Category Archives: Sabian Symbols

New Moon in Aries 24 March 2020 ‘It’s All About The One’

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‘King David: “Oh, that I had wings like a Dove, for then would I fly away, and be at rest.” Psalm 55-6 By Frederic Leighton 1865 {{PD}}

By ‘The One’, I don’t mean that magical someone who, we are taught (especially when we are little girls) will change our lives–or am I? I’m talking about each one of us–and in that sense, we are indeed ‘The One’ who can bring about change, hopefully for the better. Required isolation is putting the emphasis back on Self-responsibility, on taking the needed initiative individually–and this New Moon reflects that.

Moon and Sun meet at 4 Aries 12, at 2:28 AM PDT of the 24th, just before conjoining Chiron and the Black Moon Lilith point. This suggests a strong new course for healing by paying attention to all those things we’d rather ignore–or, in a less likely scenario, a deep, primal wounding via those factors we’ve insisted on ignoring–but in Aries, we are each, as a single entity, allowed to take our pick, to make our choices (or to garner the results of those choices already made).

The New Moon combo is moving toward perfection of a semi-sextile with Uranus in Taurus–something we don’t always need to take note of, but in this case, we do, because it’s approaching, rather than separating–and again we see the importance of the individual, this time as playing a role within a group (the dual symbolisms of Uranus), and all of this figuring in to the welfare of the environment (Taurus) as the group and individual are both part of it, and as they affect it.

The New Moon also forms a semi-square to Venus in Taurus, which in this chart is in its own sign and rules Earth, Juno, Zeus, Sedna, and Uranus, as well as a semi-square to Ceres, which places the New Moon at their midpoint. We could call this ‘The Worth of the Earth’; the bodies under Venus’ rulership suggest that we come to a new assessment of the value of human autonomy (Juno), the costs of ambition on a larger scale than that of the individual (Zeus), and of the price of paying no attention to our instincts and what we ‘know but don’t know’ (Sedna). The NM at the midpoint says that a new path must be found, a new balance, between Ceres in Aquarius (the demands of ‘the modern’ on Mother Nature, a new, progressive view of our relationship to and obligations to Nature and the natural order) and Venus in Taurus, which in a least one expression tells of the human need for material comfort and sustenance, which are gleaned from the environment and its products and assets.

In fact, the square between Venus and Ceres forms the base of a Fist, with the apex the Earth in Libra: it’s only by cooperation, by caring for others as much as we care for ourselves, that the New Moon tension can be resolved and reach some sort of accommodation between Nature and Humankind, a resolution that supports the health of the Earth, as well as the health of her inhabitants.

There is also the way the Sun-Earth axis, joined by the Moon, continues a Cardinal Grand Cross/ Square, for those who accept the Nodes as valid configuration points (long-time readers know I do). The need for action is both clear and fundamental to the way forward; we must deal with what we’ve wrought, in a way that handles both material and spiritual realities, and that recognizes the  rate of the passage of time is a crucial factor to success.

Though it’s a wee bit wide for a New Moon sextile, we can include Vesta in Gemini, if only because the symbolism is so striking: our ultimate values, what we find sacred and dedicate our energies to, are renewed, re-dedicated at this New Moon, as each individual takes action, makes our choices, takes on a new way of thinking (Gemini) that defines both our priorities and the way we will live day-to-day (around the Vestal hearth).

‘Wing of a Roller’ By Albrecht Dürer 1512 {{PD}}

The Sabian symbol for this New Moon may confound us, at first: ‘A Triangle With Wings’. A flying inanimate object–I can’t help but picture a cold geometric shape with the feathered wings of a dove–makes an absurd image, until we think of the way a triangle is balanced, each leg in equal proportion to, and supporting, the other two. It’s this state of true balance that the New Moon is sparking in each of us, via the mechanism of individual choice, responsibility, and commitment. The wings are the symbolic equivalent of the spiritual component of all endeavors, reminding us that a kind of flight of the spirit is what we are always seeking, always aiming for, working to lift ourselves ever ‘higher’–and this image tells us that lift is achieved by attaining that balance. Usually we see this as an inner function, a personal goal, but the Aries New Moon tells us that spiritual ascension is possible only with the correct measure given each of the three legs of the triangle: the individual, the Collective, and Mother Nature Herself.

 

 

 

New Moon in Pisces 23 February 2020: A Dawning Awareness

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‘The Three Sisters from Policeman Creek, Canmore, Alberta, Canada. The Three Sisters are a trio of peaks. They are known individually as Big Sister, Middle Sister and Little Sister.’ Photo By Jakub Fryš – Own work CC BY-SA 4.0

The New Moon occurs at 4 Pisces 28 on the 23rd at 7:31 AM PST, semi-square Venus and loosely semi-square Jupiter (placing the NM at the rough midpoint), sextile Uranus and Mars (again, the NM is caught between them), and in loose trine to the North Node point and loose sesquiquadrate to Zeus-Juno in Libra. A New Moon in Pisces can bring a new dream, a dawning awareness of some new facet of the life, of some burgeoning desire or ideal, or the birth of a vision, fantasy, or even deception that inspires, whether what we imagine is true or not.

