Category Archives: Neptune

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

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , ,

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 22-24 November 2017 Lift

21 Tuesday Nov 2017

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

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , ,

Winter in Andalusia (Poplars and Sheep at Alcalá de Guadaira) 1880 {{PD}} By Emilio Sánchez Perrier

We enjoy lifts of several kinds over this period; here are the deets:

The big story for the 22nd is Neptune stationing direct, and yet our reaction to this lifting of the fog might be more about the other perfecting aspects: Jupiter sesquiquadrate Chiron, Mars conjoined Zeus, and the Sun parallel Hygeia. When a heavy like Neptune goes direct, we may not be conscious of the shift right away; we may feel something, but it’s likely that it will take a little time for such a change to gather a distinctive shape in our lives, often related to either the matters of the House Neptune is currently transiting, or the one Neptune rules in our natal chart–and that’s aside from any contacts Neptune makes at the point of direction, which can be especially potent in the way they are suddenly revealed, attain an aspect of creativity or idealism or take on spiritual depth, or conversely are obscured, if Neptune retro had been serving to lift the fog.

So, the energies surrounding the turnaround may feel something like this: the social order suffering from and also inflicting wounds (think the #MeToo movement, for one); on an individual level this suggests that the facts or beliefs, one’s own or others, may be painful to deal with, or that the difficult situation presented by those facts and beliefs requires us to offer healing or the Chirotic skill, again, to ourselves and/ or others. Getting bigger spiritually, especially in relation to our fellow humans, may be painful–not exactly surprising.

Then there’s the matter of actions and choices being fused with ambitions and desires, removing any real chance of objectivity–just be prepared to face this in yourself and in others, and cut everyone a little slack; we are passionate about things at this point, so precipitous acts and expression of the Will may cause a kind of ‘blanking out’ that overrides any of our normal reticence or cautions. But, the Sun’s contact tells us that, in the long-term, that Self-expression will ultimately be healthy, so we’re unlikely to damage anything we actually want to preserve.

Rik Wouters – ‘De strijkster (The Ironer)’ (1912) {{PD}}

Today’s word image is iron. Did you imagine something hot coming out of a forge, a cattle brand, perhaps, or something more mundane, a clothes iron, or possibly a hunk of ore, or a daily supplement consumed for your health? Iron has entered the lexicon in a number of ways: ‘strike while the iron is hot’, meaning take an opportunity when it presents itself; to ‘iron things out’ means to negotiate and come to agreement; something is described as ‘iron’, implying unbending strength. Consider whether you need a little more, or a little less, of whatever iron comes to mind.

And what about the 23rd, the day in the US known for gathering the family together to share . . . a turkey? Let’s be clear: it’s a celebration ostensibly triggered by the day the indigenous peoples saved European settlers from starving to death, a day that signaled the beginning of the end for natives in terms of autonomy and cultural, personal, and Collective freedom–and of course, we shouldn’t be celebrating the dominance of one group over another at all, however obliquely that applies. We have to consider what this holiday has become: a symbolic sharing of abundance, and a chance to celebrate that abundance, to be grateful, not just for what we have but for those who share our lives, in the here and now.

How are we to interpret it, then, when no new aspects perfect today? The implication is that we are awash in a combination of previous recent influences that are still reverberating, and those characteristic inclinations and proclivities that we carry natally. Expect the expected, heavily seasoned with current shifts in both the personal arena and the Zeitgeist.

Jupiter, hangin’ out with his eagle By Nicolai Abildgaard 1792 {{PD}}

Word image for the 23rd is an eagle tending a nest where the eggs will never hatch. Well that’s depressing! Sometimes Mother Nature plays a cruel trick on us, or maybe it’s just fate or our own persistent nature, but everyone at one time or another has pursued or tended diligently to something that has no life in it, that will never ‘hatch’ and live in the light of day. This may be a reminder not to pour our care into lifeless projects, ones where the potential has long since drained away, or maybe it urges us to let go of the things that will never be–not all eggs are meant to reach maturity–and how can we have room for the new, if we are perpetually mourning the old?

By the 24th we’ll begin to see how the Neptune direction is flavoring those things we find sacred, that we honor, and that we are committed to; we’ll also be highly aware of the positives of all that’s come forward lately, the rewards offered for not ignoring or denying what is, and we’ll get glimpses down real avenues of Power. What’s not working so well may be our thinking and reasoning, and those faculties that are so injured or warped by negative experience that we can’t see the objective or the factual without distortion. What comes under scrutiny is our ability to be truly rational; our response needs to be a willingness to consider that feedback may be showing us an elemental flaw in our system.

