Tag Archives: The Lunar Essence

Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius 4 December 2021 Silver Linings

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From John Cobb field notebook: Wm. Helgeson, “Whiskey Bill”, hand-lining for codfish near Pirate Cove. July 1913 {{PD}}

The first thing about the eclipse picture that jumps out at me isn’t terribly obvious, but may be extremely important: the eclipse occurs in a very tight novile to Venus in Capricorn. The novile in a personal chart defines the spark of genius the individual carries; but what is it in an event chart? We could describe it as the Silver Lining, the energies prevalent that, when tapped into, generate remarkable beneficial results. In this case, a New Moon is new beginnings, and an eclipse wipes out what came before; falling in Sagittarius, we find a sense of opportunity introduced by the extinction of a previous way of believing or a change in an accepted set of facts, with this resonating mainly through matters of the individual natal House in which this occurs. Add in a ‘genius’ facet of the practically-oriented, steady, just-a-little-repressed Venus in Cap, and you have a recipe for a brilliant, forward-thinking blueprint that has a solid grounding in relationships, aesthetic standards, and/ or in financial payoff.

Keep in mind, though, that Venus is due to retrograde soon (19 December), and that hints that anything originating now may seem during the retro to lose credibility or to in some way disappoint; that’s when we need to remind ourselves that our Venus-oriented perceptions are definitely altered during a turnaround–and that means that what begins now, though it may appear to be undesirable at retrograde time, is actually what we will want in future. So, any changes to matters begun with the eclipse should be avoided between the 19th and Venus’ direction (29 January). The retro period can show us new things, allow us to try what we wouldn’t have tasted before (out of indifference or a differing standard), with the beauty of that being we can bring back to our regular Venusian way of operating those things we experimented with and still find appealing on direction. Venus retrograde is a time for being adventurous, but not to make irretrievable changes. I always like the example of changing hair color (that’s okay) versus getting a tattoo (permanent!)–one being reversible, the other, not so easily–simply because it’s hard to know what we will regret and what we will find enhances our lives, until Venus is once again direct.

The eclipse falls less than two degrees past (and so still within orb) of a square to Pallas in Pisces, and a quincunx to Uranus in Taurus. These suggest that difficulties arising will contain wisdom or push us in a practical direction, though it’s up to us to figure what response will be to our benefit, and we must be prepared for the unexpected, the serendipitous, the accident, or the infusion of Higher Mind to present circumstances we hadn’t anticipated. In the moment we can draw on the available wisdom, if we are open to seeing how the hard choice or tough situation allows us to respond wisely, or practically, if we can get out of our own way (some may manifest a rebellious streak when confronted by eclipse realities–I can state flatly that would not be the best way to answer circumstances, no matter what they seem to be on the surface).

Though the rest of the eclipse aspects are somewhat wider than our usual orb, in sequence they tell a story. The eclipse will occur after both Sun and Moon have passed over Vesta, with them on their way to conjoin Mercury and as well oppose the Black Moon Lilith point. This series of contacts speaks of the impact of what we find sacred, what we honor, or what we have dedicated our time and energy to on the new beginnings that come about at eclipse time; they also tell of how what we have faith in, what we know, or what we think, will change, and this occurs specifically in the context of either our rejection of the opportunity to acknowledge or deal with matters we’ve previously ignored, or in the context of our embrace of those same issues. Perhaps we face them at eclipse time because we’re better equipped with either fresh knowledge or renewed faith (New Moon in Sagittarius)–or perhaps we shun them for fear that acknowledging buried issues will endanger the New Moon new start. We need to remember that it’s the temporary blocking by the Moon of the Sun’s light on its path to Earth that creates a window of time wherein we get a different view of our own circumstances, one that’s less prone to be overwhelmed by those matters that typically draw our conscious attention. The eclipse offers a moment of clarity–we just have to be willing to see what is, in order to make the most of it.

The Sabian for the Solar eclipse New Moon is, ‘A Widow’s Past Is Brought To Light’. Appropriate, right? I think ‘widow’ in this context implies two things: that we face our eclipse revelations alone, and that we have a past ( a relationship or status) that generates our present–and there’s something about what we’ve created in that past that will now show itself, take ‘center stage’, in a sense. This might be intimately connected to those Black Moon Lilith matters, and if so suggests that our willingness to inspect, deal with, or embrace them will be much more effective than will continuing to ignore or bury them. Just keep in mind that this eclipse offers us new knowledge or faith that will give us the strength or tools to face things anew, and that skills or experiences from the past show their worth now–there’s no better time to make peace with what’s behind us, and so usher in better prospects for the future.

