Tag Archives: The Astro Essence

28 October 2018 Just Don’t Do It

27 Saturday Oct 2018

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‘Portrait of the Artist’s Son’ By Eero Järnefelt 1887 {{PD}}

Today ambitions are undermined by things we ‘know but don’t know’, by our own ‘blind spot’ material (especially matters that affect our own or others’ security or comfort), and by an inability, for whatever reason, to trust our own instincts. The perception is that we’re on shaky ground, and the reality may fall anywhere along the spectrum from solid footing to earthquake.

What can we do brilliantly? Think, plan, cogitate, use. our. brains. If the mind can address it, we should spend today doing just that, as ‘actively’ and consciously as possible. Don’t allow physical stillness to trick you into believing you aren’t doing anything–getting plans in place and the facts right is the very best use of your time.

(Zeus contra-parallel Sedna, Ceres contra-parallel Hygeia, Mercury sxt Pallas and opp Sedna)

‘The Last Throw’ By Charles Robert Leslie c1840 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a pair of dice. Life really is a game of chance–quit waiting for a guarantee that things will work out as you like. Though I’m in danger of sounding like a meme, I’d say it’s all about the journey–the destination will take care of itself.

27 October 2018 Standards or Achievements?

26 Friday Oct 2018

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‘Sea Babies’ By Max Bohm 1914 {{PD}}

Upholding our standards and values, or implementing our Will with little fuss or need to bow to others? The first is a somewhat static position, but a stance we might need to take in order to think well of ourselves, while the latter could send us riding roughshod over the feelings and needs of those around us as we do do do. We can’t both display our standards and achieve, today; even worse, we may find ourselves having to choose between exercising our prerogatives (again, without answering to anyone else), or centering our actions and reactions in our sense of hurt or in a need to offer skills (with a further challenge of matching those skills to what’s needed around us–which we may not be able to do!)

The most effective course may lie in staying attuned to the reality picture, and doing what’s mentally healthy, however you might define that. It might mean eschewing experimentation or refusing to go out on a creative limb in favor of what you know to be the most solid reasoning, the most practical or sensible alternative, or the option least destructive to you, others, and the environment. It may feel like a sacrifice, this putting-on-of-the-brakes, but it’s actually time to re-align our thinking with what’s reasonable, with what’s meaningful in a real world sense, and for at least some of us this may seem tragically lacking in glamor. It is, and that’s the point: we need a solid, healthy base from which to take our flights of fancy, and today is a day that requires we either take steps to secure that base, or we take action, and the need for others or a secure position be damned.

(Perfecting today: Vesta sesq Juno, Chiron contra-parallel Ceres, Mars nov Chiron, Mercury trine Hygeia, Sun sxt Saturn)

Does anyone actually count these, to help them sleep? ‘Sheep in front of haystacks’ By Jean-François Millet c1874 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is insomnia. What does not being able to sleep mean for you? Even if you’re not (yet) in a period of insomnia, it may be time to take steps to insure you don’t get into one–so try to do one or more of the things you find soothing, relaxing, that help you sleep when you need to. Current aspects suggest a certain subtle discord that some may respond to by being extra wakeful–but a little attention will likely prevent this from becoming a truly debilitating possibility.

26 October 2018 Prone

25 Thursday Oct 2018

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By George Grie – Own work, [1], Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3298456

We are still too prone to being misled, to rejecting what’s healthy for what’s practical, or embracing what’s conventionally deemed wise even when it’s not good for us individually. Two things can put us on the right track: hook ideals to creativity and imagination, to keep efforts from going in completely the wrong direction, and think on the actual reality situation as it exists right now–therein is something of genius, waiting to inspire you.

Today is also the Inferior Conjunction of Venus in her retrograde to the Sun. This should mark the ‘low point’ to any review of or stress caused in the life due to Venus’ backtrack. You can start to re-build the Venusian goals here, mostly through concrete responses that are reversible, should you change your mind on direction.

