Tag Archives: The Lunar Essence

Libra New Moon 30 September 2016 A New Form of Empowerment

28 Wednesday Sep 2016

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, New Moon

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , ,

Still Life with Pie, Silver Ewer and Crab by Willem Claeszoon Heda (1658) {{PD}}

Still Life with Pie, Silver Ewer and Crab by Willem Claeszoon Heda (1658) {{PD}}

The New Moon in Libra (30 September 2016 5:12 PM PDT at 8 Libra 15) calls for us to stretch our usual close 2+ or – orbs, within reason, which allows a quincunx to Neptune, a sextile to Saturn, and a semi-sextile to Venus–but then we see the very close novile to Juno–and that inspires as the key to this New Moon event. We still need to include the recent contact with Jupiter, though remembering that this ‘expansion’ or other Jupiterian experience is past, and so set the stage for the present, is vital.

new-moon-30-september-2016

What do we see at the New Moon? A beginning, naturally, one with its origins in matters of the House where the NM falls–but more than that, we see stirrings of a new version of empowerment (Juno). At the point of the New Moon we look around after those Jupiterian expansions (which include excursions into the social sphere of all stripe) and see how different our effectiveness landscape, our ability to affect things, our status, really is now; we see, in relatively mild terms (the semi-sextile) how we may benefit, profit, or gain (including through new contacts and relationships) in the ‘new’ reality picture (Saturn), and this comes in the form of something we have created, imagined, or that we find has formed closer to our ideals (quincunx Neptune). We ‘wake up’, in a sense, as the New Moon sparks understanding of just how much has recently changed, and how we have created a new place for ourselves within the larger social order by changing our own circumstances or interactions (Jupiter).

The Sabian for this New Moon is, ‘Three “Old Masters” Hanging On The Wall Of A Special Room In An Art Gallery’. The image suggests the New Moon rests on old, completed works (master works, in fact) that now find a “special” place, for them to be seen and appreciated. Things we’ve done in the past, things that were handled optimally, or created at a peak of originality or mastery of technique, now become known/ seen by and to others–and what comes from this observation or awareness describes our current, new empowerment scenario, and defines our new status. We become, in essence, ‘New Old Masters’, showing what we have created, with our past choices hinting at what we will become.

See some ‘New Old Masters’ here–make sure you see the pics in the gallery at the end of the story

16 September 2016 Restoration

15 Thursday Sep 2016

Posted by in astrology, Born Today, current events in the sky, eclipse, forecast, Full Moon, Horoscope, Lunar Eclipse, The Daily Word Image

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

Arthur Wardle - 'A Fairy Tale' {{PD}}

Arthur Wardle – ‘A Fairy Tale’ {{PD}}

The AstroEssence: choices and actions are inspired by our ego, and by our own empowerment, and that can be turned in a positive direction if we gauge everything to our highest values–it’s smart to look for the obvious benefit in things–we just have to accept that knowing is available, though not necessarily yet verifiable, as our intuition and sensory data will tell us what we need to know. This is all bolstered by the Lunar eclipse (see below) (Mars nov Juno, Venus trine Pallas)

The LunarEssence: The Lunar eclipse (Full Moon) is appulse (the apparent close approach of one celestial body to another which is created by the perspective from a third, in this case, the third being Earth) and occurs on 16 September at 12:05 PM PDT at 24 Pisces 19. Here we do see a Finger of God, with the eclipse and Sedna as base, apex Hygeia. With the Solar eclipse we were offered health, in some important way; now the Lunar eclipse declares we are likely to know instinctively in what way or form the restoration of balance or function was or is to be reached. The promise of the previous eclipse is fulfilled in this one—and that more than a little connects them in a deeper way than we usually experience, and this may be symbolized in the signs involved, with the Virgo Solar eclipse being very visible (or at least tangible—Earth sign), and the Lunar eclipse an event of completion, as all Full Moons are, this one Piscean, representing a subtle, evocative development below conscious awareness, possibly mainly perceived through the emotions or ‘sensed’ through intuitive or creative faculties.

The Lunar eclipse is conjoined Chiron, giving what concludes or ends at this time a theme of healing, or wounding, with the former the goal, and the latter the outcome to unresolved tensions not addressed adequately by the individual. The potential for this negative result is shown in the Moon-Earth/ Sun axis which creates a T-square with Mars; this brings the ego, the Will, and aggressive or assertive energies into play, and implies that the health and healing we seek (and we seek this whether we know it consciously or not) may not occur, if we are unable to resolve the tension between the ‘I Am’ or the ego and the event of the Lunar eclipse. That is, the Chirotic occurrence will initially bring upset to the ego; it’s in resolving this upset that we have the chance to heal.

The eclipse is also trine Vesta and novile Ceres. These aspects imply there will be available to us a powerful nurturing energy that unites personal power (derived from our natural authority, plus Nature and our place within it) with what we find sacred, specifically in the areas of home, family, and the act of giving succor. Whatever reaches fruition or ending with this eclipse will align with our truest values and those things we honor and find sacred. If we’re surprised by what develops, we should take it as bringing to our conscious attention what we really care about—and so eclipse events will offer the chance to move toward more authentic representations of our values, especially in the areas of nurture, dedication, and responsibility.

