Category Archives: Lunar Aspects

Solar Eclipse in Capricorn January 2019 Sideswiped

02 Wednesday Jan 2019

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Lunar Aspects, Sabian Symbols, Solar Eclipse

≈ Comments Off on Solar Eclipse in Capricorn January 2019 Sideswiped

Tags

, , , , , ,

‘The Accident’ By Willem Geets c1899 {{PD}}

Cupped between ruler Saturn and Pluto, the New Moon partial solar eclipse occurs at 15 Capricorn 24, Sun and Moon first coming to the same degree and minute just before 5:27 PM Pacific time. The eclipse forms only two aspects other than those wide conjunctions to Saturn and Pluto, a sextile to Neptune and semi-square to Venus, making both the atmosphere brought forward by other aspects, and those lonely contacts to the Old Man, the Creative, and the King of the Underworld (plus a sideswipe from Love and/ or Money), much more important than they might otherwise be, especially since Saturn is ruler of the solar event itself. A New Moon is an inception point, a beginning, even when we can’t see it as such; an eclipse is a wipe-out, a clean slate in some form. Here the event falls in Capricorn, signaling that there’s something new about the Establishment or brewing in established methods, ways, or rituals, some authority altered, rule changed, restriction broken, or safety net removed. On large, societal terms this might apply to the new congress in the United States, where an unprecedented turnover sees more women and individuals of color, not to mention many young and more Progressive members, taking their seats than ever before.

In personal terms this event speaks of serious transformation that either frees up the creative energy or leads one to accept a delusion or misconception as the Truth. Whichever direction one goes, it will be because there’s some payoff, benefit, or promise of reward, or even of affection, that is driving the acceptance of illusion or the re-making of what’s established into something closer to the ideal. The need for Love or Money will shape our response to the solar eclipse, probably quite subtly, but it’s in channeling the creative and holding to the ideal that we gain some agency over what changes, and so make the best of things, rather than succumbing to moments of confusion or chaos.

One interesting thing is that we may meet the effects of Time at this point; its passage figures in to potentials not just for change but for destruction. If the eclipse removes something from the life at this time, you can be sure not just that its time is over, but that there’s a need for something new to take its place.

Side currents may be generated by the passing through of Vesta in Aquarius conjoined the Black Moon Lilith point, Venus trine Chiron and quincunx Uranus, and Mercury square Hygeia. These may describe surface matters that overlay (and sometimes obscure) the more intense and likely permanent changes prompted by the solar event that will be happening mostly below consciousness, or possibly out of sight altogether. Anger, especially at injustices, may commandeer the attention and so make us look away from the deeper changes in progress. To some extent, we’ll see events test the viability of our highest values, and if there’s anything wounding in our relationships, we’ll be more than aware of it. Thinking will likely run contrary to what we know to be healthy–and this may be the strongest sign of all that the solar eclipse will be forcing change and challenging assumptions–so do your best to work with the prevailing energies, rather than fighting them.

The Sabian symbol for the eclipse is, ‘School Grounds Filled With Boys And Girls In Gymnasium Suits’. This may emphasize the ‘learning’ nature of the eclipse events, and we see this echoed in the activity of Mercury, Uranus, Aquarius (ancient ruler of which is Saturn), but, in the case of Physical Education class, a learning about or through physical experience–so perhaps pointing us in the direction of the material manifestations of Capricorn and the physical systems that provide security, support, and restriction. Too, this image is one of individuals organized into a single entity, a class–and that could suggest that what changes for one individual may change for many others who hold similar positions.

Do we have command of what will change, with this eclipse? Not really–the best we can do is find creative outlets and use them, knowing that not all changes will be in our hands, nor will shifts in responsibility, restrictions, or requirements in venues where we play a part be totally under control, ours or anyone else’s. Roll with it, and allow this first New Moon of the New Year to reveal itself as it will, without too much resistance on our part.

See the pre-eclipse forecast here–

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

21 Friday Dec 2018

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

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , ,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

24 September 2018 Full Moon: Healing the Self

22 Saturday Sep 2018

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Full Moon, Lunar Aspects

≈ Comments Off on 24 September 2018 Full Moon: Healing the Self

Tags

, , , , ,

By Bjørn Krogstad, Norwegian artist – Own work, Bjørn Krogstad, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18257892

The Full Moon falls at 1 Aries 59 at 7:52 PM Pacific time on the 24th. The FM is just past perfecting a semi-sextile to Uranus, and forms soon after contacting both Hygeia and Chiron. Our realization or culminating situation at the time of the Full Moon is a healing one, a stance that readies us to either express our own original or unique character, or to successfully join the group (both Uranus). Falling in Aries, the focus is on ourselves, our actions, our responsibilities, the role we play, the example we set–and the square to Saturn-Vesta tells us that what happens here has real world consequences to those people and things we honor or are committed to (and yes, if we count the Sun, we have a Cardinal T-square, which by its very nature demands we do something, adding strain to an already-stressful situation).

