Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Mars in Cancer, in a symbolic sense, can signal a sense of dislocation, unease, tension, strife or danger in the home for many people. At last count half a million people have been driven out of their homes by these fires, and for these people, there is nothing particularly symbolic about this phenomenon. It’s just their real lives.

Now, I don’t want to make too much out of this synchronicity or to state that Mars in Cancer "causes" fires that affect residences. After all, Southern California is fire country, and we have fires every year. We can expect, from what I hear on the news, to have more of them and more catastrophic ones in the future, as global warming and drought are not doing us any favors. And Mars does transit through Cancer every couple of years.

But…Mars does not go through an unusually long cycle in Cancer, complete with retrogrades, all that often. And the scale of evacuations with this latest round of fires in California is greater than any I’ve ever heard of in my life. In fact, I believe I heard on TV that this is largest evacuation in California history. This is a very large event, and the correlation with astrological symbolism is kind of eerie.

I can only imagine how eerie things must be to people who see their neighbors’ houses burned down while theirs are left intact. What kind of synchronicity or fate or pure chance destroys one person’s home and leaves another’s untouched? Are the events these fires precipitate etched in the charts of each of the individuals who are experiencing these losses? Is there some sort of meaning, personal meaning, to this kind of event? Can this phenomenon be purposeful in some spiritual or universal sense?

These are philosophical questions, I guess, and if it was my own home in flames, I don’t know that I’d be asking them right now. In fact, the people I see on my local TV news who are evacuated or who have learned that their homes are lost or in danger seem to be behaving remarkably stoically. Thousands of people are at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, and so far, they seem to be pulling together in an organized and even, considering the circumstances, cheerful fashion. People seem to be doing what has to be done, an admirable, Mars-like quality.

The more difficult part emotionally will come later, perhaps. Sifting through the wreckage, confronting the loss of memories and mementos, landmarks and history. The sign of Cancer is associated with the moon, and the moon is a symbol of roots, memories, one’s past, feelings, the instinctive desire for comfort, nurturing, and the womb. By extension, the moon relates to home because our homes are our wombs, the safe places we use to protect ourselves from the ravages of the outside world. To have one’s home attacked and destroyed by fire is eventually to be forced into a confrontation (Mars) with the role of memory in one’s life.

Mars is also associated with anger, and at some point, I suppose the anger will come for many folks. One of the odd synchronicities to me is that my own visualization of the action of Mars in the moon sign is that of Mars whipping up emotions in an erratic, swirling, moon-like fashion, like the wind whipping the waves. But what is actually happening in real life is that the winds here are whipping up the fires in erratic, moon-like fashion. In fact, one of the reasons this particular set of firestorms is causing so much widespread dislocation is that the erratic winds allow the fire to jump spasmodically from place to place, so that the fire is neither predictable nor controllable. Our firefighters have been at the mercy of the winds.

It is as though the weather is actualizing, making real and manifest, the images associated with the astrological symbols. How frustrating this is! And yet, how impressive–not just the sheer scale and power of nature in its wild and untamed, primitive fury, but the determination, the work, the heroism, and the dedication of the people who make it their life’s work to do battle with these forces on our behalf.

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 7:40 PM :: |

---------------oOo---------------

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

The astrology of cancer surgery

I have been trying not to take too much fodder for this blog from actual client charts for fear of violating privacy rights, but occasionally something comes up that is too valuable not to share. When this happens I try to present the information in as vague a form as possible so as to maintain the privacy of the client's identity.

I saw a woman today who had had two different cancer surgeries but we did not discuss the details before the session. I try not to know too many details about the client before we start the session so that I'm taking the information strictly from the chart.

This client has an exact and angular opposition from a Capricorn Venus to Uranus which denotes a traumatic (Uranus) history with respect to her value as a woman (Venus). During the reading I felt she had an energy blockage in the belly area at the second chakra and saw this blockage as a wounded part of herself that she had long ago rejected around her attractiveness as a female and her lovability. She disclosed that one of her cancer surgeries had been for cervical cancer and that she had worked with different modalities to try to release blocks in that area. She also shared that as a child she was told by her mother that she was ugly and worthless and carried a great deal of pain with her as a result.

This reminded me of a post I wrote recently about the idea of fighting against cancer as if it were a being separate from ourselves. Those of us who have worked for a long time to heal old psychological injuries have tried hard to rid ourselves of the residue of this soul damage. We cut cords that bind us to toxic loved ones. We clear our chakras. We do everything except open our hearts to the damage that may remain within us and bid it welcome.

I am certainly not advocating that we stop having surgery to remove cancers. But I feel it is useful to explore a different way of dealing with our baggage. In the aforementioned article I quoted Stephen Levine, a brilliant writer and healer who works as a gatekeeper for the dying, and here's just a relevant snippet which bears repeating:

We suggest that people treat their illness as though it were their only child, with that same mercy and loving-kindness. If that was in your child's body, you'd caress it, you'd hold it, you'd do all you could to make it well. But somehow when it's in our body we wall it off, we send hatred into it and anger into it. We treat ourselves with so little kindness, so little softness.

Labels: Cancer (the disease)

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

---------------oOo--------------- Another Supermoon this week!

art by Allyson Thomas from art.com

Even now the Moon is looking big and beautiful in anticipation of the upcoming Full Moon at perigee (closest to earth) which brings about a Supermoon (® Richard Nolle).

This upcoming lunation is not only big, it's a powerhouse of lunar aspects. The Full Moon takes place on October 26 at 0:52 am Eastern time and at 2 degrees Taurus (with the Sun in Scorpio). The Full Moon, when the Sun and Moon are in opposition, is a powerful time of light that bears the potential to open our consciousness. This Full Moon forms a Mystic Rectangle to the North and South Nodes of the Moon, representing our evolutionary direction from past (South) to future (North). We are in alignment now to achieve something very important in our personal destiny and destiny as humans, and the addition of Saturn in sextile to the Sun and trine the Moon helps to ground the process into physical form.

On a personal level this is a time to set your intention very clearly so that the universe can assist in manifestation. On a global level we are being realigned as a species as this Full Moon occurs virtually at the very minute that Pluto makes its conjunction to the Galactic Center). The conjunction of Pluto to the Galactic Center (center of our Milky Way galaxy) is not one big event that we will easily identify, but a core shift in the direction of the planet. (For more information on this event and a historical analysis see my earlier article). The timing of this galactic event coinciding with the Full Moon is a powerful symbol that further emphasizes the importance of this full moon.

Labels: Full Moon, Supermoon

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 6:12 PM :: |

---------------oOo--------------- Stock market reversals

Both of the big stock market crashes have happened in October (1929 and 1987) and the mini-crashes have taken place in October too (1989, 2000 and 2002). The markets are usually jumpier in October than they are normally, and in this market climate we have the last of the hysterical optimism of the Pluto in Sagittarius phase bumping up against the growing conservatism of Saturn in Virgo.

Since the Dow's historic high at the New Moon on October 11 it has fallen 750 points. The New Moon in Libra was ruled by Venus, who I typically associate with relationships but who also rules values and possessions, and despite the gloom and doom predictions of Saturn's conjunction to Venus, the markets sailed upwards through that planetary combination which made an exact aspect (and to the South Node) on October 13.