Franz von Stuck - 'The Dance' 1910 {{PD}}

Franz von Stuck – ‘The Dance’ 1910 {{PD}}

Should we count that out-of-sign opposition of the eclipse to Jupiter? Astrologer and early opinion-haver on this topic, William Lilly, tells us that to be considered combust the Sun, a planet must be within 8 degrees 30 minutes and in the same sign—which Jupiter is not; but he counts anything up to within 17 degrees of the Sun as being ‘under the sunbeams’, a condition that is debilitating for the body’s energy, but not so much as combustion (he contradicts himself later in discussing Horary astrology by stating that whether the body is in the same sign as the Sun does not matter). I think we must count Jupiter as having a part in the eclipse since the Sun is approaching conjunction to Jupiter in 7 degrees 14 minutes (with the meeting occurring in Libra), though I can’t name with any certainty whether we should consider this as having the nature of combustion or the condition of under the sunbeams—either way, we know Jupiter’s usual largesse is a bit dampened by the situation.

A Lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth comes between and is on the same plane as the Sun and Moon, from our point-of-view the Moon appearing to conjoin Earth with the meeting on the side opposite the Sun, with both these bodies opposing the Sun; that means that we ourselves, and material matters, block the illuminating light of the Sun, with most knowledge arriving through emotional or intuitive channels, and through ‘vibes’ gleaned off surroundings or material circumstances. Jupiter is, in essence, conjoined the Sun, and this may imply that Lunar eclipse events at least in part arise from lost knowledge, lost or blocked opportunity, or difficult circumstances surrounding the social arena or our own expansion attempts—and since the aspect has not yet perfected, we may not be aware of the loss, or we may have yet to see it peak.

The Sabian for the Lunar eclipse is, ‘A Religious Organization Succeeds In Overcoming The Corrupting Influence Of Perverted Practices and Materialized Ideals’. Even with the best of intentions, the spiritual easily becomes ‘corrupted’ as we try to incorporate it, represent it, and live it in the daily life; just witness the large number of individuals, religious institutions, and groups over the years who have failed to keep their reason-for-being in mind as the physical plane exerted its influence on their attempts at manifesting the spiritual one. Remember that healing we spoke of, that return to function or fitness? It may, through the action of the two eclipses, act to remove a corrupted or compromised set of practices or to eliminate inappropriate ways of manifesting spiritual energy. And the conjunction of Jupiter to the Sun, origin of the illumination of the eclipse situation in the first place, suggests that we will see a purification of beliefs or of religious practice, with this potential existing both personally and in a larger societal context. The Sun’s Sabian is, ‘A Flag At Half-Mast In Front Of A Public Building’; a flag at half-staff position (mast applies to ships) is an acknowledgment of something lost. Jupiter’s Sabian at the time of the eclipse is, ‘The Transmutation Of The Fruits Of Past Experiences Into The Seed-Realizations Of The Forever Creative Spirit’—well that says it all, doesn’t it? This confirms the positive nature of the change brought by the eclipse, both purifying and regenerative, bringing spirit back closer to its origins, potentially stripping away corrupt or distorted forms that have been applied via attempts at material manifestation.

Today’s word image is made of notes: this–can’t explain why it popped into my head.

For those born with the Sun at 24 Virgo: does having an eclipse on your birthday automatically mean your world is going to be turned upside-down? No, though that ‘No’ must be qualified with this: it’s going to be turned upside-down, it’s just that it may not seem like that’s what’s happening. You may go through some, most, or even the entire year through to your next birthday feeling nothing has changed–and then, suddenly, you’ll see what’s been at work creating Cosmic shifts in your world. If you ‘listen’ hard, you’ll sense this activity, and so can be better prepared for the changes it will bring. For a few of you, drastic change has just occurred–and this years sees the aftermath play out, and your life re-organize itself around those new circumstances. Good luck, Virgo, and Happy Birthday!

Start the new eclipse season right–donate! read! and have a wonderful Friday!

19 July 2016 Mercury Quincunx Neptune + The Capricorn Full Moon: True to Ourselves

18 Monday Jul 2016

Posted by in astrology, Born Today, current events in the sky, Full Moon, The Daily Word Image

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

John William Godward - Dolce Far Niente (1897) {{PD}}

John William Godward – Dolce Far Niente (1897) {{PD}}

The AstroEssence: The quincunx makes communications, and parsing our own thoughts, difficult: we are not good judges of info coming at us, and we’re not good judges of what we think; images and ideas swim and dissolve, facts seem to mutate and morph before our eyes, and we are easily distracted, drawn in the direction of the fantastical, the fanciful, and the untrue. We are unsure–that is, we are unsure if we are alert, cautious about drawing conclusions, and aware of the potential to be mislead or deceived–those who are sure are almost certainly laboring under a Neptunian illusion of one kind or another.

The Full Moon in Capricorn occurs on the 19th at 27 CAP 40 at 3:56 PM PDT. This FM challenges us to act, to commit ourselves, to live our highest values, to actively honor what we care about; the basis is the FM’s sextile to Mars, with both inconjunct Vesta, which is apex to this Finger of God. Our choices and what we do will, whether we intend them to or not, reveal precisely what is most important to us, indeed, what we find sacred, in life. This Finger offers moments of genuine Truth, the kind that lets us know everyone’s standards and investments, and they ours–and these will be especially precious, and especially hard to discern, with Merc-Neptune in play.

