Astrological Musings: Astrology that expands the mind

Solstice Full Moon tomorrow!

2008-06-17T19:49:00.002-04:00

I interrupt the Obama series to bring you the Full Moon! NASA reports:

On Wednesday night, June 18th, step outside at sunset and look around. You'll see a giant form rising in the east. At first glance it looks like the full Moon. It has craters and seas and the face of a man, but this "moon" is strangely inflated. It's huge!

You've just experienced the Moon Illusion.

There's no better time to see it. The full Moon of June 18th is a "solstice moon", coming only two days before the beginning of northern summer. This is significant because the sun and full Moon are like kids on a see-saw; when one is high, the other is low. This week's high solstice sun gives us a low, horizon-hugging Moon and a strong Moon Illusion.

Sky watchers have known for thousands of years that low-hanging moons look unnaturally big. At first, astronomers thought the atmosphere must be magnifying the Moon near the horizon, but cameras showed that is not the case. Moons on film are the same size regardless of elevation: example. Apparently, only human beings see giant moons.

Are we crazy?

After all these years, scientists still aren't sure. When you look at the Moon, rays of moonlight converge and form an image about 0.15 mm wide on the retina in the back of your eye. High moons and low moons make the same sized spot, yet the brain insists one is bigger than the other. Go figure!

Thanks to Beth and Rich for the link!

The Full Moon occurs on June 18 at 27 degrees of Sagittarius and incorporates a tight opposition between Venus and Pluto. Here the Sun combines with Venus while the Moon merges with Pluto, signifying that the light or conscious mind (Sun/Venus) is in struggle with the darkness and unconscious soul (Moon/Pluto). The Full Moon occurs when the Sun is opposite (180 degrees) the Moon, and the opposition reveals a tension between two polarities. This double conjunction continues the theme of choice that we saw when Chiron made a conjunction to the North Node earlier in the month. Chiron is still fused with the North Node, forcing us to rise to the challenge of facing our darkness and transmuting it into light.

The Full Moon is in Sagittarius, and brings with it a longing (Moon) for the lightness and adventure of Sagittarius that finds it difficult to reconcile with the Plutonian need to continually re-enter the underworld of the soul to find what is true and deep. This could be a challenging time when we are forced to make a conscious choice: to give up something familiar in order to enter the unknown world of the future. This is a difficult process and requires great trust and awareness.

Venus will enter Cancer on the 18th, and our responsibilities to those that we love have become more important. The opposition to Pluto here suggests that any stress in these relationships will be highlighted at this time and brought into the evolutionary dynamic.

Mercury will end its retrograde travels by turning direct on June 19.

The Summer Solstice occurs each year when the Sun enters the cardinal sign of Cancer, the sign of emotional security and family connections. The chart for the Solstice is often read as an indicator of what the season will bring, and in this Solstice chart, for June 20 in the evening with the Sun at 0 degrees Cancer, we see a harmonious (sextile) aspect of Venus to Saturn, helping us to feel more responsible (Saturn) in our relationships (Venus). This will be useful because Mars (drive and aggression) also opposes Neptune (confusion) that day and we could become quite impotent in our focus as what we want (Mars) begins to be more blurred and indistinct (Neptune).

Profile of Barack Obama: Part Deux

2008-06-17T08:05:00.003-04:00

This is part II - catch up with Part I here.

Obama’s Mars is in Virgo, a thoughtful and cautious place for Mars to be. Mars shows the kind of drive we have and how our aggressive instinct is expressed. This is not a Mars that would go to war on a whim, or invade a country without doing its homework. Virgo needs order and security, and Mars here tends to be somewhat cautious and precise. Obama’s Mars makes a trine to Saturn, the planet of discipline, hard work and success, suggesting a hard worker who is patiently focused on the goal.

Saturn in this chart is in its own sign of Capricorn and it is retrograde. The placement of Saturn by sign and house shows where we feel we are not good enough; where we suffer from self-doubt. In Capricorn, the sign that shares Saturn’s intense focus on goals and achievement, there is a deep fear of failure that rides along with the pressure to achieve. This is exacerbated in Obama’s chart by the fact that Saturn is retrograde, and that tends to enhance the inner voice of self criticism. Because Saturn is in the twelfth house of the subconscious and the call of Spirit, the intense drive for success and achievement can become confused and made more difficult. Or, if the individual heeds the call of the Inner Self and drives his ambition along the road of seeking to improve the lives of others as the twelfth house requires, Saturn provides the material rewards for which he is so well known.

Saturn in the twelfth, traditionally the “House of Karma” or the “House of Troubles” does sometimes reveal a great inner loneliness – one’s road is solitary and fraught with conflict. There is also a great sensitivity here and a need for isolation that in early life can be hard to bear. In later life we find that the imposition of this early isolation has strengthened our core soul structure and our ability to withstand the pressures of life.

Saturn is conjunct Jupiter here, but they are nearly 6 degrees apart and not in the same sign. Six degrees is a bit wide for what we call an “out of sign” aspect, so this aspect is weakened as a result. In any event, Obama’s Jupiter is in Aquarius where it seeks to find meaning in life (Jupiter) through the achievement of social justice and equality as well as by living one’s own dream (Aquarius). The placement of Jupiter in the chart shows the kinds of experiences we need to feel optimistic and that life is full of possibilities, and in Aquarius there is a need to live one’s life in a way that is unshackled by the expectations of others. Jupiter is in the twelfth house with Saturn where it finds meaning in a life of spiritual connection and expansion of the realm of the unconscious through dreams and meditation. Jupiter is retrograde which shows that it’s difficult for Obama to experience that sense of expansion or trust the opportunities that come his way.

Obama’s Jupiter is opposite his Leo Mercury, and herein lies his supreme confidence in speaking. Mercury in Leo basks in the attention that is given to one’s ideas and speech, and the opposition from Jupiter expands one’s confidence and aggrandizes the context of one’s conversation. Jupiter opposite Mercury thinks large and often without considering the details, which has been a big complaint against Obama. However, his Mercury sits in the sixth house of humility and work which is his saving grace. Mercury in the sixth house is always considering the details, but in Leo there is a grander concept at work. This has likely always been a struggle for Obama as he tries to balance the pressure of the need for a detailed approach to his conceptual framework with the pull of Jupiter to be always bigger, always better and always more confident.