Thank you to all my Readers who comment, ask questions, and email me. I’m not able to answer each one personally, consult, or accept new work, as I’m trying to complete my Moon book—and unfortunately that also means I won’t be addressing your individual questions about the eclipse in your personal chart sent to me or entered in comments. I wish it was the good old days, when I had that kind of time! But, I will add a few things here to help you understand the eclipse in your own chart. Remember, it’s all about new information, or new faith. For this particular event, falling in your 1st House makes it very personal, affecting your way of interacting with the world or even your physical being; in the 2nd, your asset or talent picture, or it changes your own idea of your Self-worth or abilities; in the 3rd we see it affect your writing, thinking, communications, or your physical neighborhood; in the 4th, the beliefs or knowledge about the family of origin or your core view of yourself; the 5th sees matters around your offspring/ creations, your romantic life!, or sees you taking a gamble (or calling one off) based on what you learn or believe; in the 6th, revelations about health or duties are likely; in the 7th, it may seem not to directly affect you–you could instead observe effects in your spouse, the wider public, or you could channel your feelings into Art; in the 8th what changes could seem to happen only to others, or it could affect what others share with you, or hide from you; in the 9th it could prompt a desire to travel, roam far and wide, to further education or apply yourself to religious study, or could involve things happening to in-laws; in the 10th it’s either career-affecting or whatever happens occurs where everyone can see, and probably they can see your reaction, as well; in the 11th the eclipse may trigger a long-held dream, or even present an opportunity for you to contribute the very thing you’re here to offer; and in the 12th, its impact might be felt in changes to your spiritual approach, in interactions with large institutions (ones where you feel like a cog in the wheel), or knowledge or faith may be renewed through the dream life or in communion with the Universe.

Lunar Eclipse 19 November 2021 Eraser

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‘Blackboard after Radical Digital Painting Lecture’ By Jeffrey Alan Scudder

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The most striking thing to me, once again in recent Lunar events, is how few aspects are made, with those that are close also for the most part being minor–or, the aspect is to a minor body, as it is with the eclipse Moon-Earth approaching conjunction to Sedna. Long-time Readers know I see asteroids and other minor bodies as facets of the umbrella larger energy represented by the major planets–so the emphasis this eclipse on smaller entities emphasizes their particular nature, their ‘attitudes’.

This is a partial Lunar eclipse, meaning the Earth, as it lines up on the ecliptic with and comes between the Sun and the Moon, won’t create a shadow that entirely blocks the reflected light of the Moon. In symbolic terms this suggests a ‘mild’ eclipse effect (if that’s even possible!) so that, considering the minor aspect-minor body angle, what we might see are surrounding events that cast a more modest shadow on circumstances than we might expect. Changes, rather than devastation, as we might anticipate with a total eclipse or with strong contact to our own charts (see the previous post for one such example).

The eclipse occurs at 12:57 AM PST of the 19th at 27 Taurus 14, close to conjoining Sedna, suggesting that something might ‘click’ soon after the eclipse: we may realize what we ‘know but don’t know’, what has been sublimated, or only instinctively known, up until now. An eclipse is like an eraser run across the blackboard of life: It can wipe things away, sometimes even bringing a literal ‘clean slate’, but we’ll still see the remnants of what was, the ghost images of what was written before–and with this eclipse, we see that with the separating square from Jupiter and the separating trine of Pluto. Both imply these things are past, but recently enough that they figure into, even shape, the eclipse events. The Moon-Earth combo moving away from a square to Jupiter in Aquarius speaks of difficult material and emotional impacts of having acquired new knowledge or understanding, or of some social injustice or unrest–it may also hint that in some instances, we may have exaggerated the importance of this. The same duo leaving a trine to Pluto says that change or destructive/ transformative influences snuck in easily; only with the eclipse may we begin to realize how much the ground beneath our feet (Pluto is in Capricorn, after all) may have shifted, given way, or heaved up right under us.

We also see two lesser, but in this case probably no less important, aspects: a just-separating quindecile to Mars, and a sesquiquadrate to Venus–which happens to place Venus and Mars in sextile to each other. What may look harmonious on the surface, a blending and cooperative effort of different but equal, or of complementary ‘parts’ or energies, will reveal its more challenging facets under the Lunar shadow. The eclipse aspect to Mars is one that calls out extreme reactions, the obsessive, the disruptive, the restless, and speaks of motivations–in this case, perhaps actions taken or choices made as to what must go, must be eliminated or altered, what steps must be taken, and all with the aim of either ridding ourselves of a negative element or getting to the Truth (Mars in Scorpio).

With the aspect to Venus, we see slightly less tension, and something akin to excessive irritation, the kind that lights a fire under us. Venus is in Capricorn, possibly speaking of dissatisfaction with the status quo, with rules and regs, with constraints, especially societal ones, and these irritations are delivered through tension in relationships or surrounding the financial or asset picture. It could arise from some upset with someone we love and feel safe with, who under the eclipse light suddenly threatens the tidy arrangement we have–or it could be that our own efforts, especially artistic creations or things created out of our own love for them, won’t be appreciated by the larger social order. In any case, these are disruptive and disturbing elements that arrive in our lives in what seems like a very personal form–and so we may not realize everyone is experiencing these effects in some form.

What we thought we had, what has made us comfortable, what we see as assets or talents, is likely to get scrutiny, and get a shake-up, either from us or from the outside world, should we not respond to the need for change. The Sabian for the Full Moon eclipse is, ‘A Woman, Past Her “Change Of Life”, Experiences A New Love’. In this image we have a receptive agent (a woman), specifically post-childbearing years, who finds a new love. That seems to me a lovely reminder of the worth of a human being beyond any socially designated biological role. It’s also an image of optimism, of hope: one doesn’t have a prime for Love–that can happen any time. It’s an invitation to live life to its fullest.

