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Tag Archives: The Lunar Essence

New Moon in Libra 19 October 2017 Chaos and Instinct

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By http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/13647This file was donated to Wikimedia Commons by as part of a project by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57097242

The New Moon occurs at 12:12 PM Pacific time on the 19th at 26 Libra 35. It makes a close opposition to Uranus in Aries, sesquiquadrates Neptune in its own sign of Pisces, and is apex to a Finger of God with base of Sedna-Chiron, and at the same time is part of the base of another Finger with a sextile to the point Black Moon Lilith, apex Sedna. Most of the aspects for this Moon are close, which is why we don’t need to reach for other contacts (though we may count a loose semi-sextile to Mars, which just seems to bring home the Aries energy that’s already so prominently in opposition); the orb is too wide to count a conjunction to Jupiter or a sextile to Saturn–no need to stretch, we already have a concise picture.

New starts, beginnings, related to Libra always have an ‘us-other’ facet, and often emphasize aesthetic, asset, or relationship matters. There may be changes or shifts in cooperation and partnership areas that highlight the way Venusian subjects such as Love or Money are really interaction issues, with a requirement to weigh and measure levels of financial or emotional investment. These typical New Moon in Libra matters are shaped by aspects the NM makes to others bodies; this time around, they get a dose of chaos, which examined closely reveals a method beneath the madness.

The New Moon opposes Uranus in Aries (which of course conjoins Earth). This suggests material or real-world issues are chaotic, unexpected, avant garde, or intellectually advanced (Uranus), with the illusion (Neptune) being that these erratic or surprising moves appear to be the expression of individuals (Aries) responding to ideals (Pisces)–but they’re actually an emotional (and probably unconscious) response to the group and the individual’s unique place within it (Uranus). Projection of feeling may be something both given and received, at this time, and it may either be difficult to know what we feel, or may seem that others are acting as they do because they’re unaware of their own emotional reactions–or we could experience a mind-bending elixir of both.

The Finger with New Moon as apex suggests that instinct or ‘blind spot’ material combines with hurt or unique skill, and the result is the ‘fresh start’ of this Lunar cycle. With the NM as base with Black Moon Lilith, we see the new beginning reach deep into denied or ignored material (no wonder it all feels chaotic!), with the result being we are stimulated to act either out of material held in our ‘blind spot’ or instinctually. The Fingers create a kind of energy ouroboros, with a lot of the material suppressed, denied, unconscious, or projected so that things seem to leap out of chaos–but if we are honest with ourselves, we know there’s method here, in the form of circumstances forcing us to see and acknowledge what we may have been denying or rejecting–and so become more responsible to both ourselves and in our agreements with others (Libra).

The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘An Airplane Sails, High In The Clear Sky’. Flight, at least that facilitated by an airplane, is relatively modern, with the mention of ‘high in the clear sky’ suggesting a successful ascension and safe travel in easy weather; this may speak to that Uranus-Earth opposition to this New Moon, with that planetary combo a perfect expression of successfully leaving the Earth via a modern invention. In opposition, this may imply that what occurs at the New Moon may, as we’ve discussed, seem chaotic, but in reality it will offer the foundation for something entirely new, an unusual (for the individual) way to soar. We get a clue as to what may come about with the Sabian for Uranus-Earth, ‘Through Imagination A Lost Opportunity Is Regained’. What occurs stimulates the creative, imaginative, inventive spirit and the instinctual nature–even out of chaos, we find purpose, meaning, and a new way forward.

One caveat: the New Moon period, though bringing positive things, may be difficult in itself. The same day brings Mars and Chiron parallel each other and both contra-parallel Vesta, and Saturn sesquiquadrate Pallas. That suggests that the ‘real world’ may fail to support what’s wise or practical, and our inclinations may be to act out of hurt and so could sabotage values. Just a heads up about surrounding circumstances, and a warning to keep our eye on motivations and reactions.

Have a wonderful New Moon, everyone! I won’t be around for a few days–stay safe, live happy!

 

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Full Moon in Aries 5 October 2017 Judged

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By Craig Deakin from Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom – #bluemoon #moon #nature #landscape #evening #sunset #summer #sky #eavig #photooftheday #iphoneography #iphonesia #picoftheday #instadaily #bestoftheday #jj #nofilter #instagood #igaddict #popular #ignation #statigram #webstagram #all_shots #followme #follUploaded by ComputerHotline, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21015674

The Full Moon in Aries occurs at 11:39 AM Pacific time of the 5th at 12 Aries 43, and falls at the midpoint of Neptune-Pallas, and opposed Mercury (which, along with the Sun, is apex to a Finger with base consisting of Neptune-Pallas). The fact that the Full Moon falls in a sign known for its singular viewpoint suggests we’ll have an especially ‘alone’ feeling with this event, even more so because of the build-up in Libra, as if others are ‘facing’ us and considering (even judging) our choices, actions, and ‘fitness to lead’, even if that applies only to leading our own lives. Our thoughts will be the result of combining our spiritual ideals and our inner wisdom, practicality, and skills, and this means that we can learn the most from stepping back and observing our own minds, seeing how well (or poorly) we are able to make our ideals an active part of our lives–and this all occurs in the context of a culmination of emotional and intuitive energy that is Self-oriented, as it faces feedback from ‘the Other’, the audience, even from those who specifically dislike us (the build-up in Libra, which includes the source of all energy, the Sun). The natural outcome of this may be that we are experiencing inner revelations even as we are dealing with less-than-pleasant externals–and all of it meant to show us what within us and within our lives that is Aries-natured is at an end, or has gone as far as it can go.

