Tag Archives: Aquarius
Weekly Forecast August 4: Mars Trine Neptune, Full Moon in Aquarius
Rays of God. © Pat Paquette, 2014.
For me, that means sitting down and coming up with a new daily schedule. After moving and getting a kitten, my day seems to run me rather than the other way around, which has resulted in being run ragged. Change is like that. Even when we get the changes we want, Continue reading
Aquarius Rising: The Aquarius Soul
Aquarius. © Johfra, JohfraPosters.com
Because Aquarius is the sign of the water carrier, many people mistakenly believe it is a water sign, yet if this were the case, we would see much more emotion from our often cool, aloof, and detached Aquarian friends. While water signs are about mastering emotions, air signs are about mastering the mind, and as the fixed air sign, Aquarius is all about the mind. Aquarius’s concern about humanitarian ideals and their apparent coolness on a personal level can seem like a contradiction until we understand the nature of air and fixed energy.
How can one be concerned for the whole of humanity and be apparently uncaring or “unfeeling” on a personal level? We might question their integrity and wonder whether they actually care or not. This is because Aquarius’s humanitarian concerns come from the head rather than the heart. It is an intellectual ideal born from intelligence and cold reason, rather than heartfelt compassion. “We are civilized people so we should be concerned for one another’s welfare.” This is one of the keys to understanding both the fear-based reactions and love-based expressions of Aquarius.
To really understand both the fear-based reactions and love-based expressions of this enigmatic sign, we need to briefly review the nature of fixed energy. In astrology, we speak of energy as having three “modalities” or modes of expression, sometimes called “qualities” because they describe the quality of the energy being expressed. These three modalities are cardinal, fixed, and mutable.
To understand how they work in harmony, think of a tree. The first green shoot that fights its way purposefully through the rocks and the earth towards the light of day is driven by cardinal energy, the energy of creation, evolution, and new beginnings. Cardinal energy is a driving force that pushes life onwards and upwards.
Now think of the trunk of the tree. That is fixed energy, the energy of a placeholder, containing and holding the energy within a fixed form or structure. Wherever there is structure – the structure of the trunk, the branches, the leaves, the cells within the leaves and even the DNA structure within those cells – we have fixed energy at work. It is fixed energy that will stabilize the tree within a structure for the duration of its life so it can fulfill its purpose.
Now think of the end of the life cycle when the tree dies. The leaves die and drop off, the trunk eventually breaks down, and the matter decomposes and transform into compost. This breaking down and changing and dissolving of form is mutable energy. The energy can then be reused (in the form of cardinal energy) once again at the beginning of a new life cycle. In the modalities we see the three essential energies that comprise the cycle of life: cardinal (creation), fixed (stability), and mutable (destruction).
Now think of the octaves of the musical scale, and you’ll understand the biggest challenge for all fixed signs, especially Aquarius. Fixed energy wants to “fixate” on something. So the only question becomes whether you lock and hold on the lowest octaves of the scale or on the highest ones. In terms of your spiritual journey, this refers to your level of consciousness.
As the fixed air sign, Aquarius is all about mastering the mind and the intellect. This is what makes Aquarius one of the most challenging signs for those on the spiritual quest, because changing course (by changing your mind) once you have locked in on your target like a heat-seeking missile is one of the most difficult things for you to do. This is why our Aquarian friends (and indeed all fixed signs) have a reputation for stubbornness.
On the spiritual journey, the activity of the intellect is actually considered an obstacle. We need to be able to go beyond intellect in order to realize spiritual truth, and this is where Aquarius often gets caught. Contrary to our contemporary Western view (where intellect is held in the highest esteem), in terms of spiritual development, attachment to intellectual ideas without the experience of direct perception is considered a form of ignorance.
[quote cite=”~ Lankavatara sutra translated by Walpola Sri Rahula”]Ignorant people get stuck in words like an elephant on the mud.[/quote]
The term “ignorance” in this context is not meant to be offensive, but refers to people who are not yet spiritually awake. We are all “ignorant” as long as our perception of spiritual truth is obscured, and it is the intellect that can be one of our biggest obstacles. In Esoteric Astrology, the Tibetan explains that we are evolving from instinct, through intellect, to intuition. In other words, intellect is a developmental stage that we are passing through. So when our Aquarian friends get stuck there, their spiritual development has reached a hiatus! The above quote is speaking of the problem of being stuck at the intellectual level.
Spiritual teachers and yogis speak of three levels of consciousness: gross, subtle, and extremely subtle. Gross consciousness is tangible and most related to our senses; we can see a rock, we can pick it up and feel it. We can hear running water. Subtle consciousness is the realm of thoughts. We are aware of thinking, but we cannot see our thoughts or touch them. This is where we experience the intellect. Extremely subtle consciousness lies in the stillness and silence beyond thoughts, and this is where we experience intuition. It is the consciousness of the Universe, and once we are able to abide at this level for prolonged periods of time, as great masters and yogis do, it is said that we have access to the wisdom of the Universe.
