Category Archives: Full Moon

Full Moon in Cancer, January 19

Not only is next Wednesday’s Full Moon the peak of a cycle that started with an eclipse, but it falls at the exact degree of a big solar eclipse in July 2009.

The 2009 event, on July 22 (July 21 in the Western Hemisphere), was a total eclipse and the longest of the century. It was the second in a new series of eclipses in Capricorn and Cancer. There is one more eclipse left in this series, on July 1.

Astrologers debate how long the influence of eclipses lasts and what factors determine this timing. My gut feeling is that a total eclipse that’s the longest of the century has got to have long-term meaning, and since eclipses appear to be windows on time, we should look for clues about what “time” is being revealed. A Full Moon at the exact degree and minute – 29°27′ – is a mighty big hint.

I ran a comparison to look at the two charts together, and a couple of things jumped out at me. First, Uranus is still in late Pisces, just one degree from his position in the chart for the July 2009 eclipse. Uranus is the rebel, the inventor, and the bolt of lightning that blasts erroneous beliefs from our minds. That is often what it takes to wake us up. Remember, the seventh planet was discovered in 1781, between the American and French revolutions. If that wasn’t a political awakening, I don’t know what was.

I’m going to digress for a minute to mention something I read recently in the subscription-only newsletter from CounterPunch (which I highly recommend; it’s only $35 a year). The entire December 16 issue was devoted to an article by Mason Gaffney, a professor of economics at the University of California, about how radical political reform in the United States has grown out of cyclical religious awakenings.

According to Prof. Gaffney, the First Great Awakening led to the American and Jeffersonian Revolutions, the Second Great Awakening led to the Civil War and Abolition, the Third Great Awakening led to the Populist and then Progressive Movements, the Fourth Great Awakening led to the New Deal, and the Fifth Great Awakening led to the “Great Society,” feminism, and social upheavals.

Prof. Gaffney’s prediction that another awakening was about to happen gave me chills.

“Expect to be surprised, and expect it fairly soon,” he writes. [T]he calamities of President G.W. Bush and the fumbling of President Obama have opened the doors for a new alignment.”

Back to the chart for Wednesday’s Full Moon, Uranus is in close conjunction with Jupiter at 29 Pisces, the last degree of the zodiac, representing a “wrap-up” of spiritual searching and discovery. Among his attributes, Jupiter expands minds and fosters spiritual growth.

It’s interesting to note that at the July 2009 solar eclipse, Jupiter was tightly conjunct Neptune in Aquarius. Neptune and Uranus remain in mutual reception, and they also have been in a close semi-sextile since mid-2008. A transit to one is a transit to both. Moreover, Neptune in Aquarius and Uranus in Pisces both reflect a sea change in the collective unconscious. It’s only a matter of time before new ideas bubble to the surface.

Spiritual is the new religious. Could that be the missing link that Prof. Gaffney has overlooked? Elsewhere in his article, he notes that the new movement will come out of left field and will be resisted by academics and intellectuals. What is more resisted by academics and intellectuals than astrology? We need only review the past week’s media shenanigans to reaffirm that truth.

In a strange way, last week’s media fiasco represents a shift in itself. Is it not ironic that the tables are turned, and now astrologers are trying to prove that an ignorant scientist had his facts wrong? I was dismayed by the media response to the brave astrologers such as Susan Miller and Jeff Jawer who tried to set the record straight. For their efforts, they were misquoted and further ridiculed. But that’s part of shifting consciousness. As the status quo is challenged by new ideas, the initial response often is anger.

The Moon’s trine with Jupiter is the last aspect she makes before entering the next sign. The following day, the Sun enters Aquarius, which in modern astrology is ruled by Uranus. Mars is already there, stirring the pot.

The rest of the chart reflects this week’s planetary aspects, which I’ll cover in my forecast later today.

The Sabian Symbol** for the Moon at 29°27′ Cancer is, a daughter of the American Revolution, with the keyword INHERITANCE. This is an interesting symbol in a time when the ground beneath our feet seems to be shifting. It speaks to the old, established way of doing things and of forming ties with others based on tradition and social status. There is a natural tendency to protect the status quo, especially in the face of outside pressures. However, this symbol cautions against resisting necessary change. There’s also a message here that if you have inborn talents and gifts or are otherwise in a privileged position, you’re a natural leader, but you will get into trouble if you think this makes you superior to anyone else.

For the Sun at 29°27′ Capricorn, the Sabian Symbol is a secret business conference, with the keyword OPPORTUNITY. Unlike the symbol for the opposite degree above, which is about tradition and identifying with a certain group, this symbol is about taking advantage of situations that crop up from one day to the next by forming relationships with the people involved. I’ve always maintained that good things come to us through others, and the best things come through those with whom we share positive feelings. The downside of this symbol is exploiting others for our own selfish gain.

Again, it comes down to maintaining your integrity. This is more important than ever when we’re being tossed about on the astrological tides and sometimes lose track of who we are and what we’re here for. It’s also essential that we find our circle of friends, the people who will be our allies in the times ahead. Knowing what you believe is important, and being able to examine those beliefs objectively is even more so.

Pat

** From The Sabian Symbols in Astrology, by Dr. Marc Edmund Jones. The author, an astrologer, channeled this work in 1925 with the help of Elsie Wheeler, a gifted psychic. There’s one symbol one for each degree of the zodiac, and we can use them to gain insight into charts.

Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Gemini, December 21

Reflection of the Full Moon in a pond on Mount Baker. © Pat Paquette 2010.

Living on an island gives a whole new meaning to “missing the boat.”

If you arrive at the dock 30 seconds late, you may have to wait an hour for the next ferry. I’ve slept through the alarm a few times, and when I realized how late it was, I had to make a last-minute scramble to get my butt out the door – wet hair, no coffee, and makeup thrown in a bag for later.

That, dear ones, is how I see the Full Moon lunar eclipse on December 21 – the first eclipse in the new Sagittarius-Gemini series. As we awaken into higher consciousness, we may suddenly realize that our normal routine is useless, and we’ll have to make some very fast changes in order not to miss the boat.

