‘Fiskerens stue’ (Fisherman’s cottage) By Harald Sohlberg 1907 {{PD}}
The Full Moon perfects at 11:54 AM PDT of the 16th at 26 Libra 45. The first thing that jumps out is the oppositional nature of the energies, with the Full Moon culmination in Libra zeroing in on the Us vs. Them, or Me vs. The World, or Internal vs. External dynamic. It’s a face-off, but one that involves wildly mismatched viewpoints and intentions, each seen through a highly emotional or subjective lens. On the Lunar side we have the emotional or intuitive essence of We/ Us, acting from an ambition to form a more perfect real-world union (Zeus, Moon, and Earth in Libra), and this confronts or is confronted by a fighting spirit that sees interaction/ cooperation as assault, and struggles mightily to maintain the established individual identity, both out of a belief that they are right to remain separate and a desire to blame others for the aggression–though without that aggressive nature, this side of the equation would no longer be (that is, have the core identity) that makes up the current ‘I Am’ (the Sun, Eris, and Pallas in Aries). The Solar side of things fights and opposes because that’s who they believe they are, as they conceive this to be their right, while the Lunar side of things wraps their own ambitions and desires in a cloak of ‘for the good of All’. Neither side is willing to entertain the idea that their choices are Self-serving–but that’s exactly what’s needed to open the way to actually employing this Lunar event effectively.
The way to gain perspective may be found in the other aspects the Full Moon makes. It acts as apex to a loose Finger of God with base of Sedna/ Jupiter-Neptune=here we see the instinctive nature/ blind spot material collude with an overblown imagination to create that thing we think we’re doing for everyone else–and of course, part of dictating what ‘should be’ is the belief (delusion? conceit?) that we as an individual know what’s best for others (Jupiter-Neptune as the ideal social order). On a much more positive note, we could read this as the instincts instructing us on how to pursue ‘The Big Dream’, with the Lunar event signalling an awareness of who we need to cooperate with in order to fulfill ambitions.
The Full Moon is also trine a wide conjunction of Juno-Saturn in Aquarius, and is sesquiquadrate Venus in Pisces=what happens at the Full Moon carries the potential for real-world empowerment–but we must take care not to carry illusions about the costs: to relationships, to assets, and to those things that bring Love into our lives. Our final clue is in the Full Moon-Pluto square=this Cardinal conflict is combustible, if we take our actions to extremes, or if we fail to understand the potentials of destruction that are inherent to the energies of change.
The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘An Airplane Sails, High In The Clear Sky’. The ideals have a chance to soar–but remaining reasonable, honest with ourselves about our capacity and motives, and aware of real-world consequences, is key to ‘smooth sailing’. For the Sun the Sabian is, ‘Through Imagination A Lost Opportunity Is Regained’. Aha! The entire goal of this is re-capturing the inspiration that drives aspirations, especially those chances we believe we’ve missed–the window for something we once dreamed of opens again–be on the lookout.
Inspired or delusional, it’s up to us to decide. The spiritual, the unfathomable, the dream, beckons–how you approach it is all.
The conjunction of two behemoths that everyone’s waiting for perfects just after 7 AM Pacific time of the 12th. Do we have to be that specific? No, big energies push waves before them, like a vessel through water, and as well leave a big wake–that means we feel the effects both before and after they align. So, it’s likely you’re already dealing with, feeling, dodging or, even worse, trying to decipher this slippery combo. It’s my belief that examining the moment of perfection gives us a portrait (a kind of birth chart, a statement of the event) that opens our eyes to the general energies of the meeting–beyond the simple Jupiter + Neptune statement of Big Delusion, Big Creativity, Hidden Facts Revealed, Social Deception, Society’s Ideals Presented, Exaggerating or Broadcasting The Dream (or Discovering the Beliefs or Realities That Support It), The Facts Behind The Image, or The Facts Vs. What We Imagine, How What We Believe Squares With What Is Presented–I could go on, but you get my drift.
For matters where this duo’s effects might show we look to the personal chart and the House where the meeting occurs; we also look to the Houses in the natal chart these energies rule. Some or all of these areas will describe the places (the subjects through which) we as individuals will experience the conjunction. Look for two main components: something that stands out, through exaggeration, attention-grabbing, or through the ways the facts surrounding it pop forward from related circumstances, giving us a read on feasibility; and, in the way the spiritual, the ideals, the creative efforts/ ideas, and/ or places where you’ve been seeking reality, the facts, or the Truth come forward.
Or maybe I should say, where you’ve been seeking, the conjunction brings clarity and perspective–or obscures the unbendable facts–and also threatens to overblow the impacts, making us think the idea, the belief, or the deception much more vast, insurmountable, confusing, or inspired than it really is. A few points of interest: occurring in Pisces makes it all the more difficult to sort out meaning and effects in the moment; be prepared to withhold judgment until the fog clears (i.e., until we’re some distance past the event in both time and space–and by space I mean, in dealing with the House areas affected); the conjunction semi-sextiles Saturn and Eris, occupying their midpoint, while sextiling the North Node point and trining the South, with NN/ Jupiter-Neptune acting as base to a Finger of God, apex Earth in Libra=this points to material results, ones that affect our surroundings, assets, or partnerships, with effects possibly springing from the conflicts already inherent in current realities, and these are directly flowing from the past and shaping the future. Jupiter-Neptune also noviles Vesta in Aquarius on one side and Mercury in Taurus on the other=what we think we honor will be put to the test; it’s a ‘put your money where your mouth is’ situation, in some sense. Leave room to be surprised by how you really feel, but don’t be surprised (or thrown) by what it stirs up in others, including the tendency to blame or project their own upset onto you (thanks, Eris).