The Full Moon is in loose sextile to Mars-South Node in Aquarius, and, in the other direction, a tense, 29 degree Juno in Taurus. Our attention is pointed toward a certain tension first implied with the square to Saturn-Vesta: the intellect believes it knows the course to take, based on past experience and learning, but material matters introduce an element of stress, a sense that personal empowerment may be lost, or not enough to meet challenges, and that dealing with real-world issues may threaten our priorities and those matters to which we’re dedicated. The Full Moon energy offers direction, in the sense that it says, ‘See? You really are healed, really are stronger than you thought, really are capable of exerting your Will. Be confident; go forward. I shine the light on how to proceed.’

Mercury, along with the ever-present-in-opposition-to-a-Full Moon-Sun, opposes and yet is moving away swiftly, suggesting the mind flees, distracted by others or by the beauty it finds (Libra), and yet part of what the Full Moon supplies us is the sense that using feeling, emotion, intuition is the most effective way to gain knowledge at this time, to see which way to go–so that a less-than-focused mind isn’t really an issue.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘A Comedian Reveals Human Nature’. This says to me that the tragi-comic nature of the Universe may speak loud and clear at this time. We may find our healing or revelatory culmination delivered with irony, humor, pathos, or a sense that we are both heroes because of and victims of our own humanity, and that we may need to take a step back from events in order to really see. The Sabian for the Sun reads like a high-falutin’ version of this post: ‘The Transmutation Of The Fruits Of Past Experiences Into The Seed-Realizations Of The Forever Creative Spirit’. So, said either way, we are seeing a point of readiness, one that generates tomorrow.

The Aries ‘I Am’ coalesces under the Full Moon influence; what we are becomes apparent, what we have to work with at a personal level is clear, and what action to take, or role to play, sits before us, a product of the healing we have undergone, found by acute attention to our feeling state, ready for us to embrace.

23 August 2018 Healthy Assertion

22 Wednesday Aug 2018

Posted by in astrology, Configurations, current events in the sky, forecast, Full Moon, Lunar Aspects, Saturn in Capricorn, The Daily Word Image

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Actors in a confrontation on a verandah. Colour woodcut by Kunikazu, early 1860s CC BY 4.0

What does healthy Self-assertion look like to you? We may think it has something to do with flexing our muscles, declaring our power, or marking our territory, because it kind of feels like we need to do that–but we should know that, at least today, we would be doing that only for ourselves, and possibly putting others off in the process. It may feel as if we’re required to make choices that compromise us and that threaten our personal power, status, or reach. In reality, the issues will center in being willing to bend enough to honor our own values and commitments–so you see, it’s an internal issue, at essence, one where the unbending ego insists it’s being wronged, when what you’re really called to do is live up to your own obligations and ideals–walking your talk, if you will (Juno semi-sq Hygeia, Vesta sq Ceres)

Over the next few days, we have an Earth Grand Trine with the Sun, Saturn, and Uranus. Our attention goes to sudden, instantaneous changes to our reality picture, to obstacles, barriers, restraints, rules, and perhaps most importantly, to results of the passage of time and past efforts–and with the Moon approaching Full (perfecting AM PDT of the 26th)  those results, coupled with the signature endings of a Full Moon, are likely to feel too restrictive, like a dead-end, like something has closed in on us. This is specifically because of the Sun’s current approach in trine to Saturn–as if possibilities and alternatives simply slip away–and we see it, spotlighted, before us, our awareness likely exaggerating the importance or the effect itself. ‘I’ve got no choice’ may become the refrain for those operating unconsciously. For the rest of us, however, there’s hope. If you’re not happy with what you see developing around you, you may want to gather energies and intent to be dedicated at the time of the Full Moon; these should focus on what you want to create for the future (Pisces Full Moon quincunx the North Node). Just something to think about in the run up to the Lunar event.

Sometimes the old man (Saturn) and the radical (Uranus) can really get into it. Jar depicting combat-ETHAM 036790-P8190744-gradient
By Rama and one more author CC BY-SA 3.0 fr

Today’s word image is an astrological aspect: Saturn trine Uranus–let’s make that any natal relationship between the two. In the birth chart they offer a small recipe for stasis, balance, and energy flow and expenditure in the life; they can also delineate the internal individual relationship between the spirit of radicalism, modernism, and chaos and ‘What Is’, as well as one’s likely relationship to ‘the Group’ and response to authority. I have the trine natally, with Uranus ruling my Ascendant and Saturn my 12th (Whole Sign)–and certainly, I’ve seen the flow of unconscious (and sometimes Cosmic) material into my interface with the rest of the world–and it’s here we may note that Saturn is ancient ruler of Aquarius, drawing the two, no matter how disparate they seem, as much more alike than we may realize–for what happens to the revolutionary, once the revolution is over? If you’ve got a connection between Saturn and Uranus, and you’d like my comment on it, please place your comment on this post, tell me what signs they’re in and Houses they rule, and what the aspect is between them; I’ll offer a few words or more on the relationship. Comments will be answered publicly only. Please use the comment function, not my email, and don’t send birth data–this is only the shallowest dip into potentials in honor of the current configuration, nothing more.

