Category Archives: Mars

Your Week 5-7 January 2021 Heeding the Warning

04 Monday Jan 2021

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‘Speak! Speak!’ By John Everett Millais 1895 {{PD}}

On the 5th we may want to ask ourselves, How much power is healthy? Ceres quincunxes and contraparallels Hygeia, asking us to adjust our expressions of personal authority, especially when they affect those we take responsibility for or that we hold some power, big or small, over. Thinking may be too highly influenced by the past or by what we get from those relationships (Mercury parallel SN and Venus), making it that much harder to step back and recognize the rights of others–though to embrace what’s genuinely our responsibility will have immense payoffs in ways we never anticipated (Sun nov Juno).

On the 6th Mars enters Taurus–will we breathe a sigh of relief or just get possessive over our stuff? Either way, the shift may allow many to take their foot off the gas and slow their too-aggressive roll. Relationships and finances need careful handling; we’ll be seeing them too much through the lens of the past, with not enough attention on what’s healthy or what we’re sensing below the shiny surfaces (Venus qnx Sedna, sesq Hygeia, parallel SN). Though it may be tough, be hyper-aware of any sensed and unarticulated knowledge–whatever makes your skin prickle as you think about it is worth heeding the warning over–as true power may be hidden, subtle, and so make more of an impact on things than we anticipate–and this is so even of our own personal power, including our buried destructive impulses, so tread with care (Mercury trine Sedna, Sun parallel Pluto).

For the 7th we need to recognize how truly powerful words and communications of all stripe really are today. The past may be too strongly shaping our thoughts and our viewpoint, and because of this inaccurate measuring tool we may end up putting ourselves in a difficult position. Recognize two things to help you get through the day: we are too steeped in old ways to see things clearly right now, and we are thinking so much about power that this may limit our understanding of it as it currently exists in any situation–and that latter means that those who ‘go physical’ today may momentarily get the advantage, but will ultimately suffer the consequences, as they too will be operating with an inaccurate lens. The past does hold beneficial information, we just have to be very clear about what bygone experiences are really telling us (Mercury parallel Pluto, semi-sq Ceres, nov SN).

A Good Day To . . . 30 March 2020

29 Sunday Mar 2020

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‘Mars désarmé par les Grâces (Mars Disarmed By the Graces)’ By Mossot {{PD}}

The 30th is a Good Day To . . . value your health, and think about your goals. Making plans to further ambitions is the perfect thing to do, as we are attuned to what needs to change in the empowerment picture to get where we want to go. We also benefit from altering bad habits, the worst possibly being the tendency to keep people who aren’t good for us in our lives. Today’s the day to send them packing, and put your own well-being first.

Mars follows Saturn into Aquarius, suggesting that the Higher Self helps guide the ego, if we’re open to it, and we may be more receptive to using modern methods to address issues. We are also likely to find a surprising capacity to innovate, to invent, and to be spontaneous, no matter what our usual attitude. Make sure you don’t use the intellect as a weapon. And it will probably be much easier for us to think before we do–which is nothing but a good thing.

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

Odds & Ends: Mars Retro, Sacred Fires, & The Neptune Shuffle

12 Tuesday Jun 2018

Posted by in astrology, Grand Trine, Mars, Mars Retrograde, Neptune, Neptune Retrograde, Retrogrades

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Attributes of Kubera ‘Lord of the Horses’ Detail of the offering cake from the Attributes of Kubera ‘Lord of the Horses’ in a Tibetan “rgyan tshogs” banner. http://catalogue.wellcomelibrary.org/record=b1465547 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

Neptune retrogrades on the 18th, and as a molasses-slow mover, apparent motion for this big fella around changes of direction is almost standing still; it’s as if we’re observing something in another dimension, where we appear speeded-up while we see elements there as barely inching along. That implies a certain subtlety to the effect, the notorious fogginess turned up to 11. With it reversing short of perfecting a trine to Pallas, and on its way to completing a trine to Jupiter (in effect, participating in a Grand Water Trine with these two), what we may expect is an opportunity for emotional balance that slips away, something that almost achieved wisdom or practicality, that slips into exaggeration, deception, opportunism, or gives way to beliefs, which may or may not support a healthy feeling scenario. The suggestion is that at least part of the retro period will be spent trying to retrieve that nearly-reached state of emotional equilibrium–so see emo ups and downs as part of a larger balancing process, rather than as isolated experiences.

