Category Archives: Full Moon

Full Moon 23 April 2024 A Kassandra Moment

22 Monday Apr 2024

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Waves at sunrise in Corniche (Sète, France) 2020 By Christian Ferrer
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0

The Full Moon perfects at 4:49 PM PDT at 4 Scorpio 18, trine Vesta, sextile Juno, semi-sextile Pallas, square Pluto (which happens to be conjoined the asteroid Kassandra, more on that later), and not touching much else. It’s a picture of deep change–things are either swept away forcibly or we are put in a position that leaves us little recourse but to eliminate, restructure, resurrect, or annihilate–and this occurs even as we witness our own positive control of our power (Juno), our effective dedication to what we care about (Vesta), and the benefits of our partnerships and cooperative efforts (this latter via Vesta and Juno energies as so often involving–even existing because of or in relation to–the Other, particularly our Significant Other). So, in many ways we are experiencing the harmonious impact of our own power expression, our effectiveness at impressing ourselves on others and our environment–and yet there’s a serious power matter or elimination (Pluto) to attend to, one that the Universe refuses to let us go forward without answering.

A Full Moon is an energy culmination, and presents the collective result of, in this case, efforts in Scorpionic areas or activities, and/ or in the subject areas of the House in the natal chart where the Full Moon falls. We get the results of previously ‘digging deep’; we may put the story together, discover something new that knits scattered evidence into a whole, or we may see the wisdom behind what was removed, destroyed, or forbidden and so understand why what’s happened has happened (the last a product of a loose semi-sextile of the Full Moon to Pallas).

Here’s the kicker: Pluto conjoined Kassandra suggests that the Universe delivers a tough (square to the Moon) moment or incident that offers Higher Mind understanding (Pluto-Kassandra in Aquarius), but we won’t believe what is revealed/ shared. Kassandra, you’ll recall, was a priestess with whom the Sun god Apollo fell in love (and the Sun is actually part of this equation, as it opposes the Moon-Earth and so fills in a T-square with Pluto-Kassandra). Apollo offered her the gift of prophecy, hoping to win her favor; she knew what he expected from this gift (so it wasn’t really a gift, right? It was payment), but once she received it she turned him down, incensing the god. What the gods confer they cannot take back–but they can affect the working of that gift. Outraged at her refusal of his suit, Apollo condemned Kassandra to be always right about what she foresaw, but never believed by others.

That’s a particularly bitter outcome, when we receive what we need to hear, know, or perceive, and yet we are unable to see the Truth of it; that’s exactly what we should expect here: deep, intense perceptions that we will judge to be incomplete or inaccurate. How do we answer that?

We may not accept the power situation and/ or knowledge presented, but we do have a clear, strong influence of Self-confidence and personal autonomy aligned with highest values and commitments (Juno, Vesta) that, if we’ll accept our own emotional Truth (those things we know because we feel their Truth deep within–Moon in Scorpio) we’ll be able to go round the misleading Pluto-Kassandra square and so effectively make the ‘right’ decision, do what needs to be done.

The Sabian for this Full Moon is, ‘A Massive Rocky Shore Resists The Pounding Of The Sea’. The reality of the moment is a rocky shore: ‘What Is’, heavily resistant to abundant and persistent emotional assault of waves of feeling and upset. This is the Full Moon square Pluto-Kassandra. The Sun, light-giver that we always examine at a Full Moon, has the Sabian, ‘A Widow At An Open Grave’. ‘Widow’ describes a particular status: receptive, anima energies without their balancing animus, doing energies. This implies our energies are lopsided: too receptive, too passive, too ready to accept the way things are, too accepting to demand answers, or to insist we must know what that grave is for (and note: there’s not necessarily any connection between the woman’s status and the fact that an empty grave is before her–if we find ourselves looking without and connecting externals to our own internal state, we may be drawing parallels where there are none).

The suggestion may be that, when it comes to the Full Moon scenario, we’re too likely to see ourselves as helpless in the face of greater forces (like death–and Pluto can certainly feel death-like), to perceive ourselves as all feeling, no action–which is never truly an accurate perception, is it? Abdicating our own part in things, remaining passive, is its own kind of action, its own choice. Maybe this reminds us that to see ourselves as subject to outside forces (even to see ourselves as victims) is to pretend we have no part in what’s happening, and that this perception denies our responsibility for our own lives, our own fates.

PS Though there’s been a lot written about this week’s Jupiter-Uranus conjunction, I thought it worth adding that this is an aspect of ‘The Big Big Picture’; that is, a coming together of immensities, of large groups or populations, of huge ideas and all-encompassing concepts, of philosophies and facts and urges toward independence, toward free thought and expansion, toward the kind of impetus for shifts and change that comes in surprising and overwhelming ways. We’re talking about societal moments, rather than individual ones–but we can’t over look the way the social order affects each of us, in uniquely individual ways. Look at the matters of the two Houses in the natal chart that are ruled by Jupiter and Uranus=that’s where you see personal movement, in a blending of their subjects, delivering a dynamic message. If the conjunction aspects something in the natal chart (no more than 3 degrees variation) that is likely to expand that energy and activate it in big, surprising, exciting ways. But of course, it won’t necessarily make a big splash in everyone’s week, or month, or year, and you shouldn’t feel badly if this week has been on the less revolutionary side for you. For many, it will be as if they’re riding a current that after this point flows, just slightly, in a new direction, with the energies acting as a background to more personal, more immediate, developments.

