Yes, it’ll hit the fan today, just not this kind of fan! Pontes Collection of hand fans Poderospontes 2008 {{PD}}
Have you noticed the way the sh*t’s getting stirred today? Especially this morning, Pacific time. It sent me to my ephemeris–and guess what I saw? A tense little T-square made up of an opposition between Eris and Zeus, with an arm of stationary Mercury. Ow! Eris, if you’ll recall, doesn’t bring the chaos with her, but acts as a catalyst–and opposed Zeus, she’s stirring up ambitions and desires, and maybe making us aware of how we might not get what we want–so she’s indirectly taking away hope, and you know how reactive one can become, when it seems things will never get better.
Then there’s Mercury, squatting (as much as such a fleet body can), poised to change apparent direction, and so rubbing in a sense that time has stopped, or maybe just paused. It makes the mind a receptacle for (even a victim of) our internal discord, the ‘I’ve got nothing to lose’ stance, that comes when believing we’ll be denied. And that means that when we get what I’ll call ‘bad news’, we are sorely tempted to think it’s much more serious, much more a final ‘no’, than it is in reality.
Here, we woke up to a small tree in our yard cut down by the neighbor–and a ‘Golly! I didn’t know that happened’ feigned by her spouse, then a call from the plumber’s office–he wouldn’t be showing today, as he had a ‘family emergency’–but would come Friday–after Mercury’s direction the evening before (the plumber’s office didn’t note that, it’s my addition). And seemingly another leak sprung–that within an hour of discovery appeared to stop (we’re still monitoring that one).
So, if you had a morning anything like mine, here are a few tips: it’s all more transitory than it seems–things are ‘in the works’, though probably not yet in motion, which is appropriate to the end of a Merc retro cycle. Remind yourself that this is not the time to draw conclusions about the success or feasibility of your ambitions and desires–we definitely lack perspective right now. And look for common themes in what occurs; for us it’s been leaks/ water, suggesting emotions that are pushing out and need to be expressed.
Today through about the 6th the Sun and Saturn are close; that can give the reality picture a too-intense aura, making what is and what surrounds, supports, keeps us safe, or has authority over us feel much too harsh. And adding to the general kerfuffle is the sextile between Mars and Jupiter. Temper is overblown, optimism drives efforts, aggressive and ego energies are exaggerated in both expression and perception, and ‘too much’ may be the demand. If you’re having trouble sorting it, use this easy rule: if you think you need more/ bigger/ better, you don’t! It’s not that you shouldn’t have more, but that right now we’re prevented from perceiving clearly what it is we really do have–so until our vision clears (Friday) take it slow. Remember that liminal points, as bodies prepare to change direction, can create a great deal of pressure, and push us to do what we otherwise might not, in calmer times.
What’s your first thought, as the New Moon forms just in the lee of Saturn? And I say ‘thought’, rather than ‘feeling’, deliberately, even though we might expect the information to come in feeling form; that’s in part because Aquarius is the sign of Higher Mind, and in part because Saturn, which both Moon and Sun will conjoin soon after their meeting, is the ancient ruler of Aquarius. They’re in his territory, a place that Saturn relates to in a primordial, ancient roots way, and their post-New Moon meeting with him will be the key to what happens at the New Moon–take notes, so you’re ready for the manifestation, the barrier, the delay, the detour, or the sense of rock-solid surety that will come, appearing through Higher Mind, through the group and especially your place in it, through innovation, invention, and the imposition of ‘the modern’ on existing realities.
The New Moon arrives at 9:45 PM PST of the 31st, Moon and Sun meeting at 12 Aquarius 19. The Lunar event forms very few aspects, and they’re all past perfection, aside from the approaching conjunction with Saturn, suggesting that the New Moon new start is more of a cumulative build-up than a single moment; with the Saturn contact being the only future one, we can guess that as the Moon hits Saturn we’ll feel the emotional reaction to the built-up energies, then as the Sun hits a couple days later, we’ll see precisely the effects it has all had on our world. In Aquarius this likely involves shifts in the Zeitgeist that turn our attention with what feels like turns in the tides of time and development; the ‘new’ thing takes on prominence, brings responses from groups (and often entails individuals leaving, taking a leadership role, or joining, so that the group itself takes on a new form), shows us the inevitability of some life factor (likely something ruled by Saturn or sitting in Aquarius or Capricorn or related to their Houses in the natal chart), shows us what time and/ or rules or delays have resulted in, and may alter our personal relationship to authorities or ‘the system’. We might rebel, we might take action to stand out from the crowd, we might present something original to our milieu, but no matter what, our response will be singularly ours, even if this is part of or in response to a group.
The past aspects include a sextile to Chiron, as the arm of a T-square with the Uranus-Hygeia opposition, and receding contacts of a semi-square to Pallas in Pisces and a semi-sextile to Vesta, which also happens to be very close to a stationary Venus in Capricorn (Saturn again!) Now, I only pay attention to Hygeia when it announces its presence, as it does here, alerting us to the Lunar ‘statement’ on accidents, surprises, and shocks, and their effects on our well-being. The sextile to Chiron lets us know that the focus may come in an area we feel we’ve recently made healing progress in, or in a wound we’ve lately been trying to address. The Pallas contact says we may not have handled things in the near past in as wise or skillful a way as we could, and the Vesta-Venus contact suggests the recent Venus retro period has helped us re-evaluate where we want to invest our energies, and into what–and so links the New Moon to this adjustment to values and what we honor in our lives in a deep way, one that affects our relationships, finances, and expenditures of time and Love.
