Category Archives: What You’re Asking

Oil and Water: Putin and Zelenskyy

14 Monday Mar 2022

Posted by in astrology, Astrology and History, Consciousness Explored, Current Affairs, Current Events, relationship astrology, What You're Asking

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‘Water Swirl, Canandaigua Outlet‘ by Arthur Dove 1937 {{PD}}

Long-time reader Anthony asks for a little something on Putin, so I thought a good approach might be to make him human-sized, rather than treating him as a global figure, and to look at his energy interaction with Zelenskyy, who he’s cast in the role of adversary, willing or not. Anthony mentions a future opposition of Chiron to Putin’s Sun, which will almost certainly be significant, but my eye’s on the current transit of Saturn opposed his Midheaven-Black Moon Lilith-Pluto in Leo, the just separating trine of Eris to his Pluto, and transiting Neptune still within loose sextile to his Jupiter and the transiting North Node and so forming base to a Finger of God with apex his natal Neptune-Mercury in Libra.

Transiting Saturn opposite the MC and friends suggests a sense of having his security undermined and power dipping to a low point–but remember, this is perceptual from the viewpoint of the individual, an effect on natal energies brought about by transiting ones–while the current way forward (transiting NN) combines with his attitudes around society and foreign powers (Jupiter) to pump up the natal combination Nep-Merc that suggests he is imaginative, especially about others/ partners–in both the positive and negative senses–possibly seeing all communications as containing hidden messages and motivations–he may assume others obfuscate just as a matter of course–with inherently unclear thinking that the nearby natal conjunction to Saturn makes him believe is just the opposite, absolutely concrete and realistic–and Jupiter is definitely within quincunx natally to both Neptune and Saturn, implying a built-in distrust of what’s foreign, perhaps suggesting he sees foreign influences (Jupiter) as automatically looking to suppress him and his ‘creative’ approach. and generally threatening, with the quincunx saying he may feel there’s a constant demand to adjust to others, in order to get along–and we should note the Sun (which is conjoined Saturn), along with Neptune and Mercury, are all in Libra in the 12th, suggesting that he may have chronic feelings of being oppressed, misled, or victim of quickly changing circumstances, all via others (Libra) and perceived unconsciously (12th)–it’s a signature for paranoia, should the individual stray at all from the reality of the situation.

Too, transiting Neptune is on the way to conjoining Putin’s natal Pallas in the 5th of gambles–but it’s not there yet, and will retrograde and then again go direct before it makes contact–so there’s some time to go on that one, though I think that might be the most telling, a ‘point of no return’ in terms of potential for bad judgment and taking risky chances, particularly military ones (Pallas did, after all, spring as a fully-formed Warrior from her father Zeus’ forehead), with choices maybe based on misinformation, misunderstanding, or delusion.

If the data I have for Putin is correct (7 October 1952 9:30 AM St. Petersburg Russia–the then Soviet Union–data is unverified/ disputed, according to Astrodatabank, though the planetary placements and angles seem to work well for him), then there are a couple more things we should note before discussing the interaction with Zelenskyy. One is that Vesta is conjoined the Scorpio Ascendant, suggesting an individual who honors himself and his thrust out into the world above all else–and in Scorpio implies that he sees making changes and acting for vengeance as part of his mandate in the world.

We also see that South Node, MC, Black Moon Lilith, Pluto, and Zeus are all conjoined in Leo in the 10th=Power is the ambition, the desire, the public face, of the individual–he sees it as his right to roar, and that this is a repeating pattern–which means he may face problems with his power-seeking behavior if he isn’t hyper-aware of the current scene–he’s a victim of his own compulsion to do the same thing the same way, again and again. This grouping is trine Mars (the Will, the ‘I Am’, ego) and loosely square Jupiter in the 7th=the exercise of personal Will is almost unavoidable–he may see that as the way to operate, period–and conflict with others, particularly those he sees as having more opportunity or as being ‘luckier’, is inevitable.

I used a bi-wheel (see below) and chose to put Putin on the inside in spite of the uncertainty of his data, as he is the instigator of the current action. I’m going to list cross-chart aspects, with Zelenskyy’s (see a previous post for his details) placement first, the aspect, then what’s contacted in Putin’s chart, followed by the potential interactive effect. I’ll keep the orbs close, for clarity.

Z’s Saturn conjoins P’s Zeus, trine his Mars, and quincunx his Pallas, with Z’s Jupiter opposes P’s Mars, squares his Pallas, and sextiles his Zeus=this seems provocative for both parties, though more so for Putin, who may feel Z is out to thwart his ambitions, challenge his masculinity, and question his wisdom–and part of the challenge seems to arise from Z’s popularity, which P might try to cast in his own mind as both un-masculine (this might relate to Z’s comedic career, as P’s Sun-Saturn conjunction might find it very important to be taken seriously–I think Putin might miss the point of comedy) and unwise, though unwise only in the sense that it’s not what Putin would do! Z might just feel that Putin doesn’t act wisely–where Z would counsel P to tamp down ambitions, to focus less on implementing his own Will and desires (Zeus, Mars), P would counsel Z to get serious and get out of his (Putin’s) way–no surprise there.

Z’s Pluto is conjoined P’s Saturn (so not far from P’s Sun), and trine P’s Ceres, while Z’s Ceres sits exactly (only 16 minutes off) P’s Mars, with Z’s Jupiter opposed P’s Mars=again, Z feels to P as if he challenges P’s security, masculinity, and even identity–and that’s a difficult feeling to ignore, especially when this energy is exaggerated, as it is perceptually for P, reflected in Z’s relationship to his people. This is exacerbated by Z’s South Node conjoined Eris, while Z’s Eris is conjoined P’s Earth, and so opposed his Sun=to Z this reads as P bringing back chaos from the past, while for P this may read as Z’s mere existence bringing chaos (and this may suggest Z’s more a symbol to P than anything else), and this is particularly threatening to P’s material purpose (his Earthly goals) and of course to his identity and Soul’s intents. This could feel to Putin like Zelenskyy, his demeanor, his methods of operating, his interactions with the people, are all things that engender chaos and threaten P’s fundamental security and status–and with Z’s Vertex conjoined P’s Venus, it may feel to Z it’s fated that he will affect P’s assets, wealth, position–anything he values, really. Z’s Chiron opposes P’s Ascendant-Vesta, and Z’s Mars forms the arm of a T-square with this, promising to actively wound the way P reaches out into the world, and to hurt what he holds sacred.

Most telling, though, may be the way P’s Pluto-BML-MC-SN is in wide contact with Z’s Moon, while Z’s Midheaven is conjoined P’s North Node. It may look to Putin as if the way to the future is through the reputation and career of Zelenskyy, while Z’s emotional make-up may threaten P’s career, probably by digging up what he’d rather remained hidden, calling forth P’s destructive urges, and harkens back to something of the past P would prefer to bury–and with those kind of triggers at work, it’s hard to see how these two could’ve interacted any other way than they are right now.

There are other contacts, but the ones I’ve outlined do, I think, convey the heart of each man’s reaction to the other. Many thanks to Anthony for his request!

Let’s Discuss: Chiron Pt. 1

10 Saturday Oct 2020

Posted by in astrology, Astrology and Identity, Chiron, Consciousness Explored, Natal Delineation, natal placement, Products and Services, What You're Asking

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Just thought this was pretty–it has nothing to do with Chiron–fungi are very Plutonian! Watercolour depiction of the fly agaric, 1892. Likely painted at an art class near Bristol, England, the writing says “Agaricus muscarius” and “Leigh woods Sept/92” CC BY 4.0

In our ongoing exploration of specific natal aspects Readers have submitted for discussion (submissions are closed), we focus now on Chiron. Though initially considered an asteroid, it’s currently classified as a Centaur (it was in fact the first-discovered, lending its character to the classification itself), which is defined as an object orbiting the Sun between the asteroid belt and the Kuiper belt–and yet it behaves a little bit like a comet, so also carries a cometary designation (95P), and some even consider it a dwarf planet. All this variety (or is it confusion?) about how to categorize it hints at one of its most prominent characteristics: that what it designates in our natal charts has layers of meaning, an onion of hurt, experience, skill, and unique perspective, all of which can teach us about ourselves and our place within the world.