The Lunar event also sextiles Chiron, trines Sedna, and with Uranus as the arm to the Sun-Earth/ Moon axis forms a T-square. Do these aspects describe what prompts the Full Moon ending or conclusion, or do they flow from the Lunar occurrence? It could be either; circumstances of healing or display of skills may be involved, instincts guiding us, with either the Full Moon presenting a stressful ‘test’ of the individuality focused on the willingness to be unique or independent, or this pressured situation, a crisis concerning expressing the individuality, coming from FM events.

Hiroshi Yoshida - Kumoi-Zakura (Kumoi Cherry Trees) 1919 {{PD}}

Hiroshi Yoshida – Kumoi-Zakura (Kumoi Cherry Trees) 1919 {{PD}}

The Sabian Symbol for the Full Moon is, ‘A Large Aviary’. With the Full Moon we are seeing circumstances of stress, instinct, the need for action or choice that reveals priorities, and a requirement (via the FM events along the Sun-Earth/ Moon axis) that puts pressure on the individuality picture, and all of it accompanied by a persistent difficulty sorting fact from fiction, reality from delusion. So under these conditions, what does the Sabian suggest? An Aviary is a man-made construct, something that holds what would otherwise be wild, living things; we are looking at restrictions or boundaries put on what should be free. This relates directly to the circumstances of the T-square, and refines our understanding of it; stress will come from some element of our own Self-expression and our sense of freedom. The Sabian tells us that the constraints we suffer, whether imposed from within or without, are artificial ones.

The Sabian for the Sun, originator of all light/ enlightenment (symbolically speaking) illuminates this further: ‘An Indian Girl Introduces Her White Lover To Her Assembled Tribe’. The stress is about doing what’s right for us, apart from societal or ‘tribal’ constraints; we are effectively challenged to do what we are spurred to do as individuals, regardless of the expectations of others, hence the need to reconcile the pressure we may suffer to the need to be ourselves, wholly and completely.

The Full Moon mandate, then, is to act, in character, despite any confusion or uncertainty, and realize (though we may not be able to define this until after the fact) that others are showing their priorities, and we ours to them. We receive assistance from healed others and the healed parts of ourselves, and if we can allow it to ‘speak’, instinct will be a trustworthy guide to successful resolution of that call to be true to who we are.

Full Moon in Capricorn July 2016

Today’s word image is all shades of green. The different shades can be soothing, revivifying, or nauseating, and everything in between; note what the greens you encounter today stir in you, and what that might say about interaction with your environment.

Those born with the Sun at 27 Cancer: Your year is wide open before you, but you would be wise to subtly arrange efforts and events so that they support your highest priorities, goals, and those relationships and causes you are willing to dedicate your life energy to; anything less won’t bring a lasting, or meaningful, result. Happy Birthday, Cancer!

New Moon in Cancer 4 July 2016 A Mystic Dynamic

03 Sunday Jul 2016

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, New Moon, The Daily Word Image

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

, , , , , ,

Giovanni Boldini 1906 {{PD}}

Giovanni Boldini 1906 {{PD}}

The New Moon in Cancer occurs at 4:01 AM PDT of the 4th at 12 degrees 53 minutes, and the most striking feature of the event is that it forms a loose Mystic Rectangle involving the Sun-Moon/ Earth axis, which includes Mercury conjoined the Sun-Moon and Pluto conjoined the Earth, and the Nodal axis which also has Neptune conjoined the South Node and Jupiter conjoined the North, though with our normally tight (2 degrees or less) New Moon orbs, not all of those bodies and points would be considered in aspect to some of the others. A configuration is able to pull in things that might not otherwise be considered in contact by its sheer power of connection (that is, the power of each part is amplified by being part of a configuration; it’s as if being part of a pattern extends the orb of each body–or maybe we should think of it as the pattern pulling energies into play by proximity to one of the config’s elements). With the Mystic Rectangle formed by this New Moon, a kind of synergy is added to what begins or is seeded: whatever’s born arises from the convergence of a number of factors involving what we care about (Cancer) vs. what exists right now (Capricorn).

The ease with which these various combinations meld and then amplify is what the Mystic Rectangle is all about. There’s Neptune-South Node in Pisces=we either create from the past or use something imagined or created in the past, or we find that past imaginings were illusions, fantasies, or deceptions; Pluto-Earth=material changes, or changes to what we count on or find familiar, to the structure of our lives via both the concrete and rules, boundaries, restrictions, or a transformation or destruction of the ‘real world’ landscape; North Node-Jupiter=opportunities for the future, optimism about the future, or something learned or conveyed (facts) that shape the future; Moon-Sun-Mercury=what we care about we think about, and it acts upon and is acted upon by the other parts of the configuration. The overall picture is one of creative response to change that teaches us something, or from which we learn, and this creates future opportunities, even creates the future itself. Be aware: the tendency may be to live too much in our heads, to see an idea coalesce and then believe we ‘have done’ merely by the thinking. This is a NM that offers a great deal of mental ‘fodder’, but that will support material new starts, even more completely and thoroughly than we might think.

