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what's happening?........month of Pisces

8/3/2012

Month of Pisces 20 Feb - 20 Mar

“Water, water everywhere” could well be the sub-title of this piece and of this time, particularly for those of us who live in Sydney and/or along the eastern seaboard! And the waters; physical, emotional and spiritual, are flowing.....as we’ll see…..

[Because of commitments on other fronts, including gearing up to present the workshop 2012 – Mayans, Mayhem & Maya (an overview of which I’ll post soon), there was no “what’s happening …… month of Aquarius”. So with apologies to all things Aquarian this blog is a double catch up on the current planetary pattern…… and a little of what’s up ahead.]

Pisces we know is a water sign. Some would say the most watery of the water signs! And quite intriguingly the preceding sign, Aquarius, has as its symbol the Water Bearer. There is thus something unique and mystical in the relationship between these two, a symbolic affinity that no other pair of signs demonstrates quite so clearly. Notwithstanding it is a good reminder that the relation between all adjoining signs, and the effect of planets transiting signs, is much more about a transition in energetic states than the crossing of hard boundaries.

So the transit of Neptune, the God of the Waters, from Aquarius into Pisces during early February, not only reinforced, symbolised and actualised these transitional themes, but marked a powerful, once in a 160 year cyclic shift. During April and August 2011 Neptune tipped into Pisces and then moved back into Aquarius, as part of its retrograde motion. But it was its transit on 4 February 2012 which marked the end of its 13+ year period in Aquarius and initiated the beginning of a new cycle, starting with Pisces. The last time Neptune initiated a cycle through Pisces was in 1848.The significance of course is that Neptune is the ruler of Pisces and as such has returned home.

To arrive home Neptune passes through Aquarius, the sign of the Water Bearer. If the transition from sign to sign is a subtle one then the shift from age to age (a 2,100 year cycle) is so much more so, and there is much to ponder on the significance of the ruler of the Piscean Age passing through the sign of the New Age, to begin a new cycle; and of the symbolic significance of the watery connection between the two?

By its shift into Pisces Neptune aligned more closely with Chiron, the Wounded Healer. The event was in turn amplified on 22 Feb by the New Moon. We thus had Sun, Moon, Neptune and Chiron in a fourfold conjunction in the very early degrees of Pisces. The aura of beginnings represented by the New Moon made more immediate the generational beginning initiated by Neptune, a linking of macro and micro cycles precipitating (excuse the pun) and exacerbating the “flow” of Piscean energy.

In time I feel we will see this as a significant period. And to employ another pun, we may view it as a watershed in regards global consciousness and the appearance (though more felt than seen to begin with) of an emerging receptivity, particularly by those with a growing spiritual perspective and sensibility. The Neptune/Piscean energy speaks to us of emotion, empathy, creativity, sacrifice, higher inspiration and psychic possibilities on the one hand, and all manner of naivety, deceptiveness and dreaminess on the other.

Indeed dreams are a unique part of Neptune’s realm. Maya in Hindu can refer to both illusion and reality; the power to create illusion but also the power to make our dreams a reality. Neptune thus seeks to dissolve barriers. In conjunction with Chiron it ‘offers’ a softer, finer and more transcendent contrast/complement to the revolutionary, intense and more yang energies of Uranus and Pluto, which are so potent at present.

Tonight we have the Full Moon in Virgo (opposite the Pisces Sun). This is a culmination of the cycle begun with the Pisces New Moon. In Atlantean myth this lunar period was considered the most sacred time of year - Virgo then being known as the Fish Goddess. In later Christian mysticism this revealed as the relation between Mary (meaning of the sea) and her son, the Fisher of men and the initiator of the Piscean Age.

Right now we are entering a new era of water.

Cheers

Bob

Note:
In the next post I will look to outline Neptune in Pisces in its historical context, which may help us to have a sense of the qualities that might unfold in the coming years.

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what's happening.........Month of Capricorn

31/12/2011

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Month of Capricorn 22 Dec - Jan 20

Twice a year the Sun reaches its maximum declination north and south of the equator. Known as the solstices, these two turning points define summer and winter and the longest and shortest days in their respective hemispheres. We define them as 0° Capricorn and 0° Cancer. For millennia these were symbolically and historically significant times worshiped by almost all cultures. In the northern hemisphere the light (of the sun) reaches its lowest point on 22 December each year and thereafter begins to ‘rise’. In many cultures winter solstice rituals commemorated this re-birthing principle and these practices were almost certainly the forerunner of Christmas and the Christian worship of the birth of the light of the world.

