Your Week 24-30 March 2017 Future-Oriented

22 Wednesday Mar 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Dark of the Moon, The Daily Word Image

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‘Surfer Girl’ by William Fulton Soare, oil on canvas, c. 1935 {{PD}}

I’m completely unavailable the 23rd-28th, so all comments, questions, purchases, and requests will be processed when I return to the keyboard. Have a wonderful week! jd

On the 24th our wounds, mental, psychic, emotional, spiritual, get in the way of hearing our own instincts, social feedback, ‘the facts’, as they speak; we resist input, the standards set by our own values, and the way our Self-image has been impugned by realities that have until now remained hidden, denied, or that have enraged us with their seeming inaccuracy. All this upset is most likely to come out through imbalances of power within relationships or that involve money; these trigger a sense of defensiveness or inferiority, and we’re off to the races. The antidote? Accepting that you’re not perfect–and that just because someone reflects back to you something you don’t like or that you disagree with, doesn’t mean either of you is right.

We’re in the Dark of the Moon at this point; expect more inner activity than outer–or, maybe I should say, expect inner realities to be more real than outer ones–and allow those lulls, moments of deep contemplation, and reveries to organize your thoughts and feelings for you. Sleep late or go to bed early, rest and rejuvenate–dream, ponder, or embrace silence–it’s time.

‘Still Life with Nautilus Cup’ Willem Claesz. Heda 1640 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is apple pie. Do you have a personal association with this? I do, as I don’t like apples much, and am not fond of pie; as a child this dessert always seemed like a small punishment, rather than a treat, especially because we were rarely allowed to decline (something about hurting the cook’s feelings)–so when I think of apple pie, I think of something mildly unpleasant, that I may be forced to ‘enjoy’. Obviously, few people have this particular thought around an apple pie; only you know what it means for you.

The 25th The Sun conjoins Venus while the latter appears in a retrograde state; we may get a good, clear look at lacks in the areas of Money or Love (or matters ruled by Venus in the natal chart), especially as they apply to the matters of the natal House in which the apparent meeting occurs–but we should note that at the same time, the Sun will be contra-parallel Pallas, while Venus is parallel Mercury and both are contra-parallel Juno, Venus is trine Black Moon Lilith, and Merc noviles Neptune. These contacts suggest that what we pay attention to, that is, the message we receive from all around us, may be distorted somehow, unwise or impractical to the extent that it disempowers, should we follow through on what we see or learn while in our current state of mind, and that’s key: the value of this particular set of contacts lies in the worth of what we uncover, what was previously disguised or kept hidden from ourselves; it’s what’s discovered that’s of worth, not our taking action upon it. Once we’ve processed the material, and are able to look past the impulse toward poor judgment and refuse to fix our gaze on what’s missing, we can recognize that what’s been revealed (whether we had to work for that info or realization, or it was delivered to us) is about the most useful thing we could’ve been given at this time, particularly in terms of making successful plans we can act on in future.

Today’s word image is a bluebird. Most associations, no matter from what culture they come, link a bluebird with happiness, specifically optimism about tomorrow, or an ideal situation to reach for, especially something that seems unattainable. Look for that note of optimism, that promise of something better, that harbinger right in front of you–it’s there to let you know everything will be all right.

What surprises, shocks, stirs the intellect, educates, or offers a radically forward-thinking vision today, the 26th, is future-oriented–our reaction and/ or the revelation delivered is a startling glimpse at what’s ahead for us, especially in terms of ‘reward’–but be aware that what has been shaped by our own choices and appears now is a direct result of rejecting certain elements of the past–that’s at least as important to know going forward as is what’s coming.

Today’s word image is a skull and crossbones. Poison! Pirates! What’s telling you to stay away at all costs–and you’re probably ignoring the warning?

The 27th we’re going to feel energized–it’s probably contributed to by the New Moon energy–or it may just be that we’re offered inspiration or a crack at power or making our imprint on things, and we do it. The thing is, don’t expect the reality picture to cooperate; material circumstances throw up roadblocks, or the real world simply resists our efforts–and this is due either to what we don’t (yet) know, or have ignored or denied, creating a ‘block’ of our own making, or we are potentially deceived, mislead, or so angry we can’t operate effectively. If there was ever a day to start over, to abandon dead ends and missteps, today is it, with our new start going best in the area of the New Moon.

Today’s word image is a surfer riding a wave. This figure is poised, in control of the ride, relaxed atop that powerful natural flume, using the ocean’s energy (read: the Collective) to propel her forward. What ‘wave’ is offering you a big, natural boost of energy, a means of gaining ground that you control your own relationship to and with? That’s the thing to hop on now, if only because it offers a graceful and harmonious means of propulsion, one that makes you part of and yet arbiter of a personal movement, trend, or other form of expression.

The 28th may be the day of biggest import this week, if only because instincts will be disconnected from imagination and the creative urge, and this could imply we cook up some disasters, or maybe just make some boneheaded moves, before we even realize how disoriented we are. The aspects suggest our grounds for aesthetic judgment become just a little crass, rooted in material worth, the pleasing of others, trends of the moment, or in trying to bring something new forward that is measured solely by its status as an oddity–and none of those stances are particularly productive or rewarding, because of our failure to connect with our own true tastes. What works? A type of informed spontaneity probably flows best, as our choices and actions can be truly unique and inspired when we allow them to emerge spontaneously from previously curated understanding and past intellectual exploration: the informed mind sparks the creative.

“Photo: Graeme Main/MOD” OGL

Today’s word image is a hand of cards, a Royal Flush. In many games, that’s the best hand possible. In what way in your life were you dealt a Royal Flush, and how have you used it?

On the 29th we’re set to make things happen; we’re feeling ready and able, but flaws in our Being or our perceptions can get in the way. It’s one of those times when our effectiveness is a direct reflection of our health: are we doing it spurred by pure and positive Soul energies, or is some wound, especially one rooted in our own disapproval of ourselves, the driving force? Intention is the wellspring from which all comes; today we’re required to operate without ulterior or polluted motives, in order to succeed.

Today’s word image is a fisherman who spends all day at the pier but goes home without any fish. What are we ‘fishing for’ that’s just not gonna happen? Time to acknowledge that, and move on.

For the 30th all astro-eyes are likely on the perfection once again of the Jupiter-Pluto square. This has been a shake-down of massive proportion, simply by the way facts, beliefs, rage, revenge, the social order, and change all conflict to create an unusually tenacious instability. It’s a clash that demands unlearning; it also requires we expand our ideas of power, destruction, and regeneration, breaking them, sometimes forcefully, from the old mold and asking us to accept new definitions and new forms–and this, naturally, changes our idea of ‘the facts’ and what we know. This square marks another point in an evolution of knowledge. Accept the ‘new order’, because until you do, you won’t have any idea who to believe, and with whom to partner.

That previously mentioned disconnection from our own imaginative abilities (on the 28th) spills over into today, but now we’re offered a way to access the creative spark, peripheral as the method is: let it flow through the instinctual nature. Children, those who are ill or distracted, those with lots of Pisces, dreamers, drunks, and the feral all experience a thinner barrier between conscious reality and the impulsiveness and sensitivity of the unseen; listen to them, emulate them, and/ or study them, for hints as to how that access works.

Today’s word image is a flag. What kind of flag springs to mind? Consider that a tiny Rorschach test that speaks of your view or orientation, right now.

Your Week 17-23 March 2017 Going Natural

16 Thursday Mar 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Horoscope, The Daily Word Image, Weekly Astrology

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‘Nelson Atkins Museum in Kansas City’ Photo by Carol M. Highsmith, who donated her life’s work of more than 100,000 gorgeous images to the US Library of Congress for royalty-free use. Thank you, Carol!

