I do not know about you but for me the past week has been almost electrifying. It started with the Full Moon last Tuesday the 17th, which was located at 25-26 degrees of Sagittarius /Gemini-opposite
signs. The Sun was in Sag and the Moon was in Gemini. Gemini gives us
information, Sag gives us the meaning of life. The position of the Sun, with the Moon mirroring from across the way, is at the GC or Galactic Center
of the Milky Way, where a super Black
Hole lies. The black hole is millions of times larger than the Sun and
absorbs and transmits electromagnetic energy. As Austin says.."the Full Moon's alignment with the GC provides extra energetic support for releasing old beliefs, remembering our cosmic origins and realizing our life's purpose." (see TMA's
December/January issue Stephanie Austin's piece on the Full Moon.) This Full Moon (Full Moons are always synchronous with a "breakthrough" or "ah ha" moment) will give us information about the meaning and purpose of our lives, if we are looking in that direction that is, and will be in effect until the next New Moon on January 1st.
That same day saw a station or apparent station, from earth's perspective, of Uranus at 8 degrees 35 minutes of Aries. Uranus will now move forward in the zodiac once again, after having gone retrograde from July 17th. Planet Uranus is our symbol for the revolutionary and progressive impulse in our lives; when things suddenly get turned upside down in your life, Uranus is active in your chart. (I just spilled my chai as I was writing this and yes it is in mine and this accident prone energy will be quite apparent for all of us into Christmas Day as Mars configures itself with Uranus). You need other influences to sustain the sudden intensity, but the excitement of the moment gives us a glimpse into the future. This is true especially as this Uranus station occurred simultaneously with the Full Moon at the GC.
And the news of the day of the Full Moon? The front page of the New York Times had four articles, demonstrating the future coming towards us. Firstly, a federal district judges ruled that the NSA's program that is systematically keeping records of all American phone calls, violates the constitution. James Madison, author of the Constitution would be "aghast" that the government was invading our privacy to this extent, Judge Leon wrote in his 68 page ruling. (According to Eric Francis and his Planet Waves site, who obtained birth data on Leon, he is a maverick with his Sun conjunct Chiron-one who leads humanity forward, one who goes his way alone, a healer.)
Secondly, the drug company Glax-Smith-Kline has agreed to stop paying doctors to promote its products.
Thirdly an American organization of professors announced a boycott of Israeli academic institutions to protest Israel's treatment of Palestinians. "People who truly believe in academic freedom would realize protesting the blatant and systemic denial of academic freedom to the Palestinians, which is coupled with material deprivation of a staggering scale, far outweighs concerns we in the West might have about our own academic freedoms."
And fourthly, Pope Francis replaced a conservative American cardinal on a powerful Vatican committee with another American considered more moderate. The fact that the editorial board of the NYT, which meets daily to decide which news stories to put on the front page chose these four stories on Tuesday the 17th, with the Full Moon on the GC, is significant. Remember in astrology it is not what happens to us that is important it is when it happens that is.
There is another news story of note, that came in that week. Glenn Greenwald (the Guardian reporter who broke the Snowden files story) and other national security investigative journalists have joined forces with the founder of eBay, to form a new media company, NewCo. This is not "a same old" publication but one that augurs for the future. There are two components to New Co, one a technology company run for profit that will develop tech tools for making and distributing news and then selling those products to outside companies. The profits will then be funneled into the second segment of NewCo, a not for profit arm which will publish and support independent public interest journalism..
to be continued...
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Pre Christmas Thoughts
Having set aside Friday afternoons for writing, I find myself with so many different threads that I am having a time of it coalescing the various pieces into a whole. I often rely on my first impressions upon waking, when I remember them, as I find these carryovers from sleep life extremely valuable. This morning's impression was about the planet Mars..
Mars is the first planet outside of earth's orbit around the Sun; so circles the Sun in approximately 2 1/2 years, compared to earth's cycle of 365 1/4 days. Last Saturday, the 7th at 3:41 PM, Mars changed signs and moved into 0 degrees of Libra, hypothetically moving in front of the area of the sky where the sign Libra, the sign of the scale resides. Mars was last in Libra July 30, 2010 until September 15th, a normal passage of 6 weeks. (If you have kept a diary, then going back to those dates will give you a clue as to what the issues will be for you this time..) This year however, Mars is going to be in Libra now until July 27, 2014 more than 6 months! This is when astrology or the study of planetary cycles can be so helpful. By becoming aware of the possible repercussions of this long transit of volatile Mars, we can be pro-active, as they say, and use it, rather than being used by it.
In order to understand the whole (the long transit of Mars in Libra) we must investigate the parts. Mars is the principle of energetic force, the impulse and capacity to assert, to act and move energetically and forcefully, to have an impact, to press forward and against, to defend and offend, to act with sharpness and ardor; the tendency to experience aggressiveness, anger, conflict, harm, violence, forceful physical energy; to be combative, competitive, courageous and vigorous.(from Richard Tarnas, Cosmos and Psyche.)