There is the Chiron hurt, something so deep and pervasive the individual can often be unaware of it; there is what we learn from the hurt, that we can then utilize, to help both ourselves and others; there is a Chirotic gift (or more than one) related to the sign and to our own processing and experience of it, which before 2012 we could offer only to others (and that we can now access–and so ‘do’–for ourselves); and there is a Transpersonal expression of this energy, one that takes the individual, cumulative Chiron knowledge and applies it to the Collective condition. So, Chiron designates qualities that are highly personalized, highly individual, and that with enough effort at understanding and re-shaping, we may at some point in life lift from the entirely personal, reactionary arena to utilization of the ‘gift within the wound’, to, finally, a transpersonal, Collective expression, one where our gift in some way answers a need found in the Collective or out in the world.

(Birth data redacted) I am interested in my Chiron, in Capricorn. I have had numerous struggles with structures and authority figures. I feel that this recent period has been sort of like a final exam or defending my thesis. I know that the wound doesn’t really go away but I feel stronger just putting all the past struggles into context now instead of feeling as though they are coming at me as a series of random tortures. I wonder what you would have to say about a broad now-moment and a future with Chiron in Capricorn. Thanks for choosing my inquiry–if you do!

You don’t ask about an aspect, but rather an entity, a single body, which is okay when it’s one that in the general astrological world still suffers from a state of too little clarity–that is, it’s difficult to see Chiron’s action in the natal chart when we see it in its most simplistic terms, ‘wound and gift’. That tempts us to want to reduce its effects to a clear-cut negative or positive, and that’s not only unproductive, it dismisses our need to look at how truly personal the manifestations of this energy are, how completely they have been tailored to our character, experience, and responses. Neither of those definitions of Chiron as wound and gift is wrong, but those labels do remove the nuances of what can be a very important, even vital, influence for the individual.

For you, Chiron plays a fundamental role in Self-image, with its location in the 2nd of assets and talents, and in Capricorn, the wound almost certainly involves your relationships to and reactions to both structures in the life and the concept of authority, with the initial reaction almost always presenting in response to those who hold authority in your life. At least part of why you may be responding so strongly and personally to Capricorn life areas is this body’s location in the 2nd of Self-image–it may feel that what hurts you also, inevitably, defines you (and we might want to throw in rules, ways in which your Will or feelings have been thwarted or restricted, and matters where you feel it’s ‘all work and no play’, particularly when this stands in contrast to what others around you seem to enjoy).

Does it feel as if the drudgery always falls to you? Where Chiron sits can often seem to be a difficult place, one where we’re denied joy, and if it does for you, dear Reader, that’s not surprising, especially considering that the closest aspect Chiron makes to a major body is its opposition to Uranus–and that may feel as if every time you try to ‘be yourself’ or act spontaneously or think independently (Uranus rules the 3rd) you get a Capricorn response (which may sound like ‘Control yourself’ or ‘Sit down’ or even ‘You’re not allowed’ or ‘That idea’s crazy!’). Compound this with Uranus in the 8th suggesting that others seem to have all the freedom, are allowed to be as erratic, unpredictable, or unique as they want–and that you may feel you have to clean up after them–it may be the only initially perceived path that allows you to feel good about yourself, by complying with these ‘demands’ (and this is supported by Chiron’s semi-sextile to the Ascendant and its trines to Jupiter and Hygeia in the 6th, all possibly making you feel it’s your duty to serve the larger social order, and to modify yourself in order to do so, that being healthy depends on it–but really, being healthy depends on working out your relationship to Chiron and the social order that surrounds you, rather than just complying with it, as you’ll never find peace by conforming).

And, with Uranus in the 8th but ruling the 3rd (as well as the close assembly of Sun, Mercury, and NN–Whole Sign), you may have the feeling that others are either trying to control your thinking, or that they are assessing your mental processes and reasoning as flighty, unreliable, or ‘out there’–and so, by extension, calling you these things (Sun in Aquarius 3rd), reaching into the mentality and insulting the Capricorn wound, which demands adherence to and observance of the rules, the status quo, and authorities. It may seem you are being insulted, expected to be ashamed, every time you act in ways that feel original or unique to you–but that’s an internal mechanism, one that plays out in you but that is spurred by others, even though the message you may be getting is, ‘Who do you think you are?’

One of the most difficult facets of your placement is that this energy is in a highly personal space (the 2nd, the part of you that judges yourself) but doesn’t contact any of the personal planets. Without contact to the personals (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars) one can feel adrift, as if the wider world, even the Universe, is targeting you, inflicting puzzling and unwarranted Capricornian penalties, suppressing your efforts at Self-improvement and earning (2nd)–and unless you can get some perspective, may trap you in ‘Me Against The World’ scenarios that play out over and over in new circumstances, but using old energies. Capricorn Chiron can bring a heavy sense of responsibility, and that’s difficult to fulfill when you feel that authority may consistently be against you (or that authorities have such high expectations or standards for your performance that you feel they’ll never be met).

Born just after a Lunar eclipse, hence the natal Sun and North Node are quite close, and may give a sense that accomplishment is a relentlessly difficult uphill climb, as if the prime moment for presenting what you know and feel has somehow passed. Re-frame this as a sense of completion in terms of being ready to pass things on to others or to cooperate with others in your efforts. A sesquiquadrate of Chiron to Ceres points out how tough the relationship is not just to external authorities but to your own inner sense of being in charge, of granting yourself permission to go forward. Become your own authority, in a sense, and this may offer the freedom you’ve (probably) been seeking.

Though this exercise was about natal aspects, not forecasts, I can suggest this: both personal security about who you are, and about making your way in the world, likely comes from disciplined expression of the talents, especially the creative ones, when applied to achieving specific goals with the cooperation of others (Chiron ruler Saturn conjoined Neptune in Libra in the 11th of goals, wishes, friendship, group involvement); look for others who support your originality and who are accepting of an individuality that’s comfortable for you–and there’s no ‘right’ model for this, that’s what makes it so hard–you have to trust yourself and stay firmly connected to the reality of things, even as you dream and invent. This may be an intense academic stance, may involve the sciences or futurism, may be about creative uniqueness, especially manifesting the imagined in real-world terms, or the way Higher Mind and spirituality are intertwined, and may involve a need to write, speak, or communicate your specific viewpoint to others.

Taking an intellectual approach (Sun and Merc in Aquarius) may initially cause internal conflict as Chiron demands a material response, but seeing that creativity in the current reality (Chiron ruler Saturn conj Neptune) is needed will resolve the tension, without too much conscious effort. Knowing healing is possible will go a long way toward repair of the wound; so will seeing the creative or spiritual take material form in the life.

Part Two coming next week, and if you want to know more about Chiron, you may want to try my book, which takes a personal, experiential approach to exploring your Chiron placement, using both definitions and an included workbook and question format–have a great weekend!

Let’s Discuss: Natal Moon Square the Ascendant

28 Tuesday Jul 2020

Posted by in Aspect Delineation, aspects and placements, astrology, Astrology and Identity, Astrology of Careers Vocations and Callings, Consciousness Explored, What You're Asking

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The natal Moon in contact with the natal Ascendant can feel very much as if the individual is constantly interacting with and displaying the emotional nature.’Reaching for the Moon’ By Edward Mason Eggleston 1933 {{PD}}

The 29th is a day when no new aspects perfect, so maybe we should take some time to look at one of those topics I previously asked readers to submit.

