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 February 5 – 11, 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: Good Guys Rising

Sometimes spring arrives not with cannons, but with the aspiring leaves of a crocus breaking through crusty cold earth. Sometimes an icy heart is melted by a thoughtful word. Sometimes opportunity does not knock but eases in on balanced astrological breezes.

This is such a time.

Some of the news is good. With Uranus in Aries, people are learning how to fight oppression, and fight back against deceitful political ploys by organizations and institutions. Now that the Saturn – Jupiter opposition is over, our economy is beginning to move in the right direction.  Now that Neptune is out of Aquarius people are less inclined to believe unadulterated intellectual excrement.

But that doesn’t mean all of it is.

People are dying for freedom in Syria. North Korea juggles nuclear weapons while dancing on the sword of Damocles of world security. China and Russia are still united in their opposition of the West, and Iran would like nothing more than to lob a missile into the world’s oil supply. And no matter how many times we turn a deaf ear, the anguish of Africa is real.

Saturn is about to join Mars Retrograde, and the most effective weapon for dealing with and overthrowing tyranny is organized civil disobedience. Freedom fighters the world over should study the work of Gandhi for some useful insights and methods.

Thankfully, many of us are not personally involved in these struggles, but to quote Eleanor Roosevelt, “Hate and force cannot be in just a part of the world without having an effect on the rest of it.”

Speaking of Eleanor, another favorite quote of hers is, “Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, and small minds discuss people.”

She was one of the greats.

Closer to home, there are now two major astrological influences shaping events, Saturn joining Mars Retrograde this Tuesday, and the strengthening Jupiter-Pluto trine that will climax on March 12^th.

First Saturn.

Saturn, in all its glory

Saturn may be the most beautiful planet in the solar system, but can be one of the most difficult to deal with. When everything is going smoothly and you get stopped dead in your tracks, who’s often to blame? Saturn. When you have put all your hope in the ability of your nest eggs to grow, who stunts their growth? Saturn. When you get stopped by the cops for a speeding ticket, who’s to blame? Well, you, but somewhere Saturn was smiling.

Saturn is the planet of responsibilities, duties, and obligations. Saturn obstructs shortcuts and rewards discipline, hard work, and due diligence. Saturn is law, and Saturn is karma. Above all, Saturn is stricture and structure. But it is often by Saturn’s hand that we learn mastery. Saturn makes us sit and do scales on the piano, but master the scales and you master the music.

Saturn is going backwards, forcing us to face our own duties, responsibilities, structures, and karma. It is a time of coming to terms with the consequences of our actions. When Saturn is retrograde, we must sleep in the bed we have made for ourselves. And if you do so with dirty dogs, you’re likely to wake up with fleas.

Saturn retrograde times also usually present excellent opportunities for us to make amends for mistakes we have made. If handled correctly, Saturn retrograde can give us a second chance in areas that we have fumbled in the past. Watch carefully for any overtures from others indicating such opportunities. They may be a gift of epic proportions.

Saturn retrograde times are also often periods in which we reexamine the commitments we have made and the responsibilities we bear. In some cases, it may feel as if our load has become lighter, but don’t be too fooled by that. It is advantageous to look at this as an chance to look at the load from below, and decide what is worth continuing to carry and what is better to jettison. When Saturn turns direct in mid-June, you’ll be grateful for that lighter load.

While Saturn retrograde is apt to prod us to heave a sigh of relief, Jupiter trine Pluto has the force of a strong wind at our back moving us forward.

Pluto is power, transformation, and renewal. As god of the underworld, he ruled over wealth and the resources of the deeps and depths. We don’t call people today plutocrats for nothing. More plainly, not only is Pluto a general influence on our economy as a whole, but Pluto also rules over nuclear energy, oil and other petro-chemicals, and power plants.

Jupiter is the planet of growth and opportunity. He the Santa Claus of the zodiac. He’s the guy who when you’re down and out and have no hope, comes around and pays the bills. He helps you network to meet the right people at the right time, and turns tiny acorns into mighty oaks. In Roman times, Jupiter, largest planet of the solar system was called Optimus Maximus – Greatest and Best. You don’t get any better than that.

