Starsdance Astrology

New Moon November 16, 2009: Daring to Dream

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:39:00 +0000

I hear a call
it comes from far away
I know not where it leads
I’ll follow to my destiny.
    Come away human child
    Come away to the greenwood
    See wonders great and wild
    You always knew that you could.

These words are from a familiar chant in the Pagan communities I belong to. We sing these words to evoke the sense of mystery and destiny that arises when we follow our dreams into the unknown. Astrological themes of the moment may remind us about the wonder and fear that can come from hearing the call and following it into destiny.

We live in small circles and big circles simultaneously. In the small circle of our individual lives we may experience disappointment and disillusionment about dreams and destiny, which have no relation to the effect of these very same dreams on the large scale, that bigger circle of co-creation of our world and realities. A personal failure can still be a global success. How odd is that truth, and how painful.

I belong to a community of dreamers who have been fortunate enough to have been led into wonders great and wild by two extraordinary dreamers—Cynthea Jones and Patricia Storm of Diana’s Grove. The Grove is undergoing profound transformation at this time. Recently, Patricia wrote: “Our (unrealistic) dream was to create a sanctuary where people could come to experience the world of nature free from the distractions of modern city life. We dreamed of a place to be in touch with the natural elements and to honor wind, fire, water, and earth. We also dreamed of a community of people striving to find ways to heal self, world, and relationships.” This dream led them to create a Mystery School founded on this land and this dream. After 16 years of tending the land and creating this dream, they are finding it harder to sustain it economically and have decided to sell the land. The Mystery School will continue but their intention is to pass the land onto others who will have the same magical connection to it.

This might seem like failure on the small scale. Those demons of self-doubt rise up whenever we give ourselves wholly to a dream, but these women know a thing or two. And in spite of demons, they are still willing and ready to serve the dream. On the large-scale, on the level that is hard to fathom and can only be felt, Mystery continues to unfold; the ripples touch unseen shores. What wonder would never have existed in this world if they had not followed this dream?

This story, this event, surely a small-scale event in the big realm of things, is an example of the energies that the celestial mirror is reflecting back to us right now. This energy begs us to ask these questions of ourselves: What dreams have I followed to my destiny? Am I currently lost along the way? Am I experiencing the pain of disappointment on the small-scale level of reality? Or am I excited for the journey ahead? Am I engaged with the call of the unknown and what is possible from daring to dream? The triple conjunction of Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune— a fairly rare occurrence (last time it happened was in 1945)—has been slowly, over the past few months, developing new dreams while exposing the raw vulnerability of passing dreams.

During the lunar cycle that begins on November 16, these energies come to the forefront of collective experience.

THE NEW MOON chart shows a square aspect between the Moon/Sun and the triple conjunction. The relationship between the two signs, Aquarius (Neptune, Chiron and Jupiter) and Scorpio (Sun, Moon) is one of tension. Aquarius has a heady, cerebral approach to dreams and Scorpio looks under the rocks for the real feelings and shadows attached to them. At the New Moon, we can set intention to integrate our heads with our hearts. On a deeper soul level, the realm that Scorpio loves, we need to acknowledge our feelings of grief surrounding the death of dreams and our desires to control the outcome. We simply can’t control the dream. We can only follow it to our destiny.

Following to our destiny sometimes takes the courage as well as the foolishness of the hero. Mars is a good representation of the hero. This planet shows our passions, desires and ways we will pursue those desires. Every two years, Mars embarks upon the hero’s journey when it turns retrograde. Mars will be stationing retrograde on December 20 at 19° Leo. Right now, as Mars begins to slow down and station at that degree, this planet opposes the triple conjunction in Aquarius. This is an important stage where we are able to integrate into action the dreams these planets are weaving.

A Mars transit is often a trigger for release of energy connected with astrological patterns. For instance, whatever our stage of dreaming —from the hope of new beginnings to the grief of failure, to recommitment—Mars can trigger a response, an event, a conflict, or new insight that makes us take action. This month we may find ourselves needing to take action on behalf of our dreams. And service to our dreams may ask us to take the next heroic step in our own journeys.
This Mars journey lasts through the winter. In March, the month named for this planet, Mars turns direct at 0° Leo. Then, one by one, Mars will oppose these planets in the triple conjunction, which will have moved apart a bit. Neptune will be in Aquarius, Chiron in Pisces and Jupiter in Aries. The closest Mars comes to opposing all three of these planets simultaneously is around the time of the Full Moon on December 2.

Leo is the Fixed Fire sign of the zodiac, the guardian of the flame. As Mars moves through Leo over the next seven months, we can be guided by the ally of fire. Fire teaches us about energy, life force, passion, joy, and transformation. Fire teaches us how to tend the flame that enlivens the dream. It would be good to devote time to listening to fire this winter and spring.

PLUTO SQUARE SATURN. Both the New and Full Moon charts show this aspect. I wrote about the energy of this transit in last month’s blog. Both of these planets contribute to the feeling that stakes are high. And they are, aren’t they? Perhaps the burden that Saturn places upon us can to be lifted a bit by the playfulness of Mars in Leo.

THE FULL MOON occurs when the Sun is in Sagittarius, another fire sign. During Sagittarius, we momentarily forget our burdens and take time to gather and celebrate. This energy of expansive hope can be a resource for future work. As you look at the shining face of the Moon, what will you invite into your life to feed your hopes?

ANOTHER JOURNEY. At the Full Moon, Venus, the Morning Star, disappears into the light of the Sun. Ancient astrologers thought of the disappearance of Venus as the underworld journey of the goddess Inanna. Venus will reappear as the Evening Star by early March. Venus’ journey mirrors the one that Mars is taking. It looks to me like this winter we will be supported in going within and going deep to discover more about our own journeys.

IMPORTANT DATES. The following transits are not a complete list of all transits for the month but are times when the planets emphasize some of the ongoing stories we are following in the Starsdance.

November 19 Venus 14° Scorpio square Mars 14° Leo
November 21 Sun enters Sagittarius
November 23 Venus 19° Scorpio square Jupiter 19° Aquarius
November 24 Venus 21° Scorpio square Chiron 21° Aquarius
November 26 Venus 23° Scorpio square Neptune 23° Aquarius
December 1 Venus enters Sagittarius
December 2 Full Moon at 10° Gemini
December 7 Jupiter 21° Aquarius conjunct Chiron

Consult Teri to find out how these stories impact your own chart. www.starsdanceastrology.com

New Moon October 18, 2009: Messages from mystery

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:12:00 +0000

World turning. This lunar month Saturn enters Libra, the cardinal air sign*. This is a big deal. Saturn is the Dweller on the Threshold, the definer and delimiter of our reality. This planet stays in a sign for 2 ½ years. During that time, we learn about reality through the lens of that sign. We also work on honing the gifts of that sign and meet the challenges offered by the shadows of the sign. In any sign Saturn gives us worthy work, but for the next couple of years Saturn’s position will be even more relevant because it will be in world-changing aspect to other planets in other cardinal signs. Those who follow astrology may have heard the term Cardinal Climax describing the transits of the next couple of years. Astrologers have noticed that planets transiting through the beginning of cardinal signs have a more potent impact upon the affairs of the world. We are entering a time when choices, past and present, come due for a reckoning of some sort. I take this as an exciting time, a time of possibility. It is certainly a time to pay attention.

The hinge. The root of the word “cardinal” comes from the Latin caro or cardin meaning hinge. In this sense a cardinal sign represents a fundamental, crucial and important turning point upon which our future is hinged. As the veil between the worlds thins this month during the season of Samhain, it is a good idea to seek guidance and inspiration for the world-turning changes that are happening over the next few years. What are you called to do to co-create the world you envision? Whose help will you need?

Saturn in Libra will meet challenges from Pluto and Uranus. Libra is often thought of as a lightweight when it comes to standing one’s ground. It is generally thought that the sign of balance is so concerned about relationship and harmony that it will refrain from rocking the boat at any costs. The next couple of years should take care of that Libra myth. Saturn—the absolute master of reality— goes head to head with Pluto—the absolute master of life and death— while also confronting Uranus—a tinderbox of cultural and personal revolution. To hold its own, as Saturn will do, it will energize Libra. It will put teeth into the diplomat, the artist, the lover. A keyword for Libra with teeth is champion for justice with a capital “J.” The juicy questions for the next couple of years will center around the ideas of Justice. “What is Justice? Why is it necessary? How do our ideas of Justice shape the world?”

Diplomacy, alliances, and negotiations. The Pluto/Saturn cycle is approximately 40 years long. The current cycle between these two planets began in 1982 when they came together also in Libra. Now, almost one Saturn cycle later, they are in the waning square of this cycle, the last challenge before resolution of patterns set in place in the early 80s. Notably, the last significant transit between these two planets was the opposition during the time of 9/11.

When these two planets are in aspect, neither wants to let go. Problems can feel harder under stressful aspects between Pluto and Saturn. However, both of these planets are incredible allies of manifestation. They represent desire for making a difference, having our lives mean something. Ingredients for the tone of the times to come are found in themes important to each planet. Pluto themes: power, transformation, secrecy, rebirth. Saturn themes: responsibility, realism, limitation, achievement. These themes are manifesting through Libra and Capricorn —hinges for how we must get along with each other and what we collectively believe will insure our survival. The cardinal fire sign, Aries, will not be part of the dialog until June 2010 when Jupiter and Uranus enter that sign. All our skills of diplomacy will be called upon when that happens.

The New Moon in Libra is an excellent time to begin intention for Saturn’s transit into Libra on Oct 29. The Sun and Moon are trine to the triple conjunction of Neptune, Chiron and Jupiter. These three planets are allies of spiritual growth. They help to set a tone of higher aspiration for this month. Venus—the ruler of Libra—has just entered Libra. She is an ally of the best manifestation of the Libran qualities of beauty and balance. Venus is square to Pluto. Will we be fearless as we look into the shadows of our relationships or will become defensive? Our relationships can deepen through this connection. Uranus and Saturn continue to oppose one another from the signs of Pisces and Virgo. Again, these are the symbols of ongoing polarization we see around us in the world—a polarization that will feel even more important to resolve when Uranus enters Aries.

Full Moon in Taurus and Sun in Scorpio. Aspects in the Full Moon chart tell an important story. It shows a Fixed sign Grand Cross. The Sun and Moon opposition is square to a Mars and Jupiter opposition. If cardinal signs are the hinges, the fixed signs are the anchors for the hinge. They hold down an elemental aspect of life. All the fixed signs, all the elements, show up at this time. The planets in this cross represent the four seasons celebrated at the cross-quarter holidays of Beltane, Lughnasad, Samhain and Imbolc. This configuration is a call to attention and reminds us to consider what we value about each of these seasons. What is precious about each? The fixed signs make sure we protect what we cherish. If we think of each piece of this puzzle as being in competition, there is stress between them. If we thick of each piece as precious and whole, they form an immutable anchor. I think we are being asked to see the bigger picture. The first square between Pluto and Saturn is seen in this chart. They will square each other two more times in 2010. What will you protect?

This is the lunar month for Samhain – the end of the growing season. This time of death is also a time when the veil between the worlds thins. We are closer to our ancestors and they to us. I also feel that I am closer to all Mysterious Ones at this time—spirit beings, allies, and teachers. This month we receive the gift of connection to Mystery, we are able to commune with the Wise Ones. It is time to ask about the path ahead and our roles in the evolving world.

Mercury in Scorpio this month is the ally of communicating with Mystery. It is conjunct the Sun and part of the fixed grand square. All Mercury transits this month hold a possibility of important communication—receiving and giving. The most significant transits involving Mercury this month are squares between Mercury and the triple conjunction of Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune. These planets are broadcasting important themes about our current paradigm shifts. The lens of Aquarius emphasizes community, technology, and revolution. What are the Mysterious Ones telling you as the world turns upon the hinge of the season?

*Saturn stays in Libra for 5 months and then retrogrades back into Virgo for 4 months. After that Saturn stays in Libra till October 2012.

Dates important to our stories this month. These are not all the transits between planets this month but are important to the themes discussed in this article.
October 20 Mercury 17° Libra trine Jupiter 17° Aquarius
October 23 Mercury 21° Libra trine Chiron 21° Aquarius
October 23 Sun enters Scorpio
October 28 Mercury enters Scorpio
October 28 Venus 17° Libra trine Jupiter 17° Aquarius
October 29 Sun 6° Scorpio square Mars 6° Leo
October 29 Saturn enters Libra
October 31 Chiron stations direct 21° Aquarius
November 1 Mercury 7° Scorpio square Mars 7° Leo
November 2 Full Moon
November 2 Venus 23° Libra trine Neptune 23° Aquarius
November 4 Neptune stations direct 23° Aquarius
November 5 Sun conjunct Mercury 13° Scorpio
November 7 Venus enters Scorpio
November 8 Mercury 18° Scorpio square Jupiter 18° Aquarius
November 10 Mercury 21° Scorpio square Chiron 21° Aquarius
November 10 Sun 21° Scorpio square Chiron 21° Aquarius
November 15 Saturn 1° Libra square Pluto 1° Capricorn
November 14 Sun 23° Scorpio square Neptune 23° Aquarius

New Moon September 18, 2009: Inner Landscapes, Outer Expressions

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:55:00 +0000

“This is the reason that so many astrological predictions fail to come about, simply because they are based on the assumption that the chart shows ‘what is going to happen.’ The truth is that the chart inevitably shows ‘what one is going to experience.’ “ Stephen Arroyo in “Astrology, Psychology, and the Four Elements”

I recently found this quote by one of my favorite astrological authors while researching for a class I am teaching. Prediction is one of astrology’s philosophical conundrums. Current astrological practice swings between the poles of thought that astrology is about prediction of events to the opposite idea that astrology is better used to describe inner states of being and the paths open to us for evolution of consciousness. However, the truth is probably somewhere in between. Inner states do influence events. Arroyo suggests that we can look at the planetary aspects and predict an experience. Perhaps it is our inner experiences that actually create the events around us. If that is so, knowing the outer influences upon our inner landscape is extremely important to creating better events. This is why I study astrology and why I write this blog.

Fall begins during this lunar month. Astrologers study the seasonal charts cast for the moment of the Sun’s ingress into the new season to gain insight into the inner landscape of a nation. The Spring chart is the most important of these Ingress charts since it sets the pattern for the year. The subsequent seasonal charts show progression of that pattern.

Health care is a huge issue right now for our country. The 6th house rules health. In the Spring chart, the Sun rules the 6th. So, we consider the condition of the Sun in that chart to look at 6th house issues for the year. Also important is that Saturn in Virgo, the sign of health, was located in that 6th house. This Sun, located in the 12th house of hidden agendas and square to the planet of power, Pluto, shows us some of the problems we have had to confront in transforming health care. Saturn has its hands all over this issue too. It will not let us give up and also indicates that the struggle will not be easy. The inner experience of this is frustration, fear, paranoia and a sense of high stakes, yet there is also hope (the nature of the Sun) and commitment (the nature of Saturn).

In the Summer Ingress chart, Mercury rules the 6th. In Gemini and conjunct the Moon in the 2nd house of values, the inner experience of the nation is colored by strong emotional reactivity (the Moon) combined with a need to express (Gemini/Mercury) values (2nd house). Saturn again is in the 6th house this season—still not giving up.

In the Fall Ingress chart, the Moon rules the 6th and the South Node in Cancer is located there, with Mars on the cusp also influencing these matters. The Moon shows the emotional level of the situation, which is quite strong. This Moon is in Scorpio in the 9th house of expansive truth and is square to the triple conjunction of Jupiter, Chiron, and Neptune—cultural change agents. Inner experiences will be dramatic and will most likely include dogmatism, power dynamics, reaction about loss of ideals or disappointment, and a strong tendency to be very reactive and defensive about the issue. With Scorpio emphasis, perhaps hidden agendas of power players will surface. The South Node tells us there are karmic patterns involved. We have the opportunity to re-pattern them. Saturn is no longer in this 6th house. I wonder if this will help us to make breakthroughs or if it signals giving up.

The inner landscape of this lunar month. The quincunx aspect is a major theme this month. Aspects are relationships between the planets. Each aspect has its own energy. The quincunx is the aspect of adjustment to strange or contrary forces. This aspect occurs between two signs that have nothing in common. Under a quincunx, we may want to ignore the relationship between the planets but can’t. Like sand in the oyster, we have to deal with the annoyance. Currently, we need resolution, a way to integrate and balance. It would be lovely to have a clear way forward in solving our problems. We may even feel that we are on the verge of such resolution. But we are not quite there yet. So quincunxes can feel stressful. However, there is always an opportunity with every challenge. Quincunxes present the opportunity to really stretch and grow, so that when resolution does come, we’ve reached a new place, a new understanding. This lunar month, we are in that stretching place.

In the New Moon chart, Sun, Moon, Saturn and Mercury are blending forces in Virgo. They are in quincunx aspect to the triple conjunction of Neptune, Chiron and Jupiter. The Virgo planets are also receiving a square from Pluto and an opposition from Uranus, so there is quite a lot of pressure on the goals and values of Virgo this month (see last month for more about Virgo). For the last few months, it seems that the Saturn in Virgo story has not been truly integrated into the Aquarian story. On one hand, Saturn has been asking us to perfect our practices, pay attention to health issues, refine our intentions. The planets in Aquarius have been slowly eroding old cultural forms without promising anything concrete to take its place. Neptune never promises anything concrete. It has been hard to create the forms that Virgo demands, while something really big, but very nebulous has been going on in the collective unconscious. If you’ve felt like you were going crazy over the past few months, I don’t blame you. It is hard to know how to move forward under these strange and contrary forces. Is everything going to hell, or are we on the verge of amazing new breakthroughs? What inner landscape do we need to cultivate in order to create the experience we desire?

The quincunx transits this month may be turning points as we strive to answer that question.

In addition to the quincunx aspect between planets in Virgo to planets in Aquarius, there is another set of quincunx aspects between Cancer and Aquarius. Together, these aspects form a Yod configuration in the Full Moon chart. This triangle of planets points, again, to the triple conjunction in Aquarius. The base is formed by an agreeable relationship between Saturn and Mercury in Virgo and Mars in Cancer. These Virgo/Cancer planets want us to be industrious, focused on tending others, creating order and security, yet strange Aquarian energy may create a disconnect. How disconnected do you feel? Celebrate the ways you reconnect with your sense of purpose this lunar month. Congratulate yourself on the practices you have developed while Saturn has been transiting through Virgo these past two years, which help you maintain health and equilibrium. It isn’t too late to begin new practices, or resolve to get back to old ones this month. Taking such action may help create an outer expression of harmony during a stressful time.

Although Uranus in Pisces is not part of the quincunx aspects this month, transits involving Uranus will play into the very same themes of possible stress or anxiety since Uranus invites change.

During this month of stretching, we can all endeavor to contribute to the outer expressions of peace and resolution. May these outer expressions, influence our inner realities.