Fire Grand Trine forms roughly on the 18th of June and burns through about the 28th, with Ceres, Vesta, and Juno all late in Fire signs. This presses us to find action equilibrium, that is, expressions of our authority, personal power and reach (of which negotiations are one facet), our status (especially those roles that concern our relationships to others, and how that confers the ability to make the Will felt), and expressions of what we honor or find sacred. It’s a matter of seeking out, probably repeatedly, things that make us feel we’re imprinting our values on others and the environment. This can be exceptionally fulfilling if we succeed. The configuration offers us an unusually large window for Self-realization and the creation of satisfying circumstances, one where our actions and ideals can blend almost seamlessly, and where inspiration lights a fire under action that is right in line with what we care about most.

Mars retrogrades on the 26th in Aquarius–goes direct again on 28 August. This happens every 2.5 years and for most of us will describe a period of looking inward, or at least hesitating where earlier we would’ve charged ahead. We may be thrown back on ourselves when we try to act and fail, or we may have introspection forced on us if we hope to go forward. We examine our own (and often everyone else’s) intentions, and we look closely at the result actions bring–good, bad, or neutral. Review of our choices occurs, and motivations should be faced, if we want our own actions to be effective in the future–this is no time to dodge Self-responsibility. ‘Pulled Punches’ may be a theme, as may ‘Sexual Frustration’, ‘Thwarted Will’, and sudden losses of drive, initiative, aggression, or appetite. Ego may take over, in a panic at the disorienting feeling of drifting, or the ‘I Am’ may shrink to nothing, gaining awareness of the Cosmos as a whole and forgetting the individual needs.

A great deal of your response will depend upon your current and natal relationship with Martian energy, especially your confidence level, your sense of personal authority (the kind that grants you permission to apply your Will to the environment), the vulnerability of your ego, and your usual ability to get your Martian needs met: to be taken seriously, to receive gratification from your world, and to act as you wish. The measure of successful Mars expression will vary wildly from person to person, so the experience of retro energy may also vary significantly, and there’s always the individual who has Mars retro in the natal chart. This person may feel a little more ‘at home’ suddenly, as the world is somehow a bit more in tune with them than usual. Mars retro natally can make for a misfit or a renegade, a pirate or a pioneer, and the retro cycle may offer them some relief from their usual outsider role.

The House in the natal chart ruled by Mars may also see action, likely a pull-back from something that was going forward with no hitch–and you may see the same thing in matters of the House Mars is currently transiting and turning around in. The question becomes, ‘Is there a precipice there that this withdrawal of energy allowed you to avoid, or are you being intimidated or over cautious?’ If we’re in tune with ourselves, Mars retro can offer us information we might’ve overlooked when Mars was direct; we could avoid conflict, ego-blunders, precipitous acts, and impulsivity driven by primal demands, as either our own engine sputters or the world makes us back down, our confidence shaken by externals or the withdrawal of ‘muscle’, in one form or another.

Receptive Mars is not a term we normally employ, but which we might consider trying to manifest in some form during this period. Conflict with our own Martian urges can create real dissonance and delay or otherwise confuse our efforts, if we’re typically more straightforward. With this Mars retrograde the turnaround occurs on the same day that Earth conjoins and Sun opposes Saturn, with Hygeia forming a Cardinal T-square that suggests until we find optimum channels for the shifted energy we may suffer headaches, clumsiness, eye strain, palpitations, and unusual bone and muscle weakness–so especially at the point of retrograde, take care to avoid unnecessary stress and strain, or those injuries you find yourself suffering when Mars energy can’t find a way out may pop up and sideline you unexpectedly, making it even tougher to sort out forward momentum in a retro atmosphere.

And in case you missed it, here’s the New Moon of the 13th.

Just a Little AstroEssence 20 July 2017 Imprint

19 Wednesday Jul 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Finger of God, forecast, Horoscope, Mars, The Daily Word Image

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‘La fille à la cigarette’, Anders Zorn, 1892 {{PD}}

Mars enters Leo, and we may be hard pressed to control ourselves; we’re either reacting out of fear, anger, or a desperate attempt to avoid something, or we’re feeling like victims of the sudden, the accidental, or of group-think. The rough part is that we feel especially competent, poised to exert our Will, show our skills, or dazzle with our desires or our goals–so sitting back while we receive some shocks from the Universe seems almost impossible.

