Tag Archives: The Weekly Word Image

New Moon 11 January 2024: The Devil’s In The Details

08 Monday Jan 2024

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‘The Devil’ by Photographer Jus De Citron 2013
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

Two things immediately stand out with the New Moon in Capricorn (3:57 AM PST at 20 CAP 44): the way it and the opposing Earth form a crisp Cardinal Grand Cross with the Nodal axis (and as well with Zeus conjoined the South Node, and Eris conjoined the North, and these opposed each other at 24 degrees), and the Earth Grand Trine the New Moon forms with Uranus in Taurus and Juno in Virgo. These are dynamic energy patterns, promising action (Cardinals) and material impact (Earth signs), with the New Moon acting as trigger to both. So what does the New Moon itself promise?

A New Moon in Capricorn implies new beginnings in matters of status, social structure, constraints and rules, limits and requirements for achievement, so may feel a little like punishment; in reality, the form Capricorn imposes is for our benefit. The sign lets us know the limits, lets us know what we must do to get what we want and how to go about climbing the ladder, making an impact, building a place for ourselves in the wider world. We should welcome knowing the rules of the game–the alternative is a formless world where nothing can be built upon, everything dissolves in a mist, all is chaos, and as Gertrude Stein famously said, there’s no ‘there there’–and even worse, in a world without rules, there’s no way to instigate change. Without a system in place, we can’t create a better one. Essentially, all becomes meaningless.

So, Capricorn ‘gifts’ us with form, limits, and conditions for achievement, and expects us to follow the rules–and in this instance, the Cardinal Grand Cross tells us that taking heed of the new conditions and requirements, new forms and limits, will be instrumental in shaping our future, in the direction our lives take (the Nodes). The repercussions that ripple out like rings in the water are what we need to be as aware of as possible–and yet, it’s not possible to know all the consequences of our current choices and actions–and that’s where the Earth Grand Trine comes in.

We have Juno in Virgo (empowerment through discretion and critical assessment, and through productive labor that insures each harvests according to that invested labor) and Uranus in Taurus (impulses toward rebellion, innovation, and chaos in the material realm that can be channeled into unique creativity and choices that honor Higher Mind), and these potentials come within reach with the spark of the New Moon. Luna will show us how to balance empowerment generated by our efforts and discriminative faculties as they are applied taking smart creative risks and making smart, spiritually mature choices. The New Moon recruits the feeling nature and intuitive sensibilities as guides in shaping our choices and our path forward–and all while sorting the wheat from the chaff, so to speak, the relevant from the distracting and the confusing.

The presence with the Nodes of Eris opposed Zeus is a hint as to what’s at stake: our ambitions and desires must be measured in direct relation to those matters and individuals that harbor destructive or chaotic energy in response to our efforts. If it undermines your path it will show itself now–it can’t help it–and the New Moon in Capricorn will offer the conditions under which you will or won’t accept what’s in play. It’s useful in a thousand ways–the only danger is that sentiment (the Moon) may cloud our vision, may undermine us acting in our own best interests.

Less compelling but no less revealing aspects the New Moon makes include a semi-sextile to Ceres and a semi-square to Saturn. These suggest that our sense of personal power, and/ or our health, will figure in, and that the reality picture or our own internalized sense of ‘dos and don’ts’ may perpetuate emotional resistance. For best results, we must set these preconceived (and often Self-imposed and Self-generated) ‘limits’ aside, and go with the new, revised vision offered by the New Moon. There’s also a sextile to Pallas, which should set our minds at ease. Inner wisdom and practicality are available–all we have to do is call on them.

Within hours (for the Moon) and days (for the Sun) both will meet Pluto at 29 tense degrees of Capricorn. In fact, the Sun will meet and then travel into Aquarius with Pluto, so it’s really worth mentioning these upcoming encounters. The New Moon occurs in anticipation of its conjunction with the lord of the Underworld; that is, emotional revelations delivered by events of the New Moon lay the emotional groundwork for radical change, elimination, resurrection, or transformation (Moon conj Pluto), which is followed by our attention on that change (Sun conj Pluto), which will take us from spotlighting the re-making of the established systems/ reality (Capricorn) to innovations in replacement systems/ approaches that are keyed to Higher Mind (Aquarius).