The musical scale of our spiritual journey is the ability to reach the high note of extremely subtle consciousness and remain there. While it is difficult for our Aquarian friends to navigate their way up the scale, and they face the danger of becoming stuck at the level of intellect, once they do reach the level of extremely subtle consciousness, their fixed nature gives them the advantage of being able to hold their attention there for long periods of time. Fixed signs can be great meditators if they have chosen well and fixed on the right level of consciousness! This is where we see the highest octave of Aquarius. Esoterically, Aquarius is the sign of group consciousness. This is not the tribal consciousness that is often associated with Cancer, but refers to the highest unity consciousness that is accessible only at the level of extremely subtle consciousness.
As we follow the soul’s journey through the twelve signs of the Zodiac, after the soul in the cardinal earth sign of Capricorn has learned how to methodically take the steps up the mountain (in other words to navigate the musical scale of consciousness and reach the high note of unity consciousness), Aquarius is able to hold the tone and allow the spiritual waters of love and life to flow for the benefit of humanity. At this extremely subtle level of consciousness, it is not holding in the sense of grasping, but rather it is a soft focus on subtle energies that accepts the flow of the dual waters of Aquarius, love and life. This is why, although Aquarius is the sign of the water carrier and has the symbolism of being a “vessel” to bring forth spiritual energy, we can also see that the water is always flowing. This is a vessel through which spiritual energy flows and is not contained.
[quote cite=”~ Alan Wilson Watts”]You cannot understand life and its mysteries as long as you try to grasp it. Indeed, you cannot grasp it, just as you cannot walk off with a river in a bucket. If you try to capture running water in a bucket, it is clear that you do not understand it and that you will always be disappointed, for in the bucket the water does not run. To “have” running water you must let go of it and let it run.[/quote]
At this level, the energy of Aquarius joins with his polar opposite, heart-centered Leo, and the united sign of Aquarius-Leo flows the energy of love and life through a pure and open heart. Once we balance the Aquarius-Leo polarity, we are centered in our hearts, yet connected to the collective consciousness of humanity at one and the same time. There is great warmth and love here and not the cool, uncaring, aloofness that is often associated with the intellectual Aquarian. This is also why, esoterically, at its highest spiritual expression, Aquarius is the sign of the collective consciousness of humanity and the flowering of human consciousness. Once we have completed our soul’s passage through Aquarius, then we are ready for the sacred heart opening that happens on the last stage of our journey in Pisces!
If you have Aquarius Rising, you can consider yourself to be an Aquarian Soul, and your highest purpose is to flow the “dual waters of love and life for the benefit of thirsty humanity” (the Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology). The only question is whether you will fix your attention on a lower consciousness by getting caught in your own mental activity, or whether you will be able to go beyond your own thoughts and focus your attention on the peace and stillness that lies within. Then you will reach your highest soul purpose and access the flowering collective consciousness of humanity, and love and life will pour through you for the benefit of all.
Ruth
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Ruth Hadikin – Soul Astrologer
To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”
Weekly Forecast January 13: Full Moon in Cancer, Sun Enters Aquarius
Sun break. © Pat Paquette, 2014.
OK, maybe a lot of discomfort.
Some of the changes may feel out of our control, and they might entail giving up something first in order to clear the way for something better. Even changes that are within our control will require almost superhuman discipline. Fortunately, we will have some cosmic help, with three planets in Capricorn all sending energy to Saturn, ruler of Capricorn and master of commitment and discipline. Moreover, Saturn in Scorpio has no time for whining and procrastinating, especially where finances are concerned. This applies not only to individuals, but to nations.
Still, it’s not going to be easy to stick to your guns, and there’s a risk of playing mind games to stay in your comfort zone. We’ll be in the pull of the Full Moon in Cancer for most of the week. Cancer needs its creature comforts and fears the unknown. Jupiter also is in Cancer, retrograde, and he’s closing in on a cardinal T-square with Uranus and Pluto. He’s also square Mars and opposite Venus. If what you’re trying to eliminate involves separating from a partner or spending less time with an inconsiderate friend, the urge to go back on your commitment could be hard to resist. Likewise, if the change you’re trying to make involves sticking to a tight budget, you could find it hard to keep your resolve.
