Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Planetary dances of 2006


I write a monthly planetary update column called Skywatch, and as I worked tonight on the column for June (which is a power packed month!) I felt it was important to lay the groundwork by summarizing the powerful influences that we have experienced over the past year, which are still in effect and calling us to the dance.

2006 has been an intense year so far, with planetary dances creating a cycle that alternates between a building of tension through the hard aspects: squares (between Jupiter and Neptune and between Jupiter and Saturn) and oppositions (Saturn to Chiron); and an opening of the doors of consciousness and awareness through the flowing aspect of the trine (Uranus and Jupiter):

The current square cycle between Jupiter in Scorpio (expansion and possibilities, particularly in the realms of emotional connection, other people’s money (including the stock market), sexuality and death) and Saturn in Leo (contraction and disappointment, the downfall of mundane rulers, the need to dissolve the personal ego) began in December of 2005 and will make the second hit this month (June 2006), concluding the cycle in late October of this year.

The square cycle between Jupiter (expansion, theology and faith) to Neptune in Aquarius (delusion, confusion, becoming lost in fantasy, problems of energy imbalance and spiritual emergency) began in late January of 2006, hit for the second time in March of 2006, and concludes in late September of this year.

This phase of the opposition cycle between Saturn in Leo (painful ego dissolution and the discipline required to shine without ego) and Chiron in Aquarius (wounding and healing requiring an adjustment of the inner energy force) actually began in 2003 and made seven contacts since September of that year. The conclusion of this cycles takes place this month (June 20).

The trine of Uranus in Pisces (mystical revolution, the awakening of conscious through that which is unknowable) and Jupiter in Scorpio began at the end of November in 2005, hit for the second time in May of 2006, and will complete its passage in late August/early September of 2006.

The past year has seen a great deal of violence all over the world, as issues of religion and philosophy face off in conflicts of ideology and culture. Yet at the same time, there has been an awakening of awareness across the globe, and a dawning of a consciousness that spans the cultural divides. The opposition of Saturn to Chiron I feel is particularly strong, especially since it has taken place 27 times since 1986, with 20 contacts between 1986 and 1994 (see table. The opposition of Saturn to Chiron has brought about a “healing crisis” that has forced (Saturn) an awareness of the pain and misery (Chiron) that is suffered in some cultures, which by necessity has resulted in increased communication and efforts by the global community to heal (Chiron) those wounds which are now forced into global consciousness.

The beginning of the current Chiron/Saturn cycle (in 1986) saw the nuclear accident at the Chernobyl plant, which arguably ended the first nuclear age. The oppositions of Chiron to Saturn during the late 1980s witnessed the massive casualties of the war between Iran and Iraq which one could argue were the beginnings of the current debacle in Iraq. This first Chiron/Saturn phase also witnessed the stock market crash of 1987, the largest stock market drop in history. This crash resulted in a major recession that lasted for several years.

The beginning of this Saturn/Chiron cycle also witnessed the birth of the Oprah Winfrey show, which arguably has done more to aid the self-help movement than any other single event. The self-help movement is perfectly characterized by a detailed self-examination (Saturn) which results in the healing of old wounds (Chiron) for greater wisdom and empowerment. It will come as no surprise to most of you that I revere Oprah for the work she has done to bring the work of personal transformation to the general public.

Because Jupiter is the keynote speaker of the other cycles, it is useful to really take a look at what Jupiter means astrologically. Jupiter is said to rule the sign of Sagittarius, and because Pluto is traveling through the tail end of Sagittarius the issues of Jupiter are in the process of being transformed by Pluto. Jupiter is said to be the “greater benefic,” and bestows good fortune and positive thinking. Jupiter is the principle that positive thoughts reap positive outcomes, and tends to be optimistic and expansive, ready to take advantage of all opportunities. Jupiter, of course, was King of the Gods, and as such he was the ruler of all and created his own laws. Jupiter is associated with law, theology, and our search for the meaning of life. Often this finds us in the realm of religion, which is the sharing of personal ideals with others. Jupiter represents blind faith – it also can show where we may find ourselves bigger than we actually are in life. It also rules expansion, and tends to bring an exaggerated manifestation of planets with which it comes into contact.

The current cycle of Jupiter transits throughout the year are creating opportunities and expanding awareness, but the danger with Jupiter is that like a balloon that becomes too full of air, our confidence could pop and the air could drain out of the lives we have built. The confidence of Jupiter creates debt, it expands the housing and stock market, it can create an illusion that things are better than they actually are. On the other hand, Jupiter opens us to fresh possibilities that we haven’t before noticed.

We are experiencing simultaneously the trine of Uranus and Jupiter, which opens our awareness (Jupiter) to new ways of thinking (Uranus) and creativity of which we were previously unaware. However, the square of Jupiter to Neptune brings in the possibility of deception (Neptune) and an overblown sense of our own abilities (Jupiter).

The Jupiter/Saturn square cycle deals with our ability to balance an openness of mind and optimistic viewpoint (Jupiter) with our ability to be practical and reasonable and be aware of our limitations (Saturn). Often the square aspect between these two planets creates expansive periods (Jupiter) that are followed shortly by a heavy dose of reality (Saturn).

Each of these planetary cycles is a powerful combination that is working to transform our own sense of our world view (Jupiter). The key to successfully managing these planetary cycles is to stay open (Jupiter) to new possibilities, be prepared to radically change your thinking (Uranus), keep you feet planted firmly on the ground and work hard (Saturn), while following the call of your inner self to realize that there is more to life than this mundane reality (Neptune).
Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 7:27 PM :: |

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Monday, May 29, 2006

Scientists Unveil Cloaking Device

Image by Crowolf

What could be more Neptunian than a cloaking device? Neptune is the god of mystery, of that which is hidden. Neptune cloaks us in darkness, shrouds us in mists, and with Neptune stationing retrograde in the sign of Aquarius, which is ruled by Uranus, scientists have taken a page from Star Trek and are working on building a cloaking device.

The concept of a cloaking device, which would create an illusion of invisibility around aircraft and tanks by manipulating light or other electromagnetic waves, was previously limited to science fiction novels and Harry Potter. This sort of electromagnetic activity is ruled by Uranus, which in its current trine by Jupiter is inspiring a great deal of technological gadgetry and inventions.

In other Uranus/Jupiter news, Japanese researchers have announced the ability to control robots using brain signals from an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machine, and Danish researchers have created a new method for transferring data signals to light waves, accelerating the communication between computers. Jupiter expands all that it connects with, and in its current trine with Uranus it is opening doorways and facilitating the creation of radical and unusual technology and ideas (all of which are associated with Uranus). The unlocking of these creations is just beginning and I am certain that we will see a rapid acceleration of of these amazing ideas and inventions.

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 4:52 PM :: |

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Sunday, May 28, 2006

New Moon in Gemini and other planetary news

" New Beginnings", by Mary Lou Falstreau

The New Moon occurred Saturday at 1:25 am EST (sorry, I took a day off!), but its effect will continue over the next couple of days. New Moons are times of beginnings, and in Gemini they are times of change as well. Gemini craves new experiences, and the New Moon in Gemini lends itself to beginning new projects and engaging in exciting new endeavors.

This New Moon is sextile the stabilizing force of Saturn, which lends discipline and structure to the airy nature of Mercury-ruled Gemini. It's a good time for beginning new goals (Saturn) and planning (Saturn) for new opportunities to learn and create new ideas (Gemini). The solar conscious principle is fused with the lunar instincts now, and the subconscious can link more easily to the conscious mind.

Barbara Hand Clow, one of my favorite writers on Chiron, writes about this New Moon:

"This New Moon is especially interesting because it coincides exactly with the midpoint of Night Four of the Galactic Underworld, as defined by Carl Johan Calleman in The Mayan Calendar: Transformation of Consciousness (2004), which all of you must read in order to really understand Astroflash! through 2012 AD. Since there are thirteen midpoints of the Galactic Underworld occurring from January 5, 1999, through October 28, 2011, the chances of a midpoint coinciding with a New Moon during the same period (about 165 New Moons) is around 1 in 10,000 probability."

If you haven't read Barbara's work it may sound a little far out to you, but she has always been on the cutting edge and it's wise to keep an open mind when reading her articles. Her work on Chiron is really excellent, and brought in some of the more esoteric aspects of the way that planet works with energy.