Christmas day this year features a new Moon - the Sun and Moon together in the early degrees of Capricorn. This is traditionally considered a new beginning and adds greatly to the aura and symbolic significance of Christmas. Even more uniquely the new Moon will be conjunct Pluto! The pristine quality of the new moon in combination with the profound, dynamic and transformational Pluto indicates a generally calm and peaceful energy/day atop a deep current of feelings; particularly supportive for those in a reflective/contemplative mood or frame of mind.

New Year’s Eve also has a strong lunar signature. At midnight (Sydney time) the Moon will have transited into the early degrees of Aries and therefore into conjunction with Uranus. The Sun meanwhile remains in close proximity to its conjunction with Pluto (in Capricorn). This combining of personal and transpersonal archetypes (Sun/Pluto and Moon/Uranus) in a close and dynamic square opens a Pandora’s Box of possibilities for the beginning of that most eagerly (and for some nervously) awaited of years – 2012.

The current Uranus (in Aries) / Pluto (in Capricorn) square is THE major planetary pattern of this period. Beginning in 2008, it will continue to dominate the astrological landscape for much of the rest of this decade, with its epicentre being 2012-2015. I have recently previewed this pattern in the preceding blog, titled “Volatility, the new norm” (see below)

The unpredictable, impulsive and freedom seeking Uranus, in dynamic aspect with the intense, compulsive and transformational Pluto, is very much a 'sign' of the times. Revolution and power are core themes. Protest, struggle, uprising, experimentation, confrontation - all expressions of a restless 'spirit', are playing out on many levels, in many fields.

Coincidently the first quarter Moon (when the Moon is square the Sun) is seen by some astrologers to convey similar layers of symbolism. This combination has been referred to, somewhat eerily, as “crises in action”, a time in which the challenge is to manage the energy which is released by crisis and then to restructure it into its new form!

An interpretation from the highly regarded Kepler program states in part that…”people born during this phase are able to rise to the occasion of any emergency. They are able to make split second decisions and act on them. They have the ability to tear down old structures and to recreate new ones. They are the pioneers, the trail blazers, the hero and the heroine. It is likely they will create conflict in the lives of those entrenched in the status quo”

If midnight on 31 December 2011 is seen as a “birth” then the keywords for this Sun/Moon combination - clearing, action, building - reinforce the global (for that is what relationships between the outer planets seem to suggest) urge toward Uranian change powered by Plutonic force, demonstrating so potently in the world at this time.

To add spice to the symbolic mix Mars will be rising (that is close to the ascendant) at midnight Sydney time. The presence of the ruler of fireworks, accidents and other volatile activities, including anti- social behaviours, does add to the unpredictable energy, though hopefully he will be suitably refined and inhibited in the sign of Virgo?

The Sun/Pluto, Moon/Uranus and Mars rising combo does portend of a dynamic beginning to the year and the likelihood of more (perhaps much more!) uncertainty and change.

In the next instalment(s) I’ll look to broaden the picture including a consideration of Saturn, Jupiter and Neptune and how they interact with the prevailing energies.

Cheers

Bob

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Volatility........the new norm

12/12/2011

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Volatility.....the new norm

Robert Elstone, the chief of the Australian Stock Market pronounced recently that “volatility is the new norm”. He flagged that investors should expect this to be a one to three year scenario, maybe longer, as a combination of food and energy price rises, massive public debt (in Europe, the US and elsewhere), and other global issues worked themselves along.

His comments echoed the sentiments of economists, business leaders and political watchers the world over. Against a backdrop of regular daily stock market swings of 2, 3 and more percent, and political and sociological gyrations the world over, ‘volatility is the new norm’ has become a catch phrase for the times.