We need to be careful, particularly in relationships and finances, that ‘unhealthy’ attitudes and emotions (specifically, those that have been denied or kept hidden, even from ourselves) don’t leak out and interfere with, even derail, conscious intentions. In fact, to be as honest within our own minds as possible is the only effective way to get a handle on what swirls around us. Wisdom and practicality offer avenues for and means of empowerment–everything else is essentially spinning our wheels.

Today’s word image is a half-smoked cigarette smoldering in an ashtray. This is actually a memory of mine, from when I was five. Someone had left a cigarette burning, perched on the edge of the ashtray, and just within reach of my infant brother’s flailing little fists (can you imagine? Nowadays most people wouldn’t even smoke in the same room as a baby!) My brother beat the air, made contact with the cigarette, flipped it onto the table, where it proceeded very quickly to burn through the varnished top. I ran for the adults, who at first ignored me, then finally responded–only to chastise me for touching the cigarette! Then began a round of recriminations among the adults: why did you leave a lit cigarette where the children could get at it? Why weren’t you watching the baby? Julie was watching the baby. You don’t have a small child watch another small child! And so on. For years after, every time I saw that burn mark on the table, I remembered the conflicting issues of that day: how I’d felt like I’d saved the day but was treated as if I’d caused the problem in the first place, and how each adult had gone to great lengths to make anything or anyone other than themselves responsible for events. The imprint it left on me was to make me feel automatically overly responsible for circumstances in my environment that were beyond my authority and beyond my control. Is there some area in your life where you have taken on a sense of responsibility, culpability, or even mission for which there is no way you should be held accountable? Astrological note: at the time of the event (I just happen to be clear on the day, as it was my brother’s one month birthday), transiting Black Moon Lilith conjoined my Jupiter, which was sextiled by transiting Mars, together making a Finger of God with apex natal Black Moon Lilith, and transiting Mercury was conjoined my natal Neptune, giving us a picture of why I wasn’t listened to or was misunderstood, how I might’ve been an easy target for blame (all that BML), and suggesting that being ignored concerning speaking out, ‘what I have to give’ (Jupiter rules my 11th) enraged me in a way I wasn’t conscious of!

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Your Week 2-8 June 2017 Super-Positive Spin

01 Thursday Jun 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Fist of God, forecast, Horoscope, Mars, The Daily Word Image, Weekly Astrology

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‘At the Moulin Rouge, The Dance’ Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec 1889 {{PD}}

On the 2nd, Power Deceptions come into play. It’s not that we are unable to grasp which way (or to whom) the actual power is flowing, it’s that we are being presented with something by those holding the power that deliberately obscures the facts. Chew on that for a second; how does it feel to know that the Truth is being so purposefully withheld, and is done so with impunity? That’s what those in power do when they are unwilling to share. We’ll be mad, agitated, and probably lash out, because dah-um, it hurts, and hurts in a way that cuts us right down into our core, hitting a primal wound that triggers a sense of shame at our own vulnerability. At least in part, this is about learning that the hard edges of the reality picture can’t harm what’s most important: ‘what is’ just can’t put a dent in what we revere, in our highest values, or in what we find sacred, unless we hand our own power over to that external. That’s good news, showing that our Beingness, what’s important (and so what’s eternal) within us, is unaffected by those slings and arrows of misfortune. That should reassure us that the real problem lies outside of us and outside our reach, after all.

Message in a bottle, By Peer Kyle – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36953569

Today’s word image is receiving contacts from strangers. Suddenly there seems to be a flood of individuals reaching out to people they don’t know; I’m getting them, clients and readers are reporting getting them, and not the kind that are to be expected from the line of work or the social presence–and these are not banking scams or info seeking. They seem to be ‘fishing’ in the old-fashioned sense: looking around for someone to engage with, the equivalent of approaching a stranger at a cocktail party for chit-chat. What they all have in common is this: they are the shallowest of contacts, and don’t promise any real interaction–so why should we respond? We should respond only if we don’t value our own time, if we are looking for meaningless interactions, if we are avoiding life at all costs. It’s the Universe asking us to show discretion, to value ourselves, and to think enough of others not to waste their time, either.

The 3rd brings Opportunity and Optimism painted in broad, shiny strokes, via sudden relationships, a choice of financial paths, an asset windfall, loves lost and found, past group affiliations that build new affiliations for tomorrow, and a promise that any power you have will be treated as sacred. Sounds wonderful, and for the most part, will be. Issues are generated by us, and arise from those matters we’ve ignored or been in denial about, and now must deal with to successfully take advantage of the sudden opening, the revelatory information, the innovative plan, or the original idea.

