‘The Party at the Tavern’ Luis Ricardo Falero 1879 {{PD}}
On the 5th we can be enormously creative and inspired, if we are willing to ‘start anew’ in some sense, and if we are willing to modify the ways in which, or to what, we dedicate our energies. For one person this can translate as being flexible about commitments, for another it’s more about bringing standards into alignment with reality, and for a third it could be about committing resources to make ‘it’ happen. The important thing is our willingness to take an active role in what we dream, desire, and aim for–if we do that, all else falls into place (Perfecting today: Venus qnx Vesta and parallel Neptune, Sun semi-square Juno)
The 6th may be almost magically positive and at the same time problematic, all at once. We have a genius for gaining Love or Money, even as it somehow hurts; and yet action seems destructive and serves to actively block that expansion. We think more by instinct and are subject to the influence of our ‘blind spot’ material (which we of course won’t recognize!), but despite all this, where we put our attention and choose to act, things turn out well. Weather the contrary influences without investing too much in the negative ones, and you’ll be much more likely to come out smiling (Mars square Pluto and contraparallel Jupiter, Venus novile Jupiter and sesq Chiron, Merc qnx Sedna, Sun sextile Mars)
The 7th many of us are back-to-work–with only minor questions of power, influence, territory, and the probability of having to negotiate on the agenda. Enjoy the relatively low-key day, though be prepared to hear, read, and experience communications that may challenge your personal authority or right to meddle–just don’t respond with ego (no need to feel threatened, as nothing will come of this), and no problems will arise (Mercury semi-square Ceres)
And there’s more, with this late update on and for the 7th: the Moon and Venus meet today in Scorpio, suggesting that if we want to get to the Truth, the best we can hope for is to intuit or feel the emotional one of any situation; the facts may stay just out of reach, too tainted by issues of power and dominance (Merc-Ceres) to be clear.
If you’d like to order a book for the weekend, please do so before 7 AM on the 5th–after that there will be a delay in order fulfillment, with all orders being caught up late Pacific time on the 6th. Thank you, and enjoy your weekend!
Udsigt over havet fra Taleren på Møns Klint, 1851 Peter Christian Skovgaard {{PD}}
The 28th we may find our wisdom, our originality, and what we want (in the values sense) in a contest with our ‘blind spot’ material, our need for empowerment, and/ or our outright ambitions or lust! It may be a dizzying feeling, like walking along the edge of a cliff, with spontaneity that we judge risky beckoning at every step. What we need to understand is that, though our wants are inspired (or tainted) by dreams, fantasy, and ideals, they’re also aligned much more closely than we suspect with our ultimate ambitions and desires. That means we can trust those urges a little more than we might otherwise be inclined to. It doesn’t mean the impulse should necessarily be followed, but it should be inspected for what it says about our current aims and desire nature. Be yourself today (whatever that means to you) and some form and sense of empowerment will be the natural result (Pallas sesq Sedna, Uranus contraparallel and Sun novile Juno, Venus parallel Zeus, sesq Neptune, and semi-square Saturn)
By the 29th we’re taking a hard look at reality, and we may focus too keenly on what appears to be holding us back; our response may be impractical and too aggressive as a consequence. Where we really need to be looking is at the ways in which we are unthinkingly trashing our dreams, ignoring our instincts, and refusing to honor what we know to be wise. It’s not the circumstances of the reality picture that are the problem, it’s the way we insist on processing and responding to that reality. If we can look unflinchingly but calmly (that’s the key) at where and who we are, it’s easy to see what we can do to make desired progress, or deal with what’s stopping us (Mars square and contraparallel Pallas, and sesq Sedna, Venus contraparallel Sedna, Sun conjunct Saturn and square Neptune)
See my books here, donate if you’re so inclined (button at right), and have a great weekend!