In this instance we are offered a spark, a fresh idea, that arises from the difficulty in balancing relationships or the need to earn with the social whirl or with a multitude of opportunities. Our own willingness and initiative, and serendipitous events and ‘coincidences’, shape our life direction and put us in a quandary: do we bow to the needs of others, graciously making ourselves small in order to ‘get along’ (and so, we might imagine, earn their Love), or serve our own ambitions and in the process discover who among our companions supports us, who falls away?

The Sabian symbol for this New Moon is, ‘A Church Bazaar’. This is an event where like-minded (we might even say, spiritually attuned to one another) individuals who share a common belief framework about the ‘right’ way to live gather in order to share their handiwork, their creations, in a celebration of fellowship. Nothing wrong with that, right? Except how much do we experience, learn, or test our beliefs if we surround ourselves only with others who share an identical viewpoint to our own? This New Moon may incite a search for the wider world, as we seek the commonalities among, for instance, humankind, or those qualities we share with other sentient beings, rather than shrinking our world down to others who are more like us than not.

Aspects and Sabian combined suggest a need for new and broadening experience with others of the ‘not-like-us’ variety. It dawns on us that there’s more to the world than we suspected. Pisces wants us to dream, wants us to connect with the Collective, wants us to accept and to be accepted–and that last is probably, for anyone, a good place to start.

This is it for at least a couple of weeks. Have a wonderful and safe late winter–see you by spring!

Leo Full Moon 8 February 2020 Call and Response

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‘A Bather (Echo)’ By Jean-Jacques Henner 1881 {{PD}}

The Full Moon in Leo occurs at 11:33 PM PST at 20 Leo 00, sextile Zeus-Juno, square Vesta, and sesquiquadrate the South Node. These are contacts that wouldn’t even show up in most charts set to calculate only the ‘classic’ major bodies and points–so what does that say? Maybe it implies that what culminates here is subtle, and let’s face it, subtle isn’t a vibe that Leo does easily. Conclusions or endings arriving today may be, quite suddenly, dumped in our laps, presented as fait accompli, something we must just accept, no matter how we feel about it. That can make for major surprises delivered quietly, with a wink and a nod and a sudden twist of the entire landscape. We could feel ambushed, with delight or with upset, stunned in a way that on the outside is liable to be mild, even barely perceptible to others, but that inside re-shapes our outlook, or our entire world.

The sextile to Zeus-Juno in Libra points toward a resolution around ambitions and desires, and so a change (or cementing in place) to status and empowerment modes. If you have something at 19-22 Pisces in the natal chart, you may get a message delivered as clearly as a weather vane indicates the direction of the approaching storm, a sudden drop in pressure pulling in an answer to your goal or power situation represented by the Pisces natal energy or point. It acts as apex to a Finger of God; people who experience this may feel the whole thing is out of their hands, happening to them, rather than being at least nominally driven by their choices.

The square to Vesta may show us how and where our commitments and priorities clash with the demands of our own emotions or with our intuition. We have to ask: are we in conflict because we need to modify our stated values, because they don’t actually represent who we are, or is it that we fear what those values will be bringing us? Our reaction may spring, at least in part, from unpleasant experiences of the past, ones we link, consciously or not, with current events. Don’t be afraid to examine these issues at this time; the Leo energy of a Full Moon promises that we have a strong grip on identity, and though we may be surprised by our feelings, they aren’t alien to us, but instead easily traced to their origins. They hold recognizable shapes, and the FM may require we measure them for accuracy, ‘fit’, and appropriateness to our values, and vice versa, measure our values to see how we truly feel about them.

The Sabian for the Full Moon falls precisely on the degree without any minutes, meaning we read 20 Leo: ‘Zuni Indians Perform A Ritual To The Sun’. The symbol for the Sun, which we always inspect for clues as to the origins of the Full Moon light, is, ‘A Large White Dove Bearing A Message’. Taken together they make a kind of Cosmic call and response, a ritual ‘cris de coeur‘ to the source of all life, and the answer that is given. Whatever happens for the Full Moon, make sure you pay attention–this is energy put out into the Universe by the Soul, and that means what comes back to us has a great deal to say about who we are, and where we’re headed.