Today’s word image is a garbage scow moving over pristine waters. Is it time to ‘take out the garbage’ in a big way? The thing with the massive transporting of garbage is, we see it as ‘disappeared’, but it’s really just been taken to where we can’t see it–so isn’t really gone at all. Maybe it’s burned, or buried, but there’s usually a lot that doesn’t get obliterated. What ‘housecleaning’ have you done lately, literal or figurative, that may not have been entirely successful–that is, where’s the garbage been moved to, and does it need further handling, processing, or a final and complete destruction?

By Jot Powers – Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=934530

Mars enters Cancer on the 4th and we may all feel like we’re Running Through Marshmallow Fluff. Suddenly ‘straight talk’ just isn’t as welcome as it was in Gemini, and the only ‘acceptable’ attitudes are caring ones–anything else invites censure or reprimand. Others may see us as overly aggressive, most especially when we’re minding our own business and seeing to what we want and need. ‘Selfish’ may get thrown around a lot, but so may labels that apply to those who take action because they care, who step up to leadership positions expressly to nurture, rescue, or comfort others, and who emphasize that individual responsibility is really the only genuine responsibility that exists. Remember during Mars’ sojourn here that Cancer is a Water sign; that can make assertive energies more volatile as they’re so easily paired with emotions, but it can also mean that if you can touch an aggressor through the feeling nature you can diffuse the human bomb.

The mind and the instincts are melded today, but this includes the ‘blind spot’ material, making for a touchy mental stew where it may be nigh on impossible to trace thoughts and conclusions along some logical or totally obvious course. The reality picture presents us with the need for adjustment, and if we can trust the instincts and are reasonably sure we’re not hiding anything from ourselves, then things can turn out just this side of inspired. Those sitting on a pile of denial or anger will only manage to fool themselves; everyone else will find the imagination stimulated and a creative viewpoint readily accessible.

Today’s word image is a bed in the middle of the forest. Is yours a fairy tale image, a hippie dream, a swirl of leaves where an animal or small human lay, or actual furniture, incongruous among the trees? There’s something about the image of a bed in the forest that says accessing the unconscious, possibly through dreams, a relaxed fugue state, or a meditative one. Examine today’s dreams, the ones you have asleep, and the ones you ponder awake, with an eye to what they might say about what your unconscious mind is building into your future real world.

The 5th we feel strong, sure in our identity and our purpose–so what is all this mental static? It’s caused by the way we’re Connected to Inner Power, but fail to connect to the reality picture as it currently exists. The mind is being short-circuited by a Fist of God, base of Hygeia square Jupiter, apex Mercury, that’s acting as a lightning rod for the dissonance between What Is and the internal landscape. What’s healthy for us is at odds with the social sphere and perhaps with the facts, and this is what creates interference between impulses and forming cogent thoughts. The urge may be to give the life direction a good going-over, but that misses what we might gain if, just for today, we’ll leave behind the rational and go with the fanciful and creative.

Expecting animals to behave like people is generally frowned upon, now days. {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a seal balancing a ball on its nose. Generally, we don’t see making animals do tricks as a good thing, anymore. In what way are you subject to someone else, who has ‘trained’ you to do something useless, frivolous, or simply to show they have power over you? And what will you do, now that you’re clear on how ‘unnatural’ it all is?

On the 6th we see Mercury move into Gemini and Venus into Taurus. Thinking takes on a crisp edge–a relief after yesterday–and relationships and finances take a bottom line, is everybody satisfied approach. We have an Optimistic, Forward-Looking Attitude that may be a tad impulsive to be productive, though the true measure of our effectiveness is found in whether we are able to reconcile our need for empowerment with both our highest values and what’s truly healthy. Not an easy equation to work out, but one that will be exceptionally beneficial if we can.

Today’s word image is a rainbow in an unexpected place. We’ll catch one, when light hits a piece of crystal just right, or mist catches the sunlight, or even when a thin sheen of oil slicks the surface of a puddle. Look into the unexpected, the unplanned, the spontaneous for the fleeting beauty it can offer, and watch for those ‘signs’ that say to you everything is going well–because it really is.

