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Tuesday, April 29, 2008It's never too late to become a Virgin...The US has a Federally funded programme which encourages young people to remain celibate until marriage. The programme is known as the Silver Ring Thing, because the teenagers involved wear a silver ring (on their finger) as a sign of their commitment to celibacy. According to BBC news, the US government is considering cutting the funding, following a report that one in four teenage girls has a sexually transmitted disease. And with some 750,000 teenage pregnancies a year, America has one of the highest teen birth rates in the developed world.  "This national programme which has wasted $1.5bn (£750m) of tax money is a failure and our teens are paying the price," says Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood "We've been wasting money on programmes that don't work and we're seeing the consequences every single day." State governments receive federal money they must match to fund abstinence programmes. At least 17 states have opted out of the system and others have suspended funding while Congress investigates whether such programmes work. Critics say there is no evidence that they delay sexual activity and teenagers who have taken a vow of virginity are less likely to use protection if they break their promise.”  Such teenagers do not get taught about contraception. As 15 year-old Mildred from Arizona says: "We get sex-ed classes in school and that should be where teens get the right information - but that isn't happening."The argument in favour of abstinence is put by a Texan lawyer, who describes himself as a member of the religious right: "I am convinced that abstinence is the only way for kids," he says. "You begin by teaching the consequences of bad behaviour and the benefits of proper behaviour and you do that in a way that a child can grasp. "Self control leads to a happy, joyful life. If we can learn to control the most basic of drives - the sex drive - for good, then we can control drugs, gangs, alcohol and abusive anger." If you’ve already had sex, it’s not too late: Teenagers who do have sex before marriage are given another chance by becoming ‘secondary virgins’. "Of course, if you view virginity as number one, and you've slept with someone, of course it's going to be different and you can never go back - but that doesn't mean there's no tomorrow," explains Ashley, who also says she believes teenagers who experiment with sex are laying the foundations for troubled relationships later in life. "A lot of the young people I know who go around having experiences with lots of different people are just preparing themselves for not knowing how to be committed to somebody. Once you get into the practice of doing whatever you want, it's hard to change when you're older." 16 year-old Josh has this to say: "I have a lot of close friends and we pretty much agree on the same thing so we keep each other in line most of the time.”  There’s plenty of room for comedy in all this. Exactly how do Josh and his friends keep each other in line? Do they spray each other with hosepipes? And how exactly do you control the sex drive ‘for good’? Do you have a special box with a pink ribbon on it called ‘Sex Drive’ that you keep in the attic? And where does celibacy end and sex start? When you hold hands? Or is it more akin to Bill Clinton’s definition of sexual relations? And then there are the secondary – i.e. 2nd class – virgins. Do they have to stand in the corner? Are they infectious?The Silver Ring Thing began in 1996, but it gained Federal funding in 2003 under one of George Bush’s faith-based initiatives. As a Brit, it’s gobsmacking that this sort of stuff could be taken seriously enough to be funded by a government. It’s understandable that a country might have small religious cults that think like this, but not mainstream society. OK, you have Catholic countries which are in theory like this, but they don’t seem to take it seriously. They just go to the confessional and everything is all right again. Astrologically, I’d see it as Mars (sex drive) square to Neptune (loss and confusion) in the US chart. Mars in Gemini also suggests hypocrisy (like Eliot Spitzer, with his unaspected Sun in Gemini), as well as there being another side to the issue, which is the glamorization of sex that you get in advertising, the film industry and the media generally. It is interesting that the Silver Ring Thing got Federal funding in 2003, at a time when Pluto was starting to oppose the US natal Mars at 21 Gemini, and squaring natal Neptune at 22 Virgo. It was an attempt at sexual (Mars) repression (Pluto).  So is there an answer? What would you say to a client who turned up with this aspect, who was by turns priggish and licentious? And liked to play cowboys (Mars-Neptune again) at weekends? I’m not sure what I’d say. But I might start with the Sun square Saturn that you get in the US chart, because this is the major character challenge. It makes for someone – or a country – who is very driven and achievement-oriented, but who over-identifies with this and can never get enough and is not at ease with himself, does not feel a solid confident foundation within himself.A lot of stuff can come out in the sexual arena when we are imbalanced elsewhere. Sexual excess and compulsiveness can be a compensation for the lack of ease and pleasure in the rest of your life, which Sun square Saturn can easily lead to. Sexual repression can be an expression of guilt about bodily pleasure (and the US has no personal planets in earth) and self-loathing: the over-achievement of Sun square Saturn can be a sort of compensation for this self-loathing. So this is what I might say: as long as you keep driving yourself like this, as long as you have to keep proving you are number one (negative Saturn is very hierarchical), sex is going to remain a tangled and compulsive issue for you. If you can stop and face yourself, and stop running from the imaginary abyss beneath your feet, then your Mars will have a chance to be a bit more normal. Or as normal as Mars in Gemini square Neptune can ever be! If you want normal, try Mars in Capricorn, which is an expert at the missionary position and doing its bedroom duty. Mars in Gemini is more interesting and experimental and – square Neptune – imaginative. But what about George Bush Himself, who was ultimately responsible for funding the Silver Ring Thing under his ‘faith-based initiatives’ scheme? I never think of GWB as having a sexual dimension, and I sometimes wonder where it is. I can say for sure that he has had sex at least twice in his life, because he has 2 daughters. Do George and Laura pray together for forgiveness afterwards? Do women have orgasms in his world?  