New Moon in Aquarius 24 January 2020 Birth of Unanticipated Beauty

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‘The Birth of Aphrodite’ By Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky 1887 {{PD}}

The New Moon in Aquarius (also known as the Chinese New Year) occurs at 1:41 PM PST of the 24th at 4 Aquarius 21, sextile Chiron and square Uranus, but both of those on the wide and separating side, and we can also include a loose novile to Venus in Pisces. That suggests in a psychic sense the New Moon is dangling out there, a loner, an individualist, on its own, birthing something unanticipated, something startling and beautiful–and in Aquarius, that can be something new, modern, advanced, academic, unpredictable, or chaotic.

We may take an intellectual approach to the new feelings sparked at this time, or may discover a new understanding of an already extent situation, and these viewpoints arise from both a shock and a healing moment; those may be the same thing, or two different things, but together end up opening the door brilliantly to a reward, relationship, or ‘treasure’ of great spiritual depth, one that connects us in a unique way to the Collective.

However, there’s nothing brash about what happens here. The shocks are mild, traceable to a recent conflict or difficulty, and perceived in such a way that with a bit of effort, all can be healed, smoothed over, or put right, with the upset likely showing us exactly what we need to see. Conflict with the group is possible, or we may be guilty of erratic behavior, unreliability, or generating chaos ourselves, but it’s within the tumult that we find the seeds of understanding, revelation, and ultimately, acceptance.

The novile to Venus in Pisces holds our ideal of Love, relationship, asset acquisition or talent expression before us, and shows us a clever and inspired way to achieve it; we still have to reach for it, putting in some energy to make it a reality–nothing is guaranteed, and the unpredictable element, if left unaddressed, can take it all sideways in a heartbeat.

The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘A Council Of Ancestors Is Seen Implementing The Efforts Of A Young Leader’. Here the emphasis is on the experienced group recognizing the innovative leader, with the mention of youth a clue to that figure’s link to Higher Mind–for where else does wisdom come from, if one is short on experience? This implies that the revelations or reveals that accompany the New Moon are informed by a higher intelligence, and that it will take a cooperative effort, or an acceptance by the majority, to implement them.

No matter what form taken by the unanticipated beauty of the New Moon, and no matter how disorganized or shocking it is initially, it promises positives, information that makes our lives better, an understanding that unites rather than divides. It takes our breath away, and shifts our world-view toward the modern, the fresh, the future.

Lunar Eclipse January 2020

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Lunar Eclipse, from ‘Kitab al-Tafhim’ By Al-Biruni c1000 {{PD}}

The Lunar eclipse begins at 11:21 AM PST January 10th at 20 Cancer 00. An eclipse, Solar or Lunar, is an energy disruptor, with the Lunar being oriented toward endings, conclusions, denouement, resolutions, outcomes, final denials, or the finishing of one period so that a new one can begin. That’s what can be confusing about eclipses: the endings hold the seeds of beginnings, and the beginnings contain some finality. We couldn’t have one without the other, and sometimes its nearly impossible to tell in the moment whether what’s happening is the end to something, or the beginning to something else–but in some way, it’s likely both.

This Lunar eclipse in Cancer suggests we may stop caring about something or someone that had been important to us, or may withdraw nurturing from someone or something we have previously sustained, or one or both of these may happen to us, as someone else turns their concern in another direction. This sounds negative, but is really about finding the ending inherent in any relationship, which allows psychic ‘room’ for a new start. It may be felt more as a shift than an ending/ beginning, a movement of intention, especially supportive attention, to a different subject, and may show the end point of an old attention goal, the start of a new attention goal, or both.

The eclipse is involved in three major energy ‘clusters’: a T-square involving a loose conjunction of Juno and Zeus as the arm of the T, with Sun et al. as the balance; the opposition as its own dynamic, enhanced beyond the usual Full Moon opposition to the Sun by inclusion of Ceres, Saturn, Mercury, and Pluto; and the final a grab bag with a pair of individual contacts, possibly less strident in expression but no less significant, a wide, separating trine to Neptune in Pisces, and a very close but separating sesquiquadrate to Mars in Sagittarius.

This eclipse coincides with the Superior Conjunction of Sun and Mercury, with both semi-square Mars and mirroring the complementary aspect to the ones made by the eclipse–and of course, opposed the Full Moon itself. The Sun and Mercury are also conjoined by Ceres, Pluto, and Saturn, making for an intense grouping gathered within a less than three degrees span. In the context of the eclipse, this may suggest powerful forces that combine to create the eclipse effect–but this may not be an accurate perception. It may instead be a seminal perception, one that causes some mildly difficult actions and choices that bring forward another ending, this one initially planted at the Inferior Conjunction and now coming to fruition.

