Venus remains direct over the course of 2024. As a fast-moving object, the transits of Venus last days rather than weeks, months, or years. Watch for Venus contacts to your personals or angles. These could be positive days for you re: personal interaction, public recognition, emotional activities, return on investments, and so forth. When will Venus interact with you?

 

January 1, 2024:        2* Sagittarius 36″

January 24, 2024:      into Capricorn

February 17, 2024:    into Aquarius

March 12, 2024:         into Pisces

April 6, 2024:              into Aries

April 30, 2024:            into Taurus

May 24, 2024:             into Gemini

June 18, 2024:             into Cancer

July 12, 2024:               into Leo

August 6, 2024:           into Virgo

August 30, 2024:         into Libra

Sept. 24, 2024:             into Scorpio

October 18, 2024:       into Sagittarius

Nov. 12, 2024:              into Capricorn

Dec. 8, 2024:                 into Aquarius

December 31, 2024:   26* Aquarius 38″

 

Mars: THE WARRIOR WITHIN

As the archetype for active energy, Mars has an orbit of about 22 months.

His irregular retrograde pattern sometimes finds him spending up to 6-8 months in a single sign & then speeding through subsequent signs to make up the difference. 2024 ends with Mars retrograde in LEO.

Jan. 1, 2024:  @ 27* SAG 18″/keyword/EXPLORE

Jan. 5, 2024:  enters Capricorn/keyword/MANAGE

Feb. 14, 2024:  enters Aquarius/keyword/IMAGINE 

Feb. 21-23, 2024:  Venus/Mars exact conjunct @ 5*-7* Aquarius

The energy of this conjunction is present from the end of January and lasts until around mid-March using a wide 10* orb. The peak is during the 3 days noted above. Venus/Mars combines the inner sense of core value with the impulse to act. In Capricorn & Aquarius this is the mark of the leader as activist/idealist, the revolutionary organizer who battles for his principles. The babies born during this period could grow up to be forces for change. In the attached chart, this potential soul has the Moon in Leo (The Expressive Leader) in opposition to the Aquarian triple conjunction of Pluto, Venus & Mars over houses 4/10. Will this person have a strong sense of responsibility to reform? to act on principle? to revolutionize? Jupiter in exact alignment to the Taurus ascendant & square to the triple conjunction lends a strong impetus to concretize a vision, to bring it into form, a sense of hope based on solid ground. Will that ideal be a positive one? The Sun in the 11th house in Pisces, ( The Saviour), is strengthened by Saturn while Mercury in Aquarius provides clarity of expression & potentially great intellect to the psyche. Will this individual have the capacity to become a leader within the community? And what kind of leader will that be? Look at Chiron exactly aligned to the North Node in the 12th. A motivation to HEAL will be deeply rooted in this soul and the path into that healing will be anything but ordinary as demonstrated by Uranus in Taurus in the 1st house & sextile Neptune in Pisces in the 11th. This is potentially someone who will step away from conventional expressions of spirituality and usher in ideals that could possibly reinfuse his community with new forms of spirituality. Will this person be able to inspire others to relocate the power of the DIVINE within themselves? We can hope!

Of course, it is vital that all action is based on ‘RIGHT’ principle and that the fight is for the common good and not some badly thought-out ideal that only leads to even greater division.

March 23, 2024:      enters Pisces/keyword/SURRENDER

May 1, 2024:   enters Aries/keyword/ACT

June 10, 2024:  enters Taurus/keyword/CONSOLIDATE

July 21, 2024:  enters Gemini/keyword/EXPLORE

Sept. 5, 2024:  enters Cancer/keyword/NURTURE

Nov. 5, 2024: enters Leo/keyword/CREATE

 Dec. 6, 2024:    Mars SRx @ 6*LEO 9”

Mars will be retrograde at Winter Solstice 2024 & into 2025. At the highest level, this provides an opportunity for a creative reboot. Wherever Leo is in your chart, consider what actions you can take & then refine them. Take the time to re-form any projects that you may have underway. Re-think your plan of creative action and the nature of your interactions. Here is a brief list of keywords to describe the areas of life:

House 1                personal actions

House 2                resources & values

House 3                communications & connections

House 4                family matters & private issues

House 5                children & creative expression

House 6                work & habits

House 7                relationships & contracts

House 8                debts & karma

House 9                travel & aspiration

House 10             public image & career

House 11             community & ideals

House 12             inner self & the subconscious

 

December 31, 2024:          Mars Rx @2*LEO14”

If you missed Part One & the retrogrades of Mercury, scroll to locate it…Stay tuned for more overview of 2024 in the coming weeks…

Take a moment of your personal time…

meditate on the

PRINCIPLE OF PEACE & UNITY.

