Just a Little AstroEssence 4 January 2018 Take No Prisoners

Tags

, , ,

Ivan Constantinovich Aivazovsky – ‘Ice-Breakers on the Frozen Neva in St. Petersburg’ 1876 {{PD}}

Are those obstacles real, part of the external world, imposed by regulations, rules, the laws of physics and physical reality, and signs, written or not, announcing, ‘Go No Farther’, or are the barriers we face generated by our own Will, insistence, ego, and aggression, factors that may meet resistance from others and so actually be caused by us? If we are in a position of authority, we feel challenged, and if we are seeking to express our own autonomy and authority, we meet externals that hold us back, or down. If we persist, will we be successful in our efforts? If we’ve thought things through, and believe wholeheartedly in our own idea, while at the same time being willing to do whatever it takes, and are also prepared to burn it all down if necessary–then Yes. If you find yourself lacking a ‘Take No Prisoners’ attitude, then you should wait for another day, one that won’t depend so heavily on a kind of single-minded ruthlessness in reaching goals (Saturn sesq and Mars sq Ceres, Mercury parallel Pluto)

Today’s word image is a massive waterfall, frozen solid. Of course, we’re seeing this in real life with Niagara Falls. As a symbol, this may suggest powerful emotion that has ceased to ‘flow’. Two questions you need to consider: Is there something you feel strongly about that you have frozen in place, to avoid feeling those feelings? And if you don’t begin to deal with them now, what do you think will happen when there’s a thaw?

Just a Little AstroEssence 3 January 2018 Beautiful Dreamer

Tags

, , , , ,

Illustration by W. E. F. Britten 1900 {{PD}}

You’re a beautiful dreamer today, and you can heal yourself; make sure that visualizations and daydreams show the ideal, the creative, and the values standards at their peak. What you ‘see’ may cause a needed modification to Self-expression, to commitments and priorities, and to original efforts, but it’s all for a good cause: the realization of a dream, the perfection of an ideal, or the manifestation of Love. Do take care that the desire for Love or asset betterment doesn’t fall prey to the deceptive or illusory–connect to the skills and the wounds, particularly the Chirotic ones, to know whether what’s presented is a positive answer, or just creates more misleading questions (Chiron trine and Uranus qnx Vesta, Venus sxt Neptune)

‘The Horse Rustler’ By William Herbert Dunton {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a cowboy.There are a great many things this image could convey, and if there are other more appropriate associations for you, that’s fine, but I’m thinking this: a cowboy is an individual leading a tough, mostly rootless, hand-to-mouth existence particular to Western North America, whose hardscrabble lifestyle has been wildly romanticized by those who greatly misunderstand it. Is there something (or someone) in your life you’re ignoring the down-and-dirty, very rough details of, romanticizing it to suit your own needs? Are you dressing up some role or activity of your own in a way that denies how hard it might actually be on you? Is romanticizing something a way for you to cope? And do you care if your image of something may be wildly off the mark in terms of the reality it recognizes (or ignores)?

Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’, illustrated by the drawing, top of the post.

Year after year unto her feet,
The while she slumbereth alone,
Over the purpled coverlet
The maiden’s jet black hair bath grown,
On either side her trancéd forth
Forth streaming from a braid of pearl;
The slumb’rous light is rich and warm,
And moves not on the rounded curl.

The silk star-braided coverlid
Unto her limbs itself doth mould
Languidly ever, and amid
Her full black ringlets downward roll’d
Glows forth each softly shadow’d arm,
With bracelets of the diamond bright;
Her constant beauty doth inform
Stillness with love and day with light.

She sleeps; her breathings are not heard
In palace chambers far apart;
The fragrant tresses are not stirred
That lie upon her charmed heart.
She sleeps; on either side upswells
The gold fringed pillow lightly prest;
She sleeps, nor dreams, but ever dwells
A perfect form in perfect rest.

Just a Little AstroEssence 2 January 2018 Uranus Direct, Everybody Else in Trouble!

Tags

, , , ,

Bühnenbild bei Vollmond “Eine Nacht in Venedig” (2015) Photo By SFM2016 – Own work CC BY-SA 4.0

The social order or opportunities themselves spell trouble for those who hold authority or responsibility (Jupiter sq Ceres), those powered by ego or aggression or sheer Will find themselves at a point of reckoning (Mars sq Nodal axis), and relationships and/ or finances are fired in the crucible of instinct and the effects of the ‘blind spot’ on choices and commitments (Venus sesq Sedna)–and all of it, along with the Uranus Direction in Aries, spells, if not outright revolution, then a riotous response by the individual to the world at large.

But as always, we need to focus our attention on what’s working, what can help us handle the pressure and potential disorientation delivered by the above aspects. Our assets include the ability to formulate clear plans and receive sharp insight related to our goals (Mercury sxt Zeus) and we muster the imagination, creative ability, and spiritual understanding to handle what comes (Sun sxt Neptune). All in all, a disruptive and even exciting set of influences that we are more than up to handling, as long as we keep our heads and refuse to succumb to Self-imposed confusion or fear.