We always inspect the Sun’s Sabian for a Full Moon as well: ‘The King Of The Fairies Approaching His Domain’. What Kingdom do you rule? This speaks of territory, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, that you know is yours, that you have been aiming to completely master, occupy, or return to–you’re almost there, with the notation that the eclipse energy, no matter how it plays out, is meant to get you closer to this destination.

New Moon in Scorpio 4 November 2021 Baggage

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Baggage ticket from a Titanic passenger. {{PD}}

The Moon and Sun meet at 2:15 PM PDT on the 4th at 12 Scorpio 40, just shy of perfecting an opposition to Uranus in Taurus. We may think Halloween is over, but this set-up screams that a shock, shift, change, accident, revelation, revolution, new understanding, or good old-fashioned scare is slated for the Lunar event. We may simply observe this (the opposition), or we may live it ourselves (likely through the House matters where the NM falls in the natal scenario, or the subjects of the House where Uranus is transiting, or the House it or the Moon rules natally), but either way it will shake us, our world, or it may change our viewpoint in radical or unusual ways.

The New Moon is pulling away from a semi-square to Juno but approaching semi-square to Venus, and that may suggest that empowerment issues, struggles to have our way or for supremacy (especially in partnership), and matters of status that have lately been before us give way or resolve in the face of love and the importance of relationships–but that both aspects are semi-squares tells us that the fresh lens of Venus brings attention to a whole other set of factors: the potentials for jealousy, rivalry, lust, competition, especially for love or resources, and for examination of what assets or talents we do or don’t have.Venus is at 29 degrees, under stress, perhaps acting in ways that feel a little desperate, a little deprived. We are letting go of one set of concerns because we recognize the power and sanctity of love–and then find ourselves in danger of sabotaging the very relationships we care most about, because of our own Venusian weaknesses.

This isn’t the whole picture, of course, but it is a more prominent part of things than the relatively minor aspects involved might first suggest. A New Moon in Scorpio means new starts, but in this sign that can be particularly disruptive to our emotional health; we just naturally want to dig, to excavate whatever captures our emotional attention or stirs feeling at this time, and nothing, not a relationship or a person or an onion, does well having those protective layers of skin peeled away.

The Scorpio New Moon makes only one other close aspect, a quincunx to the Black Moon Lilith point. This says that what arises now may come from discomfort (the quincunx) with those matters we’ve been ignoring, are in denial about, or that have enraged us but haven’t yet been addressed. So, Luna opens the door and shines an ever-growing light on what’s bothering us–and that may manifest through a Uranian event like an accident or a Higher Mind revelation, or may channel into relationship issues. It’s the conscience and its conceptions of right and wrong that are sending and receiving right now, so that the more consciously aware you are of your own motivations and needs, of how honest you’ve been and how much you may have deviated from or stayed within the framework of your ideals, the more adept (and less surprised) you’ll be at handling what comes forward.

We have a very Uranian Sabian Symbol for this New Moon: ‘An Inventor Performs A Laboratory Experiment’. This re-focuses us on the importance of Uranus and Uranian elements in this New Moon equation, and points to a few possible questions you might want to meditate on before the Lunar event: how do you feel about shocks and surprises? do you seek them out, enjoying the charge, or do you hate them and the disorienting feeling they convey? do you insist on having control (or that you are in control) and find it offensive when others/ the Universe point out there’s no such thing? how do you really feel about change? do you see it as a catastrophe or a chance to escape? There are two keys in this symbol, ‘Inventor’ and ‘Experiment’, and these offer us a good way to approach this New Moon. We are natural inventors–seeing ourselves that way should show us how much power and creativity we actually carry within–and we are in the midst of one enormous experiment–and that means nothing is certain. All we can do is respond to what comes at us, to what we create, to what’s drawn to us, with the greatest capacity for understanding, and the ability to invent and innovate, that’s most uniquely suited to who we are.

I looked up the Sabian for Uranus, thinking it might give us more detail about what Uranian thing we might expect, and it didn’t disappoint: ‘A Porter Carrying Heavy Baggage’. This points us toward the trigger of all those Black Moon Lilith things we’ve stuffed down into the dark. What we’ve been trying to out run or hide, our baggage, may become too heavy for that part of ourselves we’ve assigned to haul it around. Wouldn’t it be better to drop that stuff off, for good? This New Moon might be the chance to do just that.

A note about Ceres, Chiron, and Pallas at 9 degrees of their respective signs, which would seem to put them in generous orb to the New Moon: you know I’m careful about drawing as precise a Lunar picture as I can be; in this case, these placements, you’ll notice, are all past aspects, indicating the Moon’s contacts prior to meeting the Sun. Since these all occurred in the Dark of the Moon period, I suspect they’re hidden in our own personal dark, carried in the Lunar event but not actively informing it. So, that would say that wisdom, personal power situations, and hurt all affect what happens–they shape it, rather than drive it, intimations of what’s coming like whispers that precede a shout, that you’ll probably ‘hear’ on the 3rd.

