Full Moon in Leo 12 February 2025 Cutting the Thread

11 Tuesday Feb 2025

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Full Moon, Grand Cross/Grand Square, Sabian Symbols

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‘The Fates Gathering in the Stars’ By Elihu Vedder 1887 {{PD}}

Mercury has just moved off Superior Conjunction to the Sun when the Full Moon falls into place (at 5:54 AM PST on the 12th at 24 Leo 06), leaving us with fresh results of recent actions in our sights, and perhaps distracting us from the Lunar developments, just a little. That means we may be slow to realize what’s actually happening, especially if we aren’t tuned in to our own feelings and intuitions. These will be illuminating, so when they point things out to you, believe them.

A Grand Cross is formed at the time of the Full Moon, with the first arm made up of Luna in Leo conjoined the asteroid Atropos, named for the Fate who cuts the life thread of each individual; she determines one’s end point here on Earth, with her name meaning, ‘unalterable’. This suggests we’ll know intuitively, or via our emotional responses, what has reached its maximum life at this time. Whether we cut the thread ourselves or merely witness it, there will be no doubt that an end point has been reached, likely taking the form of an end to ego assertion, Self-expression, making an example of oneself, individual accomplishment that acts as a beacon for others (for either good or ill), or in warmth of feeling that has finally concluded (Leo). We will, in some important way, be a different person because of it.

The Moon-Earth will of course be opposed by the Sun, with the Solar orb conjoined by Ceres and Sappho, forming the opposing arm of the Cross. Wherever the Sun is, our attention is drawn there; at any one time the Solar light highlights the life areas and subjects of the sign in which it sits, and with a Full Moon, can inadvertently compete with the Lunar light that illuminates with more subtle forms of insight, emotional revelation, feeling, and intuitive acknowledgment and confirmation. In this case, the energy and intelligence of the Solar light melds with awareness of the power and authority of Nature, and the responsibility of each individual to nurture and protect those others and areas of life we are responsible for. There’s also the influence of a recognition of ‘the Other’ who is like us, and a willingness to partner with them. It’s a cooperative energy; we’re looking for ways to work with others, and we find them, through an intellectual understanding, or through the urge to be original, rebellious, or via delivered revelation (Aquarius). We’ll be pursuing some form of this consciously, even as the more subdued Lunar energies are at work.

The Cross formed to the Solar/ Lunar axis involves an opposition between Uranus in Taurus and Juno in Scorpio. The influence is one again of uniqueness, individuality, or the unexpected, this time that takes material form or that invokes the senses, the perception of security, or facets of the artisanal or enjoyment of the physical. We seek comfort in the unusual and yet we look to soothe ourselves with what’s familiar and reassuring; if we choose the ‘right’ Taurean forms (and that depends on who we are, what we find comforting), then we’ll find a serious kind of empowerment as a result. Seeing to our emotional needs and the physical/ material things that make us feel stable and nurtured offers a major advantage in calling our own shots and using our power–which we may employ to edit some area of life we’ve found threatening, or we may purge something that has been draining our power, or resurrect something that connects us to neglected or forgotten avenues of expression.

The Full Moon also sextiles Black Moon Lilith in Libra=our emotional perceptions and intuition will be affected by our relationships with others–just how depends on what we’re not acknowledging between us, or what anger one or both of us harbor. We also see a wide trine between the FM and a conjunction of Chiron and Eris in Aries=what comes forward at the Lunar event is, between the involvement of Aries and Leo, definitely centered on ourselves and our Will; this aspect implies at least some of the hurt or healing is triggered by discord inherent in the situation, and that there’s something we can do about it (Fire signs). What upsets are being generated when we act or choose, when we do what we want to do? Others’ reactions to our Self-expression will be instrumental in how this all plays out.

The Moon’s Sabian is, ‘A Large Camel Is Seen Crossing A Vast And Forbidding Desert’. The image describes a way of getting through a highly inhospitable setting. As human beings we are challenged to adapt to the unforgiving climate of a desert; a camel, which is adapted to that environment, is a means of helping us get to the other side. This suggests we’ll need to find an appropriate approach to get through some unwelcoming or difficult situation. Dealing with our own emotions at this Full Moon may be difficult, but this image assures us that if we adapt as needed, we’ll get through to the other side, and this is something that, without emotional flexibility, we might not be able to do.

We also look at the Sun’s Sabian, ‘A Butterfly With The Right Wing More Perfectly Formed’. We see where we lack development, and are pointed in the direction of remedying that–and that, on it’s own, can be an emotional stressor. Be gentle with yourself, and don’t demand a resolution to everything that’s emotionally uncomfortable at this time. A simple willingness to see what we need to do differently will send things in the right direction.

There’s a lot of buried or denied feelings, many of them negative, that surface at this time, and even if we don’t confront them directly, those emotions will be instrumental in how we feel about ourselves post-Full Moon. The role we play, or the identity we have, after the Lunar experience will have shifted according to what ends, what thread of our life experience is cut, our connection severed forever after. That may be an unsettling thought, but we should trust that we’ll be a little more authentically ourselves because of what happens–and that we always have a choice about who we are, no matter how limited our options may seem.

If you find yourself checking repeatedly for the New or Full Moon reports, you can sign up to be notified by email whenever I post. Link on the right, and have a great week!

