Category Archives: forecast

The Summer of Us, 2025

28 Saturday Jun 2025

Posted by in astrology, forecast, Mercury Direction, Mercury retrograde, Mystic Rectangle, Retrogrades + Directions

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‘Summer Night’ By Harald Sohlberg 1899 {{PD}}

By ‘us’ I mean each of us, individually, as the upcoming Mercury retrograde is contained entirely within Leo, focusing our thoughts, concerns, communications, judgments, conclusions, and revelations, whether we want them to or not, firmly on ourselves and our roles, socially, with our families, and within the greater scheme of the Cosmos. Leo intends to show whatever passes through it how to ‘shine’, but that useful reveal could be thwarted by our own reluctance to appear selfish, out of fear if we take our eye off our duties we might fail our relationships or those who rely on us, or from simple modesty–it’s not uncommon to want to inspect ourselves and our Soul’s work privately, and the Leo spotlight may feel not just too revealing, but as if we’re seeking attention–but you need to know, that’s not what’s happening, at all.

Personal enlightenment is one goal during this retro cycle, while gaining a better understanding of ourselves within the current parameters of our lives is another. One mistake easily made is to believe during the cycle we’ll sufficiently understand what we learn and what it means, that we can immediately charge forward (which is something, of course, that saucy Fire sign Leo will encourage us to do). We’ll need both processing time and the perspective that automatically comes when we are a step or two past the retro season. For instance, just as Merc retrogrades it’ll sextile Venus in Gemini–which almost certainly will persuade us we know and understand the ‘lay of the land’ in terms of both relationships and asset earning and usage; we may quite literally believe ‘we know what we think’ (Gemini). The problem is that, just as our capacity to handle things with the mind is withdrawn, we’ll get the impression that we’ve hit on what we need to know about Venusian matters; that’s when we’ve got to remember that feeling, sensation, intuition, sentiment, Love are how we gather knowledge during Merc retro–all else is misinterpreted or incomplete, lacking a full picture, or crucial details, of situations or events.

The moment of retrograde comes on the 18th at 9:45 AM PDT at 15 Leo 34, during a last quarter Moon on its way to the Dark period, suggesting a kind of ‘winding down’, energetically speaking. Merc will turn around sesquiquadrate Saturn, which will go retrograde itself just 5 days before; this suggests that understanding what’s concrete or solid, and what a barrier, rule, or prohibition actually means, may be a significant challenge during this period. Rules may not be clear, and the smartest option may, consistently, be to wait for direction to make a choice, decide, or to inspect circumstances again in a new light. At the time Neptune, which retros on the 4th, will still be conjoined Saturn; use the influence to make dreams a reality, and to give the imagined goal physical form, rather than succumbing to misleading or confusing detritus that only clouds the picture.

And, in less than a day, the Moon in Taurus will move into position to create a brief T-square with Mercury and the Black Moon Lilith point in Scorpio. This may bring feelings and intuitions about stability, security, and resources to the fore, and encourage us to believe this is the whole picture; not only will we be missing the details, we may also be ignoring those things we find less than positive, those things that threaten to destroy our emotional or mental balance, or which through neglect or refusal to acknowledge we have buried like a ticking time bomb somewhere out of sight.

The 29th retro Merc will semi-sextile Jupiter in Cancer, bringing enormous optimism into play. Remember, using the intuition and feeling nature at this time is the way to gain information, with the caveat being that we may accept that as the whole picture–which it definitely is not. This may feel like a high, and could urge us to put things in motion too soon–and the feeling carries over to the Inferior Conjunction, where it just might take on an exaggerated sense of urgency.

The Inferior Conjunction, the meeting of the Sun and Mercury during Mercury’s apparent retrograde phase, occurs on 1 August at 9 Leo. Within the past week both bodies will have opposed Pluto in Aquarius, suggesting interludes of despair, the threat of obliteration, an awareness of mortality or the inevitability of change, or realization of the power to transform–so it’s not like we’re hitting the Conjunction free of shadows, fears, or insecure in some way. With this as background, the Inferior point could see us vowing to overcome, to meet the challenge, or to give up and release ourselves to the flow of events.

For once this Conjunction doesn’t really serve us taking a new perspective or beginning anew; we’d do better to tell ourselves there’s no need to start over, that all that has happened was necessary to deliver us to our current position. Reminding ourselves of the eternal nature of the Soul (Leo) is needed–and if that’s not true, if instead we wink out of existence when it’s all over, that should be in its own way reassuring as well, because in either case, there’s nothing to fear.

Mercury’s direction occurs on 11 August at 4 Leo 14, and there’s an unusual amount of harmony among bodies, even as some of these combos are potent and possibly a little threatening. Mercury turns around at the rough midpoint of the Mars-Uranus trine, is opposed Pluto, and is trine the still extant Neptune-Saturn conjunction–and of course all these other entities make their own contacts to one another, as well. This forms a Mystic Rectangle among Mercury, Mars, Pluto, and Saturn-Neptune. Mystic Rectangles allow the four or more involved energies to function in a way that makes for a larger positive whole than we could’ve assembled from the pieces singly. In this case, we should expect the Truth, how to apply this to what we think and what we do, making areas to transform clear and the path to implement the dream obvious. The one energy left out of this equation, but which still contacts Mercury, is the sextile to Uranus–so the fact of surprise, revelation, innovation, or unexpected upheaval may be the trigger that sets off fate-shaping events.

