A view from Bryce Amphitheater Traverse at Bryce Canyon
National Park, Utah; photo by Chad Woodward, July 2015.
New Moon @ 21 Leo 31'
August 14, 2015
10:53 AM Eastern
7:53 AM Pacific
So often, we look to astrology to predict external changes, concrete events that will restructure the exterior dimensions of our life experience. Sometimes, astrology can do this although we can never be certain how those events will manifest exactly—what form they will ultimately take. But the most profound changes that astrology predicts, especially through the lens of transits and secondary progressions, are those internal events that restructure our psyche from within, and as we shift and change internally; magically, the external always seems to follow suit.
This month’s lunar cycle begins anew in the sign of Leo conjunct Venus retrograde—just a day before the midpoint of the Venus retrograde cycle, the “inferior” conjunction of Sun and Venus (Exact on Aug. 15). This is the moment when Venus descends into the heart of the Sun; her illustrious brilliance engulfed by the Sun’s overpowering presence. As she conjoins the Sun, she is transformed into a morning star- Lucifer, the light bearer. From here on out, until the next cycle, Venus will announce the rising of the Sun each morning.
This New Moon heralds the dawn of a new day. Something within each of us has been undergoing a transformation that may be difficult to pin down exactly, but we feel it deeply and intensely, especially if this particular Venus retrograde cycle touches your horoscope directly. You may find yourself changing your core values as well as rediscovering things that reconnect you with beauty. You may equally find many of your relationships (friendships, romantic, professional) undergoing a transformation. Perhaps you find yourself going deeper with connections that you’ve recently made, letting go of others and the karma attached to them, seeing certain relationships in a different light, or choosing to make different choices within the context of your relationships.
Whatever you’re experiencing right now, it’s something quite beyond your conscious control. And while the Sun is the most “conscious” of archetypes, as it symbolizes the conscious life narrative, this New Moon correlates to a profound inner shift within each of us, and an inner shift that will likely lead to external changes over the next several weeks. In Leo, the Sun’s energy dominates the landscape. You may be craving conscious awareness of those undercurrents that constantly trip you up in life. I would encourage you to allow these insights to arise spontaneously and organically and trust that the unconscious part of you may actually know what it’s doing.
As Venus descends into the Sun, she is born again and renewed. Your personal values, sense of self-worth, and your perception of certain relationships will be transformed by fire. From the ashes, a new sense of self will emerge into the light of day. Allow this New Moon to burn away any old “karma” that you’ve been clinging to. Allow this lunation to bring to light a new understanding of life and your place within it. From this understanding, will come the confidence to shine your light into the world—to be what you inherently are and are destined to be. Over the next few weeks, this understanding will solidify, and ideally, you will feel different, more connected to your authentic self.
There is also a powerful creative potential packed into this New Moon, as well as an overwhelming reflective impulse—directing consciousness toward past experiences that have been left unresolved. Take a risk with this New Moon; take the risk of loving and accepting yourself for the way that you are. Remember, that your relationships always reflect your level of self-love. How can anyone else love and value you if you don’t love and value yourself? How can you expect the world to give you a standing ovation if you never clap for yourself? To receive love from the universe, you have to equally put love into it, and that starts with you, as a fragment of the whole.
If you're interested in a personal reading, please e-mail me directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com. Also, head over to my Readings/Consultations page for reading options and pricing.
A view north along North Fork-Charleston Road in Charleston, Nevada; Photo by Farmartin, 2014, via Wikimedia Commons.
Full Moon @ 7 Aquarius 56'
July 31, 2015
6:43 AM Eastern
3:43 AM Pacific
Tension is inherent within any Full Moon. The opposition of Sol and Luna always breeds perspective as well as culmination. But some Full Moons are more rife with tension than others. Not this one. Yes, we can feel that internal opposition within ourselves, that sense of something coming to a head, to a climax. The crescendo of the lunar cycle always feels that way somehow. A process is indeed coming to its peak experience, but the Moon isn’t challenged by much else here, and for Aquarius, that’s certainly a liberating feeling.
This Full Moon coincides with a sense of stillness and reflection. It’s a moment to take a breath, to take in the moment and prepare yourself for what’s about to unfold. In tropical Aquarius, you need a breath of fresh air. However you can obtain that, I suggest that you do so. Try something different. Take a path you have yet to tread. Look inside yourself and make a connection to your uniqueness.
Aquarius, via its modern association with Uranus, imbues the collective with a desire for independence, freedom, and authentic self-expression. Choose to liberate yourself somehow. Choose to be who you inherently are. The gods and goddesses of Aquarius will smile upon you and nudge you forward. But then again, moving forward feels a bit counterintuitive at the moment.
Venus is slowly turning retrograde, backwards in the sky as she gradually approaches another conjunction with Jupiter. You’re coming back to something now, something perhaps from the recent past, such as earlier in the month or something from the distant past (like eight years ago), or a past you do not consciously remember. You are within the embrace of those magical forty days and forty nights that Venus is retrograde--a time to reconsider your relationships, resources, and a time to reassess your choices.
You’ve been to this place before. Perhaps you remember it, perhaps you do not. Keep in mind that you are weaving your fate, perhaps not consciously, but at least supra-consciously. And that supra-conscious self is what we mistake as fate. The gods, goddesses, and angels are ultimately us. We are creating our destiny, but not simply from the mind alone, but from a “higher” mind that we cannot consciously conceive.
Venus and Jupiter expand your capacity for love—love for yourself and for others. And yet there is restlessness. Jupiter wants to expand, and Leo wants to play. Venus seeks to build bridges and form deeper connections. Our karma lies primarily in our desires. Sure, there are ramifications for what we put out into the world and the actions that we take, but the most powerful karma of all lies at the heart of our longing and regrets, our “unfinished business”.
With Venus retrograde, consider your unfinished business with others now. Consider how you might go about finishing it. Aquarius urges you to do something different—to choose an alternative route this time. Throw away all your education regarding how relationships should be. Set aside all those limiting parameters society dictates for you. Listen to your heart right now. What is it saying to you? To finish and clear this karma may require a new and different approach. You might as well try it. It’s possible that you only have several hundred more lifetimes to do it.
For more on the current Venus retrograde cycle, see my article here (video included at the bottom).
If you're interested in a personal reading, please e-mail me directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com. Also, head over to my Readings/Consultations page for reading options and pricing.
NASA's New Horizons mission revealed that Pluto has a heart.
Acrylic painting by Jeremy Britz of Saskatoon, Canada, 2015.
Visit Jeremy's Etsy shop here.
New Moon @ 23 Cancer 14'
July 15, 2015
9:24 PM Eastern
6:24 PM Pacific
I often attempt to validate and encourage those with big hearts and heightened sensitivity to honor that part of themselves—to find some sense of pride for the way they are. To move through life and maintain an open heart and empathy for a world that can be so cruel and unyielding is a great accomplishment. For most human beings, empathy is a gift, but a gift that comes with a price. The price of empathy is the inevitability of encountering overwhelming emotional pain and heartache. People will disappoint other people. People will betray those they love. This is human nature. And when we’re sensitive—when we’re open and receptive to the feelings of others and our environment, we’re more vulnerable to the pain that comes from social rejection.
Evolution designed us as social creatures. We crave acceptance and social approval. Without it, we don’t have the confidence or trust in life to move forward. When we’re abandoned or ignored by others, our bodies (via the limbic system) create a sensation equal to physical pain. It’s designed to compel us to do everything we can to gain the approval of the clan or those we love. Cancer symbolizes that part of the psyche that seeks to form deeply committed bonds of a tribal nature. That certainly fits the archetype of family, but Cancerian bonds are more than blood related. Friends can certainly take on the role of family for many. The Cancerian instinct is to protect, nurture, nourish. and heal. And Cancer feels deeply—sometimes too deeply for those it loves and cares for.
Anyone with a strong Cancerian, Lunar, or fourth house nature will understand this. They are sensitive creatures, more than other people. Of course, we all have Cancer in our horoscopes, but those particularly wired for it come into this life with the intention of cultivating and employing their sensitivity as a gift to the world and to those they find themselves closest to. While social approval is hardwired into us from birth, and deeply embedded in our DNA, it can also work to our detriment. In our complex, modern society, where individuation is honored above all else, we often find ourselves pitted against the contradictory desires of social approval and honoring our own individuality.
Also—there are those human beings that are actually devoid of empathy. Believe it or not, they exist. While a minority, they have the capacity to use our empathy against us. I often say that nobody can actually hurt you emotionally unless they consciously (or unconsciously) intend to. Most of the time, we are hurt because our projections and ideals are shattered by the reality of a situation. We finally see someone for who they really are. The pain we experience is the grieving and loss of the expectation that we projected onto that person. But we also can’t control our feelings. We can’t stop ourselves from loving someone when it happens. We’re human and we’re vulnerable to human emotions.
With Uranus square this Cancerian New Moon, you may sense the tension that exists between the desire to fit in and gain acceptance and the equally powerful desire to follow your own path and be true to yourself. Consider this a beginning point, as opposed to the culmination of a process you must master. In love type relationships, this is the hardest, especially in the beginning stages. We want so badly to be loved by the one we have fallen for—and we fall into the trap of projecting an image that isn’t who we really are. Eventually, we must face the reality that we are projecting a lie.
And yet, we’re back to the essential truth that we are social creatures. To become a part of a community requires some compromise. The tension embedded into this New Moon affords you the opportunity to find a way to fit in without losing yourself, too. That might take some trial and error, but the effort will be worth it. The problem with many revolutionary movements is that they seem to miss this essential point: that we must integrate change into the community in a gradual way if we wish to see things shift on a societal level. If we use too much force, we risk creating irreparable damage and pain. Uranian energy, especially in Aries, is forceful and dynamic—like a seething volcano. Be mindful of this potential and be gentle.
Mercury and Mars in Cancer form an opposition to Pluto in Capricorn alongside this New Moon. You may want to consider the power of authentic emotional communication—consider how that power can clarify as well as deeply hurt someone in its impact. You must be cautious here. If you use too much force you risk creating some damage, and with not enough force, and you risk leaving yourself fully unheard. When in doubt, speak from your heart. In fact, consider that this New Moon allows your heart to be heard and hopefully acknowledged. Say what you need to say, but be mindful of those denser, primal energies that may come pouring through as well. The emotional realms of Cancer, a water sign, are often choppy waters.
