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Category Archives: Retrogrades + Directions

Your Ascendant Zodiapedia: ‘Down Deep’ Scorpio + Saturn Retrograde

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‘Deep Art Photo of Etno Histria violins’ 2009,
By Ekke from Durham, United Kingdom Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

Scorpio is so often misunderstood, especially when it sits on the Ascendant. Others are just naturally afraid of someone who’s dark, deep, powerful, mysterious, and who feels inaccessible, no matter how open and transparent they try to be. When others receive you with vague suspicion, no matter your behavior or motivations, you’re bound to get involved in a feedback loop that more often ends up supporting observers assessments (from their point of view) than refuting them, under the same principle wherein even sane utterings from a sane person sound crazy once you’re labeled that way. This is the burden Scorpio bears—along with a reputation for vindictiveness—but is that deserved?

Not at all; I think what happens is that Scorpio is so deeply, almost violently, emotionally perceptive and receptive, and yet prone to bury those feelings, that when they do let them show they have an overwhelming power of expression that impresses onlookers—and imprints these tempestuous feelings on observers as ‘the way Scorpio is’. Others feel and behave with the same ideas of passion, revenge, love, remorse, and so on that Scorpio does, but they do it sneakily or unconsciously or passive-aggressively or manage to manipulate others to do it for them, and so avoid the kind of reputation Scorpio has—so their reputation is much more about appearances than reality, in this regard.

Scorpio is also known for wanting to destroy or change what they encounter—but this is simply a mechanism for getting to the Truth, which is the Scorpion’s Holy Grail. Scorpio on the Ascendant suggests the individual is on a quest of sorts, something that compels them to restlessly research and dig and uncover until they reach what they’re longing for (and this is often described by what aspects to personal energies Pluto makes in the natal chart: Sun, who they truly are or what they’re here for, Moon, how they feel or developing trust in their own intuition, Merc, connection or communication or the feeling of ‘brotherhood’, Venus, love or reward as determined by their own values, Mars, a leader or protector or a role as leader themselves, Jupiter, knowledge or a philosophy of life that has ‘the answers’). The intensity of their quest and the laser-like focus that just comes naturally to the Scorpion can give others the impression that they are withdrawn, not interested in human contact, or angry all the time—but they’re not—it’s just Scorpionic concentration!

From the inside looking out, Scorpio may be overly responsive to the environment, but learned to hide it—it just didn’t feel safe having others know how Scorpio felt. In early life, Scorpio was probably in a highly reactive, threatening, or even dangerous milieu and/ or around such persons—but we must remember, from the viewpoint of a child, there’s much that we take for granted or even find amusing as adults that could be traumatizing for the inexperienced. This is why it’s important to remember that the Ascendant viewpoint is a reaction that feels to the individual like it’s a necessity; it doesn’t reflect reality so much as the individual’s idea of reality. What we can state with certainty is that Scorpio found the environs intense (and for Scorpio on the Ascendant this could be doubly so, and is also true for any individual no matter the Moon or Ascendant’s sign, who is also born with a Void-of-Course Moon). Just keep in mind that with Scorpio on the Ascendant you’re dealing with someone who just wants the Truth—and though there’s no guarantee that you and Scorpio will see the truth in exactly the same way, it will establish trust—and once this Ascendant trusts you, you have an ally for life.

Saturn’s that guy at the party who stands in the corner and whispers about how he just knows the cops will be there any minute. Photo By Yamen – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56401192

See a little on the atmosphere created by Merc’s direction, and take a peek at the recent New Moon. See more of my work here, donate to your favorite astrologers, and chin up! The retro of Saturn this evening (the 17th Pacific time) happens at 9 Capricorn 08, with first contact (other than Lunar contact) a race between Merc and Ceres moving toward the retrograding Saturn, with Ceres winning by a nose, forming a quincunx that requires real-world adjustment to our ideas of what constitutes our territory, to our personal authority expression and sense of empowerment, within negotiations, or in any maternal or nurturing roles we fulfill. See, we just have to be more realistic in our interactions–and really, that’s a good thing, as we can’t get ‘there’ without knowing where we’re coming from ‘here’. And have a great week!

