The Gemini Full Moon Lunar Eclipse: 30* Gemini/Sagittarius

This week’s Winter Solstice lunar eclipse relates back to the summer eclipse on June 26, 2010, bringing the energies of the Cardinal Grand Cross into play again.  Although Saturn has moved to the middle degrees of Libra, and Uranus/Jupiter are about to have their 3^rd conjunction in the last degrees of Pisces, the energies are resonated again because of Pluto and the North Node being so close to the Solstice points of 0*Cancer/Capricorn.  See where these points lie in your chart to discover what aspects of your life will drive the change that is happening.

This eclipse also echoes the December 1991 eclipse.  Can you remember what you were doing 19 years ago?   

The December 20/21 event is the first total lunar eclipse in three years. There will be two more in 2011.

In the Americas, where the eclipse is visible, it happens overnight December 20-21. Here's the timing:

Partial eclipse begins 9:27pm Pacific December 20
Total eclipse begins 11:40 pm Pacific December 20
Mid-eclipse 12:17 am Pacific December 21
Total eclipse ends 12:53 am Pacific December 21
Partial eclipse ends 3:06 am Pacific December 21

As the Moon appears to darken, it will actually turn a deep shade of red. The entire event lasts three-and-a-half hours. Within that, the period of totality is 72 minutes. If you live in North, South or Central America and have a clear sky, you can watch from beginning to end.

Times of over North America

Event	PST (-8 UTC)	MST (-7 UTC)	CST (-6 UTC)	EST (-5 UTC)
Start penumbral (P1)	9:27 pm (*)	10:27 pm (*)	11:27 pm (*)	12:27 am
Start umbral (U1)	10:32 pm (*)	11:32 pm (*)	12:32 am	1:32 am
Start total (U2)	11:40 pm (*)	12:40 am	1:40 am	2:40 am
Greatest eclipse	12:17 am	1:17 am	2:17 am	3:17 am
End total (U3)	12:53 am	1:53 am	2:53 am	3:53 am
End umbra (U4)	2:02 am	3:02 am	4:02 am	5:02 am
End penumbral (P4)	3:06 am	4:06 am	5:06 am	6:06 am
(*) before midnight on Monday night, December 20

These simulated views of the earth from the center of the moon during the lunar eclipse show where the eclipse is visible on earth.

The moon passes right to left through the earth's northern shadow
Gamma[1]	0.3213
Duration (hr:mn:sc)
Totality	1:13:12
Partial	3:29:22
Penumbral	5:38:22
Contacts
P1	05:27:43 UTC
U1	06:32:17 UTC
U2	07:40:21 UTC
Greatest	08:16:56 UTC
U3	08:53:34 UTC
U4	10:01:39 UTC
P4	11:06:04 UTC
At descending node in Taurus

Preparing for next week's Gemini Lunar Eclipse

With Mercury retrograde, the mind (Mercury) is inwardly focused, helping us search out the inner darkness that keeps us off balance and unsure of ourselves.  In Capricorn, we look to how our society influences us.  Where do we 'buy into' our collective culture and what shadows does that create?

While we're pondering these deep issues, sometimes the 'real' world responds with chaos as life begins to change around us.    I’ve heard stories of things knocked over, spilled water, dropped objects, missed mail more often in the past few days than in the preceding months!  Mercury is traveling very fast this time, and perhaps we are simultaneously moving through our world at different speeds. Perhaps our 'phase' is off.

Pluto, Mars, Mercury and the North Node in Capricorn focus our attention on our responsibilities to our Earth and to our society.  Pluto, North Node and Mercury in a wide square to Saturn in Libra challenge us to restructure our collective life through truth, fairness and social equality.  We begin in our own lives, so personally, we are called to inner balance, so look to your relationships to show you exactly where your shadow comes into play.   

As Pluto moves through Capricorn in the next decade, we will see the end of our patriarchal culture.  Humanity must grow up and do away with both patriarchy and matriarchy and create a society of equal partnership between men and women. 

