Tag Archives: The Astro Essence

The Local Landscape 30 April 2024

30 Tuesday Apr 2024

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, future events in the sky, Transit Effects Explored

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‘Swiss Landscape’ By Alexandre Calame 1830 {{PD}}

Just a few things to keep in mind this week, starting with a Mercury-Chiron conjunction in Aries that perfects May 6th but is already within orb. This is a bit of a slow burn, with Merc still picking up speed after direction, meaning we have an unusually long window (in terms of Mercury) to experience this combo. In Aries this blend of energies can make us feel alone, isolated, our wounds and our thoughts looming larger-than-life. We have the sense that others are exerting their Will on us, but we can’t forget we’ll have the same tendency with them, and likely won’t be conscious of it; there’s also an issue of words, thoughts, and ideas hurting, whether they’re our own or hurled at us by others. This period is the equivalent of emotionally-charged quicksand. To be conscious of it is to give ourselves a chance to minimize damage and to survive what feels like a hostile and unforgiving mental jungle.

Uranus conjoined Jupiter is still in force, but waning in intensity as Jupiter moves at a quicker speed than Uranus and puts steadily growing distance between them. At this point the big Taurean splash is over, and we may be left either struggling to deal with the aftermath, or trying to make that outsized spark happen again. If you dealt with this as an ‘individual vs. group’ situation, you are likely feeling relieved but at the same time a tad left behind, as the group moves ahead whether we like it or not. Part of what we need to realize is that this aspect presented things to us in electrified, exaggerated terms, and though that makes the everyday look dull, it brought a shock that would be disastrously debilitating if we had to live it 24/ 7.

Venus in Taurus square Pluto in Aquarius perfects on May 1st; Luna will have just passed over Pluto, possibly igniting dark thoughts or urging us to take extreme action in finances or romance, as the emotional landscape looks bleak, a ‘nobody gets out of here alive’ feeling. Our values may seem threatened, our Love vulnerable to destruction, and relationships or earning circumstances may seem like they’ll have negative consequences–and they just might. We may intuit a depth in the resources or relationship picture and a very specific conflict around it; address this with care, always remaining mindful of the way the Mercury-Chiron pairing may make us entirely too conscious of our own pain, while Venus-Pluto may make us believe there’s only one, permanent way out of getting hurt again–and neither of those is really accurate. Being too aware of a wound means we take our attention away from what we’re doing or faced with–we’re illogically gun-shy–and that puts a barrier between us and perceiving reality correctly; being too frightened of what we might lose will warp our behavior and choices, and will definitely put us on an undesirable track. So, act as if you want to keep what you love, treat those things or people with dignity, care, and affection, and let the rest fall away. The truth around Venusian areas can be tough to take, but it’s necessary to know where we actually stand.

Neptune will reach the 29th degree of Pisces May 3rd. This degree suggests the body is under stress, its energy in some way desperate to express, to be heard. When that energy is Neptune, all bets are off. The only way to know how this might manifest is to know your natal relationship, as well as the current transit picture, to all that Neptune stands for: creative energy, deception, imagination, ideals, with a potential to birth our greatest ideas and to mislead ourselves or others and not even know that’s happening. This influence lasts to July, when Neptune appears to retrograde (bringing confusion over Neptunian choices so far or inspiration gleaned from previous Neptunian experience, and possibly causing us to change our minds or retreat) and continues into early September, then emerges for another go-round when the planet again hits 29 degrees, starting in early March 2025. Hints for handling this include finding and actively employing a creative outlet (or two or ten! Just be sure you’re doing ‘it’, not just thinking about ‘it’), being ‘married to the Truth’ so that you won’t succumb to fantasy, and embracing and accepting (rather than denying) areas of life where uncertainty reigns. To demand answers can undermine that way Neptune has of orchestrating the Universe to hand us the best possible outcome–so I guess trust in ourselves is what we need to practice.

Have a wonderful week!