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Mercury’s Post-Direction Journey: 10 Days in April 2018

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Posted by in astrology, Astrology and Communication, Consciousness Explored, Dreams, Mercury Direction, Retrogrades + Directions, Sabian Symbols

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By © 2017 Jee & Rani Nature Photography (License: CC BY-SA 4.0), CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58519377

Though Mercury has already stationed for turnaround, it hasn’t happened yet; we have to wait until 2:21 AM Pacific time of the 15th for a technical shift in direction. Merc’s direct motion starts at 4 Aries 46, with Mercury’s first post-direction contacts (other than ones received from Luna) coming on the 25th-26th close together: a square to Saturn in Capricorn and a trine to Ceres in Leo. That leaves a relatively long stretch when Merc is picking up speed and unimpeded (as well as not imposing its own agenda) on anything else. Merc in Aries is about communicating who we are, and what we want, as individuals–so expect a spate of realizing just what it is we want or think, then speaking up, speaking out, followed after ten days or so by giving those ideas solid form, or stopping something we’ve found objectionable (Saturn) in a perfect (that is, balanced) expression of our identity, essence, and authority (Ceres, in all her glory in Leo).

Just hours after technical direction, we see the New Moon in Aries, and in the run up to Merc’s first contacts we see Chiron enter Aries, Sun conjoin Uranus then enter Taurus, and Venus sweep over Sedna and then enter Gemini, from which it sextiles Chiron, both still in 00 degrees–and at that point we see Mercury poised to make his statement. This should bring a kind of progression, a building of energies, that starts with a re-focusing on the sense of woundedness from a Universal one to a personal and individual one. This may prompt unusual revelations about the Self and the identity; things we’ve not seen as wounds before suddenly are, while other hurts we’ve assumed may be exposed as nothing at all. Attention shifts, then, to the material, to nurture, to tending those wounds (and in worst-case scenarios, to feeding them!) Meanwhile, relationships, finances, and our values all take it deep, dipping into instincts, things we ‘know but don’t know’, and into our own ‘blind spot’, in order to reveal the wounds, the ‘true’ state of the identity, and to organize and make sense of what transpired during the retrograde phase. Only then, just before Mercury makes its first aspects post-direction, will we know with any certainty what we should do, and how we should proceed. And that’s the essence of my advice at this time: in spite of the direction, wait–you’ll learn a great deal in those ten days that will have a significant impact on your perspective.

Albrecht Dürer – ‘Wing of a Roller’ 1511 {{PD}}

The Sabian symbol for the direction point perhaps offers a formula: ‘A Triangle With Wings’=elevated balance–not a bad goal, at all.

And now for an update on my dream life. I was in what seemed to be the lobby of an old department store, and as people came through the revolving doors I took it upon myself to decide who could come in and who was turned back. Even in the dream I thought I might be overstepping, but everyone supported me in this role and there were no arguments–everything was decided with my intuition, and everyone seemed to see this as valid. Then I toured the building, which was immense, filled with innumerable rooms, and as I moved through the corridors more and more people came along with me. I returned to the lobby as it seemed that’s where I was ‘needed’. A man sat on an elevated platform; he was in intense pain. I knew him from ‘before’ (which I took to be earlier in the dream). He was Indian, had been a soldier, and had been tortured in the Middle East; he was now severely deformed, with part of his spine sticking out of his back, his entire mid-section twisted. I sat before him and cupped my hands around one of his knees. Between my palms appeared a flow of what looked like deep golden marigold petals, and these somehow took away the man’s pain. Then I woke up (or as they say, did I go to sleep to dream my ‘real’ life?) This seemed to be along the same lines as that last dream I shared, so thought it might be of interest to some.

‘Marigolds and Tangerines’ By Félix Vallotton {{PD}}

Now the astrology. Last night around the time of the dream, the Moon and Mercury were conjoined in Aries in my communication 3rd=intuited information on my role or the actions I should take–communication through emotion (or perhaps empathy). Neptune and Hygeia were closely conjoined in Pisces and smack on my Black Moon Lilith=through dreams what has been ignored or denied is explored, the healthy way shown. t Jupiter trine natal Moon and natal Ceres, forming a Water Grand Trine=a glimpse of my ‘natural’ role/ authority, at expressing a personal, nurturing role, or was it a wee peek at the afterlife (Jupiter is now so strongly associated with death). And t NN is sextile my natal Jupiter, and Ceres sextile and Pallas trine my natal Mars, with t Saturn still within orb of a square to that Mars=addressing the Will, Self-actualization, the life direction; it’s the smart thing to do, though difficult to bring into the reality. t Vesta is square my natal Mercury, and this catches natal Neptune at the midpoint=I must face how I think about what I honor–this message is delivered through the dream life. t Sedna closely opposed my natal Venus=time to treasure what I ‘know but don’t know’, what the instincts reveal, and perhaps to find the value in what has, possibly just until the present, been hidden in my ‘blind spot’. And or all of these interpretations could be followed by a great, big question mark 🙂

Of course, these are just guesses, but it’s fun to look at the astrology and see what it might reveal (or, more often, obscure!) Have a wonderful week!