Pray for the children of this world

who are suffering at the hands of evil persons.

Pray that they find shelter in the storm

& that the evildoers meet their just deserts…

 

 

Where will the celestial objects that we see in our night sky be for the next year? It’s always fun to track the ‘transits’ of the planets through the coming months.

Get out your day-timers, if you still use them, or enter the following dates into your virtual assistant to remind yourself as the weeks go by…

I am not going to list every single New & Full Moon but there are tons of reliable calendars out there that note the days of the Moon cycle. It is useful to keep track of where in her cycle the Moon is & to monitor how you feel at each phase. Everyone reacts to the lunar cycle uniquely but I have noticed that most folks have some kind of reaction when the Moon changes phase, particularly at the New & Full phase. Each phase only lasts a few days so it is pretty easy to track an ongoing pattern.

If you know what your own personal Moon sign is, that’s another thing to track. Watch for when the Moon is in the sign that she occupied at your birth. This will occur on a regular monthly basis. In Astrology, this is referred to as the LUNAR RETURN. We calculate a chart to the moment when the Moon re-enters the degree it was in at your birth. A series of prognostications can then be explored based on the chart that springs from that moment in time.  If you are facing challenges, making decisions, and debating choices, this is a great little device for you. Even just knowing that you are at the point in the month when the Moon is moving through your own lunar energy is helpful. Take a moment & just connect to how you are feeling during the 2 ½ days that this occurs on a monthly basis.

Also, track when the Sun shifts from one sign to another. There will be 12 of these shifts over the course of the year. The most significant one for each individual is when the Sun begins his transit of the sign that he was in at your birth. This is your ‘SOLAR RETURN’ time and marks a new yearly cycle about to start for you.  If you know your own natal chart, take note of this time, and the times of the year when the Sun crosses your Ascendant energy/Descendant energy, (a time of renewal & initiation), as well as your MC/IC energy, (a time for introspection & projection). These are particularly sensitive points within your psyche but really, wherever the transiting Sun can be found is the area of life that is under the spotlight. Concerns connected with that part of the life experience that is being illuminated by the transiting Sun are often brought into focus or take center stage in your considerations. If you begin to see a pattern developing after tracking these transits, then you can be more mindful about planning and employing strategies. Things go much more smoothly if we choose the optimum times to implement initiatives.

Mercury is a fairly fast-moving planet and the big thing to track in this case are the very regular retrograde periods, around 3-4 each year that last around 2-3 weeks with buffer periods at each end. Each retrograde will have its own flavour and each individual will interact with retrograde energy uniquely so again, the key here is to monitor how you behave as the retrograde unfolds. Once you get a sense of your own ebb and flow at these times, you can take the necessary steps to adjust accordingly.

Generally speaking, the fire & air retrogrades can feel a bit frenetic & nervy while the earth & water retrogrades can feel sludgy & arduous. But, again, how you work your way through these periods truly does depend on your own natal energy. As an example, someone with a ton of retrogrades, particularly in the personals, Mercury, Venus & Mars, is better equipped to deal with readjustment, re-thinking, re-grouping, and so forth since that is their natural process and one they have been using since birth. As another example, someone with a lot of fire and air in their chart might find the retrograde energy more frustrating since their natural MO might be inclined to action & immediate response. This is why it is vital that, if you use astrology, you must PERSONALIZE it. You are the variable in the cosmic equation.`

 

#1:          Mercury begins 2024 at the end of the last retrograde of 2023.

Dec 13, 2023:        SRx @ 8*CAP28”

Jan 2, 2024:           SD @ 22*SAG10”

Jan 21, 2024:      Mercury passes the retrograde degree of 8*CAP 28”; the post-shadow period ends.

Any initiatives that are underway during this retrograde may take a pause & you may well have some re-imaginings developed in the Sagittarius phase of the retrograde, specifically in regard to whatever you are attempting to make happen.