Most of us have a pretty good idea by now where we’re going, or at least in which direction we’re heading. The challenge has been how to get there. Over the summer, under the influence of the cardinal T-square, we initiated new circumstances in our lives but then got stuck. To get unstuck, we had to expand our thinking or change our beliefs. If you managed to get that far, you may now find yourself in a chaotic blur as your inner being and outer world attempt to realign.

The Sun at 29 degrees Sagittarius and the Moon at 29 degrees Gemini form a mutable T-square with Jupiter and Uranus, both back in late Pisces after their brief foray into Aries over the summer. Whereas the cardinal T-square initiates new projects and circumstances, the mutable T-square favors change through adaptation. So, the way I read this is that we’ll need to scramble to make changes in order to adapt to events that came about during the cardinal T-square.

Several hours after the Full Moon, the Sun enters Capricorn and activates the apex of the cardinal T-square, which was occupied by Pluto over the summer. The lunar North Node, a destiny point, also is there, and Mars recently moved over this point. Needless to say, it’s a highly charged area of the sky. Be prepared for difficult issues to come to a head, but then observe closely. What transpires will give you a clue about what comes next and what course corrections you need to make, if any.

In a flip of energies, Jupiter and Uranus are at the apex of the mutable T-square at this Full Moon – yet another sign that shifting is going to occur. Uranus is unpredictable, but with Jupiter in close conjunction, whatever happens is sure to happen big. The open spot opposite Jupiter and Uranus, in late Virgo, is the pressure relief valve, so check to see where this point is located in your chart. That’s where you may see the most positive changes at this eclipse.

The conjunction of Neptune and Chiron form another release point, which is in a flowing sextile-trine pattern with the Sun and Moon. I’ve been writing about these two for several years and their influence in healing. We can’t expect to have healthy and supportive social structures when the individuals who make up our society are sick, asleep, and drugged into emotional numbness. How much shock is enough to wake us up? And will enough of us do the healing work to reach critical mass?

Mercury is the ruler of this eclipse, and he’s retrograde until the end of the month. While we may have to deal with a lot of frustrating delays and miscommunications, I’m hopeful that we’ll also have an opportunity to rethink our response to the summer’s events. Launching new projects while Mercury is retrograde isn’t advised, but research and revision can work out quite well. Mercury is closely conjunct the Galactic Center, and that tells me we could get more “downloads” from the Universe – important information we can use to help us comprehend what’s occurring and to work more effectively toward our new goals.

A few hours after the eclipse, Venus reaches the degree of her retrograde on October 8. Relationships enter new territory, and I think this will be mostly for the better. The problem, as I see it, is that with Mercury retrograde, going back over old ground may be necessary but not necessarily productive. Try it, and if you see that it’s not working, back off until after Mercury returns direct on December 30.

Saturn is unaspected at this Full Moon but is “receiving” from Pluto, Mars, and Ceres in Capricorn, and he’s also exalted in Libra. Whatever we manifest now, there’s a real possibility that it will balanced and fair. Among other things, look for news of environmental issues being addressed in a more fair and balanced way. Saturn will be the ruler of the next New Moon, a solar eclipse at 13 degrees Capricorn on January 4.

The Sabian Symbol** for the Moon at 29°21′ Gemini is, bathing beauties, with the keyword CHARM. We all have natural gifts and talents. They are part of who we are and what makes us unique, and as we develop them to their fullest potential, we become stronger and more confident. When we’re using our gifts as intended, we naturally want what is best for our “highest self,” and we can more easily let go of what doesn’t serve us. Since this is a Full Moon, there’s a strong possibility that many of us will have to let go of something or someone.

For the Sun at 29°21′ Sagittarius, the Sabian Symbol is the Pope, with the keyword SANCTITY. This symbol originally was meant as a testament to the special abilities a person develops as he climbs higher on the social and political ladder. In an era long gone, those who made it to the top were admired for their strength and leadership, and it was recognized that they sacrificed much to make it to the top.

There’s a flip side to this symbol, “inordinate love of self-display and surrender to a lust for power.” That hits the nail on the head in the context of mundane astrology. But there’s a personal message in it, too, which is that getting to the top – whatever that means to you – requires self-sacrifice and, above all, maintaining your integrity.

Pat

Full Moon in Taurus, November 21, 2010

The Lost Pleiad, by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1884.

Sunday’s Full Moon in Taurus is so potent that I half expect we’ll go through a black hole and come out somewhere else. Or we’ll be contacted by an alien race telling us it was all a big joke.

OK, I’m kidding. Sort of. It’s apparently what we’re supposed to do at this Full Moon, according to the Sabian symbol (see below).

Seriously, though, this is going to be a big one. I feel as though I’m being squeezed through some kind of cosmic tunnel and will pop out the other side in a few days.

Venus and Jupiter, which return direct within a few hours of each other on Thursday, both play major roles in this Full Moon – Venus by rulership and Jupiter by aspect.

Venus has had plenty of bad hair days during her retrograde in Scorpio, which began on October 8. She pulled out her claws and teeth, too. I know several people who felt the sting, mostly in relationships. She has calmed down since returning to Libra, one of the two signs she rules. Taurus is the other.

I’m reminded of the difference between the Sumerian goddess Inanna, goddess of love and light, and her sister, Ereshkigal, goddess of the underworld. As you may recall, Ereshkigal’s husband was the “Bull of Heaven.” Presumably, this is a reference to the constellation Taurus. It’s also evident that Ereshkigal represents the shadow side of Inanna and, indeed, the shadow in all of us. Scorpio – the sign opposite Taurus on the zodiac wheel – symbolizes that shadow. It’s everything that we deny, repress, and run away from. In Greek and Roman mythology, the underworld is ruled by Pluto, which of course is the modern ruler of Scorpio.

It’s as though Venus was playing the role of Ereshkigal during her retrograde phase, and many of us had to go through some sort of “underworld” experience in order to evolve to the next level. In the sign of Libra, with the Full Moon in Taurus, Venus returns to her role as radiant goddess of love, light, beauty and abundance.