The Moon reaches peak fullness just short of midnight East Coast time on Wednesday (it will be Thursday in the Eastern Hemisphere). Typically, something begins at the New Moon – a project, a relationship, a new opportunity – and it culminates at the Full Moon, plus or minus a few days. However, the New Moon also can represent an ending, and the New Moon in Capricorn on New Year’s Day had endings written all over it. Think about what might have ended for you two weeks ago or maybe a little before. Or perhaps you knew at the New Moon that you needed to let go of something in your life that was holding you back, but you weren’t quite ready to give it up. In that case, this Full Moon could bring confirmation that eliminating what isn’t working for you is in your best interest. The evidence might come through a specific incident, or perhaps a eureka moment accompanied by a strong feeling that you’re on the right track. The process of clearing away and cleaning out will create a space for something new and better to come into your life at the New Moon in Aquarius on January 30.
Likewise, if a door closed for you at the New Moon, a new door may not open until the end of the month. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. You’ll have an opportunity to slow down and get back in tune with your feelings. You might find that you feel differently about a change than you did two weeks ago. If you didn’t react back then, or if you had to keep your emotions under wraps due to circumstances, now you’ll get a chance to release pent-up emotional energy. It’s not always a comfortable place to be, but emotional release is necessary. Give yourself permission to give in without judgment. There are no “negative” feelings. Even anger has its place, and it’s one of the feelings we most often suppress. It’s just hard to find an appropriate way to release it without hurting someone, including yourself – like the time in my late 20s when I kicked a wall, forgetting that I was wearing sandals. A vigorous workout is the best way to blow off steam. Housecleaning is good, too.
Click on image to enlarge
Cancer represents family and the comforts of home, while Capricorn is usually associated with career and ambition. But we tend to forget that Capricorn is a feminine sign. Half goat, half fish, the mythical sea goat can scale the highest mountains and dive to the depths of the ocean. In some ancient cultures, mountains were associated with powerful goddesses. The sea, from which life on earth sprang, is associated with Cancer, the sign of mother, the womb, and birth. We think of Saturn-ruled Capricorn as father to Cancer’s mother, but it’s also the family matriarch, the grandmother who has seen and done it all and provides wise guidance to successive generations.
The cardinal signs – Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn – represent initiating energy, and all four will be active for several months. That’s why astrologers are predicting so much change. And yet, this Full Moon has an enduring quality to it, telling me that the changes we’re seeing may be new and even a little scary, but they are part of a larger cycle. Dwarf planet Ceres is in Libra and square the Full Moon by less than half a degree. I’m still observing how Ceres functions in individual and mundane charts, but her mythology suggests something to do with cycles, like the changing seasons and life cycles of plants and animals. With our technology oriented lifestyle, we often lose touch with these natural cycles and, as a result, feel separated from nature.
A continuing “outlet” for tense cardinal energies to flow is the easy sextile from Pluto to Chiron in Pisces, which represents deep healing in our individual and collective psyches. The root for “healing” is the same as for “whole.” To be whole, we have to feel a connection with the oneness of the universe.
A second outlet at this Full Moon is the sextile from Mercury in Aquarius to Uranus in Aries on Friday (late Thursday in western time zones). Mercury and Uranus both represent the intellectual workings of the mind, and Mercury in Aquarius has some of the same spark of genius associated with Uranus, ruler of Aquarius in modern astrology. The sextile is dynamic and conducive to the firing of neurons. Pay attention to sudden flashes of brilliance. There’s a possibility of coming up with innovate and unconventional solutions to perennial problems.
Lastly, there is a positive sextile/trine from Sun and Moon to Saturn. The Sun-Saturn sextile was exact on Saturday, but it’s still active as of the Full Moon. This is the pathway along which stress transforms to productivity. I know that stress is damaging to health, and we wish we didn’t have so much of it. Yet, studies show that a certain amount of stress is good for you. The old saying, “Necessity is the mother of invention” might well be adapted to our era as, “The necessity to reduce stress is the mother of invention.”
Late Sunday (in the United States), the Sun leaves staid Capricorn and enters quirky Aquarius. The eleventh sign of the zodiac is future-oriented, scientifically pioneering, unconventional, and humanistic – although it’s also a fixed sign and can stubbornly resist change, especially in its thinking. Just one of its quirky inconsistencies. Still, I think it’s a good combination with the cardinal energies, as it represents higher ideals at a time when there’s so much momentum worldwide for change. What do we want to become? What kind of future do we see for ourselves as a group, a nation, a species?
Next week we get another short breather, so if this week gets too emotional, relief will be on the way.
Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat
© Pat Paquette, RealAstrologers.com, 2013.
Weekly Forecast July 22: Sun Enters Leo, Full Moon in Aquarius
Creations of the Sun. © Pat Paquette, 2013.
The news gets more and more depressing. The Obama administration has given itself a free pass to keep spying on the world, U.S. citizens included, while Edward Snowden is trapped at the Moscow airport, and Bradley Manning faces life in prison. Did you see the photos of him leaving the courtroom at Fort Meade? Why does such a little guy need to be surrounded by beefy, gun-toting guards? Obviously, he scares the bejeesus out of some powerful people.