#2:          April 1, 2024      SRx @ 27*AR10”

                April 25, 2024    SD @ 15*AR59”

Give yourself time to re-group in the area of life that is governed by Aries in your chart. Wherever it is, this is a part of your psyche that is often impatient & impulsive, wanting immediate gratification. The retrograde urges you to pause, reflect & consider if you actually want to move in the direction indicated. Once the retrograde concludes mid-May (post-shadow), your direction will be more clearly defined.

#3:          August 5, 2024  SRx @ 4*VIR6”

                August 28, 2024 SD @ 21*LEO27”

Another potential readjustment in terms of creative enterprise. A new approach to projects you have on the go could well arise during this time period. Change in the area of daily ‘habitual ritual’ could prove to be useful.

 

#4:          Nov 26, 2024        SRx @ 22*SAG 40”

                Dec 15, 2024        SD @ 6*SAG 27”

A great time to retreat, re-vision your hopes & dreams & rejuvenate your spirit. Use this time to map out 2025 for yourself.

 

That concludes Part One of the transit overview for 2024. Grab your calendar and enter all of the above Mercury Retrograde dates into it. Forewarned is forearmed and that is how appropriate action can be undertaken.

Stay tuned for Part Two…

P.S.: Keep the suffering children of our world in your hearts and minds. They are the innocent victims we must never forget. PRAY…

 

Some of you have contacted me and asked for dates for the various ingresses & info on the other outer planets. I am glad to hear your questions! Here goes…

 

The way that Pluto moves, ingress is a sort of two-step affair, back and forth. Remember, we are still processing through the last degrees of Capricorn energy.

The Sabian symbol for the last critical degree of Capricorn (30) is:

A SECRET BUSINESS CONFERENCE. Pluto will move through this degree several times before finally shifting into Aquarius. The Sabian Symbol suggests that there is a lot going on behind the scenes. The elitest groups are concerned that the rumble of discontent from the common people is getting louder & more agitated. What do these elites discuss in their ongoing conferences when they meet at remote & exclusive sites?

On the other hand, groups that are now rising up out of the common collective are gathering steam, organizing & forming alliances that span across partisan barriers. Folks from both the so-called left & right are beginning to recognize that it is time to focus on the one thing that unites us all—the survival of the species—rather than the myriad of differences that divide and destroy. Let’s hope and pray that these secret conferences of the masses result in proactive & ultimately successful group action that leads to peace and security & provides a clear-voiced response to whatever it is that elite interests are attempting to establish. And here is a novel thought…what if groups from all sectors, elite, common, left, right, and any other you care to name, found a common cause & began to work together to create a stable & productive society? Novel thought, indeed…Fasten your seatbelts…there is still a way to go…

The dates:

March 2023:  Pluto first stuck his toe into the sizzling energy of Aquarius.

May 2023: Station Retrograde @ 0*AQ21’.

June 2023: Re-enters Capricorn.

January 2024:  Pluto begins his move into Aquarius for a second time.

May 2024: Station Retrograde @ 2AQ06*.

September 2024:  Pluto retrogrades into Capricorn for the last time.

October 12, 2024:  Station Direct @ 29CAP38*.

November 20, 2024: Pluto re-enters Aquarius for the duration until 2044 ish.

So, as you can see, we still have about a year before we are finished with Capricorn.

The Sabian Symbol for the first degree of Aquarius is ‘AN OLD ADOBE MISSION’.  This is a hopeful symbol suggesting a return to a kind of simple faith. These missions were often built by the common folk of the village or area, not from surplus but rather despite scarcity. Their purpose was not for a showy display but rather for a deep and fundamental reverence of the divine. It was often a community project and all who participated gave what they could, each to his ability. As the collective regroups after the shock and trauma of, specifically the last century, there could well be a revival on a number of levels, emotional, mental/intellectual/ spiritual, and even physical. We could see the establishment of small acre farms that use organically sound methods of food production. We might experience a wholesale healing of collective trauma. Common sense may well be regained and applied to social structures. Nihilism, (the rejection of all religious and moral principles, in the belief that life is meaningless)  may, once and for all be relegated to the trash can of outworn concepts and the idea of an intelligent spiritual presence may be re-articulated and made palatable for the majority again. Living without the divine has not proven to be a successful enterprise over the past few hundred years.  Of course, as I have said in the past, energy is basically neutral. We, as the variable interactive force make it either proactive, positive, and regenerative or reactive, negative & degenerative. We, the common folk must choose to focus on positive return on the investment of our energy into creating a reality that is peaceful and healing. If we do not set the intention, this peaceful healthful future will not be reached.

