Tag Archives: The Lunar Essence

New Moon in Libra 6 October 2021 Friction & Boundaries

02 Saturday Oct 2021

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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

17 Friday Sep 2021

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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

04 Saturday Sep 2021

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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

19 Thursday Aug 2021

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Full Moon, Sabian Symbols

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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?

06 Friday Aug 2021

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Finger of God, forecast, future events in the sky, Lunar Aspects, New Moon, Sabian Symbols

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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!

Full Moon in Aquarius 23 July 2021: A Lunar Progress

22 Thursday Jul 2021

Posted by in astrology, forecast, Full Moon, Grand Trine, Sabian Symbols

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‘The Harvest Moon’ By George Mason 1872 {{PD}}

This Full Moon brings with it a couple of perfectly legitimate astrological questions: should the Full Moon at 1 Aquarius 26 be considered conjoined Pluto at 25 Capricorn 24? And what about Saturn at 10 Aquarius 51? Though both bodies are at greater orb than I normally count in a Full Moon scenario, I’m open to the idea of recent or imminent proximity to the bodies involved in the Lunar event as qualifying those bodies as relevant since they have exerted or will exert an influence right before, or soon to come after, the Full Moon perfection–and so may set the stage, or be part of the aftermath, of the Lunar event. This is based in part on the idea of the Moon as showing the passage of time and the development of any situation, and on the idea that the horoscope is a moving picture, a ‘story’ told through the movement and contact of the bodies to one another, with any chart simply a ‘snapshot’ of a moment in time.

In this case, both Earth and the Moon have just come off a conjunction to Pluto in Capricorn, the Earth about 6 days previous, and the Moon a mere 10 hours before. That means that both energies have recently seen their energies meet Plutonian ones, and more than likely we will see these energies reach some sort of peak or conclusion at the Full Moon. Earth and Pluto implies a material change, purge, transformation, or destruction, one that shifts our material view and perhaps changes (even if only temporarily) our surroundings or asset situation or availability–an earthquake, of one kind or another. Pluto-Earth may have made itself known, probably no more than 7, and no fewer than 5, days before the Full Moon–shaking up the scenery, preparing the ground, so to speak, for the emotional event of the Full Moon, which is one of completion, ending, conclusion, the finish to a situation, cycle, or effort, that now must wind down, shift focus, become something else.

Moon-Pluto suggests a trauma, an episode that enrages, a deep hurt, or release from trauma or hurt, a resurrection or re-making of the emotional nature, probably the emotional framework that once supported us and was so familiar, now being torn down, re-fashioned, or eliminated, with the Full Moon offering us a definitive point for this event. We make peace with it, most likely through the support of the group, understanding via Higher Mind, or by taking a ‘modern’ of highly original approach to this Plutonian emotional experience, all these reflecting the Full Moon happening in Aquarius.

And what of Saturn? Both Moon and Earth will reach Saturn relatively quickly, the Moon in about 14 hours, Earth by August 2nd, with the promise that this either brings an end or resolution to the emotional or material upset or change, or that what we feared, formed, or pushed for emotionally takes solid, maybe even literally tangible, form–so, signalling the final shape of events that we can directly trace backward to the Full Moon.

The Full Moon (23 July at 7:37 PM at 1 Aquarius 26) otherwise makes only a few contacts, but one in particular is potent, an Air Grand Trine with Sedna at 29 Taurus-Black Moon Lilith at 0 Gemini, and Vesta at 2 Libra. This suggest that no matter what upheaval, trauma, extremes, or shake ups precede the Full Moon, the situation that comes from it is in balance. The feelings about surroundings or material circumstances find harmony within the support and commitment of others (Vesta in Libra) and those matters that have been in the ‘blind spot’, denied or ignored, that now will not just be dealt with, but ‘satisfied’, in the sense that they will no longer sit in the shadows, exerting unconscious pressure, but be faced in the light, discussed, and a resolution found (again, likely concluding with that Earth contact to Saturn on the 2nd).

The only other contact is the Full Moon’s quincunx to Venus-Hygeia, implying that it’s healthy, of value, for us to deal with these matters–we’re uncomfortable until we do–and good relationships or positive financial situations show themselves and help us navigate.

The Full Moon Sabian is, ‘An Unexpected Thunderstorm’. Yep. Next!

We also look at the Sabian for the Sun, source of the Full Moon light: ‘An Epidemic Of Mumps’. Whatever happens, it’s catching! We’re ‘exposed’ to something that may be rippling through the populace all around us: an idea, likely of how we see ourselves or how we see our role (Leo), based on what will let us shine. It’s the good side of pride, the impulse that makes us every day move closer and closer to expressing our core Self. And that’s good.