New Moon in Pisces March 2018 A Goldilocks Moon

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Jessie Willcox Smith – ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ 1915 Illustration for a soap company {{PD}}

The New Moon occurs at 6:11 AM Pacific Daylight time at 26 Pisces 53. Both bodies (Sun, Moon) are applying conjoined Chiron, sextile Sedna and catching Uranus at the rough midpoint, square Vesta, and widely square Mars, the latter two together in Sagittarius, with Mars at the stressful 29 degree mark. The New Moon is also headed toward a sesquiquadrate with the North Node, and is in wide separating trine to Jupiter, which suggests what was recently promised by Jupiter is now in the rear-view mirror, not exactly gone, but at least temporarily losing relevance and certainly making connecting with that Jupiterian potential impossible right now (and we might ask ourselves, what ‘new’ do we need to learn, related to that Jupiter possibility, that will make actually obtaining what we want possible? Look to matters of the House where the New Moon and retro Jupiter fall in the natal chart. The NM Mars could make us feel as if we must act on it–but the time’s not right, yet)–the sesquiquadrate to the North Node only adds to this, making the road ahead appear particularly bumpy from our current vantage point.

Forming so close to Chiron suggests the New Moon brings potentials for hurt or healing–but which? We get a clue in the sextile to Sedna, which finds Uranus at the midpoint; this promises that something prompted either by the instincts or the ‘blind spot’ (that is, that we stumble into, rather than deliberately choose) will bring something unexpected or shocking, will garner the input of the group, or will foster understanding, not just intellectually, but emotionally, even intuitively. We must also consider that the knowledge, opportunity, or belief ‘withdrawal’ suggested by Jupiter may be the source of the wounding or healing. Whatever it is, it challenges our commitments, our priorities, or our highest values, with responsibility one way or another falling back on us and our own (possibly) poor decisions or potentially arising from aggression or conflicts sparked by others. This New Moon gives us the opportunity to reckon with our own and others’ ego urges and assertiveness, and to do so via our capacity for creative thinking, or through applying ideals to the imagination (Pisces); like Goldilocks, we’ll need to ask: Are we too aggressive and Self-involved, or are we giving our own needs too little attention or regard, or are we just right? The NM lays the emotional groundwork to successfully deal with this question, and when Mercury retrogrades in Aries on the 22nd, it will be prime time for reviewing and changing our actions (retro in Fire), particularly the way we act out or express the ego and action urges (Aries); we’ll have this New Moon to thank for a least a portion of our insights.

With Mars at its current position (29 Sagittarius) we may feel we’ll have to act in order to learn, but that would be premature–wait for Merc’s turnaround, as more will then be revealed–at this New Moon point, it’s all about feeling, intuiting, and communing, to discover our precise relationship to the Universe–modifications come later. One thing we may have to face at this time is that there is no difference between our woundedness and our ability to heal–and that in response to that awareness, action need not and often should not automatically be our answer to what’s revealed. Hints as to what follows are found here–

Utagawa Hiroshige – ‘Cuckoo Flying Under a Full Moon’ 19th century {{PD}}

The Sabian symbol for the New Moon in Pisces is, ‘The Harvest Moon Illumines A Clear Autumnal Sky’. This suggests opposites, through the imagery of a Full Moon, and autumn rather than the spring that’s soon to come (at least here in the Northern Hemisphere–for those in the Southern Hemisphere, the message may be simple: in the beginning is the end, and it is now). This could imply for Northerners that New Moon events play out through the summer and come to some sort of peak in the fall, or that what is born with the New Moon has the seeds of its completion, its ending, built in. That suggests not only that if we look carefully we will see the outcome to events already implied in their beginnings, promising a ‘harvest’ proportional to our efforts now, but that what happens now may also bring endings–that is, that the New Moon beginning has arisen from the completion of other cycles, that it’s time for other efforts to naturally terminate, conclude, or die. The imagery may also suggest we note Virgo at this point, in any or all of its guises within the personal life. That means subjects, qualities, and even people we associate with the sign may hold one or more keys to the meaning of events. Earth sits in Virgo, and that means those symbols will be literal, or at least tangible; check also the subjects of the House in the natal chart that holds Virgo for clues as to what may inform the New Moon event. ‘Discernment’ may be a key concept–also ‘criticism’, ‘accountability’, ‘results’. The ‘Circle of Life’ may be extraordinarily apparent right now–embrace this as a natural part of things, and appreciate what you have, in the present.