The outer planets’ slow-moving transits allow for lots of adjustment time as the planet fully enters into each new energy. We are given the opportunity to acclimatize to the new dynamic. That is truly a gift from the universe.

When Pluto last moved through this section of the zodiac momentous events occurred in our Western world (see my last blog).  But where were the other two outer planets during that time period & where are they now?

Neptune is another slow-moving celestial object with an orbit lasting about 165 years. When Pluto was last at this degree of Capricorn/Aquarius, Neptune moved from 23* Virgo in 1776 to 21 * Libra in 1789.

Today, as Pluto moves from the last degrees of Capricorn and through the 30 degrees of Aquarius, Neptune will leave the last few degrees of Pisces, ingress into Aries, and then 14 years later, ingress into Taurus.

The addition of the nebulous and often impenetrable energy of Pisces mixed with the austere & autocratic energy of Capricorn is very different in flavour from the mix of Capricorn & Virgo back in 1776. Then there was an appetite for applied reconstruction that led to the formulation of a declaration of independence that was something more than just a philosophical concept as evidenced by the birth and then ascendancy of a mighty nation that attempted to form itself according to ideals never before fully realized by any other nation. Despite the bloody history, and the ongoing struggles, it became a beacon of hope for people from all corners of the earth as evidenced, again, by the fact that even today, millions flood across its borders in the hope of finding a ‘better’ life for themselves. Today, on the other hand, there is a sense that we have lost our way ( the fog & confusion of Pisces) while back then, it may have felt that with hard work and persistence (Virgo) something more excellent might be achieved.

By 1789, Neptune had moved into Libra and was in a trine relationship with Pluto in Aquarius. The motto that was shouted by the revolutionaries in France was ‘Liberty, Equality & Fraternity, a fitting articulation of the air trine symbolized by Libra/Aquarius. The common people took it into their own hands to completely transform the nature of their relationship with the so-called elite and they did it, at first, in compliance with each other lending an incredible force to their actions and later, as Neptune shifted into Scorpio, the mood of the collective, now assuming the role that once was played by the elite, turned reactive & autocratic in its own administration. The years following the overturning of the aristocracy in France were designated as ‘The Reign of Terror’ for good reason.

Thirteen years from today Neptune will be in the last few degrees of Aries & will ingress into Taurus in 2039. As Neptune moves through Aries, the best case scenario we can hope for is that a fresh, new initiative will arise from the collective consciousness; that this new spiritual direction will be based on an impulse for healing & growth; that a new collective philosophy will form and that it will infuse us all with a totally new, a different way to understand & interface with each other and with the reality that we, together, are creating via collective dreaming. Will the fire of Aries burn away the trash of the past? Will we use the inspirational force that Aries can provide to recreate our world vision? Will it lead, finally, to a concretization of ‘right principle’ resulting in ‘right action’ in accordance with Natural Law rather than imperfect man-made laws? We shall see…

And what about Uranus? On November 20, 2024, as Pluto makes his final shift into Aquarius & Neptune is in the last degrees of Pisces, Uranus is @ 25*TAU7”. Over the course of the Pluto Transit through Aquarius Uranus will transit the last degrees of Taurus, and ingress into Gemini, Cancer & Leo. Uranus is the fastest moving of the outer planets with an orbital passage of 84 years. It is symbolic of the individual interface between the finite & the infinite. We, as unique beings, can mark any one lifetime as falling somewhat around this piece of time. We are, as individuals the Uranian eruption/disruption within the cosmic order of things. Think of the energy of Uranus through the signs mentioned above as the spark that ignites a process, a process that is inevitable but not determined. The determination is the variable. How will we express our intentions as Pluto transforms the greater collective? How will we support or resist the inevitability of the change that must occur? Uranus in Taurus has shown us that we cannot ignore Natural Law and that we must find ways to work with nature and not against her.

Uranus in Gemini may well trigger new ideas that could lead to better more effective ways to work with the earth, advances in science that are positive, and eventually lead to a healing (Cancer) of both the natural world & we, the inhabitants of it.