With this New Moon, we’ll in some way be required to recognize the effects of time and tide, the way the waters of simply being alive have shaped us. We’ll become acutely aware of the minutes (or hours, or years) passage and the inevitable shifts to the larger social order–and we’ll have to recognize the ways in which those larger currents shifting in the outer have made incursions on our inner world, especially on our own Higher Mind. Our attitudes toward our most unique traits may also come into focus, and we may see just how accepting we actually are of our own need to be responsive, flexible, and to honor our own most original ideas. This period may be particularly challenging for those who resist the idea of responsibilities or obligations; those who define freedom as doing whatever they want may be in for a shock.
The New Moon Sabian is, ‘A Barometer’. Yes! We are taking measure, through a particularly Aquarian lens, but one that requires we bring our observations and conclusions down to earth; barometers measure air pressure and its changes, a perfect illustration for the Air of Aquarius, and pointing to the way the sign’s Fixed nature may resist what the New Moon reveals.
And a note on the Dark of the Moon leading up to this New Moon: lay low, don’t expect too much from yourself, those around you, or the environment. It’s a time for introspection, with all energies having a natural tendency to turn inward. Rest, recover, and don’t require accomplishment right now–even if you complete something, it may have an underwhelming quality that requires a fresh look and approach later–so save your strength.
‘A Game of L’hombre in Brøndum’s Hotel’ By Anna Palm 1885 {{PD}}
What kind of reckoning, you might (nervously) ask? One that presents us with a preview of exactly what future we’re creating for ourselves. At core this is described by two sets of aspects and a single influence slated soon to collide with each of the elements.
The first duo is comprised of Juno and Pluto in Capricorn. On its own this speaks of Power issues, writ large, and specifically how much power and Self-determination we do or don’t enjoy in the current system. This pairing offers us the energy for change, especially change that is definitive; once we address our own ability to affect matters, our own personal power situation, any shifts we make or circumstances we eliminate will be gone for good. Transformation is the goal, of course, but it’s easy to overplay our hand, to destroy what we otherwise only wanted to tweak–so overkill is a distinct possibility, when we’re re-shaping our world and the system within which we operate.
Finding our power points, knowing when and where we hold a winning hand (or when we have the opportunity to draw one), and when and where folding is the right choice, are imperative to making our efforts effective right now. You’ll get the message as retrograde Mercury collides with first Juno (the 27th), then Pluto (the 28th-29th). We’ll be called to re-think our ideas of our own role and our relationship to the power that resides out in the world and which we are powerless to affect. We’ll see how our thinking has driven our personal expressions of power and authority, followed by the real-world (and possibly drastic) changes this has created–and as well, offering that vision of the future that may set us on a serious course, may encourage us to look for stances that offer security and structure, may generate real fear, or that may enhance our genuine power–and perhaps do all the above.
Mars newly arrived in Capricorn isn’t helping, because we may feel that if we aren’t part of the establishment, or don’t know ‘the rules’, it may not be up to us to make a move. If you find yourself waiting for permission, especially if it’s permission to do something that affects your life, then you need to know that you’re being overly cautious, probably out of the remnants of a too-intrusive authority from the past. Just know now that as long as you control yourself (that means, make deliberate, rather than erratic or simply rebellious, choices), you’ll choose well.
The other combo in play is Sedna-Ceres in Taurus, slated to be conjoined by the North Node, the close contact window starting around the 29th of January and lasting until 8 February or so. Where the first duo was about power in general and our personal relationship to it as expressed through the status quo and any changes we want to make, this pairing is focused on the material parts of our existence, the things we ‘know but don’t know’ as conveyed via our interaction with the world and our instinctive readings of it. The environment, our surroundings, and our bodies are speaking to us right now; the question is, are we listening?
Health and diet, our environment (everything from the weather where we are to the air quality in our homes, the company we keep to the functionality of utilities), and our relationship to those for whom we’re responsible (or over whom we believe we should have a say), all converge to describe what needs attention, what’s functioning well and what’s in danger of running off the rails. Making it difficult to decipher is the way certain related matters reside in our ‘blind spot’–we may think we’ve got the whole picture, but we’re unable to perceive certain realities, through no fault of our own. How do we see what’s in that ‘blind spot’? We find a mirror; we bend light and so expand our visual field. We do this through Sedna-Ceres sextile to Pallas in Pisces (which itself is novile Saturn, symbol of authority and reality, suggesting there are genius ways to handle things available to us, stored in what surrounds us/ real-world events, and within the shadows of our conscious minds). This implies that creative efforts, our dreams, and how effectively we have or have not provided for ourselves and/ or manifested an ‘ideal’ environment will all be capable of reflecting back to us the information we need, specifically, how our ‘blind spot’ material hampers us being genuinely the agents of our own lives. Again, if we can ‘get the message’ that’s represented around us, it will make for our own choices being the wisest and most practical possible. this delivers a clear picture of what’s coming, of what we’re building in the ether that will eventually enter our realities–so proceed with conscious care.
Thanks to all who’ve answered my mini-poll. Though only a fraction of you have weighed in, I’m better able to gauge whether doing an interactive stream is worth my time–so much appreciated. And yes, there will be snacks!
What a view! Postcard of The Cliff House restaurant, San Francisco c1941 {{PD}}
Today Uranus stations direct at 10 Taurus 49. Stations are typically very tense points, long drawn out ‘moments’ when a body essentially sits still–which is unusual in a Universe where everything is in motion all the time, even when it seems not to be, when that motion is until a tipping point imperceptible, like decay or aging, or when the motion seems to bring a retracing of steps, as in the apparent retrograde of a planet or body. That’s the thing: as with the apparent change in direction of a retrograde cycle, a station is simply the cessation of motion in any direction from the vantage point of the observer. Symbolically this suggests that those who see the body as motionless do so because of where they are, physically (for the observation itself) but also energetically (with a body standing still representing that particular energy in the observer’s life).
