Tag Archives: Finger of God

New Moon 19 February 2023 Subtleties

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Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, New Moon, Sabian Symbols

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‘Garden of Gethsemane in Fog’
G. Eric and Edith Matson Photograph Collection {{PD}}
Taken between 1940 and 1946

It may be the bodies at 29 tense degrees that steal the New Moon thunder, catching that Moon at the midpoint of a Venus-Pluto sextile, and so forming a Finger of God with Earth as apex, and involving Saturn, out-of-sign conjoined the New Moon (but only at 28 degrees, so not at the crisis point, yet). And that’s not to mention (though I am) another Finger, this one with New Moon as apex, base of Black Moon Lilith and Ceres (though we note this config is looser than the other Finger). Other than that, we have the New Moon squine (105 degrees) Mars in Gemini, and the Lunar event semi-square the midpoint of Juno-Chiron–so a great many subtle influences, or even some energies disguised as others, or by others, perhaps pointing up how much influence the sign of the New Moon has over its contacts–and it’s only exaggerated by the presence of Neptune and Venus in the Great Obscurer’s sign of Pisces.

This picture forms on the 19th at 11:06 PM PST, with the Moon meeting the Sun at 1 Pisces 22. There are few contacts made– and that out-of-sign conjunction of the New Moon to the ancient ruler of Aquarius in Aquarius, Saturn, its own story, one that informs the nature of the New Moon obliquely, with Aquarius signaling that our emotional perceptions and intuitions are all reality-based and rational, a triumph of the higher intellect over the imagination, and yet the Moon in Pisces either obscures that reality, is inspired by it, or sees it as ideal when it’s anything but.

With that kind of ‘now you see it, now you see it differently’ energy at work, the Fingers both take on a quality where our intuition and atunement to the nuts and bolts of our world will be vital to actually making use of the energy–that is, if we don’t understand how things are actually working, we may be misled or distracted. The Finger with Venus and Pluto as base originates in crisis or under extreme stress; we may ask what is destroying or altering beyond recognition either our source of Love or source of income/ support/ reward–and could it be the partner or Other themselves that is the agent of change? We can’t know, with Venus in Pisces, and Pluto in Capricorn only tells us that those structures, methods, rules, and frameworks we’ve relied upon will change–but it doesn’t tell us whodunit. Apex Earth in Virgo tells us that accounts are being balanced, the earthly results of our efforts critiqued–but we still don’t know by what hand the balance is delivered.

That revelation may fall to the other Finger. Base of Black Moon Lilith point and Ceres suggests, if I may resort to an old saying, that the chickens are coming home to roost. That’s another version of the Earth in Virgo, paying debts and settling accounts. We see what we have ignored, been in denial of, or what has enraged us meet the forces of Nature, some supreme authority, or our own need to be responsible for ourselves, and out of the blend the New Moon event is crafted–and it has physical/ material world contours that we will recognize intellectually (Saturn in Aquarius) and respond to emotionally (Moon in Pisces). The key is not to let our imaginations or fears run away with us in response to what comes forward–that would not only be pointless, but would lead to us missing the positives (that is, the scale-balancing of Virgo and Ceres in Libra that allows for a re-set in our world). Gratitude for the potential re-birth (Pluto) of some vital life factor (Venus) may not be easy, if the lesson is a difficult one, but will, no matter what, benefit us in the end.

The squine of the New Moon to Mars in Gemini points again to the prominent place of the mind in understanding what’s unfolding, with the aspect appropriate in the way it both makes for discomfort or upset even as it opens the way for new or better–and that will be through our choices (Mars). The semi-square to the Juno-Chiron midpoint is very minor, but emblematic of the entire Lunar happening: it will hurt, it will empower, and out of the struggle a new emotional perception will be born.

The New Moon Sabian is, ‘A Squirrel Hiding From Hunters’. That may be exactly what it feels like: as if we are small, simple Beings faced with much larger, more complex, and more powerful forces in the world. Hiding in this case, rather than being an act of hunkering down, closing our eyes, and hoping for the best, may instead signify what’s smart in any circumstance where we are faced by something overwhelmingly larger than ourselves that could wield life-changing power: we step aside, allow it to proceed, and deal with the changes once the alterations are done. This mirrors the dynamic of Venus-Pluto–and we all know that fighting Pluto isn’t a possibility–but that harnessing, channeling, and accepting what it creates is.

We may be so distracted by this Venus-Pluto thing that we miss the more subtle developments of this New Moon–but that’s okay. We do best to focus on seeing clearly and understanding what’s happening (though the why or who of it can wait), and then processing our emotional responses, most particularly in light of how much closer we are to realizing our ideals (Moon in Pisces).

