Tag Archives: Finger of God

Mystic Stress

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Ankara Archaeology and art museum Venus Late Hellenistic 2nd-1st C BC CC4

That title comes from the Mystic Rectangle perfecting today, with Mars, Sun, Earth, and Juno all at 24 degrees of their respective current signs–and the stress part is Venus, straining at the 29th anaretic degree of Aries. The lady just wants to get out of town, from an atmosphere of the overt, aggressive, and active, to one she’s not only comfortable in, she rules, with Taurus offering a chance to lose the Self to the senses, to enjoy the tactile, the filling and satisfying, the sedating–to get out of the Arian situation Venus (and we) have been in, of steadily mounting stress as she traversed a sign she’s just not at ease in.

The Rectangle takes the Sun-Mars sextile and makes it a dynamic, rather than just a statement about our attention (the Sun) going to what we are, or feel we should be, doing. We add Earth to the mix, bringing in a material element that emphasizes the way what we are investing our energy into at this time will have solid, real-world, or environment-affecting consequences. Juno, a body of empowerment and partnering, brings awareness: what we are doing right now will definitely empower us; our own actions will fashion situations that both give us alternatives and options, and requires that, even in cooperative matters, we must be the agents of our own expression and empowerment. Remember, the mythic Juno was renowned for her anger and vengeful plots–but those arose from trying to control her partner, rather than taking that energy and shaping things as she’d actually like them to be. In this instance, the lesson for us is twofold: we can’t expect others to hand us power, and we must recognize that the prerogative to make the world as we wish it to be is purely, solely, our own.

Also of note: Black Moon Lilith in Taurus and Neptune in Pisces form the base of a Finger of God, apex Zeus in Libra. A Finger always points us to the result of a successful blending of the two base energies. The Black Moon Lilith point in Taurus suggests that what we are denying ourselves in terms of comfort or sustenance, or what enrages us about our material situation, can be re-shaped by the imagination and our own ideals (Neptune)–which can result in ambition and desire fulfillment, particularly in terms of relationships, the Arts, or cooperative or earning ventures.

And by the way, that Jupiter-Sun sextile forming this Thursday may not be the sudden bounty or get-out-of-psychic-jail free card some think it will be. Oh, it could–I’m just looking at the way Jupiter will also be in an Air Grand Trine with Earth and Mars–suggesting that efforts fueled by beliefs or ‘the facts’, pushed by the social sphere, or that present genuine opportunity have a very good chance of succeeding–and that means that sunshine and riches won’t fall out of the sky with no reason, and that what does logically come to us, we’d better be prepared to catch!–but any benefits we gain could be co-opted by the group, or could devolve into intellectual exercises (Aquarius) that short-circuit action (Mars) and so don’t actually manifest in the real world (Earth)–so, something to keep in mind.

Last week I spent a full 24 hours hearing someone say (or sing) the phrase “Everything’s gonna be alright”–by my count, 6 different times in six totally different forms/ media. Late last week and this one have, as far as I can tell, brought a great deal of stress to everyone–but I’m confident hearing that over and over last week was meant to prime recall of that sentiment when things got rough. I hope if you need it, it helps you too.

Real-Life ‘Clue’: The Case of the Disappearing Lord

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Lord and Lady Lucan, back in the day. She was just recently found deceased in the same Belgravia house where the nanny’s murder occurred. Fair use, multiple sources

This an ECLIPSE re-print from 2015 with some new material added, a wee mystery to ponder this weekend. Have a great one! jd

If Ian Fleming, Agatha Christie, and Ian McEwan had each jumped into a time machine, met in a mutually agreed upon cozy writing spot, and together woven a story of a dashing noble who gambles himself deep into debt, is suspected of murder, and the very day following the murder vanishes without a trace, they would’ve written something astonishingly close to the life of Richard John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan, a gambler and gadabout who at one point was considered for the movie role of James Bond. Lord Lucan (born 18 December 1934 ntk at Marylebone/ London United Kingdom) took the privilege accorded him due to birth and parlayed that into a miserable marriage and a gambling debt equivalent to half a million dollars in today’s coin.

On the evening of November 7, 1974, the nanny for Lord Lucan’s children was murdered in the basement of the family home. Lucan did not live in the house at the time, but he did come to the house that evening and got into a physical fight with his wife when she came downstairs looking for the nanny, who hadn’t returned with tea, as expected. Both Lucan and his wife were bloodied and bruised, and eventually retreated together to the bathroom to tend their wounds, according to the account of Lucan’s wife, Veronica, and his daughter, who saw them after the fight. Lucan left (presumably before the nanny’s body had been discovered), stopped by a friend’s house in the wee hours of the morning of the 8th, and was never heard from again.