Are we fueled by the urge to avenge our wounds or to heal them? That may be the question today, as matters ignored, denied, or that foster rage irritate us at a subliminal level and bring forward some of the most original and creative responses possible. That’s what’s so surprising: that what might under other circumstances cause a negative reaction this time sparks a kind of genius thought process that centers on ambitions and desires and shows us exactly how to handle the material world to make ‘it’ happen. Be prepared: power issues will be a big factor, and even if they’re not obvious they’re really what things are all about. Focus moves to the far horizons, to adventure, to finding the facts and letting others know our beliefs, courtesy of the Sun in Sagittarius–happy Solar month, Sag! (Perfecting today: Black Moon Lilith sesquiquadrate Sedna, Uranus novile Neptune, Saturn sextile Ceres, Mars parallel Chiron, Mercury semi-square Zeus and novile Pluto)
‘Winter Sunshine’ by László Mednyánszky c1905 {{PD}}
We’re dazzled by possibility, by hope, willing to honor our highest standards and priorities–we see what’s important–and that’s very good–the problem is that our thinking, or what’s communicated to us, is surprising, definitely out of the box, and possibly subtly destructive, if we’re prone to respond with erratic behavior or sudden anger. We can turn on ourselves if we’re not highly accepting of our own most unusual and original qualities–those most likely to Self-destruct are those who don’t like, or trust, themselves–today everyone else can make a pure and unique statement about who they are and what they care about in life (Perfecting today: Sun sextile NN, semi-square Pluto, and trine Vesta, Mercury parallel Pluto and sesquiquadrate Uranus)
Many thanks to those who support the blog, whatever form that takes. And everyone, have a great Saturday!
‘Nordic Summer Evening’ by Richard Bergh c1900 {{PD}}
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The 15th we may find that dreams don’t fit our ideas of what constitutes successful status or empowerment, and confusion over what goals and partners we should reach for are almost a given. Here’s our guide: sort options by using ideals as a measure, and ask yourself, do I want the dream, or do I want the status? You may have to choose, though it’s worth considering that one or the other may not be a true fit (Perfecting today: Neptune sesquiquadrate Juno)
By the 16th relationships, and to a lesser extent communications, are firmly centered on what’s been denied, ignored, or what angers us. These upsets may not be the subject of interactions, but they will make up the underpinnings, and offer an opportunity to clear the air and make relationships as open and honest as possible. The good news is that our actions and choices create the future in a very direct way right now, and dreams reflect what we truly honor–and awareness of this means we’ll likely aim high with both (Neptune parallel Vesta, Mars parallel NN, Sun parallel Mercury, Venus conjoined and Sun/ Mercury semi-square Black Moon Lilith, with Sun-Merc meeting the 17th in Superior Conjunction, so that hidden or ignored matters may be instrumental in forming the resolution we can expect at the SC–which of course was seeded at the Inferior Conjunction of 30 September)
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On Friday we seem to face our nemesis (or if not the outright enemy, our opposite number, our counterpart–but intriguingly enough, we find the asteroid Nemesis at almost 15 Libra, square Pluto–and that implies that relationships, perhaps even our closest ones, could present a resistant kind of interaction that, if it escalates to conflict, could become seriously destructive). This may cause some hurt, chiefly by having to face the reality picture–but, if we are willing to consider change, and to use talents and assets to tackle what comes forward, then we may reap real-world rewards, particularly the solid, hold-in-your-hands kind.
Talk may be blustery, exaggerated, or expansive, opening our imagination to worlds, or offering us new knowledge, but our minds may do best applied to those matters we’ve ignored or denied, or in handling those things that make us almost primally angry–we have an ability to deal with those things particularly well right now (Venus parallel Chiron, contra-parallel Mars, and sextile Saturn, Mercury sextile Jupiter and novile Black Moon Lilith)
By Saturday Pacific time we may find our Will thwarted, but we have to ask, is this Self-imposed, threatened by another, or are we avoiding acting because we fear we may not have the skills to make it happen? It’s true that we may be a little confused or misguided about our assets and talents, but we’re also on the edge of inspiration, sending sensitive perceptual and psychic tendrils out in search of a way to unite our abilities with our dreams–so persistence in pushing through the fog may yield the hope, the clarity, and the wisdom we’re looking for (Mars contra-parallel Chiron, Venus quincunx Neptune, Mercury semi-square Pallas).
Get your weekend off to a great start–smile, and enjoy what you’ve got
New post for 15-16 November scheduled for 3 PM Pacific time
8 November 2015 Venus enters Libra, her home turf, and at the same time conjoins the North Node and contra-parallels Chiron. This brings a little ‘zing’ as we feel the natural warmth of relationships, connections, romance, and the pleasant atmosphere of good manners and diplomatic remarks–and yet, there’s another little ‘zing’, and this one hurts! What is it about unfettered kindness that can sometimes wound us? Is it that it reminds us of lack of love in the past (a deficit that, we are probably acutely aware, we will never make up for), or does it show us how unloving some important relationship is now? Is there some relationship we can only half look at, turning away from what’s unkind or unloving about it, just so we can go on with it? Today there’s an atmosphere of Love and an almost palpable awareness of the very delicate nature of human connection–and if we can let enough of that Love in (because Love running over psychic scar tissue, like water over a raw wound, may be painful at first) we have a chance to heal at least some of that damage. Venus in Libra makes a velvety place for us to meet the Other, for true equality within relationship–and anything less, this time, will definitely cause us pain.
