“Canaries” Albert Joseph Moore c1880 {{PD}}

The AstroEssence: It’s big ideas and inspired action if you’re acting from healed sensibilities and not reacting out of rebellious or separatist sentiments; if pique or contrariness are what drives you, you may end up with bloated plans and unrealistic ideas of what to do to make them happen–so a disaster all around. Hint to handle things: pay attention to what’s obviously smart, which will likely be right in front of you, and don’t rely upon instincts at this point–they may be muddled or masked, not offering the clarity you need–tune in to reality, through an optimistic lens, instead (Mercury conj Jupiter, Mars sxt Neptune, Sun trine Pallas and contra-parallel Sedna, Venus qnx Uranus, semi-sq Jupiter, and trine Chiron)

Today’s word image is one of those old wax ‘records’ that first recorded sound. Phonograph cylinders were delicate, sometimes wearing out in as few as twenty playings. You may be dealing with ‘early impressions’ of something; the question may be, are those impressions worn out, in need of a fresh take? Or is this a prompt to be extra careful with that memory, making sure you do nothing in the present to ruin it?

For those born with the Sun at 19 Libra: You may start the year with a certain emotional harmony that could make you overconfident, in the sense that the unexpected could overtake you before you realize it’s even possible. That’s not to frighten you, Libra, but to remind you that to expect to glide along isn’t realistic; instead, be ever-willing to adjust in order to heal–if you do you’ll be in a really good place by your next birthday. Good luck, and Happy Birthday, Libra!

Le Pont de l’Europe (1876) Gustave Caillebotte {{PD}}

The AstroEssence: Our focus is on our own ambitions and desires; the identity and Soul intent is also aligned with our wants, and this makes for the ability to get what we are seeking in short order. Thinking and planning are inspired by those matters that previously we ignored, were in denial of, or that enraged us–somehow they show us things from a new angle when re-examined–and that helps us align our goals and desires with authorities who can help or with our own best expressions of power–and that makes it all happen. It’s a day for ambition fulfillment, no question–though if things aren’t lining up and materializing as you’d like, it may be because you’re not sufficiently Self-responsible, doing all you can to maximize this highly positive effect (Mercury nov Black Moon Lilith and parallel Ceres, Sun conjoined and parallel Zeus)

‘A Cup of Tea’ Lilla Cabot Perry {{PD}}

Today’s word image is the discovery upon filling that a beautiful tea pot is laced with cracks.What’s your immediate reaction to this? Are you angry, sad that the piece has been spoiled, do you want to dash it to bits as useless, or carefully break it for a mosaic, plant it with herbs, keep your pennies there, use it as part of a fountain, or make a tiny birdhouse out of it? This is about viewpoint, and giving things a second life, or a usefulness, beyond the initial intention for them–it requires a willingness to allow something (or even someone) a role for which they weren’t necessarily originally intended.

For those born with the Sun at 18 Libra: You’ve recently transcended some ambition or desire, either achieving your goals or finding them no longer to your liking, and now you may be wondering, What’s next? It appears that what may come next is healing, a slow accretion of experiences the ultimate result of which is spiritual wholeness. That’s pretty good–plus, when that spiritual healing is complete, you may be rewarded with a little Love, Money, or Power. Good luck, Libra, and Happy Birthday!

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You remember this, right? The Mock Battle between the Weaver’s and Dyer’s Guilds on the Arno in Florence on 25 July 1619 {{PD}}

The AstroEssence: Oh, I hope it doesn’t shake out like this: where power and authority in all forms resists wisdom and practicality (the latter two a Self-declared state). The power side may present the current situation as a ‘now and forever’ sort of arrangement, set in stone, while the wisdom side of things may be a little too smug in its assessment of itself as diplomatic and fair, sure that it can ‘sweet talk’ authorities, distorting what’s wise in favor of what is desired; that is, neither side will be looking at things in a truly realistic light. To pretend that what exists now or what rules are in place will never change is madness–but so is the idea that if you just say it nicely, everyone must do as you want! To believe one can out-think or out-maneuver the powers that be is pure hubris, as is the idea that false modesty or words of cooperation somehow buy one carte blanche, and stonewalling those who seek smart change is unreasonable—bossiness and stubbornness are just what they are, whether they’re dressed up in diplomacy or justified with regulations. What we all have to do is admit that power (which is nothing more than being effective within one’s own life) is on our minds; everyone in denial of this will encounter a variety of obstacles, a rough social milieu, and/ or risk having something secret or enraging exposed. Those who accept their need for power take the first step toward (relatively speaking) control of reality. An even better approach: refuse to break everything down into dualities–that’s how this whole split-vision got started in the first place (Pallas contra-parallel Ceres, Saturn sq the Nodes, Merc enters Libra and perfects contra-parallel Jupiter, qnx Ceres, semi-sq Black Moon Lilith, Pluto sq the Sun-Earth axis)