On the 17th the reality picture pushes us to act, but there’s something we need to know: what we’re referencing as a smart choice was indeed smart, in the past; now it’s disempowering. We can’t use our minds to try to sort this out–that means it falls to the intuition, the emotions, and/ or the feedback from others to guide us today.

Photo By Sicilian – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25619216

Today’s word image is a bowl of figs. Those are symbols of Juno; look at your empowerment situation, options for conveying your Will, your personal province: are you expressing your power in the way you choose, or have you fit your power into the situation–and if the latter, how can and should this arrangement change?

The 18th we have two things that need doing: acting to improve our health, and thinking about/ communicating within our relationships (or, for some, substitute for the latter ‘thinking about expenditures, earning, and debt’). Keep the focus on your own options, choices, and preferences, rather than getting distracted by externals, including the demands of others on our time and attention.

Today’s word image is a song. Take the title to heart.

By the 19th we may be feeling like we’ve run out of options; the facts are causing conflict with our priorities and values, what we’re hearing seems to be denying us our rights, and our own negative take on things is discouraging, to say the least. The answer? Go at power, exercising your Will, and seeing to your ‘territory’ obliquely; it’s only by sneaking up on something that we can make an impact without having to contend with resistance, subterfuge, or a ‘disappearing act’.

By H. Ambrose Kiehl – H. Ambrose Kiehl Photograph Collection, Laura and Miriam Kiehl, Seattle, 1899 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a woman chopping wood. What is the zen phrase? ‘Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water, after enlightenment, chop wood, carry water’. What change did you expect that never materialized? And have you undervalued what has occurred out of disappointment? Consider that evolution brings its own benefits, and we may need to set aside expectations in order to appreciate them.

The 20th may find us visiting (or even wallowing in) the past, with our focus being all that we should have done differently. Look–we’ve already inspected what was, already been propelled along the time stream–so why not shift our thoughts in the direction of what we’ve attended to in the past that made us a success? Here’s where we access that useful kernel of truth that can help us in the present.

Bronze-age dolphin fresco at Knossos. {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a dolphin. If these highly intelligent mammals had legs and thumbs, they’d surely be in charge. What’s the equivalent in your world? What threats or promises does this thing or Being offer, and how do you feel about it?

On the 21st inspiration empowers, spiritual alignment lends authority to the exercise of prerogatives, and the creative finds expression–but somehow we aren’t considering the facts, and this exerts a cost on our health. That’s a vague formula, I know–but its most likely manifestation is in a kind of optimism that prompts a euphoric disregard for indulgences or excesses that take a toll on our well-being. We know we shouldn’t, but things are going so well . . . we are tempted to, anyway. With the Sun in Aries we are likely hyper-aware that we are Self-determining; listen to instincts, as they speak without the distraction of either hope or cost.

Today’s word image is a suitcase packed well ahead of the trip. What are you preparing for, that it’s not time for yet? Could the reserved resources be better used elsewhere, at this point? Are you projecting part of your energy into the future, making it unavailable in the present? Living with one foot in a reality that hasn’t arrived may feel like being prepared to some, but in reality it can’t help but distract from where we are now.

On the 22nd we look to make the future pay off–and in focusing on what we can gain, we may kill inspiration, imagination, and genuine goals and ambitions, substituting a ‘sure thing’ (though a less desirable thing to us) in Love or Money, instead. Access your instincts (again!)–it’s the only way to balance consideration of the future with your dreams.

By Eva Rahman Nishi – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32557857

Today’s word image is a topiary. This is a natural thing shaped unnaturally. What is being distorted in the name of beauty or to make it ‘presentable’, that you may want to let ‘go natural’, now?

The 23rd things suddenly get complicated, dynamic, and we may be faced with unavoidable realities that force decisions; we may feel that the smart way (that is, the way we would’ve gone) is blocked, and the mind resists change and those things it would rather pretend don’t exist. What assists us? A willingness to adjust our course, valuing our own strength, prerogatives, and those roles where we hold authority, and an openness to the spontaneous, the sudden, and the original–these factors can turn what seems like a frustrating dead end into a clever, unique, and exciting plan for the future.

Today’s word image is a little Emily Dickinson:

Much madness is divinest sense/To a discerning eye;/Much sense the starkest madness./’T is the majority/In this, as all, prevails,/Assent, and you are sane;/Demur,–you’re straightaway dangerous,/And handled with a chain

The March 2017 Full Moon in Virgo: Trusting the Self

11 Saturday Mar 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Full Moon, Grand Trine, Horoscope, Sabian Symbols, Virgo

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Annie Louisa Swynnerton (née Robinson) – ‘The Sense of Sight’ 1894 {{PD}}

The Full Moon in Virgo falls on the 12th at 22 Virgo 13 at 7:54 AM PDT; it fills in a loose Earth Grand Trine with Sedna and Pluto, opposes Pallas and Chiron, quincunxes Uranus, and sextiles Vesta. The Grand Trine promises that whatever is fulfilled, concludes, ends, or reaches its apex with this Full Moon will bring a state of stability (meaning remain as it is, or as it coalesces at this point) through (get ready for the paradox!) acceptance of change and instinctive responses to it. I know! Seems contradictory to say that circumstances of transition and embrace of instincts (including instinctive understanding and knowledge) can bring about a sense of security, ease with circumstances, and a stable picture of and relationship to the environment/ material situation, but it does–and this endows us with a sense of surety, of ‘knowing’ deep within, that allows us to handle challenges related to practicality, what we would typically think of as wise or smart options, and allow us to navigate potential hurt. We may be faced with wounding circumstances or those who oppose us out of a sheer sense of superiority, who try to control us through our wounds, and we may be told we aren’t wise enough to make our own choices–and this would be oh-so-wrong. Being willing to follow our own lead is important; so is holding fast to what we honor and find sacred. We must make our choices, original or rebellious as they may be, in alignment with our values, with what we care about–and then we go forward from there.

Original caption: 1897-Lady lion tamer caged with lion. — Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘A Lion Tamer Displays His Skill And Character’. I associate this symbol strongly with the FM’s quincunx to Uranus in Aries; that is the closest major aspect the Full Moon makes. We as individuals are the Lion Tamer in our own lives; we control the whip (our Will) and chair (how we ‘furnish’ our lives), taking the lead (Aries), acting (Aries) in ways that spring from and also reveal our skills and character (Uranus). Awareness that we are the source of our own situation is vital; Self-responsibility and the roles we have taken on, willingly or not, must be (and likely will be) magnified within our own perceptions at this time, so that we can truly and completely understand and accept our part in our own creation–that is, our formulation of ourselves, and our world.

We may be overloaded on Pisces energy right now, looking for the concrete, the actionable, the thing we can hold in our hand; this Moon in Virgo delivers it to us, and your first hint that you’re dealing with the current Lunar energy may come through a criticism, a demand for accountability, a health or dietary matter, or enmeshment in the details of some issue. That’s your clue that, going forward, it’s all about You.

Your Week 10-16 March 2017 Grasping the Ephemeral

09 Thursday Mar 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Horoscope, The Daily Word Image

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There’s a certain amount of automatic mystery to a visitor who won’t remove their hat and veil. ‘A Friendly Call’ William Merritt Chase 1894 {{PD}}

The 10th we see a pile-up in Pisces that both sets the tone and defines the issues: Chiron, Mercury, and Pallas all meet in the 24th degree, with Pallas and Chiron joined by the Sun on the 14th, after Merc has moved on. This may play out as the offering of wisdom, the potential for healing, and illumination of the spirit-situation behind the material world, received through dreams, connection to the Collective (such as when we meditate), or in the discovery of illusions or pursuit of making Art. Merc moves on, and we see this Piscean cluster shift from thinking, mulling, reasoning, considering to, when the Sun arrives, the kind of illumination of What Is that occurs in a flash. Consciously use this influence to makes things right, heal what’s injured, and absorb wisdom–at this time, it’s in the water, so to speak. This lasts through the week.