The result of all related circumstances may be inspiration or beliefs acted upon, accepted, or instituted before we fully understand them, and circumstances of responsibility, blame, or dedication coming to the fore. These energies are also slated to shape the life direction, and so our future–so awareness of the possibilities in how our choices could play out will be paramount to dealing with things successfully.
My favorite image of Chiron and Achilles, c1922-25 By John Singer Sargent {{PD}}
I believe we need to expand the definition of the astrological Chiron. Yes, it’s our wounds, especially that primal one that lives in the core of our Being. And it holds that special gift, that thing we can do like no one else. Chiron also shows where we can offer healing to others–and my own personal theory, that since 2012 we’ve been able to offer that healing to ourselves–that year didn’t bring the end of the world, it brought the end of a world where we weren’t able to give ourselves, to do for ourselves, that soothing and knitting together we’d wished to have but found we could only pass on to others. Now we can give that healing to ourselves, provided we can access our Chirotic energies consciously. So, Chiron covers a lot of vital ground, and I’m not proposing a change in what it signifies so much as a shift in how we think of it.
My recent work has been pointing more and more to the isolating way we’re thinking of Chiron. It hurts! It’s over there! It’s tricky to understand, to access! We’d rather not think about it, probably because Chiron in healed form asks us to be thoroughly responsible for ourselves–and most of us would rather leave a little room for excuses, blame, and a wee bit of slack–and I don’t blame anyone for that.
I’ve concluded we need to think of Chiron not as the wound or the gift or that special healing energy, but as the sum of all experience–because what informs our remembrance of things past as thoroughly as those things that wounded us, or that healed us, or that we excel at? Those are all core components of unique identity, a kind of anti-karma: it’s not the total meaning of what we do, it’s the total meaning of what we undergo, the times we bump up against the world and the world bumps back, leaving a mark, changing us through hurt, through helping define our particular talents, or through a growing understanding of what it takes to recover and go on.
I ask you, then, to think of Chiron as a collection of results, gleaned from experiences that shape us. They feel like facts, like things we’ve been presented with, whole, but they are actually malleable, changing with our changing exposures and interactions. Chiron needs to be seen as the sum of all experiences that change our core concepts of our weaknesses (the hurts) and strengths (original talents and gifts). In that sense, this body informs us, in very clear terms, about where we might be susceptible to pressure that skews our motivations and perceptions (to protect the wound) and where we should hold an unusual amount of confidence (when utilizing our very particular talents), and it shows us precisely where we have a kind of magic touch when it comes to helping others. And those are all pretty useful things to know.
The New Moon in Aries falls at 11:24 PM PDT on the 31st, at 11 Aries 30, both Sun and Moon poised to conjoin Chiron in just hours, Mercury trailing and in less than a day slated to form Superior Conjunction (the meeting that occurs with the Sun when Mercury is direct–with Mercury gliding over Chiron to meet the Sun just as the Moon goes Void in Aries–with all of it suggesting the beautiful orchestration of the celestial bodies, and so implying meaning because their movement is so balletic–the Superior Conjunction in Aries bringing a fresh take on how we think about ourselves and our actions/ choices–but I digress). The ‘I Am’ is front and center, and we are particularly aware of either our wounds, or our Chirotic talents–and either way, we want everyone to know about them–there’s a kind of urgency, even a sense of purpose informed by the Higher Mind, behind getting our words out (semi-sextile of Uranus).
We may mistakenly think that what we’re communicating about is relationship material, giving our viewpoint, about the hurt caused by the Other (Venus semi-square NM), but we’re really talking about the repercussions of our own actions and choices, their costs and benefits, and slo-mo vetting what we want to do about them (Aries). It’s a way of using talk/ exposition/ thought/ conceptualization/ expression as a kind of mirror in which we can view, review, and gain perspective on wounded aspects of the mind, and the conclusions we’ve already drawn (which are reflected in our actions and choices), but that we’re not entirely consciously aware of, yet.
The New Moon is at the rough midpoint of the Vesta-Ceres trine, with Uranus at the Ceres-New Moon midpoint, promising revelation about how genuinely effective we are, power-wise, and how honoring our own values and principles limits or expands our personal empowerment. For those so susceptible, this may also warn of sudden reactions to environmental factors, especially in the home, in the vein of allergies, asthma, food reactions, accidents, and even power struggles, especially when symbolic (as in, asserted through demands or practices that will provoke)–and these, too, will carry messages, specifically about what may be intruding on our well-being.
New Moon energy is inception energy; things begin here, are seeded (with or without our knowledge), but even more often the Lunar event brings a dawning, a realization that feels a bit like an awakening. Emotional revelation is a predictable potential at this time each month, and we should tune our perceptions to that possibility at New Moon time. Here we see that expressed through Ceres sextile Moon-Sun-Chiron as base to a Finger of God with, of all things, Hygeia as apex. What dawns on us now is about our health or is vital to it, derived from some confluence of identity, power expression, Soul intent, emotional and intuitive perception, and hurt and/or talent (of the Chirotic gift variety).
