‘Lydia at the Tapestry Loom’ c1881 Mary Cassatt {{PD}}

We may be feeling powerful, adept, that our thinking is on point and that we’ve achieved a perfect balance between spontaneity and ‘the rules’–are we right about that? Yes–enjoy this spurt of confidence, but keep one eye on how we’re drawing a thread from past to future–know that what you do will really matter, some time from now.

Today’s word image is a question: Are you now where and in the state you thought you’d be in one year ago? Consider how your current position differs from that state you imagined, and note what you can do to get closer to realizing what was actually an ideal. You may not have known at that time that you were setting your sights so high; take consolation in knowing you’re a lot closer now than you would’ve been if your goals had only been ordinary–and that means, with most of the work done, you only have a little way to go to make that year-ago vision a reality.

I will be unavailable starting morning of the 10th through Sunday the 12th, and will answer all correspondence, orders, and requests as quickly as possible, starting evening of the 12th Pacific time. Thank you!

‘Hallucinations’ By Odilon Redon CC0

The 5th we may experience a series of reveals, things suspected or glimpsed, confirmed, things feared or hoped for suddenly there before us, with big ‘C’ Change, especially in perceptions, inevitable. Shifts in perception almost certainly bring a questioning of our values or commitments, but it’s healthy to willingly refresh the viewpoint–anything else risks a loss of originality in expression, or of value related to output or relationships, so that we fall behind socially as well as in our own evolution and growth if we try to freeze things in place.

The most important energies all revolve around Pluto. We see Mercury parallel the Underworld god upon entering Sagittarius, and we see Pluto himself, on his slow grind around the zodiac, conjoin asteroid Hygeia. What we think changes by expanding; our world and its possibilities get much bigger, or show more potentials, than we anticipated possible. Repeat the mantra, ‘Change is good’, even if on the surface it’s disconcerting or frightening–on the 6th we get a solid preview of what’s coming, so any mystery or sense that things are out of control doesn’t last long. The Gemini Moon quincunxes Pluto-Hygeia morning of the 6th Pacific time, offering a peek at the kinds of feelings these changes might stir.

‘Bad Girls’ By Felipe Gabaldón 2009 Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

The word image for these two days is a person who exhibits no obvious identification with either sex. Gender fluidity is all the rage these days, and it’s about time–why should anyone have to confine themselves to a single label, or to label themselves at all? This image suggests we should let our attitudes gain more movement and less constriction, allowing us to remove a label we’ve always chafed at wearing.

Part of the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, no. 094, part 3: Autumn By Hiroshige {{PD}}

We’re back living in our own heads again, this time focused on ambitions, identity and personal power/ effectiveness, as well as relationships and the unspoken assumptions and illusions that permeate them. That seems like a lot of material, until we realize that it’s actually laser-focused through the lens of Self. In particular, we are consumed with what we may know but not consciously acknowledge about those closest to us; we need to be aware that our take on the situation will be refracted through our own ambitions and desires, and so be inextricably linked with conditions we want fulfilled specifically because we are so plagued by the needs such fulfillment is meant to serve. That means that we shouldn’t draw any grand conclusions about our relationships or about others today–aim instead for illumination of Self, and to understand what our ambitions and wants actually say about us.

Today’s word image is a photo album, almost completely filled. It’s the season for closing out certain activities, relationships, pastimes, practices, and this is so whether we are actively moving toward these endings or not. Mourn or break it off and be free, but in either case, remind yourself that this is part of a larger pattern, a ‘putting to bed’ of the past, and that it’s making room for the New.

See the report on the recent Full Moon here—

H. A. Brendekilde – De første Anemoner (1889) {{PD}}

The next five days are all of a piece; it seems better to show the flow of energy from one to the next than to chunk them up separately, and possibly miss their interconnectedness. We’ll start with the 26th and the Sun conjoined Jupiter. People become rapturous about this once-per-year event, but that’s a mistaken attitude, in my view, one that springs from the idea that more is better. Our attention is drawn to whatever the Sun highlights; the sign gives the tone, contacts describe directions that seem active, that call to us, that take up our time and energy. In this case we have a Sun in Scorpio, calling us to dig deep, to look for the Truth, to clean out, purge, discover, re-make, and resurrect–and then that focused Sun meets the planet of largesse, expansion, knowledge, hubris, farsightedness, opportunity, what’s foreign to us, and philosophy. This combination can reveal secrets, force us to face facts we may have been deliberately or unconsciously overlooking, can introduce knowledge that changes everything or destroys current potentials, can bring forward a ‘White Knight’ or ‘Daddy’ who we may see as representing potential rescue, and can make us look to the horizon for something new, better, for something that makes our world or our fortunes bigger, greater, more than–but there is something shadowy beneath the surface, and we might have to reach into a dark space to retrieve what we feel has been promised.

