The Flow! Week of January 8 – 14, 2012

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.

 

Synopsis for the week: Not Much Ado About

If you haven’t read last week’s blog, or if you just skimmed over it on your way to the Daily Details, please take a few minutes and check it out HERE. It basically encapsulates the primary energies of the moment, and provides considerable guidance for what we all need to be doing.

As far as all that’s concerned, not much has changed.

For example, have you all noticed that since Jupiter went direct, the economic picture looks promising?

There isn’t really all that much going on at the moment. We have a Full Moon Sunday night, and the emphasis for this Moon is on structure, especially those structures we use jointly with others.

The Moon falls in the Sabian sign symbol of “A Man with a square and a manuscript scroll before him.” He is the master architect and his job is to build the structures we use in our every day life.

Structures? You mean like roads and bridges, and houses and things?

Sort of, but not really, though it would be delightful if we could get some political action to help rebuild the infrastructure of this country. But I don’t have much hope in that regard, no matter what country you happen to reside in, no matter its politics.

More likely, the kind of structures this Full Moon is about are the structures around which we orient our lives. Career, loved ones, our families, and our social networks all weave intricate structures that bind us with obligations, duties, rewards, and benefits, and help provide us with the physical, mental, and spiritual sustenance we need to live.

And as the light of the Full Moon highlights those structures that mean most to us, we are called upon to recognize the degree to which they support us or support those around us. Neither is good or bad, right or wrong. We can be on the path of individual self-development, or we can be on a path to serve others. There is nothing to be gained by judging a path, unless the path you are on has become rocky, weedy, and difficult to traverse.

In which case, finding a new one should be at the top of your agenda.

Generally speaking, this Full Moon period, that lasts from Sunday the 8^th through Thursday the 19^th, is likely to shine on the structures in your life that are most in need of your attention. If you find yourself thinking that you just can’t take it anymore, chances are there is a structure in your life that needs to be rectified.

Finding what structure shouldn’t be difficult, it’s at the heart of whatever is bothering you. Finding how to rectify it is usually the challenge.

If you are a fire sign, Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius, then you need to think outside the box. You need to start doing things you might otherwise never think of doing on pain of death. Except that look, you’re already experiencing pain, so why not give something new a shot? Chances are, something in your daily routine, or the usual way you handle things is at fault. There is much less to lose here than you might think, except aggravation. Your mission: go out and conquer!

If you are an earth sign, Taurus, Virgo, or Capricorn, you need to acknowledge your own personal power and stop fearing your own shadow. You have so much going for you that it is a shame for you to just waste it pining for better days. Yes, life has hit you in the stomach, and you’ve got quite a stomach ache, but not eating is not going to solve the problem. Just the opposite. You need to go out there and strut your stuff and show the world what you can do. Your mission: go out and have some fun!

If you are an air sign, Gemini, Libra, or Aquarius, you need to ask yourself whether you are basing your actions on facts or fantasies. Air signs can easily get lost in their own heads, and there is much that you think that you’ve convinced yourself is true that is due for a reality check. You folks can be the most objective in the zodiac, but when was the last time you held up your own beliefs to that famed objectivity? Your mission: reality check!

 If you are a water sign, Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces, you are in the midst of a significant healing period. Chances are, some aspect of this situation has caused you considerable consternation and concern lately. You need to let time heal your wounds. You need to let yourself receive some nurturing, sympathy, and support from others. Let them help you for a change. And then you need to move on with your life. Your mission: mourn and move on.

 There, now I’ve gone and offended most of my readers. But I’ve got to call it like I see it. The Full Moon often hits us emotionally, and the Full Moon of Cancer is likely to be the strongest of the year. If you do find yourself in emotional rough waters, I believe the above is your best path to calmer shores.

Otherwise, like I said, not much ado about anything. There’s a bit of movement with Mercury and Venus, but this is all just background set up for when Mars goes retrograde later this month.

Courtesy of Sky & Telescope magazine

On to the Daily Details!

Sunday, January 8^th

Mercury trines Jupiter at 10:05am

Mercury squares Uranus at 3:24pm

Full Moon at 19° Cancer/Capricorn at 11:30pm

We start the week with relatively high spirits, and the spirits are high in the sky with the Full Moon in Cancer/Capricorn. For the most part, the calm soothing lunar energies of the Cancer Moon feel like a nice hot bath after shivering out in the cold. It has been a period of ups and downs for many of us, and the steady sympathetic and serene emanations from the Moon provide ample relief.

