Tag Archives: The Lunar Essence

Full Moon in Scorpio 12 May 2025 Configuring Emotion

08 Thursday May 2025

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‘The Icebergs’ By Frederic Edwin Church 1861 {{PD}}

The Full Moon perfects at 9:55 AM PDT at 22 Scorpio 12. At this point, Lunar energies (emotion, intuition, sensation, the concealed or obscured but felt, caretaking, nurture, mothering, the changeable and ephemeral) reach a peak, and in Scorpio this means things plunge into the depths. The Moon’s palette dovetails nicely with the Scorpionic; their watery emotional viewpoint unites them, as does the orientation of both toward perceiving the hidden or unseen, the unspoken and implied, and reacting to it through the feeling nature. Chances are this occurs unconsciously, with only the tip of the emotional iceberg perceptible to us, and that means that under a Full Moon in Scorpio feelings we didn’t even know we had can come to fruition–and our reactions to those emotions are reflected back to us through matters set in motion/ orchestrated by that current of feeling. Recognizing that our own emotions are the source of what’s presented at the Full Moon is vital; so is the need to read what occurs as if we’re sending ourselves important messages, things which may be too disturbing to the routine or status quo, or that we may be in denial of, to have delivered any other way.

This time the Full Moon is conjoined Juno and opposed, as always, the Sun, which is joined by Hygeia and Uranus=Personal empowerment, making ourselves felt in the world, is key this Full Moon, and if we neglect to claim our sovereignty, we’ll be faced with an unhealthy situation, one chaotic, surprising, or that demands we innovate or invent in order to survive, or in less extreme circumstances, in order to assert our individuality or uniqueness, to remain free of ‘group think’. Drama is a Scorpio specialty, exacerbated by the easy trine the Full Moon makes to Saturn and Ceres in Pisces (with Saturn conjoined Neptune in Aries, which is too far outside orb to be contacted by the FM)=we can be misled, deceived, or can simply allow wishful thinking to override a more concrete picture of how things are and what our personal power scenario is. Tuning in to reality is particularly difficult right now–things are fuzzy and motivations, thinking, and who holds what power is unclear, at least in terms of understanding realistic goals and potentials–and that means making choices can be harder than usual.

The Full Moon is part of several configurations, and we pull in little-used but illuminating points to complete the picture. There are two Fingers of God, one apex the Moon and Juno with base of Jupiter conjoined Hera in Gemini sextile Chiron, Sappho, and Eris in Aries=this suggests that either the belief system or what we believe we know is under strain within the larger social sphere, disregarded and disrespected, and this hurts, turns us toward those who choose as we do, and stirs up any latent discord that’s been dormant, with the result being an emotional lesson on where and how we are actually empowered (as opposed to where we thought we commanded power). The other Finger is Moon-Juno sextile Sphinx in Capricorn, apex Jupiter-Hera=here emotional empowerment is found in accepting mystery, acknowledging what is unknowable, right now, and moving forward anyway; the result is a broadening of our reach and potentially our knowledge, as well as the possibility of open acknowledgment by others as to where we’ve been wronged or not respected.

‘The Questioner of the Sphinx’ By Elihu Vedder 1836 {{PD}}

A T-square with the Full Moon opposed Uranus, Hygeia, and the Sun in Taurus, all square Pallas in Aquarius rounds out the FM picture=though emotional revelations and measures of emotional health draw our attention (and possibly our concern), what we need to remember is that, difficult as it is, what we’re being shown must be answered either with our innate wisdom or with a strong sense of practicality. ‘Make it useful’ could be our motto, at present; we might add to this a Cardinal T-square that could make its own waves by proximity, rather than direct involvement: Uranian Zeus opposed Eris, Chiron, and Sappho, both squared by the Sphinx=it’s useful to admit what we don’t know, or what’s unknowable, no matter what; when we do that in relation to our ambitions and desires, we disarm those who might want to struggle with us or hurt us, in spite of the way they are likely to be just like us. Taking ammo away from those who are looking to attack is a strong incentive for them to take their aggression elsewhere–or even to realize we’ve more in common than not, after all.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘A Rabbit Metamorphosed Into A Nature Spirit’. This Full Moon makes apparent the essence of what’s special and spiritual within. It’s there within our everyday, ‘rabbit’ form, but events now release what’s closest to Nature inside us. Expect revelations around feeling and purpose.

We also look at the Sabian for the Sun, giver of light: ‘A Jewellery Shop Filled With The Most Magnificent Jewels’. The more mundane face of this Full Moon energy shines on actual material matters–the spiritual essence we discover is reflected in these, but not derived from it. The wealth, and the payoff, really do come in an elevated spirit; the sense of prosperity or reward is just a nice extra.

There’s a great deal of feeling stirred up by this Full Moon, and so much of it we’ve likely been unaware of–our task is to give those emotions context, to configure them so they’re meaningful to us, and thus useful, and to remember others are having a similar emotional experience–again, seeing that we’re more alike than not can help bring down barriers that have been contributing to our sense of the ‘Other’ as invasive force, rather than as potential ally, collaborator, or partner.

New Moon 27 April 2025 Back From the Dead

24 Thursday Apr 2025

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‘Circee’ (Circe), drawing By Jean Delville 1893 {{PD}}

A New Moon in Taurus may ask if we are born from our environment, a material, sensuous Being with qualities and personality fully formed and fully intact, or if we are born into our environment formless, a tabula rasa upon which our surroundings write their influence? Of course, in absolute terms when we’re born, or re-born as part of the Lunar cycle, we’re neither totally unformed nor are all our characteristics already determined; anyone who’s dealt with an infant knows they’re distinctive from birth, even as they are learning and changing all the time, and so it is with us all through our lives: we live, we grow, and even as we develop we’re aware that there are some responses, feelings, traits that have always been within us.

