The Flow! April 7 – 21, 2013

Wild and Wooly World

Welcome, one to the new www, the Wild and Wooly World!

Gun violence (at least in the US) is up, way up, so that there isn’t a day that goes by when there isn’t a report of someone being gunned down keeping the world safe for people wearing tin-foil hats to have Smith & Wesson wet dreams.

As if that weren’t enough, heads are exploding on the right as visions of a world ruled according to 16^th Century strictures, scriptures, and governance of behavior evaporate before their very eyes. And on the other side of the aisle, heads are exploding on the left as hard-fought gains for social justice and economic fairness get hacked at by the very people in whom they placed their trust to protect them. And not to be left out, (write out?) anyone who dares stands in the middle is the target of slings and arrows from both directions.

And it’s not all limited to political and cultural battles.

Individually, you may have noticed people increasingly restless, frustrated, and angry. Fuses are shorter. Explanations are not tolerated, alibis hollow, and apologies not accepted. It’s “shoot first and ask questions later.” Our collective patience is at an end, our minds are made up, we’re tired of waiting, and know what we want, but just don’t know how to get there.

If you see someone smiling and happy, they’re either not paying attention, or check the back of the head to see how that mask is attached.

The most likely expression of all this pent up energy is with passive-aggressive behavior: covert accusations, sarcasm, and honey-laced words surrounding decorated tablets of arsenic.

With Mercury, Chiron, and Neptune all still in Pisces, few are willing to come out and actually say what they mean. Everything is veiled, hidden, and meant to misdirect — lest their vulnerabilities you suspect. If you feel misunderstood, outcast, or alone, you’re not at least, alone in feeling so.

And with Uranus, the Sun, Venus, and Mars still marching through Aries, we feel more willing to take chances, step out on that limb, and push for what we want. Aries is forceful, direct, pioneering; an initiator, instigator, and inventor. They are a resourceful, energetic, spirited, and forceful. When fully charged, they are a dynamo incarnate, relentless until the task is done — or they lose interest. And ruled by Mars, god of war, they shirk from battle on pain of death.

With all that feisty energy, sometimes Aries needs a chill pill, nor are they are known for sitting still. Brusque, abrupt, and in your face, sometimes they don’t realize how strongly their actions affect others. But they’re not mean, in fact there isn’t a mean bone in their body. But they are upfront, frank, and honest. In their eyes, they tell it like it is — and to blazes if the rest of us see things differently.

Which a point of caution, There is one thing that Aries abhors more than any other — psychological games. Mind games give most Aries people the eebeejeebees, so be careful. The best approach during this time (until April 20th, when the Sun enters Taurus) is to play it honest. No ulterior motives, no hidden agendas. If you must hold your cards close to your chest, do so with a minimum of fuss and drama. You don’t want to be butt in the butt by the horns of an irate Ram!

For more about Mars in Aries, you might want to check out the March 2011 edition, “From Pillar to Post” when Mars last entered the sign.

So, if there are so many forward directed energies , why aren’t we making better progress?

Usually it’s Saturn that acts the villain, and he is sitting in Scorpio twirling his handle-bar mustache chortling at our struggles below. But in this position, especially retrograde, the biggest danger he poses is that we make the same mistakes as have made in the past, fall for the same pitfalls, stumble over the same rocks.

If you find yourself faced with a problem that did not turn out favorably for you, and you manage it in the same way, you are heading toward Saturn’s trap. Especially in the emotionally charged sign of Scorpio, he will tie you up like a spider and roast you over the flames of your own remorse.

Leos, Scorpios, Tauruses, and Aquarians are the most in danger here; Cancers and Pisces least likely to feel the flickering of the fires.

Why? Because the Leos, etc are being prodded to be different because of the lessons they should have learned from the past, and take actions that stem from a different attitude about the situation as a result of personal growth, insight, and development over the past several years. Cancers and Pisces are less apt to feel this effect because rather than grow, Saturn is nudging them to express themselves more clearly. And usually, expressing one’s self is an easier task than growing up.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that a new approach will lead to rainbows, candy canes, and lollipops, but it will form a new foundation from which you operate that, even if it doesn’t provide immediate rewards, will be substantially beneficial in the long run.

But no, Saturn is not the villain here, Pluto is.

Pluto is sitting and playing in in the “Toys in the Ward of a Hospital” portion of Capricorn, and it doesn’t want any pesky Aries planets around grabbing and trying to play with his toys. He needs them for healing. A healing that will end dysfunction, on political, social, and personal levels, and help us all prepare for the next phase, coming in early 2015 in which we need to be able to work together to jointly solve our problems and move ahead.

It isn’t going to be easy, and there are likely to be bruises on all sides of the battle field, but in the end, it’s highly likely that we’ll all be better off for it.