The Shock of the New: Post-Full Moon of the 20th-22nd 2021

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‘Diana and her Nymphs Surprised by the Fauns’ (detail) By Peter Paul Rubens c1640 {{PD}}

In the couple of days following the Full Moon of the 20th (forming AM Pacific), I’m imagining a scenario that goes something like this: we are hit with, or maybe it’s filled by, the culmination in Aries, with an effect that may be a little stunning, at first. As noted previously, the post-FM period is one that sees the Moon moving into Void territory, and the Sun-Earth axis not making any more contacts in their respective signs, either–and this is likely to make us feel adrift, a floating-in-space feeling that could make for a temporary disconnect, one that allows us time to reflect on what it is that the Full Moon actually showed us or brought us.

By mid-morning PDT of the 21st, the Moon has moved well into Taurus, forming first a square to Saturn=we’re presented with emotional barriers, or our feelings (especially fearful ones) are given form, in some cases literally, or we see an emotional end, of some sort; then sextiling Pallas and forming the base of a Finger of God with apex Mercury, freshly direct=if we can combine feeling or intuition with wisdom (particularly the wisdom we’ve just recently acquired), what we end up with is clarity of thought about others, partnerships, finances, values, or aesthetics.

And then, oh my, in early afternoon PDT the Moon conjoins Uranus. It’s the suddenness of the shift that will stand out, the shock of revelation or revolution or perhaps just the unexpected, something entirely, startlingly new. What it is will depend both on the matters of the House in the natal chart that holds Taurus (the most likely subjects where this surprise will come forward), and also on your own personal relationship with Uranian energies. Do you hate surprises? Maybe you need to ask yourself why. Are you a revolutionary at heart? Then answer this: what do revolutionaries become, when the revolution’s over? Are you a natural innovator or inventor? What happens when you can express that originality? And if invention doesn’t come naturally, how does it feel when you’re forced to improvise?

Being unique can be a massive gift, and a lonely one. The trick with Uranus is to find the group(s) that value your individuality, that see whatever Uranian strength you have as an asset, not something to be tamed or toned down. That may be the challenge with the Moon’s contact to Uranus–we see a unique part of ourselves presented with something, likely material, or comfort or security oriented (Taurus) and we must find a way to innovate, answer, or adapt, using the most unusual and original parts of our personalities, in order to make this time a positive, rather than sending us spinning into negative territory.

Late in the day Pacific of the 21st, the Moon quincunxes Venus in Sagittarius, making us adjust (or possibly just wonder about) how we’re reaching out, and how truly effective it is. Then in the wee hours of the 22nd the Moon begins its traverse of the 20s–first a sextile to Neptune that forms a fleeting Finger of God with apex Zeus=expect to dream about your ambitions, and to take seriously anything you see, intuit, or imagine in terms of meeting your goals; by breakfast Pacific the Moon herself is apex to another Finger, this one with base of Zeus-Juno=adjusting enough to resolve power struggles successfully becomes required; then comes a quincunx to Mars and a trine to Pluto (which also briefly allows another Finger with Moon apex and base of Mars-Juno)=will we preserve our status by holding back, or will we exercise our Will–whatever gives us the greatest power, and so the greatest control over circumstances, is the right answer.

Remember too that the 22nd the Sun-Earth axis is in the final degree of their respective signs, suggesting a heightened sense of tension. By mid-evening Pacific the Moon conjoins Sedna, also at 29 degrees, and we see a final, stressful need to acknowledge either what we’ve missed, or what we ‘know but don’t know’–and then the Moon enjoys a very short Void, beginning at 10:59 PM Pacific, just after the Sun-Earth axis has slipped into Scorpio-Taurus. Again, the floating sensation, the sense that we’ve entered new territory and must acquaint ourselves. The Lunar Void ends at 12:57 AM PDT of the 23rd, as the Moon enters Gemini, and quickly conjoins the North Node, directing us to ponder the emotional implications of the Path we’re on–and the whole thing starts all over again.

I just thought this was a short period of important developments, the kind of thing that can feel like a roller coaster and leave us exhausted if we don’t know what’s going on. Have a wonderful week!

And if you missed the Full Moon discussion–

Full Moon in Aries 20 October 2021 Leave Anger in the Past

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‘Méditation’ By Henri Rachou

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Though the Full Moon (7:56 AM PDT of the 20th, at 27 Aries 26) seems like prime time to lash out, as Mars moves to perfect a T-square by opposing Eris and squaring Pluto (with the Eris-Pluto square only off by 9 minutes), with Mars just separating from a trine to stationing Jupiter, suggesting the time for optimism is past, we’d be wise to realize that 29-degree Sedna in its last Taurean gasp may be stirring things up we’re not consciously aware of. The Aries Full Moon may shout, ‘It’s time to look out for #1!’, with surrounding aspects (like the Mercury-Black Moon Lilith trine=thinking about what we’ve been avoiding/ ignoring, or what enrages us) prompting us to feel we’re finally ready to face things, leading us down a path of misunderstanding and anger.

The important thing to note is that the Full Moon perfects well past the Sun-Moon-Earth contact to Mars, Eris, and Pluto (their positions at 23 and 24 degrees of their respective signs), meaning that all that assertive, upset, hyper-reactive, destructive, Me First energy isn’t something to carry into the present. We may try to justify it with the FM Aries energy, believing we haven’t been standing up for ourselves–but as Maury Povich likes to declare, results in hand: “THAT would be a lie!”