This Jupiter/Mercury opposition squares Neptune, the bane of the anti-Obama astrologers. Mercury square Neptune is the deceiver! Jupiter square Neptune is the anti-Christ! These comments do have some basis in experience, and there is a tendency with the hard aspects of both Jupiter and Neptune to see the more negative aspects of these planets which include self-indulgence (Jupiter) and a tendency to confuse or mislead (Neptune). But in analyzing an astrological chart you cannot just take one aspect and turn it into a psychological analysis. Each element of the chart is layered upon the others to create a story. Mercury square Neptune can indicate a person who is prone to flights of fancy and who can easily deceive themselves, but it can also expand one’s creativity and understanding (Mercury) of the spiritual realms (Neptune).

The square from Jupiter to Neptune is interesting in Obama’s chart because there is some mutual reception here with Jupiter in the twelfth house, ruled by Neptune, and Neptune in the ninth house, ruled by Jupiter. This kind of “double whammy” is a signification that the dynamic is an important one in the chart and that these two dynamics are inextricably connected. In the search for meaning of Jupiter and the ninth house there is a need to establish a theological framework within which life has meaning, and this then becomes religion when it is shared among multiple minds. Neptune and the twelfth house seek to dissolve our conceptual ideas and flood us with a direct experience of the divine and Spirit.

The mutual reception shows that combining these two experiences is crucial for Obama’s personal growth, but the square between them indicates that this hasn’t always been easy. We know this from the history of his religious background which originated in an eclectic secular household and resulted in his finding his truth in Christianity. His speech about this experience reveals some interesting things about the Jupiter/Neptune relationship: He found his true faith when he saw that this faith (Jupiter) could serve as an agent in the world (Aquarius) and redeem him (Neptune).

Come back tomorrow for part III, hopefully the conclusion.

Astrological profile of Barack Obama

2008-06-16T07:55:00.002-04:00

This is turning out to be longer than I thought so I'm going to serialize it. Here's part One:

Barack Obama sprang seemingly from nowhere to become the winner of the Democratic primary run for President. Until he gave the keynote address at the Democratic convention in 2004 he was little known, but that speech propelled him into the limelight where he became the hook for the projection of the hopes and fears of Democrats.

The danger of analyzing charts for the famous is the lack of real personal knowledge that we have about them. It’s all too easy to skew the reading of the chart through the lens that colors our perception of the individual. If you don’t like Hillary Clinton, you read her Mars/Pluto square in Leo square to her Leo stellium as a desperate thirst for power. If you love her, you read in it tenacity and strength and an inability to give up.

Barack Obama has attracted an even more divergent chorus of reactions among the Democratic faithful. Some are swept up in his message of hope and inspiration; others are suspicious and worry that he is a liar. Even on the political astrology boards, many are suspicious of what they consider Obama’s Neptunian attraction and the overwhelming response of his followers, as well as the lack of specificity in Obama’s speeches during the primary season.

Without an accurate birthtime, astrologers “rectified” the chart to fit their image of the candidate. Some liked the Scorpio ascendant of the 1:06 am birthtime because they felt he was secretive about his real agenda. I liked a Libra ascendant because of Obama’s collaborative style. Now that we have an actual birth certificate released by the campaign (although the right-wing blogosphere is still claiming it’s a fake) and an actual birth time, we can get to work and see who Obama really is.

The 7:24 pm birthtime on the birth certificate gives an ascendant of 18 degrees Aquarius, which is interesting since the eclipse on Super Tuesday fell nearly exactly on his ascendant. The late Howard Sasportas writes of the Aquarius ascendant: “[T]hose with Aquarius on the Ascendant (the point of self-awareness) gain a clearer sense of their own unique and particular identity through standing back and taking an objective and impersonal look at life.” Aquarius is cool and rational, with a passion for social justice and equality. However, Obama’s Sun is in Leo, the sign that requires a full expression of a healthy ego. We would expect there to be some conflict here as Leo is opposite Aquarius and where Leo needs to express the ego Aquarius seeks to transcend it. But Obama’s Sun sits in the sixth house of humility and service which depicts his need to develop his ego in a way that serves others.

The square from Neptune to the Sun in Obama’s chart seems to alarm some anti-Obama astrologers who assume that the tendency of Neptune to create illusion shows that Obama is a liar. While it is true that the square of Neptune to the Sun often does show a facility to take on a variety of roles and can depict someone who is prone to deception, it can also reveal a confusion (Neptune) about identity (Sun) that we have certainly seen with Obama. We see this echoed in the placement of Chiron (the Wounded Healer) in the first house of identity and personality.

This Chiron is important as it forms a square to Obama’s Moon. This is a fourth house Moon that craves a home and sense of family, and it falls in Gemini which needs to talk about one’s feelings, to be understood. We know from Obama’s biographical information that his African father abandoned the family when he was two, and that for several years he lived in Indonesia with his mother and her new husband. At the age of ten he was sent back by his mother to live with his grandparents, a white family in a white community. We can clearly see here the wound (Chiron) to a deep need (Moon) for family and ancestral roots (fourth house).

Pluto is also involved in this dynamic, forming a “T-square” as it opposes Chiron and squares the Moon. The Pluto/Chiron opposition generally results in a life that can be rather painful on an emotional level as the individual is forced by Pluto to face the wounds of the soul and work through them. This dynamic creates a shamanic process in which there is tremendous potential for understanding and wisdom. The pressure of both Pluto and Chiron on the sensitive Moon illustrates the emotional difficulty that Obama has experienced, although with Aquarius on the ascendant he will never reveal his emotions to the public.

come back tomorrow for Part II.

Sunday inspiration - Cosmosis

2008-06-15T20:32:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Elsa for this link. It's really fabulous.

Ireland rejects the EU Treaty - Pluto at work.

2008-06-14T17:39:00.003-04:00

Ireland yesterday rejected the European Union Lisbon treaty, an agreement between member states that centralizes more power in Brussels and could potentially weaken the power of the member states.

Ireland was the only nation to put the treaty to a vote by its citizens.

