PIsces Full Moon - Dream Sequence

Every year before the Sun sets into Autumn we have a Pisces Full Moon, a time of sensitivity, dreaming and illusion which counter-balances the Sun's progress through Virgo the sign of analysis, discrimination and detail. It's the mutation of late Summer into Fall and a soft, reflective time to give attention to our inner worlds and the imaginal realm for a moment.

Pisces is a mutable water sign and the most elusive sign being the final act in the 12-fold process of the Zodiac. Pisces and the 12th house contain with it the accumulated experience of all preceding signs making it a kind of iridescent, vortexing cloud. The fullness of it is paradoxically a zen-like emptiness and Piscean types can be labeled as "air heads" or "space cadets". While there is some truth to this it would be a mistake to assume there is nothing going on in those minds. Often there is a great deal going on but it is visual and emotive rather than words and concepts.

Mutability is changeability and the process of mutation from one thing into another. Water is the emotional, intuitive and reflective quality in life and together they are constantly changing, shifting and shimmering. This quality brings with it great imagination and a kind of glamour or  charisma but the shadow is delusion and escapism which often ends in addiction. At it's best Pisces is about divine inspiration, unconditional love and compassion that comes from having experienced the other signs and completed a circuit in the circle of life.


This Opposition of the Sun in Virgo with Moon in Pisces is reflected  by the planetary rulers of Virgo & Pisces in a Square aspect occurring at the same time. It underscores the balance needed between big ideas and the detailed steps that make it possible to bring them into reality. Expect some kind of resistance or issue to resolve. Mercury (Virgo) is details and Jupiter (Pisces) is the big picture. When the two square off there can be problems with minding details or getting impatient with the small stuff.

It's punctuated by the rare alignment of Venus, North node and Saturn in the sign of Scorpio just a few degrees shy of the upcoming Solar Eclipse in November. Take note of events at this time as they could become more important later...

Serious Love : Venus - Saturn - Node conjunction

From the Virgo New Moon report: 

 Just before the Full Moon a rare conjunction alignment of Venus, Saturn and the North Node will occur. Both the node and Saturn take over 28 years to cycle through the zodiac so it's not common that they meet up at the same time. Those who are personally aspected by this alignment may experience significant turns in their life regarding relationships, females and art/beauty.

In aspect to other planets the Nodes indicate unions with others, often with some sort of connection that is serendipitous, 'karmic' or familial. They are also seen with turning points, forks in the road and critical events in our lives. When the Node and Saturn combine there can sometimes be a binding (or separating) of an important relationship with an elder or a long-term commitment is made or broken. Remember Saturn binds and severs things. It doesn't expand them, sweeten them or inflame. It binds, supports, stabilizes or hacks it off at the wrist.

Adding Venus into the mix blends the theme of Love and money or things related to socializing, luxury, gifts, decorations, art, beauty, ect. While things may be social or beauty related, they won't necessarily be playful and fun. Saturn is official and austere so if there is a party it will have some measure of repression and the small talk will be work-related. No one will get too drunk and if there is dancing it will likewise reflect the old-fashioned and dour nature of Saturn.

The alignment becomes exact Sep 17-18 which is a Tuesday-Wednesday. The Moon in Piscses makes a Trine aspect to the alignment around 8-9pm Tuesday night and may soften and relax the pairing and could be enough softness to make it bearable. For those that are easily bored or uncomfortable with formality, this could be a bit awkward. Others will really enjoy the classiness of the period.  





 How does the Full Moon effect me?

Where are we needing to focus on the details in order to bring about the manifestation of our dreams? Where are we escaping or indulging in addiction? Where do we need compassion despite failing to live up to expectations? 


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 Ian @ pantheonastrology.com)

Aries :   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. 

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

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

Cancer : 9th House: Travel, education, philosophy, teachers, foreigners, legal issues, courthouses, broadcasting and publishing.
 
Leo :  8th House: intimacy, sexuality, psychological and occult matters, shared resources, inheritance, credit, loans, personal power of regeneration.

Virgo :  7th House: marriage, partnership, close friends, rivals, open enemies and all important one-on-one interactions.

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

Scorpio :  5th House: Love affairs, dating, games, fun, play fullness, entertainment and entertaining, performance arts, creativity, pregnancy and children.
 
Sagittarius :  4th House : Home & family, houses, real  estate, rentals, renovations and relocating,  roommates and all who live in the home.

Capricorn : 3rd house: The Mind, writing and communications, siblings and neighbors, errands and movement within your local area, plans, media.

2nd House : Self worth, money, wealth and finances, personal assets and values.
 
Aquarius: 2nd House: Self worth, money, wealth and finances, personal assets and values.  