Uranus in Leo could well auger a renaissance of creative expression that arises out of these previous transits from now until very near the end of the Pluto in Aquarius period. Will we learn to understand (Gemini) ourselves in a better more upbuilding way? Will our new intellectual realizations be positive & proactive? Will we find illumination? Will we heal our collective trauma? (Cancer) Will we develop more lasting methods to nurture each other, to care for our bloodline, the human one? Will we create a sense of family that finally binds us all together? Will we create the reality that we all dream of? (Leo)…Will we finally be able to find our unique place within the greater collective? Is this the inflection point for the human species?

If you watch even a little of the news of the world, you are aware of the chaos we are in. It does not need to be this way. If we follow the path of the energy as we move through the next 20 years, we do have the potential to recreate our reality to better reflect who we might actually become, a good & productive species that follows ‘right’ principle, LOVE, & seeks to build, not destroy, nurture, not attack, embrace, not reject. You add your own intentions to the list.

As a species, we MUST redevelop a relationship with that which is divine as we, each one of us understand it. We must reject the notion that there is nothing but the material and that life has no meaning. Rather, we must be determined to rediscover our collective & individual purpose, find the meaning in the moment, & infuse our reality with magic & mystery all over again. It is time to get back to the faith of our fathers and make it more excellent, more vibrant, more life-giving than it ever was. Can we do it? We must.

Take a moment and pray with a whole heart & mind for the children of this world. From the North to the South & the East to the West, wherever a child is found, there is the future of our species. Let them be safe.

We live in momentous times…

There is a shifting of energies underway & we, the ‘little people’ are bearing witness to it.

Through the lens of the astrological system, we are able to track the ebb and flow of the currents of thought & feeling throughout the ages of man. Since the ‘discovery’ of the outer planets, this tracking has deepened considerably due to the long periods of time that these ‘outers’ spend in each energy. Astrology has widened to more accurately assess societal trends due to this fairly new discovery of the outer planets. Now it is possible to define what may rise to the surface as each energy gains momentum, becomes entrenched & then begins to wane. By looking ahead and postulating what may, indeed, transpire as each energy steps to the forefront, we can create a record for ourselves that is then tested out and crystalized as actual history takes place. Astrologers have, of course, been doing this for centuries, sometimes with incredibly accurate forecasts & sometimes, not so much. Today, however, with that much more collected ‘data’ to draw upon, we can be even more precise in our forecasts. We hope! LOL.

There are several ‘big’ events in play over the next few years, all involving the outer planets. Each planet, in turn, makes ingress into new energies over the next few years. As mentioned, the main element here is that these representatives of collective forces are SLOW moving from our earthly perspective and necessarily so in terms of manifestation. It takes time to shift focus in the areas of life that these archetypical forces represent. If you are feeling uncertain, confused & apprehensive, then you are ‘tuned in’ to the shifting energies around you. These are the coherent emotional responses to the nature of our current times. As Mr. Dylan once warned, ‘the times they are a changin…’

So, for now, let’s take a look at the planet that has the longest orbit, PLUTO.

Pluto has just spent about 2 decades in the structural, administrative energy of Capricorn. We have faced up to the sham of government, law & order, and economic security. Our Western world is more or less in a state of trauma as we have come to realize that government is, at worst, corrupt or, at the very least, ineffective,  law & order is tenuous at best, and economic security is a nebulous, almost mythic ideal. The ‘heartlands’ of North America are in a struggle for survival while the populous, mostly coastal, cities are reeling under the weight of disorder. It is at times like these—what the Chinese call ‘interesting times’—that the most extraordinary events can occur. It is NOT a time for FEAR. It is a time for HOPE. It is a time when we, the people, can gather all of the broken bits of our current reality and, like the Japanese craftsmen who perfected the art of KINTSUGI, repair it and infuse it with the golden energies of love & compassion, thus making it more perfect, more valuable than it ever was in its unbroken form.