Mercury turned retrograde on the 12th which can induce us to look backwards rather than forwards and this can have the effect of dampening enthusiasm that is not based in any kind of reality. The square of Jupiter to Uranus that took place on October 9 tends to bring about that very kind of enthusiasm and reckless desire for change, and it's interesting that this planetary combination coincided with the peak of the markets.

Still, I don't look at a market downturn as being an inherently bad thing - all of life requires course corrections at some point. The more bloated the markets get and the more they are based on irrational suppositions of never-ending expansion such as we will see until both Jupiter and Pluto enter Capricorn, the more Saturn in Virgo will step in to bring reality to the table.

Labels: Stock market

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 6:26 AM :: |

---------------oOo---------------

Monday, October 22, 2007

From the advice column: Integrating opposites

>Q: I am Capricorn sun with Cancer moon. This is polarity, and yes my life has been full of utter polarity. Homeless one minute and £30,000 in the bank the next. I have looked on the net for advice to people who hold the opposites in their charts, but never found much that was helpful Hold it all together is what you would say. It has made me very strong. The two solstices are very powerful times for me.

A: Most people do have opposites in their chart, so we all must learn at some point or another to integrate the poiarities within ourselves. The important thing to remember about the astrological opposites is that each has what the other lacks. In the case of Cancer and Capricorn, Cancer is concerned with the home and the inner life, Capricorn is concerned with the outer world and career or public life outside the home.

Your Moon is actually in Virgo, but you have Cancer on the ascendant. The issue of the opposition is made more powerful by the fact that your Capricorn Sun sits right on the descendant of the chart, the point of relationships, and opposes your ascendant, the point of personal identity. Plus, Jupiter and Uranus are extremely tightly conjunct in Cancer and sitting right on the ascendant. So the Cancer influence is equally powerful to your Capricorn Sun. The Jupiter and Uranus combination, especially on the ascendant, makes you a unique (Uranus) and positive (Jupiter) person with your own way of doing things, something that can conflict with the Capricorn drive for achievement and the Cancer drive for tribal affiliation, or more simply, the pull between our work life and our family life.

In addition, Chiron is conjunct your Sun and opposes the Jupiter/Uranus combination which reveals a wound (Chiron) around your ability to experience success and achievement in the world. You may have attracted the Capricorn energy from your partners since your Sun and the sign of Capricorn is on the descendant, in which case you may have played out the more nurturing side.

The fatigue that you mention comes from two sources: Neptune, which is very empathic and urges us towards a spiritual life, is in challenging aspect (square) to the big opposition between your Sun/Chiron and Jupiter/Uranus, and Neptune is exactly square to Chiron which can signify vague and undiagnosable health problems. In addition, Mars in your chart is in watery Pisces where it finds difficulty expressing the fire of drive and desire. My clients will recognize this as a broken record, but physical activity is the best antidote for Mars problems and Neptune issues since it stokes the fire and keeps the furnace running smoothly.

It's not surprising that the solstices are powerful times for you, because they mark the entry into Capricorn (winter solstice) and Cancer (summer solstice). All of these varying influences come together to make you the complex and wonderful person that you are!

Labels: advice

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 7:35 AM :: |

---------------oOo---------------

Sunday, October 21, 2007

David Copperfield under investigation

David Copperfield has been accused of "sexual misconduct" by an unidentified woman who was evidently a guest at Copperfields $50 million dollar Bahamian retreat, and the FBI subsequently raided his Las Vegas warehouse. Copperfield has the perfect astrological chart for an illusionist. His Sun is in Virgo, the sign of the craftsman, yet it is in the twelfth house of the mystic. The twelfth house is ruled by Neptune which is associated with illusion and deception as well as mysticism, and his Sun is opposed by Mars which is in Pisces, also ruled by Neptune. Mars describes the way our drive is expressed, and in Pisces it can be diluted and deluded under the Neptunian influence. Neptune rules that which is hidden or obscured and its strong presence in Copperfield's chart gives him the gift of imagination and creativity as well as an understanding of the workings of the subconscious that is required for the craft of illusion.

Because Copperfield has Virgo rising (according to Astrotheme with an unsourced time of birth) , Mercury is said to rule his chart. Mercury also falls in his first house of identity and rules his Gemini midheaven illustrating the importance of Mercury in the chart. Mercury is the shapeshifter; its mercurial characteristics confer an ability to easily change in and out of roles and personas. We find Mercury prominent in the charts of actors and charlatans, and there is often a slippery quality to a strong Mercury dynamic.

Mercury in Copperfield's chart is in the people-oriented sign of Libra, giving him a facility to understand what people want from him and provide it. Mercury trines his Aquarian Moon, giving him an additional connection into the heart of the collective experience that is the domain of Aquarius. Relationships have been problematic for Copperfield; although Venus is in Leo which is very expressive and romantic, it conjuncts Uranus which suggests a proclivity towards instant attractions and dislike of commitment.

Because Uranus rules his Aquarian Moon as well, the two points in the chart that signal personal connection (Venus and Moon) are associated with the Uranian quality of detachment and autonomy. There is also a tendency towards experimentation with the Venus/Uranus conjunction and rumors of homosexuality have dogged Copperfield throughout his life. It's interesting that although he was romantically linked to Claudia Shiffer for six years he has had no other public relationships. The message boards are full of anecdotes reporting of Copperfield's tendency to pick women out of his audience and invite them home after the show. The opposition of Chiron, representing the Wounded Healer, to the combination of Venus and Uranus in Copperfield's chart hints that relationships have been painful for him. Chiron conjuncts the Moon as well which tells us that he has had more than his share of emotional pain quite possibly stemming from early family relationships. This difficulty, combined with an innate need for personal space that makes forming close bonds challenging, could easily explain the lack of close personal ties in Copperfield's life.

Mars in Copperfield's chart opposes Jupiter, which suggests that his desires and drive (Mars) are magnified by Jupiter's tendency toward expansion. This combination has been transited by Uranus over the past six months or so which has created a tendency towards reckless behavior. The first phase of the cycle hitting him back in April with the second phase now. At the same time, transiting Pluto, signifying transformation and issues of power, has been transiting the angular cross in his chart (ascendant and midheaven axes) which is an enormously powerful cycle denoting a major crisis that brings about significant change in a person's life.

The Pluto event began in January of 2006 and sat right on Copperfield's Midheaven until the end of May of that year, coinciding with the death of his father who worked with him in his performances and quite possibly the closest person to him in his life. Transiting Chiron at the same time has been aspecting his Moon and Venus, so this has been a very painful time for him. While he has quite a few positive planetary cycles working for him, he is also being pressured to resolve his emotional issues and make radical changes in his life. However, the secretive Neptunian nature is likely to bring more mystery and illusion rather than expose new revelations.

Labels: Celebrities

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 7:30 AM :: |

---------------oOo--------------- Chris Brennan's Top Ten Tips

You may have already seen this link on other blogs, but Chris Brennan has written a comprehensive list of what is actually involved in becoming an astrologer. Back in the old days when we had to learn logarithms and buy mountains of ephemerides and atlases in order to cast a chart it was much more difficult to become an astrologer. Nowadays all you need is a computer, but the craft is still a complex one that deserves comprehensive study and respect before hanging out one's shingle.

Labels: Astrology

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 7:30 AM :: |

---------------oOo---------------

Friday, October 19, 2007

Chiron turns direct, and more about Mercury retrograde

Chiron turns direct today for the first time since May 21. Over the past 18 months, Chiron has retrograded back and forth over the same nine degrees or so which has had a significant effect on those of us with planets in the middle degrees of the fixed signs: Aquarius, Leo, Scorpio and Taurus.

