Category Archives: Sabian Symbols

Full Moon 23 April 2024 A Kassandra Moment

22 Monday Apr 2024

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Waves at sunrise in Corniche (Sète, France) 2020 By Christian Ferrer
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0

The Full Moon perfects at 4:49 PM PDT at 4 Scorpio 18, trine Vesta, sextile Juno, semi-sextile Pallas, square Pluto (which happens to be conjoined the asteroid Kassandra, more on that later), and not touching much else. It’s a picture of deep change–things are either swept away forcibly or we are put in a position that leaves us little recourse but to eliminate, restructure, resurrect, or annihilate–and this occurs even as we witness our own positive control of our power (Juno), our effective dedication to what we care about (Vesta), and the benefits of our partnerships and cooperative efforts (this latter via Vesta and Juno energies as so often involving–even existing because of or in relation to–the Other, particularly our Significant Other). So, in many ways we are experiencing the harmonious impact of our own power expression, our effectiveness at impressing ourselves on others and our environment–and yet there’s a serious power matter or elimination (Pluto) to attend to, one that the Universe refuses to let us go forward without answering.

A Full Moon is an energy culmination, and presents the collective result of, in this case, efforts in Scorpionic areas or activities, and/ or in the subject areas of the House in the natal chart where the Full Moon falls. We get the results of previously ‘digging deep’; we may put the story together, discover something new that knits scattered evidence into a whole, or we may see the wisdom behind what was removed, destroyed, or forbidden and so understand why what’s happened has happened (the last a product of a loose semi-sextile of the Full Moon to Pallas).

Here’s the kicker: Pluto conjoined Kassandra suggests that the Universe delivers a tough (square to the Moon) moment or incident that offers Higher Mind understanding (Pluto-Kassandra in Aquarius), but we won’t believe what is revealed/ shared. Kassandra, you’ll recall, was a priestess with whom the Sun god Apollo fell in love (and the Sun is actually part of this equation, as it opposes the Moon-Earth and so fills in a T-square with Pluto-Kassandra). Apollo offered her the gift of prophecy, hoping to win her favor; she knew what he expected from this gift (so it wasn’t really a gift, right? It was payment), but once she received it she turned him down, incensing the god. What the gods confer they cannot take back–but they can affect the working of that gift. Outraged at her refusal of his suit, Apollo condemned Kassandra to be always right about what she foresaw, but never believed by others.

That’s a particularly bitter outcome, when we receive what we need to hear, know, or perceive, and yet we are unable to see the Truth of it; that’s exactly what we should expect here: deep, intense perceptions that we will judge to be incomplete or inaccurate. How do we answer that?

We may not accept the power situation and/ or knowledge presented, but we do have a clear, strong influence of Self-confidence and personal autonomy aligned with highest values and commitments (Juno, Vesta) that, if we’ll accept our own emotional Truth (those things we know because we feel their Truth deep within–Moon in Scorpio) we’ll be able to go round the misleading Pluto-Kassandra square and so effectively make the ‘right’ decision, do what needs to be done.

The Sabian for this Full Moon is, ‘A Massive Rocky Shore Resists The Pounding Of The Sea’. The reality of the moment is a rocky shore: ‘What Is’, heavily resistant to abundant and persistent emotional assault of waves of feeling and upset. This is the Full Moon square Pluto-Kassandra. The Sun, light-giver that we always examine at a Full Moon, has the Sabian, ‘A Widow At An Open Grave’. ‘Widow’ describes a particular status: receptive, anima energies without their balancing animus, doing energies. This implies our energies are lopsided: too receptive, too passive, too ready to accept the way things are, too accepting to demand answers, or to insist we must know what that grave is for (and note: there’s not necessarily any connection between the woman’s status and the fact that an empty grave is before her–if we find ourselves looking without and connecting externals to our own internal state, we may be drawing parallels where there are none).

The suggestion may be that, when it comes to the Full Moon scenario, we’re too likely to see ourselves as helpless in the face of greater forces (like death–and Pluto can certainly feel death-like), to perceive ourselves as all feeling, no action–which is never truly an accurate perception, is it? Abdicating our own part in things, remaining passive, is its own kind of action, its own choice. Maybe this reminds us that to see ourselves as subject to outside forces (even to see ourselves as victims) is to pretend we have no part in what’s happening, and that this perception denies our responsibility for our own lives, our own fates.

PS Though there’s been a lot written about this week’s Jupiter-Uranus conjunction, I thought it worth adding that this is an aspect of ‘The Big Big Picture’; that is, a coming together of immensities, of large groups or populations, of huge ideas and all-encompassing concepts, of philosophies and facts and urges toward independence, toward free thought and expansion, toward the kind of impetus for shifts and change that comes in surprising and overwhelming ways. We’re talking about societal moments, rather than individual ones–but we can’t over look the way the social order affects each of us, in uniquely individual ways. Look at the matters of the two Houses in the natal chart that are ruled by Jupiter and Uranus=that’s where you see personal movement, in a blending of their subjects, delivering a dynamic message. If the conjunction aspects something in the natal chart (no more than 3 degrees variation) that is likely to expand that energy and activate it in big, surprising, exciting ways. But of course, it won’t necessarily make a big splash in everyone’s week, or month, or year, and you shouldn’t feel badly if this week has been on the less revolutionary side for you. For many, it will be as if they’re riding a current that after this point flows, just slightly, in a new direction, with the energies acting as a background to more personal, more immediate, developments.