The working theory all these years is that Lucan is the killer; the supposition is that he mistook the nanny, a petite woman with long, strawberry blond hair who bore an uncanny resemblance to wife Veronica, for his alimony-demanding, custody-of-the-kids holding, ex-spouse. There is lots of circumstantial evidence to support this, including the police finding a car he had borrowed that contained his fingerprints, the nanny’s blood, and a lead pipe very similar to the one used to kill his employee. He told the friend he visited that night, who is the last person known to have seen him alive, that he saw someone attacking the nanny through the basement window, and went into the house to help. His wife and son both believe he likely killed himself out of guilt, but no body has been found, and whatever happened, he left without his keys, passport, eyeglasses, and other important small bits, suggesting a certain finality to events, whether he died or changed his identity.

Unfortunately we don’t have a birth time for Lucan, but when we set a transit chart for the early morning hours of the 8th and compare it with the natal placements, we still get some compelling contacts. First we might try to ascertain whether he was of a mind to kill that evening, and especially if he might’ve targeted his spouse. His natal Venus in Capricorn is square his natal Mars in Libra, setting him up to expect conflict in man-woman scenarios, and the midpoint of transiting Ceres-Juno sextiled this Venus, suggesting at that point he could’ve easily seen his wife as a vengeful force of Nature—and with transiting Sedna trine n Venus and Black Moon Lilith sesquiquadrate it natally, he may have been primed to act out, a temporary ‘blind spot’ nicely masking anything about his relationships that would contradict the in-born belief that women were Lilith-like and the carriers of unreasonable rage (as a male-oriented society inevitably characterizes BML energy)—all stoking his resentment of his wife.

We might ask, does Lucan have it in him to kill? Of course, the natal chart can only give clues, not definitive answers, but there are a few interesting things of note. Lucan has a natal Sun-Vesta conjunction, suggesting the potential for him to see himself as sacred, upping the chance he would easily take affront or act out in ways designed to protect himself. His natal Pluto quincunxes his Sun and Saturn, making it apex to a Finger of God, and opposes natal Juno, a recipe for destruction triggered by any threat to what he’s built, especially if it should come from the spouse. His natal Uranus-Pluto square, which may have offered spontaneous, burn-’em-all-down fireworks as a matter of course, was at the time of the murder filled in as a Fist of God by t Neptune, suggesting that those Uranus-Pluto impulses may not have seen clearly their own expression, acted out in defense of an ideal, a fantasy, or a delusion (and see later for more potentials for this config). And there is the way t Uranus is at 29 degrees of Libra, setting up a general atmosphere of strain and sudden action in partnerships of all kinds.

Transiting Mercury was squaring his natal Pluto (difficult messages/ communications/ thoughts that hinted at destruction) and t Jupiter formed apex with these two to a Fist of God. This is a vote for suicide, with Jupiter the planet associated with the leave-taking of death; certainly, dark thoughts could’ve driven him in that direction. That t Merc was also sextile his natal Sun, tying thoughts to his sense of identity and well-being. Too, t BML sextiled his Mercury and both were quincunx t Saturn, forming a Finger of God that implies he might’ve felt enormous mental pressure to do something in the physical world to address things. And, t Sun-Venus were just moving off natal Jupiter, perhaps suggesting to him that suicide might be the most rewarding way out.

Also of note: that in the early morning hours the transiting Leo Moon (the kind we can’t help thinking about ourselves under) squared his (supposed) natal Taurus Moon, while t Uranus had been putting steady pressure on Luna for some time. This argues for emotionally charged tension surrounding the Self, one’s impulses, and the future, while t Saturn squared natal Sedna, suppressing the instincts and perhaps insisting he had no ‘blind spot’, everything was just as he assessed it. t Pallas was also trining that Moon, reinforcing the idea that the emotional reactions were giving him smart guidance, in spite of the results. Should his natal Moon actually be in early Gemini (possible if his birth occurred later in the day), he would still receive a stressful square from the transiting Moon, and we can add one from t Ceres, as well, perhaps making the pressure from females confident and in charge of their own autonomy and domain more than he could bear.

