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Full Moon in Leo 5 February 2023 An Emotional Spotlight

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‘A Ray of Sunlight’ By John White Alexander 1898 {{PD}}

Ah! With the Full Moon in Leo we get a symbolic meeting of the Sun (through rulership) and Moon that suggests the kind of atmosphere where emotions come into their full glory. Maybe it’s no coincidence that this always falls relatively close to Valentine’s Day–or maybe it’s just that this combination offers a glimpse into what we’re putting in an emotional spotlight.

The event comes at 10:27 AM PST at 16 Leo 40. The only major aspect is the Moon-Earth forming a separating square to Uranus in Taurus. That suggests the Lunar culmination brings to light some conflict, difficulty, or stress (maybe related to material matters, intractability of a partner, or issues of security–Taurus) that offers a shock, a surprise, a revelation, or an innovative response–and this brings us to a conclusion, close out, or new understanding of what our feelings really are, and what they’re all about.

Sabian for this Full Moon is, ‘A Volunteer Church Choir Singing Religious Hymns’. Religion suggests an organized approach to faith, while we are told the participants are volunteers, joining voices to let their vision of how the Universe is organized be known and praised–and that requires belief in the unseen or unverifiable, as well as belief that one is perceiving what’s beyond the senses correctly. We always look at the Sun as well for a Full Moon: ‘A Watchdog Stands Guard, Protecting His Master And His Possessions’. Combined with the Full Moon Sabian, this suggests defending what we believe in and see as ours.

If this in combination is the energy of the Full Moon, we’re likely to react automatically and defensively when that Uranian challenge comes along and stirs our emotions; it possibly also stirs our fears of chaos or others moving along into the future without us. We are shocked by something, or shocked by our sudden understanding of something, and our immediate idea is to defend how we see things–but we’ll find our harmony by, rather than barking at what upsets us, singing the praises of what we genuinely accept and believe. Rather than struggle or become a victim of our own reactions, we should focus on the core matters of our faith, whatever those may be.

The fact that the Moon has recently quincunxed/ Earth was recently quincunxed by Venus, current ruler of Uranus, says that we’ve received ‘warnings’ (the quincunxes) in the recent past, gotten glimpses of the relationship issues (and these can be with others, the material world, and/ or with the spiritual) that will come forward–it’s just that at this point they bring the unexpected and seem to come as a shock or to deliver a dose of understanding about something that didn’t seem so clear before–with the challenge to us a call to see ourselves in a new light, especially emotionally.

There’s a minor contact of the Moon-Earth by septile to Ceres, which hints at it all in the end being about Power: who holds it, who exercises it, who oversteps their bounds, who’s responsible for what (and especially for whom). Ceres is also our connection to Nature, and to our own personal sense of authority, the kind that perpetually asks us, Am I truly in charge of myself? It asks us to inspect our choices for the influences, even coercion, of others, and it asks us to be genuinely responsible for everything we do. It also asks us to recognize the existence of powers beyond our control, such as Nature and the passage of Time; there are some things we must accept as out of our control, and so not our responsibility. The septile implies a spiritual tone to all this; we then must look at the Lunar event aware that whatever comes forward is a lesson (though I dislike that word, as we’re learning all the time) in our larger involvement in things. That promises that what occurs mirrors our spiritual state, with others or a situation standing in for the Universe itself. It’s about relationship in its biggest sense, and who we are as an individual (Leo), making our way into the future/ forward with the group (Aquarius).

A Note for Today + Tax Tips!

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Of note today: a precise T-square consisting of Mercury in Capricorn opposed Pallas in Cancer, both squared by Chiron in Aries=we may push boundaries in communications, entertaining unwise options or speaking with an eye to torquing others’ ‘feels’ in order to accomplish short-term goals–but consider how this may wound inadvertently in larger ways. Egos may bruise easily, and the ‘I Am’ may find itself momentarily confused; we and others are all susceptible. Tamp down urges toward insistence and aggression (especially if it’s framed as ‘concern’) and you’ll avoid planting the seeds of serious injury.

And now: Tax tips!

‘Paying the Tax (The Tax Collector)’ By Pieter Brueghel the Younger c1630 {{PD}}

This previously appeared in Eclipse in 2014, now slightly modified to bring it up to date.