The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘A Triangularly Shaped Flight Of Wild Geese’. This prompted me to go looking for a Grand Trine that might add to the New Moon picture, but what I found just reiterated what’s already clear in the aspects: Vesta-Earth-Ceres in an Air Grand Trine that simply states the need to find balance (especially mental balance) in what we honor, our material needs and purpose (the environmental factors we require in order to realize our Soul–Sun–purpose), and effective expression of personal power–in real-world terms, being in command of our world and all that resides in it. Too, we may see something wild (or that just feels wild) take some orderly and balanced shape, allowing the concept to ‘take flight’, and so begin a journey toward success.
A few other things to note: the Nodal axis across Taurus-Scorpio creates a tight T-square with the conjunction of Saturn and Juno=our intended life direction gets a real-world reality check, as does our ability to feel empowered in our own lives; and if you have a natal placement 27 Leo to 00 Virgo, that energy is part of the base of a Finger with the current Black Moon Lilith point, apex Pluto=much depends on what natal energy is affected, but generally speaking, what’s hidden or denied is revealed, purged, destroyed, or transformed. Look to the function of the energy (for instance, if it’s Mars, we look to the Will, the sex drive, the aggressive or assertive nature, or the need to take action), as well as looking at the subjects of the House Mars rules (with Aries in, or on the cusp) for areas where this change might show.
‘Still Life with Cake, Lemon, Strawberries, and Glass’ By John F. Peto 1890 {{PD}}
Configurations are the focus with this Full Moon, and for once I won’t bury the lead: the Lunar culmination brings a shocking punch via a Fist of God, and an Earth Grand Trine with Pluto and Sedna; all this makes the wide opposition to Neptune, and the square to the Black Moon Lilith point, seem like a cake walk. (Have you ever actually participated in a cake walk? I thought it was a phrase meaning, no more difficult than eating a piece of cake–while walking?–but then was at a fair years ago, where there was an actual cake walk–and I won a cake! And then shared it with all my friends, right there at the fair, eating with our hands–only when you’re a teenager, right?)
The Full Moon perfects at 11:18 PM PST on the 17th at 27 Virgo 40–though perhaps surprisingly, not yet Void as it pulls away from Earth/ opposition to the Sun, as at culmination it will already be forming a Grand Trine with Pluto and Sedna, which are 30 and 38 minutes ahead, respectively. This suggests a balanced state of energies–but have we considered that this doesn’t necessarily mean peaceful? Balance can mean forces that are equally matched, like the pressure each leg of a tripod applies to the others–and that’s the case here. We see the Moon-Earth in Virgo (emotions, particularly critical ones, around practicality, accountability, and results), Pluto in Capricorn (expressions of power, destruction, transformation, or change around established systems, organizations, rules, authorities, and structures, figurative or literal), and Sedna in Taurus (instinctive knowledge of material matters, what we ‘know but don’t know’, ‘blind spot’ material, especially around what is or isn’t a necessity) exerting equal ‘push’–and this may either confer a sense of stagnation, that things will never change, or find us having to choose–which things will I support, which things allow, which things try to stop? The presence of Sedna suggests, no matter the effort we expend, our judgment may be off, skewed by a POV that omits certain facts (‘blind spot’ material). That means we may be making decisions that affect our world in big ways, in physical and organizational ways, and that we may be recognizing or refusing to recognize particular authorities (including ourselves, in our own lives), based on an incomplete or distorted picture.
Then we have the Fist of God (or Thor’s Hammer), with the Full Moon apex sesquiquadrate each side of a square between Venus in Aquarius and Uranus in Taurus. The punch comes from conflict between forward-thinking elements in relationships or finances, and inclinations toward keeping things the same by undermining updates, so to speak, through inciting chaos, rebellion (individually or in a group), or by refusing to present a reliable ‘face’, especially in matters of security or material need (that is, by being unreliable ourselves). This conflict creates emotional turmoil, via the actual impact on the material world (Virgo), especially in the distribution of rewards or goods (the ‘Harvest’ and accountability functions of Virgo).
Is the more forward-looking attitude ‘right’, or is it smarter to undermine what’s being labeled ‘progress’? I suppose that depends on your viewpoint; my thought is that if you balk at reforming, improving, modernizing, bringing the individual into line with group efforts, or at applying Higher Mind awareness to interactions or assets, then you need to be very clear why. Disruption and rebellion can serve a Higher Good–but too often we use these when we simply don’t want things to change, or won’t accept reality. So, an honest assessment of our own motives is in order, along with a careful examination of real-world circumstances. If there’s one thing that’s clear in the light of this Moon, it’s that real-world matters (the prominence of Earth signs) will be on the table at this time, in need of sorting and subject to our judgment of which matters are worth supporting/ pursuing.
The Virgo Full Moon’s opposition to Neptune and square to Black Moon Lilith forms a T-square that suggests the way to see clear of our illusions, to meet the creative impetus inherent in reality/ the Truth, is to be willing to face head-on those things that we or others/ the system have been ignoring, denying, or that have enraged us but which we’ve not acted upon. In its own way, this says the solution to the emotional tensions culminating at this Moon depend for resolution solely on our own ability to see reality, and our part in it, fully and completely, for what they really are.
The Sabian needs no explanation, I think: ‘A Baldheaded Man Who Has Seized Power’. The sense of this image that can apply to every one of our lives is this: the simple reason someone seizes power is because they don’t want anyone else to have any. It’s in the word ‘seize’, which tells us quite clearly it’s been grabbed, not handed over willingly. Look for the entity doing that, be totally honest with yourself about your own concerns and motives, and you’ll know exactly how to handle the days ahead.
