By Martin Brandenburg ‘Elfenreigen’, um 1906/09 {{PD}}

The AstroEssence: A positive attitude draws serendipitous conditions and events; even the crabby and negative among us get a break. It’s as if values and commitments automatically shape the Path, relationships and financial responsibility influence the social role and efforts at gaining knowledge and at expansion attempts, and awareness guides materialization; what we think about appears around us. Obviously, the extent of reward or success we achieve is based on our outlook and intentions, corresponding to how much energy we put into the positive (and of course, those who dwell on the negative pull in a corresponding energy, as well). This is a normal operation of energy amplified; we have the chance to see very clearly our actual approach to life and the results we can expect from it. The ability to persuade ourselves we’re being effective is removed, replaced by real evidence of what we’re putting out there, what we’re drawing in (Vesta nov NN, Venus sxt Jupiter and nov Mars, Merc and the Sun nov Saturn, just ahead of the Superior Conjunction of the 27th)

James Ward – ‘A Bat’ undated {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a bat. We mostly have an aversion to these squishy-faced, eerie-winged creatures, associating them with what’s frightening and dark, with vampires and the Underworld. The reality is most of them eat fruit and bugs, and play an important part in the ecosystem. What in our lives are we demonizing that we should actually be thankful for? Inspect assumptions and attitudes, and re-tool them for a more realistic appraisal of what’s around you; recognition that everything has a value goes a long way toward removing unwarranted prejudices.

For those born with the Sun at 3 Scorpio: Health issues seem like something that can be kicked down the road and attended to later, but you’d be smart to look into them now. The body and Beingness needs your attention; it’s the right time to deal with old injuries, with preventative measures, and with clearing the mental and emotional slates. Taking a stance of accountability puts you in a great position to go forward in future, undistracted by personal matters, making a significant impact when you do. Good luck, Scorpio, and Happy Birthday!

John William Waterhouse – Circe, 1911 {{PD}}

The AstroEssence: Is it relationships and their demands that challenge your realization of the dream, or is it finances, or assets, or lacking the cooperation of others that’s preventing you creating what you want? Here’s a thought: if you think something is standing in your way, it’s not. It may look solid, like a true and insurmountable obstacle, an obligation or duty that pulls all your sugar over to someone else’s cause, leaving you too exhausted to go after what you say you want, but it’s almost a given that you haven’t even tried to climb over it, go around it, or punch through that paper tiger, to get to your goal. Here’s another thought: maybe you’re just saying you want it, rather than really wanting it. I’m not trying to disparage anyone, or anyone’s dreams, I’m only saying that sometimes we have very good reasons, ones we just don’t acknowledge, for not going toward that thing we like to think we want–we instead tell ourselves what’s stopping us is out there, and how sad that we’ll never have what we desire–it’s a way to celebrate an image of ourselves we’ll never have to live up to–but that’s a little too close to pretending we are victims, rather than seeing that there’s some part of this equation we’re not admitting to–and it’s important for our own sake that we divine what we may be hiding from, avoiding knowing, ignoring, or so angry about that we’re actually sabotaging ourselves.

These same influences could also show us the worthless nature of a fantasy or idealized vision, with the likely impetus to the big reveal a need to change how we think about our values and priorities, along with a need to finally acknowledge something we’ve been avoiding. It may be very difficult, but today we see in what way we’re cheating our own dream, keeping ourselves from fulfillment, and in the process holding back from the world the very thing we came here to give (Venus sq Neptune, Mercury sq Vesta, Sun parallel Black Moon Lilith)

Today’s word image is paperwork not filled out. There’s something you need to actively participate in, commit to, or put your John Hancock to that you’ve been putting off. It’s time to make at least one commitment that benefits yourself, and to make that promise visible to others (the symbol of the paperwork), no matter how small.