Lunar Eclipse in Libra 2024 The Power of the Feminine

20 Wednesday Mar 2024

Posted by in astrology, Full Moon, goddess energy, Lunar Aspects, Lunar Eclipse, Mercury retrograde, Sabian Symbols

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‘Portrait of Three Women’ By Charles Giron, before 1914 {{PD}}

The Lunar eclipse perfects just as the 24th becomes the 25th, 12 AM Pacific time (12:12:51, to be precise), but begins at 9:53 PM of the 24th and concludes at 2:32 AM. This is a penumbral eclipse, meaning the Earth, as it comes between the Moon and Sun, with all lined up on the ecliptic, will only block at portion of the Sun’s reflected light; that means the shadow itself may be hard to see, as the Moon will only appear dimmed from our vantage point here on Earth.

A Lunar eclipse is, always, a Full Moon, with eclipses occurring at points when the transiting lights are close to the Nodal axis points (the Nodes are determined by the points at which the Moon crosses the apparent path of the Sun). The opposition between Moon and Sun occurs at 5 Libra 07, with the Moon widely conjoined (but moving toward) the South Node and the Sun in Aries approaching conjunction with the North. There are only a few aspects to what I consider major bodies, so I played around with some of the named asteroids, a consequence of my computer failure and astro program then being unavailable, and my need to use other than my usual sources, a kind of serendipity, I suppose, that takes us on a female energy-oriented path expressed through this Lunar culmination.

Pallas in Sagittarius forms a sextile to the Lunar eclipse, suggesting that a matter of wisdom and/ or practicality will be part of what motivates our response to events; we find ways to answer what comes forward using our beliefs (which either shows their validity or shows their need for revision) or using our own knowledge and the facts at hand. The knowledge we have (or lack) is instrumental to both the source of the Full Moon event and its resolution. The opposing Sun is conjoined Hera (the Greek version of Juno) in Aries, suggesting a kind of Solar power (that is an animus-aligned, ‘doing’ power) displayed by the goddess, the queen of Mt. Olympus and all the gods–but a queen known for her response to being disrespected by her husband-king. She gained a reputation for enraged vengeance–but how can we blame her, as her actions arose from a sense of powerlessness within her particular situation? So perhaps we should ponder where in our own lives are we in a position where we should be able to exercise real power and choice, but are prevented from it, by uncooperative partners or others who don’t respect us.

The eclipse also forms a wide trine to Pluto in Aquarius, which itself happens to be conjoined Psyche. Again, we see a kind of victim motif, one where we’re being ‘kept in the dark’, as Psyche was by her husband Eros (Pluto as the dominating, ‘dark’ male, the one with the power to destroy, change, or control. See a theme here? I think it’s ‘The partner who exerts power by disregarding and disrespecting, with a little gaslighting thrown in!’ And with Pluto involved, this may feel like an intense, life or death situation). Eros is at 16 Taurus, conjoined Jupiter with both quincunx the South Node and sextile Venus in Pisces, forming a Finger of God–and Venus is Eros’ mother, the one who both instigated the string of events that inadvertently brought Psyche and Eros together, and the one who views Psyche as a rival, as she not only took away Eros’ attention, she was as beautiful as Venus, validated by Zeus when he made Psyche immortal and allowed her to taste the Ambrosia of the gods.

Add to this that Cupido–Cupid is the Roman name for Eros–is in Cancer, sextile Juno, quincunx Pallas, and square the Lunar eclipse, suggesting that how much the partner cares will figure in to how smart their response to the scenario will be. In this myth, Venus displayed some of those negative Venusian traits: jealousy, envy, vindictiveness, aimed at the mortal who dared to replace her (speaking from Venus’ viewpoint). So, we have a dynamic energy in play that mirrors at least some of the eclipse energy: exaggerated passions/ sense of ownership, control of the partner, ‘rights’ and privileges trampled and conferred, and secrecy (Jupiter-Eros) combines with jealousy or envy, or possibly beauty or reward/ value (Venus) to create a familiar partnership, relationship, or Arts-oriented situation from the past (South Node in Libra).

If an eclipse is a wipe-out energy, we may wonder why it’s returning us to something already lived. We can’t forget that Merc is due to retro on 1 April, with the Solar eclipse due a week later; the turnaround of Mercury will occur in Aries and remain there for the entire 3 weeks, and this happens to be the sign of the Lunar Sun and Solar eclipse. That points us toward a larger theme of reconsidering ourselves, our Self-image and Self-concept, our actions, choices, and motives, about who we are and how we think about ourselves, with the Lunar eclipse a kind of kick-off point for the journey, where we start by considering our partnerships or other alliances, and what they may impose on us.