So right now, Pluto is acting like the old school game of Space Invaders, taking aim at the Aries planets and shooting down those aims and objectives that keep us apart and make us more dysfunctional.

If you’ll notice in the image (which is only mostly tongue-in-cheek), you’ll notice Uranus at the back of the pack. The planets are arranged in order of increasing speed up front, and Uranus, plodding on in the rear is by far the slowest of the lot.

But there’s an added symbolism to the image in that Pluto and Uranus’ conflict is at the heart of many of the meta issues we face. As mentioned before in this blog, the Pluto-Uranus square is the result of the conjunction in the mid-60’s that kicked off the civil rights movement, youth rebellion, sexual revolution, and same-sex acceptance and integration.

As the first square after the birth of this social progress, the first square represents a moment of crisis for each. Asking the question: “what is at the core of what you are trying to accomplish?” puts each under the scrutiny of our culture as a whole, and a reformulation of its purpose, meaning, and scope. Some, like the civil rights movement, which may have been coasting along on substantial success without reformulating its purpose and may begin to feel like future progress may be stalled. Similarly, young people may no longer feel the need to collectively rebel against their parents. And some, like the gay rights movement, may feel more energized as they have been forced to reformulate their goals and objectives due to their own success and changing circumstances.

There’s much more coming about this astrological configuration as we get closer to the next incidence of it on May 20^th.

Meanwhile, closer to home, is the New Moon on April 10^th at 2:36am PDT. It is in the part of Aries in which there is substantial energy for manifesting your desires. Just be careful what you wish for, and are willing to carry the responsibilities of getting what you want.

The Moon’s potency grow from a few days after New, until it reaches its peak during the Full Moon period starting on the 24^th.

In other astrological news, the Sun and Mars are locked in a tight embrace that will last until the end of this month, so on the whole, our vitality should improve and we should have plenty of energy for the items on our to-do lists. Whether we want to get to them, though may be a different story.

And speaking of wants, Venus is now an Evening Star, setting ever so briefly after the Sun. However, she will rise in the night-time sky throughout spring and summer, reaching her peak in late October. With Venus setting after the Sun, there is a predisposition for us all to take our relationships more seriously, and be more deliberate in our interactions with others. We also tend to want our relationships to better fit our expectations, and can therefore be a little more critical than we were with Venus ahead of the Sun.

Some of you may notice the blog has a new look, I hope y0u enjoy it. This is my interim solution until I migrate the blog to another host. Be sure to check out the Blogroll, there are some interesting sites in there! If you have a site you would like me to add, let me know, I’d be glad to oblige, if it’s germane to the site.

That’s it for this post, be sure to check out the Mercury Mall, and test drive some of the new features of the blog!

The Flow! Week of October 16 – 22, 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: In Memoriam, Steve Jobs

A hearty welcome to all my new readers! I welcome you to the ranks of fellow friends and fans of The Flow!, and I hope you continue to enjoy your time here.

This week, I take a different path than usual, and am going to attempt an analysis of the astrology birth chart of Steve Jobs. If you like it, and would like me to do an analysis of a favorite public person of yours, please let me know!

Much ink and many electrons have been sacrificed to discuss his accomplishments, but little is said or known about his personal life. I hope you find it an insightful peek into someone who has changed the lives of so many of us.

He changed mine. I very likely would not have the career I have now, had it not been for him.

True, I was always a bit of a nerd. Chemistry, astronomy, and physics warmed the cockles of my young heart. Yet while getting eye-strain squinting at a slide rule (you can find them next to the abacuses in a museum) I knew that someday, somehow we’d have something to make performing complex calculations easy.

My first foray into the field of computers was with a machine called a Xitan, made by Technical Design Labs. (see below) It set me back the tidy sum of $2,800 which I understand in today’s dollars would be well over $6,000. It had a whopping 16K of memory, a tape storage device that never worked, and the most I ever could get it to do was count up to 100 in each of the 12 zodiac signs.

It is now resting comfortably in my parent’s cellar.

And then I heard about this wonderful new machine that had everything in one neat little package that was going to do away with all these home-grown contraptions: the Apple II+. I coveted one for several months while I saved up some money, and excitedly brought one home.

With nerves thrilling, heart racing, and the anticipation of the future pounding in my young ears, I open it up to install the floppy drive card – and blow out the motherboard. Electronic devices do not appreciate internal surgery with the power on, a lesson I have never forgotten since. Fortunately for me, the store I bought it from cheerily took it back and gave me a replacement.

Ah, the memories! Who could ever forget the teeth-chattering noise the floppy drive made scanning the security code of a disk? True Apple II+ pioneers also remember needing to buy a finger protector for the Reset key. While Apple may now be known for its slick and thoughtful design, they very inconsiderately placed a Reset key next to the backspace. So that more than once when you went to erase a letter, you wound up erasing everything you had done. It was a little like putting ctrl-alt-delete next to the enter key. Computers do not come with Reset keys any more. That is a good thing, and now you know why.