Sculpture “Peace” created by the conceptual artist Stephen J. Kaltenbach, 2005, near the Capitol Mall in Sacramento, California Photo By Carol M. Highsmith – Library of CongressCatalog: http://lccn.loc.gov/2013633917 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is meeting someone about whom you feel you already know a great deal. When that happens, do you let what you’ve heard influence your perceptions? Are you so busy looking for purported attitudes or behaviors that you don’t see who’s actually standing in front of you? No real relationship can develop when prejudice exists, and perceptions are bound to be artificial, filtered through beliefs rather than arrived at from direct experience. Try not to exercise prejudice, okay?

Support the blog through donations, book purchases, through the sharing buttons below, and by sending good energy to me and one another. For those who celebrate it, have a lovely Thanksgiving, and for everyone else, have a lovely end-of-week!

 

Your Week 16-22 June 2017 Silence

15 Thursday Jun 2017

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

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Plas Newydd (Anglesey) – Terrace gardens grotto – Neptune as gargoyle By Wolfgang Sauber – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16274036

On the 16th Neptune stations retrograde at 14 Pisces 15, in close sextile to Juno in Capricorn, herself in apparent retro motion. This forms a loose Finger of God with asteroid Vesta in Leo–and if a personal body sits 12-16 Leo, you’ll see that natal energy as apex to an attempt at empowerment, one that either brings creativity to the fore, or is misguided, out of following your own delusions or misunderstandings. Juno prompts us to use our status, position, or connections to express our Will, and Neptune focuses that expression through our ideals, whether they are spiritual ones, imaginative ones, or off the mark, skewed by deception or delusion. For everyone, the Finger suggests that effort at exercising our prerogatives through creativity or misperception will result in pinpointing what we really care about, or discovery of what we’d like to dedicate our time and energy to; for those with a natal placement in that Leo range, this suggests you’ll see what matters in terms of the contacted energy, or possibly in terms of issues contained in the House it rules, if any. Vesta tells us what we honor in life; the Neptune station will make something about this clear, whether our efforts spring from a creative urge or a misguided one, though we may find we have no time, energy, or support to enact this particular ideal until Neptune is once again direct, in late November 2017.

Otherwise, we enjoy some very upbeat influences on the 16th, an unusually positive day when what we desire is actually good for us, when we have harmony between the mind and the Soul purpose (and so can choose, think, and act with little if any internal conflict), when we are optimistic about the future, and when we think along lines of ‘natural’ power and authority, and so make the most of our own abilities and influence. Reaching for something? Do it today, but be ready to listen if the internal systems tell you this isn’t your best course, after all–today’s excellent judgment may have you reassessing previous wants and goals.

By Scott Darbey from Canada – bluebells, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42236316

Today’s word image is bluebells. Simplest symbolisms say flowers are a ‘natural’ cheering thing, bolstering spirits just by being, and blue can be seen as soothing, or in its meaning as sad or depressing. Is there something that should be pleasant and happy that’s actually depressing you or making you sad? Are you having a kind of contrary reaction to something? Is there something natural (something you should accept as part of life) to which you’re having an unwarranted reaction? Are you ‘blue’ in spite of the way things are ‘in bloom’ in your life? That last is a signal that it’s time to seek help, if only confiding in another trusted Being to help you gain perspective.

The 17th our viewpoint may be a bit skewed: we see all the benefits as coming from or being found in ‘the future’, and we tend to disregard the role or origins of some rewarding matters where they formed or were earned in the past. Too, we know what we want and how to get it, but we may be willing to do something unhealthy or negative to make it happen–please consider the merit of the means as much as you do the end.

By Iker Cortabarria from Palma, España – Dragó, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4263989

Today’s word image is a lizard, sunning itself on a rock. As pleasurable as sunning itself is, this behavior is actually necessary for a cold-blooded (as we describe them) creature. What thing that you enjoy, and possibly see as Self-indulgent, is really a very necessary part of your existence, one that you can’t do without? This asks us to reassess what we see as an indulgence, a luxury, and what is important to our overall health.

By the 18th we’re feeling both wise and ‘lucky’–and that’s a pretty accurate measure of ourselves in the moment. The only thing to watch for is thinking that rejects the reality picture. The only way to get ‘there’ from ‘here’ is to know exactly where you’re starting out–keep this in mind as you choose, act, and do.

Today’s word image is a clown. People seem to have very personal reactions to this Archetype–consider yours definitive for you, specifically as to what it might say about how you see ‘fun’.