Pisces :  1st House: Identity, self-assertion, selfishness, personal demands, the Face and outer appearance.

Love Love Love - Part 1

This article is for those learning about astrology and for those looking for astrological insights in determining who and when they should seek love. It is also a benchmark for how much there is too look at when dealing with the complex issue of love and how valuable a  professional is in finding ideal time periods for finding love and the signs to look for when a potential partner shows up.

Love and money are probably the most common reasons a person looks for an astrologer, reader, or practical magician, and when looking for love (rather than simply easy sex) the topic of "soul mates" often comes up. People yearn for a lasting, permanent ideal love, one that is 'written in the stars'.

Soul mates

For most people, there is not an exact vision of what exactly a "soul mate" is but there is generally a  common idea of  what it promises: unending, frictionless love that maintains it's erotic charge and deep mutual attraction to one another at exclusion of all others. It is a "true" love that was "meant to be".  "meant" being rooted in the word "meaning" and meaning is the essential spirit that gives relationships their importance. Meaning & purpose are essential in life and love.

It seems pedantic to point this out yet it is sometimes forgotten by us in our cultural age of materiality. Meaning, not dry facts or technical details, or status can keep us together. Sure it will bring people together but it won't neccisarily keep them.

Online you can find a number of lists of what makes a soul mate and while the accounts vary,   generally the  story of soul mates usually involves a fated or serendipitous meeting, a sense of sharing  a past life and a commitment (or circumstance) that brings them together into the future and on through the next lifetime.

Soulmate couples are thought to often look alike and share a similar quality that are often strongly apparent to outsiders. Going by the new-age books and websites, there is often a lot of pastells and animated gifs and ribbons involved. I'm not sure but if I had to guess helium baloons and greeting cards are also part of the package.

We Are All Soul Mates

From a broader perspective we are all soul mates. All connections are fated and full of meaning regardless of how much we enjoy the interaction and all of them contribute to our development and forward evolution. The cosmologies of nearly all cultures suggest that all beings are rooted in one source and to this source we shall return.

But even within this parameter of compassionate "love of all people", known to the Greeks as Agape, there is the experience of a personal, soulful and sexual connection that seems to stand out above others. It is to these relationships that this series is dedicated. Hokey claptrap aside there really does seem to be someone for everyone.

Before we get to the details, let's look at the 4-fold nature of love as seen through the lense of Greek culture and astrology. This idea was put forth by astrologer Richard Idemon in Through the looking Glass: A search for self in the mirror of realtionships

Love Types

At an etymological level, romance doesn't mean what we think it means. "romance' is rooted in the word "roman" as in: ancient Rome and the ideals and philosophy that emerged in ancient Greco-egyptian world and it's neighbors.  The Greeks, from whom our western culture (in large part) descends, had  much different understanding of Love and sexuality that was more tolerant, expressive and true to our natures than the sexless,  love denying Judeo-christian empires that would soon follow.

So, let's look a bit deeper into the Greek ideas of love through the simple 4-fold division of the Fixed signs, each corresponding to the peak of a season. To the Greeks there were Four primary kinds of love each corresponding to one of the Fixed signs of the Zodiac. These loves are known as Epithemia, Philia, Eros and Agape and each has a corresponding Zodiac sign that typifies each.

TAURUS: Epithemia (spring / physical love)
Like all early signs, Taurus has a kind of  youthfulness and directness to it.  It's attention is directed towards physicality and materiality. Epithemia then is the impersonal and amoral love of sensuality and the animal body. This love is the basic animal need for touching, feeling, smelling and seeing. It's not merely the sexual act but can also be love of objects in the sense of a favorite bed or fur coat and certainly this includes sex objects such as a vibrator. The love is in the touch, the feel and the way our senses are stimulated. In romantic relationships this love is in the physical touching-feeling and sensing of each other. It can be a friends-with-benefits kind of thing or it can be in dating just for the sex, if there aren't other connections being made.

LEO: Phila (Summer / affection/friendship) 
Philia is affection that comes from the heart which has always been associated with the Sun and Leo is the height of summer. Philia is a mutual love we have for friends and family members with whome we experience joy. It's playful and warm though asexual. While we can experience both sexual love (Epithemia & Eros) with Philia, it isn't sexual in itself. As said, it is thought to be explicitly mutual. That means no inanimate objects, however pets count if they return the feelings of love. This love can be found in more relationships than friends. parents to children, teacher to student, between competetors, leader to followers -anywhere where there is mutual affection. In romantic relationships this is the kind of love where the couple expresses their affections openly. Joy, laughter and playfullness is seen in these relationships.