Sabian for the new Moon is, ‘A Relay Race’. This may refer to the New Moon’s preparation of the way forward for the Sun/ Moon encounters with Pluto. A relay race features the passing of a baton from one participant to the next. The original runner doesn’t cross the finish line, nor do those that follow. It’s only the final runner, who benefits from the actions of all who came before, that actually engages in the end of the race. The big and often irrevocable changes Pluto represents are built on many small moments that lead up to that change; we’re in one of those periods now. This also hints at the importance of the past (SN) in creating the future (NN), with the contact to Saturn suggesting current reality isn’t necessarily easy to alter or deal with (semi-square), at least not directly or even consciously.

I’ve heard the phrase, ‘The devil’s in the details’ more times than I can count in the past week (call it our Weekly Word Image, if you like)–and I think it’s exactly what applies to the energies stirred by this New Moon. While we’re dealing with it all, our attention is taken for the most part by the minutiae of living, but it’s these small, sometimes barely noticed choices that shape and drive what’s to come–these are what occur all around, and connected to, this New Moon in Capricorn point.

Also of note: a very close trine between Venus in Sagittarius and Chiron in Aries. Be aware of the ease with which we may injure ourselves or others in trying to apply ‘the facts’ within relationships (or, in the way realities about money may affect relationships). We may try to reduce an interaction to a practical level, or to a handful of hard truths; don’t forget that it exists first and foremost because of feeling, and those need no justification or explanation.

That Little Bird

17 Tuesday May 2022

Posted by in current events in the sky, The Weekly Word Image

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‘Portrait of a Child With a Bird’ By Wybrand de Geest 1610 {{PD}}

What’s happening right now, in the lee of this eclipse, an event that carried a big impact, the extent of which we may not completely uncover (or recover from) for some time (we have six months, after all, to bask, or is that flail? in its effects)? I’m drawn to the way the Sun is creeping up on Sedna, late in Taurus; I choose the word ‘creeping’ for a reason: to me that’s a picture of conscious awareness trying to bring what’s instinctive, what we know but don’t know, or what’s in our ‘blind spot’, to light–probably so it can be changed, purged, or resurrected in better form (trine to Pluto)–and we want that little bird of unconscious knowledge to eat from our hand, not startle and fly away.

What gives us a chance to gain the insight we want is the way those liminally-carried, instinctive energies will be engaged in sorting conflicts arising from what we find sacred, seek to honor, or have dedicated our energies to supporting (Sedna square Vesta, the latter in Aquarius). The material matters that at this time would normally be taking our attention, blocking below-the-surface perceptions (Taurus) will be temporarily disabled, distracted as the symbol of all we revere–Vesta–runs up against the symbol of what we should be aware of, but in some way aren’t–Sedna. This friction is likely in service to a simple but vital cause (Aquarius, as standard-bearer for the Higher Mind): giving us the necessary perspective to know what we really care about, what we truly want to commit our life energies to–with the added benefit that conscious energy has a crack at gaining genuine and needed insight into the Self and our own motivations. Maybe, too, this is where Pluto comes in: helping us eliminate what isn’t serving that higher cause, either aiding us in taking steps to put out attention on what we value, or forcibly removing distractions and dead ends, so that we turn in another, presumably more effective, direction.

One other thing I’d like to talk about right now: the Saturn-Eris sextile that catches Mars-Neptune at the midpoint. This is a highly potent formula for real world antagonisms and restrictions that enrage, that lead to actions and choices that are either highly imaginative and creative (and that’s no comment on their worth or morality!) or that are delusional in their perceptions or their understanding of the situation. What we’re moved to do may express our ideal individual Self, responsible and showing a kind of leadership (even if only to ourselves), or it may bring our worst (that is, most inaccurate) visions of who we are forward in service to the ego. Our job here is simple, and tough: know ourselves, and be so honest with ourselves, that we don’t take off in the ‘wrong’ direction.

The word image for the week: Alice in Wonderland. This is the story of an innocent who tumbles into an unfamiliar world, one that her fresh, child-perspective allows her to interact with more effectively and more directly than would one more jaded (that is, an adult, who would probably spend a lot of time arguing that what they were seeing couldn’t be!) Alice succeeds, or at least makes it through her journey, despite any momentary disbelief, by engaging with the inhabitants on their own level–and I’ll take that as our message from my repeated exposures to this story in the past 72 hours: don’t try to judge whether things make sense, or dismiss them as impossible when they’re right in front of you; instead, meet circumstances and people where they are. Don’t waste time or energy in denial, arguing that it shouldn’t be–it is, so respond accordingly.