‘Fireworks, Vernon Bridge’ by Theodore Earl Butler {{PD}}

The 19th the fireworks are as much internal as external, so that it’s uncertain how much of this will show in surrounding circumstances, and how much will be firecrackers and flashbulbs going off in our heads. What we’ve got going for us: there’s wisdom in spontaneity, in the ‘new’ idea or impulse, in a willingness to invent or innovate, and diving in to test skills can bring surprisingly good results. The group may offer the smart choice, if we find ourselves wondering, and what the intellect supports as wise very likely is. Positives are seated in showing genuine confidence (as opposed to putting on a show) and relationship or financial connections can bolster personal empowerment and reach. Right now the mind has a knack for drawing on the past in productive ways–all of these things are good, and available to us.

What’s not so great? The ego, if it’s ascendant, will keep us away from every healthy option–it’s a matter of feeding negative emotions as a way of enslaving us to our own capricious nature. No one can ask anything of us, if we’re unreliable and unable to take care of ourselves, right? It’s easy to put our attention on hurts, at this point, and that can offer the ego the foothold it needs to run away with things. Too, we see a Finger of God, base of Jupiter-Black Moon Lilith, apex Venus in Taurus, that suggests both beliefs and what enrages us must adjust, if we are to receive the comfort and sustaining nurture of Love or Money.

Not an easy day, but a lively one, where following our best impulses is much more than worth it.

Today’s word image is a phrase I’ve heard multiple times within just a couple of days, from sources ranging from real life to media: “You’re so lucky you must have a golden horseshoe up your ass!” This is a thing? We’ll proceed on the assumption that it is. My first thought was, ‘That can’t be comfortable, so is this luck in spite of the situation being difficult?’ I think that sums it up. Find the spot in your own life where you’ve been very fortunate, despite the pain.

The 20th we may feel at odds with ourselves and the social scene–there’s no safe harbor for Self-expression without critique, the facts don’t support our empowerment, and the worst may be that it’s our own ‘wounded thinking’ that’s creating most of the mess. If we are willing to reconcile with some less-than-positive aspects of the past, we can move on to reap rewards from the creative, the innovative, and the use of skills–and we can do it as the Sun moves into Cancer, pulling our attention toward caring, nurturing, and finding a prominent place in our lives for our emotional reality to shine.

Today’s word image is an old song, ‘The Girl From Ipanema’. If you don’t know it from the radio, you probably know it from the Muzak in elevators and grocery stores. What quality makes a song seep so far into the Collective consciousness that one can’t go long without hearing it in some form? What ‘song’ have you been singing all these years that has now become part of your consciousness–and are you aware of what it says to and about you? Ask yourself, Is it time to change the track?

The 21st sees the Superior Conjunction of the Sun and Mercury (their meeting while Merc is in direct motion). This should bring us the results of something seeded at the Inferior Conjunction. It’s not always evident, and may be so subtle that it seems a matter of course–but it should answer some question, no matter how oblique, that has been up in the air, or bring some communication or thought to a close, offering a form of ‘silence’. To make this meeting possible, we see Merc join the Sun in Cancer; don’t be surprised if what concludes has a prominent element of feeling, or brings an emotional conclusion that will often present as relief.

On other fronts, we see some resistance to what we know instinctively, we see some Self-destructive tendencies that endanger what we really care about, and we may find the imagination running away with us and focused on what we are in denial of or ignoring. You do the math; this is about facing things, pure and simple.

From our yard 2017

Today’s word image is peonies. On a gardening site I saw someone write in, frantically asking how to get rid of the ants that were swarming her peony plants; I and several others wrote back, ‘Don’t! Peonies need ants to help them open!’ This is the danger of engaging with something we know nothing about: not so much that something bad will come to us from it, but that we can cause harm in our ignorance. Whatever this brings to mind, just make sure you really do know what you’re doing.

On the 22nd no new aspects form–both our outlook and our word image for the day will be a kind of Silence. Find it, deliberately make room for it, sit within it. It’s likely to reveal to us just how much noise we’d like to be rid of.

Sorry I’m a little late getting this out. Windows hijacked my computer with a massive update that then wouldn’t allow my astrology program to open–so it took me hours to straighten things out. Have a wonderful week!

 

 

 

The Responsive Universe

13 Tuesday Jun 2017

Posted by in Consciousness Explored, Neptune, Planetary stations

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

,

Something I noticed in my time away that I just had to share with you; maybe you’ve noticed it, too. It seems there’s been a kind of synchronous acceleration–that is, there’s no lapse between becoming conscious of something and experiencing something, sometimes literally, that bears the essence of the thought or concept. A couple of examples will suffice, though it’s been happening over and over again, for days now. I smelled smoke at the exact moment someone on television said the word, ‘Smoke’. I realized we were rushing, and just as I did I saw a man walking toward me with ‘Rush’ in huge letters on his T-shirt.

