Neptune and the Spiritual Quest, Part II

14 Thursday Jun 2018

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A. Y. Jackson -‘House of Ypres’ c1918 {{PD}}

·         Neptune crossing the IC may bring forward one or more instances of questioning the identity, obscuring ‘where we live’ in a psychic sense, or false starts in the ‘what I should be doing’ department. The contact places a layer of uncertainty and creative potential over the deepest beliefs about the Self and, reflexively speaking, shines this on the Midheaven as well. Can mark the beginning of a shift in Self-perception that drives new career, creative, or path-development options.

·         Neptune through the 4th sets us on the quest for an ideal home; this often takes both a literal form and a figurative one. An environment most suitable to the ideal Self is sought, and we may explore different living situations, in the hope we’ll find the one that feels completely like ‘home’. It’s unlikely we’ll find anything that fits the bill, simply because for Neptune home is the womb–a place we can’t exactly crawl back into! There’s often lots of uncertainty surrounding the living situation when Neptune transits here, and typically at least a few crises focused on the way in which we live (earning a living and/ or the routines or habits of consumption or daily life). Some with this transit enter group living situations such as communes or shared housing, and radical changes to possessions (particularly to the idea of what we need) may occur; it’s also possible that becoming a vagabond of sorts to a Collective cause may happen, effectively ‘dissolving’ the need for a home, at least for now. Everyone taps a deep inner creativity at this time; some will funnel Neptune into decorating and creating an ideal environment, and it’s easy to think we are meant to hang out our shingle and decorate everyone’s homes, become artists, or otherwise abandon careers to do something we’ve only just taken an interest in–but as with the creative writing of Neptune’s transit of the 3rd, only those with some proclivities for this shown elsewhere in the chart, a natal influence that’s been under development before Neptune’s ingress to the 4th, should take such a potential path seriously. This transit may also plant the seed for mental, emotional, or physical maladies of a hard-to-pinpoint Neptunian nature that show up later.

·         In the 5th Neptune seems to summon the natal Neptunian proclivities and apply them to the creative acts, the children produced, the romances concocted, or the risks undertaken by the individual. Here we get much more of the flavor of the natal placement, rather than an undiluted Neptune vibe, and perhaps this is because each of the events/ acts associated with the 5th are Self-generated: you can’t make a project, a child, love, or gamble without willing participation. Permanent shifts in the way we regard 5th House subjects may be brought on during this transit, either from uncertainty and questioning of our previous approach, or through a new ideal or creative form that comes to our attention at this time. We may measure each House area for its personal spiritual applications for us–for instance, we may decide that our spiritual development does not require us to experience romance, or to have a child, and so these may be checked off our list forever. Trends seem to split into the highly idealized (which typically takes further efforts into ‘striving mode’–as with Art, or a new, imaginative goal or project–or into the realm where no further changes will come about–as in, for example, the idea of a ‘perfect child’ or perfect work of Art, that one will then not have, or not attempt to create, in order to maintain the possibility) or into a fixed state of delusion, fantasy, or inadequacy, wherein no efforts can move us forward, yet a lot of energy goes into yearning for the imagined outcome. We either ‘snap to’ as Neptune transits this House, and eventually muster vast creative energies in a highly original way, or we sink under the weight of a Self-imposed and accepted confusion (or beneath a choice to be indifferent, disoriented, or unfocused) that permanently excuses us from participating in 5th House areas of life.

·         Through the 6th Neptune can wreak havoc in the everyday routine and on the job front; it may seem there’s always something going on of which we’re unaware, or about which we haven’t been informed, so necessitates a scrambling to keep up. Confusion about our true duties and obligations can cause us to neglect what’s really meaningful to us and a sense that no progress can be made on the job front may be disconcerting and cause us to ‘give up the quest’. Unless our daily efforts are keyed to the creative or are in some way Neptunian, this transit can be highly debilitating, as it seems that we can’t gain ground, and can’t really tell the whys or wherefores of our distress. This is often the time when Neptunian illness seeded during transit of the 4th shows up, as the 6th is a house of health and the body. Best use of this passage for Neptune may be if we can see the bigger, spiritual point to our daily activities; if we can connect the dots between our own little lives and the workings of the Cosmos, we just might find a highly tuned Purpose behind the everyday humdrum and chaos, one that brings unprecedented peace and acceptance, taking our Beingness and our attunement via the mundane to a whole new level.

See Part I here, or what’s coming up later in the month here or the current forecast here–thanks!

