Category Archives: About astrology

Ask Real Astrologers: Moon’s Nodes in Synastry

Our question this week comes from Jennifer.

How would you recommend someone handle synastry where someone’s planet is conjunct another person’s node? Even though it’s not a romantic relationship, somehow this makes me feel extremely obligated and bound to the person, and I don’t quite know what to do about it. With the people who are bugging me, one has Venus conjunct my South Node (and conjunct their North), the other has Venus conjunct my North Node. Even worse, that one’s my mother. I am constantly irritated with her, but it feels like I’m married to her! I think we reinforce the bad traits in each other somehow.

Libra ponders . . . Neith’s answer:

Jennifer, awhile back I waded through a bunch of family birth dates to look for reversed nodes patterns. The most reversed nodes were between mother and child for some reason. Reversed nodes are not easy to live with, because the nodes represent a strong theme in our lives and in the case of reversed nodes, very simply put, you are going in opposite directions. Most often the child moved far away from the mother as soon as possible because of the irritation factor.

With a planet or planets conjunct a node, they act to amplify the nodal energy. Even Venus, who has a reputation for being pleasant, can come off as cloying. Jan Spiller, in her book Cosmic Love, suggests the South Node person may feel a sense of indebtedness to the Venus person, who is inclined to be overly permissive in this instance. The Venus/North Node conjunction is about helping each other with self-worth issues.

In the case of the North Node/Venus conjunction, finding a balance between being supportive and nurturing oneself may be easier to sort out, because we are usually more detached when it comes to the North Node. However, the South Node/Venus conjunction may take more tact to handle. If it were me, I’d opt for distance. Then, I’m a Libra and not fond of confrontation!

My mother’s North Node was in Libra conjunct my Moon/Neptune. In the end, I had to move out of town for several years to help separate my emotional baggage from hers. We were always close, but it was my choice to keep a measure of distance between us. Otherwise, I ended up feeling overwhelmed. Sometimes it’s what we need to do to preserve our sanity with nodal connections . . . maintain some distance.

Both Pat and I do synastry work (check out our reports on Love and Relationships) and either of us would be happy to offer more feedback based on the rest of the charts of the individuals involved.

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s Answer

I’m not sure I can add much to Neith’s response, as she was very thorough. Two things do come to mind, though:

First, a relationship is never based on one aspect, dramatic though it may be. Chances are, you have lots of other things going on between your charts, and these are feeding into your Venus-Node discomfort. If you have to interact with these people on a regular basis, you might want to order a compatibility reading to help you determine where you might be able to connect positively.

Second, while there are often cases of simple “bad chemistry” over which you have no control, that the nodes are involved with these two people tells me that there may be a valuable lesson for you if you stick with the relationship. I believe this is especially true with your mother, since it’s your North Node that’s involved here.

Not everyone is amenable to having heart-felt discussions, and you may not trust them enough to want to reveal your innermost fears and vulnerability. But at the very least, have that discussion with yourself. How do these two people reflect what’s going on inside of you? In the case of your mother, did she project her issues onto you as a child, so that now it appears that they’re yours? If so, might she be reinforcing them? My therapist in the late 80s called this the “family trance.” No matter how much we grow and evolve or how aware we are of childhood programming, when we get back together with family, we’re somehow sucked back into the old patterns.

Good luck, Jennifer!

Got a question for Neith and Pat? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers.

Real Astrologers Weekly Poll: Rate Your Gemini Friends

Since the Sun is Gemini, we thought we’d do this week’s poll on how you get along with the Twins. Do you find them adorable and entertaining, or do they drive you nuts?

Opinion Polls & Market Research

We’d love to know whether your Sun sign or Rising sign influences your feelings toward your Gemini brothers and sisters, so feel free to leave a comment!

Results of Last Week’s Poll

In last week’s poll, we wanted to know how into astrology you are. Here are the results:

30.4% answered “Totally; I’m an astrologer.”
17.4% answered “I can’t start the day without my horoscope.”
47.8% answered “The astro-blogosphere is my favorite hangout.”
4.3% answered “I think I had my chart done once.”
No one asked, “It’s good for laughs.”
No one answered “All of the above.” (That was just Neith’s idea of a joke, anyway!)

