Looking Ahead

Well how was that full moon for you? For me, I'm glad it is over. I felt burdened with more responsibility than normal. I longed for a sunny breezy week of summer I ended up with endless tasks, a tinge of loneliness and finding help only when I paid for it. Not what I consider a banner week but a perfectly lame full moon during a mercury retrograde. Glad that is fini.

This week we have disseminating and last quarter moon where we will have a Sun conjunct Mercury on Friday August 3 which should bring a slight a-hah moment (hate that expression but it fits) in the same vein when your mind thinks back upon something from the past with a new awareness. "Wait a minute, I think Dad was fired from his job in the 70's" We will get some insight on something that may be helpful or practical given Sun and Mercury are conjoining in Virgo. Of course since it is a retro mercury it will have a looking back feeling.


In terms of lunar aspects there is a Moon square Neptune on August 31 (2:39pm EDT) that will bring in something fuzzy or unclear. But it should not last long given a few hours later Uranus and Jupiter aspects will bring us something charming and unique

Pisces Full Moon

Full Moon Pisces

Tuesday August 24 1:04pm EDT

01 Pisces 25

Welcome to Pisces Full Moon. I apologize for not getting this up sooner but summer is crazy busy in a house with an active boy. ‘nuff said.

Well, it has been full moon for nearly eight hours and I’m sure you are feeling it. Emotions are up high with Pisces since it is a water sign but the Sun at 1 degree Virgo brings a sensibility to our powerful feelings. Pisces evokes pain and suffering and perhaps a feeling of “what’s the use?” But Virgo will not allow us to wallow, we are motivated by a sense, “Yeah, I guess it is shit but there is nothing I can do about it---and then Pisces responds, “Yeah, the only thing left is to release it----and then Virgo finalizes it with “let’s move on, it’s the only practical thing left.”

And that’s what the next 2.5 days is about. Some people might say, “let go, let God.” But that’s not accurate for this energy. It is just a feeling of finality or maybe more to the point would be the old expression, “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

If old issues come up and you are sick and tired of them then use Pluto’s sextile Moon/Trine Sun to release them. Just say it,”I give up” and stop fighting it. Go with the flow.

Neptune conjunction with the Moon (out of sign) will also provide some comfort with the out-of-control feelings. And anyway haven’t we learned “control” is an illusion 90 percent of the time?

Finally, the sun has a nice trine with North Node which always gives us some kind of gift. Perhaps an entre’ somewhere? A door to something we had never considered?

Here’s a novel idea, maybe the timing (virgo) works best when we get the eff out of our way and stop pretending we ware in charge (Leo).

There, you heard it here---go release now!

Moon In Capricorn--Pipe cleaning

Ouch!!!!

Yesterday around 2pm I had a moment with someone. The details of the moment are not important but what was notable was the feeling that hung around me. It felt murky, old, yucky, stuff from the past, an echo of an old wound so great that I felt helpless. This is not a position I find myself in often and raced home to check the moon. At 2pm PDT the moon was in conjunction with Pluto which is of course in square to Saturn. I love the eight phases of the moon and use them regularly in my life. Having said that I have gotten out of practice of utilizing daily lunar activity. I normally find it too overwhelming due to the speed which the moon moves.
However, checking back to July when the moon was in Capricorn I found myself once again dealing with all things Pluto. At that time I put the emphasis on Pluto but really when I think back on it, the wind in that sail was the moon's conjunction. It was that little 'push'. It was so stressful I took myself to a movie just to shift the energy. Unfortunately it was kind of a dark movie....lordy, I couldn't get a break.


Pluto is a plumber. He goes in deep and find the broken thing that needs to be fixed. Those deep buried memories or maybe even memories not so deep but still powerful---that is the territory of Pluto. A Moon in Capricorn is pretty darn practical which is interesting when dealing with something so profound as a miner or plumber going through your insides and finding some blockage. The moon is just pushing that plumber further down..'Go there, see if it there!" I felt like someone was saying, "Test her metal".

God, knows I felt like someone roto-rootered me.

Next month, the Moon will be in Capricorn on September 15 (6:52pm PDT). I will be all over it like white on rice. No matter how yucky.

What is bugging you?

I had not been able to poke around over to MountainAstrologerBlog in a few days and was happy to see a new posting by Mary. I haven't had a chance to click on her link to Marshall Vian Sumners but I liked what she said about his discussion of "appropriate discomfort." HERE's the link to TMA where you can read more. But here is a small tidbit.




I’m just going to offer a few thoughts about Jupiter and Saturn, then link to several astute bloggers on some of the week’s other topics.