(Mercury nov Saturn, Neptune sxt Vesta, Pallas opp Hygeia)

Today’s word image is an old song, that sounds like it could’ve been written yesterday. And I quote:

“It was a slow day
And the sun was beating
On the soldiers by the side of the road
There was a bright light
A shattering of shop windows
The bomb in the baby carriage
Wired to the radio

These are the days of miracle and wonder
This is the long distance call
The way the camera follows us in slow-mo
The way we look to us all
The way we look to a distant constellation
That’s dying in a corner of the sky
These are the days of miracle and wonder
And don’t cry baby, don’t cry”

For those who don’t recognize these lyrics and the awesome use of accordion that accompanies them, I have a link–

25 October 2018 The Trap

24 Wednesday Oct 2018

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‘Los pescadores valencianos’ By Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida 1895 {{PD}}

The 25th could be the day when what we don’t see could get us. Jupiter opposes Sedna and may suck all the oxygen out of the room; opportunities, chances to expand our world or get the word out, social roles, and unfettered optimism all threaten to ambush us as they distract from instincts and those things we ‘know but don’t know’, those prompts and internal pressures we would normally listen to and follow. We are invited to overdo, to ignore our internal warning system in favor of what we believe are ‘the facts’; the problem is that what we’re framing as facts are actually beliefs, a hopeful interpretation of what bare bones we are acknowledging.

We find a helpful guide at this time in the parallels of Venus and Jupiter to the Black Moon Lilith point. What appeals, promises Love or Money in some idealized form, those opportunities held out to us, will contain hidden things, traps constructed of what we have ignored or denied, or that harbor circumstances which, should we get our way, will only enrage us in their ultimate injustice. Knowing this, we can inspect what attracts with a keener eye, taking the time to really see what’s before us, warts and all. Resolve to notice what you might be tempted to brush aside, and to note all the components of a situation–it’s the only way to make effective decisions we won’t later regret.

Got squirrel? ‘The Squirrel’ By James Jebusa Shannon c1896 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is a squirrel that unsuccessfully tries again and again to get into a bird feeder. What are you relentlessly going after that is never going to pay off? Can you admit this, and put your energies elsewhere, or has this become so much a part of your identity that you’d rather continue fruitless pursuit, just to keep your idea of who you are intact?

See the Full Moon report here–

 

18-24 October 2018 A Careful Balance

17 Wednesday Oct 2018

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By Ramon Casas i Carbó c1890 {{PD}}

I’m not resuming daily posts, but did want to give everyone some tips for the coming week. The 18th we can be highly effective in material matters; that is, in actual manipulation of the environment or physical components. Tackle chores or go forward with efforts that express ideals or that follow ‘Higher Mind’ precepts–they’ll be executed with a touch of genius, right now. Be aware, though: just because ‘it’ is appealing, doesn’t mean it’s a smart choice (Mars nov Saturn and semi-sq Chiron, Venus semi-sq Pallas)

The 19th is a day when using one’s authority and creativity together is a winning combination. Ambitions can be realized–but only if we can avoid being impulsive and/ or avoid using ideas originating from our own hurt feelings or from angry Self-justification. As long as ambitions reflect ideals, things should go well; the minute we sink to ego level, we come up short (Ceres conj Zeus, Mercury sq Mars, sesq Chiron, trine Neptune)

My favorite representations of the Tarot ‘Fool’ show him blithely ready to step off a cliff–something like the attitude we need to adopt today. {{PD}}

The 20th presents a tricky equation: we have to act without resorting to power roles or personal ‘pull’, while simultaneously dealing with ‘blind spot’ material that, quite logically, we can’t possibly see! We may need to put our faith in our instincts, even as we trust that the Universe will deliver what we might otherwise be tempted to pursue using privilege, influence, or outright payment. A balancing act best symbolized by the Tarot card ‘The Fool’–trust in the Universe, but also in one’s own inner voice (Juno contra-parallel Ceres, Sun qnx Sedna)

By the 21st ‘it’ piles up–and by it I mean thoughts and impulses that may seem to have no effective outlet. We may be tempted to make unwise choices in an effort to avoid matters we’ve been ignoring or denying, or to dodge a fight over things that enrage us. It may feel as if everything we honor is being trampled. We must acknowledge needs even as we hold back automatically acting on them. Proactively we need to do two things to effectively cope: reach out only in blatantly healthy and positive ways, and seek the optimistic and the opportunities that attitude presents–all else is folly (Pallas sesq Black Moon Lilith, Vesta sesq Sedna, Jupiter trine Hygeia, Mars parallel BML, Mercury parallel Mars, Jupiter, and BML)

