“October 3rd-4th 2009 ▬ Aries Full Moon ▬ The Harvest Jackpot?”

A couple of weeks before the Full Moon at 12 degrees of Aries on Oct 3^rd-4^th 2009 the fall equinox began, which in earlier times was the period where we celebrated the bounty of the harvest.  This is very symbolic for us at this time for in Aries we need all the energy and enthusiasm to harvest our thoughts, decisions and ideas and then to sift through each and only bring the good ones to the table.  In the last year the harvest has been barren with Saturn opposition Uranus nudging us to make changes we were reluctant to perform.  As the harvest season continues, the Saturn square Pluto will no longer nudge us in that direction, but push and shove us to wake up, if we haven’t already started the process ourselves.  As Venus aspects the outer planets it signals our willingness to receive important insights and directives for our future.  With Pluto in the beginning of Capricorn and Saturn moving into Libra the need to see the bigger picture as we, and not just me is an important element in our thinking.  Venus allows us to realize that to serve is to love ourselves and our neighbors.  This seems very appropriate as we go into the Thanksgiving season as the Pilgrims needed the cooperation of the Indians to survive their first winter season in North America.  It appears that the global community too, needs to cooperate in order to survive as a civilization financially and as a planet.

 

 “The Sabian symbol for 12 degrees of Aries and Libra is taken from “The Sabian Symbols in Astrology by Marc Edmund Jones”, and what follows are my comments.

 

ARIES 12  A flock of wild geese  This is a symbol of the irresistible aspiration and indomitable desire for freedom which represent the real core of personality, and which in everyday affairs are often the sole manifestation of an individual’s immortal potential.  Here there are vagaries of immediate caprice to the point of irresponsibility, but through them is the undeviating course characteristic of the migratory fowl and so a promise of obligations to be met and ideals to be realized. The keyword is INSOUCIANCE (lack of concern).  When positive, the degree is a completely naïve independence or an ever-immediate capacity for rising above any given involvement in experience, and when negative, thoughtless disinterest in anything of real value to the self.

 

LIBRA 12  Miners emerging from a mine  This is a symbol of the irresistible curiosity and indomitable self-confidence which represent the real strength of personality, and which in everyday affairs are sometimes the sole manifestation of an individual’s broader potentials.  There is here all his transient involvement in hampering and unattractive phases of experience, but there is also a persistent doggedness of effort which has its ultimate fruits in a better world and in happier relationships among men.  The keyword is ESCAPE.  When positive, the degree is inexhaustible resources of self with a consequent uncompromising strength of character, and when negative, complete inability to develop personal potentials or rise above dull nonentity.

 

This says it all, which as a group, with one aim to survive, is the name of the game.  We may make mistakes, but as a unit we are more powerful and capable to improvise and to improve as we pursue one’s life path.  As one, we have no fear and we lack concern, but instinctively work together to further our goals.   With Aries as our emotional impulse, we must be careful not to jump into anything without forethought.  As individuals, if we have the concerns of those around us, we are in better shape, then going it alone.  In this modern world of internet and texting, the human element and companionship can be easily forgotten.  So the old adage “Birds of a feather flock together” has truth as mankind works together, only then will we have a future.

“Mercury Retrograde Conjunct the Sun – Illuminating”

As long as I have studied astrology in groups and under some great teachers, I have always been told and instructed to be careful during Mercury retrograde.  The other day I read an article by Greg Bogart entitled “The Cycle of Mercury” in the Oct/Nov 2009 issue #147 of The Mountain Astrologer magazine where the author gives credit for this system to Alexander Ruperti.  If I never learn anything else about Mercury Retrograde, I am extremely grateful for this information to broaden my understanding of this misunderstood aspect of this particular planet.  After this short review and my comments and thoughts and ideas about this system, don’t walk, but run to get the magazine or a copy of the article.  You will bless your lucky star for the information.