His large gambling debts imply he might’ve been a prime target for a hit, as he’d owed for years and there were no prospects for new income in the future (in fact, his natal Pluto in Cancer square his Uranus-Pallas, clearly spelling out his Self-destructive tendencies, triggered by transiting North Node-Vesta-Neptune, forming a Fist of God—the smack down may have been something he always imagined, and was always headed for—it may even have been something he courted, revering the idea of payback). A 1975 inquest held that he was guilty of the murder and convicted him in absentia, so there’s little incentive for him to ever surface again, if he is alive.  Theories of his fate abound, everything from being whisked from the country by MI5 and hidden in a Greek monastery to being fed to the tigers of zoo owner, gambling hall impresario, and close friend (to whom he presumably owed a lot of money) John Aspinall, but my favorite is that he took off for New Zealand, where he lives still with a goat named ‘Camilla’.

So, to review, it’s Lord Lucan, in the basement, with the lead pipe.

And has the mystery been solved?

Full Moon in Virgo 27 February 2021 Due & Payable

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‘A Jar Of Peaches’ By Claude Monet 1866, well before deteriorating eyesight made the impressionist painter’s work even more impressionistic!

Keeping our nice, tight Lunar event orbs, we see that this Full Moon, falling at 8 Virgo 57 at 12:17 AM PST, makes only a few, crisp aspects–but of course, they tell us everything we need to know.

A Full Moon brings related energies to a conclusion or peak, and in Virgo this most likely involves matters where accounting and balance sheets (including intangible spiritual or emotional ones), criticism and critical discernment (again, including those that are mere thoughts, or that address the personal and subjective, as much as those aimed at the Collective and objective), and the gathering and allotment of some kind of ‘harvest’, are prominent. This can be anything from actual bills due to the subtle workings of Karma, from a quiet judgment inside our heads to a very vocal assessment of someone or something, and from the literal distribution of goods to the gain or loss of rewards, in either case likely anticipated in some, possibly very nebulous, form (a notion that occurs to us, right out of the blue, and is just as quickly gone, for instance).

The Moon-Earth conjunction forms apex to a Finger of God, with base of Chiron-Saturn. Oww! We may be asking ourselves just exactly where and why ‘it’ hurts (or where and why we’re having this sensation, which is not necessarily painful, it may just be new, or something we haven’t felt for a long time), and we may be acutely aware of how our own responses to reality have created this denouement. The presence of Chiron gives us two possibilities: one is that we’re seeing the real-world consequences of our own woundedness, which may have driven previous actions or choices, and so brought us to this point. The other possibility is that we are seeing the results of what we’ve built through unique talent expression, through utilizing that particular ability that is so unique to us.

The Full Moon also trines Uranus and, with a little leniency, the Black Moon Lilith point. This suggests, very simply, surprise, probably centered in something we’ve been striving not to think about, or that has angered us, implying that what’s delivered may have the ring of justice, or the requirement that we accept things as they are. And, we see a sesquiquadrate to Pluto, telling us that whatever occurs may through difficult circumstances change everything, or that the Truth will be exposed, transforming for the good, or conversely the rot will be exposed, with the tough option of cleaning it up. It’s especially hard to know if Pluto in the mix is a good thing, as so much of what Pluto brings, even when the ultimate result is positive, can be especially hard to process, get through, or even survive, and it often temporarily gives an ‘end of the world’ feeling.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘An Expressionist Painter At Work’. I’m thinking this tells us that we need to take a ‘higher up’ view of events around this Lunar occurrence, one that takes in the broad picture, rather than focusing too much on any one detail (and this Full Moon may throw many details at us, considering its placement in Virgo). It reminds me of a scene in the immortal, Jane Austen inspired work, ‘Clueless’, a movie where the main character, the teenage Cher, describes someone or something (and I’m paraphrasing here) as ‘a real Monet’–that is, a mess if you insist on getting up close to it, but making a beautiful picture if you pull back and take it in at a distance–or, in the case of a person, someone who seems together, until you get a gander at their actual circumstances or coping skills.

We also look at the Sun’s Sabian for a Full Moon: ‘A Jockey Spurs His Horse, Intent On Outdistancing His Rivals’. This suggests that competitiveness may drive us (and is echoed by a minor aspect of the Full Moon, a semi-square to Zeus). What we want, and what we can do about it, is spurring us on at this time. We need to be aware that it’s ourselves, rather than externals, that have created the current scenario, with circumstances we’ve initiated determining its outcome.

It’s a time of ‘getting what we deserve’. If that phrase makes you excited, then good, you know deep within that you’ve been adding to the Collective in a positive way, and it’ll be paying off; and if it makes you uneasy, then just know there’s something, either in your methods or your motives, that needs purging–and Pluto will be around to help.

Thank you, everyone! Take care out there, and Happy Full Moon!