To begin this process, at the December 21st lunar eclipse, Mars will be transiting at 11* Capricorn, the same degree as the Cancer lunar eclipse last December 31, 2009. Watch for issues you were dealing with this time last year.  How have you changed?  Mars in Capricorn gets things done, and with its square to Saturn, will make sure that whatever we do, we do with integrity and truth.

The Sabian symbol for the Mars at 11* Capricorn is:  A large group of pheasant on a private estate.  This symbol tells us something about how our natural resources have been privatized by rich individuals.  This is a natural outcome of any economic or philosophical system that values one person or thing above another.  This is an attitude that gives rise to big shadows such as greed and ignorance and violence. 

It would help the world if we looked at what makes for real security.  On an international level, perhaps we need to see how our western shadow creates the very terrorists that plague us.  On a personal level, we need to break free of our worries about social status and wealth, and think about what keeps us stuck in a consumer mentality.  The question is, what can we do for our country and for our world?

 Mars grapples with things – that’s one of his functions.  So grapple with this: do only the few continue to own the pheasants or can you imagine a world where the pheasants are free to come and go as they please as we all share in the beauty of LIfe.   

The Cosmic Story: Mercury Retrograde: Speak Truth to Power

 

Each Mercury retrograde period asks us to reconsider something, probably because we’ve gotten too far ahead of ourselves!  So we have to go back and retrace our steps and see what it is we’ve been too hasty to understand.

This Mercury retrograde period is one of the shortest, lasting only 20 days because Mercury is going at its fastest speed.  But it will be potent! 

After going retrograde today December 10^th at 7:06am EST and 4:06 am PST, Mercury will join up with the North Node, Pluto and Mars in Capricorn on Monday December 13^th, and before its reverse run is over, it will connect to Uranus and Jupiter in Pisces and Neptune and Chiron in Aquarius. 

This time, Mercury has a lot of catching up to do as it makes its all- important conjunction with the Sun on Sunday December 19^th, a day before the lunar eclipse and the Winter Solstice.  What will the messenger of the gods have to say to us this Winter Solstice?

Mercury goes retrograde at 6* Capricorn: Ten logs lie under an archway leading to darker woods.   This is a call to complete unfinished tasks before embarking on a new adventure.  10 is the number of completion, and so Mercury stopping here symbolizes the need to go back and make sure our foundational beliefs (Mercury goes back into Sagittarius, which rules our beliefs) are strong.  Here we stand on the threshold of a new beginning.  If you have any planets around 6* of cardinal signs, you will be especially affected.  Watch your dreams now.

Mercury meets up with the North Node, Pluto and Mars on Monday at 5* Capricorn: Indians on the warpath.  While some men row a well-filled canoe, others in it perform a war dance.  The mix of energies is explosive.  Mars’ aggression and assertiveness coupled with Pluto’s power and intensity will hopefully be communicated (Mercury) for the good of all of us (North Node).  

This certainly is a time to speak Truth to Power.  The Cosmic Story is keeping us right on schedule as we watch how whistle-blowing Wikileaks has dominated the news, especially with the arrest of Julian Assange. 

       The release of thousands of sensitive diplomatic cables, especially the last ones that occurred in the ‘shadow’ period of Mercury’s retrograde (the first pass over the degrees that Mercury will retrograde) is bringing the subject of government secrecy up for examination. 

        Is Assange a terrorist for speaking Truth to Power?  With Pluto just beginning its work of renovating Capricorn – our governmental and financial institutions – is it any wonder that someone has stepped forward to expose the ‘dirty little secrets’ of government shenanigans? 

        So let’s watch the news on Monday to see what these explosive energies have in store for us.  

        Of course, each of us will also be affected by this powerful convergence of energies.  Watch how you interact with people on Monday, especially when you’re out holiday shopping.  Now is the time to practice inner peace and serenity, because you can bet that there will be people out there who aren’t.  Keep the balance (Saturn in Libra rules Capricorn) by shining your Light out whenever you meet the darkness of fear, pain and antagonism in the world.