Any New Moon offers us a moment of re-birth, a moment in which, in areas related to the sign and the House it occupies in our natal chart, we can begin again; with Taurus we focus on our surroundings, the atmosphere, our assets, what we have or are missing (and related to this, what we need, find comfort in materially, and what personal expression and power we derive from our wealth or talents), such that we may feel the sign concerns things outside ourselves, and so outside our influence or control. An easy mistake to make; that’s why we are obligated to remind ourselves that where we are in life, and what surrounds us, is a direct and undeniable result of each and every decision we’ve ever made. The outside matches the inside, not one-for-one, but in ways where many things are more subtle, cumulative, or far-reaching, extending into our futures and or sending tendrils of meaning and re-interpretation back into the past.

This New Moon sparks at 12:30 PM PDT of the 27th at 7 Taurus 46, conjoined (and moving toward perfection of the conjunction with) the asteroid Circe=the child of gods, but described as a sorceress and minor goddess, Circe is chiefly known now as having used her power to turn men into pigs just to keep the one she desired (Odysseus) trapped on her island. Like so many people used to wielding power, used to getting her way, Circe didn’t see how she was encroaching on others’ boundaries, that she was behaving in abusive and controlling ways, simply because to people who process power the way she does, others aren’t as real as she is–she’s a narcissist.

Together the New Moon/ Sun-Moon conjunction and Circe act as one arm of a Grand Cross made up of Mars in Leo conjoined the asteroid Karma, Pluto in Aquarius, and Black Moon Lilith and the asteroid Hekate in Scorpio. In a more conventional interpretation only the T-square would be considered, with Hekate (the one who shows the way) ignored–which may be the case even as we note Hekate’s presence, because it’s conjoined the Black Moon Lilith point, urging us to bury the info we’re being given about which way and how to go.

So, conscious of this tendency to skip over what’s uncomfortable or inconvenient, especially if it illuminates the direction we should take, we look at the other energies in play: Mars in Leo makes us want to act or choose, to our own glory or for our own Will or purposes; Pluto in Aquarius may, in this Lunar light, take on an unusually negative tone: awareness of Higher Mind, taking an intellectual tack, being inventive or innovative, may feel destructive–or, change and transformation seem to be required to move successfully into the future. Either way, the pressure is intense–and so may be the fear.

But, we haven’t addressed one element: the asteroid Karma in Leo conjoined Mars. Here we have a chicken-or-egg situation: do we act or choose because we’re meeting some facet of our Karma, something we have created ourselves and now must face (or embrace–it could be a good thing), or are we creating Karma with our actions and choices? Inevitably, both are true, in the larger scheme of things, but the label of ‘Karmic’ is one we should use with care; really, either everything is Karmic, or nothing is. Mayhap we should read this, then, as facilitating something we deserve–no more, no less–and no matter where or from whom this appears to come, we as individuals have earned it (Leo).

One other thing worth mention: the New Moon is at the midpoint of another energy picture, a trine among Requiem in Cancer and a conjunction of Orpheus and Damocles in Pisces. Requiem in the sign of Lunar sensitivity and emotions suggests an end to something, a feeling or caring situation memorialized which reflects the presence of Pluto in the larger equation. Orpheus attempted to retrieve his beloved from Hades, only to fail when he lost trust and looked back, violating the only order he’d been given; combine this ‘blowing his big break’ with the story of the Sword of Damocles, wherein it’s made clear that with enormous privilege comes a much higher level of danger/ threat, and we get a portrait of an individual granted extraordinary favor who then, either through his own misbehavior or through a newfound awareness, loses what he so deeply wanted. He is disabused of the idea either that he deserves an exception to the very rules of life and death, or that those with a particular status are immune from these rules. The Moon-Sun, then, poised between these, may imply that a particular idea about what one desires will need, one way or another, to die.

The Sabian for this New Moon is a little startling: ‘A Sleigh On Land Uncovered By Snow’. We’re given a symbol of movement that’s in a totally unsuitable environment. This just reiterates that the ‘old’ idea of how to move forward needs revision–and certainly, that what we find comfortable and secure may need to be revised, updated–because how many of us regularly drive a sleigh anymore? You see what I mean.

That New Moon in Taurus gives us a re-birth in what’s not just materially important or possible, but in what we want and deserve. Awareness grows, likely through emotional processes, and so our ideas about what brings comfort, prosperity, or security, particularly on an individual level, change as well. We’re re-vivified through a process of assessment and evaluation–and we are shown in the light of the New Moon exactly what we must do, what direction we must take, to make it happen. We’re, in some important way, back from the dead, in the Taurean areas of our life. Enjoy it.

Full Moon in Libra 12 April 2025 Divining Our Best Self

10 Thursday Apr 2025

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By Leon Wyczółkowski 1933 {{PD}}

Here’s the Sun in Aries, shining a light on each of us as individuals, making us hyper-aware of ourselves, our actions, our choices, making us sensitive to expression of our Will (are our wants reasonable? possible? do they leak into others’ territory? are we letting others know what we want? are we frustrated in some way? do we know what we want?)–and shining that same light on both our primal wounds and our highly unique gifts, pointing out how thoroughly these permeate our identity, our idea of who we are, even our very consciousness (Sun conjoined Chiron)–and so affect our ego, our choices, our wants, who we believe we are.

Then the Moon comes along on April 12 (at 5:21 PM PDT) and opposes the Sun-Chiron in Aries at 23 Libra 19, creating a T-square with Mars in Cancer=Cardinal (action) energy makes for a dynamic Lunar event; most likely we are faced with a clear picture of a wound to the identity that must be healed (a few of us will instead have that spotlight shine on some talent that we can no longer ignore expressing), and we see who we must appeal to, partner with, or cooperate with in order to make that happen (Libra Moon). It’s an emotional perception, so we may be at the mercy of our own fears and limitations and Self-designated comfort zones as these hem us in, short-circuiting progress in order to foster a sense of safety and control. That’s where Mars comes in; it takes the identity wound and the emotional attitude that would allow us to escape noticing it, and forces us (the T-square) to take action–simply because we care.

There are a few minor entities of note: Eris, pot-stirrer and body most likely to get everyone to clear the air, is conjoined the Sun and Chiron, which suggests that part of healing may be being more honest about how we see ourselves, our Willfulness, or our abilities (Aries); and the Uranian Zeus and asteroid Nemesis are both in Libra conjoined the Moon, implying that our emotional reactions at this point may reveal much about our desires, and who we think is preventing us fulfilling them.