‘Advice from a Caterpillar’ Alice in Wonderland Illustration By Arthur Rackham {{PD}}

Mystic Rectangle: Where It Leads 28 July-3 August 2021

27 Tuesday Jul 2021

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Mystic Rectangle, Sun/Mercury Superior Conjunction, The Weekly Word Image

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‘The Hilly Path, Ville d’Avray’ By Alfred Sisley 1879 {{PD}}

There’s a Mystic Rectangle forming that will be in play through the 2nd of August; let’s walk through the situation, and see where it leads.

A Mystic Rectangle is a configuration made up of a pair of sextiles, with each pair opposing the other; that is, point A sextiles B, and point C sextiles D, with A opposed D, and B opposed C. This generates a certain synergy among the energies, a positive dynamic that otherwise would allow the oppositions to have a greater, and decidedly more negative, say.

Now that you’re thoroughly alphabet-confused, we’ll describe what’s actually in the sky, as the Sun in Leo moves into place to complete the pattern. The Sun sextiles the North Node, forming one end of the rectangle; the other end is the South Node closely conjoined by Juno sextile Earth, the latter approaching conjunction to Saturn. It’s not unusual for the Nodes to act as ‘anchor points’ in the forming of this configuration, and as well for the Sun-Earth axis to move into position, almost as if our energy, attention, and surroundings develop until we reach a point to make choices (relatively easy ones–the sextiles) that have, one way or another, life-direction changing impact.

This config suggests illumination (Sun) of the future (NN) we are currently generating via our thoughts and ideas (Gemini), especially as they make statements about who we are and the role(s) we wish to play (Leo), and the way these notions confront (oppositions) our status, roles, and empowerment circumstances of the past (Juno-SN), specifically as these attempted to expand our horizons, help us learn, or exposed the facts (Sagittarius) and created current material surroundings (Earth) and, subsequently, our reality (Saturn). So, it’s a period of assessment and evaluation focused on ourselves and our methods, and where those ideas and efforts have taken us.

We might initially think immediate action is the answer, as the first two days of the Rectangle coincide with Mars at 29 tense degrees of Leo. The issue is that actions at this point may be purely motivated by ego or a need to put the Self forward, to ‘shine’, because our ‘I Am’, our action urge, is under stress, even panic, wanting to redress and make corrections to our previous conduct, because we see quite clearly where that led, and where it did and didn’t bring success. The ‘I Am’ is roaring during this period, so be prepared for some chest-thumping and a few pirouettes, from ourselves or others, and see them more as blowing off steam than as serious assertions of who we are–and this may happen publicly, is definitely exaggerated, but could generate opportunities or some balloon-ready-to-burst optimism (Jupiter in Aquarius, also at 29 degrees and opp Mars).

Too, we see Ceres-Sedna closely conjoined at 29 Taurus. Though not part of the config, those 29 degree bodies fill the air with tension and encourage rash (and sometimes disastrous) action. In this case this pairing adds a dash of desperate-to-be-seen-as-autonomous (Ceres) to the inner landscape (Sedna), stimulating our ‘blind spot’ material (Sedna) and making us sitting ducks to act out, rather innocently believing we’re following instinct when we’re really riding on a subtle current of info we ‘know but don’t know’ (Sedna).

By the 30th we’re not as prone to act (Mars enters Virgo, and gets a lot more inclined to demand to know the odds, the details, and the stats before doing), and Mercury flies close to the Sun in Leo, adding a prompt to think. Are we, Icarus-like, prone to be blinded by consideration of ourselves and our purpose and intentions, so much so that we flame out and plunge back to earth? Maybe, but the real message here could be that we pull back from being dazzled by our own potentials and intentions, and start to apply our smarts in service of getting closer to our goals.

Superior Conjunction of Mercury and the Sun on August 1st says we’re successful at drawing useful conclusions and making effective plans, and the ability to bring our ideas into solid reality only increases, peaking on the 2nd as Earth and Saturn finally perfect their meeting. Plan accordingly, and expect by the 3rd to get a good emotional reading on life direction and modification of efforts as the Gemini Moon passes over the North Node.

‘Sitting Quietly’ By Li Mei-Shu 1959 Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

Today’s Word Image is a woman, seated in a pool of lamplight, in the middle of the night. What, literally or figuratively, is ‘keeping you up at night’? The image suggests awareness at a point when rest would be more appropriate, and could speak of overwork, hyper-vigilance, or an emphasis on being overly responsible, probably for things outside one’s control, as well as a state of worry. Since the woman in the image isn’t doing anything, it may suggest that anxiety without action is just wasted energy, and that it may be keeping us from getting what we genuinely need (in this case, sleep!)