14-16 June 2018 A Positive Vein

14 Thursday Jun 2018

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Loving Hearts Street Art
2014 (original upload date)
https://www.panoramio.com/photo/102048194
Author: agracier – NO VIEWS This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

Okay, time is short, so I’m trying to choose the aspect or two with the most impact to discuss for each day–but I’m finding it tough! Just see these as hints to help you make the best choices.

14 June–I know, today’s almost over, but this is just too much to let pass by: Venus sesquiquadrate Neptune, contra-parallel Mars, and square Uranus, while the Sun is sesquiquadrate Mars=confused motivations, anyone? It’s hard to be ourselves, and yet it seems imperative we act, choose, or do–and Love, ideal conditions, or the ‘right’ choice seem light years away. The most important part of today is to realize everyone else is operating in a confused sort of fun-house, as well, and that’s so even if (or maybe especially when) they don’t realize they are.

15 June–Eyes on the prize, I end up with three stand-outs, today, and they’re not what you might expect: Neptune novile the South Node says we find inspiration in the past–for once it’s a good idea to look back and dream; Venus is contra-parallel Pluto and trine Chiron, setting up a dynamic where Love or Money brings change (no matter how much we resist), and whether we see it or not, this offers healing; and Sun quincunx Black Moon Lilith, which draws our attention relentlessly to what we’d rather pretend isn’t there. Deal with it or not? The other two influences, Neptune and Venus and their contacts, should provide some kind of answer.

16 June–It’s an obscure aspect contact that draws my attention for today: Pallas novile Ceres. This implies wisdom in strength, practicality in Self-responsibility, and that being smart means, to the appropriate extent, looking out for those for whom we’re responsible and recognizing the power of others and so being willing to negotiate, fair and square. Behaving like this brings forward little moments of genius, and manages to deliver to us outcomes that are more, in a positive vein, than the sum of their parts.

Neptune and the Spiritual Quest

14 Thursday Jun 2018

Posted by in astrology, Neptune, Transit Effects Explored

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Bernard Hall – ‘The Quest’ -before 1935- {{PD}}

This is part one of a re-print from ECLIPSE, slightly modified and added to, centering on the effects of Neptune transiting through the natal Houses, though much of what’s said may apply to a natal placement in a House, as well.

Just looking at one facet of Neptune, his relationship to the spiritual in our lives–which really is everything in our lives–whether it be material circumstances, relationships, health, prosperity or lack, it’s all a simultaneous reflection of, creation of, and expression of our spiritual attunement. We can’t really separate out the Neptunian spiritual element from everything else–which is what makes the House position of transiting Neptune so important, as it tells us where that spiritual element may be especially active at any one time, in spite of any illusions, fog, or disguises it may veil conditions with.

Though we have very specific spiritual questions particular to the individual before us at all times, there is a broader influence from transiting Neptune that turns our attention repeatedly toward the spiritual essence of the matters of the House where Neptune currently is located. In areas where Neptune transits we may find ourselves working very hard to define subjects particular to the House it’s moving through; it’s as if we are squinting into the fog, looking for definitive outlines of what is spiritually true in this area of life. Neptune stirs our sense of creative potential as it transits, and even if we aren’t conscious of it, we are inspecting the House matters with an eye to what we can make of them, possibly at an idealized level. Notice that progress of Neptune through the Houses shows how our handling of the transit through one House and the associated success/ effectiveness is built upon that of the previous House; our chances of handling House energies well in relation to Neptune grows with how well we have handled each preceding stage (i.e. House) and its requirements.

·         Moving through the 1st Neptune makes us highly aware of the parts of our lives where we are truly applying spiritual principles. We look for the discrepancies between how we present ourselves and what our spiritual principles are stated to be, and in particular we inspect the mind/ body connection for spiritual dis-ease that shows as physical disease. We may be searching for ‘the perfect body’ or the perfect personality, and so we may show many of the hard-to-pin-down characteristics of the planetary energy; in seeking perfection of Self, we may be succumbing to a Neptunian delusion, accepting an externally sourced ideal as our own, deliberately adopting an illusion (about the Self), or mustering the creative to serve the personal, physical manifestation. We imagine what we can become, and in some way pursue it.

·         Transiting the 2nd Neptune typically strongly affects one of two life areas: we see Neptune applied to either the talents (showing as a massive push to mobilize the creative abilities to maximum use) or to earning capacity (possibly in going after ‘the dream’ as a source of income, or in pursuing ideals in a version of, ‘Do what you love and the money will follow’–which only works if the thing we’re pursuing is truly something we love, rather than something we’d like to don to fit an image–which itself is a misuse of Neptune). This is a true test of talents, abilities, and most importantly, our own capacity to be honest with ourselves. If we wrap ourselves in Neptune and deny the reality of our abilities, pretensions may be adopted and worn as ‘the answer’, with disastrous results. Self-image must match talents–when it does, quality-of-life and income dreams can come true. Neptune moving here inspires us to make manifest an ideal Self-image; it’s up to us to make sure this image is authentically our own.