The last time Pluto occupied this place on the ‘wheel’, the world saw the birth of a new nation that was founded on ideals that can only be described as transcendent. How did those flawed historical individuals come up with the concept that ‘ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL’? Today, we are used to this idea but we must remember that the collective society that gave birth to that seemingly obvious viewpoint was in no way structured according to it. The principles contained within the Declaration of Independence were far ahead of their times, written by young men who were, let us not forget, rebels against a mighty authority. And, the most remarkable part of this story is that their rebellion was not only successful but led to the establishment of a superpower that rivaled all previous superpowers! I am certain that the days before, during & immediately post the American Revolution were challenging & terrifying to all who lived through it, and yet, the heart & soul of humankind are not to be defeated and it prevails over adversity even when the road appears to be leading into destruction. If you are a history enthusiast, take the time to read about the trials of those early Americans & put yourself in their shoes. How would you have behaved under those circumstances? Would you have gone the distance? Whatever any of us may think about the United States as it is today, its founding was based on an aspiration to a higher and more excellent way for people to live together. Equality and Justice for all is not something to be rejected. It is what we, as an enlightened people, must always aspire towards.

Another extraordinary event that occurred when Pluto was at this point within the ‘wheel’, was the French Revolution. While the American Revolution began in 1776, the French Revolution started in 1789. Pluto was well into the energy of Aquarius, (around 19*) by that time. Today we are just now entering into it. In the decade or so between the two events, the soul of the collective had been agitated to the point of extreme violence, not the violence of simple war, (if there is such a thing!), but violence towards individual persons as demonstrated by the brutal killings of the aristocrats at the blade of Madame, La Guillotine.  A hatred of oppression so intense had crept into the psyche of the collective that only extreme and unspeakable acts could quench its bloody thirst. Were those rebels right? Were they wrong? Evaluations such as these are overly simplistic. Whatever your own conclusion might be, the fact remains that those last few decades of the 1700s were a time of incredible transformation on a social level. I would venture to say that both France & America are still in the process of adjusting to the cataclysmic shift that occurred back then.

So, here we are, today, with the alignment of energies reflecting a similar dynamic arising from deep within the collective consciousness. It is sufficient, for this little blog, to just focus on Pluto with the attempt to understand the deeper significance of this sort of societal transformation. As we move up the spiral of consciousness, we must manifest these powerful energies in a better & more spiritual fashion. Dare I say, no more bloodshed…no more guillotines…

Pluto represents the deepest part of the human psyche. We can designate it as being the SOUL of the self, that part of us that is most aligned to SOURCE, that part of us that most yearns for SOURCE. As Pluto enters into the remarkable, inventive, disruptive, and unique energy of Aquarius, the collective psyche finds itself poised on the brink of a crucial & defining mission…THE SEARCH FOR THE SOUL.

1:  Who are we, as a species?

2:  What are the values that govern our aspirational lives?

3:  What is the nature of the connections that we form with each other?

4:  Who, really is our ‘blood’ kin?

5:  What is the singular nature of our heart expressions; is it upbuilding or destructive?

6:  What do we seek to heal within our extended family?

7:  What is the nature of the partnerships that we seek to create?

8:  What is the mystery that will lead us into a more secure future?

9:  Can we secure our faith in something that will protect us from self-destruction?

10:  How will we prove ourselves as a species? Will our words be followed by actions or will they be like cymbals clashing dissonantly in the wind?

11:  Can we create a future based on the highest of ideals, love and altruism?

12:  Will we find our souls, finally, after the chaos & violence of our history?

In short, we, as a species are in desperate search for our soul, for that which will lift us out of darkness and show us the hope that is the LIGHT from SOURCE. Everything that has come before has brought us to this most critical moment in time. Yes, folks, we are in a struggle between GOOD & EVIL. It is the struggle for survival, for the right path, for the ‘seven generations’ that will follow from this day. Each one of us must look deeply into ourselves & ponder the questions above. Each one of us must answer those questions and then ACT accordingly. If we want to create a harmonious & productive world that will continue long after we are gone, we must seek all that is good, upbuilding, and above all TRUE. We must not be deceived by the lies that create division & hatred. There is but ONE HUMAN KIND. Even as we cherish & revere our national identities, we MUST NOT lose sight of the fact that globally, we are of one blood. We are all of one family and what we do to others, we do to ourselves.

If you are a student of history, you will immediately recognize that ALL religions preach LOVE and a reverence for the divine. We must focus on this uniting principle rather than focusing on any irrelevant differences in terms of expression.

TRUTH IS UNIVERSAL & ABSOLUTE

THE EXPRESSION OF TRUTH IS INDIVIDUAL & VARIABLE

Let us all focus on the universality of truth while celebrating the individuality of its expression.