Mr. Bogart relates Mercury retrograde to the four phases of the Moon, from the New Moon to the Full and back to the New Moon.  Mercury has five phases and is divided into four major modes of mental activity; the first is Mercury going along his merry way towards the beginning of retrograde, which he denotes as Diffusive Intelligence in which we go beyond concepts and theories, and let the mind be unfocused and undirected until it turns inward and contacts the source of consciousness itself.  To diffuse is to become widely dispersed or spread out and to disseminate.  The first phase is when Mercury goes retrograde, which he denotes as Investigative Intelligence in which one is concerned with data-gathering and getting the information.  To investigate is to observe or inquire into in detail systematically.  The second is Mercury retrograde conjunct the Sun where he assigns as the Inferior Conjunction and denotes as Illuminative Intelligence which is concerned with the discovery of meaning, or of a significant pattern in the information gathered, and its elucidation in some form of distinct theory, concept, or belief.  To illuminate is to make understandable or clarify.  The third is when Mercury goes direct which he denotes as Discriminative Intelligence which enables us to analyze the solution or concept developed through illuminative intelligence and tests its adequacy with discernment and precision.  The last phase is the conjunction of the Sun with Mercury where he assigns as the Superior Conjunction which like Mercury retrograde conjunct the Sun, he denotes as Illuminative Intelligence.  

For this article I am very interested in exploring the inferior and superior conjunctions which deals with Illuminative Intelligence.  A couple days before I read the article, on September 19^th I was having trouble in explaining to myself a thought I had about the planets in its scheme of things to our world today and the time of the ancient ones, and on the 20^th a whole story appear to me to settle my own doubts and fears.  On September 21^st I open the magazine to read the article and noticed that on the 20^th was the inferior conjunction with Mercury and the Sun.  It might have been a coincidence, but what I went through certainly made me feel the intensity of the discovery of the meaning of my thoughts and to the distinct pattern it made in my thinking.  Experiencing this first hand is causing me to anticipate the superior conjunction of the Sun and Mercury on November 5^th 2009, and to keep notes and a diary on Mercury retrograde, now and in the future.

In thinking and dissecting Illuminative Intelligence, I began wondering what meaning the conjunction of these two planets has in the different houses.  My experience with the inferior conjunction was in my first house conjunct Neptune trine my natal Mercury.  That says it all and confirms the meaning he gives for this mental activity he calls Illuminative.

The following are my thoughts of the Inferior and Superior Conjunction through the houses:

1^st House        

          Understanding our issues, actions and to resolve and master them

2^nd House       

           Our values, attitudes, and skills are our possessions

3^rd House

            Processing and communicating creative information and thoughts

4^th House

            Our heritage, environment, and our private thoughts in unity

5^th House

            Expressing ourselves in a loving, creative and fun lifestyle

6^th House

            Repairing, improving and maintaining our health and service to others

7^th House

            Being diplomatic and relating and sharing our values with integrity

8^th House

            Bonding, sharing and respecting self transformation

9^th House

            Grasping, understanding and expanding loftier ideas

10^th House

            Projecting and understanding our position with our peers

11^th House

            Our community and how we respond and react

12^th House

            Our secrets, hidden resources, and guilt understood

As I continue my journey through the Mercury cycle with my head held high, I hope I peak your interest to continue your journey too, and to the wonderful possibilities ahead of us with Mercury retrograde. 

“Mars in the Second Solar Return House – Stand By Me”

In these times when everything seems not to appear to be on solid footing, like we thought it should be, the need to work towards a more secure foundation is essential.  This is where Mars in the second solar return house is an important factor in building towards that financial security, but Mars can’t do it alone, since we don’t want to travel down the same financial melt down, we are now experiencing as a global society.  What we as a society has learnt, or I hope we have learnt, is that we are all connected together and that if one falls, we all fall, eventually.  It is the dominos effect happening to nations, states, cities and our local neighborhoods, and the “me first” needs to take a back seat, if we are to survive through to the better times.