·         Passing through the 3rd Neptune embeds himself in the realm of communications. Thought and all communication functions present us, in some way, with ideal creative potentials (even if that way is to show us what we don’t want or don’t know). We strain to perceive the spiritual behind communications, and we can’t shake the Neptunian influence, which may make some feel as if they just can’t think straight (and this should be taken into account–the individual can’t perceive objectively, no matter how stick-to-the-facts they are–this is because temporarily we’re shifting from facts and what’s obvious to gleaning information intuitively). During this transit we learn all about the unspoken in all forms of communication; we learn to read between the lines, and we become attuned to the messages contained in tone of voice, in gestures, and in the mere presence of another, much more finely than we may have been attuned before (this can also occur with Neptune moving through or natally in the 8th). Lessons in communication may come hard, as we are open to deception and susceptible to going along with something if it promises wish fulfillment. What’s written down becomes important, and we may embark on a writing career or avocation, if this was otherwise on the agenda for us, or lose ourselves in the writings or communications of others, a ‘dreaming all the time’ position. This transit often serves us a portion of humble pie, as we too often miss something important in the instructions, and this transit may convince some they are exceptionally talented psychics–but if the revelation of talent comes with this transit, it’s much more likely that one is simply discovering how to read what’s been there all along, in the same way others do. Through the 3rd we’re seeking to understand communications beyond the mundane, and we have the sensitivity to do it, though our ‘receptors’ may be clouded with any illusions we insist on clinging to. Modesty and a realistic viewpoint help us avoid delusion, and finding form for and deliberately communicating our own creative urges means they are less likely to bleed out in ways that sully our exchanges, contracts, agreements, attitudes, or that send an inaccurate message to others.

More to come on this!

Odds & Ends: Mars Retro, Sacred Fires, & The Neptune Shuffle

12 Tuesday Jun 2018

Posted by in astrology, Grand Trine, Mars, Mars Retrograde, Neptune, Neptune Retrograde, Retrogrades

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Attributes of Kubera ‘Lord of the Horses’ Detail of the offering cake from the Attributes of Kubera ‘Lord of the Horses’ in a Tibetan “rgyan tshogs” banner. http://catalogue.wellcomelibrary.org/record=b1465547 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

Neptune retrogrades on the 18th, and as a molasses-slow mover, apparent motion for this big fella around changes of direction is almost standing still; it’s as if we’re observing something in another dimension, where we appear speeded-up while we see elements there as barely inching along. That implies a certain subtlety to the effect, the notorious fogginess turned up to 11. With it reversing short of perfecting a trine to Pallas, and on its way to completing a trine to Jupiter (in effect, participating in a Grand Water Trine with these two), what we may expect is an opportunity for emotional balance that slips away, something that almost achieved wisdom or practicality, that slips into exaggeration, deception, opportunism, or gives way to beliefs, which may or may not support a healthy feeling scenario. The suggestion is that at least part of the retro period will be spent trying to retrieve that nearly-reached state of emotional equilibrium–so see emo ups and downs as part of a larger balancing process, rather than as isolated experiences.

Fire Grand Trine forms roughly on the 18th of June and burns through about the 28th, with Ceres, Vesta, and Juno all late in Fire signs. This presses us to find action equilibrium, that is, expressions of our authority, personal power and reach (of which negotiations are one facet), our status (especially those roles that concern our relationships to others, and how that confers the ability to make the Will felt), and expressions of what we honor or find sacred. It’s a matter of seeking out, probably repeatedly, things that make us feel we’re imprinting our values on others and the environment. This can be exceptionally fulfilling if we succeed. The configuration offers us an unusually large window for Self-realization and the creation of satisfying circumstances, one where our actions and ideals can blend almost seamlessly, and where inspiration lights a fire under action that is right in line with what we care about most.