We’re at one of those awkward points when the Sun ‘straddles’ the day; see yesterday’s birthday look ahead for those with the Sun at 2 Scorpio, and tomorrow’s outlook for the Sun at 3 Scorpio.

Meijer de Haan ‘Les Teilleuses de Lin’ 1889 {{PD}}

The AstroEssence: We’re seeking empowerment (by that I mean we’re looking for ways to make our actions count, to have an impact, whether that’s in our own lives, out in the world, or both) but for some reason we’re rejecting our own instincts, and unable to admit we may be laboring in our ‘blind spot’, and so pushing forward ignorant of what we’re missing. Take the time to consider, dig deep, really think about things before going on or choosing; a little modesty and forethought goes a long way today, both keeping us out of trouble and reserving our attention and efforts for where they’re really needed (Juno opp Sedna, Merc into Scorpio)

Nosferatu waits for a call, just like anybody else. By Pablo-flores assumed (based on copyright claims). – No machine-readable sources provided. CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=610352

Today’s word image is a promised phone call that never comes. Have you ever done that, said you’d call someone and then not done it? Or received that promise from someone else? This time it’s something you expected from the Universe–and now you must acknowledge that it didn’t arrive as you thought it would. My thought is: adapt. Stop holding this expectation as part of your future, because that surely means you’ve been holding a part of yourself in reserve, as well.

For those born with the Sun at 02 Scorpio: You feel you’ve ironed out any wrinkles in both your thinking and your priorities–so now what? It may be that you spend the year between now and your next birthday feeling cut adrift, separated from the old identity, roles, and/ or ways of approaching things but not quite connected to your new place in things. The good part of that is that it gives you the opportunity to shape yourself in any way you like; the bad part is that it may be a little lonely until you choose your next ‘form’. Good luck, Scorpio, and Happy Birthday!

Georges Seurat, 1891 {{PD}}

The AstroEssence: Unreality, distortion, the imagined, the deceptive all permeate thinking, reasoning, and perception today–and yet, we’ll know something’s amiss, we’ll sense the fun-house version of reality we’re receiving, filtered through minds that are confused about the difference between fact and fiction. This may distract us from more conventionally productive efforts, but could also supply some amazing inspiration or a deeply moving spiritual experience (aside from that one we have all the time, of course) (Mercury sesquiquadrate and parallel Neptune, Sun semi-sq Saturn)

Piggy bank from German bank HASPA, around 1970. Photo by GeorgHH {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a child’s piggy bank, from which the coins can only be extracted once it’s been shattered.  What ‘treasure’, resource, talent, positive have you been storing away, saving up, hoarding, or accumulating that you now would be wise to access, even if it takes a ‘shattering’ change? It’s time.

For those born with the Sun at 28 Libra: You may be too concerned this coming year with the idea of ‘fate’, as if your free Will could be overpowered at any moment by the pre-planned, the Destined, or the inescapable. It would be a mistake to believe this, but the mere existence of the idea may cause you to react passively to challenges and obstacles. Though it’s true a proactive stance won’t really bring you what you want at this time, neither will complete abdication of Self-responsibility. You’ll need to compromise your expression, thinking of progress in terms of building blocks rather than sweeping accomplishments; but it is the time to frame goals for the future, and to dream so that you can incorporate your most inspired desires in your real-life direction. Good luck, Libra, and Happy Birthday!

By HaguardDuNord – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26224080

The AstroEssence: We put up walls against what amounts to the Truth; it will come at us in a great many forms that we don’t immediately recognize as vehicles for enlightenment. We resist for the simple fact that we have likely stumbled upon a door within those Self-fashioned walls that is a little bit of genius, but we hesitate to go through it; we are somehow fixed on not being our most original Self–and that’s not to mention the aversion to recognizing our own authority and power to affect things. This negative Self-view stems from the feeling lately that reality is harsh; if you can’t face making the most of that bit of genius, that tremendously productive and profitable idea, or that beckoning relationship, then tuck it away for later, when you don’t feel like you’ve just been sucker-punched by the world (Saturn sesq Ceres, Mercury nov Venus, contra-parallel Uranus and Sedna, also opposed Uranus, Sun opp Ceres)