Those things are not monumental on their own, but they do suggest a remarkable immediacy to life right now, an immersive and responsive Zeitgeist that offers instantaneous manifestation of thought–or perhaps it’s thoughts that occur in perfect harmony with manifestations.

I’ve always thought that those occasions when we experience a synchronicity, a deja vu, or when we realized we’ve dreampt this, and know how it will go, are little assurances from the Universe: you are ‘tuned in’, so be confident in your understanding. It’s almost like an invisible hand is patting us, pointing us in the ‘right’ direction, and I believe it’s meant to show us that we are the stuff of the Universe, and it is us, responsive to who we are, right down to our thoughts.

Maybe this reflects stationary Neptune in Pisces: holding still, midway through his own sign, making a sort of fixed point, an energy fulcrum that connects the seen and unseen, linking spirit and imagination and the forces of materialization and dematerialization, with no barriers, no ability to look away and not notice, to miss something disguised or ungraspable. It’s all right there, in your head and out in the world at the same time, a glimpse at the limitless power of creativity, in its most primal and natural sense. Be aware–it’s a great power you hold.

I hope your week is going smoothly. Scroll down to previous posts for the recent Full Moon and the daily forecast and word image. Next week’s outlook, including the retrograde of Neptune, will be available on Thursday, the 15th. Donate to your favorite bloggers, support what matters to you, read, and enjoy all that life has to offer!

13 June 2016 Focus On: Neptune Retrograde + Revealing Words

13 Monday Jun 2016

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Neptune, Retrogrades, Saturn square Neptune, The Daily Word Image

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , ,

'Canada Geese and morning fog in Golden Gate Park' Brocken Inaglory Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

‘Canada Geese and morning fog in Golden Gate Park’ Brocken Inaglory Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

Of course, our old friend Neptune has been virtually motionless late in the 11th degree and early in the 12th of Pisces for some time now; we may have worked this energy and its impact into our own chart through its contacts (or lack of them, isolating this massive dose of inspiration, confusion, spiritual enlightenment, and energy-suckage in matters of the House its transiting), and convinced ourselves things may always stay that way. The retrograde point of something so sluggish as Neptune may resemble the slow-turn of a heavy stone wheel: it’s moving almost imperceptibly, grinding down what it touches, compressing that point and those natal bodies it forms major aspects to in such a way that the alteration in direction brings no relief, and little hope for change. Instead it threatens to take the slow-grind over territory we thought we’d already dealt with, and give the matter another layer of grist, so to speak, grinding away at new aspects of the same old subjects.

So, we shouldn’t expect immediate results from the retro–what we most likely feel is the return of something we thought we’d just dealt with a minute ago–and now we see it with the Neptunian influence withdrawn or changed somehow. We may question or re-examine our spirituality, our creative efforts or urges, may become confused to the point of do-overs, or just unable to navigate with any confidence. We could also see the imagination, spiritual efforts, or creative talents freed of their conventional Neptunian ‘beliefs’; that means that how we see and define those areas might get the chance for permanent alteration, should we decide to explore, experiment, or feel our way through the fog.

Neptune, Saturn, Vesta, and Jupiter are still forming a Grand Cross, and with Neptune’s retrograde we may apply those creative changes to the reality picture, the social role, and/ or to those causes we dedicate ourselves to, or to the home or mate. The shift in direction of Neptune offers us a new way to see all or part of the energy involved in the Grand Cross, and so to address it more accurately through the beliefs, the spirituality, or the creativity.

We also have a Fist of God with apex Mercury and base of Zeus-Pluto, with the impact continuing for a couple of days. This suggests that concerns surrounding power and desire combine, possibly through conflicts that arise, or that naturally exist between those power needs and the ambition/ desire picture, and fill the mind, the communications, and those things that are communicated by others. It may be an unavoidable free-for-all as no one will be terribly successful at keeping what they want, and how much reach they wish to have, under wraps. Brace yourself to hear some surprising power wants–and some even more surprising lusts, desires, and goals. The only ones who come out of this without revealing themselves are silent and invisible. A square of Venus to Chiron says this might hurt, especially in the way it reveals things about our relationships, and Venus quincunx Mars says we are vulnerable to awkward acting out or poor decisions that could jeopardize our assets, if we’re not careful.

Today’s word image is a red suit. A suit is something we ‘put on’, and red suggests energy and possibly power or influence. In what way are we perhaps pretending we have more power or ability or energy to handle things than we really do? We may think we have to wear this suit when we really don’t–if we can just admit the true situation.