News headlines get multiplied by orders of magnitude on the social media. I have to tell you, I’m burned out on the constant stream of posts screaming, “Oh my god, have you heard what they’ve done now?” I get it! Everyone with a brain connected to a heart gets it. Those without that connection aren’t going to get it, no matter how many times the message is repeated on Facebook or how loud it’s shouted. Really, it’s not much different than trying to convert someone to your religion.
OK, so we know it’s bad. The police state is so far advanced that it’s too late to fight without risking life and limb. Even more frightening, many of the 99 percent defend it. Yet, every now and then, between the predictable comments on news articles, an intelligent voice in the wilderness asks, “OK, but what can we do about it? Venting in comments and on the social media does nothing.”
So here we are, looking over a deep chasm, the bridge collapsed and rusting, and no way across. Which brings me back to where I started. I’ve been saying all of this for so long that I feel like a broken record, and I don’t have any new answers. All I can do is look at planetary movements and form some kind of an educated guess about how long the current situation will last. Unfortunately, the news isn’t good. We’re in for several more years of turmoil, and things are going to get worse before they get better. You don’t need to be an astrologer to know that. In the meantime, we need to get our priorities straight, examine our values, revise our goals, and work within our communities – not necessarily in that order.
Of all those strategies, finding your community is the hardest, especially if you’re a free thinker. The trick is to maintain your individual voice while working for the common good. Humans are social animals, and most of us do care about our fellows. I’d venture that a good majority are even willing to give more than they get back – provided, of course, that they feel they’re giving to a worthy endeavor. But we don’t like being just another cog in the wheel, especially when that wheel powers a destructive machine.
This is precisely the message of Aquarius, sign of Monday’s Full Moon. Aquarians (of which I am one) tend to be freethinking individuals who don’t go along with the groupthink, and yet this is the sign of humanitarian causes, community action, and our human “family.” Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité. I’ll talk more about the Full Moon, but first let’s have a look at the general lay of the land.
This week we’re in the in-between zone of last week’s dreamy grand trine and a tense cardinal T-square. In both configurations, Jupiter and Mars play a key role, and we start right out on Monday with an exact conjunction of this dynamic pair. Indeed, Monday is the biggest day of the week. Right after the conjunction of Mars and Jupiter, Venus enters Virgo, then the Sun enters Leo, and just over two hours later, we have our first Full Moon in Aquarius of the summer. Yes, there will be another on August 20.
Mars and Jupiter are conjunct not only by latitude but also in declination. In other words, they will be extremely close to each other in the sky, which isn’t always true of conjunctions. This makes the aspect all the more powerful. In earlier times, this combination in the birth chart of a prince was considered a good sign that he would be a strong king, bringing the country wealth and military might. I’m not a big fan of European royalty, but I can’t help notice that Queen Elizabeth has a close conjunction of Mars and Jupiter in Aquarius. If Baby Cambridge is born in the next few days, she (I’m hoping) also will have this signature. Incidentally, if Kate has the baby right before the Full Moon, it could still be a Cancer. That was my bet, but we’ll see. (Tomorrow’s Full Moon was my third choice.)
Click on image to enlarge
The closer a planet is to the Sun, the faster it appears to move in the sky. While Jupiter is pulling away from the grand trine slowly, Mars is quickly heading for his next connection, which is a cardinal T-square with Uranus and Pluto. Mercury currently is closest to the third leg of the T-square, so we’re getting a glimpse of what’s ahead. Later this week, Mars opposes Pluto, and we descend into the belly of the beast. Mars squares Uranus next week, and then Jupiter comes along in early August. This is one of the stormiest astrological periods of the year, second only to early November. The one consolation I can provide is that you probably already know how the Uranus-Pluto square is manifesting for you personally – if it is, which isn’t a given – so whatever comes at you, while it may seem out of the blue, likely will be part of a ongoing crisis and not an entirely new situation.
Right before the Full Moon on Monday, the Sun enters Leo, sign of individualism and will. Leo has a reputation, not undeserved, as “self-oriented,” but the Full Moon in Aquarius reminds us that individuals form communities, and successful groups value the creativity and individuality of all their members. When the group itself becomes more important than the individuals in it, it’s a slippery slope to forced allegiance and tyranny. It’s interesting that we get a Full Moon both at the first degree of Aquarius and again near the last. That’s nearly a month to contemplate the concept of communities made up of empowered individuals.
© Pat Paquette, 2013.
To sum up, we’ve got our work cut out for us for the next few weeks, but we’re not without the resources to get it done.