Don’t expect it all to be revealed at once, despite the big impact the direction might deliver. The Pisces Moon passes over its own North Nodal point on that day, suggesting we become aware of our life direction in a big, Universal way, as Luna heads toward the upcoming eclipses of September. Don’t expect to enter autumn without having undergone a summer of change, and a reinvigorating of, and reinvestment in, your life.

Your Word Image for this week: ‘Mistaken Identity’

New Moon 9 February 2024: A Measure of Grace

06 Tuesday Feb 2024

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

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‘The Wounded Angel’ By Hugo Simberg 1903 {{PD}}

The New Moon perfects at 2:59 PM PST on the 9th at 20 Aquarius 40. This also marks the start of the Lunar New Year as celebrated in a number of cultures (it’s the year of the Dragon in China, for those keeping score). A New Moon in Aquarius promises new beginnings, offering a blueprint to integrate feelings with understanding of the things that trigger those feelings. It’s a dawning within the human psyche, a point when Higher Mind can process reality in ways that will benefit us, if we can let go of preconceived notions and level up.

Three aspects stand out immediately: a square to Uranus, a trine to Vesta, and a quincunx to Juno. This is a tough picture, implying unexpected, spontaneous, and difficult, disorienting events. Chaos, revelation, or revolution may result, or we could find it’s the individual versus the group. What happens is measured against what we honor and find sacred–that will determine our reaction to what occurs, with adjustments needed on our part to gain or maintain empowerment. It could be a Uranian event that challenges us to respond, or it could be that the Uranian action is ours (and if so, we may not know it’s coming until it arrives), based on protecting what we honor, particularly in the way of partnership, but in any case our ability to answer from a position of personal strength will require modifications to our approach and/ or our behavior. The contact between the New Moon and its ruler suggests a tight relationship between Lunar events and the nature of the Moon in this sign–it all may seem random, haphazard, unpredictable, but it’s almost certain that we’ll look back on this as something we could’ve anticipated–we may even convince ourselves we did.

We’re offered a measure of grace, though, via a septile between the New Moon and Ceres, the latter newly arrived in Capricorn and still at the 00 degree. This suggests there’s a spiritual way to synthesize reality, what’s ‘natural’, our emotions, and our personal power and authority picture; we’ll see where and what we’re actually responsible for, and be given a grace period during which we can vet the situation and choose a way to meet it. This will be new to us and likely brings forward ‘fresh’ feelings; it almost certainly involves any position of responsibility we hold or may involve Nature in the form of natural disasters or events, our health, or inevitable changes such as aging. How we meet these will be paramount; it’s only in accessing our spiritual core that we’ll do our best when confronted.

The New Moon makes a semi-sextile to Venus, and I’m not comfortable claiming a sextile between the New Moon and either the North Node or Eris, both in Aries, but I am ready to say there’s a sextile to their midpoint, with a corresponding situation involving a trine to the midpoint of the South Node and Zeus in Libra. This is a mirror situation with a stand-off between energies of letting no stone go unturned (and so no issue not dredged up and flayed), and the elements of desire (lust, even!) and ambition, with these latter asking us to focus up on long-term goals and let go of distractions. We’re likely to be keenly aware of discord as distraction, even as we believe we must handle it in order to maintain control of our life direction, and there’s a corresponding sense that what we’ve done to fulfill ambitions and goals in the past should have pointed us to the right aesthetic choices and the right partners for our endeavors. Both sets of these perceptions are misleading: the very worth of working this out is highly questionable, with the apparent conundrum essentially one huge distraction. Our energy best goes toward in-the-moment responses to new developments (Uranus square), with our responses both keeping what we find important in mind (Vesta trine), and orienting any reaction toward amplifying our own empowerment within the situation (Juno quincunx).

The Sabian for this New Moon is, ‘A Disappointed And Disillusioned Woman Courageously Faces A Seemingly Empty Life’. This may speak of the anima, the receptive, ‘being’ energies in each of us, stirred by the cool Aquarian Moon to awareness of the clinical side of things, our losses and failures, the ways in which we have let ourselves down, and the reality of being existentially alone. Depressing, right? But the nature of an Aquarian New Moon is such that it offers fresh insight, even as it mercilessly reminds us in detail of the state of things. Notice use of the word ‘seemingly’. That implies the situation only appears to be without anything worthwhile, with the words ‘disappointed’ and ‘disillusioned’ suggesting that ideals have been pummeled, hopes dashed, but that courage is the secret ingredient for re-framing, and so taking both a more optimistic (that is, less negative) inventory, and a more accurate one.

The Realities of Love: Pluto Into Aquarius + The Leo Full Moon 2024

24 Wednesday Jan 2024

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Full Moon, Pluto in Aquarius

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‘Kingdom of Hades’ By Vishchun
Digital drawing by Arsen Hrebeniuk, 2022.
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

First a word about Pluto, which has just entered Aquarius. The thing about the ‘heavy’ planets is that they act more as background than foreground material the majority of the time. Pluto’s change of sign brings a shift, yes, but one that, if we’re distracted by the everyday, we might not feel for some time. We should expect tonal variation, rather than a big splash, though one reason people may be so focused on this sign change could be due to the shift in element: we see Plutonian matters that for so long carried the density, physicality, and real-life ground-beneath-your-feet quality of Earth take on a mental essence of Air, which likely sharpens awareness, even as it alleviates what for so long felt like a continual onslaught of Plutonian threats to our very existence. It can lead to a series of pretty grim thoughts, even mental breakdown and despair, before resurrecting the thinking in new ways that are more effectively responsive to circumstances, especially those that feel life-threatening, than our ways of thinking before. Attitudes about death, change, renewal (including 2nd chances and new ‘lease on life’ possibilities), and what needs to be eliminated will, through Pluto’s transit of Aquarius, become different, and will likely continue to re-make themselves until Pluto finally enters Pisces for good, almost 20 years from now.