With my trusty Apple II+ I learned the BASICs of programming and with a modem entered the Matrix before there was an internet, via CompuServe and The Source. Heady days!

While the AppleII may have been Steve Jobs first success, it certainly wasn’t his last. After a few fits and starts, Apple Computer developed the Macintosh now known as an iMac, which in turn spawned a healthy brood of iProgeny: iPods, iPads, and iPhones. And, perhaps Steve had something about a capital letter “P” and small i, because another of his success stories had them in reverse order with Pixar Animation Studios.

Steve Jobs was one of the world’s most powerful CEO’s, one of the most inventive genius’ of our time, and changed the way we use technology. But I come not to praise Steve Jobs, but to analyze his chart.

A word about this analysis. I fully recognize that many of my readers know very little about astrology. Astrology is one of those disciplines that are filled to the brim with jargon. In fact, a good friend coined the term “astrobabble” to describe just what it sounds like when two astrologers get together and talk astrology. So I will stifle the impulse to babble.

Yet, it is almost impossible to do an astrological analysis without using some of the terminology, so I encourage those of you unfamiliar with some of the terms to refer to the Key at the bottom of the post for more information. For those of you who are very familiar with astrological terminology and would like to know more about my methods, I am more than happy to do so, just ask.

Fortunately for someone who was adopted, Steve Jobs did have possession of his birth certificate, so accurate birth data is known. He was born on February 24, 1955 at 7:15pm in San Francisco. His chart courtesy of the Astro-Databank at www.astro.com is below.

One of the astrology terms not in The Key are Houses. An astrology chart is divided into twelve sections, each one called a House. Each House has a domain of activity and since it all gets a little complicated, here’s a rundown for Steve’s chart. You can follow along using with the image of his chart below with the numbers that are in the second circle of the chart, the signs are those that the lines point to.

House 1: Self – Virgo; no planets

House 2; Resources – Libra; Neptune (in Libra)

House 3; Community/Education – Scorpio; Saturn (in Scorpio)

House 4; Home – Sagittarius; North Node (in Capricorn), Venus (in Capricorn)

House 5; Creativity/Children – Capricorn; Mercury (in Aquarius)

House 6; Work/Service – Aquarius; Sun (in Pisces)

House 7; Relationships – Pisces; Moon (in Aries)

House 8; Transformations – Aries; Mars (in Aries)

House 9; Outreach – Taurus; no planets

House 10; Career – Gemini; Jupiter (in Cancer), Uranus (in Cancer)

House 11; Associations – Cancer; no planets

House 12; Subconscious – Leo; Pluto (in Leo)

As you can see, many of Steve’s planets are in a House whose line points to the sign before it. This is often an indication of someone who finds it important to MANIFEST their impulses. Something that I think Steve did very well.

If you look at the diagram of his chart, you will also notice that many of the planets have an R next to them. That means they are retrograde, or moving backwards in the sky. Astrologers often think of this as being an impediment to success, so the next time an astrologer shakes their head  and makes sad sounds describing a retrograde planet of yours, you now have my permission to laugh like a hyena. And rightly so.

So without further ado, and these is much ado till now, let’s get into it.

Steve Jobs was a Pisces, with his Moon in Aries, and a Virgo ascendant.

That means he was moody as all hell, found relationships a bit of a struggle, and expected perfection from everyone around him.

Pleasant sort of chap, eh?

Pisces Sun people are very sensitive. Someone with a strong Pisces influence in their chart can cry at sunsets, and can be moved by the sounds of waves breaking on the beach, and have moods that flit upon their soul with the constancy of the shifting of the wind. True, other sides can also be fiercely emotional and sensitive; Cancer and Scorpio come readily to mind. But no one submerges themselves in their emotions and get lost within them quite like a Pisces. And then, as rapidly as line of thunderstorms passing through and rainbows appear can be a completely different person moments later.

The part of Pisces that Steve Jobs’ Sun is in also gave him a strong need to call people together for the purpose of enacting his vision. He must have been much like a paterfamilias from whom all direction is taken – at least to follow his vision, and was most happy when he felt this vision was being carried out faithfully. When it was, he was sunshine and lollipops. When he wasn’t, he was thunderstorms, lava, and brimstone.

The earth trembled when Steve Jobs was angry.

And those who felt the heat of his wrath most, were most likely his closest associates – when he felt they let him down, or did not live up to his expectations.