Katholische Kirche St. Gertrud in Köln, Ostseite Date April 2012 Source Own work Author HOWI - Horsch, Willy GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version

Katholische Kirche St. Gertrud in Köln, Ostseite
Date April 2012
Source Own work
Author HOWI – Horsch, Willy GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version

We should note the wide, separating quincunx of the New Moon to Saturn=this may lend an aura of ‘too late’ or unreality to our ideas and efforts–but this is an illusion (Saturn sq Neptune). The Sun is also parallel Venus today, suggesting there’s gain to be had in simply being conscious–and that’s good news. The NM is also in wide square to Zeus, and with Pluto-Earth, forms a tense T-square=the ambition and desire picture may make or break the material changes we allow to come forward–and that means this could be the pivotal issue that decides what precisely in our world changes, as we measure all potential alterations against how well they serve the ambition and desire picture.

The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘A Hand With A Prominent Thumb Is Held Out For Study’. In palmistry the thumb seems to indicate flexibility and Willfulness of the individual; in a cultural context, we might say it suggests a certain disrespect of others (thumbing one’s nose at something) or a signal that one wants to be ‘taken along for the ride’ (hitchhiking). But the thing that might be most important about the thumb is that it is our ‘opposable digit’–that is, the placement of the thumb in relation to the other fingers offers us as a species an enormous advantage, and is said to be the reason we dominate the earth.

So what does this mean for the NM? The fact that the thumb is mentioned as prominent implies that what begins at this point may be more a matter of Will and skill, combined, than of anything else. Too, the hand is being ‘held out for study’, which echoes involvement of the Nodal axis in the Mystic Rectangle, and may signal the importance, the future-determining ‘stuff’, that the New Moon events will bring. No matter what, it does point to the Self-determining nature of the events and our reactions to them; whether we are Willful or flexible, disdainful, or just going with the flow, we have to admit that it’s our choice, with how we fare resting firmly in our ability to exploit our most unique capabilities and skills.

Fyodor Petrovich Tolstoy 1829 {{PD}}

Fyodor Petrovich Tolstoy 1829 {{PD}}

Our New Moon daily word image is a man standing on a beach, being circled by a large dragonfly. I observed this, and haven’t been able to light on a definitive meaning, though it’s ripe for a few jokes (he’s the ‘Mother of Dragonflies’, for instance!) I finally decided that what it really ‘says’ is something about our interconnectedness with Nature, that we are far more part of the picture at a fundamental level than we consciously realize, just one element in an elemental world. Notice your own interaction with Nature today, especially in any ways you might hold yourself apart, recoil from contact or reality, or see yourself as ‘above’ other life forms; if you have these kinds of reactions or thoughts, they will point directly to areas where you are lacking realistic awareness of the natural order (which is, in essence, a place where the playing field is absolutely level), or where you have somehow removed yourself from it.

I wish someone would yell at me when I forget a Moon event chart–finally, here it is!

New Moon in Cancer 4 July 2016

Sagittarius Full Moon 20 June 2016 The Sticking Place

18 Saturday Jun 2016

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

≈ Comments Off on Sagittarius Full Moon 20 June 2016 The Sticking Place

Tags

, , , ,

© User:Colin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

© User:Colin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Macbeth: If we should fail?
Lady Macbeth: We fail!
But screw your courage to the sticking-place,
And we’ll not fail.

–The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act I, Scene VII

But of course, the Scottish general and his ambitious wife do fail, spectacularly, and though I don’t see this Full Moon as bringing failure, I do think it might require we screw our own courage to the sticking place, in order to face some knowledge we acquire or some unavoidable facts (Sagittarius); what we learn will likely ask us to bring something that affects our status or our empowerment options to a definitive point or conclusion.

The Full Moon occurs at 4:02 AM PDT of the 20th at 29 Sagittarius 32, opposing Venus, in wide trine to Uranus and Ceres which are closely conjoined, sextile to Black Moon Lilith and Juno, and the Sun-Moon/ Earth axis squares Chiron (and if we’d like to count Hygeia, we get a Grand Cross). The placement by degree of this Moon tells us stress may accompany the promised resolution. All but the sextile to Juno are outside our usual stringent 2 degree (give or take a bit) limit for creating a New or Full Moon picture, and that says that the focus of this event will definitely be our own empowerment or power expression within a particular role we currently hold; it may also involve some radical and definitive assessments of the ‘once and for all’ kind involving the mate or partner, and we know this will bring about a healing for us, a return to health, in some important arena (likely related to the House in the natal chart where this Full Moon falls).

Brooklyn_Museum_-_Rabbits_and_MoonThis is the second Full Moon in Sagittarius in a row; it may echo the May Full Moon, or could present the resolution to what we learned at that point. In either case, this FM maximizes our personal power and our Self-responsibility; there’s no getting away from the fact that we create our own Fate–hence our need for sticking-place courage, in order to deal with whatever comes along, and to make the choices only we can make.

As long as we do not fall prey to our own sentimentality, to relationship demands or affections that warp our good sense or our need to support our own optimal health, we can see things for what they really are, and in seeing acknowledge what needs to happen for our own wholeness. The Sabian for this Full Moon is, ‘The Pope Blessing The Faithful’; we are the ‘holy authority’ that must give its blessing to our choices and our life direction–no external authority or blessing is needed, though if one is bestowed, it’s a clear signal that you are headed in the right direction.

We always inspect the Sabian for the Sun with a Full Moon, as a clue to the source of Full Moon events: ‘A Parade Of Bathing Beauties Before Large Beach Crowds’. This suggests to me a chance to show our attributes, who we are, to those in our sphere; it suggests accolades for our innate Beingness, a kind of credit we often fail to acknowledge, or even be aware of, something which can get lost within relationships, but a kind of credit we must all remember to take.