Snapshot, Early February 2025

06 Thursday Feb 2025

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Retrogrades + Directions, Sun/Mercury Superior Conjunction

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‘The Girl With The Pearl Earring modern alteration Selfiegirl’ By Mitchell Grafton

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With Jupiter in Gemini now direct and slowly gathering apparent speed, we can expect an opening up, even an avalanche–of information, of others reaching out, even of gossip (beware misinformation!). Venus teases a sextile to Jupiter (which should be our payoff moment to what we learn, right?) but instead Venus does her once-every-18-months retrograde March 1 (at 10 Aries, “I was gonna do it, but . . .”), before that information or bounty (Jupiter) of worth (Venus) is delivered. We believe our efforts, initiative, or choices (Aries) will benefit us, but we’re in for a rude surprise–our reward is withdrawn (the retro), at least temporarily–so keep that in mind as the month drags on, and we think, probably more than once, that we’ve found ‘The Answer’ that will deliver that reward, only to have it deflate in our hands.

At this point (the 6th) Mercury is just a day away from Superior (direct) Conjunction with the Sun, promising revelation (of information, a reveal of circumstances, or Higher Mind understanding–Aquarius) that was sparked back at the Inferior Conjunction 6 December, and that involves Sun-Merc forming a quincunx to still retro Mars=irritation or unsureness may lead to aggressive words or ill-thought out actions. This duo also sextiles Chiron, suggesting that we may need to call on our own unique talents in order to maintain our independence and continue to call our own shots–or that it may be a little too easy to retreat to the wound, rather than tackle what’s in front of us.

The recent direction of Uranus in Taurus (30 January) has been showing us the weak spots inherent to our (threatened) sense of security and the potential upheavals to our material situation–and these will continue at least through mid-March, until Uranus picks up speed and Mars, by then direct, comes along to sextile it from Cancer in early April, showing us what to do to address those matters we care about. Right now Mars in Cancer is closely trine Saturn in Pisces, delivering real-world inspiration that we may put into action at a later point–so note what you’re dreaming of making a reality, as you might just get the chance to make it happen, soon.

Other notable contacts include: Neptune in Pisces conjoined the tense North Node, trined by Juno in Scorpio, sextiled by Pallas in Capricorn, and semi-sextiled by Hygieia at 29 Aries=this suggests we may be unsure, inspired, or under some delusion about our path forward; the current direction is, however, empowering, as long as we remain aware of our own darkness, and our own inner wisdom–to lose touch with either of these is to court an unhealthy situation where we’re prone to at least be misled, if not robbed of one or more facets of our autonomy.

Ceres in Aquarius is now in a tight square with Uranus in Taurus, with Ceres trine the Black Moon Lilith point in Libra, which is also conjoined Zeus (and Uranus quincunx this point), and Eris in Aries sextile Ceres and opposed BML-Zeus=authority squares off against individuality and Self-determination, with authority essentially approaching things as if it’s an intellectual exercise and those they’d like to impose their Will on rebelling, especially in terms of the material situation and what makes them feel secure. The subtle (and so not realized or acknowledged) influence is ambition and desire along with every matter buried or denied. Isn’t this the recipe for a bomb? And here’s the fuse: Eris in Willful, headstrong, go-one’s-own-way, can’t tell me what to do Aries. Those who want to make the rules are approaching things from an airy, theoretical POV, and haven’t the slightest clue as to the massive pent-up energies of rebellion and Self-determination their template for others calls forward. All I know is that I want to be on the side of those who support freedom, as those would-be overlords don’t see what they’re up against, or how much their own wants and fears are both driving and weakening their position.

A quincunx from Chaos in Cancer to Pluto in Aquarius sums it all up: we’ll overturn all the tables in the temple to keep what we care about from being destroyed–and at the same time we must remain aware of the way obliteration and regeneration are a fact of life, and a means of renewal. But the planets, and especially the story the asteroids and other points are telling right now, says we don’t have to sit back and let others decide those changes for us.

Have a lovely weekend, my friends!

New Moon in Aquarius 29 January 2025 Trust Yourself

27 Monday Jan 2025

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

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‘Old House, New Moon’ By George Ault 1943 {{PD}}

The New Moon occurs at 9 Aquarius 51 at 4:35 AM PST, widely conjoined (but moving away from) another separating aspect, a conjunction of Mercury to Pluto, both within the first three degrees of the sign. This scenario tells a story of a recent past where we received devastating, destructive, and transformative communications, thoughts, ideas, that we were first made aware of a scant week+ before. Well, we all know what happened 10 days ago, and this has completely changed what we’re seeing in the world. The Aquarian age itself has taken on a formidable air, Pluto teasing rage, rebirth, and massive, permanent change, while this New Moon offers a dawning recognition that the Uranian future we’ve been speculating about is now.

There’s rebellion, and then there’s rebellion, with chaos and anarchy used as both a tool and a weapon, the surprise being it’s fostered as much by those with power as without. We tend to think of the act of revolt as creating two clear sides and as more than justified, a ‘reached our limit’ way to throw off the yoke of tyranny and the restraints of a social order too far out of balance–but when there are many sides, all claiming they’re justified, all claiming they’re victims, is it any wonder that what is unique or new or unusual is mistaken for that which is truly revolutionary? That’s where we are right now, the recent reveals first shocking and then causing either rage or celebration (depending on your vision of the Uranian future unfolding)–and with everybody believing they’re redressing wrongs, restoring fairness. One thing to remember is that the just passed Merc-Pluto conjunction showed us ‘The Truth’–but it’s our relationship to Uranian Higher Mind, to the capacity of the intellect, and the possibility it may argue for beliefs already believed, rather than the grit of reality, that determines whether we meet the New Moon new starts with a mentality that serves the Greater Good, or one that serves the individual needs only.

