WEEK OF AUGUST 5th, 2019: OUR PRIDE AND AFFECTIONS

 Artwork by Jasper Goodall 

Stand straight, walk proud, have a little faith
-Garth Brooks

The week begins with the Moon in Libra until it enters Scorpio on Tuesday signalling the First Quarter Moon. The Moon enters Sagittarius on Thursday, and remains on the archer’s territory until early Sunday morning when it enters Capricorn. The First Quarter Moon is a time of action and momentum when we are challenged to implement what was seeded at the New Moon and push forward.

SPIRIT
Passion burns hot this week as we move deeper into Leo season and straight into the heart of summer. The Sun in the second decan of Leo is bright indeed and Venus blinded by the rays inches closer and closer to the royal throne. By August 14, Venus will disappear completely into the Sun purifying herself in a baptism of light, rebirthing as an evening ”star”. The Sun and Venus in Leo will set the mood this week with loud and colourful roars and regal displays. Pride and affection for what we have created, what we have become, what we value and love is sure to be a theme. We might be moved to expose the content of our heart’s joys for all to see while other folks might dowse themselves in just-a-little-bit too much perfume.

FAITH
The Sun in Leo is moving towards a trine with Jupiter in Sagittarius (exact on Wednesday) and this should give us the ability to say YES more. This easy going and joyful sky is giving us plenty of reasons to celebrate life and make the difficult things a little bit easier to bare. Jupiter stations direct on August 11 after moving retrograde since April 10, 2019. On the same day, Mercury enters Leo and Uranus stations retrograde in Taurus creating a lot of momentum which culminates on Sunday. The Moon entering Sagittarius on Thursday (Jupiter’s day) gives the signal to launch the fireworks, release the helium balloons, cut the red ribbon, and trust that it will all work out. There is a hopeful quality that permeates the week and it is an excellent time to gain perspective on what remains to be accomplished while elevating your standards. Fill your engine to the brim with the potentiality latent in your dreams and aim higher. This is a time of joy, faith and courage; send your prayers and show gratitude accordingly.

THE SALES PITCH
Mercury re-enters the Lion’s den on Sunday at 15:45 EDT after having turned retrograde here in Leo before moving back into the sign of Cancer for most of July. If there is still a faint tinged of longing permeating our minds this week, it will definitely subside by Sunday. The radio stations which until now played a series of nostalgic and sappy songs will now be showcasing ”The Greatest Hits of all Time”. Mercury can be persuasive in the sign of Leo especially when supported by Jupiter. If you have to sell your salad ( convince someone), now and in the next few weeks is a good time to do so. You can expect however that everyone at the market will also have the best salad to sell; you could find yourself shouting in order to be heard.

The Fixed season of Leo is a time of conviction and this year Jupiter in Sagittarius is boosting the signal. Depending on natal disposition some folks might be totally blinded by their beliefs, their pride, and their ideas. Moderate the enthusiasm with healthy dose of reflection before launching headfirst into a debate or a venture. Measured risk and optimism will be rewarded while hubris and arrogance could alienate others but overall, it’s an excellent week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MERCURY RETROGRADE: VISION & REFINEMENT

 

Mercury will (appear to) be moving backward in the sign of Sagittarius from December 3rd to December 22/23rd, 2017. Retrograde periods highlight the need to organize, revise and reenvison aspects of our lives. Sometimes this happens voluntarily and sometime it is imposed on us by unforeseen circumstances.

To understand how this might affect you, locate the house with Sagittarius on the cusp in your birth chart; the affairs of that house will be up for review.  If you have an Ascendant, Sun, Moon or Mercury in the sign of Sagittarius or Gemini, this retrograde will be more significant especially if your Ascendant or planet is between 13º and 29º of either signs.

WHAT TO DO DURING THIS UPCOMING RETROGRADE?

Sort out what matters and what doesn’t anymore.

Discard old ideas and beliefs that have become burdensome or obsolete.

Contemplate the passage of time and what it means to be growing older and wiser.

Acknowledge what you want in the grand scheme of things, versus what you do on a day-to-day basis to get there.

Honesty and moral courage will be highlighted during this time.

When the desire to find the truth becomes a rhetorical dead-end, what’s next?

At its worst, this retrograde could bring gloomy or depressive thinking, a loss of faith or a feeling of being blocked by something beyond your control.