For those of you inclined not to be reclined horizontally, the mid-morning hours are expeditious for attending to chores, getting things done, and winding up any unfinished tasks from earlier in the week. It’s also great for attending to business in the form of paying bills. In the afternoon, we are likely to encounter the unexpected, or at least situations in which reality does not conform to our plans. No bother. Times like these are perfect for exercising those resourcefulness muscles.

Monday, January 9^th

No major aspects

Unlike what you might expect, we’re chipper and (more or less) eager to begin the work week. We’re still getting back in full regalia after the holidays, and there’s plenty of energy around for getting back in the swing of things. Don’t be afraid of just digging in and tackling the most difficult jobs this morning, you’ll be glad you did!

Jupiter and Saturn are ostensibly still in opposition at opposite ends of the zodiac. Each month, as the Moon makes its journey around the zodiac, it twice hits the midpoint on each side. This evening is just one of those times. As evening descends, our optimism fades, worries increase, and we doubt we’re in as good a shape as we thought. Not to fret, these doubts will pass with the coming of the dawn. For some of us, there may be an obligation we let slip, or someone asks us to do something we’d rather not. For others of us, there may be something we sign or sign up for that may be too big for our britches, or take up too much time from our schedule. Be careful what you say “yes” to tonight!

Tuesday, January 10^th

No major aspects

The Moon entered Leo last night at 8:35pm, and Leo Moon days are usually fun days. Too bad this month they occur in the middle of the week, still make the most of them that you can. Leo Moons generally make us more outgoing, friendly, and generous, and we feel more self-secure, outgoing, and optimistic. Perhaps not as much fun as when the Moon is in Sagittarius, but not a bad runner up at all.

In the morning hours, family members may require additional attention. Regardless of the relationship, people are likely to flit in and out of your sphere this morning, and for those that do, don’t take everything at face value. There may be more here than meets the eye or passes the nasal sniff test. Be on the lookout for flying B.S., and do what you can to keep your nose clean.

It may not be advisable to take a long lunch break today, as affairs may require quick attention this afternoon. Make sure you have your priorities in order, and handle the items on your agenda in turn. The afternoon is no time for a siesta, if you need recharging, best to do so after you get home!

Wednesday, January 11^th

No major aspects

Today is a better day for receiving than giving, acting, or making a fuss. It is said good things come to those who wait, but it isn’t just a case of waiting, it’s a case of being out of step with the energies of the moment. Sometimes we must act and push and make things happen. Today is not such a time. Today is a time for letting things happen around you and taking it all in with your best demeanor, smile plastered on your face, om beams blaring from your forehead.

The real key to success today is marshaling your forces with allies, lining your ducks up in a row, and getting them on board with your view of the world. Together you may then go forth to pillage, conquest and victory when the time is propitious.  This task will be easier in the morning than evening hours. In the morning, people are enrollable and willing to listen, in the evening, people are more wrapped up in their own affairs and obtaining allies will be more akin to herding cats.

Thursday, January 12^th

Sun trine Mars at 8:46pm

The Moon enters Virgo at 1:44am, and while that may take us down rather truculently from Cloud 9, the day has all the makings of being quite pleasant. We are optimistic, self-confident, able to say what we think and feel without tripping over our own tongues, energized, capable, and basically in tune with what we need to be addressing.

If it all sounds too good to be true, maybe it is, but whatever is scheduled for the day should come off smoothly. Good luck!

Friday, January 13^th

Venus trine Saturn at 1:05am

Mercury conjunct Pluto at 5:01am

Venus conjunct Neptune at 7:19am

Venus enters Pisces at 9:47pm

Oh no, not another Friday the 13^th! Hopefully, yours will not be stressful.

There’s certainly no astrological reason for alarm, as all of the aspects today are really quite benign if not outright enjoyable. The Venus trine Saturn in the early morning hours is an excellent aspect for relationships of all kinds, as it adds stability, reliability, trustworthiness, and solidity to whatever relationship matters occur between the 12^th and 14^th. If you begin a relationship this weekend, it is likely to be a long-lasting one, and any commitments made are likely to be honored, whether the relationship is a few days or a few decades old.

Mercury conjunct Pluto makes us all mentally sharper and quicker, as well as more astute, perseverant and perceptive. The Venus conjunction with Neptune ads a nice veneer of idyllic fantasy to any idle thoughts, and serves a nice jumping off point for any creative, thoughtful, or artistic endeavors.