Pluto Grinds Into Gear

05 Monday Oct 2020

Posted by in astrology, Cardinal Activity, current events in the sky, Finger of God, Retrogrades + Directions, T-Square

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Pluto spends so much time retrograde each and every year (roughly six months) that it tends, in whatever direction it’s exhibiting apparent movement, to become like background noise, a steady, grating grind, often convincing us that the conditions it offers are unavoidable, inevitable, ‘just the way it is’, simply because they take shape and then, because of Pluto’s snail-quick movement, stay that way. This is especially true at points of retrograde and direction; the circumstances around both Power and Change seem cemented in place, even as deep and scary changes well beyond our control appear unavoidable. So, simultaneous feelings of being stuck, accompanied by a sense that all will soon be flung into chaos from massive change.

At this point in time, ‘America’s Laxative’ might be exactly what Pluto is! Antique bottle of “Pluto Water” from French Lick Springs. From a display of memorabilia and antiques at the West Baden Springs hotel, French Lick Indiana.
Photo by Geoffrey A. Landis CC BY-SA 3.0

This time, the first aspect it makes after direction will almost be inadvertent; as Pluto shifts its apparent direction (while still at the same 22 Capricorn 29 position), Mars in retrograde motion in its own sign of Aries slips toward a square, perfecting on the 9th of October–and what do we get from Cardinal squares? Action! Change! And no small amount of conflict, fiery pushes to express, and temper. It’s almost as if these two don’t mean to meet, as neither is in actual forward motion–and that can imply that the conflicts engendered aren’t ones we look for, but stem instead from more compartmentalized energies that happen to find themselves at odds. BUT, Mars will be moving retro, and Pluto will still be at the station position–and that could signal regressive upsets (that is, ones springing up, re-ignited, from the past), old territory of resentments, grievances, and Will thwarted, clashing with an entrenched power position or entity that is both immovable and seemingly permanent–yet here is the lesson of a square: that the particulars, the specific circumstances of each body, speak of the actual situation from which the conflict will arise–so that the anger may have a difficult time knowing where to go, that actions may be timid or find us ‘holding back’, and that the stock-still and apparently impenetrable nature of power matters at present is not at all the reality–things are on the brink of changing.

We may get some of the story, of both the square repercussions and the overall disposition of energies, if we examine a few other contacts on and around the 9th. At that point we actually see Zeus in Libra step in opposed Mars, forming a tight T-square with our heroes just as their contact reaches perfection. That implies that what we see aflame will be fueled by frustrations or denials around ambitions and desires. We also see that Pluto will be quincunx, Mars sextile, and Zeus trine the North Node=creation of our future comes directly from pursuing those ambitions, with success dependent on how well we adjust to and are able to modify the power situation, or to create change or even to change ourselves.

But perhaps most telling about the atmosphere may be a Finger of God with base of Venus-Juno, apex Chiron. This suggests that for each of us the power situation may feel very personal, but that with some effort, we can actually heal some significant facet of things (and this is so no matter the frustrations of the square/ T-square, though we should note, these matters aren’t necessarily the same–they could exist in two completely separate situations). We use our talents, our assets, what we care about, our relationships, or our values, applying them to the power we currently hold, even if that power seems inadequate to address a larger situation. (This is one of those times when doing what we can ends up multiplying its effect, being far more potent than we imagine possible). Putting into action what we have, doing what we can, opens the door to healing a personal wound (Chiron in Aries) around the Self, the identity, the ability to act as an individual, and around expression of the Will. Sound familiar? This may be a further expression of what occurred at the recent Full Moon, building (Pluto in Capricorn) on new, different, necessary changes to the power landscape, ones that will in time reveal Truth, and in doing so offer transformation of one kind or another to each individual.

Good Day To . . . 24 September 2020 Shrouded

23 Wednesday Sep 2020

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‘By the Waters of Babylon’ By Arthur Hacker 1888 {{PD}}

The 24th Is A Good Day To . . . keep in mind the Finger of God formed today; that assessment of the Finger ends with this sentence: “See your thoughts for today (the 23rd) as not fully formed or informed, and have the courage to wait.” That means that by today, the 24th, we are ready to assess things. Here, however, we need to be careful about two other issues: one is the tendency to allow our thinking to be out of touch with our actions and choices–nobody likes someone who says one thing but whose actions clearly promote another–and our own ideas of what we value and are willing to commit to may be shrouded with some unrealistic, disingenuous, or outright insincere pretensions–that is, we may be telling ourselves some untruths in order to maintain a Self-image that wouldn’t stand up to a clear-eyed examination of our actual behavior and commitments. Vow to pursue only the goals and ambitions where we are clear on what we’re hoping to get out of them; we are able to generate a plethora of useful and original ideas today, and need to see where they can be best applied, so they don’t go to waste.