Many people with their Moon in Aries find intimate relationships challenging. Oh, they can be passionate (man, can they ever – Aries is a fire sign!), and they can be found to wear their heart on their sleeve (subtlety, thy name is not Aries), but when it comes to commitment, and letting intimacy wash over them like breakers on the beach – they break speed records packing their suitcases and leave notes saying thanks for all the fish. Soul-melding intimacy is not Moon in Aries’ forte, and as a result they often leave a trail of broken relationships in their wake.

In Steve’s particular case, the relationships Steve made were always the earmarks of his destiny. It was those he knew, befriended, or beloved who wound up steering the course of his life and opening doors of opportunity. But with that Aries Moon, very few of them received the relationship they deserved.

Virgo rising people can be the salt of the earth. They really can be. So I don’t really mean to insult 1/12^th of the zodiac, but they can really be rather difficult people for the other 11 signs to live with. They are highly analytical, practical, and self-sufficient. So they are wonderful to have around, but they can also be picky. Picky to distraction.

Especially these days, since Virgos have convinced the rest of the zodiac of the benefits of rigorous hygiene, that their 21^st century obsession has become food.  Virgos put their analytical ability to use by running every morsel of food through a microscope before they put it in their mouth, and study the labels so that they are well aware of every nutrient and chemical to ensure they get the proper minimum daily requirement of those they want. That is, for those sections of the food pyramid they haven’t totally blacklisted.

And, dear lord, when they have finally decided what it is they are allowing to put into their mouth, they will obsess about the order in which it must go.

Virgo rising people can be the salt of the earth, so long as it is low-sodium, and you don’t have to feed them.

This meticulousness zeal for perfection can translate into other areas. It can be particularly trying for employees to satisfy a Virgo rising boss because the standards to which they are held can be difficult for a human to meet. While Steve Jobs may be a Pisces, who are known for sometimes being softies, that that would be enough to offset the rigor of his Virgo expectations.

The foundation of Steve Jobs’ intelligence is his Mercury in Aquarius, fuelling his future forward vision. In Aquarius Mercury’s antennae receive signals from dimensions the rest of us miss. He is sharp, quick, even brilliant. And because his Mercury is retrograde, he is able to analyze the inspirations he receives from these other dimensions and keep them close to his chest until he feels the world is ready to receive them.

The placement of his Mercury indicates that above all, Steve Jobs was driven to contribute his intellectual “children” to the world. Like Zeus birthing Athena, each of the products and visions he created sprung out of his mind almost fully imagined in fully developed form. It was only up to the ability of those whose job it was to actually build them to determine their eventual guts. But even if he had to settle for less than optimal due to limitations of our technology, Steve would continually rework and redesign his intellectual children until they resembled his perfected vision of them.

And perhaps the most striking aspect of Steve Job’s mind is that in spite of his creative abilities, in spite of his vision, and in spite of the wealth of resources at his disposal, Steve always needed someone else he could rely on to carry out the practicalities of making his visions real. His Athena always needed to be sculpted by someone else, and trusted not to turn out an Aphrodite.

Much has been said already about Steve Jobs’ relationships. And to make an already long story shorter, suffice it to say that he had a strong need for a stable family home life, but always felt both somewhat incapable of long-term relationships, and a coldness – no iciness, that could develop on a moment’s notice like a curtain coming down on a stage that would cut off all further communication until he was ready to lift it.

But his feelings here also tie into his spirituality. Steve was an intensely spiritual person, and he could readily understand how his values played out in his life and the lives of those around him. And this understanding of values and of others’ values gave him an ability to communicate beyond rational thought. It must have been that if you were in his presence, almost by virtue of being in his presence that you entered the world of his aura – a world that could be wondrous beyond imagining.

It was a world vastly different from our own. His values were not the values others expected or wanted him to have, and to rub some sodium in that wound, he didn’t give a rat’s crap about it. He had his own values, they too  were his creation, and they were not subject to change. He probably also felt that he had contributed enough to the world to let the world let him keep his values his own.

I need to begin wrapping this up…

Mars is how we do things, and Mars in its home of Aries is powerful. When he put is mind to it, Steve could light fires and move mountains. Sometimes, exactly what he needed would unexpectedly precipitate out of the aether like manna from heaven.

But beyond all, Steve must have looked at himself like the captain of a football team. He had an ability to attract and motivate people who like to act as members of a team, each person with specific roles to play that benefit the whole as they charge their way forward to victory.

No discussion of Steve Jobs’ chart would be complete without a discussion of his Jupiter, the planet that opens doors and hands over the key to success. Steve’s is in Cancer in the 10^th House making it incredibly powerful, and that it is conjunct Uranus, planet of technology says it all. I don’t have to.

But the one thing that might not stand out as obvious is that one of the main keys of Jobs’ success was in extracting what he saw as worthwhile in other products and capitalizing it to make it the engine of his vision. He had an incredibly keen sense of being able to spot what was useful in something and putting things together in just such a way as to make them what he wanted them to be and even better than before.

