Grand Sextile + Star of Saturn

I'm writing this after seeing quite a bit of hoopla on the Internet, the primary niche for hoopla in this Galaxy.

As I have spoken about a few times there has been an ongoing Grand Trine alignment between Saturn, Jupiter and Neptune. A grand trine is when three planets in a particular element share the same degree of their particular sign and create a large triangle in a horoscope.

A grand sextile or 6-pointed star  and is formed when another Grand trine forms whose apex is at the convex point of the other Triangle. It's a mixing of elements, in this case Earth and Water and represents a moment in time what there is a cosmic harmony between the creative impulse just behind materiality and the manifest universe. It's a time when we can bring elements from the emotional realms into the material in some way. Our level-headedness is balanced with our emotional reflectivity.

For some, whose birth charts align with this grand alignment, it will be an especially creative and stable time. But even then it will be fleeting and for most of us it will be a non-event. It might feel nice but don't expect angels to return with fruit baskets from the tree of eternal life.

The grand-sextile is a brief window with the transiting Moon the final piece of the arrangement in the afternoon of July 29th. After that the moment will be over.The grand Trine between Saturn, Jupiter and neptune is still somewhat in the air but it's prime is also passing.

A grand-sextile made between the planets (rather than the moon) is much more rare and significant as it lasts more than a mere hour or two. For most it's going to be a bit of a novelty and not a sign of the impending coming age of Aquarius or rapture as some easy breezy new-agers have been proclaiming one even calling it a "stargate". One group, the self-proclaimed "akashic wisdom keepers" (hows that for hubris?) say that this period is a "vibrational upgrade". Did it? Uh, no. Of course maybe I'm one of the "left behind".

The 6-pointed star represents the union of male/female (the two triangles) and it also represents all seven planets surrounded by the Sun in the center, as depicted in the image above. The hexagram is also sometimes referred to as the Seal of Solomon (soul of man) or more often, the Star of Saturn, the hidden sun. Saturn, as you may know is about maturity, discipline, seriousness  but also science, mysticism, and magic. To make magic or become a mystical adept you need to be disciplined and serious (not too serious!) and you must avoid falling into the trap of fantasy and delusion. Magic and attaining mystical states and "higher vibrations"  is Art & Science and requires discipline just like any other art be it the violin, ballet, mime or twerking.

It doesn't just happen one day on a whim.


 So, while today can be a time revelation or manifestation in some way if we embrace it with forethought, hard work and persistence.  But, don't count on the fabric of the universe transforming in the course of the afternoon because we made a wish.

Sorry for being the devil's advocate on this.  Alas, the seal of Saturn is in the sky.

Aquarius Full Moon ✚ Jul 22

Aquarius, Virgo and Gemini are the three Zodiac signs that humans rather than animals, representing the intellect of Mercury  and metacognition of Saturn. Mercury  rationalizes and Saturn has the wisdom to realize that our actions have consequences, that life is not static but changing and evolving. It seems a lot of astrologers who look at the modern rulership of Uranus to Aquarius forget or fail to understand that Saturn is not just repression and obstacles but wisdom and science.

Aquarius is the more forward looking and evolutionary aspects of Saturn where as Capricorn (the other Saturnian sign) is related to foundations and traditions.  It's not commonly mentioned but according to the Greek theory of world ages, Saturn was the God of the Golden age  not the dark iron age and in this way we see his rulership of Aquarius as being one where we employ structure, hard work and discipline to return to that paradisaical state. For some this means inventing technology that can solve our problems, for others it's the development of an egalitarian state through the rule of law.

 Aquarius was the cup bearer of the Gods and worked, presumably, at social gatherings of the Olympians. Here we can see a brief glimpse of the social element of Aquarius who seeks to be part of a larger body of consciousness be it a dinner party of Olympic Gods, a political rally or rave.   Even when A loner or basement dwelling inventor, the social aspect of Aquarius is about sharing Ideas and technology. This outsider might work alone for years before bringing a technology, philosophy or art to the world to aid in the collective evolution.

At best Aquarius is Humanitarian, independent and inventive. At worst, it is perversely unpredictable, detached and contrary to status quo just for it's own sake of being contrary.

The Age of Aquarius 
Much has been said about this "coming age of Aquarius" as an ideal, future world where civilization becomes or returns to a utopian state. Much has also been argued about weather or not we are in the age now or just cusping into it's domain.  I think it's safe to say we are entering into the cusp of this age, considering the developments in technology as well as the common awareness of the collective consciousness, individual liberty and deep ecology.

Hidden ages
what is not spoken to so much is that each age has a kind of hidden counterpart. During the age of Pisces we had saviors and sacrificial Gods all over the place and still the imprint of these characters steers a good bit of the world although continuously less and less. but during this time there was a hidden age of Virgo, which is exactly opposite Pisces. Here we saw the proliferation Goddess worship, albeit in secret. Black Madonnas, persecution of witchcraft and european indiginous culture.