The crisis is shown by the Nodal axis, North in Pisces, South in Virgo, at 29 degrees, and so feeling the pressure to abandon the practical and workable (SN in Virgo) for a chance at making the ideal real (NN in Pisces). That’s the motivator, but we must be careful; the road to you-know-where is paved not just with good intentions, but with those attempts at genuine reform taken often as not for the right reasons, that fail because there was too much Pisces in the vision, not enough Virgo down-to-Earth details–but those are the people who meant well, who didn’t succeed but also didn’t harm. How do we handle those who disrupt in order to take advantage, to disenfranchise, to, in a worst case scenario, steal?

The New Moon in Aquarius says we do it by having a clear mentality focused on Higher Mind beliefs that take the new, the unusual, the unexpected, and surface our own unique strengths in response; the changes may be disruptive, disorienting, upsetting, and feel out-of-control, but it’s in knowing our own priorities, knowing what we truly believe in and see as important, that we are able to craft a perfect, and highly disciplined, answer to change. It’s a cutting loose (or, more likely, forcing loose) from old constraints that allows a synchronization of the instinctual and the revolutionary–without ever losing sight of the bigger picture, and the ultimate desired outcome. The message is: trust yourself. You’ll know just how to respond, and you’ll find you have everything you need, inside you and at your fingertips.

There are a couple of contacts worth noting: a semi-square of the New Moon to Venus in Pisces. This aspect is the farthest the Sun and Venus ever are apart, suggesting maximum strain, maximum ‘love lost’ around the New Moon beginnings. The New Moon also trines Jupiter, magnifying all our perceptions; this should be reassuring: things aren’t as bad, or as absolute in either direction, as they might currently seem. Vesta is conjoined Hekate, both at 9 Scorpio, and so square the New Moon. Scorpio again suggests the Truth is in play, with the wayshower (Hekate) using what we are dedicated to (Vesta) as our way of measuring whether what we do and choose is correct, or off the mark.

We also see a couple eloquent placements, the New Moon conjoined Icarus and opposed Karma. So, a bit of a warning, with a great big promise: don’t overdo, don’t fly too high, but in any case, what arrives in the wake of this Lunar moment will in some way be entirely deserved, entirely justified–and if that looks negative to you, you need to think about how the Universe is always working in your favor, and trying to steer you right–anything removed opens the way for something better, and any challenge simply requires you to know what matters.

The Sabian symbol needs no elaboration: ‘A Man Who Had For A Time Become The Embodiment Of A Popular Ideal Is Made To Realize That As A Person He Is Not This Ideal’. I rest my case.

Full Moon 13 January 2025: On Our Own

11 Saturday Jan 2025

Posted by in astrology, Cardinal Activity, current events in the sky, Full Moon, Lunar Aspects, Sabian Symbols

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‘A Nun’ By Ragnhild Beichmann 1878 {{PD}}

The Full Moon perfects at 2:26 PM PST at 23 Cancer 59 on the 13th, conjoined a retrograde Mars. This points to an effect that will only grow as the Moon and Mars move toward each other over the hour+ after Lunar phase perfection: frustration. Mars is in its fall in Cancer, where it struggles to exert its Will, to express the ‘I Am’ fully, to act in a straight line (that is, consciously, cleanly, moving from point A to point B); add to this its retrograde status, with the recognition that the Lunar energies/ event rules Mars at this point, and we have fuel for action that is anything but Self-aware, aboveboard, and accomplishing what we think it’s accomplishing. That certainly sounds like a red flag, doesn’t it? But let’s not be hasty; with the right approach, we can take this emotion-soaked, contorted energy of caring, concern, and doing what needs to be (and we want to be) done, which likely creates results we don’t want and can’t anticipate, and turn it into a very positive thing.

Let’s put this Full Moon-Mars contact in context: the Moon moving ever closer to perfecting its conjunction with Mars also means it’s moving toward perfecting a trine with Neptune in its own sign of Pisces. This suggests delusion or deception easily drives our choices and actions–so how do we save ourselves? By vetting those choices and actions against our highest standards, ideals, and dreams (the positive side of Neptune). Ask yourself, What’s the most perfect thing that could happen here, that I could wish to have happen? That will keep our actions from carrying us way out into (a possibly hostile) left field.

Then there’s the way the Moon and Mars act as the arm to a loose T-square to the opposition of Chiron in Aries opposed Black Moon Lilith in Libra–and if we include the Sun, we can see this as a Cardinal Grand Cross. This describes the Lunar event as: 1) anticipatible–we can see it coming, if we’ll only open our eyes, and as 2) arising from a need to answer the stand-off occurring between our own hurt, especially as it pertains to our Will being thwarted, and those things within our relationships that we have denied, ignored, or that have been hidden from us–and that potentially enrage us, even as we must recognize them. In this case, Mars, as hobbled as it is, will benefit from the Moon’s intuition and focus on caring, nurture, and emotional comfort; being honest about our feelings and those things we sense as true will go a long way toward helping guide our actions, and will help keep the results within the range we intended.

Uranus in Taurus sextiles the Full Moon, emphasizing a surprise or shock factor and letting us know that even if we can parse things ahead of time we’ll still need to deal with sudden developments or previously unknown material.