Dates important to our stories *
September 23 Sun 0° Libra squares Pluto 0° Capricorn
September 23 Mercury retrograde 24° Virgo opposite Uranus 24° Pisces
September 23 Mercury retrograde 24° Virgo quincunx Neptune 24° Aquarius
September 23 Mars 17° Cancer quincunx Jupiter 17° Aquarius
September 27 Mercury retrograde 21° Virgo quincunx Chiron 21° Aquarius
September 29 Mercury stations direct 21° Virgo
September 30 Mercury 21° Virgo quincunx Chiron 21° Aquarius
September 30 Mars 21° Cancer quincunx Chiron 21° Aquarius
October 4 Full Moon
October 4 Venus 17° Virgo quincunx Jupiter 17° Aquarius
October 4 Mercury 23° Virgo quincunx Neptune 23° Aquarius
October 4 Mercury 23° Virgo opposite Uranus 23° Pisces
October 4 Mars 23° Cancer quincunx Neptune 23° Aquarius
October 7 Venus 21° Virgo quincunx Chiron 21° Aquarius
October 9 Venus 21° Virgo opposite Uranus 21° Aquarius
October 9 Venus 21° Virgo quincunx Neptune 21° Aquarius
October 12 Jupiter stations direct 17° Aquarius

* This list is not a complete list of all transits for the month but the significant times during the month when it would be a good idea to survey the inner landscape.

New Moon August 20, 2009: Gifts, Service, and Honey

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:51:00 +0000

From Leo’s light to Virgo’s practice. This month’s lunar cycle navigates another cusp between signs (see last month’s blog about the cusp between Cancer and Leo). This time the cusp is between Leo and Virgo. The signs are products of the seasons; they are the story that Time tells us about place and pattern. Now in this season of late summer Leo describes the waning golden light reflected in the seed-laden grasses of the prairie and in the warm, glowing fruit of the vine. The gifts of the harvest mirror back to us Leo lessons about our own gifts and self-worth. My astrology teacher, Cynthea Jones of Diana’s Grove says, Leo is the sign that is jumping up and down screaming: “Pick me! Pick me! I need you to see me. I need you to need me.” This energy shifts in the Virgo season. Now, we get down to serious harvesting. This is the time to begin planning ahead: What will we need for the winter? How do we organize the food larder? Virgo time is an industrious time of canning, freezing, drying, and collecting.

The New Moon occurs at the end of Leo. By the Full Moon, Virgo energy is in full force. Last month I wrote about the beginning of Leo and the King Arthur story. That story continues into the cusp between Leo and Virgo. Here in this transition the boy King has grown up and is now ready to move into the next phase of rulership—service to the kingdom. Through humility, service, practice, and discernment, Virgo refines Leo’s gifts. This month is a good time to reflect on how we wish to refine our own gifts to the world.

Leo story. This lunar month, the Nodes of the Moon move out of the Aquarius/Leo polarity where they have been for the last 19 months and into the Capricorn/Cancer polarity. The nodes show us the growing edges and the karmic debts of the moment. The North Node of Aquarius has invited us to explore Aquarian ideals of community, technology, and visions. The South Node in Leo has offered us the opportunity to reprogram our beliefs and actions around self-worth, creativity, and leadership. The triple conjunction of Neptune, Jupiter and Chiron in Aquarius is also a part of this story. These three planets have created a tsunami of Aquarian energy. Neptune washes us in the possibilities of connection, technological advances, and grass root actions. Just yesterday in the New York Times, I read that the U.S. Army was allowing service members of any rank to collectively edit their operations manuals online through a wiki. This is Aquarian revolution. I wonder if in our collective thrill to embrace Aquarian ideals, we aren’t losing the individual—the realm of Leo. Certainly, there continues to be lots of ways we need to elevate the expression of Leo in our culture. Negative expressions of Leo may manifest as the way we glamorize others who are more beautiful or famous than we are, need a great deal of attention to feel good about ourselves, or believe that we must act alone to get anything done. The South Node can represent where we are blocking the more positive aspects of a sign through karmic events or patterns. Over the past 19 months, and especially in the months when there was an eclipse, we have had the opportunity to rethink what we believe about our self-worth.

Capricorn story. Influences of Pluto in Capricorn gear up again as the North Node moves into Capricorn for a year and a half transit. Through the energy of Capricorn we reach for excellence, stability, and responsibility. Culturally, Capricorn represents hierarchy, ambition, and authority. As Pluto transits Capricorn for the next 14 years, Capricorn issues will be transformed on personal and cultural levels.

Another influence in the Capricorn story happens when Pluto stations direct this month. (See date below.) In April, Pluto stationed retrograde, journeying deeper into the Underworld’s shadows and perhaps receding from consciousness a bit. Now, Pluto begins to return to the surface. The volcano is an apt Plutonic image. When Pluto reaches the degree of the zodiac where it turned retrograde, which will happen on December 31, 2009, we can expect new lava to flow over dysfunctional Capricorn systems. Stations are powerful times. Pluto will still be stationary on the Fall Equinox when the Sun will exactly square this powerful Pluto. The fall is sure to be a more dynamic time with this planet influencing the energy. I will write more about the fall season in next month’s edition.

Virgo story. Two planets are found in Virgo in the New Moon chart: Saturn and Mercury, Virgo’s ruler. Both of these planets point to the potential and to the stress of this New Moon chart. Mercury aids Virgo’s mission—to improve through practice, to serve humbly, to create perfection through discernment—yet Mercury can be unpredictable and jittery. Saturn contributes an unrelenting focus on Virgo desires and we may succumb to extreme self-criticism through this force. There is so much potential in this New Moon yet we’ll have to practice self-love to reach that potential. Uranus is opposite this pair of planets, promising breakthroughs but also creating stress. The ongoing influence of Saturn opposite Uranus returns for the third time month. [See past editions on this transit that began November 2008.] This planetary configuration will influence the health care reform debate and outcome. Forces of change (Uranus) are in opposition to forces of conservation (Saturn). Yet this Saturn is in the sign of health –Virgo. I am reminded that even though it seems that the opposing forces want radically different things, they actually both want to improve health care. Perhaps this realization will allow us to move forward in what seems like a stalemate. I keep thinking that the opposition between Saturn and Uranus is telling me to choose the third path and reject old polarities. Since Mars will also be squaring (challenging aspect) Mercury, Saturn, and Uranus, as well, we might expect that any smoldering tensions may blow up this month. It is important to look out for any of these stressors in our own lives and make conscious choices about how we want to use our will and passion.

The New Moon is dramatic not only because of these Virgo influences but also because the Sun and Moon are located opposite the triple conjunction of Neptune, Jupiter and Chiron. This opposition is in turn part of an aspect pattern called a Boomerang Yod (increasing stress, crisis in understanding, sense of destiny). At the bottom of the Yod triangle, Mercury and Saturn are in sextile aspect to Venus in Cancer. These planets are in quincunx aspect to the planets in the triple conjunction. The quincunx aspect is about striving to understand or account for paradox. There is again great potential this month to understand what these three planets in Aquarius are telling us and how we are changing our culture in response.
If the first two weeks of this lunar cycle seem stressing yet illuminating, the Full Moon invites in the unexpected resolution offered by the Trickster. Mercury is stationary in the Full Moon chart and turns retrograde two days later while being square to Mars. Stationary Pluto is also part of this story. In the worst cases, Pluto influences us to need control over the unexpected; Mars can influence rash choices; and Mercury invites the unexpected. The opposition of the Sun in Virgo and the Moon in Pisces may offer peace and calm. Pisces reminds us to see the whole pattern and merge with it; Virgo reminds us that small, practical steps can make a big difference.

A Virgo spell. On August 22, Saturn reaches the degree where it turned retrograde in December of 2008. This means that from August to January 2010, when Saturn stations retrograde again, this planet will be covering new ground. Each of us has new Saturn lessons in store. For this month, these lessons are all about working with change and creating perfection—big issues. I am planning to work with a honey spell for this month to help me with these energies in my life. Bees are wonderful Virgo allies—they work tirelessly. Their systems of creating the hive, caring for their young, making and storing honey are very Virgoan. In fact the bliss and sweetness of honey is a great reminder that Virgo’s work can create rich blessings. I thank Donald Engstrom for creating and introducing me to honey spells.

How I work with honey. First I create an intention. It is helpful if the intention can be said as a short poem or song or statement that is easy and delightful to repeat. Then I select my honey. I like to work with small jars of single source honey, for instance Marsh Flowers honey, or honey that is produced locally by people I respect, or honey from special places dear to my heart. Next, I charge the honey with my intention, by holding the honey and singing to it, placing it on my altar where it can capture sunlight or candlelight, and I also like to draw symbols on the jar that represent my intention. Then I taste the honey, saying my prayer, letting the sweetness creep and flow onto my tongue and throughout my body. I taste this honey whenever I need it. I remember to thank and bless the bees. If you decide to work with a honey spell this month, I’d love to hear about it.
Bless the bees.

Dates important to our stories.

August 21 North Node of the Moon enters Capricorn
August 21 Mercury 25° Virgo opposite Uranus 25° Pisces
August 22 Sun enters Virgo
August 25 Mercury 0° Libra square Mars 0° Cancer
August 26 Mercury 0° Libra square Pluto 0° Capricorn
August 26 Mars 0° Cancer square Pluto 0° Capricorn
September 4 Full Moon
September 6 Mercury stations retrograde 6° Libra
September 11 Pluto stations direct 0° Capricorn
September 15 Saturn 24° Virgo opposite Uranus 24° Pisces
September 17 Sun 24° Virgo opposite Uranus 24° Pisces
September 17 Mercury 0° Libra square Pluto 0° Capricorn
September 17 Sun 24° Virgo conjunct Saturn 24° Virgo

New Moon July 22, 2009: True Stories

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:26:00 +0000

New Moon of July 22 is also a total Solar Eclipse occurring on the cusp between Cancer and Leo. Each sign has 30 degrees, somewhere around the end of a sign and beginning of the next sign is the borderland where two signs mix. Not quite all Cancer, and definitely not all Leo, this eclipse (at 29° Cancer) takes place in the liminal place we could describe as between the worlds. Every eclipse has the potential to plunge us into unfamiliar territory. I’ve often described eclipses as a rebooting of a computer—new files, new format. The change can be sudden. Eclipses tend to affect people most when the degree of the eclipse is near an important degree in the natal chart. But for all of us, this eclipse is a chance to explore the land between Cancer and Leo.

I once had a reading from Pat Kaluza, a wonderful astrologer here in Minneapolis, who described the cusp between Cancer and Leo as Cinderella longing to go to the ball. The reason: Cancer holds the energy of hearth-tender in service to the family; Leo holds the energy of glamour, excitement, and drama. Who wouldn’t want to go to the ball when confronted with this choice? In this dilemma rests a cultural assumption: It is better to be in the midst of excitement than to be home tending the needs of others. Is this true? Do you feel this choice in your own life? What do you consciously choose to honor?

At the cusp there is a blending of the wisdom of the previous sign with the innocence of the next. The wise mother, becoming Crone, embodies one expression of Cancer’s ultimate gifts. At some point each of us will reach the stage of wise mothering, when what we have nourished and cherished dearly must be released into the world. Leo’s innocence is expressed by the archetype of the young king. I often think of King Arthur’s story here. When he went to the tournament as a page, Arthur had no idea of the destiny awaiting him. Early degrees of Leo remind us that each of us has a royal destiny, a gift we are meant to share with the world, a gift that may be only now emerging. Do these stories resonate for you at this New Moon?

Cusps invite alchemy. How do we blend the wisdom of the mother with the innocence and potential of the young king? Do you feel this paradox? Can you imagine choosing both rather than one or the other? What would this look like in your life?

Venus square Saturn. There are other story lines occurring this month. At the New Moon, Venus in Gemini is square (challenging) to Saturn in Virgo. Sooner or later every relationship runs into the topic of differing communication styles. This New Moon is a perfect setup for experiencing these differences in our relationships. Saturn insists on seriousness; Venus in Gemini wants highly diverse conversation, but not necessarily very deep. It is really all about connection even when we don’t understand how the other is trying to connect. The relationship between Gemini and Virgo is interesting. Mercury rules them both, but with quite different results. Gemini is yang energy – expansive and eclectic. Virgo is yin energy, focused and pragmatic. This is a good month to explore relationship commitments and communication styles. What works for you? What works for your partners and friends?

Trancemission/transmission. I continue to ponder the meaning of the triple conjunction of Neptune, Jupiter and Chiron. I began writing about this transit in April. These three will be traveling close together until January 2010. Chiron will makes an exact conjunction with Neptune in February, 2010, so it may not be until after then that we have a big picture of this transit. Neptune works below the surface in the subconscious. Neptune entrances. Under the surface, in trance, in dream, we are moving to another paradigm. The clues to how we are changing come from the sign—Aquarius. What does the dawning of the age of Aquarius mean to you? We are in the flow of that becoming. This month transits to these three planets by Venus, Mercury, Mars, and the Sun (see below for dates) will illuminate the trance mission of the Neptune, Jupiter, and Chiron conjunction.

Full Moon August 5, 2009. Every sign has a shadow reflected back by the opposite sign. For Aquarius it is Leo. The Full Moon this month is a Lunar Eclipse in the signs of Aquarius/Leo. This Full Moon at 13° Leo/Aquarius the young king evoked by the New Moon is almost halfway through his story. Now is a good time to reflect on the relationship between Self and Community, between kings and subjects. Neptune pulls us into the communal dream of Aquarius. Leo reflects back another perspective on any illusions that we hold about community. Although every community is made from individuals, group mind can work to outlaw the expression of individuality. On the other hand, if individuals never compromise community vision suffers. Do you notice this dynamic in your communities? Do you feel yourself on the extremes of this polarity? How do you balance between them?

Mars square Saturn. Just as Venus squared Saturn at the New Moon, the Full Moon chart shows Mars squaring Saturn. Saturn in Virgo has been a little quiet in recent lunar charts. All the action has been with Pluto or the triple conjunction. This lunar month, we may feel more of Saturn’s burden. This planet reminds us that we have important work to do, and that to get to where we are going, we will need to take each step consciously and deliberately. The Mars connection emphasizes this quality. Mars, our energy, will and passions, wants to move fast. Saturn slows everything down. Especially in Virgo, Saturn insists that we dot all our “I’s” and cross all our “T’s.” This can feel frustrating but potentially rewarding.

Stories, like dreams, can guide us. There are nuggets in every story waiting to illuminate our paths. Finding the right story for the right moment is one of astrology’s gifts. May you find your true story this month.

Dates important to our stories:
July 22 Jupiter 24° Aquarius conjunct Chiron 24° Aquarius
July 26 Venus 24° Gemini trine Jupiter 24° Aquarius
July 27 Venus 24 ° Gemini trine Chiron 24° Aquarius
July 27 Venus 25° Gemini trine Neptune 25° Aquarius
July 30 Mercury 24° Leo opposite Jupiter 24° Aquarius
July 30 Mercury 24° Leo opposite Chiron 24° Aquarius
July 31 Mercury 25° Leo opposite Neptune 25° Aquarius
August 1 Venus 1° Cancer opposite Pluto 1° Capricorn [relationship struggles for power and control]
August 5 Full Moon-Lunar Eclipse 13° Leo/Aquarius
August 10 Mars 20° Gemini square Saturn 20° Virgo
August 13 Mars 22° Gemini trine Jupiter 22° Aquarius
August 14 Sun 22° Leo opposite Jupiter 22° Aquarius
August 15 Mars 23° Gemini trine Chiron 23° Aquarius
August 16 Sun 23° Leo opposite Chiron 23° Aquarius
August 17 Mercury 21° Virgo conjunct Saturn 21° Virgo [communication about service, work, sustainability]
August 17 Sun 25° Leo opposite Neptune 25° Aquarius
August 17 Mars 25° Gemini trine Neptune 25° Aquarius
August 18 Mars 25° Gemini square Uranus 25 ° Pisces [people with any planets between 24 to 26 of mutable signs will feel a strong urge to change, innovate or revolutionize their lives]

New Moon June 22, 2009: Summertime

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:43:00 +0000

Astrology is a wonderful tool for deep self-exploration and personal intention-setting. It is also useful in looking with a dispassionate eye at the mundane world of governments and leaders.

The Summer Solstice chart (the Cancer Ingress Chart) informs us about the mundane issues that are important to our civic lives. Such a chart can answer questions like, How will the economy do this season? How will President Obama lead the country over the next three months? What public sectors ask for more attention at this time?

Summer Solstice. The chart for the Summer Solstice set for Washington, DC has an Aries Ascendant. Coincidentally, the Spring Ingress chart for Washington also had Aries rising. The tone is one of taking action, leading the way. The ascendant on a mundane chart set for that country’s capital describes the nation—how the rest of the world perceives us. Along with displaying leadership we may be perceived as aggressive or willing to fight for our point of view. Mars, the chart ruler is in stubborn Taurus, the sign of Mars’ detriment. Our leadership may feel heavy-handed or simply out of touch. However, I am intrigued by the conjunction of Venus in her own sign, Taurus, with this Mars. Mars and Venus have been traveling together for an extended period of time due to the recent retrograde motion of Venus. Venus has been moving much slower, at Mars’ speed. These two have had quite a conference, first in Aries and now in Taurus. The tryst is about to end now that Venus is speeding up again. Perhaps the god of war taught the goddess of love a bit about his direct approach while they were both in Aries and now she instructs Mars in the ways of beauty and delight in her own sign of Taurus. Perhaps the lessons of will and pleasure will help us all to be better leaders in the world.

Venus and Taurus also rule the economy. Venus being strong in her own sign and applying to a harmonious trine with Saturn in Virgo, is an indication that there may be more stability in the economy this season. It would be a good thing to take this strong Venus/Saturn connection into action around what we need for sustainability and wholeness. Saturn’s transit through Virgo has called attention to health, holistic living, and stewardship of the Earth. Progress may be made in these areas this summer because the only aspect Saturn is making in this chart is that trine to Venus and Mars.

The trine between Venus/Mars and Saturn also describes President Obama this season, since Saturn rules the 10th house, which describes a country’s ruler or leader. The major problem here is that things may move slowly for Obama with Mars being in Taurus, but these planets contribute a feeling of security, stability, and effectiveness.

The Moon in these charts describes the people of the nation. The Moon is In Gemini and is conjunct Gemini’s ruler, Mercury, in the second house. It looks like the people are hungry for information, especially information that will help them create sustainability and economic stability – issues that pertain to the 2nd house.

The most difficult aspect in the Summer Solstice chart is the opposition between the Sun and Pluto. Pluto unveils toxic secrets and rules the 8th house of debt. The Sun represents conscious identity and rules the 5th house that pertains to, among other things, the stock market. There is a link between the speculation of the 5th house and the debt we are holding. Will those who are responsible for our economic mess be held accountable? Will we find the will to create new laws and regulations that could prevent such abuses? Uranus is the revolutionary force that is squaring Pluto and the Sun. This square from Uranus is a hint of stronger revolution to come when this planet moves into Aries in May 2010. The times are indeed changing.

The trio of Jupiter, Neptune and Chiron in Aquarius are perfectly located in the 11th house-the Natural House for Aquarius. Past boundaries of separation are dissolving in our communities and organizations. Jupiter takes this even further; perhaps we are experiencing more unity throughout the world. Although I am not sure where the Internet fits into the mundane house system of astrology, a good case could be made for the World Wide Web fitting into the 11th house. Social networks are a new frontier. However, as a culture, we seem to be more enamored with the latest cell phone technology than we are with the idea of doing the hard work that will help us solve some of our crucial problems. Neptune always presents us with the latest and most enticing illusions. Connection to others is valuable; new toys may distract.