Find your center of balance and find the hearth within. When you find that place, and you feel safe there, you can speak from a place of authenticity and confidence. Facing the truth of ourselves and those we love can be one of the hardest things we do, but living a life of delusion can be just as painful too, especially when the walls of our imaginary world eventually come crashing down. It’s often said that to incarnate on Earth in a human body, with human feelings, is one of the most difficult tasks to undertake for any being traveling through the universe. The spectrum of human emotion is so diverse and intense, that apparently, not many choose to experience it. I don’t know if this is true, but it often feels that to simply get through life, with your heart open, is one of the greatest accomplishments in the cosmos.
Stay strong and keep on loving.
If you're interested in a personal reading, please e-mail me directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com. Also, head over to my Readings/Consultations page for reading options and pricing.
Retrograde cycles of Venus and Mars are the rarest of planetary backtracks. Venus turns retrograde every year and a half. Mars turns retrograde every two years. Mercury, of course, we know turns retrograde every three months, three times a year. Many outer planets are retrograde for lengthy amounts of time, long enough to not really notice them (with maybe the exception of Jupiter and Saturn). Retrogrades, by their archetypal nature, have an inward and introverted quality.
The reason for this, symbolically speaking, is obvious. Astrological symbolism is quite literal. When a planet appears to be moving backwards, its usual function is inverted. A retrograde urges us to reflect and look into the past.And retrogrades bring us some interesting insights about the nature of time. Modern physics suggests that time is ultimately an illusion and that it’s malleable, although it doesn’t allow us to actually change the past, not in a literal, concrete sense. But retrograde cycles seem to open a kind of portal within the conscious life narrative that allows one to “go back” (metaphorically speaking) to tie up loose ends and learn from past decisions.
Venus retrograde, in particular, has an uncanny connection with dredging up issues from the past in relation to current relationships and commitments. As you may know, I’m an evolutionary astrologer. That means that I entertain the hypothesis (or theory, depending on what you consider testable) of reincarnation. I think that something animates the body and that it continues to exist when we die. I believe that some part of me, maybe not my ego, but some part of my psyche has always existed and will continue to exist long after I do in my current form.
In my experience of Venus retrograde, I can say that there has been an unusual pattern of meeting “new” people who seemed terribly familiar. This doesn’t always happen with each retrograde, but it has happened enough times to get my attention. There is also a pattern of reconnecting with past relationships from this life, as well as a period of sorting through some heavy “karma” in your current relationships. Venus is the most potent symbol for love and relationships we have in our astrological pantheon, as Venus correlates with our instinct to relate and bond with other sentient beings.
This is the Libra side of Venus. But Venus has another side which correlates with its planetary rulership of Taurus and its natural association with the second house. The Taurus side of Libra deals with issues of money, possessions, personal values, and the pleasures of the body—the inner animal. When Venus turns retrograde, you will have a chance to reevaluate your relationships, commitments, personal values, desires, and the resources that help you to survive in the world.
Each time a planet goes retrograde, especially an inner planet, it brings about a change in the flow of things that relate to that archetype. In other words, there is often a reversal of direction, priorities, values, and goals during these times. With Venus, these changes relate outwardly to your personal as well as professional relationships and inwardly to your self-worth and personal values. Retrogrades are a time to reassess and reflect on these things more deeply than you would otherwise.
Venus retrograde is a time to gain perspective on your current commitments and relationships as well as how well you are handling yourself practically in the world. Current relationships may go through a process of reevaluation. You may begin to see certain flaws that you were oblivious to before. This is not a time of action regarding your relationships. Meaning, it’s a time to absorb and reflect on what you see in others and decide what to do about them when Venus turns direct (you may want to hold off on filing those divorce papers just yet, or running off to Vegas to get hitched in a drive thru). Be wary of Venus’ darker side during this time. You may have difficulty looking past glamorous façades and may be easily seduced by appearances.
This usually pertains to new relationships that begin during the retrograde, as well as things you decide to invest in or purchase. Your judgment is not likely to be as sound and discerning as usual. But don’t take this to mean that a new relationship or investment that begins under the retrograde is doomed to fail. It means that you need to look at things more realistically and to be cautious of anything that seems too good to be true. Venus retrograde is a natural cycle that reveals that time is ultimately non-linear. Venus shows us that our relationships are multi-dimensional and when she turns retrograde she lures us into the underworld to glimpse the deeper workings of karma that are beyond our limited perception.
Venus retrograde seems to be more pronounced if it stations retrograde or direct on a trigger point in your chart, i.e. a dynamic planetary placement or angle of the chart (first, fourth, seventh, or tenth house cusps). If this happens, you can likely expect to endure a significant and life altering event in relation to the nature of the placement that is activated. Venus stations are powerful predictive tools, and when used consciously with intention, you can use them as opportunities to change your life for the better. If you are personally impacted by a Venus station, look back eight years prior. You will find a similarity to what happened to you then.
This is because Venus stations in the same vicinity of the zodiac every eight years. Her retrograde cycles form an almost perfect pentagram or rose-shaped pattern in the sky. It’s no wonder we associate beauty and symmetry with Venus. As she moves back and forth through the zodiac, she weaves a pattern that is emblematic of the ideal of perfection. She weaves our fate and connects us to seemingly disparate moments along the timeline our souls are currently traveling. Her eight-year cycle sets us on a new course and path that will unfold and develop over time.
The crescendo of any Venus retrograde comes with the “inferior” conjunction of the Sun and Venus, which will occur onAugust 15. The word inferior sounds like a “bad” conjunction, but don’t let those old astrologers and their jargons scare you. We call it inferior because when Venus is retrograde, she is directly between the Sun and Earth—like the pickle in the middle. There’s no shame in that. It might be a little cramped, but it sets up a space of deeper intimacy and connection. That sounds good, right? The converse conjunction is called a “superior” conjunction. While it’s certainly different (because Venus isn’t retrograde) it’s not any better than an inferior conjunction.
Eric Francis, over at Planet Waves, likes to call them interior conjunctions, and I like that term a lot better too. It is these interior conjunctions that actually create the pentagram in the sky (as perceived from our geocentric perception). And it is the interior conjunction that holds the real power and magic of Venus retrograde. You may also check to see whether you have any significant planets or angles at 22 degrees of Leo where this interior conjunction occurs and equally reflect on the past eight years and what has unfolded for you since the last conjunction (August 18, 2007).
Venus retrograde lasts for approximately 40 days and 40 nights. That’s interesting, isn’t it? If you’re privy to biblical lore you will notice the connection to the biblical story of the exodus (it also shows up in other archaic mythologies). I’m not going to get into that, but I will say that it likely originates from this very cycle of Venus. Venus retrograde is a time when Venus literally switches from either rising or setting with the Sun. After this particular interior conjunction, Venus will transform from an evening to a morning star.
We know that Venus retrograde will lure us deeper into ourselves and into our relationships. A lot of scary stuff can happen here. That’s perfectly natural. We may see things we don’t want to see. We may experience things we thought we wanted to experience, but then realize it may not have been for the best or what we really desired. But then, that’s how we learn. And here is the heart of Venus retrograde. Have you learned from your mistakes? Have you acquired the wisdom and consciousness needed to move past making decisions that take you to the same dark, soul deadening places? Only you can really know this.
During this potentially magical time, you may meet some “new” people you may have met before. Reincarnation would be a good way to explain these connections. You may go through something in a current relationship that, again, seems oddly familiar. Have you been to this junction before? You just might have, in this life or perhaps another. The power of this cycle lies in understanding your power—the power of free will. You can make choices. And guess what? You can make choices that aren’t the same ones you’ve made before. Imagine that. And so, as you embark on this rare astrological event, choose to make a different choice and transmute this karma for good (but be kind to yourself, admit your humanity and imperfections).
Venus tells us symbolically through her stations and “inferior” conjunctions that we will meet in this place again. Around and around we go, until we wise up and move on. This is a fertile time for not only love and relationships, but for creativity. And that’s what we’re doing here, right? We’re creating something. You may have forgotten that, but it’s true. You’re creating your life story. And every decision you make reflects how conscious and aware you are that you even have one--a destiny, a purpose, a mission in life. So, choose to create something beautiful. That’s all that Venus wants, isn’t it? She wants to make the world a beautiful and more harmonious place.
Venus Retrograde Logistics
Venus turns stationary retrograde (will begin to move backwards) on July 25, 2015 @ 0 Virgo 46.
Venus will conjoin the Sun and form an “inferior” conjunction on August 15, 2015 @ 22 Leo 39’.
Venus will turn stationary direct (move forward again) on September 6, 2015 @ 14 Leo 23’.
The Brightest “Stars” in the Sky
If you pay attention to the sky, you may have noticed two bright objects together just past sunset. Those aren’t stars, but planets. Venus and Jupiter conjoined in tropical Leo on June 30/July 1 (depending on your time zone). I point you to the sky because it’s the best way to see the direct correlation of astronomical and life events so clearly in real time. In Leo, these two “lucky” planets sent a wave of creative energy into the collective psyche. You may have felt that. Jupiter and Venus have also been expanding and inflaming your connections and relationships. Take a look at the house that Venus and Jupiter conjoined (21 Leo), and you will notice relationships expanding in that department somehow. Its effect will be quite uncanny.
Venus and Jupiter will conjoin three times this year. The first conjunction, as I said, occurred on June 30/July 1. The second conjunction will occur on August 4 (with Venus retrograde), and the third conjunction will occur on Oct. 25 (in Virgo). That’s a lot of expansive, heart opening, creative mojo to deal with this year. First off, let’s talk about the heart. We know that in order to genuinely love others, we have to be open to giving and receiving love….and ultimately, we have to love ourselves. When you open your heart, you make yourself vulnerable. Loving someone, whether romantically or platonically, involves a risk—the risk of getting hurt.
That’s always a scary thing to consider when we first embark upon a commitment with someone. Love can heal us but it can also hurt us—sometimes leading us to destruction and suffering.That is because love is pure creative energy and ultimately it is power. Creative energy can create and it can destroy. So, we must be cautious, mindful and compassionate here. We must admit that to love we must risk getting hurt. When we open our hearts to others, we are opening ourselves up for both joy and pain. There’s no getting around that. Expanding your heart will allow for love to enter, but it also exposes the wounds that may reside there: the old pain and heartbreak you put aside to get on with your life.