        In the next blog, we’ll speculate on how Mercury will interact with the full Moon eclipse on the Winter Solstice.

               

Neptune and Mars: Practical Inspiration

Today Mars and Neptune form a positive astrological aspect called a sextile.  But Mars and Neptune are completely opposite energies.  And yet they are also very similar in their power to overwhelm you.

Mars is not just the God of War.  He is the god who grapples with things.  And he is the defender and protector of life.  Mars in astrology symbolizes our passion, our way of getting what we want, our energy and will power.  But never forget that he is a warrior and can lose his temper.

That's where he's like Neptune - they both have anger issues.  Neptune, the god of the seas, can let loose his fury in the waves he sends to destroy what has displeased him.

But astrologically, they are very different energies.  Where Mars uses his will to get his way, Neptune patiently dissolves what stands in his way.  Neptune symbolizes our fantasies, our longings, our addictions and our spiritual imagination.

So, today they are linked together in a sextile, a 60* aspect which is a mentally energizing aspect.  A waning sextile between two planets gives us the opportunity to reform ourselves and our environment through out-of-the-box thinking.  There can be a lot of insight and intuition present with a sextile.

That's what this Neptune/Mars alignment can offer us today.  Together, they give us the opportunity for Mars (taking action) to make our dreams (Neptune) come true.  Spend time doing some artistic project today to get your creative juices flowing.   And then focus your Mars grappling energy to use those intuitions to solve problems or open to creativity.

Sun in Sagittarius

Today the Sun went into Sagittarius.  Whew! Now that we're out of Scorpio - and after that most beautiful Taurus/Scorpio Full Moon the other night - we're done obsessing, releasing and transforming (hopefully!).  Now we get to attune ourselves to the higher laws of our planet and cosmos.  Sun in Sagittarius is much more fun, as you'll know if you have any Sag friends.  So lift up you Spirit to the skies!   I always love the early evening skies at this time of year.  It is usually a beautiful sapphire blue and of course, with the approach of the holidays at Winter Solstice, even though the days are getting shorter and the darkness is growing, there is a peaceful feeling in the air.

For those of you who have planets in the early degrees of the mutual signs - Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces - you will want to shine some light on those aspects of your psyche.  For example, I have my Mercury at 4* Gemini, which will be receiving a square from the Sag Sun in a few days.  As the square builds to exact, I might feel pressured to write more about my beliefs or at least talk about my truth.

Sagittarius is the sign where we unite our animal nature with Spirit - the horse man or centaur.  While many centaurs were quite wild (as they are, for the most part, in Harry Potter's world) the centaur Chiron was a great healer, astrologer, and respected oracle, who taught many culture heroes: Asclepius (great healer and doctor), Ajax (warrior), Hercules (hero),  Aeneas (Trojan founder of Rome), Actaeon (the hunter who Artemis changed into a stag), Theseus (who killed the Minotaur), Achilles (warrior), and Jason (who led the Argonauts to find the Golden Fleece).

So let the energy of Sagittarius and the wise centaur help you become a culture hero or heroine as well.

Taurus Full Moon, 11.21.2010

Greetings everyone!

Before we begin the holiday season, this Taurus/Scorpio full Moon gives us the opportunity to unload our old baggage, clean out our emotional closet, and re-discover the values of life we want to embody.  As we passed through the veils of death this All Hallows, we were supposed to honor our dead (both our literal dead and those parts of ourselves that are no longer viable) and release them.  This full Moon, helped along by Venus and Jupiter going direct, gets the job accomplished if you want it to. 

The work isn't simple.  It is often a titanic struggle.  With the arrival of winter through the Scorpio gate, we have to shed our old skins so that we can grow new ones. The skins can't be shed if we don't release the old feelings.  And if we don't move on, we will find ourselves back in the same place next year, only more discontent and uncomfortable.   This year's Taurus full Moon invites you to accomplish this task, because the years ahead will demand real wisdom from us.  Taurus is practical and understands the laws of life.  It also wants to build something that will last.  That's why we say it rules our values and self-worth.  We know our worth when we live our values and ideals.   We can't be truly wise if we cannot accept life on its own terms and give it meaning.  It is those feelings of being a 'victim of life' that keep us unbalanced, unaware and resentful.  These old feelings have to go!  If we can do this, we have the opportunity to create a deeper, more creative life.