Finally, the entrance of Venus into Pisces is quite welcome. Venus adores being in Pisces as she leaves the cool Spartan climes of Aquarius for the warm soothing waters of Pisces. Venus in Pisces makes us all a bit more romantic, more sympathetic, and more receptive to others’ needs. On the other hand, it can also make us a bit more emotionally volatile, needy, and confused. Still, on balance, Venus in Pisces often smoothes out the rough edges of life and helps us find emotional balance. Venus will remain in Pisces until February 7^th.

Saturday, January 14^th

Venus sextiles Jupiter at 6:49pm

The Moon enters Libra at 5:28am and we enter a see-saw kind of day, if not entire weekend. As the weekend begins we’re still in the afterglow of the beneficial energies from Thursday and Friday. We feel as if we’re sailing free and clear. Except we hit some raging rapids as Saturday gets underway and we all want to run away to Tahiti. Tahiti is a bit far, and there may be some people here upset and come looking for you, and besides being the target of a posse isn’t exactly the best way to spend a Saturday.

If you do find yourself feeling as if you’d like to buy an airplane ticket and flee to find asylum on some remote island, the problem is less with your affairs than what you’re making them out to be. A little perspective can go a long way, and maybe the best thing for you to do is to think things over and put down the black paint brush. There are deep forces at work here, and chances are you are being pulled by them for a reason. While it may be a stretch to be able to grasp what those forces are, behind short-sighted about them doesn’t help. Try to take the long view and find beneficial possibilities within your situation. It may just be what you need to get you moving in a wonderful direction!

I did mention that it was a see-saw kind of day, and regardless of whether you feel like standing in line at the ticket counter or not, chances are your moods may swing from manic to depressive on short notice. Again, try to take it all in stride and not swing from too far an extreme. The best way to do so is to enjoy the most out of each moment.

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

For those of you silly enough to be up this early, courtesy of Sky & Telescope magazine

The Flow! Week of June 20 – 26, 2010

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.

The synopsis for this week: Summer throws a tantrum

Before we get into the week’s events, I’d like to wish all the dads out there a Happy Father’s Day, and a Merry Litha to one and all!  Plus, a hearty shout out to all the Rainbow Warriors, I wish I felt well enough to attend Litha, and hope you all had a wonderful ritual!

This week is structured around two significant bookend events.  The week begins with the entrance of the Sun into Cancer, and ends with an eclipse of the Moon.

Litha is the sabbat (holiday) that celebrates the Summer Solstice, which this year occurs on Monday, June 21^st at 4:30am.  It is often referred to (famously by Shakespeare) as Mid-Summer, and stands opposite in the Wheel of the Year to Yule.

Wait, doesn’t the Summer Solstice begin Summer?  Then how on earth, or any other celestial body, can it be referred to as mid-Summer?  Well, before the Europeans began meddling around with the calendar in the 16^th century, Summer used to be thought of to begin at Beltane, the early May festival, and end at Lammas, the festival of early August.  In that sense, the Summer Solstice falls squarely in the middle of Summer, hence mid-Summer.

Litha and Mid-Summer celebrate the triumph of light.  The Sun is now at its highest in the sky.  Daylight in the Northern Hemisphere is at its longest and it will remain that way for several days, and then the Sun slowly arcs its way to the South.

Nature is abloom.  Many of the trees and flowers are bearing fruit, and the very earth feels alive with the throbbing thrum of the pulse of life.  It is a time of high magick, good divination, abundance, and fertility.  If ever the very air is to feel electric, it is now.  If ever there is a time to enjoy Nature at her fullest, it is now.  If ever we were to feel full of ourselves, it is now…but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Mid-Summer, Litha, and the Summer Solstice all mark the entrance of the Sun into the sign of Cancer.  Cancer, the crab, and the disease of the same name were all referred to by the ancients with the same word.  In Greek, the word was Kankeros, and is also the origin for the word canker.  The ancients thought the lesions and tumors resembled the markings of a crab, and so named it with the same word.

The story of how the crab got in the sky sounds fishier than Spongebob Squarepants cooking up a stack of crabby patties. 

Here’s the myth.  Hera had it in for Alcides, a child of Zeus and the mortal Alcmene.  She even had his birth delayed so his cousin, Eurystheus, could be born first and become king.  Apparently, while Zeus was off galavanting around greater Greece screwing every female that caught his eye, Hera got her kicks by tormenting Alcides.  Nothing could foreswear Hera making Alcides life miserable, not even when he changed his name to Herakles, meaning “Hera’s fame” or “Hera’s glory,” the very same dude that’s come down to us in history as Hercules. 

