the weather inside me

how astrology (nearly) saved my sanity, pt.5: the pluto moon transit mess

No major transit says, "Get thee to a therapist's office!" like the Pluto/Moon transit. Honestly. And if you're having one, I say find a good therapist and be quick about it, man.

Are you having one?

• If your Moon sign in is in the first 10 degrees of Capricorn, Aries, Cancer or Libra, you're having yours or about to have yours --by conjunction, square or opposition. Ditto the first 10 degrees of Taurus or Virgo --by trine.
• If you Moon sign is in the last 10 degrees of Sagittarius, Virgo, Pisces or Gemini, you probably already had one in the last five years --again by conjunction, square or opposition. Ditto the last 10 degrees of Aries, or Leo --also by trine.

That seems like a lot of people having Pluto/Moon transits, but when you consider that Pluto just changed signs for another 15 year cycle, more than the usual number of people have been affected by the Sagittarius to Capricorn sign change-up right now. The next fifteen years will affect cardinal moon signs and the earth sign moons predominately. (see your favorite astrologer to find out if/when you'll get the Pluto visit)

I always look to see what Pluto/Moon transits come up in a person's history, and you'd be surprised at how many people have not yet had one in their lifetime. On the other hand, I know a couple of people who've had 3 or 4 of these things, and you can be sure these folks know a thing or two about the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Seriously.

I've had a couple. The first, back in the mid-'80's, which was a hell on wheels nightmare, mostly because I was still a kid and had no control over my environment or the people in it. The second Pluto/Moon transit came in 2007-8. Yes, these are long transits.

Both totally rearranged my emotional foundations.

Sigh. And speaking of emotional foundations...I think this entry is best finished during the Cancer Moon --which will begin Wednesday. Not being superstitious here, but this Gemmy energy isn't conducive for depth-psych talk. Will expound on other, lighter topics today instead. 

Want to find your Moon sign? This great site will sort it out for you: Serennu.

Come back Wednesday for more Pluto mania.

martin luther king, jr: capricorn sun/pisces moon

While the Sun is in its last degrees of Capricorn and the moon drifts through Pisces we find ourselves honoring an American icon of practical dreamers, Martin Luther King, Jr --born under a Cap sun with a Pisces moon.

Remember when I said last week that all Caps have a hidden side to their stuffy selves? Here's Capricorn leader who gave us inspiring leadership and kept a couple of secrets on the side.

This is my first look at his chart, so these are just a few first glance notes:

Cap Sun in 10th: destiny as public figure. Bam. No gettin' round that. These Capricorn hooves did climb to the mountain top.

Pisces Moon, conjunct Ceres in 12th: nurtured the creative, imaginative and spiritual dreams of the oppressed or confined. A karmic role. Here the Pisces moon/Ceres in 12th also illustrates his unconscious desire (he feeds himself with it) for sacrifice as well as his enduring legacy as a martyr devoted to his universal compassion (Pisces) for his family/people (Moon) of African-Americans, as well as all people. (Consider Eric Francis' recent discussion of the Thema Mundi (aka, "The Chart of the World", which begins with Cancer and the sign of the Moon. In other words, the Thema Mundi suggests we are all one family.) Many believe the content of his last speech also suggests he knew his death was imminent.

Packed 12th house: this is the house of hidden enemies as well. While in prison (12th house activity) his Letters From A Birmingham Jail revolutionize (Uranus) the civil rights movement and bring him, finally, into the public discussion (the Uranus/Aries Point conjunct iconoclast Eris--wow--talk about rock the boat). Eris always has something to tell us about folks who "didn't get invited to the party" and Uranus isn't interested in following anyone else's lead. Unfortunately, a 12th house Uranus in Aries also suggests unpredictable (martial--Aries) self-undoing or by hidden enemies --he was assassinated by hidden (to the public) enemy. One could easily argue his self-destructive secret affairs were part of his undoing.

Saturn in Sagittarius: on the cusp of the 9th House of Belief. classic signature of the preacher. 'Nuff said. Eighth house stuff is an issue, though. Hard lessons about the libido? Sagittarius is impulsive. Saturn says you gotta control those impulses or you'll face consequences. 'Nuff said.

