The Flow! Week of April 24 – 30, 2011

The Flow is a weekly blog published to better understand the flow of astrological, celestial, and magickal energies for the week, and how best to use them.   It is intended for those with little knowledge of astrology. 

For newcomers, the idea is to consider celestial influences as part of a larger whole, or the Flow.  All too often, astrologers tend to write about astrological events as if each were an isolated specimen as if pulled out of the sky and analyzed by itself – and there is no dearth of astrological sites on the net that write that way.  Here, it is the movement and interactions that are important and form the basis of discussion.

If any of the material is unclear or unfamiliar to you, it is probably unfamiliar to others as well, please leave a comment and I will be glad to answer your questions. 

If you like what you see, please share it with friends!  If you would like to get email notifications for when The Flow! is updated, or have a private question please email me at skywatcher888@yahoo.com.  Thank you!

The Flow! is updated every Sunday.

Please note: all times are in the Pacific Timezone.

This week’s synopsis:  And Now for Something Completely Different…

The End.

Sort of.

No, not the end of the blog and not the end of the world, but it is the end of a very long and difficult cycle we have endured that we are now just beginning to emerge from.

Between mid-June of 2005 and now, we have had a sequence of stressful aspects that have torn us apart as a people, nation, and civilization. Much of the difficulties have come from Saturn, planet of difficulties. Saturn has long been known for having “issues” being able to get along with its fellow planets, and it’s not hard to imagine why. While most of the other planets frequently line up for parties and other festive social events, Saturn is often found standing on the sidelines, unfashionably dressed, pointing his finger and scolding the revelers for not eating their peas and falling out of queues.

First to come under Saturn’s baleful gaze in 1979 was the Wounded Healer, Chiron. Saturn put on its Jewish Mother mask and started chasing the centaur around the zodiac, demanding to know why Chiron wasn’t healed yet, insisting that there must be something wrong with him that he wasn’t, that it must be because of some inner guilt that he wasn’t, and that maybe he should call his mother more frequently.  During all of which, we as a society began focusing on our limitations instead of our abilities, assumed there was nothing we could do to solve our problems, and used guilt as a weapon to achieve our aims, both personal and political.

About five and half years ago in late-2005, as Saturn began tiring of haranguing poor Chiron, he caught up withNeptune. Now,Neptuneis about as close to a saint as we have in astrology, but that didn’t stop Saturn. No, not at all. In fact, Saturn’s lament toNeptuneis, “You should know better!” But in spite ofNeptune’s best efforts, things just continued to get worse and worse. Reality (Saturn) just kept slipping from our grasp (Neptune.) We couldn’t see the trees, forests, branches or even a leaf as we drowned in collective games of intellectual quicksand. Yes, the parrot was dead, but we kept convincing ourselves otherwise. This lasted until mid-2007.

We were treated to a brief interlude of leaders trying to entertain us with tape recorders up their noses (and other orifices) but to no avail, after all they were really just twits in suits giving free rein to priests dressed like old ladies terrorizing rest of us.

In very early 2008, Saturn took aim at the planetary bringer of chaos and change Uranus, and we began a tug of war between conservatism (Saturn) and progressivism (Uranus) that lasted until last summer.  When Jupiter, riding a bull and wearing a party hat, got caught in the Saturnian tour-de-force in late spring of 2010, the nascent recovery took a swan dive, and when Pluto joined the fracas, all hell broke loose and theMiddle Eastexploded.

Saturn right now is Retrograde, and will go direct in early June. At that time, we should have a clearer sense of how the situations inLibya,Syria, andYemenare going to stabilize, and with it the price of gas. It will be interesting if there are any sparks that fly from the recently announced Department of Justice inquiry into the trading of oil that ignite outrage at this time.

But there is the real scent of change in the air, beyond the imaginary pines, firs, and larches of lumberjack wannabes.

This week, the astrological energies change for the better. Not that it’s time to run out and buy a bunch of party hats and confetti, but things are looking up. This week, in fact, ends with a decidedly beneficial aspect, a conjunction of Mars and Jupiter that should give a boost to all of our projects and plans, provided we’re willing to play by their rules.

We’ve been through quite a bit. In fact, it’s fair to say we’ve been through a lot, and it has been such a very, very long time since this present cycle began that we’ve come to accept that the rotten way things are is the rotten way things have to be. Not so!

Negative Saturn cycles die hard, and this one is not going to be any exception. In fact, it’s unlikely that much significant change will occur until Saturn goes into Scorpio in October of 2012. But we should begin seeing more and more people deciding they need to take matters into their own hands, and that they have had enough of the nonsense being fed to us by our governments, media, and corporations.

