The Flow! July 7 – 20, 2013

Crabby Patties

Mercury has been in Cancer since May 31^st. The Sun has been there since the Solstice on June 21^st, and Jupiter joined the party on June 25^th. As I write this, Mars is about to join them until very late August, and Jupiter will be there until this time next year. And to add a cherry to this Cancerian cake, the upcoming New Moon will throw the sign into added prominence for at least the next few weeks.

As most of you know, Cancer is the sign of the crab. Why it was named that is anyone’s guess. The story told to me was that because at the Summer Solstice the Sun appears to move “sideways”, like a crab. Unlike most myths, this one happens to be true. From a few days before the Solstice to a few days after, the Sun progresses along the zodiac each day, but appears to be at the same height for those few days. It does the same thing at the Winter Solstice, but we’re too busy partying to notice. That’s why technically, the longest day or longest night isn’t always on the day of the Solstice.

Source: Wikipedia Commons

Be that as it may, the origin of the name of the sign has given rise to its unfortunate association with the physical disease, cancer. To the ancients, the hard shell-like nature of some tumors, and the mass of blood vessels attached to them also reminded them of a crab – and the name stuck, though it wasn’t until the 17^th century as we became more curious about the nature of the illnesses of the physical body that the word was commonly used for the sign and the disease.

If you want someone to blame, blame Galen the circa 2^nd century author of the most widely read works on medicine, built on the works of Hippocrates, the guy with the famous oath.

What of the sign?

Well, to be fair, Cancer is one of the yin signs, and hence has been subjected to a bit of a bum rap for many years (decades, centuries, millennia…) Associated with a more “feminine” energy, Cancer’s place was in the home, and not much else. In traditional astrology, she is looked at as your archetypical “granny” who slaves over a hot stove in the middle of summer to give you milk with chocolate cookies and thinks your every statement and action is the best thing since sliced bread. Because she also knows all too well the work that goes into slicing bread before those newfangled gizmos were invented.

Still, Cancer IS a rather domestically oriented sign, but that is primarily because it is an internal sign that is chiefly concerned with security. And even in this wild and wooly 21^st century, both are satisfied most in the place we call home. Milk and cookies optional.

The internal nature of the sign gives Cancers a unique capacity for self-understanding. Sure, you may find one with lots of Leo that thinks the world revolves because they move, or you may also find some with lots of Gemini who doesn’t have the patience to tell you the time of day. But on the whole, they know how they tick, what they want, and how to satisfy their own needs. How in hell do you think they got to know how to be so understanding and able to take care of everyone else’s needs?

The need for security also makes Cancers very protective. Just touch a Cancer, and that hard shell comes up to protect them, and the pinchers are put on full battle-station alert to identify, track, and if needed, destroy any hostile enemy in the vicinity. And in spite of their size, they’re very good at it. That’s why they’ve managed to survive since Jurassic times, and have done so resplendently in 6,793 species in 93 families. Walk into any supermarket, and you’ll find plenty of them available. If a Cancer eats a crab is it astrological cannibalism?

Cancer is ruled by the Moon. Why, is anybody’s guess. But my theory is that about 4,000 years ago, when the planets were associated with the signs, Leo would have been the sign in which the Summer Solstice occurred, which if you ask me, it would make sense for the rulership of the sign of greatest solar strength to begin with the Solstice. And in that case, if you divided the zodiac in half along that axis, it would make sense to put the light half on one side and give it to the Sun, and the dark half on the other and give it to the Moon. Who knows?

But the association with the Moon gives rise to the idea that Cancer is a moody sign, and regardless of its moodiness, which may come and go like the tides, virtually all Cancers need a private place they can go to sulk, I mean,  recharge their batteries.

In spite of all the emotional currents running through their bodies, Cancers are not worriers like Pisceans. Pisces wins the Nobel Worry prize. Pisceans can conjure fantasies that go “boo” in the night, but Cancers are more direct – they PLAN for their future, the future doesn’t just happen to them. They are always making sure that every move is carefully considered to ensure the greatest degree of successful outcome. That’s why sometimes they’re a bit slow to act. But when they do, it is direct, forceful, efficient, and effective. That is also why so many Cancers are so successful at what they do, they don’t waste time or energy – it’s too likely to jeopardize their security.

That may be partly why Jupiter, planet of opportunity, success, and good fortune is exalted (thrilled) in the sign. The natural fertility of the sign (ever see a crab reproduce? A female can lay 100,000 eggs at a pop!) provides greater opportunities for success and a fortunate outcome.

And speaking of good fortune, long-time friends and fans of this blog will recall that on more than one occasion I mentioned that an economic recovery was difficult to come by because Jupiter and Saturn, the two most significant economic indicators were opposed to each other for quite some time. Well, now they are in a harmonious relationship to each other, so we can expect (at least for this year) for there to be a strengthening of the economy along traditional lines. By that, I mean recoveries in the housing market, agricultural and manufacturing growth, and the ability of businesses to take root and thrive. Over the next nine months, we may see several important household names come into being and start their climb into everyday use.

Last time, I went through what Jupiter in Cancer means for all the signs. If you missed that, be sure to check that out HERE, and to be sure you’re making the best USE of the information, you may want to review the FLOWCATOR here, that helps determine the most important signs in your chart for any given aspect of your life. It’s a rather handy tool!