L’éclipse, acquaforta, by Félix Bracquemond, in Sonnets et eaux-fortes, Paris, 1869 {{PD}}

Here’s the thing: amidst the cacophony of endings and beginnings, the Saturn-Pluto meeting likely already will have set in motion a serious and permanent change dynamic keyed to Capricornian institutions, structures, rules, authority figures, power figures, the status quo, and generally pushing strongly and persistently toward breaking down the old order, the old construct, the old power balance, with ‘old’ simply suggesting ‘established’, and it should take both a personal version (related to natal contacts and/ or the House subjects where the eclipse falls in the natal chart) and a larger societal one that you personally become aware of and observe. There may be no telling one change from another.

Too, don’t expect total destruction; this could instead resurrect things, especially things surrounding what we believed already dead, as new life in a new form is breathed into them, supplanting the old order, but not with anything new. In so many ways, that’s a horrifying thought. There’s even the chance that current power situations are cemented in place, with change only in the surface appearance, if at all, the prevailing power structure firmly fixed.

The presence of Ceres suggests Nature has her say, or that our connection to the natural world undergoes a time in the Underworld and is then brought into our reality, our Beingness forever altered by the experience (an illness or near-death event, mourning, an experience of grief, an encounter with the unseen, a spiritual event, a birth, an encounter with a ‘ghost’, any real-world happening that plunges us into awareness of the unseen and the pattern of life-death-life). Or it could be that we see real-world authority change right before our eyes, transforming into something Other. No matter what, we’ll find out something about our own place in things, and about the reach and extent of our power to make change, and this in many ways could be a double-edged sword.

The difficult thing is that all this change, upheaval, transformation, and re-birth acts as a full throttle background to the eclipse; that’s where we may get the idea that the eclipse is the source, but the eclipse is only our emotional response, and so contains any changes prompted by that response. We react to the power situations, personal and in the wider sphere, and either communicate or receive messages that have been some time in the making.

The T-square suggests that in the course of all this power examination and potential upheaval we see conflicts or hard choices related to our empowerment, specifically how much ability we enjoy to pursue ambitions and desires. The separating trine to Neptune implies we’ve already approached ‘the Dream’ or are clear on our ideals (or thoroughly immersed in our delusion), with the sesquiquadrate to Mars telling us we’re actually in the midst of some uncomfortable or tough to implement choices or actions, know it or not.

Uranus is at this point stationary but still not direct, offering the tension of imminent chaos, but not breaking in that direction just yet. Uranus’ direction may free the rebel, unleash mayhem, strike a note of individuality or originality, or release the energies of Higher Mind, the latter prompting a possible ‘hand of God’ scenario carried out through groups or movements, or our own conviction about what’s needed and ‘right’.

Partial eclipse of the moon. Observed October 24, 1874. (Plate VII of The Trouvelot Astronomical Drawings 1881) By Étienne Léopold Trouvelot {{PD}}

Normally I don’t address other current aspects at a New or Full Moon, but Pallas quincunx and Venus square Sedna suggest a threat to what we care about via unwise or ill-advised Self-messaging. The instincts need modification, flawed as they are at present by one or more consuming fears or bits of misinformation/ void of useful information. Those fears are the kind we carry inside but don’t make conscious–and yet they leak out into our choices and what we do, often surprising us with their intensity and seeming irrationality as they bring forward startling emotional responses in ourselves. These energies work in concert with the Cancerian eclipse promise of closure to caring or nurture, and the hard-edged real-world power issues or changes in progress now.

The Sabian symbol for this eclipse is, ‘Venetian Gondoliers Giving A Serenade’. Of note is the way there are no minutes attached to this eclipse degree, meaning we take the Sabian symbol that leads up to and includes 20 degrees. This symbol points to people not necessarily in the same ‘boat’ but ‘singing’ together. It’s their shared status or function (gondoliers), their shared interest in entertaining or attracting ‘business’ (which could be acceptance, attention, or some other benefit), and possibly sheer delight in life, coupled with the acting out of ‘traditional’ roles, that causes their singing. But further, a serenade actually implies a chosen and present audience, and the desire to bring pleasure or persuade–and that may be related to both the power situation and the Superior Conjunction, with most ready to state their fully-formed argument for what they see, what they believe, in the hope they may bring others to their way of seeing. Others will sing, and we’ll decide how we feel about that, and make changes or take action as a result.

I don’t anticipate understanding this eclipse period until well after it passes. The best we can do, then, is be aware of the feeling dynamic, the sentiment, beneath what we see transpire. That may be our touchstone to meaning; feelings will connect us in ways the mind cannot, as it’s already reached a maximum point within the cycle (Superior Conjunction), and may not accommodate the ‘stretch’ needed for illumination. The Sabian for the Sun only reinforces this: ‘A Hidden Choir Is Singing During A Religious Service‘. It’s the unseen source of ‘song’ reflecting our core Beingness, our faith, and our viewpoint of established institutions and organizations we ‘believe’ in, and our emotional response to and interpretation of these, that can give us the most reliable information, right now.