Today’s word image is the idea of ‘small talk’. Though this can make surface encounters smoother and more pleasant than they otherwise might be, most of us aren’t too good at the kind of small talk that people cultivate in entertainment, politics, and other stressful arenas where contact is part of the job. In fact, most of us turn our noses up at light conversation, mistaking it as an indicator of shallowness when in reality it’s a skill, and a useful one in the way it allows us to interact and even open up in the briefest of encounters. It’s time to re-consider something you’ve previously judged to be frivolous or indicative of a sub-standard intellect–there’s more to it, and it’s more useful, than you previously believed.

On the 11th we can visualize precisely what we want, and our thoughts run in the direction of our best interests, and so qualify as unreservedly wise–and we see, too, that actions have direct value and, because of a need to connect with ‘the facts’, to adjust our position vis a vis the social order, and/ or because we must realign our expansion attempts, our attention goes to what it is we can do ourselves. An internal harmony is possible that allows us to proceed without social approval, and/ or allows us to adjust our own position so that social pressures or censures are lessened. The only down side to today is that, feeling as competent as we do, we may fail to heed our internal warning system, or our instincts, and so damage our cause.

Luminous yellow penguins, Prague 2010, Photo By Karelj – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9042601

Today’s word image is a penguin. I recently saw a cartoon where, in a vast sea of penguins, one goes up to another and, holding his flipper in midair, says, ‘I’m looking for my wife–have you seen her? About yeay high, black and white?’ What’s unique and special to us may be indistinguishable to others; keep that in mind today–it will help you avoid making assumptions in interaction.

The 12th we may receive some hard, hurtful reality checks–what we thought may not conform to What Is at all–but the good news is we see the problems with our reasoning, and we also see the best way to remedy things. The Full Moon in Virgo will follow in another post.

Today’s word image is a shopkeeper who resists selling his goods (we’re not talking about someone providing personal services, but an actual purveyor of physical items). I’ve seen this many times: someone who creates a place to sell things but doesn’t really want to let anything go–it’s more about creating a domain or kingdom and showing off what they possess. Awareness of what someone (including ourselves) wants to get out of a venture can be vital to dealing with others and circumstances successfully. This same scenario can apply to the way some people interact. What’s advertised ‘for sale’, in a sense, isn’t always what’s available–it’s the unacknowledged and unrecognized motives behind our choices that are actually on offer, every time.

For the 13th our motto, no matter who we are, might be ‘Lady Power!’ There’s strength in the feminine, in ‘being’ energies, in  the receptive. Also, Merc moves into Aries, bringing assertiveness in communications that can become aggression before we know it.

By User:LeonardoWeiss - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15876590

By User:LeonardoWeiss – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15876590

Today’s word image is a muddy rainbow. If your ideals, your dreams, your inspirations have become muddled with shadows, doubts, and negative influences, you need to set them aside and formulate new ones. Don’t feel badly about starting from scratch–damage to our vision is meant to prompt reevaluation–the image of the muddy rainbow suggests we’ve put off that assessment for too long.

The 14th we battle our own inner resistance to being held fully responsible for our choices and our lives. Anything that’s not flowing smoothly today signals matters ignored or denied, and a fear that if we accept our own power, we’ll then have to ‘walk our talk’. Wisdom and healing can be ours; the price is full acceptance of ourselves as the origin of our life picture.

Today’s word image is a book shelf where books are arranged by color, not by subject or alphabetically. The argument for arranging things this way is that the area where the shelf stands is changed in character by the arrangement of books; that the gradation of color across the spectrum integrates the books themselves more fully into their surroundings, and perhaps creates a more psychically calming atmosphere. What shift that appears irrelevant or even illogical, if implemented, would create greater harmony in your world?

On the 15th the challenge may be to respond at an instinctual level while not succumbing to negative patterns or old hurts. It may be a matter of animal impulses vs. those things that feel out of our control (and have the nature of an insult or even assault, to us) and so are prone to prompt our least effective responses. Stay calm, and be flexible about the Path you’re on–inflexibility about perceived life direction is the very thing that may spark the unthinking animal answer to external inputs.

Today’s word image is numbers. Pay attention to the numbers you are surrounded by today–if you’re an accountant, this may be an impossible task, but for everyone else, note prominent numbers, especially if they spark another association or response. Remember, numbers represent things, and so can be symbols eliciting all kinds of associations, just like anything else.

For the 16th, if we’re willing to utilize our most unique skills, those things we are gifted at (no matter how modest the function) then we can do some truly brilliant things. Today, the mind isn’t reliable–it may be irritated by its own methods, which feel too wordy or over-thought–so that we must rely on instinct, internal wisdom, what’s practical, and what’s healthy, in judging what to do.

From a 13th century Bestiary {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a crane holding a stone. This is a common symbol in heraldry, and suggests ‘Vigilance’, since the story goes that one crane stands watch over the flock at night, holding a stone, which it will drop, waking itself, should it fall asleep. What do you need to be vigilant about? And what already has in place an ‘early warning system’ that should let you relax?

Have a wonderful week!

 

Your Week 3-9 March 2017 Enjoy the Moonlight

02 Thursday Mar 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, future events in the sky, Horoscope, Mars, Retrogrades, Sun/Mercury Superior Conjunction, The Daily Word Image, Venus Retrograde

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'Moonlit Landscape' Archip Kuindshi 19th c. {{PD}}

‘Moonlit Landscape’ Archip Kuindshi 19th c. {{PD}}

3 March just enjoy the growing moonlight.

Today’s word image is actress Tilda Swinton. She’s not everyone’s cup of tea for the very reasons we should all embrace: not feeling the need to conform to others’ expectations, responding from genuine feeling and concern for others/ the planet, allowing the creative essence within to drive the existence, not fearing one’s own uniqueness (and this latter is particularly tough, since we are instinctively ‘programmed’ to feel that conformity is safety). Today, have yourself a Tilda moment: be, or do, whatever you are moved to.

4 March Venus retrogrades! Here’s something on dating during a retro, and then there’s this: “Any Venus area where we have met a dead end while she’s direct is an area prime for rejuvenation during retrograde. This means that the changed tastes and willingness to try the new and unusual in Venusian pursuits that typically surfaces during this time can be a means to re-generate a part of life that we have worn into a rut with too narrow a viewpoint, taste palette, or definition of what’s ‘right’ or appropriate for us. ‘New’ can definitely be the keyword that frees up an area and an approach leading to new relationships, experiences, and an enhanced aesthetic sense that lasts and benefits us long past Venus’ direction. The retro period can serve to modify our Venusian standards and perceptions so that they are wider and at the same time more refined once the planet appears to move forward again.” This rejuvenation is related to the House subjects where the retro occurs, which are likely very close to where Venus reversed direction 8 years ago, with the retro energy now re-visiting these topics in new form (or, sometimes, picking up precisely where they left off). And there’s also this on the current cycle.

It’s an odd mix today, as actions shape the future even as thoughts and reasoning are obscured, inspired, deluded, or steeped in deception. Opportunities and ‘luck’ come from tackling hidden, ignored, denied, or enraging matters head-on and doing one’s best–everything else simply turns in upon itself.