Between August and December Chiron will have only moved two degrees as it stationed in preparation to change direction, and its influence is more powerful than ever. Chiron, the Wounded Healer, urges us to face areas in our life and psyche where we still have unhealed wounds. By bringing these wounds into the open air of daylight we are able to find healing and greater wisdom.

Yesterday I consulted with Robert P. Blaschke who visited our local NCGR Chapter. I'll post more on that later and his amazing research into the progression cycles. I met with him to get his take on some cycles that I am experiencing now where energies are shifting, and he is world-renowned as the expert on the progressed chart. At any rate, he told me something that I had not noticed, that my progressed Mercury, which has been retrograde since 1990, will turn direct in 2010, which means its stationing now in preparation (the planets slow down to a crawl before they appear to change direction).

Robert said that when Mercury is retrograde by progression there is an accumulation of learning and understanding that takes place which is then ready to be released when the progressed Mercury turns direct. This was very interesting to me and it is also relevant to Mercury retrograde by transit as it is currently. So we can think about the Mercury retrograde period as a time when we are collecting data to be used later, but acting on it at the moment is more difficult.

This is likely the underlying reason for Mercury retrograde periods to be such good times for going back and re-doing projects that are not complete. I tell my clients, anything with a "re-" at the front of the word is well-suited for a retrograde Mercury. Review for a test, revision of your website, reinstalling software that isn't working. Reconnecting with old friends is another good one.

Writing is also favored under retrograde Mercury, just as it is for those with Mercury retrograde in their natal charts. Because our thoughts and ideas are more internalized now during this collection process, writing helps us to organize information in a way that is more complete.

The combination of Chiron's direct turn and Mercury passing retrograde points to a tendency now to look back and heal that which is broken. As the Sun begins its descent into the darkness of Scorpio on the 23rd, this is a good time for greater introspection and release of past hurts and conflicts.

Labels: Chiron, Mercury Retrograde

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 8:10 AM :: |

---------------oOo---------------

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Who is the real Stephen Colbert?

Stephen Colbert, political satirist and star of Comedy Central's show "The Colbert (pronounced Colbear) Report (pronounced Repor) has announced his candidacy for president of the United States. He will be running as both a Democrat and a Republican, a "Favorite Son" candidate in South Carolina. His announcement for candidacy defied any other candidate to pander to South Carolina more than he will:

Stephen Colbert's astrological chart is a fascinating combination of extremely stressful planetary configurations combined with a series of harmonious ones indicating severe challenge in life combined with great ease and success. He was born with the Sun in Taurus in an exact opposition to Neptune, a signature of an individual who has an excess amount of creativity and a vivid imagination to the point where one's fantasy life (Neptune) can interfere with one's sense of reality (Sun). There can be a sense of a loss of self with this placement which is common in the charts of actors who utilize this quality to slip in and out of character. Many comedians have adopted alter egos (just watch Saturday Night Live for a few examples), but Colbert has adopted a duality of his own identity instead as an expression of this Sun/Neptune opposition.

The stabilizing but stubborn Taurus influence has probably been instrumental in keeping Colbert's feet firmly on the ground. Along with the Sun, Colbert's chart shows Jupiter (good fortune), Mars (aggression) and Mercury (communication) in a fairly tight conjunction in Taurus, the sign of perseverance and security. Jupiter in Taurus requires a solid base from which to explore one's life, there is a need for beauty and comfort in one's surroundings as well as a natural gift for accumulating wealth. Mars in Taurus shows a nature that is slow to anger and relentless in its pursuit of its desires. Mars in Taurus never quits!! Mercury in Taurus has a practical mind that dislikes change - once the mind is made up it rarely changes. Put together, the combination of Jupiter, Mars and Mercury is the classic signature for a "blowhard," an individual who is aggressively (Mars) confident (Jupiter) in his own opinions (Mercury). One has to conclude that Colbert's alter ego, the arrogant fool that isn't afraid to let you know that he's an idiot, is actually a part of Colbert himself.

Colbert's Gemini Moon offsets the rigidity of this stellium in Taurus, and gives Colbert the "gift of gab." Gemini is the sign of communication and change, and the Moon shows what we need to feel emotionally secure. The Gemini Moon reveals Colbert's inner need to be able to express himself at all times. Gemini is witty and charming, but is also extremely changeable (the sign of the twins). Colbert's Moon is squared by Chiron, the Wounded Healer, indicating a deep inner wound to his inner sense of security which mirrors the loss of his father and brothers in a plane crash when Colbert was 10.

Colbert has an interesting opposition of Saturn, planet of conservatism and structure, to a combination of Uranus and Pluto. Uranus is the planet that urges us to rebel against the status quo and Pluto turns our lives inside out in order to transform us in a way that is deep and meaningful. When Saturn opposes these two there is a split between the radical within us (Uranus/Pluto) and the part of us that requires more of a conventional life (Saturn). Colbert expresses it this way: "I'm a khaki-pants, blue blazer, brass buttons iconoclast."

Colbert has some great planetary cycles coming up for him over the next year that will help to increase his power, influence and paycheck. Harmonious transits of Saturn will help to give him the stamina to achieve and continue to build his fame, and harmonious Jupiter transits will help him to expand his vision and provide a springboard of general good luck for his endeavors.

Why vote for Stephen Colbert? Personally, I would have preferred the Stewart/Colbert ticket. But here's what the man himself says: ""What do I offer? Hope for the common man. Because I am not the Anointed or the Inevitable. I am just an Average Joe like you—if you have a TV show."

Labels: Celebrities

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 5:54 AM :: |

---------------oOo---------------

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Russia and Vladmir Putin

In yesterday's post I reviewed the reasoning behind the various charts for "modern Russia," the nation that emerged after the fall of the Soviet Union. The one I have selected is the chart from the declaration of independence by the Russian Federation.

The Gemini Sun, showing a tendency towards change and a facility with different roles, sits right on the Midheaven which in traditional astrology is considered a symbol of great power. This is a singleton Sun, meaning it makes no traditional aspects to any other planet (other than a square to the ascendant). This reflects the isolation of modern Russia which stands alone without any real allies. Russia is linked to China and to Iran, but those relationships are tenuous at best and primarily serve the purpose of opposing the US (more on that later).

The Moon in this chart is in Aquarius, illustrating that the political entity that we know as modern Russia is concerned primarily with matters of reason rather than emotion. With Virgo rising in the chart there is a focus on details and a dislike of blatant expressions of ego. This is also interesting because the South Node of this chart is in Leo, showing that a focus on the ego of the nation is in the past. We no longer see the loud declarations of power coming out of Russia as in the cold war; instead there is a quiet and strategic attention to the details (Virgo) which has brought about a significant improvement in the economics of the country.

That quiet Virgoan strategy is offset somewhat by the placement of Mars, denoting the aggressive instincts of the nation, in its own sign of Aries and in the seventh house of partnership. Mars makes a sextile to the Moon, indicating that the soul of the country (Moon) is tied in with its ability to defend itself (Mars). Mars in the seventh house shows a fierce independence in its partnerships as well as an eager willingness to do battle (Mars) with allies (seventh house) in order to prove its autonomy (Aries).