We always look at the Sun for a Full Moon as well; its Sabian is, ‘A Fertile Garden Under The Full Moon Reveals A Variety Of Full-Grown Vegetables’. This tells us that something we ‘planted’ long ago, has, probably without our attention, reached maturity. Time for the harvest!
‘Water Swirl, Canandaigua Outlet‘ by Arthur Dove 1937 {{PD}}
Long-time reader Anthony asks for a little something on Putin, so I thought a good approach might be to make him human-sized, rather than treating him as a global figure, and to look at his energy interaction with Zelenskyy, who he’s cast in the role of adversary, willing or not. Anthony mentions a future opposition of Chiron to Putin’s Sun, which will almost certainly be significant, but my eye’s on the current transit of Saturn opposed his Midheaven-Black Moon Lilith-Pluto in Leo, the just separating trine of Eris to his Pluto, and transiting Neptune still within loose sextile to his Jupiter and the transiting North Node and so forming base to a Finger of God with apex his natal Neptune-Mercury in Libra.
Transiting Saturn opposite the MC and friends suggests a sense of having his security undermined and power dipping to a low point–but remember, this is perceptual from the viewpoint of the individual, an effect on natal energies brought about by transiting ones–while the current way forward (transiting NN) combines with his attitudes around society and foreign powers (Jupiter) to pump up the natal combination Nep-Merc that suggests he is imaginative, especially about others/ partners–in both the positive and negative senses–possibly seeing all communications as containing hidden messages and motivations–he may assume others obfuscate just as a matter of course–with inherently unclear thinking that the nearby natal conjunction to Saturn makes him believe is just the opposite, absolutely concrete and realistic–and Jupiter is definitely within quincunx natally to both Neptune and Saturn, implying a built-in distrust of what’s foreign, perhaps suggesting he sees foreign influences (Jupiter) as automatically looking to suppress him and his ‘creative’ approach. and generally threatening, with the quincunx saying he may feel there’s a constant demand to adjust to others, in order to get along–and we should note the Sun (which is conjoined Saturn), along with Neptune and Mercury, are all in Libra in the 12th, suggesting that he may have chronic feelings of being oppressed, misled, or victim of quickly changing circumstances, all via others (Libra) and perceived unconsciously (12th)–it’s a signature for paranoia, should the individual stray at all from the reality of the situation.
Too, transiting Neptune is on the way to conjoining Putin’s natal Pallas in the 5th of gambles–but it’s not there yet, and will retrograde and then again go direct before it makes contact–so there’s some time to go on that one, though I think that might be the most telling, a ‘point of no return’ in terms of potential for bad judgment and taking risky chances, particularly military ones (Pallas did, after all, spring as a fully-formed Warrior from her father Zeus’ forehead), with choices maybe based on misinformation, misunderstanding, or delusion.
If the data I have for Putin is correct (7 October 1952 9:30 AM St. Petersburg Russia–the then Soviet Union–data is unverified/ disputed, according to Astrodatabank, though the planetary placements and angles seem to work well for him), then there are a couple more things we should note before discussing the interaction with Zelenskyy. One is that Vesta is conjoined the Scorpio Ascendant, suggesting an individual who honors himself and his thrust out into the world above all else–and in Scorpio implies that he sees making changes and acting for vengeance as part of his mandate in the world.
We also see that South Node, MC, Black Moon Lilith, Pluto, and Zeus are all conjoined in Leo in the 10th=Power is the ambition, the desire, the public face, of the individual–he sees it as his right to roar, and that this is a repeating pattern–which means he may face problems with his power-seeking behavior if he isn’t hyper-aware of the current scene–he’s a victim of his own compulsion to do the same thing the same way, again and again. This grouping is trine Mars (the Will, the ‘I Am’, ego) and loosely square Jupiter in the 7th=the exercise of personal Will is almost unavoidable–he may see that as the way to operate, period–and conflict with others, particularly those he sees as having more opportunity or as being ‘luckier’, is inevitable.
I used a bi-wheel (see below) and chose to put Putin on the inside in spite of the uncertainty of his data, as he is the instigator of the current action. I’m going to list cross-chart aspects, with Zelenskyy’s (see a previous post for his details) placement first, the aspect, then what’s contacted in Putin’s chart, followed by the potential interactive effect. I’ll keep the orbs close, for clarity.
Z’s Saturn conjoins P’s Zeus, trine his Mars, and quincunx his Pallas, with Z’s Jupiter opposes P’s Mars, squares his Pallas, and sextiles his Zeus=this seems provocative for both parties, though more so for Putin, who may feel Z is out to thwart his ambitions, challenge his masculinity, and question his wisdom–and part of the challenge seems to arise from Z’s popularity, which P might try to cast in his own mind as both un-masculine (this might relate to Z’s comedic career, as P’s Sun-Saturn conjunction might find it very important to be taken seriously–I think Putin might miss the point of comedy) and unwise, though unwise only in the sense that it’s not what Putin would do! Z might just feel that Putin doesn’t act wisely–where Z would counsel P to tamp down ambitions, to focus less on implementing his own Will and desires (Zeus, Mars), P would counsel Z to get serious and get out of his (Putin’s) way–no surprise there.