New Moon 9 July 2021 ‘Do It For Me’

06 Tuesday Jul 2021

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Fist of God, forecast, New Moon, Sabian Symbols

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Statue of Leszek I the White in Marcinkowo Górne. Sculptor: Jakub Juszczyk, 1927

Photo By Krzysztof Mizera

{{PD}}

You might hear that, in one form or another, quite a bit over the coming week or so: “Do it for me” “Do it because I care” “Care because I do” or maybe even “I’m angry because you do (or don’t) care”! The meeting of the Sun and the Moon a 18 Cancer 01 9 July at 6:15 PM PDT is semi-sextile Mars in Leo–a recipe for action or anger prompted by (or disguised as) concern or affection. Is this you speaking to someone else, or someone else hoping to move you? It doesn’t really matter–it’s how you respond, or if the speaker is you, what motivates your efforts, that really counts. But what else does the New Moon scenario tell us? What other influences shape the energy of caring and motivation?

We find Jupiter loosely sesquiquadrate from both the New Moon and Zeus, with Zeus square the New Moon and our system’s largest planet apex to a Fist of God. This suggests intense desire, want, ambition brought to light with all obstacles to achievement glaringly apparent in the Lunar light–and if a way is found to make that New Moon germ of tender concern overcome problems, the reward is plenty, more, abundance, overdoing in some way, a social or material ‘glut’, the support of the public, or maybe the reward is the discovery of ‘the facts’–but in any case, an alchemy that takes what dawns with the New Moon, mixes it with wants and ambitions, and serves up a Jupiterian result.

Maybe we can count the New Moon trine Neptune, adding a dash of delusion, imagination, inspiration, or hokum meant to deceive, and maybe even a gaping opposition to Pluto, which brings a sense of danger, a challenge, to what’s before us (both aspects are approaching, so that helps), but everything else has in my opinion too wide an orb for the aspect to count in a New Moon scenario.

I do however want to note a couple of other contacts, unrelated to the Lunar event, but that are distinctive enough they may ‘flavor’ surrounding occurrences. One is the meeting of Sedna and the Black Moon Lilith point at 29 tense degrees of Taurus=this may suggest material matters make us face what we ‘know but don’t know’, what we’ve been hiding from ourselves, and now see reflected back in real, and potentially crisis, terms.

The other is the sextile between Saturn and Chiron. In the best of times this may act like a punch in the nose, and in the worst of times spells a particularly poignant kind of catastrophe, of a distinctly personal nature. It suggests the manifestation in real-world forms of one’s deepest wounds. Together with Sedna-BML, these may add an aura of pressure or fatedness to that push for action, that appeal to do whatever needs doing in order to reach a goal or realize an ambition–just know that this suggests if we push forward right now, if we coerce others or ourselves, we may end up creating not the dream we’ve been working toward but a circumstance that features our own sore points and vulnerabilities in stark and unmistakable terms.

The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘A Priest Performing A Marriage Ceremony’. A New Moon is like the couple marrying, the solid Earth and the bright, reflective Moon uniting, but in this scenario, what is the priest? This may be us, because it’s on our initiative that something productive can be made from the New Moon union. It’s up to the individual to 1) use the Martian energy for positive Self-motivation, rather than to push others, 2) to use what begins with the New Moon in such a way that we enjoy a positive Jupiterian ‘gain’, 3) harness the ideals and power of the creative urge to support new starts, and 4) to accept our own power while studiously avoiding wielding it over anyone other than ourselves and our own personal options. The circumstances surrounding both material matters and our wounds will be a delicate one, but the key to navigating successfully will be found in not overreacting, while at the same time striving to be as responsible as possible for ourselves and our choices. Keeping the why of things as clear as possible will go a long way toward keeping everyone in their own lane and focused on what they can do about things, rather than just on what they want.

Have a wonderful New Moon!

Full Moon in Capricorn 24 June 2021 A Freeing Up, A Spark of Genius

23 Wednesday Jun 2021

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Edward Middleton Manigault ‘The Rocket’ 1909 {{PD}}

The Full Moon perfects on the 24th at 11:39 AM PDT at 3 Capricorn 27. A Full Moon in Capricorn can feel awfully final, setting boundaries and rules in no uncertain terms, cutting off the possibility of maybe, scuttling speculation along the ‘if things were only a little different’ lines–but that’s not how it happens, this time. The Moon conjoins the Earth, opposes the Sun, and sextiles Jupiter, implying not an ending or conclusion but an opening up, through opportunity, facts, or an expanded belief system. Granted, this may come via the mechanism of one or more options or alternatives hitting a dead end or conclusion–but that should only reinforce the sense that it’s time to move on, and good things are offered to those who do.