And we must acknowledge the Finger of God, with a base of stationary Venus (which technically goes direct about a half hour later) and Saturn in Pisces sextile Uranus in Taurus, apex the Full Moon (which, we should note, is conjoined the Earth). This suggests that revelation keyed to what the Venus cycle has exposed us to or made us face, which was initially just an inspiration, something we imagined or idealized (Pisces), has taken solid, real world form (Saturn)–and this is our first inkling of what this manifestation might entail. This involves a material surprise or spontaneous insight or even a radical change to the atmosphere or asset picture (Uranus in Taurus); we then observe the events of the Full Moon in Libra, which are the results of our Venus retro experience and what it changed in the real world that triggers our Uranian insight or shock, and which creates the Lunar event–one that asks us to stop navel-gazing (Aries) and start looking around at others, particularly those with whom we partner or cooperate (Libra).

The Finger of God is like a Cosmic divining rod, the quincunxes that are its ‘legs’ requiring that we deal with whatever love, money, or relationship issues we’ve recently reviewed (the retro) and the shocks, surprises, and revelations they delivered (Uranus) that have likely shaken our way of living, our comfort or asset status (Taurus), and that have resulted in this Lunar episode. A Full Moon in Libra delivers the product of our relationships, our aesthetic choices, and those areas where we’ve made our investments of time, energy, attention, and other valuables, and in this case, the fruits are real-world ones, generated by the ways and places we’ve invested in our own lives. At this time we’ll see just where and from whom we receive significant support, as well as the ways in which we’ve engineered, successfully or not so, our own lives–and all this either heals us in some important way, or calls us to offer our unique Chirotic gift.

‘Death of a Butterfly’ By Evelyn de Morgan 1914 {{PD}}

The Moon’s Sabian is, ‘A Butterfly With A Third Wing On Its Left Side’. Is that ‘extra’ wing extraneous, or does it offer advantages in lift or ability to fly longer distances? Does it weigh one side down, causing imbalance? This may refer to the Chirotic gift, a special ability that we carry as a wound until we are able to transmute it in a kind of alchemy that distills it into a unique quality or talent we can offer to others. This may require us, too, to ask ourselves: what are we seeing as a burden, that may actually be something that helps us soar, once we see and respond to it appropriately?

We always look at the Sun’s Sabian for a Full Moon, as well: ‘Blown Inward By The Wind, The Curtains Of An Open Window Take The Shape Of A Cornucopia’. What the wind blows to us is another way of describing the challenges and windfalls time and events present to each of us–and in this instance, what’s blown our way may be fortunate, offering a bounty. But then, what some would call luck, others would see as the reward for seeds sown and hard work. Call it what you will, but at this time what appears in our lives is both chastisement and reward, opportunity and notice of what we lack, abundance and where we’ve fallen short–and since information is the most useful thing we can receive at any point in time, this Lunar event might prove to be very ‘lucky’, indeed.

Partial Solar Eclipse 29 March 2025 Seeing Our Way Forward

25 Tuesday Mar 2025

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‘The Education of Achilles’ By Auguste-Clément Chrétien 1861 {{PD}} The Horse/Guy giving the archery lesson? None other than Chiron.

The upcoming Partial Solar Eclipse (New Moon) peaks at 3:47 AM PDT of the 29th late in 8+ degrees of Aries. What we see is that retro Mercury is already well past Inferior Conjunction and poised to re-enter Pisces, suggesting we are on the verge of a ‘mental retreat’–I don’t think that’s a surprise to any of us. Transiting Mercury is out-of-sign conjoined retro Venus and Neptune in Pisces, the latter at 29 stressful degrees, and in a chain-reaction conjunction with both the North Node and Saturn which are close to Venus and Neptune, with Merc also closely quincunx the Scorpio Black Moon Lilith point; I think that’s a pretty good description of the situation: we’re worried about our future as much as the current reality picture; the mind needs a rest, an escape, as a recent refresh (the Inferior Conjunction) is still germinal, not even close to revealing itself, and with our tastes, relationships, and/ or values under temporary assault, experimental, or feeling foreign to us, and our ideals and faith stretched to the limit, we are more than aware of those matters under the surface, the things we’ve tried to ignore or deny, that enrage when we think about them, that require us to adjust repeatedly–and we feel the need for a break. Looking for relief from our stressful reality has, at this point, almost become a way of life–so we must ask, what will trigger this latest urge to escape, and the actions (Aries) it suggests?

A New Moon is a new start, but when it’s a Solar eclipse in Aries, it promises something new doesn’t just take root, it wipes out what was growing before, creating fertile ground for something originating all the way, in our planetary metaphor, to the molten core of our individuality, our sense of initiative, and identity as a unique Being who works to impress the ‘I Am’/ Will on people and things around us. We feel we must act; we may desperately want a new start in that most important of venues, within ourselves–and the Aries New Moon delivers that aforementioned trigger prompting the new start via three scenarios: the Moon’s sextile to Pluto in Aquarius, and in two Fingers of God, one with the eclipse as apex with a base of Achilles at 7 Virgo sextile Atlantis at 7 Scorpio, the other with Aries Luna sextile Pallas in Aquarius, apex Achilles.

The sextile to Pluto, of course, announces serious, permanent change or evolution; this may involve involuntary loss or destruction, affecting our intellect and our understanding of current circumstances. It alerts us to the fact that we will feel this, be aware of this, as it affects the mind/ mentality, our relationship to or role within the group, and calls for a modern approach to what we are facing (Aquarius).

The Finger featuring the eclipse as apex blends as the base two interesting energies: Achilles, describing an unanticipated vulnerability, around critical thinking/ reasoning, abilities of discernment and enjoyment of mutually shared ‘harvest’, and Atlantis, embodying an advanced civilization that is no more, that in fact has receded into legend, if it ever was at all, with the memory at this point possibly acting in a hidden and potentially destructive way. Looking back now we may wonder: is our past real? Were our advances lost, or never really there all along? This config suggests we have a weak point brought forward by a set of standards or behaviors that are no longer appropriate, needed, or in force, that are in fact actually detrimental in handling the Now, with the Aries Solar eclipse the result: a wipe out to some facet of the identity, or to some course of action or choice we either have been contemplating or have already embarked on/ made.