Z’s Pluto is conjoined P’s Saturn (so not far from P’s Sun), and trine P’s Ceres, while Z’s Ceres sits exactly (only 16 minutes off) P’s Mars, with Z’s Jupiter opposed P’s Mars=again, Z feels to P as if he challenges P’s security, masculinity, and even identity–and that’s a difficult feeling to ignore, especially when this energy is exaggerated, as it is perceptually for P, reflected in Z’s relationship to his people. This is exacerbated by Z’s South Node conjoined Eris, while Z’s Eris is conjoined P’s Earth, and so opposed his Sun=to Z this reads as P bringing back chaos from the past, while for P this may read as Z’s mere existence bringing chaos (and this may suggest Z’s more a symbol to P than anything else), and this is particularly threatening to P’s material purpose (his Earthly goals) and of course to his identity and Soul’s intents. This could feel to Putin like Zelenskyy, his demeanor, his methods of operating, his interactions with the people, are all things that engender chaos and threaten P’s fundamental security and status–and with Z’s Vertex conjoined P’s Venus, it may feel to Z it’s fated that he will affect P’s assets, wealth, position–anything he values, really. Z’s Chiron opposes P’s Ascendant-Vesta, and Z’s Mars forms the arm of a T-square with this, promising to actively wound the way P reaches out into the world, and to hurt what he holds sacred.
Most telling, though, may be the way P’s Pluto-BML-MC-SN is in wide contact with Z’s Moon, while Z’s Midheaven is conjoined P’s North Node. It may look to Putin as if the way to the future is through the reputation and career of Zelenskyy, while Z’s emotional make-up may threaten P’s career, probably by digging up what he’d rather remained hidden, calling forth P’s destructive urges, and harkens back to something of the past P would prefer to bury–and with those kind of triggers at work, it’s hard to see how these two could’ve interacted any other way than they are right now.
There are other contacts, but the ones I’ve outlined do, I think, convey the heart of each man’s reaction to the other. Many thanks to Anthony for his request!
As I’ve said before: if you’re looking for happy happy in your astrology, this isn’t it. Or maybe I should say, if you’re looking to find the way to a clearer understanding of influences at work, both inside yourself and in the outer world, this is the place–at least, one of them. I think becoming more aware is the entire point of astrology–so it just naturally follows that some of what we discuss won’t be sunshine-y. I’m especially interested in the ways we work against ourselves, as these are (typically) not only our biggest obstacles, they’re the things most under our control–and so most easily banished, if we can both accept that they exist, and fathom their workings in our lives.
We typically go on about the qualities, strengths and deficits, associated with the twelve signs, but it may be just as useful to consider that the natural human propensity to some sense of vanity may lead us to believe we have strengths we don’t actually have (cue Venus, as a kind of natural asset deceptor, as she usually persuades us that we are very very good, or very very bad, each in its own way playing to the ego: Mars, and each in its own way persuading us of the worth to our modus operandi of both our negative Venusian characteristics and our positive ones).
By observation I’ve come to believe these deceptions may be seated in the signs opposing the ones we have planets posited in. For instance, if one has a Cancer Sun, one may believe they carry a number of what are actually Capricornian traits in the areas of identity, Soul purpose, and matters of the House that carries Leo–and as we know, operating from a false sense of Self means we won’t understand the effects we’re creating. The world will seem unknowable to us, and a lot more random than it really is, if we’re interacting with an inaccurate idea of our Beingness. Others, and the Universe itself, will be reacting to who we really are, rather than to our ideas of who we are–so you can see how this might send things spiraling into chaos, or at least confusion and a serious mismatch of our efforts to the resulting effects, internally and externally.
I think these connections to opposing sign energies are rooted in our natural desire to attain equilibrium in expression. When we sense a weakness, we may reach out energetically to the opposing strength, as if to say, ‘See? No problem here at all!’ This action misleads us into thinking we are more than suited to meet the challenge–in fact, may see what we’re reaching for as the actual strength we possess–not realizing that denial makes us much more vulnerable than does recognition of reality–because reality is something we can deal with, respond to, and so act on to compensate for any genuine shortcomings.
Here’s an example: Someone I’ve known for years loves music–his Whole Sign 12th House Neptune in Scorpio experiences it as connecting him to the Cosmos, a spiritual experience, one he easily loses himself in–all appropriate for this placement. But, every once in a while he insists on singing publicly, an activity/ talent very much associated with Taurus–and the man is completely tone deaf. I kid him about having only one note–and despite a rather devastating experience as a teen when he got up on stage, volunteering to sing with a band, he now and then again gives public performance a try. Good on him, for his Neptunian idealism, for wanting to express creatively–but the 12th tells us this is something to be done behind-the-scenes, manifesting in research or finding Truth in the Universe or in inspiration gleaned from a dream or tapping a direct conduit to the unseen, connecting the ideals of Neptune with the capacity for transformation of Scorpio, with Pisces on the 4th saying this may be an internal dynamic, solely for personal use, or something done in the home or involving the family of origin (such as in ancestral research)–and he has recently delved into family history and the genetic line, and shows a genuine and quite creative talent for ferreting out the past.
What follows are some hints about what we might be mistaken about, according to sign. The best way to read it is to consider a certain energy or placement for what it expresses in the chart. For instance, if you’re looking at ways you contact and interact with the world overall, you’re talking about the Ascendant, so should look at the sign it’s in to see in what ways you may be assuming traits of the opposing sign. That’s not to say that you might not have these abilities through some other placement, but to look at characteristics in light of the specific function they’re applied to. Take these suggestions as food for thought, signposts that could tell us where and how our own assessments may be slightly skewed.