Not in aspect to the Full Moon, but significant, together with only three minutes variation at the time of Lunar culmination, Venus and Mars sit at 19 Virgo, watching and evaluating it all. In my mind they represent a secondary faction relative to the FM event: they are those not engulfed in FM action, but off to the side, critiquing and commenting. They are an audience, a very Libran thing–and so drawing attention to the line-up there, which includes, between 8 and 28 degrees Libra, Vesta, Mercury (current ruler of Venus and Mars, with Merc-Venus in mutual reception, and Merc involved in the FM picture), the Sun, Zeus, and Jupiter.

This places a lot of ‘weight’ on our relationships and particularly on the way we function as an individual within them; that is, we’ll see ourselves as both separate from and entangled with others, with emphasis on our aloneness, our choices, and our potential for being ‘the leader’ within the interaction. If you are lonely, this Full Moon may highlight that, and if you feel regarded, judged, observed and assessed by others, this too may be highlighted, with the Full Moon assisting you in drawing conclusions, especially concerning how much you will or will not engage in partnership, acceptance, or intimacy in the future. This Lunar event offers the chance to establish a Self-image harmonious to the emotional reality, and it’s only natural that this involves at least some decisions made in the context of current relationships.

How much change can we expect from this? Little to none, it seems, at least that will show on the surface; the Sabian is, ‘An Unexploded Bomb Reveals An Unsuccessful Social Protest’, suggesting that we may try to ‘blow it all up’ in protest of our social role, responsibilities, or treatment, only to find it doesn’t work! This may be a very good thing, as our actions could reveal the true feelings of others: do they care how we feel? do they respond to our distress? do they agree with what we feel are injustices, or do they just look away, and hope we’ll continue in our role? Or, we could be the recipient of ‘a bomb’ that startles but has little effect on the social landscape. The idea is one of energy that is not successfully deployed–and that this potentially explosive scenario is justified by social conditions–and that may or may not be valid reasoning for attempting to ‘explode’ the current reality picture.

By Basile Morin – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62520604

The Sabian for the Sun may give us the final piece to this puzzle: ‘Children Blowing Soap Bubbles’. So, are we seeing ineffectual expression, in the sense that it is perhaps disguised as someone declaring they are care-free, presented as a cry for freedom or creativity, even an elaborate ‘game’ designed to make us jump or distract us? Or are we alerted to this within ourselves? In any case, the situation presented will not be a situation to take too seriously–although if it’s an attempt on our part to express a sense of injustice or a desire for change in our role, what we need to see is that the approach that might seem smart at the time of the Full Moon may not be effective, and/ or may not be taken seriously by others.

Whether we are lobbing the firecrackers, or they’re being lobbed at us, the reality is that this will be a period of communication centered on needs and power—and this may explain why things are addressed obliquely, perhaps dressed up as something else, or that actions are meant as a cry for attention or to address a state of emotional need and want. We’ll need to listen for the unspoken message, look at the symbolism, observe what’s done and what’s not done, what’s said and what’s never uttered–and then choose who we are, and how we will communicate our needs, from there.

Also of note: we’re on the verge of the Superior Conjunction of the Sun and Mercury (the 8th); that will help thoughts coalesce, make messaging clear, and will show us what, inevitably, will be changing, after all (T-square Sun-Merc opp Earth all square Pluto).

New Moon in Virgo 19 September 2017 To Serve Man

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The Enchanted Garden of Messer Ansaldo by Marie Spartali Stillman (1889) {{PD}}

Many of you will recognize this article’s title from an old Twilight Zone episode, where humans eventually realize that extraterrestrials who arrived carrying a book titled ‘To Serve Man’ haven’t come to offer altruistic aid, which is humanity’s first, Self-serving assumption. Too late it’s discovered that the tome is, rather than instructions for actually a cookbook, and we’re all on the menu! I’ve been seeing something like this all around lately, a dogged attempt at interpreting actions and events as ‘for our own good’, one way or another, when in fact those choices are serving only the perpetrators. Is there anything wrong with serving one’s own needs and agenda? Of course not–it’s true that our primary responsibility is to look out for ourselves–it’s the presentation of selfish choices in a way meant to lull others into feeling cared for, to deceive concerning the intentions behind what’s said or done, that are the problem.

We may have accepted the unacceptable in particular over the weekend, and during the Monday and Tuesday preceding the New Moon. The Dark period often makes us unintentionally receptive, the mind and psyche open, either from a sense of relaxation or a sense of unguardedness. Sometimes we feel extra-alert in that figurative darkness (when the transiting Moon is contacting sensitive natal bodies or territory as it approaches the Sun), but more often we feel adrift, and so unable to resist what comes at us; sometimes this is a good thing, as we absorb information that otherwise might not be available to us, and potentially a bad thing, as we receive influences without our usual critical assessment.