The eclipse point sextile Pallas suggests there’s wisdom, or at least practicality, in what occurs at this time, in the reconsidering of action or choice, and that’s so even if we don’t understand it. The result of recognizing this is an understanding of where, precisely, we are vulnerable (apex Achilles) and so most crucially, how to deal with it.

The Sabian for the New Moon/ Solar eclipse is, ‘A Crystal Gazer’. I think this describes every one of us right now, intent on seeing the future, or at least discerning how we can best respond in the moment. The Solar eclipse delivers a clear suggestion, an intimation of what we should do, and what we should avoid–and the image implies we’ll be capable of seeing what’s presented, if only we’ll believe in our own ability to see.

A vanitas still life with a crystal ball reflecting an image of the artist at his easel, By Vincent Laurensz van der Vinne 17th century {{PD}}

Total Lunar Eclipse 13-14 March 2025 Reassembling the Self

11 Tuesday Mar 2025

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

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Detail of the frieze of the wells in the tomb of Pharaoh Horemheb, showing the gods Osiris, Anubis, and Horus. Derivative work By A. Parrot Jean-Pierre Dalbéra Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

I’ve drawn the eclipse chart for the maximum eclipse point here in Seattle, according to the website Time and Date, which is 11:58 PM PDT of the 13th with the Moon at 23 Virgo 58, though the overall duration of the event is 6 hours 3 minutes, with totality lasting 1 hour 5 minutes–so a long span that is visible in most of the Americas for its entirety.

As always with an eclipse, the Nodal points are close to the Sun-Moon-Earth axis, this time with the North Node conjoined the Sun, Saturn, and Neptune (this latter at 29 tense degrees of its own sign, Pisces), and so opposed the Virgo Full Moon. Our attention is on our vision of an ideal reality, on what’s holding us back or misleading us, on our creative accomplishments or lack of them, and the future all these matters are shaping (Sun, et al)–and this draws us away from the ‘real’ action, or at least the action we can play a part in, right now: that’s represented by the Virgo Full Moon, a culmination of how effectively we’ve prepared, addressed ‘the details’, fairly distributed both effort and harvest–this really is a point of awareness of results for what we’ve done, and a chance to assess what we still need to do--with Luna’s trine to Uranus in Taurus suggesting that material resources, and/ or ‘the group’, may prove unreliable, too future oriented, extreme, or too radical in what is asked of us to be helpful in reaching our goals.

An eclipse is the interruption of the ‘flow’ of Solar light as reflected by the Moon; symbolically, this signifies a moment when we can read the emotional landscape without the distraction of the conscious mind. This time it’s a surprise, something of a shock, and definitely serves this purpose: the Uranian element of things allows for a kind of Higher Mind re-arrangement of the situation, such that it will be to our advantage, even if in the moment it seems to run against us. The disruption is doubled, once in the removal of previous circumstances by the eclipse, a second time interrupting our plan or throwing us wildly off course with the unanticipated and the unusual, and our feelings about it. In actuality it’s the wisdom of the Universe, saving us from an unfortunate mistake, or delivering to us the direction or results we actually need to thrive.

Such is the influence of an eclipse: a re-ordering of affected life areas, the old wiped out and replaced by–what? Sometimes an entire new scenario is placed before us, and sometimes there’s only a sweeping away that leaves no discernible landmarks or legacy circumstances. With most major contacts either conjoined or opposed the event itself (we can expect their influences melded to the eclipse episode, and so presenting as part of, or the result of, the event itself), and a single other major aspect a trine to Uranus, promising shock, awe, and upheaval, we must look to minor bodies for a little more detail (so Virgo!) and a little more clarity.

The eclipse Full Moon is apex to a Fist with base of Bacchus and Hygeia (in Taurus, and so ruled by the currently retro Venus) square Pallas and the asteroid Lilith (not to be confused with the Black Moon Lilith point), both in Aquarius, so ruled by Uranus that is such a big component of the eclipse picture=this says that living with abandon in some way has affected the health; we know better, know what we should do, and knowing this fosters a rebellious kind of rage–why must I conform? Why does physical reality, the kind that impacts my physical well-being, have to be acknowledged? Why can’t I just do what I want? This kind of foot-stamping insistence that we should have no restraints, seeing these as persecution when we know very well that we need them, is answered this eclipse with circumstances challenging us to be smart, be practical (Pallas); we’re shown how our past has accumulated to create our now–and what happens gives us a glimpse of the future (Sun, North Node), one we read through the emotions (Moon, South Node). This could be quite upsetting, but we can’t deny it’s a gift to know what, by extrapolation and honest evaluation, one could do to make a better future.

Eris and Chiron are conjoined in Aries, with Eris quincunx the eclipse=discord and hurt, stirred by our own actions, seen when the distraction of Solar energy is removed–but there’s one thing about that Solar cluster opposing the eclipse that we haven’t yet discussed, and it may be important to see, as the Earth (material matters and Purpose) comes between the source of light and its receptor, allowing awareness of how our attention to this energy has been running the show of late, with the eclipse event offering a chance at new, more productive, awareness.

Within the Sun-North Node-Saturn-Neptune cluster in Pisces, we find the asteroid Osiris, just on the Sun at 24 degrees, and so directly opposed the eclipse. Are you familiar with the story of the Egyptian god Osiris? His depiction with a shepherd’s staff hints that his myth may have originated with an actual sheepherder-who-became-a-ruler, but the stories told now see him as the offspring of Ceb, the god of the Earth (his laughter was responsible for earthquakes) and the sky goddess Nut. He was considered a wise ruler who oversaw a period of peace and prosperity stemming from ideal natural order (maat), his rule cut short when his brother-god, Set, murdered him (most versions contend out of jealousy, in order to gain the throne), cutting his corpse into 42 pieces corresponding to the 42 provinces of Egypt, then scattering them far and wide. Osiris’ sister-wife, Isis, recovered the body parts and re-animated him by means of magic long enough for her to conceive their child, Horus, an important god-figure in his own right.