It’s interesting to note that Venus went retrograde at 13 degrees Scorpio, which was the degree of the New Moon on November 6. The cycle completes itself at the Full Moon, which falls at 29 degrees Scorpio/Taurus.

The Sun and Moon form a fixed T-square with Neptune and Chiron – both just out of retrograde – at the apex. This might suggest trouble, and perhaps for some people, there will be some healing pain as old wounds flare up. However, this is one instance in which I believe love will conquer all. Not only is Neptune a higher vibration of Venus and symbol of a higher love, but at the Full Moon he’ll be in a very close trine to Venus. In other words, the T-square is not a tightly closed box, but it has a clear path out, and that path is Love.

The closest aspect made by the Sun and Moon is a trine to Uranus, planet of surprises and sudden change. Uranus isn’t direct yet but will be in a couple of weeks, and he’s in conjunction with Jupiter – close enough that their combined energies create a path for sudden breakthroughs. The potential for advances in spirituality is of galactic proportions. And remember, my definition of “spirituality” has to do with our ability to sense the invisible energies that course through the universe and to use those energies to our advantage and the advantage of our fellow humans. Part of that vision is seeing through the illusion of time.

Mercury, Mars, Ceres, Saturn, and Pluto make no aspects to the Full Moon, but they interact with each other. People seem to drive crazier at the Full Moon, and this certainly will be the case with Mercury and Mars in speed-demon Sagittarius. Hopefully, the sextile with Saturn in balance-minded Libra will help keep drivers focused on arriving at their destination in one piece. I already discussed the Ceres-Saturn square in my weekly forecast.

Although I usually don’t write about fixed stars, it’s worth mentioning that this Full Moon is conjunct the Pleiades. The 29th degree of Taurus sometimes is called the “weeping degree” because of its connection to this star cluster (which due to precession is now at 0 degrees Gemini). In traditional astrology, this is a very unfortunate star, associated with blindness, accidents, bereavement, loss, and other tragedies.

The weepy factor ostensibly is derived from the mythology of the seven sisters, who were turned into stars by Zeus to avoid pursuit and rape by Orion. However, each of the seven also was loved by the gods of Olympus, and some were credited with giving birth to royal lines of humans. The origin of the name “Pleiades” is debated, but one theory is that it stems from the same root as “full” or “plenty.”

At the Full Moon in sensual Taurus, that theory gets my vote, and I don’t buy all the handwringing. My dear friend Tseka, a gifted interpreter of myths, believes that this location in space is a portal. I would add that it’s a portal to true love.

The Sabian Symbol** for the Moon at 29°18′ Taurus is, A peacock parading on an ancient lawn, with the keyword ALOOFNESS. This is a perfect symbol for the common saying, “Fake it ’til you make it.” We’re on a journey and not there yet, but there’s something to be gained by visualizing ourselves there and at least looking the part. There’s nothing wrong with it, as long as we know we’ve still got work to do. If I had my druthers, I’d change the keyword aloofness to DETACHMENT.

For the Sun at 29°18′ Scorpio, the Sabian Symbol is The Halloween jester, with the keyword SPONTANEOUSNESS. This symbol is about not taking life too seriously. Sure, we’re on an evolutionary course, doing important work. But if we can’t laugh at ourselves, we’re taking it all way too seriously, and we’re missing the point. Take a moment to lighten up and have a good belly laugh at life’s absurdities.

If nothing else, it will keep you from weeping.

Pat

Full Moon in Aries, October 22

Moonrise in Indian Cove, Joshua Tree National Park. © Michael Thompson for Dreamstime.com

The Full Moon on Friday, October 22, is at 29 degrees Aries and is the second in a row in the sign of the Ram. Other than that, they have little in common.

A month ago, on September 23, the the Full Moon at 0 degrees Aries activated the early degrees of the cardinal signs and represented an “early harvest” of changes that began to sweep through our lives during the cardinal T-square. The changes we envisioned were held back, like water behind a dam, as long as Saturn was in tight formation with Jupiter, Uranus, and Pluto.

When Saturn began to move on, the obstacles started to clear, and the changes we could only glimpse back then began materializing. This Full Moon brings it all full circle and lights the way for us to move confidently down a new path, perhaps with new goals and a totally new perspective.

This past week, we witnessed the dramatic rescue of 33 Chilean miners who had been trapped half a mile underground since August 5, the peak date of the cardinal T-square. Several astrologers have commented on the undeniable connection between the collapse of the mine and the cardinal T-square, and the symbolism of death and rebirth – literally coming up out of the earth – when Ceres returned to a conjunction with Pluto.

All of the interpretations I read were excellent, but among them one in particular stood out, by Christina Rodenbeck in Oxford, England, who wove astrology into the mythology of the indigenous people. It was short, simple, and to the point.

But why mention all of this after the fact, in a post on the Full Moon?

The lunar cycle has been an important timing indicator as we’ve moved through the T-square and beyond. The miners were rescued on Wednesday, with the Moon in early Capricorn conjunct Ceres and Pluto. I mentioned in my forecast last week that Wednesday would be a T-square flashback day, and so it was. And not just for los 33.

The ordeal of the Chilean miners was a very literal interpretation of the T-square – going down into the underworld and returning to a new life. Many of us are experiencing a similar pattern on a more subtle, energetic level, but it is every bit as powerful. I’m seeing more and more deep changes, with individuals emerging in a “new, improved” state that will allow them to live more richly and fully and to be who they were meant to be.

The chart for this Full Moon says it all – every planet except Saturn is contained within the axis of the Sun at 29°33′ Libra and the Moon at 29°33′ Aries. The restraining influence, the Lord of Time, is out of the picture. Between the rest, there is a connection and a flow.

The Sun and Moon are in a lovely sextile and trine with Pluto and Ceres, forming an easy path for all of that Plutonian stress that built up over the summer. The easy manner in which the miners ascended to the surface is a fitting metaphor. Wouldn’t it be nice if we all had an elevator to bring us up out of our worldly trap? Then … maybe we do. As I’ve written many times, sometimes the way out is up.