Promises in the Aftermath

10 Wednesday Apr 2024

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, eclipse, Jupiter-Uranus Conjunction, Mars-Saturn Conjunction

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‘In the Land of Promise’ By Charles Frederic Ulrich 1884 {{PD}}

Where do you find yourself, days after the total Solar eclipse? In talking with others, I’m hearing two distinct kinds of experiences: one that is a laundry list of what we’re sure to see as negative effects, things we must face that there’s no way around–some of which may have been at the edges of our conscious mind for some time, anticipated for ‘someday’–and the other appears fortuitous, but still haunted by an awareness of our vulnerability, our mortality, ‘good’ happenings that contain within them conditions that reflect how lucky we are in the moment, how one day ‘it’ will end. That tracks, considering the trip to the Underworld we were promised; what may be surprising (and we were promised a surprise, too!) is the solemnity of what we’re facing, the potential for life turning points that seems to lurk beneath even the most casual of decisions.

This is all good. It’s causing us to choose with care, to think about the impacts on others and the future, and it’s fostering a very positive kind of sensitivity, the kind that gives empathy and Love a prominent place in consciousness, and so in relationships and decision-making. Ruler of the eclipse, Mars, is currently in Pisces conjoined Saturn=this is action, choice, reality generated against a background of the creative energy of All-That-Is; it’s our personal creativity and ideals shaping the Cosmos, and the Cosmos shaping us. We’re offered disciplined choice guided by ideals, constructive creative energy, and a chance to build reality as we imagine it should be.

The other important influence is the upcoming meeting of Jupiter-Uranus, perfecting soon (19th-20th April) in Taurus=the most obvious potential possible with this is sudden opportunity, surprising expansion, fortuitous chance, the individual acting on the group, the group affecting the individual, innovation or invention that opens the way, with Taurus suggesting a material outcome, a shift in prosperity, artisanal output, quality, or productivity, a surprise around our sources of security, stability, or comfort. But, for a more personal glimpse at what this means, we may want to first note the matters represented by the House in the personal natal chart that contains Taurus–this is where the action is–and as well to note the matters of the Houses ruled by Jupiter and Uranus–these matters are likely to combine in some significant way involved in those Jupiter-Uranus meeting effects. Then there’s the matter of Venus, ruler of Taurus, at the time of conjunction just past mid-Aries=this emphasizes the power of the individual to affect things, and again emphasizes the role of choice and of taking action, and how this will largely determine results for the individual.

An example: A Whole Sign Sagittarius Ascendant puts the eclipse in the creative output/ children/ risk-taking 5th, along with Venus, and sees Jupiter-Uranus in the every day, duties and obligations, work 6th, and Mars-Saturn in the core Self/ home and family of origin/ end-of-things 4th (and you’ll note, this is likely to be mostly or entirely in one quadrant of the chart, in this case the one that deals with preparing efforts to put out into the world and be judged for, 4th-6th). Jupiter rules the 1st, Uranus the 3rd, suggesting the individual and their thinking are key to what happens; the eclipse offered healing around creative efforts or matters of the individual’s children or ventures, and promises reward if this is addressed (the presence of Venus). This comes in the course of the every day, fulfilling obligations or work, and responds to the core Self (beliefs, especially about who this person is deep inside) and is reflected in home or family matters. In this case, the ‘children’ could be artistic output, or a risk-taking venture, but in any case centers on how this person is viewing this matter, and how open they are to implementing what they (ideally) want, via work, taking on or fulfilling duties, or in dealing with colleagues (the ‘where the action is’ 6th).

All this together, major conjunctions plus eclipse, may offer that promised healing–at least, that’s how I’m seeing it, not only because it makes sense, but because that attitude is it’s own promise, it’s own magic, it’s own blend of the opportunity and optimism of Jupiter and the willingness to risk and overturn of Uranus that can deliver what we seek. Willingly or not, consciously or not, we’ve taken a big step forward; reach out, choose, give it the shape of your dreams.