The New Moon this month occurs a day after the ingress of the Sun into Cancer. Therefore most of the same qualities for the Solstice chart hold true for the New Moon chart. The Sun and Moon this month face off with Pluto, and both sides of the opposition are forming a square with Uranus. At the beginning of this lunar month it may be hard to grasp the calm energy of Venus/Mars in Taurus trine to Saturn. We may be facing off into our own oppositions, which seem to evoke power plays about who is in control (Pluto provokes these responses.) This New Moon in Cancer is a time to honor our feelings. How we feel about our beloveds, how we feel we are being treated, how we feel about the downtrodden, how we feel about our feelings. If we are feeling a little reactionary, it could be that Pluto and Uranus want to take these natural and normal feelings and place them on a much bigger stage where it may think they mean so much more. This lunar cycle is a time to understand how feelings are important and how they can get blown out of proportion sometimes.

The square between Mercury and Saturn in the new moon chart invite us to try and explain, discuss and reach better understandings with others. This will be good work this month.

The Full Moon will be a penumbral lunar eclipse—an eclipse so barely an eclipse that it will not be visible to the naked eye, according to NASA’s excellent Eclipse Web Site . Still we may sense a shadow falling over the Full Moon’s brilliance this month. Energetically, eclipses are times when we may be set suddenly upon new paths. This Full Moon occurs in the middle of the opposing signs of Cancer and Capricorn. These two signs are about ways we manage, parent, tend or defend what we cherish. Capricorn means business. What ways do we need to embrace the true seriousness of our global situation? What are ways we need to take responsibility? This Full Moon may illuminate that for us. The triple conjunction of Jupiter, Neptune and Chiron (see here for more about this) are squared by Mars in Taurus. Last month, Mercury was in this position. The message has been sent by Mercury that our boundaries are merging in both wonderful and perhaps alarming ways. Now Mars will invite us to take action.

The harmonious trine from Saturn to the Moon and the encouraging sextile to the Sun seem to offer a brief respite from the overly-critical nature of Saturn in Virgo. We can feel that Saturn is actually on our side. Now is a really good time to take stock of all the Virgo things you have taken on since September 2007 when Saturn entered Virgo. Virgo-approved activities are: organizing your life, initiating and maintaining personal practice—especially those practices that improve your health, service actions, and honing one’s knowledge about any topic. In August, Saturn will enter the last decan of Virgo (the last third of the sign). The final push to acquire all these Virgo lessons will really heat up then.

Summertime can be a wonderful time to take a break, change our schedules, find ourselves doing work that feeds our bodies or hearts. Soak in the Sun’s blessings this season and have a good summer.

There are times this month when our celestial stories are emphasized. The highlights are:

July 1 Uranus 26° Pisces. stations retrograde
July 1 Venus 25° Taurus squares Chiron 25° Aquarius
July 1 Venus 26° Taurus square Neptune 26° Aquarius
July 1 Mercury 25° Gemini trines Chiron 25° Aquarius
July 1 Mercury 26° Gemini trines Neptune 26° Aquarius
July 1 Mercury 26° Gemini trines Jupiter 26° Aquarius
July 1 Mercury 26° Gemini square Uranus 26° Pisces
July 1 Venus 26° Taurus square Jupiter 26° Aquarius
July 1 Venus 26° Taurus sextiles Uranus 26° Pisces
July 5 Mars 25° Taurus square Chiron 25° Aquarius
July 6 Mars 26° Taurus square Neptune 26° Aquarius
July 6 Mars 26° Taurus square Jupiter 26° Aquarius
July 7 Full Moon – Lunar eclipse at 15° Capricorn
July 10 Jupiter retrograde 26° Aquarius conjunct Neptune 26° Aquarius

New Moon May 24, 2009: Season of Ideas

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Sun, 24 May 2009 02:54:00 +0000

The Sun and Moon meet in Gemini this month. The signatures of this mutable air sign are all around me, from the pollen drifting in the wind to the enlightening coincidences brought to me courtesy of the divine trickster, Mercury. Our minds speed up in the season of Gemini, or seem to. My mind is buzzing as I consider where we are in the evolutionary journey. This month, I’d like to share the ideas floating in the air around me. Perhaps they will fertilize something emerging in you.

The “Universal” is where it’s at right now. All the universal planets, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, are in the universal signs, Capricorn through Pisces. Hedge witch philosopher, Donald Engstrom, likes to remind people that we live in a larger reality than a single universe. He points out that actually, we dwell in the multiverse. It It takes an expansion of the mind to grasp this idea of simultaneous multiple universes. The outer planets in these larger, multiversal signs are poised to help us expand mind, consciousness, and possibility.

Astrology’s lifeblood is coincidence. Coincidence or synchronicity can lead to enlightenment. If there is one thing that astrology has taught me and that I try to pass on to my students and clients, it is that there is meaning all around us. Random events and patterns found in the sky tell us that the cosmos is alive and is communicating with us. And we can communicate back! Lately in my world, I’ve noticed conversations about the Trickster, fears about global pandemic, the importance of community, and teachings about duality. The cosmos is communicating about these important topics via these important events: the triple conjunction of Neptune, Chiron and Jupiter in Aquarius (for more about this transit), Mercury’s retrograde journey beginning in the sign of duality—Gemini, Pluto’s ingress into Capricorn. (for more about this transit), and the ongoing opposition between Uranus and Saturn. (for more about this transit.) There is a lot going on. Actually, all the planets and signs are constantly telling us something. The challenge and the fun is teasing out what is important now.

The New Moon in Gemini sets the tone of the month. The ruler of Gemini is Mercury and Mercury is currently retrograde. Mercury retrogrades three times a year, the most of any planet. Having to do with communication, travel, and thought, Mercury shows us how to reweave duality into unity and then back into duality. The most mobile of planets and gods, Mercury never stays fixed for long, just like our own minds.

Last weekend I had the delight of attending a Yoga Nidra class taught by Katherine Banbury at her Kula Center for Yoga in St. Paul. According to Katherine, Yoga Nidra is a meditative practice that helps us to perceive duality and the transcendence of duality. “Yoga Nidra points out that we live in two worlds simultaneously, the world of Immanence wherein we experience everything, and the world of Transcendence where we are aware of everything. Transcendence is the other half of the equation whereby we realize that we are the Presence in which life is immanently unfolding.” – from Banbury’s class handout. During this guided meditation we are led into the experience of duality, then the merging of duality while we ask the question, ”If I am not this, nor this, what am I?” Perhaps because Mercury was retrograde during the class, I found that I could step into that third, strange place where everything was indeed possible. Mercury likes to present possibilities while keeping actualities just out of grasp. This is his Trickster aspect. What new possibilities are luring you into the next stage of your journey?

Last month’s new moon chart showed Mercury at 24° Taurus square to the triple conjunction of Neptune, Chiron and Jupiter. Due to retrograde motion, Mercury is back again for another statement squaring these three planets from 24° Taurus. Two days after last month’s new moon, the United States declared a public health emergency based on the outbreak of swine flu in Mexico. Although the triple conjunction of Neptune, Chiron and Jupiter is about so much more than world pandemic, this signature fits well with the global health crisis that may be before us. Mercury is the messenger, the broadcaster, of the solar system. Perhaps this month, new broadcasts about our common concerns will come to the forefront. The questions I am holding are: What are we learning about our connections? What separations are no longer relevant? How do we broaden our awareness to include diverse cultural points of view? How do we take care of each other?

I came across this message while doing some research on the web: “Over the last 14 billion years, as western science currently understands it, the growing edge of evolution – the appearance of radically new forms of complexity – has moved from the cosmic to geologic to biologic to cultural.” - Peggy Holman, co-author of The Change Handbook. If this is true, then the stars are affirming that our growing edge is in cultural evolution. Mars and Venus sextile the triple conjunction. This encouraging relationship between both Mars and Venus to Neptune, Chiron, and Jupiter this month present opportunities to embrace cultural evolution in an exhilarating manner.

Another interesting feature of this New Moon chart is Saturn standing unaspected and lonely at 14° Virgo. Unaspected planets sometimes scream out for attention. Saturn has recently stationed direct after a retrograde journey that began on December 31, 2008. Saturn will be regaining ground until August when it will move rapidly through the last degrees of Virgo, entering Libra on October 29. The ingress into Libra will invoke the square aspect between Pluto and Saturn. This is a highly significant transit signaling more work and hard lessons. But for now, it is important to notice how Saturn in Virgo is teaching us what we need to know. I think of this as my opportunity to acquire Virgoan skills that surely will come in handy in the coming years. These skills include: right-relationship with perfectionism, discernment, personal practice related to spirituality and health, and a sense of what I am serving and why.

The Full Moon is an important turning point in the lunar cycle. In the Full Moon chart for June 7, Mercury is again playing a major role. Mercury is at 25° Taurus, this time moving direct, and still squaring the triple conjunction. To add an extra punch these planets are stationary, meaning they are near the degree of changing direction. Stationary planets are more powerful and anyone who has personal planets or important points in their charts ranging from 20° to 28° of any fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius), will certainly be feeling the effects of these stations. We will all feel this energy, but for you it will be personal. At the full moon, Saturn is square to the Sun and Moon. With the emphasis this month being on the mind, Saturn in earthy Virgo reminds us to get practical. Where do your hopes and dreams meet reality? Although Saturn seems to but a damper on our optimism, what Saturn really does is make our dreams real. What is that work like for you?

The lunar month ends with the Sun entering Cancer, otherwise known as the Summer Solstice. Next month, I’ll write more about what that chart is showing us.
Dates important to our stories:

May 26 Mars 26° Aries sextile Chiron 26° Aquarius
May 26 Mars 26° Aries sextile Jupiter 26° Aquarius
May 26 Mars 26° Aries sextile Neptune 26° Aquarius
May 27 Jupiter 26° Aquarius conjunct Neptune 26° Aquarius
May 28 Neptune stations retrograde 26° Aquarius
May 30 Chiron stations retrograde 26° Aquarius
May 30 Mercury 22° Taurus stations direct
June 2 Venus 26° Aries sextile Chiron 26° Aquarius
June 2 Venus 26° Aries sextile Neptune 26° Aquarius
June 2 Venus 26° Aries sextile Jupiter 26° Aquarius
June 5 Sun 15° Gemini square Saturn 15° Virgo (reality check)
June 6 Venus enters Taurus after being in Aries (mostly) since February. Venus rules Taurus. She is happy there.
Full Moon June 7
June 9 Mercury 26° Taurus square Chiron 26° Aquarius
June 9 Mercury 26° Taurus square Neptune 26° Aquarius
June 9 Mercury 26° Taurus sextile Uranus 26° Pisces (the great awakener, Uranus helps Mercury to carry the message)
June 10 Mercury 26° Taurus square Jupiter 26° Aquarius
June 13 Mercury enters Gemini, the sign it rules
June 15 Jupiter stations retrograde 27° Aquarius
June 16 Sun 26° Gemini trine (harmonizes) Chiron 26° Aquarius
June 17 Sun 26° Gemini trine Neptune 26° Aquarius
June 17 Sun 26° Gemini trine Jupiter 26° Aquarius
June 17 Sun 26° Gemini square Uranus 26° Pisces
June 20 Sun enters Cancer
June 21 Venus 15° Taurus conjunct Mars. Desire is strong, express it sensually.
June 22 Venus 16° Taurus trine Saturn 16* Virgo
June 22 Mars 16° Taurus trine Saturn 16° Virgo

New Moon April 24, 2009: The Wisdom in Community

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:50:00 +0000

In the New York Times Magazine this Sunday I read this quote, taken from an article entitled, “Why Isn’t the Brain Green?” by Jon Gertner: “In 2005 and 2006, an anthropologist observed how the behavior of poor Ugandan farmers could be influenced by whether they listened to crucial rainy-season radio broadcasts in groups or as individuals. Farmers in ‘community groups’ achieved consensus and made better use of the forecast.” The article describes studies done by scientists who want “to understand decision-making in situations of uncertainty.” Comparisons are made between the decision-making process for an individual and for groups. One of the scientists went on to say, “ We enjoy congregating; we need to know we are part of groups. It gives us inherent pleasure to do this. And when we are reminded of the fact that we’re part of communities, then the community becomes sort of the decision-making unit. That’s how we make huge sacrifices, like in World War II.”

Communities are playing a huge role in our world. It seems that every single page of the newspaper these days one finds something written about new online social networks like Facebook and Twitter. Cutting edge culture is about networking, communal action, global consciousness. It seems like we are now really at the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, the sign where all this energy fits. Three planets and the North Node of the Moon currently occupy Aquarius. Jupiter, riding the wave of all this collective expression, entered Aquarius in January 2009. Neptune has held court here since 1998. Chiron has been in Aquarius since 2005. All three of these planets are rendezvousing at 26 degrees Aquarius in May. Perhaps this near exact triple conjunction is the crest of the Aquarian wave that has been building since Neptune’s ingress into the sign. Astrologers are at odds about when the true dawning of the Age of Aquarius will be—it may be now, it may be in 200 years or so—but this month will be a good peek at what the new age has in store for our world.

What is the power of community? During this year while Jupiter is in Aquarius, we are inclined to believe that the power of community is the greatest power we have. That’s how Jupiter operates. There are two teachers in the zodiac. Jupiter is the cool professor whose classes are always full; the lessons are fun and seem to reveal something very important even as they disappear quickly from our memories. Saturn’s classes, in comparison, are unpopular, there is a lot of work, but we always remember what we learned in that class. Yes, Jupiter moves on more quickly, but with the added oomph of Neptune and Chiron, there is opportunity for a true shift in consciousness. We have the opportunity to focus less on our individuality and more on our collectivity. According to these scientists, this may be key to our survival.

The other teacher, Saturn continues to tread the ground of Virgo. Saturn stations direct this month, increasing the Saturn effect. In some ways, the two signs—Virgo and Aquarius—could not be more different from each other. Virgo is methodical, resists grand leaps of faith. It is hopeful only if all the practical groundwork has been laid down first. Otherwise, there is too much work for Virgo to be truly optimistic. If Aquarius describes communal life, then Virgo is the Hermit, the solitary energy of steadfastness. Whenever paradoxical energy is present, we can learn to navigate the middle path. What energy are you feeling more strongly? How can you benefit from broadening into the other point of view? The communal exuberance we may be experiencing right now can be grounded in the practicalities of Virgo.

The New Moon of April 24 has the Sun and Moon at 5° Taurus square to the nodes of the Moon. (North node at 4° Aquarius and South node at 4° Leo). This position of the New Moon is called “the bendings” of the nodal axis—a potent location in the zodiac. Emphasis is placed at this time on the nodes, what they are calling on us to learn (North node) and renew (South node). The agenda may be to learn how to be communal people once again. The renewal should occur in the arena of ineffective attitudes about individualism and ego. It isn’t that the Leo nature is bad, because it isn’t. Leo is necessary to our communal possibilities. But we need to reevaluate what has not worked about this energy in the past. The other fixed signs, Taurus and Scorpio get the spotlight this month. Taurus at the New Moon; Scorpio at the Full. These signs add the significance of life and death to the equation. What is abstract and theoretical in Aquarius and pure potential in Leo, needs to get real in Taurus and Scorpio. People with earth and water emphasis in their charts may feel relieved that the energy returns this month to this domain. When all fixed signs are activated like they will be this month, struggles can be intense. However, these struggles can also fuel our creativity and resolve.

Mercury’s role this month. In the New Moon chart Mercury in Taurus is square to Jupiter/Chiron/Neptune. Then it stations retrograde a few days later on May 6. Mercury is not only the Trickster. Mercury is also the lens that focuses our perceptions. If the energy of Jupiter/Chiron/Neptune has been somewhat nebulous so far, then this month through the trickster’s lessons, we may be able to define what this transit is about. Or maybe not. I never take Mercury retrograde periods for granted. If we are coming to rely heavily on our computers to link us to community, then Mercury is poised to wreak havoc on those systems. How else might we create community? Are we too dependent on computers and cell phones? My recommendation is to back up files. And to notice. Mercury retrograde periods are fantastic for noticing our assumptions and how they can get us into trouble.

The Full Moon chart shows Mercury retrograde at the degree of stationing. The Moon and Sun are squaring the triple conjunction of Jupiter/Chiron/Neptune. Both Mars and Venus are in Aries. Saturn is also stationary. As a complete picture, the energy is elevated. Impulsivity is increased with the squares and with Mars and Venus both in Aries. The stationing Saturn points to pent up energy, perhaps expecting more perfection from self and others. Mercury presents us with uncertainty. Perhaps the best use of this Full Moon period is to simplify daily life, at least for a few days. The caution is to not be so busy, and so dependent on computers and fast communication, that we aren’t able to tune into the spiritual significance of the planets in Aquarius.

We have always been communal creatures. However, the challenges of our world may be asking us to make better use of community so that we can make the changes we need to for the survival of our beloved planet and our beloved friends and families. Chiron shows us the opening in spirit where we can embrace this new way of being. May it lead to healing.

Dates important to our stories:
April 25 Mercury 25° Taurus square Chiron 25° Aquarius
April 25 Mercury 26° Taurus square Neptune 26° Taurus
April 26 Mars 3° Aries square Pluto 3° Capricorn
May 2 Venus 3° Aries square Pluto 3° Capricorn
May 6 Mercury stations retrograde 1° Gemini
May 8 Full Moon
May 16 Sun 25° Taurus square Jupiter 25° Aquarius
May 16 Sun 26° Taurus square Chiron 26° Aquarius
May 20 Mercury 26° Taurus square Neptune 26° Aquarius (2nd time)
May 20 Mercury 26° Taurus square Chiron 26° Aquarius (2nd time)
May 20 Mercury 26° Taurus square Jupiter 26° Aquarius (2nd time)
May 23 Jupiter conjunct Chiron at 26° Aquarius

New Moon, March 26, 2009: Flowing strands of energy

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 03:13:00 +0000

As I sit down to write about this lunar month I wonder, “What do I need to be mindful of for the next few weeks? How can I best adapt myself to this energy so that I may embrace life in the most authentic, joyful, and effective way possible?” These questions are my guides for using astrology. I find that I use my awareness of the earth and the seasons to inform me about energy as much as I use astrological symbols. How can I ignore the influence of spring thaw here in Minneapolis, the returning light after a dark winter, the swollen rivers spilling their banks? These are as important to me as Saturn transiting Virgo and Venus retrograding through Aries. As an astrologer I constantly ask myself, what must I pay attention to? What serves me, the clients who come to me, and what also serves the whole, my contribution to co-creating the world as I attempt to live mindfully each day? The answer to this question shifts and changes often. It keeps things interesting.

Now, at this New Moon in Aries, I find myself paying attention to several celestial strands of energy. I am aware that Pluto is preparing to station retrograde shortly after the New Moon; that Neptune, Chiron, and Jupiter are coming closer and closer together culminating in a near triple conjunction at the end of May; that Venus is continuing her retrograde journey in Aries; and that during the season of Aries I want to pay attention to its ruler, Mars. As I notice energy and events, I find that it is helpful to keep several stories in mind at one time. Never do these influences occur in a vacuum, sequentially, or neat and tidy with beginning, middle, and end. Rather, they seem to ebb and flow, sparked into action by subtle shifts like the Moon making an aspect. Sometimes the strands become so complex, I take a break from all the information, return to awareness of my body, the earth, my beloveds. Sometimes it seems to me that paying attention itself is the point, and it is not so important that I know or understand all these influences. As the rivers in my area of country crest and exceed their boundaries, I offer the idea that we can also accept the unknowable, let it move us beyond our own boundaries. We are all this and more.