What does all this have to do with the New Moon in Virgo, occurring at 10:30 PM Pacific time of the 19th? Everything, really, as we see a New Moon in Virgo brings new, productively-oriented beginnings–and what prompts those beginnings may have been influenced by Dark of the Moon material. Again, this may not be a problem, as it could’ve acted to lower our barriers and quiet critical resistance to our creativity and imagination–but it also may have ‘let in’ things that tailor our new start more to the interests of others than to our own wants and needs.

Since the tone of Virgo is one of service, we may find we need to ask ourselves one defining question about what originates around this time: For whom am I doing this? If you do it for yourself, fine; if you do it in pure service to others, also fine; but if you do it unsure of what motivates you, you may do best to stop and sort it out, or risk creating something that’s more burden than benefit.

The New Moon perfects at 27 Virgo 27, widely conjoined Vesta in Libra, and opposed both Earth (natch) and Chiron. The NM also sextiles Ceres, widely squares Black Moon Lilith, sesquiquadrates Pallas, trines Sedna, with its closest aspect a quincunx to Uranus. (This is where I might also point out the Finger of God that, though not connected directly to the New Moon, still may poke us in the eye: Sedna sextile Earth-Chiron, apex Jupiter=if we can get the instincts and material skills to work together, we make something larger than the sum of its parts–a challenge that might apply to whatever we instigate at this point, and that we must be aware can get away from us, overwhelming our control or understanding, at any time).

The aspects suggest the New Moon ‘births’ something we dedicate ourselves to, that reflects our highest values (and again, we see the need to know why and for whom we are acting, as new commitments and obligations, especially to others, are a distinct possibility–Vesta in Libra). The caution comes in the opposition of Chiron, suggesting we may be in denial of, or out of touch with, our own wounds, substantially upping the chances of us being insensitive to our needs (or even to martyring ourselves–Chiron in Pisces).

The square to BML describes tension over things that enrage us, or over injustice or things we are in denial of–again, a ‘looking away’ or separative element to what we do, or how we see or process events, that suggests we observe and react to the wrong without actually doing anything–though the sextile to Ceres and trine to Sedna both promise we can connect to informative energies through our natural roles and sources of power, especially those attuned to Mother Nature and her rhythms and cycles. We can trust our own natural authority as our guide, and we’ll need to; the sesquiquadrate to Pallas and the quincunx to Uranus imply difficulty using the intellect to discern what’s wise, what’s smart, what’s ‘right’, and this can contribute situations where we must draw on skills in times of sudden opportunity or, more likely, sudden stress.

The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘A Baldheaded Man Who Has Seized Power’. The image is one not just of taking power for oneself, it conveys natural power, akin to that which we find in Black Moon Lilith, Ceres, Pallas, and Sedna, derived in the image via the high testosterone levels we now know cause baldness. The NM meeting of Moon and Sun suggests a blending of male and female, with the Sabian providing a male image of power, overt in its expression, while the connections of the New Moon provide a picture largely of female power, or at least power represented in various female forms, a more receptive and emotionally perceptive energy.

The New Moon, then, brings us all a chance to dedicate ourselves in some kind of service, and we may become powerful in the process, though one of the challenges is to be as aware as possible of not just who we are serving, but how and where the power to serve and be served is derived, in growing this New Moon seed of Higher Consciousness.

The Full Moon 6 September 2017 Noblest Form

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Three Women by Umberto Boccioni, 1910 {{PD}}

Somehow I managed to talk all around the Neptune conjunction with the Full Moon–I was thinking about it, but not naming names! Now it’s in there. The Full Moon culminates at 2:46 AM Pacific time at 13 Pisces 53, conjoined ruler Neptune (though past perfection to it). The FM sextiles Pallas, quincunxes Venus, semi-sextiles Uranus, and quindeciles (165 degrees) the just-direct Mercury. We skip a potential sextile to Pluto, as it’s a little too far for this contact, just over three degrees difference. The Moon in Pisces is receptive, open to the Universe, and it’s triply so conjoined ruler Neptune; this makes for a potent result that carries the essence of the creative, the imaginative, the ideal, or the illusive, with the latter suggesting we might not get a handle on the FM until it’s well past perfection. A Full Moon presents conclusions or fulfillment; in this case we may see an end to, a resolution of, or a fulfillment of a dream, ideal, or deception. It may or may not be stressful in a minor way, with its biggest immediate impact an empty space where that Piscean element, now resolved, used to be.

The aspects show us the wisdom of whatever comes to an end (that is, that it’s smart for things to conclude now, possibly so that we may free up creative energy); they also suggest that whatever occurs may happen suddenly, an in-the-moment surprise or revelation, spurring some sort of difficulty, a need to adjust ourselves or our attitudes in matters of relationship or finances. Most compelling, though, may be a Full Moon urge to communicate, whether that is advisable or not. There is something we will feel an overwhelming desire to convey to others, verbally or otherwise, and this may be ‘dressed up’ in fanciful ways, as Art, or may be camouflaged so that the communicator (because of course, everyone will be subject to this urge, in one form or another) sends the message without claiming the energy, or drawing attention back on themselves. You always have to watch out for the quiet ones, don’t you?