With Pluto in Aquarius the perceptual challenges center on both Higher Mind and the thinking around the frameworks we use to elaborate on and explain various life areas, what we might label the impersonal academics of What Is. One of the Aquarian keywords is ‘Understanding’, so that this period may usher in breakdowns in our ideas around methods of destruction, transformation, and renewal, may completely re-formulate our ideas around the sciences, as well as sparking new, innovative approaches to ‘old’ problems, especially ones like climate change and ‘progress’ in tech and AI that once appeared to seriously threaten our own obliteration.

Big effects for individuals emerge with Pluto contacts to the natal planets and points, so will be felt, though the sweeping changes the lord of the Underworld brings with changes in sign are more an experience of societies as a whole, rather than as personal ones for each of us. That said, we can’t help but be affected by what goes on in the wider world, and of course, when we do experience Pluto on an individual level it feels like the most personal of experiences, which are almost guaranteed to emphasize our own powerlessness in the face of the inevitable: aging and death, entropy, permanent loss, transformation, rebirth–in short, the Truth of the Universe. The thing about a Pluto transit to a natal placement, especially to the personal planets and points like the Ascendant, is that it changes us in large and permanent ways that feel like they’re happening only to us. During a Plutonian experience the best thing we can do is take a step back and acknowledge the Universality of the experience, beyond our own personal loss or trauma.

The Full Moon perfects on the 25th just before 9:54 AM PST at 5 Leo 14, with both Earth and Moon recently opposing Pluto, newly arrived in Aquarius. A Full Moon in Leo puts emotional focus on the Self, on something discovered or coming to light about ourselves that we didn’t know before. In this case, the conclusions reached can’t be separated from the effects of Pluto contact; that is, the change, transformation, elimination, or destruction wrought by Pluto is now processed by us emotionally. We see what that change really means to us, with the nature of the change or loss related in some way either to matters of the House(s) that hold Capricorn (most likely), Aquarius (less likely), Scorpio (possibly), and/ or the House where natal Pluto is located (this most likely if transiting Pluto or another body is currently aspecting it).

The Sabian symbol for the Full Moon is, ‘A Conservative, Old-Fashioned Lady Is Confronted By A “Hippie” Girl’. The new meets the old. What we need to remember is that the new isn’t necessarily better, just different–and the same can be said for the old. The kind of discrimination Earth placements offer us may be what needs following here, in order to determine what to keep, what to change. That suggests both Venus and Juno in the current scenario–Love and Empowerment. Keep those in the forefront, and you’ll discriminate correctly.

We also look at the Sun for a Full Moon: ‘A Masked Figure Performs Ritualistic Acts In A Mystery Play’. What’s shrouded in mystery and ritual isn’t really mysterious at all when we come to understand the symbolisms involved–it’s instead a shorthand of sorts for a means to enlightenment. Is anything really hidden from us? I don’t believe it is, if we have the courage to genuinely look at what’s before us. It’s true of the world, and it’s true in our relationships. With the Leo Full Moon, what’s on offer is emotional revelation about ourselves. Don’t be afraid of what you’ll see–it’s truly for the best.

There’s a T-square formed by the Full Moon axis which squares Jupiter in Taurus=this suggests our own experience of the Full Moon will be strongly colored by ‘the facts’ around material matters or in our experience of some larger social condition that affects our material well-being. It’s a distraction, in terms of the eternal; it as well represents a potential overindulgence engaged in as we attempt to cope. It could stand for an emotional disappointment–we expected too much–or the realization that all that glitters isn’t emotional gold. There’s also a square between Vesta and Juno, with the Full Moon at the midpoint, making it semi-square each=what we truly care about, and our own empowerment, are at odds. Taking emotional inventory, weighing what matters most, will be vital to resolving the tension. Surely there’s a way to honor what’s important and still feel we are effective–your job is to find it.

The final aspect that stands out to me is a loose Finger of God, with base of Venus, fairly new in Capricorn, sextile Saturn in Pisces, apex the Full Moon=we may be hit with the realities behind love, assets, relationships, or rivalries, and they hold a paradox: the realities of the situation feel somehow unreal, maybe ideal, or promise to hold creative potential, while our impulse to love and relate is taking a practical tack, wanting to stay grounded in reality (the last thing Venus wants to do right now is go overboard, or assume a potential that doesn’t really exist). The balance between these two attitudes, between the unrealness of the real and the desire to stay grounded in what we’re sure of in relationships, is key to understanding our emotional reactions and reality at this time. It may be a ‘feels too good to be true’ scenario–but for once I’d say, it’s not only true, it’s the beginning of something really rewarding. Trust yourself and your intuition, and enjoy.

New Moon in Virgo 14 September 2023: The Shock of Reality

11 Monday Sep 2023

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

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‘In the Magic Garden’ By Paul Klee 1926 {{PD}}

There’ll be an accounting, with this New Moon in Virgo (6:39 PM PDT of the 14th at 21 Virgo 58), one that lays out what really is, who owes what to whom, what resources are available to us, and what assets and assistance we’re lacking. It’s a point when we get things straight after a Venus retro period that was, in its own way, dazzling–as in Venus in Leo backtracking had us wrapped up in our own heads. We were meant to be Self-focused–but now it’s time to get some perspective, a nuts-and-bolts inventory of matters in general, and our emotional state in particular, that this New Moon promises to deliver.