AstroNotes, Through 17 July 2021: The Crucible of Excess

12 Monday Jul 2021

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Njommelsaska i Lappland by Carl Svantje Hallbeck {{PD}}

I’m a little bit consumed with the upcoming opposition of the Sun to Pluto, perfecting on the 17th, but as I look at the sky patterns for that day, I’m struck even more by two bodies and a point (Sedna-Black Moon Lilith in Taurus trine Vesta in Virgo) all at 29 degrees of an Earth sign, and even more commanding, at that point Earth-Pluto will be trine Ceres (again, Earth placements) and sesquiquadrate the North Node. So, what might seem like a perfectly straightforward aspect (Sun opposed Pluto) seems to burn in a crucible of stress (the 29 degree placements) and difficult, fate-shaping events or, more likely, difficult or fate-determining thoughts or ideas (the North Node is in Gemini). We may be tasked with sorting and committing to what we really value, as opposed to what we instinctively value and what we may value but deny is important to us. This suggests a strong material, health, or instinctual component that works on both the mind/ way of thinking and that brings forward the challenge of how best to serve our highest values (which feel as if they’re under assault)–and that could prompt many of us to either ignore what we know but are loathe to acknowledge, or to unleash a ‘scorched earth’ policy in areas we think are too messy, or too unpleasant, to sort out and deal with. This kind of excessive response (Jupiter is planet of earliest degree, flooding the environment with exaggeration) would indeed shape the future, and probably not in any way we would see as desirable. Pluto-Ceres says it will be easy to be destructive; or, that Nature herself will make change, or even do damage. Better to be willing to look at the Plutonian elements revealed by the Sun’s bright glare without being too judgemental–the ‘warts and all’ glimpse that we get should remind us we’re all human and that on its own is not a sin–and then refuse to overreact–which is exactly what all those 29 degree factors, plus Jupiter, will push us toward. Add that the Moon will trine Jupiter on the 17th, alerting us to the possibility of emotional factors persuading us to justify a too-big response–so just be aware.

During this period through to the 17th, these aspects are accompanied by a lingering meeting of Mars and Venus in Leo, suggesting nothing so much as the kind of romance where each person is thinking more of themselves than they are of the other. I don’t mean that negatively; the Leo placement suggests to me the kind of satisfaction and pride in one’s ability to attract and interact that is part and parcel of the Leo charm (and, admittedly, the Leo ego!) This conjunction promises a short time when relationships that are in some way complimentarily balanced (male/ female, animus-focused/ anima-focused, one where one brings the money or looks, the other the strength or capacity to ‘get it done’, and so on) will shine particularly brightly–so if you’re part of one of these partnerships, time your moves for this window. Even singles will gain by being a little more confident, a little more of a peacock.

Jump back a bit, to the 15th, and we see Earth and Neptune acting as base for a Finger of God with apex Venus. This won’t last long but could bring one of two effects: our idealism is made manifest, and we are rewarded, or we experience the material impact of our delusion, and it costs us. Just another argument for being as honest as possible with ourselves–and that means being as connected to the real world as we can be, and still dream.

The only other thing I want to mention is the still extant sextile between Saturn and Chiron. Here’s where we get a clue about what could be putting us in a bad position in terms of the Finger mentioned above: if our sense of reality (Saturn) is filtered through wounds and hurts, especially those related to our own agency and competency, or around our expression of Will (Chiron in Aries), then we are much more likely to suffer the delusion/ cost expression of the Finger, rather than the rewarding one. Proceed with care.

There was a trend at one point to hide or disguise a mother in a portrait as she held her child, and this is the eerie result. {{PD}}

Your Word Image for the period: a white room, where a dark-eyed, dark-haired woman sits dressed all in white, with a baby, also dark-haired, dark-eyed and dressed in white, who sits on her lap; the woman is upset to learn that this baby, which is her baby, is ‘haunted’. This is an image from a dream and carries a wide variety of possible interpretations, all of which may depend on your definition of what a ‘haunted baby’ really is. ‘Somebody’s baby’ is a phrase that for me brings to mind something special an individual may be deeply engaged with, usually a project or creation they see as uniquely theirs–and if your ‘baby’ is haunted, that may suggest there are unseen or even unperceived influences that are affecting creation.