Once again, we’re delighted to find that our readership is so knowledgeable about astrology. But we were surprised to find out how many other astrologers visit our site.

Nearly half of you are no strangers to the astro-blogosphere. Then, Neith and I have hosted blogs for more than two years, and many of you migrated over from Neith.net and Neith on Synastry – both of which appeal to a knowledgeable readership – and The Pisces Chronicles, which has assembled an extraordinary community of consciously aware human beings (in my admittedly biased opinion).

Still, RealAstrologers.com is expanding in its own right as more and more people around the world discover our unique site. Tomorrow is our two-month anniversary. In that short period, we’ve had well over 11,000 page views, with readers in 58 countries on six continents. Within the United States, our readership is distributed across the entire country, with visitors from 40 states plus the District of Columbia. Neith attributes this to the Sagittarius Ascendant in our composite chart. (Sagittarius is the explorer and world traveler.)

Thank you all for being part of our lives. Please help us grow by spreading the word. And send us your feedback! We’d love to hear from you.

Love and blessings,
Pat

Weekly Forecast June 1: New Moon with Mercury Retrograde

Mercury enters his second week of retrograde motion this week as we head into a new lunar cycle.

The New Moon on Tuesday falls at 13 degrees Gemini, just a degree from the point at which Mercury will return direct on June 19. Since Mercury rules this New Moon, you may have to wait a couple of weeks to see any real effects. By then, the Moon will be full and conjunct the Galactic Core, no less. Unfortunately, knowing that positive changes are on the way may not help you keep your cool, as Gemini isn’t known for patience.

It does, however, like to be entertained, so deal with your frustrations by seeing a good movie. Go for a light and fluffy romantic comedy – better still if you own it and won’t have to stand in line or risk a late fee because something unexpected comes up that prevents you from getting the DVD back to the video store on time.

For more on the New Moon, check out the excellent analysis that Neith posted on Saturday.

Meanwhile, I’m hearing about healing crises of all kinds this week, a manifestation of the triple retrograde of Chiron, Mercury, and Neptune. This is powerful medicine, and it tastes awful. You can read more about it in my new post on The Pisces Chronicles.

Venus, Mercury and Cupid

As for Mercury, the little bugger, he’s wreaking havoc in classic retrograde style. Twitter is overloaded, my replacement ATM card didn’t arrive before the old one expired, the bank’s customer service line wasn’t answering, and my last paycheck from my old job got sent to the wrong place. Paperwork for my new job is stuck in bureaucratic purgatory. The ferry system is down yet another boat, so there will be long lines to get off the south end of Vashon for the next two weeks.

There will be plenty more where that came from, so do keep in mind my usual Mercury retrograde caveats: give yourself extra time to travel and accomplish tasks, be prepared to get put on hold and wait in line, keep a close watch on keys and credit cards, and be clear in all of your communications. If there’s a mix-up, don’t bother trying to figure out who’s to blame. Forgive, forget, and move on.

We’ll get some help with the latter courtesy of Venus. On Friday, she forms a snappy sextile with Mars. Sparks ignite when the universal feminine contacts the universal masculine. Whether you’ve got your eye on someone or are single and looking, check out where these two are in your chart. The Sun sextiles Mars mid-week, giving us an energy boost and getting Mars in the mood for his hot date.

Both the Sun and Mercury will conjoin Venus this weekend, providing small opportunities to clear the static and get a good connection. This also would be an ideal time to say “I’m sorry.” It’s amazing how far those two little words will go, and they don’t cost a thing.

Love and blessings,
Pat

Need help making sense of your life? Check out our exclusive forecasts, or contact me for a telephone reading.

Image: Venus, Mercury and Cupid, by Nicolas Chaperon, 1612-1654 (Musée du Louvre, Paris).