Libra is the sign of the scales, where we weigh and balance things. Justice who holds the scale wears a blindfold. Libra is a cardinal air sign, initiating Fall. Libra has to do with building one on one relationships, where, like the scales there is equality, communicating with one another and making peace. Libra loves Universal Harmony, Ideal Relationships, the marriage of Spirit and Matter. There is an urge to cooperate, to seek compromise, with an ability to make adjustments to encourage a more harmonious experience. (The Congressional budget compromise this week comes to mind as a manifestation of the change of Mars moving into the sign of compromise.)
If combining these two vastly different energies, Mars in Libra, brings a disconnect in your mind, you are not alone. This combative energetic force (Mars) must be used for peaceful, humanitarian purposes (Libra) or it is bound to bring trouble. Mars in passing through Libra, Venus' domain, brings battles for just social causes or stalemates where one cannot decide which side to take. Mars is out of place in the gentle peaceful sign, preferring a cause to rally and fight for or defend against. (Although Libras do make good generals as they instinctively need to know what the other side is doing-they can see both sides thus prepare themselves.)
So where does this leave us so as to be able to use this transit and not be used by it? Firstly, when Mars went into Libra last Saturday, he entered a new department of life in your natal birth chart. It is impossible to say what area of life that is without knowing your birth chart. But you should have gotten clues this week as your energy, assertiveness and focus went in a different direction than before the 7th. (You can also go back to the times listed above when Mars was last in Libra for clues.)
Secondly, as we have said, Mars will be in this department of life for 6 months, not the usual 6 weeks, which can go by so fast that one hardly notices. But after a 6 month pass you are bound to notice the shift in focus.Your energies, your drive, direction and often work, will be different in August of 2014 than it is now. Even if you stay in the same profession or job, something about the situation and your direction or purpose in it will have shifted and it started this week.
Two more ideas come to mind. Firstly, When Mars went into Libra, the planet passes into 0 degrees of Libra which connects direcly with its opposite, 0 degrees Aries, the beginning of the zodiac. We all have that point someplace in our natal chart. It is where we connect with the general public and what we will be known for after we die. Some of us have that point more strongly connected to our personal life than others. We had a HUGE demonstration of the impact of Mars entering Cardinal sign Libra this week with the death of Nelson Mandela. This event was brought to and mourned by the whole world. Rightly so, as if ever there was a person personifying working (Mars) on social justice issues (Libra) it was he; adding to that struggle is all the violence and destruction the working for social change unfortunately often brings.
The study of planetary cycles, as we do in astrology enables us, like Janus, the Roman god, to look both backwards and forwards. By looking into the historical cycles in US history, which are fairly well documented, we can get a sense of what is ahead for the country. (Your personal life can be managed this way as well, if you are a reflective person.) We are exploring Mars at 0 degrees of Libra, as this is what happened this week, but has happened before and will again.as Mars revolves around the Sun over and over again.
In the natal chart for the USA, July 4th 1776, planet Mars was in Gemini, but "progressed" into 0 degrees of Libra September 15, 1940, as we were vacillating about entering the European conflict. FDR signed "The Selective Training and Service Act" the next day. This was the first time in US history that we had a peacetime draft called up. Early Americans considered a permanent standing Army a form of tyranny; militias were called up and disbanded repeatedly after a crisis. (We have come a long way from those founding perspectives.)
On July 20th, 2006, 3 years into the Iraq War, progressed Mars in the USA's chart, still in Libra since Sept 15th, 1940, appeared to stall. Although it is just an optical illusion, it is illustrative and useful in understanding cycles in history. Thus began an 80 year period when the planet of forceful action (Mars) is no longer speeding ahead but slowly, from earth's vantage point, appears to be moving from one side of the Sun to the other, "retrograding". During these months in 2006 a Congressional Iraq Study group was meeting and concluded in December that " US forces seem to be caught in a mission that has no foreseeable end", the USA's Mars went retrograde in Libra. The USA is and should be retreating (Mars retrograde) from the use of military force to resolve conflicts.
In keeping with our Janus theme of looking backwards and forwards, the first time transiting Mars moved into 0 degrees of Libra after the birth of the country, was Dec 16th 1776. Congress had abandoned the capital, Philadelphia, amidst fears that British General Howe, already in control of New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island was ready to seize it. To forestall an attack on Philadelphia, as a tonic to his dejected compatriots, and before enlistments in the army expired at the end of the year, General Washington, says Ron Chernow (biographer), "began to think creatively"and "awakened from his mental stupor" that had plagued him since the Long Island disaster. Just as Mars changed signs, moving to 0 degrees of Libra, the Continental Army crossed the Delaware and entered New Jersey, striking a blow against the Hussein mercenaries in Trenton. This became a huge victory for Washington. Mars in Libra-fighting for social justice-in this case for the colonialists to have the same rights as Englishmen everywhere.