A Good Day To . . . is based on the aspects perfecting on each day, Pacific time.

Good Day To . . . 23 September 2020 You Can’t Imagine

22 Tuesday Sep 2020

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Today’s not the day to ask, ‘What’s in the box?’ Even if we get an answer, we won’t interpret it correctly. ‘Portrait of a Girl with a Patch Box’ By Philippe Mercier 1760 {{PD}}

The 23rd Is A Good Day To . . . see that lines of reasoning around what’s ideal, what’s worthy, even what’s real, aren’t functioning as they should; clarity eludes us and our own thoughts, especially about what we want, what’s worth keeping or seeking, are difficult to grasp or generate barriers and ‘reasons why’ we should or shouldn’t go forward. The result is a kind of limbo we may not be aware we’re in! Creativity may suffer, as we throw out the masterpiece or take efforts in an untenable direction, and our sense of what’s possible is distinctly distorted, erring toward the pessimistic and the suppressive.

The best option is to take a step back and make no big, definitive moves just yet. Just one day from now a Finger of God forms, with base of Neptune-Pluto, apex Venus. This ought to help us define for ourselves on the 24th and 25th what matters, specifically what needs to go and what matches the ideal, especially creatively, and so should go forward. Until that point we can’t imagine what we really need to, can’t figure out what to measure it against. See your thoughts today as not fully formed or informed, and have the courage to wait.

A Good Day To . . . is based on the aspects perfecting on each day, Pacific time.

Full Moon 1 September 2020 Suspension

31 Monday Aug 2020

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‘Dubrovnik bei Mondlicht’ By Eduard Kasparides 1915 {{PD}}

The first thing that draws my attention is the tidy sextile of the Full Moon in Pisces to Uranus, and the second thing is the loose Finger of God with base of Moon-Earth sextile Pallas and apex of Vesta; there’s also a close sesquiquadrate to Venus in Cancer. Though the FM makes no conjunctions among the bodies I use, it does sit in a kind of suspension between Neptune and Ceres; I’m aware this isn’t a true midpoint picture, but somehow the overwhelmingly watery nature of the Full Moon scenario seems to ask that we notice this, maybe even more than the precise sextile to Uranus in Taurean Earth or the quincunx to Fiery Vesta–or maybe that’s the point, that being cradled as it is between two strong indicators of Water/ Nature may suggest that these qualities are prominent in the relationships among the closer FM aspects. It does land at the midpoint of the current Saturn-Black Moon Lilith square, describing the Full Moon events as representing a point of tension in all that we ignore, deny, or are enraged by in the reality picture or in current restrictions, rules, or assertions of authority.

The deets: perfection occurs at 10:22 PM PDT of the 1st at 10 Pisces 12. The aspects suggest a resolution to stresses, especially emotional ones, triggered by fuller understanding (Uranus), which leads to greater wisdom (Pallas), resulting in a solidification of highest values and commitments to those values (Vesta). This will be very welcome, considering how we live in a kind of suspension at present, one consisting of the threats from a water-borne, communicable, difficult-to-contain virus (Neptune) and the reactions of Mother Nature Herself, via the effects of global warming, on-going food availability, production, affordability, and distribution issues, and the vagaries of Nature in terms of weather and planetary health, which have taken a decided uptick in extremity and impact on both the ecosystem itself and on humanity.

That Finger could also bring sudden accident or surprise to which we have to respond practically or wisely (the latter translating as ‘doing what we know we should, rather than what we want’), with the outcome a freshly realized dedication or new commitment (perhaps unexpected, and possibly arising from the way something else ends at this point courtesy of the closures that typically accompany the Full Moon)–or perhaps this need to respond smartly comes from our own or others’ rebellion–which may or may not successfully lead us to a clearer understanding of and dedication to our highest values.

The sesquiquadrate of the Full Moon to Venus in Cancer is troubling, though. It calls us to immerse ourselves in our relationships, to swim in our feeling, to relate to financial situations or assets emotionally–and yet when done through the Piscean lens of the Full Moon in difficult (sesquiquadrate) aspect we are likely to be overwhelmed or to find upset that we or others don’t care enough, or that material matters may swamp us and make it feel as if it’s impossible to recover. Our fears in these areas, our relationships and our finances, are apt to be exaggerated–know that your perspective is off, and don’t act in these areas at this time, as you’ll surely misjudge the severity of the situation.