What I feel with GWB is that he views sex as something to be controlled, and has channelled much of his own urge into the pursuit of power. This is complete speculation on my part. His ancestor Richard Bush was a member of the Plymouth Colony 300 years ago, and GWB seems to me to be a throwback to those times.He has unaspected Mars in Virgo. So it may be quite easy for him to shovel his sex drive off to one side, for it is not well integrated with the rest of his personality. Virgo can have integrity, but can also be moralising, prudish and hypocritical. Virgo is the virgin, but is also associated with ‘oriental moon ecstasies’ (Frances Yates, Astrea, p32). Where does George Bush get his ecstasy? Probably in that more war-like manifestation of his Mars, whether it was blowing-up frogs as a kid, sending record numbers to the execution chamber while Governor of Texas, or creating carnage in his war against Islam. Monday, April 28, 2008A mini blogvacationDear readers, I am taking a few days off to handle the transit of Pluto to natal Mars. Rest assured that when I return I will have new insights about this powerful combination of planets and a new sympathy for Hillary Clinton, who has these guys conjunct in her chart. Meanwhile, Dharmaruci will be regaling you with interesting tales from the world and his world, and you can also browse the archives of this blog for tidbits from the past, or peruse the articles page of my website for lots more. Posted by Dharmaruci From the New York Times: “The Justice Department has told Congress that American intelligence operatives attempting to thwart terrorist attacks can legally use interrogation methods that might otherwise be prohibited under international law… Determining the legal boundaries for interrogating terrorism suspects has been a struggle for the Bush administration.”  This is Pluto in Capricorn: setting the boundaries (Capricorn) around torture (Pluto). I think it’s also a measure of how hideous the present US administration is, that you end up with this sort of debate. It’s like something from a horror spoof. But it’s no surprise given that the 2005 Presidential Inauguration chart has a Mars-Pluto in Sag conjunction in the 8th House: secret (8th House) torture (Pluto) in a war of ideologies (Mars in Sagittarius). The 8th House suggests that while practices like waterboarding are being publicly debated, the CIA under Bush may well be getting up to much worse stuff that the legal system never gets to hear about. But at the same time, does the US do anything that other countries do not do? At least it is more out in the open and subject to public scrutiny, which I think is a good thing. Of course, it also means that some practices become formally legitimised and therefore more widespread. It’ll be the local police force wanting to use waterboarding next.  It was the Gestapo, incidentally, who came up with the term 'Refined Interrogation Techniques' as a euphemism for torture. The Bush administration also has 'Special Methods of Questioning', 'Extraordinary Rendition' (for kidnapping), 'Sleep Management' and 'Stress Position'. The themes of political misuse of language and government control are central to George Orwell's 1984, a book whose time may have come under Pluto in Capricorn. I'm not suggesting that society will end up fully like Orwell suggests it could, rather that these themes are likely to be strongly present and strongly debated.Sunday, April 27, 2008Sunday Poetry: Ode to GaiaIt is fitting that Earth Day takes place when the Sun is in the earthy sign of Taurus. I feel that the Earth is the true ruler of Taurus as Taurus signifies the culmination of all that life on Earth has to offer.  Ode to Gaia I woke to soft mists over the river, A chilled, liquid, world where dew falls as rain From the trees in muted musical notes And the air is faintly luminescent… A surreal place of contrasts and shadows In pastel hues applied with a soft brush. I kneel beside last night’s campfire and brush Away ash, which settles on the river… A fine, white, snow swirling in dark shadows Of mist and water…a breeze brings more rain, Drops hissing on coals, red and luminescent As birds announce the sunrise with bright notes. Upon my pad, a monarch reads my notes. Later in the day, I will hear the brush Of its wings in my mind, luminescent Beats, which bubble in memory’s river. Another breeze and more dew falls as rain, Some glimmering pale gold in the shadows. Slowly, the mists flow into the shadows, There to sleep ‘till crickets play the first notes Of tomorrow…dew is no longer rain, Each drop a glowing gem at the first brush Of the sun, which also turns the river Into gold, molten and luminescent. No better word would do…luminescent… Glittering light dances where once shadows And mists were pastels over the river… And the music! Nature’s symphonic notes! The birds, the river and the whisk-whisk brush Of leaves form harmonies as soft, warm rain. Sadness fills me and tears fall as rain. These days are fragile things, luminescent Once-was-could be’s…for man chooses to brush Such beauty aside…he prefers shadows, His music consists of discordant notes Of waste which pollutes earth, air and river. Beautiful the river! How sweet the rain! I’ll record these notes in luminescent Script and soft shadows, with my soul the brush! Friday, April 25, 2008Britain's biggest banks use astrology!From Newsmonster: Christeen Skinner blinks at the screen of her computer and takes another slurp of coffee. It’s half past seven in the morning and she’s preparing for a crucial meeting with the chief executive of the High and Mighty fashion chain.read more... The more electional work (the art of choosing the right date for a business or personal event) I do with clients, the more I am convinced that it can be useful. I feel there are other factors that are also important, such as the state of mind of the individual for whom the event is being planned. But the more tools we can use, the smoother our progress can be! Labels: Astrology, financial astrology Thursday, April 24, 2008Growing Up on Prozac I was just listening to NPR in the car, and Talk of the Nation had a story called "Growing Up on Antidepressants" which interested me greatly and I've written on this subject before. There were several callers to the show who had been taking Prozac or similar drugs since they were in their teens, and they commented that when they stop taking the drug they don't feel like themselves; they don't feel that they can live a normal life.Everyone experiences depression to some extent or another, but some people are more naturally prone to chronic depression. The astrology chart of a chronically depressed individual typically involves a strong influence of Saturn, Chiron or Pluto - each of these planets evokes a different brand of depression. A Saturnian depression is classically melancholic - there is a darkness and a heaviness to it. Chironic depression has a sharper and deeper painful quality due to the Chiron's relentless pressure to bring old painful wounds to the psychological surface. Plutonic depression includes a dark despair and hopelessness; there is a sense of fatefulness and occasionally a longing