We’re coming up on tax time in the US, but these rules apply in any country at any time when paying anything where you could be audited and the tax man could come back for more. These suggestions apply equally to personal taxes and business taxes, and have proven very useful in the real world; for myself, in a business that invites scrutiny (astrology is actually illegal in some parts of the US), I’ve filed using these guidelines for at least 27 years now, and I’ve never been audited or had the return questioned in any way. These suggestions are based on some I first saw in the work of March and McEvers—if you’re not familiar with them and their well-presented work, you might want to be. Their series, ‘The Only Way to . . .’ offers an excellent grounding in a number of Astro-areas.

Timing Is Everything. It seems it’s all in the moment you release the Return; whether dropping it in a mailbox or pushing ‘Send’ on the computer. That’s the point at which you lose control of the numbers, and entrust them to Big Brother. So to that end, you choose a moment during the Moon’s Void of Course period, every two and one half days. This can get tricky, as sometimes the Void is only a few minutes in length, but it’s worth planning ahead for.

The idea is that the Moon symbolizes the forward (linear) movement from one event to the next that is the essence of daily life; it represents time, not in Saturn’s slow, trudging-forward, span-of-eons way, but in the way that nothing sits still, everything is changing perpetually, and the Moon captures that changing nature of life in its swift cycle of waxing and waning. When it’s in the Void, it has made the last major aspect it will make to another body while still in that sign; it leaves the Void when it enters the next sign. In that period between the final aspect and entering a new sign, the Moon is said to carry no energy behind it; events, then, lack that same impetus, trailing off into nothing, coming to nothing, or never getting off the ground in the first place. This is advantageous in paying the tax bill as it would typically be scrutinized for discrepancies and extra due. Offering it in a Void period, though, removes the energy that would ‘cling’, in a psychic sense, to the Return, which should allow it to flow through the system without a hitch, with either payment or refund over in no time. Whenever you want to put something through a system and have it pass through with little problem and without drawing attention, then initiating the journey during the Moon’s Void is the right time.

Stay away from submitting something during a Void when you DO want it to draw attention. Don’t enter a contest, submit a paper or article, or apply for a job or for entrance to a college, or make that ‘first moment’ in the Void for anything else where you want to be seen and heard. No interviews, placing orders, or announcements, either. There’s another condition that applies to the Void, the potential for things not to go as planned. This chiefly applies to gatherings or something actually started during the Void, and it plays off what we anticipate going forward: if we believe we can start the party and it will be just fine, a convivial evening of laughter and warmth, what we may get is a lot of no-shows, a couple of fistfights, or an evening where everyone stands in icy silence with a drink in their hand. The opposite can occur, too: if we think something may be a disaster, we may be pleasantly surprised. Unanticipated outcomes and the unexpected will be drawn into the Void like water down a drain–so be prepared.

Have an excellent weekend! If you’ve written to me lately and I haven’t gotten back to you, please understand that I’m unable to correspond with everyone I’d like to–if I give my time to personal questions, chat, and uninvited queries I have that much less time to work–and right now, for me, it’s all about the work. My apologies to those who’ve been disappointed.

New Moon in Aquarius 21 January 2023 The Prison of the Mind

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A new moon setting over Gåseberg, Lysekil Municipality, Sweden, 2016

Photo courtesy of W.carter

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That’s a little dramatic, isn’t it? Maybe it should be something like, ‘Isolated in (or by) our own minds’, or in its most benign form, ‘Alone with our thoughts’. The Moon in the sign of the intellect is always a little uncomfortable (though more easily tolerated by those who live with a natal meld of Water/ Air or who have the Moon in an Air sign); there’s a quite natural struggle to parse feeling from thinking, and knowing the difference depends almost entirely on how clear we are about our own feelings.

We shouldn’t forget that the ancient ruler of Aquarius is Saturn, suggesting the potential for fear or depression to arise from emotional discomfort. It’s a mistranslation of feeling, the emotions taking a negative form of Aquarian shape, and probably taking a form that distracts you and so prevents you knowing what that true feeling is. That means you miss how you feel about something important, or vital, or simply right in front of you, because the mind is too busy looking out for what you fear will appear, or what you fear will oppress you. It’s a way of protecting yourself from being uncomfortably clear on reality–which says you’re hiding from some facts or situation you desperately need to be aware of.

New Moons are new beginnings, and with this New Moon in Aquarius we can plant a seed of awareness, begin to embrace intellectual understanding of some issue, or lay plans to take a chance, rebel, revolutionize ‘the system’. The NM is widely conjoined Pluto in Capricorn, and opposed the Black Moon Lilith point, suggesting that what we may see is new thought or understanding (NM in AQ) springing from the termination, destruction, or resurgence of a framework, system, or set of standards or rules (PL in CAP). This shift, whether it’s obliteration or a re-birth, allows us to uncover what’s been ignored, denied, or has enraged many in material matters (BML-Earth), and in so acknowledging make the first steps toward true change. We can’t change what we don’t see and admit the existence of; that’s a painful part of the energy of transformation that can then lead to healing.