Or maybe we should look at this more in light of the woman as an individual, and her baby as the part of herself that is extraordinarily young, inexperienced, immature, or undeveloped, ‘new’ in some important way, and the haunting as what’s preventing the maturing of this part of her. Could the baby be a ‘fresh’ thing, talent, characteristic, or project that is being held back by the influence of others, whose criticism or comment has seeped in and may need to be exorcised?

Do you think of a baby as an extension of its parents? In that case it may be that some way that the individual is reaching out into society is being unduly invested with the ‘spirit’ of others–or maybe it’s something as simple as being afraid of something new, something ‘just born’, that we don’t understand. In any case, an interesting image; apply it to your own life as you will.

Your Weekend (And Then Some) 21-24 November 2020 ‘It’s All Venus’

21 Saturday Nov 2020

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Venus may encourage (or maybe force) us to look at ourselves, as much as she may comment on relationships or finances, during this period. ‘Rokeby Venus’ 1644 By
Diego Velázquez {{PD}}

Why oh why does everything feel as if it has a hidden side, or contains a trap, or involves something we aren’t informed on? Blame it on Venus entering deep-dive, mysterious Scorpio, and the Sun entering Sagittarius, the latter prompting us to look for the facts–and Venus continuing to seduce us with the idea that there’s something yet to be discovered.

For the 21st we add to the Venus theme an inability to know what to do (Mars contra-parallel Neptune) and perceptual difficulties around knowing what’s healthy for us (Mercury square Hygeia). The result may be that we act foolishly (or at least, not ideally) because we just don’t see what’s good for us! So, proceed with caution.

By the 22nd we still have choice and action difficulties, mainly driven by distorted ideas of who we are or by wonky thinking (Merc qnx Mars and contra-parallel Hygeia, Sun sesq Mars)–but, if we can embrace a role centered in personal responsibility (which automatically then confers personal authority) we can gain, benefit, or maybe even discover some of those things we were sure were being kept from us (Venus trine Ceres). A great time for negotiation, especially if you are aware of your own worth.

The 23rd we’re flooded with creative thoughts (Merc trine Neptune) but may not feel we have the authority to pursue creative goals–or it may feel as if the ways in which we’re not qualified are being pointed out left and right (Sun sq Ceres). However, that spotlighting of supposed-weaknesses is actually a great thing, because once we ‘clap back’ to the idea we’re not prepared, we discover how truly ready we are to pursue our ambitions (Sun nov Zeus). So the real impediment isn’t our skill level–we discover we’re perfectly well-equipped–it’s our failure to know what our creative impulses are really worth, how they’ll pay off or affect our relationships (Venus sesq Neptune). We can gauge all this by a simple metric: if that shiny goal or thing or reward or love or pot of gold isn’t opposed our highest values (that is, if the getting of it doesn’t require us to do something we judge as ‘wrong’), then we should go for it, knowing that fear of being inadequate to the task is just a ghost boo-hoo-hooing around in our minds (Venus contra-parallel Vesta).

On the 24th there’s really only one thing before us: Love and/ or Prosperity/ Talents face off against all those things we’ve buried, ignored, or denied in order to keep the relationship, the effort, the performance, or the venture afloat. Meet issues honestly–the clock’s run out on at least one matter you’ve been avoiding for too long–and the only way to handle it and still receive its benefits is to go through it, to unflinchingly admit what must change, what must be acknowledged, what’s long overdue for recognition or acceptance or to take on a new form, a new version of itself, one that until now has been, dare we say, thwarted. Time to fly (Venus opp Black Moon Lilith).

The Weekly Word Image is the reading of a Will, where of all who gather, only one inherits. What are our expectations in life? If we’re not careful, we can easily start to believe that something that might come our way, should come our way–and that soon segues into believing we are owed, deserve it, have earned it–and that can become the assumption that it’s winner take all. I believe we’ve had this kind of image lately because there’s an overwhelming sense in the Collective psyche that there are certain things we’re owed, and we’re going to insist on having our way–no matter what. It’s our responsibility as individuals to check our own assumptions, to pull back and accept a reasonable perspective based on the evidence, to acknowledge that just because ‘we want’ doesn’t mean circumstances must automatically conform (or that because we want, we must then be ‘right’), and that we should consider taking a beat, rather than just bulling our way forward, hell or high water.