Aquarius energy is the most brilliant energy of the wheel. It sparkles with possibility and promise & infuses our collective consciousness with the electric fire that lifts us out of the box of limited thinking. Aquarius points the way, like a thunderbolt, into a limitless future where, through the use of simple human ingenuity, we can absolutely solve any and all problems that we face as a species. A so-called ‘crisis’ is merely an opportunity to create a solution. Just as the Promethean fire released the world from struggle, so can the Promethean fire of Aquarian vision & invention lead us into a better, more equitable, more just future, if we just allow it to be so. In the end, it is up to us, as a species to make the choice.

Let it be so.

I would ask you all to pray for all of the suffering children in the Land of Judea. From the banks of the Jordan River to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

In these strange & confusing days, the ‘science’ of astrology has become popularized to the point that even folks who know nothing about the actual mechanics of this process, are able to reference it in their day-to-day lives. The most obvious example of this is the use of the so-called ‘sun sign’. If you know your day of birth, you might well conclude that you know something about yourself from that astrological level. There is a well-known phrase that suggests that ‘a little knowledge is a dangerous thing…’ & it is never truer than when it is applied to those folks who talk about their ‘sun signs’!

I have an admission to make; it sets my teeth on edge when someone says, “I am an Aries; what are you?”

However, I bite my tongue with those edgy teeth because I understand that this question is an enthusiastic demonstration of a love for a breadth of tools that facilitate self-understanding. And, the more self-understanding that we can garner, the better. If we can peek into the depths of ourselves, into the shadows of others’ selves, it has to be preferable to stumbling around in the dark, not knowing why we are, who we are & what the heck we are attempting to accomplish. So, all you astrology lovers, go ahead and talk about your sun sign. I can always leave the room…lol.

The key to getting the greatest return on astrological analysis is to understand that what really counts is not so much the individual energies as represented by the ‘planets in the signs’, but rather, the interaction that occurs between all of the various planets & points. This speaks to the intricate dimensionality of the astrological toolkit. You are not your sun sign. You are SO MUCH MORE than this flat one-dimensional projection. (In fact, there are schools of astrology that do not even reference the zodiac sign but rather, focus on the geometric connections that the various planetary archetypes make spatially. You’ve heard about ‘sacred geometry’? Well, this is one of its applications. To really get to the heart of the complexity of the persona, the soul & the potential of the individual, we must explore the ‘grid’, the crystalline structure of the self. More about this fascinating approach later…)

For now, though, a deeper analysis of the flat one-dimensional zodiac sign that any given planet is found in begins with the understanding that each of these 12 signs (energies) is linked to a specific planet and this planet will also be found within the grid of the horoscope and often, in yet another sign of the zodiac. The interaction between the two planets is of critical importance. Think of your own self as a musical composition, a song of sorts. How do the various ‘notes’ of your song sound? Are they harmonic? Are they dissonant? This is the interactive part of the play of energy that exists in each of us.  We want to get a handle on our own individual ‘songs’ & refine as much as we can the flow of that song so that it is as harmonic as it possibly can be. (By the way, I’m all for a bit of dissonance appropriately administered…lol)

So, that can be a starting point for a deeper understanding of your own so-called ‘sun-sign’. Whatever sign the Sun was transiting when you were born is modified by the energy of whatever sign the RULING PLANET was also transiting at the time you were born. Here’s a list of the signs along with the planet that ‘rules’ that sign.

ARIES ruled by MARS

TAURUS ruled by VENUS

GEMINI ruled by MERCURY

CANCER ruled by THE MOON

LEO ruled by THE SUN

VIRGO ruled by MERCURY

LIBRA ruled by VENUS

SCORPIO co-ruled by MARS & PLUTO

SAGITTARIUS ruled by JUPITER

CAPRICORN ruled by SATURN

AQUARIUS co-ruled by SAURN & URANUS

PISCES co-ruled by JUPITER & NEPTUNE

You can see that there are quite a few signs linked to only one planet & some that are linked to two planets. This stems from the fact that until the outer planets were ‘discovered’ with the use of powerful telescopes, only the ‘visible’ celestial objects factored into the mix. SATURN was once considered to be the outermost planet in our sky. It ‘limited’ the scope of our perception. Sound familiar?