Are we ready for this? The New Moon’s trine to Uranus in Earth signs says, no; the material world will easily present us with a shock, surprise, revelation, or needless rebellion (with this latter, perhaps us from the group, or the group from us!) that reveals our actual position. This will, by definition, be something we can’t anticipate. During the retro we were thinking about, mulling over, measuring our assets in all forms, and considering where this places us in our world–but now we find there’s something we missed, were unaware of, or didn’t count–and remember, this is coming ahead of the Mercury direction, so may push us to act or draw conclusions too early, when there are still things to be revealed.

Let’s call this an interlude when we gather information (or rather, it comes at us! Like it or not). And that trine to Uranus is it, in terms of relevant major aspects. I suspect, though, that our attention won’t really be on the New Moon energy, at least not immediately–we may instead be focused on Venus-Juno conjoined in Leo (an attention hang-over from the retro, perhaps) square Jupiter in Taurus (which of course has the potential to blow anything it touches out of proportion). This says we’re still preoccupied with our personal empowerment and our personal status, still trying to work out our appropriate place, our public standing.

Hello! Wake up! That’s over–at this point if continued it becomes navel-gazing, with a guarantee that you’ll miss important revelations if you continue to ponder a la Venus retro. The New Moon will deliver a status report, a clear accounting of where we are. No need to try to read the auguries–the info will be printed out, bullet-pointed, spreadsheeted, so–obvious, obvious, obvious–if we’re willing to look up and take in what’s happening/ shown us.

Also there’s Sedna, Vesta, Pallas at 00 (Sedna trine Pallas, Vesta square Pallas), and these are in various states of contact with Pluto and Ceres very late in Cardinals. This is a lot of ricocheting energy, predominantly Cardinal and Air, and some of us may find ourselves distracted by this, this anxious urge to do do do that dominates thought. What we need to see is that some things are ending (Pluto and Ceres as ways of doing, as forms of power expression) and some things are too new to their energies to be sure how to express (Sedna as an awakening of instincts and the surfacing of things we ‘know but don’t know’, Pallas as wisdom, practicality, and skills, Vesta as awareness of what we truly honor), and that means, again, that we still take time to consider, to look before we leap.

The New Moon Sabian is, ‘A Royal Coat Of Arms Enriched With Precious Stones’. A Coat of Arms is covered in shorthand, symbols, for identity–exactly how the Universe will inform each of us at this time as to what, precisely, we have and have become, using symbology that is familiar to us. Too, a Coat of Arms doesn’t represent just one person, but a group of them, related, somehow–so we’re back to that Uranian potential for our position in the group to be part of what we discover, part of what we now function under/ call ourselves/ identify with.

I want to mention what the Moon and then days later the Sun will contact, as a preview of possible near-future developments. That’s a quincunx to Eris-North Node in Aries, just as Moon, then Sun, opposes Neptune. This hints at tensions that crop up as we pursue our path–and then have to face an illusion, a challenged ideal, a creative or spiritual matter, that requires us to know ourselves (Aries) better than we probably do–because otherwise, where would the tension, the conflict, the challenge come from? The New Moon will introduce some facet of what we may face–so consider it getting a head start on what you’ll soon have to deal with.

Your Week Ahead + The New Moon in Taurus: The Right Magic

15 Monday May 2023

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Ambigram Magic Dream – mirror symmetry with a handheld pattern giving a reversed shadow on a blue wall. Photo By Basile Morin Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

I don’t think we should be looking at the upcoming New Moon (perfecting 19 May at 8:53 AM PDT at 28 Taurus 25) as a singular event; instead I see it as a moment made possible by the way these next few days flow into it. I’m seeing a chance for some to make dreams come true (Neptune-Mars trine), particularly in an area where crisis seems to dominate at the moment; I’m also seeing the possibility that, with the right attitude and moves, we can create an outcome that is more than the sum of its parts, giving the whole thing an aura of rightness and magic. So where should we be looking on the way to the New Moon that will make the best of the current influences?

First we note some crisis energies in play: Sedna in Taurus, and Mars in Cancer, both at 29 degrees. Sedna will actually be conjoined by the New Moon, and with these four bodies in sextile we have the base for a Finger of God. Though one doesn’t exist in the current picture, it may in the individual one, for those with a natal placement at 27 Sagittarius to 1 Capricorn. The Lunar event may act as either trigger or a conclusion that opens the way for a new beginning around our ability to access instincts and to act or choose according to those instincts or things we ‘know but don’t know’–or it may force action around something in our ‘blind spot’ that simply can’t be ignored any longer (and this may be something we aren’t aware of, but once revealed, may feel we should have known about)–and this is a condition everyone may face. For those who have a natal point forming the apex to a temporary Finger, the resolution of these actions and choices will have the character of the natal planet, and will be acted out via some combination of point energies, point House placement, or matters of the House that body rules.