Your Week 17-20 November 2020 Steady On

16 Monday Nov 2020

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By Édouard Manet c1865 {{PD}}

There are two reasons the 17th may be disconcerting, and maybe disorienting, as well: we’ll be navigating relationships and/ or financial matters without benefit of the instinctive nature, and our alienation from our own sensibilities could result in a feeling of being adrift, without any inner impulses and ‘knowing’ to guide us (Venus contra-parallel Sedna); the other factor is likely to be the impact of the unexpected, the shock or surprise, the erraticism of ourselves or others, or the Will of the group, on our thinking and perceptions (Mercury opp Uranus). The combined effect is one of not feeling our own center, and also feeling there’s no way to contact a reliable external source to steady ourselves. The solution? Focus on the feeling and intuitive nature via the Capricorn Moon, which enters the sign at 8:35 AM PST. We can ground ourselves in the rules and frameworks that are already familiar, letting go of that free-wheelin’ impulse of the Sagittarius Moon that preceded it and instead finding a sense of grounding through rote, routine, and reliable constructs. It’s not glamorous, but does give us a steady base from which to operate effectively–which can be pretty appealing when the alternative is feeling rudderless and lost in the uncertainty of fog.

The 18th we are in the groove–yesterday’s disorientation lifts and is replaced by certainties in both our place in things and our knowledge of them–and so offers a steady platform from which to operate. This happens a lot faster for those who embraced the rules and other Capricornian elements available through the Moon; for others it may be a slow road back to effectiveness, one tortured by those matters we’ve hidden even from ourselves, for of course they haven’t gone away at all (Neptune semi-sq Black Moon Lilith). Orient via highest values, commitments, beliefs, ambitions, past experience, and the personal authority you hold (Juno qnx NN, Jupiter parallel Ceres, Venus parallel Zeus, Merc sxt Vesta and nov SN, Sun sxt Saturn) and apply efforts toward these through practical and productive means (the Capricorn Moon). This can be a highly rewarding day, when goals can not just be approached but potentially reached, and you can have significant impact on your own situation, materially or through values and commitments reinforced or even cast in stone. Good luck, and make the most of it!

The 19th we may find ourselves once again alienated from our own consciousness, disconnected from both the spiritual and the animal nature–how can that possibly be? We may be actively rejecting: 1) some element of reality that displeases us (and likely forces us to acknowledge something we’d rather ignore, if we do accept it), 2) love or support as it actually exists, rather than as we wish it did, 3) our own responsibility in things, and/ or 4) what our own instincts are trying to warn us about. It’s a day to be seriously straight with ourselves. Never mind others and their behavior–it’s ourselves we must get right with (Chiron sesq Juno, Venus sq Saturn, contra-parallel BML, and qnx Sedna, Merc contra-parallel Uranus, Sun opp Sedna).

The word for today is ‘perspective’. On the 20th we should get a much needed break, garner a reward, or enjoy true communion or gratification through relationship. Keep in mind, though, that our attitude may automatically be that we not only deserve what we’re getting, we’re owed it, because we’re ‘better’. That’s not true; we may or may not have earned the good we’re receiving, so we mustn’t allow the ego to exaggerate our worthiness–that is, we’re all worthy as human beings (that’s the source of our reward!), and hard work will be given its due, but none of us is more worthy than another just because we’re enjoying the Universe’s momentary largesse (Venus parallel Juno).

Usually I include Friday’s forecast with the Weekend Report, but today it seemed like it was more of a piece with the weekdays–so here it is. Have a wonderful and safe week!

The Weekly Word Image is an unexpected, and out-of-season, but wonderful homemade gift. For me it was chocolate dipped macaroons (these are some of the rare cookies I can eat) delivered (contact-less) in a Christmas tin; it was a delightful boost that made me feel loved, a small gesture of out-sized importance in these difficult times. Look around you–there’s some unanticipated gift you’ve been given, too; chances are it’s not as obvious as mine in its holiday tin, but no less meaningful, no less nurturing to the spirit.

Your Week 10-12 November 2020 Be Smart

09 Monday Nov 2020

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‘The Circus’ By Georges
Seurat 1891 {{PD}}

What do influences active on the 10th tell us? Be smart: concentrate on making the most of your own authority and power, and be willing to make changes within your own sphere in order to maximize reach and effectiveness; be very clear on what comprises your ‘territory’, and what’s actually another’s responsibility; be open to negotiating more favorable power balances, and be honest about what things you are willing to oversee, which you are okay with handing off (Pluto parallel and Mercury trine Ceres).

Mercury, now in forward apparent motion, enters Scorpio after a brutal retrograde, making us naturally more reflective and prone to dig up the bones; don’t let that propensity disturb arrangements that at present are actually complementary, that are in balance with each serving their parts–we need to keep our highest values and commitments at the forefront of consciousness at this time, in order to avoid succumbing to a too-strong inclination toward change or destruction when something isn’t quite as we’d like (Venus contra-parallel Mars and novile Vesta).