Mars in Gemini: in 2rd House of Resources: driven to communicate and connect with people. Opposed Sagittarius.

Mercury in Aquarius in the 10th: career of speaking to people. Aquarius thinking = iconoclast, inventive, utopian. Downside? The tendency to embody the phrase "Do what I say, not what I do."  Sun in tenth (out of sign) with Mercury means what he says and who he is are conjoined in our image of King.

Taurus rising: semisextile the Aries Point at 0 degrees. Jupiter and Chiron conjunct Asc. This gives me the feeling of someone who can never escape the perception that he must provide for others. If Santa ain't gonna come this Christmas, he's got to boot up and be Santa. Taurus is a provider sign, and semisextile the AP, his provisions will have public consequences.

And on and on... a really interesting chart to study in these times. Or any time, but especially now.

If you're planning on taking my Astro 101 class in February, expect to work with this chart.

january 2010 solar eclipse week, pt. 1

This is an interesting week, for sure.

• We have a solar eclipse at 25+ degrees Capricorn on the 15th.
• Mercury is stationing most of the week at 5+ Capricorn.
• Mercury will go direct on the 15th.
• Jupiter will ingress Pisces on the 17th.

Okay, so this feels like a lot like a Rip Van Winkle tale --time distortion, old man involved, and someone re-emerging on the other side of the distortion with an altered identity and an adamant belief in something that could only be a fairy tale.

Is that right? Only a fairy tale?

I suppose astrology is mostly fairy tale to the modern mind. We might have serious students of Klingon language and folks who prefer to live on Endor, but they're tolerated as dreamers and romantics of a sort. Astrology fits in that category, too. Except when it's practitioners insist that something happens to all of us when Jupiter ingresses Pisces.

Astrology happens to us pretty much like weather happens to us, and our part in the matter is to decide how to respond. Yes, I'm a dreamer and a romantic of a sort, but Capricorn that I am, I get a little (a lot) nervous if I don't work with the tangible "real" world, too. So if I'm going to talk about this week, I want to talk about anchoring the events of the week into something you'll really use.

So here's today's useful eclipse week advice:

We are still in a dark moon phase, right now in Sagittarius, which is swell. Dark moons are typically draggy and murky, emotionally, but today I'm feeling pretty sanguine. And well, what d'ya know? The moon's in Sagittarius --until tomorrow night, when it ingresses Capricorn and triggers that Aries Point that's so active these days.

• Maybe finally make another draft of those New Year's Resolutions, with a hard look at the beliefs behind those resolutions. (Remember Mars in Leo, retrograde, is giving us time in the "backstage" of our ego structures to sort a few things out.) Certainly after that lunar eclipse over the New Year, you've gotten a clue or two about false feelings or out-dated beliefs/habits.
• Take out the recycling and the old clothes. Don't freak over this and suddenly think you've got to go on campaign; just give yourself 15 minutes to cull and then stop. Then actually shove the stuff into your vehicle and get it off to the Goodwill shop.
• Unless you've got a religious reason for it, pack up any left-over Christmas decorations and be done with them this week.
• Don't make any big decisions or permanent judgments until next week, at the very least. All the facts are NOT in.

Pretty simple, eh?

backstage with mars in leo, part 2: libra, scorpio, saggitarius, capricorn, aquarius, and pisces

Note: Please read the previous entry about this transit, posted here. Lots of good stuff there.

(As always, read your Sun and Rising signs to get a better picture of the transit for you. You can discover your rising sign at this site: astrodienst.com, or if you already know (or want to look up) the latitude and longitude of your birth place, use tracy's excellent serennu site.)