These three conjunctions of Venus and Jupiter will likely correlate with the need to expand your capacity to love in some way, but it will equally expand those places within your heart that experienced the dark side of love as well—the heartbreak and rejection. There’s a saying that states that when you love and get hurt, to keep on loving. And when you get hurt again, love more. Continue loving until the love in your life overpowers the pain. This is a metaphor for what you may encounter, depending on how personal these three conjunctions are for you (relative to their contact with specific points in your chart). Collectively speaking,
Venus and Jupiter are offering us an opportunity to include more love and creative joy in our lives and to open that vulnerable place within to heal our wounds too.
And when these two planets come together, they invite us to take some risks. We should be mindful of the tendency to overdo things, to give and love too much so that we lose ourselves in the process. If you’re prone to going overboard in that department, be mindful of what you are getting yourself into. We are in a cycle that invites us to try something new, to put ourselves out there in regards to giving and receiving love. It’s time to be clear and ask for what you want. Take some bold steps but also be mindful of vanity traps and facades concealing empty promises.
The other side of Venus (as I discussed above), correlates with talents that become valuable resources that help us survive in the world. Consider that potentially some resource may be growing alongside your relationships too. So, take a look at what is unfolding in your life right now. This is what you have chosen to work through. Know that whatever is transpiring in this moment, you will come back to. We will come to this place again. Take your time with this process. And when in doubt, just keep on allowing love to enter your life, in whatever shape or form it manifests. Love is truly a transpersonal force, a force that we can only glimpse in this density/reality. I feel that it is a force that binds the universe, and it will guide us, ultimately, to wholeness. Do you trust the flow of love in your life? Reflect on that. It will reveal much to you.
Check out my very first video! I intend to begin posting supplemental videos with certain blog posts. So stay tuned for more!
If you're interested in a personal reading, please e-mail me directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com. Also, head over to my Readings/Consultations page for reading options and pricing.
An artist's impression of Pluto and its moon Charon; Pat Rawlings/NASA.
Full Moon @ 9 Capricorn 55'
July 1, 2015
10:20 PM Eastern
7:20 PM Pacific
The current lunar cycle culminates in the tropical sign of Capricorn. As the Moon waxes to its opposition to the Sun, it will be applying to a conjunction with Pluto and will have just passed an opposition to Mars. Here the Moon illuminates the heart of darkness, as Pluto symbolizes the gateway to the ego-dystonic realm—the threshold beyond ego and self-identification. As this Full Moon culminates, you’re invited to get a little bit serious about something in your life. Perhaps, you will find yourself focused on a specific task or mission—one that requires that you transcend your own ego based needs to consider your influence upon others or the collective.
We each come into this life with a purpose. For some of us, that purpose is beyond simply making our way in the world. For some of us, our purpose is to contribute something to the larger community in a way that will impact the whole of humanity, not just our individual lives. Pluto reminds us of this. We are not only here to work out our karma, but we are here to serve the greater human tribe. Capricorn teaches us about the necessity of solitude and focused concentration to achieve any great work. The Full Moon in Capricorn brings to culmination a dynamic endpoint or goal that we may feel compelled to accomplish.
Capricorn doesn’t take shortcuts or the easy path. To master a Capricorn mission, you must apply yourself, and that may be difficult and challenging. Pluto connects us to a place within the psyche that holds deeply embedded karmic memories—the experiences we have brought with us throughout our many lifetimes. As the Full Moon illuminates this terrain, it equally illuminates the dynamics within our lives that we may not fully understand from this lifetime alone. Sometimes the choices we make, and the people involved, stem from something our soul had decided to do a long time ago. This Full Moon not only brings about a deep awareness of our responsibility to the community, but it also brings about an impetus to do something about it. This Full Moon is as much about action as it is about awareness. And that action is likely to involve some hard work, commitment, and dedication.
However, with Saturn retrograde ruling this Full Moon, we are likely to take action in ways that restructure an existing plan or system. Are you ready for it? Can you handle the path that lies ahead of you? You must go within and truly connect authentically so that you can realistically assess your capabilities. The separating conjunction of Venus and Jupiter in Leo adds a bit of enthusiasm and lightness to this otherwise heavy Full Moon. These two planets in Leo remind us that hard work must be equally accompanied by a healthy balance of focused commitment and play. While you face whatever mission you have chosen to endure, don’t lose sight of your basic human nature. Pleasure, joy, and laughter still have a place in all this serious business. Our great work may require some sacrifice, but our true purpose should feed our soul and fill our lives with bliss. If you’re not experiencing that, then you may need to reconsider what you’re really here to do and why.
Any depression, emptiness, or fear that accompanies this Full Moon is the existential biofeedback emanating from your soul. Your soul is calling you now. It is calling you to take a moment and look within yourself and realistically assess the path you're embarking on. That may require a difficult, hard look at reality, but remember that you are always being guided by the natural processes of the body and the world around you. Some part of the universe wants you to succeed, and some part of the universe equally wants you to fail. Which one will be your guide? Sometimes it’s as simple (and difficult) as a choice between fear and love. A wise person once told me, when given a choice between comfort and passion, choose passion. And that has served me well. Choose the passion that compels you to live your life to its highest potential. While life is anything but easy, it’s in the tension and struggle that we truly know we are alive.
If you're interested in a personal reading, please e-mail me directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com. Also, head over to my Readings/Consultations page for reading options and pricing.
False color image of Mercury; image by NASA/JPL/Northwestern University.
New Moon @ 25 Gemini 07
June 16, 2015
10:05 AM
7:05 AM
This month’s New Moon plants its seeds in the tropical sign of Gemini just after Mercury turns stationary direct. Mercury’s retrograde cycle in Gemini was quite influential for many people. It seemed to be one of the most pronounced cycles I’ve experienced. While it’s difficult to predict exactly how any Mercury retrograde will influence us on an individual level, we can theoretically assume that Mercury turning retrograde in its own sign is particularly powerful and dynamic in its expression.
That certainly played out for a lot of people I’ve spoken with. Luckily I made it out alive and I assume that you did too. You can rest assured that things are on the mend and that Mercury is moving forward now. Reality is slowly but surely going back to normal—whatever that means. The world that we perceive exists only in the mind. That means that we don’t see things as they actually are. We see only what we need to survive in physical form.
When Mercury turns retrograde, it seems to poke little holes in the façade that the mind creates. It allows us to glimpse more deeply into things, which will ultimately expand our perception and our awareness of our environment. We can choose to integrate these new perceptions into our personal life if we wish, or we can simply brush off all setbacks and accidents as evidence that sometimes shit just happens for seemingly no reason at all.
I typically choose the latter, though I don’t always find it easy to discover the meaning behind every “happy” accident that occurs in my life. But wisdom has taught me that there’s logic to the flow of events in my life, that there’s a reason for everything even if it’s not readily apparent. As I mentioned in the previous Full Moon reading, the mundane can be magical if we look deep enough. Every moment is a spiritual experience.
If the physical reality is an illusion conjured by the mind, then the mundane is just as valuable for spiritual evolution as a meditation retreat or an ayahuasca ceremony in the Amazon. From the evolutionary astrological perception, all experiences are catalysts for growth and change. Every choice we make furthers the evolution of the soul.
Gemini is a sign we associate with the mind and the reality that we experience in our everyday lives and routines. You don’t get any more mundane than Gemini. But Gemini, by nature, isn’t a boring, prosaic sign. Gemini dominant individuals are usually quite stimulating and often loquacious. Gemini seeks awareness, information, and constant stimulation. When reality becomes dull, boring and routine, it’s a sign that you’re not properly nourishing your mind with new information.
Knowledge and awareness expands your understanding of the world. The more you know the more interesting life becomes. You begin to see things that you didn’t see before. You become aware of possibilities that you never imagined. With Mars conjunct this New Moon, you are invited to conjure up the courage to expand your reality by trying something new and by actively engaging in the process of discovery.
You might expand your perception intellectually, or you may choose to do it physically. Gemini, in its highest expression, is open-minded and willing to try or entertain any possibility. Give yourself permission to experiment; play, loosen up, and maybe have a little bit of fun with this lunation. While a New Moon is typically a time of lower energy, a time to recharge, Mars’ presence gives this New Moon an added jolt of energy, enthusiasm, and momentum. However, every New Moon favors more personal and intimate activities. So while you may feel quite restless and less willing to stick to your usual tasks and routines, you’re not likely to go overboard. And that’s a good thing, because the dark side of Mars can cause a lot of pain.
And speaking of pain, Chiron makes a square to this New Moon. Chiron invites you to transmute your pain and wounds into gifts and empathy. While you can’t ignore your pain with this lunation, you can at least drown it out and learn to transcend your suffering. Sometimes all you need is a good laugh, great sex, or a stimulating conversation and suddenly you don’t hurt so much, suddenly you’re not so obsessed with it. This is different than trying to numb or avoid your pain. It’s a way of consciously engaging with life to shift your attention away from what hurts you to raise your vibration so that you can truly heal.
Ultimately, pain exists in our minds. We don’t always have to engage it. And we certainly don’t have to identify with it. What hurts us is often something that simply points us to that which we are unconscious of. Pain is a kind of existential biofeedback. It’s how the body communicates to us how far off our spiritual path we truly are. When you consciously engage your mind, you may realize that you have more control of your experiences than you have led yourself to believe. And to engage your mind requires that you engage with your life. So, stop suffering and start living.
Neptune and Triton three days after Voyager's flyby; photo
by NASA/JPL.
Full Moon @ 11 Sagittarius 49'
June 2, 2015
12:19 PM Eastern
9:19 PM Pacific
I was never taught that the world was a magical place. That sounds like some sappy new age rhetoric, but I think that it’s fundamentally true. Life can be magical. I was never told that synchronicity underpinned reality or that it happened every day. I wasn’t aware that some completely unconscious aspect of me, my psyche, was actually making all of my decisions. I learned to objectify nature, myself, and my body—to perceive the natural world as a product to be exploited for financial gain. I was molded by a mundane shell, a perceptual prison constructed out of banality.
But I didn’t always see things that way. There was a time, pre-social conditioning, when I saw the world as magical and the future filled withendless possibilities. But somehow I forgot. That promising vista of magical wonder faded like a naive childhood dream, recollected only as some vague and distant memory. Our cultural worldview is tainted by what astrologer and historian Richard Tarnas calls cosmological disenchantment. It’s quite a pandemic, and something most of us raised in a western industrialized nation have been conditioned by.