This month's Full Moon Cosmic Story newsletter gives you some insight into the energies at play leading up to the full Moon on Sunday.  If you go to www.wisdom-of-astrology.com you'll see the Taurus Full Moon newsletter and link.

Venus and Jupiter goe Direct on Thursday the 18th

Two planets that have been in retrograde motion - seemingly moving backwards from Earth's point of view - are going to station (stop) tomorrow and resume forward motion.  

You don't have to understand the language, just visualize that the Earth had pulled ahead of both planets in their respective orbits and now they are going to move forward again.  Look at the night sky where Jupiter has been shining in the past months and watch its movement.  If you get up early enough, you'll now see Venus as a Morning Star.

Venus and Jupiter share many attributes for they are both benign energies, helpful and joyful, expansive and creative.  They give us hope for the future.

Venus went retrograde on October 8^th at 14* Scorpio, the degree of the Scorpio new Moon a few weeks ago, confirming the importance of the cosmic message to us:  Telephone linemen at work installing new connections.   Have we made those new connections?  I hope so.  If we take a stand on our beliefs and values, we communicate in ways that create peace within our own families, communities and nations.  We can do this with strength and love.  They are not mutually exclusive.   

The planet Venus just turned to direct motion, becoming a Morning Star in the process of descending to the Underworld of Scorpio.  Venus turned direct on November 18^th at 28* Libra:  A Man becoming aware of spiritual forces surrounding and assisting him.   At first I was going to change ‘man’ to ‘person’, but then I realized that the image being a man is the point.  First, sorry men:), but in general in my experience, men have a much harder time accepting the invisible, the spiritual, the intuitive than women do.  We’ve all been waiting for you to join us in our beliefs.  Welcome home!  Also, the man in the image symbolizes our action-oriented, outgoing side.  Venus wants us to see that when our actions are based on our values and beliefs, we are helped and sustained by spirit.

Jupiter has been retrograde since July 23^rd and it also goes direct on November 18^th.  When Jupiter is retrograde, we turn our search and curiosity within, questioning old beliefs and working to discover new aspects of ourselves. 

  Jupiter went retrograde at 4*Aries: Two Lovers strolling on a secluded walk.  This symbolizes the process of becoming conscious of our polarities and working to integrate them, so that we are whole human beings.  This is a dynamic inter-play of masculine and feminine energies.  Jupiter turns direct at 24* Pisces: On a small island surrounded by the vast expanse of the sea, people are seen living in close interaction.   Taken after the image of the couple, we can see that the goal of this Jupiter retrograde is to make sure that we integrate all of the energies within ourselves as well as taking our unique purpose and interacting with others of like mind.  In remembering we are all in this together, we also have to be unique individuals.

Take time this weekend to enjoy yourselves.  We all deserve it!

New Moon in Scorpio joins Venus retrograde.

Today is not only the new moon in Scorpio, it is my oldest son's 35th birthday.  Yeah Michael!

It's an interesting day became the Moon joined with Venus early this morning.  What did Venus tell the Moon?  What is the Goddess of Love, Peace and Beauty finding out as she travels, like Psyche, in the underworld?  Or rather, what did she find out, since Venus has moved far enough away from the Sun to be a Morning Star.  This Morning Star Venus is still retrograde at 2* Scorpio - so she is still on her journey.

Perhaps what Venus is learning is  that holding onto hurt feelings is like a death.  That forgiveness is about learning that the lessons of pain, loss, betrayal, and rejection can give you the biggest and most understanding heart.  Perhaps what Venus told the Moon was that Love was worth dying (to our old ways) for.