With a New Moon in Taurus the senses are heightened (and this can be both pleasurable and off-putting, as in, for example, the case of ‘bad odors’ either literal or psychic, or as when you partake of a tasting menu that you’ll swear is the ‘best food you’ve ever eaten’), and this Moon brings new starts by way of realizations around material resources, artisanal pursuits, comfort, security, stability, and in matters where persistence is a necessity. Apply this, then, to the aspects the New Moon makes: to the sextiles already mentioned, making for intuitively or emotionally informed action and choice, to the Finger, if applicable, to an out-of-element trine to Pluto in Aquarius (changes may be bigger or more permanent than we realize at the time, made at an intellectual level, or in the name of modernization or in order to take one’s place in the avant garde), a semi-square to Venus, which rules the New Moon (we enter NM territory with the negative facets of relationships, finances, or values emphasized in our worldview), and another sextile, this one to Neptune in Pisces (illusion, delusion, creativity, or idealism influences the new start–and this is part of a Water Grand Trine involving Mars and Earth=emotions find stability and possibly expression through needed action to take things from the creative imagination and materialize them).

Mercury just turned direct, and Jupiter just entered Taurus, meaning that our lead-up to the New Moon will be full of ‘new’ information, facts, or revelations about subjects we already thought we knew well. The atmosphere may be one where we ‘want more’ and think we know how to get it–but success must take into account material realities and real-world circumstances, and if those are missing our efforts may be less than effective. There’s also a Grand Square which applies to the Moon via involvement of the Lunar South Node, and also involving Pluto, Jupiter, and Mars=long-term conflicts from the past may feel unsolvable, but in taking action and making changes that align with the facts we can break the impasse and, if not solve all the conflicts, at least reconstitute the issues in new forms that may be less toxic or persistent.

So where does the magic come from? A Mystic Rectangle of Sun-Moon-Sedna, Mars, Pluto, and Earth. We can use that fresh New Moon energy to move some pretty big energies around, ones that under other circumstances may make us feel tired just thinking about trying to alter or manipulate–but for this occasion, we have that wonderful Mystic Rectangle synergy that does the heavy lifting for us–and can result in the re-making of our efforts in ways that use intuition, feeling, and the senses to create a much more potent ‘flow’ than we normally could. Be aware, though, that these changes, if not permanent, will be significant and serious, so proceed with a clear and honorable intent.

The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘Two Cobblers Working At A Table’. The image suggests that our efforts might best be employed in areas where we already hold skills, especially ones that are practical and/ or call for cooperation. We also look at the Earth (it seems to flesh out the picture from its opposing viewpoint): ‘An Indian Squaw Pleading To The Chief For The Lives Of Her Children’. Here we see someone with less power pleading with someone who holds more power (maybe all power) not for sparing her own life but those of her offspring. It’s maternal altruism that may be in our DNA–imperative that our progeny survive, even if we don’t. And don’t mistake this for negotiation–for that both sides need to have some power–here only one does. This may suggest that the origins of our New Moon experience may lie in a situation where we either held all the power or none of it–and where one party or the other was hoping to further their cause, and perhaps to have an impact on the future. This symbol describes what leads us to the New Moon event–but it may have some long-ago origins, even in circumstances we’ve largely forgotten, until now.

Full Moon 7 December 2022: Say It!

05 Monday Dec 2022

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‘Conversation in the Jardin du Luxembourg’ By Vittorio Matteo Corcos 1892 {{PD}}

The Full Moon perfects at 8:08:08! PM PST at 16 Gemini 01, just 6 minutes from contact with retrograde Mars. Both Earth and Lunar energies are imbued with a Martian thrust that takes on a Geminian form; feelings may form ‘hot’ and just as quickly come out our mouths, go into print, or drive abrupt action, and we may find ourselves involved in a kind of challenge, one that tempts us to make our thoughts realities almost as soon as we have them. Mars’ retro status only encourages the ‘act now, think later’ atmosphere, and could mean we’re propelled forward before we even know we’ve had a thought (and this is especially a potential if this Full Moon is falling in your natal 12th House).

Is this a good thing, this spontaneity? Some people might equate it with following instincts–but then again, acting instinctively can be a life-saver in a crisis, but unnecessarily defensive or destructive in less dire circumstances, as our animal instincts tend to interpret everything as a wee-bit threatening. Currently Mercury, ruler of the Full Moon, is early in Capricorn, sesquiquadrate Uranus–uh-oh. Both are in Earth, their relationship suggesting a precipitous urgency to ‘make it real’, mostly out of a sense that things either must be controlled or shaped along practical lines–so for all the right reasons we may act–but we must remain aware that our thoughts and ideas may have more than a little Self-interest, ego, or aggression behind them, and may arise as much from fear (the sesquiquadrate) as anything else. This doesn’t inherently make those feelings or that sense of urgency wrong or bad, but does imply that if we’re not crystalline clear and as honest as possible with ourselves, we could create unintended consequences because so many subtle influences may be at work below the conscious level.

Aspects formed by the Full Moon include a semi-sextile to Uranus, a square to Juno, and a very wide trine to Saturn. Each echoes a part of the theme: spontaneity or loss of control, for good or ill (Uranus), a test of Self-control and our sense of empowerment (and this could involve discovery of ways in which we are or aren’t empowered, perhaps contrasting with what we previously thought), and it’s all firmly rooted in the present reality picture and current structure of things, specifically that which has been built on the past (Saturn). We can’t forget that much of Juno’s activity can arise from frustration, especially frustration over her own thwarted authority or from a feeling of disrespect, and a square is just that; there’s the possibility that vengeance (a Juno specialty) may come forward in a maelstrom of emotions–so again, the need for control and clarity, which we may find by staying grounded and aware of what is (Saturn).

