Let's pretend this is God's to-do list {{PD}} via Wikimedia Commons
Or we could say ‘Universal Mandate,’ like it’s health care (!) but whatever we call it, it may underlie more transitory aspects and add a feeling both fated and stressful–a perfect combination if we’re sailing along, unconscious, to make us act out in some pretty primal, down ‘n dirty ways–so watch for this, as you’re likely to encounter it at least once or twice along the way (I know you, gentle reader, aren’t acting unconsciously–you wouldn’t be here if you were!) The Finger of God of which we speak can be used by the aware to channel reactionary energies into constructive action. Apex Saturn with a base of Mercury conjunct Venus sextile Chiron speaks to actualizing values and some of our most unique and personal talents in service of accomplishment, particularly accomplishment that involves aesthetics and/ or partnership/ relationships. It all may feel precipitous, like we’re just starting out (the 00 placements of Saturn and Mercury) and the wound may compete with those already mentioned talents for use of the energy (Chiron at 29 degrees) but it’s our job to funnel the energies in useful ways–and we can get started, just as soon as the Moon enters Sagittarius (9:52 AM PDT).
We’ve discussed the Moon’s immediate reaction upon changing signs in yesterday’s entry; after that, the day is dominated by the Finger and a couple of other aspects: Venus trine Ceres, and the Earth conjunct Zeus. The former contact brings power to all things Venusian, making us able to achieve in Art, in expressing values, and in expressing love, but here’s where we also must take care, as Ceres can urge us to intrude on the province of others (see my in-depth article in the upcoming spring issue of ‘ECLIPSE’). The latter contact, of Earth and Zeus, simply magnifies material concerns and the materialization of the products of Will and ambition–so expect a big push forward, especially from those who are instituting ‘Big Plans.’ This suggests that any who are acting unconsciously may actually be a bit dangerous, as their need to make their own wants and goals happen may override every other consideration–just make sure you aren’t one of them!
At 5:42 AM PST the Moon enters Libra and rushes to meet Saturn–why? She has no choice, and neither do we–by noon PST they’re solidly together, and we’re sensing ourselves suppressing feeling in relationship–and this is probably for the best, as the Moon will be square Pluto (like you didn’t see that coming!) inclining us to be destructive, either from resistance to change or from insistence on it, and the Moon has just made a quincunx to Jupiter in Pisces–and it’s likely that something in our social circle, or the Collective at large, has rubbed us the wrong way. We may not even be conscious of this, thanks tothe Moon’s unconscious function, but we’ll certainly do the human thing and channel our irritation into the nearest outlet–which may be a relationship–and so we should, for once, thank Saturn for offering to put a lid on it, with the soon-to-follow sextile to Mars (6:30 PM-ish) keeping us more than ready to express ourselves throughout the day–and as we’ve seen, what we’re inclined to share is, for the moment, better kept to ourselves.
At around 9 PM PST the Moon slips into the midpoint ofSaturn and Zeus, all three in Libra. This is a time when we have an excellent chance to balance our ambitions and desire nature with both the reality of our lives and our own cautious inclinations, all done through the emotions–specifically through reflection on our own emotional perceptions, especially as they come to our realization through relationships (Libra).
During the wee hours of the 3rd PST, the Moon moves on to conjunct Zeus–for those of us who are up at this time, no matter where we are on the globe, the emotions may feel a surge of Will, a forward-pushing wave where we may be tempted to assert ourselves guided by our own wants and feelings–just make sure that the emotional framework used is the most positive available–Self interests justified by unacknowledged need, anger, or other ‘unacceptable’ feelings may work against us, in the end, and bring about nothing so much as a tangle we’ll have to work hard to extricate ourselves from.
