2.26.2024

Double Cazimi, Double Renewal

There is a significant astrological event happening on the 28th: a double cazimi with both Mercury and Saturn conjoining the Sun on that day. Let's break it down:

Cazimi means "in the heart of." It was once believed that the planets had an interval where they moved into and through the Sun, so they could be fully illuminated and cleansed by the Solar rays. While Mercury has a cazimi moment several times through the year, Saturn's cazimi is annual - and two planets having a cazimi moment on the same day is pretty rare and special.

Mercury is the Communicator, and Saturn is the Taskmaster and Boundary-Keeper. They will both be illuminated at the same time that Jupiter, the Amplifier, is going to be in a favorable position with both planets. Mercury's cazimi is first, then Saturn's, and these two will conjoin with each other in between. All some potentially powerful stuff going down during the season of Pisces, the astrological time when Dreaming and Intuition are strongest.

So...keep that dream journal next to your bedside this week. Be alert for snippets of overheard conversation or unusual animal sightings that might lead to aha! moments of clarity and insight. Cast a reading for yourself with your special method of Divination. Look over those creative projects that have been percolating on the back burner - is there one that's ready to be brought forward and worked upon until it's complete? Are you ready to commit whole-heartedly to something this year?

My intent is to post a special Double Cazimi reading later this week, so Watch This Space for that to arise...

2.13.2024

Return of the Dragon and Meetings of the Minds

We have some primo "Reset Button" opportunities on tap if your New Year's revolutions have gone flat, or never really got off the ground in the first place.

First, we had the start of the Year of the Dragon (Lunar New Year) for many Asian cultures this past Saturday (2/10). Dragons, though they may be mythical, are high energy creatures. They are found in just about every culture on the planet. They are part of the Primal Feminine symbology of the Serpent, which also includes the Snake (and the Snake follows the Dragon in 2025 in the Asian lunar calendar). They are known for their great Wisdom (in Asian cultures) and great Power (in European cultures). 

The Dragon's energy gives the current astrology a significant boost. We behold Pluto sitting at 0 degrees Aquarius, aka the "gateway" position. The inner planets are also entering Aquarius at this time: Mercury entered last week, Mars entered yesterday, and Venus will enter on Friday. All three of these planets have made or will make a conjunction to Pluto; expect enhanced depth and truth telling around communications, ambitions, and relationships, respectively - all through the Dragon's eye. Previous Dragon years have been: 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, and 2012. Take a moment to consider what was happening historically and culturally during those previous years to get an idea of what might unfold for us this year. 

For an additional perspective on the energies currently unfolding, I did a New Moon in Aquarius reading recently. I can supposedly upload videos directly from YouTube to this blog now, so we'll see if this works! Special Dragon reading coming soon...



 

1.22.2024

Pluto in Aquarius, Full Moon in Leo, and More...

Greetings to all! My apologies for the inadvertent "radio silence" over the last little while. I was sick almost all of December and have been sick for part of this month as well. I seem to be turning a corner at last, so please enjoy this update as I get back to a "normal" posting schedule...

To set the stage: Mars in Capricorn has been a cosmic "CEO," getting things done with precision. Venus will be joining Mars in Capricorn tomorrow to put her own precise spin on our relationships. Mercury stationed direct at the start of the year and communications are now clear and back on track. The Sun moved into Aquarius on Saturday (1/20), bringing a bit of "fresh air" to our Winter coziness. 

Just before the Sun moved into Aquarius, Pluto had its cazimi moment, when it appeared to move into the Sun and come out of the cold. Pluto then followed the Sun into Aquarius, taking up the plotlines that were started last year. Before we consider what Pluto might do, let us consider what it did...

With its first foray into Aquarius last year, Artificial Intelligence seemed to leap from the pages of science fiction into the Collective zeitgeist, provoking excitement and dread in equal measure. Then it retrograded back into Capricorn and had perhaps an even bigger impact. I mentioned last year that Pluto would be attending to "unfinished business." While it did not retrograde all the way back to its Return point in the stars (where it last was in 1776, the year the United States was founded), it did return to the same degree in mid-October - and then dug deep into the Collective Unconscious.

As Pluto traveled forward again, a ton of biases, -isms, -phobias, and prejudices erupted into the greater Awareness. If you thought people were less friendly and more snarly, and more ready to show their previously concealed bigotries, you are absolutely correct. With Pluto moving back into Aquarius, this significantly stuck Shadow material has now been dumped into our laps, and we are once again challenged: What are we going to do with this material?

Note that Pluto will be retrograde again in Capricorn September through November this year, as the 2024 American Presidential Election process reaches its peak. This feels like a "pop quiz" for humanity, especially those of us who live in the US of A. The choice we make here just might be one for the ages. As we get closer to time, we'll discuss this, and the other planetary influences which will make this one of the most interesting elections we've had.

Returning to current events: we have a full moon in Leo on Thursday (1/25). This moon will be flamboyant and loud, with the potential to be extra spicy. Expect some hyperbole and "Method Acting" to unfold in the days that follow. Personally, feel free to experiment with adding some va-va-voom! to your life at this time, even if it only goes as far as taking a selfie while wearing the most outrageous outfit in your closet and sharing the pic with your BFF.