More on eclipses here. For some this may be too elementary, and some of what’s presented is just a wee bit fanciful (I don’t think it’s provable that romance is enhanced during a Full Moon!), but still full of interesting facts.

Solar Eclipse in Capricorn December 2019: Expansion Valve

20 Friday Dec 2019

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The Solar eclipse perfects initial contact at 9:12 PM PST on the 25th at 4 Capricorn 06, with both Sun and Moon just over one degree from conjoining Jupiter. A meeting of Sun, Moon, and Jupiter in Capricorn speaks of everything (the attention, the emotional nature, the intuition, the fears, ‘the facts’, the public, the nations of the world) all focused intently on the material state of things, the surroundings, and the rules, restrictions, and structures, governmental, societal, familial, that give it all form and make it all tick. We may be intent on making all this bigger, in some way, in constructing (or possibly deconstructing) something greater than ourselves, fueled by our beliefs or philosophy, or by the inspiration we get from what’s unusual, new, foreign. In any case, the inception point marked by the eclipse event is one of generosity, abundance, of largesse and, possibly quite literally, of more; whether that is desirable or simply exaggerates our fears (especially our fears of restriction, suppression, or of governmental or other authorities controlling us), giving us more of what we don’t want, is an individual matter, probably concentrated in the subjects of the Houses across the Capricorn-Cancer axis of the natal chart.

The eclipse forms a Cardinal T-square with Chiron, but one that is separating, the Sun-Earth axis well into the process of moving beyond orb. That suggests that what precedes the event is a dynamic and difficult circumstance that creates tension and maybe outright conflict, the source of which is one or more of our own wounds or ‘weak points’. Eclipse events may come from this, as a consequence of previous choices, or the eclipse may disrupt this, possibly implying that the problem we thought we had is losing validity in light of (or more literally, in the shadow of) eclipse events.

The Sun-Moon-Jupiter also noviles Mars in Scorpio, implying that, despite any trauma or upsets that occur, our choices and actions will aim at getting to the Truth, to the facts, and that what we choose to do about things at this time holds a touch of genius, inspired in the creative way we go about it, in the moves we make.

The eclipse also trines Uranus in Taurus, but again, this aspect is separating; the implication is that, after taking an original or inspired approach we are onto the next thing with the eclipse; that is, eclipse events, like those associated with Chiron, may be springing from this Uranian effort. We may have asserted our uniqueness, used ‘modern’ methods, rebelled, been unreliable or erratic, may have been surprised or ambushed in some way, and our relationship to ‘the group’ may, through our choices or theirs, have caused the Solar eclipse new start.

An eclipse in Earth creates an abrupt shift, one that ripples out like an earthquake; sometimes those are deep and barely perceptible, while other times the moving and crashing together of the tectonic plates shakes and rolls everything in its energy path. The size of the effect generated in the individual life is difficult to judge ahead of time, but we do know that at the very least an eclipse changes the backdrop against we operate, specifically, in the case of an event in Earth, the material conditions, resources, and physical matters surrounding us, and can temporarily put a specific other set of conditions into play (designated by the aspects the eclipse forms), from the event itself through to the next Solar eclipse in six months.

The Sabian symbol for the eclipse is, ‘Indians On The Warpath. While Some Men Row A Well-Filled Canoe, Others In It Perform A War Dance’. Yes, some of the Sabians are dated, and at times clearly and condescendingly taking the predominant-at-the-time white, male viewpoint. And yes, I know that these were channeled by the gifted Elsie Wheeler, a woman–but that doesn’t mean she, like so many of us, wasn’t subject to seeing things through the dominant lens of the culture of which she was a part.

Okay, now that that’s out of the way, we can get to dissecting the symbol. First, nobody dances in a canoe. Ever. Or at least, they don’t dance for long in a canoe–so right away, we know this image is emblematic, rather than realistic. Too, ‘Indians on the warpath’ is an old stereotype that has entered the language as a phrase meaning, ‘Somebody’s angry and looking for someone to take it out on.’ There’s an implication not just of aggression, but of unreasonable aggression, of a wish to wipe out an enemy.

There’s also irony within this symbol: the Indigenous Peoples of North America were very nearly themselves wiped out, and certainly remain disempowered to this day. The image suggests a people at their apex, and with hindsight applied we know this will not last forever, crumbling beneath the relentless onslaught of the Europeans, of what’s foreign–the epitome of the world-expanding Jupiter for both natives and intruders.

The symbol may suggest a warning. Individually and/ or Collectively, we may be at an apex; new things will be introduced, things will change, and it may be important to realize that a change in attitude, tactics, approach, and interactions may all be necessary to survive, and hopefully thrive.

There is an opening up, a state of expansion, that occurs with this eclipse within the confines of those Capricorn elements of the life–and this eclipse and its events may act as a safety valve, keeping the whole thing from blowing up, and so keeping us from a wipe-out, even as it’s clear we need to adapt to all the changes over which we have little or no power.