Too literal? By misocrazy from New York, NY - Cropped from Kipper, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17673198

Too literal? By misocrazy from New York, NY – Cropped from Kipper, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17673198

Today’s word image is a shack with a sign that reads ‘Red Herring’. What established thing in your life (possibly something that has a sense of ‘shelter’ about it) is actually a ramshackle distraction or misdirection–a red herring?

The 5th is a day when our physical actions and choices are highly effective in real-world terms–in shaping our surroundings, in producing material results, in stopping or containing the impact we have–and this is doubly so if our acts have spiritual or creative inspiration behind them. Just be aware: thoughts are thoroughly divorced from instinct, and in order to make things work, we must be our most reliable, by-the-book selves.

Today’s word image is a cement retaining wall with this spray-painted on it: ‘Please let me get what I want this time.’ A retaining wall holds back something, typically earth, preventing it inundating another area or collapsing beneath a structure. So, perhaps we can see this plea as requiring our own restraint or holding back in order to get what we want. Maybe we need to ‘firm up’ the foundation of something important to us. Or we can see the spray-painted sentence as the internal mantra of so many people, those who are always focused on the next thing, always believing their wishes aren’t heard or fulfilled; inevitably these people fail to see and appreciate what they have, since a good part of their Self-image is wrapped up in seeing themselves as denied. Take a good look around, beyond gratitude, and consider that singing a song that’s always got a sense of deprivation at its center simply attracts that very quality.

For the 6th, which just so happens to feature the Superior Conjunction of the Sun and Mercury (their meeting when Merc is in direct motion), also shows a kind of serendipitous array of contacts that promise both a strong awareness of opportunity, the social order and its requirements, the facts, and/ or the need for more, and a clear sense of ambitions and goals. Simultaneous to that, though, is a sense that we are not empowered, and that the opportunities spread before us are, one way or another, unwise in what they offer or require us to do. Concentrate today on what’s presented whole, done, or completed, in such a way that we can contemplate a new approach or venture without actually having to take too many steps right away.

No creator info provided {{PD}}

No creator info provided {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a paper doll. Remember those? We practiced our cutting skills on these cheap, easy-to-carry-along and fun-to-change-the-look-of representations. Though wonderfully entertaining, they weren’t durable, and they had their limits as they were difficult to make stand and required some patience when dealing with clothes and accessories. What in your life brings joy but is ephemeral, and may need extra care in order to preserve?

The 7th it’s all about health, mental, emotional, and the healthiness (or lack of it) related to our choices and actions. Changes and choices made today build the future, but we are in danger of making at least some of those out of fear or a compromised sense of our own wants, abilities, and power. Kinetic energy in all its forms contains a certain genius at this time–get moving and get inspired. If you can trace ‘it’ back to a fear, don’t go forward, but if you can be confident in your integrity and aims, then absolutely move ahead.

Ilja Repin 'Apples and Leaves' 1878 {{PD}}

Ilja Repin ‘Apples and Leaves’ 1878 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is an apple. What does that bring to mind? The Adam and Eve story? One a day keeps the doctor away? The story of William Tell–and are you the archer or the potential victim, with the apple on your head? Do you think of your favorite apple thing–cider, pie–or do you think of the orchards, with their delicate blossoms and their twisted trunks? In order to create the same kind of apple again and again, we resort to grafting–apples in nature are distinctly different from every tree, with no two alike. Think of the role some humble component plays in your life, and discern whether it’s a freakish natural gift, or whether it’s taken a lot of intervention and engineering just to be what it is.

For the 8th action and choice bring us power and automatically help us stake out our territory, and thoughts and reasoning are easily aligned with the highest values and priorities. The down side? We can only seem to see what’s not working with our ambitions and goals, and may spend too much energy on trying to adjust and correct, rather than pursue.

Today’s word image is a white rabbit with red eyes. When you think of a rabbit, do you think of a pet, a casserole, the Chinese zodiac symbol, Alice in Wonderland, cosmetics testing, the old-fashioned pregnancy test, the way they multiply like wildfire, how some so casually carry the rabbit’s foot for luck right up until they realize how grisly that is? Personal associations are important with this, and at least part of the meaning may lie in how often and varied have been the cultural associations projected upon the rabbit, all of which spring from how we decide to relate to this rather unresponsive and unconcerned animal.

On the 9th Mars enters Taurus, and so the Will, ego, and actions become more material and sense-related in expression. At the same time, thinking resists the facts–it may seem like too much to adjust our prejudices to reality–but at the same time we may demand sweeping change. Try to get the entirety of the psyche on the same page.

Thomas Gainsborough - 'Mary and Margaret Gainsborough, the artist's daughters' c1758 {{PD}}

Thomas Gainsborough – ‘Mary and Margaret Gainsborough, the artist’s daughters’ c1758 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is two sisters who seem to be polar opposites but are actually very much the same. Where in your life are there two elements that you’re assessing as very unalike that are in reality two peas in a pod?

Enjoy your week!

The Solar Eclipse of February 2017 Renaissance

24 Friday Feb 2017

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

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'The Icebergs' Frederic Edwin Church 1861 {{PD}}

‘The Icebergs’ Frederic Edwin Church 1861 {{PD}}

Annular Solar Eclipse (New Moon) 26 February 2017 6:58 AM PST at 8 Pisces 12

Compared to the Lunar eclipse of two weeks previous, this event is tidy, with the eclipse itself nestled by several conjoined bodies/ points: Neptune, Mercury (widely), and the South Node. This creates an atmosphere of simultaneity, where we are likely to perceive it all of a piece—and so attribute many things to the eclipse that are attributable less to the event and more to its fellow travelers. Does it matter, you may wonder? Yes and no—our experience is what’s important, but at the same time, if we want to deal effectively with what we undergo, we’d be smart to know whether something originates from the eclipse (and so reverberates through the coming six months) or from its companions, who flavor the event itself but then move on.

With a Solar eclipse in Pisces, especially one that includes sign ruler Neptune, we should expect a Renaissance. What was dreamed, or what was sought by the spirit, finally begins, and this will likely be something we are more than a little conscious of (presence of Mercury). Though liminal (that is, ‘at the threshold’, and so both known to us and influencing us without our realizing, a kind of psychic iceberg), the energy is by both nature and placement ephemeral, difficult to grasp, dream-like, and creatured with every kind of imagined thing—and yet, I used the word “Renaissance”, which describes, literally, a re-birth. Because of the involvement of both the creative spark and the mind, and the association with the past (an eclipse near the South Node point) we are likely to see a surge in what we’ve already planned, contemplated, considered, or tried previously to create—and yet it will be a new thing, taking a new form, or freshly re-imagined, sharing the aura or spirit of the past and carrying the essence of ourselves, shaped for the present.

Though Pisces is the sign of the Collective, I see this as a highly individual eclipse experience, one seated in our mentality (Mercury) and the way spirit manifests through this (Neptune); the event, though, is potentially a doorway moment for the individual to access the unseen quality of the Universe that binds us all together, and that allows the sharing of experience and sensation without physical contact. The mind will naturally put limits on this access, in an attempt to organize the creative and imaginative energies—it has its own stake in keeping us sane—as it would be unwise to seek connection with the entire Collective consciousness at once–we’re not designed for that—but we are designed to access and communicate with that consciousness carefully, even selectively, and now is our chance.

The eclipse is also semi-square Mars-Uranus, sesquiquadrate Jupiter, and falls at the rough midpoint of Juno and Ceres, forming a sextile to each. These contacts speak of the potential for personal empowerment, awareness of our own effectiveness and responsibility, and the gain of a sense of Oneness with, a balance with, and dominion over, Nature Herself; they also suggest that discomfort will likely spark spontaneity and drive action, and that we shouldn’t expect opportunities to go easily, for facts to be found or fall into place, or for the social sphere to be especially receptive to our experience or discoveries—the social will be a somewhat distant animal at this point, one we really won’t identify with, though we may feel some out-of-proportion pressure to partner with it.