 

 

Just a Little AstroEssence 2 January 2018 Uranus Direct, Everybody Else in Trouble!

01 Monday Jan 2018

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

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Bühnenbild bei Vollmond “Eine Nacht in Venedig” (2015) Photo By SFM2016 – Own work CC BY-SA 4.0

The social order or opportunities themselves spell trouble for those who hold authority or responsibility (Jupiter sq Ceres), those powered by ego or aggression or sheer Will find themselves at a point of reckoning (Mars sq Nodal axis), and relationships and/ or finances are fired in the crucible of instinct and the effects of the ‘blind spot’ on choices and commitments (Venus sesq Sedna)–and all of it, along with the Uranus Direction in Aries, spells, if not outright revolution, then a riotous response by the individual to the world at large.

But as always, we need to focus our attention on what’s working, what can help us handle the pressure and potential disorientation delivered by the above aspects. Our assets include the ability to formulate clear plans and receive sharp insight related to our goals (Mercury sxt Zeus) and we muster the imagination, creative ability, and spiritual understanding to handle what comes (Sun sxt Neptune). All in all, a disruptive and even exciting set of influences that we are more than up to handling, as long as we keep our heads and refuse to succumb to Self-imposed confusion or fear.

Another word about the Uranus Direction: Vesta sits quincunx the planet upon direction, so that if you have a natal placement at 23-26 Virgo, the direction promises to provide a turnaround, an answer, a revelation to a question or conundrum concerning commitments and values framed through their interaction with the natal energy.

Everybody can expect a little chaos, especially of the reactive or emotional variety; though the revolution seems to be enacted without, it’s a true indicator of upheaval and changes within.

Today’s word image is: a hair stylist who creates a hair dye that changes color repeatedly after application. Fun, right? As a message, it suggests the ‘coloring’ of thoughts in some way that continues to change. Have we adopted beliefs or mental stances that, out of necessity or even fickleness, keep morphing? Does that make them more useful, or is the adoption of such thinking an add-on, that is, not natural to you? And was this mode of thinking possibly originally adopted out of rebellion, an urge to be seen as unique? If so, do you need such externals anymore just to prove your individuality to yourself? Or do you simply enjoy playing with your image?

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

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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!

 

Just a Little AstroEssence 28 September 2017 Focus On: Pluto Direct

27 Wednesday Sep 2017

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

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Pierre-Auguste Renoir, ‘The Umbrellas’, c1881-86 {{PD}}

Pluto stations direct today at 16 Capricorn 51, in a planetary pantomime similar to a car that was backing up that stops moving, switches into drive from reverse, but hasn’t yet begun perceptible motion forward: things have changed, but we may not be able to see that, yet. Typically Pluto is background noise, a lot like this measure of Cosmic radiation, persistently there, but not especially distinct; the shape of the Plutonian influence is a wave, not a singular, isolated event, something that washes over, permeates everything, but has a source it’s impossible to pinpoint. You know those times you’re walking around frowning, until you become aware of a kind of pressure on your brow? That’s the Pluto retrograde, exerting its influence, and it’s a lifting of that pressure, equivalent to realizing you don’t need to be so tense, that constitutes the direction. The heaviness that’s lingered for so long dissipates, likely felt either in the House Pluto rules in the natal chart, or where it’s currently transiting; those subjects can suddenly seem less maddening, less compelling, less urgent, with transformation of the energies coming almost unbidden–not necessarily ‘cured’, but certainly less serious. All the gloom may not be wiped away, but there may be the barest frisson as we realize it’s definitely getting lighter.

This Plutonian shift occurs in the midst of two contradictory pulls, one toward erratic, unwise, unthinking behavior, likely blamed on externals, one toward thinking that we’re honoring what we care about–but it’s in the disparity between thought and reality where our problems lie. We can bridge the chasm by acknowledging that we don’t need to be all-powerful in order to have an impact, and for once thinking may not be our best option–instead we need to concentrate on what’s right in front of us, and deal with things one at a time, rather than retreating to ruminate, ponder, and disconnect.