And finally (at least for this edition), Steve Jobs’ Saturn indicates his was not a tranquil soul. Education, as in formalized schooled education did not come easy to Steve. He was too easily bored, and the structure of requirements bothered him. He probably was like someone who knew calculus before they fully understood algebra, or could write before they knew how to print.

Deep inside his soul was a volcano. Mostly that volcano was kept in control, but every so often, when in one of his infamous moods that volcano would break loose and wreak havoc far and wide.

Saturn in Scorpio is never an easy position. It forces one to face one’s deepest fears and use those fears to purify the soul and transform the self. That is never an easy process, so it is understandable that when one is forced to stare at hell in the face that occasionally one would be subject to black moods. The road to hell is not a pretty one, and Saturn in Scorpio forces you to stay there until you understand why you are there. But once you do and you turn around to walk out, you are a being reborn, and ready to carve a new place for yourself in your world. Steve went through many transitions, perhaps the most famous when he was booted out of Apple in 1985.

This was Steve Jobs. The man who not only helped usher in the personal computer revolution, but also revolutionized how we listen to music, how we use our phones, and how popular movies are animated. The tablet revolution is yet to unfold. Yes, there are PC’s, CD’s, Android phones, and Amazon tablets, but if you think any of them would be like they are today without the influence of Steve Jobs and Apple, I invite you to take a very long walk off a very short pier.

Steve Jobs, wherever you are, on whatever plane of existence you are now, thank you, and may you rest in peace.

To the Daily Details!

Sunday, October 16^th

Mercury sextiles Pluto at 9:58am

Sun quintile Pluto at 1:25pm

The Moon is in Gemini, the sign of communication and the focus of the day is on messaging. Messages learned, messages sent, and messages received all play an important part in the affairs of the day, and perhaps the most important what is felt more than what is said. If there have been matters that have felt unclear, undecided, or murky, today’s events may shed some sunlight to give them a more definite direction. Researches, investigations, and inquiries are all favored, as we try to get to the heart of the matter and expand our understanding of things. Yes, this is a Sunday and supposed to be a day of rest, but rest is the unlikeliest of ways we spend the day. Even if we do try to sit down and enjoy a cup of tea or java, there’s a sense that we need to find things out, learn what is going on, or stick out noses deep into whatever tickles our fancy. It is the hunt for connection, for belonging, and for understanding that is the fuel that drives us, the ultimate goal, merely the reason to partake in the hunt. Pay close heed to what is happening beneath the surface, it is ever so much more important than the chatter on top!

Monday, October 17^th

Mars sesquiquadrates Uranus at 4:08am

Moon trines Sun at 6:37am

Mercury opposes Jupiter at 11:55am

Be extra careful in the early morning hours, and give yourself extra time to get ready and be wherever you need to be as dawn breaks. Quirky delays, things not working as expected, or sharp words may all cause a bit of drama early in the day. Things smooth over once the Sun makes an appearance and we head into the week a bit more confident, self-assured, and optimistic than usual. But this is a day in which we will reap as we have sown, so make sure that confidence sits on a firm foundation! It may come as no surprise the economy is many a mind, but there is a change in the air. Changes are coming in economic thinking, and the unthinkable several months ago may soon churn into reality. It will not be swift, but the winds of change are blowing. Sniff the air, the change is good, and it is so much cheaper than that other stuff!

The Moon enters Cancer at 6:38pm, and the tempo of the day settles to a more tranquil rhythm. Our emotions may run high, so if there is something that’s bothering you, don’t let it get out hand and you say something you might regret later!

Tuesday, October 18^th

Mercury parallel Venus at 9:56pm

Today is a great day for cleaning out unwanted garbage. Of both the physical and emotional variety.  If there’s something that’s been standing in your way at home or in the office, now is the time to toss it out. Or to clean, if so desired. Emotionally, we are feeling our oats, and it feels good. We feel as if we can take on any task, accomplish any goal, and progress toward those achievements we’ve already committed to. If there is analytical work that needs to be done, the later morning hours should be very productive. During this time, making calls, reviewing data, or communicating with someone important can all lead to beneficial results. In the evening, take time to do something nice for yourself. It is an excellent time to hold a conversation with a loved one. Not only may you be more inclined to say meaningfully nice things to each other, but also offer to do something that helps strengthen the relationship between you.

Wednesday, October 19^th

No major aspects

The Moon is in Cancer all day. Today is likely to be the most difficult day of the week, so try to take things in stride. Our emotions are also on full tilt, so be careful of unintentionally stepping on others’ toes. It’s possible that today or tomorrow some project may become unexpectedly due, so if there’s something that you’ve been working on and need to wrap up, stop staring out the window or hanging at the coffee machine and get it finished. Speaking of coffee, some people may have a need to bend your ear today to enroll you in their drama. Just remember, if it’s their drama, they’re the playwright, and you’re just an extra – and we know what happens to extras in the movies, right?