Pluto's journey through Sagittarius accelerated the process of the globalization (Sagittarius) of power (Pluto), a process that is being turned upside down by Pluto's entry into Capricorn where that power structure (Capricorn) is being intensified. Pluto just today retrograded back into Sagittarius and we are likely to see some revision of earlier agreements and policies that will no longer suit the mindset of the Pluto in Capricorn society.

It's an interesting note that Pluto in the chart of Ireland is at 1 degree Cancer, and Pluto turned retrograde exactly in opposition to the Irish chart, giving Ireland a crucial role in the continuing development of the European Union.

Tim Russert has died

2008-06-13T17:29:00.002-04:00

American political junkies have become familiar with Tim Russert over the past 15 years or so since he took over the Sunday talk show "Meet the Press." Russert had established himself as one of the most respected newsmen in the business ( a real feat under the influence of Pluto in Sagittarius which has eroded the field of journalism beyond recognition). Russert died today of a massive heart attack while filming a voiceover in the Washington Bureau of NBC News. He was 58.

Astrologically, Russert had the Sun in Taurus, known for perseverance and endurance, and his tenacity as a reporter was widely acclaimed. He had a dogged persistence that inspired him to keep asking questions in an interview until he had his answer. His Sun was trined by Saturn, giving him the discipline to work hard and enhancing his focus on success. But it was also squared by Pluto, suggesting a challenging early life and a difficult upbringing.

This was not the only challenging aspect in Russert's chart - he also had Mars (aggressive instinct and personal boundaries) squared by Chiron, indicating an early repression of his ability to assert himself. Nothing in his chart suggests that he would eventually be a journalistic superstar - instead he was clearly a hard worker (Mars in Virgo, Saturn trine Sun) that cared deeply about telling a story that was true and powerful (Mercury in Taurus is practical and seeks only the truth).

There is virtually no biographical information available for Russert, but since the heart is often symbolized in the chart by the Sun, we can see that Russert's heart was stressed by the square from Pluto. This is a challenging aspect for anyone since the individual ego (Sun) is blocked and sometimes crushed by Pluto. It's clear from Russert's hero worship of his father as evidenced in his book "Big Russ and Me" that Russert saw his father as being larger than life.

At the time of Russert's death, transiting Mars had been crossing over Pluto in Russert's chart, aggravating the Pluto/Sun square. But Russert's health problems may have accelerated back in May, June and July of 2007 when transiting Chiron (the Wounded Healer) made a square to the Pluto/Sun combination in Russert's chart, bringing up old psychological issues and putting pressure on his heart. That cycle continued in late January and early February of this year.

At the same time transiting Uranus had been making a square (challenging aspect) to Chiron in Russert's chart. Chiron's healing process is not always an easy one; it often brings up old issues that we thought were long behind us. If we aren't successful in working through them, we sometimes face health problems. The combination of Uranus and Chiron can be an incredibly exhilarating period of illumination, but it can also be difficult for a nature that is more fixed and earthy like Russert's.

He will be missed by all political junkies.

A birth certificate for Barack Obama!

2008-06-12T18:56:00.002-04:00

Thanks to the many readers who sent me this link to the actual birth certificate as posted on Daily Kos. This now official time of 7:24 pm is very close to the 7:11 time that came from the UAC conference.

No story yet on how Markos ended up with the birth certificate but it does debunk some of the wilder rumors about Obama.

I've put the new chart up here. Please refer to this earlier article and I'll be working on a comprehensive profile over the weekend.

Beauty and value in the second house

2008-06-12T06:58:00.004-04:00

Last week I heard a show on NPR that highlighted a woman who had always been unattractive because of her big nose until she had an accident and the doctor suggested that while she was having surgery that she have her nose fixed. After the surgery, according to her own account she was "a babe." As a result, she had a unique perspective on what it's like to be pretty vs. "ugly."

The second house is most commonly associated with money and wealth, but it also houses our personal resources, our self-esteem, what we value and how well we value ourselves. I've written earlier on the relationship between self-esteem and wealth, and there is a strong connection between them. In the second house we develop a relationship with our environment and learn what belongs to us and where we fit into the world. The strength of this sense of belonging to the world and having a secure place is what helps to determine our financial success and our ability to accumulate wealth and prosperity.

Studies have shown, cruelly, that beauty is tied to success. But these studies do not prove that it's perfection that is tied to success - merely a perception of attraction. If cosmetic surgery enhances one's confidence in one's value, then it can have benefits to that individual. But if surgery becomes the tool in the pursuit of perfection, the point is missed and the inner lack of self-worth remains.

Life can also be difficult for the beautiful as they age. We have seen this with movie stars who go into seclusion because their identity is so wrapped up with their beauty and they can't bear to be seen in public. In these cases the second house has not been developed and the physical beauty, the only resource, is now disappearing. The beauty of youth fades early, but Venus remains present throughout our lives. How are we to express her, and gain the benefits of the second house?

Venus rules the second house, and in her guise as Goddess of Beauty she also places a high value on attractiveness. Venusian beauty is not a perfect geometrical facial shape or perfectly sized breasts; it is rather the power to attract. I used to know an aerobics instructor who had a face which most people would classify as homely. Yet she had the most beautiful smile, and with it the ability to draw people to her like a magnet. This is the real power of Venus.

photos from corbis.

The Barbury Crop Circle and the Magic of Pi

2008-06-10T06:12:00.003-04:00

I found this link on Ellie's World about the new crop circle in Barbury, England that includes a very detailed analysis of the crop circle and its relationship to the number Pi and has rounded up to an astonishing 10 digits. This is a very precise measurement, and its difficult to imagine that two drunk guys with boards on their feet (the classic debunking of crop circles) could dream this up. I'm no mathematician, but the mathematical precision of this crop circle seems pretty amazing.

Pi is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, and is considered the original irrational number. It is an infinite number that has no end, although people keep trying to find it. Typically Pi is depicted with its first six decimal digits, so the extension to 10 digits in the crop circle is pretty amazing!

This is an interesting site that explores the connection of Pi to the esoteric philosophies of the Illuminati, making a case for Pi representing the solstices and equinoxes.

