‘The Roses of Heliogabalus’ – Lawrence Alma-Tadema {{PD}}

The AstroEssence: Here’s an odd configuration: Jupiter and Uranus are in opposition (and playing off the Nodes), Sedna and Black Moon Lilith are in opposition, with Uranus semi-square Sedna and sesquiquadrate Black Moon Lilith, while Jupiter is semi-square BML and sesquiquadrate Sedna. It’s like a skinny Mystic Rectangle, with all the fun pressed out. Why so much stress? For many, it’s Christmas, a time equally fraught with joy and pressure; but for everyone, it seems the tension between complete freedom in the form of total license contrasts directly in some way with the call for social conformity, or possibly contradicts the impulse toward freedom by demanding the individual stick to ‘the facts’, or draws in chaos and the unanticipated with each attempt at expansion. This occurs simultaneous to a tug-of-war between our instincts and ‘deep knowing’, and all those matters we’ve ignored, denied, or that enrage us–and each of the oppositions interact under unpleasant conditions. This suggests each individual will be under enormous internal tension and has a good chance of responding in undisciplined fashion to externals if the pressure remains unconscious; it may feel as if one’s fate is at stake, when it really isn’t. With conscious awareness this kind of overblown, reactive thinking comes the option of refusing the radical response in favor of the less rigid, less judgmental one, which is wise, considering how easily this can escalate into a lose/ lose situation.

This isn’t the only perfecting influence today. We’ll just be entering Dark of the Moon territory late in the day Pacific time, and that means the impetus and energy could drain away from both positive and negative endeavors. We also see a very busy Venus that offers ideal conditions, dreams come true, spiritual fulfillment, and gives the resources, especially spiritual and emotional ones, to reach out to others, to take offered opportunities, and to support permanent change or the building of a new foundation. That is, if you want to act better, want to respond more kindly and more accurately to others, today is the day to make that reform a reality. We may also see a lot of fortuitous opportunity and lucky spontaneous synchronicities that may, oddly enough, bolster confidence in the caring nature of the Universe, and this allows us to purge our thinking of destructive or negative tendencies. We come out the other side of this smelling like roses, while never losing our awareness of those things we haven’t yet handled, but will need to (Venus at the midpoint of Saturn-Uranus sxt both and trine Jupiter, Merc parallel Pluto and nov Venus, Sun nov Black Moon Lilith)

‘Still life: Tea Service’ Albert Anker {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a cup of tea, where the leaves settle in the bottom of the cup and take the shape of a leaping dolphin. Reading tea leaves is, of course, a form of prognostication; it’s literally the dregs of what made the beverage in the first place, ‘speaking’ to you! Living is a lot like sipping tea: we take it in a bit at a time, it scalds if it’s too hot or becomes unappealing if it’s too cold, and if we’ll bother to look at the aftermath of our interactions, we’ll find a clear though likely symbolic message about our choices and our future.

For those born with the Sun at 4 Capricorn: The first half or so of your Solar year, through to your next birthday, may be quiet, at least on the inside, as you ponder some serious and even dark matters, especially as they pertain to who you are–but by the second half of the year, you are ready to launch: a business, a new venture, a marriage, an assault, a missile–the list is virtually endless, but it all has the objective of allowing you to make your mark on the world–it’s time. Good luck, Cappy, and Happy Birthday!

Lisbon “chill out” street art, Uploaded by tm Author: Bernt Rostad from Oslo, Norway Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

The AstroEssence the 29th: We’re well into the Dark of the Moon (the three days preceding a New Moon) so we shouldn’t be surprised that it’s a chill day, largely devoted to feeling just a little bit out of it. We’ll find cross-currents common, as we operate in our ‘blind spot’ and find the facts emerge to set us straight, or when our beliefs run up against our instincts, or as the social role requires us to tap into something we carry deep within but don’t often access. Even those who set out ablaze to party, to find out, to proselytize in their favorite arena, will find themselves subdued as lust turns to friendship, sought-after riches or rewards gain human-scale as the real-world intrudes, and modest wants and sober expression seem all we can muster. That’s not a bad thing, though: those who want bang and flash at this point just end up confused or failing in their goals; those who embrace the indeterminate, the vague, and the accepting sail through, with the option to nail down some serious Love or Money in the process (Jupiter sesq Sedna, Venus conj Saturn)

Portrait of Dr. Samuel D. Gross (The Gross Clinic) byThomas Eakins 1874 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is sudden surgery. Who expects that, right? But the point is that, symbolically speaking, we may meet an occasion that ‘cuts deep’, and the exploration is completely unplanned. Look for Path-altering (even life altering) events that, for a short period, totally take over your experience, and ask yourself, What did that deep cut expose? even as you recognize the event was necessary to your healing.

For those born with the Sun at 6 Scorpio: Acute perceptual faculties are yours this coming year, through to your next birthday, but be prepared: not only will you divine all forms of perfection in your world, you’ll also see its flaws, in Technicolor, on the Big Screen of your mind–and you may be deeply inspired, and possibly deeply hurt, by what you see. If you can accept reality with all its unevenness, you can heal in ways you never anticipated. Bonus: you get a new start, a couple of months into this Solar year. Good luck, Scorpio, and Happy Birthday!