It’s All About Tomorrow

26 Tuesday Mar 2024

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, In-Between Eclipses

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‘The Great Wave of Kanagava’ By Hokusai Katsushika {{PD}}

Here we are, in that valley between eclipses, all nerved up, everything seeming in limbo, our feet hovering three or so inches above the ground, worn out and yet brimming with energy. Exhausted and lit up–that’s no way to live! We’re riding that subtle wave pushed out by the Lunar eclipse, trying to get our bearings, and we’re distinctly ungrounded, not through any fault of our own, but as a byproduct of that pull between Moon and Sun, shifting our inner tides, making us feel, really feel, the flow of the Universe in a way we’re seldom so conscious of. And what is the low ground this tsunami of energy, this intense but subtle wave from the Lunar event, seeking? It’s urging us to find that stable place to cool, to collect ourselves, to get our footing–and we find it centered on the North Node point, our indicator of which direction the energy is flowing. That’s currently 16 Aries, still conjoined Chiron, the Sun moving ever nearer, the Node caught at the rough midpoint of Venus-Jupiter=we’re under a growing awareness of the real-world situation, focused on our own wounds–if that remains the center of our consciousness, we’ll get nothing more out of it–but if we can move past our fixation on our own weaknesses or deficits we find: 1) more Love! or other reward, 2) the freedom and benefits that come from taking personal responsibility (focus on our role and acting cooperatively–that is, in harmony with others–but autonomously, exercising our own authority, is key), and 3) a new relationship to the public, our audience, or those in our circle.

The Sun is at the rough midpoint of Neptune and the North Node, and also trines Pallas and quincunxes Juno=we’re aiming to make ideals and dreams our future reality, and we have the wisdom and practical judgment to do so, though we aren’t quite empowered to do so yet–patience. We get a hint that our lack of power is to our benefit, as Neptune square Vesta suggests our dreams and aims aren’t yet aligned with our highest values, or reconciled to our commitments; we haven’t yet fit them around what we care about in life, an important step in moving forward. Mars is semi-square the North Node=actions are hobbled, difficult, but again, that’s to our advantage, giving us time to prepare ourselves, even more than circumstances, and Venus sextiles Uranus=surprise! The only thing we can be sure of is that the unexpected will be featured, delivered through relationships, the material situation, or in where loyalties ultimately lie.

We’ll be in this bardo, more or less, until very close to the Solar event. Each of us does best to get outside our own heads and past our own grievances as much as possible, and to use the time to formulate next steps around hopes and dreams. It’s vital we have those aims clearly visualized, if we want to act effectively. I’ll be unavailable (answering no correspondence or filling book orders) until early next week, when I’ll provide a look at the upcoming Solar eclipse. Have a great week!

Orders made to the Press and all comments and questions will be filled/ answered after my vacation from computers, 27 March-2 April.

And A Few More Things

18 Monday Mar 2024

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky

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Franz Stuck 1912 {{PD}}

Just some bits I didn’t get to in my last post. My computer that holds my astro software crashed so I’m flying blind, with only notes to go on at the moment. I could argue that it’s a pre-eclipse debacle, as the first eclipse of what my ephemeris describes as a 3-eclipse set falls at the midpoint of my Mercury-Mars–is it wiping out my ability to assert myself, to communicate, or is it clearing the way for new forms? Since I believe that the Universe always works in our favor, I’ll take it as something that’s meant to steer me in a ‘better’ direction, if not an entirely new one. I’m thinking that having to use online sources to draw up an eclipse chart will mean I won’t have my usual assortment of odd bits and bobs, and that could mean my attention will go in a different direction, and so allow me to see things in a way other than I normally would. I’m still at work on that Moon book, itself swelling like an ever-waxing Lunar orb, so of necessity it won’t be long before I’ve got another computer and updated software–but until then, it may be a grand adventure into unfamiliar lands.

The 17th-19th we have Venus square Pallas; then Venus hits Saturn (20th-23rd) while Ceres is still sextile the old man=this is a picture of those who love unwisely suppressing their personal power and autonomy–but to what end? Is it a relationship that calls for betraying the Self in favor of the wider partnership, or is it economics or a question of values that requires restraint and a kind of Self-denial? Or is it that we’ll insist on something impractical in the name of Love, and disempower ourselves in the process?