The New Moon in Aries on March 26 finds all planets except Saturn within the space of a square between Pluto and Venus, implying a tight focus, a concentration of energy. Pluto is stationary at this time. A planet’s influence is stronger when it stations (seems to stand still right before changing apparent direction, either retrograde or direct). Pluto has been stationing retrograde every March since 1994. Next year, it will station retrograde in early April. For more than a decade, Pluto has been asserting itself into the transitions of spring. This seems appropriate considering Pluto’s (or Hades’) role in the springtime story of Persephone’s return. When Pluto retrogrades, the earth itself responds. We also respond. The name Pluto means “the giver of wealth which comes out of the earth beneath.” Pluto holds wealth in the shadows, in the things we refuse to or are unable to acknowledge, and then, when it is time, he releases the wealth and we claim the hidden, forbidden treasures. Pluto gives life back to us. Since September 2008 when Pluto last turned direct, this planet has been slowly forcing us to confront the shadows hidden away in Capricorn. Now, he stations and recedes, leaving behind compost for our fields. How will you use this wealth as you plant the seeds of your heart’s desire? Remember, Pluto’s energy feeds life itself. What needs rejuvenation in your life? If you have planets or important points in your chart ranging from 0° to 5 ° of a Cardinal sign (Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn), you will feel this station strongly. Pluto is moving through your life.

Last month I wrote about the Venus retrograde journey. She is halfway through that process. The day after the New Moon, Venus in Aries is conjunct the Sun in the heart of the retrograde journey. In this place, joined by the Moon and Mercury, Venus meets a challenging aspect from Pluto. Aries is perceived as being courageous, but the truth of the matter is that Aries is more foolish than brave. An Aries individual “does it afraid.” In other words, they often do not feel courageous as they take a stand or move to the head of the line. They simply recognize the need to act. Have you felt the urge to act even if you haven’t felt courageous? Perhaps this challenge will intensify during the period of Venus square Pluto. Perhaps because you have answered the call of this challenge, you will reap Pluto’s rejuvenation. There are hard edges to Venus in Aries square Pluto. This aspect may not be easy on relationships.

With all this impulsive Aries energy around, it is a good idea to look at Mars this month. Mars rules Aries. He is the actor who best carries out the Aries need to emerge and to do. Mars starts off the lunar month, gentle and intuitive in the sign of Pisces. But he doesn’t stay that way. In the New Moon chart, Mars is unaspected, drifting alone in a fairly unmoored sign – Pisces. It may seem to us that spring is getting a slow start. The best way to use this lull in energy is to recharge the batteries, spend more time in reverie, tune into the heart’s messages. On April 4, when Mars opposes Saturn, we will receive the message that we now need to be serious and get down to business. Saturn will want to pull Mars back into a more realistic orbit. When Mars comes into conjunction with Uranus on April 15, the fireworks will likely start. These two planets provoke action and reaction. Even in the calm sign of Pisces, we will want to do something that feels more authentic, that brings change. Right before Mars enters Aries on April 22, he comes into conjunction with Venus at 29° Pisces. There is something poetic about this conjunction between the ruler of Libra (Venus) and the ruler of Aries (Mars) taking place right after Venus turns direct. Perhaps there is a final lesson for Venus – a way to honor the Aries struggle of individuation, which is often in conflict with the Libran need to be in relationship. When we honor both needs, what is created? What is possible? Mars enters its own sign on April 22 where the impulse pursue what we want is strong. Mars stays in that sign until June 1. If it hadn’t really happened before, after April 22, spring will be in full force.

Along with these strands, there is another story developing that will color our experiences for the next few months. At the Full Moon on April 9, Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune are forming a tight cluster called a stellium. I wrote about these three planets in last month’s New Moon forecast. I have noticed that most of my clients recently have planets or important points in their charts which will be impacted by this transit. Why are these people showing up now? This coincidence affirms that it is a good idea to pay attention to these energies. Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune will be important teachers over the next few months. I associate Obama’s presidency with the optimism of Jupiter in Aquarius. He stands for our communal dreams of a better future. His nodal axis (his karma and destiny) falls within the degrees of this transit (North node at 27°Leo). I think he will hold an important piece of what this transit means to us at this time. If you have any planets or important points in your chart between 24° to 27° of the fixed signs (Aquarius, Taurus, Leo, and Scorpio) this transit will strongly impact you.

Dates important to our stories
March 27 Mercury 3° Aries square Pluto 3° Capricorn
March 27 Sun conjunct Venus 7° Aries
April 3 Venus (retrograde) 3° Aries square Pluto 3° Capricorn
April 4 Pluto stations retrograde
April 4 Mars 16° Pisces opposite Saturn 16° Virgo
April 9 Full Moon
April 15 Mars conjunct Uranus 24° Pisces
April 17 Venus stations direct
April 21 Venus conjunct Mars 29° Pisces
April 22 Mars enters Aries

New Moon, February 24, 2009: The Sacred Search for Self

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:00:00 +0000

The Pisces New Moon is a time to surrender form. It is a time to dive deep one last time into the dreamtime of Winter. It is a time to gather inspiration from the unseen worlds. Pisces is the end of the astrological cycle that begins with Aries. When the Sun enters Aries this month on March 20, the Self crystallizes again into form. The goal is to emerge and begin the task of discovering who we are. Pisces asks: What do I make sacred as I surrender this form? Aries asks: Who am I? Who do I want to be? These two enquiries are important this month.

Although the Sun, Moon and Uranus are in Pisces in the New Moon chart, there is still a significant collection of energy in Aquarius at the beginning of the lunation cycle. The North Node (growing edge), Jupiter (expansive belief), Mercury (acquiring and processing information), Mars, (action and will), Chiron (the shaman), and Neptune (transcendence) are strung across the sign of the Water Carrier. Last month I wrote about the Aquarian energy of the Inauguration. Throughout this year Aquarian ideals—freedom, possibility, and revolution; hope in technology; an increase in social networking via the Internet; refining what it means to be human; attending to community needs and the need for community—will remain strong as Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune come closer together this Spring.

The other ongoing subtext to this year, Uranus in Pisces opposite Saturn in Virgo, is emphasized in the New and Full Moon charts this month. [I’ve written about this opposition during these past few months.] Any opposition between outer planets invites us to investigate the middle path. Swinging from one extreme to another, the real work seems to be in the space between. Are you finding yourself in the place of paradox, waiting for resolution, anxious about the tension between issues or choices in your life? How do you work with these forces? The Full Moon on March 10 aligns with the Uranus/Saturn opposition. We will have the opportunity to have these lessons illuminated.

Venus retrograde. A retrograde cycle is a special journey that a planet takes. For Venus, this journey is much like the one the goddess Inanna took to visit her sister Ereshkigal. [You can read a previous article I wrote on the Venus/Inanna associations.] On March 6 Venus stations retrograde at 15° Aries. Every 19 months Venus turns retrograde. Venus’ retrograde cycle forms a distinct pattern in the sky. In 8 years Venus stations 5 times evenly spaced around the zodiac forming a pentacle. The points of the pentacle move very slowly through time.

Currently the points are in Aries, Scorpio, Gemini, Aquarius, and Virgo.

Each Venus journey carries a theme. Each journey forms a point on a pentacle. These are:

Aries: Self
Scorpio: Power
Gemini: Knowledge
Aquarius: Freedom
Virgo: Service

Venus entices us to discover how these important points on the pentacle can flourish through the expression of beauty, balance, and pleasure. Through this pentacle we may explore: How am I my authentic Self when I embrace Venus? How do I claim my Power when I embrace Venus? What do I learn as I embrace Venus? How am I freed by embracing Venus? What wholeness do I serve when I embrace Venus?

One important feature of the Venus retrograde cycle is the length of time Venus will spend in just one sign. When Venus is moving direct, it speeds through an entire sign in less than a month. Due to the retrograde motion, Venus will be in Aries for 4 months (February 2 to June 6). [Venus will dip back into Pisces from April 11 to April 24.] In traditional astrology Venus is in her detriment in the sign of Aries. This means, that Venus is traveling through a sign opposite to one she rules, in this case Libra. Venus in Libra shows us her accommodating face, she desires harmony, relationship, and justice. In Aries, Venus struggles to align the need for partnering with the need for individuation. This Venus in Aries invites us to investigate how to bring balance into our relationships as we acknowledge that we are unique, that we sometimes must act in our own best interests, and that sometimes the journey is solitary. Aries is a fire sign. Venus reveals the beauty held within the flame and the consuming fires of passion.

This journey to reclaim Self is a journey of courage. Inanna was Queen of Heaven, she was mistress of the green fields, keeper of the storehouse, custodian of the divine laws. She did not need to surrender everything for her underworld journey. But she did. What is the courageous journey you take on behalf of your Self? A way to honor Venus is to envelop ourselves in beauty. During this retrograde cycle, how will you honor Venus?

Important dates for the Venus story:
February 1 Venus enters the shadow zone of this retrograde cycle (29° Pisces)
February 2 Venus enters Aries
March 6 Venus stations retrograde (15° Aries)
March 11 Venus (14° Aries) sextile Jupiter (14° Aquarius) Energizing opportunity for beauty.
Next lunar cycle:
March 27 Sun (7° Aries) conjunct Venus (7° Aries) This is the culmination of the retrograde cycle.
March 28 Mercury (6° Aries) conjunct Venus (6° Aries) Thought and beauty combine.
April 3 Venus (3°Aries) square Pluto (3° Capricorn) A confrontation with power.
April 11 through April 24 Venus at 29° Pisces. A time apart to reflect and be inspired.
April 17 Venus stations direct. Begin the return from the underworld.
May 2 Venus (3° Aries) square Pluto (3° Capricorn) Another confrontation with power.
May 20 Venus leaves the shadow zone of the retrograde cycle (15° Aries)
June 6 Venus enters Taurus

Neptune and Chiron. The story of these two planets coming together in Aquarius is beginning to develop. In May Jupiter will join them in a near triple conjunction. This month, Mercury and Mars pay a visit to both. Anyone with natal planets or points from 21 to 25 degrees of any fixed sign (Aquarius, Taurus, Leo or Scorpio) will experience this transit more deeply. Both of these planets [Chiron is actually not a planet. Read an excellent article about Chiron by Richard Dagan here.] are initiators. Both challenge us to be more vulnerable, more open, more in touch with pain and grief. The shamanic initiation of Chiron can be experienced as a dismemberment or dismantling of identity where we are put back together with a part missing, a space left open to the other world. This opening gives us access to wisdom and healing. And it also feels like a wound. The Neptune initiation is much like Odin’s as he hung on the World Tree. Through surrender we attain wisdom and compassion. The transits from Mercury and Mars this month will begin to bring this story into focus. It is time to open and listen to Mystery. Remembering may help us put back the pieces of our lives. Developing compassion toward self and others may help us build a valuable foundation.

Dates important to this story:
March 1 Mercury (19° Aquarius) conjunct Mars (19° Aquarius)
March 3 Mercury (22°Aquarius) conjunct Chiron (22°Aquarius)
March 5 Mercury (24° Aquarius) conjunct Neptune (24° Aquarius)
March 5 Mars (22° Aquarius) conjunct Chiron (22° Aquarius)
March 8 Mars (24° Aquarius) conjunct Neptune (24° Aquarius)

Spring Equinox. In the midst of these transits and energies, the Sun moves into Aries on March 20. Day and night temporarily balance. The chart for the Equinox shows the Moon in Capricorn, Saturn opposing Mercury and Uranus, and Pluto square the Sun. We enter this new season aware of the seriousness of the times. We must manage resources, hold ourselves accountable, and take on added work to create the world we envision. What feeds your resolve? How do you enter into the work invigorated and with joy?

May we find the joy that sustains and may we share what gives us joy.

New Moon January 26, 2009: The Water Bearer Pouring Out Change and Hope

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 02:01:00 +0000

That was no ordinary Inauguration. That was no ordinary public experience. A threshold has been crossed. Inauguration Day was an extraordinary experience of collective desire, longing that was larger than any individual’s (especially President Obama’s), larger than a political party’s ideology, larger than media spin. Something happened. It was an outpouring. The sign of Aquarius, the Water Bearer shows a figure pouring out a flood from the heavens. We felt that flood as the Sun entered Aquarius on Inauguration day.

The planet of collective experience, Neptune, has been in Aquarius since 1998. The planet that rules change, Uranus, has been in Pisces since 2003. The Inauguration was a Neptune in Aquarius experience, and it was a Uranus in Pisces experience. Both of these planets are in mutual reception; that means they are in each other’s home signs. They strengthen each other. Both of these planets have been poised for some time to release this flood of readiness for change and collective hope. The tipping point apparently has arrived. Perhaps Jupiter entering into Aquarius on January 5th was the key. Obama’s natal Jupiter is also in Aquarius and happens to be at the same degree as Jupiter in the Inauguration chart. I don’t believe this means he is The One. But I do think there is strong temptation to believe it. When Jupiter expands too much, it is helpful to reground through Saturn, the ultimate realist. Saturn plays a role in all this as well. That story later.

Aquarius pours it out at the New Moon. The New Moon this month is a Solar Eclipse in Aquarius. The chart shows a cluster of planets in Aquarius: Neptune, Chiron, Jupiter, Sun and Moon. Eclipses are unpredictable in that we don’t know where we we’ll be after the light returns. I am paying attention to a familiar arc of ecstatic experience. First, Neptune unleashes its ocean of god-knowing, then events and choices don’t match up to the expectations of my new consciousness. Disappointment, cynicism and despair follow. What if our new post-Inauguration consciousness included a different way to navigate through disappointment? Disappointment is inevitable. We are chaotic and imperfect humans, thank goodness. But do we have to sink into nasty responses to our disappointment? My own disappointments in life have been bitterer when I surrendered my own responsibility to create and sustain the new visions I longed for. When the light returns from this solar eclipse, where will you be standing? What work will you be engaged in to create the change you hope for?

What I learned from the collective outpouring of hope was that I do play a part in how we move forward. Each of us plays a part. One Aquarian ideal is that it takes organized people and communities to make change happen. One Aquarian paradox is that sometimes one individual has to go against the collective in order to wake those communities up. All of this energy is part of our times. Are you experiencing an eclipse in the same old ways of doing business in your communities? What new ways are opening up?

Another response to collective ecstasy is skepticism and pragmatism—an impulse to stay away from the Kool-Aid. Saturn in Virgo, opposing Uranus in Pisces since the election, and Pluto in Capricorn are worthy allies of this approach. The opposition between Uranus and Saturn becomes exact again this month. What details need to be gone over in your own revolutions? Saturn invites us to take the feeling of unity, dismantle it, analyze it, and perfect it. Virgo reminds Pisces that ideals are grounded in service. Pluto continues to unleash Capricorn’s potential. We now know that financial systems need better oversight. How do we make sure that happens?

The Full Moon is a Lunar Eclipse on February 9. The light goes out of the Leo Moon. Leo, the opposing sign to Aquarius, provides needed balance to all that Aquarius energy. Leo is about the individual’s gifts to the collective. Obama’s Sun is in Leo. The inquiry for Leo is, How do I share my gifts with the collective? Are my gifts valued? What is my worth? Right now, President Obama is an excellent example of how each of us can create excitement, energy, and inspiration by sharing our inner spark.

The chart for the Full Moon shows a close gathering of the Sun, Moon, Chiron, and Neptune. Chiron is an archetype of shamanic initiation. So soon after experiencing collective euphoria, we may now experience collective grief or wounding. Chiron directs us to make our wounds sacred by serving the wholeness of others. Later this summer, Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune come together in a near triple conjunction. The tone of this Full Moon may give us insight into that coming season.

Venus plays a role in the Full Moon chart also. She is standing next to Uranus and opposing Saturn. Notice what is beautiful to you. How does Venus inspire your dreams for the hope that has been unleashed? What challenges you in making those dreams real? Mars standing next to Jupiter says, “Make it happen now!”

Venus retrograde in Aries. Later this month, Venus’ role shifts from the muse for dreams to the muse for action. Venus will station retrograde in Aries in March. This month, Venus enters the shadow zone of the zodiac where she will retrograde back. Venus in Aries will challenge our relationships. This Venus journey will be about staying true to our selves in the service of beauty.

Important dates in our story.
January 26 Solar eclipse (7° Aquarius)
February 1 Mercury stations direct (21° Capricorn) Thoughts, plans and communications move forward.
February 2 Venus enters Aries and the retrograde shadow. Venus stations retrograde on March 6 at 15° Aries.
February 4 Mars enters Aquarius till March 14
February 5 Saturn (20° Virgo) opposite Uranus (20°Pisces)
February 5 Venus (2°Aries) square Pluto (2°Capricorn) Gathering and confronting power.
February 9 Lunar eclipse. Sun (21°Aquarius) opposite Moon (21°Leo)
February 9 Sun (21°Aquarius) conjunct Chiron (21°Aquarius)
February 17 Mars (10°Aquarius) conjunct Jupiter (10°Aquarius)
February 24 Mercury (11°Aquarius) conjunct Jupiter (11° Aquarius)

New Moon December 27, 2008: Endings and Beginnings; Twistings and Turnings

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 01:15:00 +0000

This New Moon calls attention once again to Capricorn, the pragmatic, ambitious, and authoritarian earth sign. There are six celestial bodies in Capricorn at the New Moon. Mars, Pluto, Sun, Moon, Mercury, and Jupiter are strung throughout the sign of the fish-tailed goat. Pluto and Mars are entering Capricorn, and Jupiter is exiting this month. Capricorn took center stage this past year. Astrologers anticipated Pluto’s ingress into Capricorn. We saw foundations and hierarchies teeter from seismic rumbling caused by Pluto. But the bringer of fair winds, the magnanimous Jupiter, also spent the last year in Capricorn. This month Jupiter ends its year-long transit through the sign. This past year, I noticed that Jupiter’s magnetism directed me to become more comfortable with my own Capricorn nature, even though I have no planets in that sign. Professionalism has been an important theme for me; accountability and survival another. After this lunar month, Capricorn energy will continue to be important due to Pluto’s ongoing transit but the themes will recede a bit. Jupiter moves forward into Aquarius on January 5th and we will be invited to embrace all things Aquarius for the next year.

Endings and beginnings. If Capricorn is tethered to tradition and the past, Aquarius moves in the opposite direction toward innovation and the future. Janus, the god of January is shown facing opposite directions. He looks to the past and future. This month, to an even greater extent than usual for the beginning of a new year, we experience the dichotomy of backward and forward perspective. Janus is the god of gates and doorways. What door is opening for you? What door is closing? By nature are you more comfortable with Capricorn’s grounded earthiness or Aquarius’ airy intellectualism? We are making a shift between the two. These questions may provide insight.

Twistings and turnings of note this month are Saturn’s retrograde station on New Year’s Eve and Mercury’s retrograde station on January 11 right after the Full Moon. I expect less frivolity on New Year’s due to Saturn’s station, but this energy does support making resolutions for the new year. Commitments made under Saturn take on more gravity. Keeping our resolutions realistic will create a better sense of accomplishment at the end of next year. Mercury’s retrograde brings all the usual: a chance to rethink or redo, experiences that invite us to use different ways of thinking, communicating, learning or processing information; and the unexpected. Since during this retrograde Mercury moves from Aquarius back to Capricorn and then forward again to Aquarius, Mercury becomes the messenger who bridges the past and the future. This retrograde period will be especially important in the chart for the Inauguration [see below]. The last time Mercury was retrograde at an Inauguration was in 1989. Perhaps that retrograde Mercury contributed to the failure of George H. Bush to attain a second term.
The word “inauguration” derives from “augury:” to divine omens. At the moment the new president is sworn in, which occurs by law on January 20th at noon, we are able to divine what we can expect from this administration. Using divination, how may we help the outcome be for the greatest good? Here are some highlights of the Inauguration chart.