So, a sense of ‘stuckness’ may assert itself, a feeling that everything around Uranian energies, both where it’s currently transiting in the individual natal chart and where it’s posited natally and what it rules, won’t change–maybe ever. The sensation is one of things having been this way interminably, and continuing to be so, no end in sight. Its location in Taurus tells us that there’s a material facet to all this, something along the lines of modernization, originality, accident, or the unusual happening with physical (that is, artisanal) creativity, with matters of sustenance and comfort, in areas of security, increase, profitability, and the kinds of nurture that cater specifically to the physical body. We may have recently discovered or uncovered unexpected talents or assets within ourselves or at our disposal, may have found unique ways of earning, providing solace and support, or of assessing ourselves, and all of this facilitated, possibly through challenge or difficult circumstances, by the recent series of squares between Uranus and Saturn, the latter standing for the real world, for the status quo, for authority and maturity, for obstacles and hindrances, for solid results, what we’ve ‘earned’, for constraint and methods applied.
Now they move steadily out of orb, to eventually return to the square in August and perfect in September. That suggests we have the rest of winter, spring, and most of summer during which we may apply those energies separately. Their effects will show in the way they interact with the individual chart; whatever we’ve seen with previous squares between them may seem to go dormant, lose its relevance, or be dismissed as an illusion or a threat/ promise that never materialized. When they do connect again, we’ll likely face either the very same matter we identified before, or a new iteration of it–a contest between what is and what could be, between holding back and moving forward, between innovating or sticking with the status quo, between originality and the safe bet. Just remember, there’s no pat right-or-wrong here; the choices must be made with awareness of our own individual needs and wants, congruent with what the spirit resonates to and can handle (that last is a valid consideration, considering the stresses of life anywhere on the globe in the past two years).
The Moon’s Nodes (remember, these are points, not bodies) slip into Taurus (NN) and Scorpio (SN) today, and that means they’re in the fateful and pressure filled 29th degree of their respective signs. In terms of the general zeitgeist (wait, General Zeitgeist, wasn’t he a Superman villain?) they show a certain axis of energy flow, moving from South to North, that says something about where we’re headed within the social order, and what we’re de-emphasizing or moving away from. In this case, that may translate into a stampede away from what’s too dark or feels too destructive (or transformative–never underestimate the human ability to confuse fear and wisdom), and toward more solid, hands-on forms of comfort, security, and expression. It may be all about soothing the Soul, looking for a corner of the world we feel safe in and can call our own. It’s not a bad impulse, but be careful not to let the initial hit at 29 tense degrees to make you think it’s an emergency. Please, no pushing as we move toward the exits.
The Inferior Conjunction of the Sun and retrograde Mercury falls on the 23rd of January in the wee hours Pacific time, and happens just after the Moon in Libra trines Sun-Moon in Aquarius. The Inferior Conjunction is a point of inception, the seeding of something that will mature or become apparent at the Superior (direct) Conjunction of Sun and Merc, on April 2nd. In this case, this is likely to be an idea, a ‘brave new world’ concept, an ‘experiment’, a revolution, or a falling away of constraints that results in emotional change or realization in our relationships, especially those involving partnership. The inclination we have, or idea that pops into our head, on the 23rd will have repercussions by early April–so choose what you will or won’t act on with care, and at the very least, contemplate until Merc is direct, then decide if acting on that idea will have a desirable effect on our relationships. Here’s a hint: at the point of Superior Conjunction, the Sun and Mercury will also be conjoined Chiron. Will what you do hurt or heal things? It’s under your control.
Be on the lookout, as well, for Mars conjoining Saturnin Aquarius, which occurs just a couple days after the Superior Conjunction, on April 5th. This suggests to me that whatever real-world actions and choices come to the fore at this time are definitely related to what you started/ pondered/ and then chose to commit to during the Mercury cycle. Keep that in mind, as Mars-Saturn in Aquarius could see ourselves or others choosing what we do based on high-flown (and possibly highly theoretical) concepts; that could mean we choose based on ideals that have never been real-life tested–or we splurge on an experiment, rolling the dice just to see what will happen–and in either case, we may not realize we’re gambling or theorizing with actual circumstances and real feelings.
I’m hard at work on the Moon book, and as soon as I can handle it I’ll be offering services once again. I’m also considering offering talks on topics in a venue that allows for a chat function where listeners can talk to me and each other, and ask questions, and this would be on a regular schedule (after the book is done, or nearly done, I’d start). If you’d be interested (or not!) please let me know in the tiny survey below. Thanks!
Involving another kind of engine, of course. ‘The Traveling Companions’ By Augustus Leopold Egg 1862 {{PD}}
There are a couple of configurations formed by this Lunar event, and a smattering of other combos worth noting as contemporaneous influences, all under the sensitive Cancer Moon. The Moon ‘meets’ the Earth at 27 Cancer 50 on the 17th at 3:48 PM PST. A Full Moon in Cancer should be a culmination of feeling or intuitive knowing–but of course, once one knows what one feels, one must act.
How do we see that energy channeled? For one, it may scoot along a somewhat loose Finger of God, with Full Moon sextile Sedna-Ceres in Taurus, apex Mars in Sagittarius. This may seem odd, but this suggests to me revelations about what we care about/ how we feel that are prompted or induced by diet of sustenance availability/ weather/ natural events and our intuitive understanding of the message they carry. This pushes us to act on what we know, on ‘the facts’, or on our beliefs–so the emotions and intuition power a kind of engine of faith that drives our inner knowing out into the world so that we may do what it urges us to.