If you’ve got a natal planet at 1-4 of Leo, that body will be apex to a Finger of God, suggesting that the FM events and the wider possibilities they bring will energize the natal planet, showcasing expression of related energies as the logical ‘result’.

Out of this constructive (Capricorn) and optimistic and creative (Jupiter in Pisces) energy comes a new way forward or a new way of seeing things–but there are a couple more subtle contacts the Full Moon makes that we need to take into account. One is the novile it forms to Saturn; a novile promises a spark of genius generated by the combining of the two energies, creating a synergy that delivers more than the sum of its parts. Saturn is reality itself, as well as ruler of the Full Moon, and this could mean real world conditions, or solid material results, could come from Full Moon events–and that they’ll be more than a little special, innovative, or inspired.

We also see the Full Moon sesquiquadrate Ceres in Taurus. Again, the Full Moon brings an emphasis on material matters and ‘tangibles’ (Earth signs Taurus and Capricorn, so many Saturn connections, Earth conjoined the Earth Moon, and now with Ceres, the addition of Mother Nature Herself, the Earth’s ‘personality’, in a way). A sesquiquadrate (135 degrees, + or – 1.5 degrees) is an aspect of agitation and tension, the kind of upset that won’t leave us alone and must be addressed. The irritation that comes from the interaction of Ceres with the Full Moon dynamic may take many forms, but will certainly include some Ceres-related matters with which we become uncomfortable: our own sense of personal authority in some Taurean area, something concerning our health and/ or diet, some situation in Nature that directly affects us (including natural disasters–which I guess Nature doesn’t see as a disaster, right? To her that’s just Self-expression!), something that requires negotiation (especially if we’ve believed we can ‘do it on our own’), some matter of growth or sustenance or even finances, to include something potentially related to Venus’ recent journey (see June 22-23). Something we’ve ‘built’ will need addressing or revision with Full Moon events, either necessitating that (having been brought to a breaking point) or making the need to act on this very clear, though maybe not necessitating action just yet (that could build, finally occurring when Merc and the Sun meet up for the Superior Conjunction, on August 1st in Leo, emphasizing the individual personal nature of the choice or action needed).

Yes, it’s a ‘Strawberry Moon’, and yes, it’s a Super Moon, but neither factors in to the astrological picture. To think so, especially with the latter condition, is to assert that the closer a body is to Earth, the more power it has–which we know isn’t true; just look at the impact a Pluto transit can have, or even in practical terms the way the Sun can burn, while the Moon just glows with the Sun’s reflected light (though I do acknowledge that wonderful effect of the Moon’s pull on the tides of the body–but they’re subtle, so capable of escaping notice).

I really haven’t been feeling the Sabians lately; I’m not saying they’re inaccurate, but rather for my interpretation purposes, they for some time haven’t seemed to expand very much on what we’re getting from the planetary picture. So instead I’ll leave you with a Word Image for the Full Moon period (with significance through to the next Full Moon): an individual’s hands, the left with six fingers, the right with seven. Does this read to you as suggesting the individual is tasked with too much responsibility? Too busy, with ‘too many fingers in too many pies’? Or is it that the individual expects too much from themselves, almost along the lines of ‘if I had more hands, I’d get more done’? Does it strike you as alarming or freakish, prompting you to turn away, suggesting you’re observing something unnatural (or at least, not of the norm)? In some symbolic systems, left stands for the spiritual, and right for the physical world, and the number six for responsibility, the number seven for spirituality; that would then translate as ‘spiritual responsibility, material spirituality’, maybe constituting a message that the two factors, the seen and unseen, must intermingle more, or more completely. Your interpretation may vary, though hands themselves almost certainly imply a ‘Doing’ mode, suggesting a need to take action, and perhaps to find balance or a kind of working relationship between two similar entities.

New Moon in Aquarius 11 February 2021 What Are We Waiting For?

07 Sunday Feb 2021

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Dark of the Moon, forecast, Inferior Conjunction, New Moon, Sabian Symbols

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‘Waiting’ By Henri de Toulouse Lautrec 1887 {{PD}}

The New Moon perfects at 11:05 AM PST on the 11th at 23 Aquarius 16, but before it does, we pass through the pre-New Moon three day period known as The Dark of the Moon, notable for its absence of Lunar light. This is a period when forward momentum can be sidetracked or stalled, and new projects will sputter, fail to get off the ground, or later require a rehaul or restart–and that’s doubly so during Mercury retrograde, currently in effect.