Mercury (also in Gemini) makes a trine (harmonious aspect) today to Saturn, reinforcing the connection between the mental pursuits of Mercury and Gemini with the solid structural support of Saturn. Venus is just leaving a square to Mars, where it created some disruption in relationships, but its trine to Pluto has facilitated transformation wherever we were stuck. This process will continue over the next few days. Meanwhile, the trine of Jupiter (expansion) to Uranus (awakening) is still in effect, offering a free ride to a world where life is full of new opportunities if we choose to make the trip. This is an opportunity to let go of patterns of living our life that have become stale and sour, and to gain a new trust and faith in letting go to the miracles that life has to offer

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 6:29 AM :: |

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Friday, May 26, 2006

The Da Vinci Code: End of the Age of Pisces, Part II

Art by Marius Fine Art

This is Part II - catch up with Part I here (I've corrected the dates as well and added the Age of Leo).

The Age of Aries (1,662 BCE - 498 CE) was the Age of the Hero and the Warrior. The eruption of the volcano Santorini in 1680 destroyed the Minoan civilization and along with it their Bull cult (age of Taurus). This age was marked synchronistically by the Indo-Aryan (Aries) migration and the beginnings of cattle domestication (conquering the Bull god). Rituals of the Mithraic cult involved slaughtering of bulls, which has come down to us today as the bullfight. The gods of the Age of Aries, as in each age before them, eradicated the gods that preceded them.

Little is known about the origins of the Aryan people, but they were warriors possessing military technology superior to that of their neighbors, facilitating their takeover of much of Asia during this period. The Arien Age also witnessed the first Olympic games in Greece and the development of the Greek and Roman empire. The Hero archetype was central to the Greek and Roman cultures, with their gods who were constantly doing battle. Yahweh, the god of the Jewish people who gained prevalence during this time, combined characteristics of both the Warrior and the Hero. He demanded the transformation of the Hero in his disciple Abraham, and advised on military conquests.

Finally our own Age of Pisces (498 - 2,658 CE ), symbolized by the Fish, and representing the Sacred descending to the Mundane world. Pisces rules universal compassion, sacrifice of the individual Ego, and martyrdom. Pisces is a feminine sign, yet during the reign of Pisces we have seen the suppression and re-emergence of the feminine, and no story tells this quite as dramatically as the transformation of Mary Magdalene, the real story behind The DaVinci Code. The Church recently admitted that Mary Magdalene was not a prostitute but a true follower. However, when the Nag Hammadi scrolls were discovered and translated, it was revealed that Mary was more than a follower but an actual apostle, giving rise anew to theories of Mary having been wife to Jesus.

The story of the life and death of Jesus the Christ and the evolution of the religion that bears his name mirrors the Piscean age perfectly. Pisces is sign of the water element, and the origin of Christianity finds Jesus being baptized in a river, symbolizing the dissolution of the personal ego into the river of faith, a ritual that continues today. Even in pre-Christian times, the sacred wells of the British Isles were places where the gods and goddesses would be present. The teachings of Jesus express the Piscean values of compassion, universal love and brotherhood. However, last 2000 years have not always expressed those concepts in their highest form.

The call for the end of individualism and the necessity for blind belief that marks the evolution of the Piscean age has led to the more negative manifestation of Pisces: illusion and delusion. The famed Dark Ages in western civilization occurred because the ruling Roman Catholic Church wanted to suppress all knowledge and keep their adherents in the literal darkness. At that time the realm of knowledge spread to the Arab world, which is now in its own Dark Age.

The date for the end of the Piscean age is in much dispute. As earlier discussed, most would like the Ages to fit into a nice 2000 year package which would put us squarely in the beginning of the Aquarian age. However, astronomical calculations tell us that this is not true, and that the Aquarian age technically will not begin until approximately 2600 CE. Regardless, we are in the last decan of Pisces and moving away from the Pisces influence of sacrifice of the individual ego. As the Piscean mists begin to separate, the knowledge and understanding that Aquarius demands is beginning to make itself known.

The religion of Christianity is built around the death and resurrection of Jesus, yet for 2000 years that very tenet has been in doubt. The four gospels each tell a completely different story of the end of the life of Jesus, and there are no details of the resurrection. As with much of the Christian story (and I mean no offence to Christians here), the story of the resurrection must be taken on faith. There are some questions as to whether Jesus even died on the cross - a mysterious individual named Simon the Cyrene offered to carry Jesus's cross, and some theorize that it was Simon that actually died on the cross and not Jesus. Others question whether the "vinegar and gall" given to Jesus wasn't snake venom that caused him to fall into a swoon, thereby fooling the Romans into thinking he had died when in fact he was in a deep unconscious state. Pontius Pilate "marvelled if he were already dead" and changed the established procedure of leaving him on the cross to be eaten by carrion, but instead authorized that his body be brought down to leave in his tomb. Many believe that Jesus and Mary were then spirited out of Jerusalem and taken to Europe where they lived happily ever after.

For centuries these ideas were suppressed and their adherents tortured and murdered for heresy, but in the 20th century these ideas began to spring forth anew such as the book Holy Blood and Holy Grail. First published in 1982, this book was a cult classic until the Dan Brown's novel "The Da Vinci Code" appeared on the scene. Evidently the collective consciousness is now ready to absorb these ideas and begin to examine the truth that lies behind the faith.

As we enter the Aquarian Age, what will our new gods be? Aquarius rules technology and radical thought, invention and ascension. The last Aquarian age (around 28,000 BC) marked the end of the Neanderthal and the birth of Cro Magnon man. Will our species be similarly transformed over the next 2500 years? We can try to predict the future, but life has a way of evolving in a way that we cannot imagine.

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 7:46 AM :: |

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Thursday, May 25, 2006

The Da Vinci Code: The end of the Age of Pisces

As a species, we are currently crossing from the Age of Pisces into the Age of Aquarius. Although many people consider the Age of Pisces to begin at year 0 with the birth of Jesus with Aquarian Age beginning at 2000, most astronomers agree that the Age of Pisces actually begin in year 498 C.E., indicating entry into Aquarius in 2658 C.E.

Under the Age of Pisces we have seen the Piscean archetypes of sacrifice of the individual ego, universal love and compassion, assimilation, and the more negative projections of illusion, fantasy and delusion. Each astrological age has been represented by a deistic pantheon; the end of each age is marked by the ending of the worship of that pantheon. The Piscean Age has been marked by the growth of the three major monotheistic religions, each of which claims to be the only correct one, and the attempted dissolution of the individual ego. As we move from the Piscean age into Aquarius, the awakener, we are being shown that the Emperor doesn't have any clothes, that any unreality upon which we have based our religious foundations will be shattered in the upcoming years. The ideas in The Da Vinci Code have been around for 2000 years, but they are only now erupting into the public awareness. What will this mean for humanity?

This will be a long article, and will therefore be serialized into manageable segments over the next few days.

Part I: The Astrological Ages

The equatorial bulge of the earth causes a shifting in the earth's axis and the point at which the Sun at the vernal equinox points to the zodiacal constellations. This phenomenon is known as the "Precession" and creates the period of 25,920 years that we call the "Great Year." The "Great Year" is divided into twelve "Great Ages" each of approximately 2160 years. Because of the "orb of influence," or "orb," which describes the fact that a change in sign makes itself known several degrees before the actual change (also known as the "cusp"), there is some flexibility to the 2160 figure.

While the Great Ages certainly go back to the formation of the Earth itself, the Ages that are known to us are:

Age of Leo: 10,300-8,140 BCE. Modern scientific techniques, looking at erosion patterns, agree with the great sage Edgar Cayce, who dated the great Sphinx of Egypt back to a period of great rains in that country, something which hasn't happened since the end of the ice age (typically considered to be 10,500 BCE). Although little is known of this period, it could have presided over a "Golden Age" (Leo rules gold) where the Sun was worshipped as the primordial god of light and life.

Age of Cancer: 8,140-6,000 BCE. Cancer is the sign of the Moon and the Mother, and this Age corresponded to the worship of the Great Goddess and the Moon. Cancer is a water sign, and many scientists believe that this period corresponded to the end of the ice age and the Great Deluge of myth that resulted from catastrophic melting of glaciers. As humans began to form tribes they became more concerned with family groupings and geneaology, another hallmark of Cancer. Women were considered the source of creation since they bore the children.

Age of Gemini: 6,000-3,800 BCE. Gemini rules communication and speech, and this age saw the development of the first written languages and establishment of villages. The cult of Twin Gods in creation myths began during this period (twins represented the masculine and feminine principle). The wheel and plough are invented (Gemini rules thoughts and ideas), aiding in the spread of agriculture.