Uranus stations direct on Friday, officially bringing an end to the previous year's Retrograde Parade and ushering in what I call the period of Go Time, when all of the planets are "moving forward" in the skies. The energy corresponds with the Quickening of Imbolc, as Winter begins to be thawed by Spring (and Summer begins to cool into Autumn below the Equator). Consider this a "reset button" opportunity if New Year's projects and/or resolutions have stalled out. 

This year, Go Time lasts until April 1st, when Mercury has its first full retrograde period of 2024. Before then, we will have the beginning of the Asian Lunar New Year, with the arrival of Dragon energy. Look for a new post around the start of February; in the meantime, to acknowledge the significance of Pluto in Aquarius, here is a bonus reading for your consideration...

10.28.2023

The "Dark Mirror" of the Lunar Eclipse

We are well and truly working our way through deep waters and rip currents now. Mars, Mercury, and the Sun are all in Scorpio, assisting Pluto in bringing up the rest of the Shadow material that it dredged up during its retrograde period through Capricorn. Now we come to the lunar eclipse by the North Node in Taurus, the concluding event of this third suite of cosmic activity.

If you've been reading other astrology posts besides mine, you might have come across the theme of "Revelations" around this time, ranging from the exposure of long-held secrets to that which smells vaguely Apocalyptic. Putting the sensationalist tendencies aside for a moment, I feel that there is indeed a subtle revelation of sorts unfolding for us: the events of this month in general, and this eclipse sandwich in particular, are holding up a Dark Mirror for us to look into, to show us those parts of our Shadows that we have been unaware of at the least, and denying or avoiding at the most.

We are seeing how we have absorbed stories about "The Other" from our natal cultures that we accepted without our conscious knowing or consent. We are seeing the true extent of epigenetics in humanity and its broad implications - passing down traumas, bigotry, and prejudices though many generations - that are warping our society and our selves. We are seeing currents of thought and belief arise in the collective consciousness, and how these currents seem unstoppable and inevitable in bringing forth death and destruction. (Spoiler alert: they're not.) 

We are also seeing what happens when a society decides to kill off the carriers of its conscience and elevate a specific set of traits upon a pedestal, centering a specific type of human as its "ideal" above all others: that of being white, male, cis-hetero, able bodied, neurotypical, and (nominally) Christian. This is a result of the overlapping forces arising from the intersection of the Age of "Enlightenment," the Reformation, and the Burning Times in Western Europe. We are reaping what we have sown, and it is a bitter harvest indeed.

The purpose of seeing our Shadow reflections in the Dark Mirror is not to tell us we are completely FUBAR as a species. Pluto challenges us: Here is what is present in the Underworld. What are you going to do about it? Mars can provide answers, but are those the right answers for each of us? Mercury encourages us to reach out, communicate, and compare notes before acting. Venus in Virgo encourages us to do the things, and do them in a way that nurtures and supports us. Jupiter's amplifying energies are a bit muted with the planet currently in retrograde, but there is still an underlying current of "Yes You Can" available to tap into.

My take: we have chosen to incarnate at this time for a reason, even if that reason is not immediately apparent, even if that reason shifts during our lives. The best gameplan for us now: let the Dark Mirror show us where we are not inclined to Kindness and Love, and weed those parts out of our minds. Seek the truth in all things, which often means shutting off the surface chatter and diving deep. Use Intuition to come up with the best course of Action, and act accordingly, in ways that do not harm us, or bring harm to others. Be Creative in Responding. Make amends as necessary. 

Most importantly, realize and remember we are "imperfect" humans, and we are all navigating these turbulent times with the same goals in mind - peace and harmony in Community. May we all have flashlights to make our way through the darkness and the gloom.


10.10.2023

Enter the Vortex with Pluto, Mars, and the (first) Eclipse!

Intense Flux is the descriptor that best suits this moment, and we haven't even reached the eclipse yet! Let's look at the second suite of cosmic movements as we make sure our seatbelts are fastened and our tray tables are in the upright and locked position...

Pluto is staging direct in Capricorn today, and he's been busy in the Underworld of the Collective Unconscious, digging out those skeletons hidden in the back of the closet. To say the results of his excavations are explosive is probably an understatement. Those of us who have any degree of psychic ability and/or sensitivity are feeling, or will soon be feeling, All the Things at Once. Do not skimp on the Self-Care for the rest of this month! Nesting, creating Blanket Forts, spending time out in Nature (as possible) are all indicated. Touch the Earth and Ground the flucuating energies into the Mother. She can handle them.

Tomorrow (10/11), Mars exits Libra and enters Scorpio, trading the bullhorn of the Activist for the cloak and dagger of the Spy. Stealth, precision, and patience are the hallmarks of Mars in Scorpio, and the deep waters of this sign will ensure that the Planet of Action will leave us Shaken and Stirred by the time all is said and done. This will be the time to throw stones into the pond on the sly; take note that even small stones can send out far-reaching ripples.

After Freya's Power Day (aka Friday the 13th), we finally arrive at the Solar Eclipse at the South Node in Libra on the 14th. The energies of Letting Go and Shedding Old Skins will reach their crescendoes at this time. As this is the new moon, and the "top bun" of the eclipse sandwich, we're not going to get a whole lot of room to breathe this weekend, for the Winds of Change are blowing hard - and magick is afoot. Taking things one day at a time and not making grand plans, especially between the eclipses this month, would be wise. 

Next week, Messenger Mercury will be a busy beaver, and we will consider all those activities closer to time as we navigate our way through the turbulence. Until then, stay as safe as you can... <3