What can we do during this period? Normally we’d do best to drift and dream, meditate and relax, to connect through silence or dreams to the non-verbal perceptions, but during this Dark period we have a slightly different mandate: it starts with the Inferior Conjunction of Sun and Mercury on the 8th, an inception point for development related to matters of the House where the contact occurs, specifically around shifts in thought, plans, and where we’re putting our attention–and it continues as later that day the Sun meets Pallas, with the Moon to pass over Pallas just over two hours before the New Moon perfects. All this speaks to reconsideration of Mercurial subjects that leads to a wiser take on things, and to a smart or more practical new beginning shown by the New Moon event.

Otherwise, this New Moon doesn’t make much notable contact at all. Its closest aspect is a trine to Zeus in Libra, suggesting that Higher Mind revelations (Aquarius) in relationships and their role in ambition and desire fulfillment (Zeus in Libra) will lead to greater understanding–but understanding of what? For some this might be revelation in relationships themselves, a more accurate view of how they work on a daily basis, and what each party gets out of them, but for many of us the emphasis will be on how our interactions with others color, constrict, shape, or curtail our own efforts toward ambition realization. We may become acutely aware of how we modify our efforts to accommodate relationships, and how we modify relationships so we can pursue our goals, and we’re very likely to see where we need a re-think on the whole thing, with this re-consideration informing the latter half of the Merc retro cycle.

Too, Zeus speaks of the power balance within any relationship, the ways in which we get our needs met but must accept that others, too, have needs, and that the clash between these two sets of wants can be chaotic, a contest between our desire for the relationship and our desire for, well, just about anything else that creates an appetite. With Juno, the asteroid of empowerment, and signifier of Zeus’ partner, placed sextile Mercury from her spot in Sagittarius and conjoined the South Node at the time of the New Moon, we definitely see a rise of smoke from smoldering relationship issues, and between the New Moon of revelation and understanding (Aquarius) and the Merc retro cycle, we are likely to find these issues cropping up, many of them as direct power issues and some as an outright clash of wants between partners.

We might also want to count a very loose square to Sedna, only in contention because Sun and Moon are approaching rather than retreating from the aspect. This might give just the barest hint, the vaguest echo, a mere wisp of an idea that trouble may be on the horizon. This might take the shape of Self-sabotaging instincts or an insistence on not admitting that everyone, including ourselves, has a blind spot–and this might be just the time when we need some reflection (the Moon) from those with whom we’re in relationship (that Libran Zeus)–because that’s exactly what we’re offering them, too.

The New Moon Sabian is, ‘A Man, Having Overcome His Passions, Teaches Deep Wisdom In Terms Of His Experience’. I’ve not much to add to that since it seems we’ve already covered this same message via aspects, but will point out that the symbol strikes a hopeful note, as the messiness that is natural to relationships will show us what we need to know, and make us wiser in the process.

Have a lovely week, everyone!

Magic Under the Full Moon

27 Wednesday Jan 2021

Posted by in astrology, Consciousness Explored, current events in the sky, forecast, Full Moon, Grand Trine, Kite, Lunar Aspects

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By Strobridge Litho. Co., Cincinnati & New YorkRestoration by trialsanderrors and Morn – This file was derived from: Zan Zig performing with rabbit and roses, magician poster, 1899.jpg:, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19060350

Such an odd little thing lately, this presence of magic within a larger scenario. It shows up in forms familiar from traditional stage magic acts, but that’s not where the real magic lies; instead the presence of, say, a handkerchief ‘turned into’ a dove by the tap of a ‘magic wand’ on a box is only an indicator of the presence of genuine magic. I know! What’s ‘real magic’ anyway? As far as I can see from recent events, it’s the existence of a force that quite literally can’t be attributed to any known physical action, and that can’t be explained. The top hat, the assistant in spangly dress, the draped table, the disappearing and re-appearing items, the box and saw, the chains and locks on the man placed in the container of water, all are saying: this is pretend magic, now look for the real stuff.

Or are those elements, just as the flourish and the spectacle serve in a magic show, simply announcing that they are distractions, meant to keep us from noticing the behind-the-scenes moves that create the illusion in the first place? Because the stage show and the ‘real’ magic are about illusion, in the sense that we can’t follow one thing to another in a clear fashion–and yet the results are undeniable, as the playing card moves from magician’s hand to the vest pocket of a man across the room, and the thing you never thought would happen, quite magically, does.