Age of Taurus: 3,800-1,660 BCE. Agriculture (Taurus is ruled by the Earth and Venus) makes its way throughout cultures in the Americas, Africa and Asia. The first temples were built in Mesopotamia and the first jewelry and aesthetic objects (Venus) are created. Bull cults (Taurus is symbolized by the bull) were dominant in Greece and Egypt, and the worship of the more sexualized goddess Innana/ Ishtar/ Ashtoreth also became popular.

continued tomorrow...

Labels: Aquarian age, Sacred Geometry

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 6:46 AM :: |

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Wednesday, May 24, 2006

The Ethics of Celebrity Profiles

Astrologers usually follow a code of ethics in their work, just as most professions do. The National Council for Geocosmic Research, one of the oldest astrological associations, has a code of ethics on their website that includes some of the following standards of practice:

Avoid making statements that could cause harm through confusion, misunderstanding or fear. This includes predicting the client's death, the death of someone close to them or other disaster.

Make predictions with appropriate qualifying statements, not as final pronouncements. Although our egos would all like to be Nostradamus, it is more helpful to the client to prepare them for a climate of change rather than predict, no matter how accurately, specific events.

Disclose to the public only that information which is publicly available without permission. It is generally thought acceptable to publish birth data which is available in the public records, but when discussing the chart of a third party with a client it is unethical to include personal information that is not in the public domain.

The code of ethics of the American Society of Vedic Astrologers includes a specific reference to the charts of public figures:

Interpretations of the charts of public figures are confined to areas that are considered public domain due to specific achievements or notoriety as revealed in interviews, published documents, or recorded observations. When interpreting charts of public figures, astrologers refrain from making slanderous comments. Information should be presented in a manner that is respectful to the individual whose chart is being discussed.

A reader yesterday was concerned that a profile I wrote about Tom Cruise was disrespectful and made assumptions based on my opinions about him, and I really pondered this. I do have a fascination for gossip (Gemini rising) and the lives of public figures which fuels the writing of this daily column. My Scorpio Mercury isn't content to learn the superficial details - I want to understand what motivates people, what makes them tick. In doing so, I am writing about people I admire as well as those I don't feel respect for and it is often tempting to use the astrological signatures to express criticism of that indidividual.

My greater goal in these pages is not only to explain character traits through the astrological profiles but also to demonstrate the pathways that each individual can follow to maximize the potential found in their birthchart and take advantage of the gifts and challenges that have been given to them in order to achieve greater wisdom and self-understanding. If I fall into the gutter and miss the mark, I expect you all to let me know!!

photo by William Schick, courtesy of Corbis.

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 8:17 AM :: |

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Tuesday, May 23, 2006

A Big Shift for the United States

Mundane astrology is the study of world events (mundus in ancient Greek means world) by examining the horoscopes of nations and events as if those entities were living and breathing beings, with personalities and characteristics just like humans. I confess that this branch of astrology has never held much meaning for me -- my field of interest is in the evolution of the human spirit and character. But there is a lot of buzz right now about one specific event that is getting ready to occur: the change of direction of the Progressed Mars in the chart of the United States.

The date and time of birth of the American nation has been a matter of debate for centuries now. Most astrologers use the "Sibley" chart for the US, named after Ebenezer Sibley, a prominent American astrologer in the late 1700s. According to Benson Bobrick's excellent work The Fated Sky, Sibley a Freemason was well practiced in the field of mundane astrology, known for his accurate political predictions regarding both the American and French revolutions. Sibley also predicted that America would one day "have an extensive an dflourishing commerce; advantageous and universal traffic to every quarter of the globe, with great security and prosperity amongst its people," and eventually be "a new Empire that shall soon or late give laws to the whole world. " This is rather startling considering the fact that Masonic historian Manly P Hall has reported that the US has a secret destiny: “Thousands of years ago, in Egypt, these mystical orders were aware of the existence of the western hemisphere and the great continent which we call America. The bold resolution was made that this western continent should become the site of the philosophic empire. Just when this was done it is impossible now to say, but certainly the decision was reached prior to the time of Plato, for a thinly veiled statement of this resolution is the substance of his treatise on the Atlantic Islands.” (from Manly P Hall's Secret Destiny of America). But I digress... that is an issue for another discussion entirely.

Suffice it to say that Sibley had a mystical and Masonic background, and since most of America's founders were Masons and therefore very concerned with matters of the occult, Sibley most likely had direct information regarding the actual time for the birthchart of the United States, and his is the chart that is predominantly used today.

The upcoming event that has mundane astrologers buzzing is the retrograde turn of the progressed Mars in the US chart. Progressions are a system to show the development of a characteristic through an individual's lifetime; while we remain the same person, we grow and change through time and this is signified by the progressed planets. Before a planet turns retrograde it slows down and is almost "stationary," and because the progressed planets move more slowly the stationary period is much longer. Over the past year, the US progressed Mars has been stationary in Libra and will turn retrograde this year (there is a question as to when this will happen: Michael Wolfstar says September 1 and other astrologers, including Alphee Lavoie and Gary Caton, says this event will take place July 20. Gary quotes Raymond Merriman as saying, "The implication is that the U.S. is about to make a complete reversal in regards to its entire historical military expression. And what would cause that? Well, obviously (to me) it has to do with this war in Iraq. It seems to me that this war will be the last war of this kind that the U.S. will engage in for the next 70-72 years, once the Bush regime is out of office. There will likely be a profound reversal of how the U.S. utilizes its military after the election of November 2008. The troops will likely come home, for better or worse -- and I say that because if the job is not completed, much of the world will no longer depend upon the U.S. to keep its word about protecting its allies. "

Claire-France Perez has lined up a collection of predictions (listed below) - as always, it will be interesting to see how the cosmos brings events that are beyond what we could ever imagine.

1. A nuclear test on June 2 in Nevada. (bomb = Mars)http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/30/AR2006033001735.html

2. An attack with nuclear weaponry upon the historical sites and cities of Iran (bomb = Mars) http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO505A.html

3. A bevy of retired generals (Mars = Military) requesting a change in the direction of the department of defense (Rumsfeld)http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=34007&dcn=todaysnews

4. The destruction of any civil peace in Iraq to continue (war = Mars)http://www.iraqbodycount.org/database/

5. From an interpretation from the Horary tradition, which signals Mars in the 2nd (just another Mars sort of thang) of a Horary chart could signify the "cutting of one's purse strings," in this case, for newborns. It is estimated that those born in the next three to five years will each be saddled with $15,000 to $30,000 of debt on their first day in life, along with the rest of the already-born American People. Here's a painting from Georges de la Tour of Mars' pickpocket action:http://www.metmuseum.org/Works_of_Art/viewOnezoom.asp?dep=11&zoomFlag=0&viewmode=0&item=60.30

6. And of course we have the new militarily reinforced border, one that was underfunded a year ago, and then whoops! Brought back for another of the world's greatest photo opportunities for this president. (this article reports on the fund cut from the border patrol a year ago...) I just wonder if a terrorists already living in the country are feeling any safer.http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/02/09/MNGOKB837T1.DTL

7. The right hand man (a "second") for the US president, Karl Rove, is awaiting the announcement of his indictment. Impeding the investigation, and various other sins to be proven against him regarding the case of Valerie Plame. (arrest = Mars)http://thinkprogress.org/2006/05/12/matthews-on-rove-indictment-it-could-be-today/

8. It looks like Dick Cheney, the Vice President, also had a hand in the Valerie Plame scandal and is awaiting the investigation to hone more closely upon him. (arrest = Mars)http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/17/AR2005101701888.html

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 6:49 AM :: |

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Monday, May 22, 2006

Neptune turns retrograde today

Artwork by T Newfields

Neptune turns retrograde this morning, bringing the number of retrograde planets to four (Jupiter, Pluto, Chiron and Neptune). When planets are in "retrograde" motion, they appear to be moving backwards from our position here on Earth, and they tend to cause us to look backwards over issues that are governed by that planet's energy. This is particularly significant in a year like this one, which has seen some strong planetary configurations. As these planets retrograde they will revisit some of the other contacts they've made over the past six months or so.

Robert Wilkinson gives a great summary of the effects we will be encountering over the next six months or so.