Total Solar Eclipse 8 April 2024 A Journey to the Underworld

02 Tuesday Apr 2024

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

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‘The Fate of Persephone’ By Walter Crane 1877 {{PD}}

A friend of mine is traveling from Seattle to Texas to observe the eclipse from the path of totality firsthand–and I can’t help but think it’s a pilgrimage, whether he’s conscious of it or not, meant to heal, with the meeting of Sun and Moon (at 19 Aries 23, 18:20 UT), the Moon throwing itself between us and the Sun, all bodies lined up along the plane of the ecliptic, also conjoined Chiron (only 1 minute apart), this body designating the primal wound, the deepest, farthest-from-consciousness hurt of all–and that says to me that we all may be engaged in a form of healing with this blending of Sol, Luna, and the Wounded Centaur, a chance through renewal of the ‘I Am’ and worth of Self (Aries) to restore at a personal level the vitality of the Sun, the unadulterated sensitivity of the Moon, and the sense of dedication and purpose behind both identity and the Soul’s intent. A resurrection for each of us, if you will.

It’s interesting that this eclipse wipe-out energy doesn’t involve the persistent, everyday obliterating energy of Pluto–there’s no Scorpio involved, and Pluto doesn’t hook in any way into the eclipse dynamic–and yet the event promises us a deep re-think about who we are and what we’re doing, courtesy of the wide conjunction to a retrograde Mercury in Aries (though Pluto is quincunx the Trans Neptunian Object (TNO) Chaos as well as major asteroid Vesta, suggesting anarchic upheaval in the home or in matters we are–or were, until the eclipse hit–dedicated to). The eclipse trines Persephone in Sagittarius, hinting at the journey to the Underworld we all, at least temporarily, must make, and emphasizing the way we will return to the light–even if it seems like we won’t. So, there’s plenty of dynamic (and potentially destructive, or maybe misleading) energy pinging around out there–and our job may be to know it when we see it, which can help us avoid responding unthinkingly, and so falling victim to it.

The eclipse energy represents a spiritual, rather than a cellular, anastasis–and as such may explain a sort of atmospheric fear swirling around right now–because who isn’t at least a little unsettled by the idea of death, or trepidatious confronting the unknown? And we are promised a surprise delivered by the vastness of the Universe, with the eclipse semi-sextile Jupiter in Taurus, which is itself conjoined by Uranus (though the eclipse is out of range). Jupiter is, among other things, a designator of that longest journey we take at the end of life, with Uranus introducing a version of the three-body problem, roughly explained as an inability to predict with any certainty the long-term path of any combination of objects. In Taurus this suggests material roots, and material effects, though it may manifest as changes in our sense of security, our comfort, or or our ability to provide for our own or others’ needs.

Do we even need to mention Black Moon Lilith in Virgo quincunx the eclipse? Something we’d rather ignore or deny, or that enrages us, is an uncomfortable trigger to events–and this discomfort is seated in criticism, or the need for an accounting, or perhaps is spurred by an unfair or inadequate sharing of ‘the harvest’. The Sabian for the eclipse is, ‘A Young Girl Feeding Birds In Winter’. A young girl is just beginning her life, while winter is the season of sleep, torpor, but a necessary step to renewal–and birds are wild things that struggle during periods of scarcity, suggesting that it’s the young, fresh, renewed part of us stimulated by the eclipse that can ‘feed’ those more spontaneous, wilder impulses within us that might not make it through tougher times without a little help. Self-help, then, in its most positive sense, an ability to act, but it’s important to note: timing tells us that winter comes at an expected time, and only lasts so long–remembering that this, too, shall pass, is an important part of dealing with what comes.

Lunar Eclipse in Libra 2024 The Power of the Feminine

20 Wednesday Mar 2024

Posted by in astrology, Full Moon, goddess energy, Lunar Aspects, Lunar Eclipse, Mercury retrograde, Sabian Symbols

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‘Portrait of Three Women’ By Charles Giron, before 1914 {{PD}}

The Lunar eclipse perfects just as the 24th becomes the 25th, 12 AM Pacific time (12:12:51, to be precise), but begins at 9:53 PM of the 24th and concludes at 2:32 AM. This is a penumbral eclipse, meaning the Earth, as it comes between the Moon and Sun, with all lined up on the ecliptic, will only block at portion of the Sun’s reflected light; that means the shadow itself may be hard to see, as the Moon will only appear dimmed from our vantage point here on Earth.

A Lunar eclipse is, always, a Full Moon, with eclipses occurring at points when the transiting lights are close to the Nodal axis points (the Nodes are determined by the points at which the Moon crosses the apparent path of the Sun). The opposition between Moon and Sun occurs at 5 Libra 07, with the Moon widely conjoined (but moving toward) the South Node and the Sun in Aries approaching conjunction with the North. There are only a few aspects to what I consider major bodies, so I played around with some of the named asteroids, a consequence of my computer failure and astro program then being unavailable, and my need to use other than my usual sources, a kind of serendipity, I suppose, that takes us on a female energy-oriented path expressed through this Lunar culmination.

Pallas in Sagittarius forms a sextile to the Lunar eclipse, suggesting that a matter of wisdom and/ or practicality will be part of what motivates our response to events; we find ways to answer what comes forward using our beliefs (which either shows their validity or shows their need for revision) or using our own knowledge and the facts at hand. The knowledge we have (or lack) is instrumental to both the source of the Full Moon event and its resolution. The opposing Sun is conjoined Hera (the Greek version of Juno) in Aries, suggesting a kind of Solar power (that is an animus-aligned, ‘doing’ power) displayed by the goddess, the queen of Mt. Olympus and all the gods–but a queen known for her response to being disrespected by her husband-king. She gained a reputation for enraged vengeance–but how can we blame her, as her actions arose from a sense of powerlessness within her particular situation? So perhaps we should ponder where in our own lives are we in a position where we should be able to exercise real power and choice, but are prevented from it, by uncooperative partners or others who don’t respect us.