A few more interesting tidbits: Sappho is conjoined Pallas and so sextile the Lunar event=passion, and passion for the Arts, align us with what’s wise at this point, though we can too easily tip into potential Self-sacrifice, if we take things at a dramatic (that is, exaggerated) level. Nobody needs to throw themselves off a cliff, no matter how nasty the relationship with the partner reveals itself to be. Circe is quincunx the eclipse from Pisces=Circe is the enchanter of men, who rather ruthlessly turned them to pigs, in a part-punishment, part humiliation that allowed her to keep total control. I think we need to see this not as a woman seeking power over men (though that’s definitely part of the context), but as someone in a traditionally disempowered role (that of a woman) calling the shots and then going a teensy bit overboard. This harks back to Hera, to the attempt to right wrongs (or at least to extract a measure of vengeance and satisfaction for oneself). I’m seeing this as a kind of warning, an admonition: extremes won’t give us the satisfaction we desire, and ultimately, won’t give us what we want (remember, Odysseus and at least some of his men escaped Circe’s domain). And we see Diana, Huntress and goddess of the Moon, sextile the Lunar eclipse from Leo=here’s an example of a woman empowered in herself, as an individual force. She’s a specific kind of Nature goddess, one who reigns over animals, the woodland, and fertility, with her Lunar association suggesting she is tuned in to the rhythms of both natural and planetary cycles. Her role here might be to remind us that our expressions of power are most effective in the right context–that is, in the areas and roles where we best ‘fit’ in life. That requires of us a good understanding of who we are, and what we are adept at–as always, knowing ourselves is more helpful than almost anything else.

A final contact, and maybe the most important one, is a sesquiquadrate of Uranus to the Lunar eclipse. Uranus rules the transiting Pluto position, that dynamic, dark force in the current Lunar equation, and promises the unexpected, the unanticipated, the shocking, the surprising, the revolutionary and revelatory, coming from difficult or unpleasant facets (the sesquiquadrate) of this event. Brace yourself for new, forward-oriented, innovative aspects to figure in, even to seemingly come out of nowhere, at this time.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘A Man Watches His Ideals Taking A Concrete Form Before His Inner Vision’. This is about seeing those vague spiritual and creative ideals we carry inside take on a physical form that we can then use to translate them into the world. If we can see it clearly with the inner eye, we can make it happen in a way that materially impacts the world, simple as that. The Sun Sabian is, ‘A Square, With One Of Its Sides Brightly Illumined’. The thing about squares is that each side is exactly the same as the others; it’s their sense of absolute equality among the parts that draws our attention–so what does it suggest when one side is illuminated? We might observe that some gain the spotlight even when they seem no different than anyone else–but we should look again; they are successfully ‘shining’, precisely because the role they are playing completely fits their assets, talents, and abilities. This harks back to our consideration of the ‘Diana’ energy, a knowing who we are that surpasses any ‘shape’ others may want us to take. This eclipse gives us myriad examples of power expression of the anima, ‘being’ energy–it’s up to us to choose carefully among them.

Sorry there’s no chart this time. I’m working on it!

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.

Full Moon in Cancer 26 December 2023: Ripe With Feeling

22 Friday Dec 2023

Posted by in astrology, Full Moon, Sabian Symbols

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‘Still Life with Ripe Fruits’ By Josef Lauer 1870 {{PD}}

The Full Moon perfects at 4:33 PM PST of the 26th at 4 Cancer 58. A Moon-ruled Full Moon promises that a feeling state ripens and reaches its most complete point; it can also bring feeling states to a head, and so expose the depths of our caring, our complex emotions, and our wounds. Intuition may be fulsome, and also irrelevant, as everything we would otherwise sense is on display–we don’t have to parse the vibes, everything is right in front of us. There are almost 7 degrees between the Full Moon and Vesta, with the Moon and Earth having left Vesta long ago enough that this may describe the past that brought us to this present Full Moon moment: we’ve just been considering what really matters to us, what we’re dedicated to, whether our life investments of time and energy truly reflect our priorities, et voilà, the Full Moon delivers the emotional impact of these musings, and then some.

When it perfects the Full Moon is still within trine of Saturn in Pisces, suggesting the reality picture puts its two cents into the feeling formula; expect to see the results of emotional decisions in real-world circumstances, but also be aware of the potential for suppression of that awareness, especially if we are either in the midst of reaching for a dream, or if we’re unwilling to see what is without our rose-colored glasses. That means there’s the chance for internal clashes, as feelings try to surface, try to make themselves known, and we resist or deny–and of course, that’s possible for those with whom we must deal, as well.