We’ll also see Mercury conjoin the North Node=this may deliver messages from the future, in the realization that what we think now will, quite literally, make the future into what it will be. It’s a moment when our own power becomes ultra-real, scarily apparent, and we’re challenged to accept, in ways we’re usually able to hide from ourselves, that we truly are in charge of where we go and what we become. And finally, Jupiter quincunxes the South Node, blowing the past all out of proportion. Here it may be vital that we don’t take memories–which will definitely be distorted right now–as ‘the way it was’; this aspect also shows us quite clearly how our beliefs need adjustment, because the facts are different than they were in the past. These two aspects, Merc-NN and Jupiter-SN, work together to create our mindset; it’s up to us to make sure the conclusions we reach are as aligned with reality and our own ‘right action’ as possible.

A Few Odds and Ends, And a Little Caution

16 Saturday Mar 2024

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Neptune

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‘Summer Idleness–Day Dreams’ By John William Godward {{PD}}

Everybody’s talking about the Sun conjoining Neptune, now through the 20th–why? It happens every year, but with Neptune in its own sign, the Solar light applied to transcendent Pisces illuminates ideals, creativity, and community at their highest levels–and inevitably leaves a lot of dissatisfaction in its wake. The wash of big ideas with even bigger intentions is inspiring, yes, massively so, and it’s only human that our results will, with few exceptions, be somewhat less than those dreams we dreamed, making the reckoning between what was visualized and what was realized something we should be prepared for, accept, and still celebrate–reaching for the stars is thrilling, and if we don’t reach our final goal, we still find ourselves in the stratosphere, with a wider view and more far-reaching results than we ever would’ve created without those lofty inspirations.

This duo also trines Vesta, which may be why we’re so focused here, at the moment: Vesta is what we revere, what we find sacred, what we dedicate our life energy to–and that may put a lot of pressure on each of us, whether we’re conscious of it or not. We may feel like attaining those ideals and creative goals is more than necessary–we may in fact feel as if success is mandatory, that we will be ‘less than’ unless we get all the way to our aim. Though high standards are admirable, it’s definitely too much to hold ourselves to such stringent requirements, especially when there are likely one or more components that will be at least to some extent outside our control. We just need to focus on what we gain, what we do create, even if that creation doesn’t go as far or as wide or to completion as we’d hoped.

Chiron is quincunx the Black Moon Lilith point, amping things up even more as we carry in the back of our minds the awareness that what we ignore, deny, or are enraged by carries the potential to hurt us–and that means we know we’ve got to face what we’d rather put aside for later, or never, in an attempt to minimize our own injury. It’s smart to take it head on, as we exercise a lot more control over something we accept as reality than we do over something we’re insisting isn’t a thing. Note: if you have a placement 17-19 Scorpio, this fills in a Finger of God that suggests the fill-in energy plus the sense of woundedness combine to form a sort of dark point around something you’d rather forget–but shouldn’t. Again, addressing it is better than denying its existence, and keeps you in the driver’s seat.

And that brings us to Eris opposed Zeus, with Zeus receiving a trine and Eris receiving a sextile from aggressive Mars. Here we have the agent of discord facing off against our ambitions and desires, with Mars inserting the impetus to act on those wants, with those actions and choices easily putting a target on our backs for anyone with a beef. This is just life, really; there’s no way to control how others see and respond to us, so we must act and be with integrity, pursue our desires and aims, and let others feel and think what they may. That’s how we keep from being paralyzed by the judgments or slights handed out by those who’d rather critique us than look at their own flawed character.

Pluto noviles Saturn=we have the power to change our reality in transformative and quite brilliant ways–just know that alterations made now have a permanence about them that can never completely be undone; also know that changes imposed by externals have that same permanence, and are absolutely, 100% to our benefit, no matter how things look on the surface. Ceres also sextiles Saturn, reinforcing the idea that there’s power contained in facing reality–and both aspects to Saturn tell us that at this time, it’s much easier than usual to control those power expressions, to shape real-world results just as we’d like them to be. That puts powerful mojo behind those Sun-Neptune manifestations–and, as long as we follow a few cautions, puts us in control of our own choices and their consequences.