The Sabian for this FM is, ‘A Lady Wrapped In A Large Stole Of Fox Fur’. At the time this symbol was formulated, it was quite fashionable to wear animal fur; now it’s anything but, despite a small contingent of those who cling to old values. In terms of the Full Moon, this may suggest that what concludes at this time does so because it’s ‘out of fashion’–this is, because the time for such a dream, ideal, or deception is past. And it’s not just passé, it’s actually offensive to some, as we evolve toward a more and more respectful treatment of our fellow animals. The Sabian tells us that, no matter how we perceive and process the ending brought about by this Moon, we must see that it’s all for the good, that it’s helping us shed old, no-longer-desirable attitudes, that it’s freeing us from ideas that may be nothing so much as cruel.

For a Full Moon we also look at the Sun, the provider of energy and light, and we see this Sabian: ‘An Aristocratic Family Tree’. This suggests that the elimination or conclusion brought by the FM is ennobling, that it harks back to the finer qualities of human beings as a species, and that in fact it may originate with this idea; each of us connects to something within that is fine, and that shows us the wisdom of this Full Moon ending. It also spurs us to ask ourselves what we will allow to fill the Piscean space this conclusion creates. It’s a period when we communicate who we are in our noblest form, and we tap ourselves for new creative or idealistic material that is original, that could only come from the individual celebrated and honored for all that’s best within.

 

 

The Solar Eclipse in Leo 2017: The Re-Birth of the Soul

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John William Waterhouse – ‘Mermaid’ 1899 {{PD}}

This is re-published from earlier. Have a safe and joyous eclipse experience!

The Solar eclipse begins on the 21st of August at 11:29 AM PDT at 28 Leo 52. Though I wouldn’t normally count it as conjoined Mars when the spread is just over eight degrees, as it is here, I think we must, considering the part the ego, action, and ‘I Am’ energies played in the partner Lunar eclipse that preceded this event—so we’ll keep the Martian spirit in mind as we assess the eclipse; the Martian Fire is right in tune with the Leo event. This New Moon has been anticipated for some time, because it’s both a total eclipse, and because it will be visible along a path that spans the United States coast to coast. The interesting thing is that, if you’re outside the path of totality, what you’ll see is a partial covering of the Sun by the Moon, rather than the complete eclipse visible elsewhere. So, as with everything, it’s important to keep in mind that where you are determines perspective, and so dictates your experience of the eclipse, as it does so many other things.

Does that mean the eclipse will deliver a different effect to those in the path of totality than it will to everyone else on the planet? Perhaps it will have a different, stronger, or more potent impact on those who find themselves in its path, but I think it’s more of an astronomical spectacle than an astrological one; I don’t anticipate it being any more or less potent than any other eclipse (and remember, we have two Solar and two Lunar eclipses per year, on average, so eclipses themselves are not actually all that rare), though others will disagree.

Maybe we should think of it more as a New Moon in Leo that just happens to be an eclipse; that way we keep the emphasis on the Leo/ Mars ‘I Am’ facets of the event, even as we note that all eclipses serve to ‘wipe out’ certain circumstances that came before, specifically those related to the matters of the House in the natal chart where the eclipse falls, those related to the sign energy in general, and in anything the eclipse contacts in the natal chart by close aspect (no more than three or four degrees, typically, and this can affect expression of the contacted energy or matters of the Houses ruled, if any). But, aside from personal natal contacts, the eclipse draws a more general picture that applies in some degree to everyone; that’s what we’ll look at here.

A Solar eclipse is a seed event, a New Moon the energies of which supersede those that came before, in this case those of the ‘I Am’, the identity, and the Soul Purpose for incarnating as they mesh with the emotions, intuition, and perceptions of the non-physical and non-material. With an eclipse, we see a vibrational inception that will resonate through to the next eclipse set, in roughly six months. In part this tone is set by the sign in which the eclipse occurs, in this case, Leo, emphasizing the individual perspective, individual initiative (due to Mars lingering nearby), and how well the Soul has to this point managed to create circumstances under which it could ‘shine’, that is, live its purpose. So, the attention for the next six months goes to accomplishment in Soul-terms—and of course, that will mean something unique to each individual.

The eclipse forms an out-of-sign trine to a close conjunction of Hygeia and Juno, which makes for a Grand Trine with Uranus; the New Moon also squares Sedna, loosely noviles Ceres, and quincunxes Chiron (and anyone with natal placements at 27 Capricorn-00 Aquarius should expect the eclipse to deliver a wallop, either hurting or healing the involved energies in some significant way). Is it too vague to say expect surprises, shocks, the unexpected, revelations, and the potential for immediate and immersive understanding via the Higher Mind? This may be especially so around literal health as well as the ‘health’ (i.e. effectiveness) of the personal state of empowerment. We may resist what the instincts tell us, at least initially; hidden information that we ‘know but don’t know’ may cause problems, which are meant to draw our attention and contribute to or shape that ‘shock of the new’ we’ll undergo.