The Sun and Moon also make a sextile and trine to Neptune and Chiron, although it’s separating. That suggests to me that the deep healing we needed in order to move past the obstacles has taken place, and now we’re assimilating it into our lives. The more whole we are inside (whole and heal come from the same Latin root), the better we’re able to manifest what we want and need, without the glitches and gremlins that often appear as part of the process.

Mars and Jupiter also are in a separating trine, which will be exact on Wednesday, two days before the Full Moon. Jupiter is retrograde and could use an energy boost from Mars, who’s very powerful in Scorpio, the sign he co-rules with Pluto. Mars will trine Uranus two days after the Full Moon, which could be a big release point for new opportunities that are exciting and perhaps unexpected.

Mars also is in a square with Neptune and Chiron, which seems negative on the face of it. However, Neptune and Uranus are in mutual reception, and so I believe that the healing that’s taking place will feed into the new opportunities and vice versa. Difficult Mars-Neptune combinations can sometimes sap your energy – it depends on where Mars is transiting your chart – and you may be challenged to let go of some preconceived notions of what you need. The ego has a way of defending itself that isn’t always in our best interest, and when it has to be forced into another way of being – even a better one – the result can feel a lot like pain and suffering!

Just remember, there is no growth without change, and change by definition can be very painful, especially when you’ve invested so much in maintaining the status quo.

The Sabian Symbol** for the Moon at 29°33′ Aries is, A duck pond and its brood, with the keyword RELIABILITY. As with the previous Full Moon in Aries, this symbol is about self-discovery and finding your place in the cosmic order. Everyone has a special gift, and it’s up to you to discover it and to be true to your highest, best self. Once you do that, you can relax into your groove and just go with the flow.

For the Sun at 29°33′ Libra, the Sabian Symbol is Three mounds of knowledge on a philosopher’s head, with the keyword PRESCIENCE. This symbol is about recognizing how cosmic energies manifest in your own personal life. Once you start seeing the patterns, you start to develop the capability to see how things will turn out.

Amen to that! It pretty much sums up my approach to astrology, and it couldn’t be a more timely message.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

** From The Sabian Symbols in Astrology, by Dr. Marc Edmond Jones. The author, an astrologer, channeled this work in 1925 with the help of Elsie Wheeler, a gifted psychic. There’s one symbol one for each degree of the zodiac, and we can use them to gain insight into charts.

Full Moon in Aries, September 23

Harvest Moon rising over the Cascades, Sept. 17, 2005. © David Haworth, http://www.stargazing.net

The Full Moon in Aries on September 23 revisits the cardinal T-square of 2010 and expresses its powerful potential to set sweeping changes in motion.

Normally, we look to the Full Moon as an outgrowth of whatever was begun at the New Moon, but I don’t see a lot of association here. This Full Moon, which traditionally is called the “Harvest Moon,” appears to be a sort of “early harvest” of the seeds planted during the cardinal T-square, or at least an indication of what the future harvest will look like.

Although the outer planets no longer are in a tight cardinal T-square, this Full Moon fills in the blanks, so to speak. So many people told me over the summer that they felt like they were on the verge of a breakthrough, but they kept bumping up against obstacles. This Full Moon on the dynamic first degree of Aries may be just what it takes to blast through those invisible walls.

The breakthroughs we sensed over the summer were real, but with the T-square blocking the energies symbolized by each of the other planets, we were stuck. Some of us, but not all, were able to find a way out via a personal planet or chart point opposite Pluto or during one of the soft transits (sextiles or trines) from the planets in the T-square. I alerted you to these windows in my weekly forecasts.

The Moon at 0°15′ Aries opposite the Sun at 0°15′ Libra repeats the degrees of the T-square at its peak in early August, both square Pluto. This Full Moon also is square the very powerful lunar eclipse in Capricorn on June 26, which was closely conjunct Pluto. The difference is that Pluto was retrograde back then, and he’s now in a powerful position of waking and returning direct.

The Full Moon on the Aries point reinforces the theme of new growth and emerging from darkness into light. However, since this is a Full Moon, and it’s the day after the equinox, this isn’t a time of birth, but of bringing what already has been born into full realization. It is a time of blooming into fullness, and that includes awakening consciousness on an individual and also broad, collective scale.

Jupiter and Uranus, which were in the first few degrees of Aries during the height of the T-square, are now retrograde and back in Pisces for the rest of the year. But they are still conjunct the Moon by just a few degrees and so are very active participants in this Full Moon. Even retrograde in Pisces, these two are big, loud, and rebellious, especially with Jupiter at his closest approach to the Earth in nearly 50 years. From Tea Party gains to powerful storms in the Atlantic, these two are making themselves felt (maybe all the hot air in Washington is keeping those storms offshore).

Saturn, meanwhile, has advanced to nearly 7 degrees Libra and makes a wide conjunction with the Sun. A lot can be accomplished, particularly in the sphere of relationships. With Saturn separating from the tight square to Pluto, we no longer have powerful forces working against each other, and this is another reason for my optimism that we can start achieving the progress we just couldn’t manage to pull off a couple of months ago.

At 26 degrees Sagittarius, Ceres is in a tight square with Jupiter and Uranus as she moves toward alignment with the Galactic Center and conjunction with Pluto. Ceres, symbol of the cycles in nature, was a major influence in the chart for the BP Horizon disaster. Fittingly, the news headlines talk of the well’s permanent death. But, as with the fateful meeting between Demeter and Hades (Greek counterparts to Ceres and Pluto), the implications will be with us for a very long time.

Ceres also makes a tight trine to Neptune and Chiron, reinforcing the theme of collective healing. Understanding that life experiences come in cycles is one way to feel whole and connected, even when we’re surrounded by darkness, chaos, and confusion.