And now, backstage--

Libra: If you worked in theater, you'd be happiest working in a repertory company or perhaps identifying as a loyal IATSE union member. Contributing to the greater good is your raison d'etre. But lately your contributions have been less about about "us" than "me" --and that's been a little jarring. Aren't we all a merry band of troubadours, bringing the people visions of a better tomorrow? So why won't anyone recognize your unique heart for the venture? Maybe there's a reason for that. "Tall poppies" is the Aussie term for what you've been sighted as: the flower that stands above the rest is the first one to feel the scythe. Standing up for something or standing out is likely to make you a marked man (or woman). And yet you cannot let the status quo be. Spend the next two months reformulating your new path away from the group norm. Maybe you need to find another troupe, a different union. Until you find the outlet, stay far away from fights, Poppy. The focus is on your own evolution, not a reformation of the department. Others may resent your ideas and go looking for their lawnmowers.

Scorpio: Of course you deserved that starring role. Of course you have more talent in your pinkie finger than most have in their whole nuclear family --grandparents included. Not that you need to advertise this truth; most people sense this without knowing why. It's part of your appeal. And lately you've been really showing your stuff --or have been making plans to go public with that stuff. The trouble is, you've got all this trouble on your home front holding you back from your big close-up. Something needs a big adjustment there. How can you move forward with this new public face and still answer to the ensemble? How can you be the star and still have a home to go home to? Playing understudy is not your style. And yet, that's the role you may have to take for the time being. If you don't self-destruct with frustration and bitterness that it's not you in the follow-spot, you can find a new outlet that better suits your conflicting (and legitimate) needs. Use this time to redefine your notions of stardom.

Sagittarius: Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue. And that's the trouble. You know the song all about blue skies and rainbows and it's still just a song, a siren call that beckons you on to the next town, the next show, with the hope that you'll experience the perfect performance. What you don't know is how to turn all that blue sky into a practical money-making venture. You were making some progress on that score this fall and connecting with folks who were showing you the money. But the money (and your connections) are still far away, and for the moment they're about as ephemeral as a rainbow after a thunderstorm. Keep singing, Sag --the musical score isn't done yet. Keep jotting those notes and replaying your fondest refrains. The work right now isn't out there, it's right in your neighborhood, right beside your elbow. In fact, elbow grease is your best friend now. Stay cool with the folks far away, whether there's money or love involved. Channel Johnny Mercer --the artist and the businessman-- and acc-cen-tu-ate the positive (easy enough) while you're building your new empire.

Capricorn: Oh, dear lord, you've landed the role of a lifetime! It has guts, it has grit, it's challenging and tender all at once. And you know it, deep in your gut you know this is the shot at your dreams. The dilemma is it's almost too rich, this role. You've wanted this for years but you've been such a duty-bound trooper in the background. Now you can finally to show the world what you learned back there, but this...this is almost too much. It's a role that calls for the ultimate of authenticity, the calling forth of all your darkest demons and dearest desires: you must orgasm onstage. Yes, you've got to surrender to desire --not in your head where that's a daily drama you may hide from even yourself. No, this role demands you pull it all to the surface. Lusty lions roar. Inhibition is your enemy. Until the last couple of years you've been too comfortable watching others interpret life for you. Not anymore. Now you are the interpreter, the conduit of love and passion. The key to your character work these next two months is this: get honest about what you honestly want from intimacy and what you'll do to get it. Don't cheat and fake the orgasm. Giving is the key, and now's the time to give the real deal. Authenticity --nothing less.

Aquarius: You're the improv veteran who's been cast in a long-term contract as the BFF or the lover these days. It's a great deal, this new partnership, and in this role you've been exploring new ideas about friendship and love. It's so cool, this expansion. And you've been looking for a new creative partnership who likes the talents you've got to offer. What you've got going on with your plans is so innovative! But if you're honest with yourself, it's been all a little cerebral. You're an excellent interpreter, and your notes during rehearsal are second to none. But the director keeps telling you you're missing feeling. You don't get this. Or do you? Reconsider what's at stake here: no one's challenging your unique vision of this relationship; what they need to see more of is your willingness to let others shine. Improv is a tough game and the guy who gets the biggest laughs, wins. Now you've got to work out a way for your partner to get the laugh. With an eight month contract that will put you in a new league, professionally and personally, you've got to make this one work. Feeling? Empathy? You'll find it inside if you if you study your beliefs about love and don't expect the other guy to serve up the tenderness every time.

