“Actors fighting under a red maple tree” Color woodcut licensed under CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons –
No, it’s not that we actually want to fight, it’s that Martian verve in the sign of relationships naturally looks outward, toward the Other, and in simply attempting to state ‘I Am’ acts assertively enough that he can’t help but encroach on others’ territory (or Will). This should clue us in to the danger: in just making ourselves and our choices known, we may be much more aggressive than is necessary. Mars can’t help but push outward–and the Martian urge may be twice as strong after Mars conjoins the North Node just before entering Libra. With the point and the planet meeting at 29 degrees of Virgo, the potential for active review of life direction, and our own much too critical response, can set off all kinds of intentions to make up for lost time, to straighten things out, to correct what needs correcting, to take circumstances in hand, to be really, truly responsible–and that much unfettered energy aimed at exerting control isn’t called for–we may overreact out of zeal, or the urge to catch up with partners, or the urge to please others, or simply out of fear that we’ve disappointed–and so overstep.
There is also the matter of Merc trining Chiron and quincunxing Uranus, suggesting words and messages will be utra-powerful, able to hurt or heal, and the deciding factor might be just how comfortable we are with our own uniqueness. We can see that positively reflected back to us in the communications, agreements, and remarks that come our way if we value our most unusual features, if we treasure the things that are most special about us, the things that in less healed times may make us feel like freaks. That’s the key–and if we reject what makes us different, every word coming our way may feel like it alienates us not just from others but from ourselves as well. So I guess the best course today is 1) take it easy, and 2) love yourself.
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The meeting of Sun and Moon occurs at 9:47 AM PST of the 11th at precisely 19 degrees Scorpio, trine Chiron, widely conjunct Mercury, and sextile Jupiter, along with the latter forming the base of a Finger of God with apex Uranus. When we consider the New Moon location in Scorpio, conjoined Mercury and contacting Chiron, we may conclude this Moon will bring change, a process of dissolution, a transformation (that is, energies taken from one distinct state to another), or resurrection that either represents a healing itself or that offers healing to some related matter, with emotional and mental effects as well (Merc + the Water placements). When we add the Finger, we see that a factor of knowledge or belief (Jupiter) may spark the new start or new way of thinking (the ‘newness’ that is part of any New Moon) and result in something both personal, ‘I’ directed (Aries) and radical, unusual, or original (Uranus), at least in terms of the usual for each individual. In many cases, it may be that acquiring new information sets some inevitable decay or Scorpionic process in motion, and the only response we can have is to ‘be ourselves’, or, possibly, to find shelter within some like-minded group (Uranus in Aries).
The Sabian Symbol for this Sun-Moon must be read with care; as it falls exactly on the degree, we read that degree, not the next one as we usually would with a degree + minutes placement. This is in keeping with the practice described by Dane Rudhyar in ‘The Astrology of Personality’, where he says, “Any fraction of a degree is to be considered as a whole degree. Aries 15 deg 0′ is to be read as Aries 15; but Aries 15 deg 1′, as well as Aries 15 deg 59′, represent Aries 16. The symbols are the expression of a span of activity, a cycle, the significance of which is released at once, the moment it begins.”
This time it’s, ‘A Parrot Repeats The Conversation He Has Overheard’. Again, this brings forward that Jupiterian idea of information, knowledge revealed, with the idea that it may be repeated without real understanding–and this suggests that the way in which we get this knowledge, or the bringer or broadcaster of the info, will not be aware of just what is being passed on, what is being revealed. Whatever that is, it is instrumental in initiating the Scorpionic change that offers healing, and to which we react in a very particular, highly individual way. Through the agency of passed on information, belief, or knowledge we see change put in motion, change that rests on a kind of discovery we make that causes us to react very much in character, with responses rising from that most unique part of ourselves.
Others may seem to behave like rampaging Vikings, running roughshod over everything you find sacred. Nicholas Roerich {{PD}}
Adding to the Uranian erraticism and hair-trigger spontaneity of yesterday that bleeds into today, we also see that temper becomes the main issue for the 10th, specifically upsets related to the way we believe others are not respecting what is important to us. We will probably couch it mentally to ourselves in terms that see our priorities and sensitive subjects as sacred–and we see the crowd stomping in with muddy footwear, ruining the carpet, and trash talking our sacred cows–with our response at first likely an unthinking, ‘Who do they think they are?!’
Getting a handle on temper is vital; so is realizing that change is gonna happen, and that we’ll be much better off participating in it than we will be standing on the sidelines, trying to shout over the bulldozers. Being part of change gives us the chance to shape, re-make, resurrect, rebuild, or transform the involved materials, issues, or situations to our liking–in fact, it allows us to create opportunities. We’ll need to see this as a chance to improve our world, rather than seeing others’ Will and words as merely obliterating what we care about–if we can see the possibilities, we can then discern and follow a clear path to success.