We have to make the effort to regain that magical wonder of the world around us. Most of the time it takes “divine” intervention or a hefty psychedelic trip to restore the original vision that is every human’s birthright. If it doesn’t happen before or at our Saturn return, we may never recapture it. Reality beats us down. As we grow older, we realize that life, while inherently magical and serendipitous, has its limitations.
Sometimes those limitations suffocate us until we give in to the mundane and become slaves to the illusion of time. This month’s Full Moon culminates in the tropical sign of Sagittarius just after the midpoint of Mercury’s current retrograde cycle in Gemini. If you’ve made it this far, you’re in a period of restoration, recovery and perhaps regaining trust that while bad things sometimes happen, there’s often a reason for it.
Sagittarius is a sign we associate with widening perception,
seeking a larger, encompassing cosmology or ideological perception that gives
us the ability to see the deeper meaning behind the mundane reality before us.
As our cosmology changes, so does the everyday world around us. This is the
interplay of Sagittarius and Gemini. Our wider cosmological perceptions affect the
world of everyday objects. As our understanding expands, so does our prosaic experience.
I used to think that telling peoplebad things happen for a reason was like dishing out some kind of empty, meaningless platitude to keep people from feeling empathy. Sometimes that’s probebly true. But my experience of Mercury retrograde cycles, and life itself has shown me that there’s some truth to it. Sometimes negative experiences or accidents offer us an opportunity to glimpse another reality if only for a moment. Bad things happen for a reason because, perhaps, the whole point of our existence is to gain consciousness and awareness.
Sometimes the universe needs to slap us upside the head, as if to say, “Hey, idiot! Wake up!” If you read my blog consistently, chances are that you’re one of those souls that intend to acquire more awareness this lifetime compared to other people. That doesn’t make you better or special, but maybe wiser; maybe you’ve been around the block a few more times. And then again, maybe not, who really knows.
Neptune makes a square to this Full Moon axis while the Sun finds itself pitted between Mercury retrograde and Mars in Gemini. This Full Moon challenges you to wake up to the magic of your everyday experience, not through delusion, denial, drugs or escapism, but through a conscious collaboration with reality the way that it actually is. What you may have forgotten, is that life is magical. Reality is governed by the laws of synchronicity. What your teachers and those pundits of scientism never told you about is abundantly clear if you’re receptive enough to notice it.
And conversely, reality has its limitations. There are rules that we must follow. Too much immersion in a magical world can render us the peur or puella aeternus—the eternal boy or girl who never grows up. If that’s where you stand, this Full Moon may shed light on the fact that you need to come back to the world and become a part of all that is visually apparent and obvious. You may need to realize that magic can be found in the mundane because even the mundane can be magical.
And so what’s happening right in front you, your life, whether you like it or not, it’s what you need right now. Perhaps, it’s what you’ve chosen to experience, and there’s a pretty good reason for it. Don’t try to avoid it, even if it’s painful, even if it’s a little unsavory. And if it’s great, there’s no sense in idealizing that it will last forever. Life is always a beautiful balance of pain and ecstasy. We can’t always avoid the pain, but we can consciously choose more ecstasy if we’re willing to let go of our attachment to suffering.
And both experiences, the good and the bad, break us open. They serve to tear little holes in the mundane shell that was ambitiously constructed around us. Allow this Full Moon to chisel away some of that shell. Can you trust that some part of you that you are not consciously aware of is guiding you toward wholeness? Can you take the risk of trusting that pain has a purpose? Only you can decide. And that is your ultimate existential plight. Choose expansion with this lunation, but choose wisely and soberly. Where there is risk there is both opportunity and tragedy.
For personal readings and consultation, please e-mail me directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com
I really believe (and I don’t believe in very much) that there is a benevolent force within the universe that genuinely wants us to live happy and meaningful lives. This force beckons us daily. Even when we aren’t living a happy and meaningful life, this benevolent force of the universe is always throwing us a sort of cosmic life raft if only we are mindful enough to notice it. Often, this life raft comes to us through other people, or sudden and unforeseen changes of circumstance that can sometimes be painful, even challenging to endure, but that ultimately seeks to break us free of our attachment to suffering.
I equally believe that there is an opposing, entropic force within the universe, one that seeks to further a state of unconsciousness and existential passivity. Paralyzed by fear, we slip deeper into unknowing and forgetfulness, forgetting our true purpose and the power of free will. But I think that ultimately, both forces (and the gradients in between) are bound or cradled by a completely neutral and indifferent force—the true face of God(dess) who’s only intention is to maintain homeostasis within the universe.
Remember that whichever path you choose in life, whatever experience you unconsciously generate, you are perhaps helping the universe to maintain its existence. Every choice you make is a confirmation of conscious experience. And every conscious experience an illusion manifested by the universe to come to know itself, but to ultimately gain consciousness. Carl G. Jung believed that the desire to achieve consciousness of oneself, to illuminate the vast and abysmal psyche, was more powerful than the desire for sex.
And then like sex, life is a ruse for the acquisition of consciousness. Perhaps every experience, choice, and decision that we make is a trick to get us to wake up. And then sometimes we have to fall asleep, slip into unconscious passivity to realize what we really truly exist for. We exist to confirm our existence and ultimately the existence of the universe. Does the universe really exist? Perhaps it exists only because we choose it to be so. And then perhaps the universe is really a trickster, and the faces of God(dess), merely its pawns in a game that has no purpose but to exist for the sake of existence.
Venus, sitting on a rainbow, with her devotees who offer
their hearts to her; artist anonymous, 15th Century.
New Moon @ 26 Taurus 55'
May 17, 2015
9:13 PM Pacific
May 18, 2015
12:13 AM Eastern
Just before Mercury turns stationary retrograde, the Sun and Moon conjoin in the tropical sign of Taurus. Taurus invites you to get into your body and feel your way through all of this. Most of the time, our decisions are based on some complex mental process influenced by conditioning, early imprinting, belief systems and ideas, but with Mercury’s retrograde cycle and the highly palpable nature of Taurus, you are encouraged to listen to what your body is saying and what it actually needs with this New Moon.
Venus in Cancer, the ruler of Taurus, is applying to an opposition to Pluto. This brings up some deep issues around intimacy and trust. Over the next few days, Venus and Pluto will highlight the need for emotional honesty and vulnerability in your relations with others. Direct eye contact and intimate confrontation may be a part of that.
The body and the mind are ultimately inseparable; they are but perceived fragments of the psyche and self. Venus in Cancer is ultimately seeking love, a kind of unconditional love that transcends the biological simulacrum fueled by oxytocin, vasopressin and endogenous opiate receptors. The biological experience of love may ultimately be but a filtered down expression of a vaster, universal force that possibly binds the universe, a force that flows into your life freely and spontaneously.
Pluto may prompt you to explore how you are allowing the flow of love to enter your life. An assessment of boundaries may be necessary. Too many walls constructed by rigid thoughts, beliefs, and theoretical ideas can often block the vastness of love that seeks to fill your body and ultimately your life. Conversely, too much openness and compassion can leave you vulnerable to predators that can feed on the love emanating from the body and soul.
How do we find the balance? This is the ultimate evolutionary struggle. Often, love can deceive us. Sometimes our compassion and empathy can lead us into dangerous territory. But, for most of us, it is these very qualities that make us unique as human beings. We have the ability to move beyond our primal instincts and into a higher vibration of consciousness that ultimately transcends the body.
And thus, love may be a residuum of a higher density, a density we may only experience as a glimpse predicated on the body’s interpretation. We can imagine that life is an expression of love—a creative impulse that is the ultimate architect of existence. So, love is powerful force. And like anything powerful, it can create and it can destroy. Consider that over the next few days. It implicates immense responsibility. And with Mercury retrograde you have time to think and feel it through.
For personal readings and consultations, please contact me directly by e-mail at kosmicmind@gmail.com
A road cutting a wilderness landscape in Pernambuco, Brazil; photo by Leo Benini, August 2014.
May 18- June 11, 2015
This month the planet Mercury turns retrograde in the sign
of Gemini—its home sign, a place where it’s rather quite comfortable. In
traditional astrology, planets in their own signs (the signs they rule) are
seen as positive omens that give the planet a certain power and upper hand. A
planet in its own sign is at ease and is free to express itself without
inhibition.
From an evolutionary perspective, that can also be a bad
thing. Too much freedom of expression without the proper objectivity can be
disastrous, especially for those in contact with people exhibiting these
qualities. So, while Mercury in Gemini is certainly a favorable placement for a
lot of things, we need to be wary of becoming too subjective and mentally
focused which can keep us from seeing the bigger picture.
On the other hand,
the fact that this cycle is occurring now, indicates that, perhaps, an intense
focus and subjective viewpoint is needed for you. Perhaps you’ve been too
distracted or are spreading yourself too thin. But then again, Gemini is the
flightiest and most distractible of signs.
At the heart of
Gemini, and at its highest vibration, is a restless curiosity and an openness
to alternate viewpoints. Gemini needs to ponder and it needs to consider things
from various angles. Mercury, the ruler of Gemini, moving backward in its own
sign, is a perfect opportunity to see things differently and to absorb as much
alternative information as you can. This is an opportunity for extra fact
checking and for making sure that you have all the information you need.
You may change your
mind this retrograde—in fact, that might happen a few times. There may be
several revisions. Most importantly, keep your mind loose, open and flexible
this cycle. If there is a retrograde that calls for an open mind and a bit of
humility it will be this one. Admit to yourself that you don’t know everything
there is to know. Admit to yourself that life is an ongoing process of
discovery.
If you go in with
that attitude, you'll be on the right track. Gemini, the sign of communication
and information gathering, will likely dredge up old, unresolved communication
threads as well as bits of information that you somehow lost track of. Along
with that, and during every Mercury retrograde cycle, you need to be mindful of
what you say and what you commit to. Reiterate directions, plans, and
intentions thoroughly to make sure that the message is clear and fully
considered.
So, what about
contracts and starting new things? Typically, Mercury retrograde is a time to
go over things and to exercise caution when it comes to making hasty decisions
or pushing forward with something big (things that could be costly if they
fail), but this is certainly not a rigid rule. Whatever you’ve been working on
needs to be revised, and it’s best to hold off on implementing some things,
especially when you feel that certain pieces may be missing.