Mars retrogrades on the 26th in Aquarius–goes direct again on 28 August. This happens every 2.5 years and for most of us will describe a period of looking inward, or at least hesitating where earlier we would’ve charged ahead. We may be thrown back on ourselves when we try to act and fail, or we may have introspection forced on us if we hope to go forward. We examine our own (and often everyone else’s) intentions, and we look closely at the result actions bring–good, bad, or neutral. Review of our choices occurs, and motivations should be faced, if we want our own actions to be effective in the future–this is no time to dodge Self-responsibility. ‘Pulled Punches’ may be a theme, as may ‘Sexual Frustration’, ‘Thwarted Will’, and sudden losses of drive, initiative, aggression, or appetite. Ego may take over, in a panic at the disorienting feeling of drifting, or the ‘I Am’ may shrink to nothing, gaining awareness of the Cosmos as a whole and forgetting the individual needs.

A great deal of your response will depend upon your current and natal relationship with Martian energy, especially your confidence level, your sense of personal authority (the kind that grants you permission to apply your Will to the environment), the vulnerability of your ego, and your usual ability to get your Martian needs met: to be taken seriously, to receive gratification from your world, and to act as you wish. The measure of successful Mars expression will vary wildly from person to person, so the experience of retro energy may also vary significantly, and there’s always the individual who has Mars retro in the natal chart. This person may feel a little more ‘at home’ suddenly, as the world is somehow a bit more in tune with them than usual. Mars retro natally can make for a misfit or a renegade, a pirate or a pioneer, and the retro cycle may offer them some relief from their usual outsider role.

The House in the natal chart ruled by Mars may also see action, likely a pull-back from something that was going forward with no hitch–and you may see the same thing in matters of the House Mars is currently transiting and turning around in. The question becomes, ‘Is there a precipice there that this withdrawal of energy allowed you to avoid, or are you being intimidated or over cautious?’ If we’re in tune with ourselves, Mars retro can offer us information we might’ve overlooked when Mars was direct; we could avoid conflict, ego-blunders, precipitous acts, and impulsivity driven by primal demands, as either our own engine sputters or the world makes us back down, our confidence shaken by externals or the withdrawal of ‘muscle’, in one form or another.

Receptive Mars is not a term we normally employ, but which we might consider trying to manifest in some form during this period. Conflict with our own Martian urges can create real dissonance and delay or otherwise confuse our efforts, if we’re typically more straightforward. With this Mars retrograde the turnaround occurs on the same day that Earth conjoins and Sun opposes Saturn, with Hygeia forming a Cardinal T-square that suggests until we find optimum channels for the shifted energy we may suffer headaches, clumsiness, eye strain, palpitations, and unusual bone and muscle weakness–so especially at the point of retrograde, take care to avoid unnecessary stress and strain, or those injuries you find yourself suffering when Mars energy can’t find a way out may pop up and sideline you unexpectedly, making it even tougher to sort out forward momentum in a retro atmosphere.

And in case you missed it, here’s the New Moon of the 13th.

New Moon 13 June 2018 Reaching for More

11 Monday Jun 2018

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

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No matter how humble our aspirations, this New Moon will have us reaching for more (or better). By Jules Bastien-Lepage 1876 {{PD}}

The New Moon occurs in Gemini on the 13th at 22 Gemini 44, at 12:43 PM Pacific time. The event, with Ceres, forms the base of a loose Finger of God, apex Black Moon Lilith, which of course is an empty point in space–so, symbolically, the New Moon helps point to what isn’t there, at least not yet, but can be felt, like a shift in the tone of a room, in an attitude. We might be tempted to see Pluto as co-apex, but don’t–it’s too wide for the quincunx to Ceres to count, though the NM perfects close enough to its quincunx to be counted, drawing in the power and danger Pluto’s presence can signal through the NM itself–so indicating timing, most likely, a Plutonian element at or near the NM moment. This configuration suggests that Nature, a maternal or authority figure, or ourselves, in the position of exerting our Will/ authority within a situation/ or exerting our position and its prerogatives, may act at the time of the New Moon and set in motion something powerful but invisible–something that stirs Black Moon Lilith’s depths of hidden, ignored, or denied matters, or of rage or injustice.

The only other aspects within reasonable orb are a sextile to Juno and a sesquiquadrate to Mars. These suggest that whatever our current position of empowerment or status (Juno) we easily (and probably immediately) reach for what power that gives us; perhaps this is the fuel to the Finger’s fire, where we step into ‘greater than’ territory (Ceres), potentially stepping on a few toes, promoting ourselves, and/ or taking as our own a more potent role. This action, and/ or our choices (Mars) may be awkward, in terms of fitting with our current position, but that’s the point: this New Moon fosters a Will or an opportunity to take a larger role, to be more than we have been, and though this stirs buried upsets, it also gives us a chance to grow, and to grow our influence.