Whatever we’re focusing our attention on, whatever Scorpionic parts of our world have us in thrall, these will be the places that jump into stark relief, and that offer one kind or another of ‘more’. Jupiter receives the spotlight of the Sun and we have the chance to expand our world–but do we want to? It comes in the form of offers, opportunities, and knowledge or ‘foreign’ (unusual) connections acquired, and those possibilities may or may not be a good direction for us to go. They could act as a shiny distraction from our goals–or could bring an optimism that is beyond anything we would otherwise feel, and so urge us to do the unwise, in part because this will feel ‘once in a lifetime’—though it’s likely not.

The natal House where the Sun and Jupiter are currently transiting could present opportunity, or could be the arena in which we regard potentials with too much optimism, which again would cause us to venture where in more level-headed times we might hesitate. What this combo stirs can threaten stability and smart use of energy, but it could also give us the push we need to overcome fears–and that’s positive. We also might see activity in a combination of the matters of the two Houses in the natal chart these bodies rule.

Keywords for Sun-Jupiter: Soul expansion, Opportunity to Live Your Purpose, Living Your Beliefs, Believing in Your Purpose, Getting Your Essence Out Into the World, Fearless Expression   Beware of: Exaggerating the importance of your role, Becoming your own god, Overdoing in the name of Progress

The word image for the 26th is a class reunion. This is an image of people who once spent most every day together, learning, brought together again and much different after their time in the world. Do you see this situation as fun, a chance to re-live old friendships and renew ties, or do you see it as negative, a forced return to a life long past and not missed? Your reaction to this image mirrors your relationship to the past–and if this is an image of dread for you, it may be time to make peace with what was–whatever pains you is gone, it can’t hurt you now. And if you see it as fun, you might want to ask yourself how far you’ve really come–you might be surprised by what you realize.

So, we enter the period a little punch-drunk from the heady opportunities we’ve glimpsed with Sun-Jupiter. By the 27th we may be thinking of making sweeping changes, especially in relationships or finances. Are we still on a high from the optimistic Sun-Jupiter? It’s something to ask ourselves.

Today’s word image is an Artist, who shows her work for the first time. No matter how old we get, there are still new things to discover about ourselves, new talents and abilities that show our artistry. Be brave enough to show some of that ability to others, if not today, then maybe this week, month, or year.

The 28th we shift gears, focusing on re-vamping thought processes to include all those matters we are prone to ignore. A realistic viewpoint is typically an asset, but in this case, we may become too pessimistic, go too far–and that would be, if not unwise, then certainly impractical. Sometimes a little positivity makes the world a lot easier to take.

Today’s word image is two birds, squabbling over a full bird feeder. There’s plenty for everyone; check yourself, and relax–enjoy what you already have.

On the 29th thoughts and ideas compel some ‘difficult’ actions and choices–difficult in that they may be clumsy, premature, or lacking in solid conception and follow-through. Though this urge to action may cause discord or discomfort in the moment, if it’s propelled by ambitions or desires, it may end up paying off–so if you can stand the temporary upset or embarrassment, making that impulsive move could be worthwhile.

By the 30th a kind of wonderful assimilation of energies has taken place. Making ‘mistakes’ in the previous few days has led to the ability to face what we have been avoiding, to challenge things and people that make us angry, and has given us a fresh idea of our own empowerment. This is a point when we may consider whether we are happy with our current life trajectory–you’re in a good place now to examine potential paths.

Do you notice the thread through these days? We’ll be living in our heads, processing everything actively through our point-of-view (rather than unconsciously), and each day will highlight not just our thinking, but the thinking, messages, and communications from others. We get to the end of the period considerably enlightened in important ways–and ready to act on what we know.

Thank you, and have a great one! I’m likely to reappear with one or more daily images, as they occur to me.

‘Self-portrait with Japanese umbrella’ 1891, by Olga Boznańska {{PD}}

What fresh hell is this, that we know the smart thing, the practical thing, the wise thing, and yet we talk ourselves into trashing the whole thing by telling ourselves what we’re faced with preserving, nurturing, or accelerating has no worth? We’ve got two days of it coming, of dealing with our own avoidance of reality, or insistence on living in the past; neither accomplishes what we think it will. There’s also the matter of opposites (or complementary) energies at odds, where we quite naturally find ourselves in a position contrary to that of our opposite number–and so at an impasse with them.

We may find it helps to ‘think like a woman’, whatever that means to you, preferably one who’s intelligent, Self-possessed, and not hesitant to exercise her own authority. Strangely, we may have persuaded ourselves that such an approach would be detrimental, beneath us, or ‘weak’–but it’s really about mustering the right kinds of sensitivity, which are almost certainly not the kinds most of us normally turn to when sending feelers out into the Universe.

So where’s our silver lining in all this? It’s in those relationships that empower us, where we are cherished and valued, where our ‘natural’ Self is the best thing we can be–there are no expectations for our conformity to social mores or anyone’s judgment. If one or more relationships just like that, that let you be You with a capital ‘Y’, spring to mind, your task is to recognize the Love you receive from them, and nurture them; if no such relationship in your life right now exists, your job is to get new relationships.