‘Ripe Wheat’ c1353–1336 B.C. New Kingdom, Amarna Period
Dynasty 18, Reign of Akhenaten

The Full Moon is also sextile Jupiter and semi-square Uranus, both in Taurus, implying that emotions are easily exaggerated, and that optimism is easy to come by, especially when it’s focused on our material state and surroundings, but even these good feelings can wield a sharp edge: we may be shocked or surprised by the actual state of our comfort or prosperity, if the Full Moon reveals it to be other than we believe (and this could be a positive thing–or could plunge us into Uranian chaos). Too, we may become aware of how much the group and our place within it affects our standing and our sense of positivity. A steep learning curve for some, but an important re-orientation to real-world circumstances. Expect to see an even bigger reveal around the 31st, when Jupiter leaves stationary retrograde status and resumes direct motion once again; that promises that either ‘the facts’, or our beliefs, will be undeniable.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘At A Railroad Crossing, An Automobile is Wrecked By A Train’. This image may be emphasizing the Uranian shock or surprise factor, and suggests that the impact of Lunar events is bigger than we anticipate, shown by Jupiter. It’s easy to write off emotions as something we don’t have to pay attention to, or that is something only happening inside of us, but in this case, it doesn’t seem we’ll have a choice: Emotions will hit big, jarringly, and will translate directly into our surroundings and our world, probably through actions or decisions that are prompted by those feelings. Whatever it is, it ‘wrecks’ a particular way we’ve been moving forward, and this happens specifically because we’re stalled at just the point where other, larger forces move through.

I suspect those larger forces will be explained by the Sun’s Sabian: ‘Indians On The Warpath. While Some Men Row A Well-Filled Canoe, Others In It Perform A War Dance’. This is an image of like individuals working together, prepared and ready to strike or otherwise aggress, in order to get what they want. Any situation like that for you? If you are one of the aggressors, you’ll be making your move–and if not–makes me think of the old joke: Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean people aren’t out to get you! It seems any blow to our forward motion is perpetrated very deliberately, by those with an agenda. I imagine the Full Moon energy simply offers the emotional impetus for them to act, and like it or not, we’ll receive the impact.

The good part of all this is that we will definitively know where we stand–and that means with post-Lunar events we’ll be equipped to move forward wiser and more aware, especially in our knowledge of who to trust, who and what to care about.

Full Moon in Gemini 27 November 2023: Until We Perfect Time Travel . . .

25 Saturday Nov 2023

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

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‘Time Traveler’ Raku ceramic piece, first shown at Artsight Gallery, Coral Gables 2013. Provenance: Private collector, Miami, Florida

Aimeeperezsculptor

Free Art License

The Full Moon perfects at 1:16 AM PST of the 27th at 4 Gemini 51, and we’re still seeing the influence of the Sagittarian Sun, Ceres, and Mars combined, now in opposition to the Lunar event–which means, all that identity and ego assertiveness, all that testing of one’s authority and right to do and be, creates an emotional reaction, with the Full Moon bringing it from the unconscious to conscious awareness. And what is that emotional response? It’s cerebral, but in that surface way that works things out by talking about it, chatting with others, sharing information, and just generally connecting with the minds and thinking that surround us. At the same time, it’s tempered by a wide conjunction of the Moon-Earth to Sedna, which is poised at the critical 29th degree of Taurus. That adds instinct, even what we might term ‘animal instinct’, to the mix, brings forward what we ‘know but don’t know we know’, and, probably suddenly, makes available ‘blind spot’ material that we’ve likely been struggling to access (especially so if we’ve sensed something there, just on, to mangle a phrase, the tip of our minds).

So, it’s a Lunar event of revelation, if we define revelation as gleaning knowledge from intense interaction with our environment that manages to shake loose and make accessible information both inner and outer in form. The Sun-Moon axis forms a loose Grand Cross with squares to Saturn, spanky new in Pisces, and Black Moon Lilith in Virgo, suggesting that, when the emotional reaction to the identity and ego efforts occurs, a simultaneous cross-current will form pitting an illusive or spiritually-tinged or creative reality picture against matters we’ve been ignoring, denying, or that have enraged us. The result is Self-recrimination, for all that we (theoretically) could’ve done in the past to get us closer now to where we’ve been wanting to go. We may berate ourselves for not having known better, or worked harder, earlier–but let me just say, that’s water under the bridge. Know that you had your reasons, that you handled things the best you could’ve at the time; we can’t expect ourselves to have performed in the past with the knowledge or mentality we have in the present. It’ll be a different situation when we perfect time travel–until then, understand we’re all operating at maximum (even when it doesn’t appear so to others!)

The Full Moon also forms a sesquiquadrate to Venus in Libra. This may make some relationships on which we rely feel uncomfortable; the Love may be hard to see, the value of the interaction so indiscernible we may feel alienated from what’s usually a steady source of partner support, emotionally and/ or financially. Don’t fret–it’s temporary, with the function of throwing our attention back on what we really can control: ourselves. That’s where the action is, right now, though that carries its own problems, namely some uncertainty as to whether we are smart enough, wise enough, or practical enough to handle what’s before us (quincunx to Pallas). Never fear; we are equipped, and here’s how we handle it. Use as guides two things: the chosen life direction, the way you have been intending to move forward, regarding that plan as not just legitimate but inspired (and this should include any modifications you now want to make that spring from newly-learned material), and second, accept that difficult reactions that come from others in answer to your actions and choices are only revealing feelings that were always there, just kept out of sight, usually because the other got some kind of advantage as long as your choices complemented their wants. See this as something you needed to know, and move on–dwelling on it won’t take away the somewhat sour taste of discovering a particular friend is only conditionally supportive, after all (novile NN and Eris).