The eclipse also forms a wide trine to Pluto in Aquarius, which itself happens to be conjoined Psyche. Again, we see a kind of victim motif, one where we’re being ‘kept in the dark’, as Psyche was by her husband Eros (Pluto as the dominating, ‘dark’ male, the one with the power to destroy, change, or control. See a theme here? I think it’s ‘The partner who exerts power by disregarding and disrespecting, with a little gaslighting thrown in!’ And with Pluto involved, this may feel like an intense, life or death situation). Eros is at 16 Taurus, conjoined Jupiter with both quincunx the South Node and sextile Venus in Pisces, forming a Finger of God–and Venus is Eros’ mother, the one who both instigated the string of events that inadvertently brought Psyche and Eros together, and the one who views Psyche as a rival, as she not only took away Eros’ attention, she was as beautiful as Venus, validated by Zeus when he made Psyche immortal and allowed her to taste the Ambrosia of the gods.

Add to this that Cupido–Cupid is the Roman name for Eros–is in Cancer, sextile Juno, quincunx Pallas, and square the Lunar eclipse, suggesting that how much the partner cares will figure in to how smart their response to the scenario will be. In this myth, Venus displayed some of those negative Venusian traits: jealousy, envy, vindictiveness, aimed at the mortal who dared to replace her (speaking from Venus’ viewpoint). So, we have a dynamic energy in play that mirrors at least some of the eclipse energy: exaggerated passions/ sense of ownership, control of the partner, ‘rights’ and privileges trampled and conferred, and secrecy (Jupiter-Eros) combines with jealousy or envy, or possibly beauty or reward/ value (Venus) to create a familiar partnership, relationship, or Arts-oriented situation from the past (South Node in Libra).

If an eclipse is a wipe-out energy, we may wonder why it’s returning us to something already lived. We can’t forget that Merc is due to retro on 1 April, with the Solar eclipse due a week later; the turnaround of Mercury will occur in Aries and remain there for the entire 3 weeks, and this happens to be the sign of the Lunar Sun and Solar eclipse. That points us toward a larger theme of reconsidering ourselves, our Self-image and Self-concept, our actions, choices, and motives, about who we are and how we think about ourselves, with the Lunar eclipse a kind of kick-off point for the journey, where we start by considering our partnerships or other alliances, and what they may impose on us.

A few more interesting tidbits: Sappho is conjoined Pallas and so sextile the Lunar event=passion, and passion for the Arts, align us with what’s wise at this point, though we can too easily tip into potential Self-sacrifice, if we take things at a dramatic (that is, exaggerated) level. Nobody needs to throw themselves off a cliff, no matter how nasty the relationship with the partner reveals itself to be. Circe is quincunx the eclipse from Pisces=Circe is the enchanter of men, who rather ruthlessly turned them to pigs, in a part-punishment, part humiliation that allowed her to keep total control. I think we need to see this not as a woman seeking power over men (though that’s definitely part of the context), but as someone in a traditionally disempowered role (that of a woman) calling the shots and then going a teensy bit overboard. This harks back to Hera, to the attempt to right wrongs (or at least to extract a measure of vengeance and satisfaction for oneself). I’m seeing this as a kind of warning, an admonition: extremes won’t give us the satisfaction we desire, and ultimately, won’t give us what we want (remember, Odysseus and at least some of his men escaped Circe’s domain). And we see Diana, Huntress and goddess of the Moon, sextile the Lunar eclipse from Leo=here’s an example of a woman empowered in herself, as an individual force. She’s a specific kind of Nature goddess, one who reigns over animals, the woodland, and fertility, with her Lunar association suggesting she is tuned in to the rhythms of both natural and planetary cycles. Her role here might be to remind us that our expressions of power are most effective in the right context–that is, in the areas and roles where we best ‘fit’ in life. That requires of us a good understanding of who we are, and what we are adept at–as always, knowing ourselves is more helpful than almost anything else.

A final contact, and maybe the most important one, is a sesquiquadrate of Uranus to the Lunar eclipse. Uranus rules the transiting Pluto position, that dynamic, dark force in the current Lunar equation, and promises the unexpected, the unanticipated, the shocking, the surprising, the revolutionary and revelatory, coming from difficult or unpleasant facets (the sesquiquadrate) of this event. Brace yourself for new, forward-oriented, innovative aspects to figure in, even to seemingly come out of nowhere, at this time.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘A Man Watches His Ideals Taking A Concrete Form Before His Inner Vision’. This is about seeing those vague spiritual and creative ideals we carry inside take on a physical form that we can then use to translate them into the world. If we can see it clearly with the inner eye, we can make it happen in a way that materially impacts the world, simple as that. The Sun Sabian is, ‘A Square, With One Of Its Sides Brightly Illumined’. The thing about squares is that each side is exactly the same as the others; it’s their sense of absolute equality among the parts that draws our attention–so what does it suggest when one side is illuminated? We might observe that some gain the spotlight even when they seem no different than anyone else–but we should look again; they are successfully ‘shining’, precisely because the role they are playing completely fits their assets, talents, and abilities. This harks back to our consideration of the ‘Diana’ energy, a knowing who we are that surpasses any ‘shape’ others may want us to take. This eclipse gives us myriad examples of power expression of the anima, ‘being’ energy–it’s up to us to choose carefully among them.

Sorry there’s no chart this time. I’m working on it!

New Moon 10 March 2024: Receptive Waters

05 Tuesday Mar 2024

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, New Moon, Sabian Symbols

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‘Washerwomen on Lake Garda’ By Ettore Tito 1888 {{PD}}

The New Moon at 20 Pisces 16 on the 10th right at 2 AM PDT (when the clock moves forward one hour from 1 AM) presents a compelling dynamic: the receptive Waters of the imagination, the Cosmos, the All-That-Is are the inception point for a birth, a beginning, that is based in facing what we’ve been ignoring or denying about our reality or our environment. Ideals (Pisces ruler Neptune) fuel what starts at this time, with that sparking New Moon energy bouncing off of, or even caused by, the opposing Black Moon Lilith point, which is conjoined the Earth itself, and so describes how what we are ignoring or denying or enraged by in our material circumstances or in our environment is what drives our New Moon new beginning.