Jupiter in the chart is in Cancer, the sign of tribal affiliation, which tends to show a strong nationalistic fervor in a country; however, Jupiter conjuncts Chiron which reveals a painful process in achieving this. Russia is comprised of over 150 different ethnic groups which do not coexist in easy harmony, and much of the tension in the country results from these warring factions.

Most interesting is the exact opposition of Venus to Pluto in the chart. Venus of course is the planet of relationships, and we have already noted the presence of the god of war (Mars) in the Venus-ruled seventh house. This is not a nation that forges alliances easily, and with both the Sun and Mercury in Gemini there is a tendency to be very changeable in one's nature and focus at any given time. The opposition of Pluto to Venus shows as I said yesterday that some of Russia's worst enemies are its partners. This aspect engenders a tremendous amount of fear and distrust.

Transiting Pluto has been squaring the ascendant in this chart over the past couple of years, and the world has witnessed the darker and more secret side of the Russian government with the suspected poisoning of the Russian spy Litvinenko and growing suspicion of Putin's desire to stay in power despite the semblance of fair elections.

Speaking of Putin - while Putin has a Libra Sun and three other planets in Libra in the twelfth house (the unconscious and that which is hidden), his thirst for power comes from a Scorpio ascendant and the placement of chart ruler Pluto exactly conjunct the Midheaven in his chart. The Putin that is seen by the public is the Pluto/Scorpio Putin, and the Libra Putin is most likely seen only in the most private of private spaces. This quest for power has driven his career, and with Jupiter square to Pluto in his chart, especially in the fixed signs of Leo and Taurus, he is quite rigid and dogmatic as well.

Mars in Putin's chart falls right on the nadir of the Russian chart, opposing its Midheaven and squaring the ascendant which illustrates how Putin's aggressive tendencies (Mars) serve to stimulate change in the country (nadir/ Midheaven) as well as stir up alliances (ascendant/ descendant). Planetary aspects to the angles of another chart show a profound influence on that other chart, and we have certainly seen that with Vladmir Putin and modern Russia. Transiting Pluto has been crossing over the nadir of the Russian chart and opposing its Midheaven as well as squaring the ascendant , and transiting Putin's Mars at the same time, since the end of 2005.

In early 2005, when Pluto was two degrees away from Putin's Mars and exactly conjunct the Russian ascendant, it became clear that Putin was consolidating power in Russia and weakening democratic reforms. President Bush may have thought he saw Putin's soul, but an individual with four planets in Libra is a very good flatterer and diplomat. Libra is a mirror, and Putin was able to mirror to Bush exactly what he wanted to see.

Now, with transiting Pluto making its final pass across the Russian ascendant and Putin Mars, Putin has taken some radical steps to increase the strength of his power -- increasing his control of the media and dissolving the government in advance of elections. He has also been aligning himself with Germany and forging new alliances with Syria and Iran in an effort to erode the power of a United States weakened by an unpopular war.

The real test of the accuracy of this chart of Russia will come in 2012, when transiting Pluto will square the Russian Mars at 8 degrees Aries. Transiting Uranus will approach a conjunction to this Mars at the same time which should make for a very interesting end of the Mayan calendar!!!

Labels: International politics

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 7:02 AM :: |

---------------oOo---------------

Monday, October 15, 2007

Astrology chart for Russia

With the sudden chill in relations between the US and Russia I went on the hunt for a birthchart for modern Russia and found this is a complicated question.

December 8, 1991 is the date that Belarus, the Russian Federation and the Ukraine announced the Minsk Declaration which dissolved the Soviet Union, but the agreement wasn't ratified by the Russian Parliament until the 12th of December that year at 13:22 according to Nick Campion. On the other hand, Adrian Ross Duncan uses the chart of December 25, 1991 when the flag for the new Russia began flying at the Kremlin.

The late Zipporah "Zip" Dobyns, one of the world's most celebrated astrologers, uses yet another chart: the chart of Gorbachev's resignation in August of 1991. Her reasoning in using this chart is because "it works" to explain subsequent events better than the other dates. With all due respect to the memory of Ms. Dobyns, this doesn't seem a very scholarly way to approach the birth of a nation.

To me the date that makes the most sense from a historical point of view is the date that the Russian Federation declared its independence from the Soviet Union which was June 12, 1990. This is the date that the First Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Federation adopted the Declaration on Russia's National Sovereignty which seems to me to be a very formal declaration of statehood and a strong basis for an astrological chart. This is the day that is celebrated as the Day of Russia and is identified by modern Russians as the birth of their nation.

This chart is a very interesting one, with a 26 degree Virgo ascendant which has been squared by Pluto over the past several years. The Sun in Gemini is prominently placed on the Midheaven showing a changeable nature, and an exact opposition between Venus and Pluto illustrates the destruction and regeneration of many of modern Russia's alliances since its inception as well as the fact that its partners are its worst enemies.

Tune in tomorrow for a more in-depth look at this chart and its relevance to Vladmir Putin and the United States.

Labels: Mundane astrology

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 8:47 PM :: |

---------------oOo--------------- Kate Hudson's Relationship Saga

This will go up at the National Ledger today.

Kate Hudson started seeing Dax Shepherd on the rebound from her relationship with Owen Wilson last summer, and it is now reported that she has ended the relationship. While news reports claim that Kate broke up with Dax in order to spend more time with her children, the rumor mill reports that Kate is still in love with Owen and is trying to reconnect with him after his suicide attempt earlier this year. Perhaps this is idle speculation, but the Kate/Owen breakup was sudden and Owen's suicide attempt was a dramatic event that no doubt created confusion in her mind.

I took a look at Kate's astrological chart to see what the stars have in store for her. While Kate has the Sun in Aries, which gives her a tendency to be headstrong and willful, her Sun is on the cusp of Taurus, being less than a degree from that sign. This gives Kate more of a desire for stability and security than most Aries possess. She is also a romantic with Venus (describing her relationships) in sensitive Pisces. Pisces, being the sign of the dreamer and artist, is well suited to the planet of romance but a challenging aspect from Neptune in her chart gives Kate a tendency to live in a world of illusion where love is concerned.

Kate has both Mars (assertive instinct) and Mercury (mental process) in Aries in her chart, so the innocence and purity of the Aries sign is strong in her despite the fact that her Sun is on the cusp of Taurus. This strong Aries quality can be very impulsive as well as idealistic, and the combination of the headstrong Aries with the fantasy world of Neptune/Pisces can bring about quite a bit of confusion in a life.

The planet Pluto (death and rebirth) as it transits through the sky has been making a challenging aspect to Kate's Venus over the past couple of years, beginning back in January and February of 2006. Pluto transits to Venus tend to create upheavals in our relationships as we are forced to leave behind any people in our life that are not serving our highest purpose. In early 2006 Kate Hudson began revealing in interviews that marriage was difficult, and in June, with Pluto coming back for a second time to hit her Venus, rumors erupted about her relationship with her "You, Me and Dupree" co-star Owen Wilson. Kate separated from husband Chris Robinson in August, and in November, during the final phase of the Pluto cycle, Robinson filed for divorce.

During this time Kate was going through another planetary cycle: a challenging transit of the planet Neptune to Uranus in her chart. Because Neptune can create confusion and cloud our judgement and Uranus is the planet in our chart that encourages us to be independent and break free of the status quo, this is a powerful cycle that evokes sudden change in our life if we are unhappy or restless. This cycle began for Kate around March of 2006 and was exerting an intense influence on her until July, coinciding with the filming of "You, Me and Dupree". The second phase of this cycle is taking place right now, beginning in September and continuing throughout December.