Avoiding trouble requires we’re clear about what we want, and why we want it or want to do it. A Full Moon in Gemini urges us to come to conclusions, to ‘say it’, and in the moment those thoughts are likely to read as eminently logical and reasonable–but in the presence of Mars, and through the feeling filter of the Moon, this becomes tricky. Being clear about what we’re thinking means we’ll need to be clear on what we’re feeling, as well, and both must fit not just within the reality picture, but into what we hope to build in the future (Uranus), in order to be productive, positive, and what we actually intend.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘The Head Of A Robust Youth Changes Into That Of A Mature Thinker’. This emphasizes the message of the planets (that we’ll need to respond maturely), and maybe points to a place of vulnerability, offering us a clue as to where we might be most liable to jump to conclusions: those areas in which our thinking, communications, messaging, or emotional development might still have significant room for growth. This is probably related to one or more of the subjects of the House of the natal chart where the Full Moon falls for you, and this is without a doubt something, some area or weakness, of which you’re already quite aware. The image also suggests the Full Moon events offer opportunity for emotional growth, for moving forward in an area we may have long felt inadequate to address, or where we’ve felt behind our peers, developmentally. This can be a person or life area to which, beyond all logic and our normal behaviors, we respond in emotional, uncontrolled, off-the-charts ways; it can be a trigger, something that sets us off, and is probably something we’d dearly like to tame.

For a Full Moon we also look at the Sun, as generator of the Lunar light we’re trying to interpret. It’s ‘An Easter Sunrise Service Draws A Large Crowd’. So, a chance for renewal, even redemption–and in any case, our response will be something witnessed by many. Remember, Jupiter will still be poised in that last, tense degree of Pisces, stressing our hopes, our sense of optimism, what we can be sure we know, our beliefs, and our social roles/ position in the social arena–and some or all of these stresses can exercise their own kind of influence on our thinking, and so on our interpretations of the emotional landscape.

So, we should ‘say it’, or formulate the thought and do it, but in the saying and doing be sure our expression is creating the reality picture, and the future, we truly want.

Full Moon 9 October 2022: Who Are You, What Do You Feel?

07 Friday Oct 2022

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

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‘One Who Understands’ By Paul Klee 1934 {{PD}}

The Full Moon in Aries forms just after first Earth and then the Moon pass over Chiron–and that Chiron is involved in a T-square opposed Venus and square Pallas, begging the question: if that relationship or money thing was so smart, so practical, or such a good use of your skills, assets, or talents, why did it hurt? Or even more confounding, if it didn’t hurt. A Full Moon offers us answers, or at least endings, and in Aries those endings address the ‘I Am’, identity, and our choices and actions. We are likely to have laid at our feet revelation about how we’re processing emotionally some significant recent event–we’d be wise to examine it for the larger message, the one that makes a statement about who we are at our core, right now. Be prepared, as this will likely challenge who we think we are, or will bring into question our actual motivations for doing as we have.

Much of the action in the chart has already occurred by the time the Full Moon arrives, though we do have a few near-future contacts to look at that will reveal what comes next: a semi-sextile to Uranus, a sextile to Saturn, and a square to the Black Moon Lilith point. A sesquiquadrate to Hygeia at 00 Sagittarius and a loose novile to Juno round out the picture. What we have before us are minor shocks, surprises, or revelations that either present barriers or bring something previously only contemplated into our reality–and this brings conflict or discomfort, as we either must deal with what we’ve ignored or denied, or must face something that enrages us. The good news is if we accept our own role in things, and are willing to do something about what we see, we will be allowed grace and true good fortune in tackling it. One important point: if what you’ve been brushing aside is a health matter, it enters a new phase at this point–for good or ill, so this may be the signal to take a new approach in this area.

Here’s the temptation: to keep our eyes trained on that Venus, which opposition is already more than three degrees past once the Full Moon occurs. Looking behind us at that person, romance, partner, asset, reward, or financial circumstance will only distract us in the now; we’re meant to get the message about this, right now, but not to try and re-live, re-litigate, or re-vive.

Then we look to Pluto, stationed direct just a day before, and we may want to blame that dark energy bringing complete and utter change for what happens–but that would be inaccurate, as Pluto is simply standing still (stationary) and offering to point out just exactly where it really does hurt, or where you must make a clean sweep in order to move on. Check the natal chart for any points or bodies Pluto at 26 Capricorn may currently be aspecting: that’s where the real action is–the Full Moon is only about showing you who you’ve become, when you weren’t looking.

The Full Moon Sabian is, ‘Two Dignified Spinsters Sitting In Silence’. What’s your immediate reaction to that image? Do you think it’s sad and depressing, as if these women have missed out on life? Or do you see it as a bit of a triumph, one that has allowed these women to operate outside patriarchal society? Do you see them as independent or oppressed, quiet in peace or quiet in despair? It’s your Rorschach for current Lunar energies, and speaks of some emotional pattern you may need to question, or at least consider from another angle (and that’s so no matter your interpretation).

We also look at the bright engine of the Full Moon, the Sun: ‘A Retired Sea Captain Watches Ships Entering And Leaving The Harbor’. Here we each enjoy a certain distance (retired) from an area of expertise–and what are each of us experts in? In knowing ourselves, of course! We understand the progress we’ve made, and can see the consequences of our choices, with both Pluto and the Full Moon giving us a kind of progress report, a check-up on what we may need to handle next.

The Lunar event itself may be fiery or dull, but in some way shines a spotlight on something about ourselves we need to acknowledge and be aware of, in order to make the best choices we can.