But we mustn’t fool ourselves either. On the heels of this “great awakening” as it might be characterized by our hyperbole obsessed media, it is all a prelude to the big battle, the one that begins in 2013, with the square between Uranus and Pluto. When these two planets were conjunct in the mid-60’s they ushered in revolutions of all sorts. And like all squares, it is going to call into question everything that was accomplished in the 60’s. It is bound to be an interesting time!

Stay tuned for the details in the weeks to come!

On to the Daily Details!

Sunday, April 26^th

No major aspects

Happy Easter!

At 10:59am the Moon enters Aquarius, and we all breathe a sigh of relief. This recent Moon in Capricorn has been a bit difficult, causing us to jump to conclusions, be unwilling to give the other guy the benefit of the doubt, and feel as if we’re walking around beneath a black cloud of what we must do instead of what we want to do. With the Moon in Aquarius we really don’t give a rat’s ass, so just do what you want however it is you want to do it. No one is going to tell you different today!

Furthermore, in the afternoon, we have some fairly lively energy jumping about, so we’re in the mood for following will o’ the wisps wherever they may lead us, and actually more often than not this afternoon, they may lead us toward fulfilling some piece of our heart’s desire. Happy trails!  And finally, evening events are likely to go better than we anticipate. In spite of our reluctance to go out in the evening, if we do so, we may actually find ourselves actually having a good time.

Monday, April 27^th

No major aspects

Life is definitely improving for Aquarians, Leos, Sagittarians, and Geminis, and similarly life is a bit sweeter for all of us while the Moon is travelling through these signs. In the morning hours we have a perfectly placed trine between the Moon and Saturn giving us the emotional support we need to get our work done, fulfill our responsibilities well, and achieve success by being practical and orderly. The early afternoon is an opportune time for business dealings of all sorts, and for understanding situations better and/or learning some bit of news that solves a mystery. Sweet mystery of life at last I’ve found you, indeed! There may be more than one raised eyebrow today that makes us a bit wiser to the whirlwind of life surrounding us. Tonight it may be rather difficult to get to sleep with a vigorous sextile between the Moon and Mars. We find a hundred things we want to do before we go to bed, and more than one of us may fall asleep with the TV still on!

Tuesday, April 28^th

No major aspects

Our moods are definitely lifting this morning as the Moon and Jupiter make nice. We are optimistic, open-minded, and see possibility instead of limitations with regard to our various life situations. We feel as if no problem is too big to tackle, and at least in the morning hours it seems that all of our actions turn out well.

We should make hay while the Sun shines, because in the later part of the day, the energies become decidedly more complex. For one thing, we begin to doubt the sense of clarity and optimism we felt earlier. Those problems that seemed easily solved become a bit more complicated than we thought and we are more unsure of which direction we should take. Furthermore, in the evening the Moon glides into Pisces and we begin to feel the effects of the coming square between Venus and Pluto that hits in the early morning hours of Wednesday turning us into emotional trainwrecks. The best way to handle this energy is don’t be quick to rush to judgment, let things work out over time, and try (even if you really really have to work at it!) not to blame others before finding out all the details!
Wednesday, April 27^th

Venus squares Pluto at 12:20am

Sun trines Pluto at 5:58pm

In the early hours, we need to get a grip, and in the afternoon we find one that fits us rather well. The Venus-Pluto square makes us tense, uneasy, difficult to please, and unable to find a sense of inner balance. Our emotions are on hyperdrive, so the tiniest incident sends us into paroxysms of emotionalism, and it’s all about who is in control. If ever you were in jeopardy of being turned into a welcome matt, it’s Tuesday night to Wednesday morning. Set boundaries, don’t let others take advantage of you, and likewise give others plenty of breathing room before sticking pins in any voodoo dolls – you may not know the whole story!

In the afternoon, things definitely begin to come together. If you need to do some digging or Googling to find the answer to some difficult emotional issues, now is the time to do it. Be warned, though, you may find out more than you want to know!

Generally speaking, the afternoon should be fairly decent. If you are involved in any difficult situations in which you are involved in power struggles, now is the time to put some plans in place to get some justice and turn the tables. The afternoon is one heck of a powerful time, so by all means use it to your advantage! Just be sure to do so in a way that doesn’t eventually backfire on you!