Mars is the Roman God of war who is full of energy and at times can be brash and insensitive to the needs and wants around him, and rushes into things without giving full attention to the situation.  Mars in the Solar Return second house can indicate a self-initiated pay cut for many reasons that one hopes will benefit one in the long run, or cutting one’s hours to help the employer to stay abreast at this time.  It could also indicate extra effort as incentives to bonuses at the end of year or when things begin their upturn, or indicate taking on another job to make ends meet or to save for something important.  It also might indicate one becoming an entrepreneur while still working full time.  Whatever the extra energy one is putting into it, Mars in the second solar return house indicates a need to be financially successful, independent and in control of one’s financial resources.

In traditional astrology Mars is considered a malefic and harmful in the chart, with aspects to a benefic, the harm may be less, but with another malefic, it could end up in chaos.  Modern astrology doesn’t see it this way, but I was wondering and thinking how I could interpret and relate the harm in a modern sense.  Mars can be brash and quick to judge, and will use action before thinking a situation out.  To Mars, might is power and winning is the only solution to any problem.  Seeing Mars in this light one can see the modern malefic at work.  Just imagine what would happen if one became indignant and upset and felt that all the extra energy one was putting into it, was not appreciated by those one hopes would benefit from it.  Or what would one think if one found out that the goals one were working towards for your family was not wanted by them?  So to me if one acted on the indignation and upset, the outcome one was hoping for would not come about and the action considered malefic. 

To save modern Mars from the malefic traits of the past, the need to use Venus, Mercury and Jupiter to temper and guide the warrior Mars is a must.  Venus gives us the ability to love others and see the beauty in everything.  Mercury gives us the ability to think and to communicate with each other.  Jupiter gives us the ability to care for ourselves and others and to work for the good for all, rather then just for the self.  By working together, Mars malefic mischievous self can be understood and the harm it might do, be directed and become less harmful and actually be beneficial and helpful. 

“Patrick Swayze – Sept 14th 2009 – Solar Return Eighth House”

As the news of Patrick Swayze’s death, star of one my most favorite movies “Ghost”, hit the airwaves, news agencies, and the internet, I could not help but wonder if his demise would have shown up in his solar return chart for this year?  Although I consider myself a modern astrologer, I am interested and am reading the ancient traditional astrology, especially Morin and William Lilly.  To me astrology also needs to predict possible outcomes, but that is not to say that our lives are predestined, since I feel we do have free will to choose our paths.  Jean – Baptiste Morin in his “Astrologia Gallica Book twenty – Three Revolutions” explains what houses can possibly show sickness and death.  I was amazed that by following Morin’s step by step method, it did show what I was looking for without too much digging.

 

The first step is to check the planets in the eighth house which contains only the north node which might possibly indicate severe illness, and the ruler of the eighth which is Saturn in the fourth house representing the end of life square mars on the angle in the twelfth house of sickness and hospitalization.  Mars being on the angle shows the importance of this planet for the year and in the house of illness square the unpredictable Uranus in the tenth sextile the Node completing the cycle.  This was right to the point and his Lunar Return Chart started the day before, pointed to the importance Mars would play in the unfolding drama during the month.  Morin always felt the Solar Returns gave an indication of the coming year, and that you needed to use Primary Directions, transits and other methods to determine the exact time period it would happen.  It continually amazes me how astrology continues to prove it self, amidst this modern world of technology.

 

In my astrological internet groups I have seen paragraphs devoted to transits, progressions, and antiscia to show his sickness and death, but none as simple to the point like Morin’s method.  I am not saying the other methods are not valid, but in this complex world I like to get to the answer in a simpler method and Morin’s system works for me.

 

“New Moon at 26 Degrees Virgo – Sept 18th – Midpoint”

It is always wonderful to experience a new moon; since we are midway through the year at 26 degrees Virgo on September 18^th 2009 at 11:44 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time with its ruler retrograde, and Saturn and Uranus doing their special little dance with the rest of the planets.  With every new moon we can begin new projects or renew, redirect and, or rethink ones that have already been started.  With Mercury Retrograde square Pluto, the need for transformation and rebirth of our thoughts and commitments are at hand, and the need to bring them into reality an urgent matter.  The requirement to be resourceful, honest and with integrity with our thinking and our conclusions are vital for the next several years, if we are to survive and prosper from this financial meltdown.  We are hoping we are near the bottom of this crisis, but the stars tell us differently.  It is important not to be negative or despondent, but to look at one’s situation as objectively as possible and go on from there.