Aries may see themselves as the one who should assess others, casting themselves in the role of sole and ultimate judge–an ironic blending of Libran focus on fairness and the Martian concept of leadership. The idea may be to push forward as ‘first among equals’, demanding the cooperation of others and ‘forgetting’ that true leadership is about taking the initiative and setting an example others want to follow.
Taurus may presume they have x-ray vision, using it to excavate where they should offer comfort or support. They may confuse their own version of Scorpionic ‘Truth’ for real-world evidence or need that’s right in front of them; the duty may be more to express a version of what they see, to translate it, than to dissect or alter it.
Gemini may look to the Sagittarian horizon, always thinking of bigger or better, of more–and may believe they are the only ones in possession of ‘the facts’, who are optimistic in a sea of pessimists, or who embrace authentic belief. Instead of comparative thinking (a separative approach), connecting with others one at a time or in small clusters would bring information from Big Picture to personal, and so bring into operation one of Gemini’s actual assets, an ability to navigate the niceties of networking and organize information so that it’s useful and applicable to the individual.
Cancer may feel they are the organized, authorized, or disciplined one, by confusing systems and methodologies (Capricorn) with sincerity and intuition as guides (Moon ruled energy). Accepting that the feeling nature is the forward-facing one, for Cancer, may help them see how sensitivity and emotion can be just as reliable as any calendar, list, or rules, when employed by the appropriate person (Hint: that’s you, Cancer!)
Leo may see the desire to roar as more legitimate if they can point to the intellectual reasoning behind it or the academic underpinnings for their position–but who told them they need to justify themselves in the first place? They should know they don’t have to understand (Aquarius) why they are shining (Leo)–their only mandate is to do it.
Virgo may want to present as a dreamer (Pisces)–but they will inevitably get tangled in the details, in giving an account of themselves, if they shun a more hands-on, material, or pragmatic approach. To responsibly deal with what is (Virgo) can be just as creative as imagining what could be (Pisces), delivering satisfaction through accountable focus they may have sought through the nebulous and the unreal.
Libra may believe they need to go it alone–but that’s just not natural to the sign of partnership. They may hide in the Arian pioneer or lone wolf spirit when cooperation seems too costly, in one manner or another, or too difficult–but interacting with and depending on others is precisely what they need to do, to get the most out of a Libran placement.
Scorpio may feel they must be grounded before they can ‘dig in’–which can make for never getting started in the first place. Shying away from reality, the Truth, or the need for change or alteration is poison to the Scorpion, as they aren’t meant to be settled (Taurus), they’re meant to unsettle.
Sagittarius may talk a good game–but when it comes to taking the big steps, making the big gesture, or facing up to the facts, they may dissemble, hiding their true goals from themselves–but they’re only shorting out their own opportunities, in the end. Embrace of the mission (large goal) is their ticket to success, while endless rumination or connecting the information dots will keep them running in a small, tight, ineffective circle–so much for ever hitting that horizon.
Capricorn may believe it’s their feelings that count, when it’s really the rules or Self-discipline that needs to be applied. Measuring things by their warm fuzzies may make Cappy think they’re becoming more versatile, when in fact it may be that they are reluctant to stay on the straight and narrow because of what it will ask (or require) of them.
Aquarius may insist on acting, on making a splash, on drawing attention–and it’s all in service of keeping them from intellectual understanding of what they’re up to. Being unique or original, even changing their mind on the spur of the moment–oh yes–always with the goal of understanding both individually and in the larger context; showing off, or being jealous of those in the spotlight, or believing they know how to show others how to shine–that’s a nope.
Pisces may hide in nitpicking, criticizing, or list-making, believing that their connection to the Cosmos grants them the right–but it’s really more like looking the wrong way through a telescope–you’re not just using it wrong, you’re giving yourself a headache. The Piscean capacity for the Universal must be respected by taking a step back, not by throwing everything under a microscope–creativity needs a free hand, even as it gives things form.
Hi All!Still hard at work on the book. It’s going well, but there’s just so much in the Lunar world! Who’d have guessed? 🙂 I hope you’re having a great week!
So here’s something I saw when researching the Moon book: it’s a compelling current transit picture for former comedian/ actor and now Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. I like to take a peek at newsmakers and historical figures, which can make for some time-jumping strangeness, like today, when I was examining the birth charts of Carl Jung, Napoleon I, Sharon Tate, Jean-Paul Guerlain, John McAfee, and Zelenskyy. It’s a process where I look at many more charts than I end up including in the book, but it’s always interesting, and in this case, maybe a little window into an individual who, until the present crisis, seemed to overall have been assessed as mild-mannered, a pushover, even not up to the task of running a country. The natal chart begs to differ.
Zelenskyy was born 25 January 1978 at 2 PM (Rodden rating A, from memory) in Krivoj Rog, Ukraine. This gives him an Aquarian Sun in the Whole Sign 9th House, conjoined a Venus that is just pulling away from their Superior Conjunction (that being the meeting of Sun and Venus when Venus is direct). The ideal with this man is the concept of understanding, especially others or the partner, via the intellect. Everything has to make sense, and interaction with and group effort with others (and he doesn’t shy away from being leader, when appropriate) is paramount. He moves toward the modern, the innovative, the unique, what benefits the group–he sees the value in that, accepts it as a philosophy by which to live, and strongly believes in Love as an active force in the Universe.