A few general words first, however. People on the whole are likely to be more prickly, and take offense where none may have been intended. People are also more likely to be more protective of themselves, their loved ones, and their cheese during this time, so be careful you don’t step on any mousetraps. Also, and perhaps most prevalently (because it is becoming so prevalent culturally) people are more likely to be PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE during this time. Direct action may be your best course here, remember, crabs tend to move sideways – not often the shortest route to the objective. And finally, this energy is likely to direct many of us to focus our attention on our homes and home life.

MARS In Cancer

Aries: For you folks in particular, Mars in Cancer can be a pain in the butt. But you horned folks know all about butts, eh? Mars in Cancer is likely to force you to face doubts about your own competency, and your own plan of action. Doubt is good, it can make you check your car’s engine before a long trip. But sitting and devising multiple courses of strategy is not your strong suit, and can frustrate your natural tendency to be and do the right thing at the right time. True, your instincts may be a bit bollocksed up at the moment, but trying to untangle that sticky web is likely to frustrate you even more.

Taurus: Mars in Cancer can be your friend. It gives you the opportunity to get out and begin doing some of the things you’ve been dreaming, err, thinking about lately. Time to get up from that big comfy chair and make things happen. You’ve got a strong wind at your back, time to go sailing!

Gemini: Mars in Cancer is also good for you folks as well. It finally gives you a chance to prove your worth, and perhaps offer the opportunity to make some personal gains at the same time. Since things normally happen to you in pairs, you may have to choose between two perfectly fine paths to take. But if you remain true to your values, you should make the right choice.

Cancer: While most often Mars in a person’s sign gives them a boost of extra energy, Mars in your sign can often drive you off the edge. You don’t really need all that extra energy, and it just winds up making you feel anxious and frayed. If, however, you have been waiting for a good time to act and put some plan into motion, this would be a good time to give it a go. On the other hand, if you don’t, you may want to take up a form of physical exercise to help discharge all the pent up forces you feel inside.

Leo: If Mars in Cancer may drive Cancers off the edge, it may drive you bonkers. BEWARE: Mars here may set off some psychological complexes that can undermine the personal gains you have made lately. We all have to face our demons some time, and that time is now for many of you. Just remember that generally speaking, humor is your best weapon. Nothing makes a demon of the deep go PUFF! like pointing your finger and erupting into a belly laugh, no matter HOW vicious or threatening that demon may be.

Virgo: Mars in Cancer is your friend. If harnessed properly, it can be your Pegasus to carry you to the land of your dreams. All you need to do is stay in the saddle and not fall off. You’ve learned a lot over the last few months, put that education to good use.

Libra: You folks are luckier than you might think during this time, at least in terms of your outside life and your career. Your lifetime goals may become a bit clearer now, and you have an added ally in Mars to help slay any evil dragons in your path. This is a career high time for you, if you can take advantage of this opportunity, it can help you secure a better foundation for future growth. You may find your professional life crowding out your personal life, but that may be a small price to pay for the gains you have the chance to make.

Scorpio: While Mars usually is a driving force (if not driving many of us nuts), for you folks this may be more of a time to sit back and reflect on what has befallen you, what it all means, and what steps you want to take to create a new future for yourself. This is a perfect opportunity for you to take the good and learn the lessons of the bad, and use them both to fashion a better tomorrow for you and your loved ones.

Sagittarius: This is a time of great personal focus for you that can signify important changes in your life. If you have been resisting some new elements in your life, this may be a time in which you find yourself faced with some difficult choices. To some extent, you may need more time for information gathering, but once you have all it is you need to know, there should be no reasonable excuse for delay. It’s leap-of-faith time. Will you land on feathers, or spikes? Only the gods know for sure, but there may be no turning back. Say a prayer, and then jump. As Isabel Hickey used to say, “Let go, and let god.”

Capricorn: Mars in Cancer can be a particularly propitious time for you. All the right things are in place, all the right steps have been taken. Now is the time of the fruition of your plans, and many of the things you have worked so hard to create and produce. The last thing in the world you want to do is walk away from the gate of success. Don’t walk away, walk through. And when you do, take ownership of what you find there, you deserve it.

Aquarius: So much to do and so little time to do it! Right now, the world is a bitch, your family is a bitch, your job can be a bitch, everything is just bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch. Chill. Not that you’ll have much time for that, but just take what time you can to prioritize and make sure that the important things are taken care of firstly and mostly. Also important to keep in mind is that above all, you must remain true to your self and your convictions. Nothing can undermine an Aquarian more than self-criticism over compromised principles. Stay true, and make amends if you can.

Pisces: The Sun is shining, but you don’t need me to tell you that. For the longest time, you folks have been walking with your feelers out 1,000 feet in front of you imagining abysses and snake pits ahead on your path. Instead, you find a garden. Stop to smell the flowers. Enjoy!

On Today, SUNDAY, JULY 7^th at 10:12pm, Saturn goes Direct in motion. That means it’s time to take responsibility for our actions. If you have recently done something to someone you regret, be proactive and try to do something to patch things up. If you have been on the receiving end of a bad deal, you may find a gate to a new beginning – if you don’t insist on being stuck where you are. Above all, Saturn brooks no fools, so don’t give him cause to go brooking after you!

On MONDAY, JULY 8^th at 12:14am, we have the New Moon of Cancer. It’s all about structure and control. What are the structures of our government, our personal lives, or our businesses that serve us, and which do not? How much are we able to control, and at what cost?  Who do we honestly relate with, and who do we manipulate? Over the next two weeks these questions are likely to come to the forefront, and will beg for answers.