We might also experience this New Moon as a time to shake things up, to be the rebel–but don’t fool yourself, even if it seems the group is behind you, you’ll end up going it alone–and again, any unusual stir may be camouflaging genuine feeling, re-directing the energy that should go to processing this emotion into a ’cause’ or a sense of righteousness that will totally distract from the actual emotional issue at hand.

There’s also a wide out-of-element trine to Sedna and a sextile to Jupiter-Juno in Aries, both of which suggest, in the most general terms, that efforts must be made to sort instinct from social conditioning, personal autonomy from the need to parent or supervise, and to sort out who holds authority, who’s in charge, in any situation–and this is so even if you’re someone who’s not looking to boss anyone around. The aloneness we may find ourselves trying to go beyond will either be an emotional and mental ‘prison’, tormenting us as we fail to reach others, or can become a chance at quiet introspection, making the mind a meditation chamber instead of a torture one.

Now, that struggle for the Moon in Aquarius in knowing what’s a feeling, what’s a thought, is ongoing, though it becomes the environment for all of us each time Luna passes through the sign. A New Moon here promises us the chance to hold something in the mind in a clear, new light. With the current dearth of New Moon aspects, though, we may feel a potential sense of isolation, even confinement–the ‘prison’ of the title–with no easy means of reaching out to or communing with others–even as those tussles over who holds authority blossom. Growing awareness of the new means we are that much more focused on the fact that we are discovering, learning the facts, on our own, in a way that makes it difficult to share our experience, and so alleviate any unsteadiness or doubt or fear. Awareness of the social sphere (Jupiter) and any power struggles that may come along (Jupiter-Juno) only enhances our sense of separation from others. It’s a wee bit strange, a wee bit uncomfortable, but the process is one that is meant to spark reform and help us learn to trust our own instincts and those things we, deep inside, ‘know but don’t know’ (Sedna).

The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘An Unexpected Thunderstorm’. There’s Uranus, ruler of Aquarius, in both the unexpected nature of what will occur, and in the symbol of the thunderstorm–so a bit of rough weather, the kind that’s a little dangerous but that energizes, that brings a cleansing, healing rain. No flood here (unless it’s a flash flood, which has a Plutonian nature, of wipeout that leaves nothing behind), as thunderstorms are typically volatile but brief, a discharge of energy that ‘clears the air’–and so this New Moon can be for us.

At Long Last: Mars Direct 12 January 2023 + The Green Comet

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‘Donati’s Comet’ By James Poole 1858 {{PD}}

Mars has lingered on the 8th degree of Gemini for about a week and a half before finally shifting apparent motion (on the 12th at 12:57 PM PST)–and then lingers still at that 8th degree for nearly another two weeks after the change in direction. Those with natal placements at 8 degrees of Sagittarius, Pisces, Virgo, and in Gemini will feel both the stationary pressure and the shift to direct more than others, specific to the point or body contacted, with the influence/ experience having a highly Martian quality: circumstances or actions imbued with assertive energy, aggressions from the Self or aimed at the Self by others, the potential for violence or situations, literal or figurative, that call out the Warrior in the individual, or simply difficult choices, of the ‘between the devil and the deep blue sea’ variety. For the rest of us any stationary period makes related circumstances feel cemented in place, as if they will never end, usually related to matters of the House Mars is currently transiting, or the House it rules in the natal chart–which, in the case of Mars, makes it important that we don’t act, react, or choose based on precisely where things are right now–there will be movement, probably sooner than you think.

This retro period has been, by all accounts, filled with upheaval, upset, and every other kind of up, including breaking up, giving up, and coughing up the Truth. Matters of choice or actions taken play out successfully or not along lines relative to how honest we are about culpability, responsibility, and admissions of vulnerability that leave us at the mercy of others. That is, those with a strong sense of Self that holds ego to a minimum have probably fared best during the retro–but in any case, we’ve been shown a little bit of chaos, and been asked (often forced) to respond to it. That kind of in your face drama will be ending, subject to this: on turnaround Mars in Gemini makes a loose quincunx to Mercury in Capricorn, perfecting the 16th-17th with still retro stationing Merc and Mars finally picking up normal direct speed. This puts the spotlight on thought, especially thoughts that question the status quo or current structure, or ideas that attempt to ‘break into’ an exclusionary system.