However, Mercury
retrograde cycles can often open up new doors and possibilities which can lead
us into new environments or experiences that we were not expecting, thus
changing our course or direction. Most of all, go with the flow. If things
aren’t moving forward or as fast as you would like, take it as a sign that you
need to step back and go over some things and then try again when the cycle is
complete.
With Mercury moving through its home sign, we can anticipate
all that the usual communicative foibles will be particularly pronounced. We
know that Mercury retrograde is notorious for throwing certain setbacks,
challenges and technical frustrations onto our path. Sometimes, however, with
the proper perspective, we can see these “setbacks” as happy accidents that can
allow us to see the holes in our current strategies which will ultimately help
us find ways to improve them. Again, go with the flow and take your time.
You'll be grateful that you did.
Mercury Retrograde
Logistics
Mercury entered the first
shadow phase of its retrograde cycle on May 4. This is the beginning of the
retrograde and it often foreshadows certain issues that we may be dealing with
during the retrograde process itself. We may also begin to notice the “effects”
of Mercury retrograde at this time as well.
Mercury turns
stationary retrograde on May 18. It will turn stationary direct on June 11.
Technical, mechanical, and communicative issues are typically more pronounced
around these dates, so be prepared for potential delays, setbacks, and
complications on the days of and surrounding these days more so than usual.
Mercury will enter the final shadow phase on June 11 and
will leave the shadow on June 26. This is the finalizing stage of the
retrograde cycle where we may find ourselves tying up loose ends, putting on
finishing touches, and rebuilding whatever may have been dismantled during the
retrograde process itself.
During the retrograde
process (when Mercury appears to be moving backward), it will make contact with
several planets. On May 27, Mercury will conjoin Mars in Gemini. Be wary of
combativeness in your communications as it may stir up arguments and
misunderstandings. Thinking before you speak will be especially important as
you may regret what was said later on.
This is an excellent time to focus on some mental task that
requires intense concentration and channel it towards revising things or
acquiring more information. This may also be a good time to make adjustments to
a fitness routine, although be very cautious about pushing yourself too far or
past your current physical level.
Mercury will square Neptune on May 29. Again, be cautious of
misunderstandings and jumping to conclusions around this time. You may not have
all the information that you need, or you may not be seeing things as clearly
as you otherwise would. This is a time to step back and retreat, perhaps take
some time to self-reflect to gain insight intuitively. Creative work or
meditation will be especially favorable under this aspect.
Mercury will conjoin the Sun on May 30. This is the midpoint
of the retrograde cycle, where you may find yourself beginning to wrap up a
revision process and slowly recover from any setbacks or delays you may have
encountered. It is also a good day to keep a look out for important information
that may be coming your way.
Mercury will make a sextile to Venus on June 10, just before
turning stationary direct. This soft aspect may help to mend any
misunderstandings that may have occurred during the retrograde cycle, as well
as rekindle a connection or two from the past. Keep in mind, however, that as
Mercury begins to station direct, there may be more technical issues than
usual, although Mercury’s soft aspect to Venus may help to soften the blow.
This is a time to take it easy and process things. Plan on spending some time
with someone you really trust and feel comfortable with.
For personal readings and consultations, please contact me
directly by e-mail at kosmicmind@gmail.com
The current lunar cycle culminates in the tropical sign of Scorpio. As always, the seeds that were planted at the New Moon two weeks ago come to fruition in some obvious or subtle way. In Scorpio, the Full Moon brings to your awareness the need for honesty and realism, as well as certain fears and vulnerabilities you may be concealing.
Scorpio is a sign that deals with issues surrounding trust—though that may not be so obvious. We associate Scorpio with uncomfortable truths, death, transformation, intimacy and often sex. Those are touchy subjects in and of themselves (culturally speaking), but at the heart of Scorpio is the ability to trust that nature, the engine of our natural, primal urges, knows what it’s doing. We can’t successfully experience such things unless we have cultivated enough trust to let down our guard and surrender to them.
The traditional ruler of Scorpio is Mars, a planet that in evolutionary astrology we associate with the drive to fulfill desire, desires which fundamentally and hypothetically belong to some “higher” aspect of the self we call the soul. According to Buddhist and even Hindu philosophies, we are souls bound by desire and attachment; life is essentially a process through which the soul attempts to exhaust its desires to ultimately be freed of attachment and thus suffering.
I have a mantra that seems to work for me, but it is certainly not devoid of controversy. It goes something like this: “Follow every desire, even if it tries to kill you.” Now, in my reality, I feel that one should do as they will as long as it doesn’t interfere with the free will of another person. In other words, if your desire is to control, manipulate, dominate or coerce another person, then you are playing a very different game, and one in which your desire can lead to disaster (but then again, who am I to judge?) You may also be a sociopath, but that’s a whole other topic, and I doubt you would be reading my blog.
Our desires may involve other people, but the process through which we fulfill them should include a conscious collaboration as well as full disclosure of intentions and consent from all those involved. That usually refers to sexual desires, but can be applied to many different things. The key to living a successful, vibrant and fulfilling life seems to lie in the skill of mastering one's will (amongst a lot of other things. I don’t have all the answers).
This is different from trying to control or dominate the will, or worse, trying to deny or suppress desire. Mastery of one’s will is the skill of being able to openly acknowledge and compromise between what you desire and the ability to direct it consciously toward right action—that is to say, action that is right for you and your unique spiritual path. Sometimes my desires have gotten me into trouble; sometimes they have seemingly led me astray, to the edge of a precipice where I glimpsed my inevitable death.
Those were eye-opening experiences, to say the least. Those moments, while terrifying and uncomfortable, seem to be the very experiences that had the most impact on me as a person. They cut to the bone, to the soul level. They showed me who I really was and what I was made of. In those moments, I somehow survived. I didn’t die, but death is always there, stalking us, waiting for us.
When you actually face death, when you look it in the eye, you can’t help but be transformed by such an experience. It is a frightening and yet beautiful experience. So, to master one’s will successfully, one must learn to trust one's desires which may lead us to some uncomfortable places, butultimately, it'sfor our own good.
This is certainly not a perfect mantra exempt from debate regarding its actual efficaciousness, but for me, it speaks of an uncomfortable truth: life isn’t about avoiding pain; it’s about surrendering to the inevitable hurt that we will encounter on our journey through life, and to ultimately allow our pain to transform us. In our openness to embrace the love of the universe, we must be open and trusting that every moment has a potential meaning, and within each moment there is an essential purpose and intention that is guiding us toward a greater purpose than our own individual life.
The ancients understood this well. As depicted in the myths of the sacrificed savior/god/deity such as Jesus, Prometheus, Osiris, Mithra, Dionysus, etc., we essentially come to Earth to ultimately get torn apart. That’s a rather raw and graphic way of describing the root of our existential human condition, whichis rather Scorpionic, is it not? As I’ve shared before, sometimes the poison is the medicine.
This was a brilliant insight my most cherished therapist once told me when analyzing my dream involving a venomous spider. The poison is sometimes the medicine. What might be “bad” for us, what might seem negative based on certain preconditioned moralistic principles, may actually turn out to be our savior and thus our saving grace. It is also the root idea underlining allopathic medicine.
Jupiter conjunct Juno in Leo squares the Full Moon axis. Here we have a profound statement about the need to trust desire and take a risk, a leap of faith. Perhaps this involves a relationship with someone else (Juno). Perhaps it involves some other kind of relationship or commitment you are currently considering. The Full Moon illuminating Scorpio, filling the void of the unconscious with light and awareness, points to the necessity of seeing things honestly and realistically without losing sight of the need to play and be spontaneous.
It requires a kind of openness and an ability to accept vulnerability. It may require direct, eye contact. It may require an open discussion about what you really want or desire. It may be a prelude to a conflict if you’re not careful, but when we come from a place of love, love rooted in openness and a trusting nature; we can look into that void knowing that life appears to know what it’s doing. And while sometimes serious, life is also a game, and it can be fun; our desires will show us the way.
P.S. Mercury turns retrograde this month! Don't panic though. Mercury retrograde is a great time to take it easy and to take more time to do things. The universe will support you in that. Stay tuned for my next article on this month's Mercury retrograde cycle.
Mercury enters shadow May 4, 2015
Mercury turns stationary retrograde May 18, 2015
Mercury turns stationary direct June 11, 2015
Mercury leaves shadow June 26, 2015
For personal readings and consultations, please e-mail me directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com
The Man on fire at the annual Burning Man Festival; photo by Aaron Logan, 2004.
New Moon @ 28 Aries 25' 2:57 PM Eastern 11:57 AM Pacific
This month the New Moon plants its seeds in the tropical sign of Aries. We have made it through the recent eclipse passageway, and we’re likely on some new or altered course. What was revealed to you with the past lunar cycle? Who have you met? How have the people around you changed your perspective? This New Moon occurs at the 28th degree—considered an anaretic degree, the place where energy is building and working its way toward a new experience.
There may be some restlessness or excitement about a new adventure. Aries craves challenge, risk, and stimulation. You may feel the need for something new with this lunation, as the collective energy supports confidence and a kind of pioneering spirit. Mars, the ruler of this New Moon, is currently moving through Taurus, a sign that traditional astrology would label as an unfavorable place for Mars to be.
Taurus is not Mars’ preferred territory—that much is certain. However, when looked at from an evolutionary perspective, we can see that what makes us uncomfortable is sometimes good for us, sometimes efficacious for soul growth. So, whatever you decide to jump into during this lunation, just remember that it may be a little awkward, and it may feel like you’re slightly out of your element, but with wisdom you may realize that to grow, you sometimes have to put yourself into environments that challenge your usual ways of being.
The primary goal of the modern, astrological perspective is to attain a sense of balance and integration within ourselves. Exposing ourselves to foreign environments or people often helps to balance us out; we take on qualities that can temper our extreme positions and viewpoints. While Aries and Mars usually prefer to jump right in and make things happen, Taurus favors the slow and steady route. So, there may be the prospect of an adventure, but things will be a lot easier if you’re mindful of the need to take your time.
With Venus square Neptune, there is a need to take our time to listen—really slow down and listen, or we might miss some important cues from our environment. The collective psyche is heating up with potential and anticipation, but it would be very wise to emphasize the moment—really take a look around. Notice the people in your life, and make the effort to really connect, share and experience what it is that’s right before you.