Focus On: Neptune, 29-30 September 2015

29 Tuesday Sep 2015

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Neptune

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

, ,

Neptune can lure us through the idea of rescue--our own or that of another--if we eschew responsibility for ourselves, or if we need to see ourselves as rescuers, feeling our armor could use a little shine. Giulio Aristide Sartorio - La Sirena, 1893 {{PD}}

Neptune can lure us through the idea of rescue–our own or that of another–if we eschew responsibility for ourselves, in the first case, or if we need to see ourselves as rescuers, in the other case, when the ego feels our armor could use a little shine. Giulio Aristide Sartorio – La Sirena, 1893 {{PD}}

Neptune is currently transiting through the sign it resonates most strongly to (and along with Jupiter, rules), making it as characteristic of Neptunian energies as it can get; by this I mean there’s a purity to it to which, when we ‘tune in’, we have access to–but even inadvertently, we absorb or otherwise allow that Neptunian fog to permeate the atmosphere–and today’s contacts tell a story. Neptune receives a quincunx from retro transiting Mercury in Libra, and contraparallels Pallas. This suggests a few things: messages, communications, even our own thoughts might be difficult to fathom–or perhaps it will be the hidden messages, the ideas beneath the words and thoughts, that are tough to discern–so that we somehow miss at least some of the meaning of all that’s conveyed. Our own cogitations might not go any better, as the mind obscures what’s really motivating our conclusions and compelling our thoughts to go ‘here’ not ‘there’. We may be moved by the spiritual, the imaginative and the imaginal (in both the positive and negative senses), and Collective mind influences to think along certain lines or to believe certain things, and bouncing ideas off others (Libra) doesn’t really help–but know consciously that you have only part of the story (or that you have the story but are missing some important element), and your ability to respond and think effectively jumps markedly.

The contraparallel to Pallas just piles on the uncertainty, and brings to the party an inspiration to recklessness and impracticality. How do you behave when you know you’re teetering dangerously close to making a series of bad decisions? Do you listen to your more cautious nature, and pull back, or do you plunge in, out of an addiction to drama, an inclination to make the internal chaos visible, or an urge to fan the spark of Self-destruction? The current state of your natal Saturn and Uranus (what transits they’re receiving, where they are by Solar Arc), and secondarily what those transiting bodies may be contacting in your chart will tell the story of your current responsive nature (that, and the Moon) or susceptibility to unwise behavior based on a Neptunian fantasy, delusion, or awareness of one’s individual speck-ness within the Cosmos.

Neptune can beckon to us, inviting us toward doing something decidedly unwise, through illusion, through something that can appear perfectly reasonable–and that’s where we must remember, that between today’s contacts and the Merc retro, we are unable to perceive clearly–no matter how clear the matter seems to be.

Tomorrow, the 30th, we see the Sun-Mercury Inferior Conjunction, with the Sun quincunx Neptune. This suggests that what is seeded with the Inferior Conjunction has an element of fantasy, imagination, or the unreal that will need adjustment as the matter grows.

Just to let you know, I won’t be posting much forecast material, anymore–review of my practices during this Merc retro makes me feel that this is a maw that can never be filled–and that kind of Sisyphean effort is not for me, much as some of you may appreciate it. So, I’ll post on focused topics like this, or in a broader observational vein when I’m moved to, and you can sign up to follow the blog and be notified if and when it happens. See my books here; the ones on the asteroids Chiron, Juno, and Vesta are very much like having a class with me, if that would interest you.

And a reminder: unless you are a current client with an active order, please do not write directly to me–check the Services page, and if it says I’m booked, I’m booked!

Jupiter Opposed Neptune September 2015

17 Thursday Sep 2015

Posted by in astrology, Cardinal Activity, current events in the sky, Jupiter, Neptune

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

, , ,

There are pairs, and there are pears, and there are 'Pears and Oranges in a Bowl' - William Glackens 1915 {{PD}}

There are pairs, and there are pears, and there are ‘Pears and Oranges in a Bowl’ – William Glackens 1915 {{PD}}

With Jupiter opposed Neptune, knowledge and ‘the facts’ face off against illusion, against what might be–and if we aren’t truly clear on who we are and in our connection to reality (and how can we be during Merc retro in Air?) then we may come out the worse for it. This aspect initiates an even more serious gap between those who believe in the rational and those who cling to fantasy–and the problem is that both sides see themselves as the rational ones! Jupiter in Virgo, moving into trine with Pluto, quincunxing Vesta and sesquiquadrate Ceres, tells us that the devil is discovered via the details, in critical examination that is not overly respectful of authority, and in a certain willingness to question our values and then adjust them according to what we find. If we fail to do that, we are definitely living Neptune at the moment, feet firmly planted in the fog of our own hazy reasoning. Look around: it’s Mulder and Scully, George and Gracie, Cheech and Chong, Lucy and Ethel, Bert and Ernie, Bart and Lisa, Holmes and Watson, Spongebob and Patrick, and I’m giving no hints as to which of the two in each of these pairs was the one really being realistic.