Or, rather than a personal shock or revelation, we may experience the eclipse’s ‘big reveal’ through a group choice or interaction. We could find ourselves responding as an individual to something the group requires, testing our willingness to lead, to commit to a philosophical approach to things, or to sacrifice the individual needs for the larger good. We may find we are stronger than we think, forced to adjust our ideas of just what truly injures us, and that may call for adjustments to our Self-image, to the way we see ourselves and so to the way we express ourselves and exert our Will. What occurs may bring forward unique skills, a sense that the individual is ‘the only one who could ‘x’’ and so in some way save the day, or serve the group needs in a major way.

There is a single element of grace here that should enable us to weather anything the eclipse brings: that novile to Ceres says that either Nature, or the sense of personal authority, will provide the support, or the answers, we’ll need. Our own ability to accept complete responsibility for ourselves will allow for the most effective position and response possible; so will acceptance of the ways of Nature, and what they tell us about our part in it.

Don’t you love the Sabian for this eclipse? ‘A Mermaid Emerges From The Ocean Waves Ready For Rebirth In Human Form’. We see an end to immersion in the currents of emotion with their overwhelming influence, dulling the other senses, obscuring the vision and hearing, keeping us below the surface (a symbolic way of saying we aren’t accessing the Air, that is, using reason and the mind, to process things). The mermaid is ready to shed a way of Being that, in terms of imagery, is focused on the feeling nature; she is ready to move on, in the sense of becoming. It’s important we note that going from mermaid form to human is not inherently a move from inferior to superior form, but is a shift in the tools we use to interact, process, and understand. It’s also important to be aware we’re assuming the mermaid will be taking all she’s learned underwater (through the feeling nature) with her; she’s not abandoning emotional perceptions and intuitions, she’s adding to them. As this applies to the eclipse, the symbol suggests each of us will evolve to a next step (literally, in the case of a mermaid!) that expands our skills in dealing with the world. Re-birth usually isn’t easy, or pleasant, and change of any kind can be messy—but it’s also a widening of our horizons and our ability to deal with things that can’t be attained any other way, a journey into new elements, with all the adventure, risk, and need to learn that entails (another mermaid reference!)

One other thing to note: though I don’t usually discuss aspect sets that don’t interact with the event (I find that dilutes the focus on, and so the meaning of, what we’re examining), this time I would like to point to a very close conjunction, only three minutes apart and moving ever closer at the time of the eclipse, of Saturn and Black Moon Lilith. BML is, as we know, a point, rather than a body; Saturn moving closer to perfection with that point suggests either suppression or materialization of rage, or of matters we or others have been working to ignore or deny. This may be a significant side note to the entire eclipse period, and could suggest secrets revealed will become the norm.

 

Your Weekend 12-13 August 2017 Rearranged

11 Friday Aug 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Grand Trine, Horoscope, Lunar Aspects, Mercury retrograde, Retrogrades, The Daily Word Image

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Photo by Lewis Carroll ‘Smith Sisters, Summer 1859’ {{PD}}

Remember that trine between the Sun and Black Moon Lilith we talked about yesterday? For a few hours on the 12th it becomes a Fire Grand Trine as the Moon moves into the last decan of Aries (later AM Pacific)–and this happens just after the Moon forms a T-square by opposition to Jupiter and square to Pluto. The energy is big, sweeping, serious, though it doesn’t feel heavy, except in the way we see (or perhaps I should say ‘perceive’, as not everything will be on the surface or immediately identifiable) it shuffling the chess pieces on our board. We get to the end of the day with things considerably different, arranged in a way we didn’t anticipate, as at least some of what happens involves having to attend to (and so acknowledge feelings about) those things we’d rather ignore or deny. Know that there’s liberation to be found in dealing with things, and be aware that, particularly right now, we must be willing to allow others the autonomy to make their own decisions, no matter what we believe.

Mercury also begins apparent retrograde in Virgo, needing to backtrack only 7 minutes to perfect a trine to Pallas. This suggests that at least part of the meaning of this retro period will involve critical discernment (Virgo) of what’s wise, what’s practical, what skills are needed (Pallas). This sets the tone for the entire period; make sure that what you review and re-do brings answers that address those Pallas questions.

Today’s word image is a bowling ball floating on the water. Impossible, right? We may encounter something just as unlikely today–but in this case, accept what you see, but verify how it’s done, even though that takes the ‘magic’ out of it, as you’ll be much better off knowing the ‘why and how’ behind it.

Anticipation may be the theme on the 13th. We see the Sun trining a retrograde Saturn, Vesta and Neptune moving toward opposition, Mars heading toward a quincunx to Pluto and sextiles to Zeus and Jupiter, and there are a coupe of close semi-sextiles that link energies through a mild tension: Mars-Venus, and Chiron-Uranus, which we can read as, ‘man-woman/ animus/ anima’ and ‘sudden hurt or healing, wounding accident, spontaneous display of unique skills’. We may spend the day in a state akin to waiting, but not knowing just what we’re waiting for. The Moon in Taurus counsels us to relax and enjoy creature comforts–that’ll be my goal, and should be yours, too.