The Eclipses of July-August 2018

02 Monday Jul 2018

Posted by in astrology, eclipse, forecast, Full Moon, future events in the sky, Lunar Aspects, Lunar Eclipse, New Moon, Sabian Symbols, Solar Eclipse

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Photo By Naposaurus 2013 Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

Here are the general forecasts for the eclipse set coming late this summer. Notice that the first two seem strongly connected; I fully expect events around the initial Solar one to lead directly to the events of the Full Lunar one that follows at the end of July.

The Partial Solar eclipse of 12 July 2018 (7:48 PM PDT) falls at 20 Cancer 41 as the Moon, Earth, and Sun align on the same plane, allowing the Moon to ‘eclipse’ the normally dominant Sun at their New Moon meeting. This event also sees Earth, which of course is always opposed the Sun, conjoined Pluto, making its opposition to the New Moon eclipse the centerpiece of the aspect picture; asteroid Zeus forms a T-square with the Sun-Moon-Earth-Pluto axis, and Ceres is semi-square the New Moon. A Solar eclipse, this one in Water, is a new beginning, and that can come gently, like a tide lapping at the shore, or fiercely, like a wave crashing on the beach—but in either case, it brings change, which may slowly pull the sand from beneath your feet, can knock those feet out from under you, and/ or could even wipe the landscape clean in a tsunami, leaving you in an entirely new place. Change, then, is expected, and with Pluto opposed the event and conjoined the Earth, the very ground on which we walk, we may want to be highly attentive to the mix of Water and Earth, emotion and the material, flow and static states, in our world.

This event in a Water sign also emphasizes the emotional component eclipses already carry, as they are mainly Lunar events, with the Moon playing the pivotal role, either in blocking the Sun’s light from us (a Solar eclipse) or acting as the screen on which we observe the blocking of the light (by the Earth, as it moves between Moon and Sun) in a Lunar eclipse. This Solar eclipse event doubles down on the emotional, psychological, and intuitive potentials, making us all naturally hyper-sensitive to the atmosphere around the New Moon. Symbolically this speaks of, in the case of a Solar eclipse, emotions themselves causing a blockage between the material world (Earth) and ‘What Is’, including purpose and intent (the Sun). The block is meant as a disruptor, a point at which the usual view just can’t be adopted, as the light in which we view things is suddenly radically different. We keep this in mind as we look at the particulars of any eclipse event, as consciousness about the larger scenario illuminates the smaller details of the single occurrence.

Here we have the sheer power of Pluto aligned with Earth—and of course this kind of aspect always makes me think of earthquakes or volcanoes—most likely of a personal, symbolic nature, and this directly opposes the meeting of Sun and Moon on the ecliptic, so that we have Earth-Pluto, a material or physical power situation, that is receiving no light, as the Moon prevents it. That suggests that at or following the eclipse we face a real-world challenge that we’re prevented from understanding by our own emotional response.

Too, the challenge puts us in a spot: not only is our authority to respond at issue (Ceres), but we see conflicts with our goals, ambitions, and/ or desires (Zeus). The Sabian symbol for the eclipse is, ‘A Famous Singer Is Proving Her Virtuosity During An Operatic Performance’. This not only speaks of the individual need to express ourselves in a way most characteristic of us as unique individuals—to ‘sing out’—with the eclipse challenge one of performance: show us your stuff! In the context of the eclipse, what we see is that the ability to convey who we are, our strongest and most authoritative identity (Ceres) expressed in an earthly venue (Earth-Pluto) is endangered by our extreme emotional response (the eclipse), which blocks an objective assessment of the situation.

The Earth moves, and we react—and that stops a clear understanding of what’s actually happening, and so of knowing what’s actually affected. The change that happens here is serious, but not necessarily permanent; we may do best to see it more as inevitable reform, events or revelations that present us with personal power and ‘territory’ issues we hadn’t yet faced, and conflicts with ambition fulfillment we hadn’t yet acknowledged. Taking that tack tells us that what elicits our emotional reaction at the eclipse could’ve been anticipated, if we’d realized the extent to which these matters, goal achievement and our power reach, needed our attention to begin with.