Meanwhile students of astrology, looking on, note the outworking of the major planetary event of this period - the Uranus/Pluto transit. Aspects formed between the outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) indicate much, their cycles very often coinciding with generational and societal shifts. In these periods we can witness recurring historical trends that align, uncannily, with archetypal themes connected to the particular planets. For many astrologers, myself included, it is the axial alignments, the 0°conjunction and the 180° opposition, and the intervening 90° square, that are the most significant

The unpredictable, impulsive and freedom seeking Uranus, in dynamic aspect with the intense, compulsive and transformational Pluto, says much about this time. It is the first major aspect (a square) between these two planetary heavyweights, since the 1960's; a time of unparalleled change and upheaval. Revolution and power are core themes. Protest, struggle, uprising, experimentation, confrontation - all expressions of a restless 'spirit', were and are once again playing out on many levels, in many fields. Volatility rules!

A global urge toward Uranian change, powered by Plutonic force, is clearly demonstrating and will continue to be a feature of life upwards until 2020; the transit having first commenced in 2008. The epicenter of the alignment (the period in which the planets are in closest proximity to their 90° square) is the period 2012 -2015…..which is just around the corner! Could things become more unpredictable, more intense?

What a year…..!

Surely we would be hard pressed to find a year more volatile than the one we are about to leave, 2011? From the devastating floods in Queensland, followed almost immediately by Cyclone Yasi (for good measure) and then the Victorian floods, 2011 began ominously. While I don’t draw direct inferences between planetary alignments and the weather (a highly obscure and specialized form of the art), the Uranus/Pluto metaphor is hard to resist with its volatility, unpredictability and devastating show of power.

And though of course not quite an entrée, these great floods did in turn serve as a backdrop to the Japanese tsunami, a truly frightening natural event witnessed, en masse, by the global community. A tsunami is a specifically Neptunian motif, however its cause is subterranean and hence ruled by Pluto, Lord of the Underworld. Interestingly Neptune at that time was within 3 weeks (that is very, very close) to beginning its 13 year cycle in Pisces, its own watery sign. Equally interesting, Uranus was within 12 hours of moving into Aries (where it will reside for 7 years) on that fateful day in March.

As the year has progressed we have witnessed the Arab spring, then summer, then autumn. And as we head into the Northern winter the atmosphere of revolutionary instability (Uranus) and intense and often violent confrontation (Pluto) continues on a scale not seen since the 1960’s. In a most timely and highly symbolic way the violent deaths of two of humanities most infamous ideological warriors, Bin Laden and Gaddafi, reminds us of the potency (and dark poetry) of this transit.

The economic landscape has been, similarly, a roller coaster; a second wave and in many respects a more disturbing financial period than the GFC (which began co-incidentally at the beginning of the transit and as Pluto began its long journey in and through Capricorn). As a reaction to the financial excesses, greed and government and regulatory mismanagement that fuelled the GFC, a global protest movement built up during 2011. ‘Occupy Wall Street’ spread around the world as a demonstration of People (Uranus) / Power (Pluto).

Politically, and especially as far as Australia is concerned, this has been a bitter and contentious year. Out of the political ‘battle’ has come, among other things, a reworked mining tax AND a carbon tax, both dramatically socialist (Uranian) pieces of legislation. Pluto of course ‘rules’ both mining and carbon! That Australia has the Sun in early Capricorn in its national horoscope (courtesy of its 1 January, 1901 birthday) and conjunct Saturn (the ruler of Capricorn), means we as a nation are in the midst of the transit and are particularly attuned to its archetypal vibrations. Equally significant, and highly synchronous, Australia was birthed as a nation bang in the middle of the last Uranus/Pluto opposition (1896-1907)!

As the year has drawn to a close we as individuals, and as a nation, have been both confronted and challenged by demands for same sex marital equality. This is in every respect a classic blend of freedom seeking and human rights (Uranus) juxtaposed by fears, prejudices and repressed subliminal impulses of ‘unnatural’ and ‘forbidden’ sexuality (Pluto). To say there are strong opinions on this is an understatement. The correlation with the liberation movements of the 1960’s which featured, ultimately, social re alignments toward feminist, racial, gay, social and other causes, is obvious. And if history is a guide then gay marriage will become main stream during this transit (as it already is in several countries, states and jurisdictions).

Back to the future……

So what does history, specifically the Uranus/Pluto cycle in regards history, reveal?

Many interesting things!

To cover even part of the complex political, scientific, cultural and artistic detail would require many installments, some of which I’ll look to cover in future posts. The events of the 1960’s are well known and well documented and have been touched on briefly. And we noted that Australia herself became a federated entity during the last opposition. The French Revolutionary period, which took place during the previous opposition in 1787-1798, is perhaps the example par excellence of the rich Uranus/Pluto archetype.