The Inauguration chart always has the same rising sign and the same house cusps since it must always occur at noon on January 20. Taurus always rises in these charts. Venus always rules the chart. In this chart, Venus is conjunct Uranus and opposing Saturn. See previous pieces on the qualities of the Uranus/Saturn opposition. Venus emphasizes that this opposition will be an ongoing and important dynamic in Obama’s administration. Venus invites conciliation. People who do not want to compromise during the next four years, who want either total revolution (Uranus) or complete conformity (Saturn) will be frustrated by Obama’s insistence on balancing between these two. However, I don’t think this means that we give up on making the sweeping changes that we believe in. Rather, we will be reminded over and over that simple polarization between good and bad, right and wrong, will not serve the changes we long for. Venus is in the idealistic sign of Pisces. Perhaps our ideals, empathy, readiness to surrender and sacrifice will guide us and the new president as we meet obstacles during the next four years. Mars in Capricorn is a grounded ally of Venus in this chart. This Mars also trines Saturn in Virgo, another earth sign. Pragmatism is an asset.

In an Inauguration chart the Sun is always at 0° Aquarius Having every administration commence at the very beginning of Aquarius reveals much of our national mythos through Aquarian ideals: “We are the future. Our nation can meet all challenges through innovation, invention and technology. We stand for freedom.” The theme for this year’s inauguration is “Renewing America’s Promise.” Obama has come to stand for our Aquarian ideals. His rising sign is Aquarius and his Jupiter is located at 0° Aquarius. Jupiter is the planet of belief. “Yes, We Can” is a fantastic motto for Jupiter in Aquarius.

The story of this inauguration gets more interesting when we consider that Mercury is retrograde and exactly conjunct to the Sun and Obama’s Jupiter. Mercury can be the Magician, easily manipulating a desired outcome or it can be the Trickster, twisting and turning meaning on its head. This energy is hard to predict. The message of hope may be hard to get out into the world or perhaps the message is everything. Perhaps we need messages of hope even more than we need plans for accomplishing what we hope for. If we just believe, can’t we do anything? The Mercury/Jupiter theme of the Inauguration chart is repeated in Obama’s natal chart. Repeated themes in astrology, or any divination system, are important. In Obama's chart Jupiter is opposite Mercury. This opposition shows how he can often be a brilliant and inspiring speaker, but not always. Sometimes his communication style becomes weighed down and ponderous when he becomes too intellectual and too abstract. Will he be foiled by communication during his presidency or will it be his gift of magic? The Mercury retrograde in the Inauguration chart says communication will be key, it will be a challenge, and it will be unexpected. I suspect that Obama will need to use his powers of Piscean empathy to reach the world and inspire us to be the change that we long for.

One of the most troubling things about the Inauguration chart is a void-of-course Moon. It would be nice if some astrology-savvy staff member (or perhaps Michelle consults astrologers?) would postpone the actual swearing in until the Moon goes into Sagittarius at 12:30 pm when it will no longer be in the void-of-course limbo land. But if we have to work with this late degree Scorpio Moon, the best way may be to use its energy to stop being naïve. Scorpio sees things the way they really are, warts and all. The Moon in these types of charts represents the mood of the people. Obama’s populace may not want to put up with the government operating in the same old way. With a void-of-course Moon, Obama may have a harder time connecting with the people. The Moon is also square to fantasy-producing Neptune. This energy contradicts the clear-eyed skepticism of Scorpio. Perhaps this connection to Neptune shows the portion of the people who believe, perhaps more than they should, that Obama will have all the answers and be the salvation for us all. Put to good use this Moon may help us be realistic while at the same time maintaining idealism. That balancing act is always a good trick.

Right before the Inauguration, The Full Moon chart of January 10 emphasizes Neptune conjunct Chiron (themes of sacrifice and healing) as well as the opposition of Uranus and Saturn. The Sun and Moon, are allies of Uranus and Saturn at this time. Breakthroughs in stalemates may happen in the period leading up to the Full Moon or right after. Have you noticed oppositions to what you believe or desire in the last month or so? Perhaps the opposition comes from a more conservative, Saturn-type person or situation. Or perhaps the opposition comes from a more revolutionary or extreme person or situation. At the Full Moon, seek inspiration or resolution for any oppositions you have encountered. What are you learning? If you have any personal planets or points are within 18° to 22° of Cardinal* or Mutable** signs, then you may feel this Full Moon even more strongly.

Standing at the doorway between the old year and the next what do you see? What calls to you? How will you support that vision into the future? It will be a good thing to remember what we have learned from Capricorn as we move forward into Aquarius.

Dates important to our story:
December 28 Mars conjunct Pluto (1° Capricorn)
December 31 Mercury conjunct Jupiter (28° Capricorn)
December 31 Saturn stations retrograde (21°Virgo)
January 1 Mercury enters Aquarius
January 5 Jupiter enters Aquarius
January 10 Full Moon
January 11 Mercury stations retrograde (7° Aquarius)
January 18 Mercury retrograde conjunct Jupiter (3° Aquarius)
January 19 Sun enters Aquarius
January 20 Sun conjunct Mercury (0° Aquarius)
January 23 Sun conjunct Jupiter (4°Aquarius)

*Cardinal signs are : Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn
**Mutable signs are: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces

New Moon November 27, 2008: A Practice of Praise

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:58:00 +0000

Your depression is connected to your insolence
And your refusal to praise. If a man or woman is
On the path, and refuses to praise- that man or woman
Steals from others every day - in fact is a shoplifter!
The sun became full of light when it got hold of itself.
Angels began shining when they achieved discipline.
The sun goes out whenever the cloud of not-praising comes near.
The moment that foolish angel felt insolent, he heard the door close.
~ Rumi translated by Robert Bly

I’ve been looking for a way to reframe the word “crisis”. Somewhere between panic and escapism, there must be a response to profound change that affirms what remains good within and around us. There must be a response that invites possibility for making our world even better. With Pluto’s ingress into Capricorn, we have been experiencing some profound shifts. Just as Pluto likes to do, the ground has opened up, exposing what we misuse or take for granted about Capricorn issues. We have some things to look at. I need a new way to approach this investigation.

This month’s New Moon is in Sagittarius. Sagittarian energy is celebratory. It is hopeful and expansive. We can use these qualities to remember why we are grateful—what is good about our lives. In spite of all we may be feeling and hearing about crisis right now, the act of praising is an antidote to despair. This New Moon in Sagittarius takes place on Thanksgiving this year—a cosmic reminder that praising is an important spiritual practice.

I find that praising shifts perception. After reading Rumi’s poem about praising recently, I decided to begin a personal practice of praise, not because I easily felt grateful, but because bitterness seemed to be taking over my internal dialog, and I wanted a tool to stop it. Now, whenever the bitter dialog pops up I offer up praise for five things, any five things that comes to mind. For example, I may pray aloud:

All beings, to my body I give praise!
To my family, I give praise!
To the beauty in this room, I give praise!
To the abundance around me, I give praise!
To the heartfelt connections with friends, I give praise!

This breaks the spell of despondency and I reconnect to the energetic flow of possibility.

Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius, is a good ally for learning how to reframe despair. Right now, Jupiter is traveling through the last degrees of Capricorn. It entered Capricorn December 2007 and will leave for Aquarius in the next lunar month. During this Sagittarian season, Jupiter may be the best guide for teaching us how to embrace crisis as opportunity. Through Jupiter’s gift of storytelling, we may be able to re-story how we will greet Pluto’s ingress into Capricorn. Instead of crisis, this is our opportunity to redefine what we mean about Capricorn issues like wealth, authority, and success. What about these things haven’t been working for you? What about these things haven’t been working for the world? How do we choose to redefine the very structures of our culture? If you have ever wanted a world that had a different relationship to money and authority, now is your opportunity! What can we create? What tools are you using to move forward?

At the New Moon, Jupiter is conjunct Venus, trine Saturn, and sextile Uranus. This is all good. Venus rules both money and beauty. These things are not in conflict with each other but this planetary ally invites us to consider which is more important to us. My practice of praising reminds me that in the moment I am wealthy when I praise the beauty in my life.

There is also a cluster of planets called a stellium in the first degrees of Sagittarius. The Sun, Moon, Mercury and Mars combine forces. This energy invites truth into our hearts and a willingness to act upon what we believe. We will want to expand our horizons this month. We’ve just elected a new president. As Caroline Casey says, we’ve just elected a new story. As we set intention at the New Moon, we may be able to animate that story with hope and action.

Uranus stations direct on the day of the New Moon, giving a strong tone of unpredictability to this month. The opposition transit between Saturn and Uranus has begun. We’ve reached the tipping point. The dialog between order and chaos continues to be relevant. All transits to Uranus (see below) will emphasize our desires for change. Uranian change often comes from unexpected places and in unexpected ways. Transits to Saturn (see below) will emphasize structure and process. Saturn process slows us down and invites us to reconsider.

The Full Moon on December 12 is quite dynamic. There is a Grand Cross of planets. The relationships in a Grand Cross are challenging. The planets involved are the Sun and Moon, Mars, Uranus and Saturn. We may need to practice our tools for reframing the word “crisis” at this time. The transit of Mars to Uranus and Saturn will very likely trigger new expressions of the opposition between Uranus and Saturn. This is a good time to pay attention to the forces that are pulling us in opposite directions. How do we find the balance point between?

The Sun enters Capricorn at the Winter Solstice on December 21. The chart for this moment is called the Capricorn Ingress. This chart shows us a map for the whole season. Mars features prominently in this chart as well. Mars relates to war, to action, to desire. In the Tarot, Mars corresponds to the Tower card. Structures may fall this season. At the Winter Solstice, the Sun is conjunct Pluto within minutes of being exact. Both Pluto and Mars turn over stagnant forms so that we may revitalize them. The chart for the winter does not look particularly restful, yet we need the dark time of winter to dream and replenish. What are your tools for being present to the moment while seeing the larger picture? Jupiter rules the winter chart. In spite of challenges, we are called to dream the bigger dream. With the Moon in Libra, we will want balance and harmony. Perhaps this desire will help us find solutions to inherent tensions. This Moon supports the middle path that Obama seems to be taking in his appointments to his cabinet. What middle path do you choose?

Important dates for our story.

Nov. 27 Uranus stations direct
Nov. 28 Venus (18° Capricorn) sextile Uranus (18° Pisces)
Nov. 29 Venus (20° Capricorn) trine Saturn (20° Virgo)
Dec. 1 Venus (22° Capricorn) conjunct Jupiter (22° Capricorn)
Dec. 4 Mercury (18° Sagittarius) square Uranus (18° Pisces)
Dec. 6 Mercury (21° Sagittarius) square Saturn (21° Virgo)
Dec. 10 Sun (18° Sagittarius) square Uranus (18° Pisces)
Dec. 12 Mars (18° Sagittarius) square Uranus (18° Pisces)
Dec. 12 Full Moon.
Dec. 12 Mercury (0° Capricorn) conjunct Pluto (0° Capricorn)
Dec. 12 Sun (21° Sagittarius) square Saturn (21° Virgo)
Dec. 15 Mars (21° Sagittarius) square Saturn (21° Virgo)
Dec. 21 Sun enters Capricorn
Dec. 24 Mercury (19° Capricorn) sextile Uranus (19° Pisces)
Dec. 26 Mercury (21° Capricorn) trine Saturn (21° Virgo)

The energies of the aspects:
Conjunction – merging
Sextile – encouraging
Trine – harmonizing
Square – challenging

New Moon, October 28, 2008: The Fool's Choice

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 23:48:00 +0000

The Fool by Suzanne Sterling

Night and stars are falling down
A wild breeze is blowing.
Earth and moon are whirling round
The fool walks through the door.

The winds pick up this time of year, late October, in the upper Mississippi River valley. Oak trees become bare of leaves, twisting into gray sky. The veil between the worlds thins. The New Moon of October 28 comes right before the seasonal holy day of Samhain. This is the end of summer, growing, harvesting. During the season of Scorpio, we can feel the other side—where those who have gone before have gone.

This particular Samhain is a time to be aware that not only are wild breezes blowing but it also feels like the sky is falling. When the veil thins, we open to a place between the worlds where the Fool enters and chooses. The planets are conspiring to show us important choices at this time.
We are choosing the stories we want to animate all the time. But now, at this time, it feels like the choices are more important than ever. One expression of this is the upcoming election. But this is not the only world-creating choice that we are currently making. Each personal choice right now is also creating the world. At this New Moon, we can step back to see the major planetary influences to gain perspective—to know what our choices are about.

Saturn opposite Uranus. These planets are now in an opposing relationship. This current phase of their relationship began in 1988 when the two planets were conjunct. Conjunctions and oppositions, like the new Moon and full Moon phases, represent the primary pulse of life, coming together, pulling apart, coming back together, on and on. At a conjunction of planets, we get ready for their opposition; we need that perspective. At the opposition, we try to reintegrate and find the balance point between extremes—already needing to find conjunction again. The pulse pulls us along. This is where we grow.

What perspective did we need in 1988? What integration do we need now? The opposition of these two planets goes on until 2010. We have some time to figure it out.

There are interesting parallels between the conjunction of 1988 and the current opposition.
A major concern right now is the economy. In 1987 Oliver Stone’s movie, Wall Street, addressed corruption in the financial world. Black Monday, a world-wide stock market crash also occurred in that year. Today we are seeing a mirror of that time, making this a good time to reevaluate our money myths. With Jupiter in Capricorn for a few more months, and Pluto set to re-enter Capricorn this lunar cycle, it is a perfect time to compost old systems. The idea of lay-away is coming back. In some ways, it hasn’t been too hard to pull back from living outside our means. Collectively we are spending less. As the Fool walks through the door, how do we want to choose our new relationship to money?

Revolutions happening in the 80s are mirrored by the revolutions we see around us now. If we look at the headlines for 1988 and 1989, we see the same people and issues coming up. In 1988, Jesse Jackson ran for the nomination for president. He gained ground but did not win. The country was not ready for a black candidate. In 2008, Barrack Obama is poised to win the presidency. In ’88 Dukakis did win the nomination but lost against the first President Bush. Some say that Dukakis lost due to negative advertising. Obama is being hit hard with the same tactics and they aren’t working as well. In 1989, millions of people gathered in Tiananmen Square to protest the Chinese government. Recently, protest was stridently squelched by the Chinese during the Olympics. These are just some of the events that show the pulsation between these planets. Some show progress, others perhaps not.

The archetypes. Saturn is order. Uranus is chaos. If you are feeling strong imbalance in your life right now, it is because these two forces are at their extremes. However, within the opposition, within this season, integration is possible. The Fool has a lot in common with Uranus. This energy can be reckless; it certainly invites change. Saturn’s job is to impose limits and expectations. How are these two working in your life? Samhain is a good time to evaluate what will bring more balance and awareness into your life.

New Moon on October 28 is at 5° Scorpio. This Sun and Moon do not have any other aspects in the chart. They are in seclusion together. Perhaps this is an invitation for us to turn within, rest, and think. The Scorpio themes of death, composting, and seeking depth are appropriate for this month’s seclusion.

The chart shows the opposition between Uranus and Saturn in square to Venus. The date of the exact square to Venus is the day before the election. Perhaps the Venus archetype will provoke a readjustment along this opposition. Venus represents the economy, women, beauty, and harmony. In addition there is a strong Neptune in this chart. (Neptune is about to station direct; that always make a planet stronger.) Right before the election there will be a strong desire to believe in a common dream. Neptune represents the communal mindset, which involves our hopes as well as our illusions. We may be setting ourselves up for extreme disappointment. However, the desire to believe will be strong. Added to this theme is that on Election Day, Mars will be exactly square to the stationary Neptune. Mars in Scorpio wants to reveal what is taboo and hidden. This Mars has a direct line to power. Will deception be exposed? Will mass consciousness be manipulated? Perhaps the healing energy of Scorpio will at last compost a long-held illusion. This election will be fascinating.

After the election, a series of favorable aspects occur to the Saturn/Uranus opposition. This points to a feeling of euphoria about the possibility of integrating chaos and order. First the Sun will trine* Uranus and sextile** Saturn. Then, Jupiter sextiles Uranus. A few days later, Mercury trines Uranus and sextiles Saturn, and then Jupiter completes the series by forming a trine to Saturn. [See dates below.] In the middle of it all there is a Full Moon.

In the Full Moon chart for November 13, 2008, the opposition between the Sun and Moon is exactly square to Neptune. Since Full Moons illuminate and release energy. This one might reveal more about our collective dreams and illusions. The chart shows lots of sextiles and trines. In fact, there is almost a Grand Sextile formation. The missing area that would complete the pattern is between 18 to 21 degrees of Cancer. Anyone with a planet there has the opportunity to click into this pattern, which invites special talents and opportunities to arise.

Pluto re-enters Capricorn towards the end of the lunar month. It retrograded back into Sagittarius for the summer. I’ve written before about the significance of Pluto’s ingress into Capricorn. For years, astrologers have been predicting we would have crisis in our financial markets and a change in our expectations of authority and government. This transformation has only begun and we don’t have to fear it. In fact, as the wild breezes blow and the sky and stars seem to be falling, we have the ability to revitalize our relationships to these very things. Sometimes the Fool’s choice is to welcome the opportunities that arise from the experience of crisis. As the veil thins, what will you choose?

Important dates for our story:
Oct. 30 Mars (18° Scorpio) sextiles Saturn (18° Virgo)
Oct. 31 Mars (19°Scorpio) trines Uranus (19° Pisces)
Nov. 2 Neptune stations direct (21° Aquarius)
Nov. 3 Venus (18° Sagittarius) squares Saturn (18° Virgo) and Uranus (18° Pisces)
Nov. 4 Mars (21° Scorpio) squares Neptune (21° Aquarius)
Nov. 4 Saturn (18° Virgo) opposes Uranus (18°Pisces)
Nov. 10 Sun (18° Scorpio) trines Uranus (18° Pisces)
Nov. 11 Sun (19° Scorpio) sextiles Saturn (19° Virgo)
Nov. 12 Jupiter (18° Capricorn) sextiles Uranus (18° Pisces)
Nov. 13 Full Moon Sun (21°degrees Scorpio) opposes the Moon (21° Taurus)
Nov. 16 Mercury (18° Scorpio) trines Uranus (18° Pisces)
Nov. 16 Mercury (19° Scorpio) sextiles Saturn (19° Virgo)
Nov. 21 Jupiter (20° Capricorn) trines Saturn (20° Virgo)
Nov. 26 Pluto enters Capricorn

* the trine aspect is harmonious
** the sextile aspect is encouraging

New Moon, September 29, 2008: The force of balance

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 22:14:00 +0000

The last lunar cycle unleashed large forces. Those in the Twin Cities, where I live, experienced the alarming clash between dissidents and the police state. We saw Sarah Palin, an ultra right-wing hockey mom, being offered the job of vice president by McCain. We saw the financial market fail and the government very afraid of what that may mean for the status quo. All of these things have been present for quite a while, but this month the turning point was reached. What had been simmering, exploded. Uranus and Pluto are the archetypes of such change. Uranus is the revolutionary and Pluto is the transformer. Pluto’s action is to release pent up forces that have long been held back. Uranus provokes the sudden event, which creates a new point of view, a new freedom, a change.