So, Osiris conjoined the Sun and co-located bodies in opposition to the Lunar eclipse in Virgo may suggest that circumstances have been keeping us busy just trying to ‘stay whole’, to keep our magic/ mojo, to create and produce (likely something that is quite important to our personal legacy). This has been distracting us, demanding most if not all of our energy, as we scramble to ‘assemble ourselves’ (after having been ‘dismembered’ by others, possibly who envy our position or want what we have), and the interruption of the eclipse allows us to get some perspective on these efforts, to see our real-world situation (Saturn) clearer, and to know how close to our ideal (Neptune) we may or may not currently be.

The Sabian for the peak moment of the eclipse is: ‘Mary And Her Little Lamb’. Mary is a caretaker (perhaps analogous to the shepherd of the Osiris myth), the lamb a symbol of innocence (‘its fleece was white as snow’, purity), in this case specifically our own inner innocence (‘Wherever Mary went, the lamb was sure to go’). This may speak to our inherent vulnerability, the kind that springs from our most pure and simple intentions toward the world, with all the risk contained in a lack of worldliness when dealing with real life. Just as with the presence of Osiris, it’s a reminder of the hazards that are part and parcel of dealing with the world, and how it’s our job to maintain our autonomy, working toward our goals and maintaining our purity of ideals in spite of the way we can be ‘torn to pieces’ by difficulties, and to maintain our integrity (the lamb), by choosing well and being vigilant in our responses (Mary). I think the Osiris myth supersedes the Sun Sabian, for this eclipse, so count it as the ‘energy origin’ of current events.

The Lunar cycle generally has two purposes: enlightenment/ awareness and fulfillment, this latter reminding us of both the consistent passage of time, and the ebb and flow of the associated emotional energy. In whatever House of your natal chart the eclipse falls, look for the experience of and understanding of those matters, appreciating the wipe outs and endings for what they are: a chance to start fresh, to see things differently.

New Moon 27 February 2025 What To Believe?

21 Friday Feb 2025

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

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‘Cassandra’ By John Maler Collier Before 1934 {{PD}}

The New Moon perfects at 9 Pisces 40 at 4:44 PM PST and forms only a few aspects, but they paint a surprising picture. First, a New Moon is an inception point, a new beginning, and in Pisces this entails a fresh spark or the origins of a new venture around our ideals, our dreams, in humanitarian concerns, in Collective or spiritual experience, or in those matters where we are deluded, misled, or deceived (that is, where we believe we’re headed toward a dream that may in fact be a nightmare). That’s the thing with Piscean energies: it’s difficult for the individual to know if they are being inspired or fooled, are seeing a dream manifesting or being led toward a kind of disaster, one where the individual intent is subsumed to the Universal one, or even where the individual spark is absorbed into the dominant stream of events, leaving us feeling inconsequential and adrift.

There’s a square to Jupiter in Gemini–that’s a lot of talk/ thoughts/ ideas, exaggerated, overblown, where much more is promised (or threatened) than can be delivered–but also where the social order has a strong voice, sounding out on Collective beliefs or networking people through ‘the facts’ and what those imply. In hard aspect, the New Moon suggests that what’s born there is in sharp contrast to the current social mentality–to the point where there’s active conflict. Pisces wants to aim at the ideal, to include everyone–and Jupiter in Gemini, more than anything else, wants to be believed, and isn’t beyond using reasoning, connections, exaggeration, even gossip to persuade. That pits altruistic intentions against the stake society has in getting us to agree and conform, with the result that we’ll see a lot of selective perceptions and carefully curated (to the point of untruth) information that will meet resistance from those longing to see ideals implemented–or to escape from what those selective perceptions are creating in the dream’s stead.

There are a slight handful of other aspects made by the New Moon, including a novile to Chiron at 20 Aries=from taking a good look at what we’ve discovered from our own wounds or in use of our Chirotic talents we can source incredibly smart solutions in personal choices and actions; the NM makes a semi-sextile to Venus in Aries, which is still at this point direct=we can turn over a new leaf with relationships, or by using assets to support ideals, or in measuring choices against values–small steps that lead us closer to dreamed-of circumstances or goals; and the New Moon is conjoined the asteroid Kassandra=you know the story of the mortal Kassandra, yes? The Sun god Apollo fell in love with her, and gave her the gift of prophecy, but when she didn’t respond with affection, attention, and dedication in return, this incel immortal grew angry. What the gods bestow they can’t take away, but they can add conditions: Apollo decreed that, though Kassandra knew the future, she’d never be believed, and so it was: Kassandra wandered the rest of her life, experiencing the frustration that only those who see but aren’t able to convince can know. This suggests that what begins at the New Moon springs from clear and accurate perceptions, particularly of what may be coming, but that we ourselves may not believe it, or those it would be necessary to cooperate with might not. This disbelief may be emotional (we can’t accept the reality of things, as it contradicts something we hold dear), or resistance may be masquerading as an intuition, as more accurate than the vision or inspiration (Pisces) we received. Of note, and perhaps relevant to this last bit, Neptune is conjoined the North Node, making it difficult to see what’s around the corner, and/ or to inspire new directions that support ideals or dreams.

The New Moon Sabian symbol is, ‘An Aviator Pursues His Journey, Flying Through Ground-Obscuring Clouds’. That’s a bit hair-raising, considering the recent spate of aviation disasters, and may signal synchronicity, pointing out that we are right in ‘the groove’ of what we might term fated occurrences. Beyond that, there’s the idea that we may be insisting on ‘taking off’ no matter what, despite the fact that we can’t locate firm ground beneath us, can’t see where it’s safe to ‘put down’, or could, as sometimes happens to actual aviators, become disoriented, not knowing ‘which way is up’. All could bring about a ‘crash’ of one kind or another. That’s the nature of an event in Pisces, though: it makes us dream, it gives us hope–and we could really use that, right now–

Full Moon in Leo 12 February 2025 Cutting the Thread

11 Tuesday Feb 2025

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‘The Fates Gathering in the Stars’ By Elihu Vedder 1887 {{PD}}

Mercury has just moved off Superior Conjunction to the Sun when the Full Moon falls into place (at 5:54 AM PST on the 12th at 24 Leo 06), leaving us with fresh results of recent actions in our sights, and perhaps distracting us from the Lunar developments, just a little. That means we may be slow to realize what’s actually happening, especially if we aren’t tuned in to our own feelings and intuitions. These will be illuminating, so when they point things out to you, believe them.