Have a great Full Moon experience! ‘Tis the season for meteor showers–6-10th October the Draconids are visible in the Northern Hemisphere, the 20-21st the Orionids are visible in both hemispheres, and the Leonids fly by 17-18 November, visible in both hemispheres. Dates are for best sightings in the Seattle area, but apply generally by hemisphere as well.

New Moon in Cancer June 2022: Keeping It Real

26 Sunday Jun 2022

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Lunar Aspects, New Moon, Sabian Symbols

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Ferdinand du Puigaudeau {{PD}}

The New Moon perfects on June 28th at 7:51 PM PDT at 7 Cancer 22. There’s an interesting story here, told through a scattering of close aspects: an approaching conjunction of the New Moon factors (Moon and Sun) with the Black Moon Lilith point=what we really care about (Cancer) revealed through what enrages us, or what we have, for whatever reason (possibly need), ignored or denied; pay attention to vivid emotions at this time, as they’ll tell you what you’re invested in (and so what motivates your choices and actions). That’s always good information to have in the forefront of the conscious mind.

Sun-Moon opposes Earth (of course!) and forms a Cardinal T-square with Jupiter in Aries=the impulse is toward action, based on belief or ‘the facts’ as we see them, and the way we interpret them as not being served. The T tells us this may be tricky territory; think of how difficult things become when everyone is sure they’re in the right. It also signals an ‘individual vs. social order’ mentality that is all the tougher because the social arena is seen by the individual as essentially being on a crusade to impose their values–no wonder we’re upset.

The New Moon trines Vesta, and with generous orbs forms a Water Grand Trine with Hygeia=it may be infuriating, that everyone is attuned to their emotional reactions at this time, but it may be necessary, a healthy expression (no matter how provocative) that helps each of us attain an internal emotional balance. What we honor is recognized as important; a re-dedication of one’s intents and energies would be more than appropriate at this time.

We note a semi-sextile, only seven minutes past, formed by the New Moon and Venus in Gemini=with all this emoting and feeling going on, it’s obvious relationships will be affected, especially in the way we think about others in our circle. This may affect those networks that we’ve previously relied on for earning or other reward, so be prepared–nothing occurs without consequences at this time, described by the Saturn/ Eris-Mars sextile=real world results of choices and actions that stir, or arise from, strife. This sextile also catches Neptune at the midpoint=we’re either operating on ideals or fantasy, and it’s easy to mix them up–hence the rampant belief that each of us is in the right.

Forgiving orbs also give us a Fist of God, base of South Node square Saturn, apex New Moon=the past smacks right up against reality, and the discomfort caused launches New Moon beginnings. With the event in Cancer, those beginnings are likely to be simple changes of (or realizations about) feeling. Answers may be provided by the New Moon novile Pallas and semi-square the North Node=when we look clear-eyed at the difficulties our current choices may cause in the future, we’ll opt for the smart thing, the wise thing–so that’s a positive we should aim for. Also of note is Sedna at 29 Taurus, ramping up the perception that the material situation is at a crisis point. Try not to over-react. It may feel like an instinctual perception, and so be hard to override with the conscious mind, but the reality is this is just a perception–not a reflection of real circumstances–so relax a bit.

The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘A Group Of Rabbits Dressed in Human Clothes Walk As If On Parade’. I think this is a warning: don’t take on roles you don’t understand or ‘dress up’ the meaning of what you’re doing as other than what it is. Maybe it’s an admonition about humility, or maybe a prompt to ‘keep it real,’ rather than just parading around, thinking we’re right.

Full Moon in Virgo 2022: A Grand Earth Affair

16 Wednesday Mar 2022

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Fist of God, forecast, Full Moon, Grand Trine, Sabian Symbols

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‘Still Life with Cake, Lemon, Strawberries, and Glass’ By John F. Peto 1890 {{PD}}

Configurations are the focus with this Full Moon, and for once I won’t bury the lead: the Lunar culmination brings a shocking punch via a Fist of God, and an Earth Grand Trine with Pluto and Sedna; all this makes the wide opposition to Neptune, and the square to the Black Moon Lilith point, seem like a cake walk. (Have you ever actually participated in a cake walk? I thought it was a phrase meaning, no more difficult than eating a piece of cake–while walking?–but then was at a fair years ago, where there was an actual cake walk–and I won a cake! And then shared it with all my friends, right there at the fair, eating with our hands–only when you’re a teenager, right?)

The Full Moon perfects at 11:18 PM PST on the 17th at 27 Virgo 40–though perhaps surprisingly, not yet Void as it pulls away from Earth/ opposition to the Sun, as at culmination it will already be forming a Grand Trine with Pluto and Sedna, which are 30 and 38 minutes ahead, respectively. This suggests a balanced state of energies–but have we considered that this doesn’t necessarily mean peaceful? Balance can mean forces that are equally matched, like the pressure each leg of a tripod applies to the others–and that’s the case here. We see the Moon-Earth in Virgo (emotions, particularly critical ones, around practicality, accountability, and results), Pluto in Capricorn (expressions of power, destruction, transformation, or change around established systems, organizations, rules, authorities, and structures, figurative or literal), and Sedna in Taurus (instinctive knowledge of material matters, what we ‘know but don’t know’, ‘blind spot’ material, especially around what is or isn’t a necessity) exerting equal ‘push’–and this may either confer a sense of stagnation, that things will never change, or find us having to choose–which things will I support, which things allow, which things try to stop? The presence of Sedna suggests, no matter the effort we expend, our judgment may be off, skewed by a POV that omits certain facts (‘blind spot’ material). That means we may be making decisions that affect our world in big ways, in physical and organizational ways, and that we may be recognizing or refusing to recognize particular authorities (including ourselves, in our own lives), based on an incomplete or distorted picture.