This is the only aspect for Neptune at the moment (and we’re not counting the fleeting touch of the transiting Moon); that suggests that those disconnected from reality have no touchstones, other than the Jupiterian facts, to pull them back into this dimension. When you hear an assertion, look for the reality behind it; don’t trust, verify the reality of what you believe, before making it your anthem. Normally I would say something about creative types and creativity getting a boost from this, but this time, No–a big part of true creativity is about being able to work with reality, to mold it, to see the potentials–and that’s only possible when we work with what is. We can try to turn water into wine all day, but if we don’t acknowledge that wine comes from grapes, and so must be our starting point, we’re going to serve one weak-ass beverage this evening.

Also of note: Juno and the North Node meet up at 00 Libra, showing us (if we’re paying attention) precisely how much the shaping of our future relies on our own empowerment. If you have placements within two degrees either side of this, or in hard aspect from the other Cardinals, that energy contacted will be instrumental, especially over the immediate future, in determining which way you go and how successfully you do it. Who used it best? might be the Universal question at this point, focused on your natal contacted energy.

Zeus and Venus are also sextile; should you have anything at 14-18 Virgo you have a temporary Finger of God that implies your ambitions plus relationships, finances, or values, when working together, will successfully bring about a positive expression of the Virgo energy. With Venus trining Pallas and catching Zeus at the midpoint, be smart and/ or practical about the use or role of that Venusian asset, for best results. And if you have anything at 14-18 Taurus, that becomes apex to a Finger with base of Zeus (ambition and desire) and Pallas (wisdom, practical skills), making for the obvious formula of applying wisdom to ambition creates, what, at this time? Whatever you’ve got at that point in Taurus.

Neptune Station, Retrograde 7 June 2013: ‘Offering Inspiration’

05 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Dreams, Neptune, Retrogrades

≈ Comments Off on Neptune Station, Retrograde 7 June 2013: ‘Offering Inspiration’

Tags

, , ,

A very Neptunian idyll at the beach, by Rupert Bunny c1891, {{PD-Art}} in both the USA and country of origin, Australia

A very Neptunian idyll at the beach, by Rupert Bunny c1891, {{PD-Art}} in both the USA and country of origin, Australia

Neptune retrogrades at 1:25 AM Pacific time of the 7th; what can we expect? Neptune will have just risen on changing motion, hovering above the horizon, in a Grand Trine with Saturn and Venus, and square the Mars-Pallas conjunction. The Grand Trine is a Water one, and with the transiting Moon in Gemini and heading for conjunction with Mars-Pallas, the picture is one of emotional realization and (probably) manifestation of ideals, values, or the creative in relationships, or through earning capacity, either arising from previous or current intelligent action or choice, or prompting this in the immediate future. Whew! That’s a mouthful. What we’re likely to be looking at is a powerful and balanced situation of either realization through the feelings, or manifestations in the reality structure, of something related to our values or our creative activity, and we have either been smart about what we’ve done to get to this, or this will bring us to a smart future choice. This is likely to sneak up on us, coming across as a ‘given’, not really drawing much attention, and probably showing up via House matters where Neptune is now transiting, in the matters of the House Neptune rules in the natal chart, and/ or through anything transiting Neptune currently aspects in the natal chart. Satisfaction in some way is the likely outcome, though it may be tough getting there; initially we could react badly (or have rejected in the past) the very smart moves that are now presenting themselves as ‘the answer’–but it would be unwise to reject this out of some delusion of how things should be–in order to create what we want, we must acknowledge how things really are. Dreams, both the literal kind and those involving our goals, should be examined, because that’s where all the potentials have been showing up, of late. Use them as inspiration, as guidelines, and as a springboard to action.

Tempted to subscribe to ECLIPSE, but not sure you’ll like it? Put your name and address in the comments section of this post (it will NOT appear publicly), and I’ll send you the current issue free–then when the bill comes, you can either pay to receive the weekly newsletter packed with articles and the complete forecast through the enclosed, secure links, or you can simply notate, ‘No thanks, it’s not for me!’ and hit reply–no fuss, no muss. THIS OFFER IS GOOD THROUGH NOON PACIFIC TIME TOMORROW, 6 JUNE 2013. Thanks!

Thank you, everyone, for such a great response! I hope those of you who got samples enjoyed them, and will consider joining the ECLIPSE community!