Though here in the daily astro diary I’ll concentrate on the Moon and her movements (other material on aspects, and emphasizing the asteroids, is available in the magazine at http://dogandsunflower.wordpress.com/eclipse-in-depth-astrology-for-the-21st-century/ along with this quarter’s other in-depth topics: Zeus theories examined in real-life examples, chart interceptions and their hidden meanings, and the historical perspective on two of England’s most memorable queens, sisters whose interaction holds a puzzle of its own), I’ll include occasional aspects here that catch my eye, such as the Juno exact T-square with the Nodal axis active now–this suggests we’ll be testing our own empowerment as it affects our life direction. We may hesitate, as we draw from the past and feel cautious, unwilling to risk upsetting the direction in which we’re moving; for others this same blast from the past will bring a surety from experience that propels us toward our goals. For all of us it will likely be a time of measuring how empowered we dare be in the face of all that our course demands, and is certainly a test of what we are willing to open ourselves to.
Hi Julie,
I don’t really know how to begin this question, so…I’m just gonna lay out my concerns.
I want love, I need love, I crave it; but I’m just so SCARED!
I have Venus Square Saturn, Venus Square Chiron, Venus Square Midheaven, Venus Square the North and South Node’s, Venus Semi-Square Moon, and Venus is also in my twelfth house. Actually, I have very few “good” aspects in my chart…I must have some major karma baggage or something.
It feels as if I’m just not meant for love, that it’s just always going to be a losing battle.
Consultations I’ve had with some astrologers just drive home this fear, one woman told me I’d be in my sixties before I found love, and another actually pointed out to me that I also have Ascendant Square Saturn, which he says indicates a delay in love, for the fact that the vibe I put off means nobody will want to start a relationship with me…great, something else to obsess about.
And, not to get too personal here, but I haven’t had the best relationship’s with men…none I could depend on.
An absent father (Sun Square Saturn), and an extremely authoritarian grandfather (Pluto in the first), so I know that adds to the fear.
But, when I do seem to finally get in a relationship, I sabotage it..and I have no clue why!?
The same thing happens every time, I start to feel guilty, start thinking that this guy deserves better than me, that I’m not worthy, why am I being selfish keeping this guy committed to me when he can find someone who’s better.
So, inevitably I break it off…and I’m back to my lonely self.
With all the square’s to my Venus it’s gonna be work concerning love, I know that much…
Your Venus Square Saturn post was really helpful and probably the first encouraging thing I’ve read concerning that particular aspect, so any help on the other ones? Or just any advice at all?
Sorry for rambling and writing such a long post.
I know I’m still pretty young, so please don’t think I’m foolish for my concerns, notice all that Saturn in my chart, I’m an old soul. 😉
Thanks for your time.
Hi O,
I think you’ve laid the actual, real-life problem out in your letter, as your chart suggests you’ve been sold a bill of goods by astrologers who’ve been playing a little fast and loose with orbs, and who may have found it easier to whip up your fears than to tell you the Venus and Saturn pictures are not what you think they are–in fact, difficulties lie elsewhere entirely. Let’s talk about the chart first, then we’ll see how you’ve been shaping your relationships, one withdrawal at a time.
First, Saturn is not square Venus, and it’s not square the Ascendant, either; sometimes it’s tempting to make orbs bigger than we should, in order to support the client’s expressed reality–but if we look elsewhere, which is really our job, we always find the source of the client’s upset–and a correct vision of reality (or at least something close) is the only thing that equips us to change that reality to our liking.
Venus semi-squares the Moon=some dissonance between your concept of love (which, with Venus in Libra, may be overly romanticized according to society’s idea of love and relationship) and your emotional perceptions and needs–you may be aware of the friction here, and I think you are–but it appears you may have decided that your needs are overblown or out of whack, rather than that your idea of what constitutes love needs re-vamping–and I would say it’s the opposite. Venus, in Libra in the 12th, closely conjunct the Ascendant, the Sun in the 1st, and Mercury in the 1st, both also in Libra=this places the concept of love in the subconscious (where it may not be understood or examined consciously, because it’s difficult for you to grasp–and this is where that societal image of what it should be comes in, so that you may substitute that for your own concept of love, and thus neatly shoot yourself in the foot), and this also unites love and values, communication and thought, and the Soul urge, identity, and personality very tightly, so that it may be almost impossible for you to distinguish these concepts from you–they seem to be who you are–and the Sun and Mercury so close ushers in a difficulty in perceptual accuracy and clear thought–there can be a tendency for someone with this relationship between the Sun and Merc to see his or her thoughts as constituting their Beingness, and words and concepts can powerfully form the identity and influence the Soul’s expression.