Each zodiac energy has its own built-in characteristics. If you have a list of keywords, you can get a sense of those overt characteristics. Each planet also has built-in characteristics. Just knowing which planet co-relates to which sign gives us more insight into both of them. Use the graphic above to also consider the element & modality of each archetypal placement. think about how fire works with earth or air or water. What is produced by the combination of any two elements? What about the modality? How does Cardinal energy interact with Fixed or Mutable energy? If it’s too much to consider all of this, then just begin with one thing and once you are conversant with that one thing, add in the next consideration.  It’s sort of like making a soup from a variety of vegetables. It’s all about the blending.

Example:

Why is Aries known to be fiery, impulsive, fierce & often dominant? Look at which planet is linked to it. MARS is the planet that represents that part of the personal psyche that ‘does’ things. It represents the overt active energy of the individual, the MO (modus operandi). So, both Aries & Mars are potentially little go-getters, always on the move. Now consider what happens when the Sun is in Aries, a Cardinal Fire Sign, but ruled by a Mars in Pisces, a Mutable Water Sign. Will the watery energy douse the fiery energy? Or will the fiery energy steam up the watery energy? Now we are starting to cook!

Turn, once again to your keyword list & review the characteristics linked to Pisces. You will see words like dreamy, soft, and mystical. How do you think an impulsive, self-determined Mars might operate when it has to navigate the dreamy, mystical waters of PISCES? Once you can synthesize these two diametrically opposed forces, you have stepped into the world of subtle & deeper understanding of the way the psyche works.

The best way to proceed with this deeper analysis of each planetary archetype is to tackle it ONE PLANET AT A TIME. Be methodical. Do not rush ahead or jump around. Try to extract as much as you can from each planet before proceeding on to the next. Be willing to sit with any unexpected realizations you might suddenly have as you begin to synthesize the data. It does not matter how long you have been dissecting your own chart. There will always be insights to be had.

Each planet has one or two places where the rulership stops right where it is. That is something called ‘dignity’. Theoretically, whatever planet is being considered, is thought to be the purest representation of that particular energy.

Here is a list of ‘singular’ planets:

The SUN is in his ‘dignity in LEO. Generally speaking, then, anyone born when the Sun was transiting Leo will have a distinct sense of their ‘ego’ self; they will most probably be expressive & even creative; they will be fun-loving & childlike in many ways.

The MOON is in her ‘dignity’ in Cancer. Moody, sensitive, sometimes fearful, nurturing & protective, and always emotionally motivated.

 

MERCURY is dignified in two signs, Gemini & Virgo. Data-oriented, inquisitive, intellectually adroit, analytical, detail-oriented, interested in practical solutions & research-minded.

Venus is dignified in two signs, Taurus & Libra. Lusty, earthy, gentle, cooperative, ethical, persuasive & conciliatory.

Mars is dignified in two signs, Aries & Scorpio. Impulsive, intense, fierce, powerful, driven, self-directed & sometimes scary.

Jupiter is at home in Sagittarius & Pisces. Hopeful, optimistic, inspirational, full of ideas, somewhat mystical at times & enterprisingly unrestrained.

Saturn is at home in two signs, Capricorn & Aquarius. Commanding, severe, determined, organized, dispassionate, practical & sometimes dictatorial.

Uranus is at home in Aquarius. Futuristic, innovative, inventive, surprising, one-of-a-kind & sometimes chaotic.

 

Neptune is at home in Pisces. Dreamy, nebulous, intuitive, spiritual, sensitive & often confused.

Pluto, (yes, we still regard this puppy as a significant presence within the psyche), is linked to Scorpio. Transformative, fearless, willing to cross boundaries, power-oriented, hidden, secretive & iconoclastic. (This was the generation that opened the door to all sorts of ‘taboos’ & let them in. Full Frontal Nudity!)

Ever met anyone, while having one of these planets in their so-called ‘home signs’, who did not fit comfortably into the above? There’s a reason for it which involves the ‘sacred geometry’ aspect & the ‘location’ aspect of how the energy works. Future blogs will dip into that.

In the meantime, drag out your own chart & determine if any one of your planets is operating within the scope of their home sign in your own psyche. How does that translate into your real day-to-day life? Do you fit into any of the descriptions given above? Get out your more extensive keywords & see if any of them describe how you operate in the particular area of personality expression. Do you recall what each planet signifies with the whole of the persona? Look it up & get to work. Summer is drawing to a close…