That suggests that the impetus for change is found in frustration or disappointment with our reality; there are several energy clusters extant in the event chart that clue us in to what’s not working. The North Node conjoined Chiron suggests we fear that if we don’t do something the future will be painful. Mars squares Uranus and widely trines Vesta, which itself trines Zeus, tells us that the results of our actions and choices have been a surprise, certainly not what we anticipated, and that though we based those choices on our highest values and life energy commitments, we didn’t account for the way desires, ambitions, and even animal lust got in the way. This all hooks into the New Moon with Mars’ semi-sextile to it, and the New Moon’s square to Vesta–and then we see that Ceres is novile Mars, hinting that it’s in pursuing expression of our personal authority, and trying to balance it with our responsibilities, that we’ll stumble upon a (relative to the circumstances) brilliant answer or approach.

So, it’s in facing our dissatisfaction or inadequacies, and embracing our duties, that we happen upon a rather perfect way to address what needs modification–and this is supported by other current contacts. Mercury has just entered Aries=taking both responsibility for ourselves and the initiative within the situation is the right thing to do–maybe a little awkward at first (00 placement) but effective nonetheless. The New Moon forms a septile to Pluto=there’s power to be found in that New Moon start, power that is seated in our own spirituality, in our awakened sensibilities; don’t underestimate the unseen (including intent and desire) in its ability to transform at this time. Juno in Virgo opposes Saturn in Pisces, perhaps shaping events in a man vs. woman mode, or status quo vs. the effectiveness of the empowered individual, or even in a power struggle between two, matched entities, one ensconced in the fantasy that their authority is supreme or forever-lasting, the other critiquing the situation from a point of personal facility that knows exactly how to bring change. One issue: Eris is sextile Vesta, alerting us to the need to be aware that others may be agitated by, or may not accept, what we choose to give our energy to–they’ll just have to get over it.

The New Moon Sabian is, ‘Under The Watchful And Kind Eye Of A Chinese Servant, A Girl Fondles A Little White Lamb’. I really don’t like having to deal with racist tropes that all too often figure in to the Sabian symbols, but it’s the only way to get past the outdated assumptions behind the images and land somewhere that makes sense today. The Chinese servant conveys the idea of the Selfless, all-sacrificing Being who lives to serve, who doesn’t just put others first, he or she has no needs of their own (or if they do, those needs are sacrificed on the altar of someone else’s needs–why would we ever see that as a good thing?) That idea is more unrealistic now than it’s ever been, as we recognize the fullness of each human being, the right to autonomy, and benefits to all of cooperative rather than one-sided effort. The girl and the lamb aren’t much better: two emblems of purity and innocence that carry the burdensome projections of an adult need to characterize certain states of Being as untouched by the world (in contrast to the projector, who sees themselves as very much of the world). Lamb and girl are seen as pristine, superior in their untouched state, and so in need of preservation in that state, which is characterized as somehow more worthy than a worldly one. In the images of the servant, the girl, and the lamb (which with this latter carries further implications in the Christian worldview, of both purity and sacrifice), we are offered the same idea: an entity that lives in a rarefied and elevated, and so very unrealistic, state–and further, they are all expected to stay in that state, so that the rest of us are either served or reassured that such purity exists in the world. Servants are entire human Beings, and girls and lambs grow up and experience the world–and their initial innocence is inappropriate when perpetuated for too long, just as a too-extreme dedication in service to others is unfair to the individual. Above all else, I see this image as one of unrealistic expectations of others. It’s up to us to ask ourselves who or what we may be insisting must live up to an image we want them to carry–one that makes us feel more worldly than they, more free than they, and that, one way or another, we benefit from, when they stick to their modest, serving role, or their status as icons of purity–which can translate as immature, unworldly, and so naive, allowing us to step in and be the opposite. In terms of the New Moon, this may be, at least in part, what we are in denial of, with the New Moon energies encouraging us to look at expectations and roles as we apply them to both ourselves and others, asking, ‘What’s appropriate?’ and ‘What’s our call to make?’

This just in: the RNC just installed two Trump loyalists to run the Republican party. Today is the 8th, less than 48 hours before a New Moon, a time known as the Dark. One of the best rules I’ve ever followed is to take no position and make no commitment during the Dark of the Moon; inevitably, the position or venture itself dissolves, circumstances change, or agreements and cooperative efforts just doesn’t go forward. Usually we’re riding the changing Lunar energy, which offers a certain flow and impetus, but this period of three days before a New Moon is a time for retreat, contemplation, and relaxation, not charging forward, especially with new duties or obligations. That suggests these appointments won’t last, possibly indicating a loosening of Trump’s hold on 30% of the populace. Stay tuned to find out.

New Moon 9 February 2024: A Measure of Grace

06 Tuesday Feb 2024

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, New Moon, Sabian Symbols

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‘The Wounded Angel’ By Hugo Simberg 1903 {{PD}}

The New Moon perfects at 2:59 PM PST on the 9th at 20 Aquarius 40. This also marks the start of the Lunar New Year as celebrated in a number of cultures (it’s the year of the Dragon in China, for those keeping score). A New Moon in Aquarius promises new beginnings, offering a blueprint to integrate feelings with understanding of the things that trigger those feelings. It’s a dawning within the human psyche, a point when Higher Mind can process reality in ways that will benefit us, if we can let go of preconceived notions and level up.