Venus sextiles Pallas=this exemplifies an idea that’s echoed throughout the chart, that as a woman you are wise, confident, and skilled, with much to offer–if you can access that positive Libran ideal of yourself. Venus is conjunct the ASC=beauty, grace–you are somehow a shining example of these, with a lovely personality–and this too is echoed throughout the chart–so no, you are not giving off a nasty vibe of ‘stay away’! Quite the opposite.
Venus also makes one other aspect, a square to Chiron–I think we’ve got a winner! Here’s a big part of the problem–you perceive yourself to be severely wounded in the love area, and if we see ourselves a particular way, we tend to act that out–so despite your having had any number of suitors, you, by your own testimony, dump them before they can dump you (and it’s very egotistical, by the way, to follow a train of thought that says “I’m not good enough for this guy, I feel so guilty taking up his wonderfulness so that someone better than me can’t have him, I’ll spare him my bad Self and break up!” Huh? You are desperately hoping to receive love, but won’t participate in a relationship? Listen up, young lady: Others get to decide their relationship to you, and also what they think of you–you can’t control that and shouldn’t try–to believe you can and should is grandiose.
Chiron is also involved in a T-square with the Sun/ Earth axis, Mercury and Venus, is sesquiquadrate the Moon, semi-square Mars, trine Juno, and opposed Saturn, as well as sitting at the midpoint of the trine between Vesta and Ceres. All these feed that concept of wounded Self into vital life energies, gumming things up and making you doubt the veracity of your emotions, making you feel you can’t get along with males (a little friction, in your case, is normal and good, as it will help you focus on who you are and what you need), and a word about Chiron opp Saturn–it is likely manifesting for you as swinging between denial and suppression of hurt, and total indulgence in it. The goal is to connect to reality and express the Chirotic gift (Cancer) in the world, possibly in a communication or educational capacity (3rd/9th involvement).
That’s the heart of things, as I see it. With all that Libra, I know finding partnership is very very important to you (I know, I have four planets there)–but you are young, and to fret about not having found your life companion before you’ve even reached twenty is impractical–you aren’t ‘cooked’ yet, you’ve got many things to do, see, and learn, especially about yourself–you don’t want him to come along and not be interested in you, which is a distinct possibility if your focus is on nothing but finding a partner–so get your life going, take your mind off love, and it will come to you (and you can’t fool the Universe, don’t just pretend to busy yourself–really set some goals and go to work!)
A couple of hints: Sedna, the body that represents our ‘blind spot’ in life, is placed in your 7th (partners!) and is exactly square Jupiter (the social arena). You may tend to look in the wrong places for mates–and your use of the word ‘obsess’ with obvious familiarity with the obsessive state, might suggest that Pluto is a stronger force in your life than you may think–reaching out to destroy and cause obsession when held subconsciously or when we try to repress what should come to light, but powerful in its ability to transform when accepted as a positive ally–just sayin’
You come across as a truly lovely person, with a bright, effervescent spirit and many gifts–love will come to you, and you won’t have to wait until your 60s! Just take a step back, deal with the world as it is, and let go of the notion that you are so flawed you’ll never find love–because when you say that, you’re talking about romantic love, and the reality is that actual, sustaining, nurturing love is all around us all, all the time–let that in, know you are worthy of it, and romantic love won’t be far behind.
Thank you for your letter, O, and best wishes!
jd
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Hello Julie
Help me to understand the Juno of my boyfriend, because worries me: Juno in twelve house in Libra (Libra is the ascendant too and the Sun in Virgo 11 house) and with the following aspects: trine Moon, conjunct Venus, Mercury, Mars and Pluto, semi-sextile North Node, semi-square Ceres and square Vesta. Too many planets in twelve house (all in Libra)and Juno to. North Node is in Scorpio, first house.
Please help me to understand.