Thursday, October 20^th

No major aspects

The Moon enters Leo at 3:06am, and the sticky emotional stuff we’ve been caught up in the past few days gives way to brighter and happier attitudes. Even if there isn’t anything in particular to celebrate, we’re all in a rather joyful playful mood and want to play nice. If you have something you want to ask of someone, today’s a pretty good day to bring up the subject. The only area in which you might want to be a bit circumspect is in the pocketbook. While out shopping your impulses may get the better of your bank account. If you see something you really want, you may want to wait to the weekend to make the purchase – it may be a better financial move.

Friday, October 21^st

Sun trine Neptune at 4:59pm

Today is a mixed bag that may start out a bit dicey, but end on a smooth note. The morning hours are a bit tempestuous. People (especially children) are a bit out of sorts and express that dissatisfaction in engaging in a battle of wills. With the Moon in Leo, no one especially wants to be pushed around, but the best course of action may be to just give in to the extent you can – the afternoon may have the situation move in a more favorable direction anyway. We get a burst of energy shortly after lunch that helps us wrap up the affairs of the week, and get a whole lot more accomplished than we might have thought possible. Our weekend plans might be a bit hazy and fuzzy, which is fine because you know all about the “best laid plans.” Don’t bother, anyway it’s not worth the energy! This evening is perfect for relaxing soaks, idle meditations, and relishing your method of choice to acquire tranquility.

Tonight are the Orionid meteor shower that begins shortly after midnight. (see below for a map of where to find them.) Even if meteor showers aren’t on your agenda, be sure to make note of your dreams tonight…they may have special meaning!

Saturday, October 22^nd

The Moon enters Virgo at 7:41am

There oughtta be a law about weekends and Virgo Moons. Still, if there is any cleaning, chores, or work that must be done you should find sometime during the day the mood to attend to it. And it may be a Virgo Moon (last time I lean on Virgo this edition, promise!) but it is a very well aspected Virgo Moon at that. It is particularly well favored for socializing, leisurely activities, and making that purchase you had your eye on earlier in the week.

Today is the last day of Libra. Tomorrow the Sun enters Scorpio. Scorpio is always a vibrant time of the year, but also one of deep transition. The world changes during Scorpio, may it change beneficially for you!

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

 

 

The Flow! Week of March 27 – April 2, 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:  From Pillage to Post

We have a busy week ahead of us. We have the final opposition between Jupiter and Saturn that has been bedeviling our economy and stifling any recovery on Monday, Wednesday begins the latest Mercury retrograde period which will last until April 23rd, and Mars enters Aries on Friday.

Mars enters Aries at 9:51pm on Friday, April 1^st, but this is no April Fool’s prank.

Aries is full of aggressive, active, and impatient energy. It is energy on the move, energy on the go, and energy in motion. It can dance with the graceful arc of an athlete, it can bulldoze its way through mountains like a tractor with an iron maw, or it can explode like dynamite into a bejillion pieces blasting its way through any and all obstacles.

But it is never sits still, and it is always seeking out new fields to conquer. It is, after all ruled by Mars, and Mars enters the fiery fields of Aries this week after churning the deep waters of Pisces.

Mars is coming home.

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the first that has an orbital period greater than the Earth’s, revolving around the sun in approximately 685 days, or 1 year and 320 days.  Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos, or Fear and Terror, that race about the planet in 11 and 30 hours respectively. He is named after the Roman god of war.

Of all the planets, the seasons on Mars are most earthlike. Its axial tilt is very similar to ours, and the effects of the seasons can be seen in the growing and shrinking the polar ice caps, if not also in the still mysterious fluctuations across its more temperate zones.

Though no human being has yet stepped foot on Mars, we have sent vehicles to study the planet in more depth. While it is currently considered unlikely, it is possible that some form of life once existed on the planet. If Venus is the “sister planet”, Mars is the “brother planet,” and his astrological symbol is used scientifically to represent the males of the species.

Known also as the Red Planet, Mars has long been associated with masculinity, blood, fires, and war. Yet the Roman god Mars most likely started out life as the Etruscan agricultural god Maris, initially a god of fertility, vegetation, and the protector of cattle and field boundaries. However, as the Roman Empire grew and the men of the fields took to war, Mars’ attributes similarly became more militant and his importance in the Roman pantheon became secondary only to Jupiter.

Mars is energy. He is force, strength, drive, and power. He is active, pushy, aggressive, assertive, courageous, and even a bit pugnacious. He almost enjoys getting in fights, so that he can learn to be a better fighter. If somebody moved your cheese, the real culprit was Mars.