(Perfecting today: Jupiter sesquiquadrate Ceres, Mars opposed Vesta, Mercury sesquiquadrate Vesta, semi-square Mars, and sextile Pluto, Sun sextile Jupiter)
Have a great day–if we can keep our fingers off the trigger, today can be full of opportunities and promise!
Tree Abstract {{PD}} Thanks to CopyrightFreePhotos.HQ101.com
If we’re feeling not quite ourselves, if we’re aware of impulsiveness in our thinking or feeling that could cause accidents, if we’re sensing a kind of unthinking rebelliousness in our approach that could make us unreliable, then we’d better plan the next day or two around it. I know! We’re not supposed to cater to our moods like that, but this streak of Uranian erraticism runs through many of us like a bolt of lightning–hot and blinding us to anything but the impulse–and we need to take it into account if we want to succeed (or even if we want to arrive safely to the end of our day!) The great thing is the need to work around this urge will focus us on some very effective means of healing; the only caution is a blanket warning that we’re not able to see the most effective way (or the smartest way, either) to gain personal empowerment, so that all moves to support ambitions should be tabled until later (Perfecting the 9th: Pallas contra-parallel Juno, Sun trine Chiron and quincunx Uranus)
And have a great start to your week!
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8 November 2015 Venus enters Libra, her home turf, and at the same time conjoins the North Node and contra-parallels Chiron. This brings a little ‘zing’ as we feel the natural warmth of relationships, connections, romance, and the pleasant atmosphere of good manners and diplomatic remarks–and yet, there’s another little ‘zing’, and this one hurts! What is it about unfettered kindness that can sometimes wound us? Is it that it reminds us of lack of love in the past (a deficit that, we are probably acutely aware, we will never make up for), or does it show us how unloving some important relationship is now? Is there some relationship we can only half look at, turning away from what’s unkind or unloving about it, just so we can go on with it? Today there’s an atmosphere of Love and an almost palpable awareness of the very delicate nature of human connection–and if we can let enough of that Love in (because Love running over psychic scar tissue, like water over a raw wound, may be painful at first) we have a chance to heal at least some of that damage. Venus in Libra makes a velvety place for us to meet the Other, for true equality within relationship–and anything less, this time, will definitely cause us pain.
The Venus contact to the NN promises that the future is being shaped by what happens today, as is our thinking, which may show flashes of genius in areas of interaction, finances, planning, and communications, as Mercury is novile the NN.
Support the blog through the shiny new donate button–and have a great Sunday!
You might not know who you’re hearing from. Top portion of a “Letter from Heaven,” produced in England 18th century {{PD}}
Yes, the aspects discussed may be felt at any time over the coming three days, at least.
Is everything about the power balance? It may feel like it’s ‘Us vs. Them’ (or is it the social circle against lil ol’ you)? Determining where to put our attention, and who it is that really has the power to affect things, may be behind everything we do on the 5th (standout aspects: Jupiter qnx Uranus, Sun sextile Pluto).
By the 6th we may not know what to think, or know the validity of what we’re hearing. The question becomes: are we inspired, or is the imagination running away with us, or are we being deceived? Clarity of thought is unavailable, and standards and priorities seem unsatisfactory as guides for our goals. The best choice is perhaps embracing the Neptunian urge (we might say, immersing ourselves in it!) and allowing an influx of creative energy and thought to be our guiding force (Merc trine Neptune, Sun sesq Vesta)
On the 7th we may be in denial–of our own darker side, of what we’d rather ignore, of what truly matters to us–and that could put us in an emotionally unsatisfying engagement with the past, and this simultaneously significantly affects the direction we’re headed. The more accepting we can be of our own darkness (and that means, being accepting of our wholeness, of the way this is naturally a part of ourselves), the better our choices, actions, and relationships will be (Mars contra-parallel Black Moon Lilith, Venus opp Vesta, Sun semi-sq SN/ Earth sesq NN)
Both Venus and Black Moon Lilith are represented by female figures, a goddess on one hand and the ‘original Eve’ ejected from Paradise on the other, but this doesn’t exclude them from having meaning for everyone; it instead suggests that the original energy matrix upon which the characters were built was one of receptivity, or being rather than doing. Venus carries attributes in counterpoint to Mars, to activity, to doing rather than being, while Black Moon Lilith, which is an empty focal point rather than a body, carries the energy of the original partner of the first man, Adam, who when she demanded equal treatment and status was demonized (and this always gets me, when Lilith and her ilk are described as vengeful, evil, dark, wrathful women who must be exiled, when it’s clear that a woman who believes she is a man’s equal is only described this way by a patriarchy that has no intention of sharing power). But I digress.