The Sabian fits, and really needs no elaboration: ‘A Revolutionary Magazine Asking For Action’. In this case, the revolution is likely an internal one, aligning us more closely with our own newly discovered desires and direction, as has been stirred by the Sun, et al, with the Full Moon our emotional response to it. For the Full Moon we always look at the Sun’s Sabian, as well: ‘An Old Owl Sits Alone On The Branch Of A Large Tree’. This echoes the Pallas contact, since the owl is Pallas Athena’s symbol. We’ll feel alone, we may worry that we are inadequate to the task, especially when it comes to making smart choices–but this symbol hints that it’s in the space when we are alone that we can come to know our own mind, and what’s wise for us, most easily.

I plan on bringing back the Word Image–not today, because we have these Sabians to ponder–but with my next post. Have a wonderful Full Moon week!

Lunar Eclipse 28 October 2023 Sacred Senses

25 Wednesday Oct 2023

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

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Incense in Vietnam Vietsui Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

The Lunar eclipse (otherwise known as a Full Moon) perfects at 1:24 PM PDT of the 28th at 5 Taurus 09. This promises emotional revelations or conclusions about the material world, to the senses, around the appetites, in the comfort or security situation, or endings to what we rely on, or to what soothes us. The thing is, this lunar event makes only a few contacts, which can sometimes confer a kind of nebulousness to proceedings, making the bodies the Moon does interact with seem more immediate, more in-your-face, more fraught as we seek meaning within some narrow avenues.

The Moon and Earth for this event oppose the Sun, of course, which is just about a week past Superior Conjunction with Mercury–that may give us the sense that the shoe has already dropped, that we already know what we need to know, that nothing else is coming–with the FM trining Juno-Black Moon Lilith in Virgo=we feel (the Moon) that the accounting’s been done (Virgo), that we’ve done our due diligence, have faced what was hidden or ignored (BML), that roles are assigned and our reach and empowerment parameters are clear (Juno)–but the eclipse comes along and says, Hold on–the material circumstances need rearranging–nothing’s settled, yet.

The Full Moon is sextile Vesta, imbuing all that occurs under this Lunar light with a sense of dedication, of the need to honor or to regard as sacred–and that can make us careful with how we handle things, which is good, or make us overly reverent in matters we’d be better off seeing in a harsher, more direct light. The eclipse also noviles Neptune and is in loose sesquiquadrate with Venus–and it’s really these two ‘minor’ aspects that will sing, and may in fact spark each other: will it be a bit of creative genius that takes us on a difficult or unexpected path relative to Art, to relationships, or to finances/ assets, or will it be that trouble with creative output, interactions, or money leads us to a creative or spiritual breakthrough? Either way, this is what we gain from the eclipse, as old conditions around these matters are wiped out–the only question is, will we be too distracted by practical considerations, details and accounts, or too focused on who holds what power, to grab the inspiration tackling some Venusian difficulty can offer?

The Sabian for the Full Moon eclipse is, ‘Cantilever Bridge Across A Deep Gorge’. Events at this time provide a ‘way across’ in some situation that may have up to now appeared impassable. The Sun’s Sabian is, ‘ The Gold Rush Tears Men Away From Their Native Soil’. This may describe the difficulty that will lead to creative or spiritual bounty; the price we pay is that we lose/ leave what’s familiar.

There are some things unrelated to the eclipse that I think may figure in. There’s this Martian energy in the air–aggressive, pugnacious, forward, assertive, consumed with doing–as the Sun will soon conjoin Mars and the Moon and Earth oppose it, with Moon and Earth meeting Jupiter at about the same time, exaggerating everything–and we have Eris and the North Node (a marker of the Moon’s extremity) closely conjoined in Aries=the way into the future is directly through facing any strife or buried tension. We can’t ignore it, if we want to make progress. Then there’s a sextile between Venus and Ceres, with both inconjunct Chiron in Aries, forming a Finger of God=the power situation, individually and in relationships, when dealt with will bring a certain amount of responsibility to heal at an individual level–only we can do it–and if responsibility is abdicated, those interactions become a vehicle for hurt. Self-responsibility, then, is background to successfully using eclipse energies to their fullest, and key to control–and we all want a little more of that, right?