New Moon in Gemini, June 3

waning crescent moon This New Moon features a nice stellium of Venus, Moon, Sun and Mercury from 12 to 19 degrees Gemini. In general, this is a quieter lunation than some we’ve had so far this year. Usually Gemini is more outgoing, but with Mercury in its retrograde phase, the overall tone is more contemplative than usual. Venus closely conjoining the Sun and Moon adds to the softer note, too.

That said, Gemini corresponds to the third house, and all third-house pursuits are going to be favored, from spending time with friends and siblings to hanging out at the local hotspots. Be sure to double-check all of your meeting times and places, due to the Mercury retrograde effect, and be prepared for delays and long waits! If you are traveling with children, don’t forget to take their favorite games, books and toys to keep them amused.

As the New Moon peaks, the luminaries and Venus are moving into a tighter square with Uranus, so we can expect the more erratic side of Gemini to emerge over the week to 10 days following the New Moon. Anyone with planets or chart angles from 19 to 22 degrees of the mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) can look forward to the finger-in-the-light-socket effect of Uranus. All plans will be subject to change without notice . . .

There is one notable aspect to the Gemini stellium, an energizing sextile from Mars in Leo. If you keep in mind the importance of thinking before speaking, this aspect is very good for expressing warmth and caring with candor. It’s also geat for good times in the neighborhood. Mars in Leo is adept at finding the nearest party to be the life of.

An interesting aspect in this chart is the trine between Neptune in Aquarius and Ceres in Gemini. A good way to demonstrate the compassion of Neptune is to practice kindness to all. Ceres in Gemini always has a kind word or three to offer and is good at thinking up many different ways to express them. Because trines don’t demand our attention like squares, we need to consciously take advantage of this gentle, caring aspect. Besides, this Libra person says it never hurts to use honey instead of vinegar, and the Gemini stellium with Venus repeats this message!

Use the next couple of weeks wisely, because we have a very powerful Full Moon in Sagittarius coming on June 18, with Pluto back in Sagittarius conjoining the Moon. Check back for the next installment.

**It’s that time again! New Moon Abundance Checks!

posted by Neith . . .

This photo is from Rendezvous Gallery.

Ask Real Astrologers: Why Does This Capricorn Feel Like a Sagittarius?

This week’s question comes from Leah in Hilo, Hawaii, who asks about the differences between tropical and sidereal astrology.

“I was born a Capricorn, tropically. Now I am informed I am a Sagittarius, since I am now 53 (I think the Sag started when I was 45). Should I be reading only the Sag sign info or both the Sag and Cap? I definitely feel the difference from Cap to Sag. So I am thinking there is something to this type of astrology. Any thoughts?”

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s answer:

This is a great question, but unfortunately not easy to answer, since it is very complicated.

Astrology as most of us in the West know it was developed by the ancient Babylonians. At the time, Aries was on the eastern horizon at sunrise on the spring equinox. However, due to the way the Earth spins on its axis, this has changed over the millennia, so that we now have about 5 degrees Pisces on the eastern horizon on the equinox. This phenomenon is called precession.

The Greeks dealt with precession by dividing the sky into 12 equal parts and assigning one sign of the Zodiac to each sector, starting with 0 degrees Aries on the spring equinox. The exact dates change from one year to the next, but the equinox generally is around March 20. This is the Western tropical system of astrology that you’re referring to. When you say you’re a Capricorn, what you mean is that the Sun was moving through the tenth sector from 0 degrees Aries on the day you were born.

Vedic astrology, which is the system developed in India and other Eastern countries, doesn’t correct for precession. This is the basis for sidereal astrology, which is used by a small number of astrologers in the West. So while your Sun is at 19 degrees Capricorn in Western astrology, it’s at 25 degrees Sagittarius according to the sidereal system. Proponents of sidereal astrology argue that this system more accurately reflects the positions of the planets against the backdrop of the constellations.

According to the sidereal system, you were born a Sagittarius, and that has not changed. In other words, you didn’t go from a Cap to a Sag around age 45. It appears that you may be confusing sidereal astrology with the Western technique of chart progression. I will turn you over to Neith to explain more about this, since she works with chart progressions more than I do.