Dance With Neptune, Watch Venus Kiss the Sun

05 Tuesday Jun 2012

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Neptune, Venus Retrograde

≈ Comments Off on Dance With Neptune, Watch Venus Kiss the Sun

Tags

, , , , ,

‘Dancers in Pink and Green’ Degas {{PD-Art}}

If you felt Neptune’s retrograde at all, it was probably something of a heavy thump, the gentle placement of leaden boots onto your feet, the pulling down of a woolly, brain-stifling cap over your head, the settling of a thick blanket over you that traps humidity and causes a vague, unreachable itch, or, for a few, feeling like the heart is a huge thing, turning over with a thud just under the breastbone. It’s more likely to arrive in a feeling of foreboding or nameless weight that sneaks in during the daily routine than it is to make for the kind of distinct effect other energies do: ‘before Neptune’s retro’ and ‘after Neptune’s retro’ are not so easily or clearly defined. This behemoth turned around at 3 Pisces 09, with the most immediate shift felt via natal placements that he is either squatting on or aspecting by hard angle; you might also feel an alteration in the trade winds buffeting the House in the natal chart with Pisces on the cusp, or perhaps the settling in of something dense and obscuring related to those matters. But in those instances of conjunction or aspect of Neptune to the natal, you will likely sense or be presented with a change in the creative flow, imaginative abilities, to the fantasy life, or to the ‘tune’ you normally dance to in this life area. Changes are not necessarily negative, especially if you have Neptune retro natally–then you might feel ‘back in the swim’ in a way you haven’t lately–but even if you are suddenly more comfortable with the flow of things, it can be disorienting (a Neptune specialty!) and even one who’s celebrating wants to avoid happily twirling through the fog and right off a cliff.

Today is Venus’ visible transit across the Sun, a startling phenomenon that will not be possible to observe from our vantage point here on Earth again until 2117. Don’t look directly at it–just as with an eclipse, you must protect your eyes from unkind consequences–and there are many places online to watch, should you be in a clouded area (as I am!) Astrologically, this is simply a Sun/ Venus conjunction–it’s the angle that makes it special, as it’s allowing us to see dainty Venus with the furnace of the Sun as a backdrop–but it is a meeting of retro Venus and Sun in Gemini, suggesting at the very least that the attention spotlight is on a re-consideration of relationships and/ or finances. Look for a denouement of sorts, in spite of the fact that the retro period isn’t yet over; expect some kind of ending, conclusion, wrap-up, or resolution that will probably surprise or enlighten in some important way.

The May Special is over, but the June Special is a’happenin’ now! Subscribe and get both issues centered on each of the recent eclipses, so you can catch up and get a subscriber’s eye view of the proceedings and potentials, along with a Weekly PDF filled with detailed Lunar and aspect forecasts plus articles, tidbits, and random drama! Subscribe here, and Thank You!

Revisiting the Neptune/Chiron Effect

13 Tuesday Apr 2010

Posted by in Chiron, Consciousness Explored, current events in the sky, future events in the sky, Neptune

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , ,

Martyrdom of Saints Crispin and Crispinian by van den Bossche 1494 {{PD}}

The long-lasting Neptune/ Chiron conjunction has put us all through the wringer, and will continue for some time yet. They come close to connecting precisely once again in Fall 2010 but manage, only minutes apart, to never quite meet; once both are direct, Chiron takes off with nary a backward glance for his one-time dance partner. We may see a slowly, steadily, insidiously building tension between the two energies through that November time frame, so I thought it wouldn’t hurt to reprint an article first published in May of 2009 (with slight modifications-read the original with comments here https://juliedemboski.wordpress.com/2009/05/12/neptune-chiron-projection-hurt-and-ownership/), to remind us all of where we’ve been, and where we still, for a while, might have to go. The Dark of the Moon is the perfect time to consider things we might want to absorb as much at a subconscious level as a conscious one, so that the ideas will work subtly to shape our attitudes and interactions. Here it is:

When Chiron and Neptune entered each other’s orb, we began to experience an ongoing test of our connection to reality. True, everyone has areas they’d rather not look at too closely, places in our lives where we keep our perceptions in soft focus around the edges. I’m not speaking of those things we accept or let pass or don’t inspect too minutely, out of an already full life plate, or the simple reluctance to admit something isn’t perfect–that’s not only human, it’s probably vital to healthy functioning, as we could be easily overwhelmed by too much detail, too many things to ‘fix.’ I’m talking about those few of us with a relational disconnect in the overall world view, where the individual’s idea of who they are, and who others are, is deeply and fundamentally off.

This conjunction was early on imbued with both a spirit of Self and aggression and a mentality that framed dissonance as a personal power struggle, with the transits of both Mars and Juno to this combo (Feb-Mar 2009).