The Sabian symbol for Virgo at this degree is “A boy with a censer” which seems to indicate an altar boy serving with the Priest to serve the parishioners at-large.  One comes to the conclusion that being of service at this time is the important message, but looking closer at the matter, one wonders if the message is to understand why we want to serve and its benefits.  Does the boy understand what he is doing with the censer and what role he is participating in?  My thinking is the boy is serving to please and satisfy others in his life, and not necessarily for himself, even though he may really enjoy participating in the ritual.  To me the message is not only to be of service, but to understand the role and the purpose of the service.  We can’t help others if we don’t first understand and help ourselves.  We can not bring happiness and peace to others if we have not located the center of peace and happiness within us.  Another interesting thing is service to others is connected to Virgo and the sixth house which also indicates health.  It has been proven when we think of others in the big picture, we also help ourselves, therefore our health benefits.

We are towards the end of the Virgo sign and going on to Libra which is depicted by the scales of harmony and judgments.  The decisions and the directions we take now will either lead us to harmony, or the need to experience and to deal with the outcome of our wrong thinking and conclusions.  Although retrograde can play havoc with our lives, it is at this time where directing our thinking will produce innovative and creative solutions to our problems and our daily routines.  This new moon period can be like the censer, cleansing and blessing the path for our thoughts to follow and to germinate into the vision we have for us and humanity.

“Saturn opposition Uranus September 15th 2009 – Watch Mercury!”

On September 15^th 2009, the Saturn opposition Uranus will be at the midpoint of five exact aspects for this time period, with the last on July 26^th 2010.  For some it will be a sigh of relief that this aspect is almost over, and we can go on to better things.  For others this time will have past by with out too many hitches and to a future with promises, but not without hard work and with some changes in the direction in our lives.  Saturn is the teacher of structure in one’s life which represents experience, authority, tradition, continuity and a sense of stability.  Saturn is the great teacher and the bringer of wisdom and he guides and directs us to the next higher level in life, and teaches us to learn from our experiences.

 

Uranus on the other hand is a revolutionist who seeks freedom, equality, creativity, independence and brotherhood.  Uranus is also a teacher, but one who follows his own calling and seeks new answers and solutions to old questions and problems.  Uranus seeks to see the other side and beyond, and to see the solutions to help all humanity.  Uranus opposition to Saturn calls for change, not change for change sake, but change that is needed even if we are not up to it.  Uranus is pushing and telling Saturn that he has to get with it if he wants to survive in the twenty first century, and stop being a horse and carriage in the automobile age.  As a nation and as individuals, we are experiencing this aspect every day as the economical downturn continues, and we have all had to change the way we have been thinking.  We are beginning to realize with Uranus’s help that we can take charge of own destiny and make changes and with Saturn’s help with structure, begin to build a better and a stronger future.  All this takes hard work, but without Mercury we will experience failure.

 

As we are in the middle and almost over with this opposition, some may ease up and begin to direct more attention to other pressing matters.  I feel this is the most important time to keep vigilant of our hopes and wishes for our future, as it is a most precarious time to make a mistake and ease up on our determination for the right outcome.   This is where Mercury plays its part in keeping our vision of change on the right road to success.  The strength of Mercury in our charts with our own natal Saturn and Uranus will help us to get through this with flying colors.  Mercury helps us to see all details in the right light and to view Saturn and Uranus in a new light in relationship to each other. 