Venus going through Scorpio is brave - who wants to face death?  But when she emerges again - back in Libra - she'll know how to be strong in the face of other people's unconsciousness.  She can be strong in LOVE>

The US Election 2010

Today's election in the US might see some surprises.  At 8:36pm Eastern time, the Moon in Virgo opposes Uranus in Pisces.   All those big expectations (when the Moon opposed Jupiter at 3:24pm Eastern) might come to naught.

Then the moon is void of course until Wednesday morning at 1:19am Eastern when it goes into Libra.  So we won't know the outcome of all the races for a while.  Then the Moon goes into Libra and will square Pluto and the North Node and then conjunct Saturn.  So everyone will be depressed because probably, nobody really won. 

Hopefully, there'll be balance between both parties and people are going to have to learn to CO-OPERATE!  A new concept, huh?

With Neptune stationing on America's 4th of July chart moon, we will have to see through the illusions and realize that we're all in this together!

Wisdom of Astrology: Jon Stewart's Rally to Restore Sanity

Wisdom of Astrology: Jon Stewart's Rally to Restore Sanity: " I enjoyed watching Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, political satirists and comedians, spar at their' rally to restore sanity'. Like ..."

Jon Stewart's Rally to Restore Sanity

     I enjoyed watching Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, political satirists and comedians, spar at their' rally to restore sanity'.   Like the Bards and storytellers of the Celts, they are using their gift of satire to put shame on our political leaders and rally people to take responsibility for their lives.

     Jon played the peacemaker while Stephen worked hard to instill fear in us.  Through a series of funny and often silly skits, they presented us with an hilarious vision of how our national priorities are twisted by big interests and misguided beliefs, beginning with Father Guido Sarducci asking God to give us a sign about which religion He favors.  The silliness continued from there, highlighting how the media and big business play on our legitimate fears and concerns, amplifying and distorting the truth.  "The Media is the Message!"

Jon ended with an impassioned speech about our 'misguided' national media and our need to think for ourselves.  Jon urged people to put their differences aside and find common ground.  “We work together to get things done every damn day,” Stewart said, ” The only place we don’t is here [Washington, D.C.] or on cable TV.”

It makes sense that Jon would take this opportunity to speak out.  Looking at his astrology chart, Jon is most probably a double Sagittarius (this is a sunrise chart).  His Sun, Mercury and, most likely, the Moon in Sag give him his urge to speak truth to power.  There's lots of indications of his wit and intelligence in his chart, especially the powerful T-square to his Sun from Jupiter and Uranus.

  His Venus is in Scorpio and retrograde, just like transiting Venus is now.  As a matter of fact, transiting Venus went retrograde on his natal Neptune/Venus retrograde - his ideals and spiritual beliefs - triggering his own sense of values (Venus).  His message. and Hers, is PEACE.

Stephen Colbert is a Taurus with most probably a Gemini Moon, giving him his nervous energy as well as his speediness and zaniness.  Stephen puts on the role of 'conservative' easily with his earthy, value-based Taurus planets - Sun, Jupiter, Mars and Mercury.   His south node in Capricorn helps him play the 'patriarchal' role well, since he's probably been in that kind of leadership position in past lives.  But now, he nurtures (North Node in Cancer) with his wit (Gemini Moon).

For a rally with no real purpose - they did GOOD!

The Wisdom of Astrology

Astrology is one of the oldest arts and sciences in the world.  As people looked to the heavens, they imagined who they were and what the gods had to offer them.

I'm hoping to work through my thoughts on the Cosmic Story of our times here in this blog.  While I'm at it, if you have any interesting observations to make, or any questions about what's going on in the heavens at this crucial time in our history, please let me know.

I'm a 12th House Taurus with a Cancer Moon and Gemini Ascendant, so it isn't a surprise that I want to tell stories (Gemini Ascendant)  that nurture us (Cancer Moon) and have deep meaning (Taurus Sun).  My mythological consciousness has been shaped by my study of C. G. Jung and his psychological theories.

So, let's play!