Three aspects stand out immediately: a square to Uranus, a trine to Vesta, and a quincunx to Juno. This is a tough picture, implying unexpected, spontaneous, and difficult, disorienting events. Chaos, revelation, or revolution may result, or we could find it’s the individual versus the group. What happens is measured against what we honor and find sacred–that will determine our reaction to what occurs, with adjustments needed on our part to gain or maintain empowerment. It could be a Uranian event that challenges us to respond, or it could be that the Uranian action is ours (and if so, we may not know it’s coming until it arrives), based on protecting what we honor, particularly in the way of partnership, but in any case our ability to answer from a position of personal strength will require modifications to our approach and/ or our behavior. The contact between the New Moon and its ruler suggests a tight relationship between Lunar events and the nature of the Moon in this sign–it all may seem random, haphazard, unpredictable, but it’s almost certain that we’ll look back on this as something we could’ve anticipated–we may even convince ourselves we did.

We’re offered a measure of grace, though, via a septile between the New Moon and Ceres, the latter newly arrived in Capricorn and still at the 00 degree. This suggests there’s a spiritual way to synthesize reality, what’s ‘natural’, our emotions, and our personal power and authority picture; we’ll see where and what we’re actually responsible for, and be given a grace period during which we can vet the situation and choose a way to meet it. This will be new to us and likely brings forward ‘fresh’ feelings; it almost certainly involves any position of responsibility we hold or may involve Nature in the form of natural disasters or events, our health, or inevitable changes such as aging. How we meet these will be paramount; it’s only in accessing our spiritual core that we’ll do our best when confronted.

The New Moon makes a semi-sextile to Venus, and I’m not comfortable claiming a sextile between the New Moon and either the North Node or Eris, both in Aries, but I am ready to say there’s a sextile to their midpoint, with a corresponding situation involving a trine to the midpoint of the South Node and Zeus in Libra. This is a mirror situation with a stand-off between energies of letting no stone go unturned (and so no issue not dredged up and flayed), and the elements of desire (lust, even!) and ambition, with these latter asking us to focus up on long-term goals and let go of distractions. We’re likely to be keenly aware of discord as distraction, even as we believe we must handle it in order to maintain control of our life direction, and there’s a corresponding sense that what we’ve done to fulfill ambitions and goals in the past should have pointed us to the right aesthetic choices and the right partners for our endeavors. Both sets of these perceptions are misleading: the very worth of working this out is highly questionable, with the apparent conundrum essentially one huge distraction. Our energy best goes toward in-the-moment responses to new developments (Uranus square), with our responses both keeping what we find important in mind (Vesta trine), and orienting any reaction toward amplifying our own empowerment within the situation (Juno quincunx).

The Sabian for this New Moon is, ‘A Disappointed And Disillusioned Woman Courageously Faces A Seemingly Empty Life’. This may speak of the anima, the receptive, ‘being’ energies in each of us, stirred by the cool Aquarian Moon to awareness of the clinical side of things, our losses and failures, the ways in which we have let ourselves down, and the reality of being existentially alone. Depressing, right? But the nature of an Aquarian New Moon is such that it offers fresh insight, even as it mercilessly reminds us in detail of the state of things. Notice use of the word ‘seemingly’. That implies the situation only appears to be without anything worthwhile, with the words ‘disappointed’ and ‘disillusioned’ suggesting that ideals have been pummeled, hopes dashed, but that courage is the secret ingredient for re-framing, and so taking both a more optimistic (that is, less negative) inventory, and a more accurate one.

New Moon 11 January 2024: The Devil’s In The Details

08 Monday Jan 2024

Posted by in astrology, Lunar Aspects, New Moon, Sabian Symbols

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‘The Devil’ by Photographer Jus De Citron 2013
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

Two things immediately stand out with the New Moon in Capricorn (3:57 AM PST at 20 CAP 44): the way it and the opposing Earth form a crisp Cardinal Grand Cross with the Nodal axis (and as well with Zeus conjoined the South Node, and Eris conjoined the North, and these opposed each other at 24 degrees), and the Earth Grand Trine the New Moon forms with Uranus in Taurus and Juno in Virgo. These are dynamic energy patterns, promising action (Cardinals) and material impact (Earth signs), with the New Moon acting as trigger to both. So what does the New Moon itself promise?

A New Moon in Capricorn implies new beginnings in matters of status, social structure, constraints and rules, limits and requirements for achievement, so may feel a little like punishment; in reality, the form Capricorn imposes is for our benefit. The sign lets us know the limits, lets us know what we must do to get what we want and how to go about climbing the ladder, making an impact, building a place for ourselves in the wider world. We should welcome knowing the rules of the game–the alternative is a formless world where nothing can be built upon, everything dissolves in a mist, all is chaos, and as Gertrude Stein famously said, there’s no ‘there there’–and even worse, in a world without rules, there’s no way to instigate change. Without a system in place, we can’t create a better one. Essentially, all becomes meaningless.

So, Capricorn ‘gifts’ us with form, limits, and conditions for achievement, and expects us to follow the rules–and in this instance, the Cardinal Grand Cross tells us that taking heed of the new conditions and requirements, new forms and limits, will be instrumental in shaping our future, in the direction our lives take (the Nodes). The repercussions that ripple out like rings in the water are what we need to be as aware of as possible–and yet, it’s not possible to know all the consequences of our current choices and actions–and that’s where the Earth Grand Trine comes in.