Scroll down to previous post for the Weekend outlook–

Full Moon in Sagittarius June 2016

 

 

The New Moon in Gemini June 2016 + Your Weekend!

03 Friday Jun 2016

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Grand Cross/Grand Square, New Moon, Sabian Symbols

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

Étienne Tournes -' La Toilette' 1874 {{PD}}

Étienne Tournes -‘ La Toilette’ 1874 {{PD}}

What goes on Saturday the 4th is concentrated on the New Moon and the beginnings it offers, with only mild influences from other contacts–those other contacts first: Juno is contra-parallel Ceres, suggesting power struggles over who holds authority, and possibly some Willful demonstrations of trying to move the immovable; and Uranus semi-squares Vesta, suggesting it may be tough for those on a rebellious or independent streak to honor what they truly care about (read: some may transgress, in the name of ‘being myself’). So we enter the weekend with lots of struggle, much of it internal and aimed at exercising our Will. Then comes the New Moon.

Conjoining of Moon and Sun in Gemini perfects just a hair (that’s a technical term!) before 8 PM PDT of the 4th at 14 Gemini 53, and happens to have Venus conjoined by degree, but still not yet perfecting her meeting with the Sun. This triplicity is trine Zeus, loosely sesquiquadrate Juno and Black Moon Lilith in Scorpio, in wide quincunx to Pluto, and square Jupiter and Neptune and opposed Saturn-Earth, these latter four bodies constituting that Grand Cross we’ve been so caught up in. All this suggests that the new beginnings of this New Moon are intricately connected to the experience of the Grand Cross, specifically concerning issues of ambition and desire as they concern ‘the Other’ (Zeus in Libra), of digging for the reasons behind personal empowerment or its lack (Juno in Scorpio), of exploring (or being forced to explore) what we may have hidden, been in denial of, or been enraged by (BML in Scorpio), and what, if anything, we can do to alter circumstances (Pluto in Cap).

The New Moon event is thus simply the outgrowth of what has been gestating/ developing with the tension of the Grand Cross, particularly as this applies to the social role or attempts at expanding one’s world (Jupiter), the current reality (Saturn-Earth), and the creativity or clarity of connection to reality (Neptune), and all in terms of how this plays out in relationships and/ or finances. In short, we find out something about ourselves, about what we want, and who we want, and how effective (or not) we’ve been at getting it.

The best thing, though, is that we may be able to look at ourselves in the mirror and, no matter what the Grand Cross has revealed or delivered, see the beauty and worth reflected there (Venus), with new ideas occurring (Gemini) as to how that beauty and worth matters to our world. If we have an iffy relationship with Venus, we may be able to make peace with her now; an ability to Love Ourselves may emerge that adds incomparably to a positive interpretation of our own gifts and Beingness. Those who have a too-Venus oriented view already may find themselves judging the worth of everything around them, and so devaluing the Venusian intangibles that help balance our relationships and our view of the world; this is the signal to step back, and see that not all that holds worth can necessarily be seen.

'Two Girls Playing' Peter Ilsted c1900 {{PD}}

‘Two Girls Playing’ Peter Ilsted c1900 {{PD}}

The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘Two Dutch Children Talking To Each Other, Exchanging Their Knowledge’. The fact that these are children in the symbol right away tells us that the knowledge these two are sharing may be incomplete, lack nuance, or could be innocent of the darker side of matters, though an exchange of what’s known is exactly what Gemini energy is made for. That could imply that information acquisition is a vital part of the New Moon event, but should perhaps be accepted with some caution: despite honesty and good intentions, what we receive may not be as sophisticated or complete as we really need. And why Dutch children? At the time these symbols were received by Elsie Wheeler and Marc Edmund Jones, the Dutch had a reputation (at least in the U.S., where the symbol divining occurred) for a spare, clean, direct, and a little bit cheap approach to life (phrases like ‘going Dutch’ are still in use, though I’d like to point out that stereotypes are just that, with no relation to real people or cultures), and that suggests that within the symbol we may be dealing with bare-bones knowledge, things that are certainly true, but that don’t carry the shades of meaning needed to truly understand something–or, that something important has been held back, a ‘cheap’ attitude toward info sharing. The implication is that what is conveyed by the New Moon is somehow incomplete, and knowing that will prevent us acting before we’ve acquired the details and shading that will give our knowledge necessary depth.

By the 5th we see both the Sun and Venus completing a sesquiquadrate to Juno, and yet they have not yet perfected conjunction themselves. This lends the day an outward-looking attitude, one that may tangle with, even challenge, the empowerment or assertive rights of others, from a sense of Self-satisfaction, a ‘knowing’ of who we are, that feels a bit like superiority–but as long as we also recognize Mars novile Zeus, we can subdue the ego in clever ways that get us what we want, and still allow others to do the same–and this is probably the ‘Go!’ point that what we learned about yesterday (per the Sabian Symbol) and were waiting for.

Like the blog? Support it by donating, purchasing books, or by ordering services–or do that for your favorite blog and bloggers anywhere, and have a wonderful New Moon experience!