The energy became more prominent as Jupiter neared the conjunction of Chiron/ Neptune; its presence boosts the need to project, to broadcast, related ideas and concepts as a means of expressing one’s belief in them, and thereby, at least to the mind that’s confused, proving their validity–it’s a Self-righteous energy that feeds on belief/ faith in an ideal that does not correlate to the reality picture. Jupiter also brings in the social element, the possibility of reaching out and imposing the ideas in the social sphere, again as an expression of their ‘truth’–“I wouldn’t be able to say this publicly if it weren’t true!”

The big problem with all of this is, Chiron and Neptune both hold expression pitfalls for those who are prone to fantasy, delusion, obfuscation, as the conjunction marries the urge to embrace illusion with the primal wound, the sense of hurt that, if left unclaimed and unexplored by the individual, becomes ripe for projection, and that is essentially what we’ve been seeing the past few months, an insistent sense of victimhood which has taken (temporary) hold of a dispiriting few.

How do we sort ‘true’ victims (as there are those who suffer legitimately at the hands of others) from those who have simply taken the worldview that they are victims, fueled by the easy Self-empathy of a complete mis-perception of role, actions, or intents? One easy way is to ask, where does this person ‘live’? Is their sense of Self seated in a me (or us) v. them mentality, where they are ‘done to,’ where others have bad intent, where they are a crusader for good and right in the face of those who are insensitive bullies? In this regard, anyone who disowns the potential to be the aggressor themselves becomes a candidate.

This is not, on its own, definitive, as there certainly are bullies, insensitive louts, and those who mean us harm, and sometimes the world does divide up into sides. There are other factors that distinguish those who are suffering under this transit (and suffer they do, as the pain they feel is real–the problem comes with their clear misunderstanding of where it originates). One distinguishing trait is, they are the aggressor–they pick the fight, typically based on an indignant reaction to what someone else has said or done that violates their delusional sense of Self. Often this has been sought out–the Neptune-challenged individual goes looking for a savior, or at least someone to support their fantasy Self, and when the mirror the other person holds up doesn’t show them the illusion they expect–well it must be that person’s fault, right there–the reflection is wrong, the mirror is wrong, and the person holding the mirror is wrong–because, they firmly believe, it couldn’t be them–in fact, that’s a basic assumption they enter the situation with, that in no way are they misguided, or have anything to learn–a real irony when the situation is a teaching or guidance one.

It’s also common that the person they choose to blame is someone ‘safe,’ someone who will likely not reject them, or who is not involved in the real problem. It’s almost a form of scapegoating, the ancient practice of designating someone or something as the carrier of all the village’s problems and sins, and then driving the bearer out of town–in this case the ‘village’ being the Neptune-influenced individual, who does not recognize the internal schism that prevents acknowledging the problem as their own.

How do you know when you are dealing with someone thus afflicted? “You think” may be the first words of many of their sentences–they speak as if they’re psychic (Neptune, again!) and yet what you’re hearing has no relation to what’s actually in your mind or heart–and you quickly discover that contradicting them brings out the emotional flood, anger or hurt, one and the same. They come at you claiming a wound, blaming the hurt on you, and yet this doesn’t make sense–it’s like they’ve set off huge emotional smoke bombs, deflecting attention from the real source of upset, determined to extract energy, attention, and penance from the accused–and if you’re the accused, you may think they have a point–until you realize that you are not reacting from emotion, or a need to Self-defend, and that even offered apologies or clear explanations as to your intent are ignored–the individual has a stake in taking a stance that demands you accept their indignation, and that you be responsible for their hurt, even if it doesn’t make sense, and it’s the one-sided, punishing nature of the interaction that is your biggest and best clue that this person is under the Neptune/ Chiron spell, using you as a screen for projection and Self-justification. Even those who claim to speak for the oppressed can be subject to this–for just as likely that they are correct in their remarks is the possibility that they are taking a passive-aggressive tack toward judgment and blame, typically engaging in precisely what they accuse others of.

It’s a sad situation; it can bring to ruin perfectly good relationships, as the Neptune individual does not, will not, cannot allow themselves to see the imperfection in their reasoning–as that would require a release of the illusion of victimhood–and right now, for them, that just feels too good, too safe, and perhaps is the only way they can feel right.

And to those who may feel injury at the hands of others, it’s good to remember, that no one can injure you without your consent.

********************************************************************************************************

See my book on Chiron here http://dogandsunflower.wordpress.com

Today’s Link: On healing http://www.kathryncassidy.com/articles/unhealed_wounds.cfm and this on Chiron/ Neptune/ Jupiter http://content.yudu.com/Library/A182p1/TheTripleConjunction/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yudu.com%2Fitem%2Fdetails%2F57651%2FThe-Triple-Conjunction-of-Jupiter-Chiron-and-Neptune-2009-Explained both by the great Kathryn Cassidy.