In the period between Mercury’s direction and the Full Moon (just about 48 hours) we’ll be presented with a pretty clear picture of things; the question is, will we admit to ourselves that what’s revealed is the Truth? How honest you’ve been will determine how much you want to use the Arian Moon energy as an excuse to go after what you want, or to attack others. You can be sure that the stronger your urge tp aggress, the more you need to step back and take a personal accounting of reality.

That means that if you succumb to a righteous anger at the time of the Full Moon, you could make some serious mistakes. The Sun, Earth, and Moon are making contact in what is, once the Moon begins to separate, a Lunar Void condition. There are no Ptolemaic (major) aspects to come before these bodies leave the signs they’re in (there aren’t even any minor ones, except for a semi-sextile of Moon and then Earth to Sedna–with Sun quincunxing–but we’ve already accounted for this general influence).

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘A Large Audiences Confronts The Performer Who Disappointed Its Expectations’. In this case, we may be both audience and performer; our job is to confront ourselves over our own behavior, assumptions–over our ‘performance’. A big dose of reality needs to be accepted; so does a reasonable (not exaggerated or martyr-ish) sense of personal responsibility. Those are the ways that Full Moon in Aries events won’t just be brought to a head, but will bring a more complete (and so secure) sense of Self.

The Sabian for the Sun, giver-of-light in the first place, is, ‘A Man Becoming Aware Of Spiritual Forces Surrounding And Assisting Him’. This suggests that we’ll be offered plenty of unseen support. The Universe will whisper at us, giving us a clear (though possibly quite subtle) direction. Will we listen? That’s a question for the ages, as they say.

New Moon in Libra 6 October 2021 Friction & Boundaries

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‘Mountainous Landscape by Moonlight’ By Albert Bierstadt 1871 {{PD}}

The Moon and Sun in Libra perfect their meeting (the 6th at 4:04 AM PDT at 13 Libra 24) just before catching up to Mars, uncomfortable in the sign (in detriment, in fact) and so probably looking for company. This gives the Lunar new start a definite edge, a nervy, hair-trigger, even pushy need to go forward–because current conditions chafe. The sense may be that we need to take action, or to get out of present circumstances, or that it’s imperative to get started, or to express the Will, now. And what areas are causing this reaction? Relationships, first and foremost, and possibly in aesthetic matters, areas where fairness or expenditures, especially shared ones, are prominent, but it’s in partnerships, cooperative situations, anywhere our lives rub up against others that the focus is strongest–and Mars says we won’t let what’s causing the itch go without doing something about it.

There are two ways this may play out: one, taking action, probably action most characteristic to the individual (defined by the natal Mars), or two, ego clash, likely through attempts by each side of a scenario trying to impose their Will on the other–just remember, there are no innocent parties here; though aggressions and assertions may look uneven, they carry equal potency (and obstinacy).

The New Moon-Mars is also semi-square Venus and sesquiquadrate Sedna at the stressful 29th degree, which describes a Venus-Sedna opposition. This reiterates the tension in Venusian ruled subjects and adds difficulty trusting our own instincts. What we ‘know but don’t know’ will exert its affect in areas where we actively carry a ‘blind spot’–meaning we’ll be asserting ourselves into precisely the territory we fail to completely comprehend.

New Moon-Mars also finds itself the apex to a Finger of God with base of Uranus-Pallas, and also opposed Chiron. The opposition is separating; that suggests the hurt we feel dates from the past, not the present–and that’s a good thing to know: that we’re not reacting to what is, but to old wounds over what was. The Finger takes an upset, a rebellion, an accident (which can also be a serendipity), a radical new idea or approach, or something the group has required, forced, or otherwise asked for, and combines it with inner wisdom, practicality, or developed skills, with the effect being revealed by either the New Moon event or our actions or choices prompted by it.

The New Moon-Mars also trines Ceres. This major asteroid can represent personal authority and its exercise, Nature with a capital ‘N’ (and via this matters of health and diet, agriculture and natural disasters), and the act of mothering (and how intrusive this may or may not be–think of Persephone/ Proserpina–was she kidnapped, or have we just been told that, the story relayed by an overbearing maternal figure who took it upon herself to negotiate the terms of her daughter being away from the world Ceres controlled?). Ceres is certainly competent at what she does; the question is, does she have the right to dictate whatever it is she’s asserting?

With the Lunar event, this leads us into Willfulness territory, into the ego asserting itself, and just how much assertion is our prerogative, how much is going beyond our mandate. That’s an individual matter; just remain aware that what we act on should be considered in light of our rights and responsibilities, as well as the rights and responsibilities of others. Boundaries are vital, to protect yourself and to protect our relationships from ourselves. We must also consider the effects of NM events on our health; expressions of temper debilitate us, while doing what needs doing can free us–so, probably a delicate balance needs to be achieved.

The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘In The Heat Of The Noon Hour A Man Takes A Siesta’. That ‘heat’ may be Martian energies, the fiery urge that wants to make things happen, that inadvertently runs over others or fails to apply patience or uses anger rather than inspiration as fuel. The advice the symbol offers is to take it easy, step back from the heat of the Sun (which just so happens to be agitating the emotions of the Moon and jump starting the assertive and aggressive inclinations via Mars), and in so doing rest–that is, the image tells us it’s the wrong time to get into a too-heated situation, to push, to insist.