Some writer have said that in establishing the relationship between the circumference of the circle, which is round, to the diameter, which is linear, Pi depicts the transcendence of the circle from linear rationality.

The infinite nature of the number Pi suggests to me an inability for the human mind to grasp that which is infinite; that the Mystery will always be greater than the humans who seek to discover it.

Britain cracks down on astrologers

2008-06-09T06:59:00.002-04:00

New consumer protection regulations in Britain classifies astrologers along with fortune tellers and double-glazing salesman under a new consumer protection act. Astrologers, faith healers and spiritual advisers will now have to post a sign that says "for entertainment purposes only." Consumer protection is a wonderful thing, and I am all for prohibiting fraudulent treatment of consumers under any circumstances. But astrological consultations are NOT for entertainment purposes only!

From the Times UK:

Andy Millmore, a partner at the law firm Harbottle & Lewis in London, said: “What is significant is the sweeping nature of the regulations. They will effectively criminalise actions that might in the past have escaped legal censure, even if they may perhaps have been covered by industry voluntary codes.

“Personalised services may also come under scrutiny. A tarot pack reader, for instance, cannot just pick one of several templates – it would have to be a proper reading designed for that person.”

Claims to secure good fortune, contact the dead or heal through the laying-on of hands are all services that will also have to carry disclaimers, other lawyers say. “You could argue that this is no different from promises given by the Church of Eternal Life, which people pay for, in the sense that they feel obliged to give to the collection,” one said. “It’s no more proven.”

Mr Millmore said that the changes created a lower test for prosecution. “Before, a prosecution had to show that there was a false or misleading trade description. Now the test is, is it an unfair commercial trade practice? So we are likely to see more prosecutions,” he said.

Certainly no one wants to see little old ladies taken advantage of. But are spiritual advisers any less vetted than church parsons or priests? I'd love to know what Dharmaruci, Barbara, Katherine and my other Brit friends think about this new law!

Sunday Inspiration: Awakening the Heart

2008-06-08T07:45:00.003-04:00

Venus and Mercury are conjunct right now in Gemini, along with the Sun, and the power of Venus to soften the mind (Mercury) is illuminated by the Sun and offers an opportunity to open the doors to the wisdom of the heart. A sextile from both planets to Mars today helps to activate this opening if we choose to do so. This is a perfect day for the pursuit of bodhichitta, the spirit of awakening in which the Self becomes empty and spacious and compassion fills the heart.

Chiron forms a trine to the Gemini planetary lineup and can assist in this process by opening the chinks in the armor that we build around the places within us that are wounded and fearful. Pema Chodron's tale provides a beautiful picture for this process (from her book The Places that Scare You:

"When we were digging the foundation for the retreat center at Gampo Abbey, we hit bedrock, and a small crack appeared. A minute later water was dripping out. An hour later, the flow was stronger and the crack was wider.

Finding the basic goodness of bodhichitta is like that-tapping into a spring of living water that has been temporarily encased in solid rock. When we touch the center of sorrow, when we sit with discomfort without trying to fix it, when we stay present to the pain of disapproval or betrayal and let it soften us, these are the times that we connect with bodhichitta.

Tapping into that shaky and tender place has a transformative effect. Being in this place may feel uncertain and edgy but it's also a big relief. Just to stay there, even for a moment, feels like a genuine act of kindness to ourselves. Being compassionate enough to accommodate our own fears takes courage, of course, and it definitely feels counterintuitive. But it's what we need to do.

It's hard to know whether to laugh or to cry at the human predicament. Here we are with so much wisdom and tenderness, and-without even knowing it-we cover it over to protect ourselves from insecurity. Although we have the potential to experience the freedom of a butterfly, we mysteriously prefer the small and fearful cocoon of ego."

Thanks to Allspirit.com for this quote.

Retrograde Roundup

2008-06-07T19:06:00.003-04:00

We can't blame everything on Mercury retrograde, because don't forget there are four other planets retrograde as well. Today, astrodynamics.net went down and I'm in good company because Amazon.com, the world's largest online retailer, yesterday was "hit by technical failure" when its website went down.

Retrogrades turn our attention to the past - we tend to look back more than forward, and re-evaluate where we've been so we can be better prepared for where we're going. It's like the Sankofa bird from Africa which means "to go back in order to go forward.

Despite Pluto's preparation to retrograde back into buoyant Sagittarius, the economic mood in the United States took a dive Friday as the job report punctured the bubble of optimism that was beginning to seep into the general pessimism of Pluto in Capricorn.

And in a stunning look back at the run-up to the war has included not only Scott McClellan's new book, but also the release of a bipartisan Senate report on Thursday after years of wrangling harshly condemning the Bush White House for misleading the American public about the threat posed by Saddam Hussein.

Still, Mercury is not all bad. My research shows that nearly half of all launches performed by NASA were done when Mercury was retrograde. From an earlier article:

The successful launch on July 4, 2006 as Mercury turned Rx is a good example of how Mercury retrograde can work. The failure of the shuttle to launch the previous July during a Mercury Rx period forced NASA to go back to the drawing board and revise their plans, leading to a successful launch in 2006. This example shows the way retrograde Mercury works, and why with all of astrology it's important to view the larger context. Events that are disrupted during one Mercury retrograde period are completed during another retrograde period. The retrograde periods are great times for going back over something that needs more work. For redesigning your website, reviewing your goals and plans. We may find them frustrating, but they are essential to balance periods of growth and change. They help to deepen our understanding, and give us a greater sense of depth and balance.

The unfolding of life takes on a great and wondrous magic when we learn to adjust to the energy of the cycles of our lives. People that I work with, who don't believe in astrology, find it comforting and useful to know that the communication glitches and mechanical failures are occurring for a reason, and that all we can do is go with the flow and work with the retrograde instead of against it!

Astrology in the Mainstream: Mother Earth News!

2008-06-06T19:06:00.004-04:00

Thanks to Astrococktail for this enlightening link about America's Seventh Saturn Return by astrologer Robert Cole that appeared in Mother Earth News in 1981. I love it when astrology is taken seriously by the mainstream media!