We also find some other interesting influences clustered around the various points, and though the orbs may be a little loose, the configuration reinforces the need to recognize them. Chiron in Aries is accompanied by Eris=our choices and actions will stir up any buried enmity others may carry–just know that’s possible. Juno in Scorpio forms a loose Grand Trine with the Moon-Mars and Neptune=a not entirely conscious need for empowerment may be behind what we’re terming our ideals; it will serve us to weed out what are actually power plays from the genuine ideals picture. Nemesis and Zeus are conjoined Black Moon Lilith in Libra=this suggests there’s a lot more to what we’re ignoring about our relationships than we think (or may admit. Treating our partner/ relationships as enemies is really verboten, if we want them to be successful, or even peaceful), and unacknowledged ambitions and desires can blow the whole thing up, unless we are honest about our real wants and feelings. And lastly, Persephone is conjoined the Sun, implying that all of this is surfacing by way of a (probably premature) journey we’re already on, to discover our own personal Underworld, what it’s made of, what it conceals, and how we can integrate it for the strengths it can provide.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘A Woman And Two Men Castaways On A Small Island Of The South Seas’. Two things strike me about this image: the idea of involuntary isolation, and the fact that the animus (doing) energy is twice that of the anima (receptive or being) energy. This describes to me a certain pressure we’re under to find an active ‘solution’ to what’s before us, as well as a status that makes us feel essentially alone in our decision-making, despite the strong role our partnerships will play in the action and choice process.

The Sun’s Sabian is, ‘A Woman Entering A Convent’. Since the Sun is the light-giver, and so the light source for the Moon, we need to look at its Sabian in order to see what might be behind the Lunar event. In this instance it’s the idea that, though we feel involuntarily isolated at present, we initially instigated that solitary way of being quite willingly. I think this speaks to the way we tend to say, ‘Oh wow, I can’t believe where I am, I can’t believe what’s happening to me,’ and yet the reality is that every single decision we’ve ever made brought us to these circumstances. It’s the need to recognize we have indeed chosen where we are–rather than seeing ourselves as victims of forces beyond us, or of happenstance–and that even though there are indeed many things that are outside our control, we have placed ourselves here after using all our best decision-making processes. It’s a humbling energy, and one we can fully benefit from only when we acknowledge we are our own ultimate decision-maker–no one else can pull us from our (largely Self-created) situation.

New Moon 30 December 2024 A New Year Takes Shape

29 Sunday Dec 2024

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

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Credit: NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio – Paul Morris, Aaron E. Lepsch, Hubble Telescope {{PD}}

The New Moon perfects at 2:26 PM PST of the 30th at 9 Capricorn 43. New Moons are fresh beginnings, and in Capricorn the implication is that a new structure, new rules or boundaries, or a new container for life energies is forming–the question becomes, how conscious are we of this construct, how deliberately are we controlling its shape, and how can we make this serve us, rather than restrain us? Too, we’ll either likely see some previous (and probably no longer functioning) system removed, with the Capricorn New Moon system proposed in its place, or we see a lack in or even an ’empty’ life area suddenly alive with the promise of both order and meaning. That’s really the thing with Capricorn: it brings order to things and in so doing provides meaning that’s in great part due to the shape those things have been given–a matter of the medium both containing and itself being the message.

If we’re aware that the meaning is in many ways contained within the structure, we’ll see a much more accurate and nuanced picture of the situation. Too often we’re inclined to ignore the shape in which something arrives, and focus on the words or ideas or images themselves, but with Capricorn that’s not a good idea; even the most seemingly blatant message (‘you’re getting a million dollars!’) will contain further meaning when the goat is the messenger (‘And it’s all in pennies!’)

The New Moon coming on the eve of New Year’s Eve is its own message: we’re on the cusp of something brand new, never before lived, on territory that, at least symbolically, allows us to renew ourselves and our approach to life. A Capricorn New Moon at this point offers a kind of prelude: choose a new shape, form, or structure by which to organize your life, and the New Year will bring fresh energies, opportunities, and problems with which to fill that structure. So, choose the shape you give things with care; when in the midst of humans a cage is more appropriate for a tiger than is cradling it in your arms, no matter how soft that pretty fur is.

Considering the possible aspects made by the New Moon, the orbs are just too great to ‘click’ with the New Moon moment. That suggests the freedom with which we can approach this organizing Capricorn force, allowing us to tailor our methods to fit our goals (or our madness!) Here on the West coast of the United States, Jupiter, though retro, will be rising, suggesting an atmosphere of opportunity, good fortune, ‘luck’, and the potential to exaggerate or overdo–sounds like the spirit of the New Year to me!

Also of note is the way the New Moon perfects conjoined two notable bodies: Pallas and the asteroid Lilith (not to be confused with the Black Moon Lilith point, also known as the mean apogee). This says wisdom and practicality are available to those who are Self-possessed, independent, not afraid of what others might say about their choices. It’s a ‘go your own way’ energy; also one that requires we trust ourselves and what we know to be right and true. This may feel a bit lonely to those of us who’re more socially inclined, but this is necessary ‘alone time’, so that the shape things take truly reflects your own needs, attitude, and situation.

The New Moon Sabian is, ‘An Albatross Feeding From The Hand Of A Sailor’. This symbol is interesting in that there’s a poem (Coleridge’s ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’) that talks about the psychological burden created when a sailor kills an albatross. His regret and sorrow is a kind of Self-punishment, and an albatross has more generally come to mean a burden one can’t rid oneself of. The thing is, the albatross has long been a symbol of both good and bad luck to sailors–so perhaps the fact that one is feeding the bird in this image implies a sort of mutual respect, a truce, if you will, wherein a sailor that once might’ve harmed the bird is now nurturing it. What in your life has been a burden that you now have a chance to see in an entirely new way, a way that will allow a ‘re-set’ and a lifting of guilt or the expiration of a long, old rivalry or antagonism?