This part of the zodiac is known for deep personal insight, so it is possible that if the questions are addressed in the proper manner, you may find a deeper and more profound understanding of the situation than you had previously. What you don’t want to find yourself doing is limiting yourself by accepting things because you are unable to expend a little imagination on understanding how they could be restructured to be more beneficial.

On TUESDAY, JULY 9^th at 11:41am, the Sun and Mercury conjoin. So if you DO have some deep thinking to do, now is a good time to do it. It is also an excellent time for putting your nose to the grindstone and getting some decent work done. True, Mercury is STILL retrograde, and will be until the 20^th, but that doesn’t mean that good thinking can’t be done. Get crackin’!

As previously noted, on SATURDAY, JULY 13^th at 6:22am, Mars enters Cancer.

On WEDNESDAY, JULY 17^th at 10:20am, Uranus goes Retrograde. That may be a bit of a sigh of relief if you have been feeling as if you can’t catch your breath because of all the changes going on around you. As Uranus moves backwards in the sky, we reconsider, restructure, consolidate what has been working for us, and prepare to make a fresh start for those things that didn’t pan out as planned.

We wrap up the period on SATURDAY, JULY 20^th with several astrological events. At 11:22am, Mercury goes DIRECT, so one again, you are free to get up and move about the cabin. However, since Mercury is in its Storm period (returning to the same place in the zodiac it went Retrograde/backwards) until July 27^th, keep your seat belt fastened unless you need to get up.

Also on Saturday is a GRAND TRINE (perfect triangle) between Mars, Neptune, and Saturn. On a social level, this could be a time of a significant discovery that changes the way we think about things. It could also be a time in which a “third way” is devised as a compromise for two opposing factions. On a personal level, it could be the time to start something new that has the possibility of changing your life, or of bringing something new into the world that changes the lives of others.

As always, don’t forget to look up! There’s always something inspiring going on up there, but a couple of things to note: Jupiter has now crossed the path of the Sun and is soon to become a morning star rising higher and higher in the morning sky as the months go by until it begins to appear in the east late in the evening sky in October. And Venus is rising higher and higher in the western sky at sunset, and is joined by the Moon on the 11^th and 12^th.

That’s it for this two-week period! Wishing you all a wonderful two weeks and the next scheduled update will be posted on Sunday, July 21^st.

It’s SUPERMoon!

The Flow! June 23, 2013 – July 7, 2013.

Next scheduled update July 6, 2013!

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s Supermoon!

Ugh, I guess you half-expected that, but I suppose it’s equally expected that you’ve already heard that this month’s Full Moon on June 23^rd at 4:32am is a supermoon.

And, probably many of you have also heard that it is because this month’s Full Moon occurs soon after the Moon is closest to the Earth, it’s perigee (peri – close, gee – earth from the same word we get Gaia.)

The idea of a “supermoon” was originated/discovered by astrologer colleague Richard Nolle, who I used to know from several astrological e-mail lists in spirited days of yore. He wasn’t particularly fond of me and I thought he was a bit of a prick, being only interested in his own theories, but his name gets mentioned by NBCNews every once in a supermoon, and when people first hear of my name, they start imitating an owl.

Ah, such are the vicissitudes of fate — at least for now. And just to show there are no hard feelings, you can read all about the Supermoon at his website: here.

Generally speaking, in an average month the Moon’s distance from the Earth is 384,400 km; Between 1750 and 2125 the furthest it gets is 406,720 km and the closest is 356,375 km. At Sunday’s Full Moon, it will be at 356,997. Pretty close, but the closest it EVER gets during that time frame was January 4^th, 1912. Conjure up your ancestors to hear how memorable that was.

Supermoons also happen fairly often, and fairly regularly. For example, the last big Supermoon was in the antiquity of March 2011, and supermoons also follow the 18 year Saros/Moon’s Node cycle, so mark your calendars — in June 2021, there will also be a similar Supermoon.

They are fun to watch though, and because this Full Moon will be so low in the sky, it will appear bigger and more deeply colored because of atmospheric refraction, especially at moonrise and moonset. Definitely not a sight to miss, so take a look up and bring your best camera!

What, exactly does a Supermoon mean, or more to the point, what does it do?

Astrologers, as a whole, don’t make much of distance. In fact, one of the main premises of astrology is that tiny tiny tiny Pluto, way way way out there, can have every bit – if not more influence than a closer planet like Mercury. Truth be told, as a rule when considering the transits, slower and more distant planets are given more (considerably more) weight than faster moving closer planets.

You might call it the “wagon wheel” theory of astrological influence. The slower moving planets dig deeper furrows in the road because they spend more time influencing the geography in which they travel than faster moving planets whizzing by.

However, I don’t think it’s wise to discount distance as a metric of influence. We all do know that the Moon has considerable influence on the Earth, and that influence intuitively should be stronger the closer the body is to us.

Therefore, we can expect this to be a stronger Full Moon than usual. This is particularly true since the Sun will be in the Moon’s own sign of Cancer further adding to the strength of the Moon, although since this is a Full Moon and the Moon will be in the opposite sign of Capricorn, it isn’t a particularly jolly place for the Moon to be.