We also see Mars at stationary direction involved in two configurations. One is a Finger of God with Mars widely sextile Chiron, apex the South Node of the Moon in Scorpio. That suggests a strong potential for both our thinking and our actions to boil up out of our wounds, especially if those hurts echo the darker parts of the past, the ones we might like to forget, or are a little ashamed of. The sense may be that Mars releases us, and we go with it, rather than our realizing that release is something we can enjoy without needing to act out. Bad choices will be prompted by a feeling that we need to make up time, catch up and even the score. Not smart.

The other config is a Fist of God, with Zeus square the Sun and Mars the apex. A Fist takes a tough situation and gives one an out through the apex–but that apex energy doesn’t offer to resolve the situation so much as blow it up. It’s another side to that sense of release, a bit of a warning: if you’re dissatisfied with your current identity/ sense of Self/ direction in life, if ambitions are eating at you, their lack of fulfillment causing you to denigrate or question your worth, then you are potentially vulnerable to making poor choices or acting out. Again, release from the Martian thumb doesn’t mean go wild, responding to your frustrations with ill-considered acts–it means hold off, until thoughts are absolutely clear and aligned with your actual goals–not easy, but certainly more desirable than having to clean up a mess later.

And in comet news, a bright green one, known by the designation C/2022 E3, will be nearest to the Sun on the day Mars goes direct, but will be closest to Earth around the 1st of February, and potentially visible to the naked eye from Sun contact through early February. Sighting in the Northern Hemisphere requires binoculars or a telescope at dawn through most of January, and in the Southern Hemisphere it becomes visible by the same means in February. Read more here–

The Cancer Full Moon 6 January 2023: Ideas vs. Wisdom

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‘Two Odalisques Contemplating The Bosphorus’ By Ernest Hébert 1843 {{PD}}

The Full Moon perfects at 3:07 PM PST of the 6th at 16 Cancer 21, putting it conjoined Pallas and opposed the Sun and Mercury just before they join in Inferior Conjunction (the conjunction that occurs when Mercury is retrograde). Practical thoughts are being re-visited, illuminated, and how we feel about our environment, our surroundings, our accomplishments (or lack of them) is also being considered–and the outcome may be unpredictable, uncertain, institute radical shifts, or shock and surprise us (FM sextile Uranus), though we can be sure what we weigh and ruminate on at this point will be vetted against our highest values and commitments (FM trine Vesta). Perfection of the Inferior Conjunction will bring the illumination of something fresh, the planting of a seed, the inception of something, an idea or conception of the world (Capricorn) that may or may not prove viable–but the Full Moon helps with this, shining reflective light on the feasibility of it, and most importantly, on the wisdom of what we’re contemplating, along with, in this instance, the ability to see ahead, to visualize the outcome of our idea, and particularly the emotional impact this idea may have on us, if it comes to full term.

The Full Moon also forms a minor aspect with Jupiter, the squine (105 degrees), often defined as having characteristics of both the square and the trine–but that’s not very helpful in telling us what it means, is it? I think of it more as a pushme-pullyou aspect, one that takes the energies of the involved bodies and stirs them up in such a way that there are positives and negatives swirling around–and we as individuals pluck those factors we most respond to from the chaotic mix.

That means Jupiter’s influence will be highly individual, dependent on our own relationship to ‘the facts’, to the social order, to the idea of expansion, to education or religious belief/ indoctrination. Look for these personal effects in the House Jupiter rules in the natal chart, in matters of the House where it’s currently transiting for you, and/ or in expression of your own Jupiter placement, likely as a challenge that requires you to choose a path or an attitude that either embraces a Jupiterian factor or rejects it, opening the way for a ‘new’ version to be adopted.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘The Unfoldment Of Multilevel Potentialities Issuing From An Original Germ’. So, as expected, we will see the possibilities in a particular matter, one we will either choose to nurture or quash entirely, and these will bring an emotional effect, particularly emotional conclusions (the Full Moon), the “Germ” of course being found at the Inferior Conjunction. We also look at the Sabian for the Light-Giver, the Sun, and find this: ‘A Repressed Woman Finds A Psychological Release In Nudism’. This may be about freeing the mind (or relieving it) by adopting unvarnished honesty with ourselves, hiding nothing, ‘letting it all hang out’. I know honesty’s a theme with me, but it’s true: if we accept reality as our baseline, the need for subterfuge, deception, artifice all fall away–and leave that much more energy to make our own choices and institute what we want–and we have the advantage of actually seeing what is, which makes our decisions that much more effective, since they proceed from a realistic take on circumstances.