Rainbow and sulfur dioxide emissions, Halemaumau vent, By Brocken Inaglory – Own work, GFDL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3909872

For the 7th we end up shooting ourselves in the foot if we aren’t willing to Adjust our need for empowerment as it relates to our natural talents and tendencies–but if we are, we can allow values to work with what we’ve ignored or denied, and thereby solve or diffuse issues; adjustment also allows us to incorporate the ambitions and desires into the identity with great success. This day should leave us in a much better position than it found us, assuming our power needs are modified as noted, though we should expect (and accept) that thinking at this time won’t actually be clear on how we can best empower ourselves–relax, that comes later–right now the need is to adjust the Self–any conclusions about empowerment can’t be safely drawn until later.

Today’s word image is a place: Mexico, and specifically Cancun (or another ‘C’ city). Look for references to this (the phrase ‘South of the border’ or ‘going South’, for instance, which can mean escaping, hiding out), or use your own associations with the city or the country.

The 8th offers some highly positive and constructive influences, with only a single tricky dynamic. First, the good news: highest values put a Super-Positive Spin on expression, attracting opportunity and spinning facts into ideal shapes. Wisdom guides creativity, and in relationships and/ or finances we take unusual or innovative steps that can bring (or at least lay the foundation for) serious reward. The only thing to watch for is the working of our own minds; in spite of our skills and smarts, we may succumb to the allure of desire, which in this instance carries some inherently destructive components (Fist, Zeus-Pluto, apex Merc). We may be tempted to choose gratification in one area, and in the process fail to acknowledge that we’re ruining everything else. C’est la vie.

‘Lady in a Red Hat’ 1924 By János Thorma {{PD}}

Today’s word image is something red, that will really stand out. Mark the moment.

Enjoy a book! And have a great week!

 

 

Your Week 3-9 March 2017 Enjoy the Moonlight

02 Thursday Mar 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, future events in the sky, Horoscope, Mars, Retrogrades, Sun/Mercury Superior Conjunction, The Daily Word Image, Venus Retrograde

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'Moonlit Landscape' Archip Kuindshi 19th c. {{PD}}

‘Moonlit Landscape’ Archip Kuindshi 19th c. {{PD}}

3 March just enjoy the growing moonlight.

Today’s word image is actress Tilda Swinton. She’s not everyone’s cup of tea for the very reasons we should all embrace: not feeling the need to conform to others’ expectations, responding from genuine feeling and concern for others/ the planet, allowing the creative essence within to drive the existence, not fearing one’s own uniqueness (and this latter is particularly tough, since we are instinctively ‘programmed’ to feel that conformity is safety). Today, have yourself a Tilda moment: be, or do, whatever you are moved to.

4 March Venus retrogrades! Here’s something on dating during a retro, and then there’s this: “Any Venus area where we have met a dead end while she’s direct is an area prime for rejuvenation during retrograde. This means that the changed tastes and willingness to try the new and unusual in Venusian pursuits that typically surfaces during this time can be a means to re-generate a part of life that we have worn into a rut with too narrow a viewpoint, taste palette, or definition of what’s ‘right’ or appropriate for us. ‘New’ can definitely be the keyword that frees up an area and an approach leading to new relationships, experiences, and an enhanced aesthetic sense that lasts and benefits us long past Venus’ direction. The retro period can serve to modify our Venusian standards and perceptions so that they are wider and at the same time more refined once the planet appears to move forward again.” This rejuvenation is related to the House subjects where the retro occurs, which are likely very close to where Venus reversed direction 8 years ago, with the retro energy now re-visiting these topics in new form (or, sometimes, picking up precisely where they left off). And there’s also this on the current cycle.

It’s an odd mix today, as actions shape the future even as thoughts and reasoning are obscured, inspired, deluded, or steeped in deception. Opportunities and ‘luck’ come from tackling hidden, ignored, denied, or enraging matters head-on and doing one’s best–everything else simply turns in upon itself.

Too literal? By misocrazy from New York, NY - Cropped from Kipper, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17673198

Too literal? By misocrazy from New York, NY – Cropped from Kipper, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17673198

Today’s word image is a shack with a sign that reads ‘Red Herring’. What established thing in your life (possibly something that has a sense of ‘shelter’ about it) is actually a ramshackle distraction or misdirection–a red herring?

The 5th is a day when our physical actions and choices are highly effective in real-world terms–in shaping our surroundings, in producing material results, in stopping or containing the impact we have–and this is doubly so if our acts have spiritual or creative inspiration behind them. Just be aware: thoughts are thoroughly divorced from instinct, and in order to make things work, we must be our most reliable, by-the-book selves.