Neptune will be retrograde until October 29, reminding us that life is more than material reality. I love the way Kevin Burk describes it: "Neptune is the infinite creative potential of the Universe. Neptune is the Truth that everything we experience is illusion; but more than that, Neptune is the Truth that everything that we imagine is true." Neptune dissolves our individual ego in a way that can be exhilarating and enlightening, or scary as hell, depending on the nature of our relationship with it. Neptune can bring confusion and cause delusion as it works to untangle our attachment to the material world, and requires us to go deep within ourselves for the answers.

Because Neptune and Chiron are both retrograde and both in Aquarius (a fixed sign), dancing in and around challenging aspects to Jupiter and Saturn (also fixed signs), those of us with planets in the fixed signs of Leo, Aquarius, Scorpio and Taurus will be particularly affected over the next six months. The fixed signs tend to be more rigid and unyielding with a strong need for control. Neptune necessitates the letting go of that control, and softening any hard resistance that keeps us from allowing the connection with our true self that lies within. Meditation, relaxation practices, dance and creative pursuits are the doorway to a successful Neptune experience.

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 7:11 AM :: |

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Saturday, May 20, 2006

Happy Birthday Gemini!!

art from Phyllis Mahon

(Honoring the Sun's entry into Gemini late Saturday night.) Gemini is the sign of the twins, and ruled by Mercury which entered Gemini yesterday. This gives us a strong Mercurial focus for the next month or so, dealing with issues of communication and information.

Those born under the sign of Gemini or with Gemini rising in their birthchart tend to be somewhat Mercurial in nature - they crave change and seek out a wide variety of activities. Though others may call them dilettantes because they may not stick to one thing for very long, Geminis know that their pathway to transformation is through their life experiences. They are curious and changeable, with a facility for languages and mimicry. Actors often possess the Gemini skill of being able to copy exactly the language and demeanor of another - to shapeshift from one character into another.

Mercury/Hermes in mythology was not only the messenger god, he was also celebrated for his cunning and quick mind. A thief from an early age, he was able to charm the gods into forgiveness (the character Frank Abagnale Jr. as played by Leonardo diCaprio in the film "Catch Me If You Can" was probably a Gemini). Mercury/Hermes was also known as the god of the crossroads and the giver of charm.

Gemini is symbolized by the Twins, and in this archetype we see the two sides of Gemini: one dark and one light. Astronomically, one of the twin stars of Gemini is often inside the Milky Way while the other lies outside it. There are two faces to Gemini and they are rarely seen at the same time. As a result, there is a part of the Gemini individual that may become lost. The Gemini nature is light and airy and doesn't enjoy traveling in the dark; consequently, they may tend to avoid situations that are necessary in order to reclaim the dark aspect of oneself. In relationships they may become frustrated as they attempt to find in others what they are missing within themselves.

Those with planets in Gemini tend to be extremely intelligent, with quick minds. They are fast learners and easily bored, and may have difficulty concentrating on one thing for very long. They have an open mind and are not judgemental of others. They are best suited to careers and relationships in which they are continually stimulated and learning something new. They may experience nervous disorders from time to time, an energy imbalance resulting from the inability to connect to the inner Self.

The quest for Gemini is to unite with the inner twin - to truly understand that while their outer experiences are crucial for their personal growth, it is the bridge between their outer and inner worlds that will offer the true pathway to greater understanding and peace.

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 6:22 AM :: |

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Friday, May 19, 2006

Mercury enters Gemini today

Mercury rules matters of intellect and experience, and rules the sign of Gemini the twins. Its realm is all sorts of communication, and for this reason it rules the media and writers. For the past month or so, Mercury has been traveling through Taurus, which as a fixed earth sign has a tendency to be stubborn and unyielding. While Mercury has been in Taurus, very little has been accomplished in terms of diplomatic negotiations (the UN and Iran, for example), legal cases (the lacrosse rape case in Durham) or Congress (endless arguments over wiretapping and budgetary matters). Mercury's entry into Gemini should facilitate all kinds of matters requiring communication, since in Gemini Mercury is able to process information much more quickly. Watch for unexpected turns of events as Mercury breaks up patterns it established while in Taurus.

Mercurius in the medieval alchemical language is a symbol of the process of integration. Mercury bridges the gap between opposites and acts as the process to transform lead into gold. It is therefore the perfect translator, the perfect mediator, and something that is desperately needed at this current point in time. On a personal level, the mind is more active - this is a great time to begin new projects as there is a great deal of mental energy available. It's also a good time for short trips and learning as the mind will want to be busy!

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 6:45 AM :: |

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Thursday, May 18, 2006

Run Katie, Run!!

photos from Just Jared

Katie Holmes is apparently suffering from post-partum depression, according to news reports - particularly ironic because of the criticism last year by Tom Cruise of Brooke Shields for seeking help for the same problem. A recent report in Parade magazine described Katie Holmes as "dazed, passive and vacant." The whirlwind of the last year of Katie's life must feel overwhelming.

Katie's birthchart shows some interesting planetary configurations that have been touched off over the past year. She has both Moon and Jupiter in Leo, showing a strong need for admiration and attention and a need to develop the personal ego. Her Venus is in Scorpio, indicating someone who has strong passions and emotions, and craves intensity in relationships. Yet her Moon is square to Venus, a configuration that often indicates a conflict between the maternal archetype (Moon) and the sexual nature of the goddess Venus. Women with these conflicts tend to have difficulty integrating these two archetypes and tend to swing from one pole to the other. In addition, Katie's Venus is conjunct rebellious and independent Uranus, showing that she craves freedom and resists convention. The combination of Venus in Scorpio, which craves an intense bond, with Uranus sets up an inner conflict that is difficult to manage, particularly for a relatively young person who may lack a deeper level of self-understanding.

Uranus also squares Katie's moon, accentuating the fiercely independent streak. Katie's parents have said that she was the most headstrong of five children - strong willed and independent, traits that we have not seen lately in the soon-to-be Mrs. Cruise. Reports are circulating that Cruise has put Katie on an intense regimen to lose the baby weight, and that Katie has left behind her old friends and converted to scientology. One might almost think she has been brainwashed.

At the time that Katie met Tom Cruise last year, she was at the first stage of a major challenging transit of Neptune to the Moon square Venus/Uranus system. (Neptune in Aquarius opposing Katie's Moon and squaring her Venus/Uranus.) Neptune is the planet of spirituality - the planet that calls on us to blur the boundaries of our everyday reality and realize that there is a world of spirit beyond our mundane reality. Neptune transits can be amazing times of spiritual transformation - but the challenging transits tend to bring out the more negative characteristics of Neptune which are confusion, illusion and deception. Under a challenging Neptune transit like the square or opposition, particularly when it hits a sensitive point in the chart like Katie's Moon/Venus/Uranus square, we are prone to fantasy and easily deluded. One can only imagine Katie Holmes, the young actor with photos of Tom Cruise on her walls as she was described last year in Vanity Fair, being asked on a date by that very gentleman (the timing of which, after the Vanity Fair article, is suspect - rumors abound that Mr. Cruise was seeking a young girlfriend to help boost his ratings among that highly desired demographic). Transiting Neptune opposed Katie's Moon exactly between April and June of 2005 (making a "station" which has a powerful influence), corresponding exactly with the frenetic courtship that included the famous Tom Cruise jumping incident on Oprah's couch. Neptune made a second hit to Katie's moon back in February and will make another "station" (where it will appear to stand still in exact aspect to Katie's Moon) from September through December of 2006. Between these Moon events, however, Neptune is closely working with Katie's Venus/Uranus conjunction as well.

Katie is also being affected by Chiron this year - transiting Chiron is making a square to Chiron in her birthchart. When Chiron returns to its place in the birthchart (the conjunction) it tends to promote healing, but in the "hard angle" challenging aspects like the square and opposition, it tends to draw painful situations that force a transformation of the event in order to heal that situation. Chiron also brings out emotions and tears are very common during this transit, as tears and weeping tend to clean out the emotional system. This cycle began in February of this year, and will hit for the second time in August and conclude towards the end of the year.

Chiron in Katie's chart makes a square to Jupiter, showing that by nature she tends to doubt (Chiron) her ability to create her own world view (Jupiter), and that religious experiences (Jupiter) can bring about painful situations (Chiron) for her. Transiting Chiron is also affecting Jupiter in Katie's chart, which is setting off this issue for her and forcing her to face the insecurities that lead her to seek inner answers from outer sources. Ultimately this process will be incredibly healing and bring great strength, but the next six months will be very difficult for her.