This image, along with the other aspects formed by the New Moon, adds up to a warning: what occurs at this point may seem inseparable from our own needs, wants, and urges, and the situation will likely stress us, stirring an old wound and making us feel that we must act now. The thing is, Merc retrograde tells us to reconsider those inclinations, and the Finger points to the wisdom to be found in the unexpected. Our job, then, is to see it when it happens, and refuse to act precipitously, or out of a sense that if we don’t do something, we might lose our autonomy. Everything else, most especially the Libra energies and the contact to Venus, tells us that it’s not our independence that could be a casualty of current conditions, but what actually matters most: our relationships with others. Proceed, then, with caution, and leave your hair-trigger responses at the door (or as in the picture, out in Ceres’ domain, to be purified in the night air and around the campfire, where we can re-connect with those important relationships, our ‘fellow campers’).

A side note: this New Moon falls exactly, to the minute, on my natal Sun. I’ll let you know if I see any extraordinary effects.

Full Moon in Pisces 20 September 2021 Putting Your Finger On It

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Detail of the hand of Oopjen Coppit with Cuffs and pearl bracelet, By Rembrandt 1634 {{PD}}

The Full Moon perfects at 4:54 PM PDT on the 20th at 28 Pisces 13, sextile a 29 degree Sedna and forming the base to a Finger of God with apex Vesta at 00 Scorpio. What happens when feelings reach a zenith (FM), in fact overflow with no boundaries, and spring from the (overactive) imagination (Pisces)? And then reach accord (the sextile) with either those things we ‘know but don’t know’, or our ‘blind spot’ material (Sedna)? In this case, they give us a fresh (00 degrees) deep dive (Scorpio) into our core values and commitments (Vesta). The emotional impact of Full Moon realization is a brand-new take on what we care about most. What have you been dedicating your life (especially your emotional energy) to, and how, after this Lunar experience, will what you honor, find sacred, and commit your energy to, change?

The Full Moon in Pisces promises to make us aware of an ideal or dream we have been assembling, reaching for, or planning for (albeit probably below the conscious level) that is informed by things that are either a deep part of us (instinctive) or that we have absorbed without knowing we have, and these will require a new take on what we regard most highly in life. Look to the House in the natal chart that holds Scorpio to know around what subjects our ideals have, are, or will be changing, and consider that these changes are meant to be toward a dream or ideal form.

The Full Moon is also widely opposed Mars and semi-square Uranus, suggesting that matters of personal Will, ego, identity, or choice may factor in, and that surprises or sudden revelations, especially through accidents or the serendipitous, could be part of the Lunar event. You may ask, is the Full Moon conjoined Neptune? Sextile Pluto? What about quincunx Mercury? No, no, and no–remember, precision in drawing the event picture is necessary to drawing accurate conclusions that reflect the actual Full Moon and what it brings.

In the non-Lunar things I want to note category is the almost perfected at the time of the Full Moon (only one minute past!) trine of Mercury to Jupiter in their respective Air signs. This implies an atmosphere of easily exaggerated thoughts and communications, a tendency to ‘live in our heads’, to over promise, or to believe something we’ve thought, but don’t actually know. The Preacher, The Trickster, The Zealot, and The Persuader will all be overly potent at this time, making those who vibe to these Archetypes unusually influential–and not in a good way.

Then we have the way that, through Mercury, this ties in to a T-square with Mercury opposed Eris, with the arm Pluto. Communication might just naturally open the way for discord; if there are any destructive intents behind words, thoughts, agreements, or random comments, they will fly out like the ills of the world from Pandora’s box–and speaking of minor planet/asteroid Pandora (at 16 Libra 14, and not shown on the chart below), it’s currently forming, with Juno, the base to a Finger of God with apex Uranus. That sounds to me like being too strident about our position, status, or what we believe is owed to us, or vengeful for perceived wrongs (recall Juno had a difficult time feeling disrespected) can combine with poor choice (Pandora) to lead to sudden and quite unintended or out of control consequences. So take care, as all of this creates the atmosphere in which the Full Moon changes and revelations will occur.

One more thing: there’s also a loose Grand Trine of Mars/ Saturn/ North Node-Black Moon Lilith. This suggests taking action right now might inadvertently lead to stasis, perhaps promoting rage or forcing us to deny or ignore things that will turn out to be life direction shaping. Could this aspect also offer security, a solid footing from which to take action? Probably not, as even if things look steady they would be based on what we’re either angry about or in denial of–and that’s not a healthy recipe.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘Light Breaking Into Many Colors As It Passes Through A Prism’. The image suggests we’ll have an experience that allows us to separate into individual parts of the spectrum what lights (enlightens, illuminates–that is, makes life worth living, translating to those Vestal things we’re dedicated to) up our world–and so we’ll understand better which hues we want to enhance, which we want to move away from. The Sun, provider of light and symbol of ourselves/ the Soul in the individual chart, sits at this Sabian: ‘A Seeker After Occult Knowledge Is Reading An Ancient Scroll Which Illumines His Mind’. It’s in taking a posture of seeking, openness of mind, willingness to learn, that we receive that illumination; the ‘right’ attitude (the attuned attitude) opens the way for the re-assessment of priorities promised by the Full Moon in Pisces.