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec 1898 {{PD}}

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec 1898 {{PD}}

The Sabian symbol for the eclipse is, ‘A Jockey Spurs His Horse, Intent On Outdistancing His Rivals’.  Though life is not, in any real sense, a race, we may with our personal processing of this eclipse feel like that lone jockey: competitive, needing to ‘win’ or prove our point, pushed by our animal nature (the horse) to race toward a goal, probably not of our own choosing. This symbol may warn us against translating what we receive from the Collective and from our creative urge directly into some worldly form or aim; it may serve to dissuade us from turning our inspiration into a commodity, or our spiritual experience into a competition, if we are listening. Don’t allow yourself to in some form ‘join the race’, at least not right away—wait for the figurative dust to settle, and the Piscean inspiration to take appropriate form, before dealing in real-world terms.

The one consistent effect I anticipate for everyone, no matter what House in the personal natal chart the eclipse occupies, is a kind of mirror effect; what is inside us will be outside, presented visually and/ or through the senses. We would be wise to not just note this, but to realize that what surrounds us at the eclipse point is what we are, as a Soul, immersed in, enfolded by, and generating ourselves. This eclipse offers us the chance to see ourselves inside out; don’t dismiss some elements as ‘wrong’ in what they show you—it’s all you.

As to the other influences for the day: Mars-Uranus is novile Neptune, ruler of it all, emphasizing the abrupt effect the eclipse may have on our actions and choices (and this is so despite the Sun being contra-parallel Mars–that only says how much we may be unaware of the depth of the eclipse’s influence); Mars-Uranus perfects, making a small Molotov cocktail related to our Will and our relationship to the group; and Mercury squares Black Moon Lilith, lending a frightening, forbidden, or angry tinge to our thoughts. We may want to ‘root out’ what’s been troubling us–don’t worry, the eclipse events will do it for us.

Please scroll down for the Weekly forecast, which includes brief summaries of what to expect each day, plus the Daily Image. Thank you–may your eclipse be magical!

solar-eclipse-february-2017

Your Week 24 February-2 March 2017 The Maelstrom

23 Thursday Feb 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, future events in the sky, Horoscope, The Daily Word Image

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NGC 5194 Over 60,000 light-years across, M51's spiral arms and dust lanes clearly sweep in front of its companion galaxy (top), NGC 5195. Image data from the Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys has been reprocessed to produce this alternative portrait of the well-known interacting galaxy pair. They about 31 million light-years distant. Not far from the handle of the Big Dipper, they officially lie within the boundaries of the constellation Canes Venatici NASA {{PD}}

NGC 5194 Over 60,000 light-years across, ’94’s spiral arms and dust lanes clearly sweep in front of its companion galaxy (top), NGC 5195. Image data from the Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys has been reprocessed to produce this alternative portrait of the well-known interacting galaxy pair. They are about 31 million light-years distant. Found not far from the handle of the Big Dipper, they officially lie within the boundaries of the constellation Canes Venatici NASA {{PD}}

Let’s talk about this Cardinal Grand Square that’s been around for a bit, but seems to be firming up now: Pluto, Mars-Uranus, Vesta, Zeus-Jupiter. At first it seemed to me to suggest a kind of stand-off, energetically speaking, with power firmly entrenched (Capricorn), the individual Will lighting up the group cause (Aries, with both Mars and Uranus), those things we honor as things we need to protect and nurture (Vesta in Cancer), and opportunity and desire looking for a partner (Jupiter and Zeus, respectively, in Libra)–and initially it seemed these forces balanced one another with a resulting static condition–nothing moves, but everything’s charged up. But it being formed for a few days created a curious effect: it seemed no longer static, but moving, as if it flowed in a circular fashion. Change, leads to action, leads to assessing values, leads to spotting opportunity and fosters ambitions, which leads to change, ad infinitum. We can step into and out of this swirl wherever it contacts our chart, and through the mechanism of the energy (body or point) that makes contact. That contacting Cardinal energy spurs the natal one–and in no time we’re in the maelstrom. Slowing it down requires grounding ourselves through the actions associated with each step; pursuing them consciously and deliberately keeps one from being swept up in the current and overwhelmed.

On the 24th we may not be able to help ourselves; our ambitions and desires are overblown, we’re prone to Self-indulgence and speaking thoughtlessly, and all of it happens as we simply look for a way to feel empowered. We suffer from both a too-narrow Self-focus and a sense that to uphold standards is to kiss opportunity good-bye–not so. The best approach is one that shows restraint, that respects the rules and structures currently in place, and that puts hard work ahead of short cuts. It’s not glamorous, but what results if we hold back is something truly worth having, that has the bonus of not leaving carnage in our wake.

Today’s word image is someone carrying a bowling ball, who is unable to put it down. What’s your bowling ball? That is, what’s your freakishly heavy burden, voluntarily picked up but from which you now can’t find a way to part? Freedom from the burden only comes with your own effective release, achieved by letting go of the idea that you must first perform expiation.

For the 25th change and how smart it is (or isn’t) is front and center. Like yesterday, we’re separated in some important way from our own creativity, the kind of adaptability that would normally spring from our imagination and allow us to adapt to circumstances in unique and productive ways; we are instead stuck thinking about how we can wrestle desire, fanciful or unrealistic ideas, and inevitable evolution into some shape we can handle, and with luck, benefit from. Thinking about what to do is healthy–it may be the only way we’ll get any purchase on events–but we may be too shy of the past to see the benefits of lessons learned and relationships left behind, and we may be too dependent on opportunities conforming to us to realize the only real opportunities we’ll get are those that will demand we conform to them.

Today’s word image is thirst. Though it may seem like an appetite, it’s actually a genuine need. What are you mistaking as greedy that’s really about survival?

The 26th will be covered in the Solar eclipse post to follow.

Thinking is a bit destructive on the 27th, in spite of the way, if we focus on the possible profits in every situation, we’ll see how the past has taught us to get the most from the present. Focus, in fact, aligns with the creative essence and makes a fount for those who home in. Just like yesterday, be ready to accommodate opportunity and ambition fulfillment with what they call for, rather than with how you want them to be.

'Hirsche im Winterwald' (Deer in a Winter Forest), A. Thiele 1874 {{PD}}

‘Hirsche im Winterwald’ (Deer in a Winter Forest), A. Thiele 1874 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a deer in the forest, pausing to listen. We should, too, as something may be sneaking up on us–and if we’re still, we’ll hear the rustle and snap as it makes its way toward us.

For the 28th we may question or even reject our own highest values in direct proportion to how empowered we feel; the more empowered, the more likely we are to think our own standards can be safely bent or broken. Not so. Note, too, that instincts aren’t trustworthy at this time; the ‘blind spot’ almost guarantees a screw up, so go instead with the tangible and the measurable, but everything else set aside for later.

Today’s word image is a folding knife with a beautiful antler handle. Do you believe that utilitarian things should be beautiful? If so, do you follow this precept in what you buy, invest in, create, and surround yourself with? If not, is it because you consign different things to different categories, perhaps believing that the useful must be modest or plain, without using resources unnecessarily in creating them? Do you object to the use of animal products in making the knife, and if so, is this posturing or do you follow through in all areas of your own ‘consumption life’? Do you think beauty (and so Art) is frivolous? And if you do, how much of a dissonance does this create in you when you see and respond to a work of Art?