Today’s word image is: a sea serpent pokes his head up out of a choppy lake. Hmmm. Again with an image that may or may not be a reality. And again, accept that you saw it, but don’t accept anyone else’s definition of what it actually is.

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Thoughts on Eclipse Season Summer 2017

07 Monday Aug 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, eclipse, Lunar Eclipse, Solar Eclipse

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Portland, Maine Breakwater ‘Bug’ Light built in 1875. It’s dubbed “the bug” because of its small size. Photo by Carol M. Highsmith, Library of Congress Archives {{PD}}

The Lunar eclipse in Aquarius is just a couple hours off, but I feel as if we’ve been under the distorted light of an eclipse for weeks now. We’ve hit the record for days without rain–51–and are slated to break it, adding at least another seven days of hot, dry weather in the coming week. That’s made it hellish, but what gives the light the dull, reddish shadows even in midday are the wildfires in Canada; the mild flow from North to South that normally cools us in summer is carrying a dense carmine haze that permeates the air from horizon to zenith. Outside it looks and feels like those fleeting moments when the Earth casts its shadow (Lunar eclipse) or when the Moon comes between Earth and Sun, blocking out the Solar orb (Solar eclipse)–and it just seems so unnatural, as if we are living a slow-mo version of a transformative, seminal moment, over days and days.

The Moon last night here just north of Seattle, dark orange and partially obscured by the thick smoke.

Though I know some people are seeing the August eclipses as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, I’m seeing them more as breakwaters, those walls onto which the fiercest waves crash; breakwaters protect the shore from being decimated by the sheer energy of the waves, and these celestial events are meant to disrupt the pattern, to reveal, to free–that last most of all–and to both concentrate (showing us meaning) and dissipate (softening the blow) the impact that can come from a sharp, seemingly sudden energy shift. Take the eclipse events as a breakwater would: let them wash over you, let them reveal what’s generated that wave energy, but don’t allow them to force a precipitous response, or to give you the impression that you’ll never get out from under what it brings.

On a lighter note, I didn’t even know I had a bucket list, until Saturday night; that’s when I realized my Aquarian Ascendant had waited 35 years to hear Fred Schneider intone in person: “I’ve got me a car, and it’s as big as a whale, and it’s about to SET SAIL!” Oh, the little gifts eclipse season brings are really the best. Have a great one! And special thanks to all the lovely people who’ve written some really nice things to and about me lately–those words have been more appreciated than you know.

 

The Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius 7 August 2017: A Personal New Age

06 Sunday Aug 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Full Moon, Lunar Aspects, Lunar Eclipse, Sabian Symbols

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Aurelia (Fazio’s Mistress). 1863 (retouched in 1873) Dante Gabriel Rossetti {{PD}}

The Lunar eclipse occurs on the 7th of August at 11:11 AM Pacific time at 15 Aquarius 25; this places the Full Moon event at the midpoint of Neptune and Pluto, and so deems the Sun apex to a (just slightly) loose Finger of God, which right away suggests that what transpires, and where our attention goes, may not be to the Lunar energies, at least not at first. The Full Moon is in Aquarius, a sign of intellectual acuity, experimentation, originality, the unusual, the freakish, the surprising, the unique, but it may be the Sun’s Leonine energies that set the whole thing off: the essence of the Self finds revelation, or revolution, in some situation that brings together the ideal, the misunderstood, the fantastical, the spiritual, or the elements of a dream (Neptune), with the energy and power of change, transformation, or destruction (Pluto). Will the result be the emergence of some amazing new part of the individual, some characteristic, talent, or goal one has been striving to express? Or will it be less thrilling, the removal of some fantasy about power, or about spiritual change, or about how attaining the dream will transform the individual? What the eclipse reveals as the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon on precisely the same plane, blocking the Sun’s light from reflecting off the Moon, is something culminating, ending, that brings closure to a particular emotional situation that we may only see once the dazzling sunlight is removed. We will literally be observing the Earth’s shadow, symbolically seen as the shadow of our own material existence and its effect on the spirit and the emotions; we will see the result of the individual Will, desire, heart (Leo) as it has shaped the emotional reality (Luna) through the choices made in this physical realm (Earth).

The only other aspects to fall within acceptable orbs are a trine from Zeus and Jupiter, which two are closely conjoined in Libra, and an opposition to Mars, from which the Sun is now separating. This suggests something quite interesting: that whether the eclipse effect is one that takes us closer to our ideals, or one that removes something untrue from the life and perceptions, it will still serve to deliver an expanded, optimistic, and opportunity-filled scenario (it will deliver this if we can recognize it as such, that is), one that addresses the ambitions and desires (for good or ill, for fulfillment or denial), with the likely instrument a partner, friend, or a cooperative or aesthetic venture (Libra); all that occurs with this event will, one way or another, be the product of our own choices, action, or Will, even more directly so than in daily life (Mars opp). That means we will be looking at a direct reflection of our own ‘I Am’, something we can’t see under ‘normal’ light; the Lunar eclipse puts a kind of black light on the ego and what it has done, so that we can observe effects that have been invisible, until now, and it does so through an Aquarian lens: one that ‘bends the light’ toward Higher Thought, toward a new and original facet of the ‘I Am’.