Mars moves us forward and finds inaction intolerable. He is constantly busy, but more then just fiddling around with trifles, he is intensely goal oriented. And the work he enjoys most is that which has a productive value to help him achieve those goals. Now you know why men like tools.

Like Venus, Mars also has a role to play in the nature of one’s desires, but more than wants and needs, Mars deals with our hungers, lusts, and passions. He has no time or interest in petty distractions. He is designed to function like an arrow, and sees only the target. He will directly go after what he wants and will fight until he gets it, or can fight no more. Mars flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.

Remember the Romans. When Rome was small and agricultural, so was Mars. When Rome was mighty and militaristic, so was Mars. Mars indicates one’s intentionality, and how one makes thoughts, dreams, and wishes real.

Where Mars is located in a chart, then, reveals how we go about achieving our desires,   how we express ourselves when going after our goals, and it shows once we get started, where our power source lies.  Each of us has drives, and Mars shows how to best achieve them.

Mars rules Aries and is co-ruler with Pluto of Scorpio. It is associated with bloodstone, flint, and hematite; iron, steel, cutlery and anything sharp, pointed, or edged; weapons and the tools of war; medical instruments and surgery; and anything red or sparking. Its day of the week is Tuesday.

Mars in Aries provides the planet with fertile fields to conquer. It is freshly and newly reborn, and has enormous power, potential, and purpose to offer at your disposal. If there is something in your life you want to make real, Mars in Aries can make it happen.

Mars’ gifts are heady: power, wealth, success, triumph, conquest, accomplishment, pride, and victory. But there is a price to pay for his services, and the price is steep. Like a soldier, you must be willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish your goal. Anything. And also like a soldier, your loyalty to your dream must never waver. Mars will test you on these fronts, and some of his tests can be filed under “Ordeal” and create the moral dilemmas we untangle for the rest of our lives. Choose your battles wisely.

From pillage, to post —

Jupiter and Saturn are the largest of planets easily seen by the eye. They were the largest of the “classical” planets and because the cycle of conjunction to conjunction between them took the longest of all planetary phenomena known by the ancients, they called them the “Chronocrators” or markers of time in Greek.

The conjunctions between the two planets occurs fairly regularly at 20 year intervals. The last time they were conjunct was on May 28, 2000 at 23º Taurus, in the Sabian sign of The Jewelry Shop. These conjunctions also remain in one element for considerable periods of time. With the exception of the conjunctions in 1980, they have been in the earth signs 11 times going back to January 26, 1842. Certainly this has been a period of immense creation of wealth, and it comes as no surprise that in this cycle we are being asked to pay a price.

The next conjunction, on December 21, 2020 will start a series of conjunctions lasting until 2140 occurring in the element of air.  The last time they were in air saw the emergence of Western civilization out of the Middle Ages and the birth of the Renaissance.

Oppositions are the midpoint of the cycle between conjunctions and serve as the “tipping point” of their development. Since oppositions occur at opposite ends of the zodiac it is common during oppositions that one planet goes forward while the other is going backwards, leading to a series of oppositions before the planets finishes with them. The first opposition of this series was on May 23, 2010 with Jupiter direct at 28 Pisces direct and Saturn retrograde at 28 Virgo, the next was on August 16, 2010 with Jupiter retrograde at 3 Aries, and Saturn direct at 3 Libra, and now on March 28, 2011 with Jupiter direct at 15 Aries and Saturn retrograde at 15 Libra.

Since Jupiter is the planet of growth and Saturn is the planet of restriction, these two planets often play off each other indicating the trends of economic and financial cycles. We are fortunate that the series is ending with Jupiter moving forward.

Jupiter is currently in the Sabian sign of an Indian Weaving a Blanket. She weaves the warp and weft of our desires into our fates into a patchwork quilt of the various aspects of our lives that lays out our destiny before us. Accept your destiny and wear it proudly, and it will keep you warm. Stomp on it, and it becomes an ungainly mess of painful threadbare fabric and mournful holes.

Saturn is currently in the Sabian sign of Circular Paths. We have been this way before. Throughout human history the accumulation and generation of wealth has driven the major forces shaping our social structures. We stand at another moment in which the wealth is polarizing between a few who have it and the many who do not. We have been down this road before, and it has often dramatically reshaped society.

But for that to happen, we must accept our collective destiny. Something collectively we have been loath to do. There are stirrings. There is movement. The rest of this Jupiter Saturn cycle which ends on 12/21/20 will tell the tale.

To the Daily Details!

