Things Fall Apart

Through in-depth conversations with correspondents of mine in various locations and social circles, it has been made clear to me that the past week has seen various forms of upheaval: that is, a shift away from a certain habit, constant, or way of life that has become a source of comfort through repetition and duration. In the approach to the Solar Eclipse of Sunday, I listened to and took notes on several tales of firings, theft, bankruptcy, breakups, and even hospitalization. In attempts to piece together this puzzle of poor fortunes, I turned to my trusty ephemeris chart and current astrological map. Surely enough, I found some answers too clear to be considered "coincidence".
It all started last Monday, July 5th, when Uranus entered retrograde. Uranus has always been a planet associated with bringing sudden change, and with its recent transit to Aries, it also inspires within us a sense of self-empowerment that could direct our decision making towards deviance. Moreover, an active sextile between the Sun and Mars (perfected just before the Solar Eclipse) has given us assertive confidence and the ability to initiate decisions we've been sitting on for some time. Meanwhile, Pluto and Uranus are at ends again, now forming a square that lays an emotional foundation for a time of inevitable change, which usually manifests itself as loss, be it of capital, health, a job, or even a loved one. Pluto is also moving towards a square with Jupiter, an aspect that in the past has brought bad tidings for financial matters.
The key operator here? The Solar Eclipse amongst the formation of a cardinal t-square has an incredibly intensifying effect; think of the phrase "playing with fire", except that you've soaked both arms in gasoline beforehand. This heavy-hitting cosmic dance is a perfect example of the dense, powerful, and rare astrology we've seen this year. So what next?

The past week has brought us many changes in our sky, and these past three days have felt more like a month than a weekend for many. I wish I could say that we've emerged unscathed from this turmoil, but that seems not to be the case. Although you may feel a bit downtrodden or even exhausted, go on about your business as you always have. Now is not the time to make any adjustments to your daily routine. Do what makes you feel happy, comfortable, and relaxed; if that's your job, then good for you. But if you're like most people I know, that means feeding a passion that you may have been neglecting as of late, be it arts, sports, cars, tanning... whatever. Do it.
Whether you're feeling down from recent loss or misfortune, or just feeling apathetic, confused, or restless, today's Leo Moon provides a starting point for moving on. However, Venus (having just entered Virgo, shining bright here in the New York sky this past weekend) cautions us that progress can only made through emotional understanding and compassion for your peers. Keep in mind that every person you encounter is just about as dynamic and multi-faceted as you are; they have an array of moods and a selection of personalities of which you likely only see a fraction, so try not to hold them at fault for any confusing signals they send you. They don't always mean exactly what they say, and they rarely can say exactly what they mean. Most of our relationships exist in the context of a complex and dynamic network that poses so many variables that it's hard to clearly identify our roles in the lives of others: or, as they would say on Facebook, "it's complicated".
The political and economic events of late, although concurrent with the small-scale social issues I've been observing, are far too plentiful and complex to start digging into right now. Still, ever present is our struggle with the relationship between self and society. Although the challenges and frustrations that have been plaguing the headlines for over a year now seem distant and somewhat removed from our personal lives, now is a time to figure out just how important these issues really are; pick your battles, and take on a concept that you previously considered too vast for the spectrum of your existence. The strength of the cardinal cross manifests itself here, specifically in the opposition of Aries (self) and Libra (relationships and harmony). Trial, error, and more error inform us that it is ourselves and ourselves alone who prevent us from achieving a happy balance amongst friends and acquaintances, love and kinship.
Use the image below to go outside sometime this week and find Venus in the sky. She will remind you that progress towards balance and happiness is made only through understanding and patience.

Pseudo-Black Thursday

Around 2:30pm yesterday, May 6, 2010, Wall Street experienced a scare reminiscent of the stock market crash of 2008. Amidst a day of downwardly sliding stocks, the Dow suddenly plummeted an alarming 998 points in under half an hour. Our ongoing fears that the debt crises (one of which is coming to heated point in Greece, but we'll talk about that later) in Europe would spill over into American investments had been realized. Or had they?
Certain sources have received information that a trading glitch may have triggered the initial decline (marked by a 40% plunge in Procter & Gamble, a commodities mega-corporation considered one of the most solid investments on Wall Street) which sent stockholders into a selling frenzy, abandoning their more volatile assets for safer holdings such as mutual funds.

This activity is a textbook play for Mercury's retrograde cycle; throwing a wrench into the machine that is the American economy matches the classic M.O. of our favorite trickster, Hermes. Amongst three quarters of encouraging economic growth comes a mini-crisis that almost sparks a nationwide panic founded upon a simple miscommunication or computing error.
Keep in mind that electronic forms of communication are highly subject to the woes of Mercury's anti-communicative influence. Just because your messages are contained within your trusty computer-box does not make them invulnerable; in fact, electronic messages often work on a delay, and are much less reliable than face to face communication. Expect Mercury to take every advantage it can in disrupting these forms of communication.