Jupiter is coming up trine Pluto in mid-March. The trine is a third of the zodiac, or 120 degrees, and represents balance and an easy flow of energy between the two planets involved. Jupiter trine Pluto times are generally good times, and times in which opportunity can be found without needing to turn over too many stones.

So far, the positive and beneficent sides of the Jupiter trine Pluto energy have been building productively. I am hopeful that it will continue to do so at least through the mid-March time period, and that Saturn retrograde will not impede this buildup. That being the case, make the most of this time. Jupiter-Pluto trines only occur every 3-4 years, and often represent periods in which great progress can be made. Definitely a time to take full advantage so that you can look back on it and smile with appreciative satisfaction!

Before we get to the Daily Details, take a peek at these truly breathtaking high-definition images of the Earth taken by NASA. I have selected the largest images of them I could find because if you open them up, you can truly see amazing detail. Enjoy!

To the Daily Details!

 

Courtesy of Sky & Telescope magazine

Sunday, February 5^th

No major aspects

The Moon is in Cancer all day. Dawn breaks with us a bit befuddled and unsure of the manner we have handled things. Could we have done more? Should we have done less? Did we say what we really meant, and did we say the right things? Doubt flits about our heads like gnats, but there’s nothing really to fret about. Stop making trouble for yourself. These thoughts have less to do with our insecurities than reality. That is, unless you decide to make them real. As the day progresses, our mood shifts. By about 3pm we are feeling our oats, energized, powerful, lively and alive. We’re ready for anything but most ready for a good time. Any parties or social activities done this afternoon should go well, and generate some fond memories for years to come.

 

Monday, February 6^th

Sun octile Uranus at 2:04am

Mercury octile Uranus at 12:01pm

The Moon enters Leo at 5:24am and sets the tone for what could be a pleasant week. We’re in a playful mood and are more interested in fluff than weighty topics. Be careful of getting too distracted by gossip or the antics of the clown in the next cube or you could find yourself caught in an embarrassing situation—and not just with the boss. The Sun and Mercury are very close together in preparation for tomorrow’s conjunction, and both of them make challenging aspects to Uranus throughout the day. That means that computers, communication devices, and meetings are all likely to be disruptive, not act according to plan, and may present situations that make you choose conflicting personal or emotional priorities. You have a reputation to uphold. Making decisions consistent with that reputation will serve you best in the long-run, no matter how enticing the short-term benefits may be.

 

Tuesday, February 7^th

Sun conjunct Mercury at 1:02am

Saturn stationary Retrograde at 6:02am

Full Moon at 19° Leo at 1:53pm

Venus enters Aries at 10:00pm

Today is a very busy day astrologically. The Sun conjunct Mercury gives an extra edge to our minds, thoughts, and tongues. Not only are we able to speak more clearly, but we are also better able to communicate the full extent of our feelings as well. People know exactly where we stand and how we feel. This aspect can tend to also give our words an extra edge, so be careful how you wield your verbal sword today. The Sun conjunct Mercury also means that we’re at the midway point between retrograde Mercuries. We finished the last one December 14^th, and will enter a new one on March 12^th, the same fateful day as the Jupiter Pluto trine climax.

The Full Moon at 19° Leo continues the relatively good mood we have been in since last weekend. Many of us may feel as if we’ve braved a severe storm, and that the worst of it has passed. There are strong indications that this is indeed the case, and let’s hope that that is true. Last Thursday we crossed a “nexus” of planetary spiritual evolutionary energy, and I believe we came through on the good side of things. Stay tuned to future editions of The Flow! for more details!

I can’t pass the day without saying at least a few words about Venus entering Aries. While generally speaking Venus doesn’t quite feel completely at ease in the home sign of Mars, but it does make us more direct in our relationships, less tolerant of coverups, exaggerated mannerisms, or artificial airs. It’s a time when subtlety flies over our heads like an airplane, and when our needs turn toward open, honest, and forthright relationships. Venus in Aries also tends to bring out imbalances and inequalities in our relationships, so be extra careful that you give as much as you get, and get as much as you give, or the playground of Aries can turn into a battlefield.