The Venus contact to the NN promises that the future is being shaped by what happens today, as is our thinking, which may show flashes of genius in areas of interaction, finances, planning, and communications, as Mercury is novile the NN.
Support the blog through the shiny new donate button–and have a great Sunday!
Louis Léopold Boilly – ‘Conversation dans un parc’ 1812 {{PD}}
What does Ceres have to do with health?
In mythology Ceres’ Greek predecessor, Demeter, was goddess of Nature, abundance, and the fruits of the Earth, but by the time she reached Rome and her current name and form, she was decidedly more tame: a goddess of agriculture, of Nature that’s been shaped and subjugated to man. That suggests that in modern conception she may deal with the balance of the body and its vulnerabilities to natural elements, of being overwhelmed from without (drowning, buried in a landslide, struck by lightning, for instance, or from things like allergens and starvation) and from within by invasion (of germs, viruses, bacteria, fungi). She doesn’t offer a total picture of health in the natal scenario or by transit, but does speak of certain conditions one may be prone to, or illnesses susceptible to, aside from her other meanings: a sense of personal power and authority, a maternal interest in others (which can easily tip into a controlling one), territoriality, and negotiation.
Romantic poet Percy Shelley (4 August 1792 10 PM Horsham England) was just coming up on a Lunar Return in Pisces the day he drowned in a boating accident (8 July 1822 Lerici Italy). He has Ceres natally conjoined the Sun, Venus, Pallas, and Uranus in Leo in the Whole Sign 4th (and though Juno’s close enough to the Sun, it’s too wide for Ceres, in my opinion); Ceres is also opposed Pluto and quincunx the natal Moon and Sedna in Pisces. Already we can see that Ceres was a vital part of the life, and so of the death as well. In the context of the drowning event, the natal scenario suggests sudden accidents (Uranus) based on unwise decisions (Pallas–staying on the water despite the storm) activated the Self-destruction he had always been conscious of, and perhaps at times had to fight (Sun opp Pluto), with Ceres’ involvement implicating the elements, the weather, even potentially activating an emotional attachment to the water, and a need to adjust (the quincunx) to prevent getting lost in it! (the Pisces Moon)
The Cremation of Percy Bysshe Shelley, by Louis Édouard Fournier
On the day he died, Shelley’s Ceres was contacted exact by degree by the transiting South Node, suggesting a ‘pull back’ to a previous (pre-birth?) state; t Ceres was opposed natal Mercury in the 5th=the elements literally in opposition to the lung function; t Merc was conjoined n Chiron in Cancer in the 3rd of lungs, breathe=water water everywhere, water that injures; t Mars was conjoined the n NN, spurring actions and choices that take one into the future; and t Earth sextiled the n Moon-Sedna, forming the base of a Finger of God with apex n Ceres-Pallas=here’s a recipe for the environment ganging up with instincts and emotions to prompt that natal judgment of Nature. Shelley may have believed he was very practical (Pallas) in his relationship to the elements and the natural world (Ceres), feeling that instinct (Sedna) and emotion (the Moon) would inform his choices. There’s a sense that he didn’t fear them, that instead the Pisces Sedna-Moon may have seen the obliteration threat of the natal Pluto opposition as a kind of Oneness with Nature–absorption rather than obliteration. Too, the transiting Sun had just run over his natal Black Moon Lilith=he may have been more than a little in the mood to explore the darkness.
To A Star
Sweet star, which gleaming o’er the darksome scene
Through fleecy clouds of silvery radiance fliest,
Spanglet of light on evening’s shadowy veil,
Which shrouds the day-beam from the waveless lake,
Lighting the hour of sacred love; more sweet
Than the expiring morn-star’s paly fires:–
Sweet star! When wearied Nature sinks to sleep,
And all is hushed,–all, save the voice of Love,
Whose broken murmurings swell the balmy blast
Of soft Favonius, which at intervals
Sighs in the ear of stillness, art thou aught but
Lulling the slaves of interest to repose
With that mild, pitying gaze? Oh, I would look
In thy dear beam till every bond of sense
Became enamoured–
That was definitely written by a guy with Sun-Venus-Ceres-Pallas-Uranus conjoined, all opposed by Pluto!