Because of the areas (the axis of the Solstices) that both Sun and Moon are in at the time of the Full Moon, this is a Full Moon that focuses considerable energy on the following dichotomy:

IN WHAT AREAS OF YOUR LIFE ARE YOU FREE, AND WHICH ARE YOU SUBJECT TO THE AUTHORITY OF ANOTHER?

That’s a biggie.

We (the US, and perhaps others) are currently deeply embroiled in the question of where does privacy begin and the government’s awareness of our behavior end? And another prong in that same fork is the degree to which our behavior on line is our own, and the degree to which it can be used by corporations without our explicit permission? Or still yet, how far are we willing to sacrifice freedom (Cancer) for the sake of our security (Capricorn)?

On a more personal level, the question becomes are you the boss at home, at work, or at play? Or is your behavior subject to the authority of another? Even bosses have “bosses” to whom they must answer, so “who’s the boss?” can be a very subjective matter. And since the Moon revels in subjectivity, you can give yourself a migraine trying to suss out all the inter-relationships of authority in your life.

Ultimately, it comes down to our decisions – and the ability to make decisions about the manner in which we are able to lead our lives. So, in this Full Moon period (till the next New Moon July 8^th) we are likely to be confronted with situations that serve as markers on the boundaries within which we live, and agree to live within them.

Changing the boundary is easy, if you are willing to accept the consequences of doing so. So yes, we are free to refuse to pay that bill, move to a nicer place, walk off the job, or just take off and not look back.

But what would the repercussions be?

To what degree, then are the boxes in which we live constructs of our own creation bounded by the denizens of our nightmares? Or are we truly hemmed in by real restrictions that breaking out from under would only create substantially greater restrictions (like prison). Or are we simply content to live within the constraints in which we find ourselves? This Full Moon can give us an opportunity to peek outside and get a better sense of what our answers might be. The view may be chilling, but it will certainly be liberating. What price freedom? And is it a price we are willing to pay?

Astrology offers some guidance. The place of the zodiac of maximum freedom is the Summer Solstice, 0º Cancer, which we passed this Thursday, June 20^th at 11:44pm. And the place of maximum authority at the opposite, Winter Solstice at 0º Capricorn.

Leading up to the Summer Solstice is the principle of EXTERIORIZATION, or the bringing out that which is inside. It is a time of letting loose, letting off steam, and acknowledging some of our own inner wants and needs. It is also a time, as we have seen, in which things that were secret come to the light of day.

During the sign of Cancer, we address those inner feelings, intuitions, and sensations and come to understand them and ourselves, better. We make choices in those areas in which we are FREE to do so, in order to establish ourselves and forge an identity that comes into being in Leo.

In other words, astrologically speaking, freedom acknowledges our inner wants, needs, and talents and uses them to establish our own sense of Self. In that sense, so long as the decisions we make are supported by being an expression of our true nature, and an awareness of our personal landscape, they help establish ourselves in the world. It’s the same thing Shakespeare has been saying since 1603, “To thine own self be true…” As we travel through the next couple of weeks, that may a good catchphrase to keep in mind.

Or, you can simply submit to authority. That is Path B. Often submitting to authority is the easier and more comfortable route. Equally often, it can come at the expense at one’s pride, authenticity, and feelings of self-worth. You may feel like a peanut in the mixed nuts nuthouse of our world, but you’ll be a good safe little peanut – until you are plucked out of the can.

C’est la vie. The next two weeks should tell much of the tale.

But even more important than the Supermoon, and far more likely to affect all of us, is the Ingress (entry) of Jupiter into the sign of Cancer on Tuesday, June 25^th at 6:40pm:

Jupiter in Cancer:

ARIES: All that running around will soon come to an end as you begin to focus more on your personal life. You’ve been the center of attraction for quite some time, and it isn’t so much that your star is fading, but that it’s now time for you to focus attention on your Self. You’ve been spending much of your time tending to others lately, now is the time for your to take care of you.

TAURUS: Jupiter in your 3^rd House expands your network and provides new opportunities for you to reach out and make connections with others. Important connections; connections that will help you professionally and personally. Don’t be surprised if old friends pop out of nowhere and try to re-establish contact. So long as you feel they’ll be a positive addition, go right ahead.

GEMINI: Jupiter is apt to put the spotlight on your finances. There may be times, particularly in August and next January when you might be able to improve your financial situation. Legitimacy is your keyword; just make sure that you are devoting your time to legitimate pursuits. Shady characters may try to enter your life now, so use your inner instincts and whatever other resources at your disposal to ferret them out and keep them at a good distance.

CANCER: With Jupiter in your sign, expansive opportunities lie in almost ANY direction you want to travel. The usual problem with Jupiter is that there is often an OVERABUNDANCE of opportunities, and the problem is deciding which of them is best. You, more than anyone have a good sense of your inner values – let that awareness be your lodestone guiding you through the myriad lines of opportunity Jupiter casts in your direction.

LEO: This is your prep year! You’ve been accumulating all sorts of stuff over the past 11 years, some of it good – and some of it stinky. Now’s your time to sift through all that stuff and decide what’s worth keeping and what should be tossed by the wayside. There may be some people you leave out on the curb with those old knickknacks, so try to be as genteel as possible with detritus of the human sort. Also, Jupiter is just thrilled to be in this part of your chart, so you may meet a fairy godmother or two over the next 11 months.