Potentially of note is the fact that on the West coast of the US the perfection chart has a 00 Virgo Ascendant. Even though this isn’t a Horary or Electional chart, where that would have definite meaning, we might surmise that the new beginning promised by any New Moon, and the powerful one augured by a Solar eclipse, would be amplified in an atmosphere where the ‘birth’ of the event bursts on us as a new ‘moment in time’ (and so connection to the world, as symbolized by an Ascendant) occurs. This describes a brand new attitude that accompanies the new beginning; Virgo suggests our initial approach may be critical, believing assessment is the way to get a grasp on things, and as well, believing that making a critical ‘statement’ about things will bring a kind of ascendancy. Friends on the West Coast, keep an eye out for this–for me it brings to mind a Washington state legislator who’s been charged with domestic terrorism–certainly those kind of actions constitute a critical statement about the current structure (Capricorn), with both eclipse and Pacific time Ascendant in Earth, suggesting something materially affecting ‘what is’ may be on the agenda. Or is it an earthquake, with Ceres (Mother Nature) in perfect sesquiquadrate to the eclipse chart Ascendant? Time will tell.

‘Solar Eclipse In Fedosia’ By Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky {{PD}}

Here’s an interesting link to a list of the Saros solar eclipses to which the upcoming eclipse belongs. The most recent in this series was in December 2001, and I went looking to see if there was any suggestion within events the last time that could be harbingers for this time–but that’s a true rabbit hole, with events that month including the Battle of Tora Bora and the shoe bomber incident that caused us to forever after have to take off our shoes at the airport. The Saros cycles aren’t something I spend a lot of time investigating, but there are astrologers who make it a regular part of their work, such as the groundbreaking Bernadette Brady–so you might want to start there, if you want to know more.

Full Moon in Gemini, 11 December 2019: Adjusting to Love, Adjusting to Reality

10 Tuesday Dec 2019

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A little ahead of things, but still beautiful: ‘January Full Moon’ By George Ault 1941 {{PD}}

The Full Moon occurs at 9:11 PM PST of the 11th at 19 Gemini 51, widely opposed Pallas in Sagittarius, which is of course widely conjoined the Sun. Right away we see that what is illuminated by Full Moon events is something meant to bring wisdom, to highlight the practical, or to bring forward from us a skilled answer. This may be both trigger and reaction, a ripeness of knowledge that reaches peak and calls forth an emotional judgment and an active response. Perfecting in Gemini, this might challenge what we think, as we’re confronted by wisdom, knowledge, facts, or beliefs that question or negate our current reasoning (the opposition).

At the time of the Lunar event, we may be ‘coming down’ from some fantasy or misperception (separating square to Neptune), finding that the illusion is no longer viable. This stripping away of deception will lead to difficult confrontation with those things we’ve ignored or denied (approaching square to Black Moon Lilith), and with this we’re likely to see how we must change, how we must adjust to real-world circumstances around the present reality or restrictions the material world presents (quincunx Saturn), how we must adjust to relationships, asset needs, and/ or an expansion of our world through the Arts or through others (quincunx Venus), and the changes, all of them transformative and some of them permanent, that these adjustments will bring (quincunx Pluto).

But of course with a Full Moon we must remember this is an emotional denouement, a monthly mini-‘coming-of-age’ that shows us something that has matured and may be let go within our personal emotional landscape, the subject likely indicated by the House in the natal chart where the Lunar event occurs, or showing a range indicated by the sign/ House axis across which this event falls. This FM also trines Zeus and semi-squares Uranus, suggesting that whether we’re aware of it or not, our ambitions and desires are being served, and that revelation of this may come suddenly or in surprising ways.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘A Modern Cafeteria Displays An Abundance Of Food, Products Of Various Regions’. What comes to mind is this: we may be confused by the abundance of seemingly-appealing things on offer; we may not see that this Full Moon requires discernment applied to several areas of life. We may think we can sample, take our time, enjoy the exotic and unfamiliar–but the Full Moon contacts tell us that kind of leisurely experience is better left for another time. Right now we’re trimming and choosing according to what needs our attention, not adding to our repertoire or trying out the unusual. We’re on a mission of sorts, one that asks us to confront the ignored, to deal with change/ modification in several areas, to better fit the mental approach to the real-world scenario, with the goal of both making our path better reflect our aims, and of bending things more to what’s wise, practical, and useful. Don’t be distracted by all the world has to offer–it will all still be there when we’re done with this Full Moon energy.