 

Full Moon in Aries 29 September 2023 The Courage to Chart Our Own Course

24 Sunday Sep 2023

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

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Are you going to trust yourself, or listen to some guy who’s pointing? Pilot Officer J H Smythe of Sierra Leone, a newly-qualified navigator, being instructed in the use of the sextant by an instructor at No. 11 Operational Training Unit, Westcott in Buckinghamshire, 1 August 1943. CH10740.jpg {{PD}}

The Full Moon perfects at 2:57 AM PDT of the 29th at 6 Aries 00, forming a loose T-square with an arm of Vesta in Cancer and opposed by the Sun and Pallas, together in Libra; the FM also sesquiquadrates a close conjunction of Venus and Juno in Leo, and quincunxes Ceres in Scorpio. Is there such a thing as a subtle hit with a hammer, a gentle punch in the face? That’s what we’re likely to get in some form, with the aggressive Self assertion of Cardinal Aries taking a Lunar (and so emotion-fueled, nebulous, fleeting, changeable) state. The tension comes from what we care about, are dedicated to, are committed to (square to Vesta), with the challenge presented by Self interests (Aries), probably of a material or security-oriented nature (Moon conjoined Earth), as they face off against the interests of others (Libra). The thing is, others may have the current zeitgeist on their side (Sun), and may have the advantage of seeming wise or practical (Pallas), in contrast to the I Want of the individual–but what we need to know is, that doesn’t make others’ interests more ‘right’, more important, or a better choice for us personally than our own.

We’ll need courage and confidence to face an atmosphere that is filled with the message, “We know what’s best for you.” That comes if we can live with and function beyond the discomfort (the sesquiquadrate) of Venus-Juno (empowerment via the anima energy, that of aligning ourselves with our receptive essence, a Beingness rather than a Doingness, in sync with Love rather than Duty) and the irritation (the quincunx) generated within us by authorities (or those who think they’re authorities!) with nominal dominion over our world.

The Venus-Juno combo is of particular importance, as being located in Leo reinforces autonomy; that is, if we can locate our own sense of being responsible for and capable of running our own lives, we can tap that courage and surety needed to follow what Luna calls us toward, rather than what everyone else thinks we should do. And what does this Full Moon promise? A path forward, a way to achieve what we want, that is truly resonant with our core spirit. It offers us an individual emotional yardstick by which to measure our need to do or be certain things, and in the process, shows us the only permission we need is our own approval of what we’ve chosen; all we have to do is be willing to be responsible for those choices.

Note too that Venus-Juno is square Uranus in Taurus and sextile Mars-Zeus in Libra. That tells us that a sudden twist or difficulty isn’t an impediment, it’s a necessary part of getting us to go in the right direction (and again, that direction is unique to us, probably at odds with the group), while with the appropriate spirit of cooperation or partnership, the correct support, our energy combined with others will set us on the path of fulfilling ambitions. It’s about finding those who truly support us and our efforts, as opposed to those who merely see us as players in their dramas. Remember, too, that there are others who’ll look to you for this support in their lives–don’t be too busy chasing your own dreams to help them, as well.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘A Square, With One Of Its Sides Brightly Illumined’. The thing about a square is that all sides are equal–and this may be the message of the Full Moon: it’s time for you to shine, while still remembering others have just as much worth as you. It’s a ‘First Among Equals’ situation, with each person’s uniqueness honored, and given a time to shine, even as we recognize all are entitled to a moment in the Sun. The Sun’s Sabian for this Full Moon is, ‘A Man Watches His Ideals Taking A Concrete Form Before His Inner Vision’. This might be the atmosphere: one of anxiousness, as each of us sees certain ideals (or fears) materializing–that may be the tension that makes some reach out, try to control others, entreat them to take the ‘safe’ option–but only the individual can decide what should be risked, what they must do.

Full Moon 30 August 2023: A Period of Adjustment

28 Monday Aug 2023

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‘Morning Fog’ By Jasper Francis Cropsey 1854-55 {{PD}}

The Full Moon perfects at 6:35 PM PDT of the 30th at 7 Pisces 25, and it makes only a handful of aspects: a quincunx to Juno in Leo, a sesquiquadrate to Zeus-Ceres in Libra, and a novile to Pluto in Capricorn. That’s a goodly amount of Cardinal energy working on a Watery, nebulous Lunar energy infused with a fiery bit of egoism–and all of it through the more subtle mechanisms of less pronounced aspect relationships. That makes the events surrounding the lunation emotion-heavy and personally focused to a greater degree than usual.

A Full Moon brings to culmination some matter either related to the sign in which it occurs, or to the matters of the natal House where it falls, with specifics added by any close aspects it makes to natal placements. That specificity is why a general overview only goes so far (and, I think, contributes to the idea, fed by those familiar only with Sun sign horoscopes, that astrology is superstition, rather than what it really is, a language–one we’ve barely begun to decipher–through which the Universe itself communicates).

The Full Moon in Pisces promises endings related to illusions, delusions, dreams, ideals, or a creative effort (and the fact that it’s the second Full Moon of the month, termed a Blue Moon, really doesn’t matter–the movements of the planets–to include the tilt and orbit of the Earth around the Sun–are Nature’s calendar, not a man-named month). As we know, endings don’t arrive solo–they always contain the seeds of the next thing (or at least, they make space for it, with surrounding energies poised to fill that vacuum we hear so much about Nature abhorring).