Good historical records are available at least as far back as the 1450-1463 conjunction. And at each point in the cycle (conjunction, opposition and square) core Uranus and Pluto themes (of which there are of course many) demonstrate. Events in one period can be seen unfolding in subsequent points of the cycle.

As an example, the previous square (1928 -1937) featured the ‘Great Depression’, a period of prolonged economic stagnation, triggered by a crisis on the stock market (sound familiar?). At the same time huge political shifts were taking place, with the rise of fascism and socialism at the two extremes. As Hitler, Mussolini, Franco and Stalin flexed their muscles in Europe, and Mao waged his revolutionary battles in China, Japan was expanding it’s military influence throughout Asia. Further south Gandhi was pursuing his own unique brand of revolution and opposition to authority.

The depression was also a catalyst to more militant forms of unionism during the 1930’s, in the US and elsewhere, as workers (that is those that had jobs) fought for conditions. The period also gave rise to the folk and protest song movement, led by Woody Guthrie, whose protégé Bob Dylan would redefine and carry forward the tradition at the next cycle in the 1960’s.

Intellectually this period was characterized by a brooding wave of existentialism (Pluto). In science and technology the atom was split (and Pluto was discovered), preparatory to the development of atomic weaponry; radar was also discovered and air mail (Uranus) was first introduced.

During the previous square, in 1873 -1880, synchronous themes were evident. Inventions (a uniquely Uranian principle) during this period included the prototype of the telephone, the light bulb and the phonograph. And Jules Verne published his novel of sky (Uranus) travel – “Around the World in Eighty Days”.

Ominously, the world entered a prolonged economic downturn (again) during this cycle. Triggered by events in Europe and exacerbated by the failure of a major US based investment bank, it would be the worst stock market crash prior to1929. Known at that time as the Great Depression (the title would be taken up at the next square), the impacts spread around the globe. In the US the New York Stock Exchange was forced to close for 10 days, 25% of the country’s railroads went bankrupt and unemployment hit 14%. The slump would last for 6 years. In Britain it became known as the Long Depression, lasting until 1897. Almost 2 decades of stagnation would erode the empires’ role as a world economic leader.

As a final example of coincident themes and happenings, the period of this square also featured a powerful tsunami hitting the north east coast of Japan (death toll 28,000!)

It’s not ALL bad…….

The picture that emerges when considering the Uranus / Pluto cycle is one of revolution and intensity, of innovation and upheaval, of experimentation and decline. For something new to appear seems always to require the sweeping, even washing away, of what was. This is transformation, for good or ill.

Amidst Uranus and Pluto’s universal and cathartic rhythms, positives do abound. Tension spurs creativity. Despite the difficult economic and social environments that were features of the squares in 1873 -1880 and 1928 -1937, these periods produced enduring creative legacies.

From the 1870’s cycle came works by Tolstoy, George Elliot, Lewis Carroll, Mark Twain, and Thomas Hardy; the music of Verdi, Bizet and Brahms; and the influential impressionist group formed by Monet, which included Cezanne, Pissarro, Renoir, Degas and Mary Cassatt. During this cycle were born many unique innovators, among them Carl Jung, Edgar Cayce, Albert Einstein, Gertrude Stein, Harry Houdini, and Maurice Ravel.

The 1928-1937 cycle, a similarly difficult economic and political period, threw up iconic works by Hemingway, Steinbeck, W. H. Auden, W. Faulkner, T.S. Elliot, James Joyce, Aldous Huxley, Pearl Buck, Daphne Du Maurier and Gertrude Stein; the jazz, swing and big band sounds of Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman and others; and unique art works by Mondrian, Chagall, Miro, Magritte and Dali. Pioneers and revolutionaries born in this cycle, who rose to great fame (or notoriety) in the next 60’s cycle, included Che Guevara, Andy Warhol, Stanley Kubrick, Mary Quant, Martin Luther King (and his assassin James Earl Ray), and that most iconic of new age men, Neil Armstrong.

Standing on the shoulders of giants…..