This has some great information about Gemini New Moons in general–

21 May 2016 Full Moon in Sagittarius: Choice and Balance

17 Tuesday May 2016

Posted by in astrology, Full Moon, future events in the sky, Lunar Aspects, Sabian Symbols, The Daily Word Image

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , ,

Nuclear Reactor depicted on a September 1957 Japanese stamp. Irony is too subtle a word for this. {{PD}}

Nuclear Reactor depicted on a September 1957 Japanese stamp. Irony is too subtle a word for this. {{PD}}

Since there are no new aspects perfecting for the 18th, I thought it might be time to consider the upcoming Full Moon. For once I think we’ll be served best to look at it early, with time to consider what kind of choices we might like to (or have to) make. But before we do, the word image for the 18th: A nuclear reactor shuts down on its own, to the surprise of the attending technicians. Considering we’re in approach to the Full Moon, this may describe a situation where, before we reach FM circumstances, we will temporarily ‘shut down’ the issue or energy outflow, in an attempt to ‘cool off’ what will end up being the subject of FM tensions. Anything you feel overwhelmed by or find suddenly ‘cut off’ likely signals what will end up being hashed out at the Full Moon, and in the days after.

The Full Moon for May falls at 1 Sagittarius 13 at 2:14 PM PDT on the 21st, closely conjoined Mars in retrograde; the effect then is that the Full Moon perfects and in its aftermath Earth, Mars, and Moon draw ever-closer to one another, suggesting a period of a few days over which the Full Moon effects may unfurl, where we may learn something, or expand our horizons (both Sagittarius), and so fulfill the FM promise.

With generous orbs we also see the Full Moon opposes Venus and Vesta, and since anything opposing a Full Moon is automatically conjoined the Sun, this tells us that what occurs during and following the FM is most likely rooted in matters of relationship, either those involving home and mate, or those involving what we love and dedicate our life energy to, with potential for involvement of assets in the relationship/ dedication mix–and as everyone knows, there can be quite a clash over where one may put one’s effort and attention, as a limited number of hours in a day forces choices: do we choose our causes or our relationships? Do we choose what pays with Love or Money? Even those of us who find a balance will continually be adjusting for the ebb and flow of energy and need. This FM and the period that directly follows may challenge us to decide what we’re going to do (Mars) about that balance. Be prepared, as the voice of the ego (Mars) will be at least as strong in the equation, and maybe more so, as what we love and are dedicated to (Venus, Vesta).

We’re stretching our orbs when we count Pallas as square the Full Moon, but as this creates a T-square with the oppositions, it pays to note what it’s telling us: that what’s smart and/ or practical may conflict with the way we’re seeing and weighing options–we may be allowing the ego too much say. We can also count the FM as the midpoint of a close Zeus-Pluto square, which implies developments will deal with tensions surrounding change to the ambition and desire picture. And, minor aspects, semi-squares from Black Moon Lilith and Juno (which are conjoined in Scorpio) to the FM suggest what occurs is propelled more than a little by issues of anger, denial, or empowerment that have been hidden, and now come clear.

'Among the Waves' Ivan Aivazovsky 1897 {{PD}}

‘Among the Waves’ Ivan Aivazovsky 1897 {{PD}}

The Sabian Symbol for the Full Moon is, ‘White-capped Waves Display The Power Of Wind Over Sea’. We have an interplay of elements here, emotion (Water) and intellect (Air), and perhaps need to keep in mind that neither should prevail; in the image we see their interaction, the way the intellect can buffet the emotions. It’s a reconciliation we want, one that accommodates, as much as possible, both emotional and achievement-oriented needs.

For a Full Moon we also look to the Sabian for the Sun, in order to know something of the origins of the current Lunar situation: ‘Santa Claus Furtively Filling Stockings Hanging In Front Of a Fireplace’ This suggests that Full Moon events, no matter how they make us face things we’d rather not, or that we feel force choices that reveal a little more Self-interest than we’re comfortable showing to others, actually deliver a gift, one that gives us a venue for energy expression (the fireplace) that is much truer to ourselves.

Full Moon in Sagittarius May 2016

 

6-8 May 2016 New Moon in Taurus: The Seed of Change

05 Thursday May 2016

Posted by in astrology, Dark of the Moon, New Moon, Sabian Symbols, The Daily Word Image

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Jean-François Millet - 'Spring' c1868 {{PD}}

Jean-François Millet – ‘Spring’ c1868 {{PD}}

Friday the 6th as the day begins on the West coast we are in approach to the conjunction of Sun and Moon in Taurus–and that sense of anticipation may overshadow a couple of other aspects perfecting at this time. The reality picture may be startling in its ability to empower us–who’d ah thunk, right?! Here the facts of what is (Saturn in Sagittarius) accommodate, support, and perhaps give focus to matters where we can get down to the Truth, and thereby gain influence, situational strength, and/ or the emotional fortitude to dig deep and address those aforementioned facts. We can get a clear view of our ambition and desire picture at this time, and can see just where it needs modification and revision–and we can also see the ambition agenda of others, and so gain better understanding of them, if we care to look (Saturn nov Juno, Sun qnx Zeus)

The New Moon occurs at 12:30 PM Pacific time at 16 Taurus 41. A New Moon is a seed moment, a beginning, and in Taurus this might be quite literal: a moment of conception related to the House of the natal chart in which it falls. In the 3rd, we may get an idea, in the 12th we may view something come to consciousness, in the 5th or 8th, we may get a baby–so check where it falls for you, for maximum safety! Of course, new beginnings can take in a lot of territory; and we must look at the conception in light of not just the initial placement of the event, but also according to what aspects it makes, and the implications of the Sabian for the degree where it falls. Taurus is naturally fecund, but the form that fertility takes is very specific to the individual and where this event falls in the natal chart.