Also of note: Juno and Pluto are sextile=power struggles, but gentle ones, or maybe passive-aggressive ones, where it’ll be hard to say, “Stop!” without appearing to be churlish. Just know you are right–that is aggressive, no matter how many pretty bows are tied on it. Venus and Ceres are trine in Air, giving those with an anima orientation (that is, those who are receptive, who know that Being is as dynamic and effective as Doing) who also accept their own right to Self-determination, are able to reason out what’s worth it, what will payoff. Relationships do well at this time when everyone is clear on where their responsibilities and autonomy end and another’s begins.

Important, too, is that the Black Moon Lilith point pencils out to the 29th degree of Cancer=hidden, denied, or enraging matters are the most potent movers of the emotions. Be on the lookout for their sneakily invasive influence.

And have a lovely weekend!

A Resurgence of Love: Mercury Retrograde 29 December 2022

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During this retro and the lead up to it, we’re going to see the gaps in our close relationships, and awareness of that distance will probably be a little scary.’The Early Lovers’ By Eastman Johnson 1870 {{PD}}

Mercury technically switches apparent direction in the wee hours of the 29th PST, at 1:32 AM, but as per usual, it’s been stationary for a bit, so that we know what’s coming, whether we admit it or not. We’ve been previewing change and shifts in what used to make us feel secure, particularly in the realm of relationships and who holds the power. Merc officially takes on retro status closely conjoined Venus, with an exact meeting scheduled right after the retro. This confirms that Love, especially in partner relationships, is on the agenda, hinted at in the run up to the retro by Merc’s sextiles to Neptune and Juno in Pisces (we see where our empowerment in partnership might be a fantasy, and we become aware of what might be ideal), and involvement in a Cardinal Grand Cross with Zeus, Eris, and Pallas (we’re consumed by the conflicts among what we desire, what’s wise or practical, what’s worth going to war over! and what discord has been beneath the surface all along. Note Pallas moves on but this remains as a T-square for New Year’s, suggesting desires and related strife will still be on our minds, and in the air).

What have we been seeing about the partner or other intimate? We’re seeing the places where the foundation might be shaky, where our accord might not be as solid as we thought, where we may not be able to count on them as we have in the past (or conversely, we see that we can count on them, though our contribution or attitude must adjust to current conditions. We may become aware of weaknesses in them, not just in our relationship). These conditions won’t be found just in relationships, but may also be seen in any structure, system, status, condition, or hierarchy we’ve been invested in and relying on–we need to be willing to see the reality of it, as any attempts to deal with matters will collapse if our choices aren’t firmly rooted in real-world circumstances, and the ways these are changing, or need to change, in order to function effectively.

The moment of retrograde, which gives us a snapshot of what to expect over the retro period, shows a Pisces Moon at 29 degrees–it’s painful when our fantasies are shredded, but it’s worse when reality seems to ‘come out of nowhere’ to blindside us, so see the emotional upset as a gift that points directly at what needs attention. ‘A Store Filled With Precious Oriental Rugs’ is the Sabian for both Mercury and Venus at the time of retro=we see the worth of what we hold, see the value of what we have, of what’s ‘contained (the store) in our reality. The emotional impact of all this is shown by the Sabian for the Moon at the time of retrograde: ‘A Majestic Rock Formation Resembling A Face Is Idealized By A Boy Who Takes It As His Ideal Of Greatness, And As He Grows Up, Begins To Look Like It’. If we are willing to see what is in a creative way for what it symbolizes, we’ll find inspiration toward making our ideals a reality, toward growing into our own brand of greatness. If we live our lives as if our ideals are real, embracing them as we act and make choices and interact with one another, we can’t help but become what we revere. It’s a recipe for moving the world toward what we’d like it to be–don’t close the door on these potentials just because some of this will be messy, difficult, and will require recognition of vulnerabilities and feelings we may have lately been sweeping under the (Oriental) rug.

What this time offers us is a chance to revitalize Love, as it lives and breathes in our daily dedications, of energy and attention, effort and interaction. And this retro is also a good time to reconsider what institutions, rules, and boundaries we support, and which need to be retired as irrelevant to our current world.

New Year’s Eve we see a Taurus Moon which will trine the Sun just after 2023 begins (Pacific time). That says spend the evening on celebration that feels like a reward, that feels sustaining, nourishing, a treat for the senses, while the Sun’s square to Chiron and quincunx to still retro Mars tells us to avoid dwelling on, assessing things by, or reacting from our wounds–any attempts to right related circumstances will misfire and aggression will definitely be aimed in the wrong direction. Welcome the coming year with a lighter heart–we’ve made it this far, and that’s something to celebrate.