His 3rd House Leo Moon (making him an intuitive communicator, with feelings that support action, but also prone to not knowing if he’s thinking or feeling) touches a number of factors in the natal chart in a sort of chain-reaction way that links them all. The Moon rules the 2nd, suggesting his talent is versatility, an ability to ‘read the room’, to be a bit of a chameleon inspired by that darker side of life, those things that anger or enrage or that most are in denial of (Black Moon Lilith at 00–so highly raw and reactive–the only placement in the House). There’s also a positive sort of sensitivity, and an ability to think on his feet (good for acting/ improv and politics). Luna is semi-sextile Zeus (the feelings guide the ambitions, largely through discomfort that draws attention to needed change), sextile Pluto, ruler of 6th of duty, the everyday, job (an ability to intuit where change is needed, in order to carry out responsibilities), square Uranus, ruler of the 9th (difficulties may come from far away! The individuality may broadcast the beliefs, what he knows, in resistance to or rebellion from the conventional, and this inspires an original approach, ‘being himself’), and trine Neptune, ruler of the career and public image 10th, suggesting he has the ability to be seen as he wants to be seen, to build a career from his creativity, perhaps to mislead, confuse, or act as a screen upon which others project, as well. Moon trine Neptune is a dreamer, and an idealist, no question, with this combo uniting the 2nd and 10th, suggesting this is his core asset, and that it’s meant to ‘go public’.
So, we see a little about who he is, what he’s working with–and along comes the present situation. There are two transit pictures I’d like to mention: one is the way Saturn is just coming to his Aquarian Midheaven–it’s just over one degree from perfection, and Mercury is just separating from the same point. The Midheaven is set at the zenith of the chart, representing the highest point of the sky in relation to the place and time of birth–so also representing peak life achievement or notoriety for the individual. Where Saturn currently is in its journey around the natal chart tells us where we stand in terms of potential recognition and effectiveness of our actions in the real world. This, then, is a peak moment, one that he has been building toward for quite some time. His dream (11th) has Aries values of Self-reliance and Self-responsibility, of getting things done, and with both Eris and the South Node there, this may be a bit of a mission: acting to get away from or deal with the past, to mitigate or resolve strife.
The other interesting thing is a Finger of God, formed as Mars, Venus, Pluto, and Vesta arrive as a temporary apex to turn what is normally a simple natal sextile into a configuration base: Jupiter in Gemini in the 1st sextile Saturn in Leo in the 3rd. These base energies rule 7th and 8th (all others, open enemies, partners, and what is shared with them or contested), and suggest Zelenskyy naturally functions as a communicator and perhaps mediator with others, with his ability to show the social order (Jupiter) what the individual can do, be, or stand for (Saturn in Leo). The apex energies charge this up, collecting and focusing currents like a lightning rod, and suggesting that this normal function for Zelenskyy reaches a powerful realization point revolving around agreements to share or what is owed to whom (the four bodies are in his 8th), what change must occur (specifically what must be destroyed, resurrected, or regenerated, transforming the current condition), and that what’s sacred, to be honored, will be the measure by which this is carried out.
No matter what you think of him, he’s a player who’s found his stage and is having his moment, one that may be mission-fulfilling for him as an individual.
It may feel like we’re on the verge of bursting–with optimism, with excess, with too much, with after effects of ‘the facts’, with emotion, with gratitude, with our own or others efforts, positive or not, at expansion. Sun and Moon pause to meet up just before hitting Jupiter, so that the New Moon new start is, one way or another, all out of proportion. Pisces makes us see that what we dreamed is possible–or that we are on the brink of starting something inspired, preposterous, or a little of each.
The New Moon occurs at 12 Pisces 06 on 2 March at 9:34 AM Pacific time, and everything about its aspects is unusual–or is it that ruler Neptune is playing with us? There is a Finger of God that seems not to have anything to do with the New Moon–but absolutely does. The apex is Earth, and Chiron sextiles Juno, forming the base–and so catching the New Moon at the base midpoint. Actions that wound and are driven by ego, Will, or wanting to be first (Chiron in Aries) meet issues of personal empowerment (boundaries, the right to autonomy, etc.) specifically grounded in the modern world and in modern thinking (Juno in Aquarius) and the New Moon inspires us with ways to make for a satisfactory material outcome, where fair distribution of both responsibilities and goods is achieved (Earth in Virgo).
The Lunar event is also itself sextile Uranus in Taurus, pointing up the material facets of this New Moon and promising surprises, accidents, and the unexpected will be the biggest influence. Notable is the way the stellium of Pluto, Mars, Venus, and Vesta are semi-square the New Moon, all in Capricorn. Though we might be fooled by the ‘minor’ aspect, we might be wise to pay attention to how small things can quickly evolve/ devolve (Pluto) into base struggles between what should be complementary energies (Mars and Venus). Vesta tells us that whatever disharmony occurs, it will 1) touch on what we find sacred, what we honor (which can be a trigger for all kinds of feelings), and 2) that it will seem like life and death (Pluto, messing with our heads). This will reflect real-world issues involving change to the order of things (Capricorn, Pluto) and where we might be wise to find balance, if at all possible–otherwise, righteous anger or a fear of losing what we care about (or having it or ourselves disrespected) could make for some brief but wild bouts of temper. Listen, if this occurs, because if it does it will happen around important issues and/ or with those you truly care about–and so reveal much about the fears that need addressing, and the walls that need breaking down.