Both of these planets are playing important roles in our current celestial story. And the story is far from finished. In January of this year, Pluto entered Capricorn, it stationed retrograde in April. Pluto traveled back into Sagittarius for a few months. Last month it stationed direct for the last time in Sagittarius and is making its way back into Capricorn at the end of November. Astrologers have been predicting for quite some time the kind of financial upheaval that we experienced this month. Capricorn rules such things as infrastructure, governments, and institutions upon which we rely for our survival. The financial markets qualify.

Uranus in emphasized now by the approaching series of oppositions between it and Saturn. It is also transiting important degrees in the U.S. chart (known as the Sibley Chart). Last month, I wrote about how Obama and McCain share 22 degrees Virgo. Obama’s Mars is at 22 Virgo. McCain’s Venus is 22 Virgo. In the U.S. chart, Neptune is also at 22 Virgo and Mars is square Neptune at 21 Gemini. All this coincidence, familiar to astrologers, is telling us something. Uranus transits call us to awaken. Now is a time of awakening. Now, we should be looking at the Neptune square Mars dynamic of our nation’s chart.

We are at a crossroads and these candidates are part of the choice. When I am at a crossroads, I like to invoke my allies. Who will help me see clearly? Who will help me choose wisely? What do I need to make my choice? Now is a time to call the allies to our aid. First, it may help to know better what we are encountering.

Neptune square Mars in our nation’s chart. Mars is the warrior; the military machine; the will, force and passion of our nation. Neptune acts upon these qualities by casting glamour upon our perceptions. When we go to war, we need a dream, however true or false, to fuel our commitment. Mars is the energy of moving forward directly to get what we want. Neptune chills that energy, creating confusion or hesitancy. Mars is the energy of the ego. For a nation, we can say that Mars is the energy of the collective will. Neptune represents the illusions that will deceive us in executing that will. And it also represents the desire to have our will aligned with the good of the whole. Not everything about this dynamic of our national chart is bad. It also represents our national ideals and a belief that personal sacrifice can be a worthy choice for a worthy cause. Neptune represents ideals and illusions. The coincidence of our two presidential candidates sharing the Neptune degree at the same time that Uranus is transiting this degree (happens every 84 years) is extraordinary. How do we awaken from illusion and recommit to new ideals? Which candidate is best for us? Why are we almost evenly split, as a nation, between these two choices? What are we being asked to learn?

Caroline Casey, on her brilliant radio show, reminds us to take our power and responsibility back. She suggests that we are not electing someone to save us. We are electing a story to animate. In other words: What do we want to believe in (Neptune)? How are we willing to act on behalf of that story no matter who is elected (Mars)? And who do we want to elect to better serve the story that we believe in?

Last month, I wrote how setting intention helps us to gain clarity and self-knowledge. Using the energy of the celestial allies, I court alliance with what is possible now. I want to set intention for awakening from illusion and reinvigorating the foundations of our culture so that there is more justice, more sustainability, and more earth wisdom in our actions. Uranus and Pluto are willing allies.

This New Moon is in Libra, the sign of the scales. It is important to investigate balance right now and seek to understand what balance means in our choices. Balance is the force of return, when a system is pushed too far in one direction, it corrects itself by pushing back in the other. A hurricane is a force of balance between hot and cold. Balance is a large force but it doesn’t have to be devastating. To live in balance means being able to correct easily, make fine adjustments, and respond to the needs of the moment. It means being mindful of where we are so that we can make those adjustments. Balance is consciousness, readiness, and trust in the force of correction. What goes up comes down. What is hidden is revealed. What is unfair is remedied. Balance is a force that conquers despair and hopelessness. We can choose balance.

The chart for the New Moon of September 29 shows Saturn opposite Uranus. This opposition will be exact on Election Day. There will be a series of 5 oppositions between these two planets ending in July 2010. The last time these two planets opposed each other (again in a series of 5) was from 1965 to 1967. Culture changed radically during this time. This transit is a classic showdown between the forces of Order (Saturn) and Chaos (Uranus). Both are necessary. What is the balance point between them? How do we choose to work with these energies? What are you noticing?

Mercury retrograde as ally for the crossroads. This Mercury is the trickster. He turned retrograde on September 24 and will turn direct on October 15. In the sign of Libra, Mercury can throw us off our equilibrium. If we invoke the awareness of Mercury retrograde—making changes in how we think and communicate and in what keeps us off balance and not mindful—then the trickster becomes a liberator. Do you dare to change your point of view? If so, then you have the right to invoke that change in consciousness in others. May Mercury reveal where we are stuck and the dead-end choices we have before us in this election. May it reveal the beliefs we want to animate and how to do so.

October 6th may be the peak of trickster energy during this cycle. On this day, the Sun and Jupiter join Mercury in his shenanigans.

At the Full Moon on October 14, Saturn and Uranus are in closer opposition. The Sun and Moon are, of course opposed as well, and they square Jupiter. This Jupiter in Capricorn may push another crisis into the forefront of our awareness. This becomes another reason to choose a state of balance over a state of panic.

As so much change is occurring around us and in our own lives, this lunar month is a good time to invoke balance.

May every living being
Open to the balancing forces of the Multiverse
May we choose wisely
With freedom, joy, and hope
The best course for our world.

New Moon August 30, 2008: Clear Intentions

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 21:14:00 +0000

Intention. Is it possible that the secret to realizing our heart’s desires lies in formulating the correct intention? I practice earth-based spirituality. In fact, I’m a witch, so I also practice magic. Among my other witch friends, intention is the subject of many of our discussions around the practice of magic. I think the assumption is that if we can get clarity about intention and how we can support that intention, nothing will hold us back. I am not sure this is correct, but I have noticed that focusing on intention has helped me to be more clear about myself—my desires, my dreams, my hidden assumptions, and my blind spots. Somehow, that clarity seems to be important in the practice of magic.

Astrology is magical and it helps in the process of getting clarity for setting intention. This lunar month, what intention do you wish to manifest? The celestial allies are ready to play along with you, if you are willing to play with them.

This lunar cycle we will shift into another season: Fall here in the northern hemisphere. A momentary balance is struck. Venus is the ally of this balance and she enters her sign of balance, Libra, on the day of this new moon – August 30, 2008. In the chart for the New Moon, Mercury and Mars are joining Venus in Libra. There is a strong desire to be working for harmony and balance at this time. Relationships are the key. How can you create a balanced stance in your desires this month? These three planets stay close to each other most of this month. They are even closer at the full moon on September 15. Mars is the ally of action. Mercury the ally of communication and learning. Venus invites beauty. These forces can be powerful allies of intention. To invite them into your intention, a “price” must be paid. That price will be an agreement to live by the Libran values of harmony, beauty and balance.

The Virgo New Moon is conjunct Saturn in Virgo. [I wrote about Virgo in the July post—Finite Accomplishments.] The Sun, Moon and Saturn are allies of focus. There is strong potential this month to bring a great deal of focus to our intentions if we pay the Virgo “price:” be discerning, keep to a spiritual practice, and be pragmatic.

The Full Moon on September 15 illuminates our intentions. The Pisces Moon conjunct Uranus promises to surprise us in some way, and Pluto is squaring the Sun, Moon and Uranus. Pluto is the ally of deep transformation; Uranus brings vision and revolution. These planets of change will deepen our intentions, perhaps through a test. Pluto encourages us to be real. Uranus encourages us to be daring. How will you dare to really commit to your heart’s desire? Full moons promise to show us a way to integrate the opposing signs of the Sun and Moon. Opposite signs in the zodiac complete each other. Pisces represents Virgo’s missing piece—the reason we sacrifice through our service. This water sign fills our hearts and reminds us why we commit to working so hard on behalf of our intentions.

A political aside: The degrees of the Sun and Moon are important. They happen to be at 22 Virgo/Pisces, the same degree of McCain’s Venus and Obama’s Mars. [See last month’s post for more about how the presidential candidates share degrees.] As these degrees are being simultaneously transited, the two candidates seem to be morphing into one. If we want a true choice and a new direction for our nation, we may have to insist that these men differentiate themselves from each other.

Jupiter and Pluto change directions. [See June’s post about the retrograde planets of Summer.] At the new moon, two planets are stationary (about to change from retrograde motion to direct). Stationary planets are more potent. The first week of September, aspects between Jupiter and other planets increase Jupiter’s potency. Jupiter is the ally of belief, optimism, and the quest for truth. This planet also has a tendency to blow things out of proportion. Jupiter may prove to be the force that pulls us out of the Libra balance that Mars, Mercury and Venus want to contribute to the month. One thing for sure, far seeing Jupiter wants to shake up complacency. After a summer of mostly retrograde planets, Jupiter might kick things off with a bang and then see what happens. The moderating force here is that Jupiter is in the conservative sign, Capricorn. So, I expect that we will get more pushy around intentions involving professionalism, authority, status or infrastructure.

I love it when Pluto stations. Since this ally is the god of the underworld, during his stations, I am able to feel that world under my feet. Ancestral wisdom and deep power are available to us. Mercury retrograde.

The ultimate exemplar of retrograde motion, Mercury, is turning retrograde this month in Libra. All those lovely intentions to remain balanced and harmonious will be tested by the Trickster. The trickster makes sure that we aren’t trying to fool ourselves. He will help us in getting clear about our intentions if we sincerely want to be honest with ourselves.

Dates important to our story:
Sep. 3 Sun conjunct Saturn (11 degrees Virgo)
Sep. 3 Mercury enters retrograde shadow (7 degrees Libra)
Sep. 4 Sun trine Jupiter (12 degrees Virgo/ 12 degrees Capricorn)
Sep. 7 Mars square Jupiter (12 degrees Libra/ 12 degrees Capricorn)
Sep. 7 Mercury square Jupiter (12 degrees Libra/12 degrees Capricorn) (first time due to Mercury retrograde)
Sep. 8 Mercury conjunct Mars (13 degrees Libra) (first time due to Mercury retrograde)
Sep 8 Jupiter trine Saturn (12 degrees Capricorn/12 degrees Virgo)
Sep. 8 Pluto stations direct
Sep. 9 Venus square Jupiter (12 degrees Libra/12 degrees Capricorn)
Sep. 11 Venus conjunct Mars (15 degrees Libra)
Sep 22. Sun enters Libra – Fall Equinox
Sep. 23 Mercury conjunct Mars (22 degrees Libra) (2nd time due to retrograde)
Sep. 24 Mercury stations retrograde (22 degrees Libra)

New Moon August 1, 2008: The Golden Light of Self

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:00:00 +0000

Where I live in the northern Mississippi River watershed, the light at this time of year is dramatic. It is golden. The seed heads of the tall grass drink in this light and reflect it back to us. Now the Sun’s light slants long as it descends toward the temporary balance of the Equinox. There is still enough summer to feel luxurious about this light but the deeper shadows living right next to whatever is illuminated remind me that before long, we will return to death’s season. All artists know that it is the shadows that make the light special. This lunar cycle is full of light and shadow. We will experience two eclipses this month. A solar eclipse at the New Moon on August 1 and a lunar eclipse at the Full Moon on August 16. During an eclipse, light gives way to shadow suddenly and then returns just as quickly. Eclipses set us upon new pathways. They have the potential to be quite dramatic.

Eclipses happen at the new and full Moons that occur near the nodes of the Moon. An excellent overview of the nodes by Rob Tillet can be found at http://www.astrologycom.com/nodes.html
Eclipses elicit stories from the pair of signs that the nodes are in. Since December 2007, the north node has been traveling through Aquarius and the south node, which is always exactly opposite the north, has been traveling through Leo. As we are almost midway through the nodes transiting this pair of signs, we have an opportunity this month to deepen our understanding about what this celestial seasoning means to us. [Nodes remain in a pair of signs for 18 months.]

The dragon in the sky. Astrologers imagine the nodes as a dragon eating the light of the Sun during a solar eclipse and the light of the Moon during a lunar eclipse. The head of the dragon is the north node and the tail is the south. The August 1 solar eclipse happens at the tail of the dragon in Leo. Our last solar eclipse [February 6, 2008] occurred at the dragon’s head in Aquarius. The south node carries the energy of the past and represents attitudes that need to be rethought, cleared away, reformulated. As the light goes out and comes back this month, we can all explore the ways we want to reframe the energy of Leo in our lives.

Leo’s flame. Imagine knowing your self worth. Imagine being able to share your gifts with the world in perfect balance—being appreciated for who you are and what you have to give without needing to bolster a fragile ego by needing others’ approval. This is the pure potential of Leo, which we all have within us, and which I believe we all need to realize at this time of a Leo eclipse .

Hope and self worth. We live in a time when hope is fragile, when we long for change that can make a difference, and perhaps when we wonder if our individual gifts could make any difference. A deflated ego says, I can’t make a difference and an inflated ego says, a better world is up to me only. Both states of ego get in the way of the possibility of being the change we want to be. Where Leo can get stuck is in one or both of these expressions of ego. As the light goes out and comes back at this new Moon, we have the opportunity to transform our ego patterns. Sometimes we can choose this path consciously, and sometimes the universe makes the shift for us. Eclipses are like that. This month, will you make a shift in how you value yourself? Can you imagine how this might change the world?

Speaking of changing the world. We are in an election year. Our two major candidates, McCain and Obama, share remarkable astrological signatures. These signatures are relevant to this month’s transits.

Both candidates share planets at the same degree of Leo. Obama’s Sun is at 12 Leo and McCain’s Mars is also at 12 Leo. This month’s eclipse is at 9 Leo. I usually do not consider a 3 degree orb [the difference between 9 and 12] to be applicable to an eclipse transit, however there is too much coincidence here to ignore. Something is up. Both of these candidates are experiencing this eclipse.

These aren’t the only degrees shared by these men. Other points are:
6 Virgo – McCain’s Sun and Obama’s Pluto
22 Virgo – McCain’s Venus and Obama’s Mars

This is interesting and I have no idea what it means. But I suspect we will find out, and perhaps this month. Why? As I write this, Saturn is at 6 Virgo and later this month, on August 6, Mars and Uranus will oppose each other at 22 Virgo.

The coincidences continue. I am most fascinated by the fact that in the U.S. birth chart [the Sibley chart], Neptune is also at 22 Virgo squaring Mars at 21 Gemini. Something important is happening in our nation’s history and destiny with the candidacy of these two men. The current transit of Uranus in Pisces and Saturn in Virgo are poised to expose what this is.

The square of Neptune to Mars in the U.S. chart signifies our national attitudes and experience with war, will, and leadership. We often engage in these energies under the illusions of Neptune. We fantasize that willful action can solve our problems. And sometimes our greatest dreams do spur us to action that is positive. But obviously, we have a lot to learn about using our muscles to solve our problems. Neptune makes sure we stay on the course of surrendering the old forms in order to evolve. The potential to do away with the mistakes of the past is very strong right now. The question is, what we will replace it with? Will the winner of this election be able to create the change we need? Who must we rely on to create the world we want to live in? Saturn moving through this pattern says, wake up to your own responsibility. Uranus traveling through this pattern says, the time to change is now. Back to the eclipse: Leo says, how will you change your self-perceptions to make way for authentic participation in this grand story?

August 1 is not only the new moon, but it is also the cross-quarter holy day of Lughnasad—the time to honor our first harvests and pray that the fall’s harvest will be bountiful. The Sun is our ally of the harvest. We are also Suns. We are the allies of the future’s harvest. This is a potent time to claim our own Sun’s energy.

The full Moon on August 16 is a lunar eclipse at 24 Leo/Aquarius. This is the time to realize what energy Aquarius contributes to recovering the wholeness of self. Aquarius is the collective and it is the impulse to embrace the future. An individual can change the world but we also need to work in groups to manifest our future. The give and take between these two signs creates something greater than the sum of its parts. At this full Moon, we might reach a breaking point or crisis in the balance between these two signs. Mars square to Pluto in this chart signifies possible eruptions. Pluto’s job is to release the shadow. As the light goes out of this full Moon, look within the shadows to claim your power.

Transits of interest this month:
August 5 – Venus enters Virgo [The goddess of beauty enters the golden fields of Virgo.]
August 6 – Mars (22 Virgo) opposite Uranus (22 Pisces) [Pay attention to will and the desire to change.]
August 6 – Mercury (23 Leo) opposite Neptune (23 Aquarius) [Messenger god meets the oceanic god of illusion and dream.]
August 13 – Venus (9 Virgo) conjunct Saturn [Love and responsibility merge.]
August 15 – Mercury (9 Virgo) conjunct Saturn [Communication about wholeness.]
August 17 – Mars (28 Virgo) square Pluto (28 Sagittarius) [Release of shadow, what is hidden?]
August 21 – Mercury (19 Virgo) conjunct Venus [The hermaphrodite. Alchemic merging of Mercury and Venus.]
August 23 – Mercury (21 Virgo) opposite Uranus (21 Pisces) [New ideas, revolutionary thoughts]
August 23 – Venus (21 Virgo) opposite Uranus (21 Pisces) [New partnerships and pairings, revolutionary relationships]
August 27 – Mercury (28 Virgo) square Pluto (28 Sagittarius) [Expressing what we have learned from the dark.]
August 29 – Venus (28 Virgo) square Pluto (28 Sagittarius) [Finding beauty there.]

New Moon, July 2, 2008 Finite Accomplishments

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:07:00 +0000

I’ve been paying attention to my own perfectionism lately. This is no doubt influenced by Saturn’s transit of Virgo (begun Sept. 2007, lasting till Jul. 2010). Saturn is about buckling under and doing the work. Virgo is how to do it better. When Saturn entered Virgo, I knew this would be an issue. Saturn’s job is to make sure we get to the very bottom of each sign—it’s gifts and its warts. And Saturn doesn’t mind giving us the warts until we decide we’ve had enough. Have you had enough of your own perfectionism yet?

Planets ebb and flow through the signs. When they are moving direct, it is like the tide coming in—new nutrients flood the tidal pool. When they station retrograde the tide turns, flowing back out, changing the habitat. Since entering Virgo, Saturn has already had the first turning of the tide when it turned retrograde in December 2007 at 8 degrees Virgo. Saturn traveled all the way back to 1 degree Virgo in May when the tide turned again. It is now moving direct, the only outer planet to be moving direct this summer. Virgo, warts and all, is returning with a force.

As the tide of the other planets retreat, only Saturn is bringing in fresh nutrients to the tidal pool. It is an excellent opportunity to pay attention to the invitation to ponder all Virgo traits, including perfectionism.

This lunar month begins with the New Moon in Cancer, the Crab—appropriate for all these tidal pool images. Cancer is the fertile womb, the nurturer, the pool teeming with life and providing more life for others. This creative energy of possible abundance is meeting the finicky Virgo energy of process and perfection. This can be a really good thing if we can let go of perfection and use Virgo to take the next step and the next step and the next, in whatever we are nurturing this season. The gift of Virgo is the ability to focus on process rather than outcome. At times, we need to use this gift of near-sightedness when the dreamed of outcome seems too daunting.

New Moons are excellent times to set intention. In the New Moon chart, Mars is at 0 degrees Virgo, conjunct Saturn at 4 degrees Virgo. These planets come together every two years to initiate another cycle of acting within ambition and boundary. Jupiter in Capricorn opposite Venus in Cancer also highlights ambition in this chart. Venus is calling Jupiter back to the tidal pool of feeling, caring, accommodating others. Jupiter entered the sign of Capricorn in December 2007. It leaves this sign in January 2009. This energy has encouraged long-range planning. Getting down to business. Professional goals. Jupiter, in his expansiveness, can lose track of balancing energies. Cancer pulls back on Capricorn, telling us to remember the soul in our ambitions. The Sun and Moon at 11 degrees Cancer is acting within this opposition as well.