See? They need their horns. By Flickr user James Temple – http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamestemple/312326185/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1667679

Today’s word image is a rhinoceros that’s missing his horn. This is an item of helpful Self-defense when meeting others of the same kind, or even would-be predators. We know that in some cultures the horn is powdered and prized as medicine, but is there ever any excuse for such a blatantly cruel act? I think not. Watch your surroundings for someone who seems formidable, but who may have had their best defense ripped away from them, and so may need your understanding more than your challenge or your criticism.

For those born with the Sun at 27 Libra: ‘Fate’ is speaking to you via the career, this year through to your next birthday. How will you respond? The temptation may be to go straight for the power, but you may do much better to take your time and negotiate–doing so will bring you much more than you would’ve been able to simply command as your own. Good luck, Libra, and Happy Birthday!

By Petteri Sulonen – http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=140957047&size=l, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=760246

The AstroEssence: I’m sure conventional wisdom says we should all be focused on the Mars-Pluto conjunction–and that makes sense, though it’s a bit like a house on fire, and you’re standing and staring at the flames. That fire’s eating the oxygen in the room, igniting everything inflammable, burning down some Capricornian structure related to the House where the conflagration conjunction, occurs, it may spread havoc to the Houses ruled by Mars-Pluto, but, let’s be clear, nobody’s missing that fire. So what do we need advice about this for? Isn’t the only applicable advice: put out the fire?

True, some may succumb to ego and try to pull the whole charred structure down (think of the human dumpster fire that is Donald Trump with that lickety-flame hair–like all the most toxic people, if he can’t win he’ll claim it’s rigged and trash the whole thing, whether it’s a card game or a national election–and of course today is the final debate–brace yourselves for some Molotov-cocktail throwing on both sides that could spark a firestorm); for the rest of us, choices may carry a ‘do (Mars) or die (Pluto)’ cast.

I firmly believe we’ll all see the fire–what we won’t be quite so aware of (which may allow it to have a much greater impact than we realize) are these influences: Vesta moves into Leo, prompting us to honor priorities, the mate, and the home (a potential burning structure) for our own sake–that offers excellent Self-care; the Sun is sesquiquadrate the South Node point, perhaps drawing our attention back repeatedly to what didn’t work in the past–a distraction we don’t need; and Mercury is busy busy busy, novile and contra-parallel the North Node, parallel Zeus, and quincunx Chiron, which means thinking is aligned with ambitions and desires but is resistant to moving into the future, and reasoning springs at least somewhat from the injured portion of the psyche–and that implies the mind may carry a bias we aren’t even conscious of.

It’s that Vesta move into Leo that saves the day; it urges us to clear out the static, the conflicting messages, and the obscuring smoke, and measure things by what we care about most, and this time we’re smart enough to throw our own welfare into the mix–so it’s likely that, as long as something else doesn’t overwhelm (by other transits to the natal picture), whatever moves we make will be in our own best interests, and serve to protect what we honor and commit our energy to.

‘Chinese tea and pine nut cookies’ Photo by Michal Osmenda from Brussels, Belgium Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic

Today’s word image is a red tin of your favorite cookies. A small indulgence can be disproportionately comforting today, so find your pleasures where you may.

For those born with the Sun at 27 Libra: You are headed toward something I can only describe as a unification of the Self with Nature, or becoming a Negotiator, and/ or attaining immense personal authority. How can you tell which it will be, you ask? You already know if you’re slated for power over others, or to take on an extraordinarily influential role within some natural construct, shaping and, in a sense, ‘authorizing’ its effect. Don’t be shy–admit that’s what’s coming, at least to yourself, and get busy preparing; though some people look down their noses at the idea of studying up, you’ll make a much more serious and effective impact if you get ready ahead of time. Good luck, Libra, and Happy Birthday!