Mercury, Venus, and Mars are in a wide, separating aspect, and they aren’t major influences in this chart. It’s important to note, though, that Venus is slowing down as she gets closer to retrograde on October 8. She’ll conjoin Mars right before that.

Lastly, I’d like to mention that this is the first of two full moons in Aries this year. After the New Moon in Libra on October 7, we will be back in the cycle of the New Moon in a sign followed by the Full Moon in the opposite sign. The next Full Moon in Aries falls on October 22, the day before the Sun enters Scorpio. It will have a very different feel to it than this one, so stay tuned for a complete report next month.

The Sabian Symbol** for the Moon at 0°15′ Aries is, A woman rises out of water, a seal rises and embraces her. The keyword is REALIZATION. As the first degree of Aries, this is a powerful symbol of the soul emerging from the primordial state of non-existence, or what we might call the “unmanifest.”

According to Marc Edmond Jones, who channeled the Sabian symbols in the early 1920s, this symbol is about “feminine receptivity calling up a more masculine or personal and self-seeking initiative.” Put to positive use, this energy allows us to see life as a field of unlimited experiences we can use to our advantage at any time. Closing yourself to this realization may result in failure to find your true purpose in life, because the ego-self stays stuck in its obsessions.

For the Sun at 0°15′ Libra, the Sabian Symbol is a butterfly made perfect by a dart through it, with the keyword ARTICULATION. Whereas the first degree of Aries is about the soul emerging out of the unmanifest, the first degree of Libra is about emerging consciousness. I couldn’t think of a more appropriate symbol for our time! This symbol is about seeing beyond the material world and living fully, completely, from the heart and soul.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

** From The Sabian Symbols in Astrology, by Dr. Marc Edmond Jones. The author, an astrologer, channeled this work in the early 1920s. There’s one symbol one for each degree of the zodiac, and we can use them to gain insight into charts.

Full Moon in Pisces, August 24

The Full Moon in Pisces on August 24 offers another portal or “way out” of obstacles we’ve been facing during the cardinal T-square.

The Full Moon typically indicates endings, and in the last sign of the zodiac, this lunation helps us clear out what is no longer working in order to make room for dramatic changes to come. The action may be stalled for a few weeks, no thanks to retrograde Mercury, but we nonetheless can explore the opportunities and prepare to let go of situations and relationships that are holding us back.

The limitations and challenges many of us are confronting are related to the
cardinal T-square, and they are tough indeed. Many seem to have no resolution. Words my clients use to describe their situations include stuck, overwhelmed, at a crossroad, caught in the crossfire. Even those who are having a positive experience have a sense of events unfolding too quickly.

At the apex of the T-square, Pluto is taking all the heat. Pluto symbolizes death, rebirth, and transformation, but this cycle has been blocked by the opposed energies of Saturn, Uranus, and Jupiter, all of which are still in tight aspect at the Full Moon.

I’ve mentioned a few times that one way out of a stuck situation is to look at the space in your chart opposite transiting Pluto. That will remain true for the duration of the T-square. However, this Full Moon offers a powerful out via a lovely earth trine from Pluto to the Sun in practical Virgo and a sextile from Pluto to the Moon in otherworldly Pisces.

As we get nearer to the Full Moon, you suddenly may see the source of an obstacle, allowing you to more effectively free yourself of whatever or whoever has been holding you back. Or, those limiting circumstances simply may dissolve, leaving you free to transform or transcend. In some cases, the urgent need to let go of these things may stem from a new approach you began at the New Moon in Leo two weeks ago.

Neptune, ruler of this Full Moon, is at 27 degrees Aquarius, placing him in a moderately close, out-of-sign conjunction with the Moon at 1°26′ Pisces. He’s also closely conjunct Chiron at 28 degrees Aquarius. I’ve written a lot over the past several years about the collective healing effects of the Chiron-Neptune conjunction, especially where old wounds from our past are concerned. This alignment sends a powerful message of clearing “old stuff” in order to evolve under the pressure of the T-square.

Mercury retrograde in Virgo, the sign opposite Pisces, actually may be beneficial in this regard. Combined with the Full Moon in Pisces, it’s a great time to access your higher consciousness via daily chores, service to others, exercise and meditation, all with mindfulness. When we quiet our minds, a space opens up to receive answers. Likewise, a window opens for the images we hold of what we’d like to attract or create in our lives.

Mars and Venus are still in fairly close conjunction, which was exact on August 20, an hour before Mercury went retrograde. This suggests that issues of balance and cooperation in relationships will remain throughout Mercury’s retrograde phase and will need to be revisited. The conjunction took place in Libra, ruled by Venus, so it is the feminine energy that was strengthened.

In the Full Moon chart, Venus is approaching a sextile with Ceres, ruler of the cyclical nature of life. Some of us may need to “go under” temporarily in order to rebalance and heal. Ceres herself is approaching a third and final conjunction with Pluto at the apex of the T-square, an alignment deeply symbolic of transformation through delving inside ourselves and confronting all the scary things that lurk there.

The Sabian Symbol** for the Moon at 1°26′ Pisces is a squirrel hiding from hunters, with the keyword CAUTION. This is about self-preservation, but we’re not talking about the ego self. Your first duty is to your higher purpose, whatever that may be, and that requires acting in your own best interests.

For the Sun at 1°26′ Virgo, the Sabian Symbol is a large white cross upraised, with the keyword GLORIFICATION. At its best, this symbol represents offering your unique gift in service of humanity. You can’t do that if you allow yourself to be bound by what others want and expect of you.

Freeing yourself will not be without some risk, and it may entail some pain and sorrow, too. But it is part of our growth collectively and as individuals.

Love and courage to all,
Pat

Full Moon in Aquarius, July 25

There’s a certain exuberance to the Full Moon in Aquarius this Sunday that suggests movement, and lots of it. It could be the out that we’ve all been looking for, the “open sesame” that magically creates a door in the brick wall we’ve been hitting for so long.