There is another explanation, however, for why you feel more “like a Sagittarius.” In your birth chart (Western tropical), you have 17 degrees Scorpio on the Ascendant, with the first half of Sagittarius in your first house. Pluto, the planet of transformation, was in Sagittarius throughout your 40s, so you no doubt went through a change!

I always advise my clients to read for Rising sign first, then Sun sign. In your case, either Scorpio or Sag might work. Eventually, Neith and I will do Rising sign horoscopes, which I believe most of you will find to be a much more accurate reflection of what’s happening in your daily lives.

Libra ponders . . .

Neith’s answer:

Leah, after spending some time looking at your progressed chart using the year for a day method (count one day for each year of your life), I may be able to shed some light on why you relate to Sagittarius more. Your Scorpio Ascendant progressed into Sagittarius many years ago but there were a couple of serious transits to it enhancing the Sagittarius energy.

At about 30, you experienced a conjunction of Uranus and Venus on your progressed Ascendant in Sagittarius. A couple of years earlier, Uranus transited your natal Venus in Sagittarius, just as you were having your Saturn return. It’s very possible that with Saturn conjunct your Ascendant natally (and ruling your Capricorn Sun), you may not have acted on the more extreme notions Uranus inspired at that time.

In January 2000, Pluto and Venus met at the same degree of Sagittarius that Uranus and Venus occupied when you were 30. Both of these events occurred in your first house and resonated with your natal Venus – more Sagittarius.

Lastly, in January of 2007, Pluto and Mars conjoined on your progressed Ascendant at 28 degrees Sagittarius. This conjunction was also trine to your natal Pluto in Leo, adding up to a lot of powerful fire energy affecting you. No wonder you felt far more like a Sagittarius than a Capricorn and far horizons were calling you!

Ironically, Leah, your Ascendant is now progressed into Capricorn and is within a couple of degrees of the progressed North Node, so you may find your Capricorn side beginning to reassert itself once more.

Hopefully we have helped clarify matters for you! My advice would be to choose one system of astrology and stay with it because they each are a whole system unto themselves, and you only get confused if you try to go back and forth between the two.

Got a question for Neith and Pat? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers.

Real Astrologers Weekly Poll: How Into Astrology Are You?

This week’s poll is about your level of interest in astrology.

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Results of Last Week’s Poll

In last week’s poll, we asked whether you identified more with your Sun sign or Rising sign. Here are the results:

36.7% answered “Sun sign”
46.7% answered “Rising sign”
13.3% answered “Both, because they’re the same”
No one asked, “What’s a Rising sign?”
3.3% answered “Neither”

What a wonderful measure of the sophistication of our readership that no one asked what a Rising sign is. Good for you!

It’s also interesting to see how many people share both Sun and Rising sign. I do, too. And because I’m an early Rising Aquarius, my houses are lined up pretty much the way they are for an Aquarius solar chart. Ironically, that means I’m one of the few people who tend to get accurate Sun sign horoscopes — well, depending on the writer. As you know, some are much better than others.

Neith and I have been talking about doing Rising sign horoscopes. Here’s proof that the majority of you will find it more helpful than Sun sign astrology. Not only is your Rising sign how you project yourself into the world, but it determines the house positions of your planets, and this adds a great deal of depth to how you experience life.

We’ll keep you posted, so check back often!

Pat

Miley Cyrus (aka Hannah Montana), Chiron in Leo and Billy Ray Cyrus

Billy Ray & Miley Cyrus Miley Cyrus, best known for playing Hannah Montana, received mixed reviews recently for the photo spread in Vanity Fair magazine. Apparently she was unaware of the repercussions of posing semi-nude. Miley has a powerhouse of a stellium at the end of Scorpio with Pluto, Mercury, and the Moon (including the Sun at 1 degree Sagittarius) squared by Chiron in Leo.

Chiron often presents as an inability to recognize our talents and abilities and in Leo (who loves to shine in public) it’s understandable she would be vulnerable to the expectations of others when it comes to her public persona. Miley has been a source of inspiration to thousands of young teens in her role as Hannah Montana but she may not be able to feel confidence in herself outside that role.