The Total Lunar eclipse of 27 July 2018 (1:19 PM PDT) falls at 4 Aquarius 44, forming just after contact to, and still within orb of, a retrograde Mars; the Full Moon is also in wide sextile to Chiron and wide square to Uranus, with the latter, ruler of the eclipse itself, forming a T-square with the Sun-Earth-Moon-Mars axis. The only other aspect made is a sesquiquadrate to Venus in Virgo. A Lunar eclipse is a Full Moon, and this one occurs in the crisp, intellectually-oriented, forward-thinking sign of Aquarius, suggesting the event delivers revelation or understanding. Since it’s conjoined Mars, what appears could be the consequences of our own choices or actions, as instituted at the inception point of the previous Solar eclipse/ New Moon, or it could be that what we come to understand drives a current choice or action, with consequences still to be seen. That preceding Moon opposed Pluto, suggesting a power situation revealed, and this Full Moon may be the personal response to it, something driven by our intellectualization of the events that we then act on or choose according to, as we see the outcome of the New Moon start.

The results as manifested at this Lunar eclipse point have the potential for wounding or for calling forth skills (Chiron), but in either instance they show the need to express the individuality, or to accede to the group (Uranus), and all of this is likely spurred by difficulties surrounding relationships, finances, or Self-worth (Venus).

The Full Moon Sabian is, ‘A Council Of Ancestors Is Seen Implementing The Efforts Of A Young Leader’. This suggests that the authority and experience of those who came before plays a vital role in showing us which direction to take; that is, we learn from the past, especially from the experiences of others, appropriate considering eclipses always fall near the Nodal axes, with this Lunar one conjoined the South Node.

Since this eclipse seems so directly connected to the one preceding it, we’ll forgo our usual inspection of the Sun’s Sabian for a Full Moon, since in this case our ‘source’ is the New Moon that came two weeks before. Instead we move on to the next and final component of this eclipse set, the Solar eclipse in Leo.

The Partial Solar eclipse in Leo falls at 18 degrees, 41 minutes on August 11th at 2:57 AM PDT. This event is conjoined Pallas—ah! ‘new wisdom’ is the result of the past two events—with the aspects offering a subtle picture of what it is we’ve gained. A new start in Leo is about ourselves and our identity, and those facets of the individuality that allow us to ‘shine’; the aspects made by the eclipse describe the nature of our attributes, the ways in which we can make our uniqueness known. What begins at this time also has an air of the practical about it, or a sense of skills possessed—but no matter what, a situation that allows us to be our Best Self.

The eclipse-Pallas sextiles Zeus and catches Ceres at the midpoint, even as it semi-squares Venus. This suggests that it’s in the act of reaching for ambition or desire fulfillment that we both gain authority and power and learn what needs to change in relationships or finances in order to make ‘it’ happen. Should we count this as base to a Finger of God, with a loose Neptune apex? Maybe, if we consider that what we likely need to do to fine-tune the ambition picture is rid ourselves of delusions, or utilize our creativity—that’s what can make the whole thing work together.

The eclipse is also apex to a loose Fist of God with base of Saturn and Chiron, and quincunxes Pluto. As apex, the eclipse promises that resolution of conflicts between the reality picture or reasonable restraints applied to our effort, and our own skill set or wounded nature (the latter possibly referring to unreasonable restraints that need removal), offers a ‘New You’, a  fresh expression of identity or purpose, and that this is also an expression of our own wisdom and gifts (Pallas). The contact to Pluto simply tells us adjustment is needed, whether we want to gather power, make a change, eliminate, or transform.

There’s also an Earth Grand Trine that hooks into the eclipse by degree: Ceres (semi-sextile), Pluto (quincunx), and Juno (square). This implies the eclipse may be a spark of sorts, putting into motion material matters that, one and all, are concerned with power and power expression. No matter what else is in play at this time, this Grand Trine reminds us that there are some very real material stakes here, and that even the most innocent of moves holds an ultimate goal of gaining or solidifying the ability to make the individual Will felt and impactful.

If we really want to get loose with things, we can also see that the T-square formed by Juno’s hard angle to the axis  becomes a Grand Cross if we pull Jupiter into the equation. This may remind us that individual development doesn’t happen in a vacuum; others to whom we reach out, look for reactions and interactions, and to get a measure of our own empowerment are part of the picture, and must be taken into account, especially when we think about how beliefs, knowledge, and the capacity to reach out and to accept what we consider ‘foreign’ all shape not just our potentials for success, but our view of our own adequacy, as well.

The Sabian symbol for this New Moon eclipse in Leo is, ‘A Houseboat Party’. That promises a celebration, once we’ve dealt with anything that’s not working on our path forward to Self-expression—but we should also note the party of the image is afloat—that is, hovering on the surface of the water, the symbol of feeling. That tells us that beneath the joy engendered by successful realization of our gifts, skills, and most unique qualities lies a body of emotion, one that it’s entirely possible to sink into, even to lose our joy to. That implies that after this sequence of eclipses we might have a whole new set of emotions to explore—and maybe entirely new feelings related to how we see ourselves (Leo).