Not quite the kind of crown we’re talking about. By Pia Ranslet (original painting and photo thereof) – Pia Ranslet, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17530407

Today’s word image is the phrase, ‘Heavy lies the head that wears the crown’, which is actually a misquote of this, from Henry the IV, Pt. 2: ‘Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown’. Is there any real difference between them? Yes, there is. The misquoted version suggests a Plutonian sense of responsibility, that a ruler is burdened by the very fact of being ruler; the actual quote suggests something otherwise, that the one who wears the crown can never rest, with the implication being that their position can never be secure. Why has the saying morphed in popular culture? There may be a tendency to believe that those in charge have great privilege and power, so mustn’t complain of responsibilities–which ignores the original meaning of a ruler actually being a target, the position a precarious one. Maybe this is about an assumption that those who have owe us, or about us forgetting those in charge have problems, too. Is there a place in your world where you see someone as having, and therefore owing you? Do you feel others see you that way? How uneasy are you with your own ‘power position’? And do you, or do you not, want to ‘wear a crown’, based on your beliefs about what that entails?

Just a Little AstroEssence 25 August 2017 Release

24 Thursday Aug 2017

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‘A Reed Cutter at Work’ By Peter Henry Emerson (Cuba, active England, 1856-1936), Thomas Frederick Goodall (England, 1857-1944) – Image: http://collections.lacma.org {{PD}}

Saturn stations direct today, the 25th, in Sagittarius, releasing us from the cycle; this either opens the floodgates, allowing forward progress and bringing an end to the most egregious obstacles in our path, or we suddenly find barriers materialized before us, progress halted, sometimes for no reason we can point to, other times by some potential that lingered at the edge of awareness and now steps forward. Whichever way you respond to the Saturn direct-retro cycle, it makes us all cognizant of the passage of time and the reality picture, with change-of-direction points re-orienting us to current circumstances and the work we need to do to affect them.

We also see Venus enter Leo–watch for the roar of vanity and in those who are normally more reticent, a surge of pride, healthy Self-interest, and awareness of Self-worth that helps them earn or collect what’s coming to them. We all see the worth of standing up for ourselves, and for expressing our talents–‘Letting Ourselves Shine’ might be our theme at this time. Accompanying these planetary shifts we have influences that suggest a rejection of what’s wise or practical, probably grounded in mistaken ideas of what empowers us (hint: we may not see the true power of sticking to our values–that’s where the juice is found!) What else flourishes today? Originality, and efforts at improving health and embracing our status all bring rewards or improved circumstances, as does a willingness to put at least some trust in the group.

Source flickr.com
Photo by Michael Warren, Bristol, UK, released under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

Today’s word image is a bluebell.There are iterations of this flower all over the world, but they always make me think of Texas, a place I have mixed feelings about. What place, person, or thing from the past rises up today to remind you of what was, or how far you’ve come, or how you’ve changed, with perhaps the biggest factor being a question: what from this period do you regret, and how can you deal with it now?

Full Moon in Sagittarius + Forecast for the 9th: Mother Ceres Explains It All

05 Monday Jun 2017

Posted by in astrology, Full Moon, Jupiter, Retrogrades + Directions, Sabian Symbols

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By Alice Pike Barney – 1901 {{PD}}

On the 9th Jupiter stations direct in Libra, at the midpoint of a Fire trine from Vesta to Black Moon Lilith. A Jupiter in Libra turnaround signals a turnaround of mind, maybe even a retraction of or reversal of ‘the facts’; relative to the other body and point (for we must remember, Black Moon Lilith is a calculated point, a not-thing that we nevertheless feel and respond to), this could suggest a shift in attitude involving what we honor and what we’ve denied or avoided. We could quite suddenly see the opportunity that comes from a more optimistic viewpoint or in pursuing positive, rather than angry or punitive, interactions with those who may have angered us. Potentially, the facts may not just change our minds, but change our values, what we dedicate our time, energy, and attention to. This could be a much more momentous change than the average planetary direction, at least as it may lay the foundation for much larger or more sweeping changes in our fundamental beliefs and way of thinking–and this may come in the wake of Full Moon events.