On October 22, 1981—in the midst of a massive solar system alignment which is currently happening in the ancient zodiacal symbol of Libra—the United States experienced its seventh Saturn return. (The return of Saturn in Libra occurs only once in approximately 29 years, and its strong influences can be noted for as much as a year's time on both sides of such dates.)

Astrologically speaking, whatever was born on earth from 1775 through 1777—including nations such as ours—has Saturn "exalted" in the sign of Libra . . .the symbol representing the "Balance Beam of the Law", which justifies the "defense of liberty" on one hand, and the "infringement of liberty" on the other. Indeed, according to its national astrological chart, the United States can represent both the positive and negative extremes of law and order. In the Declaration of Independence, for example, the country took on the responsibility of constructing a new order of freedom . . .yet more than once, in defense of our own liberties, we've considered it just to deny those of others.

Furthermore, on July 4, 1776 the hot summertime sun was moving into a "square"—or 90° aspect—with ponderous, restrictive Saturn. In proper astrological terminology, then, in the birth chart of the U.S., Saturn would be considered "afflicted" by the sun.

Now many people will doubt the significance of such occurrences, but the fact is that every Saturn return for the United States has been marked by at least one direct and harsh confrontation with other countries over what is fair internationally, and—on those occasions—every President involved has made mistakes . . . the most prevalent being to employ "protective" measures and take an isolationist stance.

read more here...

The US has Saturn in Libra, as do many of the baby boomers who will be experiencing their second Saturn return in 2011 along with the US Saturn return. This is an interesting article with some points to think about for the future.

The light side of Mercury Retrograde

2008-06-04T19:38:00.002-04:00

Even my assistant, who doesn't believe in astrology, now is an expert on Mercury Retrograde. The expression "forewarned is forearmed" was never truer than when dealing with Mercury's retrograde travel time.

So I was pleased to see this article posted in Astrology News:

There is an ancient Roman saying: “Vocatus atque non vocatus deus aderit.” Called or not called, the god will be there.

Since the god Mercury or Hermes (the Greek equivalent) in retrograde is inevitably going to come a calling, regardless of our best-laid plans, we might as well look further into how to make better use of his regular visits.

"Hermes is the god of the unexpected, of luck, of coincidence, of 'synchronicity.' The ancient Greeks would say: 'Hermes has entered our midst,' whenever a sudden silence had entered the room, descended on conversation and introduced into the meeting another dimension.

Whenever things seem fixed, rigid, 'stuck,' Hermes introduces fluidity, motion, new beginnings - as well as the confusion which inevitably precedes new beginnings." Arianna Stassinopoulos, The Gods of Greece

New Beginnings
Where are you stuck? Where do you need a new beginning? Mercury (Hermes) in retrograde will be glad to help "unstuck" you and provide you with that new beginning.

After all... Mercury (Hermes) is the archetypal deal-maker and broker within the horoscopic chart, and as such he'll be more than glad to strike a mutually beneficial deal with you!

Too Rigid, Too Stuck
Yep! It's often when we're too rigid and too stuck in our ways that Mercury (Hermes) springs out from behind a bush and reveals himself to us in the guise of a malicious bogey-man.

“… in Hermes we have a figure who signifies a union between an innate tendency on the part of the psyche to create boundaries and define spaces… He signifies the creative instinct at work in the psyche in a particular way.

A specific type of creator god, he is the creator of new spaces. It is in the creation of new spaces, novel spaces, inventive spaces, especially psychologically subtle spaces that Hermes shows his special nature and genius.” From the 1999 article “Hermes and the Creation of Space” by Murray Stein

Spiritual Gold
In her book, The Gods in Everyman, archetypal author Jean Bolen points out that the physical substance of Mercury only adheres to precious metals... thus - metaphorically speaking - the archetypal substance of Hermes can show us the way to spiritual gold...

The Rule of Thumb
When Mercury is in retrograde the rule of thumb is that whatever you do in the area of everyday routines in commerce, commuting back and forth to work, and in one's communications - it's not typically going to go as smoothly as you thought it would.

Remain flexible. If necessary, be prepared to "punt the ball." Have a backup plan. In fact, have two backup plans! Breath deeply. This, too, will pass...

Elsa is under attack

2008-06-04T19:33:00.003-04:00

Elsa is a tireless supporter and promoter of the entire astroloblogosphere. I know she's having a Pluto transit to her Moon, but this is ridiculous.

Please drop by and give her some love.

Into the Matrix in the Aquarian Age

2008-06-03T20:55:00.003-04:00

In the news today:

Children will learn by downloading information directly into their brains within 30 years, the head of Britain's top private schools organisation has predicted.

Chris Parry, the new chief executive of the Independent Schools Council, said "Matrix-style" technology would render traditional lessons obsolete.

He told the Times Educational Supplement: "It's a very short route from wireless technology to actually getting the electrical connections in your brain to absorb that knowledge."

Mr Parry, a former Rear Admiral, spent three years determining the future strategic context for the military in a senior role at the Ministry of Defence.

I've been joking about this for years, but it's somewhat shocking to see it in print! It's also a little creepy that Mr. Parry worked with the military where perhaps he saw some research in this regard.

In 30 years Pluto will be in Aquarius, and I have no doubt that technology (Aquarius) will have evolved by then to the point where Pluto can wreak some real havoc!!

Hillary Clinton and the New Moon chart

2008-06-03T06:52:00.002-04:00

Reports are mixed as to whether Hillary Clinton will end her campaign after the last two primaries today. On Countdown last night:

Senator Hillary Clinton appears on the verge of suspending her campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, and endorsing Senator Barack Obama. That, the widespread reading of the electoral tea leaves today, after a tidal wave of separate reports that add up to the end, in sight, probably by tomorrow night. In our fifth story on the Countdown -- the components: She has reportedly personally urged her top backers and financial donors to attend her speech in New York tomorrow night. She reportedly told Senator Obama last night that their staffs should begin to bargain over what to do after Tuesday. Her official schedule, after a morning speech in Washington on Wednesday, is blank...And, perhaps most saliently, her staff has reportedly been urged to turn in all of their expense reports and receipts, before the end of this week. Now the details of what is being perceived as: the final Countdown.