Hi R,
I don’t know exactly what you’re concerned about, though it seems you’re focused on the fact that there are many 12th House placements, and that one of them is Juno–and you need to understand that that isn’t necessarily bad at all. It may mean that your boyfriend naturally is secretive, or at least contains himself, his thoughts and intentions, as a matter of course, and this can make others, especially those who don’t have a 12th House affinity, very uneasy. Without a full chart I can’t really say too much, though I would suggest this: I would guess that his energies (subconscious and conscious) are very much deployed into the partnership/ mate arena (Juno conjunct Venus and Mars, Libra involvement)–and that the goal might be his own personal power ends (Scorpio NN in the 1st). That implies that if you’re a more submissive sort, you may be a sought-after mate for him, and a possible victim, at least in terms of autonomy and exercise of your own power. With Juno conjunct Venus, Mercury, Mars, and Pluto, your boyfriend may be very Self-contained, in many ways, and it seems this raises alarm bells of some kind for you. So much, in fact, depends upon your own personality make-up, your strengths, weaknesses, and preferences, that to say whether this is a good relationship for you is impossible. I wish you well, R, and urge you to listen to your intuition, and let it be your guide.
jd
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Hi Julie!
My son has always said he wouldn’t have many girlfriends, as most young people do, but he would be the man of one woman. And indeed, being serious and slow in everything he does (Sun conjunct Saturn, I guess), he waited till he was 25 to find HER. Now they live together and things seem to go well. Yes, his Venus-Mars conjunction in Virgo falls exactly on her Ascendant and her Moon is in his 7th house.Yet I have a query: can love last when it is based on contacts between one person’s planets and the other’s axes? Is it as dynamic and fulfilling as contacts between the 2 persons’ planets?
Many thanks, K
Hi K!
This is an excellent question–yes, contacts to the angles from planets in another person’s chart, and vice versa, can be every bit as dynamic and binding as planet to planet contacts, provided the birth times are completely accurate. Since angles are dependent on the local time at the point on Earth where someone was born, it’s extremely important to have as accurate a birth time as possible. When the Ascendant and Midheaven, especially, seem to be responsive to transits and Solar Arcs, with corresponding life events sometimes correlating, then we can be sure that the timing is very close to perfect.
In looking at the two charts, I see why you’ve asked this question, as the contacts are not as compelling as we might typically see between lovers. If you’d like to know what I think, K, please email me and I’ll give you a brief rundown.
Thank you for your question, and my best to all three of you!
jd
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And finally, what makes you vulnerable? An experience I had last evening made me start thinking of this, as I became deeply emotional as the Moon passed over my Ascendant (I had the experience, then later found this was so–I’m not one who is living my life with a ticking clock and transit chart in my head–not that there’s anything wrong with that!) So I wanted to ask
What’s the effect of an 8th House Moon on mother’s life?
This is a tough one, simply because the question’s not clear, so we’ll look at it as many ways as possible, keeping in mind that the sign involved. the House(s) the Moon rules, and aspects may modify things considerably. First, if this is the querent’s Moon placed in the 8th, we’re talking about, among other things, this as an indicator of how she or he views her or his own mother; as such, Mom may have appeared to the child as having waters that ran deep; a certain amount of mystery may have surrounded this woman, a feeling that much of what’s important with her may be hidden. She also may have been perceived as either being vital to or as one of the assets of others, or that she relied upon those assets in a way that impressed the child. The mother could have been seen as highly co-operative, darkly temperamental, destructive, secretive, or almost magical in her ability to procure the aid of others, to re-generate resources, or to make something out of nothing. It also describes how the querent sees (for a woman) the idea of being a mother herself, in this case it may feel a bit scary, hard to fathom, mysterious, or that it may take one to the depths of the Soul, or of experience, along the way. If the querent is a man, then this reps his attitude toward those women he sees in a non-sexual light; he may see them as powerful, destructive, vengeful, deep, magnetically attractive–it may in some cases suggest he sees or is aware of the sexual potential in all women–or he may see them as possessions, all of whom belong to someone else! Much depends on his own 8th House and his relationship to Pluto; the more comfortable he is with his own Plutonic urges, the more he will see women in general in a positive light.