My friend sent me a link yesterday to a New Dimensions radio interview, Preparing for Global Change, with a gentleman named Marshall Vian Summers. I thought his ideas were curiously in sync with the current Jupiter-Saturn opposition.

He spoke of the importance of really looking at your situation and noticing what is bothering you. He called this “appropriate discomfort,” which I thought a good image for the opposition. Summers spoke of stability and strength to weather change and the resiliency to absorb crisis. He also has an interesting idea on the “four pillars” that will bring balance into your life; though not exactly parallel, they do resonate with the four angles in the horoscope. (If you’re interested, you can listen to the interview for free until August 18.)

As astrologers we know that the opposition (180º) symbolizes the ability to contain paradox; it offers the gift of maximum objectivity. In this particular planetary pair, we could say it is the maximum tension between feeling remorseful and incomplete and feeling open and generous; between accepting reality as it is apparent right now and recognizing what is blossoming from this very moment.

In the Greek telling of the tale, Zeus (Jupiter) deposed Kronos (Saturn) as ruler and liberated his father’s imprisoned brothers, Poseidon (Neptune) and Hades (Pluto). Zeus escaped the fate of being swallowed and was rewarded with thunder and lightning. Zeus was gifted with the magnificence of thunder and lightning and became the God of the Sky; this story hints at the possibilities in our own Jupiter experience.This opposition is the culmination of the conjunction of the two planets in May 2000 at 23º Taurus. (If you’re feeling brave, look back to that time and see if you remember how much money you had then.)



I have been saying for awhile that there is no greener grass anywhere. This to me speaks to the saturn/uranus/pluto tension. Whatever is in front of us is going to be in front of us no matter where we go, unless we do THIS work now we will find it again and again. In my mind I do think that many of us have been asleep at the wheel in some of our choices and paths and now we are waking up---with an incoming mack truck headlights in front of us! Let's get out that speeding car!!!

Pluto & The Times

My good friend and astrologer Carol Tonsing and I were ruminating on Pluto's current journey when she pointed out something I had not even considered.

As you know, I 've been fascinated with this vampire phenomenon....it's been around for some time via the Anne Rice books, but the new vampire series are bringing this character very deeply into modern culture. Especially True Blood, which has vampires doing blogs, drinking synthetic blood, entering politics, demanding their rights. I noticed with the vampire's blogs that fans are writing to the characters just as if they exist. It has incorporated characters from ancient cultures: the maenad, the werewolf, the vampire itself and fantasized a dialogue between the supernatural ancient creatures and the modern characters.

Then there's the idea that vampires are buried underground, in crypts or coffins, that they are creatures of the earth...fossils, like fossil fuel! But the vampire fossils are feeding on us, instead of vice versa.

The whole detox craze now is about digging in our bodies.

Been listening to Plutonian old timers like Merle Haggard, a very Pluto/Neptune singer, spent time in jail, etc. Somehow I find that deep trailer-trash voice appealing now. I also love the TV show "Pickers" where guys roam the country looking for valuable junk in hellacious places ..... There's a whole lotta digging going on.


Once again, Pluto is going on everywhere....hidden in plain sight.

Countdown to Mercury Retrograde

I hope you have August 20th circled on your calendar because starting this Friday at 3:59pm * EDT---Mercury will begin its three week retrograde. Spend as much time as you can between now and then plotting your calendar and taking care of loose ends. Yesterday, I believe I sent at least 50 emails/letters/phone calls taking care of stuff. I need to book appointments so I'm calling now and booking them for on the other side of the retrograde. I had other pieces of businesses that I had to attend to and believe me I want it down now. And most importantly I have a big event I'm in charge of Right Smack in the Middle of the retrograde and I'm trying to organize as much of it as I can between now and Friday so that when the shit hits the fan (and it will) I'll be more prepared.

If you didn't get a chance to read about this Mercury Retrograde in my new moon article I'll repost here:

MERCURY RETROGRADE

And then just to make things extra cuckoo we have Mercury turning retrograde on August 20th at 20 degrees of Virgo. Since we are all seasoned pros we know the rules of Mercury retrograde. We do not make major purchases or sign important documents. And since this retrograde is happening during summer and many people have vacations planned, prepare plenty of extra time to arrive at your destination. If you normally get to the airport one hour in advance of your flight, plan to give yourself two hours. Call your hotel a week before and make sure your reservations are secured, same with the car rental. Do not take anything for granted. And for those of us who are not on vacation we should expect things to break, things to not work, things will go haywire and miscommunication will peak. Those of us who are smart will not over book our calendars because it will overwhelm us. On the bright spot, because Mercury rules Virgo (and Gemini) there is certain comfort that Mercury feels when it transits this sign which will take some of the edge off the retrograde--- meaning any bump in the road will be understood as just a bump. We will be less inclined (hopefully) to personalize the mistakes and hurdles as a cold, heartless god out to make our life miserable. Hurray for one perk! Of course, I’m a Sag so I find these retrogrades in Virgo (and in Gemini) to be a bit of a mindbender but still they are more tedious than emotional. The retrograde will last until September 12th but if you want a wider view you can take it from shadow point to shadow point meaning between August 1st and September 28th. But still the bitch of the time frame is during the actual retrograde (Aug 20th and September 12th ) we may just revisit stuff during the longer window.

* my apologies I had an incorrect time up for the last couple of day--i read my uranus retro notes by accident.

Uranus' return to Pisces

Back on New Moon we discussed Uranus' move back into Pisces HERE

URANUS IN PISCES

On August 13, Uranus which has been retrograde since last month will cross out of Aries and into Pisces where it will remain until March 11th. This will give our warring side a bit of a respite. Ever since the last week of May when Uranus moved into Aries we have been pissed off. Don’t believe me? Ask yourself what you thought of BP at that time? TeaPartyers have been blowing their top (no pun intended) and the warring rhetoric in general has been high. The angst we have been feeling both personally and globally is for change and a new landscape. Of course the change is not coming fast enough which makes everything all the more harder. But when Uranus moves back into Pisces we will calm down a bit and find out if we have the deep connection to spirit to really get the job done. Sure, people say they want this and they want that but do they have the mettle to do it? What do they call upon within themselves to persevere? Especially when things get really tough. It will be during this next six months while Uranus is in Pisces that we can strengthen our ties (perhaps in an unusual way) with our maker so that next spring when Uranus moves into Aries for the long haul (8 years) We will have the real skills to make real changes in our life and not just shoot off our mouth about what we want. Aren’t we over that now anyway?

A round up

Besides the Pakistan flood we had a week where---

Russia agreed to give fuel to Iran for their nuclear reactors. Thanks for easing tensions, Russia.

MOSCOW – Russia announced Friday it will begin the start up next week of Iran's only atomic power plant, giving Tehran a boost as it struggles with international sanctions and highlighting differences between Moscow and Washington over pressuring the Islamic Republic to give up activities that could be used to make nuclear arms


Ten Aid workers targeted by Taliban were killed in Afghanistan. A terrible story.

Ten members of a medical team, including six Americans, were shot and killed by militants as they were returning from providing eye treatment and other health care in remote villages of northern Afghanistan, a spokesman for the team said Saturday.

Dirk Frans, director of the International Assistance Mission, said one German, one Briton and two Afghans also were a part of the team that made the two-week trip to Nuristan province. They drove to the province, left their vehicles and hiked for hours over mountainous terrain to reach the Parun valley in the province's northwest

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/08/07/aid-workers-killed-afghanistan.html#ixzz0wk6yZoHF


and of course Lil' Kim continues to shoot off his crazy mouth with his north korean rhetoric

North Korea said Sunday that it will "deal a merciless counterblow to the U.S. imperialists" and to South Korean "traitors," in response to word that the United States and South Korea will begin a joint military exercise on Monday

and of course a very stressful week on Wall Street which looks to be more messy (Google "Hindenburg Effect")

Jupiter/Saturn/Uranus/Pluto are in effect in case you hadn't noticed.

Pakistan & Cardinal Climax/Crisis/Square et al

When 911 happened I remember thinking, "Man, it doesn't get any worse than this."

Then we had Katrina which was awful followed by the Christmas Tsunami and I turned to friends and said ---"That's it!" Of course, just because I say something doesn't make it so because Haiti happened in January around one of our Saturn Uranus oppositions and we reached an all time low...that was awful. And now here we are in the middle of this cardinal mess and Pakistan floods have beaten all other issues.


United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said devastation caused by unprecedented flooding in Pakistan was among the worst he had ever seen, as he promised more relief funds for those who have lost homes and farms.

“This has been a heart-wrenching day for me,” Ban said yesterday at a press conference with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. “I will never forget the destruction and suffering I have witnessed today. In the past, I have witnessed many natural disasters around the world, but nothing like this.”


When the head of the UN says that this is the worst disasters he has ever seen that says a lot.

We all knew there would be an environmental component to this cardinal crisis. And it delivered. sigh.

What makes you happy?