See the recent New Moon here–

Happy Holidays!

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‘Wynken, Blynken, and Nod’ By Maxfield Parrish 1902 {{PD}}

My stepping away for the weekend turned into over a week gone from home, because of a car accident that stranded us in Seattle. No worries, everyone involved was unhurt, but the car was totaled and between that and some of the worst weather I’ve seen since living in and near the Emerald City, it felt like a long, stressful time–and I didn’t have access to my astrology software, which lives on my desktop–that’s why I missed the New Moon of the 23rd. So my apologies, and my very best wishes for a Happy Holiday for all, no matter what you celebrate (even if it’s only toasting the weekend!)

A quick look at the New Moon in Capricorn says to me that it was all about health (it’s closely conjoined Hygeia)–but in Cappy that could be the health of structures and systems, the things we rely on in our lives, what gives us a sense of security and safety, of boundaries and limits, the kind that allow us breathing room–and/ or this applies to the health of the subjects of the House in the natal chart where the NM falls for you–for instance, in the 1st, one’s body or the ways we interact with the world (do you over assert, refuse to acknowledge boundaries, perhaps? or are you literally doing something that endangers you?), while in the 2nd it may apply to exercise of talents or to spending (are you working yourself to death? or is expressing your talent taking a toll, or are you ‘giving it away’ to your own detriment?) In the 3rd that may pertain to the communications or thinking (do you over think? fantasize in a way that lets you over step boundaries or break agreements? do you speak in code, hoping to manipulate?) and in the 4th this might involve dealing with the literal health of family members or the suitability of your relationships with them (are those relationships creating needless boundaries, stopping you from something, maybe in an attempt to keep you safe? do old patterns automatically repeat when you’re together?)

In the 5th it’s one’s offspring or romance or creative efforts or even gambles that are limiting or challenging one’s limits, and in the 6th it may be the job or the actual state of the health that’s holding one back or enforcing limits. The 7th blames it on the partner or all others, or maybe the standards of the Art world or audience, and the 8th may focus on sharing, all that is or isn’t offered to one via relationships. The 9th may see one chafing at the institutions with which they’re involved (religious, educational) or that have factored into the current status, or one’s life philosophy may be under fire or born anew, or a ‘foreign’ entity or environment may be forcing a pull-back. The 10th makes what’s born visible to all and may place NM developments firmly in the context of career or reputation, while the 11th sees groups, friends, hopes and wishes making one aware of Saturnian limits, and the 12th, well, that may send the message via meditation, dreams, or behind-the-scenes matters.

And remember, a New Moon is a new start–so we may be looking at awareness of and then going beyond one’s usual limitations, or even of setting new limits, new boundaries, or drawing lines in the sand and saying ‘No more.’ Capricorn makes us aware of what we can rely on, what truly supports us, and what’s holding us back, and if it falls in one of the first six Houses (1st through 6th) the chief culprit that has been stopping you (or giving you needed structure and support!) may have been yourself.

The NM also creates a T-square with the Ceres-Jupiter opposition=showdowns over power, authority, and ‘knowing’ are formidable, and may determine going forward (at least for a time) who dominates in terms of calling the shots or knowing how to muster ‘natural’ power related to innate human nature and Universal ‘flow’. The New Moon also sesquiquadrates Uranus=surprise! It all shakes out not quite how you think it will.

The Sabian symbol for the New Moon is, ‘Three Rose Windows In A Gothic Church, One Damaged By War’. What’s your damage? as they say–this New Moon may give us the opportunity to repair a damaged view, something that holds ‘sacred space’ within us, to remove what in our lives was destroyed in a violent way and replace it or restore it with something beautiful, graceful, still vulnerable to being damaged (as in the example of window glass) but then, isn’t that fragility part of its beauty?

It’s good to be back, thanks for visiting, and make the best of the final few days of 2022!

The Fabric of the Solar System

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No, literally: the Solar system in quilt form. Click here to read more about its creator–

And in the run-up to tonight’s Full Moon, we should note a couple of minor trends, some of which have been around for awhile, such as the Pluto opposition to Pallas-Black Moon Lilith across Capricorn/ Cancer. That has given us an ongoing struggle between revealing the Truth and all hidden matters, and destroying the evidence for good–and both sides believe their choice is the wise one (and the one that will pay off, with Venus quincunx Pallas-BML). With Pluto trine and Pallas-BML sextile Ceres, there’s an element of displaying personal power in the mix, or possibly a sense of feeling responsible for revealing or hiding the Truth.