Other indicators suggest we may come to Jupiterian change (shifts in belief, or the gaining of optimism or seeing opportunity) through hurt, and may resist reformation, seeing it as ‘not us’–but this would be short-sighted, particularly in terms of how this may prompt profitable action–so willingly go with it, if you can (Chiron sesq Vesta, Venus sxt Mars, Sun qnx Pluto)

Full Moon occurs at 6:10 AM PDT at 18 Sagittarius 53. The Full Moon sits midway between retro Saturn and Black Moon Lilith; it also semi-sextiles Pluto (which minor aspect we’re counting because they are only three minutes off exact), opposes Ceres (placing the asteroid in a separating conjunction to the Sun), sextiles Zeus, and sesquiquadrates Venus in her own sign of Taurus. A Full Moon, as we know, is an event of culmination, an end to a sequence or situation, and in Sagittarius it is often an event that offers knowledge, in some form–and of course with endings, we can often see the seeds of new beginnings, just by knowing in what area of life we are experiencing a conclusion; something must take its place, as Mother Ceres abhors a vacuum. Look for the arena of change in the natal House where the FM falls, with likely secondary locations matters of the House opposing the FM, the House ruled by the Moon, and if you have natal placements or points at roughly 3 degrees Scorpio, that placement will be the apex of a Finger of God involving Mars and Venus, implying that actions taken in Love or Money will bring a manifestation of the apex energy–and if you have a natal placement or point at 3 Leo, you are looking at a Fist involving Venus, apex the Full Moon, which may imply difficulties in Love or Money, relative to the natal energy, coming to a head at the FM.

We already know from other indicators, including the Jupiter direction, that things, especially our beliefs, are prone to change at this time; the FM suggests that this change is a natural one, no matter how unnatural it may at first seem. It’s really a manifestation of what we have learned, or the connections we have made, in pursuit of our ambitions and desires, and the result will at least in part be one that requires adjustment to the material/ asset situation and/ or to the way relationships affect reward or remuneration, or even what is shared or can be counted on. Somehow the material situation changes, and whether this comes as a result of other change, or brings about other change, we come out the other side seeing things quite a bit differently than we have. We become aware of what we’ve hidden from ourselves, ignored or denied, or we see our own anger, that may have been hidden from our conscious mind, and this, more than anything else, may be the root of the changes we see.

Though not directly part of the FM picture, there’s a Finger of God with base of Vesta-Zeus, apex Neptune, that may point to difficulties and distractions that will function to draw our conscious energy away from the Full Moon scenario–and this may be directly related to the Jupiter direction as it calls up our ideals and creative energies as they play out through both values and ambitions. The imagination may be alight with what we desire–the real question may be, Is this in line with our values? So do we really want it, or not? Inevitably, this may be a result of, or spring from, the Full Moon events, and has the potential when combined with those energies of propelling a significant creative event forward in a big way.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘Pelicans Menaced By The Behavior And Refuse Of Men Seek Safer Areas For Bringing Up Their Young’. This echoes the opposition to the Full Moon of the asteroid Ceres, with the Sun pulling away from their union suggesting both the history of habitat destruction and between species animosities of the past and the only solution Nature may have, to get away from polluting and destructive humans. In the context of the Full Moon, it may suggest that real-world circumstances (Saturn) and the irritation they cause (Black Moon Lilith) may propel events forward–and in the process, affect the asset picture and the beliefs.

We also look at the Sabian for the Sun for a Full Moon, as it is the source of the light which creates the phenomenon in the first place: ‘A Large Archaic Volume Reveals A Traditional Wisdom’. This promises certain Truths will become obvious, certain wisdom shown in the form of previous experience or knowledge (the ‘Tradition’ of the symbol–Saturn in Sagittarius=real-world knowledge + Ceres in Gemini=thinking about what’s natural). This revelation/ realization may be the spark that starts the entire change of the Full Moon, shifting our material circumstances, and/ or our beliefs, by the end.

The rest of the week will follow in another post. Donate to your favorite blogs and bloggers, read, and have a great one!

 

 

Your Week 14-20 April 2017 A Taste of What’s Holding You Back

12 Wednesday Apr 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Horoscope, Inferior Conjunction, Pluto, Retrogrades + Directions, Sun/Mercury Inferior Conjunction, The Daily Word Image, Venus

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‘Merchant’s Wife at Tea’ By Boris Kustodiev 1917 {{PD}}

Friday the 14th we see a perfect blending of ego and action urge with instincts, making for highly successful actions and choices as long as we go totally on those programmed and in-built inclinations. Problems arise from too much conscious attention to values and priorities; this is a time when we quite literally do best to think as little as possible, and to follow the spontaneous instinctive spark we carry within–otherwise, we tie ourselves in knots trying to make material and everyday circumstances meet a ‘purity standard’ that belongs better as an ideal.