For further illumination, examine Saturn in your natal chart, both by placement and situation at birth and as the energy transits your chart right now (what House is it moving through? That probably describes life areas where you’re feeling some restriction, shortage, or stress right now); include any contacts being made by transiting bodies to your Saturn; these will modify your perceptions of what’s holding you back, what offers you support, and what in your own mind the realities of the world consist of. This should give you some idea what shape those Capricornian influences will take and where they will likely be felt. Even if it doesn’t create a cohesive picture, it will give you the basic building blocks you’re likely to have access to/ be presented with in sorting out your New Moon, real-world scenario.

Dear Readers, Here’s wishing you all the best for a happy, safe, and adventurous New Year! Many thanks for all the kind support you’ve offered over the years. I’m looking forward to finishing my Moon book soon, and hope you’ll continue to visit here in 2025!

Full Moon in Gemini 15 December 2024 Confusion Or Inspiration?

12 Thursday Dec 2024

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‘Hoar-Frost on Ice at Thielska’ By Gustaf Fjæstad 1901 {{PD}}

That’s the question this Full Moon poses: is that energy that’s surging through the social sphere, through our relationships and minds and hearts, tingling our nerves, robbing us of sleep or giving us dreams intense and random and full of emotion–is that rush a flood of inspiration, a happy confluence of all we know and are exposed to, birthing ideas that seem in their own way to be miraculous, moving us to manifest the ideal? Or is that surge really mania, imagination run amok masquerading as a motivating thunderbolt from the gods, chaos whispering to us that this way lies ‘The Answer’, or at least momentary, gratifying relief? The presence of confusion, and the vague enticements of gratification, should be our clues that what’s in the air, though carrying a sense of renewal and so promise, rides on a dark, ill-defined current that urges us to leap before we look, insisting we shouldn’t worry about the consequences–but we should be aware that ‘later’ will come, when we’ll judge things in a much more sober, but ‘too late to change outcomes’, light.

Since a Full Moon delivers a message of completion, of results and final pictures, and Gemini promises knowledge, information, or relevant messages and connections, then we shouldn’t be surprised that the Lunar event carries so much meaning–and yet, when we’re dealing with mentalities, decisions, information, details, sorting what’s relevant and what’s not, the presence of these two influences looms large: Neptune (forming the arm of a T-square with the Sun opposed Moon/ Earth axis) and the current state of Mercury (in apparent retrograde motion in Sagittarius until just before culmination of the Full Moon, when Merc will be stationary direct). Both suggest the possibility of illusion, incomprehension, misunderstanding or misinterpretation, a lack of clear or complete information, and that garden-variety confusion that seems to be everywhere, right now. So how, if this is the state of things, can the Full Moon actually deliver a comprehensive picture of the current Zeitgeist?

Let’s look at the other contacts made by the Moon at 1:01 AM PST of the 15th, with the Moon and Earth situated at 23 Gemini 52, Sun precisely opposed this point at 23 Sagittarius. Besides the T-square formed with Neptune in Pisces (presenting a fundamental question of ‘What is reality?’), we have the Moon sesquiquadrate Venus in Aquarius (the emotions and intuitive perceptions are impacted–and strained–by the current cool, intellectual approach being taken in both relationships and financial matters), Chiron in Aries sextile Luna (our independence, our individuality, is so easily wounded–and it feels lonely, out here!), and the Black Moon Lilith point in Libra receiving a trine (reiterating the prominence of relationship matters and warning about things too easily–the trine–buried, denied, ignored, or allowed to fuel rage).

One interesting thing here is that the Sun, which we must acknowledge as source of the Moon’s light in the first place, in some cases forms stronger aspects at the Full Moon than does the Moon (though both contact the same bodies, whether that contact is major or minor in strength figures in to interpretation–for instance, a trine is stronger than a sextile, and so commands a greater orb and more emphasis in the equation); the Sun also forms at least one significant aspect that the Moon barely notices: a quincunx to Uranus, which only semi-sextiles the Moon. Stay with me, here; this suggests that the current chaos, anarchy, ‘modernization’, erraticism, in short, ‘the crazy’ we’re seeing, is a direct part of the atmosphere that draws our attention, but that we have difficulty processing/ perceiving emotionally (the weak link to the Moon). We’ll be seeing things once removed, as if we’re looking in a mirror, and that mirror is, through no fault of our own, distorted to some degree. Uranus may be a strong element of our perceptions, the quincunx implying irritation, important since this can trigger knee-jerk responses that can be especially destabilizing at this time.

Is Jupiter in Gemini part of this Full Moon formula? Maybe. Consider: the Moon is almost 9 degrees past conjunction with Jupiter, which is retrograde, and the Moon moves so quickly, the implication is the influence, if it still exists at the time of the Full Moon at all, is almost totally dissipated, as both bodies continue to widen the gap. But, Jupiter could be considered still opposed the Sun, in part because the Sun commands a greater orb than the Moon, and also moves more slowly than the Moon. Let’s then allow for the Sun opposed Jupiter in Gemini. Again we have the mentality, expansion of it or exposure to what’s foreign, and this is pointed not at the individual but at the social order in general. Remember too that Jupiter is itself still square Saturn in Pisces, echoing a confusing reality, magnified by propaganda and our own unreliable thoughts. So, Jupiter essentially just amplifies what we already see elsewhere, again with a sense of a mirror, reflections that confuse us as to where, exactly, some idea is originating.