The FM’s semi-square to each component of the square between Saturn and BML suggests that real-world events, endings, or restrictions/ delays we experience at this point arise directly from circumstances we’ve ignored or denied–and that says that Full Moon occurrences offer us the chance to respond to these things (maybe even require it). The FM event is ‘pressured’ by the unrecognized, unacknowledged, and reality itself–which may give FM events the feeling of being forced, to at least some degree.

The Sabian symbol for the Full Moon is, ‘Men Traveling A Narrow Path, Seeking Illumination’. In concert with this we look at the source of the Full Moon’s light, the Sun Sabian: ‘In Her Baby A Mother Sees Her Deep Longing For A Son Answered’. These together suggest that we may find ourselves dedicating energies to a relatively narrow or focused Path at this time; this has the qualities of Vesta, which just so happens to be at the apex of the Finger, and represents our most revered values, causes, and principles. Expect to discover what is truly precious to you, particularly via the emotions, and then allow events to unfold, waiting a bit for emotional extremes to recede: what you’re left with will be what’s most important, what you should serve, protect, and support.

 

New Moon 18 August 2020 Luminescence

15 Saturday Aug 2020

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‘Chicago, Illinois. In the waiting room of the Union Station’ Photo By Jack Delano – Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, reproduction number LC-USZ62-130260 {{PD}}

A New Moon forms at 7:42 PM PDT of the 18th at 26 Leo 35, and we know that New Moons foster beginnings; in Leo this can take the shape of a ‘New You’, a new image within one’s own mind or visible on the outside with changes to behavior, efforts, or style, or a fresh approach to one or more of the subjects of the House where this falls in your natal chart. Leo asks us to look at our own effectiveness, the roles we are playing: are we having an impact? Do we shine? Are we drawing the kinds of attention we actually want? The New Moon situation gives us a chance to assess this, or sends us on a quest to find our answers, should the need for review feel new to us.

In this instance the NM comes right after the Superior Conjunction of the Sun and Mercury, suggesting that something related to the Leo energy has reached a peak or conclusion, the message received concerning ourselves and our activities or presentation. Then the NM Fire arrives and sparks new ideas–what arose from the SC leads us to the necessity of a Leonine new beginning, new venture, new Self, that realization or even the launch of the new effort coming with the NM.

Lunar crater Aristarchus {{PD}}

We see the New Moon fill in a Fire Grand Trine with Mars and the South Node. Our actions and choices at this juncture may be aimed at correcting, re-working, or trying again something from the past. It takes a new form, of course, one more in keeping with who we are right now, appropriate to our individual evolutionary point (Leo). The Sun-Moon/ Earth axis also forms a T-square with Sedna, implying tension around our ‘blind spot’ and/ or our instinctual nature; in this case the world may be telling us we’re one thing, but what we don’t see but carry within may contradict that, typically on a non-verbal level. That could lead to rejection of the New You presented, a crisis as the individual doesn’t accept what’s reflected back to them. If this occurs it likely means that there’s something we don’t see about ourselves that we are now required to recognize–and likely as not this is a good thing, a talent or ability, something secure or steadfast (Sedna in Taurus) that we have failed to see as our own.

There’s also a semi-square to Venus, which suggests the state we find ourselves in may make for small difficulties or an uncomfortable time in relationships or even financially, not surprising if we find ourselves re-vamping our Self-image. But the closest aspect made by the New Moon is the quincunx to Saturn. This frames the New Moon revelations as needed adjustment to the reality picture. Saturn stands for both reality itself (a cold, unadorned version) and a principle of measurement–more repression or less, stricter rules or more lenient, more Self-discipline or a loosening of strictures? What happens at the New Moon makes clear the need to make this adjustment, specific to the Leonine personal need that’s revealed. Overall, the real-world feedback we receive must be accommodated, but it’s up to each of us to discern how this best can be addressed.

The New Moon is involved with one more configuration, as it forms a base with the North Node to a Finger of God with apex Saturn. This is notable aside from the quincunx alone as it tells us that the adjustments we make will require adjustments to the life direction. Simple as that: as we change, so does our Path.

The Sabian for the New Moon needs no explanation: ‘The Luminescence Of Dawn In The Eastern Sky’. It’s a new day, a new dawn, and each of us gets both a fresh understanding of ourselves and a fresh start, or even a do-over. Embrace it with gratitude.