As if this weren't enough, transiting Uranus (change, rebellion) is opposing Katie's Saturn (stability, structure), shaking up the very ground that stabilizes her, and Saturn will conjoin her Moon for a single time in August, causing her a sense of being overburdened and isolated. This cycle has just begun, and will hit for the second time in August and conclude early next year. There are rumors that Tom and Katie have entered into an agreement that they will stay together until August and I hope that she will be freed by then - her planetary cycles for the end of the year beginning in September look much more expansive, with Jupiter creating a more liberating influence and Saturn adding stabilization which will help to prepare her for the exact conjunction of Pluto to her Sun (see earlier article). As Jeffrey Kishner writes, "Transiting Uranus opposing natal Saturn usually implies a separation, (1) because the opposition itself is a make-or-break aspect, a decision point, a culmination; and (2) Uranus wants to break away from the authority of Saturn. Saturn rules her partner, and of course Tom Cruise has a reputation for being controlling (Saturn). Since Uranus is transiting her eighth house of other people's money as well as secrets within a marriage, perhaps August would be a good time to take the money and run. With Saturn transiting her Moon and Uranus transiting her Saturn, there is definitely a theme of separation going on."

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 7:41 AM :: |

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Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Tony Snow and the Chiron Return

I confess I have always had a soft spot for Tony Snow, who always seems to maintain his good humor and gentle charm - even when under attack by a liberal majority on the Bill Maher show. The fact that he called the President "an embarrassment" doesn't hurt my opinion either. So I was very interested to see how he would adjust to the role of presidential spokesliar (tm Stephanie Miller, also known as the White House press secretary). Yesterday in his first official press briefing, tears fell as he discussed his bout last year with cancer and the death of his mother from the same disease. The press seemed disarmed by his candor and his first day was widely regarded as a success. Still, you don't usually see tears at the White House, and astro-sleuth that I am I had to look to see what the stars have in store for Tony
Snow.

Tony has a Gemini Sun, the sign of the quick wit and information junkie. Geminis are the master of languages, of disguises. They can slip in and out of social situations easily and wear a variety of masks. Tony also has Mercury in Gemini, which typically indicates a person with exceptional intelligence who is highly verbal. So far, this is the perfect White House press secretary.

Geminis are curious and typically want to learn about many subjects, and Tony Snow is no exception. He obtained a BA in philosophy (Jupiter [philosophy and religion] conjuncts Uranus [the unusual, radical ideas], opening up his mind (Uranus) to a variety of world philosophies (Jupiter). He then went on to study economics, taught physics and geography in Kenya, and worked as an advocate for the mentally ill before beginning his journalism career. He is a musician in a cover band in DC.

You would think that a person with such a broad background would tend to be more liberal in his thoughts, but Tony Snow is so conservative that he was the primary guest host for Rush Limbaugh. Tony does have Mars in Cancer along with Jupiter and Uranus, and the Cancerian influence is very family oriented. It's possible that Tony Snow's conservatism comes down through his family background - the "It was good enough for my father, it's good enough for me" philosophy. Tony's conservatism appears to be more Libertarian, and certainly the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction is a hallmark of the Libertarian ideals of freedom unencumbered by government.

Last year as Saturn transited Tony's Jupiter/Uranus conjunction (which squares Neptune in his chart and probably the Moon as well) he was diagnosed with colon cancer, the same disease that killed his mother when she was 38. The cancer was surgically removed, and he was back at work by April. With Saturn still crossing over the sensitive square in his chart, he approached his Chiron return - a time when Chiron in the sky returns to the same degree as his birthchart.

The Chiron return affects everyone at approximately age 50, and serves to reveal to us any places in which we are still in emotional pain. During our lifetime we tend to cover up our wounds, we try to ignore them and hope they will go away. When Chiron in our chart is hit by transit, or when transiting Chiron hits a planet in our chart, that wound is exposed so that we have access to it for healing. Until we face that wound, expose it and release it, it will simply remain there to fester. Tony Snow has been particularly affected by the opposition of Saturn to Chiron that we have been undergoing over the past year, and transiting Saturn is putting pressure on Tony's natal Chiron this very week. The tears that were evoked yesterday in his press conference are not uncommon as Chiron releases those old painful emotions.

Tony is also experiencing the expansive "Pluto trine," where Pluto forms a trine (harmonious aspect) to Pluto in the birthchart. Because Pluto rules transformation, the harmonious Pluto transit can be exhilarating and freeing. The simultaneous occurrence of the Pluto transit with the Chiron return can be an incredible time of transformation and new beginnings. However, beginning anew requires releasing the old, and if he can release the past and move forward into his future he will have an incredible year.

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 6:10 AM :: |

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Monday, May 15, 2006

Spirit and Fate in the Astrological Chart

Artwork by Willow Arlenea

As I wrote the post below about John McCain's demons, I paused to consider the use of that term and how far it has come from its source, the ancient Greek term "daemon." From its original meaning as guardian, guide or higher self, the term "demon" gained a malevolent bent in the early books of the Old Testament. The demons of the Old Testament caused disease and plagues, and in the New Testament, they were considered to be angels who had fallen from grace and turned to the dark side.

For Plato, the daemon or guiding spirit was chosen by the soul before each incarnation. For most people the daemon was thought to be an unconscious guiding force, but the occasional enlightened beings were said to be able to communicate with their daemon. In ancient Egyptian astrology, the daemon was said to be symbolized by the Sun sign. Iamblicus , student and teacher of ancient mysteries (280-330 CE) wrote: ""For whether these arts are knowable or beyond comprehension, yet the aura or emanation from the stars brings the daemon to us, whether we ourselves are cognizant of it or not." These ancient sages wrote before the age of monotheism limited the role of the divine in the lives of men and women, and offered a more personal concept of deity.

The question of fate versus free will is an ancient one, and astrology has been used for thousands of years to determine one's fate and thereby avoid the painful process of self-discovery. Until the emergence of the outer, or transpersonal planets over the past few centuries, Eastern and Western schools of astrology all taught that one's fate was preordained by the stars and that very few humans could escape their destiny. One's horoscope was beneficial or detrimental, and one's fortune in life was set in stone and easily predicted. Over time, beginning with the discovery of Uranus and its implementation in the astrological pantheon and continuing with Neptune and Pluto, the practice of astrology began to evolve in a way that offered a greater degree of self-determination to the querent.

The birthchart is given to us at the moment we take our first breath on Planet Earth, and will never change. To that extent our fate is predetermined; our basic identity and certain facets of our personality will never change. The planetary systems that form the basic web of the chart show psychological complexes that predispose us to certain modes of reaction and behavior that will remain with us throughout our lifetime. However, we are given free will which enables us to utilize these very complexes in order to maximizing our true potential and thereby create our own destiny. As a result, we can predict the climate of future events but not the events themselves.

For the modern astrologer and student of transformation, the concept of daemon as the "higher self" or guiding spirit is a significant one and resonates with the symbolism of the astrological chart. We are all familiar with having desired something which is refused us, only to discover later that the event which actually happened turns out to have been much more beneficial to us in the long run. We see this frequently in the work of the planet Pluto, which acts as the "will of the higher self" both in the natal birthchart and when it affects us by transit. In the midst of a Pluto event, when transiting Pluto hits a planet in our birthchart, we are forced to let go and surrender, often kicking and screaming, as our higher self removes from our life that which no longer serves us or keeps us from achieving personal empowerment.

Understanding the role of the daemon or guiding spirit in our evolution can facilitate the transformational process as we develop a sense of greater trust. As our awareness increases, we are able to more effectively distinguish between that which we can control, and that which is being guided.

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 8:26 PM :: |

---------------oOo--------------- John McCain will never be president (Part II)

Has John McCain made a Faustian bargain with Falwell?

John McCain very badly wants to be president. He wants to be president so badly that he is willing to suck up to the very people who trashed his family in the last election, leading whisper campaigns that his wife was crazy and that he had an illegitimate black daughter (referring to his adopted daughter from Bangladesh). He wants to be president so badly that he has recreated his previous image as an independent maverick who thinks for himself (in 2001 he was one of only two Republican senators to vote against the tax cuts but recently voted to extend them). Now he has agreed to give the commencement address at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University even though previously he had denounced Falwell as an "evil influence."