I’ll follow up with a few other things happening in the coming week. Have a great weekend!

A Few Odds and Ends, And A Little Honesty

18 Sunday Feb 2024

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Tranquil Reader By Jürg Stuker
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

Dear Reader ‘Cars & Stories’ asked for a little on Venus meeting Pluto–and I failed to get to it in time. My apologies–life just gets in the way, you know? But I have a few observations that I’ll share here, late though they are.

My impression of the Venus-Pluto meeting at the 00 degree of Aquarius was one of learning the limits of Love. That sounds ominous, but I think it’s more of a touchstone where we saw circumstances, interactions, and exchanges that showed us the very real boundaries within situations and relationships; we saw that beyond particular points we couldn’t be certain of another’s feeling or our own. Though unconditional love is always held up as an ideal, I have no doubt that each of us has experienced relationships where exercising unconditional love would’ve led to destructive conditions, for ourselves or for others. There’s nothing loving about allowing another to cause harm to you, and I think that’s what the past few days have reminded us of: there’s a fine line between love and martyrdom, and crossing that line obliterates the love. I think we’ve been allowed to know this intellectually (Aquarius)–which makes me think it’s only a matter of time until we meet a real life challenge that tempts us to accept what we shouldn’t. This is where we thank the Universe for making us ready.

The Sun will shorty be moving into Pisces, putting the spotlight on the creative and the delusional. The big test is, can we tell the difference? No one wants to pour effort into something that lacks relevance, so how do we tell them apart, especially when sign ruler Neptune is in Pisces, strengthening both the creative impulse and the illusion? It doesn’t help that the Sun-Earth axis at 29 degrees squares Sedna, creating a T-square that strains every instinct we have. That, though, might be how we meet this: trusting instinct, even though we feel pressured and can’t put our finger on specifics. This may be a point when knowing we have the answers within has to proceed on faith alone, and a belief that we will not betray ourselves when making choices. The Universe doesn’t test us–we test ourselves, and that means that as long as we are honest with ourselves, we really can’t choose wrongly.

We may hesitate as right now the North Node conjoins Chiron and both quincunx Black Moon Lilith-Juno. This is a recipe for questioning our empowerment and abilities, even our right, to move forward–and it doesn’t help that the future looks like it will hurt! The questioning of the Self is actually a good thing, meant to, once again, prod us to be honest with ourselves. That’s really where the power lies–and can lead to clear thinking about our most important priorities (Mercury trine Vesta). So don’t worry about the future–it will take care of itself, as long as we face the present with our integrity intact, and our highest ideals in mind.

Mars Conjoined Pluto: Erasing Anger

13 Tuesday Feb 2024

Posted by in current events in the sky, Finger of God, Mars-Pluto Conjunction

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The aspect can be a sort of personal sunrise, allowing us a chance to cleanse and renew ourselves. ‘Sunrise on the Matterhorn’ By Albert Bierstadt after 1875 {{PD}}

That’s one possibility, of course, if we can embrace the need to cleanse the intellectual beliefs, if we can accept innovation, spontaneity, revolution, and not look back. The meeting of Mars and Pluto in Aquarius bodes well for accepting refurbishment of the Higher Mind, at least in terms of how we interpret our place within the group, within the world. The sudden impulse to eradicate the ego can overwhelm and create a new way of understanding that allows us to rise, phoenix-like, from the ashes of the old Self. We can wipe out anger, while still retaining what anger offers us: a way of knowing what matters. We can remake the way we take action, and the way we make choices, as well. It’s all in the ability to accept the new, and to allow the old ways to fall away, specifically in the life areas of the House where this conjunction takes place in the natal chart.