Then we have the Fist of God (or Thor’s Hammer), with the Full Moon apex sesquiquadrate each side of a square between Venus in Aquarius and Uranus in Taurus. The punch comes from conflict between forward-thinking elements in relationships or finances, and inclinations toward keeping things the same by undermining updates, so to speak, through inciting chaos, rebellion (individually or in a group), or by refusing to present a reliable ‘face’, especially in matters of security or material need (that is, by being unreliable ourselves). This conflict creates emotional turmoil, via the actual impact on the material world (Virgo), especially in the distribution of rewards or goods (the ‘Harvest’ and accountability functions of Virgo).

Is the more forward-looking attitude ‘right’, or is it smarter to undermine what’s being labeled ‘progress’? I suppose that depends on your viewpoint; my thought is that if you balk at reforming, improving, modernizing, bringing the individual into line with group efforts, or at applying Higher Mind awareness to interactions or assets, then you need to be very clear why. Disruption and rebellion can serve a Higher Good–but too often we use these when we simply don’t want things to change, or won’t accept reality. So, an honest assessment of our own motives is in order, along with a careful examination of real-world circumstances. If there’s one thing that’s clear in the light of this Moon, it’s that real-world matters (the prominence of Earth signs) will be on the table at this time, in need of sorting and subject to our judgment of which matters are worth supporting/ pursuing.

The Virgo Full Moon’s opposition to Neptune and square to Black Moon Lilith forms a T-square that suggests the way to see clear of our illusions, to meet the creative impetus inherent in reality/ the Truth, is to be willing to face head-on those things that we or others/ the system have been ignoring, denying, or that have enraged us but which we’ve not acted upon. In its own way, this says the solution to the emotional tensions culminating at this Moon depend for resolution solely on our own ability to see reality, and our part in it, fully and completely, for what they really are.

The Sabian needs no explanation, I think: ‘A Baldheaded Man Who Has Seized Power’. The sense of this image that can apply to every one of our lives is this: the simple reason someone seizes power is because they don’t want anyone else to have any. It’s in the word ‘seize’, which tells us quite clearly it’s been grabbed, not handed over willingly. Look for the entity doing that, be totally honest with yourself about your own concerns and motives, and you’ll know exactly how to handle the days ahead.

We always look at the Sun for a Full Moon as well; its Sabian is, ‘A Fertile Garden Under The Full Moon Reveals A Variety Of Full-Grown Vegetables’. This tells us that something we ‘planted’ long ago, has, probably without our attention, reached maturity. Time for the harvest!

Notes for 2 February 2022

02 Wednesday Feb 2022

Posted by in current events in the sky, forecast, Retrogrades + Directions

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Yes, it’ll hit the fan today, just not this kind of fan! Pontes Collection of hand fans Poderospontes 2008 {{PD}}

Have you noticed the way the sh*t’s getting stirred today? Especially this morning, Pacific time. It sent me to my ephemeris–and guess what I saw? A tense little T-square made up of an opposition between Eris and Zeus, with an arm of stationary Mercury. Ow! Eris, if you’ll recall, doesn’t bring the chaos with her, but acts as a catalyst–and opposed Zeus, she’s stirring up ambitions and desires, and maybe making us aware of how we might not get what we want–so she’s indirectly taking away hope, and you know how reactive one can become, when it seems things will never get better.

Then there’s Mercury, squatting (as much as such a fleet body can), poised to change apparent direction, and so rubbing in a sense that time has stopped, or maybe just paused. It makes the mind a receptacle for (even a victim of) our internal discord, the ‘I’ve got nothing to lose’ stance, that comes when believing we’ll be denied. And that means that when we get what I’ll call ‘bad news’, we are sorely tempted to think it’s much more serious, much more a final ‘no’, than it is in reality.

Here, we woke up to a small tree in our yard cut down by the neighbor–and a ‘Golly! I didn’t know that happened’ feigned by her spouse, then a call from the plumber’s office–he wouldn’t be showing today, as he had a ‘family emergency’–but would come Friday–after Mercury’s direction the evening before (the plumber’s office didn’t note that, it’s my addition). And seemingly another leak sprung–that within an hour of discovery appeared to stop (we’re still monitoring that one).

So, if you had a morning anything like mine, here are a few tips: it’s all more transitory than it seems–things are ‘in the works’, though probably not yet in motion, which is appropriate to the end of a Merc retro cycle. Remind yourself that this is not the time to draw conclusions about the success or feasibility of your ambitions and desires–we definitely lack perspective right now. And look for common themes in what occurs; for us it’s been leaks/ water, suggesting emotions that are pushing out and need to be expressed.

Today through about the 6th the Sun and Saturn are close; that can give the reality picture a too-intense aura, making what is and what surrounds, supports, keeps us safe, or has authority over us feel much too harsh. And adding to the general kerfuffle is the sextile between Mars and Jupiter. Temper is overblown, optimism drives efforts, aggressive and ego energies are exaggerated in both expression and perception, and ‘too much’ may be the demand. If you’re having trouble sorting it, use this easy rule: if you think you need more/ bigger/ better, you don’t! It’s not that you shouldn’t have more, but that right now we’re prevented from perceiving clearly what it is we really do have–so until our vision clears (Friday) take it slow. Remember that liminal points, as bodies prepare to change direction, can create a great deal of pressure, and push us to do what we otherwise might not, in calmer times.