VIRGO: You are about to become a people magnet. No matter how much charisma you may have, you’re about to attract people to you like fleas. Except hygienic Virgos wouldn’t know from fleas. Let’s just say this is usually also a very fortunate position for Jupiter, and he may be looking down at you in a favorable light – offering you the chance to turn some desires into reality, and bring in just the right people to make that happen.

LIBRA: This is usually a good year for you professionally. If you have been struggling in this area, Jupiter may help ease your path. The real situation at hand may have more to do with your reputation and getting the kudos you deserve for the hard work than you’ve been doing. If so, others are bound to take notice of you, and recognize the contributions you have been making.

SCORPIO: If you’ve been reading the other signs feeling jealous, there’s no need. Jupiter in your 9^th House is the most favorable of all. But it won’t all just fall in your lap. For Jupiter’s beneficence to shine its spotlight on you, you need to be on the stage and not sitting idly in the audience.  Go. Do. Make. Create. Get busy. The busier you are, the brighter Jupiter’s light will shine on you.

SAGITTARIUS: Jupiter is your planet, so thanks for sharing him with the rest of us! When he’s in Cancer, it’s like he’s sitting in a Jacuzzi, martini in hand, surrounded by acolytes, and puffing on his favorite weed. In other words, he’s HAPPY. And you can be too, if you are willing to examine your life and see what you need to do to take it to the next level. Chances are there’s little wrong, but things have been slow – if not stuck on idle lately. This isn’t really the time for making wild changes, but for setting the table for the feast you would like to eat. Get your chef hat out, and start rummaging through those recipes!

CAPRICORN: Jupiter is in your 7^th House, so the focus for you is on your relationships. Some of them may be great, others rocky, but now they are all likely to come to the forefront. In the next year, you are going to better understand what these people mean to you, what roles they play in your life, and what kind of relationship you want with them in the future. That actually gives you considerable power – the important thing is to remember that the decisions are yours to make.

AQUARIUS : Jupiter is a bit fidgety in your 6^th House. It generally feels itself confined to small matters, while you’d like to focus on the larger picture. But, that doesn’t mean that Jupiter can’t be of good use. For one thing, this is a great location for Jupiter to help improve your working conditions. Some of you may even get promotions during this time. More importantly, though, you get to rework those relationships that operate from a sense of obligation and responsibility, so that you are less driven by them psychologically, and more capable of relating to them from a position of if not equality, at least equanimity.

PISCES: You folks have been through a lot. You and Jupiter have spent a lot of time working on your SELF, and getting you into shape. Appreciate that work, and let yourself have some FUN! You’ve earned some time to rest, relax, and recuperate. Many of you worry way too much, and that stress is not good for your body. Lighten up a bit. Especially for those of you who work in more creative endeavors, you should find better and greater avenues in which to manifest your art. Loosen up. Jupiter’s light can’t shine in if you’ve got yourself closed up like a sack. Open up and let it’s light shine down on you!

Otherwise, there isn’t a whole lot going on, though that’s enough.

Mercury goes retrograde on Wednesday, June 26th at 6:08am. Y’all know what that means — stay focused, stay alert, and watch out for the clowns. Electronic devices of all kinds are apt to act up, and avoid submitting or implementing anything that might need to be redone at a later time. Mercury will remain retrograde until July 20th. If you can wait until then to make any major moves, you’ll be glad you did.

On Thursday, June 27^th at 10:03am,  Venus enters Leo. If you have been feeling moody, sensitive, emotional, nervous, anxious and otherwise on edge, Venus in Leo should lighten your load. Venus (our relationships) delights in the sign of Cancer (our feelings), but after a while often becomes a drama queen in which every little event becomes a staging opportunity for serial melodrama.

Venus in Cancer is perhaps best exemplified by Sarah Bernhardt, and here is one of her quotes: “All the pictures that hung in my memory before I knew you have faded and given place to our radient moments together. Now I cannot live apart from you… Your words are my food, your breath is my wine. You are everything to me.”

Yes, Sarah, we know.

Venus in Leo is more Madonna, “Power without guilt, love without doubt….” or ““Sometimes you have to be a bitch to get things done.”

Things are quiet until July 1^st when Madonna (Venus) runs afoul (squares) Snidely Whiplash (Saturn) and realizes that universe can be a bitch back. If you must deal with others that day, try to be as pleasant as you can. Everyone is likely to be in a foul mood, and nobody wants to play nicely. If you bring donuts to the office, you’ll be a hero.

July 4^th (Happy 4^th of July to our American friends and fans!) The Sun (our Selves) cozies up to Chiron (healing), so it’s a great day for getting things off your chest, doing something nice for yourself, or even better doing something nice for someone who’s letting you get something off your chest.

On Sunday, July 7^th at 8:14pm Venus (Madonna gets around) teams up with Mick Jagger (uh, Uranus) for a gig at the Hollywood Bowl, surprising everyone that love, admiration, and adoration can be found in the strangest places. Just when you LEAST expect it, someone may do something really nice for you. You might even break out into a happy tune.

And considering all the stuff going on, that’s a very good way to end the period!

Wishing you all a wonderful two weeks, check back on July 6^th for the next edition of The Flow!

Supermoon!

As you can see below, the Supermoon of November 2016 is even more super duper than this one.

Sunset, June 21st

The Flow! June 8th – 23rd

Betwixt The Moons

Dear fellow friends and fans of the Flow, this edition is going to be brief. This weekend has been Gay Pride LA, and while I have had one of the best prides ever, it has not left me with the time to prepare this post, so it will be briefer than I usually like.