Today’s word image is the actor John Wayne. Even when I was a child, he was considered a symbol of American values–but when we inspect those values now, we see their flaws: the embrace of Manifest Destiny, which inherently carries the idea of White superiority; the romanticization of the Western way of life, including its misogynist bent, its assumption of ‘Christian’ values as right and superior, and its lack of regard for both the best interests of animals/ the land, and the rights of other cultures, especially indigenous ones; the idea of rugged individualism, a pernicious code echoing the ‘each man for himself’, ‘survival of the fittest’ ideal which celebrates Self-reliance to an absurd degree, as well as justifying unfettered greed and exploitation, and as fuel for sanctimonious refusal to help others; the romance with guns, which continues today. It may be too much to say we should look at our own ‘John Wayne attitudes’, some way in which we are unquestioningly sure we are carrying the banner of right, or making assumptions about privilege due–it may be enough to look around for and make note of where these ugly Western assumptions may still permeate our thinking, our beliefs about ourselves, our country, or our way of life.

Venus goes direct on the 15th, at 26 Pisces 54; this sends it back toward a re-perfection of that square with Saturn. We get a last taste of barriers, restrictions, obstacles, or required discipline–or we see the cost of those restrictions, or the cost of not having applied them, or what we’ve lost by following (or not following) ‘the rules’, especially as it pertains to relationships. This may present a last, bitter pill, or could show us the difficulty associated with getting what we desire, and though tough, could be the point of delivery–it’s all dependent on previous experience with this square, and the individual impact through the natal chart, especially the unique relationship of each person to the Saturn concepts (which generally dictate whether the retro period represents a ‘taking away’ or an ‘opening the way’).

There’s also a perfection of a Juno sesquiquadrate to the North Node, which on the surface might not seem like much–but when we combine it with the Venus-Saturn effect, with Venus finally leaving her retro phase, we may find, especially if we are female, that empowerment options and circumstances that should help us build our desired future will not be easily exercised. We may find that the patriarchy, the establishment, authorities, elders, or rule-enforcers put obstacles in our way, or try to suppress or stop us. Gaining empowerment is possible, as long as we are willing to work around or be flexible, in terms of those demands or restrictions being made on us.

Today’s word image is a hand-tooled leather bridle. As lovely as the workmanship on one can be, a bridle is essentially an instrument of control, one that works because of the pain it causes (via the metal bit to the sensitive mouth of a horse or other animal). Is there some external control, applied by someone else, that you’re allowing, out of fear of pain if you don’t? What freedom have you allowed to be ‘bridled’, willingly or not? Have you been indoctrinated with the idea that certain behaviors aren’t allowed, that it would be uncivilized (or unladylike, or unmanly) to indulge in them? What’s allowing someone else to ride you–that is, keep on top of you or your performance, in some way–and so control you?

On the 16th we surf an unusually smooth and pleasant minor ‘wave’ of harmonies and sychronicities. Values aid the operation of instincts, actions and choices utilize our most unique skills, and cooperation, especially cooperation between complementary elements (anima and animus, man-woman, assertive and receptive, yin and yang) flows with little effort. It all comes naturally, with the result being that we find the energy and spark to handle what we’ve been ignoring or denying, and in doing so find our personal empowerment options strengthened and elevated.

By Paolo Monti – Available in the BEIC digital library and uploaded in partnership with BEIC Foundation.The image comes from the Fondo Paolo Monti, owned by BEIC and located in the Civico Archivio Fotografico of Milan.This work is free and may be used by anyone for any purpose.

Today’s word image is a single blue balloon, floating up and away from a crowd. That is one of the saddest sights, I think, because it means some child lost their hold; that precious, fleeting pleasure of balloon ownership is, for some probably distraught young one, no more. I find the temporary nature of a balloon part of its appeal; like a flower, you know it doesn’t have a long life–and the fact that they float and fly has always made them special, too. What short-lived pleasure in your life has recently expired? Did you ever think it might simply be practice for enjoying in the moment, and letting go?

By the 17th the real world, as it is right now, is in our faces–and if we handle issues willingly, openly, we find opportunities plentiful and our ability to act unhindered. The issues revolve around deception (by others or our own of ourselves), reality as it is, rather than as we’d like it to be, and how healthy our choices are, at this time; if we can be straight with ourselves over these matters, we will find our personal effectiveness goes beyond anything we’ve been imagining, and that opportunity and support from the social sphere are attracted without any special effort on our part.

Today’s word image is a spider that dangles from a single thread of spider silk above the head of an unsuspecting individual. If you’re afraid of spiders, this might give you the heebie-jeebies–and nobody, frightened of arachnids or not, wants a creepy-crawly in their hair. This may alert us to something undesirable that is ‘hanging over our heads’–and yet we don’t know it, or are not conscious that it poses such a ‘threat’. Maybe the solution is to ‘look up’–or maybe just look around carefully, to be more aware of our surroundings at all times. 

