Tag Archives: The Lunar Essence

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

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

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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

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

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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

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

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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!

Full Moon in Gemini 15 December 2024 Confusion Or Inspiration?

12 Thursday Dec 2024

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‘Hoar-Frost on Ice at Thielska’ By Gustaf Fjæstad 1901 {{PD}}

That’s the question this Full Moon poses: is that energy that’s surging through the social sphere, through our relationships and minds and hearts, tingling our nerves, robbing us of sleep or giving us dreams intense and random and full of emotion–is that rush a flood of inspiration, a happy confluence of all we know and are exposed to, birthing ideas that seem in their own way to be miraculous, moving us to manifest the ideal? Or is that surge really mania, imagination run amok masquerading as a motivating thunderbolt from the gods, chaos whispering to us that this way lies ‘The Answer’, or at least momentary, gratifying relief? The presence of confusion, and the vague enticements of gratification, should be our clues that what’s in the air, though carrying a sense of renewal and so promise, rides on a dark, ill-defined current that urges us to leap before we look, insisting we shouldn’t worry about the consequences–but we should be aware that ‘later’ will come, when we’ll judge things in a much more sober, but ‘too late to change outcomes’, light.

Since a Full Moon delivers a message of completion, of results and final pictures, and Gemini promises knowledge, information, or relevant messages and connections, then we shouldn’t be surprised that the Lunar event carries so much meaning–and yet, when we’re dealing with mentalities, decisions, information, details, sorting what’s relevant and what’s not, the presence of these two influences looms large: Neptune (forming the arm of a T-square with the Sun opposed Moon/ Earth axis) and the current state of Mercury (in apparent retrograde motion in Sagittarius until just before culmination of the Full Moon, when Merc will be stationary direct). Both suggest the possibility of illusion, incomprehension, misunderstanding or misinterpretation, a lack of clear or complete information, and that garden-variety confusion that seems to be everywhere, right now. So how, if this is the state of things, can the Full Moon actually deliver a comprehensive picture of the current Zeitgeist?

Let’s look at the other contacts made by the Moon at 1:01 AM PST of the 15th, with the Moon and Earth situated at 23 Gemini 52, Sun precisely opposed this point at 23 Sagittarius. Besides the T-square formed with Neptune in Pisces (presenting a fundamental question of ‘What is reality?’), we have the Moon sesquiquadrate Venus in Aquarius (the emotions and intuitive perceptions are impacted–and strained–by the current cool, intellectual approach being taken in both relationships and financial matters), Chiron in Aries sextile Luna (our independence, our individuality, is so easily wounded–and it feels lonely, out here!), and the Black Moon Lilith point in Libra receiving a trine (reiterating the prominence of relationship matters and warning about things too easily–the trine–buried, denied, ignored, or allowed to fuel rage).

One interesting thing here is that the Sun, which we must acknowledge as source of the Moon’s light in the first place, in some cases forms stronger aspects at the Full Moon than does the Moon (though both contact the same bodies, whether that contact is major or minor in strength figures in to interpretation–for instance, a trine is stronger than a sextile, and so commands a greater orb and more emphasis in the equation); the Sun also forms at least one significant aspect that the Moon barely notices: a quincunx to Uranus, which only semi-sextiles the Moon. Stay with me, here; this suggests that the current chaos, anarchy, ‘modernization’, erraticism, in short, ‘the crazy’ we’re seeing, is a direct part of the atmosphere that draws our attention, but that we have difficulty processing/ perceiving emotionally (the weak link to the Moon). We’ll be seeing things once removed, as if we’re looking in a mirror, and that mirror is, through no fault of our own, distorted to some degree. Uranus may be a strong element of our perceptions, the quincunx implying irritation, important since this can trigger knee-jerk responses that can be especially destabilizing at this time.

Is Jupiter in Gemini part of this Full Moon formula? Maybe. Consider: the Moon is almost 9 degrees past conjunction with Jupiter, which is retrograde, and the Moon moves so quickly, the implication is the influence, if it still exists at the time of the Full Moon at all, is almost totally dissipated, as both bodies continue to widen the gap. But, Jupiter could be considered still opposed the Sun, in part because the Sun commands a greater orb than the Moon, and also moves more slowly than the Moon. Let’s then allow for the Sun opposed Jupiter in Gemini. Again we have the mentality, expansion of it or exposure to what’s foreign, and this is pointed not at the individual but at the social order in general. Remember too that Jupiter is itself still square Saturn in Pisces, echoing a confusing reality, magnified by propaganda and our own unreliable thoughts. So, Jupiter essentially just amplifies what we already see elsewhere, again with a sense of a mirror, reflections that confuse us as to where, exactly, some idea is originating.