Be sure to return for the next edition, due June 23^th as we discuss the entrance of Jupiter into the sign of Cancer on Tuesday the 25^th. Every year Jupiter changes signs, and when it does our opportunities for growth, development, and success change along with it. Since Jupiter is said to be “exalted” in Cancer, Jupiter will be functioning more strongly than usual, so its effects on the possibility of success are substantial.

Next week I’ll provide a sign-by-sign analysis of Jupiter’s effects and the path it is lighting most brilliantly for each of us. It should be a golden opportunity edition you won’t want to miss!

But brief is by no means non-existent, so let’s get on with the energies of the next two weeks.

Gemini New Moon

The period is bookended by the New and Moon of Gemini and Full Moon of Cancer/Capricorn. We start the period with the New Moon of Gemini at June 8^th at 8.56am PDT at 18º01 Gemini. For those of you with an important planet at 19º of any sign, this could be the start of an important new chapter in your life focusing on:

   Aries: Discovery, exploring and learning new things

   Taurus: Networking, establishing foundations, and making new starts

   Gemini: Self-improvement, self/spiritual-development, and getting into shape

   Cancer: Taking concrete steps in your plans, getting support, and your finances

   Leo: Managing your affairs, getting things in order, and contributing to others

   Virgo: Working with others, budgeting, and dealing with contracts

   Libra: Planning for your future, meeting new people, and dealing with your relationships

   Scorpio: Having faith in your Self, making needed changes, leaving past behind

   Sagittarius: Travel, education, and long-term personal development

   Capricorn: Work-related matters, achieving your stride, solving problems

   Aquarius: Projects, children, and your marriage/intimate/sexual relationships

   Pisces: Making important decisions, home life, and planning events

This is also a New Moon with which to pay close attention to what is said and discussed. Gemini rules communications of all sorts, and with the New Moon in this part of the sign people are much more apt to speak up and out than usual. Our words and actions come from the heart, and people are much more likely to want to get things off their chest than to keep them hidden. Our hearts are on our sleeves, and it actually is more likely that if you won’t want yours broken that you speak honestly than if you try to coyly hold your cards close to your chest.

All this chesty – heartfelt talk is likely to come directly from the bosom, so unless you want your hopes to go bust, make sure your brain is in gear before engaging your tongue. Similarly, pay close heed to the way things are said. There’s also more valuable information than simply with what you hear, as our sentiments are communicated like the oils in a painting. It isn’t the specific color or brush-stroke that’s important but the over-all context of the canvas that’s the real message.

June 8th

Saturday the 8^th is also likely to be a bit hectic, as Mercury (our intelligence, communications, and plans) squares off against Uranus (order/chaos, progress, change) at 11:47am so that it may be better to let spontaneity be your guide than to set rigid plans that may need to be changed as the day progresses.

June 10th

On Monday the 10^th, we may find people easier to deal with than we might otherwise expect as Mercury (intelligence, etc.) sings a happy tune to Chiron (healing, development, new opportunities) at 3:48am. People are just easier to work with as they are more willing to entertain alternative perspectives than their own. Our friends in the eastern hemisphere may be more likely to experience the effect of this aspect as the time-frame is fairly fleeting and most of us westerners will be in dreamland during its peak time.

June 11th

Tuesday, the 11^th Saturn (responsibilities, obligations) harmonizes with Neptune (our dreams, spiritual affairs, beliefs) helping us better understand how we can make our dreams real. Or, if you’re really lucky, having a real dream come true. This has been a very long-lasting aspect that will affect many of us at various intervals over the summer, but if you’re willing to let yourself to driven by your destiny instead of your fears, you may find that the glass slipper really fits, and a royal coach waits outside. But you have to be willing to try on the slipper, first.

June 14th

On Friday, June 14^th at 3:07am, again favoring our eastern fans, but still active worldwide from late Thursday afternoon through mid-morning Friday Venus (feelings, relationships, romance) harmonizes with Chiron (healing, etc.) providing us all with an opportunity to make strides in managing our important relationships. This may entail compromises, understanding each others’ perspectives better, or establishing new boundaries or rules. In any event, we are all supplied with the possibilities of improving our relationships if we are willing to engage ourselves honestly and openly with the important people in our lives.

June 15th

Next Saturday, June 15^th at 6:19am, Mars (our actions, energy, drive, ambitions) ticks off Pluto (change, transformation, analysis) for a weekend in which it may be advisable not to take the events, circumstances, or situations we experience too personally. When Mars harmoniously relates to other planets, we are easily able to project our will and make our intentions real, but when Mars is working across the flow, those intentions oft go awry. This is a good weekend (including Friday, the 14^th) to be flexible, and earn good Karma points by being more accommodating than demanding.

June 16th

Chiron (healing, etc.) turns retrograde on Sunday, the 16^th, and we get to re-examine some of the personal progress we have made with regard to our own personal development until it goes direct again in mid-November. Retrogrades are always times of reviewing the past, and in this case, we get to review some of the psychological events of the past few months and learn from them what we can.

June 17th

Monday, June 17^th, Mars (energy, etc.) harmonizes with Uranus (change, etc.) at 8:20am. This aspect can shower some of us with some lucky breaks, or it can grease the wheels for substantial progress on our plans. If you have a meeting to schedule in which people need to decide on the best path forward, it may be beneficial to schedule it for today or tomorrow while the influence lasts.