I leave you with a stunning video that could change how you think of Saturn forever. And this is just the trailer:
Wishing you all much love and lion-hearted courage,
Pat
Uranus, Jupiter and the Inner Journey of Aquarius, Part II
Young Woman with a Pitcher, by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, 1660-1662. The painting represented a shift in how the artist used light.
This is why conventionally in astrology, even though Leo rules the heart, it is Aquarius that rules the circulation and flow of blood. Esoterically, Aquarius governs the distribution of the vital waters of love and life throughout both the individual human body and the larger body of humanity!
In the first article in this series, we looked at Patanjali’s description of consciousness in terms of five “bodies” or dimensions of experience: physical, energy, mental, intuitive, bliss and, ultimately, universal mind. It seems that Uranus and Jupiter in Aquarius combine to create those conditions necessary for us to experience and transcend the intuitive and bliss dimensions on our journey to universal mind.
The heightened intuition of Uranus combined with the expansiveness of Jupiter serve to expand the fullness of experience towards universal mind by supporting the fusion of mind energy (intuition) and heart energy (bliss). Jupiter plays a major role in the fusion of head and heart, so that the dual “waters” in Aquarius may become one steady stream that we may call “heart-mind.”
Jupiter gives an inherent tendency to fusion which nothing can arrest. The achievement of ultimate synthesis is inevitable, and this Jupiter promotes. ~ The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology
The soul experience in Aquarius can be likened to a collective awakening, which we will have more experiential knowledge of as we reach the culmination of the Aquarian Age. As a result of the conditioning effects of Uranus and Jupiter, there is a flowering of human consciousness. We may think of it as a collective awakening, yet it is more akin to an awareness of our individual roles within the universal mind. Here there is a hint at the role of the Moon at hierarchical level in this mass awakening of humanity. The experience of universal mind is the higher group consciousness of Aquarius and is nothing like our current mental-intellectual experience. Rather, it is a level of higher mind that is born within from the fusion of higher mind (intuition) and heart-wisdom.
If an egg is broken by an outside force life ends.
If an egg is broken by an inside force, life begins.
~ Unknown
Your vital life-force energy comes from within. While it is natural for Aquarius to circulate (Aquarians are amazing networkers) it is more important that you pay attention to how you are flowing your energy. A fully integrated Aquarius will have accessed the heart-energy of their opposite sign Leo and be flowing vital heart-mind energy through an open heart. The Aquarian who is not yet fully attuned to their heart may just be circulating mental information at best and misinformation at worst. If you have Sun, Moon and especially Rising Sign in Aquarius, a major theme in your life is the circulation of life-force energy in the form of heart-wisdom. Be sure to access the inner dimensions of your own heart first to discover the inner fountain of life force energy and heart-wisdom, so you can then flow this energy with conscious intent for the benefit of humanity.
Ruth
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Ruth Hadikin – Soul Astrologer
To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”
Uranus, Jupiter and the Inner Journey of Aquarius, Part I
Young Woman with a Pitcher, by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, 1660-1662. The painting represented a shift in how the artist used light.
The sign of Aquarius is associated with individuality, uniqueness, science, technology, the future, humanitarianism, the New Age and group consciousness.
According to Esoteric Astrology, the last four signs of the zodiac – Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces – are signs of service. Following the soul’s journey through the 12 signs of the zodiac, after the soul in Capricorn has followed and completed the path of light, leading to Christ consciousness, it is time for the soul in Aquarius to become the world server, flowing love and life for the benefit of thirsty humanity.
Four planets are important in creating the conditions necessary for the soul’s development and experience in Aquarius: Saturn, Uranus, Jupiter, and the Moon. Saturn was traditionally considered to be the planetary ruler of Aquarius, and to many people still will be. The conditions that we mentioned in last month’s article pertaining to Saturn and Capricorn also relate to Aquarius when humanity is largely personality centered and driven by fear and attachment. Once the soul has completed the stage of development in Capricorn and has accessed Christ consciousness, it no longer is limited by the constraints of Saturn and comes under the custodianship (planetary rulership) of Uranus.
On the reversed wheel. The Saturnian influence exhausts itself in Capricorn and the man is then set free from karma and needs no presentation of opportunity for he stands a free initiate, a true Master Mason* and can proceed with world service undeterred and held back by no thought of self or selfish desire. ~ The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology
As humanity increasingly moves onto the fixed cross (see last month’s article for an overview of the evolution of consciousness in terms of the three crosses), where there is awareness of soul and personality, Uranus increasingly becomes the custodian of Aquarius at personality level. Jupiter is the custodian of Aquarius at soul level, while interestingly the Moon is the custodian at hierarchical level. Since we already explored Saturn in last month’s article on Capricorn – and the effect would be the same here in Aquarius until the individual consciousness has become receptive to the energies of Uranus – for our purposes in this article we will focus on the two major influences for this early phase of the Aquarian Age, Uranus and Jupiter.