This pairing can also manifest a furnace of temper, a rage and the ability to act on it that can destroy worlds–or we can react to what seems like attempts at obliteration that come from without, the ego struggling to understand the why of it, and what to do to save the Self. In this instance it might do to ask oneself, ‘Should I be trying to save (or resurrect) the ego, should I insist on the old ways of doing, the old power structure?’ The answer is an unqualified, No. Fear, or fear of nothing known existing on the other side of the ego purge, is certainly understandable–but this is also an aspect of resilient power, the exercise of which puts the individual into a crucible–and out comes a Being stripped of b*llsh*t. I don’t know about you, but I’d step into that crucible every day if I thought it would burn away the unnecessary and leave only the core of who I am. How much easier, I’m imagining, it would be to be, to choose, to act, without the detritus that distracts, the irrelevancies that demand our attention and burn our precious hours here on Earth.

Mars and Pluto will meet again a number of times before Pluto quits the sign, so we’ll face this influence repeatedly over time, and likely handle it better with each meeting. If we don’t, the Universe will confront us with it’s own version of a forced retrofit, one that speaks in harsh language and makes no excuses. If we’re addressing the energies with the equivalent of someone rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, we will, one way or another, go down with the ship. Consider yourself advised.

The Sabian symbol for this conjunction is, ‘An Old Adobe Mission In California’. To me this is an image of a system of oppression, the imposition of the Will and beliefs of one group upon another, the attempt to eradicate a civilization and way of life out of the assumption that the one imposed is ‘better’. This combines both the potential to re-make systems and deal more honestly with our own Will, and the need to let go of that which is now outdated or inappropriate. It reiterates the Mars-Pluto conundrum that asks us to choose: what do we keep? What must we eliminate? And what about ourselves, our individual Will and ego, must be stripped away, so that we can meet our own Power?

One thing that caught my eye: a Finger of God with base of North Node-Chiron in Aries and Mercury in Aquarius, apex the Black Moon Lilith point in Virgo. This suggests that obsessive mulling of any hurt we anticipate suffering in the future, especially that resulting from our own actions and choices, will require we face what we’ve been ignoring, denying, or that which has enraged us, with a discerning eye–that is, we must take those recurring thoughts (and they are definitely thoughts about potential fears), face what we may not be acknowledging about the situation, and then look at it all with a critical, dispassionate mind, in order to get some distance, to see ways in which we can think about this without succumbing to worry, without wasting time afraid of the what ifs of our world. The point here may be that our own minds can steal our happiness, if we indulge in unproductive mental exercises. It’s just another thing Mars-Pluto can help us eliminate.

Have a wonderful week!

Winter Solstice 2023

20 Wednesday Dec 2023

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‘The Spirit of Winter’ By Pierre-Louis-Marius Poujol 1883 {{PD}}

In the Northern hemisphere, Winter Solstice is when the Earth is tilted as far away from the Sun as possible–and in the Southern hemisphere, this is the same moment the Summer Solstice occurs, as that half of the globe is tilted as far toward the Sun as it will get. This year it happens at 7:27 PM PST of the 21st. Let’s get a gander at the chart and what it might promise for the next three months, until the Northern hemisphere Spring/ Southern hemisphere Fall Equinox, of 2024.

The most striking thing may be that the Sun and Moon will be out-of-sign trine, Sun at 29 stressful degrees of Sagittarius, the Moon just entered a new sign, at 00 Taurus. At the same moment, the Sun will be closely opposed Vesta-Earth in Gemini, quincunx Sedna, and semi-sextile Pluto, with all these at 29 degrees of their respective signs. Could the tension run any higher, or for that matter, be more dangerous? Stressed energies are energies that can express unpredictably, specifically because perceptions may tell those affected that there’s no other choice–but we need to remember there is, there always is.

Our attention may be on what we find sacred, on what we revere, and so feel we must protect (Sun opp Vesta-Earth), with feelings ‘new’, in the sense that we didn’t know we felt this way (Moon at 00). Our instincts and those things we ‘know’ but aren’t conscious of may make us uncomfortable, bedeviling us with things that we just can’t quite put our finger on (qnx Sedna)–in fact, we may feel it’s dangerous if we don’t figure it out (semi-sxt Pluto)–but those are emotional perceptions discerned through the mind (Gemini Moon), and so being interpreted with all the pitfalls that occur when the mentality tries to define the heart.