 

An astrologer friend had a client who was very unhappy with the Uranus opposition Saturn effect on her chart, which indicated a divorce from a wandering husband of six years to a younger woman.  The astrologer had to remind the client that she was not happy in the relationship in the first place.  This is where Mercury becomes important, that clear thinking comes into the picture if we are not to make a mistake in our future.  In rethinking her situation, she realized her pride was hurt, but that she really wanted the divorce.  She has been separated from her husband for only a couple of months, but has reported back to my friend, that she is on a wonderful new adventure and a burden has been lifted from her.  So remember to keep a clear mind and don’t jump to any conclusions until all the facts are in, and not to look at this opposition as problems and unwanted changes, but as opportunities to a better future.

“Planets in the Second House Creates Knowledge and Knowledge is Power!”

 

As one continues to listen to the news about our economical recovery, one begins to wonder why a financial astrologer wasn’t appointed to the cabinet in the White House, as his predictions of the economy might have the same percentage of truth as some of the top economical advisors in the country have so far.  Individual average citizens are suffering, listening to information that should be helping them to ascend from under their financial difficulties, but unfortunately, what they are hearing has no basis in reality.  For those looking for jobs or trying to save their homes, the government has allowed the scams to continue to operate and to prey on those in desperate needs.  When one is at one’s wits end, any desperate miracle sounds good, and the problem at these times is that our ability to think straight and clear, is impaired.

I am beginning to realize, if we as individuals wish to survive this period of time and to enjoy a more prosperous era, we must begin to understand how the second house in our natal chart will reveal how we see our assets in relationship to how we really think of ourselves.  Most people understand the second house to represent the finances, possessions, personal resources, our values, our skills to generate income and our ability to feel secure in our surroundings.  It is also our physical voice, speech, singing and the presence that gives the command to the first house of “I Am” to the “I Have” in the second that allows all to know we are here to stay and to be heard and noticed.  This house also plays host to the ability to use and make practical the knowledge learnt from the third house of communication and the ninth house of mental exploration into religion and philosophy.  Remember, knowledge and the ability to use that knowledge is power.  Knowledge is more powerful than all the money in the world and the mighty forces of any enemy’s army.  Knowledge in the second has a strong survival instinct, and will use the assets and potentials of this house to become practical and useful for the individual and the world at-large.  Knowledge is a possession and is comfortable, happy and productive in the second house.

The first step in delineating the second house is to discover the sign on the cusp and its ruler, and if there is any planets in the house, and if not, if the opposite house has any planets that would reflect its influence in to the second.  The sign itself will give an indication of how active it is and if it feels comfortable in this house.  The next step is to see where the ruler, the planets in the second, and if no planets, the planets in the opposite house are, and to see how strong these planets are.  Are these planets happy and strong, or are they weak?  This will give one a good idea how well they will perform for you, and what kind of aspect are they forming with the other planets in the chart.  This will let you know how your money will be earned, and will show you what assets will work for you.  It is true that the tenth house will show you what field one would excel in and if one would achieve one’s goal, but the second will tell you in which way and how you will excel in it.

The following is some keywords to help you delineate the planets in the second house:

            Sun                  Confidence, vitality, security, surety

            Moon               Nurturer, instincts, intuitive, fluctuating, and inconsistent

            Mercury           Communication, clever, resourceful, faulty presumptions

            Venus              Beauty, taste, surroundings, artsy, equilibrium

            Mars                Assertive, aggressive, readiness, defensive

            Jupiter             Optimism, expansive, success, independent, carefree

            Saturn              Restrictive, structure, responsibility, lessons

            Uranus             Creativity, originality, inventive, sudden changes

            Neptune          Imaginative, idealism, transcendence, illusive

            Pluto                Transformation, powerful, rebirth

Once you work with these keywords and the signs, more keywords will come to you, and you will begin to see what you need to provide the financial security in your life.  In my own chart I have Libra on the cusp of the second with Aries on the eight without any planets in either house.  With Venus ruler of Libra in the tenth house in Gemini and Mars ruler of Aries in the sixth in Pisces, which indicates although I would work in the arts that it was important how I use my mind, and that what ever career I would pursue, I would give it my all, with Mars in the sixth.  Venus in the tenth also indicated that if my job wasn’t artsy, it needed to make me feel all was in equilibrium.  Sometimes we don’t see the talents we really have because we are so critical of ourselves, but the second house will never lie about what you can really do when it comes to providing the foundation for growth.  There are talents and assets lying dormant in thus house, we only need to recognize the potential and give them the chance to be used.  I hope this will lead you to new adventures and to think out of the box when it comes to your financial security.