The Full Moon opposes Pluto, Juno, and of course, the Sun, and this is part of a Mystic Rectangle, with the Lunar end as noted sextile Sedna-Ceres, and the Solar end widely sextile the South Node–and so drawing the North Node into the Sedna-Ceres end of the configuration. A Mystic Rectangle promises that the various components are in position to work exceptionally well with one another, and so offers a sum greater than its individual parts. Here we may see that the ‘caring revelations’ we receive with the Lunar event are directly 1) opposite of the matters where we’ve been putting our attention (the Sun), 2) not as destructive or transformative as we may have been telling ourselves, 3) and not as empowering or disempowering as we’ve believed. What we’re shown is the way our fresh understanding under the Full Moon liberates us from certain notions we’d previously carried; things are not as scary, intimidating, debilitating, or serious as they seem, and they either allow us more agency, or at least don’t take our current agency away, as we’d feared.
The Mystic Rectangle employs all the knowledge we’re not conscious of, especially what we’ve gleaned from the past, marries it to our sense of personal authority and responsibility, and gives us power that will effectively shape the future. Now that’s not scary at all, is it? We’re in charge–if we are comfortable with taking on a role that accepts our own power, particularly the power to direct our own course.
We also should note the close conjunction of Neptune and Pallas in Pisces=the ideals, creativity, and spirituality are the conduits for both what’s wise and what’s practical–listen to that inner voice. There is also a T-square with Eris in Aries opposed Zeus in Libra, the arm Juno in Capricorn=when we don’t understand our own potential for authority and power (whether we over- or underestimate our capacity), we end up attracting all the sh*t stirrers every time we go after what we want–so if people seem to be popping out of the woodwork and giving you problems, it’s time to reassess your own abilities and roles. Both these situations offer context and influences active when the Lunar event occurs.
All other contacts are not only past, they’re well past, so we need to look at one other thing: the Sabian symbols. For the Full Moon in Cancer we have: ‘An Indian Girl Introduces Her White Lover To Her Assembled Tribe’. This is more than just an image of a couple from two different worlds, creating a bridge via personal relationship, with one side having first contact with the larger world of the partner, the one from which she came, the one that shaped her; this is an image that emphasizes status differences we may not at first recognize or think of. We’re instead attuned to Love, to see them as two individuals, viewing it as a ‘Love conquers all’ scenario. But, we must consider when the Sabians were delivered in order to decode this image successfully–and the society into which they were delivered was white-controlled and male-dominated, a social order based on the assumption of cisnormativity, and the inferiority of other races and cultures. When viewed through that lens, there might be a belief that the Indian girl is moving up in the world, or maybe even that this is the very reason for the relationship at all–and that only the white lover is being genuine in his feelings–after all, why would he want to be with someone ‘lesser’, except for his emotional involvement? This is all very ugly, viewed from a 21st century position–but we must be clear: there are still plenty of people who would make these assumptions, would read into the image in this very way–or in other ways, such as believing the white lover was superior for leaving the white world and joining a group they might characterize as living a more ‘natural’ way of life. Possible assumptions and judgments abound and are just waiting to be made by the observer.
I’m interpreting the girl of the image as a Native American. Her entire culture was overrun, decimated, changed forever with the arrival of white invaders. And yet, she falls in love, and brings him home to her family (tribe). But we must ask, how much does the white lover’s superior power position affect the interaction? Is a genuine relationship possible between individuals who have unequal power, autonomy, or privilege? We don’t know if her white lover is a male or a female, but considering the era in which these symbols were formulated, I believe the assumption was definitely that the lover is male. Now, it’s not at all fair to assume that the inherent power imbalance between a member of a subjugated group, who also happens to be of a sex that is also viewed as inferior at the time the image was formulated, and a member of the invaders will necessarily infect the relationship–but each individual will undoubtedly bring lots of assumptions and beliefs and reactionary material into the interaction, at the very least.
So, the symbol brings two ‘messages’ to mind: that it’s not enough to know how all the parties to an interaction feel, we also need to be cognizant of the context in which the interaction is taking place. What’s the bigger framework? The social underpinnings and potential assumptions by the parties? And most important, who holds what power? Does the power imbalance require varied things from the parties? Does it confer privileges to some, penalties, pressures, or restrictions to others?
The other message is this: that there’s always a danger of us superimposing our own framework, beliefs, and assumptions onto a situation, ones that spring from our own cultural teachings, experiences, and ideas about others. We have to be aware of what we’re bringing into our interpretation of any situation. If we are, we’ll have a much better chance of truly understanding what’s really happening before us.
All this suggests the Sabian, in the most general way, is a Rorschach for our own assumptions and beliefs, a warning to make us aware of the lenses we use to view the world. For a Full Moon we also look at the Sun’s degree, as this provides the light of the Moon in the first place. This one is, ‘A Large Aviary’. An aviary is, first and foremost, unnatural, in that it’s a human-created place to keep a creature plucked from Nature. No matter how benevolent, it’s still captivity, a system imposed overall in which living things are expected to function–a lot like the social order and the larger cultural context in which we live, and which provides potential frameworks for interpretation of events, come to think of it.
Mercury pauses and enters apparent backward motion at 3:42 AMPST of the 14th, and the effect is likely to be subtle but far-reaching. The planet has stationed at 10 degrees, arriving there one day before and remaining one day after; the turnaround itself occurs at 10 Aquarius 20. The Sabian symbol for this degree is, ‘During A Silent Hour, A Man Receives A New Inspiration Which May Change His Life’. This is the heart of it: the retro period brings re-consideration of our ideals, of what we find sacred and honor, of how we wish to spend our days and hours–we look at how we are actually spending our time (what a phrase in English! Equating our lives with the use of any other asset), and how close this comes to (or diverges from) what we truly find of value.