The Sun, which offers its light and so creates the Full Moon from our vantage on Earth, also has a Sabian: ‘In An Old-Fashioned Northern Village Men Cut The Ice Of A Frozen Pond For Use During The Summer’. Again, the theme of what’s useful, practical, with a sense of planning ahead. It may be that Full Moon events arise out of a need that we may or may not be conscious of, a need to think about tomorrow, perhaps without falling into the trap of only thinking; instead circumstances around the FM help us translate our thought into action, perhaps in anticipation of the Mars-Neptune conjunction in Pisces occurring June 12th, which gives us all a big push to make dreams happen.

New Moon in Sagittarius 26 November 2019 The Beginning of Wisdom

22 Friday Nov 2019

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‘Noc gwiaździsta’ (Starry Night) By Józef Marian Chełmoński 1888 {{PD}}

The New Moon falls at 4 Sagittarius 02 at 7:04 AM PST of the 26th, with both bodies approaching conjunction to asteroid Pallas and trining Chiron. The Lunar event makes a pair of semi-sextiles which place the Moon at the rough midpoint of Mars in Scorpio and Ceres in Capricorn (and so makes Earth the apex of a Finger of God), and quincunxes Uranus. The New Moon also semi-squares the midpoint of transiting Saturn-Pluto, possibly noteworthy as a harbinger of the conjunction of these two in January that we’re all anticipating–and it semi-squares asteroid Zeus, placing the New Moon at the rough midpoint of Saturn-Pluto square Zeus. All these contacts, even the minor and modest ones, are worth exploring, as sometimes meaning is found in the subtlety of things, the interrelationships drawing associations we might otherwise have missed.

What are we looking at here? A smart, wise, or practical new beginning that requires we adjust to learning or experiencing the unexpected or unanticipated, the modern or the revelatory, and that we do so in order to preserve our autonomy, our place with or independent from the group, and/ or the personal power we’ve already established. It heals, or calls on our most unique skills, or both, and may hint at the emotional impact of upcoming changes to the reality picture, especially in terms of potential ambition or desire fulfillment, or its denial.

The New Moon brings an instance of learning something, or experiencing something, likely something we’ve been struggling to ignore or deny or not be consumed with rage by, with actions or choices stirred by events or by the emotional revelation that comes, and these address the scope of our current ability to wield power and affect our environment. We will develop a new attitude, a new philosophy, based on what occurs. Realization will be the big internal change, while we’ll also see material changes that signal the structure of (or structure behind) the ‘new’ power dynamic.

The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘An Old Owl Sits Alone On The Branch Of A Large Tree’. We have Athena’s symbol, the owl, in the image and the namesake asteroid conjoined the New Moon event–who says there isn’t a pattern to all this? The mention of the fact that the owl is alone seems superfluous, as owls are generally solitary creatures, and big sturdy trees their domain. I’m thinking that in this instance the symbol simply alerts us to the wisdom that the Lunar event will contain; it may be so obvious, so much a normal-seeming part of the landscape, that we could miss the smart message it offers, should we be expecting something splashier or more jarring. Characterization of the owl as “old” only reinforces the sense that this is something already around, that we are used to, and so may overlook, and as well, also reinforces the notion that there will be something wise, that is, that comes of experience, for us to take away from the event.

A Good Day To . . . Full Moon 12 November 2019

08 Friday Nov 2019

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‘Moonrise Over the Dunes’ By Eilif Peterssen 1883 {{PD}}

The 12th is a Good Day To . . . take stock, especially of material goals and desires, as the Full Moon brings security, prosperity, comfort, and stability-related matters to a head. Falling at 19 Taurus 51, 5:33 AM Pacific time, and closely conjoined Vesta, this Lunar event promises materialization in physical form of sensory or ‘sensed’ information, particularly that involved with commitments, the home and family, and the personal ‘passions’, and prompts discovery and definitive communication, even successful contracts (Mercury opp), this latter having an unusually stable ‘moment’ even in the midst of the retrograde.

Along with the Black Moon Lilith point this Full Moon forms the base to a Finger of God with apex the asteroid Zeus. The Finger takes the harmonious expression of the two base energies and funnels it into a third, likely unexpected, outcome shown by the apex energy. This Finger suggests Lunar conclusions highlight matters denied, ignored, or that enrage us, probably prompting action that results in ambition or desire fulfillment. It’s as if a clock has been ticking, and the Full Moon brings it to ‘the appointed hour’, creating a confluence of energetic trends that move forward the personal agenda.

The Full Moon also contacts both Saturn and Pluto, straddling their transiting midpoint by trine, and sesquiquadrates Juno. These contacts speak to the power situation, to its exercise or suppression, and to whatever influence and privilege the personal status affords. It presents us with a difficult situation related to our empowerment or standing that can be resolved by finding an intuitive/ emotional balance between discarding elements and cementing other elements in place. These aspects simply emphasize the message that is part and parcel of a Full Moon in Taurus, anyway: that establishing a reliable foundation and the prospect of continuity in resources and alliances is the optimum use of energy, right now.