I don’t normally discuss other factors at the time of a New or Full Moon, as I believe that the event typically exerts a strong but temporary influence that predominates. This time, though, I want to point out a very close quincunx between Neptune in Pisces and Zeus-Juno in Libra, as they’re all within just a handful of minutes from exact and so possibly as prominent in the equation as the New Moon itself. The effect is one of laser-like attention trained on ambitions, goals, and desires, the need for the kind of empowerment that can make them happen. We may become acutely aware of the adjustments needed to open the space (probably emotional or mental) for expression of the creative urge, or of a need to create a means of ridding the Self of deceptive others or misconceptions, or possibly both. It’s a sort of closet cleaning meant to facilitate autonomy, creativity, and the confidence to pursue our goals, particularly to pursue them without having to acquiesce to others.

Oh, and Pluto is retrograding to perfect (by the next day) an opposition to Hygeia–don’t gamble with your health.

 

Good Day To . . . 14 August 2020 In Your Eye

13 Thursday Aug 2020

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By Serfeoesbueno – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Alan Saucedo Benitez https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35990066

The 14th Is A Good Day To . . . look right into the abyss, and be ready to be poked in the eye by the powerful Finger of God with base of Jupiter-Neptune and apex of Mercury in Leo. This energy is going to feel personal, and the temptation may be to see yourself as the only one affected–that would be inaccurate. Big influences (Jupiter and Neptune) combine to deliver a message (Mercury) about each of us as individuals (Leo). In most cases, this is likely to read as opportunities within existing frameworks (Jupiter in Capricorn), when implemented with imagination, idealism, and/ or creative drive (Neptune in Pisces) will tell us something vital about who we are–and this is most likely something we’ve avoided knowing, with the Finger giving us a swift and slightly painful poke in the figurative eye–making us unable to ignore what’s being communicated (though acting on it is of course another matter).

What it all suggests about personal power and our own ability to act and choose may make us uncomfortable, but will undoubtedly hold wisdom and hint at both effective means of empowerment open to us, and point the way toward ambition and desire fulfillment. Is it a day to plunge forward, to roll the dice? Probably not, as the most important thing is to receive that message and then truly understand it–and that may not be easy as the conscious mind will surely fight this new, but potentially empowering, awareness.

A Good Day To . . . is based on the aspects perfecting on each day, Pacific time.

Let’s Discuss: Natal Moon Square the Ascendant

28 Tuesday Jul 2020

Posted by in Aspect Delineation, aspects and placements, astrology, Astrology and Identity, Astrology of Careers Vocations and Callings, Consciousness Explored, What You're Asking

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The natal Moon in contact with the natal Ascendant can feel very much as if the individual is constantly interacting with and displaying the emotional nature.’Reaching for the Moon’ By Edward Mason Eggleston 1933 {{PD}}

The 29th is a day when no new aspects perfect, so maybe we should take some time to look at one of those topics I previously asked readers to submit.

“Thank you for your offer. If you choose so, I’d like to hear about my Moon square Asc aspect (birth data redacted for privacy). For the last few years, I’ve been trying to align questions about responsibilities (work, family, relationships, community) with what I consider my free will, independence, identity (I work in artistic field). Maybe it’s a never-ending process. Wish I could feel more decisive/confident with my choices/path.”

I can tell you with confidence that reconciling a natal square is a never-ending process; no matter how well we do at resolving the conflict and expressing the energies, we can always lift the expression of those energies to ever-higher forms–and that translates to a life-long fine-tuning process. So, the individual describes a pull between the Will and identity and those larger responsibilities that involve others–and the first thing we see in the chart is that the Moon rules the 4th of family of origin, which immediately emphasizes the perhaps perpetual conflict between the individual emotional experience and familial expectations. The personality of the individual, and the way that individual interacts with the world, is in some way at odds with the role or expectations within the family, in conflict with the concept of ‘home’ as they understand it, and/ or in basic discord with one or both parental figures. Ironically, though, the Moon is in the Capricorn 10th, suggesting that duty and a close link to one or both parents is actually what makes this Moon comfortable–so it may be that phrasing this square as an identity vs. obligations challenge is a bit of a distraction, at least in terms of emotional expression–it may really be that it’s the manner of reaching out to the world (the Ascendant) that makes this person emotionally uncomfortable.

What we see with the 10th House Moon ruling the 4th House suggests a kind of ‘tag team’ of authority and nurture from the parents, with the individual’s Moon in Capricorn in the 10th ruling the 4th, and Ceres, mother and authority, posited in the 4th in Cancer. These parents work together, and may see imposing rules and boundaries, expectations and goals, as a form of nurture–and a Capricorn Moon clearly sees it that way, too.