‘Friedrichstraße on a rainy night’, by Franz Skarbina, 1902 {{PD}}

The word image for these two days is this: while standing in an anteroom to a restaurant, a young man coming in sees you and holds the door open so you can go out; to be polite, you thank him and walk out into the cold, driving rain. You were not on your way out, but he didn’t know that. He was so proud of himself for thinking of someone else, of holding the door for others, that he didn’t notice what was really needed: shelter from the rain. Is someone ushering you into an environment you’d rather avoid, and to be polite, you’re going along with it? Or are you so proud of offering someone a grand gesture that you haven’t bothered to see if it’s actually what they need?

Check this out, for some absolutely spot-on observations–

By Ryan Hagerty – This image originates from the National Digital Library of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service {{PD}}

The 15th promises some sort of struggle, though I guess the good news, if we can call it that, is that this occurs within our own minds; erratic, unexpected, and fantastical thoughts lead to actions that arise either from hurt or from our own unique, underutilized skill set, the latter if we are tuned in to our own real-world empowerment position, the former if we’ve abandoned our values or allow rage to be our motivator. Go forward with an eye on the future, but focus most on making good use of lessons learned in the past.

Today’s word image is a mockingbird. These are ‘New World’ birds that are known for mimicry of the songs of other birds and the sounds of amphibians and insects. Has your intuition alerted you lately to someone ‘making the right sounds’ but whose assertions or language doesn’t ‘feel right’ to you? Consider why they might be hiding behind this camouflage–though it’s not necessarily nefarious, you should become consciously aware of the misdirect, nonetheless.

The 16th is one of those days that’s almost magically positive, showing us genius ways to profit or earn love that paves the way to the future, aligning thinking with beliefs (so that there’s no internal discord) and making surrounding opportunities obvious. Our attention is on the reality picture, which offers the benefit of grounding us so that efforts are solid and effective, propelled by an attitude that makes the most of what’s presented.

Today’s word image is the concept ‘Something to Hide’. Right now there seem to be two kinds of people in the world: those who are open, and those who are trying to manage others’ perceptions of them. Honesty, in the most fundamental sense, is what separates the two.

On the 17th Mercury moves into Scorpio, giving us the inclination toward (or maybe the impression of, if we’re really just skimming the surface) digging deep, ruminating on ‘The Mysteries’–as if Jupiter’s entry to the sign hasn’t already prompted some dark explorations–with the danger being we think we’re considering deeply, when we may just be going over old territory. With Scorpio, we may be obsessive or morose, but that doesn’t guarantee we’re plumbing the deep or profound–instead, if we’re afraid, we are likely to do the opposite but convince ourselves we’re diving in. So that’s the admonition for this transit of the Messenger through the dark places: be unafraid, if you want to make the most of it. With both Mercury and Jupiter in Scorpio, know that if you lack fear, you’ll get get the facts, and/ or think clearly about beliefs, and messages from others will show you just how serious, destructive, educated, or indoctrinated they really are.

On this same day we also see a tendency to act on instincts or from the ‘blind spot’–how do we tell if those urges are truly instinctual (and therefore to be seen as inner knowledge)? In this instance, if it prompts erratic or unreliable behavior, or an insistence on being ‘original’ that is more about resisting or refusing, then you know ignorance of the actual forces in play is at work, and so that the impulse is unhealthy. Center yourself on who you are, and being unique or original won’t be the concern–it will happen without you even having to think about it.

Jules Schmalzigaug (1914) – ‘Light + Mirrors and crowd, interior of a popular ballroom in Antwerp’ Photo By JoJan – Own work, {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a finely-wrought 18th century porcelain chandelier. A lamp of any kind is symbolically a source of enlightenment, and this one is from long ago. Are we carrying ‘old’ ideas of what’s enlightened, what’s not? If so, are they still of worth now?

For the 18th imagine your ideal state of Being, health in its broadest and most far-reaching sense–and that’s what you can have, if you’re willing to transform circumstances and attitudes to support that vision. Mercury and Jupiter are conjoined today, ramping up yesterday’s potentials and turning the dial to ’11’, at least in terms of our ability to seek out the Truth of any situation. Don’t act out of a need to hide or deny–obvious advice, and yet still people think they can outsmart the Universe. No we can’t.

Today’s word image is another couple of results of Mercury-Jupiter in Scorpio: amplified or ‘broadcast’ sexual advances; people ‘getting real’ out of vindictiveness, masking destructive interactions with a pretense of ‘I’m just being honest’; facts cherry-picked and exaggerated for the power they give the speaker; ‘Big Talk’, with the potential for breaking things wide open or transforming the world into a more open place; hiding the facts.

Next up: the New Moon in Libra!

By Jan Schüler /, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43795251

Just had to let you know about Saturday: sticking religiously to values and commitments might actually cause harm (so, be flexible in responses), and anything that embodies or expresses Love is Smart.

And then on Sunday the 1st: Action may be transformative or destructive, and we may not be able to tell the difference (Mars trine Pluto)–this time, align thinking with Nature and a sense of personal authority, especially moral authority, to handle choices successfully (Mercury sxt Ceres and nov NN).

And for a word image, recall the weirdest movie or scene you’ve witnessed in real life of late–and think about it as if it were a dream–what does it say about the way you’re facing things, right now?

That is all! Have a great one!