 

Wednesday, February 8^th

No major aspects

The Moon enters Virgo at 9:32am and it’s time to get back to work. We may have been neglecting our true duties while we’ve been out having fun, and the Moon in Virgo is making us face up to our responsibilities. Actually, with the Moon in Virgo, we start a day in which growth in economic matters is heavily favored. However, there is a caveat, and it is a big one: beware of overextending yourself. If there are situations in which you can advance your interests by using resources in your pocket and at your command, you will do well to use them. If, however, it means utilizing a line of credit, or buying on time, or using others’ resources, this is not the time to make your move. I know, I know, you are confident that you have what it takes and everything will work out fine. But that is unlikely to be the case unless you are one of the fire signs, Leo, Aries, or Sagittarius and one of these planets fall in your second house of finance and resources. You’re here, so take my advice, and don’t extend yourself too thin today!

 

Thursday, February 9^th

Venus conjunct Uranus at 6:28pm

The Moon remains in Virgo all day, and meets up with Mars later in the evening at 9:11pm. Take that as a warning. Most of the day is extremely favorable for any and all kinds of creative activities. If you have writing to do, a website to design, artwork to develop, or music to compose, you just might have a major breakthrough today. Otherwise, the earlier part of the day isn’t particularly bad, but business dealings and economic news is apt to be mixed-up and mixed. Good news may turn out to be not quite as good as people think, and bad news may actually make things turn out better than they think. Take your financial news with a grain of salt today.

The heavy hitting astrologically, though, occurs this evening. Our relationships can range from sparklingly effervescent to downright difficult to control or understand. Beware of hyper-emotionalism in any case. Everyone has their heart on their sleeve, and that special someone may just decide to wipe their nose on yours. Be equally wary of manipulations and power-plays, everyone’s inner Machiavelli comes out to play tonight, too. If at all possible, try not to care too much or make too much of tonight’s antics. The fault, this time, may truly be in the stars, not your dear one’s heart.

 

Friday, February 10^th

Mercury octile Pluto at 5:45am

Sun octile Moon at 11:30pm

The Moon enters Libra at 11:54am, and sets the stage for a very interesting day. The astrological energies today permeate the barriers and divisions of time, space, and consciousness on a variety of levels. Pay particularly close attention to synchronicities, oddities, or experiences of déjà vu. They just might be from spirits trying to knock some clues into your skull. Personal news may feel particularly weighted, as if each word or phrase has particularly important meaning. In fact, that’s a good keyword for the entirety of the day: meaning. The day is likely to have some truly meaningful events, and how you treat that meaning will have an effect on the course of that event. If for example, someone who you have been having difficulty with says something kind, it may be a golden opportunity for rapprochement. If someone makes personal overtures, it may be an indication that they are interested in a more intimate relationship. If you get good financial news, it may be a sign that you should use some of that money to invest in your own future. It is almost like going through the day like a pinball, and each time you make a meaningful connection to an occurrence in your life, your spirit lights up and you rack up good karma points.

 

Saturday, February 11^th

No major aspects

With the Moon in Libra all day we want to connect with others emotionally. If you have somewhere to go and/or someone to do it with, you’ll find that the bonds you have with others particularly rewarding today. However, relating to others isn’t going to be particularly easy today. We’re unsure of what we really or want or need from others, and we seem to trip over our own words communicating these needs. Non-verbal communication is likely to be the most effective, so it’s a day when it is truly best to reach out and touch someone — just so long as they don’t have a restraining order out on you. In the afternoon hours we are strongly tempted by the demons on the darker side of our minds. We have a strong desire to scratch a deep psychological itch that has caused us pain in the past. Be careful! Usually these itches cover deep psychological wounds that have healed enough to not be intrusive any longer, so scratch that itch at your own risk!

Many of us are likely to use this weekend to celebrate Valentine’s Day. However, the astrological aspects are not particularly kind either Friday night or Saturday. Sunday is definitely the best of the time periods for romantic rendezvous, so if you can, plan accordingly!

Wishing you all a wonderful week!