On the 1st of March Creativity Reigns–but will that be a creative urge that translates into manifestations of ideas and inspirations, or into spinning deceit, illusion, or the entanglement of confusion in your approach and responses? There’s a genuine possibility that we won’t be able to tell the difference–so do your best to find a concrete outlet for the creative spark–that way you can easily see the result.

Strength and power are vital and easily accessed, especially via the anima and its related energies: receptivity, being as a state of action, nurture, acceptance. Independent thinking aligned with one’s highest values brings opportunity and a chance for ambition realization–so make the most of this.

Vincent van Gogh - 'The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Winter' 1883 {{PD}}

Vincent van Gogh – ‘The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Winter’ 1883 {{PD}}

Word image for the 1st is an old tree, uprooted by a gentle wind. That’s not possible, is it? It is if the tree’s roots died months ago from drought. What matter that feels established and permanent, venerable and sturdy, is already for all real purposes dead?

The 2nd we focus on perfection of the Jupiter-Uranus opposition. This creates a kind of solid fulcrum, hard as bone, off which other energies will swing, bounce, hinge, or hang. It’s a dynamic Cardinal connection that bisects the flat chart and connects for the individual both the Houses across which it stretches (Aries and Libra) and the Houses these two planets rule (those holding Sagittarius and Aquarius). In the most general terms, it’s likely to create unexpected opportunity or a chance event that stirs concepts surrounding the individual’s position within ‘the group’, as well as the relationship to ‘the facts’ and including a ‘reliability factor’ (or unreliability factor, as the case may be)–and spreads out from there via the other aspects in play and the way this opposition connects with the nativity of each person.

The atmosphere surrounding the Cardinal opposition is one of sudden events triggered, fortuitous or calamitous, and promises thinking too focused on power acquisition or on getting others to do as we say, which ends up sabotaging our own actions and wants, and drawing on factors from the past, most of which need to stay there. It just doesn’t pay to take matters into our own hands. Allow serendipity to do the heavy lifting. Though actions seems called for, the key may be to allow the facts and opportunities to surface and be made evident on their own.

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Your Week 17-23 February 2017 Fathom It

16 Thursday Feb 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Horoscope, The Daily Word Image

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Ilya Repin 1875 {{PD}}

Ilya Repin 1875 {{PD}}

The 17th we are tuned in to our instincts–actions reflect a kind of psychic muscle-memory that makes our choices highly expressive of who we are–it’s just that, with our eyes on the prize (likely Love or Money) we may find ourselves too radical, too impulsive, or caught up with matters previously ignored or denied, and so sabotaging what would otherwise be harmonious activity. Put conscious attention on the pay off you’re looking for; this may serve to re-align those action urges with our ‘ideal Self’ expression, and so be most true to who we are at our best.

Today’s word image is a classic play, badly staged. What ‘performance’ are you currently witnessing that is clumsy, unconvincing, and/ or that doesn’t respect the source material? And will you choose to be a critic, to walk out on the show, or be inspired to put on a better show yourself?

On the 18th we just can’t see relationships or finances clearly, not through any fault of our own, but due to a highly disorienting psychic haze that settles on the subject matter and makes it indecipherable. This is partly about issues we’ve ignored or denied–it’s as if this attitude has been in place just long enough to make attempts at focusing or fathoming impossible as we work against our own practiced, voluntary blindness–and it’s also about the way we’ve refused to stick to the facts, of late; wishful thinking is not helping, and it’s time to acknowledge that. Use ideals as a guide, and don’t expect anything to be clear in the moment.

Today’s word image is three crows, their feathers gleaming blue-black in the sunlight, perched along a fence. Watch for a trio, trinity, threesome, or triumvirate, and note that, though they may present very differently, they are all actually very much alike.

The 19th we’re so focused on our ambitions and desires that we can think of little else–nor should we. Make plans, consider, research, anticipate–it’s time to create a crisp, clear mental picture of what we want.

François Barraud - 'Nature morte avec carafe de vin, pain et lunettes' c1930 {{PD}}

François Barraud – ‘Nature morte avec carafe de vin, pain et lunettes’ c1930 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a delicious, very appealing, dark purple drink. Is it wine, grape soda, prune juice, pomegranate with or without alcohol, a raspberry lemonade, blueberry liqueur, or something else? Whatever comes to mind, consider that a symbol of the lens you’re currently applying to life (in cruder terms, the Kool-Aid you’ve chosen to drink). For instance, wine might suggest you are intoxicated with the world at present, allowing it to work a kind of spell on you that may cause you to act in an uninhibited manner, to positive or negative effect. If it’s made from fruit, consider how you may be squeezing things for all they can give you–and so may be resourceful or, conversely, spending too much time wringing the last drops from already-spent events. If it’s sweet, you might consider that it makes it easier to get through what might otherwise be disheartening times, but that it also makes one prone to ’emotional spills’ that can be quite sticky. You get my drift.

On the 20th we’re much too fond of our own erratic nature (which we might mistake for originality) and so end up disrespecting the very things that are most important to us–and that’s too bad, because if we can set aside the need to show others how unique we are, we have a good shot at coming up with some truly original ideas, to be implemented later, when we can separate the weakness of the ego (the times when we need external reinforcement and reassurance) from the useful idea or creative spark. It’s all about removing the demand for attention or recognition from the equation–true modesty is an incubator for effective ideas and plans–do your best.

'1900 Exposition universelle' Photo by William Herman Rau Library of Congress {{PD}}

‘1900 Exposition universelle’ Photo by William Herman Rau Library of Congress {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a tower with no windows and no doors. What are you finding inaccessible, that if you could access it, would offer a view with much greater range and depth?

On the 21st we may find ourselves smack-dab in the middle of the past, re-hearing old messages (especially from the social circle), and having trouble connecting with our own power and potentials. Particularly in the case of Venusian energies, we may see their expression (listen up, ladies!) as incompatible with expression of authority, dominion, and our own natural gifts. This is the kind of thinking that separates us from our own strength–and may be ‘offered’ to us by someone (or through some mechanism) from the past. Forewarned, as they say.

Today’s word image is an innocent party favor, a paper crown. Look around you; who’s wearing theirs with a fun attitude, and who’s taking theirs seriously, and without a trace of irony. That latter’s who you need to watch out for.

The 22nd we take Action! with a capital ‘A’, and our choices are fueled by instinct, though we may very quickly find that a combination of influences (our own ambitions, insistence on ignoring the social sphere and who actually holds the power, reluctance to think about what we’ve been ignoring or denying) create some untenable dynamics that seem to demand sacrifice in order to move forward. That is incorrect–what they really demand is a reasonable willingness to modify our ambitions and aims, as well as openness to feedback (available through study of the facts and/ or the social sphere) that fills in the gaps in our own ‘blind spots’. Stay calm, and navigate with care.

By Thomas Altfather Good - Original Work, GFDL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21041094

By Thomas Altfather Good – Original Work, GFDL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21041094

Today’s word image is canned soup. Nobody prefers canned soup to homemade, do they? What are you accepting that represents ease but inferior quality? And is that how you want to live?

For the 23rd, be advised: Thoughts are Things. Be aware of the potential for Self-sabotage (chiefly by not owning your power or role as an authority) or by acting as if those thoughts you are manifesting are not really something you’re in control of. Look too for the possibility that others may demand you modify your standards or values in order to win their approval. Of course, don’t–though you may just want to remain still (they can’t see you if you don’t move!) until their attention focuses elsewhere.

Today’s word image is a flower and a note addressed to you, lying on a table. What kind of flower is it, and what does the note say? After you answer that, consider that the note is from your own unconscious mind–now what is it telling you?