One final but perhaps vital point: the New Moon is novile Eris. Discord! But we must remember, Eris doesn’t bring discord, she simply reveals what’s already there, usually tamped down or hidden under a civilized veneer. In her own way, she’s a truth-teller, and a novile is an aspect that reveals genius–in this case, what comes forth in disharmony, clashes, or fury gives us priceless insight into what’s really happening, especially if it involves one party trying to blame another, when the only supporting ‘evidence’ is the accuser’s anger. You know that old saying, that when you point the finger of blame, four are pointing back at you? Yeah, like that.
The thing we’re going to gain most from this New Moon is information, much of it extant but concealed, until Eris breaks the seal, or Pluto shakes someone’s fear or rage, or until Jupiter shows us the facts or a positive way forward. The trick is to be thankful for what we’re shown, even if it’s not as pleasant as it could be.
The Sabian symbol for the New Moon is, ‘An Ancient Sword, Used In Many Battles, Is Displayed In A Museum’. Two thoughts here: that what was once a weapon should now be put away, seen but not used, and that to forget how far we’ve come is to lose our Collective progress. What was once something formidable, awe-inspiring, even necessary for the age, is now to be put aside–that kind of savagery isn’t needed, anymore. On the personal level this likely applies to the ways in which we engage in disagreement. Don’t forget what you’ve learned, should Eris come to call.
This is a re-print from a Valentine edition of ECLIPSE–I hope you enjoy it, and have a great weekend!
We’ve all felt that zap of electricity on meeting particular people–what does that look like in cross-chart interaction? It’s not just one or two ‘special’ contacts; it usually takes a couple of conjunctions of non-like energies (when people are close in age they often have conjunctions of the same, slower moving energies–these in many cases needn’t even be considered in analysis), plus a square or three (because the right kind of conflict generates heat!) and strong interaction of principle energies (Sun, Moon, chart ruler, ruler of Sun or Moon, Venus for woman, Mars for a man–this latter designation is appropriate no matter the sexual inclinations of the individual, so that same sex couples look at Venus-Venus or Mars-Mars connections) as well as some firm Saturn contact going in both directions (each person’s Saturn must ‘hook’ into the other person’s chart for longevity of the relationship).
In my experience, conjunctions are definitely the strongest contacts; nothing else comes close. Next in strength are squares–we can’t ignore the energy one of our placements squares, and the other person can’t ignore ours. Oppositions can pull like a gravity well in space or repel as we point at ‘what I’m not’. Trines, of course, are harmonious, but along with sextiles, may not exert much influence; these can be so easy that they’re not noticed, unless accompanied by other, more compelling contacts (usually conjunctions, which are a direct confrontation of energies, or squares, with the ‘can’t ignore’ feeling). I can’t possibly list every potential pattern, but can give you a few highlights:
One person’s Pluto to the other person’s Sun, Ascendant, Ascendant ruler, Venus (for a woman) or Mars (woman or man), and sometimes the Moon (though this can be more intimidating or frightening for the Moon person than anything else). Pluto is intensity, and sex, and the contacted essence will stir that up in the Pluto person, while the Pluto person will see strong appeal in the qualities of the contacted energy.
Zeus touching anything, by any aspect! With this body we get a slice of passion, pure, primal, and totally undiluted, so that anything it contacts suggests the Zeus person is turned on by expression of the energy–and the person receiving the Zeusian regard will really feel it! In Platonic interactions it can mark an enthusiasm or the desire of the Zeus person to aid the other person in expression of the contacted energy, so can be a contact of great generosity, lust, and/ or overstepping bounds, as well as potentially showing someone who may further one’s ambitions.
A woman’s Venus in contact with a man’s Mars (or the anima dominant person’s Venus contacting the animus dominant person’s Mars, all dependent on what one identifies as ‘my’ energy). This at least sparks interest, though what these energies rule in the natal chart will be telling of how it may play out. Should these energies be ‘flipped’ (male’s Venus to female’s Mars) they will often show attraction initially, but find there is an imbalance that causes discomfort, typically she is a little too abrasive for him, he’s a little too ‘soft’ for her. This is usually a more dynamic contact with people who are highly gender-identified (very feminine woman with very masculine man).
The same rules for Venus-Mars ‘rules’ can be applied to Sun-Moon contacts; here, though, we may have to consider the prominence of the paternal-maternal influence as it appears elsewhere in the chart and life. Sun-Moon tends more toward the ‘established mature relationship’ category when it’s apparent in a mating relationship than it does in a romantic one.
The Mars of either sex (or either inclination) brings the assertive energy which is vital to sexual interaction to the table–and the state of this in the individual chart will tells us something about how it may play out in contact with another person’s energies.
Positive Venus interactions are a must; with Venus the common designator for both relationships and pleasure, we must find it active in a positive way.
One person’s Jupiter on another person’s planet or point can suggest the Jupiter person may be very generous in the contacted area–but also possibly a little proprietary, in the way the god imposed himself on mortal and demi-god alike.
Significant placements in one person’s chart falling in the 12th of the other can cause uneasiness in the 12th House person that is difficult to overcome.
Eros contact makes for objectification, and this can be sexy or off-putting depending on what’s contacted, and the individual attitudes toward being a sex-object!
These are just a few of the sparkiest contacts–investigation will likely reveal the ones that spark for you!
Julie Demboski's ASTROLOGY 
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