Today’s word image is a cement retaining wall with this spray-painted on it: ‘Please let me get what I want this time.’ A retaining wall holds back something, typically earth, preventing it inundating another area or collapsing beneath a structure. So, perhaps we can see this plea as requiring our own restraint or holding back in order to get what we want. Maybe we need to ‘firm up’ the foundation of something important to us. Or we can see the spray-painted sentence as the internal mantra of so many people, those who are always focused on the next thing, always believing their wishes aren’t heard or fulfilled; inevitably these people fail to see and appreciate what they have, since a good part of their Self-image is wrapped up in seeing themselves as denied. Take a good look around, beyond gratitude, and consider that singing a song that’s always got a sense of deprivation at its center simply attracts that very quality.

For the 6th, which just so happens to feature the Superior Conjunction of the Sun and Mercury (their meeting when Merc is in direct motion), also shows a kind of serendipitous array of contacts that promise both a strong awareness of opportunity, the social order and its requirements, the facts, and/ or the need for more, and a clear sense of ambitions and goals. Simultaneous to that, though, is a sense that we are not empowered, and that the opportunities spread before us are, one way or another, unwise in what they offer or require us to do. Concentrate today on what’s presented whole, done, or completed, in such a way that we can contemplate a new approach or venture without actually having to take too many steps right away.

No creator info provided {{PD}}

No creator info provided {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a paper doll. Remember those? We practiced our cutting skills on these cheap, easy-to-carry-along and fun-to-change-the-look-of representations. Though wonderfully entertaining, they weren’t durable, and they had their limits as they were difficult to make stand and required some patience when dealing with clothes and accessories. What in your life brings joy but is ephemeral, and may need extra care in order to preserve?

The 7th it’s all about health, mental, emotional, and the healthiness (or lack of it) related to our choices and actions. Changes and choices made today build the future, but we are in danger of making at least some of those out of fear or a compromised sense of our own wants, abilities, and power. Kinetic energy in all its forms contains a certain genius at this time–get moving and get inspired. If you can trace ‘it’ back to a fear, don’t go forward, but if you can be confident in your integrity and aims, then absolutely move ahead.

Ilja Repin 'Apples and Leaves' 1878 {{PD}}

Ilja Repin ‘Apples and Leaves’ 1878 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is an apple. What does that bring to mind? The Adam and Eve story? One a day keeps the doctor away? The story of William Tell–and are you the archer or the potential victim, with the apple on your head? Do you think of your favorite apple thing–cider, pie–or do you think of the orchards, with their delicate blossoms and their twisted trunks? In order to create the same kind of apple again and again, we resort to grafting–apples in nature are distinctly different from every tree, with no two alike. Think of the role some humble component plays in your life, and discern whether it’s a freakish natural gift, or whether it’s taken a lot of intervention and engineering just to be what it is.

For the 8th action and choice bring us power and automatically help us stake out our territory, and thoughts and reasoning are easily aligned with the highest values and priorities. The down side? We can only seem to see what’s not working with our ambitions and goals, and may spend too much energy on trying to adjust and correct, rather than pursue.

Today’s word image is a white rabbit with red eyes. When you think of a rabbit, do you think of a pet, a casserole, the Chinese zodiac symbol, Alice in Wonderland, cosmetics testing, the old-fashioned pregnancy test, the way they multiply like wildfire, how some so casually carry the rabbit’s foot for luck right up until they realize how grisly that is? Personal associations are important with this, and at least part of the meaning may lie in how often and varied have been the cultural associations projected upon the rabbit, all of which spring from how we decide to relate to this rather unresponsive and unconcerned animal.

On the 9th Mars enters Taurus, and so the Will, ego, and actions become more material and sense-related in expression. At the same time, thinking resists the facts–it may seem like too much to adjust our prejudices to reality–but at the same time we may demand sweeping change. Try to get the entirety of the psyche on the same page.

Thomas Gainsborough - 'Mary and Margaret Gainsborough, the artist's daughters' c1758 {{PD}}

Thomas Gainsborough – ‘Mary and Margaret Gainsborough, the artist’s daughters’ c1758 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is two sisters who seem to be polar opposites but are actually very much the same. Where in your life are there two elements that you’re assessing as very unalike that are in reality two peas in a pod?

Enjoy your week!