Hygeia trine Eris in Fire signs might move us to act on health matters–or may prompt us to nag others to do so–it certainly has me, as last night I pushed my husband to take a Covid home test to prove his cold was just a cold–and it was–or in a few rare cases it may be that those attacking, upsetting energies themselves prompts stress that affects health. Zeus in Libra is also opposed Eris, suggesting there might be a concern for the partner or some other ambition or desire behind willingness to rock the boat in the name of Health.

Jupiter at 29 Pisces is sextile Sedna at 29 Taurus turning our internal radar up to 11 but also prompting it to be a tad paranoid, to exaggerate what’s perceived (or worse, to only believe what aligns with our beliefs!), or to generally declare things unreliable, despite any supporting physical evidence that exists. *Sigh* Just relax–we not only don’t have to make declarations of the rightness of anything (even though that may feel like what we need to do), we don’t even have to form cogent ideas or judgements about things. This energy can prompt us to believe it’s ALL an emergency, or that we must ‘know what we know’ definitively and broadcast it to the world; neither is required, or even a good idea, at this time.

I hope your week is going well!

Full Moon 7 December 2022: Say It!

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‘Conversation in the Jardin du Luxembourg’ By Vittorio Matteo Corcos 1892 {{PD}}

The Full Moon perfects at 8:08:08! PM PST at 16 Gemini 01, just 6 minutes from contact with retrograde Mars. Both Earth and Lunar energies are imbued with a Martian thrust that takes on a Geminian form; feelings may form ‘hot’ and just as quickly come out our mouths, go into print, or drive abrupt action, and we may find ourselves involved in a kind of challenge, one that tempts us to make our thoughts realities almost as soon as we have them. Mars’ retro status only encourages the ‘act now, think later’ atmosphere, and could mean we’re propelled forward before we even know we’ve had a thought (and this is especially a potential if this Full Moon is falling in your natal 12th House).

Is this a good thing, this spontaneity? Some people might equate it with following instincts–but then again, acting instinctively can be a life-saver in a crisis, but unnecessarily defensive or destructive in less dire circumstances, as our animal instincts tend to interpret everything as a wee-bit threatening. Currently Mercury, ruler of the Full Moon, is early in Capricorn, sesquiquadrate Uranus–uh-oh. Both are in Earth, their relationship suggesting a precipitous urgency to ‘make it real’, mostly out of a sense that things either must be controlled or shaped along practical lines–so for all the right reasons we may act–but we must remain aware that our thoughts and ideas may have more than a little Self-interest, ego, or aggression behind them, and may arise as much from fear (the sesquiquadrate) as anything else. This doesn’t inherently make those feelings or that sense of urgency wrong or bad, but does imply that if we’re not crystalline clear and as honest as possible with ourselves, we could create unintended consequences because so many subtle influences may be at work below the conscious level.

Aspects formed by the Full Moon include a semi-sextile to Uranus, a square to Juno, and a very wide trine to Saturn. Each echoes a part of the theme: spontaneity or loss of control, for good or ill (Uranus), a test of Self-control and our sense of empowerment (and this could involve discovery of ways in which we are or aren’t empowered, perhaps contrasting with what we previously thought), and it’s all firmly rooted in the present reality picture and current structure of things, specifically that which has been built on the past (Saturn). We can’t forget that much of Juno’s activity can arise from frustration, especially frustration over her own thwarted authority or from a feeling of disrespect, and a square is just that; there’s the possibility that vengeance (a Juno specialty) may come forward in a maelstrom of emotions–so again, the need for control and clarity, which we may find by staying grounded and aware of what is (Saturn).

Avoiding trouble requires we’re clear about what we want, and why we want it or want to do it. A Full Moon in Gemini urges us to come to conclusions, to ‘say it’, and in the moment those thoughts are likely to read as eminently logical and reasonable–but in the presence of Mars, and through the feeling filter of the Moon, this becomes tricky. Being clear about what we’re thinking means we’ll need to be clear on what we’re feeling, as well, and both must fit not just within the reality picture, but into what we hope to build in the future (Uranus), in order to be productive, positive, and what we actually intend.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘The Head Of A Robust Youth Changes Into That Of A Mature Thinker’. This emphasizes the message of the planets (that we’ll need to respond maturely), and maybe points to a place of vulnerability, offering us a clue as to where we might be most liable to jump to conclusions: those areas in which our thinking, communications, messaging, or emotional development might still have significant room for growth. This is probably related to one or more of the subjects of the House of the natal chart where the Full Moon falls for you, and this is without a doubt something, some area or weakness, of which you’re already quite aware. The image also suggests the Full Moon events offer opportunity for emotional growth, for moving forward in an area we may have long felt inadequate to address, or where we’ve felt behind our peers, developmentally. This can be a person or life area to which, beyond all logic and our normal behaviors, we respond in emotional, uncontrolled, off-the-charts ways; it can be a trigger, something that sets us off, and is probably something we’d dearly like to tame.