Synchronicities
Synchronicities have been everywhere lately–have you noticed that for you, too? Those little mentions or phrases or events or people that grab your attention simply by the unlikely way they’re brought into one’s compass repeatedly within a short period. To my mind that signals we’re in a kind of flow, that attunement to the optimum vibrational level for you is very close to perfect–and that implies intuition is sharp and accessible, that information is yours to pluck right out of the air, that you can ‘know’ without anyone telling you. Though our tendency is to breeze through these interludes, to remark ‘Isn’t that strange?’ when we hear the same song or its lyrics or mention of the singer in every store and elevator and TV show and conversation we’re exposed to the entire weekend, and at the same time to be very focused consciously on the here-and-now, what we really need to do is pause; this is a point when we are cruising along with a lot of our perceptual abilities working below the surface, and we can see the world very clearly, if we are willing to. We can get our questions answered, if we’ll only stop looking out, and take a moment to look within.
Carl Schweninger the Younger ‘Not Willing’ 19th century {{PD}}
rejecting a Gemini man
Are you thinking there’s some magic word (he’s a Gemini, after all) that will make him take it well, not make a fuss, even see it as a gift? There’s not, and it’s likely that if he senses you are trying to out think him (by manipulating or being one step ahead, the latter of which you automatically are if you know something–that you intend to reject him–that he doesn’t) he’ll be very resentful, indeed. Geminis are highly focused on thinking, processing info, communicating, networking–so he may already be aware, whether it’s through the grapevine or through reading your body language and tone in previous encounters, that you aren’t interested. That puts you in a precarious position: if he does know and he’s still coming at you, he’s forcing you to say it outright, and if he doesn’t know, he’s going to feel especially upset that he didn’t parse it out ahead of time (it’s a Gemini thing–they always think they should’ve known!) All you can do, really, is send a clear, consistent, and polite message through every pore of your Being and, obviously, word spoken: no thank you. Problems will only arise if you’ve been ambivalent in your feelings or in your behavior, wrongly believing that will ‘let him down easy’ (and if so I bet you’re horoscope is chock full o’ Water signs). Come clean without engaging in any way that sends the wrong (that is, an enmeshed behavioral or contradictory) message, and it should go fine–the last thing you want to do, and he wants to feel you’ve done, is mislead him.
22 October Tough or destructive talk seems empowering, doesn’t it? Be aware, though, that we’re feeling rebellious toward ‘What Is’, even as we care deeply about our relationships, assets, and effectiveness within the reality picture. It may feel as if we can express ourselves, do anything, really, and that nothing will change, but that kind of security just isn’t attainable–time flows on, and it’s imperative that we realize our actions have consequences–so think carefully about what may come next before lighting the match (Perfecting today: Uranus sesq Saturn and parallel Venus, Merc conjunct Juno and square Pluto, Ceres sq the Sun-Earth axis)
23 October we still have a little of yesterday’s unreasonable fight in us, but today actions and choices are naturally guided by internal wisdom; that means that even if we do something destructive, we can be assured that there’s a reason we believe (that is, the Higher Self believes) it’s the smart thing to do (whether we’re aware of it yet or not!) Relationships and financial situations can be altered with ease, but do remain cognizant of the fact that they can disintegrate and disappear just as easily. We’re distracted by matters on the home front, by interaction with the mate, by our dedication to a cause, or by some sort of feedback, knowledge discovered, or public opinion, so that real-world changes seem to happen before we know it–just know that what does morph today really was chosen, one way or another (Mars qnx Uranus, opp Chiron, and parallel Pallas, Venus trine Pluto, Sun qnx Vesta/ Earth sesq Jupiter)
24 October expressions of power, reach, and marking of territory can all be guided by wisdom and have Love behind them, if we don’t allow ourselves to get caught up in or bogged down by the past. Be especially attentive to the material effects of choices aimed at shaping the future (Venus sesq Ceres and parallel Pallas, Sun qnx SN/ Earth qnx NN)