29 June 2016 The Acid Test

28 Tuesday Jun 2016

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Mars, Retrogrades + Directions, The Daily Word Image

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Etching, aquatint, by Morozov589 CC BY-SA 4.0

Etching, aquatint, by Morozov589 CC BY-SA 4.0

Most everyone is focused on, celebrating, or tensed for the Mars direction, and with good reason, especially this cycle, with Mars turning just as he receives some harsh regard from the Sun and some covert stimulation from the Underworld; there’s bound to be a little acid splash, as Mars in Scorpio creates change (Pluto) to what we put our attention on (the Sun), and does it with a stinging, deadly seriousness, a ‘now or never’ opportunism that threatens permanence to either alterations or status quo (Brexit, anyone?) It’s enough to make people leap when they’d be rather smart to look, first. But the good news is that this period will be the peak of this effect; from here on the impulse to fling acid in the figurative face of our nemeses will dissipate quickly, as will the impulse to act in order to feel we’re making an impact, or in a desperate effort to exert control. Until we’re out of the shade of these combined contacts, we’ll likely be looking to the past for reward, for sustenance, and for companionship, and we may be longing for ‘the good old days’ in some way that allows nostalgia to override the realities of the past.

One other thing informs our thoughts, briefly but sharply: we see an effective way to empowerment, and this occurs under duress. Whether it’s the pressure that churns the mind and agitates up an idea, or whether the status forces a choice that itself creates pressure, the result is that we find a good way to extend our reach, to enhance our standing, or to have the kind of influence we desire (Mars stations direct sesq the Sun and parallel Pluto, Venus trine the SN, Mercury trines Juno at 29 degrees of their respective Air signs, then enters Cancer)

Photo by Saba5555 Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

Photo by Saba5555 Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

Today’s word image is a bee, in the early morning, nestled in the flower where it spent the night. Sometimes a bee caught out late camps in a blossom and waits for daylight and warmth; we should be like that bee, right now. Though the current influences foster exceptional productivity and progress in personal efforts, we need to be willing to take our necessary rest when the time is right–how else will we continue to produce at such a stunning pace?

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Mars and Pluto Retrograde April 2016 Impact Withdrawal

15 Friday Apr 2016

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Mars, Pluto, Retrogrades

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'At Low Tide' Edward James Poynter 1896 {{PD}}

‘At Low Tide’ Edward James Poynter 1896 {{PD}}

What happens when, within less than 24 hours, both Mars and Pluto begin apparent retrograde motion? These are the agents of energy, power, and drive in the horoscope, and fuel all choice, change, and action; with both symbolically withdrawn, we may find the wind taken from our sails, both individually (Mars) and Collectively (Pluto). And, considering that first Mars (at 5:14 AM PDT of the 17th) then Pluto (12:26 AM PDT of the 18th) recedes, we may find first an individual breakdown or denial of initiative, quickly followed by a larger tide of energy removed from the landscape. A recession of impetus on both a personal and societal scale may offer the impression that there’s no way forward, and nothing to be done–but it’s important to remember that these are particular points in a cycle, and we just happen to have experienced them in close proximity to each other, creating the sense of an extreme loss of power, a sudden and seemingly insurmountable weakness–but of course, all we need do is wait for another turn of the wheel.

Thomas P. Anshutz - 'Low Tide' {{PD}}

Thomas P. Anshutz – ‘Low Tide’ {{PD}}

Like a tide going out, the sense of being impacted by events, as well as moving to create impact ourselves, may dissolve, leaving a sort of turning inward in its place. With Mars reversing direction in Sagittarius the sense may be of having optimism removed, knowledge negated, no way to reach out, and with Pluto in Capricorn the sense of institutions, barriers, and obstacles as insurmountable may become acute. The prospects for change may seem nil, both from our own viewpoint in personal matters and on the larger social scene. Again, what we need to remember is that this is a figurative low point, in energy terms, not a death knell to either evolution or progress.

Mars’ first contact in retrograde will be a square to the Moon. This suggests the change takes a heavy emotional toll, especially in areas where we have expressed or absorbed criticism, or where we have labored or served in hopes of a positive result (Moon in Virgo). Pluto’s first contacts in retrograde will be a square from Zeus and a trine from the (still in Virgo) Moon. Here the emotions absorb the bad news a little more easily, probably because we see that denial of or irreversible changes to widespread ambitions and desires is shared by whole swathes of society.

What we need to do is adjust; we need to see that a straightforward assault won’t bring the results we want, and neither will one that threatens destruction or transformation–both extremes of the Plutonian coin will lose credibility in this environment. Considering that the Moon is an immediate contact of both bodies, it may pay to take a more receptive route to facilitate both action and change; a sensitive stance where the intuition and feelings play as great a role as the Will may be the most effective way to deal with the energy shift. There is also the potential for channeling wants and efforts through the Arian Venus, who can muster behind the Will exceptionally well, and who keeps the ‘I Am’ in mind even as she seeks the cooperation and assistance of partnership.