The Full Moon Sabian is, ‘Children Skating Over A Frozen Village Pond’. This brings to mind two children in New York who fell through the ice and drowned just this week; a middle school boy fell through, and his friend, a girl, tried to help him and also perished. It’s a tragedy of good intentions and poor (or rather, inexperienced) judgment; those are the ingredients of all the most heart-rending events. Keep the tenuousness of current structures and supports in mind during this Full Moon; seasons change, global warming is real, and it’s easy to miscalculate what will hold our weight, or always be there when we need it. We also look at the Sun, for a Full Moon: ‘A Bluebird Perched On The Gate Of A Cottage’. A bluebird is a symbol of happiness. Perhaps the suggestion is that if we can hold fast to who we are, to our own identity (the Sun), in these turbulent times, we can find a state of equilibrium, if not joy. Centering within ourselves is the best way to meet confusion, mixed messages, and uncertain others. I wish this for each and every one of us.

Wishing you a wonderful end-of-year, and a happy holiday season, no matter what you celebrate, or if you even celebrate at all. From the darkest point of our year in the northern hemisphere, the Winter Solstice, it only gets lighter from there–so no matter who you are, you have something to look forward to, and a new year to move toward.

New Moon 30 November 2024 A Difficult Reality

30 Saturday Nov 2024

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The quintessential Sagittarian pastime. ‘Archers’ By Ferenczy, Károly 1911 {{PD}}

The New Moon perfects at 10:21 PM PST of the 30th at 9 Sagittarius 32, forming a square to Saturn and a very loose Fire Grand Trine with the North Node and Mars–but what my attention is drawn to is something that doesn’t even figure in to the New Moon picture, but which I have the feeling will be the major influence behind anything that goes wrong: a Fire trine between retro Mercury and Chiron. This suggests that if we’re primed to receive hurtful information or communications, then that’s exactly what we’ll get; we won’t understand what’s actually being said, but we’ll overreact, blow our tops, get indignant, or lash out, trying to hurt others as they’ve hurt us. In the instant of decompression, we’ll forget that we should be listening for the meaning behind the words, the message buried in what we misread as a jab at us–and because this happens in Fire signs, we’re likely to act on it, way before we realize what it all means.

With that in mind, let’s look at what’s born with the New Moon: knowledge, a fresh life philosophy, a burgeoning belief, a desire to get the word out or share what we learn. The problem is that our impulse meets a difficult reality, one that we are bound to misinterpret, see as insurmountable, or that we imagine to be other than it is (Saturn in Pisces). We feel blocked creatively, and have an emotional reaction to it, one that we draw fundamentally incorrect conclusions from–and then we are prone to act on this (the Grand Trine) in ways that affect our path forward or our future prospects–so all in all, a precarious point when we’d do well to hesitate rather than leap.

There is a positive here, one that can light a fire under us, pulling best efforts out of us, if we formulated our plan well before Mercury went retrograde. If that’s the case, the Fire Grand Trine can assist us in moving forward under our own steam–but it won’t necessarily bring others to our aid, and still exists with all the caveats about perception and intention.

As with all things, this is a temporary condition, and will pass soon enough; it’s just holding ourselves together in the moment that’s required to keep from causing damage to ourselves or others. The Sabian for the New Moon is telling: ‘A Theatrical Representation Of A Golden-Haired Goddess Of Opportunity’. What we see play out before us looks like an opportunity, specifically to redress something unjust (the information or communication we find offensive or wrong), but what we’re seeing is a kind of illusion, a play, not reality, a fiction that tells us a story that exists in all its particulars only in our own minds–and those minds are under Merc retro at the moment, ready to innocently but significantly mislead us. Remember this and you’ll have little trouble using the New Moon energy to learn something important for later, once the influence to indulge temper or misunderstand passes.

If we need any confirmation about the nature of the New Moon, we note that Kassandra is sextile in Aquarius, suggesting that even accurate info won’t be believed–again, an inability to see reality as it genuinely exists. We also see a Mystic Rectangle at this time, made up of Jupiter, Chiron, Black Moon Lilith, and Mercury, that points out the possibilities of exaggerated perceptions, hurt, especially that arising from buried or denied material, and yet again, a mind susceptible to misperception. The New Moon is also widely conjoined Eros, implying misdirected passions, or a projection of desirability on a misperceived object. None of it’s your fault, but it is important to know.