Venus and Mars are semi-sextile, suggesting that relationships, sex, love, and aggression may act as outlets for all this tension, as may a pair of quincunxes: Pallas-Chiron (every time we try to be practical or act wisely, we open a wound) and Mars-Uranus (spontaneity or chaos accompanies action), with Uranus also trine Juno (acting freely and off-the-cuff is empowering), which itself is sextile Venus (but declaring our freedom will affect relationships or earning power) and square Mars (and maybe start a fight).

And Zeus is quincunx Neptune and opposed Eris, which may cause the most kerfuffle or draw our attention most strongly. Moving toward what we desire won’t quite bring what we imagine it will (and that begs the question: are we clear on what we’re headed for?), and may stir up the ire of those who’d like us to stay put. Being as aware as possible of stressful energies that will be abundant (and realizing we don’t have to react to them), while remembering discrepancies between our thinking and our feelings, will help us navigate–and too, knowing that pursuing what we want may cause some upset, we can weigh whether that upset is justified, or just someone not respecting our boundaries.

Spotlight: An Earth Grand Trine–And What About Ceres?

14 Thursday Dec 2023

Posted by in astrology, Ceres, current events in the sky, Grand Trine, Jupiter retrograde, Mercury retrograde, Retrogrades + Directions

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‘Venus, Cupid and Ceres’ By Cornelis van Haarlem 1604 {{PD}} It’s such a drag to have to wear a shirt, isn’t it, ladies? Ceres is the one with wheat in her hair.

Freshly retro Merc in Capricorn connects with retro Jupiter in Taurus and the Black Moon Lilith point to form an Earth Grand Trine. One, BML, is just a mathematical point, you may argue–and yet by its very contact with these other two we see this point in Virgo bring a little intellectual heft, a little airiness via ruler Mercury, to what might otherwise be a formidably dense formula–and that’s only exaggerated by the way both bodies are in apparent retrograde motion. Have you ever seen a child who doesn’t yet grasp the concepts around concealing their entire body play hide-and-seek? Invariably, they will scrunch into a corner or behind something and cover their eyes–with so much of the rest of them visible to all! That’s what we’ve got here: Jupiter and Mercury behaving as if they aren’t really noticeable, and Black Moon Lilith mustering constructive criticism in order to make both planets deal with their current energy states head on.

Jupiter in Taurus retrograde would tell you money and things aren’t important, that what you know or believe doesn’t really affect what surrounds you or what comes to you, and Mercury in Capricorn retrograde may have warring assumptions all at once: thoughts that embrace the status quo and current power structure as if they’re solid and will last forever, and at the same time thinking repeatedly of the ways the present framework and rules can be skirted, undermined, or exploited through a loophole.

Then along comes the Black Moon Lilith point–which critiques and creates lists for the other two, asking: what about the social sphere and the place it offers you is unsatisfactory? Is what you have and the environment you create nurture and comfort you, or is it designed to impress others? Does your thinking support the power elites, or your own interests? And are you confused about what really benefits you, and what works against you?

Black Moon Lilith insists you face/ deal with what you have been ignoring, denying, or with things that enrage you but are suppressed; in the case of Jupiter, this hinges on social roles and interaction, and with Mercury this is about the mentality you exercise. With both bodies retrograde, the examination of these areas can seem that much more difficult, as the energies feel less accessible, more hidden, and somehow contrary, even when you come at them as consciously as possible. So, right now we have an ongoing examination of social roles, thinking, and the material reality they create for each one of us. Tips to handle this? At present letting things flow around you, with less insistence on control and less deliberate expression of the Will, is probably a good idea; if you can keep things low key, watch the symbolism inherent in every day life, and practice acceptance, you’ll get to the end of the Merc retro period (early AM PST of January 2nd) and Jupiter retro period (early AM PST of December 31st) with a much more fact-based and realistic understanding of both your material situation and the social sphere and your role in it. After both are direct, you can move forward both more confidently and more effectively.