On the larger scene, the New Moon forms apex to a Finger of God with base of Zeus-Saturn, suggesting that what begins at this point in time is the direct product of our ambitions and desires in the material world. Aha! Again with the suggestion that what we’ve aimed for, lusted for, even, in our physical reality is what drives the New Moon manifestation. Well, this is getting interesting.

New Moon in Taurus May 2016

If we stretch our standards a bit, we see the way the New Moon trines the midpoint of transiting Jupiter and the current North Node, signalling that the event somehow relates to our place on the social scene, and that it will affect life direction–so it takes on an added, serious tone–and if we treat this point (made up of Jupiter and the NN) as meaningful, we can use it to fill in an Earth Grand Trine with the NM and Pluto, suggesting that what the New Moon brings is a kind of destruction, transformation, or re-birth to our social role and the direction we’re headed in life that makes for a new beginning–but what does that beginning look like?

'Judith' Vincenzo Catena c1625 {{PD}}

‘Judith’ Vincenzo Catena c1625 {{PD}}

The Sabian for the event is, ‘A Symbolical Battle Between “Swords” And “Torches”‘ Strength, the ability to force, punitive energy, symbolic judgment, physical means of deciding, ‘killing’, or severing, wrestle with enlightened energies, ones that light the way or offer a wider view, that illuminate, that can perhaps burn, and so destroy with their insight–but that have the disadvantage of carrying no ‘doing’ energy, which is really what this contest is about: whether we will take an active role, or a hopeful, enlightened, but possibly materially ineffective one. In this instance, we may face the seductive energy of knowing, versus the call to do, with either choice applying to our identity. The question may become, ‘Do you want to be right, ‘in the know’, but not a player? Or do you want to shape things, make the choices, but not be privy to the bigger picture, the right or wrong, until after the fact?’ Not an easy question to answer, as each side has its advantages, and its problems.

'Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose', 1885-86 John Singer Sargent {{PD}}

‘Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose’, 1885-86 John Singer Sargent {{PD}}

Today’s word image is Solar lanterns winking on across a garden as dusk falls. The Sun, at just the right distance from our planet, makes all life possible, and we can feel its presence even at night, in the breeze through the trees, the emerging nocturnal animals, the reflected light bounced to us by the Moon. At a New Moon we are without that nighttime light, and the world can seem a pretty dark and forbidding place, until the light of the Moon ‘returns’.

Maybe this image is about realizing that everything has its cycles, its seasons, and that if we’re in a ‘dark’ one now, all we really have to do is wait–and there’s the suggestion of unseen forces, such as the warmed earth that helps push that breeze, or the way the nocturnal animals hid from the sun’s glare all day, that suggest something vital and ‘warm’ moving behind the scenes, exerting an influence, moving things along.

Donate–read—services–plant a New Moon seed!

 

The Full Moon 21 April 2016 Learning What’s Wise

19 Tuesday Apr 2016

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Full Moon, Sabian Symbols, The Daily Word Image

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

'Night Scene' Carl Rudolph Krafft (1884 - 1938) {{PD}}

‘Night Scene’ Carl Rudolph Krafft (1884 – 1938) {{PD}}

Leading up to the Full Moon on the 20th we have only the Sun sesquiquadrate Saturn and novile the South Node perfecting. This may turn our attention to everything within the reality picture that needs to be changed or attended to, especially things that have been waiting for correction or modification for some time. Mistakes of the past may loom large; take this as a way to inform the present, to keep from losing sight of the need for order and restraint, for a plan; this also emphasizes how great an impact we can have on our physical world (Saturn).

The Full Moon is on the 21st at 10:22 PM Pacific time, and falls at 2 Scorpio 30 in out-of-sign trine to a 29 degree Pallas–and we may be digging deep, wondering how smart our choices are; they seem to be made under stress, especially under the pressure or scrutiny of the group (Pallas in Aquarius)–and with the Lunar event, we are left with the results of those choices.

Or, are we forced by the Full Moon events to make split-second or difficult choices? Again, we are unsure how wise what we are doing really is. Our lack of certainty is echoed by the FM’s quincunx to Ceres; this suggests we question our own authority, our ability to exert our power or reach, and our ability to negotiate for our own well-being and for the protection of those for whom we are responsible. We feel strong, but aren’t sure of ourselves–and that takes a mental toll, making us question what we would otherwise know to be wise or practical.

The Full Moon Sabian is, ‘A House-Raising Party In A Small Village Enlists The Neighbors’ Cooperation’ This implies that the Full Moon event may show us the necessity of cooperation. Everyone converges on a single spot, in order to build something; it’s constructive activity, both literally and in spirit, and is the main thrust of the Full Moon message: that despite our feelings of uncertainty, and our fears that we are being unwise or impractical in our choices, the way forward is to unite. This offers not just the aid of others, but a kind of balance in reflection: we can bounce our choices off others in order to gauge whether we are being reasonable or not. Together, whether with a partner or a whole village, we can do the positive and appropriate thing.

Full Moon in Scorpio April 2016

For a Full Moon we always look at the Sun Sabian, which is, ‘Natural Steps Lead To A Lawn Of Clover In Bloom’ We have reached this point naturally; the Full Moon brings, not an anomaly, but the predictable result of our past direction. Now we discover the nature of those past choices, and what they produced (the lawn of clover in bloom).