  

“Planet in the 8th House – More to it, then meets the Eye”

My credentials in the study of astrology comes from authors and writers of the early twentieth century and with Dr. Plummer of the S.R.I.A., just before the modern astrological revolution began with the new modern astrologers forging new areas of expertise.  Since I have Mercury conjunct Uranus in Gemini in the ninth house, my studies and interest in astrology can be very diverse and seem to have no connection.  Like most astrologers, my readings and studies into this ancient art never stops, from studying works of early western writers as early as the twelfth century, including William Lilly and Morin, and as diverse as looking into other systems as well.  So it was very interesting to me to read an article by Hank Friedman in the August/September 2009 issue in The Mountain Astrologer entitled “The Ruler of the Chart in Vedic Astrology’.  Luckily I had read “Ancient Hindu Astrology for the Modern Astrologer by James Braha” which gave me a foundation to build on and to understand what I was reading.

 

In Western astrology, the ruler of the ascendant or first house is called the ruler of the chart, and in Vedic astrology the ascendant is called the Lagna and the ruler, Lagnesha.  As my ruler in the Vedic systems falls in the eighth house, I have extracted the following meaning from his article with my comments.  “The 8^th house is often seen as the most challenging house in Vedic astrology, and the Lagnesha here can therefore indicate a life replete with many obstacles, traumas, and personal issues.  However, a person with the Lagnesha in the 8^th house may also guide others through their life difficulties, in roles such as hospice worker, crisis counselor, bankruptcy attorney, or private investigator.  In addition, a strong Lagnesha in the 8^th house denotes someone gifted in ancient traditions, e.g., an herbalist, astrologer, healer, acupuncturist, etc., as well as those who are in the sex industry or have sexual charisma.  The 8^th house also represents chronic issues, such as long-term financial problems, lingering illnesses, compulsion like addictions and gambling, and sexual intrigues and scandals.”

 

I not only found this to be very interesting and that it could sum up what has been happening in my life, I was wondering if I put this same system to work in a western chart and come up with a delineation that would be predictive and make sense?  Applying this method to my own tropical chart the ruler would be Mercury in the ninth House.  The meaning of the ninth also made sense as my Sun, the essence of my chart was in the eighth house.  In traditional astrology like the Vedic system the sixth, eighth, and twelfth houses are considered malefic.  The reason the eighth house is considered malefic is the fact that it makes no aspect good or bad to the first house.  The following is an excerpt for the ninth “The Lagnesha in the 9^th house can bring to the individual many opportunities, great teachers, uplifting experiences, good fortune, higher education, a powerful intuition, and a deepening understanding of life and spirit.  A well-placed Lagnesha here can indicate a person who is charitable, spiritual, ethical, virtuous, honored, supported and respected.”  Thank you Hank Friedman for your thoughts.  Depending on other factors and aspects of the natal chart, how much of the definition may apply to each individual will need to be analyzed.

 

As far as my own chart, I have always been asked, if I would like to be told of the hardships that might come up, and my answer is a thousand yeses.  The problem is without understanding what detours that are laid in our path; our ability to make the right decisions is hampered.  Also by going through these difficulties we not only learn what we want or don’t want, we also begin to anticipate the problems before they manifest.  Although the difficulties of life may have been many, would I want to change the course I had, and my answer would be no.  So instead of being afraid of what the malefic can bring into one’s life, be ready to learn and grow from them.  So for those reading this article, with their rulers being in the eighth or ninth house, be happy and make the best use of it, for it is a blessing in disguise.