There could be an urge to control your thoughts and a difficulty expressing yourself freely. In some circumstances, you might need to ”Let go and Let God”.

In other circumstances you might need to seriously consider rectifying something that has become out of control.

What happens when the sacrifice you are making are loosing their meaning?

What happens when the path you are on is NOT leading you where you want to go?

Taking a step back from something in order to gain perspective and looking at the big picture.

Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius could mean: A re-evaluation of your core beliefs, a shift of perspective, a change of direction and a quest for meaning.

What does ”control” means to you? Do you consider yourself a control-freak? If so, what step can you take to release the grip?

It’s a great time to reflect on social-media, the place it has in your life and how you utilize this tool to your advantage or disadvantage.

IDEAS, DISCIPLINE, AND VISION-SHAPING

If you have a BIG idea or if you are working towards a goal, this retrograde will help you refine your vision.

The awareness needed to gage the REAL amount of work needed to accomplish a goal will be available; don’t let this clarity become a burden and use it to your advantage.

From now until mid-January is your opportunity to write your plan or revise the existing one.

If you are contemplating a new path, a new venture, or a new way of doing things, this retrograde will help you delineate your course of action.

This retrograde is about setting realistic goals, the willingness to roll up your sleeves, and the willingness to invest the time and effort necessary.

Inspiration and creative ideas are available but will remain in the realm of possibilities as long as you don’t take concrete steps; thinking about something doesn’t make it happen.

If the time has come to realize an idea or a project, it is up to you to act on it before someone else does.

From now until mid-January is your opportunity to scheme; discipline is available.

Things may take longer than anticipated; be pragmatic and realistic when delineating your plan without becoming defeatist.

The reality is, things take time; don’t let this fact discourage you.

☿

To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom. –Bertrand Russell

 

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GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

Mercury retrograde begins on December 3rd and ends on December 22/23rd, 2017. Saturn is a big player in this upcoming retrograde. Whatever transpires of this cycle could play out until mid-January when Mercury meets up with Saturn for its 3rd and final conjunction in the sign of Capricorn.

Since the ruler of Mercury in Sagittarius is Jupiter in Scorpio, the themes of secrecy and revelations will continue to be strongly highlighted.

Mercury trine Uranus on November 25th before meeting up with Saturn on November 28th and turning retrograde on December 3rd. An emerging idea, a revelation, a new situation, a vision, or simply a new approach to an old conundrum could be a strong theme in December. The shape of things to come, an idea and the discipline required to materialize it, will be strong undercurrents.

On December 3rd, Jupiter in Scorpio (ruling over Mercury) trine Neptune in Pisces while Mercury stations retrograde. There is also a Full Moon in Gemini on the same day ruled by Mercury retrograde. There is an overwhelming amount of work and so much things to think about. You might be tempted to find the closest escape route. Don’t let anxiety or fear cripple your mind. A good day to practice breathing exercise and meditation. This Full Moon highlights the dichotomy between beliefs and facts, visions and ideas, and the realization that it will take a lot more work than originally thought to get where we want to be.

The New Moon in Sagittarius on December 17 will see its ruler Jupiter in Scorpio, square the Nodes of the Moon while Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius trine the Nodes. On December 21st, Saturn enters Capricorn and Mercury station direct the next day; destiny is calling.

 

 

 

 

Restore the faith

The Sun leaves the distrustful sign of Scorpio and enters Sagittarius for the next month. Can this help us see the bigger picture and restore our faith? Of course Saturn looms large on the horizon, and Pluto and Uranus.

When an eternal optimist meets with fanatics we can only hope that they somehow find the middle ground.

Goodbye Scorpio season. You were ”transformational” to say the least.

Mercury retrograde: Don’t shoot the messenger

Today, Mercury stations retrograde at 0’ 57 of Aquarius and will be re-tracing the path it took in December until it turns direct again on January 25th.

This could means that we don’t have all the pieces we need to move ahead. We will have to look back to retrieve some important information and perhaps restructure some of our plans. Something needs resolution. We need to back track to move deeper, to heal, to understand. You can try denial but I wouldn’t recommend it. Things will most likely go in an unpredictable fashion and that is part of the revision process. Some things need to die before we can move forward. Wether its a habit, a fear or a cherished illusion. What is the driving force hiding behind your decisions at the moment?