Donate!   Read!   Enjoy your weekend!

 

Your Week 10-16 February 2017 Accept It

09 Thursday Feb 2017

Posted by in astrology, forecast, Horoscope, The Daily Word Image, Weekly Astrology

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Robinet Testard, Allegory of Music or Erato in an illuminated manuscript of Echecs amoureux, ca 1496-1498 {{PD}}

Robinet Testard, Allegory of Music or Erato in an illuminated manuscript of Echecs amoureux (failed loves), c1496-1498 {{PD}}

I have only a couple of things I’d like to add to the eclipse picture for the 10th: Mother Nature backs instincts–trust them, they’re unlikely to be delusions or wishful thinking at this point, though be careful to vet them against the facts or the reality picture, to insure they aren’t simply distractions from the core (eclipse) issues; be aware it’s a false equivalency if someone tries to persuade you that prosperity is a direct reflection of smarts–it isn’t; and it may be tempting to distort values to fit current situations–don’t.

No word image for today–we’ve got enough pictures flying around in our minds as it is.

In the lee of the eclipse, on the 11th we see and live, or deny and suppress, what’s healthy–there’s no in-between–and since opportunities will abound, we need to be clear on what’s smart (and that means what’s healthy), in order to take advantage of them. Best source of wisdom? I hate to say it, but it may be authorities, custom, tradition, and father figures–but keep in mind, sometimes we can learn as much from examples of what we shouldn’t be as we can from what we should.

Today’s word image is a double-headed swan. What do we say about swans, besides that they’re beautiful? That they mate for life. The symbol may suggest such a committed melding, a ‘two fleshes that become one’ kind of relationship, and that relationship may be between individuals or an individual and some commitment. We tend to hold this up as the ideal of marriage in our society–but is it truly healthy to lose oneself in commitment to another? It can be–if we maintain a separate and Self-respecting sense of identity, interests, and values (the two heads)–that is, if we don’t subdue our own Beingness in favor of the partner’s–and if we are willing to walk away should the relationship become destructive to who we are.

For the 12th we may feel overwhelmed by seemingly inevitable and relentless change, destruction, transformation, resurrection, entropy, decay, and shifts to structures and forms we’ve always counted on. The vertigo is understandable, and may persuade us that our ambitions and goals may be harmed by changes we can’t stop–but that fear is simply an expression of the disconnect between our conscious minds and our instincts. A good place to jump-start the connection is with the transiting Moon and the subjects of the natal House the Moon’s currently passing through; it’s roughly at mid- to late Virgo, and just from its current sign we know that being accountable, that taking a detail or critically-oriented approach, one focused on results (the Harvest), will help us align the conscious mind with the unconscious perceptions–and so remove the tension that can grow when we perceive but don’t ‘know’.

Today’s word image is something green–whatever thing, of whatever shade, that grabs your attention. It’s a synchronous marker, a notice to pay attention now, a wake up call to something untested, untried, or unripe, a hint to watch what’s growing. If the green is a shade you wouldn’t find in nature, then consider what unnatural thing may have been masquerading as organic to your life.

The 13th brings a perceptible shift–it becomes apparent that what’s been hidden or ignored is fact-based, is seated in wide-ranging relationships, and missing this may have stymied opportunities–and we may feel rebellious from, or very much at odds with, our own wisdom, nature, and personal authority. We reject the very idea that we should’ve been paying attention. We may seek to avoid responsibility–we play the rebel, the righteous one, or the genius, and in the role see an escape from the mundane or the disciplined–but really, our instincts and impulses will lead us astray–only the concrete, the contained, the austere, and the serious will offer progress at this time.

Today’s word image is one customer ignored while another is attended promptly. That is an awful situation, whether you are the one ignored (and so feeling shamed and infuriated by the way you’re treated) or the one who receives help in the presence of the ignored one (and so feeling equal parts embarrassed, guilty, and angry) as even in the situation of noting to the clerk, when it applies, that the other person was first rarely prompts a change. This image may speak to our own assumptions about what we’re ‘owed’, as well as pointing out that sometimes we just have to deal with others’ prejudices and filters, no matter what our position. It also may suggest that feelings such as shame or guilt that are unrelated to our own actions are an inappropriate burden we’re not meant to carry; these have roots in unresolved internal matters, and have attached themselves to someone else’s choices, making us feel somehow responsible even though we aren’t.

On the 14th those who own their own empowerment both shape the future and ‘win’; but be aware that actions and choices have a tendency to arise from past experiences rather than a position of strength, and that you may be feeling certain social pressures that threaten wounds, and so must be adjusted for.

Gustav Klimt 1902 {{PD}}

Gustav Klimt 1902 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a storm anticipated that never arrives. Are we looking for upset, drama, trouble? Being prepared for it is one thing, but arranging our lives around potential ‘bad weather’ is an entirely unnecessary other thing, one that bleeds energy from our efforts and taints our goals and expression of purpose.

For the 15th we see all forms of Nature (including human) support our expression of our most unique and individual skill sets, but we must go forward on mental and emotional energy alone, as creativity just isn’t available; the creative urge is stuck somewhere under the rules, the incorporated voices of authorities past and present, and in our own fears of being freakish or out-of-control. Any time you’re feeling queasy, just think about what really matters to you, and re-align efforts from there.

Today’s word image is a rocking chair. Take things as they come, accept the ebb and flow of energy, and relax with something soothing and meditative.

The 16th, in a somewhat round-about way, brings man-woman issues seated in who holds what power. Everyone has something to say about this: the social sphere, authorities, Mom, people who are angry, those who aren’t gaining what they’d hoped or meeting their goals, the empowered and the disempowered, literally everyone with a stake in the game–and that applies doubly to those who see themselves as above it all–they are more vulnerable than anyone to wrestling for power without realizing they are! It’s easy to be destructive or wish to wipe the slate clean, but think carefully before you do, because at this time the baby of progress goes right out with the clearing-the-decks-bathwater, scuttling any advantages we’ve so far acquired.

Today’s word image is time travel. Say what?! You’ll have a little taste of that today; it gives you the chance to decide whether you want to go back to that era, or not.

I’m a little late spreading the word, but you might want to check this out at the excellent ‘Neptune and the Oak’

This week in a song (at least, this is the way it might feel):

The Lunar Eclipse February 2017 Daring To Be Ourselves

07 Tuesday Feb 2017

Posted by in Configurations, Finger of God, Full Moon, Kite, Lunar Aspects, Lunar Eclipse, Sabian Symbols

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'The Circus' George Bellows 1912 {{PD}}

‘The Circus’ George Bellows 1912 {{PD}}

Lunar Eclipse (Full Moon) 10 February 2017 4:32 PM PST at 22 Leo 28

This eclipse occurs concurrent with and involved in several configurations: a Finger of God with base of Lunar eclipse-Jupiter, apex Chiron; a Kite involving the eclipse axis and Saturn-Hygeia and Uranus; and a Fire Grand Trine of Luna-Earth, Uranus, and Saturn-Hygeia; a Finger with base of Sun and Saturn-Hygeia, apex Vesta, with this latter body only 5 minutes off exact semi-sextile to the Lunar eclipse; a loose Fixed Grand Cross with the Sun-Earth-Lunar axis squaring an opposition of Sedna and a 29 degree Black Moon Lilith —and unrelated to the eclipse, a Finger with base of Sedna-Chiron, apex Jupiter, and a loose Cardinal Grand Cross with Vesta, Uranus, Pluto, and Zeus-Jupiter.