Full Moon 27 June 2018 Holding Back, Holding Court

26 Tuesday Jun 2018

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

≈ Comments Off on Full Moon 27 June 2018 Holding Back, Holding Court

Tags

, , , ,

By Ronnie Robertson – Compass Head moon, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56612161

The Full Moon perfects at 9:53 PM PDT of the 27th at 6 Capricorn 28, just after both Earth and then Luna have swept past retrograde Saturn, which should be considered conjoined the event. The energy for this FM is withdrawn, passive, spurring reticence and uncertainty, as it falls directly after Mars’ stationary retrograde pause and in cautious Capricorn. The atmosphere is charged with suppressed, misdirected, short-circuited, stunted, repressed, rule-bound influences, and yet we are invited to survey our handiwork, to examine what we’ve built, and to assess how we need to modify our approach to create what we want in the future, and specifically, how we might want to ‘hold court’ , positioning ourselves to make the most of our individuality, to ‘shine’ (quincunx North Node in Leo).

We may meet the results of our own, Self-imposed discipline, our hard work, or conversely, we see where we should have applied effort. The Full Moon puts the reality picture under a spotlight, one that tells us, quite literally in some cases, the lay of the land. The event axis also forms a T-square with asteroid Hygeia; this dynamic promises either/ or choices presented by the Lunar culmination, neither of which will be truly supportive of us! (the squares–I’m defining health in its broadest context.) So where does that leave us? Knowing where we stand, which is invaluable, with the ability to assess how effective we’ve been, and to see how to modify our efforts for future success (that ‘place’ where we can ‘shine’). Not glamorous, but plenty useful.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘A Veiled Prophet Speaks, Seized By The Power Of A God’. Wow! We might not expect such an elevated meaning from these modest Full Moon aspects, but that’s the essence of a veil, isn’t it? We have to make an effort, however slight, to see what’s behind it, and to be willing to reveal our own prophetic nature (that is, pure intuitive nature).

Saturn is ‘the Old Man’, certainly a stand-in for a serious, old world kind of god, and the image itself casts us, the individuals basking in the Full Moon glow, as channels for revelation. Do we see that in the chart? We do, if we look at the conjunction of Earth, Moon, and Saturn. That suggests that both material matters, the actual physical surroundings as well as the reality picture overall, will speak to us of divine (that is, spiritual) information, and we’ll have another channel for this via the emotions and intuition (the Moon).

For a Full Moon we also look at the Sabian symbol for the Sun: ‘ Two Nature Spirits Dancing Under the Moonlight’. This suggests that our own celebration of the natural world is what instigates the emotional culmination of the Full Moon. We connect to the Cosmos (consciously or not) and receive our message (the information channeled through us in the Full Moon symbol).

So, listen to your feelings, listen to those interior whispers, and look around you; the world will surround you with symbols, with messages, with meaning, and your own inner wisdom and feeling can translate that into language that makes your situation and state apparent, and the potentials for your future crystal clear.

See the general outlook for the day here, and the chart for the Full Moon, below.

 

Full Moon in Sagittarius May 2018 ‘Torn Veil’

28 Monday May 2018

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

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , ,

Vilhelm Hammershoi – ‘Interieur mit Rueckenansicht einer Frau’ – 1903-1904 {{PD}}

The Full Moon occurs on the 29th at 7:20 AM Pacific time at 8 Sagittarius 10, falling trine to the transiting North Node and sextile the South one–and that makes a Mystic Rectangle with the Sun-Earth-Moon axis. Keeping our 2+ or – degree (or less for minor contacts) orb, we also see the FM semi-sextile Saturn and semi-square Black Moon Lilith–otherwise, this event is all on its lonesome. The interesting point is that the only ‘solid’ aspect the Full Moon makes is to Saturn, and that’s a minor interaction–all else is with calculated points, intangibles made up of energy, mathematical points derived from the movement of other solid bodies, giving the points a ‘once removed’ quality. That suggests that this Moon is a kind of ‘shadow Moon’, one that exerts a more subtle, nuanced, or ephemeral effect than the usual Lunar event–and those are cast with reflective light as it is, emphasizing that these connections and the influences they represent are probably more tenuous, even insidious, and more difficult to discern, than we realize.

At the same time, even as the effects seem to creep up on us, we can look to the natal House where Saturn is currently transiting, and/ or the House it rules (these will in most systems be one and the same, or sometimes the next House to the one it’s currently transiting, possible with Placidus, for instance, since Saturn’s in its own sign) for matters where the Full Moon may show through material issues. It’s like the fabric of the unseen world, the veil that separates material from non-material, is torn right where Saturn is, letting what we’re intuiting, sensing, or feeling spill through to take physical form.