We have Juno in Virgo (empowerment through discretion and critical assessment, and through productive labor that insures each harvests according to that invested labor) and Uranus in Taurus (impulses toward rebellion, innovation, and chaos in the material realm that can be channeled into unique creativity and choices that honor Higher Mind), and these potentials come within reach with the spark of the New Moon. Luna will show us how to balance empowerment generated by our efforts and discriminative faculties as they are applied taking smart creative risks and making smart, spiritually mature choices. The New Moon recruits the feeling nature and intuitive sensibilities as guides in shaping our choices and our path forward–and all while sorting the wheat from the chaff, so to speak, the relevant from the distracting and the confusing.

The presence with the Nodes of Eris opposed Zeus is a hint as to what’s at stake: our ambitions and desires must be measured in direct relation to those matters and individuals that harbor destructive or chaotic energy in response to our efforts. If it undermines your path it will show itself now–it can’t help it–and the New Moon in Capricorn will offer the conditions under which you will or won’t accept what’s in play. It’s useful in a thousand ways–the only danger is that sentiment (the Moon) may cloud our vision, may undermine us acting in our own best interests.

Less compelling but no less revealing aspects the New Moon makes include a semi-sextile to Ceres and a semi-square to Saturn. These suggest that our sense of personal power, and/ or our health, will figure in, and that the reality picture or our own internalized sense of ‘dos and don’ts’ may perpetuate emotional resistance. For best results, we must set these preconceived (and often Self-imposed and Self-generated) ‘limits’ aside, and go with the new, revised vision offered by the New Moon. There’s also a sextile to Pallas, which should set our minds at ease. Inner wisdom and practicality are available–all we have to do is call on them.

Within hours (for the Moon) and days (for the Sun) both will meet Pluto at 29 tense degrees of Capricorn. In fact, the Sun will meet and then travel into Aquarius with Pluto, so it’s really worth mentioning these upcoming encounters. The New Moon occurs in anticipation of its conjunction with the lord of the Underworld; that is, emotional revelations delivered by events of the New Moon lay the emotional groundwork for radical change, elimination, resurrection, or transformation (Moon conj Pluto), which is followed by our attention on that change (Sun conj Pluto), which will take us from spotlighting the re-making of the established systems/ reality (Capricorn) to innovations in replacement systems/ approaches that are keyed to Higher Mind (Aquarius).

Sabian for the new Moon is, ‘A Relay Race’. This may refer to the New Moon’s preparation of the way forward for the Sun/ Moon encounters with Pluto. A relay race features the passing of a baton from one participant to the next. The original runner doesn’t cross the finish line, nor do those that follow. It’s only the final runner, who benefits from the actions of all who came before, that actually engages in the end of the race. The big and often irrevocable changes Pluto represents are built on many small moments that lead up to that change; we’re in one of those periods now. This also hints at the importance of the past (SN) in creating the future (NN), with the contact to Saturn suggesting current reality isn’t necessarily easy to alter or deal with (semi-square), at least not directly or even consciously.

I’ve heard the phrase, ‘The devil’s in the details’ more times than I can count in the past week (call it our Weekly Word Image, if you like)–and I think it’s exactly what applies to the energies stirred by this New Moon. While we’re dealing with it all, our attention is taken for the most part by the minutiae of living, but it’s these small, sometimes barely noticed choices that shape and drive what’s to come–these are what occur all around, and connected to, this New Moon in Capricorn point.

Also of note: a very close trine between Venus in Sagittarius and Chiron in Aries. Be aware of the ease with which we may injure ourselves or others in trying to apply ‘the facts’ within relationships (or, in the way realities about money may affect relationships). We may try to reduce an interaction to a practical level, or to a handful of hard truths; don’t forget that it exists first and foremost because of feeling, and those need no justification or explanation.

Full Moon in Cancer 26 December 2023: Ripe With Feeling

22 Friday Dec 2023

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‘Still Life with Ripe Fruits’ By Josef Lauer 1870 {{PD}}

The Full Moon perfects at 4:33 PM PST of the 26th at 4 Cancer 58. A Moon-ruled Full Moon promises that a feeling state ripens and reaches its most complete point; it can also bring feeling states to a head, and so expose the depths of our caring, our complex emotions, and our wounds. Intuition may be fulsome, and also irrelevant, as everything we would otherwise sense is on display–we don’t have to parse the vibes, everything is right in front of us. There are almost 7 degrees between the Full Moon and Vesta, with the Moon and Earth having left Vesta long ago enough that this may describe the past that brought us to this present Full Moon moment: we’ve just been considering what really matters to us, what we’re dedicated to, whether our life investments of time and energy truly reflect our priorities, et voilà, the Full Moon delivers the emotional impact of these musings, and then some.

When it perfects the Full Moon is still within trine of Saturn in Pisces, suggesting the reality picture puts its two cents into the feeling formula; expect to see the results of emotional decisions in real-world circumstances, but also be aware of the potential for suppression of that awareness, especially if we are either in the midst of reaching for a dream, or if we’re unwilling to see what is without our rose-colored glasses. That means there’s the chance for internal clashes, as feelings try to surface, try to make themselves known, and we resist or deny–and of course, that’s possible for those with whom we must deal, as well.

‘Ripe Wheat’ c1353–1336 B.C. New Kingdom, Amarna Period
Dynasty 18, Reign of Akhenaten

The Full Moon is also sextile Jupiter and semi-square Uranus, both in Taurus, implying that emotions are easily exaggerated, and that optimism is easy to come by, especially when it’s focused on our material state and surroundings, but even these good feelings can wield a sharp edge: we may be shocked or surprised by the actual state of our comfort or prosperity, if the Full Moon reveals it to be other than we believe (and this could be a positive thing–or could plunge us into Uranian chaos). Too, we may become aware of how much the group and our place within it affects our standing and our sense of positivity. A steep learning curve for some, but an important re-orientation to real-world circumstances. Expect to see an even bigger reveal around the 31st, when Jupiter leaves stationary retrograde status and resumes direct motion once again; that promises that either ‘the facts’, or our beliefs, will be undeniable.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘At A Railroad Crossing, An Automobile is Wrecked By A Train’. This image may be emphasizing the Uranian shock or surprise factor, and suggests that the impact of Lunar events is bigger than we anticipate, shown by Jupiter. It’s easy to write off emotions as something we don’t have to pay attention to, or that is something only happening inside of us, but in this case, it doesn’t seem we’ll have a choice: Emotions will hit big, jarringly, and will translate directly into our surroundings and our world, probably through actions or decisions that are prompted by those feelings. Whatever it is, it ‘wrecks’ a particular way we’ve been moving forward, and this happens specifically because we’re stalled at just the point where other, larger forces move through.