The Sabian symbol for the Lunar eclipse is, ‘A Big Businessman At His Desk’. This speaks of the ego, the ‘I Am’, as it has directed and organized things—which is ironic considering that eclipse Mars is conjoined the Sun, with this suggesting a certain distance (and so an ability to get some perspective) on the ego and our actions and choices. We also see echoes of the social structure, of convention and economic development and cooperation—but what comes through strongest is the solitary nature of such a position. This Full Moon may make it exceptionally clear in what areas we are psychically (and perhaps even materially/ physically) alone—and awareness of our singular status could be accompanied by our undeniable fitness to manage our circumstances, situation, or approach on our own.

‘Fingal’s Cave’ J. M. W. Turner 1830 {{PD}}

We also look at the symbol for the Sun, as it produces the light that enables Earth to cast the shadow in the first place: ‘The Storm Ended, All Nature Rejoices In Brilliant Sunshine’. Ah! This promises that the eclipse brings an end to ‘the storm’, or that if the event creates a storm or brings one to a head, it will quickly ‘clear up’. The Lunar eclipse promises to reveal the reasons for the storm or upset via a ‘clear’ outlook and the perspective offered by distance through time, useful even when that distance is the immediate past.

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New Moon in Leo 23 July 2017 Fight For What You Love

20 Thursday Jul 2017

Posted by in astrology, Fist of God, forecast, Horoscope, New Moon, Sabian Symbols

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Henri-Jean Guillaume Martin {{PD}}

Conflicting inclinations set up the energy dynamic of the New Moon: on the one hand, we may find ourselves digging and digging in relation to stated values and priorities–we somehow just can’t trust what we see–and yet we see the perfect way to benefit through Love or Finances, specifically by focusing on what’s loved, important to us, valuable for its beauty, or treasured. These impulses may or may not present at cross-purposes, and some of us will delve into the essence of only one or the other, but together they set the stage and grab our attention, even as the New Moon slips in, plants a seed, and carries things forward.

The New Moon in Leo occurs in the wee hours Pacific time, at 2:46 AM at 00 Leo 44. It perfects just slightly more than one degree from conjoining Mars–and that means both bodies will move on very quickly to perfect contact to the Warrior energy. A very rough Fist is formed, with the NM apex to the square made between Black Moon Lilith and Neptune. This suggests trouble, in the form of rage or denial coupled with deception, delusion, or imagination run amok, that creates a need to ‘strike out’, to go it alone, or to let the ego drive, feeling we are ill-equipped to handle things any other way.

LOVE sculpture by Robert Indiana, Photo By Hu Totya – Own work {{PD}} https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1222063

That’s unfortunate–but is there a way out, a remedy to subconscious anger or righteous resentment? Yes, via the New Moon’s novile to Venus in Gemini. Think about, talk about, consider what you love–that’s the best way to both see how to react and what to do.

The New Moon makes two other aspects, an out-of-sign trine to Chiron, and an out-of-sign square to Uranus. Expect jolts, but healing, Higher Understanding, and easy hurt, skills called forward to address the unexpected. The Sabian for the New Moon offers a clue: ‘Blood Rushes To A Man’s Head As His Vital Energies Are Mobilized Under The Spur Of Ambition’. We may be inclined to try to handle things through the intellect (Uranus) rather than the heart (Leo), though the image makes clear the man is driven by desire (Venus)–and it would be a mistake to focus solely on the mind; we need to utilize the mind in support of those cared-for people and issues, rather than letting the intellect, or anger, lead.

Though I don’t usually subscribe to checking every Sabian, I think considering the importance of Venus, we could use whatever hints the symbol might provide: ‘A Tumultuous Labor Demonstration’. It’s in the midst of chaos, upset, fighting for what we want (New Moon conj Mars) that we discover, reiterate, or crystallize the presence and intention of Love–and the New Moon provides the energy and focus to put that Love into action.

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The Solar Eclipse in Leo 2017: The Re-Birth of the Soul

18 Tuesday Jul 2017

Posted by in astrology, eclipse, New Moon, Sabian Symbols, Solar Eclipse

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John William Waterhouse – ‘Mermaid’ 1899 {{PD}}

The Solar eclipse begins on the 21st of August at 11:29 AM PDT at 28 Leo 52. Though I wouldn’t normally count it as conjoined Mars when the spread is just over eight degrees, as it is here, I think we must, considering the part the ego, action, and ‘I Am’ energies played in the partner Lunar eclipse that preceded this event—so we’ll keep the Martian spirit in mind as we assess the eclipse; the Martian Fire is right in tune with the Leo event. This New Moon has been anticipated for some time, because it’s both a total eclipse, and because it will be visible along a path that spans the United States coast to coast. The interesting thing is that, if you’re outside the path of totality, what you’ll see is a partial covering of the Sun by the Moon, rather than the complete eclipse visible elsewhere. So, as with everything, it’s important to keep in mind that where you are determines perspective, and so dictates your experience of the eclipse, as it does so many other things.