According to the myth, Hera made Herakles’ life so      wretched that he slew his wife and children.  Bad, bad, bad, even in those days.  Evidently, in these mythological times the Greeks didn’t believe in capital punishment (which would have made Hera jump for joy) or incarceration (which would have denied us the rest of the story), so Herakles trotted off to his rival Eurystheus for sentencing, and as punishment was meted out the celebrated forever and ever after, 12 labors of Herakles.  Yay for us, but no picnic for Herakles.

Anyway, labor number two for Herakles was to kill the Lernaean Hydra who got her jollies by killing the local sailors with her poisons.  So Herakles scampers off to kill the Hydra.  He tried cutting off her heads with a sickle, but as we all remember from mythology class, the Hydra was the creature who grew two heads back to replace one that was cut off.  Never the one to miss an opportunity to make Herakles life more miserable, while he is grappling with ever-multiplying Hydra heads, Hera sends down a crab to nip at his heels. 

Our hero dispatches the Hydra with fire, which cauterizes the Hydra’s heads thereby preventing them from multiplying, and stomps on the poor crab crushing it to itsy little pieces of shell and crabmeat.  After these fetes of daring-do, Hera comes down from the sky to the remains of the battle and feels so sorry for the poor widdle Hydra and crab she sends them into the sky.  Apparently so they can continue to torment nearby Herakles in the sky forever.

It certainly seems like somewhere in this story is a deeper story or two.  Why would Hera be so angry at Hera-kles?  Sounds like there’s a pre-Greek story here of a relationship gone awry.  And why would Hera send a measly crab when a shark, whale or other sea creature could have lunched on Herakles?  Mythic mysteries!

Anyways…

Cancer is the sign in which the light of the Sun is at its peak, and similarly is the sign of the height of the individual.  Cancer is personal and emotional.  Ruled by the ever-changing moon, it is the symbol of our inner, intuitive world.  Cancer can be moody, but there’s no one better if you’re in need of tea and sympathy. 

In the cycle of the zodiac, the purpose of Cancer is to focus the light of the Sun into each of our personal lives.  We see this in the sign’s need for security, solid foundations, and the creation of meaningful family relationships.  Nothing is more important for a Cancer person than to be able to identify him- or herself with a notable relationship to some part of life, be it family, community, country, or religion that provides them with security and meaning.  And it will defend what it identifies with – to the death. 

Each of these decisions in life consolidate its sphere and gives focus to its life’s energies to make them more powerful and effective.

The sign also has an intense need for personal freedom.  It is no mistake that the Declaration of Independence was both voted on and approved with the Sun in Cancer.  It MUST be free, otherwise its decisions in life are futile.  Circumspect what I can decide, and you limit what I can be.  It is the anathema of freedom.   No matter how important, or how meaningful a Cancer’s personal relationships may be, it INVARIABLY needs time to itself, to be free to do as it desires.  The rest of the world sees this as “crawling back into its shell” and being “crabby,” but nothing could be further from the truth.  It simply needs time to be free.

Esoterically, Cancer is the time of manifestation.  Cancer gives “birth to” our inner nature and our inner beliefs by manifesting them as our experience of the world in which we live.  In the previous sign of Gemini, we learn to understand our Selves better – who we are, what we’re about, and what it is we need to accomplish.  Cancer makes that all real.

So while we’re out there enjoying the bounty and abundance of nature, understand that it is all the manifestation of the very way the Earth itself is expressing its own inner nature.  And when we can understand the link between our selves and the Earth, we can truly use the time the Sun is in this sign toward making our own dreams come true.

The second major event of the week is the lunar eclipse on Saturday, June 26^th at 4:30am. All lunar eclipses are Full Moons and are also oppositions of the Sun and Moon.  Lunar eclipses occur when a Full Moon occurs next to either North or South Lunar Node. On Saturday, the South Node will be at 13 Cancer, and the Full moon occurs at 5 Cancer.  This is close enough for a Partial eclipse of the Moon.  For a preview of what it will look like, see the image below.

Astrologically, this is a very dicey event, and is the tantrum part of the synopsis.  On this day, the Sun (our Selves), Mercury (our Minds) are opposed to Pluto (Transformation, Power) and the Moon (our Emotions, Personality).  Furthermore, they are squared (tension) by Jupiter (Expansion) and Uranus (Unpredictability).

To add fuel to this fire, the Sabian Sign for the Moon is the “Indian Chief demanding recognition.”  Adding all this up, it looks very much like this is likely to be a time when people’s patience will run thin.  People are going apt to be very demanding, and very insistent that their rights are not being tramped. 