What spills through with a Full Moon in Sagittarius is knowledge–and if not delivering the facts, it may deliver an event that bolsters, defines, or alters our faith, or our outlook toward the foreign or the social–and any or all of these will present things that, factual or not, will read as facts in our world, will inform the landscape. It’s important to remember for any Lunar event that it’s likely to be an emotional one, aside from any physical occurrences, and doubly so as the FM contacts its own points of extremity (the Nodes), and well as the Earth’s energy counterpoint within its ellipsis, Black Moon Lilith. This suggests that what we learn will be charged with emotion, and possibly emotion that we have denied, repressed, or that is closely bonded to rage–and this all acts on the psyche, which orchestrates the material world around us, bringing a point of manifestation at or very near the Full Moon point (or potentially, though less likely, at some time through to the next New Moon).

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘A Mother Leads Her Small Child Step By Step Up A Steep Stairway’. The conscious mind is the mother, leading the way, the small child those less-conscious impulses, and energies more closely connected to the primal Self. The stairway, of course, is life, learning, going both forward and ‘up’, to a higher understanding–just exactly what the contacts promise for this FM. The opposing Sun Sabian is, ‘A Quiver Filled With Arrows’. That is an image of pure potential–and what is knowledge but that with which we’re ‘armed’ in our daily life? Use what you know at this Full Moon, and be open to acquiring more information–it’s there to be had, and some of it will appear in material form, up to us to ‘handle’.

Over the years people have written me on occasion, wanting to know why I use such close orbs for New and Full Moon discussions, and why I don’t talk about other aspects in force at the time of these events. I keep the picture crisp and clear to aid understanding; I think we muddy the waters when we want to analyze aspects kitchen-sink style, talking about everything in hopes that we hit something. Though nothing manifests in a vacuum, so to speak, we have to be able to tell influences one from another–otherwise we run the risk of believing we’re attending to a matter, when we might be missing its source completely.

Have a lovely week!

 

The Full Moon 6 September 2017 Noblest Form

05 Tuesday Sep 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Full Moon, Lunar Aspects, Moon

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

, , ,

Three Women by Umberto Boccioni, 1910 {{PD}}

Somehow I managed to talk all around the Neptune conjunction with the Full Moon–I was thinking about it, but not naming names! Now it’s in there. The Full Moon culminates at 2:46 AM Pacific time at 13 Pisces 53, conjoined ruler Neptune (though past perfection to it). The FM sextiles Pallas, quincunxes Venus, semi-sextiles Uranus, and quindeciles (165 degrees) the just-direct Mercury. We skip a potential sextile to Pluto, as it’s a little too far for this contact, just over three degrees difference. The Moon in Pisces is receptive, open to the Universe, and it’s triply so conjoined ruler Neptune; this makes for a potent result that carries the essence of the creative, the imaginative, the ideal, or the illusive, with the latter suggesting we might not get a handle on the FM until it’s well past perfection. A Full Moon presents conclusions or fulfillment; in this case we may see an end to, a resolution of, or a fulfillment of a dream, ideal, or deception. It may or may not be stressful in a minor way, with its biggest immediate impact an empty space where that Piscean element, now resolved, used to be.

The aspects show us the wisdom of whatever comes to an end (that is, that it’s smart for things to conclude now, possibly so that we may free up creative energy); they also suggest that whatever occurs may happen suddenly, an in-the-moment surprise or revelation, spurring some sort of difficulty, a need to adjust ourselves or our attitudes in matters of relationship or finances. Most compelling, though, may be a Full Moon urge to communicate, whether that is advisable or not. There is something we will feel an overwhelming desire to convey to others, verbally or otherwise, and this may be ‘dressed up’ in fanciful ways, as Art, or may be camouflaged so that the communicator (because of course, everyone will be subject to this urge, in one form or another) sends the message without claiming the energy, or drawing attention back on themselves. You always have to watch out for the quiet ones, don’t you?

The Sabian for this FM is, ‘A Lady Wrapped In A Large Stole Of Fox Fur’. At the time this symbol was formulated, it was quite fashionable to wear animal fur; now it’s anything but, despite a small contingent of those who cling to old values. In terms of the Full Moon, this may suggest that what concludes at this time does so because it’s ‘out of fashion’–this is, because the time for such a dream, ideal, or deception is past. And it’s not just passé, it’s actually offensive to some, as we evolve toward a more and more respectful treatment of our fellow animals. The Sabian tells us that, no matter how we perceive and process the ending brought about by this Moon, we must see that it’s all for the good, that it’s helping us shed old, no-longer-desirable attitudes, that it’s freeing us from ideas that may be nothing so much as cruel.