A Grand Cross is formed at the time of the Full Moon, with the first arm made up of Luna in Leo conjoined the asteroid Atropos, named for the Fate who cuts the life thread of each individual; she determines one’s end point here on Earth, with her name meaning, ‘unalterable’. This suggests we’ll know intuitively, or via our emotional responses, what has reached its maximum life at this time. Whether we cut the thread ourselves or merely witness it, there will be no doubt that an end point has been reached, likely taking the form of an end to ego assertion, Self-expression, making an example of oneself, individual accomplishment that acts as a beacon for others (for either good or ill), or in warmth of feeling that has finally concluded (Leo). We will, in some important way, be a different person because of it.

The Moon-Earth will of course be opposed by the Sun, with the Solar orb conjoined by Ceres and Sappho, forming the opposing arm of the Cross. Wherever the Sun is, our attention is drawn there; at any one time the Solar light highlights the life areas and subjects of the sign in which it sits, and with a Full Moon, can inadvertently compete with the Lunar light that illuminates with more subtle forms of insight, emotional revelation, feeling, and intuitive acknowledgment and confirmation. In this case, the energy and intelligence of the Solar light melds with awareness of the power and authority of Nature, and the responsibility of each individual to nurture and protect those others and areas of life we are responsible for. There’s also the influence of a recognition of ‘the Other’ who is like us, and a willingness to partner with them. It’s a cooperative energy; we’re looking for ways to work with others, and we find them, through an intellectual understanding, or through the urge to be original, rebellious, or via delivered revelation (Aquarius). We’ll be pursuing some form of this consciously, even as the more subdued Lunar energies are at work.

The Cross formed to the Solar/ Lunar axis involves an opposition between Uranus in Taurus and Juno in Scorpio. The influence is one again of uniqueness, individuality, or the unexpected, this time that takes material form or that invokes the senses, the perception of security, or facets of the artisanal or enjoyment of the physical. We seek comfort in the unusual and yet we look to soothe ourselves with what’s familiar and reassuring; if we choose the ‘right’ Taurean forms (and that depends on who we are, what we find comforting), then we’ll find a serious kind of empowerment as a result. Seeing to our emotional needs and the physical/ material things that make us feel stable and nurtured offers a major advantage in calling our own shots and using our power–which we may employ to edit some area of life we’ve found threatening, or we may purge something that has been draining our power, or resurrect something that connects us to neglected or forgotten avenues of expression.

The Full Moon also sextiles Black Moon Lilith in Libra=our emotional perceptions and intuition will be affected by our relationships with others–just how depends on what we’re not acknowledging between us, or what anger one or both of us harbor. We also see a wide trine between the FM and a conjunction of Chiron and Eris in Aries=what comes forward at the Lunar event is, between the involvement of Aries and Leo, definitely centered on ourselves and our Will; this aspect implies at least some of the hurt or healing is triggered by discord inherent in the situation, and that there’s something we can do about it (Fire signs). What upsets are being generated when we act or choose, when we do what we want to do? Others’ reactions to our Self-expression will be instrumental in how this all plays out.

The Moon’s Sabian is, ‘A Large Camel Is Seen Crossing A Vast And Forbidding Desert’. The image describes a way of getting through a highly inhospitable setting. As human beings we are challenged to adapt to the unforgiving climate of a desert; a camel, which is adapted to that environment, is a means of helping us get to the other side. This suggests we’ll need to find an appropriate approach to get through some unwelcoming or difficult situation. Dealing with our own emotions at this Full Moon may be difficult, but this image assures us that if we adapt as needed, we’ll get through to the other side, and this is something that, without emotional flexibility, we might not be able to do.

We also look at the Sun’s Sabian, ‘A Butterfly With The Right Wing More Perfectly Formed’. We see where we lack development, and are pointed in the direction of remedying that–and that, on it’s own, can be an emotional stressor. Be gentle with yourself, and don’t demand a resolution to everything that’s emotionally uncomfortable at this time. A simple willingness to see what we need to do differently will send things in the right direction.

There’s a lot of buried or denied feelings, many of them negative, that surface at this time, and even if we don’t confront them directly, those emotions will be instrumental in how we feel about ourselves post-Full Moon. The role we play, or the identity we have, after the Lunar experience will have shifted according to what ends, what thread of our life experience is cut, our connection severed forever after. That may be an unsettling thought, but we should trust that we’ll be a little more authentically ourselves because of what happens–and that we always have a choice about who we are, no matter how limited our options may seem.

If you find yourself checking repeatedly for the New or Full Moon reports, you can sign up to be notified by email whenever I post. Link on the right, and have a great week!

New Moon in Aquarius 29 January 2025 Trust Yourself

27 Monday Jan 2025

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‘Old House, New Moon’ By George Ault 1943 {{PD}}

The New Moon occurs at 9 Aquarius 51 at 4:35 AM PST, widely conjoined (but moving away from) another separating aspect, a conjunction of Mercury to Pluto, both within the first three degrees of the sign. This scenario tells a story of a recent past where we received devastating, destructive, and transformative communications, thoughts, ideas, that we were first made aware of a scant week+ before. Well, we all know what happened 10 days ago, and this has completely changed what we’re seeing in the world. The Aquarian age itself has taken on a formidable air, Pluto teasing rage, rebirth, and massive, permanent change, while this New Moon offers a dawning recognition that the Uranian future we’ve been speculating about is now.