The quincunx to Juno gives us our theme: personal empowerment. Something about what occurs shows us how we must adjust (the quincunx) to keep or enhance our ability to direct our own life and make our own choices. It’s fueled by Fire (Juno in Leo), probably making us feel we must do something, even though the matter is perceived through the emotions and intuition in a direct pipeline from the Universe (Moon in Pisces), and so may demand we process it thoroughly, as much as it calls for action. Feeling strongly the impetus behind the Creative (Pisces) may only add to our sense that we need to actively address matters, with the sesquiquadrate to the pairing of Zeus-Ceres in Libra entangles events and the issues they stir with ambitions and level of personal authority we enjoy in relationships–where we see those need adjustment, too (the sesquiquadrate).

Think of what happens around this Moon as a fact-finding opportunity where we are quite naturally able to interpret creative and effective solutions or approaches; then the challenge becomes having the courage to make permanent, irrevocable transformation or change, or to eliminate something that has outlived its time in our sphere (aspect to Pluto). We should be assured that our ideas of how to respond with power and grace are inspired ones (the novile). That means there’s nothing to be afraid of–and that if we don’t make the needed changes, Pluto will reach out and start trimming and shaping without our consent.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘A Girl Blowing A Bugle’. So this is a call to action, mustering our creativity in service to our ideals and imagination. The Sabian for the Sun, giver of light, is, ‘A Five-Year-Old Child Takes A First Dancing Lesson’. This image suggests we may feel we’re beginning at the beginning, likely in terms of what fills the void left by what the Full Moon ends or eliminates; that can be frustrating and even discouraging, but only if we are judging ourselves with a big ‘should’ that says we must be further along, further developed, on this particular path. That’s an attitude that will drain us and is guaranteed to stop progress. I suggest we abandon our ‘shoulds’ and our ideas around where we must be in life according to our judgments about age and skill, and instead embrace this new thing as a child would: seeing it as a new world to explore, a place of opportunity, and for the older among us, a reminder that ageless living (that is, living life without constant reference to one’s biological age, and all the shoulds that accompany that) really is the ideal.

Some of you may question why I’ve not included the wide conjunction to Saturn that the Full Moon makes–in my opinion, it’s too far past to ‘speak’ within the Lunar picture. It does suggest a situation that restricts one’s freedom, license, or creativity, or some sort of restriction or denial, leads up to the Full Moon event, probably making us aware of a way in which we’re not being fulfilled, with the FM bringing home emotional impact of this, and then making clear what must change in order to move closer to our desires, or to achieving our ambitions (sesquiquadrate to Zeus). The potential novile to Chiron is also a bit too wide–suggesting that hurt feelings aren’t necessary, so if you see any displayed, they may be more of an indulgence or attempt to manipulate.

Special note for those with placements between 6 and 9 Libra: that adds this natal energy as base, with Juno in Leo, to a Finger of God with the Full Moon as apex. This suggests your empowerment quandary will precede the Full Moon, that the Full Moon will bring an emotional result that illuminates the ways in which the expression of that natal energy is or isn’t calling its own shots. This is likely to impact your identity and your relationships (Leo, Libra)–so proceed with that in mind.

Have a wonderful Full Moon!

Full Moon in Aquarius 1 August 2023: Anger or Action?

31 Monday Jul 2023

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‘Racing’ By Gerald Sargent Foster 1934 {{PD}}

The Full Moon perfects at 11:31 PDT on the 1st at 9 Aquarius 15, and makes very few aspects, the closest being a quincunx to Pallas in Virgo, setting a tone of adjustment and an atmosphere of critical discernment, and all of it arising from our own inner wisdom or from practical considerations or exercise of skills. We see what’s not working, and know that adjustment is the right thing. What comes to a head at this time creates a response in us that doesn’t allow us to remain as we have been–and this is so whether our feeling is one of temperament/ anger/ aggression or action/ expression of Will–and it will be some version of one of those two.

That reactive and active response to Full Moon energies is indicated by the quincunx to Mars that will complete within hours for the Moon, and days for the Earth, suggesting feeling or intuition precedes physical effects. Our initial reaction may be anger, a feeling that we need to stand up for ourselves, but as we often find, that response can hide fear, or mask a defensive posture with righteousness, a ‘How dare they?’ position. Rather than go with our first reaction, we may want to hold back, use that moonlight to look deeper into our feelings. Whatever causes this, we’ll see it coming–and that means we have a little time to make our response reasonably conscious, and so shape what might otherwise have been an impulsive outburst or choice.

Simultaneous to the Mars aspect, the Moon-Earth also squares Jupiter, implying that our Full Moon response either brings conflict over the facts, makes knowing in any sense related to the real world or the social order difficult, sees us at odds with the social sphere, and/ or renders attempts to expand or ‘get more’ tough, if not impossible. This may be the aspect that tells us why we must adjust our response, and maybe also is that thing we should plan ahead for, inspecting our feelings or what we intuit so that our answer to Jupiterian conflict (which can be the clash between two strong entities that carry differing agendas) genuinely reflects the choice we’d make that’s steeped in our ideals, in hopes of creating an ideal situation.