Venus is contra-parallel (that is, equidistant from the celestial equator but in opposite directions, one north and one south) Black Moon Lilith, and though this may seem relatively minor, it could underlie some serious tension today, tension not specific to women, necessarily, but tension that arises from certain assumptions about who should have what, who is allowed what–and you may notice that who has what implies there is someone who feels just slightly superior, who then is ‘qualified’ to judge who gets what. The set-up only occurs because someone declares themselves as arbiter–and this kind of Self-anointing counts on the receptive stance of everyone else in order to have validity.
What we may see is a Venusian figure (male or female, but somehow normally receptive, counting on diplomacy and manners, counting on cooperation, or the person who holds the purse strings) contradict a Black Moon Lilith figure (that is, a perfectly competent individual)–and BML will have none of it. Rightly so, BML will refuse the order dressed up like a request or ‘suggestion’ in Venus’ honeyed tones–and BML may be vilified because of it.
This won’t be the centerpiece to everyone’s day, but it could present itself here and there–and may sneak in to your own interactions. If you are in a position to tell others what to do, it would be wise to treat them with complete respect, and if you are in a position where others determine your fate, watch for suggestions that may seem innocent enough but that will in reality subtly deny you power. The assumption that one must serve the other is what we must watch for today. And no matter who you are, have a great one!
Pierre Paul Puget ‘The Education of Achilles by Chiron’ c1690 {{PD}}
Perfecting today is an opposition between Jupiter in Virgo and Chiron in Pisces. We may have this nagging feeling we should be widening our horizons, reaching out, deepening our repertoire, that we really should be creating and using our imagination, and we may be criticized (or may criticize ourselves) if we don’t act in a controlled, precise, yet expansive way. Why the harsh feeling? Virgo is an accountant, one who keeps one eye on the eventual harvest at all times, one who doesn’t let the details slide–and that kind of vigilance goes into hyperdrive when confronted with the need to either ignore hurt in order to advance the Virgoan cause, or when the pressure to manifest the Chirotic skills and gifts (which are so unique it’s unlikely we have gained either total awareness of them or total mastery of them) reaches an extreme–such as can occur at opposition. Inspect the House axis of the natal chart across which this duo lies, and you’ll have some idea not just of the potentials and life areas ripe for expression, but of the pressures and expectations you may be unwittingly accepting and placing on yourself.
Albert-Edouard Chazalviel Early 20th century {{PD}}
What we think, and what messages come at us today are smart and practical; they vibe to our highest values and priorities, but they don’t support any kind of power gain or effective action. It’s an odd mix of being on the mental ‘right track’ but needing to be aware that today’s just not the day to take action, make choices, or be assertive, UNLESS it’s in matters of the natal Houses ruled by Venus in your chart, or in the House that holds today’s conjunction of Venus and Mars (in the last decan of Virgo)–but even then, be aware that this could bring conflict with those in charge (or those who think they should be) and negotiating may still be tough. But, with careful attention, Venus ruled areas in the personal chart are where deliberate action and choice can get us exactly what we want. (Chiron qnx Juno, Mars contra-parallel Juno, Venus conjunct Mars, Mercury sxt Pallas, sq Ceres, qnx SN, parallel Vesta)
Louis Léopold Boilly – ‘Conversation dans un parc’ 1812 {{PD}}
What does Ceres have to do with health?
In mythology Ceres’ Greek predecessor, Demeter, was goddess of Nature, abundance, and the fruits of the Earth, but by the time she reached Rome and her current name and form, she was decidedly more tame: a goddess of agriculture, of Nature that’s been shaped and subjugated to man. That suggests that in modern conception she may deal with the balance of the body and its vulnerabilities to natural elements, of being overwhelmed from without (drowning, buried in a landslide, struck by lightning, for instance, or from things like allergens and starvation) and from within by invasion (of germs, viruses, bacteria, fungi). She doesn’t offer a total picture of health in the natal scenario or by transit, but does speak of certain conditions one may be prone to, or illnesses susceptible to, aside from her other meanings: a sense of personal power and authority, a maternal interest in others (which can easily tip into a controlling one), territoriality, and negotiation.