In a world so saturated with technology, we often forget the power and beauty of genuine human connection—touching, talking and sharing. We certainly can’t stop the world from changing, but we can preserve those intimate moments and make it a point to set them aside. The end result, the climax, is never really what we’re really after; it’s always the experience and how it changed our soul. So remember that as you move forward this New Moon.
For personal readings and consultations, please e-mail me directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com
Windmills generating energy on the way to palm desert; photo by Chad Woodward, March 2015.
Total Lunar Eclipse @ 14 Libra 24’
April 4, 2015
8:05 AM Eastern
5:05 AM Pacific
This month’s Full Moon culminates in the tropical sign of Libra; it also happens to be a total lunar eclipse. Eclipses are subtle and mysterious events that often correlate with some kind of transition into a new way of being, acting or thinking. Something deeply internal begins to shift and you may find yourself approaching situations in a new or different way. This is the gift of the eclipse, and it’s up to you to respond to that urge to change something within yourself and make some progress.
This particular eclipse, like many eclipses, has a strong transpersonal feel to it. That may have much to do with the sign of Libra, but also its contact with the now fading Uranus/Pluto square that touches the Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse axis. By transpersonal, I mean to say that this eclipse points to changes and insights catalyzed by those around us, in our intimate and personal lives, as well as the collective archetypal forces that urge the individual to take part in something larger than his or herself.
Perhaps this eclipse invites you to put down your defenses and consider the insight of someone else. It may be some small suggestion or viewpoint, but it could have the effect of greatly altering how you see yourself and your unique situation. Equally, you may feel called to take part in a larger cause, movement or creative work that touches a broader audience of individuals outside of your personal life.
Often, those people who irritate or trigger us the most offer us a valuable gift and lesson. Every person we encounter is a window through which we view some fragment of ourselves. And every person is a window through which the greater self comes to know itself. In other words, you are not truly a separate being, but each of us an aggregate of some greater being or psychic organism that we perceive in a fragmented form.
Mars and Venus in Taurus alongside this Libra lunar eclipse help to calm and soothe the collective atmosphere, particularly the hyperactive and potentially volatile energies of the Sun, Mercury, Uranus and the South Node in Aries. This is a moment to pause and slow down—to listen to the subtle cues within your environment and from the people around you. This is also a potentially transformative as well as catalytic eclipse, but one that invites you to embrace a more inclusive attitude.
As you pass through this final eclipse passageway, take some time to reflect on what is changing within you. As with all Full Moons, something is reaching a head or breaking point, and if we’re open to the flow, we can move forward from many stagnating situations. The day of the eclipse is also a moment conducive to self-reflection and observation of your surroundings.
While you may feel compelled to go it alone, try to see where a helping hand could make your journey smoother and more efficient. While we are on this Earth, living our lives, we must remember that ultimately, we are in this together, whether that is obvious or not.
For personal readings/consultations, please e-mail me directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com
Timeline of the Universe; image by NASA/WMAP Science Team; modified by Ryan Kaldari.
Total Solar Eclipse @ 29 Pisces 27' March 20, 2015 5:36 AM Eastern 2:36 AM Pacific
Physicists suggest that the universe was birthed by an explosion. This is the basis of the big bang theory of cosmic origins. Exactly what catalyzed such an explosion remains a mystery. Perhaps such explosions happen all the “time” (somewhere outside the universe itself); some creating new universes while others fail to stabilize, but such a concept truly boggles the mind since “time” itself appears to be relative and ultimately nonexistent.
The linear perception of cause and effect, what we might call karma, may not be how things (ultimately) operate in the larger scheme of things, whatever that may look like, but from our point of view, things happen and there are consequences. According to modern theoretical speculation, the past cannot be changed. What has happened is somehow set in stone and there’s no way to change it. There’s no going back.
Then again, we may be living on a particular timeline of which there are many. We could, hypothetically speaking, visit the past, but it wouldn’t be the exact same past that we experienced before. There may be infinite past timelines from which we could visit, but never the one “we” actually experienced. Pondering such things is quite a feat of mental gymnastics and at this point in space and time it serves us very little beyond mere amusement.
Going with the predominant cosmology, the big bang, we assume that something catalyzed the universe into existence. Astrological theory suggests that at a fundamental level, the universe is a fractal and inherently holographic. The ancient axiom, as above, so below, illustrates this truth rather simply: that everything in the universe is a reflection of everything else.
Assuming this to be a relative truth (at least from our perspective), then your life is a microcosm of the universe itself. Your birth was a reflection of that initial explosion that catalyzed the universe into existence; it was your own personal big bang. Then, following this line of thought, the procreative process that led to your existence somehow mirrors the procreative process that seeded all of existence. Maybe, the big bang is some kind of giant, cosmic orgasm.
That certainly fits with the Hindu cosmology or even that of Gnosticism. Astrological theory also asserts that the universe that we perceive is cyclic, not really linear. Each cycle contains the template of the former, but changes and mutates as it goes. This would be the underlying assumption of evolution. The tropical zodiac conforms to this perception. Aries symbolizes the beginning while Pisces lies at the end.
This month, on March 20, a total Solar Eclipse occurs at the 29th degree of Pisces, symbolic of the gestating explosion that seeded the universe itself. This final degree, known as the anaretic degree, has a powerful symbolic meaning that relates to the culmination of one process and the beginning of a new one. Solar Eclipses are poignant statements suggesting a collective breakthrough and transition into new realms.
In other words, you are crossing a threshold with this eclipse and symbolically entering a new landscape that may be similar but not quite the same. Coincidently, or synchronously, the vernal equinox coincides with this eclipse here in the northern hemisphere. For those below the equator, the autumnal equinox commences many hours after this eclipse. No matter which side that you stand on, the equinox is a balancing and integration point where day and night are of equal length. Some part of you is giving birth. Some part of the collective is giving birth.
Pisces is the culmination of all that was and will be. It is the point of no return, where we reap the consequences and wisdom of all past actions. As we pass through this dark of the Moon, alongside this darkening of the Sun, the unconscious momentarily trumps the conscious—the awareness of self, the ego. This eclipse is incredibly ego-dystonic, in an archetypal sense.
In layman’s terms, it reveals that which we are not consciously aware of and that which the ego may find incredibly threatening. That may be a frightening omen, but it needn’t be so. You are more than an ego—far, far more. Ultimately, you are the soul of the universe and your separate existence is merely a blip in the process of the universe coming to know itself. You are significant and insignificant all at once.
Ah, the paradox of existence. On a personal level, you are invited to peer into some dark spaces to see what you can let go of. This is a moment of personal and collective surrender. That equates to some kind of sacrifice. Hypothetically speaking (because we can’t even begin to test it), at the end of each life, the ego must be surrendered. The individual identity must give way to something else.
That process requires an immense amount of trust. According to mediums, psychics, parapsychologists, and hypnotherapists (all those labeled charlatans on the Quack Watch most wanted list) we learn that after death, the soul confronts a choice: to step into the “light” or remain attached to its past identity. Sometimes that choice is not always so clear, depending on the nature of one’s death, be it sudden, tragic, or premature.
Though eventually, through some natural process we could not fully comprehend in human form, the soul comes to understand that it no longer resides in a body and that it must, eventually, move on. It must come to trust what it does not understand in a fragmented form. As the Sun and Moon conjoin, and as the Moon’s declination is such that it fully obscures the Sun, it opens a portal to the light. It invites us to process the cycle we have been pursuing and to trust the cycle that emerges now.
Assuming that the world doesn’t come to an end (I’m not predicting that by the way), then life will go on as it always does. Nothing too significant will be noticed externally (with the exception of some probable events on the world stage), but inside of you, deep, deep inside of you, there is an eclipse that invites you to peer a little deeper so that you can come to know your true existence a little more.
Instead of looking outside for change, take this moment to simply listen to the silence of the universe for it speaks volumes to those wise enough to hear it. What happens “out there” happens “in here” too. In fact, unbeknownst to the ego, the external landscape is a metaphor of what is hidden and beyond plain sight. If you listen, if you trust, then new life awaits you.
While the past cannot be changed, while our karma is set in motion, we can change how we respond to the consequences. Unlike the past, the future may not be quite so set in stone, but like the past, there may be almost limitless possibilities; each one somehow similar in an archetypal sense. As Tennessee Williams supposedly said*, "Everything could have been anything else and it would have had just as much meaning".
*Quoted in the film, Mr. Nobody (an existentialist's wet dream).
Closing the Gates of Hell
June 2012 kicked off the first of seven squares between Uranus and Pluto. I’m sure you’ve heard of it. Whether or not you have, its presence has been rather obvious on the world stage. The contact of these two outer planets appears to correlate with profound cultural shifts and changes as well as upsurges in violence and oppression.
Pluto, the god of the underworld, symbolizes the threshold to the truly ego dystonic realities which often appear as nightmare worlds beyond the conscious perception of ego. While that sounds rather unpleasant, Pluto is a messenger of the unconscious. While there are some 150,000 objects like Pluto orbiting beyond Neptune, Pluto seems to act as an ambassador of this Trans Neptunian Realm, and as such, has a special place in the astrological pantheon.
Unlike other TNO’s (Trans-Neptunian Objects), Pluto reaches within the orbit of Neptune at particular points along its orbit around the Sun. This means that Pluto has the ability to reach into the conscious reality and “impose” its messages to the ego directly. Pluto’s archetypal influence is very obvious in reflecting on the past three years or so.
Uranus, named after the sky god, has a definite link to the Promethean mythos, the Greek titan that brought “fire” to humanity. Uranus’ discovery correlated with the rapid development of electronic technologies as well as democracy which was catalyzed by the enlightenment ideals of the mid-17th and 18th centuries. Uranus symbolizes the human urge to transcend the limitations of the natural world—to defy the natural as well as cultural status quo.
That Uranian urge has led to liberating as well as frightening creations. The proper use of Uranus requires wisdom and maturity. Without it, it can become a destructive force on the planet. The dark side of Uranus is hubris and apathy. As Pluto and Uranus have come to the tension of the square aspect, a harmonic that indicates stress and challenge, it has brought to our collective awareness the horrors of untamed hubris.
Pluto reminds us that as much as we think that technological and ideological innovations have kept the chaos at bay, it will always seep through the cracks that we choose to ignore. The cycle of Uranus and Pluto has shown us the dark side of human nature and the limitations and dangers of our technologies. While Uranus urges us to reach for the stars, we must not forget where we came from and what nurtured us through our evolution.