Perhaps there is no better example of the way in which these themes re-appear and often carry from period to period within the cycle than as demonstrated in the life of my favorite Piscean, Albert Einstein. Born during the 1873 – 1880 square, he would rise to prominence during the opposition of 1896 – 1907 with his revolutionary (Uranian) theories on the inner workings of matter (Pluto). His ‘leap beyond’ in formulating new scientific laws (of relativity etc) is considered one of the, if not the, greatest intellectual achievement in history.

During the next phase (1928 – 1937), though universally revered, he to a large degree rebelled against the scientific establishment. He grasped, and indeed was a founding father of, its quantum mechanical framework; but the ‘Godless’ principle which it implied and which was embraced by most of his contemporaries clashed with his intuitive and mystical senses.

During this period his philosophic musings became richer and deeper. Among numerous quotes he wrote: “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mystery. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead. His eyes are closed”

In the next phase (1960 -1972) Einstein would come to be embraced by a new generation. Emblazoned on countless tee-shirts and posters the world over, his image, all wild and fuzzy haired, made of him an instantly recognizable icon. But it was his pacifist and transcendent writings and quotes that would strike a deep and resonant chord with the emerging culture. He was one of them!

As we move through this current phase his influence continues (has perhaps resurfaced?). Einstein truly embodied something the world, this precarious world, could greatly benefit from. His blend of brilliant mind, daring intuition, revolutionary spirit and spiritual sensibility has touched millions. Spurred by a deep transformational urge and a love of both the known and the unknown, he personifies the highest expression of the Uranus/Pluto archetype. And as a man who ever sought to blend heart and mind (and spirit and matter), Einstein is an example for us today of how the higher human nature is meant to unfold in this Aquarian age.

Cheers

Bob

Note:

For the scholarly minded here is a table for the Uranus/Pluto cycle. 15° orbs are adopted for the conjunction and opposition phases, and 10° for the squares.

YEARS                  ASPECT               EPICENTRE         YEARS                  ASPECT               EPICENTRE
(3° orb)                                                                           (3° orb)
1450 -1463           Conjunction           1454 -1457 1705 -1716            Conjunction           1709 -1712

1489 -1507            Square                  1495 -1499            1749 -1764            Square                  1757 -1760

1533 -1545            Opposition             1538 -1541            1787 -1798            Opposition             1791 -1794

1563 -1570            Square                  1565 -1568            1816 -1824            Square                  1819 -1821

1592 -1602            Conjunction           1596 -1599            1845 -1856            Conjunction           1850 -1852

1620 -1627            Square                  1622 -1625            1873 -1880            Square                  1875 -1878

1643 -1654            Opposition             1647 -1649 1896 -1907            Opposition             1900 -1903

1674 -1683 Square 1677 -1689 1928 -1937            Square                  1931 -1934

1960 -1972            Conjunction           1964 -1967

2008 -2020            Square                  2012 -2015

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what's happening.....Month of Sagittarius

24/11/2011

3 Comments

Each astrological month, under the the theme of "what's happening", I review the ever changing planetary picture and attempt to hone in on what it has to reveal..........

Month of Sagittarius

23 November 2011 - 22 December 2011

BIG PICTURE..........

The Uranus / Pluto square dominates, as it will until well into 2017. The unpredictable, impulsive and freedom seeking Uranus, in dynamic aspect with the intense, compulsive and transformational Pluto, is very much a 'sign' of the times. This is the first major aspect between these two planetary heavyweights since the 1960's; a time of unparalleled change and upheaval. Revolution and power are core themes. Protest, struggle, uprising, experimentation, confrontation - all expressions of a restless 'spirit', are playing out on many levels, in many fields. A global (for that is what relationships between the outer planets seem to suggest) urge toward Uranian change, powered by Plutonic force, is demonstrating and will continue to be a feature of life for some time yet. Buried within the uncertainty and the unpredictability are the seeds of the 'new', as we are already witnessing. This 'new' is expressing in all spheres of life. New of course is not always better, but seen in the context of larger cycles is always connected to the evolutionary impulse. These transits (of the outer planets) are intrinsically collective in scope, however they offer 'opportunity' at the individual level to those whose horoscopes are 'linked'. If you have the Sun, Moon, Ascendant, nodes or other significant placements in cardinal (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) signs, then this can be a rich, rewarding and of course challenging period for you. Those with placements in the early degrees of the cardinal signs are first cabs off the rank, progressing through the middle and late degrees as the cycle develops over the next 6 years or so (it has already been 'active' since 2010). Regardless of personal horoscope configurations this powerful, once in a generation line up will, or can, be harnessed by all those working at and striving toward freedom from old patterns and old ways

HERE AND NOW.......