At this New Moon, Mercury is nearing the end of its entire retrograde cycle. Back in May, Mercury stationed retrograde at 21 degrees Gemini, square to Uranus at 22 degrees Pisces. In this chart, Mercury has reached 20 degrees Gemini again, about to exactly square Uranus, which is still stationary at 22 degrees Pisces. When these two planets are in dynamic relationship, we can expect both brilliance and disruption. How has this Mercury retrograde cycle influenced you? Think back over your experiences with thought and communication over the past month. Can you apply these lessons to any intention you set this month?

The Full Moon is a time for illumination. On July 18, the Full Moon chart shows that the conjunction between Mars and Saturn is separating. This new cycle of form and action has begun. Also at this time another planet opposes Jupiter. This time it is Mercury in Cancer. The first two weeks of this lunar cycle were about finding the balance between Cancer and Capricorn. This Full Moon illuminates that balance. Has anything happened in your life to force that issue? Or have you been able to gracefully welcome back the feeling tone of Cancer into your life? Mercury’s job is to give those lessons expression. Perhaps the best way to do this is tell someone else how much they mean to you.

Dates important to the stories of this month:

July 5 Mercury square Uranus (completion of retrograde cycle)
July 9 Sun opposite Jupiter (illuminating the balance between Capricorn and Cancer)
Jul 10 Mars conjunct Saturn (new action in the Virgo realm) and Mercury enters Cancer (heart-based communication)
July 14 Mercury sextile Saturn (opportunities to communicate from the heart)
July 19 Mercury opposite Jupiter (communication balances ambition and authority)
July 26 Mars trines Jupiter (reinvigorating those ambitions and goals with grounded action)

Other dates of note:

July 6 Mercury trine Neptune (inspiration) and Venus trine Uranus (innovation)
July 10 Mercury opposite Pluto (revelation)
July 12 Venus enters Leo (attracting creativity)
July 22 Sun enters Leo (fill with solar life) and Mercury trines Uranus (harmonious flow of though and innovation)
July 31 Venus opposite Neptune (inviting a balance between selfless service and ego)

The heart of Cancer and the process of Virgo are allies this month for reconnection and balance. This poem by Sri Chinmoy reminds us to let go of grandiose outcome.

On Finite Accomplishment

When he stands
On the stage of finite accomplishments 
He feels happy, 
Not because he has 
At least done something, 
But because this is what 
His God wants him to accomplish.

New Moon June 3, 2008 Gemini's Spring Flowers

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 16:55:00 +0000

Gemini is the time of pollinating, connecting, and learning. This New Moon is an opportunity to surrender to all things Gemini. Even though we may feel that we have a lot to accomplish, the message from the stars is to enjoy the garden and allow serendipity to guide us. The New Moon chart shows a brilliant cluster of planets in Gemini. Of course, the Sun and Moon are together as they are at every New Moon and they are humming amidst a tight embrace of Venus on one side and the lord of Gemini himself, Mercury, on the other. We are being treated to a retrograde Mercury as well. Gemini is a youthful sign. Puck, from A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a good Geminian character, flitting about within the drama—observing, laughing, and stirring up more trouble. This Mercury is like that. The mischief deepens as retrograde Mercury is squaring another type of trickster: Uranus. With Uranus the Awakener involved in this lunar cycle, we may just experience the kind of tricking that can awaken us from illusion and set our steps upon a new path of authenticity.

See last month for the important dates of this journey of Mercury retrograde.

Retrograde planets are an important signature of this month and the summer season. The retrograde energy emphasizes fine-tuning and turning within. At the New Moon, not only is Mercury retrograde but Pluto, Neptune, Chiron and Jupiter are as well. Later this month, Uranus will join the list of retrograde planets. During retrograde, planets are revisiting territory in the zodiac. When the planets are moving direct into new territory in the zodiac, we tend to respond by moving into new territory ourselves. When the planets are returning to places they have recently visited, we too can slow down and root ourselves. This slowing-down impetus is in contrast to the Gemini impulse of speeding up and flying about. This should set up an interesting push-pull dynamic that may create frustration or confusion. My intention is to notice when I can let of moving forward and let myself instead be moved by the present moment.

At the Full Moon on June 18, Mercury is still retrograde (but stations direct the next day) and the Sun and Moon are aligned with Pluto, which is returning for his last transit into Sagittarius. Pluto uncovers shadow, regurgitates dysfunction, and revitalizes life force. Since 1995 Pluto has been moving through Sagittarius, uncovering all types of fundamentalism, fear of foreigners, and small-minded belief systems. What else have you learned from Pluto? These last few months of Pluto moving through Sagittarius are an opportunity to reclaim Pluto power in these realms. Pluto will enter Capricorn for a nice long spell on November 26, in time for getting to work on the new realities of the 21st century. This Full Moon should illuminate Pluto themes.

The Summer Solstice begins on June 20 when the Sun enters Cancer—a sign of home and nurturing. With all the retrograde energy, this summer may be a good time to stay home and reorient ourselves to the coming new world.

A major configuration of the Solstice chart is a grouping of planets called a Boomerang Yod. The Yod is a triangle involving two quincunx aspects and a sextile aspect that forms a triangle. The apex planet of the Yod receives a lot of pressure. The Boomerang is an opposition between the apex planet and one or more planets.

The apex of this Yod is Mars in Leo conjunct the South Node opposing a cluster of energy in Aquarius: Neptune, Chiron and the North Node. The nodes of the Moon describe karmic lessons (South Node) and evolution (North Node). This dynamic of the Summer points to evaluating our experiences with leadership, self-worth, and our need for affirmation so that we can evolve towards a more global viewpoint that is not so personally oriented. This evolution may encounter hidden areas that need healing—another reason that we may learn a lot this Summer by slowing down and nurturing ourselves and our loved ones so that we can respond to our global needs in the Fall.

The sextile portion of this Yod is a harmonious relationship between Uranus and a conjunction of Moon/Jupiter. This energy speaks to an alignment of the conservative energy of Capricorn working with our ability to use intuition for change in the world. We are asked to get real and dream big at the same time. If there ever was a time for this to be possible it is now.

In spite of the obvious and dire-seeming changes in store for us as we address global issues in the future, this month of Puckish Gemini reminds us to find allies in the unexpected, to slow down enough to enjoy the garden, and believe in our essential worth. This poem by Hafiz describes the power of Gemini.

Spring and all its flowers by Hafiz

Spring and all its flowers
now joyously break their vow of silence.
It is time for celebration, not for lying low;
You too—weed out those roots of sadness from your heart.

The Sabaa wind arrives;
and in deep resonance, the flower
passionately rips open its garments,
thrusting itself from itself.

The Way of Truth, learn from the clarity of water.
Learn freedom from the spreading grass.

Pay close attention to the artistry of the Sabaa wind,
that wafts in pollen from afar,
And ripples the beautiful tresses o
f the fields of hyacinth flowers.

From the privacy of the harem, the virgin bud slips out,
revealing herself under the morning star,
branding your heart and your faith
with beauty.

And frenzied bulbul flies madly out of the House of Sadness
to unite with the flowers;
its love-crazed cry like a thousand-trumpet blast.

Hafez says, and the experienced old ones concur:

All you really need
is to tell those Stories
of the Fair Ones and the Goblet of Wine.

There is more true work in smelling the flowers than we usually acknowledge. May this season bless this work.

Dates important to these stories of this month, notice what happens, align your choices with your intentions:
June 7 Sun conjunct Mercury and Mercury conjunct Venus (communication)
June 8 Sun conjunct Venus (beauty)
June 12 Sun and Venus square to Uranus (beauty, illumination and change)
June 13 Pluto re-enters Sagittarius (summing up the lessons)
June 15 Mars opposite Chiron (Yod story)
June 18 Full Moon
June 19 Mercury stations direct (communication)
June 20 Sun opposite Pluto (illumination of power and transformation)
June 21 Mars opposite Neptune (Yod story)
June 26 Uranus stations retrograde (expect the unexpected)

New Moon May 5, 2008 Beltane’s Invitation: Honoring Earth and Beauty

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Sat, 03 May 2008 15:40:00 +0000

In Minnesota, the weather has had a hard time turning to spring. Snowflakes fell here last week and are predicted tonight as I write this. Even though the lingering cold is somewhat tedious, I am glad that this spring is more normal—more like what it is supposed to be like in April and early May in Minnesota. I know how to relate to this slowly awakening earth, the rhythmic rising and falling of sweet sap, the brave ephemerals blooming under frost, and the glorious, warm sunshine when it does appear. In spite of a beautiful, slow-blooming spring, we still know not all is right with our Earth and our relationship to nature. As inspired astrologer, Caroline Casey, likes to say, the situation is dire.

Astrologers have been noticing the effects of outer planets in the earth signs. Pluto in Capricorn has manifested as the housing/oil prices crisis. The old way of doing business, a Capricorn issue, needs to change. Jupiter in Capricorn is helping with the global transition into dealing with difficult Capricorn issues. Saturn in Virgo has manifested as increased attention on how we can make a difference in our Earth crisis. In the April 20 edition of the New York Times Magazine, Michael Pollan, author of the Ominvore’s Dilemma, wrote a wonderful article about how small individual efforts to change the world just might make a difference. The title of the article is, Why Bother? Saturn encourages slow and steady work. Virgo says pay attention to every detail, every connection, to achieve health and wholeness.
The third earth sign, Taurus, has been dormant until this spring. Now we can add an important ingredient to our earth stew. Taurus contributes the force of beauty, attention to what our bodies need, and an invitation to explore our relationship to true abundance.

This May New Moon occurs exactly midway into Taurus, a fixed sign. The midpoints of the fixed signs, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius, are powerful points in the turning of the year’s wheel. Pagans celebrate the cross-quarter sabbaths at these times. Although May 1st is the customary day on which Beltane is celebrated, the astrological Beltane happens when the Sun reaches 15 degrees of Taurus, around May 5th each year. This year, the Moon joins the Sun on this day heightening Beltane’s power to invoke the renewing power of the good green earth. This year, Beltane’s invitation to honor the earth and all beauty within and around us is in effect for the whole lunar cycle. The pattern for working with the Moon is to set intention at the new phase. As the Moon waxes during the first two weeks we take action on behalf of those intentions. At the full phase, we receive the illuminating light of our efforts. During the waning part of the Moon cycle, we share wisdom and begin to surrender form into compost. All dreams and efforts on behalf of those dreams make rich humus for the future.

The charts for the New and Full Moon and some of the transits during this month illuminate the Beltane invitation

There is a grand earth trine in the chart for the New Moon. A grand trine represents harmonious power if we tap the resource. We have to consciously choose to engage the energy of a grand trine. In this earth trine, Saturn ,the god of manifestation and form, Pluto, the god of transformation, and Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, are representing this power. Although Pluto and Saturn remain in their earth domains, with Pluto taking a short hike back into Sagittarius this summer, for a significant time into the future, these two planets will only remain in this trine relationship for this month. And Venus moves quickly, she will leave Taurus on May 24. This is a good month to invoke and practice earth wisdom.

Venus rules Taurus. As part of my earth practice this month, I will be paying extra attention to the following Venus transits.

May 17 thru May 20 is a particularly potent Venus time.

May 17 Venus is square to Chiron. Noticing the wounds around relationship with beauty, Chiron invites us to become the healer and teacher.

May 18 Venus is sextile to Uranus. The opportunity to engage our revolutionary spirits in the cause of beauty.

May 19 Full Moon. Illumination in the last degree of Taurus. The balance of death (Moon in Scorpio) with rebirth (Sun in Taurus). At the Full Moon, Venus is near the Sun and is square to Neptune. Venus’ potential in this chart is to integrate the polarity of Taurus and Scorpio. Looking with clear eyes at our fears and our authentic needs for survival, we can ask, What do we really need? Neptune’s role is to show us how we escape into the nearest shiny thing, without thought of impact or authentic desire. What does authentic desire mean to you? Is it something found on TV? Is there a place in nature that teaches you how to be authentic to your own desires? What small action will you take to reconnect with the Earth? How will you let beauty lead you into soul redemption? These are some of the questions I hold this lunar month. At the Full Moon, may there be progress in my soul to claim my birthright of beauty, balance and delight, as my friend Donald Engstrom prays daily.

May 20 Exact square between Venus and Neptune. Illusion is a teacher; dream is a teacher also. How are you being taught by your illusions and dreams? Neptune brings awareness of longing, grief, and transcendence. How do you honor all these feelings?

Venus leaves Taurus on May 24 and enters air sign Gemini. Awareness moves from body to mind. Now Venus challenges and is challenged by transformative Pluto and responsible Saturn.

May 25 Venus is quincunx to Pluto. She stretches to find a way to align thought with necessary regeneration.

May 26 Venus is square to Saturn. Venus challenges us to think and communicate about action and service (Saturn in Virgo) to our beloveds. Venus’ natural mode of operation— to inspire and invite— is challenged by Saturn’s practicality. What is the disconnect you feel around desire and action on behalf of those desires? Saturn is here to teach that lesson.

There are other astrological themes this month, which contribute to the celestial seasoning of now.

May 26 Mercury turns retrograde at 21 degrees Gemini. On May 11, Mercury enters the foreshadowing phase of this retrograde period. Mercury remains retrograde until June 11 (stations direct at 12 degrees Gemini). Mercury leaves the entire retrograde zone of the zodiac on July 4. Mercury, the trickster God, rules Gemini. This particular retrograde cycle should be interesting, especially in the arena of politics. Clinton has a natal retrograde Mercury in her chart and Obama’s Moon is at 0 degrees Gemini. The candidates are going to feel the trickster who will be asking us all to rethink, re-express, and think quickly in response to rapidly changing circumstances.

May 26 another planet turns retrograde—Neptune—at 24 degrees Aquarius. Every planet becomes stronger when it stations retrograde or direct. Along with Mercury stationing on the same day, this should be a time of strong intuition and uncanny insight and perhaps not such a good time for logical thought processes.

Wendell Berry
In this season of Taurus and of earth, I’ve been reading Wendell Berry poems because of his deep love of nature and how he grapples with human impact on nature. When despair threatens to overcome possibility, his solution:

The Peace of Wild Things
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

May the blessings of the good green earth be with you this season.

New Moon April 5, 2008: Breaking Ice

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:29:00 +0000

At the Aries New Moon, it is time to wake up from winter’s rest, time to shed layers, time to get out and move. In honor of that energy, this new moon forecast comes a little early and will be a little shorter. I am traveling to Rome and Florence over the next two weeks. I will be looking for of Spring.

The New Moon, at 16 degrees Aries, squares an opposition of Mars in Cancer and Jupiter in Capricorn. Jupiter for now is wearing the conservative garments of Capricorn. Capricorn and Cancer have been the predominant energy of the winter. Along with “pay attention to me” Jupiter, Pluto has contributed his bass tone to Capricorn as well. The chickens come home to roost in Capricorn. We ask ourselves, “How are we responsible?” “How can we assure success?” To this serious tone, Mars in Cancer has been contributing the emotional response: “I must take care of my own.” Mars’ retrograde journey through Cancer has heightened our emotional awareness of the problems facing us. Two signs in opposition (which Capricorn and Cancer are) can feel like a stalemate. With the spring, cardinal fire sign Aries enters to stir things up.

Like an ice dam in the river, things felt to be stuck for a while are going to start moving. I welcome this. And at the same time, it is helpful to pay attention to where we’d like to direct this energy. Can we use it to solve problems or gain insight?

To the inpatient energy of Aries is added a substantial amount of earth this month. If you work with elemental energy, can you imagine how you would like to use this potent combination of fire and earth? The Full Moon chart for April 20 has a grand earth trine (planets in all the earth signs are in harmonious relationship to each other). The Sun, at 0 degrees Taurus trines Saturn at 1 degree Virgo, which trines Pluto at 1 degree Capricorn. Grand trines can be lost opportunities if we don’t consciously engage the energy. The Moon at 0 degrees Scorpio (opposite the Sun) provides a doorway into the earth trine. This Moon is the doorway to soul and an invitation to not turn our eyes from unpleasant feelings or situations. Scorpio and death are close friends. Death can be a teacher, an ally. Death teaches us what is really important, what is essential to each of us. If you knew your essence, how could you use the manifesting energy of earth to live that essence?

Beltane (May 1) is the cross quarter Sabbath that celebrates fertility, spring renewal and the joy of life. Another grand earth trine emerges on Beltane, this time involving Venus in Taurus at 0 degrees, Pluto in Capricorn at 0 degrees and Saturn in Virgo at 1 degree. And Saturn is very strong at this time as it will turn direct on May 2. Venus is the May Queen in Taurus. She celebrates the body and all life’s pleasure. Saturn in Virgo has been teaching us to bring healing order back to the world. Pluto has been showing us the shadow of authority in preparation for his challenge to us to take back the authority we have given away. Body, healing and revolution. One revolutionary act is to live in beauty and to not let any external authority tell us how to do that. Dance around the May pole with that kind of exuberance.

Clinton and Obama
The Democratic contest for the presidential nomination is one major event unfolding before us. The Pennsylvania primary (April 22) happens right after the potent Full Moon. Pay attention to how this Full Moon impacts Clinton and Obama. The Full Moon is conjunct Hillary’s Sun (2 degrees Scorpio) and squares Barrack’s Jupiter (0 degrees Aquarius) and Mercury (1 degree Leo). The energy of this time will reflect on who Clinton is, and will reflect on how Obama communicates his beliefs. The voters of Pennsylvania will decide based on these things. It should be fascinating and like all Full Moons, illuminating.

New Moon March 7, 2008: Rumi’s Ravings

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:35:00 +0000

The New Moon in Pisces inspires me to turn to the poems of Rumi. I know no other poet who captures the mystic cravings of Pisces better than Rumi. Looking through The Essential Rumi this morning, I noticed some advice. In fact, Rumi is full of advice, flooding over with advice, he expounds constantly on how we should live our lives. If he didn’t so wonderfully exhort me to follow Beauty at all times, I might not be so inclined to listen to such a poet. But he does. And every time, I fall in love.

Here is the lunatic advice I heard this morning.
Fall into the Ocean.
Become the Lover.
Break the Wine Glass.
Grieve the lost Friend.
Take care of the Donkey.

Good advice. It occurs to me that this lunar month, we might do well to follow this advice.

First, Fall into the Ocean. The Ocean is the New Moon in Pisces that occurs on March 7, 2008. Uranus is conjunct this Sun and Moon. Jupiter sextiles the trio. How expansive! During the season of Pisces, the weather doesn’t know whether to freeze or thaw. We are trying to wake from out winter’s sleep, but aren’t quite there yet. We are groggy. We think we might have to try harder, but then perhaps what we really need to do is just fall into the ocean of being and dreaming—where dreaming is awakening and awakening is dreaming. Uranus itches for a change, but not a change we have experienced before, not the same old change. What if we simply fell back into the ocean? What beauty arises?

Later in the month, the Uranus in Pisces desire for oceanic change will deepen when Mercury, Venus and Jupiter come together with Uranus in a dance of connection, beauty, and possibility.

The dates for this:

March 27 - Mercury (19 Pisces) is sextile to Jupiter (19 Capricorn) and Mercury also is conjunct Uranus (19 Pisces).

March 28 - Venus (19 Pisces) is sextile to Jupiter (19 Capricorn) and Venus is conjunct Uranus (19 Pisces). Jupiter and Uranus are sextile to each other.