If you have placements in 15-17 degrees of the Cardinals, you’ll no doubt feel the grind by withdrawal of an energized environment (in fact, it may present some serious problems), and if you have hard aspects to Mars (in the 6-8 degree range) you may find at least part of the energy withdrawal could involve your own ability to deliver being questioned. Since this likely occurs in adjacent Houses of the natal chart, we may find that our own actions in the matters of the House where Mars is currently transiting may trigger the withdrawal that follows in the Pluto House. No matter what, dear Reader, take it all in stride, for this too shall pass.

This is super-helpful, from Astrologer Leah Whitehorse—

Mars Into Pisces

09 Friday Jan 2015

Posted by in Mars

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Imagine the Warrior in the Clouds--Peter Nicolai Arbo {{PD}}

Imagine the Warrior in the Clouds–Peter Nicolai Arbo {{PD}}

Mars enters Pisces on the 12th and brings the Warrior mentality to the creative and the connection to the Cosmic—that can’t be good, can it? Yes, it really can. We find the energy to act on those things we’ve only imagined, and creative output can soar—if we know what form we’d like to see it in. We may also be prompted to act on delusions and lies, and can really go down the wrong Path right now, if we have accepted untruth as its opposite. Mars in Pisces may make those strong in Air and Fire uneasy, worried their energy or spark may be dampened by this placement. All they really need to do, though, is realize that the emotion-rich atmosphere of Pisces offers an enormous amount of inspiration—and of course, that is the very thing that underlies effective action. Fears of emotional flooding, of releasing dammed-up feelings, must be accepted; actions and choices now will naturally be prompted by and carried along on the feeling nature—there’s no way to avoid it. No one has ever actually drowned in emotion; but they have died from denying it, holding it in, and having it leak out in inappropriate ways. Just go with the flow, this time—there’s nothing to fear.

Have a great weekend!

Your ECLIPSE Weekend Sampler 6-8 December 2013: Need

06 Friday Dec 2013

Posted by in current events in the sky, ECLIPSE magazine, Mars, Saturn in Scorpio

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Gauguin 1893 {{PD-Art}}

Gauguin 1893 {{PD-Art}}

On the current Saturn picture:

Saturn is in Scorpio, already digging up secrets, researching, and making big, permanent change, and he enjoys mutual reception with Pluto in Capricorn, whose mission at present is similar; time’s planet is also currently semi-sextile Zeus (ambitions and desire/ lust), trine Jupiter (excess, the social sphere, knowledge), and square Juno (status through the partner or position, personal empowerment and effectiveness), and by early March will be retrograding. So, the planet of stability, reality, and responsibility is being affected by some of the most passionate energies in life, and, are we surprised? This is applying a lot of influence (pressure sounds much too negative) on our judgment at this time.

It’s pointing us toward a massive need to feel strongly and deeply, to connect to others or the environment with passion, to immerse ourselves in the Water of Saturn and Jupiter so that feeling becomes the principal experience at this time. The danger of not noticing and addressing this compelling emotional influence on the reality picture at present is that we may become disoriented, swept away (or aside!) by the passions we find so involving, and could see fear, another Saturnian facet, arise and take over our perceptions as a result.

7 December our attention goes to gaining cooperation, to getting others on board with our aesthetics, to doing ‘it’ together, and can easily be perverted into passive-aggression or a belief that if that’s what we want, that’s what everybody wants. Mars is never happy in Libra, and this is no exception—considering his long (through late July 2014) residence there (due to retrograde) we are looking at some truly testing circumstances for Martial energies. I think we need to get into the habit of checking our Will and our viewpoint; the big danger is that we’ll push for, even fight for, what we think is the common desire, only to find we’ve been promoting only our own wants. Mars in Libra is a tricky tightrope to walk, but can be negotiated with balance, keeping the interests of the Self and others (the Aries/ Libra partnership) on a fair and even keel at all times.

Today’s image (8 December) is a jump rope, discarded, partially frozen in a puddle. At this coldest (or hottest, depending on your location) time of the year, we may be remarkably sedentary, hiding from the weather and disinclined to get the exercise we need. Make a conscious effort to get up and moving, no matter what it’s doing outside; inspiration lies in taking action (Mars headed toward quincunx with Neptune)

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