I saw today an article in the NY Times which was forwarded to me by my friend Corina which I thought was perfect for the times that we live in.


She had so much.

A two-bedroom apartment. Two cars. Enough wedding china to serve two dozen people.

Yet Tammy Strobel wasn't happy. Working as a project manager with an investment management firm in Davis, Calif., and making about $40,000 a year, she was, as she put it, caught in the "work-spend treadmill."


So one day she stepped off.

Inspired by books and blog entries about living simply, Ms. Strobel and her husband, Logan Smith, both 31, began donating some of their belongings to charity. As the months passed, out went stacks of sweaters, shoes, books, pots and pans, even the television after a trial separation during which it was relegated to a closet. Eventually, they got rid of their cars, too----

CONTINUES HERE


If you read the article you will see other stories of people who had a gong hit them that said, "DONG! I don't have to live this way anymore. By cutting back and living less I have more life.

If there was ever a calling card for Pluto's journey through Capricorn it would be this article and the like. For a few years I have had the Story of Stuff as a signature to my emails. If you haven't watched it, I highly recommend it and I think you will also feel the pull of Pluto.

STORY OF STUFF

The under riding feeling that we are being played every time we are compelled to purchase something has been haunting me for awhile. Once I saw Story of Stuff (right around Pluto's initial move into Cap) I knew---"Oh, that's what I've been feeling!"

Last week it was announced that the GNP went down a couple of percentage points which perhaps reflects this austere period we are experiencing. I am sure economic forecasters would suggest people are buying less because they have less money. Sure, maybe. But I would also venture a guess that even if people did find themselves will fuller coffers they would not be as inclined to race out and buy more stuff. Kind of like after Major League Baseball strike a few years ago. Fans went away and then when the strike was over not as many fans returned. Not out of spite but more from a place of "Wow, I survived without baseball perfectly fine, I don't need it as much as I used to need it." And with that their numbers were lower.

I gotta wonder if the cardinal squares and crosses that we are experiencing now and with Pluto being the center of it all, if this summer will turn out to be the summer of "Less than" and happy for it.

Leo New Moon 2010

Leo New Moon is today, August 9 at 11:09pm EDT

I have just put up the Leo New moon on Margaret Wendt's website which of course you can find the entire article HERE

But here is a snippet of the report.


“TWINKLE, TWINKLE LITTLE STAR—Wait that’s me!”


As the “Summer of Crosses and Squares” continues we begin our fourth New Moon. Since May’s Taurus New Moon and the crunching sound began to emanate from the outer planets we have slogged through each twenty eight day cycle as refreshed and inspired as we can while processing the tension that surrounds us. During Taurus we put down our feet and tried to feel as grounded as possible, during Gemini we connected with others and tried to stay light and breezy and last month during Cancer no matter how uncomfortable it may have gotten we let our feelings guide us. Now in the final New Moon of this summer of tension we will let our enthusiasm, strength and inspiration guide us as we ask---“what is the heroic me?”

So here we are, tension swirling around us as we deal with the financial and economic beefs (Pluto in Capricorn), relationship problems (Saturn in Libra), breakthroughs that look like crisis (Uranus in Aries) and the desire for personal expansion (Jupiter in Aries) that disappoints before it rewards. Pretty murky stuff for a long hot summer, no? Thank goodness we have Leo to help save the day.

Leo is the second fire sign of the zodiac--- during Aries which is the first fire sign, the fire is bright, blustery and combustible, by the time of Sagittarius, the final fire sign, the flame is lower but the coals and embers are still hot enough to ignite—in Leo, the middle fire sign, the flame is high, strong and capable of much action--the flame is pronounced. As to what kind of action? Some good, some not so good, that would be determined by what is going on in our heart. It is no surprise that Leo is associated with performers or ‘stars’, since those are the people who put themselves out there on our televisions and our movie screens. But really there is more to Leo than being a star.

When we are living our positive Leo energy we are generous, honest, swift and BIG. Someone needs help, it is Leo that flies in, knows immediately what to do and does it in a big way—thus saving the day. The “knowing” what to do speaks to the flame of the fire and the thing that pulsates in their heart--- no matter how great a task. Who is going to climb a high ridge and carry their wounded friend out harm’s way? —Leo. Their confidence is breathtaking. While others contemplate, “Hmm can I do it?” Leo has already completed the task.

But why can they do great things, heroic things and others wilt under pressure? Because the journey of Leo is the hero’s journey and if they are not being a hero they are a miserable lot.