Salmon Fishing on the ‘Faskally Water’ from Ernest E. Briggs, (1908) Angling and Art in Scotland {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a man fly-fishing in a shallow, quick-moving mountain river. Does this create personal associations for you? If so, go with those. For everyone else, we might consider that we’re seeking something in a place where it logically will be found, but that is, in one sense or another, ‘shallow’, possibly in an emotional sense, or in emotional reaction to a spiritual reality (the fish). The scenario is one where expectations may be fulfilled (the catching of fish) but where the satisfaction may not be as deep or lasting (the fast-moving, shallow waters) as we might hope, and this may apply as much to our own feelings as to any external result we encounter. Another alternative may be that we get what we’re fishing for, from a place we may have discounted as ‘shallow’ and so believed was not capable of offering what, in the end, we actually did get from it.

For those born with the Sun at 15 Libra: You may feel the stirrings of ambitions and dreams this year, Libra, and begin to position yourself to make them come true; the biggest obstacle, though, may be your worries about how pursuing ambitions will affect relationships, values, and the state of the finances. The reality is that, if it’s important to you to pursue this, relationships will either adapt or fall by the wayside, finances will work out, and values will be shown for what they are–and with that last, if you’re trying to preserve an image you show others, one that makes a values statement, and you’re worried about losing it, that alone should tell you that the image doesn’t serve who you really are or what you truly value–so is best let go of, anyway. Good luck, Libra, and Happy Birthday!

Paul Klee, Red Balloon (Roter Ballon), 1922 {{PD}}

The AstroEssence: There’s a kind of serious expansion slated for today, one that offers an ingenious and creative way to get more Love or Money, or to make outreach, especially in relationships, effective and beneficial. It involves widening the life area addressed or beliefs stated through interaction or partnership (Jupiter in Libra)–that is, acting to broaden understanding or engaging in activity in an area you want to see grow, and doing it most successfully in the company of others. This happens by getting to the truth, examining what’s hidden or secret (‘digging up the dirt’), or by transforming assets, either so that they take a new form (we do this when we spend money, are paid for expressing our talents, or by taking paint to canvas–to site only three examples of many–Venus in Scorpio), or so that they ‘pay off’–so, offer more than the sum of their parts. It’s a great day for expressing your talents; if this doesn’t go over well, it’s either that you failed to bring others on board by being inclusive enough (it’s not show and tell, it’s acting together), failed to display a necessary optimism, or that what you’re displaying isn’t really one of your talents–a bitter pill to swallow, and yet isn’t it so much more productive to put your efforts behind what you’re truly good at? That leaves you ready to excel in some other way (Venus nov Jupiter)

Today’s word image is a sinkhole. We behave as if these appear out of nowhere, a true mystery, but the reality is we know what causes them: removing too much water from underground relative to what’s natural for the area. As a symbol, this suggests being too stringent in one life area, whether that’s drawing too much on Willpower to get through the day (which is like a forced energy withdrawal from your physical ‘bank’, one it’s very hard to make up), or putting oneself in life circumstances that are draining emotionally (the water, the removal of which makes the problem), or driving hard into some area where one hopes to achieve, to the point of losing some sustaining form of support (in this image, the very ground beneath our feet). Where are you overdoing, and in the process inadvertently removing something vital?

Sculpture Partner by Charlotte Seidl was created in 2006 Herzi Pinki – Own work CC BY-SA 4.0

For those born with the Sun at 14 Libra: This is a reckoning year for you, Libra; you will deal with all those hidden attitudes you carry toward power, will have to admit your own need for it, desire for it, find a place for it in your world, and you’ll be forced (if you don’t do so willingly) to eliminate all that is outmoded, destructive, or that keeps you from ‘marriage’ with that strong and beautiful part of your spirit, the part that must be expressed. Handled well, you’ll find at some point before your next birthday that you have become more yourself, and more responsible for and responsive to yourself, than ever before. Handled poorly, the year could be hard on you. Please don’t fight the change that’s coming–no matter how you see it now, it’s change that will bring your best Self forward–and that’s a really good thing. Good luck, and Happy Birthday!