Having both the Sun and Moon squared by Chiron makes her very, very vulnerable to manipulation by the adults surrounding her because while she will put up a good front, behind it she is deeply sensitive to criticism. In fact, it’s very common with Chiron square Moon to feel one is being criticized when that’s not the case.

Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley’s dad, has Saturn in Capricorn sextile to Miley’s stellium in Scorpio. She does feel he supports her and can be depended on to be there for her – a bright spot in her otherwise overwhelming world in the public spotlight. However his Uranus in Leo conjuncts her Chiron and squares her Scorpio stellium, so it’s likely he also throws her off her emotional balance frequently.

Miley has her Venus in Capricorn conjunct both Uranus and Neptune, an excellent combination for being a teen star. Uranus is associated with the teen years and Neptune with the ability to project an image. As Pluto in Capricorn starts to move closer to her Venus in 2014 when she is in her early twenties, I believe Miley will make a move to assert control over her career choices. For now though, her natal Chiron aspects create so much internal uncertainty, she will continue to depend on her father’s guidance to steer her clear of the worst aspects of being a celebrity.

posted by Neith . . .

Miley Cyrus natal chart (unknown birth time)

Billy Ray Cyrus natal chart (unknown birth time)

Weekly Forecast May 26-June 1: Mercury Retrograde!

I probably don’t need to tell you that this is going to be a strange week, as you’re no doubt feeling it already.

The biggest news, of course, is Mercury’s turn retrograde on Monday. The Messenger stations at 21°32″ Gemini and eventually will work his way back to 12°58″ Gemini before returning direct on June 19.

Because Mercury is in his own sign of Gemini, we can expect all the classic effects of this event, including communications mix-ups, missed connections, computer crashes, traffic jams, lost luggage, and delays in general. We’ve experienced a lot of this already since the shadow period began on May 11.

Chiron and Achilles

The wild card that may cause this Mercury retrograde to behave differently is Neptune’s turn retrograde less than half an hour later on Monday. While this configuration has the potential for complications and confusion, the two planets will be in a harmonious trine, which also creates the possibility for mental breakthroughs. This is especially true if you’ve been confronting a thorny problem that has resisted logical solutions.

Monday is a major U.S. holiday, signifying the beginning of summer. Hopefully, you get the day off, and hopefully you aren’t going anywhere due to high gasoline prices. With Mercury and Neptune both stopped in their tracks, staying home and relaxing would be the best use of your energy … if you can muster any at all. If you are traveling, expect delays. And be careful out there, OK?

We also have many readers around the world (49 50 53 countries on six continents at last count!) who will be going to work Monday morning with Mercury and Neptune stationed. Traffic may be at a dead stop, and possibly due to unusual circumstances. Leave a little early, and do whatever you need to do to manage your frustration level.

As if that’s not enough retrograde energy, Chiron also just went retrograde, at 21 degrees Aquarius. It’s always hard to say how multiple aspects like this will manifest, but I think it’s going to involve healing beliefs and thought patterns that no longer serve us. There also may be an element of healing old wounds and talking with others about past hurts between you. Normally, I wouldn’t recommend attempting this during Mercury retrograde periods, but a triple retrograde like this is incredibly rare and warrants trying something different.

The Moon conjoins Chiron and Neptune on Monday, so we’re going to get a full dose of this medicine, and the effects will continue strongly into Tuesday, when the Moon enters Neptune-ruled Pisces. As complicated as these intertwining energies are, there will be no mistaking how they’re manifesting in our lives, individually or collectively. The lunar North Node is sitting at 22 degrees Aquarius, between Chiron and Neptune, indicating an element of destiny to all of this. Be sure to leave comments with your experiences here so that we can all compare notes!

Also on Monday, Venus squares Saturn in the early degrees of Gemini and Virgo. This is going to be a tough week all around for romantic relationships, but if you’re willing to confront your issues directly, you’ll be rewarded eventually. You can’t expect to undo years of hurt in a day or two, and there is bound to be turbulence. As I’m so fond of saying, you can’t get to cruising altitude without it.