In my earlier article I wrote about the astrological chemistry between Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson, and I suspect that we have not seen the last of this pairing. Owen Wilson is well known for his inability to make commitments, and in interviews he has expressed his sadness that he was unable to go the distance in previous relationships. Perhaps he will be able now to seek the help that he needs in order to resolve these difficulties and live happily ever after.

Labels: Celebrities

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 10:11 AM :: |

---------------oOo---------------

Sunday, October 14, 2007

New dimensions of space and time

fractal art from Alice Webb
Just in time for the square of Jupiter to Uranus, and proving once again that scientists don't know everything, Ursi posted this link last week to an article on a new theory of six dimensions in physical reality rather than just four:

Time is no longer a simple line from the past to the future, in a four dimensional world consisting of three dimensions of space and one of time. Instead, the physicist envisages the passage of history as curves embedded in a six dimensions, with four of space and two of time.

"There isn't just one dimension of time," Itzhak Bars of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles tells New Scientist. "There are two. One whole dimension of time and another of space have until now gone entirely unnoticed by us."

Bars claims his theory of "two time physics", which he has developed over more than a decade, can help solve problems with current theories of the cosmos and, crucially, has true predictive power that can be tested in a forthcoming particle physics experiment.

If it is confirmed, it could point the way to a "theory of everything" that unites all the physical laws of the universe into one, notably general relativity that governs gravity and the large scale structure of the universe, and quantum theory that rules the subatomic world.

In the quest for that all embracing theory, scientists have been adding extra dimensions of space to their equations for decades. As early as the 1920s, mathematicians found that moving up to four dimensions of space, instead of the three we experience, helped in their quest to reconcile theories of electromagnetism and gravity.

entire article here...

The concept that time moves backwards as well as forwards is nothing new for metaphysicians, but it is certainly a big leap for scientists. The whole concept of provability is evolving in the scientific world as human knowledge begins to envelop areas of life that cannot be proven, creating more mystery rather than more facts.

Labels: consciousness

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 10:51 PM :: |

---------------oOo--------------- Pars Fortuna, Aspects and Energy

Wheel of Fortune tarot card by Nigel Jackson

A reader wrote me about the significance of the multitude of Kites, Mystic Rectangles and Yods in her chart but upon closer examination, many of these aspects involve the Part of Fortune and the Nodes of the Moon rather than planets or luminaries. Which brought up an interesting point of discussion: what really do aspects describe, and what points should be considered?

In the birthchart, the Sun represents our essential Self, the Moon our emotional nature, and the seven traditional planets each represent an aspect of our personality. The outer planets each show a mode of transformation and soul growth. Aspects, or geometric angles, between the inner and outer planets show the way the different parts of our personality work together and how they are used for the evolution of our soul. The qualities (elements and whether fixed, cardinal or mutable) of the signs that the planets fall in show the energy that is at work in each of the planets, and the aspects show the way those energies harmonize or create conflict.

Major aspects including the T-square, Grand Cross or Grand Trine describe the way the energies of the planets involve relate to each other. These create energy imbalances (squares and crosses) or loops (trines) that affect our everyday lives. Yods, Kites and Mystic Rectangles are combinations of harmonious aspects with challenging ones that describe again the way the energies of the planets alternatively conflict and harmonize to bring about personal growth.

There are many points that astrologers work with that may or may not be considered in these aspects: Chiron, other asteroids, the Moon's nodes, fixed stars, etc. Certainly the more points are included the more aspects will be found in the chart. But do these aspects accurately describe the psychological makeup of the individual?

To me, the question to ask before including points in the calculation of aspects is this: Does the point in question operate within the soul or psyche of the individual or does it act as a point of information or a signpost?

For example, in my work I use Chiron as a regular planet, no different from Mercury or Saturn. To me, Chiron is clearly a part of the energy makeup of the individual since it's role is to channel psychic energy through the body and it describes how the individual will react when that energy is blocked or stifled.

The Ascendant and Midheaven are not a part of the internal energy system of the individual although they do show the personality (ascendant) and public life (midheaven). The lifestyle that we choose through these points does affect our internal operations and I do look at aspects to the ascendant and midheaven.

The Nodes of the Moon are a bit trickier. These points tell a story about our evolutionary history, depicting the areas of life that come easily to us but which tend to hold us back (South Node) and the areas of life that make up our evolutionary destiny (North Node). These points are more like signposts and they don't actually operate within the individual. While I look at these points in terms of which pieces of the chart are more karmic in nature, I would not include them in Grand Crosses or other aspects which describe psychological systems or a certain expression of psychic energy within the individual.

The same is true of the Part of Fortune or any of the 100 or so other Arabic Parts. The Arabic Parts are mathematical calculations incorporating usually three points in the chart to provide additional clues to interpretation. The Part of Fortune (or Pars Fortunae) is the only one of these in common usage today and it is commonly interpreted as an indicator of well-being and success. In my work I sometimes use it as indicating a key to integrating the birthchart, although over the years I have used it less and less since the rest of the chart does a much better job of accomplishing the same thing with much greater detail.

The Part of Fortune is like a messenger but it is not a part of the individual, and therefore, in my view, it should not be calculated with aspects denoting psychological and psycho-spiritual systems. I'd be interested to hear other opinions on this subject as I think there are many different ways to approach this.

Labels: Astrology

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 8:43 AM :: |

---------------oOo---------------

Friday, October 12, 2007

New Moon! And other planetary news

Yesterday was tremendously busy and I missed the opportunity to write on yesterday's New Moon (which took place on Wednesday on the US west coast). We are still within the range of its effects and there are other interesting planetary discussions going on as well.

The New Moon was at 17 degrees Libra, the sign of balance and relationships. Libra is concerned with polarities and partnerships - the question of "I" and the "Other". Libra seeks harmony and beauty above all things, and New Moons are times of beginnings making this is an excellent time to begin a new creative endeavor such as an art project or perhaps the redecoration of your home. This is also a good time to foster new relationships and friendships.

Saturn is conjunct the South Node now, suggesting that we are limited (Saturn) by ties to past behaviors and patterns that hold us back (South Node). The timing of this event at the New Moon offers an opportunity to correct mistakes of the past and truly forge a new direction.

This new direction is facilitated by a sextile from Jupiter to the New Moon which brings in a sense of abundance and opportunity, and it trines Neptune which expands our creativity and connection to Spirit. A quincunx (150 degrees) to Uranus adds a quirky quality and a bit of tension that keeps us from surrendering completely into connection to others. Still, this will help us to maintain perspective as we learn new ways of relating to others.

Mercury turns retrograde in the early morning hours of October 12. While Mercury is retrograde (until November 1) you may find that communication is more difficult, appointments are missed and machinery malfunctions. Contracts signed during Mercury Retrograde periods often result in miscommunication that extends beyond the retrograde phase so exercise as much caution as possible to be sure all agreements are clearly understood and in writing.

On the 13th Venus joins the conjunction of Saturn to the South Node. Astrologers have been very vocal in their differing interpretation of this event depending on how they view the planet Saturn. Saturn is a very bad guy in traditional astrology because of his penchant for tests and karmic challenges, but a more modern approach recognizes that Saturn also offers rewards and a deep inner strength when we meet those challenges. During the Saturn/South Node event, which is in effect for the entire week before the New Moon, we may find that holding onto the past no longer serves us and could bring us painful lessons.

