Year: 2016

“Follow me down, follow me down
To the space between the garden and the wall,
Follow me down, follow me down,
To the space before the twilight and the dawn.” Van Morrison

As the saying goes, “it has been a time” with the  recent eclipses, the Saturn/Neptune square and the recent Mercury retrograde period. The ongoing Uranus/Aries conjunction in Aries is correlated with sudden,   surprising  and unanticipated events. It has been a time when dreams or aspirations may have seemed to become stalled out or in need of rethinking and revisioning.

This week’s energy is phoenix – like. As Venus moves up to a sextile to Pluto is is a good time to access what it is you now feel deeply committed to in your life and what – on a personal level- is necessary to move in that direction. It is a good time to look at levels of self esteem; how you feel about yourself and how you interface with the world. If improvements need to be made in this area – in terms of personal appearance or  aesthetics this is a good time to do so. Look at what represents a sense of abundance to you. Appreciating what you have is always a good starting point.

It is a good time to move forward with any new financial endeavors and a good time for new partnerships,  acquisitions and mergers. Just keep moderation in mind – move things forward in a moderate and consistent way. Big leaps are likely to backfire or need revision.

It is a good time to think about what your deepest values are and how you make those real in the world – starting with your most mundane interactions with strangers,  for instance. Many people are concerned about the state of world affairs and the future but one very concrete way anyone can contribute to improving things is by being more friendly and kind. Also by letting go of old resentments and anger – as well as assumptions based on them.

A new world is trying to be born and birth is always a complicated process. The new world has to do with moving towards a more evolved sustainable model and moving away from old models based on fear and greed.

Astrologer and author Henry Seltzer noted that it is a very good time to get below the level of normal waking consciousness and heed insights  from dreams, intuitions and quiet moments.

One of the Sabian symbols associated with this week’s  Pluto/Venus sextile is,”Telephone linemen installing new connections.”

Sabian symbol quote from Lynda Hill

“Jupiter’s craving is to constantly expand the parameters of life beyond the familiar.” Caroline W Casey

Friday’s New Moon is at 8 degrees of Libra conjunct Jupiter. This a wonderful aspect and can usher in a time of hope and optimism. Jupiter is the Santa Claus of the zodiac and can bring good luck, abundance and sense of freedom from tiresome limitations. It is an excellent time to  set intentions about broadening your horizons through travel or study.

Jupiter’s tendency towards excess can need tempering. It  bodes well for the next year or so to follow a path of moderation as there is a tendency with Jupiter in Libra  for things to swing to one extreme and then back like a pendulum.

The planet Mars is now in its exaltation in Capricorn – boding well for rekindling ambition and for gaining traction with projects that may have been stalled out under the influence of the Saturn Neptune square. The Sabian symbol for Mars at this time is, “The human soul, in its eagerness for new experiences, seeks embodiment.”

The Sabian symbol for the karmic degree of the New Moon is,”A blazing fireplace in a deserted home.” This symbol is about the importance of keeping the inner fires of inspiration burning bright – particularly when events in the outer world may appear daunting or confusing.

Sabian symbol quotes from Lynda Hill

“Through application comes awareness.” Edgar Cayce

When Mercury stations direct as it does this  Thursday at 1:30 AM EDT there is always an opportunity to awaken to an evolved or expanded perception. It bodes well – within two or three days before and after the station –  to heighten awareness and consider dreams, intuitions and perceptions that may surface now.

With Neptune transiting in close proximity to the South Node, it bodes well to consider dreams that may have gone awry or illusions from the past or of a familial or ancestral nature. For instance  when you look at the astrology charts of a person’s family throughout the generations you can always see common influences between them- inherited influences that come down through the bloodlines. Saturn square Neptune now can offer the opportunity to see where dreams went awry as they met reality and what needs to be updated in your thinking to proceed in a wiser way.  There are always lessons to be learned in this type of situation which can result in the old dream taking a new form.

It is also good to consider the impact of addictive patterns of thinking or acting that may have come down through these areas and develop more awareness of their presence in everyday life. When appropriate boundaries are put in place and practiced to become routine, it can prevent going astray in perhaps an old disillusioning way.

One of the Sabian Symbols for Mercury’s station is,”Finely lettered names and mysterious lines are seen; it is a family tree.”

Sabian symbol quote from Lynda Hill’s 360 Degrees of Wisdom.

” The difficulties you will meet will resolve themselves as you advance. Proceed and the light will dawn and shine with increasing clarity on your path.” D’Alembert

The astrological weather this week is overshadowed by the Lunar Eclipse at 24 Pisces on Friday at 3:08 PM EDT. There are contentious aspects during this time – meaning it is likely tempers can be short, frustration can run high and confusion is in the air.

The Saturn/Neptune square which can indicate an inability to discern truth from fiction is still very much in play. Disillusionment can be about as well as a lack of clarity about the best way to proceed.

One of the Sabian symbols for this eclipse is, “The purging of the priesthood” which speaks of spiritual, ethical and moral accountability.  Another symbol is, “A flag at half mast in front of a public building.” This speaks of the need to recognize and grieve an ending of some sort.

The South Node is transiting with Neptune. With this aspect it is wise to look at and identify behaviors or beliefs which can or have blocked the path to your goals. The pull towards these kind of patterns is strong now and it is a good time to avoid them.