These contacts often correlate with the collective desire to return to some idyllic agrarian state in an attempt to compensate for our increasing disconnection from the primordial womb. In stark contrast, it equally correlates with rapid technological and scientific advancement.
These two currents, while always active unconsciously, rise to the level of collective conscious perception as these two planets come into contact. In your personal life, this cycle has likely correlated with rapid changes and accelerated growth, especially if Uranus and Pluto came into contact with natal placements in your birth chart. The double current is an opportunity to return to natural roots while embracing the convenience and ease of modern advancements.
It is also an opportunity to gain a renewed respect and connection for both currents that exist within you. While the square is a struggle to integrate, often manifesting as a battle within the psyche, it works to strengthen each end of the polarity so that it works harmoniously. Pluto and Uranus made their last exact square on March 16, though Pluto will turn retrograde on April 16 and inch very close to another square before both planets officially move on.
In other words, the gates of hell haven’t closed entirely, but we are bidding farewell to the nightmare for now as it slowly fades from our collective and individual awareness. We are also within the process of integrating the lessons that this cycle presented us. Remember, Pluto, ambassador of the unconscious, presents those things that lie in our blind spots. The more nightmarish it appears, the more urgent the need that we acknowledge it.
When we face the dark, uncomfortable truths, we bring light and awareness to that which we have denied and we inch ever closer toward wholeness, but there is always a choice. You can remain in the dark and allow the nightmare to devour you, or you can take the challenge and rise above the darkness to discover that the demons are merely angels in disguise.
For personal readings/consultations, please e-mail me directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com
The current lunar cycle blossoms in the tropical sign of Virgo, a sign we associate with the pursuit of perfection and purification. Not all Virgo dominant individuals will color coordinate their closets or date all the perishable items in their fridge, but each has a deep appreciation of orderliness as well as competence.
Every strong Virgo personality seeks to develop skills or talents that can be of use to the world and that can contribute something of value to the community. Virgo’s main objective is indeed perfection, whether that is the perfection of helpful skills, talents, or the betterment of themselves on physical, psychological or spiritual levels.
As the Full Moon illuminates the Virgo archetype, it highlights that Virgoness within each of us. It brings to the surface the human desire to contribute something to improve the lives of others; though Virgo teaches that every healer or servant must learn to heal and serve themselves. How can you give what you lack yourself? That is the Virgo conundrum.
And yet, there is that fine line between personal work and one’s duty to the community. How do you know that you’ve healed enough? When does personal work become stagnating, isolating you from your greater purpose and social responsibility? Obsession and neuroticism are usually good indicators. On the opposite end, burnout and exhaustion will cue the hyper diligent to momentarily withdraw and recharge.
And every Full Moon has two sides to the story. The polarity of Sun and Moon reveals an archetypal dichotomy seeking resolution in the collective psyche. The Sun in Pisces conjunct Chiron opposes the Full Moon—inviting you to practice empathy and compassion, to witness the reality of another soul leading to a potentially profound attitudinal shift.
As Carl Jung once said, “The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.”
The cluster of planets currently transiting Aries may prompt you to push yourself beyond a threshold though hopefully, not as far as to cause injury or harm. Mars’ conjunction with the South Node of the Moon is burning up old “karma”—that is to say, generating a restlessness to move past that which hindered you in the past.
There is newness in the air it seems; perhaps that is the prospect of an adventure. That which is emerging on the horizon is fresh and promising. But wisdom reminds you that it is in no way devoid of danger or challenge. Perhaps, unconsciously, that is the exciting part of it. For every life and incarnation there is risk and stress. That’s simply a part of the deal.
That is, perhaps, something the soul accepts as it jumps into each fleshy vessel. And Pisces counterbalances Virgo’s ideals of perfection. At the end of each life, the soul witnesses the memories fade into a diaphanous steam. What matters most is not the world of form and substance, but how the world changed you—what it burned into your soul.
For personal readings and consultations, please e-mail me directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com.
A boiling lake in Yellowstone National Park; Photo by Brocken Inaglory. Earthquakes in 1978-1979 turned this cool spring into a boiling caldron averaging at 164 degrees F.
New Moon @ 29 Aquarius 59'
6:47 PM Eastern
3:47 PM Pacific
The Sun and Moon conjoin once more in tropical Aquarius, marking the second Aquarian New Moon this year. We get an extra jolt of that Aquarian influx just to keep things fresh and to renew any stale perspectives. Mercury’s retrograde cycle is officially over, though we are still in the shadow phase (until March 3), putting on the final touches to what we may have revised or reconfigured.
Hopefully, you’ve had a chance to see things differently or to establish a new creative approach. If you did, you’re probably feeling anxious to put some things into action or to set off in a new direction. What better time than now on this Aquarian New Moon? For New Moons signify a subtle new beginning and the planting of fresh seedlings.
The feeling of anxiousness, even restlessness, may be particularly pronounced with this lunation since it occurs at the anaretic (29th) degree of Aquarius. The final step of any zodiac sign is imbued with anticipation. A new phase awaits us on the other end, but something has to blossom and culminate beforehand. Mars, also on the anaretic degree of Pisces, accentuates the anaretic nature of this New Moon—which is to say that something is coming to a boil in the collective psyche.
Such a feeling suggests that something is about to explode with this lunation. It’s as if this New Moon signals the green light to jump into action and tackle what it is you desire to achieve. Aquarius, of course, suggests that you put aside any fears of ridicule or social disapproval. To liberate yourself from what others think or believe is something Aquarius thrives on and teaches.
Humans are social creatures no matter how introverted one may be. Transcending group-think and peer pressure can be one of the most challenging of human experiences. It’s a basic human instinct to want to please others, to hunger for approval and social validation. But true individuality demands that you piss some people off. And there are tactful and mature ways of doing so.
Mars enters Aries on Feb. 19—at which point you may feel free to be ruthlessly direct and less passive aggressive. Mars’ drifting conjunction with Venus in Pisces hasn’t helped to relieve that tendency either, but their conjunction in Aries on Feb. 20 is likely to bring more clarity and focus about what you really want and desire, as well as an urge to take some risks and push past any resistance that’s been holding you back.
This New Moon invites you to begin a new journey. That requires that you make some kind of commitment as well as entertain a strategy. While plans are always likely to change in time, it never hurts to have a rough template for the future. In fact, to have a working outline of the end result is essential for any new adventure if you wish it to be successful. Don’t hold back either. This lunation favors big dreams and fanciful speculations. The gods are feeling spritelyand frisky. They’re throwing you serendipitous encounters and a synchronicity or two just to spice things up.
Gravity is the binding force of the macroscopic universe. Without it, nothing would coalesce—planets wouldn’t form and stars would collapse. It is gravity that holds this whole thing together. The orbits of the planets around the Sun, the spiraling cycles of stars around the galactic center, and the movement of galaxies around their own aggregate gravitational centers—all would cease to exist in gravity’s absence.
According to Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, objects with mass occupying space leave an imprint within space itself, creating a field around it that pulls surrounding objects (with less mass) toward or around it. From our perspective, the Sun is the center of gravity in the solar system; though we know that the Sun itself is subject to the larger gravitational fields generated by other massive objects as well as the galactic center which it orbits entirely roughly every 250 million years.
That’s quite a bit to take in, and it’s a perspective that serves us very little from our subjective viewpoint here on Earth. For our purposes, we know that gravity keeps our feet firmly planted on the ground. That’s all we really deal with. It may be equally enlightening to realize that gravity is a constant force, much like the speed of light. So, while physicists have given it a name and have painstakingly described it through mathematical equations, we still don’t fully understand it.
Perhaps, gravity is like love—binding all things together in a way that nothing else can. Gravity may feel limiting, keeping us stuck in a specific time and place, but it’s the very thing that increases complexity and fuels the evolutionary process. From an occult or astrological perspective, the Sun is the very heart and engine of the mind itself—the center of gravity of consciousness. And so we come to a very powerful realization: gravity exists only in the mind as does the Sun and all the stars that we see in the sky.
Imagine that. When you look up at the sky and notice the Moon or the planets (with the exception of certain trans-Neptunian objects like Pluto) all orbiting along a specific plane—you are witnessing the Sun’s gravitational field as it extends outward through the solar system. But that very field is something the mind itself has created, which doesn’t make it any less awesome or real. At the end of the day, the mind’s perception is all we really know and fully perceive.
The entire Universe is contained in the mind. This is the heart of the “how” of astrology, and something those with an overtly scientific mentality will never fully comprehend. Astrology works because the planets, the stars, and even the fictitious tropical zodiac all exist in the mind which is inseparable from waking consciousness. The solar system is a mind map because it is the mind--as are the laws of physics which must change as our perception widens and becomes all-encompassing.
This month's lunar cycle culminates in tropical Leo—the sign we associate with the Sun. It also conjoins Jupiter—the largest planet in our solar system with a gravitational force that actually rivals that of the Sun. When I think about this Full Moon, I think gravitas and magnanimity. As the current lunar cycle culminates, it carries tremendous weight and force that is rather attractive—in a gravitational sense.
This Full Moon is about picking up the pieces, pulling things together, regaining trust, confidence, and channeling powerful creative energy and enthusiasm toward positive goals or objectives. This is rather quite fitting because we are a little bit past the midpoint of Mercury’s retrograde cycle, which often has us deconstructing something to ultimately build it back up—whether that be an actual project, palpable thing, viewpoint or perspective. So, this Full Moon kind of pulls it together in a way that will leave us feeling a little more grounded and rooted.
Gravity is also a supporting force. By keeping our feet firmly rooted to the Earth’s surface, we have this sense of something that supports us, that holds us all together. While we may not understand it, we have learned to trust this mysterious force; we allow it to guide us. And ditto with love. While equally mysterious, we must trust the flow of love in our life and allow it to guide us as well, wherever it may lead us. Gravity, love, creativity, desire and passion—they are the forces that keep us coming back to this place in time and space, but perhaps, they are equally the forces, that once exhausted, will ultimately set us free.
If you're interested in personal readings/consultations, please e-mail me directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com.
A man entwined in the coils of DNA; scraperboard drawing by Bill Sanderson, 1990. Wellcome Library, London.
New Moon @ 0 Aquarius 09'
Jan 20, 2015
5:14 AM Pacific
8:14 AM Eastern
In times such as these, it becomes increasingly pertinent to question reality, and above all, to question authority. Human beings have entered a new landscape precipitated by a paradigmatic shift unique to the current historical timeline. That shift came about rapidly when William Hershel realized that a tiny dot, that appeared to be moving, was not a star, but a planet, a new world beyond the temporal boundary of Saturn. And Earth was never quite the same.