For a Full Moon we also look at the Sun, the provider of energy and light, and we see this Sabian: ‘An Aristocratic Family Tree’. This suggests that the elimination or conclusion brought by the FM is ennobling, that it harks back to the finer qualities of human beings as a species, and that in fact it may originate with this idea; each of us connects to something within that is fine, and that shows us the wisdom of this Full Moon ending. It also spurs us to ask ourselves what we will allow to fill the Piscean space this conclusion creates. It’s a period when we communicate who we are in our noblest form, and we tap ourselves for new creative or idealistic material that is original, that could only come from the individual celebrated and honored for all that’s best within.

 

 

The Solar Eclipse in Leo 2017: The Re-Birth of the Soul

20 Sunday Aug 2017

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

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

John William Waterhouse – ‘Mermaid’ 1899 {{PD}}

This is re-published from earlier. Have a safe and joyous eclipse experience!

The Solar eclipse begins on the 21st of August at 11:29 AM PDT at 28 Leo 52. Though I wouldn’t normally count it as conjoined Mars when the spread is just over eight degrees, as it is here, I think we must, considering the part the ego, action, and ‘I Am’ energies played in the partner Lunar eclipse that preceded this event—so we’ll keep the Martian spirit in mind as we assess the eclipse; the Martian Fire is right in tune with the Leo event. This New Moon has been anticipated for some time, because it’s both a total eclipse, and because it will be visible along a path that spans the United States coast to coast. The interesting thing is that, if you’re outside the path of totality, what you’ll see is a partial covering of the Sun by the Moon, rather than the complete eclipse visible elsewhere. So, as with everything, it’s important to keep in mind that where you are determines perspective, and so dictates your experience of the eclipse, as it does so many other things.

Does that mean the eclipse will deliver a different effect to those in the path of totality than it will to everyone else on the planet? Perhaps it will have a different, stronger, or more potent impact on those who find themselves in its path, but I think it’s more of an astronomical spectacle than an astrological one; I don’t anticipate it being any more or less potent than any other eclipse (and remember, we have two Solar and two Lunar eclipses per year, on average, so eclipses themselves are not actually all that rare), though others will disagree.

Maybe we should think of it more as a New Moon in Leo that just happens to be an eclipse; that way we keep the emphasis on the Leo/ Mars ‘I Am’ facets of the event, even as we note that all eclipses serve to ‘wipe out’ certain circumstances that came before, specifically those related to the matters of the House in the natal chart where the eclipse falls, those related to the sign energy in general, and in anything the eclipse contacts in the natal chart by close aspect (no more than three or four degrees, typically, and this can affect expression of the contacted energy or matters of the Houses ruled, if any). But, aside from personal natal contacts, the eclipse draws a more general picture that applies in some degree to everyone; that’s what we’ll look at here.

A Solar eclipse is a seed event, a New Moon the energies of which supersede those that came before, in this case those of the ‘I Am’, the identity, and the Soul Purpose for incarnating as they mesh with the emotions, intuition, and perceptions of the non-physical and non-material. With an eclipse, we see a vibrational inception that will resonate through to the next eclipse set, in roughly six months. In part this tone is set by the sign in which the eclipse occurs, in this case, Leo, emphasizing the individual perspective, individual initiative (due to Mars lingering nearby), and how well the Soul has to this point managed to create circumstances under which it could ‘shine’, that is, live its purpose. So, the attention for the next six months goes to accomplishment in Soul-terms—and of course, that will mean something unique to each individual.

The eclipse forms an out-of-sign trine to a close conjunction of Hygeia and Juno, which makes for a Grand Trine with Uranus; the New Moon also squares Sedna, loosely noviles Ceres, and quincunxes Chiron (and anyone with natal placements at 27 Capricorn-00 Aquarius should expect the eclipse to deliver a wallop, either hurting or healing the involved energies in some significant way). Is it too vague to say expect surprises, shocks, the unexpected, revelations, and the potential for immediate and immersive understanding via the Higher Mind? This may be especially so around literal health as well as the ‘health’ (i.e. effectiveness) of the personal state of empowerment. We may resist what the instincts tell us, at least initially; hidden information that we ‘know but don’t know’ may cause problems, which are meant to draw our attention and contribute to or shape that ‘shock of the new’ we’ll undergo.

Or, rather than a personal shock or revelation, we may experience the eclipse’s ‘big reveal’ through a group choice or interaction. We could find ourselves responding as an individual to something the group requires, testing our willingness to lead, to commit to a philosophical approach to things, or to sacrifice the individual needs for the larger good. We may find we are stronger than we think, forced to adjust our ideas of just what truly injures us, and that may call for adjustments to our Self-image, to the way we see ourselves and so to the way we express ourselves and exert our Will. What occurs may bring forward unique skills, a sense that the individual is ‘the only one who could ‘x’’ and so in some way save the day, or serve the group needs in a major way.