Everyone, have a wonderful Full Moon! Concentrate on realizing the Full Moon energies and what they can show you about your own priorities, and maybe hold back from too-active communications or actions, as that’s where the booby-traps lie.

New Moon in Virgo 6 September 2021 Love Among the Ruins

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Edward Burne-Jones ‘Love Among the Ruins’ 1894 {{PD}}

The New Moon in Virgo forms at 14 Virgo 38 at 5:52 PM PDT on the 6th, with its closest aspect a tidy little trine (just one minute off!) to Uranus in Taurus. This is, of course, like a great big shocking air horn scream: surprise! look out! wtf! At first, it may feel like a ‘love among the ruins’ scenario, finding a big, Universal positive in some sort of fail or calamity, and this may involve a group with whom you’re entangled instituting something of consequence to you personally. The New Moon is, in this case, definitely an inception point to be wary of, though this shock, even if accident-related, isn’t necessarily a negative one; try to take the long view, the one that says the Universe is always working in your best interests, even if it’s very difficult to recognize that. Especially if you have some material facet of your life you’ve been looking to for a result, particularly if that result is of a critical nature or brings an assessment or accounting or even a ‘harvest’, you are more likely than not to get a reality check that’s positive; at the very least, positive in the sense that you’ll now know, without doubt, where you stand.

All the other aspects are a tisch wide, meaning the Lunar energy is largely focused through that Uranian event, though there are a couple if those contacts we should count. The New Moon squares Juno, suggesting power struggles might be a New Moon feature, and it’s in wide quincunx to Chiron–and here’s why we count that: though out of solid orb to the NM itself, Chiron does trine Juno with only 20 minutes of differential, looping it in to the power struggle and implying that those conflicts may, just may, arise from wounds (with a small percentage arising from jealousy, as some use the empowering Chirotic gift and are targeted for it).

One other contact of note: the New Moon noviles Venus. And this may be the ultimate experience of things: whatever occurs brings, is the result of, fosters, or in a few unfortunate cases, denies, Love or material benefit. So, that surprise might be better than we think, after all–and certainly revealing.

The Sabian symbol for the New Moon is, ‘A Fine Lace Handkerchief, Heirloom From Valorous Ancestors’. Something refined and of worth, inherited, may figure in, either through the exercise of talents (especially the Chirotic ones), or with a kind of genius gain of assets or in highly positive relationships–or some combination of these. My sense is this may be quite literal, especially in the ‘family talent’ department, so it wouldn’t hurt to take a look back at where your DNA came from–such an examination could point you toward something newly activated or discovered in yourself. The symbol describes this attribute or endowment as coming from the best of your ancestors–so seek with that in mind.

Full Moon in Aquarius 22 August 2021: Moment of Crisis

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55 Cancri e: Skies Sparkle Above a Never-Ending Ocean of Lava. Poster from the NASA Exoplanets Exploration Program’s Exoplanet Travel Bureau {{PD}}

‘Moment’ of crisis isn’t quite right, is it? More like decade–but then again, has there ever truly been a time of no crisis? Even if one’s corner of the world was peaceful, or one’s awareness was truncated, there was still turmoil elsewhere–so no, we’ve never been without that condition. It’s just that this Full Moon falls at 29 Aquarius 36, at 5:01 AM PDT of the 22nd of August–and as we all know, that’s a degree rife with tension. So then we must ask, How will the stress of this culmination affect me?

The answer, of course, is found in how this event interacts with the natal chart, but here we must speak in more general terms–and I don’t mean mundane, worldly ones, but in ways that address the individual. A Full Moon in Aquarius promises ends, peaks, denouements, and final pronouncements or dispensations in matters of the natal House where it falls, and/ or in areas where we are involved with rebellion, with being in the avant garde, in areas that touch on Higher Mind or academics, in our group involvements (especially those that include a question of leadership), in what’s most original about us (and by extension, involving our original thoughts or products), in those life areas where we feel most unique or individual, and in matters of the unexpected, accidental, or of the ‘rare bird’ variety.

And what does that 29 degree placement add? Anticipation to the bursting point. Shock. Anarchy. Surprise. Excitement. Chaos. Or a kind of irrelevance of events or perceptions, as we take an academic approach to something that we need to feel. We may find ourselves floored by an ending we never expected, a mishap that changes everything, a sudden revelation that brings understanding (for understanding is the expression of Aquarian divine nature), a fantastically original idea–or a pervasive idea given a whole new approach. Consider the mind blown.

This time the aspect picture looks like it’s written in code: the Full Moon bodies of Earth-Moon have recently passed over Jupiter, the Earth just a few days before, the Moon a few hours, and they can still be considered conjoined. Immediately we know the FM event or experience will be exaggerated, and/ or that we’ve lately been hit with ‘the facts’ or our belief system has sustained a blow or received a revelation, with these related to a material circumstance (Earth) that we then have an emotional reaction to (the Moon)–and no matter which applies to us, the FM brings the moment of Truth (otherwise known as, you got it, a moment of crisis or opportunity) in terms of what this means to us, what concludes, reaches apex, or stops short, providing an opening for something new.