Sunday, March 27^th

No major aspects

We begin the week with the waning Moon in dutiful Capricorn, and it makes for a day likely has obligations, responsibilities, and chores heavy on our minds. It seems as if the day is more full of the things we have to do than the things we want to do. We’re a bit restless and anxious, wanting to be someplace else, doing something else, or being with someone else and even if your on the happier side of the spectrum today, little seems to satisfy. The later evening finds things settling down a bit, and we are able to wear a smile as we put the finishing touches on the weekend. It may not have been perfect, but it was good, and we leave it with a sense of accomplishment or at least having moved forward with our plans, goals, and objectives.

Monday, March 28^th

Sun square Pluto at 5:11am

Jupiter opposes Saturn at 2:56pm

When we awake on Monday morning, the Moon has entered Aquarius. The Moon in Aquarius always brings out the quirkier side of our personalities, so don’t be surprised if someone wears a polka dots to work — it’s going to be that kind of day.

The Sun square Pluto is likely to bring out people’s inner Machiavelli. However, having it occur so early in the week mutes its effects, but give your boss added breathing room, look busy, and you should be able to get by without too much trouble. Let the guy honking his horn or weaving on the freeway move up the 6” that are deservedly yours – this way you’ll avoid needing to exchange insurance papers with him a couple miles down the road.  And for those of you who may get caught in any webs of power, intrigue, or manipulation – he who overplays his hand today harming others may get that hand slapped by next month’s end.

The Jupiter Saturn opposition is less likely to effect us on an individual daily basis. It’s effects are long-term, and as such are more likely to impact long-term projects and plans. It is also wise to be patient during this time, news received now may not necessarily be indicative of how things are going to turn out, eventually. These two planets are slow moving, and it can take time for the conflicting energies of this opposition to dissipate and the true results become known.

Tuesday, March 29^th

No major aspects

The Moon is in Aquarius all day, and the lunar aspects are very supportive of activities of any kind. Today is a day in which to sit back and enjoy the odd eccentricities of Aquarius play out before you. People should be in a good mood, there should be a feeling of optimism and hope in the air, and others are more likely to do something altruistic for a change. It’s a great day for helping others out as you may find something extra deposited in your karma piggy bank. It’s also a great day for doing whatever you feel, others will be far less tempted to object or be judgmental.

Wednesday, March 30^th

Mercury goes Retrograde at 1:48pm

The Moon enters Pisces at 3:39pm, Mercury goes Retrograde, and we are in for one doozy of a retrograde period. Since Mercury goes retrograde at 25º Aries, a fire sign, it is likely to indicate a time in which we are prompted to review our plans, ambitions, and desires. Why do we want what we want? What will it do for us in the end? How are we going to achieve it? Is the path we have laid out the best? All of these questions, plus the usual breakdown of cellphones, computers, communications and contraptions of all sorts will keep us busy until April 23^rd when Mercury goes direct!

Thursday, March 31^st

No major aspects

With the Moon in Pisces all day and the lunar aspects fairly benign, it is a good supportive day for all kinds of activity. Since the Moon is conjunct Venus, it is a great time to be seeking out others, particularly relationship partners. If you are already in a relationship, it is a fine day for romance or showing your loved one that you care. It is a day in which most of us will be just a touch more sentimental and be easily emotionally moved, so take extra care in what you say to others, even those you may meet casually. Today’s energies are also conducive to meditation, introspection, divination, or any other form of soul-searching as it will be easier for you to get in touch with the more secretive parts of your self and reality.

Friday, April 1^st

Mars enters Aries at 9:51pm

Happy April Fool’s Day!

I think we’ve already covered the Mars entering Aries bit, and today is a good day to take Mars’ messages to heart and use it to make a fresh start. We have been through a lot since it was last that Mars entered Aries on April 22, 2009, and however things turned out, now is the perfect time to face facts, face forward, and start to make happen a new life for yourself.

Otherwise, with a rapidly diminishing sliver left, we are entering the Dark of the Moon, as the Moon will be New this coming Sunday in Aries. With it still in Pisces, much of what was said about yesterday also applies today. Look for people to be more emotional, so be sure that you say what you mean and mean what you say. Even with good seasoning, misspoken words can be difficult to swallow.

Saturday, April 2^nd

Venus sextiles Pluto at 5:29am

This is likely to be a very intense weekend. The Moon enters Aries at 4:16am and as mentioned, will be New tomorrow at 7:32am at 14º Aries. Today is likely to be high energy, and high spirits, and if you have the opportunity to do so safely, good for partaking in a few of those spirits. People are likely to be energized, charged, and rearing to go, so get your act in gear and hit the road!

Don’t be surprised if personal boundaries seem to blur, your feel willing to explore new emotional territory, or if you find yourself attracted to people, places, or other nouns that you didn’t give much thought to before. Spring has sprung, and with all the energy focused on the first Spring sign of Aries, we’re all being nudged to partake in the dance of life. Just make sure that you look where you go or go where you look!

Enjoy!

Wishing you all a wonderful week!