Astrological Musings profiled McCain last November:

John McCain works hard to maintain his image as a consensus builder. With Libra rising, and Mercury in Libra, the sign of balance and relationships, he struggles between his need to please others (Libra) and his Virgo sun which strives for authenticity and perfection. Virgos dislike the flattery and superficiality required to negotiate and capitulate; they tend to avoid the spotlight and prefer a quiet corner where they can utilize their famous discrimination to continually perfect themselves and their work.

Mr. McCain has Saturn retrograde, a placement that causes Saturn's critical voice to turn inward. Individuals with this placement tend to be insecure and more dependent on the approval of others than they might otherwise be. Saturn opposes his Venus, demonstrating that he doubts his ability to really relate to others. With his Venus in Virgo, he may be secretly critical of those he must deal with from day to day despite his Libra rising need to placate and cajole to maintain alliances.

McCain has a Grand Cross in the "mutable" signs (Sagittarius, Virgo, Pisces, Gemini). The astrological signs have three different "qualities": Cardinal, offering leadership and action; Fixed, offering stability and organization; and Mutable, offering flexibility and adaptation. A Grand Cross is a challenging aspect in which four planets make 90 degrees to each other, with two pairs of planets in opposition to each other. Typically there is a buildup of tension with this configuration which promotes change and transformation within the individual, but with the Mutable Grand Cross this energy is never focused and tends to create distress and tension within the individual unless there is a motivating force that provides momentum. Without such a force this person will tend to waffle and become distracted. At his core, Mr. McCain has not yet resolved his inner sense of failure expressed through his retrograde Saturn and is well known for his apologetic tendencies.

Mars in this chart is in Leo, a fiery and dramatic expression of aggression, and is square Uranus, the revolutionary. McCain's Virgo Sun and Libra ascendant (rising sign) and Mercury will do their best to suppress his anger, making its eruption all the more dramatic when it occurs. This imbalance in his ability to assert himself in a strong and confident way will prevent his ability to command the kind of respect required to win a presidential election.

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McCain has been going through some interesting Uranian cycles. Beginning last October and continuing through June, repressive Saturn challenged Uranus in his birthchart and setting off his internal frustration of the Uranus/Mars square. At the same time, transiting Uranus made a sextile to Uranus in his chart, creating an awakening within him to new ideas and new ways of living his life, a cycle which completed in February. Concurrently, transiting Jupiter (the bestower of gifts and opportunity) opposed Uranus in his chart, opening the door to a sudden (Uranus) manifestation of those new ideas that had been percolating within him and freeing up the dormant energy of the square from Mars to Uranus in McCain's chart. Suddenly he's out in public espousing radically (Uranus) different philosophies of government (Jupiter) than ever in his public career. Adding yet another layer of complication is the square of transiting Chiron (exposing his inner wounds) to Uranus in his chart which began at the end of April, indicating that his sudden turnabout and radical (Uranus) expansion (Jupiter) is likely to result in psychic pain (Chiron) if he is not careful to process his ideological shifts in a more internal way that brings spiritual growth and transformation.

I suspect that John McCain, like many of his generation, sought to exorcise his demons through hard work and service. His stint in Vietnam resulted in his being taken as prisoner of war, where he was tortured and suffered greatly. He has said, "My determination to act with honor and integrity impels me to work in service to my country. I have believed that the means to real happiness and the true worth of a person is measured by how faithfully we serve a cause greater than our self-interest." This is all very noble, but if we never turn within to face ourselves and the challenges that lie there, we are doomed to repeat the same inner cycles over and over.

John McCain may be trying on a different cloak in order to become president, which he believe will help him to achieve the self-respect that he has sought his entire life. But in the end, like all of us, he will have to look within and find himself.

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 7:18 AM :: |

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Saturday, May 13, 2006

Bush, Saturn and the NSA Spy Scandal

Saturn is in the process of making the final pass over President Bush's ascendant between now and June 2, and his poll numbers have slipped below 30% for the first time. Even conservatives are now calling him the worst president ever. The ascendant is the cusp of the first house of identity, and is also called the "rising sign" because it's the sign that was rising on the horizon at the time of birth. It forms one end of a polarity axis with the descendant which is the cusp of the seventh house of partnership. As such, the ascendant/descendant axis deals with issues of personal identity versus identity in relationships, and personal experiences (first house) versus experiences shared with partners as well as open enemies (seventh house).

The Bush White House has been a cabal of partners in crime. Bush is famously loyal to his staff and his appointees, and as long as those around him demonstrate their loyalty in return their jobs have been safe. Faced with plummeting poll numbers and under pressure from Republican congresspeople who fear the end of their own power in Washington, Bush has hired Josh Bolten to clean house. As a result, Bush's long-time associate and press secretary Scott McClellan (aka Puffy McMoonface [tm Stephanie Miller]) has been replaced with Tony Snow, and Karl Rove lost one of his jobs (policy wonk) and is now down to one (eviscerating Democrats in the next election).

The exposure of Bush's deficiencies therefore exposes the entire Bush conglomerate including all partners in crime (7th house). The seventh house deals not only with partner and spouses but also with open enemies. The long letter from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (president if Iran, the open enemy of the US) requesting open dialogue and negotiation forces the Bush White House to appear intractable and unwilling to participate in world affairs in a way that does not involve strongarm tactics. The call by retired US generals for Donald Rumsfeld's resignation has exposed Bush's incompetence in the one area in which he is admired by the faithful, and his poor choice of a four star general to lead the CIA shows his further exposes his ignorance in the workings of government since the CIA was designed to be totally separate from the department of defense.

The exposure on Thursday by USA Today that the US government has accumulated phone records of millions of American citizens has sent the president's poll numbers to a new low, the third lowest in American history. The trine of Uranus (surprise) to Jupiter (opportunity) may be behind some of the revelations that are coming out of the White House now, offering US citizens an opportunity (Jupiter) to liberate themselvesw (Uranus) from the sideshow drama that has become the Bush presidency.

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 8:48 AM :: |

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Thursday, May 11, 2006

Friday poetry for the Full Moon

Midnight Temptations

Under the moon,
the fill blazing moon
In quiet repose i would waste away.
Dreaming, loving, letting myself fully bloom
Where peace is master,
Where grief has been slayed.
On soft, sweet smelling grass is where i'd sleep
With only Heaven's blanket over me.
Cool fresh air is the company i'd keep
Forever mild nights my eternal destiny.
On vast cliffs overlooking the ocean
Day would be the moon directly above.
I'd gaze happily with no notions
Other than the benediction of Love.
Forever under the moon,
My tormented heart would beat glad.
Under the full blazing moon
I'd never again be sad.

--Lamont Haywood

Artwork: Harvest Moon, by Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 8:24 AM :: |

---------------oOo--------------- Thank you Top Ten Sources!

Astrological Musings has been named one of the Top Ten Astrology newsfeeds by Top Ten Sources. The editors say, "We think the most interesting astrology weblogs look to the stars for more than just a regular horoscope."

I share this honor with several sites that I think are just great. You already know about Jeffrey Kishner's Astrology at the Movies site, and Elsa Elsa's advice blog. Stars over Washington is like Wonkette with astrology.

They also have a new site that I hadn't yet seen, Collaborate with Fate. I haven't had a chance to read much of her stuff, but so far it looks very interesting. Her latest article deals with the astro-geography of the Da Vinci code. I have known about astrogeography, or it's trademarked form Astrocartography, for quite a while but it has never spoken to me so I'm glad to find a source of useful information on that topic.

Thanks again to all of you who visit me every day and help to continue to feed the writing muse!

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 8:11 AM :: |

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Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Full Moon on Friday

Artwork by NW Creations

The Moon is full in Scorpio on May 13 at 2:51 am EST. Scorpio of course is the sign of power, passion and emotional intensity. Scorpio can be secretive and mysterious, and the Moon has its own mystery. The Full Moon occurs when the solar conscious principle of the Sun opposes the lunar mystery of the Moon, and the Full Moon is often when the Moon is at its full power. Adding additional mystery is the square of misty Neptune to both the Sun and the Moon (forming a T-square to the Sun/Moon opposition that forms the Full Moon). In a hard angle aspect like the square, Neptune creates fantasy and illusion and enhances that which is hidden.

The lunation cycle begins with the New Moon and culminates with the Full Moon that takes place in the opposite sign. So we began April 27 with the New Moon in Taurus, celebrating life in the physical body and establishing a sense of peace and serenity. Taurus deals with the realm of form and matter, whereas Scorpio deals with emotional transformation. This Full Moon will call on us to probe beyond the mysteries that we use to shield ourselves from a truer reality. By diving fearlessly (Scorpio) through the veil of deception, we will gain new clarity and understanding.