The Sabian symbol for the New Moon is, ‘Three Fledglings In A Nest High In A Tree’. The fledglings are the ideas we’ll test, the power assertions we’ll try, and possibly the upsets or buried material we’ll bring out into the open–at this point we’ll see if our new role, efforts, or assertions ‘fly’, or plummet to a quick end–and that will tell us where to put our energies in the immediate future.

I’m offering a seasonal special, here—

Your Weekend 9-11 June 2018 Possibilities

08 Friday Jun 2018

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Horoscope

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‘Sonia’ 1995 (Pencil on canvas) By Julián Maroto Fernández CC BY-SA 4.0

Saturday the 9th is a day for social events, for getting out in and contemplating Nature, for entertaining, for seeing the beauty in each unique Soul, for the most elegant of constructive efforts–but all with an eye to tip-toeing around those matters that are forbidden, that we or others are in denial of, ignoring, or enraged about, no matter how deeply that anger is hidden. That’s a tough prescription; in spite of genuine and careful interactions devoid of passive-aggressive elements, we may still step in it. Two points: we can only be responsible for ourselves, so be it: own what you are and do, but don’t allow anybody else to assign blame–whatever they’re upset about is theirs to deal with. And second, as long as you attune to an honestly loving vibe, you won’t have any issues. If it blows up, even a little, it’s your barometer, telling you there’s something artificial being peddled–check around ’til you find what stinks, and clean it up if it’s yours (Sun parallel Venus, Mercury sextile Ceres and quincunx Black Moon Lilith).

By the 10th we’ll have to deal with what we’ve uncovered–but oh, what a bonus, in that we see just what and how we are empowered, and so are naturally shown exactly how to make our power even greater. We may not like what we see, or the methods may be unacceptable, and so our empowerment level remains where it is, but we’ll have the chance, no matter how dicey or unpleasant. There’s also an opportunity to benefit from what we don’t know, or from listening to our instincts (but as I always say, be sure those are instincts talking!) It’s a day when our wisdom, its depth, relation to the real world, and the authenticity of what we consider knowledge are all questioned–do your best, but be willing to learn (Pallas semi-sq and Venus sxt Sedna, Pluto sq Juno).

Monday, the 11th we get some great ideas about our future; it’s the perfect time to talk out our plans, especially because awareness of our own capabilities and the support we do or don’t enjoy remains high (and that means our plans will be that much more effective, as they deal with real-world parameters). The only issue may be that we are both drawn to and required in some way to adjust ourselves to the Powers-That-Be or to some darker or more destructive elements or individuals hovering around. Make the adjustments, and especially in the case of the more randomly present negatives, do your best to avoid them (Merc nov NN, Sun qnx Pluto and sxt Juno).

Have a wonderful weekend!

‘No Fear of Perfection’ An Astro Portrait of Salvador Dalí

07 Thursday Jun 2018

Posted by in Astrology of Careers Vocations and Callings, Inferior Conjunction, Mercury retrograde, Natal Delineation, Sun/Mercury Inferior Conjunction

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By Carl Van Vechten – Van Vechten Collection at Library of Congress, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1316978

Another re-print from ECLIPSE, this time on the wildly original Spanish artist:

Born with Mercury retro, just after an Inferior Conjunction, Salvador Dalí (11 May 1904 8:45 AM Figueras Spain) spent his life as an innovative artist, so we might expect a prominent Neptune and Uranus, but the Merc retro natal point, at 23 Taurus 28 Rx, plays a big part as well. If Merc is our ability to communicate, Dali’s ability was shaped as a sense of anticipation. This is what we have in the post-Inferior Conjunction phase of the retrograde: a subliminal excitement, a shadowy coalescence of ideas and concepts, and we are willing to try things that are new and perhaps considered unusual for us—and somehow Dalí was able to translate this into his creative life, probably through the 29 degree Uranus in Sagittarius, a placement requiring expression of the individuality (and creating tension with the individuality!) perpetually.

Neptune is in the Whole Sign 1st, above the Ascendant, sextile Venus, trine Black Moon Lilith, and squared by the natal Aries Moon and Midheaven. He may have identified with being creative, but not entirely consciously. A great deal of his creative ‘fuel’ may have been women, relationships (he had many with both men and women, and met his wife Gala, 9 years older than he, when she and her husband, a poet, and daughter came to visit him—she remained when they went home). Dalí excels at delving into the material others avoided—as seen in his penchant for eyeballs, melting clocks, and the disturbing dreamscapes of his Art. The contact to Moon-MC is puzzling, until we consider that though the social sphere (Jupiter in the 10th in Aries) found him disruptive and odd (10th, ruler Mars conjunct Mercury—he was communicating), his parents, especially his mother (10th, Moon) encouraged his Self-indulgence and unusual creativity. This undoubtedly affected the emotional perceptions, with the Aries Moon emphasizing Self-Will as the way to feel emotionally nourished—and coupled with the MC, probably made him equate emotional satisfaction with fame and professional accomplishment.