25 October actions and choices are propelled on a wave of Love (or jealousy) and are right in line with the social sphere, for better or worse. Thoughts and communications are a tad unrealistic, as they focus on ambition fulfillment or desires and in the process somehow hurts us or others, denying the need for each to feel unique in her or his own skin. Attention could go to those wounds–and so waste our time. Train efforts on getting more Love, more Money, or both, or just embrace a fact-affiliated, optimistic attitude toward Life–that’s where the real payoff is today (Venus conjunct Jupiter and parallel Mars, Merc conjunct Zeus, opp Uranus, and qnx Chiron, Sun sesq Chiron)
26 October we can parse out the power situation surrounding our priorities to our satisfaction, but be warned: the mind (and secondarily anything communicated today) is of no use whatsoever; it’s somehow anti-wisdom, anti-Love, and anti-Free Will, so that if we insist on using it, we get sh*tty results. Expose yourself (figuratively) to the intuition-boosting light of the approaching Full Moon, and use that, instead (Vesta sxt Ceres, Chiron qnx Zeus, Merc contra-parallel Pallas, Venus, and Mars)
Here’s Pluto’s boatman and the representative of consciousness. ‘Charon and Psyche’ by John Roddam Spencer Stanhope 1882 {{PD}}
A little weekend reading for you, a sample from my latest, ‘We Are All Vessels: VESTA IN THE NATAL CHART’ with Vesta indicating what we revere in life and dedicate our energies to, as well as describing the attitude toward the home and the mate:
Vesta in Aspect to Pluto—power is what’s really revered, though in hard aspect the individual may rebuke power or see those in authority as abusive—but still be striving to hold some form of power, if only over him- or herself. They may be genuinely interested in reform, or could simply overthrow the current system and install one of their own. This person could truly understand and embrace the idea that change is the way of the Universe—and they could act as a powerful example to others because of it. Sex may be especially intense for and with these individuals, even when it’s casual.
These people may create major transformations, either through their own agency or by changing elements within their environment; witness the impact of ‘Father of the Atom Bomb’, nuclear physicist Robert Oppenheimer (22 April 1904 8:15 AM-time may not be correct- New York New York USA/ Whole Sign). Pluto and Vesta are only 39 minutes apart in Gemini; transformative ideas, ones in this case involving actual generation of power, the splitting of the atom, is what this man was dedicated to. Not enough symbolism for you? Ceres opposes this pairing and Saturn trines it (and that trine contact is exact, to the minute, to Vesta); that puts Oppenheimer tuned-in to reality but in opposition to Mother Nature, at least in terms of her relationship to humans. She’ll split her own atoms, thank you, in our Sun and other stars—not in a lab, or a bomb.
An interesting side note: The natal Sun is in Taurus, square Aquarian Chiron and quincunx Pallas in Sagittarius. This suggests a Soul Purpose (the Sun) that may have compelled him to do things he didn’t actually think wise (Pallas) or far-sighted (Sagittarius) in terms of effect, intellectual exercises (Aquarius) made reality, that may wound (Chiron) the earth (Taurus) and possibly Oppenheimer’s own psyche (Aquarius, with the sign also holding Black Moon Lilith at 29 degrees=things hidden or ignored are uncovered under stress, and Juno-Saturn as mentioned previously, which makes the empowerment Oppenheimer accesses literal). Of course, this is read with hindsight—it’s unlikely we could’ve discerned this possibility before the Manhattan Project—but after seeing the explosion of the first atomic bomb, mid-July 1945, Oppenheimer said he thought of words from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita: “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.” An appropriately reverent thought for Pluto-Vesta.
A Pluto-Vesta contact could also make for an individual who reveres renewal and re-birth, and so someone who either takes on the unpleasant tasks of destruction for the Collective (anything from trash collector to mortician) or who compulsively destroys situations or relationships, not from a lack of Self-esteem or a penchant for Self-sabotage, but because for them a sense of a ‘clean slate’ carries something of the holy about it. This person may also be too quick to honor a ‘might makes right’ mentality, or to use extremes in temperament as a mechanism to exert control over people or situations. It’s like a statement: “My temper is a sign I’m dealing with sacred territory, therefore what enrages me must not be questioned or ignored”.
Order VESTA and all my books here, and if you’ve already got it, consider a rating or review at Dog & Sunflower or at GoodReads–thanks! Have a great weekend!
Julie Demboski's ASTROLOGY 
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