But if we keep a reasonable orb of roughly 3 degrees + or –, we don’t have any aspects to the eclipse that aren’t wrapped up in a config, though it’s arguable that Venus and Mars, roughly 5 degrees apart in Aries, both form sesquiquadrates to the eclipse outside of any configuration—they’re the exception. These contacts suggest issues may masquerade as male-female, animus-anima, or complementary opposites in conflict, or requiring adjustment—when the real issues lie in the energy patterns of the configurations—the Mars-Venus energy may just represent the delivery system, a clash between disparate elements that demands adjustment.

lunar-eclipse-february-2017

Eclipse inclusion in multiple patterns implies a highly dynamic set of circumstances that may appear to be independent of one another, but that are almost certainly linked through the Lunar energy (the exceptions being the Finger apex Jupiter and the Cardinal Grand Cross)—and that Lunar link grounds these dynamics in time—that is, it allows the eclipse itself to represent a locus where all these energies converge. Will each individual experience all the dynamic energy patterns of the eclipse? No, but each will experience some of them, largely depending on how (and how intensely) the eclipse fits in to the personal natal chart picture.

The event occurs in Leo, suggesting our attention is on ourselves, our role, our effectiveness, how well we ‘shine’, on issues of generosity and purpose, on identity and focus, and on the concept of ‘heart’ defined as the enthusiasm and commitment with which we meet a subject, and we add to this matters represented by the natal House in which the eclipse occurs. We definitely get feedback in these areas, but it will spread out in many different situations or life areas, so that events may appear distinctly unrelated. This is part of why the eclipse energy will be so confusing: the mix of internal and external information coming at us will be both interdependent (the many contacts) and carry a scent of revelation (Sedna, Uranus), Self-discovery (Leo), and crisis (Black Moon Lilith at 29 degrees, Saturn-Hygeia, Chiron), so that we may easily be distracted by any number of issues, our attention drawn in any number of directions.

Let’s start with the Finger of God with base of Lunar eclipse-Jupiter, apex Chiron; this implies that feelings about, or intuitions centered on, the actual material situation as it applies to ‘the facts’, education, anything ‘foreign’, anything at a distance, or to our social position or the general milieu that surrounds us, creates hurt or demands utilization of our most unique skills. We can answer the intuitive knowing, the emotional reaction, and the social ‘stress’ with either a hurt reaction or one that mobilizes our talents—our choice.

Carl Spitzweg c1885 {{PD}}

Carl Spitzweg c1885 {{PD}}

Next we have the Kite involving the eclipse axis and Saturn-Hygeia and Uranus. We may see sudden events or revelations concerning or affecting the ‘health’ of real-world matters or material situations, possibly through rules or restrictions imposed by ‘the group’—or, we see sudden, easy suppression of the health (or what was an otherwise healthy situation), with the result showing at the Lunar eclipse, and revealing something important about identity or purpose (Sun in opposition). This could suggest sudden shifts in what’s considered ‘healthy’, the normalizing of the abnormal, the pressures of revolution on tradition, the past, and current authorities, the prospect of revolution, and all of it under inspection for whether these are healthy options, in the largest sense, or not. This can be a messy scenario that either makes the eclipse event have emotional impact, or creates the emotional impact from which the eclipse events arise.

The Fire Grand Trine of Luna-Earth, Uranus, and Saturn-Hygeia carries much the same message as the Kite, but offers the option of creating balance (the Trine) through action/ ‘doing’  (Fire). Considering the eclipse occurs in Leo, a Fire sign, it’s likely that taking action will be our natural response—how comfortable we are with that, though, can only be determined by how and in what House the eclipse hooks into the natal chart.

The other eclipse-involved Finger consists of a base of Sun and Saturn-Hygeia, apex Vesta, with this latter body only 5 minutes off exact semi-sextile to the Lunar eclipse; here the Finger dynamic may masquerade as either an offshoot of or a distraction from the eclipse itself. Issues of identity, purpose, and Self-expression are tested via the reality picture, forcing you to ask the question, ‘How well am I actualizing myself and my potentials?’—and the answer is found in your commitments, your highest values and your ability to live them, and in those matters and individuals to which you dedicate your life energy. Those are big subjects, writ on a big canvas, and so we may feel we are unable to answer adequately or meaningfully, at least in terms of being able to translate big causes and trends to the spiritual and concrete energy dedications of the individual life. This is one question that needs to be answered, and answered specifically at this time—don’t brush it off.

There is a Fixed Grand Cross with the Sun-Earth-Lunar axis squaring an opposition between Sedna and a 29 degree Black Moon Lilith, suggesting a crisis with matters too long ignored, denied, or unjust, prompted by our own denial of our instincts or weaknesses, and triggered by the eclipse event. This has ‘dilemma’ written all over it—and as a Fixed matter, may seem intractable. One thing to keep in mind is that, despite all the influences at work (and sometimes at cross-purposes) the essence of things is still a Full Moon, an ending that may have the nature of a wipe-out in the House where the eclipse falls—and that means that no matter what is happening, some circumstances are drawing to a close, even if in the moment they still appear viable.

Overall, what we may need to do, as the impressions and issues layer, one upon another, is focus our choices and actions through those positive expressions available to us, thereby minimizing the distractions and possible destruction inherent in concentrating our energy and attention on the negative situations and circumstances presented. We see outlets in assessing our effective actualization, in the choice to approach things from a healed rather than a hurt perspective (and so emphasize health in all our choices), and most especially in the promised potential of creating balance by taking action. It seems confidence in our ability to handle what comes along, a positive focus on what’s healthy, a willingness to deal with real-world realities and the facts, a determination to make the most of who we are as individuals, are all key to meeting and accepting these energies, using them to their utmost, rather than being overwhelmed by them.

The Finger and Cardinal Grand Cross that don’t directly figure in to the eclipse offer their own possibly distracting (or aiding) input, which we may easily mistake for eclipse energy. The Finger of Sedna-Chiron, apex Jupiter, implies the potential for taking our injured instincts public, or trying to base ‘facts’ on our own wounds (shades of ‘alternative facts!’); a better use would be application of instincts and skills (especially those honed through hurt and experience) to expansion of our knowledge and our world. The Cross consists of Vesta, Uranus, Pluto, and Zeus-Jupiter, and seems most likely to act as support for the idea of creating balance through action (Cardinal energy), particularly action that is original, fearless, based on highest values, and takes an optimistic view of our goals.

The Sabian for the Lunar eclipse is, ‘In A Circus The Bareback Rider Displays Her Dangerous Skill’. This smacks of the courage (a very Leo thing!), daring, and confidence that the eclipse will call forth if we respond with our ‘best Self’. The situations presented may be dicey, uncomfortable, out of our element, or downright dangerous, but in any case will be handled best with a combination of bravery and skill.

Niko Pirosmani 'Black Bear' {{PD||

Niko Pirosmani ‘Black Bear’ {{PD||

We also look at the Sun for a Full Moon event: ‘A Big Bear Sitting Down And Waving All Its Paws’. This is an odd position for a bear, simply because the action doesn’t serve any purpose, and in fact may make the animal more vulnerable than it would otherwise be. We may see a lot of emotional ‘paw waving’, lots of motion and drama that leads nowhere and may even distract from what we need to see. This eclipse is definitely a kind of test: of nerve, of concentration, on seriousness of purpose, and of the skills, abilities, and learning we have so far accumulated—but remember, the test isn’t coming from the outside, observed and measured by some authority; its sole purpose is so that we can see our own abilities, measure our own skills, and sharpen our own focus and clarity of intent.

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Very clear explanations of the eclipse phenomenon

Julie Demboski's ASTROLOGY

Addressing the Individual Experience Within the Universal Truth

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