There is a single element of grace here that should enable us to weather anything the eclipse brings: that novile to Ceres says that either Nature, or the sense of personal authority, will provide the support, or the answers, we’ll need. Our own ability to accept complete responsibility for ourselves will allow for the most effective position and response possible; so will acceptance of the ways of Nature, and what they tell us about our part in it.

Don’t you love the Sabian for this eclipse? ‘A Mermaid Emerges From The Ocean Waves Ready For Rebirth In Human Form’. We see an end to immersion in the currents of emotion with their overwhelming influence, dulling the other senses, obscuring the vision and hearing, keeping us below the surface (a symbolic way of saying we aren’t accessing the Air, that is, using reason and the mind, to process things). The mermaid is ready to shed a way of Being that, in terms of imagery, is focused on the feeling nature; she is ready to move on, in the sense of becoming. It’s important we note that going from mermaid form to human is not inherently a move from inferior to superior form, but is a shift in the tools we use to interact, process, and understand. It’s also important to be aware we’re assuming the mermaid will be taking all she’s learned underwater (through the feeling nature) with her; she’s not abandoning emotional perceptions and intuitions, she’s adding to them. As this applies to the eclipse, the symbol suggests each of us will evolve to a next step (literally, in the case of a mermaid!) that expands our skills in dealing with the world. Re-birth usually isn’t easy, or pleasant, and change of any kind can be messy—but it’s also a widening of our horizons and our ability to deal with things that can’t be attained any other way, a journey into new elements, with all the adventure, risk, and need to learn that entails (another mermaid reference!)

One other thing to note: though I don’t usually discuss aspect sets that don’t interact with the event (I find that dilutes the focus on, and so the meaning of, what we’re examining), this time I would like to point to a very close conjunction, only three minutes apart and moving ever closer at the time of the eclipse, of Saturn and Black Moon Lilith. BML is, as we know, a point, rather than a body; Saturn moving closer to perfection with that point suggests either suppression or materialization of rage, or of matters we or others have been working to ignore or deny. This may be a significant side note to the entire eclipse period, and could suggest secrets revealed will become the norm.

 

Your Weekend 12-13 August 2017 Rearranged

11 Friday Aug 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Grand Trine, Horoscope, Lunar Aspects, Mercury retrograde, Retrogrades, The Daily Word Image

≈ Comments Off on Your Weekend 12-13 August 2017 Rearranged

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Photo by Lewis Carroll ‘Smith Sisters, Summer 1859’ {{PD}}

Remember that trine between the Sun and Black Moon Lilith we talked about yesterday? For a few hours on the 12th it becomes a Fire Grand Trine as the Moon moves into the last decan of Aries (later AM Pacific)–and this happens just after the Moon forms a T-square by opposition to Jupiter and square to Pluto. The energy is big, sweeping, serious, though it doesn’t feel heavy, except in the way we see (or perhaps I should say ‘perceive’, as not everything will be on the surface or immediately identifiable) it shuffling the chess pieces on our board. We get to the end of the day with things considerably different, arranged in a way we didn’t anticipate, as at least some of what happens involves having to attend to (and so acknowledge feelings about) those things we’d rather ignore or deny. Know that there’s liberation to be found in dealing with things, and be aware that, particularly right now, we must be willing to allow others the autonomy to make their own decisions, no matter what we believe.

Mercury also begins apparent retrograde in Virgo, needing to backtrack only 7 minutes to perfect a trine to Pallas. This suggests that at least part of the meaning of this retro period will involve critical discernment (Virgo) of what’s wise, what’s practical, what skills are needed (Pallas). This sets the tone for the entire period; make sure that what you review and re-do brings answers that address those Pallas questions.

Today’s word image is a bowling ball floating on the water. Impossible, right? We may encounter something just as unlikely today–but in this case, accept what you see, but verify how it’s done, even though that takes the ‘magic’ out of it, as you’ll be much better off knowing the ‘why and how’ behind it.

Anticipation may be the theme on the 13th. We see the Sun trining a retrograde Saturn, Vesta and Neptune moving toward opposition, Mars heading toward a quincunx to Pluto and sextiles to Zeus and Jupiter, and there are a coupe of close semi-sextiles that link energies through a mild tension: Mars-Venus, and Chiron-Uranus, which we can read as, ‘man-woman/ animus/ anima’ and ‘sudden hurt or healing, wounding accident, spontaneous display of unique skills’. We may spend the day in a state akin to waiting, but not knowing just what we’re waiting for. The Moon in Taurus counsels us to relax and enjoy creature comforts–that’ll be my goal, and should be yours, too.

Today’s word image is: a sea serpent pokes his head up out of a choppy lake. Hmmm. Again with an image that may or may not be a reality. And again, accept that you saw it, but don’t accept anyone else’s definition of what it actually is.

Donate to support your favorite blogs and bloggers, read, get Juno stuff, and have a wonderful weekend!