As we have said, in studying planetary cycles we look both backwards and forwards because we are caught in our circular or elliptical solar system. All the planets moving around the Sun return to a position against the back drop of the zodiac repeatedly. Looking ahead, March 28th, 2086 the USA progressed Mars will end its retrograde motion and apparently move forward. Although I did not have anything to do with it, the place in the zodiac where this will be is 0 degrees of Libra, where it was on Sept 15th, 1940 when FDR called up the first ever peacetime draft. (Not a usual happening that we start at the beginning of a sign again,.) Thus the events of this week when Mars went into Libra and every time Mars has done that or will do that in the future, foreshadow the events in 2086. We are talking specifically about the USA's chart here but the principle is the same, even in your personal life
Although March 28th 2086 is way beyond my lifetime, and everyone's else reading this blog, the study of historical planetary cycles-what happened the last time when...is illuminating. Hopefully we will have learned some hard fought lessons in the 146 years since the cycle began in September 1940, about our use of force (Mars) to make peace (Libra). Will a calling up of an army be necessary again? Will we have abandoned our standing military by then and directed the money into social justice causes? Or will we need an army to fight for a just cause and have learned nothing? The point is the US will have a second chance to redo our position on the use of force. Habits begun and perpetuated since 1940, began to be questioned in 2006 and by 2086 should be completely overhauled. .That is the value of a long retrograde time period of a planet. And if you really want your mind blown the USA progressed Mars will not leave Libra until Mar 2nd 2170!! We sure should be working on peace and harmony by then. Next up will be Venus who turns retrograde on the solstice the 21st.
Thanks for your time...
Mars is the first planet outside of earth's orbit around the Sun; so circles the Sun in approximately 2 1/2 years, compared to earth's cycle of 365 1/4 days. Last Saturday, the 7th at 3:41 PM, Mars changed signs and moved into 0 degrees of Libra, hypothetically moving in front of the area of the sky where the sign Libra, the sign of the scale resides. Mars was last in Libra July 30, 2010 until September 15th, a normal passage of 6 weeks. (If you have kept a diary, then going back to those dates will give you a clue as to what the issues will be for you this time..) This year however, Mars is going to be in Libra now until July 27, 2014 more than 6 months! This is when astrology or the study of planetary cycles can be so helpful. By becoming aware of the possible repercussions of this long transit of volatile Mars, we can be pro-active, as they say, and use it, rather than being used by it.
In order to understand the whole (the long transit of Mars in Libra) we must investigate the parts. Mars is the principle of energetic force, the impulse and capacity to assert, to act and move energetically and forcefully, to have an impact, to press forward and against, to defend and offend, to act with sharpness and ardor; the tendency to experience aggressiveness, anger, conflict, harm, violence, forceful physical energy; to be combative, competitive, courageous and vigorous.(from Richard Tarnas, Cosmos and Psyche.)
Libra is the sign of the scales, where we weigh and balance things. Justice who holds the scale wears a blindfold. Libra is a cardinal air sign, initiating Fall. Libra has to do with building one on one relationships, where, like the scales there is equality, communicating with one another and making peace. Libra loves Universal Harmony, Ideal Relationships, the marriage of Spirit and Matter. There is an urge to cooperate, to seek compromise, with an ability to make adjustments to encourage a more harmonious experience. (The Congressional budget compromise this week comes to mind as a manifestation of the change of Mars moving into the sign of compromise.)
If combining these two vastly different energies, Mars in Libra, brings a disconnect in your mind, you are not alone. This combative energetic force (Mars) must be used for peaceful, humanitarian purposes (Libra) or it is bound to bring trouble. Mars in passing through Libra, Venus' domain, brings battles for just social causes or stalemates where one cannot decide which side to take. Mars is out of place in the gentle peaceful sign, preferring a cause to rally and fight for or defend against. (Although Libras do make good generals as they instinctively need to know what the other side is doing-they can see both sides thus prepare themselves.)
So where does this leave us so as to be able to use this transit and not be used by it? Firstly, when Mars went into Libra last Saturday, he entered a new department of life in your natal birth chart. It is impossible to say what area of life that is without knowing your birth chart. But you should have gotten clues this week as your energy, assertiveness and focus went in a different direction than before the 7th. (You can also go back to the times listed above when Mars was last in Libra for clues.)
Secondly, as we have said, Mars will be in this department of life for 6 months, not the usual 6 weeks, which can go by so fast that one hardly notices. But after a 6 month pass you are bound to notice the shift in focus.Your energies, your drive, direction and often work, will be different in August of 2014 than it is now. Even if you stay in the same profession or job, something about the situation and your direction or purpose in it will have shifted and it started this week.