The Full Moon Sabian is, ‘Children Skating Over A Frozen Village Pond’. This brings to mind two children in New York who fell through the ice and drowned just this week; a middle school boy fell through, and his friend, a girl, tried to help him and also perished. It’s a tragedy of good intentions and poor (or rather, inexperienced) judgment; those are the ingredients of all the most heart-rending events. Keep the tenuousness of current structures and supports in mind during this Full Moon; seasons change, global warming is real, and it’s easy to miscalculate what will hold our weight, or always be there when we need it. We also look at the Sun, for a Full Moon: ‘A Bluebird Perched On The Gate Of A Cottage’. A bluebird is a symbol of happiness. Perhaps the suggestion is that if we can hold fast to who we are, to our own identity (the Sun), in these turbulent times, we can find a state of equilibrium, if not joy. Centering within ourselves is the best way to meet confusion, mixed messages, and uncertain others. I wish this for each and every one of us.

Wishing you a wonderful end-of-year, and a happy holiday season, no matter what you celebrate, or if you even celebrate at all. From the darkest point of our year in the northern hemisphere, the Winter Solstice, it only gets lighter from there–so no matter who you are, you have something to look forward to, and a new year to move toward.

Mars Opposed Pluto: The Martial Arts Aspect

06 Friday Dec 2024

Posted by in Aspect Delineation, astrology, current events in the sky

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Direct confrontation is just not the way to go. ‘Stag at Sharkey’s’ By George Bellows 1909 {{PD}}

Mars and Pluto opposed each other in early November, at 29 degrees of Cancer (Mars) and Capricorn (Pluto). Think back; what kind of stressful, end-of-your rope feelings and events came forward? What was on your mind–or maybe I should say, what were you obsessed with? What called you to potentially initiate transformative action? What structures were lost, what crises in caring did you face? It wasn’t fun, but we were shown what was leaving our lives, and what actions we could take, all measured by what really mattered to us–and now we face more of these oppositions, as Mars retrogrades in Leo and repeatedly comes within orb of opposing Pluto, now firmly ensconced in Aquarius.

The apparent retrograde of Mars begins the 6th; it’s been stationary for about four days and will continue so (to the degree, but not the minute) for another week. Think about someone aggressively confident, suddenly being forced to retrace her steps or reconsider her choices and actions; that seems to me like a recipe for a short-temper, a reluctance to admit maybe another option would’ve suited better, or regret that there’s no way this individual wants to admit–that is the basic energy we face upon Mars’ first days stationary and then retro. We’re going to be reluctant to examine what we’ve done, and if we do, we may feel a rising panic: if our best judgment wasn’t good enough in the past, how the hell are we going to do better now?

Take a deep breath; this is not a crisis, especially as Neptune will go direct the 7th, offering renewed imaginative power, a clear set of ideals, and the creative energy to move forward. So, we have resources, we just need to be certain which ones are at our disposal, which are temporarily in storage. With Mars in Leo our attention will definitely be on ourselves: on what we’ve done (or failed to do, or turned away from doing), and we may make a seriously harsh assessment of what our contribution has really been. Did we ever really shine? we may be asking ourselves–and the closer Mars moves to perfecting its opposition to Pluto, the more serious, and devastating, that assessment may become.

First of all, we need to remember that both Mars and Pluto are very active energies; they have weight and they don’t hesitate to throw that around (and so easily knock us off balance). How then do we deal with them? Only a fool would believe they could manhandle either one of these into submission; we must judo them. That is, we must use the weight of these aggressive heavy-hitters to control them, move them where we want them to go, mustering their power for our benefit. For example, we might be feeling we must do something to enhance our presence, add to our contribution–in short, we may be feeling we have to prove ourselves, thanks to Leo–but we will almost certainly sense Pluto in opposition, threatening–what? Destruction, perhaps, or a dire outcome, the obliteration of our very ego; notice, though, that Pluto is in Aquarius. It’s a mind game. Destruction is possible, yes, but is unlikely if we are able to use Higher Mind (Aquarius) to vet the choices before us. We consider options, then step aside, and let the transformative energy of Pluto, via the intellect, assess what we want to do–and then, trusting ourselves, believe what is revealed. Aquarius offers understanding, an essential element to making the right moves. With this simple formula, we can abandon the struggle, and let all that spare momentum work for us.

I’ll write a bit more on this later. Have a wonderful weekend, my friends!

New Moon 30 November 2024 A Difficult Reality

30 Saturday Nov 2024

Posted by in astrology, New Moon, Sabian Symbols

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The quintessential Sagittarian pastime. ‘Archers’ By Ferenczy, Károly 1911 {{PD}}

The New Moon perfects at 10:21 PM PST of the 30th at 9 Sagittarius 32, forming a square to Saturn and a very loose Fire Grand Trine with the North Node and Mars–but what my attention is drawn to is something that doesn’t even figure in to the New Moon picture, but which I have the feeling will be the major influence behind anything that goes wrong: a Fire trine between retro Mercury and Chiron. This suggests that if we’re primed to receive hurtful information or communications, then that’s exactly what we’ll get; we won’t understand what’s actually being said, but we’ll overreact, blow our tops, get indignant, or lash out, trying to hurt others as they’ve hurt us. In the instant of decompression, we’ll forget that we should be listening for the meaning behind the words, the message buried in what we misread as a jab at us–and because this happens in Fire signs, we’re likely to act on it, way before we realize what it all means.