“Thank you for your offer. If you choose so, I’d like to hear about my Moon square Asc aspect (birth data redacted for privacy). For the last few years, I’ve been trying to align questions about responsibilities (work, family, relationships, community) with what I consider my free will, independence, identity (I work in artistic field). Maybe it’s a never-ending process. Wish I could feel more decisive/confident with my choices/path.”

I can tell you with confidence that reconciling a natal square is a never-ending process; no matter how well we do at resolving the conflict and expressing the energies, we can always lift the expression of those energies to ever-higher forms–and that translates to a life-long fine-tuning process. So, the individual describes a pull between the Will and identity and those larger responsibilities that involve others–and the first thing we see in the chart is that the Moon rules the 4th of family of origin, which immediately emphasizes the perhaps perpetual conflict between the individual emotional experience and familial expectations. The personality of the individual, and the way that individual interacts with the world, is in some way at odds with the role or expectations within the family, in conflict with the concept of ‘home’ as they understand it, and/ or in basic discord with one or both parental figures. Ironically, though, the Moon is in the Capricorn 10th, suggesting that duty and a close link to one or both parents is actually what makes this Moon comfortable–so it may be that phrasing this square as an identity vs. obligations challenge is a bit of a distraction, at least in terms of emotional expression–it may really be that it’s the manner of reaching out to the world (the Ascendant) that makes this person emotionally uncomfortable.

What we see with the 10th House Moon ruling the 4th House suggests a kind of ‘tag team’ of authority and nurture from the parents, with the individual’s Moon in Capricorn in the 10th ruling the 4th, and Ceres, mother and authority, posited in the 4th in Cancer. These parents work together, and may see imposing rules and boundaries, expectations and goals, as a form of nurture–and a Capricorn Moon clearly sees it that way, too.

But the Ascendant, the way the individual interacts with and presents the Self to the world on first meeting, the persona and personality, is keyed to the energies of Aries–and that’s an energy that says, ‘I can do it myself, I want to do it my way, follow me!’ The Ascendant, in fact, is apex to a Finger of God with a base of Neptune, an almost Cazimi Sun-Mercury, and Venus, all in Scorpio in the 8th, and Uranus in Virgo in the 6th (and we note a close-but-no-cigar Finger combo of Mars and Pluto in Virgo, just outside comfortable quincunx range). This may be why it feels as if the emotions aren’t being served: an enormous amount of creative, identity/ Soul, communication, and relationship energy is interacting with the most original and unique impulses and then funneled out to the world through the personality, with the base placements in 6th and 8th suggesting a reliance on input/ feedback/ cooperation and understanding from others, especially through the course of work and discharge of duties–this individual can’t express things they find meaningful without others–and the individual feels they must be at the head of the line, leading, guiding, doing (Aries apex)–and yet we must remember that the outlet of the Ascendant carries a fundamental discord with the emotional nature via the square, which we might sum up as ‘duty (to parents, career, or convention-Capricorn, on which the feelings depend for a sense of well-being) vs. ‘a need to trail-blaze, express the individual Will, to have one’s say and way as an outlet to so many of the basic energies, including the Soul’s reasons for being here (Sun in aspect to the Aries Ascendant).

Add to this that the Capricorn Moon, which naturally aspects all that the Ascendant aspects, also happens to lie at the rough midpoint of the Sun grouping and the 12th House Chiron-Saturn-Black Moon Lilith in Pisces–which does not aspect the Ascendant. What! What? And now we see/ feel what is pestering the feeling nature that is on its own essentially at ease with the Soul/ communication/ love and creative nature and with the Uranian need for original expression, and with the Martian-Plutonian need to act and feel of consequence within the world. What the Moon is not at ease with is the way all these energies are expressed through the Ascendant–that’s where the conflict lies.

Too, that Uranus-Mars-Pluto grouping, such a dynamic and urgent mixture, requiring action, spontaneity, and a certain amount of power, directly conflicts (opposition) with Chiron-Saturn-Black Moon Lilith. It may be that action, especially spontaneous or unusual action, or action that seeks to create power and impact for the Self, stirs unconscious (12th) anger, resentment, and guilt–and so creates a feedback loop that hides the hurt, even as the emotional nature is highly aware of it (Saturn ruling the Moon)–and these angers and hurts are possibly brought into real-world circumstances periodically, as the unconscious ‘reaches out’ and orchestrates physical reality (Saturn).

The Moon contact to Chiron-Saturn-Black Moon Lilith implies that what’s really, really hidden, ignored, denied, or that enrages has also wounded, and the individual senses this (12th House) through the Moon’s emotional and intuitive faculties. Saturn of this grouping rules the Moon–and though the Soul’s expression is muy simpatico with what’s hurt and hidden (Sun group trine Saturn group), as is the feeling nature (Moon), we see the personality, the part that wants to meet the world head-on, the Martian-ruled Ascendant and the ‘I Am’ energies of Mars-Pluto and respect for uniqueness that is Uranus, is not simpatico.

The conflict, then, is a knotty one, and not easily (or possibly ever) resolvable. There are several things you might try to help make the energies more at ease with one another, with a focus on honoring the choices and career path, which you mention not having as much confidence in as you’d like. First, know that the emotions and emotional feedback will, for you, be much more reliable an indicator of right choice and right career than anything else. You are definitely meant to express your creative nature, to emphasize what you see of beauty and worth; your feelings will also be an excellent guide in responding to responsibilities and obligations, especially those involving the family. Most of your Water placements are in ‘soft’ aspect to the Earth Moon, and they find a great deal of emotional sustenance and nurture through real-world expression of what the emotions and the Soul both need and perceive.

It’s the ego or individual Will that cooks up problems; despite the way Mars-Pluto has found to cooperate with the Soul, it takes constant adjustments (the quincunxes of the Finger) for the creative, Soul, emotional, and action energies to express through the Arian personality–and that automatically means that the Martian ‘doing’ energies and the sheer Will have too big a say in choices and actions. The ego-power-individuality is also ‘against’ conscious awareness of hurt, vulnerabilities, and deep anger, especially when they’re observed in the real world–and that kind of denial can cripple creativity and relationships, as the ego insists on not looking at the negative, on powering through. So, honor the feeling nature more, and give it more trust–it’s best placed to handle, negotiate among, and facilitate the other charts energies, and can guide you in a much more perceptive way than the Will or ego can do.

I hope this helps, dear Seeker! Back to ‘Good Day To . . . ‘ tomorrow!

And, in case you missed the first installment

1-3 August 2019 + A Mini-What You’re Asking: Ascendants, Cusps, & Quincunxes

01 Thursday Aug 2019

Posted by in astrology, Born Today, current events in the sky, forecast, future events in the sky, House Systems, What You're Asking

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‘The Flageolet Player on the Cliff’ By Paul Gauguin 1889 {{PD}}

‘What You’re Asking’ comes from search terms I find in my site stats that could use some explanation, answer, or remark.

Ascendant on 2nd House cusp Whole Sign

Let’s get something straight: in the Whole Sign Universe, the Ascendant sign dictates the 1st House; that means we can’t have the Ascendant in the 2nd House! Because, if the Ascendant is there, that makes it the 1st House! Even very close to the ending of a sign, even in the last degree and minute and second, the Ascendant is still in the 1st. That means the Ascendant can be found anywhere within the 1st House.