For a Full Moon we also look at the Sun, as generator of the Lunar light we’re trying to interpret. It’s ‘An Easter Sunrise Service Draws A Large Crowd’. So, a chance for renewal, even redemption–and in any case, our response will be something witnessed by many. Remember, Jupiter will still be poised in that last, tense degree of Pisces, stressing our hopes, our sense of optimism, what we can be sure we know, our beliefs, and our social roles/ position in the social arena–and some or all of these stresses can exercise their own kind of influence on our thinking, and so on our interpretations of the emotional landscape.

So, we should ‘say it’, or formulate the thought and do it, but in the saying and doing be sure our expression is creating the reality picture, and the future, we truly want.

The Personal Politics of Neptune Direct 4 December 2022

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Shiny surfaces, figurative and even literal, will help you see what you can’t observe directly.
‘Reflection in the Mirror’ By Grigory Soroka c1850 {{PD}}

So Neptune has stationed at 22 Pisces and will officially begin apparent forward motion at 4:16 PM of the 4th–and it does so with the Moon just leaving semi-sextile and Venus square. It looks like a moment of peak emotional confusion: What or who do I love? What’s happening with my money? Am I victim of a delusion? Are the relationships or financial circumstances I thought reliable just an illusion? Is my idea or creation worth anything? Am I loved? Am I even visible? They’re the kind of nagging doubts that, even as we ask ourselves the question, we know we won’t have access to a useful answer. Such is the mystery Neptune swathes things, circumstances, and feelings with. Reassure yourself that coming head-first at such questions right now only invites frustrations; instead, let’s examine what else is going on at that point. We’ll use other conditions to read obliquely what we can’t see directly, like holding a shiny surface out to see around a corner: our view may be a little distorted, incomplete, or blurry, but we’ll get the gist–and that’s what’s important.

Jupiter’s poised to enter the 29th degree of Pisces, and Sedna’s already there. These define the most blatant stressors we’ll be under: the social order may pressure, the facts may unsettle our viewpoint or define our options, and it’s impossible to vet these against instincts, as what we need either lies in our ‘blind spot’ (those matters where we are unable to see one or more fundamental truths), or, when we turn to that inner knowing, we receive dead air instead of enlightenment. This can be especially true if we’re concerned with ways in which we’ve tried to expand our creative output or to put our beliefs into action–and considering the state of Neptune, what we know is that we won’t know! Not yet.

We also see the Black Moon Lilith point conjoined Pallas in Cancer, opposed Pluto in Capricorn, with Eris and Zeus filling in a Cardinal Grand Cross. No wonder we feel we must do something! It feels important, dangerous (both in the doing and the not doing), presenting a landscape littered with hazards (egos, angry others, ambitious or avaricious forces, ‘the Establishment’, not to mention the tension in confronting the sheer power, human and natural, that exists all around us). But there’s a saving grace in Pallas, if we are willing to allow those things we’ve denied, avoided, ignored, or been enraged over to inform our choices. It’s in acknowledging and facing those very things we’d like to forget that we find the wisdom to triumph, the sharp and just sword with which to fight.

The Sun will be trine Chiron at this point, making us far too aware of our own wounds and vulnerability–but remember, those items appear bigger than they actually are right now, and if we shift our vision, just a bit, we can change the focus to our most unique talents. These may have been undervalued of late or put to the side as irrelevant or impractical. Now’s the time to dust them off and apply them, for best results (check your natal Chiron placement for clues as to the nature and uses of your personal Chirotic treasure).

We’ll also have Mercury square Ceres, trine Eris, and quincunx Pallas-BML. Again, there might be a lot of pronouncements, orders given, and attempts to prove personal worth and right through exercising personal power. Silence, or at least a refusal to tangle with those who seem to want a fight, might be our best course. Beware the overly assertive, who claim a ‘natural’ right to tell you what to do–and take care not to act out that role yourself.

And have a wonderful weekend!