Today would be a beautiful time astrologically for Senator Clinton to end her arguably failed race for the nomination. The New Moon, a time of new beginnings, forms a harmonious aspect (sextile) to the conjunction in her chart of Mars and Pluto in Leo that fuels her dogged determination and refusal to say no.

The New Moon is also very close to a conjunction to Mrs. Clinton's progressed Moon, stimulating within her a flowering of emotional awareness and an inspiration to recreate herself in some way.

Mrs. Clinton's natal Saturn is the subject of several powerful aspects right now. Saturn in the chart shows where we build our structures, and where we find ourselves alone creating the business of our lives. Mercury, traveling retrograde at the moment, forms a sextile to Saturn in Clinton's chart so the Winged Messenger (Mercury) is adding a note of flexibility to her ability to put her plans (Saturn) in motion. In addition, transiting Jupiter (expansion and meaning) and Uranus (innovation and change) form a nearly exact Yod aspect to that Saturn in her chart. The Yod is also called the "Finger of Fate" or "Finger of God," and a Yod by transit such as this signifies a crucial event in a person's life. For Mrs. Clinton, Saturn is the "apex planet" in this configuration which tells us that this is a crucial time for her to take responsibility (Saturn) for creating a structure for her life that will serve her and keep her moving forward on her evolutionary journey.

Mrs. Clinton has burned a lot of her bridges in this campaign under the influence of Chiron (wounding and healing) in a challenging aspect to her Scorpio Venus, but this is a turning point for her to be able to set off in a new direction and discover the Chironic healing quality of facing up to one's inner issues. Her nature is very fixed and stubborn, with four planets in Scorpio in a square to Mars and Pluto in Leo, and it's not easy for her to gain perspective over her life.

The New Moon provides an opportunity for her to do so, and with that new perspective to begin a new phase in her career that could end up putting her in a position of real power as we can see by the harmonious aspect of the New Moon to that pesky Mars Pluto conjunction (Pluto rules power, change, and endings).

If she fails to take advantage of this opportunity and instead continues down the path of blind and stubborn determination, it will take her a long time to pick up the pieces.

Skywatch is posted!

2008-06-01T10:44:00.002-04:00

Skywatch for June has been posted, offering a tantalizing look at the delicious planetary opportunities in store for us this month. Here's a tidbit:

Welcome to June! Because we have a number of planets changing direction this month, turning retrograde and direct, the influences of the outer planets are particularly strong now. When planets change their apparent direction (of course they are not actually turning backwards, it just looks that way from earth) they slow down, just as a car does when it prepares to make a U-turn.

Mercury is retrograde for the first few weeks of the month and turns direct on June 19, so until then it's important to slow down the mental process and be sure you have all of your details organized. Miscommunication and confusion are likely under this influence and expect to have breakdowns in telephone and computer equipment.

Neptune turned retrograde at the end of May and Uranus reverses direction at the end of June, so both planets are still moving extremely slowly; they will cover only about a half a degree's distance in May. This intensifies their power, particularly for any of us who are going through planetary transits of Uranus and Neptune to planets in our birthchart. Uranus seeks change and asks us to break out of the restrictions that keep us from living an authentic life; Neptune reminds us that the material world is only fleeting and urges us to seek an experience that transcends the physical. Honorable planets both, but their influence can create havoc in a life that desires stability.

In May we noted the conjunction in early may of Neptune to the (true) North Node, and the conjunction of Chiron to the North Node in late May. The Nodes are not planets; they are signposts in the sky that mark the places where the Moon crosses the path of the Sun's passage through the zodiac. The signposts point to our past (the South Node) and to the future (the North Node). Throughout May Neptune and Chiron both conjoined the North Node, signifying an important event to facilitate inspiration (Neptune) and healing (Chiron). When planets conjunct the North Node they by necessity oppose (180 degrees) the South Node, setting up a tension between the influences that hold us back (South Node) and the pull to continue evolving (North Node) by fully experiencing the wounds of the past and then letting them go (Chiron).

Chiron is retrograde now and until mid-October, so we will find ourselves going back over areas of our life which we may have thought were healed and finding other points of growth to bring us greater wisdom.

To sign up to receive your own free subscription to Skywatch, which includes a translation without astrologese of each month's planetary events, visit my website and use the signup form.

Obama quits his church: the Mars factor

2008-05-31T20:38:00.002-04:00

Barack Obama quit his longtime association with the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago today. Under the influence of transiting Pluto (destruction) in opposition to Venus (relationships) in Obama's chart, the longtime association between Obama and Pastor Jeremiah Wright blew up in a very public way.

This bustup was coming for quite some time, as seen in the progressed chart of Barack Obama which shows his progressed Mars conjunct progressed Mercury in Libra, within minutes of a challenging aspect from this conjunction to the Aries Mars and Libra Mercury in Jeremiah Wright's chart. The Mars/Mercury conjunction in Obama's progressed chart indicates a strengthening of his mental (Mercury) will (Mars), and demonstrates his readiness for the fight that is still to come against McCain. Under the influence of Mars we seek independence, and the opposition of Obama's progressed Mars to Wright's natal Mars illustrates the separation of Obama's desire for harmony (Libra) to Wright's own inner conflict between the ideal of harmony (Mercury in Libra) to his thirst for vengeance (Mars in Aries).

If the new chart for Obama is correct, we also see transiting Mars conjunct his Leo Sun and preparing to cross over his descendant, the cusp of the seventh house of partnership and open enemies. He is ready for battle, and using the sword of Mars to make changes where necessary.

Still, the process is painful for him as we can see from the transit of Saturn (testing his strength) over Chiron (old painful psychic wounds) in his natal chart.

Personally, I wish that Obama had stood his ground on this issue rather than cave in to the pressure of the campaign because there is an opportunity here for white America to learn about black America. But realistically I realize America is not yet ready for that. If Obama will be elected it's because he's somewhat transracial and therefore palatable to more white Americans than if he had ghetto cred.

Trinity's motto is "unashamedly black and unapologetically Christian," and Obama's comments today were that he was resigning not only for his own sake but for the sake of the church as well:

"We don't want to have to answer for everything that is stated in the church," Mr Obama said, speaking in South Dakota, which holds its primary election on Tuesday.