There’s a new page up: Mercury, Venus, and Mars Retrogrades for 2017

Beach of icebergs, in the south coast of Iceland, close to the Jokulsarlon lagoon… Photo by Moyan Brenn – https://www.flickr.com/photos/aigle_dore/21202481350/ CC BY 2.0

The AstroEssence: When the planet of relationships, what we value, and of gain (Venus) enters Sagittarius, we start to look at the facts, and this time around we have the courage and presence of mind to really see them, and to know what’s smart; change happens. This particular blend of influences can have almost magical repercussions in a gnarly election period, could help us get a clearer hold on our own instincts and the influence of material hidden in our ‘blind spots’, and could bring our identities toward their best and purest form, as close to unadulterated ‘Truth’ as they’ve ever been. A few will flip a destructive switch, fearing what lies within and so freaking out over potential exposure of who they really are–but they should relax: for anyone willing to see already knows what they’re about (Venus enters Sagittarius and is parallel and semi-sq Pluto, Mercury trine Pallas, Sun qnx Sedna)

Today’s word image is fog. What in your life creates immediate mystery, implying it simply by obscuring things? Rather than searching for an answer (and so pouring a lot of energy into something that, in the end, may not matter at all), sit back and savor the tantalizing way you just don’t know, allowing you to turn your attention toward what you can grasp, what you can affect, toward what really matters.

For those born with the Sun at 26 Libra: You’ve been running on instinct, and probably your last nerve–now it’s time to get right with Nature and your own biology, authorities in your world and your own personal expression of authority, to learn effective negotiation, and/ or to smooth things over with Mom. One or more of these topics will feature in the year ahead for you, and all of them suggest that you must fully and completely step up and take responsibility for your own choices and actions–if you don’t it could be a long, tough year with plenty of repercussions. On the plus side, if you’re honest with yourself, you’ll have the knack of knowing exactly what everyone else thinks–that gives you a distinct advantage. Good luck, Libra, and Happy Birthday!

‘Buckwheat Harvesters’, 1888 Émile Bernard {{PD}}

The AstroEssence: This is the story of how we’ll get what we’ve worked for and honored, and those in authority will just have to adjust to what we receive. The rewards, however, may be surreptitious, hidden in something dark or of lesser worth, even found in something others have discarded or rejected. A flowering of love may be what’s given us, and we may not at first see how much we deserve this–but we do. At the same time, ambition fulfillment is on everyone’s mind, but we’ll have a rough time visualizing what we want, because the light of what is (a light that is shining on exactly why we have earned the things we have) will be very bright; just make sure to take note of whatever good thing comes your way, Love, laughter, admiration, cooperation, even cash, that wasn’t there before (Venus trine Vesta, parallel Saturn, and qnx Ceres, Mercury conjoined Zeus, Sun sesq Neptune)

Loop the Loop, Coney Island (1903) {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a roller coaster. Aside from the obvious symbolism of whip-lashy experiences, what does this thing mean to you? Do you love them, hate them, or are you indifferent? I used to love them, and now don’t care for them, so the image makes me think: What is it that we once adored, that now we’d rather never experience again? This points to changing tastes, and possibly some re-defining of our own Self-image, as well as a recognition of the world’s current, disorienting state.

For those born with the Sun at 25 Libra: It’s funny–odd funny, not funny ha-ha–that there’s a crisis in either Love or Money in your life, and yet your attention is anywhere but there! You seem much more concerned with following your own instincts to see where they might lead, and in digging into your own psyche for treasure. Well now it’s time for you to see: one or more of the relationships or sources of ‘flow’ you’ve come to take for granted is in danger of disappearing–wake up and do something about it. It may not be readily apparent, and it may take the entire year to your next birthday to play out–but forewarned, as the say. Good luck, Libra, and Happy Birthday!