If this question actually applies to one’s mother’s chart, then we’re looking at how she saw her own mother, and how she may view the role of mothering in her life; that latter would be the attitude she had toward her children. She may see them as affecting her to the core, destroying or changing her (possibly for the good), bringing rage or other dark emotions to the surface (again, not automatically bad in the least), and perhaps acting as a venue to ‘share’ with others, as a connection to them or as a means of sharing assets. For a few women, the child may quite literally be ‘insurance’ of some kind, while a few others will see the child as themselves re-born, and behave accordingly.
Saturn in infancy
Saturn can have some interesting meanings when associated with infancy and early childhood. Besides the obvious possibility of suppression of the child, or the encouragement of Self-repression, possible under some circumstances, we note that Saturn in the 1st, and particularly if it’s close to the Ascendant, can signify a difficult birth or early health concerns (the latter can be seen with a 2nd or 3rd House Saturn, as well). Saturn configured with the personal planets can suggest delay in development, particularly with Mercury (speech, thought). We have a good example, though, of how this isn’t necessarily something to be worried about, in physicist and stylish trendsetter (that hair! those cardigans!) Albert Einstein (14 March 1879 11:30 AM Ulm Germany).
Einstein’s Saturn, which rules the 7th and 8th, sits in the 10th in Aries conjunct Pallas and Mercury, trine the South Node and sextile the North. Albert was significantly delayed in speaking, and was thought to be very slow in school, actually flunking math in the early grades. We can see both the origin of the delay, and the later brilliance of thought, in his Saturn situation: conjunct Mercury suggests the slowness to express, but it also implies that things might have been ‘building’ out of sight, and Pallas is wisdom. Involvement with the Nodes says two things: that Mom was involved (see Noel Tyl’s work for some excellent evidence in this direction) and that Saturn and Mercury combined were funneled quite easily, married to past or unseen knowledge (South Node) and transferred through to the present and his own future development (North Node). Placement in Aries allowed him the ego and single-mindedness to do his work, and the 10th says this was public, both the delay and the brilliance. Ruling the 7th and 8th, Saturn in this case says he presented this work to an audience and received their support–and indeed, once he put his ideas out there he was able to think, teach, and work within the University system, and never had to return to the patent office again.
How rare is natal Chiron retrograde?
It’s not, and so far I’ve seen no difference in the way it expresses between retrograde and direct–but then regular readers here will recall that I’m not big on the retrograde status of a planet, simply because the meaning is found in relation to the other placements. All motion is apparent, from our position on Earth; the body doesn’t actually go backwards, and that’s something I find useful to keep in mind.
Focus on: aspects between Ceres and Jupiter
Here we’ll benefit in understanding by looking at these through the lens of their mythological roles. Ceres is the Mother Goddess, Mother Nature, specifically, probably the most powerful agent of creation and the life force this side of God/ the Universe, while Jupiter is another name for Zeus, who became the supreme god on Mt Olympus (he married his sister and fooled around alot, but that’s another story!) When they aspect each other in the natal chart, we’re looking at the meet-up of two very powerful forces, two entities with an enormous sense of authority and power. Contact with Ceres often suggests one of two things: that the contacted energy must learn negotiation (this related to Ceres role as negotiator with Pluto for his ‘marriage’ to her daughter) and that one must discern one’s province, one’s appropriate boundaries (this, too, from the question of whether it’s correct for the mother to have negotiated her grown daughter’s future). Jupiter’s authority is that of society and its accumulated knowledge; paired with Ceres this can suggest that one must negotiate one’s place within the social order. Ceres and Jupiter together can also say that nature and what’s natural may be a ‘big deal’ to the individual, that one’s more controlling maternal instincts may be exaggerated, or that one either provides for society (like a farmer) or negotiates for society (like a diplomat). As always, sign and House placement, as well as other contacts, can significantly alter meaning here.
And finally, Flights of Fancy:
Would we be able to live on Neptune? and What are the qualities of a creature living on Saturn?
To the former question I say, alas, no; to the latter, I wonder what kind of creature? Whenever I see questions like this, my first thought is of the much stronger gravity of the two planets, compared to Earth, and how that would literally compress something from our world. So, in tongue-in-cheek answer to what the qualities of a creature living on Saturn might be, I’d say, horizontal.
Julie Demboski's ASTROLOGY 
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