But the Ascendant, the way the individual interacts with and presents the Self to the world on first meeting, the persona and personality, is keyed to the energies of Aries–and that’s an energy that says, ‘I can do it myself, I want to do it my way, follow me!’ The Ascendant, in fact, is apex to a Finger of God with a base of Neptune, an almost Cazimi Sun-Mercury, and Venus, all in Scorpio in the 8th, and Uranus in Virgo in the 6th (and we note a close-but-no-cigar Finger combo of Mars and Pluto in Virgo, just outside comfortable quincunx range). This may be why it feels as if the emotions aren’t being served: an enormous amount of creative, identity/ Soul, communication, and relationship energy is interacting with the most original and unique impulses and then funneled out to the world through the personality, with the base placements in 6th and 8th suggesting a reliance on input/ feedback/ cooperation and understanding from others, especially through the course of work and discharge of duties–this individual can’t express things they find meaningful without others–and the individual feels they must be at the head of the line, leading, guiding, doing (Aries apex)–and yet we must remember that the outlet of the Ascendant carries a fundamental discord with the emotional nature via the square, which we might sum up as ‘duty (to parents, career, or convention-Capricorn, on which the feelings depend for a sense of well-being) vs. ‘a need to trail-blaze, express the individual Will, to have one’s say and way as an outlet to so many of the basic energies, including the Soul’s reasons for being here (Sun in aspect to the Aries Ascendant).

Add to this that the Capricorn Moon, which naturally aspects all that the Ascendant aspects, also happens to lie at the rough midpoint of the Sun grouping and the 12th House Chiron-Saturn-Black Moon Lilith in Pisces–which does not aspect the Ascendant. What! What? And now we see/ feel what is pestering the feeling nature that is on its own essentially at ease with the Soul/ communication/ love and creative nature and with the Uranian need for original expression, and with the Martian-Plutonian need to act and feel of consequence within the world. What the Moon is not at ease with is the way all these energies are expressed through the Ascendant–that’s where the conflict lies.

Too, that Uranus-Mars-Pluto grouping, such a dynamic and urgent mixture, requiring action, spontaneity, and a certain amount of power, directly conflicts (opposition) with Chiron-Saturn-Black Moon Lilith. It may be that action, especially spontaneous or unusual action, or action that seeks to create power and impact for the Self, stirs unconscious (12th) anger, resentment, and guilt–and so creates a feedback loop that hides the hurt, even as the emotional nature is highly aware of it (Saturn ruling the Moon)–and these angers and hurts are possibly brought into real-world circumstances periodically, as the unconscious ‘reaches out’ and orchestrates physical reality (Saturn).

The Moon contact to Chiron-Saturn-Black Moon Lilith implies that what’s really, really hidden, ignored, denied, or that enrages has also wounded, and the individual senses this (12th House) through the Moon’s emotional and intuitive faculties. Saturn of this grouping rules the Moon–and though the Soul’s expression is muy simpatico with what’s hurt and hidden (Sun group trine Saturn group), as is the feeling nature (Moon), we see the personality, the part that wants to meet the world head-on, the Martian-ruled Ascendant and the ‘I Am’ energies of Mars-Pluto and respect for uniqueness that is Uranus, is not simpatico.

The conflict, then, is a knotty one, and not easily (or possibly ever) resolvable. There are several things you might try to help make the energies more at ease with one another, with a focus on honoring the choices and career path, which you mention not having as much confidence in as you’d like. First, know that the emotions and emotional feedback will, for you, be much more reliable an indicator of right choice and right career than anything else. You are definitely meant to express your creative nature, to emphasize what you see of beauty and worth; your feelings will also be an excellent guide in responding to responsibilities and obligations, especially those involving the family. Most of your Water placements are in ‘soft’ aspect to the Earth Moon, and they find a great deal of emotional sustenance and nurture through real-world expression of what the emotions and the Soul both need and perceive.

It’s the ego or individual Will that cooks up problems; despite the way Mars-Pluto has found to cooperate with the Soul, it takes constant adjustments (the quincunxes of the Finger) for the creative, Soul, emotional, and action energies to express through the Arian personality–and that automatically means that the Martian ‘doing’ energies and the sheer Will have too big a say in choices and actions. The ego-power-individuality is also ‘against’ conscious awareness of hurt, vulnerabilities, and deep anger, especially when they’re observed in the real world–and that kind of denial can cripple creativity and relationships, as the ego insists on not looking at the negative, on powering through. So, honor the feeling nature more, and give it more trust–it’s best placed to handle, negotiate among, and facilitate the other charts energies, and can guide you in a much more perceptive way than the Will or ego can do.

I hope this helps, dear Seeker! Back to ‘Good Day To . . . ‘ tomorrow!

And, in case you missed the first installment