Uranus causes the great transference in the human consciousness from intellectual perception to intuitive knowledge. ~ The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology
The subtle influence of Uranus begins in Aries at hierarchical level, continues working through Libra at soul level, and here in Aquarius, human consciousness has evolved to the degree that the subtle energies of Uranus can be received at personality level so the individual can perceive and fully utilize the intuitive faculty. Although even talking about “perceiving” and “utilizing” is misleading, because it sounds like there is something distinct and separate outside of ourselves to be perceived and utilized, which is not the case. By the time we have a conscious soul in Aquarius, we have gone beyond duality, and the experience of the intuitive faculty is that of embodiment. We realize it is who we are. We are aware of ourselves. This is also why Jupiter is the custodian at soul level in Aquarius, because we are experiencing our most expanded and expansive nature (without self).
The soul in Aquarius becomes the world server, and the highest soul purpose of Aquarius is the dedication of personal energy to the collective. Once again, even the term “collective” could be misleading, because our common understanding of collective is separate individuals forming a group. Yet, the highest soul experience in Aquarius is not one of separation, but of each individual being part of the whole body of humanity. Humanity is experienced as one, with each individual being an integral part, just like the cells within a human body that are individual yet indivisible from the whole. Since there is no experience of a separate self, there is no question of harming “others,” as to do so would be tantamount to chopping off one’s own fingers or toes! Others do not exist as such and all that is experienced is we, as one.
In Part II, we’ll look at the connection between Aquarius and the collective awakening of humanity.
Ruth
Footnote:
*I don’t believe this refers to modern Freemasonry, which the Tibetan describes as a “distortion,” but rather is a simple metaphor for one who is a Master in their respective field.
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Ruth Hadikin – Soul Astrologer
To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”
Weekly Forecast January 21: Full Moon in Leo
Obama’s first inauguration, 2009. Image credit: Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Meneguin, USAF
Now, I’m sensitive to the fact that many of you aren’t in the United States – at last count, RealAstrologers had readers in 180 countries – and while I don’t believe the world turns on everything we do here, it’s hard not to be influenced by one’s culture. Still, I think it’s fair to say that this is one time when activities in Washington really are of global importance.
Over the past week, I’ve been looking at charts for another potential leader, one not even born yet. That would be the first child of Prince William and the former Kate Middleton, whose due date has been revised to July. Palace officials were forced to announce her pregnancy prematurely in early December, because she had to be hospitalized for a rare form of “morning sickness” (technically, it’s not, but that’s how it has been reported). At the time, they said she was 12 weeks pregnant. Of course, I did a quick look at the charts to see if that would put her due date around the time of the grand water trine in July. It didn’t, and so I forgot about it. But then it was announced last week that her due date in fact is in July. I just had to do a video, and fortunately, I was able to knock it out in a few days – I’m getting faster with experience.
Beyond that, I’m a big fan of Kate’s, not because I care about what she wears or how she cuts her hair, but because of the way she has stepped up to the plate to accept her destiny, with more grace and class than most of us would be able to muster. Sure, she gets the best of anything money can buy. But can you imagine being on a international diplomatic tour, with every twitch of your little finger under a microscope, while tabloids were splashing photos of your naked breasts all over the front page? Well, OK, I suppose there are people who get off on that sort of thing. I’d be mortified. On top of that, she’s been on baby watch since the wedding (if not before), as though she were a brood mare.
Anyway, those of you who like to analyze birth charts will have a lot of fun with this video, which shows some fascinating family patterns. Incidentally, these patterns often show up in families. My own is no exception. I’m an Aquarius with Moon in Pisces. My father was an Aquarius, and my mother was a Pisces with Moon and Venus in Aquarius. Both older siblings were Aquarius and Pisces.
Back to this week …
Mercury makes positive aspects to Uranus and Jupiter on Tuesday, stimulating creative thought and big, bold ideas. If you get a legitimate opportunity to turn them into reality, jump on it. The key word here is “legitimate,” and it may be hard for you to determine whether or not you’re onto something big. There’s a lot of impulsiveness in this combination. If you can buy time to sleep on any offers, do it. If you can’t, talk to a friend or someone you trust to give you a reality check.
These same two aspects are repeated by the Sun on Thursday and Friday, so it’s quite possible that if you decide to sleep on the deal of the century and lose out, you’ll get another chance. In fact, any opportunities should stay open right up to the Full Moon on Saturday.
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As you know, I take a cautious approach to asteroids in the chart, since I believe we’re still in an experimental stage regarding how these energies work. But I can’t help think that the close conjunction between Uranus and Pallas is significant. The most intriguing interpretation I’ve seen of Pallas to date comes from Christina of the Oxford Astrologer, who assigns to her an ability to recognize patterns. As she notes, this is particularly important in astrology. Astrology is all about recognizing patterns in order to use planetary energies to further our goals and fulfill our highest potential.