On the 22nd we see the ‘right’ move, if we can see what is of worth from the past, and if we don’t let our imaginations run away with us or let deceptions mislead us. Thoughts on Power and its effects are perceptive and probably accurate, and words and thoughts can be transformative (for good or ill), but if implementing change requires rebellion or varying from your core identity/ character, then it’s not a good idea, after all. And no matter what, cause no harm (Mars parallel Jupiter, Venus parallel SN, Mercury sxt Pluto, Sun contra-parallel Uranus, qnx Chiron, sesq Neptune)

For the 23rd, optimism and embracing ‘the facts’ are key. Contrary to earlier in the week, what appeals is smart, especially if it causes you to see the beauty in the past having rolled out just the way it did. The Sun enters Scorpio, and in so doing may challenge your ideas of what your role should be; as long as you respect individuality while emphasizing reliability and regularity, you’ll find yourself in exactly the spot you need to be (and prompted to purge exactly what needs purging). (Jupiter parallel BML, Venus nov Pallas, Mercury parallel SN and Venus, Sun opp Uranus and qnx Juno)

Juno enters Taurus on the 24th, and coupled with Venus’ sextile to Saturn may bring us ‘down to Earth’ in positive, profitable, or soothing ways. It’s a day when enjoying the material fruits of our position will better our standing or our environment–the only caution is betting too much on our ‘day in the Sun’, without giving due consideration to where we’ve come from, and where we’re going (Sun sq Nodal axis)

Full Moon forecast to follow. I may come back during the week to add Daily Images. Remember, Venus is still retro, so caution in Venusian life areas is smart. Have a lovely week!

4 October 2018 The Need For Balance

03 Wednesday Oct 2018

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‘The Tight-Rope Walker’ By Jean-Louis Forain c1885 {{PD}}

First, a quick refresher: parallels and contra-parallels occur when two or more bodies are at the same declination (distance) both on one side of the ecliptic (a parallel), or one north, the other south (contra-parallel), as observed from Earth. The parallel emphasizes a harmony between the bodies comparable to a conjunction, while the contra-parallel resembles an opposition. We have a number of these perfecting today; I imagine it as one of those laser set-ups the jewel thief has to stealthily navigate. Breaking the beam won’t set off any alarms, but may cause a wee internal panic, sending our attention off in less-than-productive directions–and who needs that?

We may find ourselves measuring our empowerment and our options to express ourselves in proportion to the current state of health; the best thing we can glean from this urge is to see the ways we may hobble ourselves, or the assumptions about ability we might make, based on our perceptions of our physical state. We are a bit haunted by our usual assumptions, even: we may see it as choosing to be courageous or practical and ignore our physical Beingness, or to honor the wound and so build efforts around not disturbing it. Neither is a winning course, but recognizing the need for balance, and finding and pairing complementary energies, is.

Seeing the worth of the Will while not necessarily bowing to it is important, as is valuing all that we can do (as opposed to mooning over what’s out of our reach at present). Our mantra today may be Beauty In Action; opportunity and ‘the facts’ both become clear and offer clever ways to claim our territory, exercise our Will, and prompt us to successfully negotiate rather than demand or struggle over.

(Perfecting today: Juno parallel Hygeia, both contra-parallel the Sun, Chiron contra-parallel Pallas, Venus parallel Mars, Jupiter nov Ceres)

3 October 2018 Contrary Impulses

02 Tuesday Oct 2018

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Maxfield Parrish ‘Mary, Mary, quite contrary’ 1921 {{PD}}

Why do we have this idea that our power resides in doing things contrary to instinct? We get one of those wrong-headed notions today and may have trouble shaking it, especially because it seems like just pushing through, heedlessly powering ahead, is the answer–but it’s not. We do best to put our efforts toward thoughtful transformation of the current scene, toward trying to get back in touch with what’s natural for us, and toward planning: our future, our Path, for fulfillment of ambitions and desires. In fact, thinking about goals may be the most effective thing we can do, as if these are clear, our actions and choices will automatically fall into the pattern our aims describe (Ceres sesq and Merc contra-parallel Sedna, Mars parallel Pluto, Mercury conj and parallel Zeus)