In Placidus and many other House systems, the Ascendant delineates the beginning of the 1st House, but with Whole Sign, the sign of the Ascendant makes that sign the entire House, both ahead of and behind the Ascendant itself. This also lays out the rest of the chart, with one sign per House and the Midheaven true to its position; that is, unlike in other systems, the MC doesn’t mark the beginning of the 10th, but instead can fall anywhere the Sun could reach its zenith in a 24 hour period in that part of the world at that time of year.

It’s true that people talk about ‘being on the cusp’ of something: another sign, another House, but the term cusp only means ‘edge’. If you’re on the edge of a cliff, you’re not also below, tumbled into the valley, are you? So let’s stop talking about astrology as if a body or point is being influenced by something it’s not in, or a condition it doesn’t have–that not only makes for inaccurate, even sloppy, interpretation, it encourages those who don’t know better to think they may opt for the natal placement or for the other sign or House it’s near. As they say in that commercial where the woman takes a picture off her living room wall and declares, ‘I unfriend you!’, that’s not how any of this works.

quincunx relationship Scorpio/ Gemini

This made me think someone was looking for the relationship potentials between two individuals, each with the Sun in one of these signs, so I’ll approach this that way. First, an actual quincunx between Suns would require no more than a two degree differential; in that case we might expect that each would perpetually feel they must adjust their identity, their purpose, the nature of their true essence, just to get along with the other. That makes for an uncomfortable, not to say stressful, relationship.

If we’re talking about Suns that are in signs that are quincunx, but that are not in direct dialogue with each other, we might see a similar dynamic, but more diffuse. These two people might not ‘get’ each other, and are most likely to feel mild indifference, and maybe a lack of empathy, barring any other dynamic contacts between charts. Scorpio is Fixed Water: tending to perceive and process emotionally, first and foremost, with those perceptions intensely and deeply felt, and relatively difficult to change. Gemini is Mutable Air: perceiving and processing through the mind, perpetually re-considering and assessing, always searching for new information, and so changeable in their thinking.

In either case, not an easy interaction, no matter their roles or relationship.

Forecast 1-3 August 2019

The 1st sees us in harmony with ourselves, essentially agreeing with what we think! It’s a day that reinforces our mentality and the way we see things, but this offers one bonus: the ability, probably due to the consistency and harmony of our presentation at this time, to heal relationships or asset sources that have been damaged. And that’s a worthy goal, right?

The 2nd is almost the opposite to the 1st, with erraticism and unusual behavior in relationships, financial anomalies, surprises in Love, shocks over worth, and we find the reward from original thinking and innovation. And, we are either going after our own empowerment aggressively, or receiving aggression from others over what is or isn’t our domain. We may feel as if we are victims of the random, but there are two things we can do that should be highly beneficial to us: go over the discrepancies between our highest values and our ambitions; somewhere they’re not meeting up, and that’s causing ‘fulfillment drag’–and willingly excavate those personal matters we’ve ignored or denied, the ones that cause a shadow on the identity or expression of purpose. Hauling this material into the light will be nothing but good, in the end, and we’ll likely find that most of this shadow was generated by our own judgments of ourselves, and can be forgiven at any time.

By the 3rd we’re looking at personal empowerment issues, struggling, even, to make them ‘stick’. The feeling may be that we have to justify, one way or another, the territory we claim. We need to realize we’ve suffered a recent aggressive injury, where someone attacked, maybe very subtly, our right to be–and that has left this scab and we’re picking at it! Here’s your therapy: Stop it! Remind yourself you have the right to claim space to be, to do, to dream, as your own–no need to justify your existence, ever, to anyone, and that includes yourself. Nobody puts Baby in the corner!

For those born with the Sun at 09 Leo. Check your natal chart for the correct Sun degree (you may want to read both the degree number and the one that follows, if you have minutes on your Sun position–together these offer a more complete picture of your year ahead). What is this ‘New World’ you’re waking up to this solar year, and will experience through to your next birthday, dear Leo? Or is it, rather than a new world, a ‘Fresh Hell’? That all depends on the fate you’ve been preparing for yourself over the years. That sounds obvious, but the reality is that this is the year when all those choices, those roads taken and those avoided, coalesce into a meaningful picture. You’ll see, benefit from, and pay for those choices. Noe, if that makes you uneasy, you still have this year during which to clean up your act, to change your fate. If you anticipate the results of your choices with something akin to pleasure, then you’ll know you’ve chosen well, and can spend the year building on the foundation you’ve put in place. In either case, this year you have the ability to shine, especially when showing yourself and what you can do to the world, and you have the energy and focus to use every bit of your muscle to fulfill ambitions and desires–just stay aware of what this pursuit might create, for best results. Good luck!

For those born with the Sun at 10 Leo. Check your natal chart for the correct Sun degree (you may want to read both the degree number and the one that follows, if you have minutes on your Sun position–together these offer a more complete picture of your year ahead). Could you be more ready to critically assess yourself, your life, and where you’re going? No, you’re ready right now, dear Leo, and may spend this coming solar year, through to your next birthday, taking an intuitive but critical measure of your power, your position, your obligations, and your relationship to Nature. This is all in preparation for the smart, creative action you’ll be taking in future. So, don’t worry if you’re more attuned to pondering and trimming, this year, than you are to doing or making a big splash–you’re on your way, and as long as you’re clear on your highest values, you’ll see clearly what to do. Good luck!

For those born with the Sun at 11 Leo. Check your natal chart for the correct Sun degree (you may want to read both the degree number and the one that follows, if you have minutes on your Sun position–together these offer a more complete picture of your year ahead). What is it, dear Leo, that you crave more than anything? Could it be a way to fulfill ambitions that rests on your values and what you honor, and that uses to the fullest your creativity? Because if it is, you’re in luck. This solar year, through to your next birthday, affords you the opportunity to fashion or find the absolute perfect outlet–and that means you could spend the year focused on your needs, and inadvertently neglecting those of loved ones. That’s okay–you’ll have to explain to them that right now, you’ve got to take center stage for yourself. Once you give shape and life to your desire, then you can go back to the caretaking of others that you do so well. Good luck!

26 March 2019 Surprisingly Solid

25 Monday Mar 2019

Posted by in astrology, Born Today, current events in the sky, forecast, The Daily Word Image, What You're Asking

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‘Das Innere des Palmenhauses’ By Carl Blechen 1832 {{PD}}

What we value takes concrete form–look around you, it manifests in the reality picture in surprisingly solid ways–and we engage in a healthy practice of measuring how well our values, tangible and intangible, serve our desired life direction–and all this is possibly spurred by stressful events or circumstances. We don’t just see the shiny, good things, though; we also see what we’ve shunted to the side, ignored or claimed ignorance of, and now it visits us, obvious to all, and requiring our attention.

(Hygeia sq the Nodal axis, Venus noviles Saturn and then enters Pisces, and is parallel Hygeia, Sun nov Black Moon Lilith)

American Bald Eagle mating ritual, Photo By Dan Pancamo originally posted to Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0

Today’s word image is a pair of eagles, soaring and linking and rolling together in the air. It’s mating season! Get out there and mingle.

And now a public service announcement, via ‘What You’re Asking’:

Should I buy a dog during Mercury retrograde?

No, you shouldn’t buy a dog during Mercury retrograde, and you shouldn’t buy one when it’s direct, either. Give a shelter dog a home–adopt!

For those born with the Sun at 06 Aries (check your natal chart for your Sun degree!) Ambition and desire burns brightly for you this year my Aries friend, so brightly that you may not realize you’ll have to make adjustments, have to bend a little, to get to your goal. Too, emotional reactions may be exaggerated, tempting you to purge the life of feelings, completely! That’s not only infeasible, it would leave you less than human–so instead listen to your own inner wisdom–its voice is strong this year–and let it guide your actions and choices, especially as you look to gain, and to make your position, especially material aspects of it, more secure.