Be receptive to new ideas this week, but also start preparing for Jupiter’s return direct. Look at where he’s transiting your natal chart for an idea of where you’ll get the most help in advancing a cause. I started putting out feelers about a week ago, with some interesting results starting to come in.
Wishing you much love and courage,
Pat
Weekly Forecast January 14: Venus Conjunct Pluto, Sun Enters Aquarius
Frosty Fingers of Saturn. © Pat Paquette, 2013.
I’ve been working purposefully to draw what I want into that space, and I hope you are, too. If you’re following RealAstrologers on Facebook, you saw that I posted a reminder to write your New Moon abundance checks – which I unfortunately neglected to mention in last week’s post. Things are piling up here, too, and sometimes I feel like I need two of me to keep track of everything. On second thought, make that three – two to get it all done while “one of me” takes a vacation on a sunny beach sipping drinks with little umbrellas in them.
I did mention last week that I was about to put the StarGuide Winter 2013 forecast on sale, which I did mid-week. One of the features of this report is my interpretation of each New Moon and Full Moon of the season – where it falls in your chart and what types of activities are favored for you. So, for example, if this recent New Moon fell in your second, tenth, or sixth house, you’ve got the wind at your back to ask for a raise, find a new job, or improve your working conditions. Because we’re in an astrological period suggesting overall belt-tightening, improvements could come through cutting out things you really don’t need or finding cheaper alternatives. Working with the cycles of the Moon is an age-old technique, once considered “magic.” Now, we view it as simply a way to work with available energies, much as you’d work with weather conditions to plant, nurture, and harvest crops.
Of course, we also work with larger planetary cycles, both individually and collectively. If you watched my 2013 video, you know about two very big cycles coming up this year: the grand water trine with Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune, and the Uranus-Pluto square. I just love what Ray Merriman had to say about them in his forecast for this week:
…[I]t won’t hurt for our leaders to choose a path that believes in miracles as opposed to grievances. It will hurt if leaders give up the role of being kind and compassionate. It’s a choice astrologically between the Jupiter-Neptune-Saturn grand trine, and the Uranus-Jupiter-Pluto T-square, with Mars making it a grand square [in 2014]. One is compassion and working together, while the other is war and divisiveness. The leaders have a choice to make.
Everything he writes about our leaders is true for us individually as well. You’ll have a choice between working to release blocks, however painful and disorienting that process might be, or blaming everyone else for the world’s problems, thus allowing yourself to stay stuck. One common situation where we see this dynamic is within relationships. It’s always the other person who needs to grow, get enlightened, or whatever. Taking responsibility for ourselves is an important underlying theme in the mutual reception between Pluto in Capricorn and Saturn in Scorpio. Those who tend to take more responsibility than they own – and there are more than a few of you – will need to work in the reverse, releasing whatever it is in your energy field that keeps you bogged down with problems that aren’t yours.
We’ll get several opportunities in the coming week to visit these issues, with Venus aspecting Chiron, Jupiter, Pluto, and Saturn from Monday through Thursday (Jupiter squares Chiron on Tuesday). Are you clear about what you want? When what you want involves an exchange with another person, are you clear up front, or do you find clever ways to manipulate the other person to give it to you? Sometimes you need to say “no” to requests from others, and sometimes they need to say “no” to you. Underhanded manipulation robs others of their choice. This may be appropriate in certain professional circumstances, but it can kill trust in an intimate relationship, and when trust is gone, the foundation crumbles. Even in casual friendships or in a work environment, withholding information that would allow others the right to choose how they want to interact with you is a subtle but serious form of disrespect. I understand that it takes a lot of courage to open up and speak your heart, and it does leave you open to the pain of rejection. The reward is that you when you make a connection based on truth and honesty, it’s stronger and far more gratifying.
I’m sure you can think of a gazillion variations on this theme, and it’s likely you’ll find yourself in one or more of them this week that will require you to make a choice. If you act with courage and conviction, then a payoff late in the week could be very sweet.
On Friday, the Sun conjoins Mercury at 28 degrees Capricorn, and then they both enter Aquarius on Saturday, marking a radical shift. Mars has been Aquarius since Christmas Day, in mutual reception with Uranus in Aries. If you don’t feel the buzz over the weekend, I’ll eat my bootleg yoga pants (too cold for shorts). Whereas Capricorn represents hyper-responsibility, Aquarius is the ultimate commitment-phobe who hates anything that even remotely smells like obligation. That’s why it’s known as the sign of the future, of thinking out of the box, walking to the beat of a different drummer. It can all be a bit much for those who need stability and familiarity, but with that kind of thinking, we’d have never put a man on the Moon – space travel being one of the activities associated with Uranus, the modern ruler of Aquarius.