The introduction of Venus into the conjunction, especially at the time of the Libra New Moon, indicates that these lessons are likely to be in the realm of relationships. Be consciously aware of patterns that are holding you back, and work with great diligence to make changes, and you will see Saturn's rewards when Venus makes a sextile to Mars on the 15th and is sextiled by Mercury on the 16th. These are lovely aspects to the goddess Venus that don't last long but bring harmony into our interactions with others. The addition of a trine of Mercury to Mars on the 16th makes communication easier and gives us more energy (Mars) to move through new experiences (Mercury) and process change.

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 5:20 AM :: |

---------------oOo---------------

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Dharmaruci: Strange New Worlds

Dharmaruci has a great article on the discoveries of new worlds that have taken place since the Uranus/Neptune conjunction in the early 1990s. Take a look!!

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

---------------oOo---------------

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

From the advice column: Career advice

photo from Jupiter Images

Q: I am in need of career advice! I have a BA in psychology and have been in a PhD program in a top-ranked business school for the last two years.This program was my top choice and I was so thrilled to be accepted into such a highly esteemed university. I am very interested in studying issues pertaining to individual experiences at work and hope to contribute to the well-being of everyday working people and their organizations.

However, I am not very happy in this program - and my performance has been hurting. In June I did poorly on my preliminary exams and have been asked to retake them in the beginning of December. This situation offers me several options - throwing myself into passing the exams the second time around and working to improve my fit in the program, choosing to spend the next two months applying to other programs at different universities(perhaps in Psychology or even another Business school), or taking my Masters and begin a non-academic career. What should I do?

A: I want to start with a look at the basic underlying influences of your chart which are a bit conflicted. Your Pisces Sun/Mercury/Venus conjunction is very fluid and adaptable, and like the water element with which Pisces is associated, you likely have a tendency to follow the path of least resistance. Your Scorpio Moon is very interested in psychology and the things that make us the kind of people we are, and you have a passionate nature that tends to become immersed in anything that you are interested in. However, your Moon is conjunct Uranus in your chart which gives you an inner restlessness that may urge you to flee if you become too entangled in any one project. Then to make matters a little more complicated, Taurus is rising in your chart so you also have a need for stability and a dislike for change in your life.

Over the past year transiting Saturn, the planet of self-doubt, restriction and limitation, has been making a square to the Moon in your chart and therefore to Uranus as well, creating some depression and probably some defeatist (Saturn) feelings (Moon) as well as causing you to feel somewhat limited and confined (Saturn/Uranus). Then in August you completed your Saturn return, the time that occurs for everyone at age 28-30 when transiting Saturn returns to its place in your birthchart. This is a time of struggle and a lot of hard work that can lead to great success, or it can be very difficult depending on how we approach it.

The good news is that Saturn is now your friend, and will soon be making a harmonious transit over your ascendant which will start to bring you some of his gifts of achievement and reframing your life with new structures just in time for you to re-take the exams, if that's what you choose to do. Your transits (planetary cycles) over the past few months look great, but it will be important to make this decision before the end of the year. Next year you have some challenging cycles: one will tend to bring up long-buried emotional issues (transiting Chiron square to your Moon/Uranus conjunction) so you will want to be in an environment where you feel safe to deal with these; and another could create conflicts with those in power (Transiting Jupiter square Pluto). Still, these are two minor blips in an overwhelmingly positive environment.

I suspect you already know within you which of these paths you want to take. It's important to try to avoid making a change just for the sake of change or because you feel restless, but to listen to the message that you are given from within. If you want to remain in the PhD program but are afraid that you will experience more of what you went through over the past two years, I can tell you that this is behind you. But if you feel that the program no longer suits your current needs, evaluate what those needs are and act acocrdingly.

Labels: advice

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 7:24 AM :: |

---------------oOo---------------

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

News of the Weird: Jupiter squares Uranus

Energy #1 from Lise Nilson

In my journal the other day I posted these news items that ran that day indicating the tremendous stress that people seem to be under right now:

• a woman arrested at an airport strangles herself during a panic attack after being denied access to her flight;
  
• a business owner in Tennessee shot himself at a city council meeting after being denied a zoning request;
  
• an airport worker’s ipod caught fire in his pants.

The next day a police deputy was insulted by his girlfriend at a party and killed six people. Then yesterday a bus carrying the jury for the inquest into the death of Princess Diana retraced her final route through Paris crashed into a pillar at the Ritz Hotel in an eerie echo of the crash that killed the princess.

In response to a query about similar bizarre occurrences elsewhere in the world, Denise from Australia sends a report that a New Zealand doctor performing surgery on his patient misplaced the patient's false teeth which were discovered later down his throat.

Perhaps these things happen all the time and we're just more sensitive to them when Jupiter expands our Uranian sense of the unusual. Jupiter and Uranus are both unpredictable planets, and this transit will affect everyone differently depending upon the nature of the chart. Jupiter's confidence can become overblown and combine with the recklessness of Uranus to create a willingness to take more risks than are wise. Or we may find ourselves overwhelmed by the urge to flee our current situation and take on something completely new.

This kind of restlessness and unpredictability is most difficult for those with earthy or watery charts. Jupiter is said to be a fire planet and Uranus air, but in my view they both share both air and fire dynamics. Jupiter instills a sense of meaning which is more airy, and the intense reactivity of Uranus is more fiery in nature.

In any event, the recklessness that can result from this pairing is most uncomfortable for those whose natures tend to be more placid and practical, or for those whose nervous systems are more tightly strung (indicating a likely Uranus problem in the chart).

This planetary pair can also open the doors of perception. Uranus is said to be the "higher octave" of Mercury, meaning that it also deals with communication and awareness, but in a more transpersonal and multidimensional context. The square of Jupiter to Uranus may be uncomfortable, but it also holds the keys to expanded consciousness.

Labels: Jupiter/Uranus

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 5:40 AM :: |

---------------oOo---------------

Monday, October 08, 2007

Pamela Anderson tries again

Pamela Anderson has married Rick Salomon, who has achieved a certain amount of notoriety from his six-minute marriage to Shannon Doherty and is successful internet marketing of the Paris Hilton sex tape in which he stars. You have to admire the fact that she doesn't let failure keep her from continuing to pursue her goal of a stable family life for her kids!

If you are curious to know more about Pam and Rick and their astrological compatibility (or lack of it), the National Ledger has my analysis here.

Labels: Celebrities

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 2:49 PM :: |

---------------oOo---------------

Sunday, October 07, 2007

The Prophet on the Jupiter/Uranus square

JM has posted this lovely excerpt from Kahlil Gibran echoing some of the themes of the square between Jupiter and Uranus which is exact today:

If it is an unjust law you would abolish, that law was written with your own hand upon your own forehead. You cannot erase it by burning your law books nor by washing the foreheads of your judges, though you pour the sea upon them.
And if it is a despot you would dethrone, see first that his throne erected within you is removed. For how can a tyrant rule the free and the proud, but for a tyranny in their own freedom and a shame in their own pride?

And if it is a care you would cast off, that care has been chosen by you rather than imposed upon you. And if it is a fear you would dispel, the seat of that fear is in your heart and not in the hand of the feared.
The Prophet: kahlil Gibran. Freedom

Read more from JM here...

Labels: Jupiter/Uranus

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

---------------oOo--------------- Tonight's Sky

A beautiful Flash movie of the sky in October.