By Andr.V.S. – The painting was photographed in my studio Previously published: Published on my web-site ( http://www.andrewstevovich.com ) and my blog ( http://andrewstevovich.blogspot.com ) as well as several exhibition cataloges., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19053154

The AstroEssence: it seems there’s a lot of fight in us today, though those who hold it in may find themselves flooded with frustration or depression, or maybe plagued by digestive ills or prompted to drink–so don’t hold it in! Efforts at expansion will bring up conflict or problems, but as long as we don’t respond with ego, we’ll do well–in fact, this may be a kind of test, where we must make some ‘I Am’ statements to the Universe, declaring that we’re really serious about what we’ve been claiming we want. That said, it may seem sparring with those in the social sphere, or with those who are hella vain, just comes naturally, and even loving interaction can break down in the twinkling of an eye–but these negatives happen only, I said only, if we are in denial of, ignoring, or enraged about something we’re not acknowledging. Otherwise, our Love can transform, and we have a decent shot at money and/ or power, but again, we must be open to Truth, however it presents itself (Mars sq Jupiter, Venus sxt Pluto and conjoined Black Moon Lilith)

Today’s word image is an unmade bed. Is this the sign of the casual and relaxed, or the sloppy and embarrassing, to you? Give this a try today: every time you make a snap judgment about the meaning of something like an unmade bed, which on its own has no intrinsic meaning whatsoever, try either to withhold that judgment, or to supply something the opposite of which comes naturally. Trying on another viewpoint is vital to keeping our own view valid and applicable, and helps in preventing a tendency to apply judgment where it really isn’t needed.

For those born with the Sun at 13 Libra: you are headed toward both working out your own power position this year, Libra, and toward facing those matters that need to be changed, and you’ll have the energy, stamina, and judgment to do both. What you might not have may be as clear a sense of your life’s direction as you used to enjoy. Stay open; the path isn’t fixed, and you have an opportunity this year to shape it more to your liking than ever before. Good luck, Libra, and Happy Birthday!

Jesus, relaxing with a little geometry. Unknown Miniaturist, French (active around 1250) {{PD}}

The AstroEssence: As much difficulty as we had tuning in to our instincts and values yesterday, we find an opposite effect today: it’s easy to follow inner prompts and keep efforts aligned with priorities. Past hurts offer wisdom, as does our active and well-honed intuition. We find an ‘inner compass’ that guides us, and which is effortlessly translated by the mind into thoughts; the only issue comes from our own slightly skewed vision of our direction in life–somehow this doesn’t match the actual direction we’re headed. Use this time of potential clear sight in order to adjust your efforts so they actually lead you where you want to go (Vesta sxt Sedna, Chiron parallel Pallas, Mercury sxt Vesta and trine Sedna, Earth trine Saturn and qnx NN)

Today’s word image is a boiling kettle. We’re ready to brew something up–what will it be? This tells us elements are at peak for combining with a creative idea or approach. Wait no longer. Disclaimer: personal results or readiness, influenced by transits to the natal chart, may vary.

For those born with the Sun at 12 Libra: You’re reaching a kind of personal peak, Libra, that will call for adjustment to the way you think about the past (in large part, seeing it more clearly, and so freeing you from it), and these changes will, soon enough, require some serious commitment and even more serious housecleaning, in the sense of removing from your life what is no longer dynamic or valid, and renewing and refreshing that which should remain. I know that’s terribly vague, but it needs to be, as this is a sweeping prescription for re-making the life. Good luck, Libra, and Happy Birthday!

John Singer Sargent – ‘Villa di Marlia, Lucca’ 1910 {{PD}}

The AstroEssence: Why does it feel like the social sphere, or even the bald facts of the matter, are cheering us on to do something we feel deep inside is just unwise, impractical, foolish? It may be a combination of our own sense of not trusting ourselves to choose correctly, melded with past choices we know aren’t right for now, but which are very seductive, because of the way they worked then. Resisting our own instincts isn’t exactly new, but we should do our best to notice just how much of this discord and rebelliousness is triggered by a desire to feel ourselves smarter than the prevailing norm. Prove you really are smarter than external influences by listening to your inner voice, rather than the cacophony without (Jupiter contra-parallel Pallas and Mars semi-sq it, Venus trine the SN, Sun sesq Sedna)

‘Still Life with Roses’ Ferenc Olgyay 1939 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a crystal vase. Is that for you a symbol of decadence or beauty? Does the vase you imagine reflect the carving and flourishes of old world tastes or is it sleek and modern? When you think of a vase is it simply utilitarian, or is it a decorative item you want to show off? Whatever comes to mind, think of this symbol as speaking of your attitude toward the ‘finer things’ in life. Do you see luxuries and Art as a wonderful part of life, or an indulgent waste of resources? How you react may reveal deep feelings and assumptions about privilege, and even though you may think you’re assessing material things, they act as mirrors, so you may want to examine whether that’s the ‘message’ you want to give the Universe about your own Self-judgments and deservedness.

For those born with the Sun at 11 Libra: I’ll put it this way, Libra: emotions and emotional reactions, along with feeling experiences from the past, hold the keys to dealing effectively with the coming year. It’s all about wading willingly, even eagerly, into deep emotional waters. Don’t hesitate! The other thing to watch out for? Keep a firm grip on the reality picture, and keep up with material matters that require your attention–they must run smoothly to leave you energy for the many emotional revelations and payoffs you’ll be in the running for. Good luck, Libra, and Happy Birthday!