Aspect Expectations Part 2 + What You’re Asking

23 Monday Apr 2018

Posted by in 11th House, Aspect Delineation, aspects and placements, astrology, Astrology of Careers Vocations and Callings, Eros, Grand Cross/Grand Square, What You're Asking

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Józef Chełmoński – ‘Noc gwiaździsta’ {{PD}}

In our ‘you can’t tell all you need to know from just one aspect’ article, we discussed how an aspect that might seem straightforward when presented alone morphs and changes meaning, gaining shadow and perspective, when seen in relation to other chart placements. To review: we talked about a natal T-square with Moon-North Node in Aquarius as the arm and an opposition of Jupiter-Mercury to Ascendant-Pallas (you can review the aspect discussion here). We also noted that Merc, Jupiter, Sun, and Venus are all in Scorpio, suggesting a focus on, valuing of, and identification with the energies of regeneration, re-birth, destruction, and transformation, and that the Sun is conjoined Venus (suggesting a ‘beautiful person’ in some context) and that Mars and Neptune are conjoined in Virgo in the 5th, implying ideals and imagination acted upon in creative or risk-taking ways, or one who can appear to act in such ways–or whose actions imply criticism or assessment through spiritual or creative acts–and with Pisces on the 11th and Aries on the 12th, we may be talking about the individual as group leader, driven by the unconscious. There also may be identification with the Arts or the spiritual, through both the individual ‘I Am’ and through the fact that this chart belongs to a male.

Did your ideas of what kind of person this might be change as you learned more? Did you make a guess as to what this person is known for, what their accomplishments might be, or how this individual may interact with others? Let’s add one more placement, turning that T-square (and the dynamic of that aspect is still valid, in case you’re wondering) into a Fixed Grand Cross with South Node-Ceres in Leo at the bottom of the chart. I’ll let a small excerpt from my forthcoming Moon book take it from here:

Mr. X, as we know, has “a 10th House Aquarius Moon that is only 7 minutes off exact conjunction to his North Node, part of a Grand Cross involving Ceres-South Node, Mercury-Jupiter, and Pallas-Ascendant. Emotions certainly have driven his life direction—as has a deep need to prove his power and authority (Ceres—he loved to present himself to followers as a force of Nature, even as Love itself, easy to persuade susceptible others of this with the Sun-Venus conjunction in the 7th); too, his communications had a ‘larger than life’ quality (Merc-Jupiter—certainly, he claimed more than once he was the Messiah, speaking as Jupiter, that is, as a god), with a persona that persuaded others he was intelligent and skilled (Pallas-ASC)—presenting someone wise, to be listened to, served, even worshiped.”

There we see something of the life reflected in the chart. And we go on: “The problem with a Grand Cross, as we know, is that when one arm is activated, the whole thing ‘lights up’—in this case, emotion and the desire to dictate the future (Moon-NN) prompted conflicts within, ones that likely pointed out to Mr. X just how powerless he’d been in the past (as a neglected and mistreated child—Ceres conj SN), and how his desire to communicate within the social order (Merc-Jup) was denied; with this latter, as an aspiring musician Mr. X had met (famous musician) who introduced Mr. X to his producer—who turned down the potential for future projects with the soon-to-be cult leader (Mars-Neptune conjunct in the 5th, suggesting the ego/ ‘I Am’ expression through both music and the creative imagination—and what’s more creatively ego-filled than starting your own cult?)

We also know that an Aquarius Moon can confuse emotions with thoughts, and vice versa; add that inclination to a loose Finger of God with base of Sun-Venus and Mars-Neptune, apex Sedna in the 12th, and we get a description of someone who is at once totally aware of the nonsense he proclaims (he knows he’s not God, nor Love Incarnate), as well as at the same time being significantly deluded about who he is and what he does, particularly about what his actions mean—and it all feeds out into the Cosmos, through his ‘blind spot’ behaviors (Sedna in 12th).”

I imagine by now you’ve got a much more dimensional picture of someone than you had on reading that first, single aspect description. There’s a brief quiz at the end of the post; that’s where the answer to our example is–or have you already figured it out?

‘Julie Demboski’s ASTROLOGY’ has almost reached 1.5 million views–thanks, everyone!

And now, a little ‘What You’re Asking’

NN and MC synastry

Contact between the North Node of one individual’s natal chart and the Midheaven of another’s can exert quite a pull, and this is so whether there are other compelling contacts cross-chart or not. The MC person may feel the life direction of the NN person is instrumental in his own achievement in career or within public view, or that the NN person will give him, one way or another, status. The NN person may feel the MC person’s image, role, or status will make or break her future or the trajectory the life will take. There’s a caveat here, though, in the form of this: the compulsive feeling this contact generates may or may not be accurate. And there’s a problem: each person may feel irrationally that the other person needs to provide something to them–the perceptions, then, are not about the real-life other–all the individual’s attention is trained on themselves, leaving the other person to some extent unseen. It could be a case of believing the other person is important completely out of proportion to the actual relationship and independent of what one can do for the other–and that’s the most important thing, to determine if these are just wacky connections that feel vital but in the end lead nowhere, or if they’re an impetus to playing truly pivotal roles in each other’s lives (so once again, we can’t really tell from just one aspect!)

‘What natal sign is friendship?’

This is one of those questions that reveals a lack of clarity (or perhaps a lack of knowledge) on the part of the questioner. There’s no one astrological sign that stands for friendship; the subjects and areas of life are divided up among the Houses, not the signs, and friendship resides in the 11th of the natal chart. It’s important when looking for answers to our questions using astrology that we understand where and how those answers are available–because if you think the answer to your question will be found one way (by locating a sign) rather than the ‘right’ way (by knowing that life subjects are indicated by Houses) then you’ll waste your time and never find out what you really want to know. It’s not just a matter of looking in the wrong place; it’s as if you’ve misplaced your keys and then try to use a sandwich to open the door. No, just no.

Aphrodite, Pan, Eros Photo By Jebulon {{PD}}

Transits of Eros

. . . can stir temporary erotic feelings toward matters ruled by or people symbolized by the contacted natal energy. What we need to remember is, Eros is, first and foremost, an energy of projection. A sense of desire, sexual energy, and a mesmerizing attraction don’t emanate from any individual or object, but exist within our own minds–which means that we are the instruments of erotic perception, rather than that anything is erotic within its own nature.

So what can we expect from a transit? First, relax–nothing suddenly becomes erotically stimulating out of the blue! During a transit of Eros we may find something more acceptable or understand its attractiveness to others, if it’s something outside our normal appetites–it doesn’t automatically become of sexual interest, but may only allow us to see its appeal. Say we see Eros conjoin our Mars. The Warrior already carries sexual energy and describes something of our sexual ‘style’, as well as what we find appealing in a man (and that’s aside from our sexual orientation–it applies to anyone). Our Mars is in Virgo, and Eros comes along to make those individuals who reflect our tastes suddenly very appealing. Maybe we like outdoor-sy men, those who farm, who like to work with their hands, or do our Mars in Virgo tastes run more toward sexy accountants or writers? You get the picture.

Next up, Uranus into Taurus and Chiron into Aries. Enjoy your week!