The Sabian symbol for the Full Moon is, ‘Wisps Of Winglike Clouds Streaming Across The Sky’. The image may be best understood by drawing parallels between its symbology and that of the Sabian for the Sun, which sits in opposition to the Full Moon (as always!) and gives us clues as to the originating energy (as the Sun illuminates and so makes visible the Moon and gives it ‘phases’ to begin with). The Sun’s is, ‘A Woman Draws Away Two Dark Curtains Closing The Entrance To A Sacred Pathway’. Both suggest a covering or obscuring element that will be removed, the Moon’s by the ‘streaming’, which implies air flow (communication, information, or a shift in mental stance) that will at some point dissipate the clouds, the Sun’s by the woman (a force, like the movement within the atmosphere of the other symbol) as she draws the curtains aside.

The characterization of the clouds in the Moon’s symbol as ‘winglike’ suggests a lifting, even angelic, quality, in the sense of a divine gift or inspiration, or perhaps implying a general ‘elevation’ via Lunar events. This is so with the Sun’s image, as well, that by human effort clears the way, so to speak, to follow a divine path.

Influences also perfecting on this day suggest that in past wounds lie wisdom or the information that fosters a more practical or skill-oriented approach, and that efforts bring both opportunity and ‘luck’, especially if those efforts employ talents and assets or offer benefits to partners or others with whom you might cooperate.

Here’s wishing you a wonderful and enlightening Full Moon!

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

New Moon in Scorpio 2019: The Sting of the Unexpected

25 Friday Oct 2019

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By Ferdinand Landerer CC BY 4.0

The New Moon perfects on October 27 at 4 Scorpio 24 at 8:37 PM PDT. It falls in opposition to Uranus, which is only 12 minutes from being conjoined by Earth (always spotted in the flat chart exactly opposite the Sun); it’s also in wide, separating quincunx to Chiron, and sesquiquadrates the Black Moon Lilith point that currently falls in Pisces. We’re on the verge of a shock, revelation, or perhaps just a burgeoning emotional experience that launches efforts toward fulfilling a higher goal or purpose. It’s a goal or purpose with a spiritual component or ‘mission’ (but then what do we do that doesn’t have that?) and it seeks deep and meaningful change or correction (Scorpio).

What we’ve ignored or denied about the creative life, the ideals, the need to express our originality and uniqueness, or to be part of the larger Collective make for a difficult Lunar event, one we might want to frame as ‘testing’ (especially if events are perceived as negative–the idea of being tested then shows us the important part is our response, not the event itself). The New Moon challenges the current feeling nature, and it’s from this tension that the new and likely startling events or viewpoint arise. New Moon circumstances irritate the wound, but also suggest ways to respond and adjust, offering a fresh take on an old injury to the ego or the ability to take action or to lead (Chiron in Aries).

The theme of this New Moon is ‘Disruption’, but as to whether effects of this are positive, negative, or a mixed bag is entirely dependent on the way the NM interacts with the natal chart. One thing we know with a Scorpio New Moon: we may have to go through an emotional ordeal, or experience primal feelings that take us to the depths of human nature (the Moon, Scorpio as a Water sign), but we emerge from that renewed, refreshed, remade–certainly not the same, in terms of the feeling outlook or perceptions.

‘Seal Rock, California’ By Albert Bierstadt 1872 {{PD}}

The Sabian symbol for the New Moon is: ‘A Massive Rocky Shore Resists The Pounding Of The Sea’. I suspect this describes our emotional reaction to Lunar events. We may resist suddenly changed circumstances, particularly emotional ones, or it may be that we resist implementing what ‘the group’ offers or demands, or what our own originality urges us to risk. This may represent an extreme instance when we must choose between rigid and complete defiance and ‘going with the flow’. Just know there’s no right answer, just what’s right for you.

Bonus: if you have a natal point or placement at 18-21 Gemini (any minutes past the 21 degree point or before 18 means this isn’t filling in the configuration, and so isn’t valid for you), the New Moon offers a very personal result centered on the uncovering of or facing of some ignored, denied, or enraging issues, possibly resulting in gossip, revelation, or network shifts or support (Gemini) that brings a new emotional state or feeling, one that could be a shock, or that shifts the emotional perceptions to a ‘Higher Mind’ state or that unites you with or marks you as entirely separate from ‘the group’ (Uranus opp). The involved natal body or point energies combine with Black Moon Lilith’s righteousness (justified or not) or rage to create the New Moon emotional result, or if one rejects her energies, the act of denial or ignoring of reality forms the base to a Fist of God/ Thor’s Hammer, with the New Moon bringing the result of that interaction.

Or, if you have something at 2 Gemini, it forms the base for a Finger of God with Chiron, the New Moon’s apex suggesting the potential for healing, especially to the way you think about something or interact, socially or sharing information, with others.