We may find ourselves comparing our current situation to the dreams we have and had, especially those expectations for life that we carried at an earlier time. We are able right now to set aside those rationalizations that may have made us compromise our visions and goals; we see exactly how we may have diluted our aims to accommodate practicality, expediency, and varied duties. Some of these duties and choices, we’ll find, do represent what’s most important, in the form of commitments to others or to causes; some won’t pass the smell test, no matter what we tell ourselves–and this retro is the time to see, acknowledge, and then prepare to do something about the ways in which our thinking and pursuit of Higher Mind goals have gone seriously off-track.
This need for re-consideration is apparent in the contacts Mercury makes at the moment of retrogression. Happening in Aquarius, a Fixed Air sign, we know that previously rock-solid ideas and opinions will be examined by the Higher Mind and vetted through current or near-future conditions–and we know that at least some of the revelations we’ll receive will come through accident, surprise, or rebellion, which in this instance will be necessary catalysts to the examinations we must make.
Mercury will be novile both Neptune-Pallas, planet of creativity, imagination, ideals, and delusions, united with the asteroid of practicality, skills, and wisdom, and the asteroid Vesta, harbinger of what we honor and dedicate our life energies to–in fact, Mercury will turnaround at the midpoint between the other two points. The novile is an aspect that draws the genuinely innovative and ‘genius’ elements from the two bodies in question; in this case, we have four, three of which, in two portions, Neptune-Pallas, and Vesta, aren’t in major contact to each other–but they are through the mechanism of Mercury and his retro mentality of review. We can expect the retro period to offer inspiration as to what we want to use our life energy for, where we want to focus our efforts, and how we can best fulfill our highest ideals, and to offer this in both practical and smart forms. This may or may not reveal itself in material forms (Merc ruler Uranus in Taurus/ ancient ruler of Aquarius, real-world oriented Saturn, just ahead of Mercury in Aquarius), but we will certainly get a solid mental picture of what needs to occur upon direction–and this is contrary to the usual message of letting the mind rest during a Merc retro. In this case, we just won’t be able to. The hamster wheel will keep spinning–just be aware that final conclusions shouldn’t be drawn until well after the tension of retro and direction have passed, in this instance maybe even waiting until once-again direct Mercury passes its retro point, around the 25th of February–which is also the time when Mercury will, just past the retro point, square Uranus.
We have noted that Mercury turns around just short of completing a square to sign ruler Uranus, now in Taurus. This suggests that we won’t actually confront material realities during the retro, that instead those will be delivered through difficult (the square) Uranian circumstances after direction (and those may include through leadership issues, group mandate, innovation, rebellion by ourselves or others against demands or constraints, accidents, surprises, or serendipities, through application of academics or Higher Mind thought, through revelation, invention, or modernization, or through taking an original approach or manifesting an original idea).
At the point of retrograde Mercury will also be in wide conjunction to Saturn–again as with the square to Uranus, not perfected, and so any limitations or constraints won’t be applied to matters, just yet–and sextile Chiron, offering some promise of healing through the retro review. This is a ‘make plans, understand what you really want and care about’ retrograde, with careful attention to aims and extended consideration of wants vital to eventual good decisions. The usual admonitions ‘don’t sign, don’t buy’ are still in force, though as always I would add that if something has been thoroughly vetted or chosen well before the retrograde, proceeding during to complete the deal typically holds no more risk than when Mercury’s direct. Though I often suggest using the feeling senses as the go-to during a Merc withdrawal, this time, as I’ve already noted, it may not be easy or even possible; the less time we spend judging our mental state during this retrograde, the more actual, effective exploration of our priorities and our ability to implement them is likely to get done. The unsuitability of emotions and senses for processing may be shown by the retro moment’s capture of a tight quincunx between the Moon in Gemini and Venus in Capricorn, implying that the feeling nature and relationships/ wants will be generating their own friction, and so might not be available as an alternate conduit for perceptions right now.
We’re not talking about females, necessarily, but about the characteristics of the anima side of the energy equation: receptivity, the importance of and effectiveness of the Beingness (as opposed to the Doing urge), the concept of sensitivity and the ability to read the atmosphere (as opposed to trying to actively make an impact on it), and the idea of healthy nurture, which is really a sharing of energy that benefits both parties. These are strong threads running through current events; to respond to them, to expose them, to weave them into something meaningful, is to bring them to awareness and so make their energies accessible and, in accessing them, beneficial in the larger scheme of things.
One of these is Venus retrograde moving toward conjoining Juno, both in Capricorn, perfecting January 6th. During this same period, this pairing will be sextiled by Neptune and quincunxed by the Black Moon Lilith point. This suggests that our ongoing review of matters of the House in the natal chart where Venus is moving backward will be measured through either our assessment of our own empowerment (especially through the status or material accomplishment shown by Capricorn) or through the empowerment status others reflect back to us–and it’s important we use our own dreams and ideals to guide us in judging our abilities–if we don’t, we’ll be susceptible to being misled or deceived, or may be caught off guard by things we’ve ignored or denied that won’t stay buried. It’s a matter of claiming and so harnessing our own creative energies; if we deny those energies expression, it leaves a vulnerable spot, ready to be filled by enterprising, and sometimes ill-intended, others.
The other prominent combination is the late Taurus duo of Ceres and Sedna. The two have been hanging out together for a while–and focusing our attention on expression of personal authority, situations of nurture, negotiations, diet, and Nature, and in particular showing us the way we already ‘know but don’t know’ consciously what we should do, what the answer to our material issues truly is. Pluto is still within trine and Vesta quincunxes, forcing us to acknowledge our instincts and our suppressed knowledge via destructive forces, home matters, commitments, and violations of what we consider sacred. We must respond, and the best way to address this energy is to admit what we’ve been reluctant to see, change what needs to be changed, and align what we honor in real-world terms with what we say we care about.