for death. Saturn by transit opposes its place in the birthchart at around age 14 and offers challenges to the development of the soul. If this process is interrupted by the ingestion of psychotropic drugs, this individual will not have an opportunity to develop the inner resilience that is the gift of Saturn. There is a saying, "That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger," and this is Saturn's mode of instruction. Those of us who have Saturn strong in their charts (Saturn is on my Sun) and have lived past the age of 40 recognize the Saturnian gifts: a deep inner strength and resolve that helps us to navigate any storm. It is not surprising that these young people, on Prozac since their mid-teens, cannot survive without it. They have missed the valuable cycles that develop that core internal strength of spirit. Individuals who have "easy" charts that are full of trines and the lovely blue lines instead of the stressful red ones sometimes have the most difficulty with depression. Never having learned the coping skills that help us to build the inner strength required to fight our demons, those with "easy" charts sometimes suffer the most when hit with a transit of one of these planets. Again, this is an opportunity to build that resilience through contact with adversity and bypassing the process with pharmaceuticals can help us to cope in the short-term, but keeps the planets from doing their job. I was on Zoloft for about a year and a half when I went through my Uranus opposition which featured the Uranus-Neptune conjunction aspecting a T-square in my natal chart. For those to whom this is gibberish, suffice it to say that my inner and outer worlds were collapsing into each other. It was an intense time of kundalini problems, panic attacks, and a general Spiritual Emergency. I did appreciate the aid that Zoloft gave, and I noticed that it seemed to help alter some habits of behavior that continued once I was off the drug. So for me, pharmaceuticals are a great tools for emergencies but if we keep ourselves from navigating the ongoing unfolding of our soul's journey because we are afraid to feel, we are skipping some important steps that can aid us in the future. Labels: Antidepressants, healing Wednesday, April 23, 2008Today's planetary news We have a couple of interesting planetary configurations now that will last for a few more days.One is a Grand Trine that includes the Sun in Taurus, Pluto in Capricorn, and Saturn in Virgo that began a couple of days ago when all planets were at 1 degree. We are as close now to a trine as Saturn and Pluto will be until the year 2030, and this is a powerful trine that enables us to build structures (Saturn) that facilitate change and transformation (Pluto). We are still seeing the effects of that as we move into today's T-square involving an opposition between Mars in Cancer to Jupiter in Capricorn, both of which are square to Venus in Aries. Venus in Aries wants to approach relationships from a self-oriented perspective, and Mars in Cancer has a drive to express individuality through nurturing others. For the next few days there is a conflict here between those two modalities - how to maintain our independence in relationships while being sensitive to the needs of others. Jupiter's effusiveness and occasional arrogance can get in the way here - it whispers in our ear and tells us that we can have anything we want. Perhaps it even encourages us to bait the enemy, as Condoleeza Rice did when she called al Sadr a coward. Venus will have moved on in a day or so and will form a sextile (harmonious aspect) to Neptune which will help to smooth the interpersonal waters, but the Mars/Jupiter effect will last a bit longer, through the end of the week. There is more energy flying around than usual, but physical activity will help to keep that energy in check and make it easier to maintain balance. This is a great time for sports and anything that involves competition. Tuesday, April 22, 2008Saturn in Virgo: The end of Frankenfood? As Jeffrey pointed out in the comment section, Saturn is stationing (standing still) as it prepares to change direction on May 3, and Saturn in Virgo is in the news on a daily basis. Here is another interesting corrolary challenging (Saturn) ideas about how we feed the world (Virgo): Genetic modification actually cuts the productivity of crops, an authoritative new study shows, undermining repeated claims that a switch to the controversial technology is needed to solve the growing world food crisis.Taking this a step further, a new report advocates the return to more natural methods of growing food: The world will face social upheaval and environmental disasters if agriculture is not radically reformed to better serve the poor and hungry, a landmark UN-sponsored report said.Virgo cherishes a natural and holistic approach to life and despises the artificial trappings that separate us from an affinity to the natural world. Once Saturn has turned direct in early May it will be interesting to see whether any changes are made in that direction. Monday, April 21, 2008Saturn in Virgo: Food rationingMany parts of America, long considered the breadbasket of the world, are now confronting a once unthinkable phenomenon: food rationing. Saturn's limitations combined with Virgo's interest in diet and health is creating some interesting challenges but it's not always easy to predict where shortage will occur. When Saturn was in Virgo from 1948-1951, this cycle coincided with a worldwide food shortage in a post-World War II world. In 1978-1980, Saturn in Virgo presided over a nurse (Virgo) shortage (Saturn) as well as a shortage of gasoline which led to a worldwide energy crisis. Neptune rules oil and other liquids, and Neptune is currently in Aquarius where it has been seeking energy alternatives. Chiron is as close now (4 degrees) to a conjunction with Neptune as it will be until the two collide in 2010, and these two will be locked in a dance until next fall where they begin to move away from each other. This is a hint of what we can expect then, and by September these pressures may have eased off somewhat. The first full day of the Void Moon Research Project was last Thursday April 17, when the Moon was void between 1:59 am EDT and 6:10 pm EDT. The Moon was finishing up in Scorpio where it aspects a T-square in my chart involving my Moon, so I thought that if I was susceptible to the Void Moon that would be a good time to test it. That day all of my plans went smoothly, although Friday was a different story. By Friday the Moon was firmly in Libra where it set off another big square in my chart to Uranus. Comments to the initial void moon post yield a mixed result. There are some anecdotal reports of difficulties during the void moon, and just as many not. So far we have no conclusive information. I will say that I did notice during the void Moon that I had a sense of relaxation and a desire to explore more fully my inner life, but