Think of real magic as the thrust of energy and intention into the quantum field; just as with stage magic, it’s a kind of sleight of hand, where many of the ‘energy steps’ are unseen, at least from our personal vantage point. With so many bodies and points in Aquarius (Sun, Saturn, Jupiter, Pallas, Mercury) and Taurus (Uranus, Mars, Black Moon Lilith, Sedna) we may be straining to understand (Aquarius) the material world around us (Taurus)–but those signs, one Fixed Air, one Fixed Earth, naturally square each other, with the Fixed modality creating inherent tension in the discord between thought and the material reality. Essentially, we create our own, personal version of sleight of hand as we fail to reconcile the physical with the mental, as some link our minds tell us should be there isn’t.

But, the persistent theme of magic I’ve been experiencing suggests we needn’t strain. All we need to do is take note when something playful comes forward that promises (or at least implies) it will astonish or otherwise amuse–and then we know there’s something working behind the scenes, something making real magic in our lives, and that we should be on the lookout for it. It’s much more easy to both recognize and accept the presence in our lives of the unanticipated benefit, the synchronicity, the fortuitous meeting, if we don’t insist on explaining it.

One of the recent events for me involved a button. I had sewn it to the paper cover of a hand-bound book I’d made years ago, and I just ran across it again after not seeing it for a long time, and reading what I’d written about the incident, it echoed this ‘magic’ very neatly. The button didn’t fall off my clothes (it wasn’t familiar–nothing any of us owned had this precise kind of button), there was nowhere nearby it could’ve come from, I’m sure, as it landed on the open dishwasher door. It seemed as if it were generated from, as the saying goes, thin air, and though I marveled at it, I couldn’t find an explanation for where it came from. I didn’t think about it beyond that until I was standing in the exact same spot a few days later and the lights over the sink started blinking on and off, not like a surge in the power line, but in a very deliberate, turned off then on way, as if someone were at the switch–but they weren’t.

I wondered if someone (let’s just say spirit, in a general way) was trying to let me know they were there. So, presumptuous as I am, I asked a favor: in my mind I pictured a lost earring, one I had been looking for that meant a great deal to me, and I thought about how I wanted to find it; the jewelry was one of those things that feels like you, so when you lose or destroy or misplace it it’s almost like you mourn a little, like a part of you has been misplaced.

Just a moment later I had the urge to walk out to the mailbox, even though I knew it was too early for the mail. I reached the mailbox, looked down, and there was my earring.

Now you could say that some part of my consciousness had registered it when the earring had fallen, and that this was just my unconscious mind prompting me to go back to where I knew it was. But then what about the lights, and the button? I called it spooky, back then, but now think it was just a little magic, making itself known.

Should you be looking for a taste of virtual magic, you might want to check out ‘Derek DelGaudio’s In & Of Itself’ on Hulu, or a series from a few years ago called ‘Shut Eye’, about a con man who finds he’s not the person he thinks he is, also on Hulu.

The Full Moon falls in Leo on the 28th at 11:16 AM PST at 9 Leo 05, closely opposed Jupiter, which the Sun will perfect conjunction to less than 6 hours later, while the Moon will perfect opposition to Jupiter in less than an hour. The Full Moon is also in very close conjunction to Hygeia (only one minute off exact) and a loose novile to Vesta, forms squares to Mars, the Black Moon Lilith point, and Uranus, and a sesquiquadrate to Venus-Pluto, which two are in very close conjunction themselves. There’s also a loose Fire Grand Trine with Chiron and Juno, and if we include the Sun-Jupiter opposition point, we end up with a Kite.

A Full Moon in Leo brings something about ourselves, about our identity, about our passions and reason for Being, into focus, and maybe brings that form of identity or purpose to an end, or readies it for the ‘next step’, but in this instance it almost registers as an afterthought, with the ‘pull’ from Jupiter-Sun balanced between Chiron and Juno giving a dynamism that suggests either facts around the identity, or the Soul in interface with the social sphere, finds a perfect point of empowerment balanced between expression of the unique skills (or capitalization on the wounds) and the level of personal empowerment, and that this is delivered via the Lunar event.

This is healthy (conj to Hygeia) as, no matter what occurs, it will be an expression of the highest values, of what we want at a Soul level (nov to Vesta). Events may arise from conflict, chaos, or the discovery of what’s been hidden or denied (sq Mars-Uranus) and difficult, even threatening, circumstances around Love, relationships, or money, that we may want to classify as ‘moments of Truth’ (sesq Venus-Pluto). So, beneficial things that spring from contention or upset–so look for what good will come from the troubling, the uncomfortable, the needed purge or change, from the ‘Big Reveal’.