There’s also a conflict inherent in the square between the animus-oriented Warrior Mars and the anima-oriented Warrior Pallas, he in Sagittarius and she in Pisces. This may appear as an aggressive ‘pushing’ of ‘the facts’ that finds resistance in the form of a kind of practical idealism. Both sides are right, in this case; those with the facts need to be listened to, and they need to frame goals that offer hope, while those focused on ideals need to see that only by dealing with the facts will they make any progress in making things better. If these two would just stop insisting on themselves, they’d find that they actually want the same thing.
And finally, we have the opposition between Eris in Aries and Zeus in Libra. Remember, Eris is a catalyst, and in this scenario, may show as individual Willfulness that just doesn’t want to cooperate in making others’ ambitions and goals attainable. With this we must ask ourselves, ‘Am I going my own way because it’s the right thing to do, or am I simply angry at the idea that I’m not the only one who’ll benefit from cooperative effort?’ That may sound selfish, until we consider that, if we aren’t successfully realizing our own ambitions, the last thing we may want to do with our precious energy is share it; we may see it as a ‘me or them’ kind of thing. Here Eris is acting up only in proportion to how we may feel that others are asking for our support but offering little or nothing in return. It’s a call to re-balance relationships–and to acknowledge that we don’t live or act in a vacuum.
A New Moon in Capricorn promises a fresh emotional grounding, a window during which we see what can bring us a sense of security and a feeling of accomplishment. This New Moon in Cap (2 January 2022 at 12 Capricorn 20 at 10:34 AM PST) brings a little something more: a sense of what’s truly real-world possible for us in the near-future, indicated by the close semi-sextile of the New Moon to Saturn in Aquarius. The conduit the New Moon creates between the ancient and modern rulers of Aquarius, Uranus (which trines the New Moon) and Saturn (which aspects and rules the New Moon and is currently in Aquarius), allows for a harmonious marriage of what is with what could be–but it’s up to us to follow a few simple New Moon hints that will allow us to guide our own personal progressive vision to successful realization.
Is it a reality check if we’re already clear on circumstances, but are shown possibilities for the future? Current energies are operating in a kind of flux that turns the meaning of a reality check on its head; instead of showing us where we’re disconnected from the true nature of things, we’ll be shown how completely aware we are of what is, and how our reality can fold outward from itself, how it and we have the momentum to bring about a bright, shining, personal utopia–or at least, we’ll have the ability to see it, reach for it, aim for it.
The New Moon is novile the South Node, suggesting we have a (temporary) genius for parsing the past and extracting resources, particularly things we’ve discovered or learned (SN Sagittarius) that can help us build our brave new world. The Lunar event is also trine Uranus and sesquiquadrate the close Sedna-Ceres conjunction, all in Taurus. Here the New Moon emphasis may be on innovation, realizing (as in making real) our own original ideas and impulses, and finding ways to create change or progress that both supports and makes use of our instincts and ‘what we know but don’t know’, and that can effectively draw on the actual personal power situation we have command over. It’s all about material or conceptual changes that implement our most unique visions; it’s a statement, presented via the feeling nature: we have what we need to make ‘it’ happen–go out and do it!–and that may introduce the element of surprise, to ourselves at what we’re capable of or equipped for, and to those around us, who may not have realized we are ready and able to shape the future as we truly want it to be (and an approaching semi-sextile of the Sun-Moon to Mars in fiery Sagittarius puts the responsibility on each of us to do what we know is right, in terms of our own knowledge and beliefs).
But, we must first know what those beliefs are, before we can act on them. We have an intriguing Sabian Symbol for this New Moon, one that seems especially applicable, considering the way idea inception seems to be so prominent at this time: ‘A Fire Worshipper Meditates On The Ultimate Realities Of Existence’. The symbol speaks of a dynamic individuality that steps outside its own action urge in order to contemplate the larger mysteries of the Universe. This may indeed be what we do: we may feel grounded, and therefore safe, in taking a pause in order to understand what lies beneath the reality that surrounds us. In doing that, we better see and understand the implications that our own actions may have. A thoughtful period before implementation of goals is required before proceeding; don’t allow yourself to think that this caesura is a waste of time, as without it you won’t truly understand the ultimate effects of what you’re doing.
Also of note: the recent foray of Jupiter into Pisces only aids us in accessing our dreams. The ancient ruler of the sign offers an energy that can lift the innovation and originality to new heights, and can free imaginative and creative impulses that can inform our efforts and our creative product–however, don’t lean solely on the Jupiterian impulse to get things done–you’ll go wildly off-track if you do–instead accept the need for constraint and emotional discipline the Lunar event will remind us of, and use it to harness our natural largesse and generative ability in service of our New Moon new beginnings.
I want to thank my Readers for their support and participation in 2021, and I hope to see each and every one of you here again in 2022. Happy New Year! Sending you all heartfelt wishes for a safe and happy year ahead.
We’re going to get more information, with this Full Moon; we have to be open enough to assimilate it. ‘News from Afar’ By Alfred Stevens c1865 {{PD}}
The Full Moon (8:34 PM PST of the 18th at 27 Gemini 28) forms a Grand Air Trine with Jupiter in Aquarius and Hygeia (of all things!) in Libra. A healthy balance, in thought and relationships, personal and societal. In my mind this announces a theme, more than anything else, one keyed to the event being in Gemini and to the involvement of Air signs: Communication. Obvious, right? But then again, maybe not quite in the way we might initially think.