Aspect Expectations, What You’re Asking, and Chiron Bites Back

20 Friday Apr 2018

Posted by in Aspect Delineation, aspects and placements, astrology, Astrology of Careers Vocations and Callings, Chiron, T-Square, What You're Asking

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‘Pythagoreans Celebrate Sunrise’ Presumably, they’ve already done the math. By Fyodor Bronnikov {{PD}}

We have a print in our house by the artist Julie Dillon. It’s called ‘Sleeping Giant’, and depicts an enormous ‘robot’, long ‘dead’, being worshiped as if it were a god, robed supplicants in attendance, votives and offerings placed before it. I love the way the picture tells a story, all at once: stripped of its original beingness, its purpose and point, the human mind sees this incomprehensible entity and fills in a scenario of what it must’ve been. The reverence is supplied by the observer; the thing itself is just what it is, and holds no sense of the sacred beyond what it’s given.

When we stop knowing what something is, we inevitably forget what it’s for; that seems obvious, but really isn’t. It’s easy to overlay our ability to perceive with expectations, judgments, assumptions, and beliefs, to the point where we not only don’t see what’s before us, we forget the original intent or purpose behind both the thing we’re observing and our decision to observe.

In astrology we transgress in this way when we see an aspect and think we know its meaning, devoid of context or other contacts; it’s why I’m so loathe to talk about aspects outside the landscape of a chart. Without House placement, rulerships, and other bodies or points aspected as part of the picture, what we see may be highly skewed, our own judgments and suppositions superimposed on the aspect; in reality, that aspect is a framework that gains full and nuanced meaning only when seen as part of a whole.

A brief example: if I say to you, assuming this is found in a natal chart, “Moon conjoined North Node in Aquarius”, and the conjunction is close, with only a seven minute differential, what characteristics spring to mind? Someone forward-thinking, intuitively inventive or innovative, a ‘free feeler’ with an emotional nature that embraces the intellect, and intellectual methods–and so may be a tad disconnected from the feeling nature–but we can’t be sure how this presents itself with so little info. To draw many conclusions about someone from this alone could be highly misleading–so what if we add more info?

“Ascendant conjoined Pallas in Taurus, only seven minutes past perfection, with this combo square that Moon-NN in Aquarius”. Now what might you think? Pallas rising suggests the individual meets the world in a practical or smart way, and that that’s what others see, someone wise beyond their years, especially when it comes to material matters, worldly things, survival and comfort. The square introduces the idea of conflict, and describes a smart personality at odds with an intellectual approach to feeling–which definitely doesn’t mesh with the Taurean predisposition to soothe through the senses. So, we have someone who presents much differently than they feel.

Now we add this to the picture: “Fixed T-square, NN-Moon as the arm (placing this combo at the top of the chart, in the individual’s 10th) to an opposition of ASC-Pallas to Jupiter and a stationary Mercury in Scorpio, roughly four degrees apart”. A T-square alerts us to the fact that all those seeming positives (wise presentation, progressive attitudes, keeping an eye on the future, strong connection among emotions, intuition, and intellect) might be part of a tense dynamic, one that could bring out their less positive sides. Jupiter-Merc in Scorpio suggests a deep, intense, almost cutting mental emphasis on knowledge, but whether that’s based in belief or actual facts we can’t determine outright, and exaggeration may be both a communication style and a way of thinking/ perceiving. But we do know that Mercury is stationary in a Fixed Water sign, which implies, just like the Moon in Aquarius, a mixing of feeling and thought, and possibly the emotions and mentality stubbornly ‘stuck’ at a particular phase, outlook, or level of development, and we get a glimpse of this through that ASC-Pallas picture: this individual is keyed to comfort and survival in whatever way the childhood environment dictated as practical or smart.

So what do we think now? Since our first aspect description, we may have decided this individual is much more emotional than we first suspected, and that they may be prone to use the mentality to justify what they feel–and that may be accompanied by the danger of presenting as very wise to others, which can be persuasive to those who may accept hyperbole as facts (as may the individual). We might think that spiritual or religious beliefs could permeate the mental faculties (and that beliefs, feelings, what’s smart, and the mental faculties could be in constant conflict or under tension), and that part of what this individual may do is bring these beliefs to others through the effectiveness of the personality. There’s also that cutting edge to Merc, Jupiter, Sun, and Venus all in Scorpio, that urge to destroy as much as to re-make, and the tension presented by the personal emotional make-up, that could clash and cry out for expression.

Two more factoids: Sun and Venus are closely conjoined in Scorpio (but not conj Jup-Merc), and Mars and Neptune are only 35 minutes apart in Virgo. How do these bolster either positive or negative impressions for you? What profession would you imagine this individual would choose–and what do you think life might choose, for them? Check back in a day or three, when I’ll present the chart these aspects come from, and you can decide how much or how little you really can glean from the one-aspect-at-a-time game.

Just to let you know: there’s a Russian language (scratch that, I think it’s actually Ukrainian) page offering Eclipse subscriptions–when Eclipse is no longer being published! So don’t give them your money, okay?

People are wondering . . .

. . . why so many astrologers got the US election ‘wrong’:

I think this is due to faulty assumptions underlying their interpretations. It seems to me they saw more positive/ ‘easier’ aspects in Hillary Clinton’s chart, and more challenging ones in Trump’s, and so assumed that meant a Hillary win; the problem with that is the belief that positive aspects imply winning a contest–but what they really imply is that what occurs is positive for the individual, from the individual’s point of view.

Centaur of Lefkandi, 1050 – 900 BCE, identified as Chiron, found in two pieces in two different tombs at the site of Toumba. It’s the first 3-D sculpture of a centaur ever. Archaeological Museum of Eretria. Photo By Jebulon CC0

. . . about an unaspected Chiron

Like any chart energy, an unaspected Chiron will generally function in one of two ways: either the wounded nature takes over the chart (and so the individual) becoming the most prominent thing within the psyche, or it floats around, disconnected from the individual psyche, so that when that wound is ‘touched’ the person reacts and doesn’t know they’re reacting. In both cases, the Chirotic nature has not been integrated with the other energies, impulses, and traits, and so either consumes the processing and perceptive functions or is completely denied by them–that is, the individual claims to carry no wound at all, or to have processed and dealt with wounds so completely that no psychic injuries remain–and that’s just not possible, for a human. It’s like an unaspected energy takes a bite out of our ability to comprehend the world and our place in it–Chiron (along with Mars and Pluto, and possibly others) is the kind that, as we try to reclaim it by consciously incorporating its energy and intents, just may bite us back, discouraging our efforts and making acceptance and absorption that much more difficult.

Check back in a bit for a new post that will give the answers to our aspect-reading example, along with more ‘What You’re Asking’, and have a lovely weekend!

What You’re Asking: Ceres and the Death of Shelley, Synchronicities, and Rejecting a Gemini Man

30 Friday Oct 2015

Posted by in astrology, What You're Asking

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Louis Léopold Boilly - 'Conversation dans un parc' 1812 {{PD}}

Louis Léopold Boilly – ‘Conversation dans un parc’ 1812 {{PD}}

What does Ceres have to do with health?

In mythology Ceres’ Greek predecessor, Demeter, was goddess of Nature, abundance, and the fruits of the Earth, but by the time she reached Rome and her current name and form, she was decidedly more tame: a goddess of agriculture, of Nature that’s been shaped and subjugated to man. That suggests that in modern conception she may deal with the balance of the body and its vulnerabilities to natural elements, of being overwhelmed from without (drowning, buried in a landslide, struck by lightning, for instance, or from things like allergens and starvation) and from within by invasion (of germs, viruses, bacteria, fungi). She doesn’t offer a total picture of health in the natal scenario or by transit, but does speak of certain conditions one may be prone to, or illnesses susceptible to, aside from her other meanings: a sense of personal power and authority, a maternal interest in others (which can easily tip into a controlling one), territoriality, and negotiation.