Interesting to note that he was born 9 months and 10 days after the death of his older brother; given the same name and told he could never replace him, Dalí came to believe he literally was his brother’s replacement, his reincarnation. Mercury, the natural representative of siblings, is conjoined his Sun (in this case perhaps both suggesting the melding of identities and, as Merc is moving away from conjunction, the effort toward individuality and freedom). Merc rules his 3rd, representing his siblings, with Virgo there; it may have been the childhood criticism that made him who he was in a significant way—it certainly figured in his thinking.

His wife Gala may be key to so much here, in particular the extreme sexual nature, represented by Pluto opposed Ceres. This suggests his deepest sexual energy may have been at odds with what he considered ‘natural’, and yet Gala, an incredibly strong Mother Earth figure, came along and negotiated his own sexual nature with him—she was his Ceres, adjusting his sense of Self (Ceres quincunx the Sun) as well as becoming a foil for his passion (Ceres opp Pluto). Also interesting, this amazingly original and unique artist died in the period of his Uranus Return at the age of 84, at the point of a symbolic, and very real, completion of a cycle.

By Promomonster – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45094742

“Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.”– Salvador Dalí  This from a man who wielded the most perfect brush strokes in his oil paintings I’ve ever seen.

Click here for this week’s outlook

Your Week 4-8 June 2018 Windows and Doors

04 Monday Jun 2018

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Horoscope, Sun/Mercury Superior Conjunction

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Just some highlights for your perusal:

On the 4th we have a pair of aspects perfecting that are so subtle in effect that we may not realize it’s something other than our own touchiness making for upset: Chiron squares Vesta, putting a sense of woundedness in conflict with highest values–and when we feel aggrieved we end up looking for challenges to what we honor–or conversely, when we’re feeling righteous, we automatically see disagreement as a challenge to all we hold sacred, or maybe even that we insist our values are valid because they attract criticism–and that last is totally backward reasoning, so unreasonable! It’s an ugly quagmire of too much sensitivity plus too much surety that what we value should be what everyone else values, too. And this is supported, unfortunately, by Mars novile Neptune, which could channel creative efforts into inspired, even genius, ways and forms, as long as we don’t allow actions and choices to fall prey to illusions or delusions surrounding ideals–and where we keep our ideals is Vestal, making us susceptible to seeing things in a wounded light. Stay awake and aware, for best results.

The 5th sees the Superior Conjunction of Mercury and the Sun (that’s when they meet when Mercury is in direct apparent motion). Both quincunx Jupiter and Merc parallels Ceres, suggesting an extended moment of clarity that allows direct communication with or messages from Nature. We also have Juno opposed Zeus (ambitions and avenues for empowerment appear to be at odds) and Venus opposed Pluto (either we refuse to look at the dark or dangerous side to earning or relationships, or we find ourselves staring into the Void, mesmerized). Use the openness of the SC energy to get clear as well on our own wants and our interplay with others; focus on the light, or be overwhelmed perceptually.

On the 6th it’s all about the way Sun-Mercury squares Neptune and catches Uranus at the midpoint. This is prime time for ill-considered, erratic moves generated by misunderstanding (at best) or out-right deception (at worst). Luckily, Merc is parallel Venus and Neptune is contra-parallel Juno, with the two combined suggesting we ground our perceptions in our own capacity to act and affect things (in our circumstances of real-world empowerment) and in our values–keep these in mind and you won’t go wrong.

For the 7th our minds are on the prize, with thinking centered on what we want and how to get it (Merc trine Zeus and sextile Juno); at the same time we’re shown what’s not working to our advantage in the real-world power situation (Saturn sesq Ceres) and how our priorities and what we honor may actually be detrimental to us (Vesta sq Hygeia). Use these factors for the invaluable insights they offer, rather than as fodder for kvetching. The danger here is that we’ll fall back into old patterns of doing and choosing (Mars conj SN); it’s our duty to use what we’re offered to find our way forward, opening new doors and getting new views by opening windows we’ve never noticed before.