Meanwhile, Greek's economy spirals as it bears the burden of a debt crisis combined with a regional economic downturn. The European Union as well as the IMF have proposed "bailout" measures for the country, but are debating it amongst their respective governing bodies. The people of Greece can only pray that the Moon's travel through Pisces will leave an air of compassion and sensitivity for the less fortunate, inspiring the EU or IMF to come to their aid.
These issues plaguing the Earth's globalized political economy draw strength from an opposition in our sky; Jupiter, ruler of the Gods and symbol of power and growth, opposes Saturn, which represents conventions and boundaries. When power (assuming it intends to grow, as capitalist economies do) clashes with systems and structure, some degree of crisis is inevitable. Political divisions become most apparent, the economy's cash flow diminishes, and a confidence in the system is lost. However, oppositions are not necessarily deconstructive; these two planets may likely come to an understanding to yield change. Therefore, this will be a time for crucial decisive action by Greek leaders. But enough about them... how does it affect us?
As the value of the euro declines against the dollar, America seems to be riding the waves of Jupiter through our Moon, which are both currently moving through Pisces. Jupiter, a ruling planet of the Pisces sign, can foster the rapid growth of the economy as well as bring out a large economy's excessive wastefulness, often manifested as an increasing division between the rich and the poor. As our country still boasts a 9.9% unemployment rate (which beats the hell out of Greece's 20%), hopefully the Moon's transit through Pisces will inspire in us a sympathy for the human condition, and an awareness of the economic and social oppression that many people refer to as "misfortune". Poverty and unemployment are not necessarily synonymous with misfortune, but rather the byproduct of a wasteful economic structure. As Greece's economy flounders and forces economic reform, perhaps we best heed their example and evaluate our own situation to ensure that the same "misfortunes" do not befall us. Pluto (which ironically also tends to incite power struggles) currently rests in Capricorn, telling us to accept the changes, losses, and economic woes, let go of them, and to start planning responsibly for the future.

Mid Week Moon

The Moon, our closest celestial body, is growing full.
The shining silver goddess will soon oppose the Taurus Sun, leaving us in the middle.

In traditional astrology the Moon represents our inner life, our emotions, and our darkside. Just as the Sun was occupying a particular sign at the moment of your birth, so was the Moon. It is this sign that represents your private self. The self you share with those you feel the closest to and who you feel most comfortable with.

It takes the Moon approximately 28 days to orbit the Earth. As Luna travels through our sky, her appearance changes. The lunar cycle follows the Moon’s progression of phases and begins with a new Moon. This occurs when the Moon is positioned directly between the Earth and Sun.

As the Moon advances along its orbit the lit portion grows. Luna then takes on a crescent shape. This growth is known as waxing. The waxing crescent soon reaches first quarter phase (Often called a half Moon). This occurs when the Moon makes a 90° angle with respect to the Earth and Sun. Now called a gibbous, (Meaning more than half but less that full) the Moon continues waxing. Maximum illumination occurs when the Earth is positioned directly between the Sun and Moon.

Now, more that halfway through its cycle, the Moon beings to wane. As it approaches another 90° angle, the waning gibbous reaches third quarter phase. Waning still the Moon tapers back to a crescent until she disappears from sight.

Each phase of the Moon brings a different vibe. The new Moon brings a feeling of new beginnings. This is a great time to make plans, start projects, and set goals. As the Moon waxes through its first quarter phase our actions grow. This time is traditionally associated with building and gathering information. The full Moon is a time for understanding and reflection. It is here that we should take stock of our progress and use the Moon’s energy to adjust our plans. Finally as the waning Moon goes dark we are encouraged to clear our lives of any negativity.

Today’s Scorpio full Moon invokes the feeling of “bring it on.” The challenges of Spring have made themselves clear and as we move further through the season our path forward will appear. While the Aries new Moon on April 15^th encouraged action and re-invention of one’s self, this full Moon in Scorpio pushes us to look beyond what is visible and turn our attention to what exists below the surface.

Scorpio deals with things we normally save for an accountable professional or our next of kin. Themes involved here include death, sex, and consequences. Combined with Mercury’s current retrograde, this full Moon brings us either results we cannot yet see or a mystery we can’t keep our eyes from. Additionally Mercury’s meeting with the Sun brings forth ideas of self-awareness. Factor in the winged messengers retrograde and what we have are memories.

As we push through these forgotten moments the idea of empowerment through transformation arises. Where in your life are you in need of change? Or perhaps a better question: What in your life appears to be changing beyond your control? According to this full Moon the answer begins with the self. However, before change can occur there must first be a complete understanding of where things stand and where our motivations are formed. It would be beneficial to our hearts for our heads to hear the truth.

It is the beginning of the end that makes another beginning possible and today’s full Moon is that beginning.

Weekend Forecast

As the moon prepares to exit Leo and set the tone for our weekend with its entrance into Virgo this afternoon, don't expect many of your plans to come to fruition. The moon throughout its transit maintains an opposition to Neptune, which hangs on to the cusp of Aquarius for the next several days. This opposition in our sky cautions us to postpone any decisive action until this void-of-course moon settles into Virgo.

The relationship between Neptune and Aquarius is one that will guide our thoughts for the next few days. Neptune, the ruler of our dreams and romantic ideals, will fall victim to the woes of erratic Aquarius, which will emit unreliable and even contradictory energies throughout the weekend. Moreover, Neptune has an inherent connection with the poisons that enter our bodies, so be careful when indulging in drinking or drugs this weekend, especially while the moon and Neptune (the co-rulers of our bodily fluids) remain in opposition. Although Neptune's positioning will affect our thoughts and dreams, try not to let the spontaneous and rebellious spirit of Aquarius overtake your worldly sensibilities; look to our Sun in Taurus to keep yourself grounded and rational.

Wait for the moon's trine with Mercury Saturday morning to get down to business. By then, the moon will have settled well into Virgo, flooding our consciousness with practical thought and a keen attention to detail. However, keep in mind that Mercury remains in retrograde; expect communications to break down, and realize that we are in a period of time that is more suited for reflection than action.