With that in mind, let’s look at what’s born with the New Moon: knowledge, a fresh life philosophy, a burgeoning belief, a desire to get the word out or share what we learn. The problem is that our impulse meets a difficult reality, one that we are bound to misinterpret, see as insurmountable, or that we imagine to be other than it is (Saturn in Pisces). We feel blocked creatively, and have an emotional reaction to it, one that we draw fundamentally incorrect conclusions from–and then we are prone to act on this (the Grand Trine) in ways that affect our path forward or our future prospects–so all in all, a precarious point when we’d do well to hesitate rather than leap.

There is a positive here, one that can light a fire under us, pulling best efforts out of us, if we formulated our plan well before Mercury went retrograde. If that’s the case, the Fire Grand Trine can assist us in moving forward under our own steam–but it won’t necessarily bring others to our aid, and still exists with all the caveats about perception and intention.

As with all things, this is a temporary condition, and will pass soon enough; it’s just holding ourselves together in the moment that’s required to keep from causing damage to ourselves or others. The Sabian for the New Moon is telling: ‘A Theatrical Representation Of A Golden-Haired Goddess Of Opportunity’. What we see play out before us looks like an opportunity, specifically to redress something unjust (the information or communication we find offensive or wrong), but what we’re seeing is a kind of illusion, a play, not reality, a fiction that tells us a story that exists in all its particulars only in our own minds–and those minds are under Merc retro at the moment, ready to innocently but significantly mislead us. Remember this and you’ll have little trouble using the New Moon energy to learn something important for later, once the influence to indulge temper or misunderstand passes.

If we need any confirmation about the nature of the New Moon, we note that Kassandra is sextile in Aquarius, suggesting that even accurate info won’t be believed–again, an inability to see reality as it genuinely exists. We also see a Mystic Rectangle at this time, made up of Jupiter, Chiron, Black Moon Lilith, and Mercury, that points out the possibilities of exaggerated perceptions, hurt, especially that arising from buried or denied material, and yet again, a mind susceptible to misperception. The New Moon is also widely conjoined Eros, implying misdirected passions, or a projection of desirability on a misperceived object. None of it’s your fault, but it is important to know.

Defining Ourselves

25 Monday Nov 2024

Posted by in astrology, Mercury retrograde, Pluto Into Aquarius, Retrogrades + Directions, Saturn in Pisces

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‘The Butterfly Girl’ By Winslow Homer 1878 {{PD}}

As Pluto moves out of Capricorn (not to return in our lifetimes), we are consumed with ridding ourselves of the last vestiges of institutions, restrictions, boundaries, restraints, barriers, rules, and authorities that seem to be holding us back–but the operative word here is ‘seem’. That final pass of Pluto through the 29th degree of Capricorn, that began in September and lasted through November 19th, ground down on our last nerve and made us feel that if we didn’t throw off our chains, we’d lose any chance at freedom–forever. That’s Pluto at his most dramatic, threatening oblivion and wipe out, when the real agenda is change–or clear the boards–or even transformation, which can be a butterfly-delicate business. Leaving Capricorn means leaving behind much we’ve come to see as steadying, reliable, safe–we understand these rules, whether we like them or not–and entering Aquarius what we are most likely to sense is approaching chaos–and that can make even the coolest of us panic. Every time you feel that fear of anarchy rising, remind yourself that this lack of constraints is something we’ve silently been wishing for–and that what we’re enjoying now is the opportunity for significant Self-determination, the development of our individuality, originality, and expression unique to us. That’s a great gift, if we can release our fear of the unknown and embrace trust in ourselves, believing we’re able to handle whatever comes.

Mercury moves into apparent retrograde motion at 22 Sagittarius 40 on the 25th, and it may take a few hours (or days) to feel it’s moving backward reliably; it’s almost like the stationary period leading up to the retro has been extra trying, making us question what we know and what we believe, and we may remain in that state until it picks up speed (certainly by the 29th, when Merc pulls out of its quincunx to Uranus). That will remove the sense of unpredictability to what we hear, think about, absorb, or perceive mentally–and in its place the way should open to using the feeling nature in making choices and understanding our surroundings (look at the states of natal Moon, transiting Moon, and natal and transiting Venus, for best ways to read, approach, and handle current events).

Remember, trusting our intuition, those things we ‘know but don’t know’, and the feeling conduit we each have that feeds info directly from nature/ the ether/ our surroundings/ people around us to our bodies is vital to accept without letting our mind take over and question those perceptions. We find this knowledge not just in that flood of ‘knowing’ that can occur; it’s also available through the pit in our stomach, the flutter of our heart, the chill to our bones, or the hair standing on end, just to name a few of our most effective non-mental information mechanisms. During a Merc retro period these sensations must be honored as genuine sources of guidance–anything less just means we will turn to the (just for now) incomplete and unreliable mental assessment of the situation–and for the present that’s what we need to avoid.

One other thing I’d like to point out: Saturn in Pisces isn’t getting much contact from other bodies currently, but it’s the kind of energy we’d do well to take active advantage of. It’s offering ways in which we can take ideas into reality, giving the imagination or the ideals concrete, lasting forms. All you need to do is tap into it through appropriate effort–Saturn rewards work–and once you start it can lend an inspired air to what you build or give form, and pulls in some surprising inspiration and support along the way.