Become the Lover. Mars is the Lover. And he has been on a journey. Read my description of the Mars retrograde journey here and here. For Rumi, the Lover is the mystic, the poet so in love with God, that he will do anything to reunite with the divine. Rumi advises us to be so in love with our dreams that we will never stop pursuing them, though this in not always so easy to do. During the Mars retrograde journey we may have lost our way, the beloved may have been hidden from us, or we may have lost faith in that dream. Rumi would say, this is all a way for the Beloved to become even more lovely to us.

The bulk of Mars’ retrograde journey has been in the water sign, Cancer. During the last few months, have you encountered sea monsters which have kept you from your beloved? Has the ocean of feeling threatened to overwhelm? Now is the time for resolution and healing. The Lover is returning through the final degrees of his Cancer journey this lunar month. And he is meeting a strong challenger, Pluto.

In fact, the story of the Lover merges with the other piece of advice that Rumi has for us: Break the Wine Glass. Pluto’s mission is transformation – the destruction of old form – so that life renews. The Wine Glass holds our ecstatic connection to Mystery and it also holds all the illusions that we hold onto that substitute for Mystery. What old forms need to die? Do we dare to break the glass in order to be refilled with the true wine? Pluto challenges us to transform anything that we hold onto because of our fears.

Pluto is big right now. The planet entered Capricorn in January and at this New Moon, Mars, the Lover, opposes the glass breaker, Pluto. Perhaps the heart breaks. Perhaps the glass becomes bigger, able to hold more.

Important dates for the Mars/Pluto stories are:

March 7 - Mars (0 Cancer) opposes Pluto (0 Capricorn)

The day after the Spring Equinox on March 20, Sun (1 Aries) is square to Pluto (1 Capricorn). In the chart for the equinox, a chart that will influence the entire spring season, Mars, Pluto and the Sun form a T-square aspect configuration. The spring begins with a breaking of glasses and a promise of rebirth.

Full Moon of March 21 - There is a Grand Cardinal Cross at the Full Moon. The Sun (1 Aries) opposes the Moon (1 Libra), which is squared to Mars (6 Cancer) opposing Pluto (1 Capricorn). A Cardinal Cross is like a crossroads for the cardinal signs – Aries, Libra, Cancer, and Capricorn – all initiators, all problem solvers. The problems are many. Now is a time for choosing. Ripe with life lesson, perhaps Mars is the guide to follow. Where does Mars in Cancer, the compassionate warrior, tell you to go?

March 30 - The Sun (9 Aries) is square to Mars (9 Cancer), illuminating the hero/lover’s journey that is almost complete.

April 2 - Pluto stations retrograde. This is a potent time for Pluto energy. Feel the transformative energy coming through the springtime earth.

April 4 - Mars returns to the stationary degree (12 Cancer) where it turned retrograde in November. The journey is over.

Grieve the lost Friend. The Friend is the guide or spiritual teacher who initiates us and then abandons us. The feeling of abandonment and grief belong to the planet Neptune, the ruler of Pisces. Much of Rumi’s poetry is the language of exquisite longing. His poems teach that grief for abandoned dreams, loves lost, failed endeavors is the way we get back to those dreams, loves, and goals. At this New Moon, Neptune stands with Venus, Mercury and Chiron. Is there a lost friend to grieve in your life? Venus as muse, Mercury as communicator and Chiron as shaman may be your guides to expressing and understanding that grief this month.

Take care of the Donkey. You’ve got to love a mystic who tells us to take care of our donkeys —the animal bodies which carry our divine spirits. Too much watery Pisces and we forget that we even have bodies. The opposite sign, Virgo, reminds us that we do. Saturn in Virgo balances Pisces this month. Rumi would say that if we neglect our bodies, we do not deserve the ecstasy of our spiritual trances. If we can not tend the physical gift of our animal natures, we will not be able to sustain the oceanic feeling of transcendence. To honor Saturn, I invoke the patience needed to tend my physical needs.

Saturn’s energy is enhanced at these times:

March 14 Mars (3 Cancer) is sextile to Saturn (3 Virgo)

March 15 Venus (3 Pisces) opposes Saturn (3 Virgo)

March 17 Mercury (3 Pisces) opposes Saturn (3 Virgo)

I honor Pisces this month. I honor the transition from winter to spring.

Rumi has written (translated by Coleman Barks):

So the sea-journey goes on, and who knows where!
Just to be held by the ocean is the best luck
we could have. It’s a total waking up!

Why should we grieve that we’ve been sleeping?
It doesn’t matter how long we’ve been unconscious.

We’re groggy, but let the guilt go.
Feel the motions of tenderness
around you, the buoyancy.

New Moon March 7, 2008: Rumi’s Ravings written by Teri Parsley Starnes

New Moon February 6, 2008: The Season of Eclipses

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 18:05:00 +0000

In telling the story of the moment, every astrologer filters her perception through the lens of her chart. Every astrologer begins where his chart begins. I am no different. I am noticing that this New Moon Solar Eclipse at 17 degrees Aquarius occurs one degree away from my natal Moon at 16 degrees Aquarius. The Moon is personal energy, emotional energy, I feel poised for change and wonder from which direction it will come.

Eclipses are times when the light goes out – suddenly – in contrast to the normal rhythm or pace of things. The light goes out and then it comes back – quickly. When any eclipse occurs, I prepare myself for change. When an eclipse occurs conjunct a natal planet, I prepare myself for a major shift in how I see myself and the path I am taking in this life. It is very difficult to predict whether one will experience an eclipse positively or traumatically. And it is hard to tell myself or anyone else, that even though it is scary to be plunged into the darkness of an eclipse, the light does return. The sudden return of light, which I compare to rebooting a computer, is the defining energy of an eclipse, not the darkness. Where does the new light shine? What new paths open up? Where do I go from here?

Bernadette Brady has written a brilliant book on predicting the nature of each eclipse in her book: The Eagle and the Lark. She writes: “One of the difficulties when reckoning with eclipses is that they appear to be very inconsistent in their expression.” Brady researched the nature of each eclipse though exploring the eclipse families. [Every eclipse belongs to a family of eclipses known as a Saros cycle. There are 19 - 21 families. This month’s Solar Eclipse belongs to the 10 North Saros cycle. See her book if you want to know more about Saros cycles. ] Brady created a birth chart for every eclipse family, and she delineated each of those birth charts. For the eclipse occurring on February 6, she noted: “There is a strong emphasis on communication and, at the same time, frustrating or inhibiting events may come into the person’s life via news, paperwork or a young person. The person may feel tired and drained, and this is therefore a good time to take things quietly and work through the difficulties one at a time.”

If 16 to 18 degrees Aquarius is significant in your chart, then that advice may be particularly helpful for you.

Communication and community are major themes for this lunation. Aquarius is the sign of community and communal processes, like elections, like communal agreements, like ways that a group makes decisions. Aquarius is also the energy of change, revolution, and the future.

Super Tuesday, the day that the two major parties are supposed to know through their primaries and caucuses who their next candidate for president will be, will happen the day before the Solar Eclipse during a time when Mercury (god of communication) is retrograde and Pluto, newly in Capricorn, is opposing Mars at its stationary degree of 24 Gemini. This energy is interesting, and very unpredictable.

Of the four major candidates, Clinton, Obama, Romney, and McCain, only Hillary Clinton has a planet within the degrees of this eclipse. Her Venus is at 16 degrees Scorpio squared to Aquarius. Interestingly, Obama’s Venus is being impacted by the Pluto ingress into Capricorn. His Venus is at 1 degree Cancer opposed by transiting Pluto. (Source of chart information is from The Mountain Astrologer Dec/Jan 2008). Venus describes our attractiveness. Both of these candidates are transforming in this area of their lives — unpredictably (eclipse) for Clinton and powerfully (Pluto) for Obama.

Every community needs clear communication. Mercury (16 degrees Aquarius) is retrograde at the time of this New Moon. This will be a good month to rethink our communication methods in our communities. Chiron, the Wounded Healer, is next to Mercury at 15 degrees Aquarius. Do you carry wounds from past experiences with community? Most of us do. We have the opportunity to offer our wounds to the altar of healing, to make choices that bring compassion as well as fairness into our communities. As this lunation strikes close to home for me, I am noticing that I want to change old patterns around my relationship to my communities.

Eclipses happen around the Nodes of the Moon. The North Node is now in Aquarius and the South Node is in Leo. The growing edge (North Node) supports any work we do around community and authenticity. Right now, our karmic baggage comes from Leo (South Node). Questions about our self worth, — how our communities need us — are important to explore in order to be free of this baggage that keeps us from our authentic roles in community.
Pluto in Capricorn and Mars retrograde continue to be very important themes to the current story. See previous blog entries for these themes. Mars has turned direct, and is now completing his hero’s journey. During the return, Mars will be asking us to integrate our experiences of the heart since September. The “hero’s return” portion of the story goes on till April 4, when Mars reaches 12 degrees Cancer, the place it stood to turn retrograde.

At the New Moon, Mars is in Gemini. On March 4, it will reenter Cancer and oppose Pluto in Capricorn. This is the third time that Mars opposes Pluto during this Mars retrograde cycle, and this is the first time that Mars opposes Pluto from the polarity of Cancer and Capricorn (the previous two times were in Gemini and Sagittarius). This will be a time of stirring up the core issues of Pluto’s transit into Capricorn. Already financial concerns are strong which is stimulating survival concerns. We have the opportunity to use this energy to realign our priorities, to reinvigorate our ambitions while staying rooted in the heart of compassion.

The Full Moon on February 20 is a Lunar eclipse that will be visible in much of the United States. The principles of a Solar Eclipse apply to a Lunar Eclipse but with less intensity. Solar Eclipses can be event-oriented while Lunar Eclipses tend to impact the emotional realm. The Moon will be at 1 degree Virgo (the Sun at 1 degree Pisces). The very mental energy of Aquarius is still strong at this time, however a new practicality is required to bring balance. How do we serve the visions that occurred at the New Moon? Saturn is next to this Virgo Moon reminding us that true change happens when we take only the next step, then the next, then the next.

February 24, the Sun opposes Saturn – a day to bring heaven to earth and earth to heaven. How will be serve our highest ideals rather than our basest instincts?

In the midst of winter, seeds of change stir deep underground. How will you help create the change that you envision?

New Moon January 8, 2008: The True New Year

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 03:36:00 +0000

New years begin at a variety of times for a variety of cultures. I’ve never understood the rationale for my culture’s new year beginning on January 1. But this New Moon qualifies, I think, for the title of New Year’s Day. Each New Moon is an opportunity for beginnings. This New Moon in Capricorn is a good one to signal the beginning of the new energy of this year – a year about Capricorn, a year about Earth, a year for change.

Capricorn, an Earth sign, is about responsibility, achievement, legacy. We might find ourselves in a more serious mood this lunar cycle and indeed this year, because Capricorn is important to the times. Last month I wrote about Pluto’s ingress into Capricorn, which happens this month on January 25, and about Jupiter also moving through Capricorn this year. We may feel more serious this year, but not gloomy, or at least not all the time. The atmosphere of change that Pluto portends is given a boost of optimism by Jupiter’s fair winds. Now is the time to believe we can make changes to the legacy we are creating, whether that is our environmental legacy, our cultural legacy, or a personal legacy. Any long-range goals that we’ve always meant to complete are worthy of our renewed attention this year. Instead of grudgingly making pointless New Year’s resolutions, we should actually feel like we want to work harder to attain our goals. That feels like the beginning of something new, doesn’t it?

There are always several themes, or stories happening in the cosmic airwaves at the same time. I like to think of these themes as strands of a web, a web that holds the possibilities of Now.

The power of Earth. Jupiter (7 degrees Capricorn) trines Saturn (7 degrees Virgo) January 21, the day before the Full Moon this month. These two planets are supporting each other with earthy energy going toward taking concrete actions.

The Full Moon on January 22. Notably Mercury is exactly conjunct Neptune on the Full Moon this month. The Sun in Aquarius with the Moon in Leo supports bright bold visions for the future. Mercury and Neptune give these visions mystical inspiration.
The story of Mars retrograde. I have been writing about the Mars retrograde story since the September New Moon post. During this past holiday season, Mars was traveling back through Cancer, the sign of the home, the inner self. For some, this holiday season was the perfect time to nest, bake cookies, and find value in the simple pleasures of family. For others, the season was more difficult. A time already fraught with difficult memories of family or emotional wounds may have been compounded by the extra sensitivity of Mars in this water sign. Mars has moved back into the sign of Gemini for a brief time, the warrior has almost reached his goal for this backwards journey. Have you reached yours?

Mars turns direct this month on January 30 at 24 degrees Gemini. As Mars begins to return, can you find a way to bring healing to wounds felt during his retrograde period? Can you find the wisdom of the inward journey you may have taken along with him?

More Capricorn energy. Venus moves into Capricorn (January 24) the day before Pluto’s does. Then Venus trines Saturn on January 29 and is conjunct Jupiter on February 1st on the eve of Imbolc. This cross-quarter holy day is sacred to Brighid, the goddess of poetry, social justice, smithing, and healing. Now our New Year resolutions receive the blessings of the divine goddess.
Reweaving the way we think, communicate and problem-solve. On Imbolc itself, February 2, Mercury stations retrograde at 23 degrees Aquarius. During Mercury’s retrograde journey we are given the opportunity to come at our habitual ways of thinking in a new way. The waning days of this lunar cycle, Mercury will be retrograde and will not turn direct until after the next New Moon in February. As the Moon wanes, the inward journey may be full of this trickster god’s mischief. Where does he want to take you?

New Moon for December 9, 2007: Winter's Wonder

teri@starsdanceastrology.com (Teri Parsley Starnes) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 22:05:00 +0000

There is so much happening in the next lunar month I almost don’t know where to begin. This lunar month, which initiates the Winter season, is full of story, is deep with dream, is rich with transformative possibility. When there is so much energy, there is a danger of being overwhelmed. And the danger in being overwhelmed is that we aren’t able to make the most of these possibilities. So, I recommend finding your most centered place this month, setting intention for what you most desire, and meeting the flowing energy with wonder and agility.

Things to notice this month:
From Sagittarius to Capricorn
Mars retrograde continues
Nodes of the Moon changing signs

Summing up Sagittarian lessons. The chart for December’s New Moon shows Jupiter conjunct Pluto in the final degrees of Sagittarius. Jupiter infuses the things it touches with optimism and potency. Pluto challenges through the intensity of shadow and transformation. Because Jupiter is well-placed here in Sagittarius, it is possible now to choose a life-affirming conclusion to Pluto’s transit through Sagittarius. Pluto entered Sagittarius in 1995. During this time, we have seen the shadows inherent in religious fundamentalism (a Sagittarian theme). Pluto’s transit has revealed how we need to understand the impact of our truths on the world. The stories we believe, the stories we tell about the world, create the world. As astrologer Caroline Casey often reminds us, we have choice: What story do you wish to animate? What reality do you wish to create?

The exact conjunction of Jupiter and Pluto happens on December 11 at 28 degrees Sagittarius. Both of these planets are on their way out of this sign. Jupiter has been in Sagittarius for one year, Pluto since 1995. The last conjunction of these two planets happened December 1994 at 28 degrees Scorpio.

Also pay attention to these dates that contribute to this story:
December 19 – Mercury conjunct Pluto
December 20 – Sun conjunct Pluto

From Sagittarius to Capricorn. One important theme this month is the ingress of several planets into 0 degrees Capricorn. The Winter Solstice occurs when the Sun reaches this degree. Winter is the quietest time, the darkest time, the stillest time of the year. Solstice means Sun standstill. The Sun stands still now and at the other mirror time – the Summer Solstice— for about three days. It doesn’t seem to change its position in the sky relative to the horizon for about three days. On the solstices, the Sun reaches the edges of its course through the heavens. In Summer, its highest and brightest edge and in Winter, its lowest and dimmest edge. In the Winter, this standstill seems more profound. The ear is cocked, the eyes are focused inward or out on the far horizon, the body settles into the dark and waits for illumination. It is a time for divination, a time for communion with Mystery, it is a time to begin again as the light ever so slowly to returns to us.

At the crossroads. Winter is also a time of choices made for survival. This is perhaps one of the most important things to remember as we consider the transits that are happening at 0 degrees Capricorn this lunar month and next year. Uranian astrologers call zero degrees of all the Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn) the World Axis degrees. When transits happen at these degrees, we can expect realignment along the axis of reality. This axis can be imagined as a cross, with the Aries/Libra arms stretching out horizontally – symbolizing the opposites of self and others. The Capricorn/Cancer axis is vertical reaching from the foundations of inner realities into the broad heavens of cultural values. When one arm of this axis is activated, all these areas are also activated. This Winter begins the year-long transit of Pluto at zero degrees Capricorn. (exact on January 25, 2008 for the first time) As we have noticed in Sagittarius, Pluto will reveal shadow and present us with the choice of transforming that shadow into life-renewing power.

Upcoming transits to zero degrees Capricorn:
December 18 Jupiter enters Capricorn for one year.
December 20 Mercury enters Capricorn (in itself not a significant event but Mercury adds to the Capricorn energy field).
December 22 The Sun enters Capricorn

Lunar nodes pointing the way to evolution. December 18, the nodes of the Moon shift into new signs. Since June 2006, the north node has transited through Pisces (the south node through Virgo). Since the nodes move backward through the zodiac, the North node will move into Aquarius next. The South node represents karmic lessons to work on. The North node represents the growing edge of evolution. The Pisces/Virgo lessons have been about releasing the details so that we can dream the big dreams. For example, it has not been the time to get bogged down in the details of how we will solve our problems; rather we have been called to believe again in our dreams. From there we will find a way. Now, we let go of some Leo qualities, such as believing that only an extraordinary person could lead us into manifesting our dreams, and grow into realizing that we are together co-creators of the future. The nodes will remain in these signs until August 2009.

Mars retrograde journey intensifies. Please see last month’s New Moon forecast for background on Mars retrograde. When a planet turns retrograde, it looks like it is going backward against the background of the stars. The planets that the retrograding planet encounters along this path have special importance to its story. What do you as the hero need to learn from each of these planets?

December 11 - Mars (7 degrees Cancer) trines Venus (7 degrees Scorpio)
December 22 - Mars (3 degrees Cancer) opposes Mercury (3 degrees Capricorn)
December 24 - Mars (2 degrees Cancer) opposes Sun (2 degrees Capricorn)
December 26 - Mars (1 degree Cancer) opposes Jupiter (1 degree Capricorn)
December 31 - Mars re-enters Gemini
January 2 - Mars (29 degrees Gemini) opposes Pluto (29 degrees Sagittarius)

This last Mars transit of this lunar cycle is especially important. Due to its retrograde cycle Mars opposes Pluto three times. (The first time was September 21, 2007 and the final time will be March 7, 2008.) This encounter with Pluto may be the core message from this Mars retrograde journey. When these two planets oppose, there can be confrontation that leads to violence. Certainly, we are able to see our automatic reactions to things that we fear. The choice again, because we do have choice, is whether to let our fears take over our reactions or to let our intentions overcome our fears. The promise of Mars opposing Pluto is greater clarity about our desires and how we intend to manifest them.

Lot of energy this month. But this does not need to be a time of anxiety or uncertainty. The gift of Winter for me is the night sky. I live in Minnesota. In Winter, I am able to go outside my warm home and immediately feel the sharp, crisp air on my skin as I look up in wonder. The stars seem closer in Winter. Perhaps they are, and all of their wisdom is perhaps closer as well. I invite you to breathe in the light.

Teri Parsley Starnes