Romantic poet Percy Shelley (4 August 1792 10 PM Horsham England) was just coming up on a Lunar Return in Pisces the day he drowned in a boating accident (8 July 1822 Lerici Italy). He has Ceres natally conjoined the Sun, Venus, Pallas, and Uranus in Leo in the Whole Sign 4th (and though Juno’s close enough to the Sun, it’s too wide for Ceres, in my opinion); Ceres is also opposed Pluto and quincunx the natal Moon and Sedna in Pisces. Already we can see that Ceres was a vital part of the life, and so of the death as well. In the context of the drowning event, the natal scenario suggests sudden accidents (Uranus) based on unwise decisions (Pallas–staying on the water despite the storm) activated the Self-destruction he had always been conscious of, and perhaps at times had to fight (Sun opp Pluto), with Ceres’ involvement implicating the elements, the weather, even potentially activating an emotional attachment to the water, and a need to adjust (the quincunx) to prevent getting lost in it! (the Pisces Moon)

The Cremation of Percy Bysshe Shelley, by Louis Édouard Fournier

The Cremation of Percy Bysshe Shelley, by Louis Édouard Fournier

On the day he died, Shelley’s Ceres was contacted exact by degree by the transiting South Node, suggesting a ‘pull back’ to a previous (pre-birth?) state; t Ceres was opposed natal Mercury in the 5th=the elements literally in opposition to the lung function; t Merc was conjoined n Chiron in Cancer in the 3rd of lungs, breathe=water water everywhere, water that injures; t Mars was conjoined the n NN, spurring actions and choices that take one into the future; and t Earth sextiled the n Moon-Sedna, forming the base of a Finger of God with apex n Ceres-Pallas=here’s a recipe for the environment ganging up with instincts and emotions to prompt that natal judgment of Nature. Shelley may have believed he was very practical (Pallas) in his relationship to the elements and the natural world (Ceres), feeling that instinct (Sedna) and emotion (the Moon) would inform his choices. There’s a sense that he didn’t fear them, that instead the Pisces Sedna-Moon may have seen the obliteration threat of the natal Pluto opposition as a kind of Oneness with Nature–absorption rather than obliteration. Too, the transiting Sun had just run over his natal Black Moon Lilith=he may have been more than a little in the mood to explore the darkness.

To A Star

Sweet star, which gleaming o’er the darksome scene
Through fleecy clouds of silvery radiance fliest,
Spanglet of light on evening’s shadowy veil,
Which shrouds the day-beam from the waveless lake,
Lighting the hour of sacred love; more sweet
Than the expiring morn-star’s paly fires:–
Sweet star! When wearied Nature sinks to sleep,
And all is hushed,–all, save the voice of Love,
Whose broken murmurings swell the balmy blast
Of soft Favonius, which at intervals
Sighs in the ear of stillness, art thou aught but
Lulling the slaves of interest to repose
With that mild, pitying gaze? Oh, I would look
In thy dear beam till every bond of sense
Became enamoured–  

That was definitely written by a guy with Sun-Venus-Ceres-Pallas-Uranus conjoined, all opposed by Pluto!

Synchronicities

Synchronicities have been everywhere lately–have you noticed that for you, too? Those little mentions or phrases or events or people that grab your attention simply by the unlikely way they’re brought into one’s compass repeatedly within a short period. To my mind that signals we’re in a kind of flow, that attunement to the optimum vibrational level for you is very close to perfect–and that implies intuition is sharp and accessible, that information is yours to pluck right out of the air, that you can ‘know’ without anyone telling you. Though our tendency is to breeze through these interludes, to remark ‘Isn’t that strange?’ when we hear the same song or its lyrics or mention of the singer in every store and elevator and TV show and conversation we’re exposed to the entire weekend, and at the same time to be very focused consciously on the here-and-now, what we really need to do is pause; this is a point when we are cruising along with a lot of our perceptual abilities working below the surface, and we can see the world very clearly, if we are willing to. We can get our questions answered, if we’ll only stop looking out, and take a moment to look within.

Carl Schweninger the Younger 'Not Willing' 19th century {{PD}}

Carl Schweninger the Younger ‘Not Willing’ 19th century {{PD}}

rejecting a Gemini man

Are you thinking there’s some magic word (he’s a Gemini, after all) that will make him take it well, not make a fuss, even see it as a gift? There’s not, and it’s likely that if he senses you are trying to out think him (by manipulating or being one step ahead, the latter of which you automatically are if you know something–that you intend to reject him–that he doesn’t) he’ll be very resentful, indeed. Geminis are highly focused on thinking, processing info, communicating, networking–so he may already be aware, whether it’s through the grapevine or through reading your body language and tone in previous encounters, that you aren’t interested. That puts you in a precarious position: if he does know and he’s still coming at you, he’s forcing you to say it outright, and if he doesn’t know, he’s going to feel especially upset that he didn’t parse it out ahead of time (it’s a Gemini thing–they always think they should’ve known!) All you can do, really, is send a clear, consistent, and polite message through every pore of your Being and, obviously, word spoken: no thank you. Problems will only arise if you’ve been ambivalent in your feelings or in your behavior, wrongly believing that will ‘let him down easy’ (and if so I bet you’re horoscope is chock full o’ Water signs). Come clean without engaging in any way that sends the wrong (that is, an enmeshed behavioral or contradictory) message, and it should go fine–the last thing you want to do, and he wants to feel you’ve done, is mislead him.

Have a great weekend, and support the blog–buy a book!

What You’re Asking: ‘How Do You Know?’

14 Thursday May 2015

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An artist's conception of a multitude of tiny diamonds next to a hot star. (NASA/JPL-Caltech) {{PD}}

An artist’s conception of a multitude of tiny diamonds next to a hot star. (NASA/JPL-Caltech) {{PD}}

The italicized terms below are taken from the search results that bring people to my blogs. This article appears in the current ECLIPSE.

When Do You Know A Friendship is Over?

In all seriousness, the answer to this is, ‘When the other person stops treating you as a friend.’ I’m not being glib when I give this as the way to know when a relationship has deteriorated. Once we’re in a relationship we’re much too prone as individuals to see it as existing in a static state, still being viable and following the old feelings and parameters even after something has definitely shifted. We don’t take the time to look at the state of the current interaction, and if something’s bothering us, to examine the attitudes involved—and that includes our own, as we are just as likely to change and not acknowledge it as the other person. Typically, though, unless we have some control-oriented pathologies going on, most of us won’t even notice that the interaction has changed—we just say we ‘drifted apart’, or summon some other euphemism to explain why we no longer talk, or we excuse our unease as being due to some new or upsetting event in our own or the other person’s life (“Janie is being so critical because she’s under stress at work.”) We don’t end a friendship unless we recognize that it no longer functions in a roughly even, give-and-take manner. And though each of us has a different definition of what it means to be a friend and of what we expect from friendship, even if we haven’t outlined those things consciously we know immediately when we ask ourselves the question, ‘Is this person treating me like a friend?’ whether they are or not. If the answer is, ‘No, they’re not treating me like a friend,’ then the relationship is over.

Is it worth discussing with the other person your feeling that you are not being treated like a friend? I would say it is, unless what alerted you to the change in tone was something consciously said or done by the other person that signals loud and clear, ‘We just aren’t friends.’ If the other person behaves in an inappropriately competitive manner or is unwilling to treat you with respect (and by that I mean, treat you kindly and with the consideration offered any other adult, equal to what they ask for from you), all you can do is gently walk away. And remember, if the actions don’t match the words, no matter who it is, you’re not in a healthy interaction.

Astrologically you can get clues about your own expectations within friendship from the ruler of, sign on, and bodies posited in the 11th House of the natal chart. Transits through the 11th or to the ruler of the 11th can signal you’re in the midst of a friendship learning curve that may mark some of those interaction experiences that stay with you forever.