There’s rebellion, and then there’s rebellion, with chaos and anarchy used as both a tool and a weapon, the surprise being it’s fostered as much by those with power as without. We tend to think of the act of revolt as creating two clear sides and as more than justified, a ‘reached our limit’ way to throw off the yoke of tyranny and the restraints of a social order too far out of balance–but when there are many sides, all claiming they’re justified, all claiming they’re victims, is it any wonder that what is unique or new or unusual is mistaken for that which is truly revolutionary? That’s where we are right now, the recent reveals first shocking and then causing either rage or celebration (depending on your vision of the Uranian future unfolding)–and with everybody believing they’re redressing wrongs, restoring fairness. One thing to remember is that the just passed Merc-Pluto conjunction showed us ‘The Truth’–but it’s our relationship to Uranian Higher Mind, to the capacity of the intellect, and the possibility it may argue for beliefs already believed, rather than the grit of reality, that determines whether we meet the New Moon new starts with a mentality that serves the Greater Good, or one that serves the individual needs only.

The crisis is shown by the Nodal axis, North in Pisces, South in Virgo, at 29 degrees, and so feeling the pressure to abandon the practical and workable (SN in Virgo) for a chance at making the ideal real (NN in Pisces). That’s the motivator, but we must be careful; the road to you-know-where is paved not just with good intentions, but with those attempts at genuine reform taken often as not for the right reasons, that fail because there was too much Pisces in the vision, not enough Virgo down-to-Earth details–but those are the people who meant well, who didn’t succeed but also didn’t harm. How do we handle those who disrupt in order to take advantage, to disenfranchise, to, in a worst case scenario, steal?

The New Moon in Aquarius says we do it by having a clear mentality focused on Higher Mind beliefs that take the new, the unusual, the unexpected, and surface our own unique strengths in response; the changes may be disruptive, disorienting, upsetting, and feel out-of-control, but it’s in knowing our own priorities, knowing what we truly believe in and see as important, that we are able to craft a perfect, and highly disciplined, answer to change. It’s a cutting loose (or, more likely, forcing loose) from old constraints that allows a synchronization of the instinctual and the revolutionary–without ever losing sight of the bigger picture, and the ultimate desired outcome. The message is: trust yourself. You’ll know just how to respond, and you’ll find you have everything you need, inside you and at your fingertips.

There are a couple of contacts worth noting: a semi-square of the New Moon to Venus in Pisces. This aspect is the farthest the Sun and Venus ever are apart, suggesting maximum strain, maximum ‘love lost’ around the New Moon beginnings. The New Moon also trines Jupiter, magnifying all our perceptions; this should be reassuring: things aren’t as bad, or as absolute in either direction, as they might currently seem. Vesta is conjoined Hekate, both at 9 Scorpio, and so square the New Moon. Scorpio again suggests the Truth is in play, with the wayshower (Hekate) using what we are dedicated to (Vesta) as our way of measuring whether what we do and choose is correct, or off the mark.

We also see a couple eloquent placements, the New Moon conjoined Icarus and opposed Karma. So, a bit of a warning, with a great big promise: don’t overdo, don’t fly too high, but in any case, what arrives in the wake of this Lunar moment will in some way be entirely deserved, entirely justified–and if that looks negative to you, you need to think about how the Universe is always working in your favor, and trying to steer you right–anything removed opens the way for something better, and any challenge simply requires you to know what matters.

The Sabian symbol needs no elaboration: ‘A Man Who Had For A Time Become The Embodiment Of A Popular Ideal Is Made To Realize That As A Person He Is Not This Ideal’. I rest my case.

Full Moon 13 January 2025: On Our Own

11 Saturday Jan 2025

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‘A Nun’ By Ragnhild Beichmann 1878 {{PD}}

The Full Moon perfects at 2:26 PM PST at 23 Cancer 59 on the 13th, conjoined a retrograde Mars. This points to an effect that will only grow as the Moon and Mars move toward each other over the hour+ after Lunar phase perfection: frustration. Mars is in its fall in Cancer, where it struggles to exert its Will, to express the ‘I Am’ fully, to act in a straight line (that is, consciously, cleanly, moving from point A to point B); add to this its retrograde status, with the recognition that the Lunar energies/ event rules Mars at this point, and we have fuel for action that is anything but Self-aware, aboveboard, and accomplishing what we think it’s accomplishing. That certainly sounds like a red flag, doesn’t it? But let’s not be hasty; with the right approach, we can take this emotion-soaked, contorted energy of caring, concern, and doing what needs to be (and we want to be) done, which likely creates results we don’t want and can’t anticipate, and turn it into a very positive thing.

Let’s put this Full Moon-Mars contact in context: the Moon moving ever closer to perfecting its conjunction with Mars also means it’s moving toward perfecting a trine with Neptune in its own sign of Pisces. This suggests delusion or deception easily drives our choices and actions–so how do we save ourselves? By vetting those choices and actions against our highest standards, ideals, and dreams (the positive side of Neptune). Ask yourself, What’s the most perfect thing that could happen here, that I could wish to have happen? That will keep our actions from carrying us way out into (a possibly hostile) left field.

Then there’s the way the Moon and Mars act as the arm to a loose T-square to the opposition of Chiron in Aries opposed Black Moon Lilith in Libra–and if we include the Sun, we can see this as a Cardinal Grand Cross. This describes the Lunar event as: 1) anticipatible–we can see it coming, if we’ll only open our eyes, and as 2) arising from a need to answer the stand-off occurring between our own hurt, especially as it pertains to our Will being thwarted, and those things within our relationships that we have denied, ignored, or that have been hidden from us–and that potentially enrage us, even as we must recognize them. In this case, Mars, as hobbled as it is, will benefit from the Moon’s intuition and focus on caring, nurture, and emotional comfort; being honest about our feelings and those things we sense as true will go a long way toward helping guide our actions, and will help keep the results within the range we intended.

Uranus in Taurus sextiles the Full Moon, emphasizing a surprise or shock factor and letting us know that even if we can parse things ahead of time we’ll still need to deal with sudden developments or previously unknown material.