Does that mean the eclipse will deliver a different effect to those in the path of totality than it will to everyone else on the planet? Perhaps it will have a different, stronger, or more potent impact on those who find themselves in its path, but I think it’s more of an astronomical spectacle than an astrological one; I don’t anticipate it being any more or less potent than any other eclipse (and remember, we have two Solar and two Lunar eclipses per year, on average, so eclipses themselves are not actually all that rare), though others will disagree.

Maybe we should think of it more as a New Moon in Leo that just happens to be an eclipse; that way we keep the emphasis on the Leo/ Mars ‘I Am’ facets of the event, even as we note that all eclipses serve to ‘wipe out’ certain circumstances that came before, specifically those related to the matters of the House in the natal chart where the eclipse falls, those related to the sign energy in general, and in anything the eclipse contacts in the natal chart by close aspect (no more than three or four degrees, typically, and this can affect expression of the contacted energy or matters of the Houses ruled, if any). But, aside from personal natal contacts, the eclipse draws a more general picture that applies in some degree to everyone; that’s what we’ll look at here.

A Solar eclipse is a seed event, a New Moon the energies of which supersede those that came before, in this case those of the ‘I Am’, the identity, and the Soul Purpose for incarnating as they mesh with the emotions, intuition, and perceptions of the non-physical and non-material. With an eclipse, we see a vibrational inception that will resonate through to the next eclipse set, in roughly six months. In part this tone is set by the sign in which the eclipse occurs, in this case, Leo, emphasizing the individual perspective, individual initiative (due to Mars lingering nearby), and how well the Soul has to this point managed to create circumstances under which it could ‘shine’, that is, live its purpose. So, the attention for the next six months goes to accomplishment in Soul-terms—and of course, that will mean something unique to each individual.

The eclipse forms an out-of-sign trine to a close conjunction of Hygeia and Juno, which makes for a Grand Trine with Uranus; the New Moon also squares Sedna, loosely noviles Ceres, and quincunxes Chiron (and anyone with natal placements at 27 Capricorn-00 Aquarius should expect the eclipse to deliver a wallop, either hurting or healing the involved energies in some significant way). Is it too vague to say expect surprises, shocks, the unexpected, revelations, and the potential for immediate and immersive understanding via the Higher Mind? This may be especially so around literal health as well as the ‘health’ (i.e. effectiveness) of the personal state of empowerment. We may resist what the instincts tell us, at least initially; hidden information that we ‘know but don’t know’ may cause problems, which are meant to draw our attention and contribute to or shape that ‘shock of the new’ we’ll undergo.

Or, rather than a personal shock or revelation, we may experience the eclipse’s ‘big reveal’ through a group choice or interaction. We could find ourselves responding as an individual to something the group requires, testing our willingness to lead, to commit to a philosophical approach to things, or to sacrifice the individual needs for the larger good. We may find we are stronger than we think, forced to adjust our ideas of just what truly injures us, and that may call for adjustments to our Self-image, to the way we see ourselves and so to the way we express ourselves and exert our Will. What occurs may bring forward unique skills, a sense that the individual is ‘the only one who could ‘x’’ and so in some way save the day, or serve the group needs in a major way.

There is a single element of grace here that should enable us to weather anything the eclipse brings: that novile to Ceres says that either Nature, or the sense of personal authority, will provide the support, or the answers, we’ll need. Our own ability to accept complete responsibility for ourselves will allow for the most effective position and response possible; so will acceptance of the ways of Nature, and what they tell us about our part in it.

Don’t you love the Sabian for this eclipse? ‘A Mermaid Emerges From The Ocean Waves Ready For Rebirth In Human Form’. We see an end to immersion in the currents of emotion with their overwhelming influence, dulling the other senses, obscuring the vision and hearing, keeping us below the surface (a symbolic way of saying we aren’t accessing the Air, that is, using reason and the mind, to process things). The mermaid is ready to shed a way of Being that, in terms of imagery, is focused on the feeling nature; she is ready to move on, in the sense of becoming. It’s important we note that going from mermaid form to human is not inherently a move from inferior to superior form, but is a shift in the tools we use to interact, process, and understand. It’s also important to be aware we’re assuming the mermaid will be taking all she’s learned underwater (through the feeling nature) with her; she’s not abandoning emotional perceptions and intuitions, she’s adding to them. As this applies to the eclipse, the symbol suggests each of us will evolve to a next step (literally, in the case of a mermaid!) that expands our skills in dealing with the world. Re-birth usually isn’t easy, or pleasant, and change of any kind can be messy—but it’s also a widening of our horizons and our ability to deal with things that can’t be attained any other way, a journey into new elements, with all the adventure, risk, and need to learn that entails (another mermaid reference!)

One other thing to note: though I don’t usually discuss aspect sets that don’t interact with the event (I find that dilutes the focus on, and so the meaning of, what we’re examining), this time I would like to point to a very close conjunction, only three minutes apart and moving ever closer at the time of the eclipse, of Saturn and Black Moon Lilith. BML is, as we know, a point, rather than a body; Saturn moving closer to perfection with that point suggests either suppression or materialization of rage, or of matters we or others have been working to ignore or deny. This may be a significant side note to the entire eclipse period, and could suggest secrets revealed will become the norm.