"On the other hand, we also don't want a church subjected to the scrutiny that a presidential campaign legitimately undergoes."

He also responded to the most recent comments by a guest preacher by saying he was "deeply disappointed" by such "divisive, backward-looking rhetoric."

I do expect Obama to remain in the hot seat as we get closer to his double dip of Mars/Uranus coming up in mid to late June.

Saturn in Virgo: Organic milk is better

2008-05-31T07:15:00.002-04:00

Cows by Tyler Larson

New research shows that cows eating an organic diet produce milk that contains more omega-3 and linoleic fatty acids that have been proven to improve human health. Plus, their milk tastes better.

Milk from organic cattle that eat a fresh grass diet is likely to be better for your health, according to a new study by the University of Newcastle

This organic milk contained more good fatty acids such as omega-3 and conjugated linoleic acid known as CLA9 than milk produced at intensive commercial dairy farms. The difference was even more marked during the summer with levels of CLA9 about 60 per cent higher in milk from cattle that graze in fields.

Gillian Butler, livestock project manager for the university's Nafferton Ecological Farming Group, who led the research, said: “Our work has not looked at the impact on human health, but I would say organic milk should be better for health from what we know of the benefits of these good fatty acids. She added: “They are effective in combating cancer, coronary heart disease and type II diabetes.”

The study was a joint effort between scientists at Newcastle University and the Danish Institute for Agricultural Science and funded by the European Commission, a governmental body of the European Union.

The European Commission has funded other research into organic foods such as the Quality Low Input Food (QLIF) project which was initiated in March of 2004. But in the business-friendly United States, organic standards were degraded in 2006 to placate large corporate food producers nullifying a ban from the previous year on synthetic ingredients in food labeled organic.

You can't tell me organic food doesn't taste better than mass produced food - I can barely eat the stuff sold in the local major supermarket. Our locally produced food sold at the farmer's market or local co-ops makes your mouth water, and the organic chicken hand-raised in small farms in our county has a delicate and delicious taste that has spoiled me for anything else.

Pluto is in Capricorn now, where it will be breaking down the power (Pluto) of large corporations (Capricorn) and transforming the power structure. Saturn is in Virgo, where it is applying pressure (Saturn) in the areas of health and ecology (Virgo). Perhaps this is one area where we will see some real change.

Scott McClellan: The Emperor isn't wearing any clothes!

2008-05-30T06:52:00.005-04:00

Scott McClellan is not the first Bush insider to write an expose of the disaster that is the Bush presidency, but he is the most surprising. James Hoopes, author of Hail to the CEO: The Failure of George W. Bush and the Cult of Moral Leadership says that Bush is the target of more tell-all books than any other American president including books by former terrorism czar Richard Clark, Treasury secretary Paul O'Neill, and David Kuo, former head of Bush's faith-based initiatives.

Scott McClellan was the ultimate loyalist: the good soldier who admired the way George Bush had drawn together a bipartisan government in Texas and began serving as deputy communications director back in 1999 when Bush was still Governor. As press secretary he dutifully did his job as presidential spokesliar (® Stephanie Miller) but if you looked carefully you could see he wasn't cut out for that job. Unlike Ari Fleischer, who was smooth and silky as he delivered the cooked-up messages given to him by the Bush White House, McClelland was stiff and visibly uncomfortable.

This week his new book, What Happened, was released. The book reveals his inner struggles as he grew to realize that he was being used as an unwitting pawn in the White House game of power and deception.

Scott McClellan (2/14/1968) was born with the Sun conjunct Mercury in Aquarius, the sign of the radical - the revolutionary. The seeker of justice who desires a change of the status quo. McClellan talks about wanting in the early years to be a part of the change that Bush said he would bring to the White House and admired the bipartisanship that Bush brought to Texas. These are classic Aquarian values: idealistic and willing to sacrifice one's personal needs for the greater good of mankind.

McClellan's chart shows Jupiter and possibly the Moon in Virgo. Virgo is the sign of work and duty, and Jupiter in the chart shows where we find meaning in life, what makes us feel good, and in Virgo there is a powerful need to be useful - to be helpful and to serve others. Clearly this was a powerful influence in McClellan's life and exemplified his role as loyal soldier for the Bush administration.

However, like everyone born in the mid to late 1960s, Uranus (revolution and radical change) and Pluto (death and rebirth) were conjunct in his chart. If you remember the 1960s, it was a tremendous time of cultural change and those born during this time carry that archetype within them. They typically find themselves in situations where they are forced to end a phase of their life that no longer serves them (Pluto) and begin a new life that is completely new (Uranus). In McClellan's chart these two powerful planets form an opposition to his Mars, which as the planet of war represents his drives and desires. This shows that his ability to defend himself and assert his needs (Mars) is under stress and that he has a great deal of difficulty in these areas.

For McClellan, Mars is in Pisces where it tends to lose its aggressive nature and instead submerges in the will of the masses. Pisces, a sign of the water element, blurs boundaries and erodes defenses just as the ocean does. This is an individual that tends to lose himself in causes and has difficulty defending himself and we see this echoed in the challenging aspect (square) of Neptune in his chart (the ruler of Pisces) to McClellan's Sun, an aspect that tends to dissolve one's sense of one's Self and can indicate an individual who tends toward martyrdom and can therefore be used as a scapegoat.

Over the past few years McClellan has been going through a series of powerful planetary cycles. Beginning in 2005, transiting Pluto began to form a square to Uranus and Pluto in McClellan's chart. The square to Pluto is an intense time that occurs in everyone's life in their late 30s or early 40s that challenges us to let go of situations, people or events that are holding us back. Often there are power struggles, intense emotions, family conflicts or other situations that force us to make changes in our lives that will serve to empower us. When combined with a square to Uranus, life becomes more explosive and the need for change much more urgent. This major cycle continued into 2007.

In 2006 transiting Pluto began a series of harmonious aspects to McClellan's Sun and progressed Mars, helping to facilitate the transformation within him that was already underway. The transit to progressed Mars would have given him the courage to begin to stand up for himself in a more assertive way and begin making changes in his life. When he resigned in April of 2006, transiting Mars was in challenging aspect to Mars in his chart and the Uranus/Pluto conjunction that opposes it, providing the energy (Mars) McClellan needed to begin making real changes in his life.