Romantic poet Percy Shelley (4 August 1792 10 PM Horsham England) was just coming up on a Lunar Return in Pisces the day he drowned in a boating accident (8 July 1822 Lerici Italy). He has Ceres natally conjoined the Sun, Venus, Pallas, and Uranus in Leo in the Whole Sign 4th (and though Juno’s close enough to the Sun, it’s too wide for Ceres, in my opinion); Ceres is also opposed Pluto and quincunx the natal Moon and Sedna in Pisces. Already we can see that Ceres was a vital part of the life, and so of the death as well. In the context of the drowning event, the natal scenario suggests sudden accidents (Uranus) based on unwise decisions (Pallas–staying on the water despite the storm) activated the Self-destruction he had always been conscious of, and perhaps at times had to fight (Sun opp Pluto), with Ceres’ involvement implicating the elements, the weather, even potentially activating an emotional attachment to the water, and a need to adjust (the quincunx) to prevent getting lost in it! (the Pisces Moon)
The Cremation of Percy Bysshe Shelley, by Louis Édouard Fournier
On the day he died, Shelley’s Ceres was contacted exact by degree by the transiting South Node, suggesting a ‘pull back’ to a previous (pre-birth?) state; t Ceres was opposed natal Mercury in the 5th=the elements literally in opposition to the lung function; t Merc was conjoined n Chiron in Cancer in the 3rd of lungs, breathe=water water everywhere, water that injures; t Mars was conjoined the n NN, spurring actions and choices that take one into the future; and t Earth sextiled the n Moon-Sedna, forming the base of a Finger of God with apex n Ceres-Pallas=here’s a recipe for the environment ganging up with instincts and emotions to prompt that natal judgment of Nature. Shelley may have believed he was very practical (Pallas) in his relationship to the elements and the natural world (Ceres), feeling that instinct (Sedna) and emotion (the Moon) would inform his choices. There’s a sense that he didn’t fear them, that instead the Pisces Sedna-Moon may have seen the obliteration threat of the natal Pluto opposition as a kind of Oneness with Nature–absorption rather than obliteration. Too, the transiting Sun had just run over his natal Black Moon Lilith=he may have been more than a little in the mood to explore the darkness.
To A Star
Sweet star, which gleaming o’er the darksome scene
Through fleecy clouds of silvery radiance fliest,
Spanglet of light on evening’s shadowy veil,
Which shrouds the day-beam from the waveless lake,
Lighting the hour of sacred love; more sweet
Than the expiring morn-star’s paly fires:–
Sweet star! When wearied Nature sinks to sleep,
And all is hushed,–all, save the voice of Love,
Whose broken murmurings swell the balmy blast
Of soft Favonius, which at intervals
Sighs in the ear of stillness, art thou aught but
Lulling the slaves of interest to repose
With that mild, pitying gaze? Oh, I would look
In thy dear beam till every bond of sense
Became enamoured–
That was definitely written by a guy with Sun-Venus-Ceres-Pallas-Uranus conjoined, all opposed by Pluto!
Synchronicities
Synchronicities have been everywhere lately–have you noticed that for you, too? Those little mentions or phrases or events or people that grab your attention simply by the unlikely way they’re brought into one’s compass repeatedly within a short period. To my mind that signals we’re in a kind of flow, that attunement to the optimum vibrational level for you is very close to perfect–and that implies intuition is sharp and accessible, that information is yours to pluck right out of the air, that you can ‘know’ without anyone telling you. Though our tendency is to breeze through these interludes, to remark ‘Isn’t that strange?’ when we hear the same song or its lyrics or mention of the singer in every store and elevator and TV show and conversation we’re exposed to the entire weekend, and at the same time to be very focused consciously on the here-and-now, what we really need to do is pause; this is a point when we are cruising along with a lot of our perceptual abilities working below the surface, and we can see the world very clearly, if we are willing to. We can get our questions answered, if we’ll only stop looking out, and take a moment to look within.
Carl Schweninger the Younger ‘Not Willing’ 19th century {{PD}}
rejecting a Gemini man
Are you thinking there’s some magic word (he’s a Gemini, after all) that will make him take it well, not make a fuss, even see it as a gift? There’s not, and it’s likely that if he senses you are trying to out think him (by manipulating or being one step ahead, the latter of which you automatically are if you know something–that you intend to reject him–that he doesn’t) he’ll be very resentful, indeed. Geminis are highly focused on thinking, processing info, communicating, networking–so he may already be aware, whether it’s through the grapevine or through reading your body language and tone in previous encounters, that you aren’t interested. That puts you in a precarious position: if he does know and he’s still coming at you, he’s forcing you to say it outright, and if he doesn’t know, he’s going to feel especially upset that he didn’t parse it out ahead of time (it’s a Gemini thing–they always think they should’ve known!) All you can do, really, is send a clear, consistent, and polite message through every pore of your Being and, obviously, word spoken: no thank you. Problems will only arise if you’ve been ambivalent in your feelings or in your behavior, wrongly believing that will ‘let him down easy’ (and if so I bet you’re horoscope is chock full o’ Water signs). Come clean without engaging in any way that sends the wrong (that is, an enmeshed behavioral or contradictory) message, and it should go fine–the last thing you want to do, and he wants to feel you’ve done, is mislead him.
Julie Demboski's ASTROLOGY 
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