June 19th

Wednesday morning, the Sun (our selves, our egos, and our main concerns) meets up with Jupiter (opportunity, growth, expansion) at 9:11am, indicating a day that is likely to be busy with lots of various affairs, and the possibility of a bit of Jupiter’s luck or two falling our way. Today, Jupiter goes from an Evening Star to a Morning Star, appearing later and later in the eastern sky each morning. For the next few weeks Jupiter will be too close to the Sun for viewing, but in about a month, he’ll be the brightest object in the eastern sky before dawn.

June 20th

Thursday, June 20^th Mercury (our minds, etc.) snuggles up to Venus (our relationships, etc.) at 7:57pm, so both Thursday and Friday are likely to be days in which romance is likely to be in the air and people are more genial, convivial, gregarious, and less demanding. If you’re in the process of starting a new relationship, tonight might be the best night to pop a bottle of champagne and toast the new love of your life. The warm glow you feel should last a lot longer than the bubbles.

The Sun enters the sign of Cancer at 10:04pm also on Thursday, so Happy Birthday Cancerians, and Merry Litha one and all!

June 23rd

The stars and planets are quiet until Sunday morning, June 23^rd when we have the Full Moon of the signs Cancer (Sun) Capricorn (Moon) at 4:32am.

This is a Full Moon the focuses on the challenge of the balance between Freedom and Authority in our lives. To a certain degree, it brings into sharp focus to what extent we are able to control the affairs of our lives and make our decisions about them, and the extent to which we are obligated to act under the control of others. Each individual’s situation is different depending on the circumstances of their life, but this Full Moon is likely to make us aware of just how much we are free to act on our own, and how much our behavior is limited by others and the decisions we have made. Some of those limitations may be self-induced, some may be enforced by others, and still others may be the product of the society in which we live.

But a Full Moon rarely stops there. A Full Moon is often the culmination of a cycle of development offering the opportunity to make changes to the way things are done. It is a rare Full Moon period that ends the same as it begins if the issues of its concern are addressed.

This Full Moon period will be in effect until the next New Moon on July 8^th. Until that time, look for a heightened emphasis on our individual freedoms, and our ability to free ourselves by changing the decisions that limit us. And therein lies the key to this powerful Full Moon: that we have the power to break through authoritarian limitations if we are willing to re-make the decisions that bound us originally.

That can be a powerful force for progress, if we accept the challenge to make it happen.

Wishing you all a wonderful two weeks!

Dance of the Planets, June 10 – 11

Dance of the Planets, June 15

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe

ONE, TWO, BUCKLE MY SHOE

We have been through some traumatic times. Over the past couple of weeks we have had two eclipses (May 10^th and 25^th), a parade of the personal planets (Sun, Mercury, and Venus) sweep into Gemini (with Mars soon to join them on May 31st), and the Third Uranus-Pluto square (on May 20^th.) With all that change and high-energy afloat it’s no wonder that our psyches are in need of some tender loving care.

Change is in the air, fellow friends and fans of the Flow, and while some winds may blow in some unwelcome visitors, when all is said and done, there may be less actually altered than we might have feared. Yes, these winds may be blowing fiercely, but what is strong will survive. Like a tree bending, so long as we don’t snap, we’ll be fine. That’s the main message of this time.

In our last edition we talked of some shoes falling. And in some cases, if may have felt as if it were raining shoes. But now it is time to find a pair that fit, buckle them, and use them to get you where you want to go.

We just need to be sure that we don’t run over our own hearts getting there.

And that’s the trickiest part of the whole business, because while for the past several months the focus has been on Taurus (yay, improving economy and rising stock market! – though Pluto has quite a bit to do with that, too) that focus shifts now to Gemini, and Gemini is a very, very different kind of sign.

While Taurus is ruled by a mixture of Mother Earth and Lady Venus, Gemini is ruled by Mercury; messenger of the gods, god of commerce, inventor, genius, and trickster.

Let’s start with his name. It is no coincidence that “merc” is at the root of merchandise, merchant, commerce, and market. It is also in other languages at the root of “mercari’ (to trade) and “merces” (wages). Since Mercury was also the god of eloquence, he can sell wool to sheep.

And the adjective “mercurial” meaning erratic, volatile, and unstable, comes straight out of the astrological lexicon for a speedy planet that is difficult to locate since it is never too far from the Sun and, therefore, is often rarely seen without special equipment.

Mercury was also given rulership of messages and communication, so while Apple and Samsung may fight over the global phone market, the real god of phones is Mercury. Throw in computers, which allow us to communicate with electronic devices, and it’s no wonder that when Mercury goes retrograde (backwards) in the sky, they go a bit berserk.

Mercury also governs travel (especially the short-distance kind), borders, boundaries, our luck, thieves, trickery, and was the guide of souls to the underworld.

So, while Gemini is a vastly different sign from Taurus, it is likely considering Mercury’s traits that the economy will continue to improve, and that some of the progress we have made with things in Taurus will continue, though we may be in for some wild swings until June 25^th when Jupiter enters Cancer and stabilizes things.

Famously, Gemini is “the Twins”. Its name literally means “twins” in Latin. In the many disciplines such as linguistics, doubling a symbol, hieroglyphic, or letter is called “gemination,” as it is in dentistry when the roots of a tooth branch off in two.