that might just have been because I had a relatively relaxing day. So let's try another round. The next Void Moon is in Scorpio and occurs tomorrow, Tuesday April 22, at 12:47 am EDT and continues until 5:07 pm EDT when it enters Sagittarius. Please report on your experience in the comment section, and if you begin a project on Tuesday keep track of its progress so that you can determine later whether the Void Moon had any effect on its success. Thanks for participating! Sunday, April 20, 2008The Moon: Science and Magic I snagged this artwork from Toltecpath.wordpress.com but it was unattributed. If you know who this belongs to, please let me know.Magical and astrological traditions have long taught that the influence of the full moon begins three days before the lunation (moon event) and continues for three days after, and now it appears that there is a scientific basis for this teaching: "Behold the full Moon. Ancient craters and frozen lava seas lie motionless under an airless sky of profound quiet. It's a slow-motion world where even a human footprint may last millions of years. Nothing ever seems to happen there.read more here... It's not just the magical traditions that speak of the three days before and after a full or new moon being powerful times. Yogi Bhajan wrote, "There are three days of the moon, when if you want to take care of your mind and your health, you can fast at these times. In Ayurveda, this is considered to be the mastery of all treatments." The Farmer's Almanac write, "Old catfishermen believed the best time to fish was three days before a full Moon to three days after a full Moon." Oldtimers in West Virginia tell that there is usually a change in the weather three days before and three days after a new moon." The Black Lake, New York Chamber of Commerce website reports: "More than three-fourths of the record gamefish are caught within three days before, three days after, or during a new moon or full moon." For centuries, science has attempted to disprove the existence of Magic. But the greater the wisdom of science grows, the more closely it becomes attuned to the magical world. Moon changed, keeps closet three days as a queen Ere she is in her prime will any be seen; If great she appeareth , it showereth out If small she appeareth, it signifies drought. --Thomas Tusser, 1848 Thanks to Rich for the Nasa article. Friday, April 18, 2008Full moon! and other planetary newsI'm finishing a hectic week so I will quote from Skywatch. I should be back to my regular schedule by Monday so please bear with me over the weekend. I will try to find interesting things for you to read, though. On the 18th Mercury trines both Pluto and Saturn, enhancing their influence on each other as they dance together but never aspect each other completely. The addition of Mercury to this combination increases our understanding of the process on a much more conscious level. This is a great time to make plans for the future, especially after a big Plutonic change. The Sun enters Taurus on April 19, beginning the season of fertility that connects us to the Earth. Taurus is associated with all things associated with Gaia, the mother goddess of the Earth, and as the Sun moves through Taurus those delights are illuminated. The Moon is Full on April 20th, when the Moon in Scorpio opposes the Sun in Taurus. Scorpio is of course the sign of emotional intensity, where we dive deep into the underworld of our subconscious and discover the nasty bits of greed, envy, jealousy and other dark emotions that lie beneath the surface. By uncovering these emotional treasures we become more authentically who we are, and that is the ultimate goal of the Scorpionic process. This year we have not just one, but two Scorpio Full Moons!! (The next one is in mid-May. This first one, on April 20th, is an powerful lunation (moon event) - apart from the Scorpio influence, there is also a T-square involving Mars in Cancer opposing Jupiter in Capricorn, both square to Venus in Aries. The opposition between Venus and Mars is interesting, because Venus in Aries is more aggressive and self-centered than it usually is, and Mars in Cancer is far less aggressive and far more concerned with taking care of others. So there is a dual polarity here between self-initiation and nurturing/connection that will be highlighted during the Full Moon period (about three days before and after the actual event). Mercury conjoins the Sun and opposes the Moon, so there is an intellectual component here as well. Adding balance and stability to the Full Moon event is a Grand Trine between Saturn, Pluto and the Sun/Mercury conjunction, all in Earth signs. This is actually a Kite formation, with the Moon forming the apex of the Kite. The Kite is a more dynamic aspect than the Grand Trine, which is easy and flowing but not at all energetic. After the influence of the Full Moon has subsided, Mars and Venus continue their dance of influence. On April 22 Mars (energy) forms a trine (harmonious aspect) to Uranus (innovative thinking) and Venus is sextile Chiron, making this an excellent time for collaborative ventures that involve brainstorming or coming up with new ideas. However, Venus is approaching a square to Mars and to Jupiter that will bring up once again the issue of our own individual needs relative to those of others. These aspects culminate on the 23rd and will throw a few ripples into the calm waters of the past couple of days, and the opposition between Mars (individual needs) and Jupiter (expansion) will exacerbate these problems for a day or two. The energy is shifting, and I know many of you are feeling it. This is part of a larger shift that I believe is the shift between the ages, from Pisces to Aquarius. The more we can work WITH the energy shifts, the easier the changes are. Resistance is what causes pain, not change. Thursday, April 17, 2008Cell Salts through the Signs Thanks to Robert Wilkinson for posting this interesting article making recommendation of certain cell salts for various astrological signs. Robert writes: The 12 cell salts are considered to be necessary to our health, and I have found over the years that the salts corresponding to the Ascendant and sign on the 6th house are very important in our biochemical workings.I would add that if you have a weakness in one of the elements, such as Mars blocked by Pluto which would signify difficulty in Fire, or a dearth of an element in the chart, you may want to try the cell salt and suggested food for the signs in that particular element. Or if you have a complex of challenging aspects, or a planet under stress by a current planetary cycle, the sign corresponding to the planet that is most under duress might be the one to require more nourishment from these salts. For example, if your Cancer Mars is under siege by transiting Mars, you may want to combine the salts for Cancer and Aries, the sign associated with Mars. I found more fascinating information on astrological correspondences with