‘Hoodoos and aurora in Drumheller, Alberta’ Photo by Keith E. Doucet CC BY-SA 3.0 Via Wikimedia Commons

First, a little review of the T/ Cross that has enlivened everything of late: “There’s an ongoing T-square with Sun-Venus opposed Earth-Saturn, all square Neptune, that by 3 June transforms into a Grand Cross with the inclusion of Jupiter. The tension here, though it starts benignly enough (with hope, charity, and an eye to freedom), becomes immense; we may go from the possibility of realizing our dreams to an optimism that is close to bursting–and yet the material situation repeatedly challenges us, as what the reality picture calls for is in some way contrary to our need for Love, Reward, or both. Through roughly the 6th we’ll see various parts of the equation come to prominence; one day it may be the way an important relationship (Venus) conflicts with what must be done (Saturn-Earth), the next day it may be that opportunity (Jupiter) can’t be grasped without loss of current income or flow (Venus), and the next may see the same or another opportunity that requires we give up our dream (Neptune, with the severity of all the demands and conditions put on us shown by the hard aspects and the involvement of Earth and Saturn–they say, material matters get a starring role in all this, especially the factors that make up our current real-world picture).

Imagination is pummeled by the facts; belief is put to the test, either through the challenge of manifesting creatively, or in facing delusions; the social circle stomps on dreams, even as, or perhaps as a condition of, the individual being loved; the need to support the identity creates expenses where payment may be intangible, extracted through a need to suppress beliefs, to pull back on material matters, or to ‘put up or shut up’ in the creative realm; relationships or financial factors may require we trim or abandon the current dream, or may ask us to change our beliefs to match reality; we may have to face that dreams are too big, unable to be manifested adequately in the material world, or we may put the brakes on material demands in order to pursue the creative and the Soul-expressive–and no matter what, we find that tension, discord, or stress, internally or externally applied, drives the movement of the Cross. It’s a period, represented by this configuration, that’s unusually potent in the way it can illuminate potentials and actualities, showing us both how to work with them, and how to bring about just what we desire, with major revelation expected with the New Moon. For a scant few, this may end up translating as an insistence on embracing the unreal, the illusion, as the belief system and/ or the identity break down in the face of the facts.”

At this point the Grand Cross has formed, with the aspect Venus opposed Saturn perfecting the 3rd. This brings our attention sharply to material reflections of our relationships and our finances; we are asked to assess our ideas of Love and Money (Venus in Gemini) against both our beliefs, and the actual facts of our material situation (Saturn in Sagittarius). This is not a judgment or a condemnation, but a moment in time that allows us to see precisely where we have gotten what we believed we would–and it requires us to see that we ourselves may have imposed the limits that our relationships and our finances have labored under, because they followed our beliefs, whether those beliefs were conscious or not. An opposition also signifies an extreme point; that is, the point at which things must begin moving back toward connection. We must recognize things as they are, and so choose in ways that bring our real-world manifestations within the relationship and/ or financial arenas into closer harmony with what we consciously treasure (Venus) and want (the Sun in the Cross).

The 3rd also sees perfection of Ceres quincunx the North Node. Though the Nodes are only points of extremity, rather than celestial bodies, they can be excellent harbingers of the direction things are currently headed–and that means, in this case, that both Mother Nature and those in charge/ authorities will be, subtly but surely, telegraphing their intentions for the future (or, in the case of Nature, the inevitable outcomes to present practices). If we will look, we will know exactly how matters in the hands of authorities and the natural world will develop.

‘Cherokee Roses on a Purple Cloth’ Martin Johnson Heade 1894 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a thick, deep purple, wool blanket. The color suggests something elevated, ‘special’, unusual (royal), but the item itself is entirely dependent on circumstances for its value, and so its meaning. If it’s hot, that’s the last thing you need, but if it’s cold, there’s nothing better–unless you’re allergic to wool! Something in your life may be presented as special and unique, and you may feel obligated to avail yourself of it, whether you need or want it, or not. Don’t succumb to the idea that just because something’s different it’s valuable–to make the best use of what’s offered to us, we have to know our needs, our wants, and the circumstances that surround us, before we’ll ever know if our ‘wool blanket’ is a gift or a burden.