Just a thought, but one I think worth mentioning: consider who you are, what you see yourself as, and then consider how that changes when you remove from your definition all the things you are against. Too often we define ourselves via what we don’t want, like, or support–but that focus on a negative can backfire, drawing it to us, making the thing we hate or reject a stronger part of us than we realize. For instance, if you were a cancer researcher, and suddenly a cure was found that meant no one would suffer this disease again, how would that affect your idea of you? Until then you had seen yourself as a warrior against cancer–but with cancer no longer a danger, who do you become, and what do you do with that energy that was dedicated to eradicating something you’d made central to your life? This issue isn’t always that obvious or dramatic, but still worth addressing, as we can all use as much available energy as possible right now. I would suggest allowing yourself to dwell only on those things you want to be, live like, do, while refusing to dedicate any energy to what you find unacceptable–see if shifting your attention to the positive doesn’t lighten the load, and free up energy in unexpected and refreshing ways.

Have a lovely week, everyone!

Full Moon 15 November 2024 The Shape of Things

14 Thursday Nov 2024

Posted by in astrology, Full Moon, Retrogrades + Directions, Sabian Symbols

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Walt Disney Concert Hall, Photographer Unknown www.Pixel.la Free Stock Photos {{PD}}

The Moon reaches exact opposition to the Sun (and so exact conjunction with Earth) at 1:28 PM PST of the 15th, with both bodies at 24 degrees, Sun in Scorpio, Moon/ Earth in Taurus. A Full Moon promises culmination, a big reveal, resolution, completion, even abandonment of a course that proves ineffective, a kind of end signaled by the Full Moon point–but this time what occurs is shocking, or shockingly original, or potentially unleashes chaos, with Uranus conjoined the Lunar energy and both grounded through the presence of Earth as well as their placement in the most security-oriented of the Earth signs, Taurus. It’s a combination that suggests anarchy, internal or external, a disorienting sense that what comforts us, makes us feel prosperous, soothed, established, secure, and materially safe, may disappear. The earth threatens to shift beneath our feet, and an inventory of what surrounds us is made impossible by our inability to discern the genuine shape of things, as the Sun shines on the Scorpionic depths, lights up the cave, spotlights the rot, what needs to be cleaned out, rehabilitated, or transformed, but never really gives us a clear picture of what is–vital areas are blurred, the solid indistinguishable from shadow, angles mislead, and what we see is a Rorschach that should illuminate but ultimately fails to reveal meaning.

What surprises us about the Full Moon event may come in the form of an ideal realized, a fantasy come to life–or discovered, come to light–the establishment of a form of payoff or security we didn’t really anticipate (sextile Neptune), or as destruction of what no longer serves, or the clean sweep or falling away of a power or circumstance that has been restraining us, or threatening to overpower us (wide trine to Pluto). So, there’s a lot that’s difficult to see, and the action happens whether we consent or not, which can be upsetting. This all happens on the heels of the Saturn direction at 12 Pisces; does this take the brakes off our dreams, or does it gently apply them, steering us away from what we thought we wanted, denying what we were sure would be ours, or delivering what we were sure wouldn’t?

The Full Moon delivers fulfillment of some condition that affects us emotionally, or that validates our intuition. We see some lesser influences with the Ceres in Capricorn trine (the Lunar effect and what it brings is natural, perhaps necessitating negotiation, or acknowledgment of our boundaries, or perhaps seeing clearly for the first time the implications of or to our health or personal authority); Eris semi-sextile in Aries suggesting that expression of our Will will definitely stir extant resistance in others; Circe at 21Pisces sextile the Moon promises a strong woman/ female energy that offers support even as it may try to distract us or delay us; and Pallas sits quincunx the Moon from Sagittarius, requiring us to adjust our approach and attitude in order to accommodate the facts or what we learn.

It’s notable that the Sabian for the Full Moon is 24 Taurus; normally we would have minutes on the degree that would push it to the following symbol. ‘An Indian Warrior Riding Fiercely, Human Scalps Hanging From His Belt’ suggests to me that we are to gird ourselves as if we’re entering battle, taking ourselves and our efforts seriously, a ‘take no prisoners’ approach–and yet, the Sun’s symbol says, ‘After Having Heard An Inspired Individual Deliver His “Sermon On The Mount,” Crowds Are Returning Home’. We may feel as if an aggressive approach is required in order to triumph, and certainly, that’s the mindset we need initially, but it’s the message that drives us that’s ultimately most important. We must believe in ourselves and our cause, but the larger impact will come from what our conduct conveys about our beliefs and expectations. That’s how we’re actually communicating–and considering that Mercury is set to retrograde in just a week and a half at 22 Sagittarius, whatever we’re actually putting out now will come back to us, along with the consequences, probably much sooner than we think–so be as conscious of what your choices truly mean as possible.

There’s a Mystic Rectangle in force right now, made up of Mercury, Black Moon Lilith, Jupiter, and Chiron. If we’re willing to do the hard work around communicating on tough subjects (especially around what we’ve denied or ignored), we could really benefit, even heal wounds. The trick is doing the digging and being Truthful without treating our wounds as if they’re sacred; we can’t make progress if we’re afraid of a little pain.

Make note too of a Venus in Aquarius/ Mars in Leo opposition that occurs 12th-13th of December, about a week after Mars goes retro. Right now Venus and Mars are quincunx, meaning these energies call for adjustment, in order to get along; their December encounter promises a total re-consideration around our actions and choices regarding Love, assets, partnership, values. Keep that in mind now, making an effort to accommodate, to balance Higher Mind and ego, and the December contact will be that much easier to navigate and understand, and will require a lot less re-doing than it otherwise might without an early awareness of the way these energies will tangle.

Julie Demboski's ASTROLOGY

Addressing the Individual Experience Within the Universal Truth

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