cell salts here, including a list of symptoms and associating astrological sign. This article also suggests that when we're under stress the salt associated with the Moon sign becomes depleted. However, since I am not qualified to give health advice, this information is for entertainment purposes only!! Wednesday, April 16, 2008Blogchronicity and the Void Moon Research ProjectSorry I haven't been posting on my usual daily schedule, this week has been incredibly busy as transiting Mars begins to square my Libra stellium and transiting Pluto is racing back to embrace my little Capricorn Mars. Too much astrological information perhaps??? At any rate, Dharmaruci and I have evidently been a tag team as he posted on Tibet and Survivalism within a couple of days of my posts on these topics. I'm going to take a look at his chart of the Tibetan uprising and see what I can make of it. Meanwhile, he did write that the uprising evidently occurred during a Void Moon. I've written several times of my disdain for the Void Moon, a disdain which is shared by many of my colleagues. However, many more of my colleagues embrace the concept and I am attempting to give it a second look using my trusty Planetary Guide from Llewellyn which is very easy to read. Unfortunately, though, I find that my life is too busy right now to really stop doing things when the moon is void of course (the period between the last lunar aspect to another planet and when it changes signs), and I also have not had time to evaluate the results of events in my life that occurred during the Void Moon. Adherents to the Void Moon theory report that events and projects begun while the moon is void do not come to fruition, that it is a good time for working with the unconscious but rather less beneficial for business or other ventures that are rooted in the material world. I did notice that on Saturday when I went to the Raleigh Renaissance Faire to volunteer for the Network of Triangle Astrologers the Moon was void of course beginning at 2:30, and it did appear that there was a great deal of confusion in the booth regarding who was to read for whom and when. And that is when a big rainstorm sent most of the attendees fleeing for their cars. But it's hard to connect that to the v/c Moon. I am going to try to keep a closer eye on this topic, and perhaps you can all help me. I'll start posting reminders of the next void moon period, and I'll welcome comments on the outcome of projects begun during the void moon, or events that occurred during these times. I'll compile the information and then we'll have some interesting anecdotes if nothing else. NEXT VOID MOON PERIODS (all times EST):
Sunday, April 13, 2008Saturn and the Dalai Lama The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the nation of Tibet which has been under Chinese rule since the Chinese invasion in 1950. At the time, the fourteenth Dalai Lama, who was born Lhama Dondrub but whose official name is Tensin Gyatso, was fully instituted in his official position at the age of 15. He had been named the successor to the previous Dalai Lama at the age of two. By 1959 the Dalai Lama had been forced to flee his native Tibet for a life in India and has not been permitted to return.The Dalai Lama's birthchart shows that he has the Sun in Cancer, the sign of nurturing and protecting family and tribal affilliations, and his Sun sits prominently on the Ascendant of the chart. Such a prominent Sun indicates a powerful influence on others, but a watery Sun tends to manifest far less ego than a more fiery Sun would exhibit. People with a strong Cancerian influence tend to feel the burdens of the world in a very personal way that inspires action (Cancer is a Cardinal sign) to nurture and care for others. The Sun is part of a Grand Trine in water, accentuating the sensitivity and empathy of this individual. The Grand Trine is part of a Kite formation which ameliorates the natural tendencies of the Grand Trine towards weakness and lack of direction. The trine of the Sun to Jupiter provides a natural expansion of the ego to express itself through learning and teaching, and the incorporation of Saturn provides a stabilizing force that His chart shows a conjunction of Pluto (power) to his South Node (the past), suggesting a past life of great power. Pluto in the first house generally depicts an individual who will be faced with a transformation (Pluto) of his identity and the way he is appeared by others (first house). Pluto on the South Node can depict a person whose desire for power (Pluto) stands in his way of moving forward (SN), but in a more enlightened being that same Pluto serves as a balance point between the past and the future of the North Node. The chart ruler, the Moon, is in the humble and service-oriented sign of Virgo. The Virgo Moon requires security and order in order to feel emotionally secure, but the need to feel useful is paramount. This Moon is conjunct Neptune, where it provides the strong sense of compassion and empathy that the Dalai Lama is known for. Falling in the third house of communication, this Moon seeks expression of one's feelings and emotions. Saturn in this chart falls in the Ninth House of cultural adventure and spiritual truth and it trines Jupiter, ruler of that house. This double whammy cements the Dalai Lama's role as spiritual teacher and carrier of wisdom. Saturn is retrograde in this chart, indicating a tendency towards self-criticism and lack of confidence, and it opposes the Moon/Neptune conjunction which reflects the lack (Saturn) of nurturing (Moon) at an early age when he was removed from his family home to fulfill his duties as well as the exile (Saturn) from his country (Moon) and the hard work (Saturn) that has been his focus throughout his life. We could also say that the opposition from Saturn to Neptune mirrors the conflict between his duties (Saturn) which have kept him from a lifetime of purely spiritual experience (Neptune). Adding to the difficulty of this opposition between Saturn to the Moon/Neptune is a T-square formed by Chiron which is square to both Saturn and the Moon/Neptune. Chiron is in Gemini, reflecting a wound to his ability to express himself and be heard, and in the karmic Twelfth House there is a suggestion that this is a dynamic from which he will not be freed. The square of Chiron to Saturn imposes a difficult life that forces surrender and a willingness to face one's inner pain so that it can be released. Once that process is complete, and we can argue that for an advanced spiritual being that could occur in childhood, there is great wisdom (Chiron) and inner strength (Saturn). The Dalai Lama is currently going through a series of powerful Saturn transits and progressions. His progressed Ascendant is exactly opposite progressed Saturn, and transiting Saturn has been passing back and forth over these points since last fall. This stressful cycle has coincided with the riots in Tibet over the continued occupation of Tibet by