It seems to signal information exchanged, generated, and/ or coming our way in two sectors: the social one (Jupiter, both one-to-one and on the larger scale) and the personal relationship or financial one (Libra); Hygeia comes in as we are prompted by the Lunar culmination to think about the health of our interactions and cooperative efforts in areas of the social, the intimate, and those where an exchange of energy brings assets, or the opposite, where we are releasing assets in exchange for the energy of others. Since the Moon itself can represent both our individual emotional state and ‘the People’, we may be in for some enlightening and potentially definitive statements in one or both arenas.
Notable is the fact that this Full Moon, though late in the sign, is not bringing a Void on separation; instead we see that the ‘big reaction’, whether on a mass or personal scale, follows (with completion of the trine to Jupiter). Then the Moon goes Void, and we have a brief interlude of ‘floating’ before we can solidify a reliable of our emotions (when the Moon enters Cancer, at 1:42 AM Pacific of the 19th–so about 5 hours after culmination–and boy will we feel, as Luna enters her own sign!)
At the time of the Full Moon that Jupiter contact is the only other major aspect yet to be made, but we can see a couple other contacts that, though in the immediate past once the Full Moon arrives, are still not just active and relevant, but will undoubtedly set the stage for Full Moon events. And, there are a couple of minor or less precise aspects that also contribute to the picture.
There are a pair of quincunxes, to Pluto and Venus, so recently together and still within punching distance of each other, that suggest changes or dissolutions that have recently occurred are not yet completely set in stone–the emotional picture or reactions may not be clear, just yet–but those circumstances will become firmly entrenched, if we don’t do anything (their Capricorn placement tells us this)–though, at this point, it may be the way we think about these things that needs to change, as much as any action is needed. So, whatever your feelings are telling you about these recent shifts must be acted upon, if that’s what’s called for, or possibly just reacted to, with a change of mind–and for at least some of us, this will be precisely the ‘message’ delivered by the Gemini Full Moon.
There’s also a loose sesquiquadrate to Saturn in Aquarius, a semi-square to Uranus in Taurus, and a semi-sextile to Sedna, also in Taurus. This suggests the reality picture, or some constraints or restrictions we’ve been operating under, are part of the impetus behind communications received or the changes we’ve made or are considering. The implication may be that what we thought we were creating turns out to be more constraining or difficult than we anticipated. With Uranus we introduce the element of surprise–but this may be no more than being surprised we didn’t think of these difficulties ahead of time! And finally the touch to Sedna says that what we find out with the Full Moon is very likely either something we know instinctively, or that we have carried below consciousness, and now we have to admit we ‘knew all along what we didn’t know’!
The Sabian for this Full Moon is, ‘Through Bankruptcy, Society Gives To An Overburdened Individual The Opportunity To Begin Again’. I think this specifically applies to the condition of the Venus-Pluto quincunx: we are being offered a do-over, in some sense, one that has not turned out as we planned (Uranus, Saturn). In order to re-make things effectively, we have to acknowledge what this has cost us, or perhaps what we’ve lost (the bankruptcy). Think of this period, rather than as a time for achievement, as a time when we can rid ourselves of burdens that have drained us, and we are able to do this by admitting something we thought would be more profitable has actually been a negative. It’s ‘the truth shall set you free’, but it only works if we’re the ones able to hear, accept, and so act according to that truth.
For a Full Moon we always look at the Sun as light-giver; the Sabian for this Moon is, ‘An Old Bridge Over A Beautiful Stream Is Still In Constant Use’. This points us toward those connections (remember Libra, and the ‘health’ of our interactions as a FM theme?) that are solid, reliable, and that have actually facilitated our progress. This may be where at least a little of that Full Moon truth-telling is needed; do you find it hard to admit who’s really helped you, vs. those people you’d like to think of as supportive, who may not really be (or who may only talk a good game)? Knowing and admitting the reality of the Libran cooperative situation, and the accuracy or misleading nature of communications, will go a long way toward successfully informing our choices, especially those around recent Venusian-Plutonian upset, and changes in the ways and with whom we interact.
And just a word on the Saturn-Uranus square, due to perfect on the 23rd: it may feel like a forced choice between high-minded but constricting options vs. a kind of material (or at least uncomfortable) chaos, but thinking of things in these terms will only keep us from processing both events and how to best respond to them.
And just a word on the Saturn-Uranus square, due to perfect on the 23rd: it may feel like a forced choice between high-minded but constricting options vs. a kind of material (or at least uncomfortable) chaos, but thinking of things in these terms will only keep us from processing both events and how to best respond to them. In reducing it mentally to ‘I can be right and feel unfulfilled, or I can experiment and create chaos’, we may be giving ourselves an excuse for not doing anything, or for acting out in ways that don’t improve the situation.
It’s a bit more like this: we’re trying to implement ideals in real-world terms (Saturn in Aquarius) but we are confronted by more accidents, unanticipated events, anomalies, and original circumstances, particularly material ones or ones that affect (or even threaten) our security and comfort (Uranus in Taurus) than we thought possible. We may need to accept these Uranian events as features, not bugs; if we cast them as serendipitous, we allow ourselves to be more flexible, to learn from what occurs, to see the potentials inherent in ‘happy accidents’, and we can invite ourselves to frame all that happens as the Universe acting in our best interests. Take that tack, and the unburdening we seek is all but inevitable.
From John Cobb field notebook: Wm. Helgeson, “Whiskey Bill”, hand-lining for codfish near Pirate Cove. July 1913 {{PD}}
The first thing about the eclipse picture that jumps out at me isn’t terribly obvious, but may be extremely important: the eclipse occurs in a very tight novile to Venus in Capricorn. The novile in a personal chart defines the spark of genius the individual carries; but what is it in an event chart? We could describe it as the Silver Lining, the energies prevalent that, when tapped into, generate remarkable beneficial results. In this case, a New Moon is new beginnings, and an eclipse wipes out what came before; falling in Sagittarius, we find a sense of opportunity introduced by the extinction of a previous way of believing or a change in an accepted set of facts, with this resonating mainly through matters of the individual natal House in which this occurs. Add in a ‘genius’ facet of the practically-oriented, steady, just-a-little-repressed Venus in Cap, and you have a recipe for a brilliant, forward-thinking blueprint that has a solid grounding in relationships, aesthetic standards, and/ or in financial payoff.