The Sabian symbols for the South Node/Neptune alignment is,”People traveling a narrow path seeking illumination.”

Sabian symbol quote from Lynda Hill

“The idea is not to be superficially adjusted, but to be profoundly connected.” Thomas Moore

We are in a time between eclipses when time can seem distorted. The astrologer and writer Eric Francis noted that there can be an inter-dimensional quality to this time frame – through September 16. With the Saturn/Neptune influence in full swing and Mercury retrograde it can feel a bit confusing.

However with the Neptune/Saturn square’s influence  information can filter down from higher, more inspired levels. It bodes well to heed messages from dreams and to provide more down time for meditation and contemplation. Consider it a liminal – a time-in-between – that bodes well for reflection and reconsideration.

It is also a good time to hold to the middle – the path of moderation. We are living in a time of transition and transformation. Jupiter will be entering Libra on the 9th. The author Lynn Bell has noted that this transit (approximately a year in length) can be like the swing of a pendulum from one direction to another. It is a time when areas of life that have felt blocked or stuck can suddenly be freed up and move in a desired direction. Best to keep moderation in mind as well as incremental planning as Jupiter can be associated with excess.

One of the Sabian symbols associated with the Saturn/Neptune square is,”A theatrical representation of a golden- haired goddess of opportunity.”

Sabian symbol quote from Lynda Hill.

On Angels

Short is you stay here:
now and then at a matinal hour, if the sky is clear
in a melody, repeated by a bird,
or in the smell of apples at the close of day
when the light makes the orchards magic…

I have heard your voice many a time when asleep
and, what is strange, I understood more or less
an order or an appeal in an unearthly tongue:
day draws near
another one
do what you can.” Czeslaw Milosc

Mercury stations retrograde Tuesday August 30 EDT. The Mercury retrograde period will last through Sept. 22. Do double check that correspondences of any kind – emails/texts/ phone messages sent or received during this time were read or heard before jumping to conclusions. The Trickster is about! Mercury stations at 29 degrees of Virgo and one of the Sabian symbols for that placement is,”A man is gaining secret knowledge from an ancient scroll he is reading.” We are living in a time of fast paced events and it is wise to use this retrograde period – through 9/22- to retrace your steps – and review any information that may have surfaced recently that may been overlooked or not factored in appropriately in your plans.

There is a New Moon Solar Eclipse on Sept 1 at 9 degrees of Virgo. The effect of eclipses is evolutionary and can be felt before and after the eclipse itself. This eclipse involves the ongoing aspect between Mars, Saturn, Neptune and the Lunar Nodes. I can be a difficult time in general to separate truth from fiction and reality from illusion. In general it is best to keep your personal aspirations and intentions high at this time and during the time of the Solar Eclipse. Do keep a positive and harmonious vision for the Earth’s evolution as well as we are living in a time of great change on our small and beautiful planet.

One of the Sabian symbols for the degree of this eclipse is,”An expressionist painter making a futuristic drawing.”

Quotes from Lynda Hill’s 360 Degrees of Wisdom

“Without our dreams we would not be able to step outside ourselves and transform our limitations.” Diane Ackerman

I love the lyrics from the Frank Sinatra song,
“Pick yourself up
Brush yourself off
And start all over again”

Mars is conjunct Neptune now making this a good time to look at how you handle the aftermath of disillusionment or confusion- now or at other times in your life.  The remarkable Venus/Jupiter/Mercury alignment in Virgo provides good timing to factor in what you have learned and to bring hope, wisdom and expansion to the way you view your life and its possibilities. The Sun in Virgo can help parse where illusions may have held sway and help to put dreams back on their path with a more pragmatic – but not overly limited – orientation. Explore opportunities and options.

“Hope is a memory of the future.” Gabriel Marcel

We are in an active eclipse season now – with this week’s Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius and two more on the way – a Solar Eclipse on Sept 1 and another Full Moon Eclipse on September 16. During active eclipse periods time can seem distorted and information or perceptions of an evolutionary nature can surface.

Astrologer and writer Eric Francis calls the Mars/Saturn/Neptune configuration now in play  a”challenge to beliefs.” Long held beliefs can appear to dissolve or shown to be false. The nature of these beliefs can be highly personal (such as beliefs about the past and who you are or what you can do or beliefs about religion, politics and the government.)  It can bring anger, disillusionment and confusion. We see this playing out on the national and global stages.

It is as if  a substance that was clear was stirred up and all the sediment arose from the bottom making the water very murky. Revelations appear daily in the news that seem to confuse things more and this process can seem to be going on in personal lives as well.

During an eclipse period information can surface on the conscious level that was not known or seen as significant before. And now under the current influences -it is calling for a review and revision of perspective. With Chiron’s presence do factor in patience, tolerance and forgiveness. More clarity is  likely to emerge under the upcoming Mercury retrograde period which starts on 8/30 – right before the second Eclipse.

It is a good time to process any old anger that gets triggered now and see where illusions might lie. It is also a good time to be aware of what you are contributing energetically now – and try to make it calm and positive as it is a volatile time and easy to engage conflict. Better to stay clear of ramping it up. As Anne Morrow Lindburgh so eloquently wrote, “Only with winter-patience can we bring the deep desired, long awaited spring.”

One of the Sabian Symbols for the degree of the Mars/Saturn alignment is,”In the left section of an archaic temple, a lamp burns in a container shaped like a human body.”