The Sun began its annual sojourn in Sagittarius on 23/11, Sydney time. For most this is the beginning of the run up to Christmas, that hectic and often hedonistic time of year. Social activities and commitments escalate, and shopping, for both gifts and food, commands more and more of our time. As we near the big day tensions can rise (exacerbated by family and other obligations) alongside more positive expectations. Indulgence and excess vies with religion and ritual, recklessness and insensitivity with charity and camaraderie, and unbounded superficiality blots out, but not completely, wonderful demonstrations of reverence and love

At this time there is surely not a more apt astrological figure than Sagittarius and its ruler Jupiter, Lord of Expansion….in all directions! Stimulating the build up in this festive period are 2 eclipses, the first on 25/11, a partial solar (new moon) eclipse, and the potent total lunar (full moon) eclipse on 11/12. The first, on 25/11, coincides with Mercury turning retrograde (also in Sagittarius). Traditionally associated with communication (and sometimes equipment) blocks and delays, this retrograde phase (which extends to 15/12) may be seen to subtly diffuse some of the pre Xmas spirit. And some will see it as something of a bad omen in regards deadlines, often a pressure point at this time of year. Personally I am hoping that it doesn’t contrive to frustrate the posting of this article! On a more topical note it seems a delicious coincidence that a major upheaval in the National Parliament occurred on the eve of this alignment, with the resignation of the sitting Speaker and the appointment of a new Speaker, on the final day and in the final minutes of the last sitting session for this year. In the first instance it involved the Speaker (Mercury). In the second, and from the opposition’s perspective, there was no warning and they had no information (Mercury retrograde). Thirdly, it occurred at the dark phase of the Moon, a hidden time. Fourthly, the eclipse is square Chiron (in early Pisces), so there is pain and loss involved! On the other hand the Government, who engineered the coup, seem to have had daring and a sense of adventure on their side, characteristic of Sagittarius/Jupiter.

The second eclipse (on 11/12) does not form as many aspects but is nonetheless a powerful motif. Its signature is intensification of energy, which will be worth bearing in mind leading up to Christmas. And it takes place on the same day that Uranus goes direct…..releasing its energy. So there is an unpredictable, but also pure, quality here; which will likely reinforce the Uranus/Pluto themes outlined above. For its part Pluto (in Capricorn) is in turn part of a grand trine with Mars (in Virgo) and Jupiter (in Taurus). This began to form in mid November and will be effective until mid December, when the faster moving Mars will move on. Earth themes are highlighted, as are practical and creative activities. As indicated in the “Month of Scorpio” this is an overall positive and stabilizing alignment, though as planets move into any aspect pattern a potential for dynamism always exits. And as Pluto is already in a 'strong' contact with Uranus the link with Mars and Jupiter MAY aggravate (Mars) and inflame/exaggerate (Jupiter) their already potent relationship.

So, those with placements (including the Sun, Moon, Ascendant, MC, nodes and the personal planets), in the early degrees of the Mutable signs, will be keyed by the eclipse and its square to Chiron. Those with placements in the early degrees of the Earth signs are now experiencing a transiting Grand Trine (between Pluto, Mars and Jupiter). Take advantage while it’s there! Those with placements in the late degrees of the Air signs are undergoing a process of reconditioning, brought about by the transit of Saturn and Neptune. And finally, those with placements in early degrees of the Cardinal signs are working under the cathartic energies of Uranus and Pluto. To be sure, everyone has something to work with!

For those who may have missed the previous “Month of Scorpio” I have reproduced it below.

Cheers

Bob

Month of Scorpio

23 October 2011 - 22 November 2011

HERE AND NOW.......