Non-Lunar influences for the day mostly involve the mentality and a few caveats: don’t take restrictions on your personal reach as deliberately hurtful; don’t look to money or partners to make you powerful; and keep thinking aligned with reality, positive and productive in nature, and focused on the future (Chiron sesq Juno, Venus contra-parallel Ceres, Merc contra-parallel Saturn and Pluto and trine the NN)

Johann Friedrich Anthing {{PD}}

Johann Friedrich Anthing {{PD}}

The image up to the Full Moon is a small tree, just transplanted, that is washed out of the ground by a sudden rainstorm. Sometimes things with a great deal of promise are cut short by unfortunate circumstances. The best approach is to mourn the lost potential, and to accept that sometimes no matter how well we prepare, the situation just doesn’t offer what’s needed to thrive. Let go of the regret you feel about some loss that was actually unavoidable, but which you may still believe you could’ve prevented.

Like the blog? Donate, read, consult, enjoy!

New Moon 7 April 2016 Re-Writing the ‘I Am’

06 Wednesday Apr 2016

Posted by in Aspect Delineation, astrology, current events in the sky, Grand Cross/Grand Square, Grand Trine, Moon, New Moon, T-Square, The Daily Word Image, Uranus-Pluto Square

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Eva Gonzalès - 'An actress with a mask' {{PD}}

Eva Gonzalès – ‘An actress with a mask’ {{PD}}

The New Moon in Aries is conjoined Uranus–does that mean what begins at this time is a spark, a surprise, an explosion, a riot, chaos of the highest order? Perhaps, though it could also be a new start, a modern approach, or a radical solution, and could portend group involvement or, conversely, suddenly having to ‘go it alone’. Look for the effect in the matters of the House of the natal chart where the NM falls–and then look to see if it fills in a pattern with your natal energies.

New Moon in Aries April 2016

The NM square to Pluto says that placements at 16-20 of Cancer or Libra draw you into a tense NM situation where the arm of the figure (the part not involved in an opposition) provides the answer to resolving the tension, particularly through the matters of the House this body rules (if any). If one has a natal square at those degrees of Cancer and Libra, the New Moon and transiting Pluto fill in a Cardinal Grand Cross, and likely present you with a crisis in action–one that either rises from the New Moon beginning (or is itself the New Moon beginning), or one that takes the usual way of dealing with the square, then destroys and transforms it into a new way to use the natal energies (and since Pluto has been nearby a while, the destructive process could’ve occurred some time ago, with the solution only now arriving).

Natal placements at 14-20 of Leo receive membership in a New Moon Grand Trine utilizing transiting Saturn. Here a NM event brings balance, stability, or materializes concretely the energy of the contacted natal body; peace may be found, a restlessness removed, or something intangible finally finds expression through the material, and there’s the potential for ending a destructive or power-oriented ambition or desire.

The New Moon-Uranus is also opposed Zeus. On the one hand this can bring ambitions and their fulfillment or lack thereof into that difficult T-square or Grand Cross described above; it can also show as a rejection of previous ambitions or desires, as a new personal (Aries) viewpoint emerges.

This is a New Moon, and that means any or all of these effects could be temporary, a stop gap or destined to evolve over time; especially for those with no contact to natal bodies, who experience it in ‘purest’ form, the New Moon may bring a surprising energy, a sudden burst of Willpower or the need to assert the ‘I Am’ in matters of the House where it falls, making a statement about Self-assertion and identity, ‘out loud’ if above the horizon, a whisper to the Self if below. Other influences for the 7th are the availability of healing messages (Mercury nov Chiron) and a sense of ‘being lucky’, seeing opportunities right away, and confidently asking the Universe for ‘more’ (Sun parallel Jupiter).

Vasnetsov_samoletThe Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘The “Magic Carpet” Of Oriental Imagery’. A flying carpet has always been about transport, a physical mechanism that takes us on a journey that shows us the world from a new perspective. That’s one of the more practical functions of imagination, so we might expect to see Neptune in the New Moon equation–but only if we look very carefully will we find it.

The New Moon falls equidistant from Sedna and Neptune, at their midpoint but outside the normal Ptolemaic measurements, and even outside the minor connectors. The aspect is both relative and relational, a connection that would normally go unnoticed, and maybe that’s the point: the New Moon brings a new perspective, one that stirs the creative and that draws on knowledge related to the primitive and the instinctual carried deep within consciousness (Sedna); we may believe the influence shaping the new viewpoint is entirely Self-conscious (Aries), but what occurs may be more subtle, and more hidden, than we know. This new viewpoint may be born from larger events (those created by contacts to the natal picture) or may arrive by refuting or defining particular desires or ambitions, by changing the current landscape through material expression, or may bring something significant (and possibly destructive) to a halt, with the discovery of this new way of being who we are, this new ‘I Am’.

I love the take on the New Moon at Robin’s Window

The word image for the New Moon is a glamorous, heavily beaded dress that loses a bead now and then as it’s worn. We might be very upset at the idea that what is essentially a work of Art isn’t remaining intact, but if we realize it’s a kind of ‘living Art’ in that the damage comes through normal wear, we might accept this as the evolution of the piece, its expression coming at the cost of perfection–and understand that the scars and losses and changes that come from living carry a perfection and beauty of their own.

See some examples of beaded gowns here–