And what about Ceres? It’s at 8 degrees Sagittarius, same degree as Merc and BML–and it’s square BML, and so semi-sextile Mercury. This suggests that much of what we find out at this time will be seated in Nature, both in our place within it, and in our relationship to it. We’re going to find out things, learn facts, experience the validity (or ineffectiveness) of our beliefs, and this will shape our sense of personal authority, our ability to genuinely nurture, our health, and again, our command of our environment, going forward. The retros offer us chances to reconsider–and the other related bodies help us discover what it is we need to know.

Highlights of the Current Picture 4-12 December 2023: Emotional Grounding

04 Monday Dec 2023

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‘A Storm in the Rocky Mountains, Mt. Rosalie’ By Albert Bierstadt 1866 {{PD}}

We’re at the midway point with the Moon between Full and New, currently in Virgo, aspiring to organize, account for, and produce (good goals all, though we carry inhumanly high expectations for ourselves and our output in this sign). This is the point where we start to feel our energy wane, a little more tired each day, a little slower to recover, until we hit the Dark of the Moon and go into mini-hibernation (as we should! That lasts midday the 9th through New Moon on the 12th).

What I really want to talk about, though, is a Water Grand Trine formed by Venus, new in Scorpio, Saturn in Pisces, and Vesta in Cancer. This may feel like ‘new’ emotional territory, feelings from the depths, from and about things you never imagined and that reach into your core and into whatever you call ‘home’. In that way, what comes up may be a little scary–but also revelatory, giving us a way to ground ourselves through the experience of feeling. Usually we’re disoriented by such a wash of emotion; this time it brings a kind of stability, simply through giving us clarity about our feelings, and by showing us how strongly we actually feel, and in that way can act as invaluable guidance to matters facing us right now.

Pallas and Black Moon Lilith are sextile, with BML trine/ Pallas opposed Jupiter in Taurus=our wisdom and our desire to banish certain factors from our lives are both exceptionally strong at present; what we need to know is that we tend to exaggerate both our smarts in handling things and our need to rid ourselves of certain elements, and that can lead to, say it with me, overdoing our response. It doesn’t help that Sedna hovers at 29 Taurus trine Pluto in Capricorn=this feels like a crisis in the reliability of our own instincts and inner knowledge, with the fear that destruction of what we rely on for support may ensue, if we can ever see clearly what’s happening! We may be far more vehement at this time than is necessary, which can lead to burning bridges we may someday want to cross again. Realize that everything is heightened currently, both our perceptions and our reactions, and tone down responses–it may seem fireworks are called for in our answers, when being mild may actually go a lot farther.

What current conditions really call for is an ability to live with uncertainty. This will feel contradictory to all those intense feelings will have, but the reality we might want to aim for is this: feel the feelings, but don’t think you have to do something about them right away. Blame it on Mars in Sagittarius squaring the Black Moon Lilith point, and then see that, by definition, Mars in Sag encourages actions and choices based on facts and knowledge, or based in faith. Just be careful that we don’t confuse what we want to be true with what is–if you believe it, make sure the facts back it up.

The 7th through 12th Mercury in Capricorn gives us an Earth Grand Trine with the Black Moon Lilith point and Jupiter. That’s the period that promises we’ll understand the real-world impact of what we’ve been feeling, and also when we’ll understand what we think of things, and what of those thoughts need to be shared with the wider world, what needs to be ignored, for now. By the 12th Mercury will have stationed in preparation for its retrograde, which occurs just before midnight PST of the 12th. A retro in Earth suggests we will re-think our material position, our surroundings, what we are materially creating in our world, and how and whether this truly suits us. The retro beginning just hours after the New Moon implies that what new feelings are born or direction taken will require this re-think–so proceed over the next week-and-a-half knowing that fresh positions and fresh attitudes will come about, can’t be hurried, and knowing that, at least some of the pressure to act on feelings may be relieved, as we see that responses may all be a little premature.