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 8:39 AM :: |

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Monday, May 08, 2006

Katie Holmes, Brad Pitt and the Galactic Center

What do Brad Pitt and Katie Holmes have in common? Both have unaspected Suns in Sagittarius that are being hit hard by a conjunction of Pluto this year, and both are involved in high profile relationships that are turning their lives upside down.


Individuals whose astrological Sun makes no major connections or aspects to other planets in the birthchart can experience difficulty in establishing an independent identity and in experiencing a real connection with others. Brad Pitt is well known for morphing into a likeness of his partner, and Katie Holmes appears to be losing her own identity under Tom Cruise's megalomaniacal control. These two photos tell the story: In photos with Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt is always shown following at a distance with a rather forlorn look on his face. She is the one who shines, and he follows in the background. In photos of Katie Holmes with Tom Cruise she appears to be melting into him, unable to stand on her own two feet.

One of the more interesting astrological events to occur in a year that is already packed with significant astrological events is the conjunction of Pluto with the Galactic Center. Although the conjunction will not be exact (at the same degree) until December, we have feen feeling its effects all year as Pluto has been within 1 degree of the GC. For people like Brad Pitt and Katie Holmes that have planets at 26 degrees Sagittarius, the transformation evoked by Pluto is likely to be particularly significant and particularly challenging.

The Galactic Center has not been used much in western astrology, and in fact it was not really placed by astronomers until the late 1960s. Pamela Cucinelli writes, "Each time Pluto confronts the Galactic Center, we experience a death of the familiar routine of life while we embrace the 'new birth'. It becomes impossible for us to go back to the way things were before, while we grapple with changes that we may not be able to cope with in the most progressive way."

Brad Pitt and Katie Holmes have same birthday, and their suns are both at 26 degree Sagittarius. Pluto first entered 26 degrees Sag in February, and "stationed" there as it turned retrograde in March. It is now moving away from the 26 degree point but will transit back after Pluto turns direct in September, and the next hit in the cycle of the conjunction to the GC will take place in December.

Pluto transforms everything that it comes into contact with, and that transformation is not always easy or pretty. In Sagittarius that transformation comes, as we have seen, through ideological (Sag) warfare (Pluto), religious (Sag) upheavals (Pluto), danger (Pluto) in travel (Sag), and on a more personal level, the death and rebirth (Pluto) of our core (GC) values (Sag). When a significant planetary event such as the conjunction of Pluto to the Galactic Center occurs at the same degree as one of our own planets or "angles" (meaning ascendant or midheaven), this transformation becomes even more significant. Some astrologers have hypothesized that those with planets that are tightly aspected by the Galactic Center in their birthcharts have a significant role to play in the development of civilization. Only time will tell if this is in fact true, but certainly this is a powerful time of change for the planet, and for the individuals who live there!

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 9:30 PM :: |

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Sunday, May 07, 2006

Astrology in the works of WIlliam Shakespeare

Last Friday's poetry blog was from one of Shakespeare's sonnets, but this is just one of a myriad of references to astrology Shakespeare used throughout his works. An article on chartplanet.com reports:

In all of Shakespeare's 37 plays there are more than a hundred allusions to astrology, and many of his characters' actions are said to be favored or hindered by the stars. The signs of the zodiac are mentioned in six of Shakespeare's plays, and the planets may even be blamed for disasters, especially as they wander from their spheres. Several of Shakespeare's characters were governed by particular stars, as Posthumous was born under the benevolent planet Jupiter, and thus had a favorable destiny at the end of the play. Another character, Monsieur Parolles, was born under Mars and became known fittingly as a soldier. The moon--known for its influence on emotions and self-image--was said to govern Elizabeth, who wept throughout the play Richard III. These examples and many other astrological passages scattered throughout his dramatic works show that Shakespeare was at least interested in astrology and used the art abundantly in the creation of some of his most striking passages.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) lived during the Elizabethan era, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. This was the height of the English renaissance, coming at the heels of several significant events, including the Protestant Reformation which sharply curtailed the worldwide power of the Roman Catholic Church and facilitated the separation of the Church of England from the Roman Church. Also preceding the life of Shakespeare was the discovery by Nicholas Copernicus that the planets actually orbit around the sun rather than the earth. This revelation turned the world of astrology upside down and where previously astrology and astronomy had been taught together as the "science of the stars," a great schism now grew between the art and the science. Where magic, religion and science had long been intertwined, they now began to separate.

Shakespeare's works often frame the debate that was central to the study of the stars at the time. In fact, many believe that the character of Prospero was modeled on Queen Elizabeth's court astrologer, John Dee, who was one of the most renowned astrologers of all time. He was a respected mathematician and astronomer as well as a leading expert in navigation, as well as being an early "channeler" of some of the more remote angels.

Edmund in the Bastard, in King Lear, has this to say about astrology:

"This is the excellent foppery of the world, that when we are sick in fortune, often the surfeits of our own behavior, we make guilty of our disasters the sun, the moon, and the stars: as if we were villains on necessity, fools by heavenly compulsion; knaves, thieves, and treachers, by spherical predominance; drunkards, liars, and adulterers, by an enforced obedience of planetary influence; and all that we are evil in, by a divine thrusting on. An admirable evasion of whoremaster man, to lay his goatish disposition on the charge of a star. "
(Shakespeare, King Lear, I, ii, 115-129.)

Although this quotation has often been used as evidence that Shakespeare was against astrology, it is actually a diatribe against the tendency of humans to blame their faults upon their planetary configurations, something that astrologers work against to this very day. "I'm a Scorpio, that's why I'm secretive." "I can't make decisions, I'm a Libra." "I can't help being critical, I'm a Virgo." The tools of astrology can help us to use the attributes of our planetary influences to greater growth and empowerment if we take the reins of our own lives.

Despite the discovery of the heliocentric universe and its threat to the geocentric astrological system, many of the scientists who succeeded Copernicus strengthened the appeal of astrology including Johannes Kepler, another contemporary of Shakespeare. Carl Sagan referred to Kepler as "the last scientific astrologer," which many would dispute but it does show the respect to which he is accorded. Kepler never lost his love for the mystery and magic of the study of the celestial spheres: he was quoted by Franz Hammer as saying, "May God free me from astronomy, so that I can devote myself to the effort of my work on the harmony of the world."

Shakespeare was undoubtedly influenced by the works of John Dee, Copernicus and Kepler, and his works reported faithfully on cultural trends and conflicts that resonate to this very day.

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 6:41 AM :: |

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Friday, May 05, 2006

Grand Trine in Water and other planetary news

from May's Skywatch

Mars joins Uranus and Jupiter tomorrow, forming a Grand Trine in the water element. Grand Trines occur when three planets form 120 degree angles to each other, creating a large triangle. Trines have an easy, flowing energy - they facilitate processes and create a comfortable dynamic. For this reason they were long considered "good" or favorable aspects as opposed to the "hard angle" (90 degree and 180 degree) aspects which were considered "bad" or unfavorable. However, we can get lost in trines - the danger is in becoming so comfortable that there is no energy available to us. However, this Grand Trine involves Mars (aggression and drive) in family-loving Cancer, which will add a dynamic component because of the fiery nature of Mars, even in the emotional sign of Cancer. In water, the Grand Trine indicates a free flow of emotions and an ability to tune in and be receptive to others. Water is empathic, flowing, compassionate.

The Uranus/Jupiter trine brings together the two planets that are most concerned with liberation. Jupiter represents expansion, opportunity, and the expression of shared beliefs such as theology and philosophy. Uranus instigates a break from conventional and mundane reality, representing innovation, radical change, and unusual behavior and beliefs such as astrology. Jupiter in aspect with Uranus brings about a break (Uranus) from conventional morality (Jupiter), an expansive (Jupiter) sense of freedom (Uranus) to follow one's own destiny and path. This Uranus/Jupiter cycle began in December and we are currently in the second phase of the cycle, which will conclude in August.

Venus (relationships) enters energetic Aries on May 3 and begins to move into a trine to Saturn in Leo which will be exact on May 7. Saturn adds stability and security to Venus, cementing commitment and adding a level of responsibility that Venus in Aries is not normally accustomed to. In the fiery signs Venus tends more to be somewhat self-oriented, but this will be toned down by the watery Grand Trine that will soften all of our hard edges for the first 10 days or so of the month. Mercury (communication) in Aries trines Pluto (intensity and secrets) during the first few days of the month, opening up communication pathways that encourage greater openness between people.