I suspect those larger forces will be explained by the Sun’s Sabian: ‘Indians On The Warpath. While Some Men Row A Well-Filled Canoe, Others In It Perform A War Dance’. This is an image of like individuals working together, prepared and ready to strike or otherwise aggress, in order to get what they want. Any situation like that for you? If you are one of the aggressors, you’ll be making your move–and if not–makes me think of the old joke: Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean people aren’t out to get you! It seems any blow to our forward motion is perpetrated very deliberately, by those with an agenda. I imagine the Full Moon energy simply offers the emotional impetus for them to act, and like it or not, we’ll receive the impact.

The good part of all this is that we will definitively know where we stand–and that means with post-Lunar events we’ll be equipped to move forward wiser and more aware, especially in our knowledge of who to trust, who and what to care about.

New Moon in Sagittarius 12 December 2023: Carousel of Uncertainty

12 Tuesday Dec 2023

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‘Carousel at Night at the Fair’ By Ferdinand du Puigaudeau {{PD}}

From now on I’ll be highlighting the ‘message’ portions of my posts for those who aren’t versed in or interested in the technical aspects of the astrology, and just want to know what the general trends are. Thanks to my friend C.M. for the inspiration!

The New Moon for December occurs at 3:32 PM PST of the 12th at 20 Sagittarius 40, forming a very loose Grand Cross with a wide opposition of Juno and Neptune, with Earth as always opposed the Sun and at this time, the Moon. A New Moon in Sag speaks of new beliefs, new ideas rooted in exposure to other cultures or ways of Being, and introduces the possibility of new facts being learned or coming to light; the Juno-Neptune opposition suggests creative or deceptive or muddied acts meant to empower. That says we act, we do, based on energies either imbued with the creative spirit or hopelessly misleading in their implications–and either way, we experience tension (the multiple squares of the Cross) that likely arises from that Sagittarius-themed new info/ belief. It’s a carousel of confusion, a merry-go-round that disorients because the facts may appear to be unreliable—and that isn’t an unreasonable perception, because of the influence of Neptune, which will obscure or mislead and so inspire uncertainty, hesitancy, and an overall sense that the world, or even our own minds, are untrustworthy.

The Sag (that’s pronounced ‘Sadge’) New Moon trines the North Node and Eris in Aries, suggesting that forward-moving actions and choices, and future-anticipating efforts, will bring out any enmity that lies beneath the surface of things; the NM also widely sextiles South Node-Zeus in Libra (so that these oppose NN-Eris), laying the casual base for a loose Finger of God, apex Uranus in Taurus. The Finger implies that New Moon energies join with the past and our own ambitions and desires, especially those around aesthetic creations, finances, and partnerships (Libra), and what it creates is either modern and new, or chaotic, manifesting in our surroundings, environment, or material circumstances (Uranus in Taurus). Either way, the results of New Moon influences as they combine with other forces are a surprise.

One other thing of note: Venus and Pallas are closely conjoined at the time of the New Moon, only 17 minutes apart in Scorpio–and these two just so happen to be novile (40 degrees, + or – 1 degree) from the New Moon. I think this offers a kind of intuitive ability to read the feelings coursing deep within ourselves and beneath relevant circumstances and to then see the wisdom these feelings offer–but this is only available if we are viewing the issues with Love. If our lens is clouded with anger, vengeful thoughts, jealousy, or greed (the negative Venusian qualities), we won’t have access to this practical guidance.

The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘A Child And A Dog Wearing Borrowed Eyeglasses’. We were just talking about lenses, and here they are again! The image, though, is of borrowed lenses, something specifically meant to help someone else see–not just inappropriate in practical terms, but even ludicrous, when we think of specs on a dog. This may be a warning, that we need to be careful not to adopt viewpoints that are meant for others, when looking for helpful ways to regard and interact with the world. It can be tempting to think that someone else’s way of seeing things can work for us, too, but the reality is we are unique, and so our viewpoint, and the lenses we use to understand life, need be, as well.

Full Moon in Gemini 27 November 2023: Until We Perfect Time Travel . . .

25 Saturday Nov 2023

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‘Time Traveler’ Raku ceramic piece, first shown at Artsight Gallery, Coral Gables 2013. Provenance: Private collector, Miami, Florida

Aimeeperezsculptor

Free Art License

The Full Moon perfects at 1:16 AM PST of the 27th at 4 Gemini 51, and we’re still seeing the influence of the Sagittarian Sun, Ceres, and Mars combined, now in opposition to the Lunar event–which means, all that identity and ego assertiveness, all that testing of one’s authority and right to do and be, creates an emotional reaction, with the Full Moon bringing it from the unconscious to conscious awareness. And what is that emotional response? It’s cerebral, but in that surface way that works things out by talking about it, chatting with others, sharing information, and just generally connecting with the minds and thinking that surround us. At the same time, it’s tempered by a wide conjunction of the Moon-Earth to Sedna, which is poised at the critical 29th degree of Taurus. That adds instinct, even what we might term ‘animal instinct’, to the mix, brings forward what we ‘know but don’t know we know’, and, probably suddenly, makes available ‘blind spot’ material that we’ve likely been struggling to access (especially so if we’ve sensed something there, just on, to mangle a phrase, the tip of our minds).