SCORPIO : Eros (Fall / transformative love)
We think of Eros as sexual love but as we have seen this is Epithemia. Erotic love may come through the sexual act but it's not neccisarily the act in in itself, It is in the mind and in the emotions of a person. Eros (roman Cupid) was symbolized as a plucky child of Venus/Aphrodite who shot 'poisoned' arrows into the hearts of mortals and immortals alike. His glyph was a heart with an arrow through it, a rather violent image when you think about it. Erotic love is painful. It involves the merging and separating of two people. It is love that transforms and that transformation typically involves both pain and pleasure, this is serious scorpio business right here. Eros is the magnetic, inescapable pull of love that casts a spell upon us and causes us to lose control of ourselves. In this loss of control we are changed, if only temporarily. In a relationship this love is intense, private, complicated and deep.

AQUARIUS: Agape (Winter / unconditional love)

Free love, cosmic love, pure love. These are some terms agape is reconsidered in our culture. It is the love of all people on  a universal level. It's also the love for people to be who they are independent of you or anything they can do for you. It's aloof and somewhat impersonal at times but it's also free of the complications brought about by Eros or the brute animalistic simplicity of epithemia. This is the love for people whom you have never met or that sense of unity and love in which we fight injustice and tyranny for the sake of others halfway around the planet. It can be expressed sexually in group sex or polyamory but it's love exists in airy, ethereal realms of ideal. In a realtionship Agape is the spirit in which each partner allows the other to be free to do, say or think what they like. It's an open relationship at most and in smaller doses it is allowance, tolerance and acceptance.









 As you can see, the answer to "who is the right person for me?" is more complex than people first guess and is getting more so as we continue. What kind of love do you want? And in what kind of combination? Typically we want it all but some are more focused on one over another. It also depends on the timing. There are times where we may just need to be friends (agape) and other times when we are looking for an 'entaglement' (eros).

For the purpose of the following essays we will be talking about significant relationships or "soul mates" which attempt bear out the themes of all of these loves equally.

Coming Next...

In the continuing articles on this subject we will look at indicators for love in the natal chart and how important romantic relationships are to a person, where they might show up and with whom. Some people are allergic to commitment, some people want it but don't want kids. Other people have a hard time letting people get close and some are more infatuated with work or other life areas. We all need relationships but not everyone wants the same things in the same way at the same time.

Next we will look at the "when" in relationships as timing is key with everything. You could find and fall in love with your "soul-mate" but if they have just recently married and were expecting a second child with their partner, it's unlikely you two will get together. Timing is crucial in love and not everyone is on the same page or ready for the same kind of commitment as you.

Following timing is synastry which is inter-chart dynamics and the chemistry between two people. There are a great many different aspects that can come between charts especially if you include progressions and extra points such as the vertex and Mid-points. There are however few major indicators that suggest a life-long and life-changing unions. We will also look at composite charts and what kind of unions typically produce marriage and partnership.

Virgo New Moon - Sep 4

While many different Goddess figures correspond to the constellation Virgo, the Greeks saw her as Astraea the "star-maiden". She was the last of the immortal Gods to live with humanity and when the Golden Age declined and entered into the Bronze age she fled into the stars no longer able to put up with humanity's decline into corruption and imbalance. Astraea is also identified or related with Dike, The Goddess of Justice and Nemesis the Goddess of rightful indignation. In this we see her has holding the scales of Justice and balance (Libra) and she who is enemy to those who do wrong and create imbalance.

In the Tarot Astraea is often featured as in the card The Star and is depicted as fulfilling the role of Aquarius the Water Bearer (The star card corresponds to the zodiacal sign of Aquarius).  In this she represents the future race of humankind that seeks to access the star-world of the heavens (which may not happen until we clean up our act and attain a level of purity and perfection).

Virgo Types
Virgos can be capricious and changeable when things don't meet their scrutiny or expectations and like Astraea, run away to more orderly habitations. Though they aren't known for being indignant   and irritable, when they are they tend to be right about it or justified in some way. There is always a good reason (to them!).  This is because Virgo is the sign of scrutiny and critical evaluation. She holds the scales (Libra) upon which are measured the wheat, recently seperated from the chaff.  She hands off the chaff to Scorpio who summarily composts them. So, as a comparison, Virgo is seperation, distinction and careful measurement while Scorpio is about elimination of impurities, death and regeneration.

 This may be where we get the idea of Virgos being 'bossy' control freaks. They aren't. The control freaks are the Fixed signs : Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and (believe it or not) Aquarius. Virgo isn't about being in control of everything, she is about doings something better than before. She is about perfection and the analytical awareness that can improve upon a thing. Sure, she can go too far and get too focused on the minutiae or a thing and that's where she gets the deserved reputation for being nervous, anxious and high-strung.