The 8th is lively, and mostly not in a good way. In spite of the way we are able to muster ourselves and our most unique qualities in support of our goals (especially those major, Sun-related ones) and those things we find important and honor (Uranus trine Vesta, Sun trine Zeus and parallel Ceres), we still find ourselves wrestling with the Powers-That-Be, with the dark and denied in relationships, and/ or with disparities between our thinking and our impulse to action, especially in regrets over how this has manifested in the past (Venus opp Black Moon Lilith, Merc sesq Mars and SN, and qnx Pluto). It’s our own minds, weighed down by guilt or sadness, that are our biggest impediments, closely followed by our own propensity to fight City Hall (in whatever form this takes). Stand down from your own aggressions, and you’re likely to find that you can make a lot of forward progress.

Have a great week, thanks for stopping by, and many thanks to those who offer this blog (and me!) their support–I couldn’t do it without you!

Odds & Ends: Lilith and Chiron, Empowerment by Sign, and More

01 Friday Jun 2018

Posted by in astrology, Transit Effects Explored

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Over at ‘Been There, Done That’, I’ve just answered a reader’s question on the relationship between asteroid Lilith and Chiron in her chart.

In case you missed it, there’s also yesterday’s post on empowerment and what each sign needs some version of to feel empowered.

And here’s a re-print from ‘Eclipse’:

“No burden is so heavy for a man to bear as a succession of happy days”     –Max Planck

‘Oww, That’ll Leave a Mark’

The Astrological Heavies in Transit

With transits of the outer planets to the natal chart, I want to look specifically at the burden to the spirit they may evoke, the weight that may accrue to the outlook and cause depression, ennui, frustration, distraction, or a sense of a loss of Purpose. Of course, not all transits produce an effect, and often there are a number of different manifestations that occur from slow, long-term contact from a transiting body to a natal one, some of which are experienced as positive and some as negative.  Our discussion will ignore most if not all of the positives of these transits; we’re concentrating on the mental, emotional, and spiritual ways the outer transits may bring us down, often in ways we don’t immediately recognize as stemming from these particular energies.

Jupiter–I know! You don’t expect the planet of abundance to do damage, but it will, if what it’s magnifying by aspect carries morose or regretful energy to begin with. Any out-of-balance energy contacted may get exaggerated and possibly broadcast; we are often more ‘visible’ when Jupiter aspects important bodies, especially when it contacts bodies that represent some major part of us (the Sun, for example, or the chart ruler, or the ruler of our Midheaven or the point itself, which is already highly visible). Easy aspects (sextile, trine) mean we can slip into a negative state without even realizing it, likely believing that our behavior or choices will soon make us feel better; hard aspects (possibly the conjunction, square, opposition, quincunx) may bring knowledge or public exposure that sends us off the deep end. Some of the worst benders (emotional binges, risk-taking of all kinds, indulgences in food, alcohol, or indiscriminate shopping or sex) come with a transit of Jupiter to a planet or point harboring unresolved issues.

Though Saturn often presents as classic depression, it has other, more subtle ways of affecting us as well. It can take away any or all of our appetites in such a way that we simply think we’re off sweets or travel or sex, when we are actually profoundly sad–and that’s the Saturn secret: it can manifest as real but undirected heartbreak, so that we have the sensation without it actually belonging to any specific thing in the life. Saturn contact can also suppress immune response via devastated emotional perceptions; the reaction can be so strong that the body perceives it as a physical blow attacking every cell. Real physical pain, often in the form of all-over aches and soreness may also occur in what is in essence a kind of spiritual or emotional Rolfing (an intense method of massage that re-organizes the positioning of the connective tissue, or fascia, throughout the body, on the theory that painful experiences, emotions, and life events affect these tissues and are ‘carried’ within them, distorting the body’s natural posture and balance in the process).

Uranus we expect to see as a shock or surprise–but it can be a ‘sea change’ to the group we once felt so much a part of, something subtle, with only the realization of our changed position a sudden revelation, not the change itself. Disorientation and confusion (from a feeling that things are chaotic) can sweep in like a wave, and temporary loss of intellectual acuity or grasp is a distinct possibility. A feeling of alienation may hit, cutting one off from the usual lines of spiritual, emotional, or mental sustenance, and our response may be to freeze in place, fearing erratic behavior, sudden change, or the unanticipated, as we may sense these are basic components of the energy that feels like it’s making an assault on us. We may also feel surrounded by chaos, alone in the riot. Uranus by transit can be largely unseen, manifesting in intangible ways, and so can make us feel paranoid and at real bodily risk though no threat is apparent.