So, it’s a Lunar event of revelation, if we define revelation as gleaning knowledge from intense interaction with our environment that manages to shake loose and make accessible information both inner and outer in form. The Sun-Moon axis forms a loose Grand Cross with squares to Saturn, spanky new in Pisces, and Black Moon Lilith in Virgo, suggesting that, when the emotional reaction to the identity and ego efforts occurs, a simultaneous cross-current will form pitting an illusive or spiritually-tinged or creative reality picture against matters we’ve been ignoring, denying, or that have enraged us. The result is Self-recrimination, for all that we (theoretically) could’ve done in the past to get us closer now to where we’ve been wanting to go. We may berate ourselves for not having known better, or worked harder, earlier–but let me just say, that’s water under the bridge. Know that you had your reasons, that you handled things the best you could’ve at the time; we can’t expect ourselves to have performed in the past with the knowledge or mentality we have in the present. It’ll be a different situation when we perfect time travel–until then, understand we’re all operating at maximum (even when it doesn’t appear so to others!)

The Full Moon also forms a sesquiquadrate to Venus in Libra. This may make some relationships on which we rely feel uncomfortable; the Love may be hard to see, the value of the interaction so indiscernible we may feel alienated from what’s usually a steady source of partner support, emotionally and/ or financially. Don’t fret–it’s temporary, with the function of throwing our attention back on what we really can control: ourselves. That’s where the action is, right now, though that carries its own problems, namely some uncertainty as to whether we are smart enough, wise enough, or practical enough to handle what’s before us (quincunx to Pallas). Never fear; we are equipped, and here’s how we handle it. Use as guides two things: the chosen life direction, the way you have been intending to move forward, regarding that plan as not just legitimate but inspired (and this should include any modifications you now want to make that spring from newly-learned material), and second, accept that difficult reactions that come from others in answer to your actions and choices are only revealing feelings that were always there, just kept out of sight, usually because the other got some kind of advantage as long as your choices complemented their wants. See this as something you needed to know, and move on–dwelling on it won’t take away the somewhat sour taste of discovering a particular friend is only conditionally supportive, after all (novile NN and Eris).

The Sabian fits, and really needs no elaboration: ‘A Revolutionary Magazine Asking For Action’. In this case, the revolution is likely an internal one, aligning us more closely with our own newly discovered desires and direction, as has been stirred by the Sun, et al, with the Full Moon our emotional response to it. For the Full Moon we always look at the Sun’s Sabian, as well: ‘An Old Owl Sits Alone On The Branch Of A Large Tree’. This echoes the Pallas contact, since the owl is Pallas Athena’s symbol. We’ll feel alone, we may worry that we are inadequate to the task, especially when it comes to making smart choices–but this symbol hints that it’s in the space when we are alone that we can come to know our own mind, and what’s wise for us, most easily.

I plan on bringing back the Word Image–not today, because we have these Sabians to ponder–but with my next post. Have a wonderful Full Moon week!

New Moon in Scorpio 13 November 2023: Opposites Compel

11 Saturday Nov 2023

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Architechtural opposites By Paul Balfe Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

The New Moon perfects at 1:27 AM PST at 20 Scorpio 43 on the 13th, shortly to conjoin both Mars and Ceres, and to oppose Uranus. The Sun, Moon, Mars, and Ceres in Scorpio together shine a light on emotional depths, on personal power issues, on what action to take or choice to make, while this energy faces the Earth and Uranus in Taurus, a pairing that promises surprises or the unexpected in the material realm. Though Scorpio seems action-keyed with rulers Pluto and, secondarily, Mars, it’s actually a Water sign, and that’s what we need to remember: any shift, action, or change prompted by this New Moon will be fueled by feeling, even compulsion–and that means our most important efforts should be around understanding our own emotional reactions, and where they might lead–not easy to do, when Luna is New Moon fresh, with clear perceptions made even more difficult by Ceres, who quite naturally sees herself as an authority (even THE authority!) That can mean the new Moon atmosphere is infused with a sense of both urgency and willfulness, a push forward that at its heart remains mysterious–but only if we fail to examine our own motivations. It’s a situation where opposites compel–if by compel we mean the inner urges respond to the emotions as prompted by sudden and surprising material conditions, which call forward an emotional need to take action–but to do what?

There’s only one other aspect made by the New Moon: a semi-square to Venus. That’s about the farthest Venus ever gets from the Sun; it reflects the way consciousness (the Sun) can’t completely separate itself from the concept of Love (Venus)–but it does imply that the individual consciousness can be at war with Love, probably when it doesn’t recognize the form in which Love arrives–or fails to understand the need to reform its own ideas of Love and relationship. This may signal that the current environment calls for extra care in our approach, and perhaps calls for awareness that it’s all too easy to believe we’re acting out of Love, when our idea of what that entails differs drastically from our own forgotten or neglected ideal.

To sum it up, whatever shocks, surprises, radicalizes, innovates, or modernizes right in front of us is the thing we must approach with as much emotional intelligence and genuine Love as possible. If it pops out of the woodwork, you need to respond, with as much care, consistency, and awareness of your own feelings as is humanly available to you.

The Sabian says it perfectly: ‘Obeying His Conscience, A Soldier Resists Orders’. It’s in acute Self-awareness, coupled with a strong moral compass, that we make the right decisions in any situation. To do as we have always done won’t cut it; as necessary as it is to work in harmony with others within a larger framework (in this example, in the army and with one’s fellow soldiers), it’s important to recognize the circumstances under which it’s not just desirable, but necessary, to respond in accord with our own conscience, with what we know is right.