The Sun in Leo opposite the Moon in Aquarius forms one axis of a mystical rectangle. The crossing axis has Saturn in Libra and Mars in late Virgo in one corner, opposite Jupiter and Uranus in Aries in the other. And so, while this Full Moon isn’t part of the cardinal T-square, it connects with it directly via sextiles and trines — soft aspects that create a path for the blocked energies of oppositions to flow.

Uranus is the ruler of this Full Moon, and he’s less than a day away from an exact opposition with Saturn, the fifth and last pass of this contentious pairing. Uranus is the rebel who bucks convention, the freedom fighter, the innovator, the spark of genius, the awakener.

Saturn, conversely, is the authoritarian, the disciplinarian, the lord of time and the material world, the enforcer of structure and order. With Saturn and Uranus in opposition since Nov. 4, 2008 — Election Day in the United States — many of us have felt solidly stuck, while certain elements in society have become increasingly polarized. The Full Moon in Aquarius provides a release for the pent-up rebellious energies of Uranus.

What will be unleashed? And what will we find on the other side of that door? Many of us are going to experience an awakening of some sort, and that could open the door to solutions that have eluded us so far. Indeed, when we expand our point of view and see problems from a broader perspective, we can come up with creative new ways of solving them.

While the Moon in Aquarius represents detached, cool reason, the Sun in Leo symbolizes the heart, joy, and the celebration of life. It is who we are at our core, where our higher mind shines through us. When the challenges facing us are so tough that we throw our hands up in defeat, that’s often the moment when we break through to the knowledge of who we are and what we’re here for. That, in turn, gives us renewed hope and the will to keep pushing ahead.

Saturn, Uranus and Jupiter form a T-square with Pluto in Capricorn. As I noted in this week’s forecast, we’re on the final ascent to the peak of the T-square, which is at its most powerful during the last week of July and the first week of August. Climbing is hard work, and we’ve got a bit more to go. Hopefully, we’ll be able to rest at the top and take in an awesome view, but I think it’s possible that the awe may have some shock to it.

This also means that the Sun is inconjunct Pluto, which is not a happy arrangement. An informed, knowledgeable, enlightened, and empowered populace is a threat to government corruption and corporate greed.

There is one other opposition in the Full Moon chart, between Mercury in late Leo and Neptune and Chiron in late Aquarius. When those in power are challenged by the truth, the response is often to confuse the situation by overwhelming the public with meaningless facts and to deliberately pit their opponents against each other. Our collective wound makes us susceptible to this kind of cynical manipulation, so it is all the more imperative that we work to heal our hearts and minds.

Venus at 17 degrees Virgo is square Ceres at 21 degrees Sagittarius. I’m not sure how this might play out, but it seems sad, somehow. Venus, the planet of love and desire, is in her fall in Virgo, and the square with Earth Mother Ceres represents a conflict between two archetypal feminine figures. We’ll just have to watch the headlines to figure this one out.

The Sabian Symbol** for the Moon at 2°59′ Aquarius is a deserter from the navy, with the keyword DEFIANCE. For once, Marc Edmond Jones doesn’t need any translation. He wrote, “This is a symbol of human independence carried to a point of extreme rebellion against things as they are, here emphasized in a disregard of all consequence for the sake of immediate liberation of the spirit.” This image might apply equally well to the Saturn-Uranus opposition. Once we awaken to the truth, living under the old rules becomes suffocating, and we’ll take radical steps to extricate ourselves.

For the Sun at 2°59′ Leo, the Sabian Symbol is a woman having her hair bobbed, with the keyword DECISION. When a woman drastically changes her hairstyle, it’s usually because she has gone through a personal transformation. The haircut is a conscious decision, a means of showing the world that she is a different person. What could be more Leo than that?

We’re becoming different people as new doors open in our hearts and minds. I have a feeling we’ll be changing a lot more than just our hair.

Pat

Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Capricorn, June 26

Most of you know by now that there will be a lunar eclipse at the Full Moon on June 26.

As we approach the eclipse, the Earth, Sun, and Moon are steadily moving into alignment, exerting a powerful gravitational force on our planet. This is just a partial eclipse, but it will be followed two weeks later, on July 11, by a total eclipse of the Sun.

This alignment overlaps with an astrological alignment of several planets in a T-square, which is exerting a different kind of force — one that scientists dismiss as superstition and that astrologers admittedly don’t understand completely. Based on many centuries of observations, we know that certain events on Earth correlate with planetary cycles, but we aren’t able to explain exactly how or why this happens.

Although astrologers don’t agree on the mechanism, most of us are in agreement that an eclipse conjunct Pluto at the apex of a cardinal T-square will correlate to extreme events in our material world. It’s possible that some of these developments will be positive. Perhaps BP suddenly will find a way to staunch the gaping wound they opened in the Earth’s surface and make all of the oil slicks vanish. Maybe manna from heaven will fall on all of the unemployed, displaced, and dispossessed. Perhaps the Israelis and Palestinians will line up, hold hands, and start singing, “We Are the World.”

I wish I could remain optimistic, but as of this writing, I’m exhausted, weary, and unnerved. As dramatic as events have been over the past three months, it appears that they’ve been only the tip of the iceberg, and we’re going to have to rally our spirits and resources to get through the weeks and months ahead.

Events related to this lunar eclipse may occur earlier in the week, which is why I’m posting this analysis a bit earlier than usual. The Sun’s ingress into Cancer on June 21 activates a tight cardinal T-square, with the Sun square Uranus and Jupiter in early Aries and opposite Pluto. I’ll have more in my weekly forecast, which I’m hoping to publish on Sunday evening.

The Full Moon peaks at 7:30 a.m. EDT (11:30 UT), at 4°46 Capricorn opposite the Sun at 4°46 Cancer. The Moon will be in the same degree as Pluto, with Sun, Moon, Pluto, and Mercury in a tight square with Uranus at 0°33 Aries and Jupiter at 2°14 Aries.

That’s a lot of pressure on the Earth. I do not feel qualified to use astrology as a predictive tool for earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, storms at sea, and so forth, so I will leave that up to others. All I will say is that I wouldn’t be surprised by such an event. Continued financial collapse and political unrest I take as a given, whether at this eclipse or later in the summer.