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is new-moon-19-february-2023.jpg



The Meeting of Jupiter and Neptune April 2022 In Their Wake

10 Sunday Apr 2022

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Jupiter in Pisces, Jupiter-Neptune Conjunction

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”Empress Maria’ In A Storm’ By Ivan Ayvazovsky 1892 {{PD}}

The conjunction of two behemoths that everyone’s waiting for perfects just after 7 AM Pacific time of the 12th. Do we have to be that specific? No, big energies push waves before them, like a vessel through water, and as well leave a big wake–that means we feel the effects both before and after they align. So, it’s likely you’re already dealing with, feeling, dodging or, even worse, trying to decipher this slippery combo. It’s my belief that examining the moment of perfection gives us a portrait (a kind of birth chart, a statement of the event) that opens our eyes to the general energies of the meeting–beyond the simple Jupiter + Neptune statement of Big Delusion, Big Creativity, Hidden Facts Revealed, Social Deception, Society’s Ideals Presented, Exaggerating or Broadcasting The Dream (or Discovering the Beliefs or Realities That Support It), The Facts Behind The Image, or The Facts Vs. What We Imagine, How What We Believe Squares With What Is Presented–I could go on, but you get my drift.

For matters where this duo’s effects might show we look to the personal chart and the House where the meeting occurs; we also look to the Houses in the natal chart these energies rule. Some or all of these areas will describe the places (the subjects through which) we as individuals will experience the conjunction. Look for two main components: something that stands out, through exaggeration, attention-grabbing, or through the ways the facts surrounding it pop forward from related circumstances, giving us a read on feasibility; and, in the way the spiritual, the ideals, the creative efforts/ ideas, and/ or places where you’ve been seeking reality, the facts, or the Truth come forward.

Or maybe I should say, where you’ve been seeking, the conjunction brings clarity and perspective–or obscures the unbendable facts–and also threatens to overblow the impacts, making us think the idea, the belief, or the deception much more vast, insurmountable, confusing, or inspired than it really is. A few points of interest: occurring in Pisces makes it all the more difficult to sort out meaning and effects in the moment; be prepared to withhold judgment until the fog clears (i.e., until we’re some distance past the event in both time and space–and by space I mean, in dealing with the House areas affected); the conjunction semi-sextiles Saturn and Eris, occupying their midpoint, while sextiling the North Node point and trining the South, with NN/ Jupiter-Neptune acting as base to a Finger of God, apex Earth in Libra=this points to material results, ones that affect our surroundings, assets, or partnerships, with effects possibly springing from the conflicts already inherent in current realities, and these are directly flowing from the past and shaping the future. Jupiter-Neptune also noviles Vesta in Aquarius on one side and Mercury in Taurus on the other=what we think we honor will be put to the test; it’s a ‘put your money where your mouth is’ situation, in some sense. Leave room to be surprised by how you really feel, but don’t be surprised (or thrown) by what it stirs up in others, including the tendency to blame or project their own upset onto you (thanks, Eris).

The result of all related circumstances may be inspiration or beliefs acted upon, accepted, or instituted before we fully understand them, and circumstances of responsibility, blame, or dedication coming to the fore. These energies are also slated to shape the life direction, and so our future–so awareness of the possibilities in how our choices could play out will be paramount to dealing with things successfully.

Enjoy your week!

In The Light of the Full Moon 12 October 2021

12 Tuesday Oct 2021

Posted by in astrology, future events in the sky, Mercury Direction, Retrogrades + Directions

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Jupiter mansplains butterflies while Mercury warns Virtue not to point out he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. ‘Jupiter, Mercury and the Virtue’ By Dosso Dossi c1517 {{PD}}

The approach to this upcoming Full Moon will be more than usually loaded with insight and revelation. Mercury officially goes direct once again AM Pacific time of the 18th at 10 Libra 07, trine Ceres-Black Moon Lilith, as apex to a loose Finger of God with base of Uranus sextile Pallas, and just a hair past perfection of an opposition to Chiron. This points to a lot of retrograde activity, most of which we’re not yet even aware of, bringing ideas, realizations, and denouement at the direction point that we may be caught off guard by.

We’ve been thinking about and reviewing relationships of all kinds; the direction says those are still on our minds, with Merc’s forward motion offering a new perspective and the dawning of things we hadn’t considered. We are likely to be more sure in our personal power position, and more confident–and yet we’re also aware of those things we’re not willing to inspect, of those things that we are ignoring or denying, probably because we don’t feel ready to face them yet. Considering our new, post-retro surge of personal authority, we might want to consider those matters that have been particularly difficult to deal with–as there may not be a better time than this period between the direction at 8:16 AM PDT of the 18th and the Full Moon at 7:56 AM PDT of the 20th.