We’ll spend the rest of the week adjusting to this shift. Just remember to breathe.

Love and blessings,
Pat

P.S. Normally I wouldn’t recommend getting a reading while Mercury is retrograde, but this week’s energies are extraordinary, so if you’ve been thinking about it, check out our exclusive forecasts and unique compatibility reports.

Image: The Education of Achilles by Donato Creti, 1714 (Musei Civici d’Arte Antica, Bologna). The mythological Chiron was a mentor to heroes and known as a great astrologer.

Ask Real Astrologers: Yods

This week’s question comes from Coco.

Please explain about Yods (also called the Finger of God) and how that relates to an astrological chart. Is it common for someone to have three Yods? I have three in my chart, I have been told, but I don’t know how to utilize them. Ideas?

Libra ponders . . .

Neith’s Answer:

A Yod is comprised of two inconjuncts (150° aspect) with a sextile as the base as you may know. The planet sitting on the point or apex of a Yod is the obvious focus of the energy. Yods are not a particularly common pattern in charts and only occur when during periods when the planets are spread across many signs.

The inconjuncts are the key to Yods, in my opinion, and create a state of tension with erratic release. In very simple terms, the planet at the apex of a Yod is often like a sore thumb sticking out and whenever it’s conjuncted by transits you feel it. In fact, you may learn more about how your Yods function by tracking the times when the Moon conjuncts the apex planets.

Good luck!

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s Answer:

Although astrologers refer to the Yod as the “Finger of God,” the letter Yod in the Hebrew alphabet is a symbol for “hand” or “consciousness” (according to some texts, it’s the male organ, which could lead to an interesting interpretation). But we’re pretty much in agreement that it is a pointer, and that the thing being pointed to is the planet and house at the apex of the Yod, as Neith suggested. The two planets in sextile, rather than interacting only with one another, are manifesting their energy through that third point, which can be interpreted as a destiny point in the chart. You might think of it as the “hand of God.”

In calculating Yods, I look at only the eight planets (including Pluto), Sun, and Moon. Depending on the chart, I might include Chiron, but only if there’s a compelling reason to do so. Chart points, lunar nodes, asteroids, Arabic parts, and so forth, can’t form a Yod.

To determine the meaning of a Yod in the chart, it is essential to get a reading from a real astrologer and not a computer-generated report. I don’t know of any computerized reports that include Yods anyway, but even if there were, it wouldn’t give you the holistic interpretation that a Yod requires. This is all the more true if you’ve got more than one Yod. I don’t do traditional birth chart readings, but any of our exclusive forecasts would examine a natal Yod and transits that could propel its energy into play in your life.

I join Neith is wishing you the best of luck!

Got a question for Neith and Pat? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers.

Real Astrologers Weekly Poll: Sun Sign or Rising Sign?

This week’s poll is about how we feel regarding our Sun sign and Rising sign.

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Results of Last Week’s Poll

In last week’s poll, I asked how you felt about the upcoming Mercury retrograde. Here are the results:

16.7% of you were “scared to death”

45.8% said you could “handle it but with caution”

33.3% blithely said “no worries!”

4.2% wondered “what’s Mercury retch?”

As I’ve written, I think we’ll find the most unpredictable facets of this Mercury retrograde are going to level out some after Mercury stops and starts moving backwards (obviously, planets don’t go backwards; that’s just what it looks like from down here). The effects of the Mercury-Uranus square will be passing by then. Of course, if I’m wrong, you all will have a perfect opportunity to say, “I told you so!”

My personal vote was for the second option because I believe by and large that the best approach to Mercury retrograde is to take extra care with all documents, make copies and backup your computer, and allow for delays and confusion. There are times when we just have to grin and bear it, too.

For the “no worries” crowd, all I can say is there are optimists everywhere! Now I’d really like to see this be the case and will cheer loudly if it is. You all must have a strong Jupiter/Sagittarius influence in your charts.

By the way, “Mercury Retch” is a peevish expression I coined for Mercury retrograde one time when I was getting slammed by the little so-and-so.

posted by Neith . . .