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 7:40 PM :: |

---------------oOo--------------- The beginnings of Mercury Retrograde

Astrologers differ on when the retrograde effects of Mercury begin. Some feel that the effects begin during the shadow period, others insist that the effects are not evident until the retrograde occurs. I personally have found that this question depends quite a bit on other planetary events taking place as Mercury is preparing to retrograde.

Mercury is now beginning to slow down as it stations before turning retrograde in a few days. As we approach the reversal of Mercury's direction there are several other planetary dynamics that create reversals or a tendency to look back into the past that will reinforce the retrograde effect of Mercury.

The square of Jupiter to Uranus is associated with rapid change and the undoing of established structures, and surprises are expected under this influence. For the next week or so I would expect nothing to operate as planned - new ideas and new ways of looking at the world are in the works. At the same time, Saturn is conjunct the South Node where it wants to calcify (Saturn) our old and familiar patterns (South Node) that hold us back from change. We find ourselves looking backwards when the South Node is involved, yet Jupiter and Uranus are forcing us to create a new vision of the future.

There is a tension here and a feeling of being pulled in both directions, something very like what often occurs during the retrograde motion of Mercury. Knowing what to expect takes a lot of the pain out of a planetary event, so watch now for opportunities to look backward and forward simultaneously. Anything that begins with the word "re-" is highly favored during retrograde periods: repairs, renovations, resuming old friendships, revising forms, plans or websites. etc.

This is very like the African concept of the the African concept of "Sankofa," which comes from the Sankofa bird which flies forward while looking backwards. Sankofa teaches that we must look backwards to look forwards, reclaiming and preserving the past as tools for the future. In this way we can pass through the gateways without losing any part of ourselves in the process over the next few weeks of the Retrograde period.

Labels: Mercury Retrograde

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 7:03 PM :: |

---------------oOo--------------- Inspiration for setting intention

What to Remember When Waking
by David Whyte © 1999

In that first hardly noticed moment in which you wake,
coming back to this life from the other
more secret, moveable and frighteningly honest world
where everything began,
there is a small opening into the new day
which closes the moment you begin your plans.

What you can plan is too small for you to live.
What you can live wholeheartedly will make plans enough
for the vitality hidden in your sleep.

To be human is to become visible
while carrying what is hidden as a gift to others.
To remember the other world in this world
is to live in your true inheritance.

You are not a troubled guest on this earth,
you are not an accident amidst other accidents
you were invited from another and greater night
than the one from which you have just emerged.

Now, looking through the slanting light of the morning window
toward the mountain presence of everything that can be
what urgency calls you to your one love?
What shape waits in the seed of you
to grow and spread its branches
against a future sky?

Is it waiting in the fertile sea?
In the trees beyond the house?
In the life you can imagine for yourself?
In the open and lovely white page on the waiting desk?

photo from Polka Dot Images collection, courtesy of Jupiter Images

Labels: Intention

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 8:06 AM :: |

---------------oOo---------------

Saturday, October 06, 2007

From Space.com: A Celestial Summit Meeting

Thanks to my Timewave Zero list for posting this article:

The brilliant planet Venus arrives at the pinnacle of its current morning apparition next week, rising at, or shortly before 3:20 a.m. local daylight time, its earliest rising time this year or next. That works out to more than two hours before the first sign of dawn begins to light up the eastern sky.

At sunrise, Venus will have climbed nearly 40 degrees above the east-southeast horizon (10 degrees is roughly equal to your clenched fist held at arm's length. So at sunup, Venus will stand nearly "four fists" up from the horizon).

Meanwhile, a much dimmer planet, Saturn, glowing with a mellow yellow light, rises shortly after Venus. And right in between the two planets shines the blue-white 1st-magnitude star, Regulus, in Leo, the Lion.

Next week, an ever-changing "Celestial Summit Meeting" will greet early risers as Venus interacts with Regulus, Saturn and a lovely crescent Moon in some very interesting celestial configurations.

The eye-catching array kicks off this weekend. On Saturday morning, Oct. 6, Venus, Regulus and Saturn will form a wide triangle with the Moon hovering high above them.

On Sunday morning, Oct. 7, the Moon will be strikingly positioned inside of the Venus-Saturn-Regulus triangle.

Venus will appear to speed to the south of Regulus on Monday, Oct. 9. Then finally, on Sunday, Oct. 14, Venus will pass to the south of Saturn.

Read more here...

Labels: astronomy

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 10:48 AM :: |

---------------oOo---------------

Friday, October 05, 2007

A look at Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney is gaining a bit of a reputation as a flip-flopper, but with three planets in Pisces (plus Ceres) it's his nature to be adaptable. Pisces is the most watery of the water planets: Cancer is an earthy water and Scorpio is a fiery water, but Pisces is pure water in the sense that it tends to take the shape of whatever container it finds itself in. Pisces longs for peace and an understanding that there is more to life than this material world. There is a strong sense of empathy and sensitivity in someone who has a strong Pisces nature, but there is also a dislike of confrontation and a tendency toward escapism that can lead him to take the easy path rather than the one that is more true to his nature.

Mars and Mercury fall in Pisces as well as his Sun, giving him a strong Piscean nature. Mercury in Pisces shows that his mental function is very watery and intuitive, as well as being flexible and adaptable. If something isn't working, he has no problem changing his mind to fit the current circumstance. And Mars in Pisces is the peacemaker - the god of war in the sign of surrender. Mars, as the planet that expresses our will and desires, cannot find its full expression in the sign that seeks to merge with the great beyond and this further weakens Romney's ability to assert himself strongly in any situation.

Jupiter is the planet of expansion and opportunity, and in Romney's chart is makes a trine (harmonious aspect) to his Sun which is a very fortunate placement indicating that he will be blessed by good fortune. Jupiter falls in Scorpio which is the one strong element of his chart; it gives him a charismatic appeal and a talent for handling money and power. His Sun and Mercury are squared by Uranus, the planet of individuality and radical change, which shows a rebellious streak and a tendency to think for himself. However, Mercury is retrograde in his chart (meaning it appeared to move backward at the time that he was born showing that he has difficulty expressing himself clearly.

Romney has four retrograde traditional planets as well as Chiron, which is a relatively strong retrograde influence. Retrograde planets tend to operate on a more hidden or internal level and can inhibit an individual from taking action to create a future. A strong retrograde influence may be more oriented towards the past and looking at past mistakes. One of Romney's retrograde planets is Saturn, which is the planet of achievement, discipline and self-doubt; this suggests that the more negative aspects of Saturn are turned inward and that he is very critical of himself.

Notably lacking in Romney's chart is the presence of "cardinal," or leadership signs (Aries, Libra, Cancer and Capricorn), and he has no earth signs in his chart which would ground him and offer a more structured sense of existence. He would be an inspirational leader in times of ease, but it would be difficult for him to unite a polarized nation. To do so requires a strong and powerful leader, and Ro

Labels: Politics

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 5:59 AM :: |

---------------oOo---------------

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Ken Ring's Predictions

Thanks to Linea at KT the Astrologer's site for posting this link of a TV interview with New Zealand astrologer Ken Ring predicting weather for the next year. He is very moon oriented in his projections, and it's rather interesting to see how he approaches the fine art of weather prediction. This will be of more interest to my readers down under than those of us in the US - particularly my fellow North Carolinians who are still experiencing 90 degree days in October!