China which has now stepped up its campaign against the Dalai Lama as an instigator of violence, despite his having received the Nobel Peace Price in 1989 for attempting to forge a peaceful resolution with China. At the same time, transiting Uranus (rebellion and radical change) is within minutes of an exact conjunction to the Dalai Lama's midheaven (public life and life path) which is no doubt instigating some impatience and a restless desire for change. This will be exacerbated by an opposition of trnasiting Uranus to the progressed Sun which, having just crossed the nadir of the chart (the point at which we deepen into our inner life and our roots) has renewed its yearning for a return to his native home. These cycles will begin in full force in May and June, but this is just the beginning of a longer cycle which may inspire more activist tendencies in the Dalai Lama. Combined with the urge for change of Pluto's moving into Capricorn, we are likely to see increased activity in Tibet. Labels: Dalai Lama, Saturn, Tibet Friday, April 11, 2008Pluto in Capricorn: The New SurvivalismThis New York Times article quotes Barton Biggs who says that people should “assume the possibility of a breakdown [Pluto] of the civilized infrastructure [Capricorn].” Biggs is not an astrologer but the former chief strategist at investment firm Morgan Stanley. Faced with a confluence of diverse threats — a tanking economy, a housing crisis, looming environmental disasters, and a sharp spike in oil prices — people who do not consider themselves extremists are starting to discuss doomsday measures once associated with the social fringes.The frenetic stockpiling of resources at the end of 1999 as we rounded the corner to Y2K was more silly than survivalist - the notion that the world would end at the turn of the millenium was superstitious at best. Today's survivalists are of course tapping into the sense that there will indeed be a breakdown of the social order, and they want to be ready. Those of us who understand the work of Pluto will not be afraid - we will welcome the work of the Great Destroyer who comes to sweep the world clean. Like Shiva, the Great Destroyer, Pluto performs the Dance of Destruction which scatters the dormant energies of that which is destroyed so that new forms can be created in its place. We know what to expect, so we can be prepared for the storm.  This is what a client told me yesterday, and while psychotherapy is a great tool for change and healing and helped me tremendously, an understanding of the astrological chart goes right to the heart of the matter and identifies where the inner conflicts are coming from and describes how best to resolve them. "Suddenly I feel there's a map that I can use for my life," this client said, and she is exactly right.Once we have identified those inner patterns, though, then it's up to us to make the changes in our life that will help us to become more integrated, more aware, and happier in general. It mystifies me that astrology is not taught in schools, can you imagine if we learned in childhood that we didn't have learning disabilities, it's just that our minds work differently because we have Mercury in Pisces square Uranus. Or that the reason we have trouble committing to relationships is because our Venus is opposed by Pluto which engenders a deep fear of intimacy that we need to work with. I'm so happy about the burgeoning astrology blogosphere which is bringing real astrology out into the mass media where the average person can learn more about what astrology really is and what it does for us. We do have a map - the map was given to us at the moment we were born, and it provides a guide and a weather forecast throughout our life. What an incredible blessing!! Thursday, April 10, 2008Pluto in Sag wrecks the airline industry When Pluto first entered Sagittarius I wrote an article for a local magazine predicting, among other things, that during the Pluto Sag period there would be so many airplane crashes that it would transform the airline industry. That, of course, didn't happen. Instead we had war (Pluto) with airplanes (Sag) on September 11, and a slow but steady erosion of the travel industry. Because Sagittarius rules adventurous experiences that expand our horizons, it is associated with travel and airplane flight (shorter car trips are related to Gemini). Under Pluto's Sagittarian influence since the mid-1990s the local travel agency has been virtually obliterated. Theme travel (Sagittarius) that is expected to transform lives (Pluto) has exploded, and there have been many other changes made to the way humans move around the earth. The airline industry suffered some setbacks, but nothing overly dramatic that would reflect the transformative power of Pluto. Until now, as Pluto retrogrades back towards Sagittarius for the final time until another 244 years have elapsed. A scandal (Pluto) over air traffic safety has grounded thousands of flights over the past few days (since the Aries New Moon which tightly involved also Mars and Jupiter and created a huge burst of energy for many of us). And now a new report reveals that 2007 was the most chaotic in terms of delayed and canceled flights than any in the history of air travel. Consumer dissatisfaction with the airline industry is at its highest level ever, rising over 60% last year alone. And distress over the airline industry is occurring all over the world, but in various ways: In the UK travelers are unhappy too, but they are more unhappy about their fellow passengers' bad habits. And in a stunning reflection of Pluto's retrograde turn, 21 Chinese pilots turned their planes around a few days ago to protest long hours and low wages. Finally, a strike of airport workers in India threatens to cause huge disruptions in that country's airline industry. Now a growing number of lawmakers are calling for increasing regulation of the airline industry, something we would associate with Pluto in Capricorn which requires a great deal more control than Pluto in Libra did back in 1978 when the Airline Deregulation Act was signed. In Libra, Pluto wants to believe the best of everyone and keep everyone happy in order to have a peaceful environment. When Pluto is through with Sagittarius late next year and re-enters Capricorn for good, the call for more regulation is likely to become loud and much more strident. Perhaps we are in for a transformation of the airline industry after all. We can only hope! Wednesday, April 09, 2008John McCain: President Hothead?A couple of years ago I wrote a post entitled "John McCain will never be president," and followed it up with "John McCain will never be president Part II." I never posted a complete profile of McCain on my website because it never occurred to me that two years later he would be the Republican nominee for president. I don't like to be wrong, but I sure called it wrong this time. So I have now posted that McCain profile on my site here. Jill had a very interesting