Now, I have to say that there is some question in my mind about the role of Saturn. As ruler of Capricorn, Saturn is lord of this Full Moon, so he definitely is a key to our interpretation. Further, he is closely square the Sun and Moon, but technically, he’s not part of a cardinal configuration, as he is in the final degrees of Virgo, a mutable sign.

Saturn can be a stabilizing influence that keeps all hell from breaking loose. This is important. Using the example of BP, it could make the difference between a successfully drilled relief well that decreases the flow of oil into the gulf and a miscalculation that causes the whole well to collapse.

However, in a mutable earth sign, Saturn literally could signify moving earth. I don’t like the sound of that.

Further complicating matters, if I were a sidereal astrologer, I would consider this eclipse to be a tight mutable grand cross. That would still create a lot of change, although a cross is more stable than a T-square, and Saturn’s influence would most definitely be stabilizing. Isn’t this a nice little dilemma? Either we have a cardinal T-square, in which case Saturn is the “release” point across from the apex, or we have a mutable grand cross — two different interpretations, with different sets of implications.

Take your pick.

Regardless of which astrological system we use, there are two possible release paths in this eclipse, represented by the soft aspects that allow energy to flow.

The first is Mars, which at 10°23 Virgo is at a wide sextile to the Sun and Mercury and a wide trine to Pluto and the Moon. Mars is the planet of war and aggression, but he’s also the sign of action. Virgo is analytical and results-oriented, and it’s also the sign of detail-oriented work such as engineering and financial accounting. Geniuses in either of those fields would be most welcome on the planet right now.

The second soft aspect is to Neptune and Chiron, conjunct in the last degrees of Aquarius and first degree of Pisces. This places them in a wide trine to the Sun and a wide sextile to the Moon and Pluto. I’ve written a lot about the healing potential in these two outer bodies. As individuals work on our personal healing, we are contributing to a collective that is healthier in mind, body, and spirit. Many of us are horrified by recent events, all the more so when we realize the small ways we have been contributing unconsciously to environmental degradation, war, and human rights violations.

If I can’t predict anything else, I can say with certainty that events this summer will be a wake-up call for those who have been half asleep. As I commented in the last Full Moon post, We often forget, as we plod along in our daily grind, that it takes only one extraordinary moment to change our lives forever. This is true for individuals and for society as a whole. In these tumultuous times, we can’t take anything for granted.

Unfortunately, those who are in sound slumber aren’t likely to wake up at this point. I’m sorry to have to say this, but let’s face the reality.

As for Venus, the lonely planet of love and beauty is unaspected in this eclipse. I suppose I could stretch and put her in a wide semi-sextile with somebody or do a mathematical sleight of hand and make her a midpoint of something, but I like to keep things real simple. Look at the chart, and you will see her alone, hanging out all by herself at 14 degrees Leo. Girls just wanna have fun, and there’s no one to party with.

So here’s what I would advise her to do: Bake treats for your family, take some to your neighbors and co-workers, and do whatever you can to spread as much cheer as possible in the world.

The Sabian Symbol** for the Sun at 4°46′ Cancer is an automobile wrecked by a train, with the keyword DISPERSION. When we act in a certain way, individually or collectively, we set off a chain of events that reach a logical and even predictable outcome. Yet, at any step of the way, if we recognize that we’re on a destructive path, we can change directions, but we have to have a good idea of where we’re going and how we’re going to get there, or we could end up in even more trouble.

For the Moon at 4°46′ Capricorn, the Sabian Symbol is Indians rowing a canoe and dancing a war dance, with the keyword MOBILIZATION. In keeping with the nature of cardinal signs, this symbol is about action. External circumstances sometimes require us to set aside our ideals and focus on practical necessities. Tough times demand hard decisions and aggressive leadership.

It will be important for us to remember these symbols and their messages in the two weeks ahead. Following this lunar eclipse, we’ll be in a difficult inter-eclipse period that will culminate with a total eclipse of the Sun on July 11. I will have more on these trends in the days ahead, so check back.

Wishing you all strong hearts filled with love and courage,
Pat

Full Moon in Sagittarius, May 27

The changes begun at the New Moon on May 13 come full circle at the Full Moon in Sagittarius on May 27.

All four mutable signs — Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces — are activated at this Full Moon, suggesting rapid, unpredictable, and irreversible change. There is no going back. Some of us may be in radically different circumstances than we were in a month ago.

Fortunately, the mutable signs are flexible and adapt readily to change. As unnerved as you may be initially, you should find it fairly easy to settle into your new surroundings.

We often forget, as we plod along in our daily grind, that it takes only one extraordinary moment to change our lives forever. This is true for individuals and for society as a whole. In these tumultuous times, we can’t take anything for granted.

The Sun at 6°33′ Gemini opposite the Moon at 6°33′ Sagittarius make a wide, out-of-sign trine and sextile with Saturn, Jupiter and Uranus, all in the final degrees of mutable signs. As of this lunation, the cosmic shakeup begins in earnest, with Uranus leaving Pisces less than three hours later and streaming headlong into cardinal Aries. Watch the news headlines for signs of sudden events, possibly shocking. Jupiter, ruler of this Full Moon, isn’t far behind. He’ll enter Aries on June 5, and I doubt he’ll do so quietly.

Venus, meanwhile, is at 9°27′ Cancer, in a separating opposition with Pluto at 4°48′ Capricorn. That makes a wide, out-of-sign grand cross, but I wouldn’t rate it as very powerful. At best, Venus in Cancer can help us nurture the relationships with those we love. At worst, some of us will feel emotionally overwhelmed for a few days. Cry if you must, but don’t expect a lot of sympathy.

The Sun and Moon also make a wide square with Neptune and Chiron. The danger here is that many people will choose to remain in denial, oblivious to the shift that is happening and therefore unprepared for events to come. None of us can predict exactly what will happen or when, but these powerful transits will manifest in the material world. The question remains how and when.