At the end of 2006, after his resignation, transiting Saturn began a square to his Sun and Neptune and McClellan likely began feeling a letdown after the excitement of the big life change that had just occurred. Saturn transits cause us to feel heavy and somewhat depressed, and it is during this time that McClellan began writing his book.

Currently, transiting Uranus is just beginning a major cycle that will further facilitate the changes in his life. Uranus is the radical revolutionary, and McClellan seems to be operating much more independently now than ever in his life. From now until the spring of 2010 his life will continue to change in ways he cannot now imagine. But more importantly, his radical and revolutionary act is likely to have repercussions in the American political system for years to come.

Saturn in Virgo and the recent abuse epidemic

2008-05-28T06:28:00.003-04:00

A reader emailed me a few months ago asking if there was a correlation between the rise of pet abuse cases and Saturn in Virgo and while I dismissed it at the time the recent news about abuse of small children by UN peacekeepers (Saturn = authority figures) caused me to rethink this connection.

Because Virgo breaks things down into parts and then analyzes them, along with the sixth house it is associated with relationships that involve unequal power (classically, "master servant" relationships or those between employers and employees). The Virgo nature is typically very fond and protective of children and small animals.

Saturn went into Virgo last fall, and since then there has indeed been a rash of animal abuse cases beginning with the arrest of sports star Michael Vick for dogfighting which resulted in the signing last week in Georgia of legislation officially banning that cruel sport from the state. In May, with Saturn stationing direct (virtually standing still as its motion changes from retrograde to forward) the news has been filled with large scale animal cruelty cases. Earlier this month rapper DMX was arrested in Phoenix for animal abuse that related to dogfighting. Hundreds of animals were rescued from a "puppy mill" operation in Minnesota.

And that's just the animals - then we have the abominable case of Josef Fritzl which erupted at the end of April just before Saturn's retrograde turn. And this week a study by Oxfam found rampant child sexual abuse among humanitarian workers around the world.

Clearly these events happened long before Saturn went into Virgo, but the planetary cycles create a catalyst that opens up the mass consciousness to be more receptive to certain qualities. It's almost as if there's a cosmic radio station that becomes tuned to a particular channel during that time. There seems to be a rash of local child abuse cases as well - here in North Carolina a task force reports that caregiver homicides are rising across the state. With the economic downturn widely expected during Pluto's sojourn through Capricorn this is likely to increase with increased stress on families suffering from economic woes.

At times like this it's more important than ever to build (Saturn) strong communities and alliances of protection, which is what Virgo is all about. Before real change can happen the chinks in the mortar must be exposed.

Murphy's Law repost

2008-05-27T06:03:00.002-04:00

With Mercury and Neptune having turned retrograde we find ourselves in a strong retrograde period. Four traditional planets plus Chiron are retrograde now and the pull is to go back and re-do things that have been left undone. I thought it might be timely to repost this article from last year:

Murphy's Law states, basically, that if anything can go wrong it will. Evidently the same law has been around for many years before Murphy took credit for it; previously it was called "sod's law," because it could happen to "any old sod."

Murphy's Law has generated a whole series of similar laws such as:

Everything takes longer than you think.
Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong. Corollary: If there is a worse time for something to go wrong, it will happen then.
If anything simply cannot go wrong, it will anyway.
If you perceive that there are four possible ways in which a procedure can go wrong, and circumvent these, then a fifth way, unprepared for, will promptly develop.
Nature always sides with the hidden flaw.

It's easy to turn Murphy's Law into a negative approach to life, but there is another way to look at it which is to witness and appreciate the mystery that life presents us with at every turn. As astrologers, both professional and amateur, we look at our charts and attempt to use our knowledge of the planetary cycles to buffer ourselves from possible pain and loss. I used to think that looking at previous Saturn events would provide a clue to future Saturn events because the events would happen in the same astrological house, but now I know that to be a false assumption. If we are prepared for relationship problems under a Saturn transit, we will have work problems. If we are prepared for family matters a tree will fall on our house. Because a challenging planetary cycle demands something from us that is difficult it will find a way to challenge us in one way or another.

This kind of thinking flies in the face of a more "rational" approach to life which assumes that events occur in a completely random fashion, but if you keep track of the planetary cycles in your life you will soon find that while we can predict when challenge will come, we cannot predict what will happen. This is why attempting to use astrology (or any other art) to predict the future is doomed to fail; we are not meant to know. We are meant to experience the mystery and learn to have faith in the process, but we are given so many tools: Pluto to guide us through the underworld, Jupiter to provide faith and reason, Saturn to develop discipline and strength, and Neptune to facilitate the journey beyond the veils.

The rationality of science has robbed us in many ways from our connection to the magic of the universe. An acceptance of Murphy's Law brings back the wonder of discovery if we face it with humor and a sense of adventure!

Interviews from the United Astrology Conference

2008-05-26T07:34:00.004-04:00

Eric Francis has been posting some interesting material from UAC, and now he has put up some audio interviews here. I haven't had a chance to listen yet but perhaps they will bring up some good discussion material.

Jupiter gets a third spot

2008-05-24T08:15:00.004-04:00

From NASA's Astrology Picture of the Da y:

NASA explains, "Jupiter's recent outbreak of red spots is likely related to large scale climate change as the gas giant planet is getting warmer near the equator. "

Some climate change skeptics are using reports like this and changes on Mars and Pluto to mean that global warming is caused by the Sun and not by human activity on earth, but New Scientist refuted that objection last year:

According to solar physicists, the sun emitted a third less energy about 4 billion years ago and has been steadily brightening ever since. Yet for most of this time, Earth has been even warmer than today, a phenomenon sometimes called the faint sun paradox. The reason: higher levels of greenhouse gases trapping more of the sun’s heat.

Still, it's an interesting coincidence that the third eye on Jupiter erupts as Jupiter stations (stalls its motion) in exact sextile to Uranus, the planet of change. Jupiter signifies our search for meaning and the theology that we build to explain our world, and in its dance with Uranus there are daily surprises that urge us to rethink this world that we live in.