Thursday, April 28^th

No major aspects

The Moon remains in Pisces all day and it is fairly calm and uneventful astrologically. We’re still on over-sensitive mode, so be wary of taking things more personally than they are intended. Any psychic impressions or intuitions you get during the day are likely to have at least a shred of truth to them, so you might want to dig a bit deeper to see what they’re about. Tomorrow the Moon enters Aries, and we become less secretive and more in need of direct action. As far as our relationships go, we need to wait until after the weekend and our affairs begin to clear up and the dust truly has a chance to settle. Up until next Sunday, we’re still dealing with repercussions from the past and it feels difficult to get beyond our past and begin to lay a new emotional foundation. With the lull in today’s energies, today may be a perfect opportunity to sketch out a future emotional life for yourself that is more healthy, satisfying, fulfilling and is a better fit with your life’s destiny.

Friday, April 29^th

No major aspects

The Moon enters Aries at 10:33am and we leave the emotional mysteries of Pisces behind. We’re in a bullish charge ahead mode, and we want action and we want it now! We’re in no mood for dilly-dallying about, and feel much more inclined to take a direct, unambiguous, and candid approach. The day also finds us building up to tomorrow’s climax of astrological energies, so it’s likely to be a grab-bag kind of day. One thing is fairly certain, however. It is an excellent time to put any kind of plans in motion. If you’ve been waiting for that special day to put an ad out there to begin a new chapter in your life, today should be the perfect day to do so. The only exception to this are any plans regarding relationships. It is definitely best to wait until Sunday after the Venus-Saturn opposition to kick off these kinds of plans. You don’t want to torpedo your own battleship!

 Saturday, April 30^th

Venus opposition Saturn at 5:16pm

Mars conjunct Jupiter at 9:26pm

The Moon is in Aries all day. With the conjunction of Mars and Jupiter, today is a day during which actions of all sorts should go well. The course is clear, we know where we stand, we know what we have to do, and it seems taking the necessary steps are both easier than we thought and more productive than we imagined. However, the opposition between Venus and Saturn is still a drag on relationship related issues. Some of us may be feeling depressed, and others misunderstood. Our emotions are difficult to control, and we feel as if we are being asked (or forced) to pay prices for things we never asked for. We want and need to feel in control of our emotional destiny, but there is some inexplicable force holding us back. The best way to handle this may be to give up on the past as best you can. Sever the tentacles from previous negative experiences so that you can be free to pursue your future. No guilt, no blame, no games. Just be who you feel you need to be. I can’t promise the rest will be easy, but it will be a more fulfilling path to pursue.

Tomorrow is definitely another day!

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

 

 

The Flow is a weekly blog published to better understand the flow of astrological, celestial, and magickal energies for the week, and how best to use them.   It is intended for those with little knowledge of astrology.  For newcomers, the idea is to start with the slowest moving forces, as they are the most foundational, and work up to the swiftest, as they are the most fleeting.  If any of the material is unfamiliar to you, it is probably unfamiliar to others as well, please leave a comment so that any questions might be answered. 

If you like what you see, please share it with friends!  If you would like to get email notifications for when The Flow! is updated, or have a private question please email me at skywatcher888@yahoo.com.  Thank you!

The Flow! is updated every Sunday.

Please note: all times are in the Pacific Timezone.

New feature this week…Famous Celebrity Birthdays!

The week’s synopsis: The worm turns.

On Monday, April 26, at 4:27pm we have another of those pivotal events between Saturn and Uranus that have been shaping our society, politics, finances, and collective spiritual future.  It is the 4^th in a series of 5 oppositions between these two titans that has been in various ways tearing at us, shredding us, pulling us apart and putting us back together.

The first occurred November 4^th, 2008; the next on February 5, 2009; then September 15, 2009; and now April 26, 2010.  The final opposition will occur on July 26, 2010, just in time for Lammas and other harvest festivals.

An opposition is much like a see-saw.  Each planet is at opposite ends of the zodiac, and they push and pull – some times releasing energy and some times reaching a synergistic harmony.  It’s like a gunfight at the OK Corral.  Some times someone gets shot, and some times they reach an agreement, but in all cases, everyone involved is forever changed.

These oppositions have also been occurring in an extremely important area of the zodiac, the end of Pisces/beginning of Aries (Uranus) and the end of Virgo/beginning of Libra (Saturn).  This area contains the very dividing line that defines the astrological New Year and the onset of our Spring and Fall seasons, which in turn is the astrological dividing line between the old and new.