Mercury leaves Aries for the fixed and earthy sign of Taurus on May 5, and intellectual positions (Mercury) become more entrenched and less negotiable (Taurus). Two days later Mercury squares restrictive Saturn, causing a bit of negativity to enter the picture. However, the trine of Mars to Jupiter and Uranus (see above) is exact this same day which will add energy (Mars), opportunity (Jupiter) and surprise (Uranus) to all situations, offering new ways to resolve old problems.

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 6:39 AM :: |

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Thursday, May 04, 2006

Friday poetry blogging

Not from the stars do I my judgment pluck;
And yet methinks I have astronomy,
But not to tell of good or evil luck,
Of plagues, or dearths or seasons quality.
Nor can I fortune to brief minutes tell
Pointing to each his thunder, rain, and wind,
Or say with princes if it shall go well,
By oft predict that I in heaven find;
But from thine eyes my knowledge I desire,
And constant stars, in them I read such art
As truth and beauty shall together thrive.
If from thyself to store thou wouldst convert
Or else of thee this I prognosticate
Thy end is truth's and beauty's doom and date.

--William Shakespeare, Sonnet XIV

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 6:59 AM :: |

---------------oOo--------------- News of the Tenth Planet

Hubble telescope images show that the newly discovered "tenth planet" (whose temporary name is Xena) is smaller than first suspected, but far brighter - brighter than nearly any other object in the solar system, reflecting about 86% of the light that reaches its surface. Additionally, Xena is uniformly bright rather than having bright places, hinting that the planet is being continually resurfaced. (Read this article for the scientific details.)

As an astrologer who studies the principle of "as above, so below," I am fascinated by the symbolism of the solar system. Saturn, surrounded by rings, represents restriction and limitation. Venus, bright star in the sky, is the goddess of love. Jupiter, the largest planet, represents expansion. So what of Xena?

One of the mysteries of astrology is the synchronicity between the names of the planets and their astrological symbolism so until astronomers name this planet we can only speculate as to its astrological effect. Personally, I hope it keeps the name Xena, representing a new feminine archetype for the new Aquarian age - one who fights for truth, freedom and justice (all apt correspondences for the age of Aquarius). Xena rejects the conventional model of marriage and family and makes her own way in the world, following her own path. In any event, the fact of the planet's exceptional brightness, and its possible continual resurfacing of itself, will likely be one aspect of its meaning.

Perhaps this new planet is the herald of our jump into a new level of consciousness that we could not have imagined before. Where the discovery of Pluto (ruling death, destruction and rebirth) in 1930 became the harbinger of the most violent century ever before known, perhaps the Tenth Planet signifies a new ability for human beings to shed the illusions that keep us from realizing our true nature and our true purpose.

Stay tuned for more details as they come available!

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 6:35 AM :: |

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Wednesday, May 03, 2006

David Blaine - face to face with death

"I believe that fear of life brings a greater fear of death. "
David Blaine

What makes someone want to suspend themselves in a plexiglass box over the Thames and fast for 44 days? What inspires a person to spend 61 hours encased in ice, or stand on a platform on top of a 100 foot pole for 35 hours? As someone for whom the adrenaline rush is a terrifying thing, I had to find out.

David Blaine (chart will be uploaded later) is an Aries, and therefore ruled by the warrior archetype of Mars. Aries seeks adventure and is fueled by courage. For an Aries individual, facing danger brings them into a reality where they are able to fully express themselves and the energy of the Mars archetype. Blaine has a triple conjunction of Chiron/Sun/Venus in Aries. Venus bestows good fortune and an attractive persona, and Chiron conjunct the Sun shows that Blaine suffered an early wound (Chiron) in his ability to expess his own identity. Blaine never knew his father (represented by the Sun), and began to learn magic at the age of 4. The world of magic and illusion likely took him out of the pain of the Chiron/Sun conjunction. Blaine's chart has little water that would anchor him into his emotions, and he will have a tendency to navigate difficult emotional waters through the realm of ideas (Mars in Aquarius).

Mars in Aquarius has a detached quality, and this Aquarian Mars keeps him floating in a place where there is no fear. His Mars is conjunct Jupiter (also in Aquarius), which expands his confidence (Jupiter) and causes a sense of being beyond the boundaries (Jupiter) of ordinary men, bigger than life. There can be a self-aggrandizing quality to Mars/Jupiter that is evident there. In addition, the Jupiter/Mars conjunction is trined by Pluto which gives Blaine a strong sense of empowerment (Pluto) and an ability to manifest (Mars/Pluto) that which he is able to conceive (Aquarius).

Very close to his mother, she died when he was only 21. Because we don't know Blaine's time of birth we cannot ascertain his exact moon sign, but this second abandonment must have been extremely painful for him. After his mother's death, he dedicated himself to the practice of magic.

Mercury (mental function, communication) in Blaine's chart is in Pisces and makes no aspect to any other planets, something we frequently see in the charts of entertainers. Mercury is the trickster, the shapeshifter. Without aspects to other planets, it operates independently and behind the scenes and this is particularly true of Mercury in Pisces. Mercury shows how we process our experiences, and in Pisces there is tremendous creativity, sensitivity and imagination, but also a tendency towards avoidance.

The astrological picture of David Blaine offers a glimpse into an individual who may be unable to really heal the old psychic wounds (Chiron) that still haunt him from the abandonment by his father and the death of his mother. To assuage his demons, he faces death on a regular basis which releases the Aries warrior within himself and the more public these stunts are, the more courage they require. Blaine has said, "I think pain is easiest to avoid by filling the days with distractions - I wish to remove everything to search for a truth." This is certainly evidenced by his chart.

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 6:50 AM :: |

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Tuesday, May 02, 2006

The Jupiter Uranus trine

"Possibilities 2" by Lucy Arnold

(As always, please refrain from scatalogical remarks about Uranus, which is properly pronounced "YOUR-ah-nus" )

Astrologically, Jupiter has always been known as the "greater benefic." It brings good fortune, it expands our field of possibilities and gives us a sense that life has meaning and therefore rules philosophy and religion. Jupiter makes us feel good, it gives us hope and optimism. However, Jupiter is one of the "inner" or "personal" planets, and is therefore earthbound. Although Jupiter rules religion, it does not offer the opportunity to connect personally with the divine (as offered by Neptune) or to expand into higher dimensions of consciousness (as offered by Uranus).

Uranus is the rebel, the eccentric, the one who stands apart from the crowd. Uranus demands change and a fresh approach to life. It despises conventional morality and causes us to feel restless; it bestows flashes of brilliance and inventive discoveries. Uranus rules technology for this reason; it also is connected with electromagnetic energy and electricity. For this reason it strongly influences the electromagnetic field that surrounds our physical body and permits expansion and contraction through that field. In this way, Uranus opens up our multi-dimensional awareness. This can be disturbing to those of us who tend to be more grounded into earth awareness, accounting for the reputation of Uranus to cause anxiety and psychological problems.

The current cycle of the trine (120 degree angle) between Jupiter and Uranus first occurred back in November. At that time, the Kansas school board adopted a new definition of science which included a study of intelligent design, thereby creating a new and inventive (Uranus) way to connect religion (Jupiter) with science (Uranus). Two new rings around Uranus were discovered, expanding (Jupiter) the physicality of the planet Uranus. Other surprising discoveries (Uranus) that expanded our knowledge (Jupiter) were a new sun-like star was discovered 137 light years away, the DNA code for a domestic dog was deciphered and flint tools were discovered in the UK, indicating that humans lived there 200,000 years earlier than previously thought.

Over the past six months we have had several difficult planetary systems: the Grand Cross at the end of 2005, the Saturn/Chiron opposition over the past year. The trine between Jupiter and Uranus during these difficult periods helps to expand the scope of our awareness during challenging times and come up with inventive (Uranus) and positive (Jupiter) results. If we possess a tendency towards negative thinking, Jupiter helps to expand our sense of faith that life does offer possibilities. Uranus offers flashes of insight that helps us to solve problems.

Without challenges in our life we rarely move forward; when life is too easy we tend to sit on the sofa and become complacent. The next few months will bring the return of the Saturn/Chiron opposition and the Saturn/Neptune square, but our friends Jupiter and Uranus will continue to expand our awareness and if we allow it, will aid in the progression of our soul's journey.

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 6:39 AM :: |

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