On the 18th we once again see personal power aided by our ability to allow our instincts to call the shots; too, thinking is in line with, and attention is on, the future, allowing us to consciously guide things in the direction we’d like to go. So what’s not working? Wounds around relationships and finances may derail the entire day, unless we are able to set resentments and fears aside and simply listen to the internal pulse of call and intuitive response, without letting negative thoughts intrude.

Today’s word image is an empty closet. You’ve got nothing to hide, right? Or is this a reminder that you’ve got plenty of room, some place clean and ready to hold your things?

On the 19th what we have previously ignored now gets our full attention–and in providing that, we gain in wisdom, practicality, and our ability to affect circumstances. The world is our oyster–and we are poised to start a fresh ‘pearl’, via the Inferior Conjunction of the Sun and Mercury–which is precise about 11:01 PM Pacific time, and occurs just after the Sun’s entry into Taurus. This suggests that the seed planted here may be a physical one, the start of something materially significant, the beginning of a project, idea, or condition that has a material impact, or one involving the senses or sense-perceptions. Just a few hours later, on the 20th, Pluto retrogrades at 19 Capricorn 23, and soon thereafter we see Merc shift back into Aries. This subtly alters our retro period thinking; we change from considering material matters, comfort, and consequences to the potentials behind action and Self-responsibility. We start to consider that we are the ones who can do something about ‘it’. As a backdrop to this, Pluto’s change in apparent direction may simply emphasize the darkness, or the destructive tendencies, inherent in the forces of evolution, transformation, and change. Pluto’s retrograde gives us new appreciation for how close we may be standing to the precipice, and how much more carefully we might want to move–or giving us the urge to either back away to safety, or to jump.

By Dwayne Albert – Originally from en.wikipedia; description page was here., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2974795

Today’s word image is a pair of sleeping dogs. Do we ‘let them lie’, as in the saying, or are they not performing as they should, barking when trouble approaches? Either there’s a topic not to be touched at present, or an early warning system is down.

29 December 2016 Lost in Translation

28 Wednesday Dec 2016

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

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Pierre-Auguste Renoir - 'Joueuse de guitare' c1897 {{PD}}

Pierre-Auguste Renoir – ‘Joueuse de guitare’ c1897 {{PD}}

The AstroEssence: What does it mean that Uranus goes direct during a Mercury retrograde? Possibly that the higher reasoning and intellect go into overdrive, but find the concepts and information are un-relatable, either because one can’t seem to find the right words, or because the ideas themselves remain indistinct. Communication, then, becomes difficult, and it may appear each individual doesn’t know her or his own mind–but that’s not so, it’s just a problem translating that electric impulse of pure knowledge into a language that can be understood. The Arts offer a great way to funnel this higher mind material, and as well offer a way to link instincts with those matters too long ignored or denied–they need to be worked out, and music or dance or the visual arts, any venue that employs one’s artistic impulse, even untraditional ones, provide a perfect outlet–but take care that relationships or financial situations don’t become venues for working out the neglected–that likely only results in upset. It’s a really good time for inventors and those looking for a unique approach, as new and startling concepts and work-arounds occur to us, and we take a kind of ruthless view of what we care about, both as a housecleaning measure and one that offers to make the changes we seek. The best approach overall might be to be gentle with ourselves and others, in order to avoid a too radical purging, and to keep from doing what we can’t take back (Uranus goes direct, Pluto contra-parallel Vesta, T-square Venus as arm to a Black Moon Lilith-Sedna opp)

Today’s word image is two tickets to the theater. A theater experience is a companionable one; we typically go with others, in order to have even more individuals act out a story, to entertain us. Are you part of the audience, or are you an act-er? Each has its place–right now there’s a need to either appreciate what you’re being presented with, or to act out what you truly want to present to others.

For those born with the Sun at 8 Capricorn: It’s the dawning of a new emotional era for you, one that will change the way you think–and that change is driven not just by a new viewpoint, but by the inclusion of new information and ‘facts’ you weren’t previously aware of. This is good overall, but may disturb the equilibrium of your life in the moment. Be aware: new agreements lead to new situations–and these may or may not fit with what already is. You’re actually on the way, this Solar year through to your next birthday, to making a dream come true–so careful progress that acknowledges what has changed, and what’s still solid, is vital to success. Good luck, Cappy, and Happy Birthday!

Please see the previous post for the New Moon assessment.