Furthermore, Saturn and Uranus are themselves the embodiment of old and new.  Saturn is a bit of a combination between a Marines drill sergeant and first grade teacher.  Stand straight, remember your tables, march in single file!  Be responsible, mind your manners, work hard to get ahead!  Those are the mottos of Saturn.  Uranus is cut from a different cloth.  It is more like a combination magician and scientist.   It is inventive, technologically oriented, and driven to unlock the secrets of the universe.  Its mottos are Freedom, Independence, Equality and Liberty!  Both planets can be used to move forward and solve problems – they just do so in different ways.  Yet Saturn looks to the past, relying on tradition, experience, and conservatism.  While Uranus looks to the future, and relies on wisdom, theory, and liberalism. 

For now, we are stuck between the two. 

And not to be missed is the fact that Jupiter is moving fast to join the party.  Jupiter, planet of expansion, abundance, hope and wisdom is speeding through the end of Pisces ready to add lots of fuel to this epic battle.  Its influence just barely comes into range this week.  It will peak – first to Saturn in mid-to-late May and Uranus in early June.  It is likely to both tip the balance, and improve the economy as it does so. 

America has been wrought by the battle between these titans throughout its history.  The French and Indian War, the American Revolution, the American Civil War, and the Korean War were all fought during tense aspects between Saturn and Uranus.  All of them have had an immense impact on our future as a country.  It will be interesting to see how this series plays out as the final aspect of this set gets closer.  Stay tuned!

Also in the news…

Venus is quite visible these days as she heads into Gemini.  As the week begins, she is very close to the Pleiades cluster.  You can’t miss Venus in the West-Northwest sky around sunset, and she slowly rises above the Pleiades as the week progresses.  By all means, check out this beautiful celestial sight!

The week starts off with people in a somewhat serious mood.  Mercury squares Mars at 3:41am Sunday morning – watch what you say most of the day!  And then the Sun trines Pluto at 8:43am also on Sunday.  The Sun trining Pluto helps us feel motivating making it a wonderful opportunity to get projects done, easily take care of minor tasks, and prepare for the week ahead.  The afternoon is a great time to be out and enjoying the glory of a mid-Spring day.  Later, the Moon’s mood turns more serious and we wistfully save our memories of the day, and look forward to the week ahead.  The “star” just above the Moon tonight is Saturn.

Monday and Tuesday are very quiet astrological days.  On Monday at 7:10am the Moon sextiles the Energizer Bunny of the zodiac, Mars, making it a bit easier to wake up, get ready and brave ourselves as we head for work.  It should also help the work day go more smoothly since not only should the aspect help give us the energy needed to keep up with our workload, but help us better strategize on ways to more efficiently get it done.  Too bad, it doesn’t last much longer than the morning!   Monday evening, the star to the left of the Moon is Spica.

On Tuesday at 12:45pm, the Moon trines the big guru in the sky, Neptune, making it easy to drop off into a private fantasy or two after lunch.  Most of the day Tuesday should good for communications of all kinds.  This aspect makes us a bit calmer than usual, and since it opens up channels of non-verbal communication, people are more easily apt to understand each other. 

Wednesday is the Full Moon of Taurus.  It is the Grass, Pink, or Seed Moon depending on your tradition.  It occurs in the middle of the Communion phase of Scorpio at 9º.  The news of that day should provide us with some significant clues about important cultural and political trends.  This full moon time could also be a test for each of us individually as to the extent we are willing to fulfill our dreams.  We may be given an opportunity to become more involved in a situation that will help us later in the year, so if such an opportunity presents itself Tuesday thru Thursday, accepting it may be advantageous.

Thursday should continue this week’s trend and be a good day for getting things done.  We feel better, are more optimistic about the future, and less apt to jump down another’s throat for no reason.  I wouldn’t piss anyone off on the freeway, but generally speaking people should be in a genial mood, feel better about their situation in life, and feel as if they have more opportunities to make it better.

Friday may be more of a downer than is usual for this venerated day.  Particularly in the morning, it may be that plans just don’t work out, or that they need to be adjusted in order to accommodate people’s needs.  Yet, however disappointing Friday morning may feel, by the end of the day everything is working out well.

Friday is also Arbor Day, so go out there, and if you don’t have any trees to plant, water, or nurture, at least pat one on the trunk and thank it for all it does for us!

Saturday is May Day and the beginning of the Beltane season.  Astrologically, people are apt to be in a partying mood, and as normal for a Saturday just want to go other there and have fun.  However, the Moon in Sagittarius square Jupiter in Pisces is a red flag warning that judgments are going to impaired everywhere.  So if you’re out there, be extra extra careful, take in only what you can reasonably hold, pay close attention to what your fellow revelers are doing!  Otherwise, have a belt up of a Beltane, May Day, and have a great time!

Have a great week!