Carl Moll – ‘The Blue Lantern’ 1903 {{PD}}

Vesta is semi-squared by Venus and parallels Juno, setting up a slightly tense dynamic of lady-energies (the power of the feminine, the anima, the receptive, the nurturing, the gestating), empowerment issues, and priorities, commitments, and values that searches for internal harmony; that is, though actions arises out of potential discord, it quickly evolves into expression that is correct for our roles and our current ‘power place’ in things. Thoughts are clear and on point, especially in power terms (Mercury trine Ceres) and we send and receive messages relating to authority with amazing precision (in spite of the way most of these are unspoken). All this measuring of empowerment and consideration of communications may require the identity to re-shape itself, as we see that instincts and our ‘blind spot’ may both offer input that demands a new, more accurate Self-image be adopted (Sun sesq Sedna).

‘Alfred Crowquill’ (Alfred Henry Forrester (1804-72)) – Illustrated London News [[PD}}

Tom Thomson – ‘The West Wind’ c1916 {{PD}}

We have a single, subtle aspect perfecting today, Pallas contra-parallel Ceres; it may be entirely subliminal, exerting an influence below conscious awareness–and that can lend it way more punch than it deserves. What’s wise or practical comes up against any role we play that sees us exerting our personal power, negotiating for what we want, or calling the shots with those over whom we hold sway. Somehow, taking charge contradicts the smart move, and exercising our Will turns out to be impractical. Does that mean holding back, taking cover, abdicating responsibility, is our best choice? Not necessarily; both bodies are in Fire, and that may suggest that this discord is a prompt to find a new, smarter way to make our Will felt, to offer our guidance, or to take a ‘Big Picture’ stance in negotiations. Old forms of Power expression don’t work as they used to, and what’s wise has changed over time; this aspect brings that reality to our attention, and asks us to adapt, if we want to remain potent and relevant.

‘Fleeing skeleton’ By Władysław Podkowiński 1891 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is: the last book you purchased. Have you read it yet? What did it come to mean to you? Or is it all in the title, a personal message from the Universe like a note in a bottle that washes up at your feet? In my case, I’m going with the title of a book I picked up just today: ‘The Bone Clocks’ by David Mitchell. Sounds like attending to my aging skeleton might be advisable! What about you?

Михаил М. Гужавин (Mikhail Markelovich Guzhavin)- Зимняя ночь (1917) {{PD}}

It’s a day of reckoning, where our optimism is tempered with a stark awareness of how and why our hopes and intentions may not mesh with the current life direction, and where opportunities may cause conflict with our plans (Jupiter sq Nodal axis)–and this, in turn, might play on our wounds, and make us question our own strength and fitness to live out our choices (Mars sesq Chiron, Sun sesq Ceres). With Saturn and the Sun just entering Capricorn, and Merc freshly direct, we may feel a wee bit overwhelmed, as if barriers and dead ends are popping up everywhere. The reality, though, is that we’re being asked to slow down and take a thorough look, both at where we are and what we want. Venus helps, as she enters Cap, attuning us to the benefits of hard work and the parameters of concrete realities, even as she conjoins Saturn and novile Vesta, showing us what we treasure (and so are sure we want to keep solid) in terms of commitments, relationships, and those things we honor. If we see there’s no hurry, we can embrace our needs, values, and priorities, and so see clearly how we want things to progress.

Today’s word image is a piece of embroidery that takes years to complete. Is there some project you’ve been working on, piece by piece, for a long time? Have you put off completing it for some time, because it’s complicated, or other life events have called? Or is that a way to see life, each ‘stitch’ (choice/ action) creating a pattern that close up isn’t discernible, but makes a distinct ‘picture’ when viewed from a distance?

‘Embroidery with Scenes from the Life of the Virgin’ unknown artist {{PD}}

By Dietmar Rabich – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53804703

The only aspect perfecting today is a parallel of Mars and Juno. That may not sound like much, until you consider that puts the need for personal empowerment together with the ego, the sex drive, the action urge, the Will, the ‘I Am’, and the very energy that gets us out of bed in the morning! We may not even realize how strong our push, not just for autonomy, but for making an impact, making a difference, or making waves might be. Self-awareness and caution are highly prized today, but so is the opportunity to make significant inroads in meaningful, personal goals and in advancing the individual agenda.

‘View of a Corridor’ 1662 By Samuel van Hoogstraten {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a bag of birdseed that bursts, sending seed everywhere. ‘Eating like a bird’ comes to mind, a phrase meant to indicate a delicate appetite, even though we now know that birds eat tremendous amounts for their size each and every day–and that suggests some appetite or ‘push’ toward something that we or others see as or are characterizing as something quite the opposite to what it actually is. Where is want being portrayed as quite modest, when it’s really quite ravenous? Do you want to furnish a massive amount of whatever it is that’s required, or are you thinking it’s time to align appetites and consumption so that there’s no misperception of where resources are going?