The regular Mercury procedure is: Don’t sign contracts, don’t buy big-ticket items or launch on a new venture.  The potential for confusion, complication or things not turning out as planned seems to be higher during this period. Of course you have free will and of course you can do whatever you want.  This is an ongoing observed phenomenon.

The first aspect that Mercury makes on its way backward, is a square to Mars in Scorpio. Mars doesn’t back track, it moves forward. What does it mean?

We can speculate.

Mars in Scorpio wants to zoom in on what most don’t want to show. It identifies the weaknesses to annihilate or heal depending on the level of awareness. This means that we have an arsenal of truth serum at our disposal and it needs to be handled with care for the sake of peace and integration.

Mars wants to act but Scorpio doesn’t tell so Mars in Scorpio is almost always about acting undercover without showing intentions. Mars in Scorpio has hidden motivations. Mercury the messenger, connects us to one another. It is Mercury’s job to tell. This could be like an undercover mission gone public, a cover up exposed, an ambitious executioner, a politician who tells the truth. It can cause ravages or it can bring us to the next level.

Without proper considerations this aspect could see us pulling dirty tricks to win a race that is driven by our insecurities. Mars in Scorpio cuts through the thin veil of chatter to get to the core of the issue. Special attention to dialogues, exchanges and negociations in the next few days as the potential for misunderstanding or hurts to surface is very possible.

You might find me overly prescriptive to start the year but knowledge allows us to move with awareness through the battle fields.

Good luck!

Warming up by the fire

The Moon just entered the sign of Leo and will be there until December 29

With the Sun in ambitious and earthy Capricorn, we see our goals and we are willing to work to succeed.  The Moon in Leo can help fuel the creative fires with the supportive trines from Saturn and Uranus. This can add an overall inspiring and beneficial influence. The Moon will also square Venus in Scorpio showing that we might be ruled by unconscious desires at the moment.  If we can tame our spirits and connect to our deeper motivations we can discriminate between the genuine need to surpass ourselves and the more superficial ambitions that are driving us. Overall the next 2 days are very creative and exciting. We can fuel on the passionate and innovative fires and design new structures and new ways of doing things. We can also expect a few philosophical or religious debates around the fireplace since some of us are still in the midst of family reunions and holiday gatherings.

Horitomo- State of Grace

The Moon in Leo person is usually warm-hearted and expressive with their emotions. They can go to great length to spoil the ones they love showering them with gifts and attention.  Leo is a Fixed Fire sign which gives these natives lasting powers and an overall courageous disposition. They are bold, generous and faithful in their passions. It can be difficult for the Moon in Leo people to put down the more brazen persona and show their vulnerable side. They can benefit in learning to discriminate between their social mask and the more private self.

Ashley White aka AshThePainter

Slipping out of control

Conspiracy and Paranoia by Arion Khedhiry

The Sun and Mercury are within the last degrees of Scorpio
Meanwhile, Venus squares Pluto and the Moon is still in Pisces.

High Alert for:

-Emotional Obssessions
-Meeting your shadow through others
-Looking for something that isn’t there
-Feeling like something is slipping out of your control
-Paranoia, anxiety, fear, irrationality, manipulation
-Passionate encounters

Take a deep breath…and release.

NEW MOON IN SCORPIO

We are in the midst of Fall season. The Sun and Moon are in the sign of Scorpio. It is a Dark Moon just before the New Moon in Scorpio on November 11. Regeneration is the word.

The sign of Scorpio is often associated with the darker side of life. There is self-control and the emotional nature of this Fixed water sign is often compared to very deep waters with a calm surface; powerful and quiet.

Wherever Scorpio falls in your natal chart, is a part of life where you meet your shadows. Where the deeper undercurrents of obsession, passion and intense emotions get stored. Where you can be preoccupied with survival and control and where there is a tremendous well of will and resilience.

Interesting that both the sign of Scorpio and the scorpion, rely on vibrations from their surroundings to help them determine what is taking place in their environment. The primary concerns being protection, defensiveness and survival at all costs.

NEW MOON IN SCORPIO ON NOVEMBER 11, THE MOULTING.

The best way to work with the energy of a New Moon is to set some intentions for the month ahead. Let’s look at the major aspects and themes for this New Moon happening at 18º-19º Scorpio, known as one of the most fixed place in the zodiac.