Astrometereology fascinates me, although any use of astrology for predicting the future always seems to end up backfiring. As soon as we think we know what is to happen, the Universe gives us a big fat surprise!

Labels: weather

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 4:50 PM :: |

---------------oOo---------------

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

"A Naked Singularity" and the Uranus factor

art from www.starchildglobal.com

Terence McKenna described human development as a series of events that repeat each other in multiple dimensions with an end point. Wikipedia calls this "a succession of historical periods which are "compressed" versions of each other" and states that "[i]n this manner, [McKenna] describes an overall acceleration of human cultural development, which he likens to a "tightening spiral" approaching what he describes as the "transcendental object of the universe". The end point, or "singularity," occurs when the rate of development becomes infinitely rapid.

Some authors relate this concept to technological development alone, noting the acceleration of technological progress since the late 1780s when Uranus was discovered instigating the technology revolution. While the acceleration of computer technology seems to have slowed, there seems to be an incredible amount of new inventions and new information about the cosmos downloading into the brains of scientists.

Like this article about a study that appears just in time for Pluto's final passage across the Galactic Center:

Could a naked singularity, the bare core of a black hole, be sitting at the centre of our galaxy? A new study shows how astronomers could detect such a brazen object – which is so dense it would shred the known laws of physics.

Singularities exist in the heart of every black hole, according to Einstein's general theory of relativity. When matter collapses under its own gravity, it forms either a point or a ring-shaped line of infinite density. But each of these singularities is cloaked by a so-called event horizon – where light and everything else is inexorably sucked inwards. So we could never see one.

Unless, that is, there are black holes that spin at extreme speeds. A spinning black hole drags nearby space around with it, and if it spins fast enough, then light and matter could escape from right by the singularity, because they would be flung outwards by the dizzying rotation.

This gravitational tornado would have no event horizon, and the singularity would be exposed.

I must say this is way beyond me, but this has Uranus written all over it.

Uranus is the planet of reinvention, radical change, rebellion, innovation. But it also opens the door to multidimensional awareness and offers insights and new information. It breaks open the walls of scientific theory and creates a new vision of the world in which we live, and it is having an extremely powerful effect on our lives right now, likely because we are being shepherded into the Age of the sign which Uranus rules: Aquarius.

In several articles here I have proposed that the Age of Aquarius will bring in a new breed of human, and ever since Uranus and Neptune conjoined back in the early 1990s kids have started to change. These new children have high rates of autism and Asperger's, both "disorders" which involve a high degree of technological aptitude with limited personal skills. And what does that sound like? Uranus!!

We have been living in an intensely Uranian time since the early 1990s. Uranus passed through Aquarius and Neptune is still there, and according to Newsweek magazine, "quirky kids" are becoming more the norm than ever before. And this is mainstream reporting and doesn't even include the Indigo children, the Crystal children, and the Starchildren.

The times they surely are a-changing, as are we - in an ever increasing paradigm shift!

Labels: technology, Uranus

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 7:01 PM :: |

---------------oOo---------------

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

The Supermoon

I didn't sleep much over the past week, a fact which I attribute to the power of the moon shining in my window. When we built our house we took the passage of the moon into consideration, and it rises through the bedroom windows and then shines through every window before setting at the front door.

The full moon last week was at its "perigee," meaning the opposition between the sun and moon occurred when the moon is closest to the earth. Richard Nolle coined the term "SuperMoon" to refer to this phenomenon, and has kindly provided a table for these events on his website.

In any event, the moon seems brighter and invades the darkness with a great deal more energy during the SuperMoons than in other full moons, although I haven't been able to find any statistical correlations.

Labels: Full Moon

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 8:18 PM :: |

---------------oOo--------------- Trust the planets!

image from Jupiter Images

After over 25 (gak!!) years of studying astrology and 20 years doing readings I never doubt the planets. I may doubt the client's memory or understanding, or my own interpretations, but I never doubt that the astrology is correct.

Sometimes, like today, I do a consultation with a client who is in the middle of a devastating experience. Newly single, afraid of the future - in the middle of beautifully optimistic planetary cycles. It would not occur to me to think that the planets are incorrect: instead, it shows me that for this individual, this challenging period is an incredibly exciting time of change and liberation.

We think of Jupiter as a beneficial planet, yet it is often present in death charts. We think of Saturn as evil and malefic, yet many people experience great achievement and success during their Saturn returns. Left by his wife a man may feel he is overwhelmed by darkness, yet the road ahead is strewn with Jupiter and Uranus transits that will open his world in ways he never dreamed possible. Sometimes we are not that lucky; sometimes times of crisis go on for years with Pluto separating us from all that we treasure. But we can look at the Pluto cycles and anticipate that we will be asked to surrender pieces of ourselves that no longer serve us, and trust that we are being guided toward greater wholeness. Even that information can be incredibly useful.

We often think we know all there is to know, but we only see a glimmer of the truth.

Labels: Astrology

Posted by Lynn Hayes :: 6:34 PM :: |

---------------oOo---------------

Monday, October 01, 2007

Skywatch is posted!

This month we see the final phase of the conjunction of Pluto with the Galactic Center, and it takes place on the Full Moon. Pretty exciting!

Here's the introduction and details for the first week of October:

As October begins, the prevailing elemental climate is fire and air, with a bit of water thrown in. Other than Saturn in Virgo there are no planets in the earth signs making this a much more active period intellectually. Mercury and Mars have just entered water signs: Mercury into Scorpio, where attention is focused and precise, and Mars into Cancer where the aggressive urge tends to become stalled by emotional issues.

This is not an easy time for the emotional realm, and we may find ourselves without appropriate outlets for emotional expression. With Mars in Cancer our defensive tendencies are on high alert and we may be more reactive than normally, particularly if we have planets in the early degrees of the cardinal signs (Cancer, Capricorn, Aries and Libra).

Uranus, Neptune and Chiron are still retrograde, but it is most common to have three planets retrograde. Chiron and Neptune will both turn direct this month and by the end of October only Uranus and Mercury will be retrograde. With most of the planets in direct motion we will see world events move ahead more easily, whether for positive or negative results.

The big news this month is the final conjunction of Pluto to the Galactic Center on October 26 at the same time as the Full Moon. But first, let's see what else is happening this month.

The first week of October begins with some nice flowing transits: Mercury sextile Saturn on the 1st creating harmony in conversation and work, followed shortly by Venus trine Pluto on the 3rd which creates a strong urge for connection with others. These are both quick events because Mercury and Venus are fast-moving planets, but they will set the stage for the final approach to a square between Jupiter and Uranus on the 9th and make it easier to process the energy of this dynamic event. The square (90 degree aspect) between Jupiter and Uranus is the final square in a cycle which began in January of 2007 and served as the hallmark of a visionary opening of creative intelligence that downloaded new information and radically new ways of looking at the world.

Because the square aspect is a challenging one, we often see the more negative aspects of each planet and while last year the trine between these two planets brought visionary new discoveries (new habitable planets, invisibility cloaks, etc.) the square sometimes delivers a reckless overconfidence and tendency towards self-righteousness (Jupiter), and a desire for change for its own sake and at any cost (Uranus). If you have planets in the middle degrees of the mutable signs (Pisces, Sagittarius, Gemini and Virgo) you may feel more restless now but because this is the end of the cycle you may see a resolution of change that occurred since the beginning of the year.

Read more here, and you can sign up on my website for your own subscription.

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

---------------oOo---------------