Venus ..in search of joy and abundance

As I indicated earlier this week today Venus opposes Uranus 3:59am. Uranus demands changes and swings high and low and Venus who is just looking for a good time is taking those peaks and valleys with him. Case in point, yesterday's wild swing on Wall Street because as we have discussed, Venus rules values and that includes MONEY.

Tomorrow, August 8, Venus hooks up with Saturn which is tough for love, romance and once again values. There is a natural 'barrenness' with Saturn and Venus aspects and frankly Venus in Libra adds to that 'lack' feeling. Libra is airy and intellectual and does not put a lot of value on feelings. It will ponder this thing or that thing and compare and contrast which is all very 'heady'. Having Saturn there is putting a chill to a lot of relationships as we measure them. With a transit by Venus we are wondering, 'what is their (relationships) value?" or "Am I valued in the relationship?" And although that sounds like an emotional question, the energy is not emotional it is more reasonable than that. It truly is weighing the good and the bad. See what comes up this weekend and where you fall.

On Monday August 9 Venus will oppose Jupiter and we will pit our need to expand for self (Uranus in Aries) versus our needs to be in a partnership (Venus Libra). We'll feel torn and stressed.

It is hard to not see an after affect of Sunday's Venus/Saturn aspect impacting Wall Street on Monday. Coupled with Venus/Jupiter on Monday. And then when you add Venus Square with Pluto on Tuesday August 10th..expect big news about money. And perhaps love. And love of power. And people or companies who want to go rogue.

Tough few days. Hold on.

Mars In Libra aspects, Venus enters the fray

Last Thursday Mars, the warrior planet moved into Libra the sign of relationships and balance. This by itself is snarky enough but at the same time we already have Saturn in Libra which has us pulling up our bootstraps and working on our abillity to 'relate' and relationships in general. On Friday and Saturday Mars opposed Uranus and then conjunct Saturn which amped up the juice and I'm sure made for a crunchy, perhaps bitchy Friday and Saturday. Perhaps we will get a reprieve on Sunday (accent on 'perhaps') but the week amps up again and with it comes more of a sense of urgency.

On Wednesday August 4 Mars opposes Jupiter at 12:20am and also on August 4 it squares Pluto at 12:58. It is impossible to overstate the volatilty of these aspects. Last week's wikileaks certainly speak to the energy and we should expect more potent action this week both globally and personally. What are you fired up about? How is it impacting your relationships? Or what is worth you being fired up but you are opting out? For the sake of your relationship? Are you remembering we all drive on two way streets?

On Friday Venus moves into Libra and once it does this it will begin it's (hideous) dance with all the other cardinal planets. Venus is money and currency. Its first hit will be an opposition with Uranus on Saturday August 7 at 3:59 am. As I say often, I am not an econoastrologer but given the aspects we are experiencing with the outer planets and now the inner planets are in the mix in a profound way--including Venus---well, in my mind, this week everything is on the table including our money.

Grab the oxygen mask if you see it falling.

Jupiter & Pluto

Jupiter Square Pluto Tuesday August 3 1:32am EST

Jupiter who has a very big mouth and throws around laws and judgements and is in the fiery sign of Aries will form an exact square to Pluto who is stealthy, sneaky and as powerful as nitroglycerin. What happens when someone shakes up nitroglycerin? Well, you do the math.

This aspect is part of the cardinal crisis that we are feeling all month including others (remember Uranus and Saturn are still throwing weight around on this mess). With Jupiter there is a judgement and opinion and with Pluto there is power and betrayal and sometimes power through betrayal. Aries wants to break new ground, do his own thing, not be owing to anyone and more importantly not answer to anyone. Capricorn of course is "anyone". Capricorn will ask "why should I give you ____?" Capricorn lives for authority, it either wants to be the boss (and probably should) or it wants to uphold the status quo---"Long live the Queen!" or "Long live the Dow Jones!" As you can see these two energies have a rub.

And the fact that these two planets are strong and effective in such difficult signs---well, it is not an understatement to say, expect POW, WOW,SOCK EM, KNOCK EM.

If you feel your own self at war remember the houses that these two signs impact in your chart. See if the tension that comes up makes sense for these two battlers. My suggestion is for you to take the tension and try to make it work for you. Jupiter is not without vision so under your big opinions and judgements you should ask, "What do I want for me? Where do I see my life going?" and then with Pluto who is of course stealthy and sneaky but under that he is very much connected to the power of change. So ask, where do I need to effect change to get the life I vision for myself? How can I do it? Focus on you and things will be more manageable. You'll be in trouble if you try to focus on changing others. That is one big KA-BOOM!