Pisces: What role wouldn't you play? What job wouldn't you take? Chief cook and bottle-washer, if it needed to be done, you offered yourself for the job. Anything for your art. Anything for the one you love. What's missing in this picture? You. The problem is, you don't want to the girl-friday anymore and you're not going to accept whatever is handed your way. Recent battles may have set something straight in your heart, leaving you to finally focus on the true work that calls you. That new you is a picture of the Burning Man offering to the creative inner fire, not the self-immolation of mourning Buddists. Bid farewell to martyrdom. This past year got you in touch with a piece of your self-worth, which allowed you to develop a little more healthy selfishness. Now what're you gonna do with that new self? Work it, and then rework it. If your day job is less than creatively or artistically satisfying, don't hassle yourself or your co-workers. Give it time. You are creating a new world for them, too. It's a world that going to get bigger and bigger for you very soon.

eve of the new moon and where's my hobby horse?

As I type this, the Moon is exactly, and I mean exactly to the arc minute in full lip lock with Venus. Just a degree away from my Ascendant. How charming. Venus rising for me. No wonder I'm feeling the need to reach out from my self-imposed break from the world and touch someone. [wink] And no --I did not plan this. Synchronicity just kills me.

Ah, there she goes now, the Moon is separating...Adieu, sweet Moon! We'll meet again.

Really, if you've got a Mac, go get yourself an Io Sprite. It's a whole lot of fun watching this stuff in the sky do its thing, real time. Even on a cloudy night. Seeing how quickly the Moon moves, for instance, deeply impresses upon me the sensitivity and importance of the Moon's placement in any chart. With a toy like the Sprite you can finally see what astrologers mean when they call La Luna the second hand of the celestial clock.

Right now the Moon is at 17+ degrees Sagittarius, but by the time I have finished this paragraph it will have reached 18 degrees. Does that matter? For most, not really. What's one degree over another? But esoteric symbol systems like the Sabian images do count each degree has a distinct theme, so one degree's difference matters to them.

And because you asked, I'll tell you that this moon's Sabian symbol is about hobby horses. 

I like New Moons in Sagittarius because the sign implies new vistas, new horizons, new ideas. Fresh starts and newness everywhere! Sagittarius is not a backward looking sign at all. What happened in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas. In fact, by the time Sagittarius has made it to the plane, he's only thinking about his next adventure not the last one.

The hobby horse has multiple meanings. Some bawdy, some benign. Here, I think the Sabian interpretation emphasizes idealism and the practice that comes from working out your hopes and dreams with enthusiasm and joy. It's not nose-to-the-grindstone practice, but nose-almost-to-the-horizon practice. You know, practicing your galloping before someone hands you a real horse and saddle.

I've been thinking about this image all week. It's been a good week for me here at my friend's home in Chicago. We've had some good 'horizon' conversations about our futures, and the practical realities we're negotiating as parents.

The Venus trine Mars stuff all week has been brilliant for me, too. I'm not redefining the novel, but the words are coming quickly and my work has been very productive. And we've played theater a little, too. Not everything has happened as we'd planned, but I expected that. My host is a Fish --a Pisces girl. So she comes and she goes, we make plans and then everything goes sort of wonky and we rearrange them. But Fish are fabulous for letting you swim off for the day and not getting hung up about it. Loners like me do appreciate that; Fish folk do too.

This past day I've been particularly tired, something I've noticed at the end of dark moon phases. So it helps to have a friend who appreciates my need for alone time.

Mars is slowing down (which could account for some of my foot-dragging, too) all this week. So while New Moons imply new beginnings, Mars is about to turn retrograde. A Sun, New Moon and Mars all in fire signs is a recipe for hot enthusiasm, but your flame probably isn't so bright right now. So if you're feeling a bit low on fuel, it's not because you're already exhausted with the holidays. We'll see, but I think tomorrow you'll feel brighter. Enjoy the perk.