On the 11th everything that was stirred up but didn’t settle yesterday prompts unwise or discordant action–so don’t (Mars semi-sq Ceres). Use ideals and goals to re-align efforts, and pull from the imaginative fog those gems that are both inspiring and useful (Venus qnx Neptune, Sun qnx NN).

The 12th may be very active, with a lot of ‘we have no choice’ change coming at us–so disorienting at the least, and super unpleasant and disempowering, at worst. Jupiter, Pluto, and Pallas all pile up together, and the thing is, this may read as the social order telling us what to do–but wise up, as the reality is that what those who are both knowledgeable and in power are telling us to do or asking of us is actually wise and most practical–even if we can’t see this. You notice that key phrase, right? Knowledgeable and in Power–if somebody has only one of those (specifically, someone who holds some kind of sway or power but who can’t point to actual facts), then the smart thing to do is not to listen to them. Can we abandon our prejudices and partisanship long enough to do not just the right thing (from the individual way of thinking) but the smart one? I hope so.

By ALBA-BALAMAND – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=90181638

The Weekly Word Image is a tremendous windstorm that should knock over trees, fences, and other vulnerable structures, but doesn’t. Roots and foundations are deeper than they seem to be, and that can be a good thing, when values are clear and others are respected, or a very bad thing, if what supports is sunk in prejudice, hatred, or fear, all of which are almost definitively irrational. Know that right now, surface arguments aren’t worth having; make sure you’re aligned with what is True (and if you’re not sure, just ask if what you see as Truth respects the well-being and rights of others–if it doesn’t, it’s not something to build your life view on–it can’t be True if it imposes your Will)—because if you respect what’s objectively True, then you’re also aligned with Love.

Your Week Ahead 23-28 December 2018

22 Saturday Dec 2018

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, future events in the sky, The Weekly Word Image

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‘Wintergewitter’ By Albert Ernst Mühlig 1909 {{PD}}

To give myself a little breathing room (and honestly, you’ve probably got a lot to do, too!) I’ll choose one or two (or three!) aspects for each day to talk about. I’ll go for what may add an unusual influence, what may have the biggest impact, and/ or what may be the one energy to concentrate on, and let the others go by. If you’re really longing for the dulcet tones of my-voice-in-your-head, then you may want to try one of my books–

Remember The Future–On the 23rd I’m all about Pluto trine Juno and Venus square Black Moon Lilith; the first suggests easy transformation of status or empowerment standing–just remember that can go in either direction–and the second describes the conflicts arising in relationships and/ or financial matters, with their origins found unquestioningly in those things we’ve ignored or denied. These two may mix, via Mercury sesquiquadrate the North Node, which makes it difficult to keep future effects of current thinking in mind–meaning we may, dealing with others or assets, fail to think of what we’re hoping to build or achieve. We may think only in the moment, probably in trying to justify those matters we’ve chosen to ignore, and so miss the impact this thinking has on our standing, our interactions, and on our future. Proceed with caution.

Photo by David Ellis/USFWS {{PD}}

Trickster Mode–For the 24th the mind tries not to operate in Trickster mode, but almost can’t help it. With Mercury square Neptune, sesquiquadrate Uranus, and parallel Jupiter, we are processing things erratically, unpredictably, creatively, and this likely makes conclusions fall in line with beliefs–which can mean that our Self-reinforcing view wrongly makes us think we are perceiving the world without significant filters. If anything, we’re in danger of fooling ourselves, with Self-honesty the obvious, but highly effective, antidote.

A Touch of Genius–The 25th the noviles set the tone–one between Jupiter and Pluto, and one between Mars and Black Moon Lilith. The facts or following one’s beliefs can lead to real, permanent change–the issue is, how strongly will you be influenced by what you don’t admit to or acknowledge? Whether you mean them to or not, choices and actions will be tailored to what you ignore or deny–be aware.

Bertha Lum 1913 {{PD}}

Mixed Bag–Here are the influences for the 26th; you decide what to do with them: action follows instinct or is subsumed by ‘blind spot’ material (Mars sextile Sedna) and that means we’re operating only half-consciously–and this is so despite our depth of thought, much of which is focused on the past (undoubtedly, it’s that turn to the past that keeps us only half aware of the now (Mercury parallel Pluto and novile the South Node). And how does it all look to us? As if we are disempowered or disrespected at every turn (Sun sesquiquadrate Juno). Keep your head in the present, and realize that your perceptions are skewed toward the negative, and that may prevent any serious missteps.