During this time we get to activate or improve our Virgo natures whether they be front and center areas of our life and personae or on the 'back burner'. It's a time where we might have an opportunity to work on working and to clean up and  ship out to a new life. If something isn't working in our lives we have time to fix it, better it and perhaps even bring it to a new level of perfection. Just remember to relax a bit.

Other areas related to Virgo: Health and diet, hygiene, chores, service to another, servants working in your employ, nursing, clothing and all skills that require repetition to gain mastery and perfection(all skills require this)  plants and pets (particularly small animals).


New Moon Aspects
This new moon is making a positive Sextile aspect to Jupiter in Cancer indicating opportunity may come knocking at this time. We must take steps to engage it however and if we are idle it may pass us by. The opportunity will likely have some element or narrative quality related to the house Jupiter is transiting right now. Read more on my report on Jupiter in Cancer to get an idea of where the opportunity might come from or effect.

 The Sun and Jupiter come to an exact Sextile on September 5th so keep aware and take an opportunity should it arise. Those who have the transiting Sun and/or transiting Jupiter aspecting their natal birth chart will be most effected by this. If it's not touching your chart it may not happen or it may be rather subtle.


Severance: Mars Square Saturn, Node

Trouble comes just after the new Moon in the form of austere measures, obstruction or repression and possibly burnt bridges. From sept 7-9th Transiting Mars Squares Saturn and then the North Node. Both Mars and Saturn are considered Malefic in that they bring out the worst in us more often just as Venus and Jupiter bring out the best -more often than not.

Mars aspecting Saturn, at worst, is impatience via obstruction, fighting with authority and conflicts which slam doors or burn bridges. It could signal a time when are faced with what seems insurmountable obstacles and give up. Remember this phase is passing although this could be the last straw in an ongoing issue. The rifts we make however might not be so quick to fix.

The Node is similar in that when a planet Squares it there can be a severing or ending of a union. They being a fated and permanent quality to them so caution is a great idea right now, especially if it's aspecting your natal chart. Those most effected will have planets at 7 degrees fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius)


Serious Love : Venus - Saturn - Node conjunction

Just before the Full Moon a rare conjunction alignment of Venus, Saturn and the North Node will occur. Both the node and Saturn take over 28 years to cycle through the zodiac so it's not common that they meet up at the same time. Those who are personally aspected by this alignment may experience significant turns in their life regarding relationships, females and art/beauty.

In aspect to other planets the Nodes indicate unions with others, often with some sort of connection that is serendipitous, 'karmic' or familial. They are also seen with turning points, forks in the road and critical events in our lives. When the Node and Saturn combine there can sometimes be a binding (or separating) of an important relationship with an elder or a long-term commitment is made or broken. Remember Saturn binds and severs things. It doesn't expand them, sweeten them or enflame. It binds, supports, stabilizes or hacks it off at the wrist.

Adding Venus into the mix blends the theme of Love and money or things related to socializing, luxury, gifts, decorations, art, beauty, ect.While things may be social or beauty related, they won't necessarily be playful and fun. Saturn is official and austere so if there is a party it will have some measure of repression and the small talk will be work-related. No one will get too drunk and if there is dancing it will likewise reflect the old-fashioned and dour nature of Saturn.

The alignment becomes exact Sep 17-18 which is a Tuesday-Wednesday. The Moon in Piscses makes a Trine aspect to the alignment around 8-9pm Tuesday night and may soften and relax the pairing and could be enough softness to make it bearable. For those that are easily bored or uncomfortable with formality, this could be a bit akward. Others will really enjoy the classiness of the period. 


 How does the New Moon Effect me?

where are you needing to clean up your act? Perfect your practice?  or relax a little?

Where this New  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)

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

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

Gemini: 4th House : Home & family, houses, real  estate, rentals, renovations and relocating,  roommates and all who live in the home.

Cancer: 3rd house: The Mind, writing and communications, siblings and neighbors, errands and movement within your local area, plans, media.
 
Leo : 2nd House: Self worth, money, wealth and finances, personal assets and values.
 
Virgo :  1st House: Identity, self-assertion, selfishness, personal demands, the Face and outer appearance.

Libra :   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. 

Scorpio : 11th House: Groups, friends and Acquaintances, networks, cliques, Hopes, dreams, gains, personal and shared goals.
 
Sagittarius : 10th House Career, profession, position in society, public standing, reputation, authority figures, bosses, fathers, awards, responsibilities, desire for achievement.

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

 2nd House : Self worth, money, wealth and finances, personal assets and values.
 
Aquarius: 8th House: intimacy, sexuality, psychological and occult matters, shared resources, inheritance, credit, loans, personal power of regeneration.
 
Pisces : 7th House: marriage, partnership, close friends, rivals, open enemies and all important one-on-one interactions.