 

2 October 2018 Imagine That

01 Monday Oct 2018

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Drawn By Walter Crane, Engraved and Printed by Edmund Evans 1907 {{PD}}

We can address issues, especially practical problems, ones that are skill-related, or ones that are pressing us for smart solutions, with the greatest of imagination and ease today. Thinking it through is necessary, and at first we may start from the point of what we can’t change, but soon inspiration is upon us–so we’d be wise to tackle things we’ve previously seen as insurmountable or as not presenting any viable solutions–because today, if they can be solved, we’ll be able to see the solution. That doesn’t mean, though, that we’ll magically see a way forward for something that’s not meant to be in the first place–only that which can thrive with the right approach will fire the imaginative and creative spirit today. Also beware of accepting deceptive or misleading communications; the same energy that opens us to the creative also opens us to untruths.

(Neptune opp Pallas, Mercury sq Pluto and parallel Neptune)

Tea harvesting in Japan ‘Smiles at Harvest Time’ 1914 Photo by Elstner Hilton, published to Wikimedia by A.Davey from Portland, Oregon, EE UU under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license

Here’s something interesting on a tea especially harvested during particular Full Moons–

1 October 2018 Dark Recesses

30 Sunday Sep 2018

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Charles West Cope ‘The Night Alarm’ 1871 {{PD}}

We are compelled to run into the dark recesses of the mind, the places we’ve been avoiding or in denial of, and we (probably wrongly) believe we can get in and out unscathed. Today we believe in the power of the intellect to surmount or address every issue–silly us! There’s something about those hidden, forbidden, or enraging topics that pulls us in, that makes us run into the burning building, and despite our hair catching fire, we still think we are at one remove, safe, unharmed. Beware the illusion of invincibility, even as you embrace the chance to right something gone very, very wrong (Mars conj Black Moon Lilith, Sun contra-parallel Chiron)

Morse Code receiver and recorder from the late 19th century. Photo By Rauantiques CC BY-SA 4.0

Today’s word image is a future where media–print, dvds, cds, film, video, all ways of recording picture, sound, thoughts–is scarce. For me that would almost be like losing language itself. What would you miss? Would your life be deeply affected, or barely touched, by the disappearance of such material? Now imagine that future world is your brain–are there ‘tapes’ you’d like to get rid of? Would your future be poorer if you were able to erase the painful things, or richer, freer? What ones do you want to make sure to keep, no matter what? Sort through them, and give yourself permission to discard the ones that are negative, painful, or no longer valid, just as long as you have nothing else to learn from them, or don’t need them as important reminders. (This image points me toward the Void Gemini Moon period, or perhaps toward Mars, SN, and BML huddling together in Aquarius, ‘acting to wipe out the past’, plus Saturn-Vesta in Capricorn: ‘What constructs and parts of the past are sacred, to be honored and preserved?’)

Your Weekend 29-30 September 2018 The Grind

28 Friday Sep 2018

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‘Old Mill: The Morning Bell’ by Winslow Homer 1871 {{PD}}

Calling it a grind really is making this weekend sound much more harsh, and perhaps much slower-paced, than it really will be. With Pluto stationing direct on the 30th, we may feel that immensely slow grind and reversal and not really notice that in other ways we’re fleet, smart, wrestling with creative problems, with creating the future, and with looking for the best ways to empower ourselves, and so get where we want to go. Actions are effective and efficient; trouble only comes when we try to pin down power, especially when we try to mull, categorize, and codify it. If we’ll only let it flow through us, a river of energy that carries our talents, then we can draw on that power like a watermill, giving that power expression shape, form, purpose.

Be aware, too, that our psychic wounds have a direct pipeline to our health, and so may show in bodily issues even more strongly than usual. Our imaginations can cause problems, as well, if we overthink or go with speculation instead of fact (Perfecting this weekend includes: Chiron conj Hygeia, Mars parallel Saturn, Merc contra-parallel Hygeia, sesq and contra-parallel Juno, and qnx Neptune, Sun parallel Pallas and contra-parallel Ceres, Pallas nov NN)

Have a lovely weekend!