A few hours before the Moon conjoins the Sun (what is known as a New Moon), she will meet up with Mercury at 15º of Scorpio. This might come in the form of strong intuitions or piercing but subtle revelations. The qualities of Mercury in Scorpio is comparable to the ones of a detective. The Moon passing Mercury on her way to the Sun means she will pick up important information on how this renewal needs to happen.  I would suggest paying close attention to your intuition and gut feelings, what is said to you and the meanings behind it. The other less pleasant side of Mercury in Scorpio can be: obsessive or paranoid thinking and seeing a threat where there is none. So you don’t want to over do it either.

The planet Uranus and Chiron are involved with this New Moon which could represent a want to break free of an insecurity. Uranus is often associated with sudden revelations, rebellion, erratic and bizarre behavior, unexpected discoveries, progressive thinking and rebelliousness. Chiron symbolises the ongoing process of learning to trust the inner teacher on our healing journey.

This New Moon in Scorpio is coloured by our very private need to break free of something that is keeping us stagnant, weak or insecure. The sign of Scorpio represents regenerative powers and renewal. The image of shedding an old skin is very strong.  Something that is keeping you in an old way of being is ready to pass from your existence and you might be holding the key.

Because Uranus is in somewhat of a hard aspect to this New Moon and Scorpio is a fixed sign, you could initially resist the change that YOU KNOW need to happen because of its unsettling nature. But Jupiter at 18º of Virgo, in an exact sextile to the New Moon gives us the faith and optimism we need on our moulting journey. Jupiter in Virgo connects us back in a very practical way to our immediate physical needs. It could be as simple as letting go of a bad habit, an insecurity, an old wound.

Mars, the ruler of this New Moon will be at 29º Virgo emphasizing the ability to perceive the weakness in structures. It is in the last decan of Virgo that Mars finds his power to disassemble. (1)

Artwork by Deprise Bescia

”Many important elements of your life may come to an end and pass out of existence now. Let them go, for it is the right time for this to happen, and it will ultimately be good. This is a time to renounce those things, for you will soon discover that you do not really need them anyway. As the old saying goes, we are naked when we come into this world and when we leave it. Therefore what we have inside is important. Now is the time for you to find the strength of what you have inside.”

I wish you a happy New Moon and blessings on your moulting journey!

Reference: 
1. The 36 Faces by Austin Coppock. History, Astrology and Magic of the Decans.

A Gold Tooth

The Sun in Leo is square to Saturn in Scorpio and the Moon in Scorpio will be triggering that square by tomorrow morning.

We also have Lilith at 29 degrees of Virgo. The 29th degree in astrology is known as the anaretic degree. The 29th degree displays the most extreme attributes of the celestial body and the sign it is in. The matters influenced by the planet in this degree have reached a critical phase of development and must be dealt with.

There are so many meanings attributed to Lilith.  She is a dark and eccentric mythic figure banished into the wilderness for rebelling against the oppressor (read patriarchy). She is impulsive, confrontational and disruptive. Personally,  I do not believe she is all bad although  some  literature portrays her as a demon.

Words associated with Lilith:
Wild-Rage
Sex-Power
Fears-Manipulation
Raw-Erratic
Instinctual-Knowing
Primal-Castrating

Lilith at 29 degrees of Virgo on a personal level could be associated with the limitations of the body and the subsequent anger and helplessness that comes with it.  A health crisis, an indigestion. The body rebelling against itself.
On a global perspective, it could be the earth and nature (Virgo being an earth sign) rebelling against the oppressor (read human).

This is one example of the archetypes showing up but the experience will be highly personal.

And then… we have the bright Sun in Leo in a square with Saturn in Scorpio. Time to grow up kid, face reality and pay your dues. The desire nature is all fired up (Mars in Leo) but the only thing you can do now is face your responsibilites, deal with life and be an adult about it. Did you deliver the goods? How much money will it cost? How much money did you borrow?
Yes, you can go play outside but first you have to do your homework.

Sex is on your mind but there is a responsibility that comes with it. Who did you promise your time to? What kind of contract binds you together? The weight of a promise and the consequences are here.

This is heavy lifting astrology. You can’t bull**** your way out of this one. Even though we are in the season of the radiant and playful Leo and we all know that Leo likes to party, the party is not free. The Moon in Scorpio will make sure to remind you how meaningless it is to waste your time on superficiality. You might also feel like hiding your vulnerabilities but they are shining in broad daylight. Might as well admit it. Scropio doesn’t like to pretend.  Scorpio wants real. Real connections, real people, real conversations.