Each of us, as this week progresses is likely to feel that “enough is enough” and that some of the issues with which we have had to bear are no longer tolerable.  It is apt to be a week in which decisions are made, for better or worse, to take action and let the chips fall where they may.

My advice, then, is to be careful.  Be as circumspect as you can.  Be as nice as your nature and own patience will allow.  If you must act, take as many considerations into account as you can before engaging your plans, or you may set something in motion that could later mow you down.  Remember, words have consequences, and bitter words are all the more difficult to swallow if you are forced to eat them later!

Sunday, June 20^th

No major aspects.

Happy Father’s Day!  It is likely to be a nice day for dad to relax in his proverbial hammock and just take things easy.  It’s a great day for saying nice things, and making your feelings known in a nice way.  No one is likely to feel very motivated today, so it’s good for rejuvenating, recovering, and getting some much needed rest!

Monday, June 21^st

Sun enters Cancer at 4:30am

Moon enters Scorpio at 5:14am

Sun squares Uranus at 5:28pm

Look for people to be more moody and emotional today.  Very few people are happy when the Moon goes into Scorpio, and with the Sun in emotional Cancer, the smallest thing is apt to set others off.  Tempers are likely to be taut, and feelings run high.  As the afternoon wears on, people are likely to get more and more irrational.  If you can keep your head, you’ll be ahead of the game!  Try to stay calm.  Try to stay focused.  Try to focus on what’s real and not what’s flying around inside your head.   You’ll be happier later if you do!

Tuesday, June 22^nd

No major aspects

Tuesday is very likely to be a carbon copy of Monday, except that people are less erratic, so it should be easier to stay out of trouble.  Still, be alert for strange things that pop out of people’s mouths.  They’re mostly reporting what they believe, but what that is may be wildly divorced from reality.  Stay grounded, and have your strangeness radar on at full power!  Also, try to avoid making a major purchase today and tomorrow, you may be signing up for something a bit big for your budget.  With tomorrow’s square between the Sun and Jupiter, our confidence is likely to run ahead of our means for the next couple of days.  Be wise, be thrifty!

Wednesday, June 23^rd

Sun squares Jupiter at 6:21am

Moon enters Sagittarius at 11:10am

Both of these aspects should combine to make Wednesday a vastly superior day to either Monday or Tuesday.  People’s moods should be lighter, happier, and much friendlier.  Instead of hunkering down in defensive personal castles, people are more open and gregarious.  Sagittarius is one of, if not the most outgoing sign of the zodiac, and Cancer gives it the emotional confidence and surety it needs to meet people convivially without feeling the need to be defensive.  If you have schedule an important meeting, this is the best day of the week to do so.

Thursday, June 24^th

Mercury squares Saturn at 9:25am

Mercury trines Neptune at 11:34am

Don’t expect to get much work done Thursday morning.  Thursday afternoon is liable to be slightly better, but it’s likely to only be the difference between worse and bad.  Mercury square Saturn often produces delays, obstructions, and miscommunications.  And Mercury’s trine to Neptune isn’t very helpful, even though it’s a more harmonious aspect.  It is a configuration that entices people to avoid difficult thoughts and avoid making decisions and engaging in activities that are more emotionally enjoyable instead.  So, look for a morning of scrambled communication and uncooperative computers, followed by flights of fancy and daydreams.  A good day to watch the World Cup instead of working!

Friday, June 25^th

Mercury enters Cancer at 3:32am

Mercury squares Uranus at 9:37am

Sun opposes Pluto at 11:53am

Moon enters Capricorn at 7:21pm

This is not likely to be a fun day.  People not only say strange things, but they act and do strange things too.  It’s like everyone is walking around like they are possessed by evil demons.  Feelings run high.  Thinking runs with feet in blocks of cement.  Lots of things may be said today that are later regretted.  If you’ve been saving up a day for taking a vow of silence, today would be the perfect opportunity for it.  If you don’t have to say a word today, you’ll thank yourself later.  Think.  Speak.  In that order!

Saturday, June 26^th

Mercury square Jupiter 4:08am

Lunar Eclipse at 4:30am

The week that began with glorious Mid-Summer night dreams finally ends today.  We’re not totally out of the astrological woods yet, though things do improve as the day progresses.  It’s not a bad day for doing chores, going outdoors, or accomplishing tasks you’ve been putting off for a while.  Let everyone out there bounce off the walls, just try to keep your ship on an even keel and steady as she goes!

Next week The Flow! celebrates it’s first birthday!  Be sure to check back next week for some treats!

That’s it for this week, folks…have a great week!