ceres). You’re asked in some way to make a statement about who you are and what path you think you’re taking, vs. what path you really are taking. It’s a very personal reckoning (which means others may not even know it’s happening, and if you’re not tuned in, neither will you–and of course, this will largely be invisible to you within others’ experiences, as well). You’re asked to consider critically, to take accounting of (Sun in Virgo) what you think (North Node in Gemini) and measure it against what the facts truly are (South Node in Sagittarius, all three components in a T-square). Do it willingly, for best results; otherwise the Universe may force consideration of identity and life direction–and that would only add unneeded pressure.

Remember, we’re in the Dark of the Moon period–inner work and contemplation will actually serve to make more happen than will externally-focused efforts.

A Good Day To . . . is based on the aspects perfecting on each day, Pacific time.

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!

1 May 2019 Bedeviled

30 Tuesday Apr 2019

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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

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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.