With the Sun transiting through Scorpio the next 30 days are likely to be intense, if nothing else! With Scorpio's co-ruler Pluto playing such a significant role (as noted above), big picture themes are likely to be focal. Our planet - and it's systems, institutions, organisations and citizens - are all being subjected to the heat of transformational energy! The full moon, in Taurus, on 11/11/11 (Sydney time) is significant on many levels and represents, certainly symbolically, a high point for the month. If we are acquainted with the potential intensification of energy at the full moon (and particularly one involving Taurus and Scorpio), then this alignment of astrological and numerological motifs will be a powerful reminder (and for some a powerful experience) of dynamic forces at work 'behind the scenes' at this important time. Much is suggestive of the working out of karma through the exposure of what has been hidden or suppressed, and a purging (i.e. a process of purification) in preparation for a new stage or phase.

On a lighter note there is also an exact conjunction of Mercury and Venus on 11/11/11. This combination connotes an ease, even an elegance, in communication (for those who are aligned with it), especially given the placement in the optimistic, fun loving and prone to exaggeration Sagittarius! This joining is also symbolic of the union of heart and mind; and at a more spiritual level represents the hermaphrodite (Hermes/ Mercury and Aphrodite/Venus), the sublime union of male and female in united expression. The 11 is itself a symbol of the '2', poised equally, and of the gateway into the mysteries, where the prescription for entry is this sacred 'union'. This overlap of astrology and numerology demonstrates a wonderful, probably highly significant, synchronicity; and reinforces the potency (and poetry) of this period!

And to reinforce that all is not fire and brimstone (though it is still there!) Mars, the co-ruler of Scorpio, begins to separate from it's opposition with Neptune......and on 12/11/11 transits into Virgo. Mars in late Leo opposite Neptune in late Aquarius is featured in the sky from around 20 October. This combination is often associated with drifting and a difficulty or listlessness in taking action. The 'dragging on' of the Euro crises springs to mind; what is needed or desirable is put off? Another meaning can be confusing actions and/or those based on withheld agendas, which at the time of writing is very well illustrated by the sudden and secretive shut down of the Qantas fleet.

As Mars moves into Virgo it forms a Grand Trine with Jupiter (in Taurus) and Pluto (in Capricorn). The Grand Trine is almost always associated with ease and flow, though as planets move into any aspect pattern a potential for dynamism always exits. And as Pluto is already in a 'strong' contact with Uranus the link with Mars and Jupiter MAY aggravate (Mars) and inflame/exaggerate (Jupiter) their already potent relationship. Earth themes would feature here. But overall this is a positive pattern and should serve to 'earth' the prevailing energies and bring a focus around physical and practical activities. Off the back of the full moon (the day before) opportunities to move on or conclude things are well supported by this configuration. Those with strong horoscope placements in the early degrees of the Earth signs will be particularly receptive to these themes.

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In the beginning................

9/11/2011

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Every blog must have a 'beginning' – like ones first love letter, or awkward poem, that hovered in a nervous and agonizing state of suspense, awaiting its voice. I toyed with ‘Bob’s Blog’ for this initial offering. Catchy and truly cringe-worthy! For reasons that I may get to outline down the track (when familiarity is established!) ‘Bog’s Blob’ was considered. In the end I settled for the more benign ‘In the beginning’

And this particular beginning was seeded………… in the stars.

At around age seven I first ‘looked up’. I was struck not only by the beauty of the night sky but by a sense of mystery. This was my first ‘aha’ moment……… a feeling of a much, much bigger world. I had of course looked often at the stars, as children do, but in this there was a more conscious sense of connection.

Seven is a special age. It is a time when a developmental shift or awakening takes place in regards our sense of self. The number itself is esteemed in many cultures and was particularly revered by the Pythagorean Mystery School due to its association with the musical scale and the color wheel, among other phenomena. Years later I would learn that seven years (and multiples of seven years) are closely associated with the cycles of Uranus, Saturn and the Moon

My affection for the starry worlds ebbed and flowed as the activities of youth drew my attention; a time of swirling distractions, highs and lows, and all manner of weird and wonderful impressions that coursed through my consciousness! But every now and then I would stop for a few moments and look up……. and wonder.

During my early twenties a renaissance of sorts took place, when I was propelled by a great urge to learn. This would make up for most of my school days, when the desire had lain seemingly dormant and un-stimulated. Thirty odd years later I am still on the path of learning. And my ongoing ‘education’ has been strongly influenced by a rekindled affair with the stars…….

While it is true that we can’t physically leave the earth (except if you can afford a flight on one of Virgin’s space shuttles!), there is little preventing our hearts and minds and imaginations from travelling ‘across the universe’ – seemingly as far as our hearts and minds and imaginings wish to go!