Another word about the Uranus Direction: Vesta sits quincunx the planet upon direction, so that if you have a natal placement at 23-26 Virgo, the direction promises to provide a turnaround, an answer, a revelation to a question or conundrum concerning commitments and values framed through their interaction with the natal energy.

Everybody can expect a little chaos, especially of the reactive or emotional variety; though the revolution seems to be enacted without, it’s a true indicator of upheaval and changes within.

Today’s word image is: a hair stylist who creates a hair dye that changes color repeatedly after application. Fun, right? As a message, it suggests the ‘coloring’ of thoughts in some way that continues to change. Have we adopted beliefs or mental stances that, out of necessity or even fickleness, keep morphing? Does that make them more useful, or is the adoption of such thinking an add-on, that is, not natural to you? And was this mode of thinking possibly originally adopted out of rebellion, an urge to be seen as unique? If so, do you need such externals anymore just to prove your individuality to yourself? Or do you simply enjoy playing with your image?

A New Year’s Wish For You For 2018

By Nicodemusgold – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54297561

Here’s my New Year’s wish for every one of you: that you make no resolutions for 2018. Here’s why: we must stop seeing ourselves as ‘works in progress’ and start treating ourselves as if we are already adequate to do whatever we dream of, to face whatever we need to. There’s no need to gather courage, resolve to be better in some way, to put off living and doing, or try to ‘clean up’ some area of your life. Perfection is not a goal, it’s an artificial (and static) state, so stop yearning for it; it only prompts judgment, guilt, suffering, and ultimately, rejection of ourselves. We are not perfect, and never will be, but we are perfectly lovable the way we are–so love yourself, be open to receiving love from others, and have a wonderful 2018! Thus endeth the homily 🙂

Scroll down for the Full Moon–

Full Moon 1 January 2018 The Making of an Emotional Truth

Tags

, , , , ,

William Stott of Oldham. ‘The Birth of Venus’ 19th century {{PD}}

The Full Moon of the 1st at 11 Cancer 37 at 6:23 PM Pacific time doesn’t make many close aspects, though it does form a Water Grand Trine with Neptune and Mars; the Full Moon also opposes Sun-Venus, which are heading toward Superior Conjunction, and which during that period (5th-9th, roughly) will pass together over Pluto. This Sun-Venus circumstance-to-come only figures in as it alerts us to potential responses to Full Moon events–and it could be that the Full Moon itself acts as a pre-echo, a harbinger of what the Sun-Venus situation will bring, likely involving changes to the valuing of the identity, to the sense of Self-Love, to the concept of what assets we possess, both literally and in the form of talents and abilities; or, Pluto may contribute transformation energy, a kind of nuclear blast that sends change out in incontestable ripples, or it could bring about shifts in Sun-Venus through an experience with Power–and this all kicked off by a Lunar completion, finish, realization, or ending, one that anticipates some entré to the Sun-Venus-Pluto effect via the developments of the Full Moon.

And what are those? They will concentrate largely in a re-balancing of effort/ Will and the creative urge. We may see where we need to do more, where to apply our creative ideas, how to facilitate those things that so far have dwelt only in the imagination–and we do this through feeling (Cancer, the Moon, Water GT) as it can be materialized (Moon’s conjunction to Earth). The most useful result may be that we will see exactly how to make what has remained nebulous or a mere creative notion into a materialization of emotion, in essence a felt event or object, an expression of what we care about, something that encapsulates a personal emotional Truth.

‘The Pearls of Aphrodite’ Herbert James Draper 1907 {{PD}}

The opposition to Sun-Venus simply points to the future, to the alteration (as the two move over Pluto) of our Self-concept and/ or our asset picture, changing it in response to what we do or create at the Full Moon. We create the image of ourselves by what we create! Simple and confusing, all at once.

Are there dangers here? Of course–they are Martian: the ego can overwhelm, aggression can take hold, or illusion can drive a less-than-productive course–and yet, it’s all useful, in that we will be allowed to refine our efforts, to see more clearly how to make the world in the image we prefer–so even disappointing results can show us the way.

The Sabian for this Full Moon is, ‘A Chinese Woman Nursing A Baby Whose Aura Reveals Him To Be The Reincarnation Of A Great Teacher’. With this image we see Universal recognition of the advanced spirit, of the ‘teachers’ we all encounter, no matter what form they take, whether they be individuals, institutions, or events; that is, if we look we can see what can guide us, what holds worth, what will advance our own spirit–it simply requires willingness to see, something we aren’t always open to.

For a Full Moon we also look at the Sun’s Sabian: ‘An Illustrated Lecture On Natural Science Reveals Little-Known Aspects Of Life’. Again, if we are willing to see (or listen, in the spiritual sense–‘an illustrated lecture’) what we might otherwise (incorrectly) refer to as ‘the secrets of Life’ will be revealed (incorrect because there are no secrets, not really)–and again, all it takes is intention to see, is willingness to let go of illusion.

