Wednesday, January 19, 2011

FULL MOON In Cancer / Leo Cusp

The power of emotion and compassion for family and the greater family of humanity will cross with the warmth and magnanimity of the solarly light of Leo. Following the heart and the gut will be in the field of our collective awareness and as the Sun begins to chase mars through Aquarius there will be a an urgency around collectives and families to work together for the sake of liberation, transformation and progress.

Impatience and urgency are keywords for mars and when aspected in a tense opposition with the full moon you can expect the usual psychic fullness of the lunation to be especially potent. In Aquarius it may manifest as being pushed to take action with a group it could just as likely be you who is doing the pushing, depending on how the lunation aspects you and how you deal with Martian and Aquarian energies.

The lunation will be favorably aspecting the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in the last degrees of Pisces so we can expect the lunation to shed light on the ongoing cultural shift into a new age and awakening to the greater reality of connectedness and unity of consciousness. Some themes we may see active at this time could be :The BP Oil spill catastrophy or similar natural disasters (-or fear of them), Wikileaks, UFO sightings, facebook and online-culture could well be features in the news again. Behind the scenes, as always in these days of media-theater, much is happening and at great speed.

Because the lunation is aspecting mars, the "lone gunman" phenomenon in the news of late could continue to be a theme either, through more shootings or enactment of new gun laws and, naturally, a backlash from pro-gun rights activists. The tragedy and atrocities like this bring us closer to the awareness and understanding of our unity and connectedness, sometimes more so than liberating spiritual experiences. The lone gunman theme (and Government reaction) activated during these times will continue as the rebel Uranus enters war-God Aries later this spring.


This is somewhat of a "blue moon" as both this and that last full moon were in the sign of Cancer, the former in the first degrees and this one in the last. Because the moons are bookends of sorts we may see the culmination of issues started around the last moon in december. Issues surround work-home dynamics are made complex with the sun and moon also being on the cusp of Leo/Aquarius respectively. Juggling the dynamics of this quaternary archetypes will be challenging and the answers we seek now will likely have equally complex solutions. Leo (sun, ego, warmth, singularity) will need to be balanced with Aquarius (colectivity, coolness, detachment, technology, evolution).

Cancer is the sign that is associated with familial bonding, emotional security and the nurturing impulse of the mother archetype that exists in all of us, to some degree, even if inhibited by repressive elements in the birth chart -it is still there, ready to be awakened as the psyche matures.

Knee-jerk reactivity, thoughtless reflex and seeking security over liberty are shadow qualities to be aware of if we are to act with consciousness and the fullness of our being. Look out into your environment to see both the shadow and light of this Lunation expressing itself in those around you and be as present and compassionate as possible to avoid getting sucked into the shadows of unconsciousness yourself.

Use this time to get in touch with your deepest feelings and emotional needs as tensions and crisis, common during full Moons, push that which is lurking in the depths of the nightside to come to the light of day.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Mercury in Capricorn : Serious Buisness

Mercury re-enters Capricorn where it went Retrogade December 11th and the focus will return to serious business that was left unfinished when it went retrograde just before the holiday season. Here in Capricorn structure, formality, focus and ability to think linearly and hierarchically are strengths, rigidity, inflexibility and inability to intuit subtlety and think abstractly are it's pitfalls.


Messenger Mercury will return to the point where it went retrograde on Jan 18 where It conjuncts Pluto. Some astrologers believe that the retrograde period actually isn't over until it goes direct and returns to the degree it went retrograde. Of this I am not really convinced and, as an aside, it seems a large part of the fear around mercury retrograde is self induced through the consciousness of those who observe it's passage with fear or particular expectation. Either way, it's conjunction to Pluto at the stationary point could be useful to those who are capable of harnessing it's potent influence.

People with Natal Mercury in Capricorn have an ability to think practically and coherently although they may be less intuitive than a water sign such as Pisces. They may also have a serious tone to their voice with steady cadence and meter. Despite the melancholic nature of Capricorn the sign is capable of whit and humor as well, although it nature tends to be dry and sardonic.

Mercury meets Pluto : Lord of the underworld, Lord of wealth

Pluto (Greek Hades) is the God of the Dead and all that is invisible and secret. This includes both power, influence and instinct, powers that are impossible to see or touch, like Pluto himself with his cap of invisibility that cloaked the wearer with a shroud of darkness. Pluto is also the God of the hidden wealth of the deep earth, from the fertile soil which nourishes seeds to their fullness to the mined wealth of gold, silver and other precious metals, metals that became the source for paper currency and, now, electronic currency that runs our civilization.