The mayhem following the eruption of the Eyafjallajökull volcano should serve as a warning. I don’t mean to be pessimistic or to spread gloom and doom, but we only need to look at how people clamored over one another for airline seats to imagine what would happen if, for example, our food supply were disrupted or we couldn’t access our ATM. People in the developing world have long experience with such conditions, but we in the privileged West do not. And, as we’ve seen, we aren’t likely to get much help from our governments.

The key to our survival in the coming months will be cooperating, sharing, and helping each other, which will be a real test of our sense of security. I urge you now, while we have some breathing space, to think about what you absolutely need and to plan for the immediate future. Also take note of who you’re aligned with.

The Sabian Symbol** for the Sun at 6°33′ Gemini is an old-fashioned well, with the keyword RECOMPENSE. The essence of who we are comes from a deep source that remains pure, despite actions and associations that run contrary to our true spirit. It is never too late to get in touch with our true selves or to starting living with absolute integrity. When we do so, we align ourselves with our higher consciousness and our purpose in this life.

For the Moon at 6°33′ Sagittarius, the Sabian Symbol is cupid knocking at the door, with the keyword ALLUREMENT. Close partnerships test our boundaries and sense of self. Ironically, changing for the benefit of a relationship is sometimes how we find out who we really are. Perhaps that’s why some of us are so driven to remain in difficult romantic relationships. It’s often the most effective way to learn the karmic lessons necessary for healing and wholeness.

As I noted in a previous post, this is Wesak, commemorating the enlightenment of the Buddha. The festival is held annually at the Full Moon in sidereal Scorpio. According to sidereal astrology, the Full Moon on May 27 falls at 11°39′ Scorpio.

In honor of Wesak, I leave you with a link to a wonderful essay on the Buddhist Channel, called “Buddha Wasn’t a Buddhist.” I found it very enlightening, and it dovetails beautifully with the message of our tropical Full Moon in Sagittarius.

Pat

Full Moon in Scorpio, April 28

The Full Moon in Scorpio normally is a magical time of regeneration and rebirth.

That’s all the more true for the Scorpio Full Moon on April 28, thanks to a smooth, flowing connection between the Sun, Moon, and Pluto, Scorpio’s ruler. Moreover, the Sun is in tight conjunction with retrograde Mercury, and Pluto is retrograde, too. Retrograde periods are good for activities starting with “re.” So why not regeneration and rebirth?

As we go through the great cosmic shift of 2010-2012, much in our lives is dying in order to be reborn. We are healing and regenerating, according to ancient cycles of the stars, gods, and humans.

In the Buddhist tradition, the Full Moon in Scorpio is Wesak, celebrated as the day of the Buddha’s enlightenment. Now, technically, Wesak isn’t until May 27, because Buddhists use sidereal astrology, which is a sign “off” from our Western tropical system. Still, we can use the symbolism of Wesak to help us understand the significance of the Full Moon with Sun in Taurus and Moon in Scorpio.

Ruled by lovely Venus, Taurus is the “earthiest” of the earth signs, while Scorpio is the sign of death, regeneration and rebirth. Seeing how the unmanifest comes into existence in the physical world and then disappears back into the unmanifest is key to enlightened consciousness. It liberates us from errors in our thinking that lead to needless stress and suffering.

The Sun at 8°07′ Taurus tightly conjoins Mercury at 8°24′ Taurus, opposite the Moon at 8°07′ Scorpio. Mercury is just under halfway through his retrograde phase, which is often right about the time we really start feeling the effects.

Some of us may feel a bit lazy. If you’re going to succumb to being a couch potato, this is the time to do it! While it may seem like “unenlightened behavior,” I don’t see it that way. To the contrary, it’s often helpful to get your mind completely off a problem so that the deep psyche can work unimpeded. The trine from Mercury to retrograde Pluto will help gain deeper insight, if you just step out of the way and let the process happen. When you return your attention to the issue at hand, you may experience sudden new insight and inspiration. I especially recommend this for intellectual types who live a lot of the time in their heads.

On the downside, it may be hard for some people to open up to new ideas under this influence. If someone is giving you a hard time for being too entrenched in ideas or habits, listen! They may or may not be right, but the fact that they’re bringing it up is your cue for self-examination. Consider the message as a gift.

Also, Venus is at 4° Gemini, inconjunct Pluto and in mutual reception with Mercury. Venus in Gemini loves to talk, talk, talk, but that may get you in trouble when Mercury is retrograde. Words can be misconstrued. It might be better to let our actions speak for themselves, but that could lead to problems, too, with action planet Mars squaring the Sun and Moon. It will be hard for everyone to shrug off perceived slights.

Saturn and Uranus are approaching opposition, which may end up being the real news at this Full Moon. I wrote about this in my weekly forecast and will have more in tomorrow’s post.

Lastly, Ceres is stationed near Pluto, set to turn retrograde later in the day. According to classical mythology, Ceres dared to confront Jupiter and Pluto over the disappearance of her daughter and held them accountable for their actions. I think we’ll see this mostly in societal terms, as the powers that be are forced to take responsibility for bad public policy, especially concerning the economy and environment.

However, we may see some effects in our private lives, too. At the very least, we may need to reflect on how past decisions or behavior are affecting us in the present. It’s never too late to change!

For the Moon at 8°07′ Scorpio, the Sabian Symbol** is dental work, with the keyword PRACTICALITY. Most of us don’t pay nearly the attention to our spiritual health as we do to our physical bodies, and yet this is what’s needed in order to maintain a “healthy soul” that can connect with others in our soul community.

The Sabian Symbol for the Sun at 8°07′ Taurus is a Christmas tree decorated, with the keyword SYMBOLIZATION. An image of the winter holidays might seem out of place at this time of year, but its message is of spiritual renewal through sharing with friends and family. One of the most important things we can share with others is our unique gift to the world, and often we must go through a spiritual “death” and regeneration to find it.

It’s the classic tale of the hero’s journey, which takes us to hell and back.

Pat

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The astrology of world affairs, human evolution, the future, and the state of the universe.