post yesterday about the psychology of John McCain's legendary anger, citing this article in the UK Independent which quotes McCain: Right up to his twenties, he remained a strikingly violent man, "ready to fight at the drop of a hat", according to his biographer Robert Timberg. This rage seems to be at the core of his personality: describing his own childhood, McCain has written: "At the smallest provocation I would go off into a mad frenzy, and then suddenly crash to the floor unconscious. When I got angry I held my breath until I blacked out."Jill suggests that these behaviors point to a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder, a categorization of mental illness that has only been widely known since 1980 when it was officially classified as a disorder. Biographies of McCain have noted his extreme recklessness and rage going back to his school years where he was nicknamed "Punk" and "Nasty." By entering the military he not only followed in the footsteps of his father, but also gave himself an outlet for his legendary anger. I'll refer you to the new article for the complete profile of McCain, but this is the part that is most relevant to the anger piece: Mars in this chart is in Leo, a fiery and dramatic expression of aggression, and is square Uranus, the revolutionary. Difficult Uranus aspects often are an indicator of some kind of early trauma, and the square from Mars to Uranus can show serious conflict in childhood. The opposition from Pluto to McCain's Capricorn Moon indicates additional stress and a sense of being overpowered by the nurturing parent, usually but not always the mother. McCain's Capricorn Moon is in the Fourth House of family lineage which is ruled by Saturn, the planet of discipline and responsibility. Saturn in McCain's chart, retrograde and part of the Grand Cross that includes a square to Chiron where one's obligations can have painful results, is both very powerful and yet without an easy mode of expression. So Saturn is ruling an extremely emotional Fourth House with a Capricorn Moon, and there is a strong sense of duty and familial obligation that is rigid and unbending. This combines with the innate emotional pain of the Moon/Pluto opposition and the radical fire of Mars square to Uranus to create a split in McCain's personality. This is exacerbated by McCain's Virgo Sun and Libra Mercury and ascendant which do their best to suppress his anger, making its eruption all the more dramatic when it occurs. Had I noticed two years ago that McCain's progressed Jupiter would conjunct his North Node, I might have hesitated before making such a confident prediction that McCain would never reach the presidency. Jupiter contacts are often harbingers of good fortune and opportunity, and the North Node reflects our destiny and evolutionary path. In 2009 McCain's progressed Ascendant will join that conjunction which will align the more mundane path with the evolutionary path of the North Node, and that is an indicator of an exceptional period of success.McCain's will be going through a series of Uranus transits to both his natal Venus and his progressed Venus, which shows some unusual events resulting from his relationships and partnerships. At the same time, transiting Pluto will conjunct his North Node in January 2009 which is a scary (to me) indicator that something major will happen relative to his greater empowerment. This election continues to be a roller coaster ride and a reminder of the Chinese curse: May you live in interesting times. Monday, April 07, 2008Hillary Clinton and the moon's nodesHillary Clinton's chart shows that she has the planet Saturn making a very tight square to the nodes of the Moon. The lunar nodes are not planets in the chart and don't carry any energy of the personality; they are like signposts that point us in the direction from our evolutionary past to our future. Tight aspects from a planet to the nodes of the Moon often indicate a karmic issue that an individual brings with them from a previous lifetime. Saturn, being the planet of order and governance, is an indicator that Clinton came into this existence with a predisposition to fear that she will never achieve her goals. This is exacerbated by the fact that she has four planets in intense and power-driven Scorpio which keep her locked into the past of her Scorpio South Node, and no planets in peace-loving and stable Taurus which is her destiny as shown by the North Node. It's interesting that just as transiting Neptune forms a square to Clinton's lunar nodes, forming a Grand Cross with Saturn, she loses her chief strategist due to deceptive behavior. (Mark Penn was fired from the Clinton campaign for secretly negotiating with the Columbian government as Clinton was herself opposing the agreement for which Penn was offering advice.) The challenging Neptune transits create confusion and cause us to feel that we have lost our way and our direction. We are more prone to deception and our energy is scattered. Clinton has weathered many difficult transits over the past few years and kept trudging along. But transits to the nodes of the Moon challenge us to evaluate our life's path and see whether we are in need of a course correction. Saturday, April 05, 2008New Moon tonight!!The Sun and Moon will conjoin tonight in Aries at around midnight EST, making this a New Moon. Aries is the sign of initiation and courage, and as first sign of the zodiac it rules over fresh starts and new beginnings. The New Moon is the beginning of a new solar cycle, so the New Moon in Aries has a particularly strong energy for moving forward into new ventures with energy and enthusiasm. This New Moon is made particularly dynamic by a T-square involving Mars, the ruler of Aries, which is moving towards an opposition to Jupiter which is particularly confident and expansive. The square of the New Moon in Aries to Mars is a "double whammy" which tells us that the Mars/Aries energy is particularly powerful right now. Jupiter provides the possibilities and opportunities to make things happen but can also add a note of recklessness and amplification (Jupiter) of tempers and ego (Aries). This rather reckless and headstrong Mars/Aries/Jupiter influence is offset somewhat by a trine of Saturn to Pluto which encourages us to give form (Saturn) to the drive to create change and transformation in our lives (Pluto). This added stability make this an ideal time for manifestation and intention, or just simply setting goals for the future. There is a need now to balance the reckless enthusiasm with a more stable and balanced approach. If you have your chart, look to see where the New Moon at 16 degrees Aries will fall and that will give you a clue as to how to best use the energy of this lunation (moon event): In the first house, you are being energized to balance your impulse to assert yourself with the need to consider the outcome of your actions. In the second house, your drive for acquisition needs to be tempered with