We also have a pair of squares, one rather wide, to Black Moon Lilith, the other close, to Sedna (and these two can be considered widely, out-of-sign conjoined). What comes with the Full Moon is instinctive knowledge, or ‘blind spot’ material, that we’ve hidden even from ourselves–and the difficult, stressful, or urgent Lunar events bring this to light.

The Full Moon also sesquiquadrates Vesta, suggesting events create a need to adjust or otherwise modify what we honor, what we consider sacred–so this challenges the way in which we frame our world and our priorities. And there’s a quindecile to Mars, a prompt to action, likely that involves actions we don’t want to take, or choices we don’t want to make, or the whole thing is just painful, in terms of what we’ve found/ learned/ discovered, and what we must do about it. With any luck, it’s just a matter of having to go outside our comfort zone–so not so bad, really.

It all sounds no fun, but considering the degree at which the Full Moon forms, the involvement of Sedna and BML, and the way Earth and Moon have just met with Jupiter, we would be wise to realize: 1) what we need or are forced to do at this point is truly necessary, that 2) it’s likely something we’ve put off, consciously or not, and 3) though this may bring disarray or upset, at least initially, it not only needs doing, it will clear the way for a fresh and probably more accurate understanding of and relationship with our world.

The Sabian is a wordy one: ‘Deeply Rooted In The Past Of A Very Ancient Culture, A Spiritual Brotherhood In Which Many Individual Minds Are Merged Into The Glowing Light Of A Unanimous Consciousness Is Revealed To One Who Has Emerged Successfully From His Metamorphosis’. Roughly translated: if you’ve done the work, you graduate at this point to a ‘next level’ of consciousness. Not that it’s an up-and-down hierarchy; it’s more like a giant Cosmic map, with each individual ‘location’ being different, rather than superior or inferior to others. Even if you don’t level up, you are promised like-minded surroundings–or put another way, water seeks its own level, so wherever the Full Moon leaves you, you’ll have company.

The Sabian for the Sun, which generates the light in the first place, is ‘An Unsealed Letter’. Something that had been hidden ‘under seal’ is illuminated. Now we know; we would expect no less, with a Jupiter redolent Full Moon in Aquarius!

New Moon in Leo 8 August 2021: Are We Healing Yet?

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‘Study at a Reading Desk’ By Frederic Leighton 1877 {{PD}}

The New Moon forms at 16 Leo 14 at 6:50 AM PDT on the 8th, and I want to call this a ‘looking back’ Moon (with the exception of one thing I’ll mention last). We keep our usual tight orb and get a very succinct picture: the NM makes a square to Uranus, and a wide trine to Chiron, and nothing else. Both aspects are separating–and that places them in the past. The scenario is of a recent material surprise, group choice, or sudden shift or erratic choice that affects surroundings, comfort level, or asset situation, upsetting, real-world shock, environmental revelation, rebellion, or Higher Mind conclusion, or some combination of these that shook up the scene, and this is either wounding or arose from your own responses to wounds–and the New Moon now delivers a kind of answer to this, in the form of how you as an individual ‘light’ should proceed.

Leo requires you shine–but what does that mean for each of us? The place to let yourself glow out into the social order is outlined by the natal House where this New Moon occurs. Subjects found here tell you where your particular brand of ‘me-ness’ is needed, and welcomed, with the New Moon instruction one of ‘go forth and dazzle!’ Doing so offers healing–though there’s a caveat: we must do our thing, take our light out from under the proverbial bushel for all the world to see, most likely without immediately seeing where and how the healing occurs. We don’t have to take this step on blind faith so much as by having faith that what we do matters, is important, and is a contribution to the good. So, act on matters of the House where the New Moon falls with some confidence, knowing that action here is a necessary part to the healing formula.

I want to point out two other things that are happening at the same time as the New Moon that are likely to figure in: a still extant square between Sedna and Jupiter–this suggesting lingering and significant conflicts between our own inner perceptions and instincts and the public/ wider world and/ or ‘the facts’–and a Finger of God with a base of Pallas sextile Pluto, apex in just a day or two Mercury, this latter with the Moon in just three days, and the Sun in nine days, following behind and filling in, each in turn, the Finger’s apex. This suggests a kind of flow into the future of the New Moon energies as they follow in the wake of wisdom (Pallas) plus change (Pluto) creating a firm, possibly ‘new’, idea (Mercury) of who you are (Leo). Then the Moon comes along and offers emotional illumination of the change that has occurred; the Sun brings the final reveal, a kind of spotlight moment that shows you the real state of your own intentions, and Soul, as it has been shaped by the recent string of events.

The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘A Volunteer Church Choir Singing Religious Hymns’. This emphasizes the group facet of Uranus, probably signalling that what comes at us is more than just personal, that it may affect many. There’s also that ‘faith in the Self’ aspect, where the New Moon asks you to ‘sing out’–so do, as this is the key to healing–and we all hope for that.

Sharp-eyed readers will notice I’ve added Eris to the chart (she’s there at 24 Aries, looking like a buoy with an anchor, to me), and I’ll be reading the lady in, when applicable, from now on. There’ll be a post soon to come on this new addition.

Thank you, everyone, especially to those who’ve offered individuals they would like to see examined in the upcoming Moon book–and it’s not too late! If there’s someone you’d like to suggest, please do. Have an excellent New Moon experience!