The Full Moon makes one other aspect, a trine to Ceres, that with very generous orbs could be seen as part of an Air Grand Trine involving Vesta. This emphasizes the way much of what occurs surrounding this Moon will be mental in nature–that is, all in our heads! That doesn’t mean that our experience isn’t ‘real’, it instead means that so much of the discord and frustration is seated in either the way in which we’re processing incoming info, or the viewpoint we’ve taken (and possibly mistaken for objectivity). We see this in the Full Moon Sabian: ‘A Man Who Had For A Time Become The Embodiment Of A Popular Ideal Is Made To Realize That As A Person He Is Not This Ideal’. Revelation, courtesy of the Aquarian Higher Mind, probably delivered by the social experience (Jupiter) or through realization of our own agency (Mars). It’s as useful to us to know what we’re not, as it is to know what we are; such knowledge can only help us refine our journey.

We also look at the Sun Sabian for a Full Moon, as we owe it all to the Sun, don’t we? ‘Early Morning Dew Sparkles As Sunlight Floods The Field’. The ‘day’ is fresh, newly arrived, our prospects are sunny, what lays before us is wide open. That’s an image of optimism and brand spanky new starts–so we might do best to see the Full Moon energies as offering a chance to refine ourselves and our lives more in line with what Higher Mind (Aquarius) intends. Take any feedback that comes at this time in this way and you’ll benefit exponentially. That future contact to Ceres and Vesta only reiterates the dual message of this Moon: it’s about the accuracy of our sense of agency and personal authority, and the level and kind of dedication we commit to around our highest values, and how these shape and become integral to not just telling our story, but to living it as successfully as possible.

Full Moon 3 July 2023: One Better

01 Saturday Jul 2023

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‘Guitar on the Table’ By Juan Gris 1915 {{PD}}

The Earth and Moon will be just separating from trines to Jupiter when they meet to perfect a Full Moon, on the 3rd at 4:38 AM PDT at 11 Capricorn 18. As we all know, eleven is one better than ten, typically the highest point on the scale, and just leaving that Jupiter aspect–well, we’re probably at a high point or just coming down from one, emotionally or in the social sphere, marking a solid, possibly real-world accomplishment–and those with a natal placement between roughly 8 and 13 Virgo may find this Full Moon brings serious fulfillment, maybe on a large scale.

The rest of us may have a more subtle experience, perhaps getting a lesson on (or even being forced into) taking wise action or making ‘the smart move’ (Mars-Pallas in Leo sesquiquadrate Moon-Earth), or seeing the power of caring words or the impact of feeling on thought and identity (Moon-Earth opposed Mercury-Sun). A Full Moon can bring conclusions, the summing up of an emotionally tinged period that stretches back weeks or even months before, and this can arrive as much in quiet realization as it can in dynamic events.

A few other things to note: Pluto is back in Capricorn at 29 degrees and retrograde–my sense of this is a re-visiting of crises or darkness we thought we’d dealt with but that is now doing its best to hide from us–because if we could detect it we could deal with it, truly eliminating the upset once and for all–and yet it’s just not time to wipe the slate clean in the areas of change, transformation, in areas of mystery and delving deep, not yet–we’re not ready, even though we think we are.

And then there’s the way Pluto and Neptune sextile each other, forming the base of a Finger of God with apex Pallas=this offers us an oblique way to process at least some of the powerful Plutonian charge, by mixing liberally with creative energies, ideals, and making change informed by spiritual beliefs–that’s the way to institute practical change or put wisdom into practice (Pallas), the Finger making for one of those instances where the outcome is bigger than the sum of its parts.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘An Illustrated Lecture On Natural Science Reveals Little-Known Aspects Of Life’. This points to our gaining life knowledge from what occurs, that this is both natural (as in part of Nature, or part of our nature), and that it will be right in front of us, illustrated somehow in what we see or in our surroundings. That’s reassuring–all we need to be is reasonably attentive to what goes on–the meaning of it will be apparent. It brings to mind a quote from Franz Kafka: ““You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait, be quiet, still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.”

We also look at the Sun, giver of light, for a Full Moon: ‘A Chinese Woman Nursing A Baby Whose Aura Reveals Him To Be The Reincarnation Of A Great Teacher’. This suggests that what is being nurtured right now is in an early stage, not to be judged in its present state, but to grow into the logical result of all it has been in the past, combined with what is being added to it now. A reminder that nothing comes out of nowhere–it all has origins, all gathers influences, so that there’s no thing we can’t trace back through its genesis and our own nurture or lack thereof, to create what exists today, and what it will grow into tomorrow. That implies we need to be alert to our own responsibilities, our own part in things. Both positives and problems don’t spring from the ether, they’ve been growing and developing for some time.

Expect to come out of this Full Moon better by one–in the area of the chart where the Lunar event occurs, or in some area of interest that carries the Capricorn flavor. Not every New or Full Moon is a major event for each of us–sometimes it’s a marker of minor but still significant change, something that may figure even larger down the road.