Pluton, an epithet for Pluto, means "rich one or giver of wealth". Plutocrat, a term in common parlance these days is used as a moniker for those shaded individuals who hold a heavy influence on world affairs through their accumulation of resources and ability to rule from a relative zone of secrecy. Plutocracy (rule by wealth) and Cryptocracy (rule by secrecy) are no longer the ravings of paranoids but common knowledge in these edge times, at least since George W Bush instituted a "shadow Government" (his term) back in the early days after 9/11. The real "shadow Government" however, probably goes back much farther than the ealy 00s.

In depth psychology the "Shadow" is the rejected contents of our psyche that do not easily fit into civilized society. Deep animal instincts, abilities and urges lurk beyond the threshold of our conscious awareness, a consciousness that is generally geared (and programmed) to obey the common law of society and it's arbitrary authorities.

However, These shadow qualities, though fearful and sometimes destructive, are also a wellspring of gifts, power and, if we are able to reunite with it, wholeness; the goal of all religion. But facing and reuniting with the shadow is anything but easy as the shadow contains within it our deepest fears and most dangerous urges.


Another epithet for Pluto being Eubuleus or "well-guessing" which is probably where get the idea of the archetypal devil playing guessing games with mortals ala the Rolling Stones lyric: "I'm pleased to meet you, hope you guess my name". In this vein we see Pluto as being a source of deep knowing and intuitive abilities. Although Moon and Neptune are also associated with intuition, Pluto is known for a kind of dark, thoughtless knowing or instinct and plutonic and/or scorpionic individuals are known for being shrewd and instinctual however they often see the worst or "lowest" of things, unlike Neptune which can see the world through rose-colored glasses.


JAN 17 - Mercury Conjunct Pluto in Capricorn

Mind meets Depth and the personal and collective focus will again turn to secrets and the hidden hands of power. As well, our personal focus will turn to the hidden drives and deep elemental urges that lie hidden on the outskirts of our awareness. How personally this will effect you depends on your own chart: how this conjunction aspects your planets and how you deal with Mercural and Plutonic energies and themes.

Planets in 4-6 degrees of Earth signs may feel an intuitive pull of this aspect and an empowering thrust of quick yet penetrating wit or mental focus, while those with 4-6 degrees of the cardinal signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra may be presented with unwelcome revelations or difficult conversations or tasks that require deep thinking, processing or decisions of some sort.

This occurs just a few days before the full Moon and revelations or decisions made now may well be a part of the energetic fullness and tensions typical of the full moon. With Mars in the early degrees of Aquarius at the time of the full moon, we will be feeling a push to break out of limiting patterns, relationships and situations based on revelations, deep analysis and awakenings to cold, hard reality.

Mercury and Pluto together is perfect for research, therapy, focus, digging up secrets and searching for treasures hidden beneath visible. Wikileaks and revelations of illegal and unethical practices by governments will continue to be a top story, as if could simply go away at this point, and we may see more cable leaks at this time.


More on Mercury and Pluto in the natal chart can be found here:

http://astrologyforthesoul.com/billstreett/plutmerk.html

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Venus In Sagittarius

Venus finally ends her extended sojourn through the underworld and enters the wide expanse that is the Hunting grounds of Sagittarius. Our desires will be inflamed with the will to explore and be free, quite a step away from the fixity and intensity of Scorpio. People from different cultures, different accents or appearances will appeal to us, especially if we feel they can enlarge our world and help us feel in touch with greater more exotic things.

In Scorpio the love theme is generally about depth and intensity of authentic experience, whereas in Sagittarius, it is about breadth and joy of life's adventure and people with Venus here natally are known for their wanderlust and impulsiveness in matters of the heart. Often this wanderlust is tempered with worldliness and wisdom as the native explores and experiences different types of people and relationships. Eventually in maturity the native will transmute the more reckless elements into a kind of ethic and personal code of conduct although their appetite will always be strong as Jupiter, sag's ruler, loves to have a good time. Venus in Sagittarius (or aspecting Jupiter) loves pleasure in abundance to the point to excess and debauch. More IS better to them!

Dates to watch:

People with sun, moon, Venus or mars in fire signs will experience the warm glance of Venus at some point. Love, friendship and social situations will go unusually well . Be extra careful on Jan 5th, a day after the powerful Capricorn eclipse, when Venus Squares Neptune, the planet of illusion, while Trine Jupiter and Uranus, both planets that have a reputation of Leaping before looking.

The square to Neptune will fog our perceptions making us dreamy and perhaps seeing the world, or a person, with rose-colored glasses. Illusions, being drunk with desire and flights of fantasy are the name of the game when Venus is in a hard aspect to Neptune.

This is all exaggerated with it's Trine to Jupiter/Uranus which will enlarge our desire for freedom, spontaneity and novelty. The feeling of buoyancy and will to action will be strong. Be very careful making promises, buying luxury items or hopping into or breaking out of relationships from Jan 3-5th especially if your birthday is Nov 17-20 or if you know you have other planets at 27-28 Degrees Scorpio.