the understanding that all affluence comes from a solid sense of one's own abilities. In the third house, the need to express what we really think must include the knowledge that our empowerment does not depend on the understanding of those around us. In the fourth house, our desire to have our own way at home and with family needs to be integrated with the desire for true progress and soul growth. In the fifth house, the passion for play and creative self expression should be channeled in a way that is practical and creates lasting change. In the sixth house, the work environment can become a battleground under this Mars-y influence. Working hard (Saturn) to achieve something of greater importance (Pluto) is recommended now. In the seventh house, our desire for relationships, or our need to control the ones we have, must be moderated by attention to the balance of power that makes or breaks these partnerships. In the eighth house, sexuality and power are intensified during this New Moon, and there is potential for great magick if intention is applied to the focus of the energy released now. In the ninth house, a desire to flee our present responsibilities may present the need to face our obligations, and the urge to share our knowledge of Truth can result in a great sharing of wisdom. In the tenth house, it may be time to take new initiatives in our career or our life path. Immediate gratification may need to be traded for a deepening of wisdom and power. In the eleventh house, the passion to accomplish goals that fulfill the ideals we share with others must be balanced with the building of a strong power base before great actions are taken. In the twelfth house, our inner turmoil needs to come into the light of consciousness. Our hidden desires become the word of our inner guidance, and offer the key to greater empowerment. Take the ram by the horns, and have a wonderful New Moon!! Friday, April 04, 2008Tsunami on the SunThanks to Julie for bringing this to my attention: Astronomers have captured the first footage of a solar "tsunami" hurtling through the Sun's atmosphere at over a million kilometres per hour.Read more here... New Scientist adds: "The fact that this region of the Sun spewed out two major flares just a day apart "implies that there must have been some kind of tremendous energy buildup", Balasubramaniam [of the National Solar Observator in Sunspot New Mexico] told New Scientist.Electromagnetic activity on the Sun has been known to cause disruptive effects on earth satellites and other devices, and the energy field surrounding the human body has an electromagnetic component which is tuned in to electrical waves that are all around us. Events like this are a fascinating way to look at the connection between the Sun's energy and our own electrical fields. Wednesday, April 02, 2008Skywatch is posted, and Pluto RetrogradePluto turns retrograde today, and will continue it's travel back in time through September of this year. Pluto spends more time retrograde than any other planet, which is only fitting since it is the planet that more than any other takes us through the underground and forces us, kicking and screaming, into transformation. From Skywatch for April: Ever since December, we have been experiencing a lack of planets in the Fire element. Fire provides the inspiration and energy to take action, and that inspiration has been missing over the past few months. That is about to change during the first few days of April as Mercury (mental functions) and then Venus (love and beauty) join the Sun in the fiery sign of Aries. This should give us all a bit of a boost in our physical energy, but it does mean that during the first week of April both Mercury and Venus will be square to Pluto. Pluto intensifies everything that it comes into contact with and tends to dredge up anything that is hidden, so this is no time for secrets. The truth will come out under the Pluto influence, and this is all for the best.To sign up for your own free subscription to Skywatch, visit my website. Tuesday, April 01, 2008Pluto Rx and the market goes wildPluto turns retrograde April 2 heading back towards Sagittarius, and already the stock market surges. Wall Street began the second quarter with a big rally Tuesday as investors rushed back into stocks, optimistic that the worst of the credit crisis has passed and that the economy is faring better than expected.I said before that the last pass of Pluto through Sagittarius would bring one last wave of optimism, and here it is, right on schedule.  Dharmaruci is back, and has a wonderful post about the Clinton/Obama mashup. He predicts that the Clinton candidacy will unwind when Pluto retrogrades this month, and connects the Obama candidacy to the Hero's Journey in Jungian terms: "Obama’s journey so far can be seen in Jungian archetypal terms, with the Reverend Jeremiah Wright being, in my opinion, Obama’s greatest benefactor during this period.Warning: geeky astrological details follow. A reader commented on the transit of the South Node to Obama's North Node, which led me on an expedition to determine whether the True Node (which is astronomically correct) is more accurate than the Mean Node (which averages the passage of the nodes through time so that it always travels retrograde). Using the True Node, Obama's North Node is at 27 degrees 18 minutes Leo, and the Mean Node is at 27 degrees 54 minutes Leo. The South Node is currently in Aquarius and recently transited Obama's North Node (interpretation to follow) but the dates are different depending upon whether you use the True Node or the Mean Node. The True Node reverse return occurred on March 23, and the Mean Node reverse return occurred on February 16. Although the story of Reverend Wright and his links to Louis Farrakhan had been simmering since last year, it didn't erupt into the national consciousness until March 12 when Wright's video surfaced on You Tube. It looks to me as though the True Node in this case was actually more accurate in defining this event, which arguably will change the course of Obama's candidacy, than the Mean Node. More on the reversed nodal return. The North Node in the chart represents our evolutionary direction; it's a signpost that guides us forward in the direction of our evolutionary path. The transiting South Node brings us in contact with the past; if we think about evolutionary growth as a spiral, we travel in ever-expanding spirals that bring us time after time back to the same place where we revisit events and issues from our past that challenge and aid us in our transformation. The conjunction of the South Node (past) to the natal North Node (future) is called the "reverse nodal return," and describes an important challenge that will either help or hinder our forward motion. As with every other transit, how we handle these challenges is up to us, and difficult cycles can be the greatest tools of our soul's progress.
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