When Uranus was finally acknowledged, an electrical surge permeated the planet and awakened humanity to a new realization: there is something beyond time and space and we can access it--we can harness it. No longer were the “higher realms” something that an elite faction of kings and priests had exclusive dominion over. It was available to all, but it came at a price.
The acquisition of higher knowledge requires hard work, commitment, an open-mind, and immense responsibility. When the mind widens to something that challenges its conditioned beliefs, it can be shocking and sometimes overwhelming to the psyche. It’s no wonder that the “tree of knowledge” was forbidden by God in the Garden of Eden, or that the fire was a heavily coveted treasure amongst the Olympian pantheon.
The modern, tropical sign of Aquarius, which holds space for this New Moon, derives its symbolism from the constellation of the Water Bearer. Tropical Aquarius and the Water Bearer are not the same things but are archetypically linked. The Greek myth of Prometheus, who stole fire to give to humanity, derived from an ancient Mesopotamian tale of Enki—who saved a few choice human beings and other specimens from a great deluge against the commands of other Gods.
Modern astrologers attach the Promethean mythos to Uranus and by extension Aquarius, because Uranus just doesn’t quite cover it. Sure, the sky god is an appropriate symbol for Uranus, but its innately rebellious and revolutionary streak can have no other origin, in an archetypal sense, then Enki and Prometheus. Thus, those born with a strong Uranian or Aquarian nature seek out the unusual and are rather acquainted with the notion that to acquire truth and understanding, one must transcend the consensus, one must challenge conditioned perceptions.
If it weren’t for this realization, we wouldn’t have the world we have today. We wouldn’t have this technologically-driven society, the scientific method or the template of democracy (however roughly adhered to). We are here now. We are moving towards the stars and there’s no going back. But just because something beyond Saturn was discovered, doesn’t mean that the consensus group-think doesn’t still exist. Saturn, while no longer the last step in our collective, evolutionary process, is still there and must be respected. We must respect our boundaries and limitations if we wish to survive, but Uranus and Aquarius remind us that the knowledge and potential, to transcend them, exists within each of us.
As the Sun and Moon join together at the entry of Aquarius, and Mercury comes to a standstill before its retrograde cycle, we’re invited to seek the unusual and challenge our perceptions in a way that allows for an expansion of reality. This New Moon suggests that to bring something new into our lives we must do things differently. We must think in some new and unusual way. Change is refreshing, but also terrifying. Defying our personal or collective beliefs is difficult work because it threatens who we think we are and what we have come to identify with.
If you want to achieve great things, if you want to transform stifling circumstances, you have to transcend your perceived limitations by taking that first step off the precipice of time. Mercury’s retrograde motion reminds us, however, that there’s no need to rush. We can take our time. In fact, Mercury’s retrograde through Aquarius (Jan. 21 through Feb. 11) is a time to gradually get comfortable with these emerging insights and realizations.
Saturn is the traditional or primary “ruler” of Aquarius. Saturn recently moved into Sagittarius (Dec. 24), though it will retrograde back into Scorpio (June 16) once more before fully committing to Sagittarius (Sept. 19, 2015). Saturn in Sagittarius will assist us in finding our place in the world and in solidifying our faith in the universe--on a collective and subtle individual level (unless it touches some point of personal significance).
As this New Moon commences, Mars and Neptune are separating from a conjunction in Pisces square Saturn in Sagittarius. This presents the challenge to persevere in the face of the unknown, in the face of fear. Aquarius needs to shake things up, and our hesitancy to do so now is completely justified. What if we upset things? What if we offend other people in the process?
In order to find our place in the world and the universe, we have to take some risks. It isn’t always easy, but the rewards are worth the challenges. To be true to ourselves sometimes requires that we make other people or even ourselves uncomfortable. There is no getting around that fact. We are creatures of comfort and we like predictable routines. But those routines so often cause stagnation and prevent us from moving forward.
The evolutionary process moves on with or without us. While ultimately non-linear, the universe, that we perceive, is ever changing and guided by some unfathomable intelligence. The Aquarian double current is the twofold pathway to wisdom and understanding. There is a way upward and downward, and both paths are essential for soul growth and maturation. Whatever we choose in life, we’ll learn from it and ultimately grow.
To the ego, there is a right way and a wrong way, or a more or less ideal way to go. But to the soul, all experiences provide us with lessons and all choices lead us eventually to wholeness. There is a very personal, paradigmatic shift approaching for each of us with this lunation. Can we defy our fears to see what’s behind the veil of our illusions? Can we trust the universe enough to provide us with the experiences most needed to further our evolutionary growth? Only time will tell, but the more receptive we are now, and the more willing we are to accept the unthinkable, the less painful or shocking it will be.
Retrograde Logistics
Mercury turns stationary retrograde the day after this New Moon. All the usual advice applies here. Don’t freak out and there’s no need to go lock yourself in a closet for the next three weeks. Life goes on when Mercury turns retrograde. We make decisions and choices just like any other time. But we may want to reconsider rushing too hastily forward at these times, especially because we’re in a process of revision and reassessment (basically anything with a re prefix works well at these times).
Mercury retrograde is a time to be particularly mindful and conscious of what you’re doing and to have an open-mind. As human beings, we’ll never have all the knowledge that exists. Our perceptual frameworks are constantly changing and being revised. It’s during these times that the universe invites us to see things differently and to expand our personal and collective points of view. That often happens quite unexpectedly during a retrograde, so be prepared for it.
During Mercury’s stations (in this case the days of and surrounding Jan. 21 and Feb. 11) things can get a little hectic and glitchy. This usually applies to electronics, machinery, and equipment. Because Aquarius is a sign we associate with technology, we can expect this to be exceptionally pronounced more so than usual (though Mercury retrograde is often hard to predict, so don’t hold that against me here). Just be extra mindful of your communications around these times and make sure that things are clear and well-explained.
Misunderstandings and miscommunications are another common Mercury retrograde hang-up and they can sometimes end up quite costly. But these are also rather exciting times. The mind is getting debugged and our timeline rearranged. And to quote author Lewis Hyde, “the agile mind is pleased to find what it was not looking for.” It’s the sudden and unexpected paths that are the most rewarding in life, and Mercury retrograde is notorious for throwing them our way.
I am available for personal readings and consultations; please e-mail me directly at kosmicmind@gmail.com or visit my page for more information.
An artist's impression of the binary star system, Sirius A and B; photo by NASA, ESA and G. Bacon. Sirius A and its companion, Sirius B, a blue white-dwarf star, revolve around each other every 50 years. Only 8.6 light years away, these companion stars are fairly close to home, the fifth closest stellar system that astronomers are currently aware of. Doesn't Sirius B look rather tiny? It's actually smaller than our home planet, yet its surface temperature is actually hotter than Sirius A. Crazy, eh?
Full Moon @ 14 Cancer 31'
Jan 4, 2015
8:53 PM Pacific
11:53 PM Eastern
One of the greatest challenges of being a sensitive, empathic individual is the inevitability of having to face the world—a world that can be cruel, unyielding and seemingly unfair. It is a painful thing to realize, as a sensitive soul, that you must somehow harden yourself just to get by and survive on this planet. Not all of us are so sensitive; many people have developed a thick skin quite early on in life due to certain conditioning factors. But those of a strong Cancerian, lunar or fourth house nature will have to deal with that harsh and challenging adjustment throughout their entire lives. Other mitigating astrological factors will either ease that process or make it exceedingly difficult.
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The tropical sign of Cancer holds space for this Full Moon following the New Year transition and the end of the holiday season. This Full Moon brings to light our vulnerabilities and amplifies sensitivity, even if we aren’t particularly wired for that heightened awareness. To make things even more interesting, this month’s Full Moon finds itself in the crossfire of the Uranus/Pluto square forming a grand cross with the Sun conjunct Pluto and Uranus sideswiping from Aries conjunct the Nodal axis. That dynamic contact exposes our intimate and personal lives with that of the collective—political, economic or ideological influences.
As many people across the western world set their New Years’ resolutions, they can’t help but feel slightly beleaguered by a sense of uncertainty and maybe a slight pessimism. Recent events in the world’s political and economic arenas have given us all good reason to remain alert and committed to realism. But the greatest challenge of all is to maintain our connection to our heart’s true calling while remaining fully conscious of the obstacles that lie ahead of us and which seek to prevent us from pursuing it.
As this Full Moon comes to a climax in the sky, hovering directly above one of the brightest stars, Sirius (the “dog star”; though actually a binary star system comprised of two stars, Sirus A and B), it symbolizes the awareness of a higher calling, purpose and mission which may not be concretely defined but can be intuitively sensed. The heart is calling us outward to participate in the world, though the path or destination may be unclear. This lunation comes with the realization that full participation in life requires that we break out of our comfort zone and make some compromises without completely shutting off our sensitivity and emotional awareness.
To embrace the transformative quality of this Full Moon, we must do so cautiously and gently, that is we must not lose sight of our vulnerabilities and limitations—aware of the risks and dangers we may encounter. Pluto’s conjunction with the Sun in Capricorn urges us to embrace and honor what we’re really feeling without getting too overwhelmed or caught up in it. One way to do that is through Mercury and Venus’ conjunction in Aquarius: to openly communicate our feelings with others to receive a detached perspective of ourselves and what we’re experiencing.
In order to rise up and take on the world, we often need to go inward to acknowledge those aspects of our unconscious nature that often get ignored. The external world is a mirror of the world within ourselves and it simply reflects those things we do not usually perceive. Take some time to acknowledge yourself with this Full Moon. Hold space for your fears, vulnerabilities and those deeply embedded feelings you have forgotten about or disregarded. When we are comfortable with ourselves, regardless of external circumstances, then we will have the strength and capacity to change the world, and that takes a certain level of sensitivity, a sensitivity that the world truly needs right now. Note--Mercury will turn retrograde this month, believe it or not. We enter the shadow phase on Jan. 5 and Mercury turns stationary retrograde on Jan. 21. I will cover this along with the New Moon in Aquarius which occurs the day before the retrograde begins. Get ready for a wonky and glitchy New Moon, everyone!
Happy Gregorian New Year! I am available for personal readings; please contact me directly by e-mail: kosmicmind@gmail.com
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