Two more ideas come to mind. Firstly, When Mars went into Libra, the planet passes into 0 degrees of Libra which connects direcly with its opposite, 0 degrees Aries, the beginning of the zodiac. We all have that point someplace in our natal chart. It is where we connect with the general public and what we will be known for after we die. Some of us have that point more strongly connected to our personal life than others. We had a HUGE demonstration of the impact of Mars entering Cardinal sign Libra this week with the death of Nelson Mandela. This event was brought to and mourned by the whole world. Rightly so, as if ever there was a person personifying working (Mars) on social justice issues (Libra) it was he; adding to that struggle is all the violence and destruction the working for social change unfortunately often brings.
The study of planetary cycles, as we do in astrology enables us, like Janus, the Roman god, to look both backwards and forwards. By looking into the historical cycles in US history, which are fairly well documented, we can get a sense of what is ahead for the country. (Your personal life can be managed this way as well, if you are a reflective person.) We are exploring Mars at 0 degrees of Libra, as this is what happened this week, but has happened before and will again.as Mars revolves around the Sun over and over again.
In the natal chart for the USA, July 4th 1776, planet Mars was in Gemini, but "progressed" into 0 degrees of Libra September 15, 1940, as we were vacillating about entering the European conflict. FDR signed "The Selective Training and Service Act" the next day. This was the first time in US history that we had a peacetime draft called up. Early Americans considered a permanent standing Army a form of tyranny; militias were called up and disbanded repeatedly after a crisis. (We have come a long way from those founding perspectives.)
On July 20th, 2006, 3 years into the Iraq War, progressed Mars in the USA's chart, still in Libra since Sept 15th, 1940, appeared to stall. Although it is just an optical illusion, it is illustrative and useful in understanding cycles in history. Thus began an 80 year period when the planet of forceful action (Mars) is no longer speeding ahead but slowly, from earth's vantage point, appears to be moving from one side of the Sun to the other, "retrograding". During these months in 2006 a Congressional Iraq Study group was meeting and concluded in December that " US forces seem to be caught in a mission that has no foreseeable end", the USA's Mars went retrograde in Libra. The USA is and should be retreating (Mars retrograde) from the use of military force to resolve conflicts.
In keeping with our Janus theme of looking backwards and forwards, the first time transiting Mars moved into 0 degrees of Libra after the birth of the country, was Dec 16th 1776. Congress had abandoned the capital, Philadelphia, amidst fears that British General Howe, already in control of New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island was ready to seize it. To forestall an attack on Philadelphia, as a tonic to his dejected compatriots, and before enlistments in the army expired at the end of the year, General Washington, says Ron Chernow (biographer), "began to think creatively"and "awakened from his mental stupor" that had plagued him since the Long Island disaster. Just as Mars changed signs, moving to 0 degrees of Libra, the Continental Army crossed the Delaware and entered New Jersey, striking a blow against the Hussein mercenaries in Trenton. This became a huge victory for Washington. Mars in Libra-fighting for social justice-in this case for the colonialists to have the same rights as Englishmen everywhere.
As we have said, in studying planetary cycles we look both backwards and forwards because we are caught in our circular or elliptical solar system. All the planets moving around the Sun return to a position against the back drop of the zodiac repeatedly. Looking ahead, March 28th, 2086 the USA progressed Mars will end its retrograde motion and apparently move forward. Although I did not have anything to do with it, the place in the zodiac where this will be is 0 degrees of Libra, where it was on Sept 15th, 1940 when FDR called up the first ever peacetime draft. (Not a usual happening that we start at the beginning of a sign again,.) Thus the events of this week when Mars went into Libra and every time Mars has done that or will do that in the future, foreshadow the events in 2086. We are talking specifically about the USA's chart here but the principle is the same, even in your personal life
Although March 28th 2086 is way beyond my lifetime, and everyone's else reading this blog, the study of historical planetary cycles-what happened the last time when...is illuminating. Hopefully we will have learned some hard fought lessons in the 146 years since the cycle began in September 1940, about our use of force (Mars) to make peace (Libra). Will a calling up of an army be necessary again? Will we have abandoned our standing military by then and directed the money into social justice causes? Or will we need an army to fight for a just cause and have learned nothing? The point is the US will have a second chance to redo our position on the use of force. Habits begun and perpetuated since 1940, began to be questioned in 2006 and by 2086 should be completely overhauled. .That is the value of a long retrograde time period of a planet. And if you really want your mind blown the USA progressed Mars will not leave Libra until Mar 2nd 2170!! We sure should be working on peace and harmony by then. Next up will be Venus who turns retrograde on the solstice the 21st.
Thanks for your time...
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