Are you future queen astro aspects

I loved the optimism in this query, just because, there aren’t many of these jobs around! So how do you know if you are a future queen? Here I wrote about the prospects for Kate Middleton, which haven’t yet been realized—but what about the rest of us? Rather than a literal ascension to a throne, perhaps we should look at it in terms of being empowered within our own lives—and that is definitely Juno. True that she married a god and ruled with him over Olympus and the other gods, but she was a goddess in her own right, and would’ve been, no matter who she married—and this is something we may forget when reviewing her story, as we tend to focus on the vindictive nature of her actions well into the union, when her husband was cheating on her and disrespecting her. The image we too often capture of Juno is one after she has been emotionally battered repeatedly—would anyone want to be judged on her worst day? I think not. That still doesn’t answer what we can expect as aspects for a future queen. I would look for good aspects to Jupiter, for both the social support and the relative abundance being queen affords, and maybe a positive aspect between Jupiter (that might stand for the King) and one’s Sun or Moon, or even Venus, any of which might suggest an alliance. All the other things that usually pay off in real life—charm, beauty, talent, wealth—may not even factor in for this position, since circumstances of birth might override any other concerns. So we’re back to Juno, and the way she, though innately a goddess, still derives her greater status as queen from her mate and position on Olympus—suggesting that, at the mercy of the mate, being queen might be as frustrating as it is fun.

Does Uranus have tides?

To have tides Uranus would need two things: a moon or moons, and liquid oceans. We know it has at least 27 moons, with the largest named Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon (after Shakespeare characters). As to oceans, the latest theory is that it may have oceans of liquid diamond, formed due to the high pressure and high temperatures in the environment. So maybe it has tides—but until we actually send something to the surface, we can only guess.

What You’re Asking–Mermaids, Mercury’s Birth, and Peacocks–Delicious!

13 Friday Mar 2015

Posted by in Aspect Delineation, aspects and placements, Configurations, What You're Asking

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John William Waterhouse - 'Mermaid' {{PD}}

John William Waterhouse – ‘Mermaid’ {{PD}}

This is a re-print I thought you might find interesting, as it talks about both the Fist of God, a config involved in the upcoming Solar eclipse, and about the effects of an eclipse that conjuncts the natal South Node. ‘What You’re Asking’ is taken from search terms (shown in italics) used to bring seekers to this site, and I’ve modified the Full Moon answer below to reflect the next one that we’ll see, a Lunar eclipse.

mermaids and full moon

Let’s answer this one first, as an excuse to use that beautiful Waterhouse portrait of a mermaid: of course they exist, and if you’re lucky enough to see one, it’ll probably be under a Full Moon–just seems right. The next one comes at 5 April, 5:06 AM Pacific time, and falls at 14 Libra 24. Find the perfect beach, then when the day comes stake it out (you’ll be ‘up with the fishes’!) preferably with a picnic and someone you love to keep you company, and wait for the magic to happen.

astrology fist of god

A configuration where the base is two or more bodies square each other, with all base components sesquiquadrate (135 degrees) from the apex body. Typically this presents as an initial conflict between the base energies that, once resolved (or at least is brought to some kind of equilibrium) then results in another hurdle, described by the conflict between the disparate points of view of the base bodies and the apex body–so we officially have three viewpoints to juggle, and possibly to blend/ resolve. Often this generates both intense internal tension and stressful outward situations, and just as with a ‘regular’ square, we can’t ignore that initial clash of the base energies–they demand attention, and once they’ve gotten some, the apex energy makes demands, and this is so whether we’ve successfully resolved the base energies or not. We can really feel it’s being piled on when a Fist of God (some prefer Thor’s Hammer) is activated, but the thing to remember is this: don’t let the stress run the show; nine times out of ten, a Fist presents issues that are in some essential way unresolvable (at least, if formed or activated by transit, unresolvable in the moment and solely by you), and you’ll gain a great deal by taking a step back and recognizing that this may be a riddle that, right now, has no totally satisfying answer.

Saturn square Pluto

As a natal aspect, this is weighty; it pits the darkest and most powerful personal elements of the Self against the personal elements most slavish to custom, fearful of authority, locked into rules, hidebound, and conventional. The alchemical nature of Pluto requires almost constant change, either through destruction and resurrection or replacement, or through transformation, while Saturn is all about keeping things just as they’ve always been. So, we’re likely to see this clash as a recurring theme in the life of someone who has this in the horoscope, and this is likely to express with the individual balancing the two awkwardly (gently committing a little more to one or the other) until something forces an impossible choice or requires the two factors to work together–and the energies can be reconciled, if the individual knows both her or his own power (Pluto) and is firmly in touch with reality (Saturn) and as well has mastered at least a modicum of Self-discipline (also Saturn). We can’t overlook the fact that this unites two or more Houses of the natal chart, the ones with Scorpio and Capricorn (and possibly Aquarius, as Saturn was its ancient ruler) on the cusp; the nature of this connection will be one where some of the matters of the Houses will face this same status quo vs. regeneration challenge, possibly repeatedly, until the individual reaches a final, working relationship between the two energies, giving neither one short-shrift in the life.

pallas in scorpio

As a natal placement, this promises that one’s internalized wisdom is deep; there may be a sense of intuitive ‘knowing’ from an early age. Guidance may spring from getting to know darkness (one’s own or the workings of darkness within the world), and from a strong sense of curiosity, the kind that will research fearlessly for the answer. The person with this placement may understand emotion and the wisdom behind its expression, or may glean knowledge from emotional experience, and Pallas in Scorpio may have a kind of x-ray vision, seeing to the Truth of any matter. Positive manifestations show wisdom based in a thorough understanding and acceptance of the life-death-life scenario, while a negative expression could come in the form of the Evil Queen who offers others a poisoned apple (tainted guidance), out of malice, jealousy, or the desire to destroy.

peacock to eat

I just had to Google this myself; Juno prefers these majestic birds pulling her chariot, and would flip out if she saw a mortal eating the bird that represents her (which is, I think, why this query showed up at my site, due to some mention of Juno and her mascot). I was curious: do people eat peacock? There’s this, which describes preparation of peacock in medieval Europe. Of course, about half the answers that Google gave reversed the scenario, as if I’d asked what peacocks eat; the most entertaining (and somehow unnerving–who is this person?) was on Yahoo Answers: and I quote, ” i used to raise peacocks and lemme tell you they are some good eatin.” And end scene.

south node solar eclipse

This seems a very compelling event, with the power and intense energy of a Solar eclipse meeting the point in the natal chart that designates ‘the past’ (one’s memories, experiences, all that is residue of what was for the Soul). The result could be a breaking-free from old habits, obligations, or restrictions, especially those that are imposed through outdated roles or occurrences that no longer have resonance; residue of memory and the interference of others could fall away in a single instant. One could even have one’s memory wiped clean, through something as soap opera-y as amnesia or as life-changing as a stroke, or where a version of the past is removed from the life quite literally, as when a tornado destroys everything one owns. It could be much simpler, and entirely internal, as when the eclipse illuminates something from the past that has been unavailable or hidden; one finds out about one’s own adoption, perhaps, or learns of a family secret that lifts the veil on some important mental viewpoint or emotional response to their own origins or experience. There’s also the potential for actualizing all accumulated knowledge in some form that allows it to flow into the future and manifest in some wise and divine creation, as if lightning has struck all that was for the individual and crystallized it into a single, shimmering idea that one is destined to deliver to the world. Just remember to keep the orbs very tight; for this aspect I would prefer 1.5 degrees or less in variation from exact.

Juno’s response to Mercury’s birth

“It’s a bay-bee!”

(Possibly as spoken by Julia Sweeney’s ‘Saturday Night Live’ character, ‘Pat’)

Have a wonderful weekend!