Smart Money–Choices keep the future in mind, and we know the value of asserting our own authority, of showing our personal competence in the roles we inhabit, and of maintaining awareness of our own agency–the smart money is drawn to expressions of power–so what are those shadows dancing at the edges of our otherwise sunny vision? They are everything we’ve been in denial of. Yeah, I said it right out–and you should face it, negotiate new terms–that’s the thing that must be done on the 27th that will allow inner wisdom to apply itself to empowered actions, making what you do smart and effective (Pallas quincunx Juno, Mars trine the North Node, Venus conjoined Ceres, Sun novile Black Moon Lilith)

‘Salzburg’ Alfred Gelbhaar {{PD}}

What’s The Difference?–we may have a hard time today, the 28th, when it comes to telling what’s smart from what we want, and whether we’re acting and choosing out of hurt or out of the chance to mobilize our most unique skills. How do we sort this out? Dig deep, really deep, into inner wisdom, searching for Truth with a capital ‘T’–that’s the thing that must be your guide in all things today–that, and a little Love (Pallas conjoined Zeus, Mars conjoined Chiron, Pluto square Pallas, Venus sextile Pluto)

This week’s word image is an episode where life hands you a metaphor–mine is, ‘You’ve run out of thyme’. What have you been putting off and putting off, always thinking you’ll do it tomorrow? That’s what you have to do right now.

See the recent Full Moon in Cancer here–

 

 

Your Week 22-27 January 2017 Getting It

21 Saturday Jan 2017

Posted by in astrology, forecast, Horoscope, New Moon

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Hermann Fenner-Behmer {{PD}}

Hermann Fenner-Behmer {{PD}}

I’ve needed to prepare for surgery that I’m having on Monday (don’t worry, it’s not a life threatening issue), and so missed this weekend’s forecast, but do have a little something that covers the week ahead. I anticipate an extended recovery period, during which I don’t know how much I’ll be doing for the blog, and can’t promise when, and in what capacity, I’ll return. To those lovely Souls who set up a recurring donation: You may want to cancel, as you won’t be getting what you have been, but I do hope you’ll continue to visit here and find something of value in what I offer. I thank you so much for what you’ve done–your support has meant the world to me. And to all my readers, thank you! I hope you, too, will drop by from time to time. I know I will continue to write, I’m just not sure right now what form that will take.

What am I looking at, this coming week? A Water Grand Trine of Mars, Vesta, and Black Moon Lilith gets my attention. This suggests a highly expressive emotional experience that drives action; it’s almost a purging of those things that infuriate, humiliate, or that have been too long ignored (and it’s already in place this weekend, reflecting the Women’s Marches occurring all across the US). Black Moon Lilith can drive righteousness and a call for justice, and we need to be careful, in this Watery context, that we don’t confuse the two; a personal sense that we’re right doesn’t mean we are, or that what we want is necessarily just–but, and it’s a big one! Vesta’s involvement implies we will act only on those feelings that support our highest values and the commitments that embody them. It’s a recipe for the best kind of constructive high-mindedness, one that above all does no harm.

Sunday the 22nd: It’s all about the harsh realities surrounding Power–and perhaps the difficult realization that once one has it, it’s damn unlikely to be willingly shared or given up.

Monday the 23rd: Harsh feedback, from both the social sphere and personal contacts, may be prominent–but, those messages will be distorted in some way, and knowing that should tell us one important thing: Believe Actions, Rather Than Words.

Tuesday the 24th: Act According to What You Find Sacred. Act to make things right, and to pursue ambitions–both are healthy things to do.

Wednesday the 25th: Acting Empowered Brings Power. Well that’s simple. Sort of.

Thursday the 26th: Be Flexible–That’s How You Gain.

Friday the 27th: Confusion of values with hurt, and a hard-edged view of the reality picture, may prevail. The New Moon at 8 Aquarius 15 doesn’t make any close contacts, which suggests our new starts may first occur in the intellectual realm, as ideas, precepts, or a sudden understanding that can drive or inform later efforts. The result, then, is that in some important way, We Get It.

Word Image for the Week: A woman and a child who don’t know each other are out in public dressed exactly alike.

It's time to write some Herstory, ladies. Nikolaos Gyzis 1891 {{PD}}

It’s time to write some Herstory, ladies. Nikolaos Gyzis 1891 {{PD}}