And about that perk: the New Moon is sextile the Jupiter/Neptune/Chiron connection in Aquarius. Lots of perkiness there. Or rather sparky thoughts. Insights, sudden vistas open when you thought some door was closed.

Think about the people you spend the most time with --or wish you spent the most time with. This is an Aquarius theme, and it's been running pretty hot since last January. Something's been shifting since then, and that something is your place in your crowd, your culture, your peeps, your milieu. Whatever it is, your relationship to the people who help you do "your thing" is shifting, and has been for a long time now. Part of this is because you are shifting. (This is Pluto work, which deserves a different entry.)

December's New Moon gives you potential to shift a lot more. It's likely a mental shift, but as I've come to learn, mental adjustments precede practical implementations, often by months and years. But it's important that you see the door that's open to you now. Likely some very different people are on the other side of that door. Note the opportunity and the people. Note what you think they mean to you now. Most of all, honor the far-sighted enthusiasm of Sagittarius in your personality. (It's in there somewhere.) You don't and can't have all the information you think you need now. There's a bit of "you've got to believe" in this moment, so keep an open hand and an open heart.

In the next couple of weeks we have some hot astrological action, and my chart is loaded with contact points this month. I'm wondering a lot about it myself, but for now I'm content to observe this new moon on it's own merits and think about my shifting future. 

Happy New Moon.

blurt alert: full moon and uranus turns direct this week

Uranus is well known for it's association with surprises, large and small. And Uranus stationing events like this week often bring out unusual information, which makes for fun office gossip or exciting discoveries in someone's science lab. But with Uranus still in Pisces, we always have to wonder if we're hearing the straight scoop.

Mercury in Saggitarius doesn't help matters. For one, Saggitarius is a sign that blurts. Sure it's the kind of guileless blurting that's charming coming from a child, but coming from an adult...well...I'm just sayin'. [Insert shrug, smile and giggle, a la Jon Stewart, uber-Sagg.]

So Mercury in Saggitarius can blurt BIG.

"Are you gonna finish that cake? Geez, that's like 15,000 calories and you said you ass was big enough already!"

"Is that a condom in your purse?"

"Wow Mommy, you farted baaaaad!"

Always the truth; always at the wrong moment...

Put 'em together and be warned: Whatever pops out this week may be somebody's truth, may be part of the truth, but will not likely be the whole truth. Check your facts. Count to ten thousand before you launch any info-bombs from your email.

On the other hand...

This week could catapult you past some (experi)mental option you've been toying with, lo, these last six months (July 1st, to be exact when Uranus turned retrograde). A Saggitarius Mercury can get philosophical and into the God-stuff and the international/political/legal intrigue of it all. (Dubai, Afghanistan, anyone?) In other words, Saggitarius likes to talk about the big, big picture about what you and I really believe. If you've been wrestling with lots of details but failing to see the grander scheme of things, Sagg Mercury transits can paint that picture for you. But again, with Uranus in Pisces, be extra careful about the conclusions you're drawing.

Urgh. And yes, other excesses: for instance, I just ate ten Townhouse crackers, and I don't eat that kind of sodium saturated trans-fat junk usually. Did I enjoy them? No. Just mindlessly ate. (Could be a Taurus Moon grazing mood, too.) But my point is: Expect impulsiveness this week and be mindful, not mindless.

And lest we forget that great orb in the sky tonight: yes, we are right on top of a full moon, exact this December 2nd, 2:30AM CST. 

Will try to post on that tomorrow, but the same basic message applies: blurt alert!

If you've got something worth spilling and you don't mind the repercussions (they could be quite positive, you know), then this week may be your week to get on with the spilling. However, if you're merely passing on gossip or have a tough time already with the "edit" function of your brain, do try try try to hold back before you spill another's beans. What you pass on could be totally wrong.

Photo: Album cover, Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker (yes, those Bakkers.)

beginners guide to astrology --and happy sun in saggitarius, y'all

To usher in the Sun in true Saggitarius style, here's a breezy vid for you answering the classic question: How many __________does it take to screw in a light bulb?