More relevant to our story, our heavenly twins Castor and Pollux, together were known as the Dioscuri (sons of Zeus in Greek), although technically in mythology Pollux was the son of Zeus and Castor was the son of Tyndareus, the mortal king of Sparta. Castor got whacked, and Pollux, out of brother love asked Zeus to give Castor a bit of his immortality, and so Zeus responded by placing them both together in the immortal sky.

They were known through much of antiquity as the “Castores” and were venerated in very ancient times (all the way back to the pre-Greek Etruscans) and their cult was still going strong in the fifth century AD, evidenced by the headache their worship gave Pope Gelasius I.

Conventionally, many of the traits assigned to Gemini can be ascribed to the twin nature of the sign. Geminis are proverbially known for having duplicate if not multiple personalities, views, and positions on the same subject. Some modern astrologers even give them a tendency toward bi-polar and attention deficit disorders.

All of which is a very, very bum rap.

To understand Gemini, you need to understand that above all it is an air sign. As such, its chief concern is with thoughts, thinking, concepts, and ideas.

Fire is hot, Water is wet, and Earth is solid. But what of Air? We live in an ocean of it, but only pay attention to it when it moves. Our atmosphere provides us with our weather and our every breath, but we never think of it as a thing because we can’t see all those intangible gaseous Oxygen and Nitrogen atoms banging about.

Symbolically, our thoughts are like those intangible gaseous atoms, bumping about in our brains, sometimes making sense, and other times not, appearing like intruders from an alternate dimension. This gives rise to the association of the element of Air with intelligence, creativity, and conceptual abstractions. And since many of these same qualities serve as the foundation of our linguistic skills, people with strong Gemini have an attraction to literary and educational fields in which ideas and concepts can be communicated to others.

All of which combines to make Gemini a very curious sign, in which the need to know about its world is paramount. Not only from the sense of “knowledge is power”, but because Gemini knows that in order to be able to properly use something, you need to know what it is and what its properties are. It takes these various pieces of knowledge it discovers and puts them together in novel and unique ways. Just as when Hermes found a tortoise shell and added strings to create the lyre, Geminis take bits and pieces of information and make something meaningful from them.

It also makes them versatile and flexible, since they understand that discovering new information can alter what they already know.

And though it has taken me a considerable amount of time to get there, is the true crux of our story, and provides the secret to managing this current time period most successfully.

Sometimes, when we are travelling along a path to our goals, we get freaked out when the path curves, or appears to branch off in another direction than where we think we want to go. And that’s where the intellectual flexibility of Gemini can help.

While Gemini people have the same kind of wants and needs as anyone, as a sign , Gemini is concerned with information, facts, and things as they are, not as we would like them to be. You can’t build a car out of tin foil. You can’t boil water in a plastic bag. Even if tin foil and a paper bag are all we have and we really want a car or a cup of tea. But they are useful items for different purposes.

Similarly, with the events in our life. For many of us, things are not as we would like them to be. Over the last few months, we have been subjected to a lot of unexpected circumstances or circumstances that have thrown us for a loop. During this time of Gemini, which will last until late June, we need to take stock of where we are, accept what we have, and work with what we have as best we can.

And Gemini offers a great trick for learning how to do all that, and it’s the secret of the twins. Each twin looks at the other and sees something different. Change your perspective , and the universe changes. That’s the challenge we all now face, allowing our perspectives to supersede our anxieties. Not mere acceptance of things as they are, but a recognition that our emotional attachments can sometimes be more of a hindrance than a help. Even the most loquacious Gemini knows that sometimes the best response to a challenge is silence. The mind can still be most engaged when the tongue is not.

Make no mistake. Gemini is a restless motion-loving sign. It loves the twists and turns of the roller-coaster of fate. But our best defense and offense is our ability to think, understand, and creatively design a path through current life’s challenges.

There can be no better ally in doing so than Gemini. Godspeed winged warriors!

On Sunday, June 2^nd, Venus floats into Cancer putting added emphasis on our emotional needs and concerns. During this time we may find others more sympathetic, nurturing, and understanding. Since this influence can also tend to make us more sensitive, please remember not to let your sensitivities get in the way of your being able to think your way through current challenges. Relationships, however, should be more satisfying, intimate, and mutual while Venus is in the sign of the Crab. Venus remains there until June 27^th when it enters fiery and passionate Leo.

The weekend of June 7^th is apt to be a mixed bag. Venus (relationships) trines Saturn (responsibilities) so it should add to interpersonal stability and is generally a good time for people getting other people to fulfill their relationship obligations. Mercury (intellect) opposes Pluto (transformation), so people may be a bit on edge as their thinking is challenged by others and circumstance. Also on that weekend Mars (action, initiative) squares Neptune (mystery), so it may not be the best time for understanding the motives of others. Just take things as you see them.

Also that weekend, we approach the Saturn (responsibilities) trine to Neptune (mystery), so it is a good time for making sense of things, and understanding better where we fit into the scheme of things. It is also an unusually good time for working on creative projects, or putting personal creative touches on whatever projects you happen to be working on.

As we end May and enter June, we are treated to a dance of the planets at sunset. Jupiter sinks slowly in the west, but Venus and Mercury rise ascendant. Mercury actually gets far enough ahead of the Sun to be visible if you look carefully, and Venus begins her long reign over the western sky, growing in brilliance until she is the brightest object in the sky except for the Sun and Moon later this year.

Wishing you all a wonderful two weeks!

Dance of the Planets

Dusk, May 24th