With Neptune we expect to be distracted, misled, or inspired, but we may end up in a Cosmic funk, wondering about our place in the Universe–or feeling very very small in the scheme of things. We could also feel as if we don’t matter, or even that we don’t exist–the Neptunian awareness of ‘All-That-Is’ dwarfs our own perception of our personal role until we may feel we’re no more than a speck–and any of these viewpoints can bring forward fear, a sense of disappearing. Reactions to what feels like imminent obliteration can get us into trouble if we go into ‘I’ll do anything to survive’ mode.  Some will take to the feeling and eventually lose the fear, accessing tremendous spiritual knowledge and experience, as well as immense creativity. The spirit longs to respond to the Neptunian influence, but may be overwhelmed by Neptune’s all-inclusive nature when it tries to express through the finite physical existence–and our imaginations can run away with us from there, for good or ill.

Pluto transits can be very dark, leading us Orpheus-like into our own personal Underworld–but that can be a very good thing, if we open our eyes to the secrets, hidden matters, and power that we’ve stashed away outside our own awareness, and can result in us returning to the surface enlightened in some important way. We expect rage or sexual aggressiveness under Pluto, but may not anticipate the potential for quiet withdrawal and depth of contemplation, as re-generation occurs. Clean-sweeps may take place, but these are sown with myriad possibilities for the new and the original, as Pluto floods us with our own particular expression of the Soul’s ultimate power. For many this will be overwhelming; the need to turn away will curtail acceptance of the complete slate of potentials and truncate the power expression to fit the scale of the life. The brave may end up immolating themselves through intense Self-examination and testing in the physical world, only to rise to a completely new level of Being, once the transit has passed. Death-defying feats are common at this time; Pluto takes us outside our comfort zone, and only by crossing the wasteland can we return to it.

And skip down to the comments section for a moving and evocative account of real-life shared by Zack.

Or re-visit ‘Goddess Energy’

This might make you laugh–I did

Have a lovely weekend, my peeps! “

 

On Empowerment

31 Thursday May 2018

Posted by in astrology, Consciousness Explored, The Signs

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‘Surprised’ By Henri Rousseau 1890 {{PD}}

I mention empowerment a lot—it’s the essence of Juno, plays a huge role in our relationships with Mars, Pluto, and even figures in our view of Saturn, is the essence of deploying our Sun, and is fundamental to functioning effectively in life, so it ends up being a pervasive idea—and it has several components: How well are we functioning? How much are our choices our own? How ‘in charge’ of our own energy usage are we? How much are we subject to others’ Will? How free are we to act? We have a tendency to answer these questions by looking around ourselves, to our external situation, and end up basing our estimation of our empowerment on how much we are able to effect external circumstances. This is understandable; we’re coached to see ourselves as powerful only in relation to how much of an impact we can make on the material world—but that’s a skewed vision of what empowerment really means, and can send us down the wrong road in seeking it.

Empowerment is really our own internal measurement of how much we feel in charge of and able to affect the circumstances of our own lives. In many ways, it is largely subjective; based in our own perceptions, a sense of successful empowerment can vary wildly from individual to individual. The individual imprisoned may gain a massive sense of empowerment by intimidating others prisoners, by carving a shiv out of a toothbrush, by working on her own legal defense appeal in the prison library, or by serving others in the infirmary—and obviously, these things differ from each other in many other important ways. The vital point is that estimation of what brings power to the individual is entirely based on one’s own ideas of what constitutes power, relative to our external circumstances—and those who function with an internal (‘What do I think of me?’) rather than external power locus are bound to fare best.

Of course, astrologically speaking, what’s empowering for a particular Moon placement may not be empowering for that same individual’s Sun, and vice versa and so on, through all the placements. To know what’s most empowering for someone, we need to know their viewpoint, the two or three most dominant energies, the ones that must get attention in order for the individual to function well. To that end, we’ll take a quick look at what’s empowering for various signs in general.

Aries: has got to do it (or go to war over it).

Taurus: has got to have it (or provide it).

Gemini: has got to say it (or think about it).

Cancer: has got to nurture it (or love it).

Leo: has got to make it shine (or must make it perform).

Virgo: has got to count it (or harvest it).

Libra: has got to make peace with it (or partner with it).

Scorpio: has got to change it (or destroy it).

Sagittarius: has got to know about it (or believe in it).

Capricorn: has got to build it (or constrain it).

Aquarius: has got to make it new (and/ or understand it).

Pisces: has got to embrace it (and maybe escape it, create it, or forget about it).

This describes some of the effects of feeling we lack empowerment

I hope you’re all doing well, and having a great week. It’s gray here–surprise, Seattle!

Julie Demboski's ASTROLOGY

Addressing the Individual Experience Within the Universal Truth

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