Keep in mind, though, that Venus is due to retrograde soon (19 December), and that hints that anything originating now may seem during the retro to lose credibility or to in some way disappoint; that’s when we need to remind ourselves that our Venus-oriented perceptions are definitely altered during a turnaround–and that means that what begins now, though it may appear to be undesirable at retrograde time, is actually what we will want in future. So, any changes to matters begun with the eclipse should be avoided between the 19th and Venus’ direction (29 January). The retro period can show us new things, allow us to try what we wouldn’t have tasted before (out of indifference or a differing standard), with the beauty of that being we can bring back to our regular Venusian way of operating those things we experimented with and still find appealing on direction. Venus retrograde is a time for being adventurous, but not to make irretrievable changes. I always like the example of changing hair color (that’s okay) versus getting a tattoo (permanent!)–one being reversible, the other, not so easily–simply because it’s hard to know what we will regret and what we will find enhances our lives, until Venus is once again direct.
The eclipse falls less than two degrees past (and so still within orb) of a square to Pallas in Pisces, and a quincunx to Uranus in Taurus. These suggest that difficulties arising will contain wisdom or push us in a practical direction, though it’s up to us to figure what response will be to our benefit, and we must be prepared for the unexpected, the serendipitous, the accident, or the infusion of Higher Mind to present circumstances we hadn’t anticipated. In the moment we can draw on the available wisdom, if we are open to seeing how the hard choice or tough situation allows us to respond wisely, or practically, if we can get out of our own way (some may manifest a rebellious streak when confronted by eclipse realities–I can state flatly that would not be the best way to answer circumstances, no matter what they seem to be on the surface).
Though the rest of the eclipse aspects are somewhat wider than our usual orb, in sequence they tell a story. The eclipse will occur after both Sun and Moon have passed over Vesta, with them on their way to conjoin Mercury and as well oppose the Black Moon Lilith point. This series of contacts speaks of the impact of what we find sacred, what we honor, or what we have dedicated our time and energy to on the new beginnings that come about at eclipse time; they also tell of how what we have faith in, what we know, or what we think, will change, and this occurs specifically in the context of either our rejection of the opportunity to acknowledge or deal with matters we’ve previously ignored, or in the context of our embrace of those same issues. Perhaps we face them at eclipse time because we’re better equipped with either fresh knowledge or renewed faith (New Moon in Sagittarius)–or perhaps we shun them for fear that acknowledging buried issues will endanger the New Moon new start. We need to remember that it’s the temporary blocking by the Moon of the Sun’s light on its path to Earth that creates a window of time wherein we get a different view of our own circumstances, one that’s less prone to be overwhelmed by those matters that typically draw our conscious attention. The eclipse offers a moment of clarity–we just have to be willing to see what is, in order to make the most of it.
The Sabian for the Solar eclipse New Moon is, ‘A Widow’s Past Is Brought To Light’. Appropriate, right? I think ‘widow’ in this context implies two things: that we face our eclipse revelations alone, and that we have a past ( a relationship or status) that generates our present–and there’s something about what we’ve created in that past that will now show itself, take ‘center stage’, in a sense. This might be intimately connected to those Black Moon Lilith matters, and if so suggests that our willingness to inspect, deal with, or embrace them will be much more effective than will continuing to ignore or bury them. Just keep in mind that this eclipse offers us new knowledge or faith that will give us the strength or tools to face things anew, and that skills or experiences from the past show their worth now–there’s no better time to make peace with what’s behind us, and so usher in better prospects for the future.
Thank you to all my Readers who comment, ask questions, and email me. I’m not able to answer each one personally, consult, or accept new work, as I’m trying to complete my Moon book—and unfortunately that also means I won’t be addressing your individual questions about the eclipse in your personal chartsent to me or entered in comments. I wish it was the good old days, when I had that kind of time! But, I will add a few things here to help you understand the eclipse in your own chart. Remember, it’s all about new information, or new faith. For this particular event, falling in your 1st House makes it very personal, affecting your way of interacting with the world or even your physical being; in the 2nd, your asset or talent picture, or it changes your own idea of your Self-worth or abilities; in the 3rd we see it affect your writing, thinking, communications, or your physical neighborhood; in the 4th, the beliefs or knowledge about the family of origin or your core view of yourself; the 5th sees matters around your offspring/ creations, your romantic life!, or sees you taking a gamble (or calling one off) based on what you learn or believe; in the 6th, revelations about health or duties are likely; in the 7th, it may seem not to directly affect you–you could instead observe effects in your spouse, the wider public, or you could channel your feelings into Art; in the 8th what changes could seem to happen only to others, or it could affect what others share with you, or hide from you; in the 9th it could prompt a desire to travel, roam far and wide, to further education or apply yourself to religious study, or could involve things happening to in-laws; in the 10th it’s either career-affecting or whatever happens occurs where everyone can see, and probably they can see your reaction, as well; in the 11th the eclipse may trigger a long-held dream, or even present an opportunity for you to contribute the very thing you’re here to offer; and in the 12th, its impact might be felt in changes to your spiritual approach, in interactions with large institutions (ones where you feel like a cog in the wheel), or knowledge or faith may be renewed through the dream life or in communion with the Universe.
Julie Demboski's ASTROLOGY 
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