Full Moon 15 November 2024 The Shape of Things

14 Thursday Nov 2024

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Walt Disney Concert Hall, Photographer Unknown www.Pixel.la Free Stock Photos {{PD}}

The Moon reaches exact opposition to the Sun (and so exact conjunction with Earth) at 1:28 PM PST of the 15th, with both bodies at 24 degrees, Sun in Scorpio, Moon/ Earth in Taurus. A Full Moon promises culmination, a big reveal, resolution, completion, even abandonment of a course that proves ineffective, a kind of end signaled by the Full Moon point–but this time what occurs is shocking, or shockingly original, or potentially unleashes chaos, with Uranus conjoined the Lunar energy and both grounded through the presence of Earth as well as their placement in the most security-oriented of the Earth signs, Taurus. It’s a combination that suggests anarchy, internal or external, a disorienting sense that what comforts us, makes us feel prosperous, soothed, established, secure, and materially safe, may disappear. The earth threatens to shift beneath our feet, and an inventory of what surrounds us is made impossible by our inability to discern the genuine shape of things, as the Sun shines on the Scorpionic depths, lights up the cave, spotlights the rot, what needs to be cleaned out, rehabilitated, or transformed, but never really gives us a clear picture of what is–vital areas are blurred, the solid indistinguishable from shadow, angles mislead, and what we see is a Rorschach that should illuminate but ultimately fails to reveal meaning.

What surprises us about the Full Moon event may come in the form of an ideal realized, a fantasy come to life–or discovered, come to light–the establishment of a form of payoff or security we didn’t really anticipate (sextile Neptune), or as destruction of what no longer serves, or the clean sweep or falling away of a power or circumstance that has been restraining us, or threatening to overpower us (wide trine to Pluto). So, there’s a lot that’s difficult to see, and the action happens whether we consent or not, which can be upsetting. This all happens on the heels of the Saturn direction at 12 Pisces; does this take the brakes off our dreams, or does it gently apply them, steering us away from what we thought we wanted, denying what we were sure would be ours, or delivering what we were sure wouldn’t?

The Full Moon delivers fulfillment of some condition that affects us emotionally, or that validates our intuition. We see some lesser influences with the Ceres in Capricorn trine (the Lunar effect and what it brings is natural, perhaps necessitating negotiation, or acknowledgment of our boundaries, or perhaps seeing clearly for the first time the implications of or to our health or personal authority); Eris semi-sextile in Aries suggesting that expression of our Will will definitely stir extant resistance in others; Circe at 21Pisces sextile the Moon promises a strong woman/ female energy that offers support even as it may try to distract us or delay us; and Pallas sits quincunx the Moon from Sagittarius, requiring us to adjust our approach and attitude in order to accommodate the facts or what we learn.

It’s notable that the Sabian for the Full Moon is 24 Taurus; normally we would have minutes on the degree that would push it to the following symbol. ‘An Indian Warrior Riding Fiercely, Human Scalps Hanging From His Belt’ suggests to me that we are to gird ourselves as if we’re entering battle, taking ourselves and our efforts seriously, a ‘take no prisoners’ approach–and yet, the Sun’s symbol says, ‘After Having Heard An Inspired Individual Deliver His “Sermon On The Mount,” Crowds Are Returning Home’. We may feel as if an aggressive approach is required in order to triumph, and certainly, that’s the mindset we need initially, but it’s the message that drives us that’s ultimately most important. We must believe in ourselves and our cause, but the larger impact will come from what our conduct conveys about our beliefs and expectations. That’s how we’re actually communicating–and considering that Mercury is set to retrograde in just a week and a half at 22 Sagittarius, whatever we’re actually putting out now will come back to us, along with the consequences, probably much sooner than we think–so be as conscious of what your choices truly mean as possible.

There’s a Mystic Rectangle in force right now, made up of Mercury, Black Moon Lilith, Jupiter, and Chiron. If we’re willing to do the hard work around communicating on tough subjects (especially around what we’ve denied or ignored), we could really benefit, even heal wounds. The trick is doing the digging and being Truthful without treating our wounds as if they’re sacred; we can’t make progress if we’re afraid of a little pain.

Make note too of a Venus in Aquarius/ Mars in Leo opposition that occurs 12th-13th of December, about a week after Mars goes retro. Right now Venus and Mars are quincunx, meaning these energies call for adjustment, in order to get along; their December encounter promises a total re-consideration around our actions and choices regarding Love, assets, partnership, values. Keep that in mind now, making an effort to accommodate, to balance Higher Mind and ego, and the December contact will be that much easier to navigate and understand, and will require a lot less re-doing than it otherwise might without an early awareness of the way these energies will tangle.