Djerba Er Riadh Street Art, Photo by Rani777- Baha-Eddine CC BY-SA 4.0 See more from the Artist here: http://streetarthub.com/alexis-diaz-erriadh-tunisia/

The ongoing T/ Cross, in effect right now, is covered here. Today, the 2nd, the emphasis within the pattern shifts so that our focus is on a perfection of the square between Venus and Neptune, and perfection of the opposition between the Sun and Saturn; that brings our attention to two areas: the cost of our dreams (literally, figuratively, and in particular, the cost of both dreams and delusions to our relationships), and the difficulties we find living our Soul’s purpose within our current reality picture. Those sound like big, highfalutin’, exhausting topics, too cumbersome to wrestle successfully into something meaningful to the every day–but in that, we would be mistaken.

Both are easily found if we simply take each side of the equation, ‘holding’ one life area in each symbolic ‘hand’, and taking a look at them; we’ll automatically feel the weight of each, observe where we have neglected, overlooked, indulged, dismissed, or lavished loving attention on, and in so doing see the shape of our own viewpoint toward the subjects at hand. If we inspect both components, it will be impossible not to see and understand what the conflicts truly are, and from where they have arisen–and that gives us what will feel like an oh-so-obvious response to the tension we face.

One’s ability to both inspect these life areas and then address them is highly dependent on one’s tolerance for Truth, the ability to stomach all facets of the reality picture (not just the ones we find flattering or which we enliven ourselves through by railing against), and a willingness to do something about what we find, rather than just turn away. Clues to this are generally found in the state of natal Pluto, and current transiting Pluto’s contacts to the natal placements; those receiving contact, especially to the Sun, Moon, Mercury, placements in Earth, or chart ruler are likely to have the courage to see and deal with what must be changed, altered, accomplished, while those who are receiving contact from transiting Pluto to natal Neptune, ruler of the Moon, or Venus may find it overwhelming, with a need to turn away feeling like the only means of preserving existing relationships, sanity, or both.

Venus in Gemini brings in the phrase, how we think of: a particular relationship, all relationships, Love, Money, reward, praise beauty, Art (clues as to the meaning for you are found in transiting Venus’ current natal House), with Neptune in Pisces saying, state of the Art for dreams, visions, imagination, creativity, delusion, illusion, deceptions, expression of spirituality, ideals, relationship to the Collective or the Cosmos.

Pavel Filonov. ‘Self Portrait’. 1921 {{PD}}

Sun in Gemini says, thinking about identity, with Saturn in Sagittarius pointing to the broad reality picture as it exists through facts, belief, current structures and rules, boundaries, suppression or oppression, obstacles, and manifestations of the passage of time–and how some or all of these figure in to how we see ourselves.

Today’s word image is a salad. No matter the time of year, a salad is really a celebration of the season, bringing together components offered by Nature only during, in most places, a narrow window of time. Enjoy something ‘of the season’ today, whether it’s an actual salad or something else available only at a certain time of year, wherever you are.

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‘Image von GreenPowerEurope GmbH’ by Scheuse Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

We are likely to be focused on the power situation and our own ability to influence or act freely, yet we’ll tell ourselves it’s quite the opposite: that we’re not doing what we’re doing for the sake of ambition fulfillment, but to create positive change, to shake up authorities, or to get rid of certain conditions around us–but we’ll definitely be lying to ourselves. To want power simply means we want dominion over our own lives; it’s natural, part of who we are. Here’s the thing: in denying we want to have power within our life situation, we set ourselves up to pretend power acquisition and exercise is the farthest thing from our minds, that it is in fact tainted in some way, a sign of material and psychic avarice, believing power is about a desire to control others. This creates a circumstance where we bull into a situation and then innocently ask, “Who me? Want power? I’m not interested in that at all!” And yet, the only way to be ourselves and to fully engage in life is to acknowledge that we must accept the responsibilities and burdens of being powerful–and just because that power doesn’t take a form we immediately recognize (because the person who decides what to do with their day is just as powerful in a psychic sense as a person who commands an army) doesn’t mean we don’t have it. Those who deny they have power, at this point, are slated to see it leak out and create circumstances that effectively remove the privilege of choice that is the main component of owning one’s power (Ceres opp Zeus, Pluto sq Ceres)

Nandina and Rooster from the Colorful Realm of Living Beings by Itō Jakuchū, c. 1761-65 (Edo Period) {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a rooster that’s trying to sit on and hatch some eggs. Where are we all up in someone else’s business, where we haven’t been invited, trying to play a role we’re unsuited for? Think carefully, because if the influences for today are any indicator, we are likely to immediately think this is someone else’s problem, not our own.

Enjoy your Tuesday!