We’ll also likely recognize how at least some of our retro experiences and conclusions may have been (unfairly) influenced by our past and especially our past hurts. That offers us a choice: do we pretend we don’t know that, or do we let go of our defensiveness so that we can revise and repair? You know the right answer to that one.

And finally, the direction point brings us a magic formula of sorts: spontaneity, accident, or Higher Mind inspiration or revelation, combined with inner wisdom and practicality (and that’s vital, that smarts and a sense of being reasonable are applied), gives the potential to create the optimum relationship(s) with both others and projects/ plans with which we’re involved. The message here is: Go with the flow, think on your feet, and don’t be afraid of change. Best interpretation lens is that there are no accidents, and the Universe is perpetually working in our favor–see things that way and anything unexpected, even if it seems negative on initial encounter, becomes a gift.

Hope you’re enjoying your week!

New Moon in Libra 6 October 2021 Friction & Boundaries

02 Saturday Oct 2021

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Lunar Aspects, New Moon, Sabian Symbols

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‘Mountainous Landscape by Moonlight’ By Albert Bierstadt 1871 {{PD}}

The Moon and Sun in Libra perfect their meeting (the 6th at 4:04 AM PDT at 13 Libra 24) just before catching up to Mars, uncomfortable in the sign (in detriment, in fact) and so probably looking for company. This gives the Lunar new start a definite edge, a nervy, hair-trigger, even pushy need to go forward–because current conditions chafe. The sense may be that we need to take action, or to get out of present circumstances, or that it’s imperative to get started, or to express the Will, now. And what areas are causing this reaction? Relationships, first and foremost, and possibly in aesthetic matters, areas where fairness or expenditures, especially shared ones, are prominent, but it’s in partnerships, cooperative situations, anywhere our lives rub up against others that the focus is strongest–and Mars says we won’t let what’s causing the itch go without doing something about it.

There are two ways this may play out: one, taking action, probably action most characteristic to the individual (defined by the natal Mars), or two, ego clash, likely through attempts by each side of a scenario trying to impose their Will on the other–just remember, there are no innocent parties here; though aggressions and assertions may look uneven, they carry equal potency (and obstinacy).

The New Moon-Mars is also semi-square Venus and sesquiquadrate Sedna at the stressful 29th degree, which describes a Venus-Sedna opposition. This reiterates the tension in Venusian ruled subjects and adds difficulty trusting our own instincts. What we ‘know but don’t know’ will exert its affect in areas where we actively carry a ‘blind spot’–meaning we’ll be asserting ourselves into precisely the territory we fail to completely comprehend.

New Moon-Mars also finds itself the apex to a Finger of God with base of Uranus-Pallas, and also opposed Chiron. The opposition is separating; that suggests the hurt we feel dates from the past, not the present–and that’s a good thing to know: that we’re not reacting to what is, but to old wounds over what was. The Finger takes an upset, a rebellion, an accident (which can also be a serendipity), a radical new idea or approach, or something the group has required, forced, or otherwise asked for, and combines it with inner wisdom, practicality, or developed skills, with the effect being revealed by either the New Moon event or our actions or choices prompted by it.

The New Moon-Mars also trines Ceres. This major asteroid can represent personal authority and its exercise, Nature with a capital ‘N’ (and via this matters of health and diet, agriculture and natural disasters), and the act of mothering (and how intrusive this may or may not be–think of Persephone/ Proserpina–was she kidnapped, or have we just been told that, the story relayed by an overbearing maternal figure who took it upon herself to negotiate the terms of her daughter being away from the world Ceres controlled?). Ceres is certainly competent at what she does; the question is, does she have the right to dictate whatever it is she’s asserting?

With the Lunar event, this leads us into Willfulness territory, into the ego asserting itself, and just how much assertion is our prerogative, how much is going beyond our mandate. That’s an individual matter; just remain aware that what we act on should be considered in light of our rights and responsibilities, as well as the rights and responsibilities of others. Boundaries are vital, to protect yourself and to protect our relationships from ourselves. We must also consider the effects of NM events on our health; expressions of temper debilitate us, while doing what needs doing can free us–so, probably a delicate balance needs to be achieved.

The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘In The Heat Of The Noon Hour A Man Takes A Siesta’. That ‘heat’ may be Martian energies, the fiery urge that wants to make things happen, that inadvertently runs over others or fails to apply patience or uses anger rather than inspiration as fuel. The advice the symbol offers is to take it easy, step back from the heat of the Sun (which just so happens to be agitating the emotions of the Moon and jump starting the assertive and aggressive inclinations via Mars), and in so doing rest–that is, the image tells us it’s the wrong time to get into a too-heated situation, to push, to insist.