To astronomy we owe a profound debt for assisting our wanderings. The development of the telescope, especially the Hubble, has allowed us to look upon a vast and amazing cosmos. And with radio, infra red and other high tech telescopic equipment we continue to pinpoint new and more remote worlds. In tandem with the ‘new’ physics, astronomy has opened us to the majestic fabric of life, to the mysteries of black holes and dark matter; and to a tantalising sense of the beginnings of the universe.

In an altogether different yet equally important way, artists, writers and musicians have also given us a glimpse of the stars. Their ‘mode’ of investigation, by word and by phrase, by color and by tone, has also led us through the starry night and into the heart of mystery. For millennia mystics and story tellers have broken into our imaginations and confronted us with the wonders of the universe and our place in it!

For me astrology is an almost perfect blend of art and science. Not science in an empirical, cause and effect, replication of ‘proof’ type of way, but as a science of meaningfulness. Not a quantitative science but a qualitative science, based on a time-honored theoretical foundation.

As we transit into this new age we approach a quickening of the potential marriage of science and art, of fact and meaning, of mind and heart. I personally feel that astrology can contribute positively to a dissolving of barriers; where it is recognized that man’s life and life experiences function in two departments that don’t fit readily into each others’ ‘models’, but when taken together make for a more complete (and interesting) whole!

And astrology is all about the whole. If we were to limit ourselves to just one precept it would surely be the ancient but timeless ‘As Above So Below’ - which conveys two powerful things to us: One, that the laws that operate at the level of galaxies also apply to suns, planets, all living forms (including man), and within the tiny world of the atom. And two, because of this affinity, all galaxies, suns, planets, living forms and atoms are intrinsically linked.

This is the basis upon which astrology draws connections between planetary cycles and patterns, and circumstances on earth. Through an elegant mix of mathematics, symbolism and language, and through its archetypal ‘scope’, all things and all experiences (inner and outer) are embraced by astrology. There is nothing that we can know or imagine that isn’t included.......which makes our subject a truly holistic one!

How this ‘works’ is an altogether bigger question, which is beyond the time and space (excuse the pun!) available for this initial piece………but stay tuned.

In closing might I exclaim my passion and respect for astrology? For me it has been life changing and life enhancing. It continues to be a font of mystery and wisdom, at once logical and wholly intuitive. Most often I feel I am standing only at the beginning of what it has to offer.

I hope in the coming weeks, months (and hopefully years) that you can join me in exploring significant and enriching astrological and related themes as we travel ‘across the universe’

………and a special thanks for being with me on this maiden voyage!

Cheers

Bob

Note

The name of this site was inspired in part by the Beatles song ‘Across the Universe’, penned by John Lennon. The song is thought to be drawn from John’s experience with meditation (and probably other practices!), during the Beatles contact with the Mahareshi Mahesh Yogi – the founder of Transcendental Meditation. Through its evocative language and dream like melody it has taken millions of people on a ‘journey’. It is at once profound and elusive, just like astrology!

The final verse is especially beautiful:

“Sounds of laughter shades of earth are ringing
Through my open views inviting and inciting me
Limitless undying love which shines around me like a
Million suns, it calls me on and on
Across the universe”

The beginning of the chorus – “Jai Guru Deva Om” is roughly translated as “I give thanks to my ‘heavenly’ teacher” – quite appropriate for a humble student of astrology who seeks to comprehend the message of the stars

Finally, the repeat line ‘nothings gonna change my world’ seems at first to cut across what much of astrology is about, alluding as it does to celestial patterns aligning with terrestrial events. But in a delightfully synchronistic way it makes a fundamental and most important point; that the role of individual will and hence freedom of choice is the key ‘influence’. It is our ability to respond creatively and consciously to challenges and opportunities, as indicated by the planetary configurations, that makes astrology truly unique and valuable.

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Author

Bob Hunter
I have been studying, teaching and consulting on astrology and related subjects for 25 years. In that time I have never stopped being amazed at its multi levels and its capacity to 'inform'. From something as seemingly familiar as the Sun sign to the most oblique esoteric concept, it reveals, in the most surprising of ways, a little more of itself - often when you least expect it.
I look forward to you joining me as we journey 'across the universe'
- November 2011
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