Now as we enter the age of Aquarius we also enter into the "hidden" age of Leo, the sign opposite Aquarius. This can be seen in the fact that while technology has given everyone and their dog  15mins of Fame and attention is more distributed than ever, we still see things like "myspace" and the handheld personal computer. It's the mix between multiplicity and equal distribution of Aquarius and the self-involved and prideful Leo. Also, we still have "big personalities" and inflated egos calling shots but behind the veil of public awareness. They are "offstage" as it were.

This full moon is the opposition of the Sun on the cusp of  Leo and the Moon on the cusp of Aquarius. We may be 600 years from the "true" age of Aquarius but each day we creep closer into this transition and each day we have a chance to help build a new world. Although the Greeks believed the fallen age we live in now was a thing to suffer they mentioned that there will always be golden age people in the dark ages. That can be you if you embrace the Saturnian themes of discipline, responsibility and humility in cooperating with others for a shared vision of the future.

Although another "supermoon" and close to the earth giving it a bit more "pull" than usual, this full Moon is fairly simple without too many other aspects form other planets other than a wide Square from Saturn in Scorpio. It adds to the strict and serious tone of the age we live in and the ages we are moving into. Technology, individual rights and machine intelligence are big themes and it seems in some ways we are creeping into a dystopia rather than a golden age. And we will if we don't embrace the wisdom of Saturn and the vision of Aquarius.

The Sun will square Saturn on july 26 just a few days after the full moon which will be a testing time for some people and may be a day of depleted energy, hardship and depression. For others it may be the pressure needed to push through to meet a deadline or finish a project. Those with Sun,moon or Ascendant at or around 4 degrees of the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius) will notice thise most strongly.


MERCURY DIRECT
 Complicating and coloring this period is mercury stationing direction which is most dramatic period of the Mercury Retrograde phase. As mercury goes direct it squares Uranus who shares some strong similarities with Aquarius. If Aqua is evolution then Uranus is that  principal of evolution that is sudden leaps or novel breaks in habit. It's the fish learning to walk on land and evolving into lizards.

When Mercury and Uranus get together it can be a time when we experience surprises or sudden discoveries. Because the aspect between the two is a difficult square it will be especially shocking for some and the news may be disturbing or difficult to process. Uranus is associated with technology and Mercury with mechanical things so this could be a period where some of us might have breakdowns in our gadgets or mechanical malfunctions.

It will play out differently for everyone depending on how it effects their chart but it will be especially unpredictable time for all of us, directly or indirectly. To see how Mercury might be effecting you, check out my previous article on Mercury Retrograde. 

(you would not believe the weirdness I endured to post this damn article)


 How is this effecting me?

How and where are we being forward-looking, humanitarian and scientific? Where might be a bit detached and aloof? Where do we like to unify with others and share in a common good and common goal? Where do we need to be more responsible in our communities and larger world?

Where this Full  Moon occurs in your chart will reveal what area of life will be effected, changed or challenged. For this you will need to look to your RISING sign.  If you don't know your rising sign you can calculate with the free rising sign calculator at Cafe Astrology. : Rising sign calculator.

As always, this is an exceedingly brief look at what is going on for each rising sign and does not take into account a variety of factors that signify other evens in your life that can mitigate, exaggerate and modify these themes. (Email me to set up a consultation to get the real inside scoop on the astrological activity in your life at accomplice @ pantheonastrology.com)

 To see where Mercury Retrograde has been effecting you go here.

Aries:   11th House: Groups, friends and Acquaintances, networks, cliques, Hopes, dreams, gains, personal and shared goals.

Taurus:  10th House Career, profession, position in society, public standing, reputation, authority figures, bosses, fathers, awards, responsibilities, desire for achievement.

Gemini:  9th House: Travel, education, philosophy, teachers, foreigners, legal issues, courthouses, broadcasting and publishing.

Cancer: 8th House: intimacy, sexuality, psychological and occult matters, shared resources, inheritance, credit, loans, personal power of regeneration.
 
Leo: 7th House: marriage, partnership, close friends, rivals, open enemies and all important one-on-one interactions.

Virgo:  6th House: health & illness of physical body, work, service, routines, habits, co-workers, hired workers and staff.

Libra:  5th House: Love affairs, dating, games, fun, play fullness, entertainment and entertaining, performance arts, creativity, pregnancy and children.

Scorpio:  4th House : Home & family, houses, real  estate, rentals, renovations and relocating,  roommates and all who live in the home.
 
Sagittarius: 3rd house: The Mind, writing and communications, siblings and neighbors, errands and movement within your local area, plans, media.

Capricorn: 2nd House: Self worth, money, wealth and finances, personal assets and values.
 
Aquarius:  1st House: Identity, self-assertion, selfishness, personal demands, the Face and outer appearance.

Pisces:   12th House: Hidden issues, self-undoing, secret or private issues, retreat, cooperation, hospitalization, retirement, completing old issues, subconscious drives and issues which harm our conscious will.