George William Joy – ‘The Bayswater Omnibus’ c1900 {{PD}}

Feeling and so being contrary, sometimes for no reason at all, may be the order of the day. Ours are renegade spirits today, breathing and digging deeply, tasting and experiencing intensely, following instinct and impulse, and doing so with what we love and need in mind, rather than what the reality picture dictates. Enjoy this exercise in an unusual type of freedom–and be aware, there will of course be consequences to choosing ourselves over what the world expects of us (Ceres nov Sedna, Mars in retrograde enters Scorpio, Venus contra-parallel Saturn, Sun contra-parallel Mars)

Today’s word image is a dog confused by the simultaneous calls of two would-be masters. What two goals, aims, ideas, or temptations are calling to you at the same time? The pull between them can be draining, exacerbated by an unwillingness to make up your mind. You may think that delaying will magically offer a way to do justice to both–it won’t. You can’t serve them simultaneously, so you must choose–or choose the Zen way out, and do neither.

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Johannes Vermeer – ‘The Procuress’ 1655 {{PD}}

We are all likely to experience conflict between our belief system, or ‘the facts’, and reality as we know it. We’ll have to answer the old query meant to discern attitude: ‘Is the glass half empty, or half full?’* For some this will involve tests of the Will or ego against Nature, authorities, or against the constraints of duty, while for others it will involve a simple measurement taken by asking only one question, “Is this wise?” Outcomes may vary from opening up one’s world to overdoing rules in an attempt to lock down opportunities, trying to solidify a stroke of luck, restraining optimism, giving parameters to what might otherwise be overdone, or possibly may result in trying to learn more, in the hope of preventing chaos. This may sound formidable, until we consider a list of what may go right: spontaneity serves relationships or financial situations, being unique makes Art or attracts reward or Love, being a member of the group pays, and so does a willingness to foment revolt in support of Beauty or Love (Jupiter sq Saturn, Mars sesq Ceres, Venus nov Uranus, Sun sq Pallas)

*Everyone knows the correct answer is neither; first, yay! we have a glass, and there’s something in it–then consider the glass can be re-filled at any time, so that any statement of condition is momentary, at best. Or, if you are a literalist, as George Carlin would say, “I just see a glass twice as big as it needs to be.”

Today’s word image is a bright yellow duck. When you read those words did you see a live duck, a sign or image or cartoon, a rubber ducky, a stylized pattern, an action (“Duck!”), or a living thing? What came to mind holds clues on its own (seeing it as alive is quite different than immediately thinking of a printed image or cartoon, for instance), but in any case stands as both synchronous marker and personal image meant to reveal something about your own state of mind.

Thank you, and enjoy your Thursday!

Today we just might be disoriented enough to throw stones at our own glass house. ‘Glashaus am Goetheanum’ Photo by Taxiarchos228 Released under a Free Art License (Copyleft)

Did I say “sure of ourselves”? By that I mean, NOT sure of ourselves! Everything that should give us confidence instead makes us feel unsteady, and each unique positive thing about us seems to hold a corresponding negative that may be horrifying, embarrassing, or unflattering. Feedback from the social order or ‘the facts’ only makes us more sure that every ‘bad’ thing about us is showing and we can’t see it ourselves. And worse, we seem to have an internal war raging, where the more passive sense of Self is facing off against the aggressive, selfish, or compulsive part. Sadly, this makes us think the worst of ourselves, to see ourselves as at best flawed, and at worst downright evil–don’t be silly, we are neither, nor do we carry some horrible gracelessness that shames–instead, we need to understand that the problem today isn’t in our character, our Soul’s make-up or history, or our previous acts–it’s in our viewpoint.

The lens through which we inspect ourselves today is so distorted that loving objectivity is twisted in the fun-house mirror; we can’t hope to see ourselves clearly (and we see others receive our projections of whatever negatives we can’t own ourselves), but the good news is that as long as we know our perceptions are either ridiculously exaggerated versions of our fears, imprecisely-received feedback from the social sphere, or complete misunderstandings, then we’ll be able to withhold our own judgment, humbling ourselves enough to know, we don’t know (Uranus contra-parallel Black Moon Lilith, Jupiter parallel Sedna, Venus enters Gemini, opp Mars, and qnx BML, Sun contra-parallel Pluto)

Today’s word image is a pink toy phone. Someone is telling us our communications are immature, when they are likely only couched in the feminine vernacular of receptivity. A message of gentleness is misleading others into thinking we are not strong, not developed, and not capable; just because we are listening, open, non-invasive, does not mean we are weak.