We also find some other interesting influences clustered around the various points, and though the orbs may be a little loose, the configuration reinforces the need to recognize them. Chiron in Aries is accompanied by Eris=our choices and actions will stir up any buried enmity others may carry–just know that’s possible. Juno in Scorpio forms a loose Grand Trine with the Moon-Mars and Neptune=a not entirely conscious need for empowerment may be behind what we’re terming our ideals; it will serve us to weed out what are actually power plays from the genuine ideals picture. Nemesis and Zeus are conjoined Black Moon Lilith in Libra=this suggests there’s a lot more to what we’re ignoring about our relationships than we think (or may admit. Treating our partner/ relationships as enemies is really verboten, if we want them to be successful, or even peaceful), and unacknowledged ambitions and desires can blow the whole thing up, unless we are honest about our real wants and feelings. And lastly, Persephone is conjoined the Sun, implying that all of this is surfacing by way of a (probably premature) journey we’re already on, to discover our own personal Underworld, what it’s made of, what it conceals, and how we can integrate it for the strengths it can provide.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘A Woman And Two Men Castaways On A Small Island Of The South Seas’. Two things strike me about this image: the idea of involuntary isolation, and the fact that the animus (doing) energy is twice that of the anima (receptive or being) energy. This describes to me a certain pressure we’re under to find an active ‘solution’ to what’s before us, as well as a status that makes us feel essentially alone in our decision-making, despite the strong role our partnerships will play in the action and choice process.

The Sun’s Sabian is, ‘A Woman Entering A Convent’. Since the Sun is the light-giver, and so the light source for the Moon, we need to look at its Sabian in order to see what might be behind the Lunar event. In this instance it’s the idea that, though we feel involuntarily isolated at present, we initially instigated that solitary way of being quite willingly. I think this speaks to the way we tend to say, ‘Oh wow, I can’t believe where I am, I can’t believe what’s happening to me,’ and yet the reality is that every single decision we’ve ever made brought us to these circumstances. It’s the need to recognize we have indeed chosen where we are–rather than seeing ourselves as victims of forces beyond us, or of happenstance–and that even though there are indeed many things that are outside our control, we have placed ourselves here after using all our best decision-making processes. It’s a humbling energy, and one we can fully benefit from only when we acknowledge we are our own ultimate decision-maker–no one else can pull us from our (largely Self-created) situation.

New Moon 30 December 2024 A New Year Takes Shape

29 Sunday Dec 2024

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Credit: NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio – Paul Morris, Aaron E. Lepsch, Hubble Telescope {{PD}}

The New Moon perfects at 2:26 PM PST of the 30th at 9 Capricorn 43. New Moons are fresh beginnings, and in Capricorn the implication is that a new structure, new rules or boundaries, or a new container for life energies is forming–the question becomes, how conscious are we of this construct, how deliberately are we controlling its shape, and how can we make this serve us, rather than restrain us? Too, we’ll either likely see some previous (and probably no longer functioning) system removed, with the Capricorn New Moon system proposed in its place, or we see a lack in or even an ’empty’ life area suddenly alive with the promise of both order and meaning. That’s really the thing with Capricorn: it brings order to things and in so doing provides meaning that’s in great part due to the shape those things have been given–a matter of the medium both containing and itself being the message.

If we’re aware that the meaning is in many ways contained within the structure, we’ll see a much more accurate and nuanced picture of the situation. Too often we’re inclined to ignore the shape in which something arrives, and focus on the words or ideas or images themselves, but with Capricorn that’s not a good idea; even the most seemingly blatant message (‘you’re getting a million dollars!’) will contain further meaning when the goat is the messenger (‘And it’s all in pennies!’)

The New Moon coming on the eve of New Year’s Eve is its own message: we’re on the cusp of something brand new, never before lived, on territory that, at least symbolically, allows us to renew ourselves and our approach to life. A Capricorn New Moon at this point offers a kind of prelude: choose a new shape, form, or structure by which to organize your life, and the New Year will bring fresh energies, opportunities, and problems with which to fill that structure. So, choose the shape you give things with care; when in the midst of humans a cage is more appropriate for a tiger than is cradling it in your arms, no matter how soft that pretty fur is.

Considering the possible aspects made by the New Moon, the orbs are just too great to ‘click’ with the New Moon moment. That suggests the freedom with which we can approach this organizing Capricorn force, allowing us to tailor our methods to fit our goals (or our madness!) Here on the West coast of the United States, Jupiter, though retro, will be rising, suggesting an atmosphere of opportunity, good fortune, ‘luck’, and the potential to exaggerate or overdo–sounds like the spirit of the New Year to me!

Also of note is the way the New Moon perfects conjoined two notable bodies: Pallas and the asteroid Lilith (not to be confused with the Black Moon Lilith point, also known as the mean apogee). This says wisdom and practicality are available to those who are Self-possessed, independent, not afraid of what others might say about their choices. It’s a ‘go your own way’ energy; also one that requires we trust ourselves and what we know to be right and true. This may feel a bit lonely to those of us who’re more socially inclined, but this is necessary ‘alone time’, so that the shape things take truly reflects your own needs, attitude, and situation.

The New Moon Sabian is, ‘An Albatross Feeding From The Hand Of A Sailor’. This symbol is interesting in that there’s a poem (Coleridge’s ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’) that talks about the psychological burden created when a sailor kills an albatross. His regret and sorrow is a kind of Self-punishment, and an albatross has more generally come to mean a burden one can’t rid oneself of. The thing is, the albatross has long been a symbol of both good and bad luck to sailors–so perhaps the fact that one is feeding the bird in this image implies a sort of mutual respect, a truce, if you will, wherein a sailor that once might’ve harmed the bird is now nurturing it. What in your life has been a burden that you now have a chance to see in an entirely new way, a way that will allow a ‘re-set’ and a lifting of guilt or the expiration of a long, old rivalry or antagonism?

For further illumination, examine Saturn in your natal chart, both by placement and situation at birth and as the energy transits your chart right now (what House is it moving through? That probably describes life areas where you’re feeling some restriction, shortage, or stress right now); include any contacts being made by transiting bodies to your Saturn; these will modify your perceptions of what’s holding you back, what offers you support, and what in your own mind the realities of the world consist of. This should give you some idea what shape those Capricornian influences will take and where they will likely be felt. Even if it doesn’t create a cohesive picture, it will give you the basic building blocks you’re likely to have access to/ be presented with in sorting out your New Moon, real-world scenario.

Dear Readers, Here’s wishing you all the best for a happy, safe, and adventurous New Year! Many thanks for all the kind support you’ve offered over the years. I’m looking forward to finishing my Moon book soon, and hope you’ll continue to visit here in 2025!