Spend this week tending to practical concerns, especially anything to do with your financial bottom line or your closest relationships, because the following week is going to be wide open, with “anything goes” and “goddess only knows what.”
Sunday, incidentally, also is officially Inauguration Day in the United States, although the formal celebration will take place on Monday, January 21. The stage is set for change, and we can help it along by making sure our actions – and interactions – are consistent with the type of world we want to create.
Wishing you much love and courage,
Pat
Weekly Forecast December 24: Mars Enters Aquarius, Full Moon in Cancer
Well, we’re still here – as most of us knew we would be. I’m so glad all the silliness is over.
Aside from the doomsday stuff, there was a lot of woo-woo floating around about how a big shift in consciousness would take place, with calls for focused meditation at the precise moment the earth aligned with the Galactic Center – which somehow magically happened to be midnight. I got mildly flamed when I pointed out in someone’s fervent Facebook post that the alignment took place years ago, in 1998. Couldn’t I just go along with a fantasy that brought joy to many people? Er … no. I believe in finding joy in truth and reality. It’s a lot more powerful.
I’m also happy to have posted my new video for 2013. I was seriously reminded that there’s a reason filmmaking is a collaborative process. At the very least, you need someone to monitor lighting and sound. Doing it alone takes a lot of extra time and energy. But right now, that’s what I’ve got to work with. On the positive side, I’ve been flying up a steep learning curve, which is a real thrill.
Also this week, I figured out how to create a Facebook page for RealAstrologers – about time! To get updates, just hit the “like” button. You also can leave comments and post your own photos and links. I know that this is a more comfortable way for many of you to participate. The best thing for me is that I get to see you! I have viewed the personal page of every one of you who have “liked” RealAstrologers so far. It is heartwarming to see your shining faces and to realize what a special group of people you are! It also has been amazingly gratifying to see where you’re all from. My site stats show that RealAstrologers has a presence in nearly 140 countries on six continents, but it’s quite a different thing to see your photos.
Turning to this week, we have a loaded Full Moon on Friday, with the Sun closely conjunct Pluto and the Full Moon forming a cardinal T-square with Uranus. I discussed the Uranus-Pluto square in my forecast last week, with comments about how it was connected to the Newtown shooting – from which we’re all still reeling this week. In my 2013 video, I show you some charts. I also want to alert you to a couple of excellent articles by Barbara Hand Clow. I went to her site on Friday to see what she had to say about 2012, since she has written a lot on the topic. It seems like she was done with that quite some time ago – rightfully so – and has turned her focus to the seven Uranus-Pluto squares between 2012 and 2015 and how this powerful configuration for change is affecting the planet. There’s a lot of wisdom and insight in these articles, but one thing that especially strikes me is her comment that the energy field of the Uranus-Pluto square is intensely creative, which causes our thoughts to manifest around us, so we are challenged to clearly and wisely intend what we want to create.
Click on image to enlarge
The ruler of this Full Moon is the Moon herself. In esoteric astrology, Cancer is the sign of manifesting spirit into physical form (see Ruth’s excellent article from the archives.) Spirit is energy, and your particular energy pattern is reflected in your natal chart. However, this isn’t a static picture. Through thoughts and actions, you change your energy field. It’s not unlike investing money. If you make wise investments, you end up with more than you started with. The alternative is to squander it and end up with less. At this Full Moon, you have an opportunity to decide how you want to “invest” your energy.
In the Full Moon chart, there’s also a harmonious sextile from Mars to Uranus, giving us yet another avenue to channel our thoughts into physical manifestation. The vehicle by which to so is very clearly spelled out: ACT! On Monday, the action planet enters Aquarius. The Water Bearer often is mistaken as a water sign, but it’s actually an air sign. Those two wavy lines in the Aquarius symbol represent the “waters beneath the earth,” which is esoteric language for the energy patterns from which physical reality is manifested. The air signs symbolize the intellect and thoughts, which are energy beings. So, Mars in Aquarius is very much about acting in accordance with your thoughts in order to create physical reality.
Right on cue, Ann Curry of NBC News launched a “26 Acts of Kindness” page on Facebook to honor the victims of Newtown. NCGR, an organization of professional astrologers, endorsed it, and so do I.
The period of influence of the Full Moon is plus or minus three days, so get to work on Tuesday – which also happens to be Christmas Day. What better time to think about what you want for yourself and your family of humanity in 2013? Speaking of which, I’m now offering StarGuide 2013, a new yearly forecast. Please check it out. (StarGuide Seasons for Winter 2013 also is available. If you prefer, you can go straight to the order page.)
Wishing you much Yuletide love, joy, and prosperity,
Pat
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