Then you can get to the meaty parts. The best parts… and feel… for real.

A  heaviness could be weighing you down. The choices you have made have led you were you are and you are seeing reality for what it is.
Harvest season is almost here
What you sow is what you reap

Some great stories showing up in the news that illustrates in a broader sense a few of the aspects mention above:

★-Banksy’s Dismaland: New Art Exhibition Housed Inside a Dystopian Theme Park

★-A variety of bugs is infesting the popular gathering Burning Man

★- Landover Baptist Church, Reverend R.G. Green: “No True Christian Woman Should Experience The Perversion Of The Female Orgasm”

The body is aging and with it comes the awareness of death. The soul gets richer.
A tooth decays and gets filled in with gold.

Tea bowl repaired with the kintsugi method

Let’s talk about endings

I want to explore death, pain and loneliness.  So if you are into positivity and fluffy unicorns these days, you might want to go here instead.

Saturn in  retrograde motion is about to go back into the sign of Scorpio until September. I hadn’t put much thinking into it, until a conversation with Ichrak Dahou sparked my interest and  got me thinking about all things below ”my belt”. Underneath, hidden, darkness, stillness, power, paranoia are powerful words associated with Scorpio.  The sign that we most often connect with decay and the deep transformation that happens when something has reached the point of no return.

What happens when you add Saturn to the mix? Astrologers have spoken extensively on the subject since Saturn just spent the last two and a half years in Scorpio.  Austin Coppock does a great job at covering the territory in his 2013 Astrological Almanac and he elegantly navigates from sex  to politics in the most eloquent manner.

I found a painting by Swiss Symbolist artist Arnold Böcklin (1827–1901) that strongly conveys what arises in me when I think of Saturn in Scorpio:

Isle of the Dead (German: Die Toteninsel) ”Isle of the Dead depict a desolate and rocky islet seen across an expanse of dark water. A small rowboat is just arriving at a water gate and seawall on shore. An oarsman maneuvers the boat from the stern. In the bow, facing the gate, is a standing figure clad entirely in white. Just behind the figure is a white, festooned object commonly interpreted as a coffin. The tiny islet is dominated by a dense grove of tall, dark cypress trees—associated by long-standing tradition with cemeteries and mourning—which is closely hemmed in by precipitous cliffs.

There is a desolation that comes with the scorpionic understanding that all things have an end. There is a fatality with Scorpio: ”Life’s a bitch and than you die”. With experience and age  which is part of  Saturn’s realm, we come to grasp with the multitudes of life’s endings that shape our inner landscape.

Have you ever met someone that has so much pain in their eyes, you can see their soul is burning? Not accepting the natural process of decay creates more suffering.  Holding on to the pain somehow can feel safer but it will eventually eat you from the inside out. Using the hurt as the great teacher that it can be is not only how you will polish the diamond but it is also what will make it precious.

I have a feeling that Saturn short stint  back into Scorpio for the rest of the summer  will have us finally closing some files that we probably should have burned some time ago. But for some reason we decided to hold onto to them. Either because we love to indulge in the familiar or we were just not ready to embrace the change that comes with a new skin.    What kind of ”business” and especially ”personal business” do you still have floating around  from the last two and a half years which need finalising?  Scorpio is a fixed sign, so the process of letting go can be a difficult and complicated one and Saturn’s revisiting last summer’s territory goes to show that there might be more dislodging that needs to happen in order for the light to enter and new life to be born.

In Saturn’s book, after the struggle and endurance test comes refinement and maturity. If you do your homework.

There is something tragic about endings that doesn’t sit well with our need to remain  comfortably  entrenched in the familiar grooves, but it is a necessary passage in order to bring change and growth. Fear can cripple. Insecurities can become a way we respond to situations, especially in the realm of personal relationship. Saturn returning into Scorpio is the opportunity  to take the teachings associated with our suffering and self-protective responses when we feel threatened and use that pain to grow up.

“The true light never hides the darkness but is born out of the very center of it, transforming and redeeming. So to the darkness we must return, each of us individually accepting his ignorance and loneliness, his sin and weakness, and, most difficult of all, consenting to wait in the dark and even to love the waiting… ” -Helen M. Luke