This image, along with the other aspects formed by the New Moon, adds up to a warning: what occurs at this point may seem inseparable from our own needs, wants, and urges, and the situation will likely stress us, stirring an old wound and making us feel that we must act now. The thing is, Merc retrograde tells us to reconsider those inclinations, and the Finger points to the wisdom to be found in the unexpected. Our job, then, is to see it when it happens, and refuse to act precipitously, or out of a sense that if we don’t do something, we might lose our autonomy. Everything else, most especially the Libra energies and the contact to Venus, tells us that it’s not our independence that could be a casualty of current conditions, but what actually matters most: our relationships with others. Proceed, then, with caution, and leave your hair-trigger responses at the door (or as in the picture, out in Ceres’ domain, to be purified in the night air and around the campfire, where we can re-connect with those important relationships, our ‘fellow campers’).

A side note: this New Moon falls exactly, to the minute, on my natal Sun. I’ll let you know if I see any extraordinary effects.

Lead Up to the Full Moon, 18-22 July 2021 Fingers Everywhere

16 Friday Jul 2021

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Hand Sketches, Artist Unknown c1600 {{PD}}

See material for the 17th here–

Coming down off that reveal of Sun opposite Pluto, the one that shone a bright light on our real feelings about the destructive nature of what institutions, practices, traditions, and restrictions hem us in (because that’s what we’ll remember about it, not the tortured drama and stress that we actually lived), we may find our attention drawn to material matters and to what hurts, but this time we’ll be a lot more concerned with discovering the smart moves we can make that will pay off or reward us (Finger of God with base of Earth sextile Pallas, apex Venus). We’ll home in on what creative (Pallas in Pisces) take we can apply to material efforts (Earth in Capricorn) that will benefit us, especially in ways that make us shine as individuals or that brings us the regard we crave (Venus in Leo). There’s a small window here for success, so it will take concentration–we have the chance to act through the 20th–and a willingness to deal with things both as they are, and in the smartest way we know how.

There’s another Finger, what I would term a ‘moving’ one as the apex is the Moon in Scorpio, meaning that it will be in effect for a relatively short time, from about 1 AM PDT of the 18th through, max, 10 AM of the same day; the base is a wide sextile between Chiron and the North Node. This Finger points out the emotional costs of not acknowledging the impact that our wounds have on our life direction, and encourages us to ‘purge’–which can mean excavating with care, and then setting about transforming what we find, preferably into a Chirotic gift (check the natal Chiron sign for likely gifts that you can express uniquely, an ‘only you can do it that way’ endowment).

Venus also squares Ceres on the 18th, possibly leading to contests of Will over who has say over whom. Other potential topics include, ‘I Don’t Approve of What You Spent’, ‘We’ll Do What I Say’, and ‘Love Means You’ll Give In To Me’. If you’re getting these kind of Power issue signals, you may want to reassess just what beyond being told what to do this relationship provides–maybe that can be what the Finger of the 21st allows you to reform.

By the 19th Mercury squares Chiron: do you hear whining, do you hear excuses, do you hear a litany of hurts, or do you get a difficult-to-hear message about what others care about? Next question: is the one doing the communicating you?

The 20th we see another brief Finger formed, apex the Sagittarius Moon with base of Mercury-Uranus, 11 AM through 4 PM PDT. This could bring accidents or surprises that expand thinking and open up the feeling nature; the test will be in taking what occurs as a positive thing, as supplying you with knowledge or opportunities you didn’t have before.

The 21st what jumps out at me is another Finger, this one with a base of Sun sextile Vesta, apex Jupiter. This lasts right about up to the Full Moon of the 23rd, and suggests opportunity, reward, or a widening of options if we keep our attention and effort on doing things according to our deepest values. Honoring what we care about will, without any other factor needed, draw to us something that offers bounty or helps make us optimistic about ourselves and our future. And, on the 22nd, Mars quincunxes Pluto. Do the rewards of the Finger arrive through unpleasant or aggressive circumstances? Maybe. What I am sure of is that taking change into your own hands, initiating re-making or cleaning out, will be key to experiencing this in a not-traumatic way; if you sit on your hands and leave it to fate, you could suffer attack or become exceptionally angry at the change that happens without your input or consent.

Good luck! I’ll be back later with a Full Moon forecast.

Mystic Stress

13 Tuesday Apr 2021

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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

05 Friday Mar 2021

Posted by in Aspect Delineation, astrology, Astrology and History, Astrology and Identity, Natal Delineation, The Astrology of Mysteries

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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

24 Wednesday Feb 2021

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Full Moon, Sabian Symbols

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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

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Finger of God, forecast

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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.