Just a Little AstroEssence 31 December 2017 Power Place

Tags

, , , ,

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

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

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

Today’s word image is a child much too old to literally believe in the existence of Santa Claus, who does. I’m not talking about ‘the magic of the season’, nor am I referring to a truly young person; this is about someone who has a rough time socially because his family has gone to great lengths to convince him that there is a mysterious stranger who brings him presents once a year–when others at his junior high school have long been in on the reality of things. Is it bad to believe in mysterious forces that work in your favor? Of course not–that’s pretty much the essence of my definition of the Universe–but it may be detrimental to insist on ‘alternate facts’ so deliberately that it causes a rift for the individual with the rest of the world. In this case, the individual has no say–he has simply been told by people he trusts that this is so. It brings to mind that saying about treating someone like a mushroom–they’re fed sh*t and kept in the dark! Look around–is it time you stopped believing something, now that the belief is actually becoming a problem? Does that belief separate you from reality in a negative way? Does it make it difficult to get along with others? Or do you know someone like this, who insists on keeping themselves in the dark? You can spot one of these beliefs by the way the individual insists that circumstances and all talk support the belief, with no contradictions (that is, no reality) allowed.

Just a Little AstroEssence 30 December 2017 Subliminal Punch

Tags

, , , ,

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

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

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

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

Just a Little AstroEssence 29 December 2017 A Touch of Genius

Tags

, , ,

Paul Klee – ‘Gespenst eines Genies’ (Ghost of a Genius) 1921 {{PD}}

Today Venus conjoins the point Black Moon Lilith, and both are novile the South Node; the conjunction happens in Capricorn, and makes for a rather grim tendency to concentrate on negatives. We see relationships and/ or financial situations in light of what enrages us, rather than focusing on what we love about them, and the impulse is to lock things down, to contain the bad feelings, or to try our darnedest to continue to ignore or deny matters, in spite of the way we are oh-so-conscious of them now. We may just want to put a lid on it, when it might be much healthier to shift our focus from judging things as negative to seeing them as information. This might allow us the emotional distance to access the novile aspect’s ability to add a touch of genius to proceedings via memory; we are able to dip into the past and extract just the right thing to turn that downer into a beneficial event or to see profit from something built in the past. It’s up to us to find the serendipitous connection between previous circumstances and now, and to use this as a lens through which to re-focus our interpretation of the current situation.

‘Into The Black’ Uploaded to WikiMedia by tm
Photo by Vieira_da_Silva Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

Today’s word image is the color black–or rather, the absence of color, as a black object absorbs all the colors in the spectrum, bouncing nothing back to the eye. So, this image may prompt us to look for one of two things: something in our lives that acts as a ‘black hole’, which can never be ‘filled’, or something that refuses to interact with us, that doesn’t bounce anything back to us. Do we want this in our lives? may be the question–and then, what are we willing to do about it?

Just a Little AstroEssence 28 December 2017 Crisp Thought

Tags

, , ,

Like biting into a really fresh, tart apple, our thoughts are clear and crisp, and focused on the future (Mercury trine the North Node in Fire). We’re far-seeing, and the facts are evident and in plain sight. It’s a good time to plan, and to think through your course of action–the only caveat is to realize that we can get too mental, too much lost in our own heads, if we’re not careful.

By Marc Ryckaert (MJJR) – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6383771

Today’s word image is a crowded bus that can’t take on any more passengers, and so drives by the stop. There’s usually a good reason why we miss something that seemed like an opportunity, or that we may even have seen as our ‘right’. Trust the Universe; if something passes you by, know that it wasn’t right for you, for one of a thousand reasons that you may never know.

Just a Little AstroEssence 27 December 2017 The Creative Moment

Tags

, , ,

‘The Painter’s Honeymoon’ 1864 Frederic Leighton {{PD}}

The reality picture makes us remarkably clear on our values, on what we care about (Saturn nov Vesta); we may at this time commit to someone or something, possibly supporting an entity or effort we never anticipated caring for–or we may see how our highest values have shaped the reality picture in surprising ways (that is, in ways we didn’t realize our values were actually exerting an effect on). In spite of some issues over the exercise of authority and what we get from it (Venus sesq Ceres), we find a direct line from our intentions and actions to creative responses and output (Mars trine Neptune). Expect some revelation concerning commitments and what we honor, expect to re-shape the values and Self-image accordingly, and use the harmony of personal and creative energies to tackle big creations, and to make significant efforts you want others to see as uniquely your own. Take advantage of the creative moment. Good luck, and happy creating!

‘Thrushes’ Nest’ Fidelia Bridges 1877 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a single, young bird alone in a nest. The word ‘fledgling’ comes to mind, someone or something new, untried, fresh, inexperienced–but on the cusp of ‘spreading its wings’, getting acquainted with the wide world and showing that world what or who it is. Is this you, ready to put out there a new idea, invention, creation, or effort, to play a role you haven’t yet tried? Something is ready, ripe, formed, and waiting, and it may be a little scary at first, but you should know the timing is right. Or are you seeing this in someone else? If the latter, consider what encouragement, advice, caution, or support you can offer–but take care to speak only from genuine experience, rather than from any assumption you’re making about how it all works.

Julie Demboski's ASTROLOGY

Addressing the Individual Experience Within the Universal Truth

Skip to content ↓